Work Text:
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Time sure does fly by quickly…just not quick enough, I suppose.
Nearly 40 years since they decided to try their hands at a business. 35 years since they created me and the others. And exactly 20 years since they left us for dead.
June 24th.
It’s all nearly a blur now…like a distant memory. I can barely recall the way those people shoved microphones and cameras into his face, the way she looked at me with such... amusement. I can only wonder if she was genuine or once again, playing her little facade.
I still have a few of the items they left behind. The items they left me behind. Why did I have to be the one to continue this? It’s been years and yet, they still choose me, even when they’re gone, I hate it. I hate these... shackles. These chains. I can’t leave, we can’t leave.
Was it worth it? Was all of it worth the fame and money we once had? I hope you're proud of yourself, Delilah.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
The sun rose, coating the old center building in a comforting, orange glow. Weeds and vines littered the once pruned plot of land, the vines snaking their way up the building’s walls and fencing. The place that used to be filled with laughter now filled with nothing but silence and eeriness, a husk of what used to be. GardenVeiw Center. How you have lost your spark.
But alas, it didn’t matter now. The place abandoned by everyone, all except for the toons who were created there. It’s their home, how can they just leave it behind? The outside might be all worn and decayed but the inside…oh how the inside thrives. As busy as it used to be, only now, toons fill the hallways and rooms. Chatting, eating, hanging around each other. They got used to the feeling of being stuck there, of being abandoned. They didn’t mind. Sure the fame was nice but sometimes the children would be too rough or too loud. That being said, they fell into this new life quite nicely.
Well, most of them.
The elevator pinged as it stopped for their next floor, waiting a few seconds before opening the doors and waiting for the current toons inside to leave. As they all piled out, the doors shut quickly behind them, leaving the team stuck on the floor until they could power up the elevator again.
The lights inside the shuttle flickered a bit, the bright white lights shining down on a small hatch that neared the back of the elevator. Under the doors of it, a certain star angrily threw a box of gumballs to the floor, slamming his face into one of the nearby pillows for a silent screaming fit. After a few moments, he slowly lifted the pillow from his face, eyes frowned and red as he threw the pillow aside.
“This is the 4th time they didn’t buy anything! What am I doing wrong?!”
He looked over at the items that were on his shop’s layout; a full bottle of pop, a stealth candy, and even some cable wires. A pretty good layout if you asked him.
The flower sighed and gripped his petals in annoyance, trying to calm himself down as he scooped up the old items, shoving them into their respective boxes. He tidied up his little shop desk, wiping down the surface so it looked spotless, it never hurt to always look neat and ready to sell, at least when a sale does happen.
The elevator dinged, a sound that only happens when the power is restored or when they’ve descended to the next floor. He rolled his eyes, right now they had to choose between 3 different options so he had time to try and settle his little tantrum.
“It’s ok, it’s fine…I’m fine.”
He sighed, rubbing his temples as a small headache started to creep into his head. A small thought entered his mind, one that he’s had to repeat over and over and over again, ‘They don’t know any better. This is all for them.’
The flower seemed to finally relax, slumping down into the pile of pillows he had stored to the side as the elevator dinged at the next floor. He had no energy to look to see how they were doing, but judging from the calm sounds of no screams, they seemed to be doing quite well.
He looked over at the posters on the wall, each one having one of the cast toons with some information on the side of them. Glancing over them, he pushed himself up, walking over to the security system that was on the opposite wall of them. The toon flicked over every screen, watching as some of his friends did their roles almost perfectly, save for the fact they left Goob to distract and Toodles unattended. This could only end with someone needing either a lecture or a med kit. And he really didn’t mind hearing another lecture.
…
The group of 8 had made it all the way down to floor 16, before Gigi had swiped a med kit that a certain pastry desperately needed, which of course, ended with Sprout diving his way in front of a twisted Toodles just to save his best friend. It was a run alright.
As the group staggered their way to the elevator, Dandy let out a soft sigh, his face shadowed with a mix of worry and slight annoyance. How could they be so careless? This was a situation where everyone had to be on the same page, no matter what their differences may be! Why can't they get that?
He shook his head, a soft ‘tsk’ coming out of his mouth as he watched them ride the elevator up and back to the floors where they all reside. He waited till they had gotten off, letting the elevator doors close as he quickly made his way to the moving pad his shop was on. Dusting off any dirt that had fallen on him, he cleaned himself up and activated the lever to lift his shop up, ready to join the others and hopefully treat any injuries as fast as possible.
.
.
.
“Ow!”
“Sprout hold still! This cut is really deep!”
The strawberry sat on a colorful chair, pouting as he tried to hold his arm out straight while Tisha fixed it up. A long gash ran up his arm, starting from his wrist and ending at the bend of his arm. He winched again as the cleaner tightened the bandages, making sure no more ichor would bleed out. They kept at this for another good 2 minutes before she snipped the end off, tying it properly so they wouldn’t loosen.
“There! All fixed and tidied up!”
Sprout looked at his arm, examining the white fabric that stopped him from literally bleeding out.
“Thanks Tish... but did you have to tighten it so much?”, he asked, before getting a good smack on the head with a feather duster.
“Yes! You wouldn’t want to bleed all over Cosmo or your baked goods, now would you?”, she remarked back, giving him a little glare as she placed her hands on her hips, “And besides, this should teach you to stop throwing yourself into such dangerous situations!”
He looked away, she wasn’t on the supply run but had heard what happened from Scraps about his ‘dangerous stunt’. Cosmo had begged for his forgiveness for being careless, of course he couldn’t blame him for what happened, Rodger had been scolding him the entire time they were going back up and Gigi, who was the one he blamed for all this, had just simply gone to pick up more items. But still, it was worth it, he couldn’t let his best friend get hurt!
“I know, but-”
“Ah, no buts! You won’t be going on a supply run for a good while mister! Main or not, you are seriously hurt and it would be crazy to send you back down like this.”
The maid had a point, and he did not like that one bit.
Ever since the Twisteds were created, he and the other mains had been more prone to getting hurt. Their injuries would take so long to heal while the other Cast toon’s would heal in less than a day. It didn’t make sense to him, then again, none of this made sense.
“Right. Ok.”
Tisha gave him a look before placing a hand on his shoulder, a soft sigh leaving her mouth. “I’ll let Astro know you won’t be going on any runs anytime soon.”
Sprout nodded, getting up and dragging himself out of the small arts and crafts room, mumbling to himself about needing to rant about this later.
Walking by Dandy’s shop, the flower popped his head from behind the counter, giving the taller one a smile as he waved him down.
“Sprout! How's the arm?”
The strawberry pressed his mouth into a firm line, looking away from the flower in a bit of an awkward glance.
“Uh, it only stings, why?”
Dandy frowned a bit before his face lit up for a moment, “Wait there!”, he exclaimed, diving into the boxes he kept behind the counter.
The other stood there as he waited, not really enjoying the sudden pop up of the main lead. He didn’t hate him but he also didn’t like him as well. Sprout always thought Dandy was a bit…off. Of course as long as the flower didn’t come near Cosmo or any of his friends, he could say the flower was safe. For now.
After a moment, Dandy popped back up, holding a med kit and a protein bar. He laid the goods on the counter, pushing them towards the other with a friendly, concerned smile.
“What?”
“For you, I feel just awful that me asking you all to do those supply runs ended up with you and the others getting seriously hurt, so here. On the house!”
Sprout looked over Dandy’s face, reaching out to grab the items. “Are you sure?”
The flower nodded, pushing the items into Sprout’s hand. “Of course, and please, let the others know that they can come after a run for any supplies when injured, will ya?”
He looked so apologetic, so much that it contradicted what the strawberry had been told in the first place about him by Vee. But, he couldn’t say no to them.
“I will.”, He gave Dandy a friendly smile back, noticing how the other seemed to almost inflate with joy.
They waved a quick goodbye as Sprout made his way back to the center of the building, looking at the 3 different elevators. One had been made very clear it was the one that led to the danger floors, while the other 2 led to where the toons were able to live freely among themselves. He noticed Tisha must have stayed behind to clean up the room she patched him up in, so not bothering to wait, he quickly made his way to the elevator that went down to their sleeping quarters, already planning on having a yap session with Cosmo about the quick interaction he just had.
He held on tightly to the items in his hand, his left arm starting to form a strange burning feel as he boarded the elevator, struggling as he figured out how to press the button down. Once he got it, feeling the contraption starting to move down, he leaned against the side of it, enjoying the coolness of the metal bar against him.
The elevator suddenly stopped, a small ding ringing out that he had arrived at the chosen floor.
The strawberry quickly got off, speed walking through the halls of rooms. He gave a quick nod to the others, not bothering to mention anything of his arm or how he didn’t want to bend it in fear of it hurting.
Stopping at Cosmo’s door, he looked around to see if any of the others were nearby. Thankfully not.
“Cos! Open the door!”, he yelled, knocking on the other’s door. Sprout waited for a bit, tapping his foot slowly to the soft classical music that played over the hall’s speaker. He hated to admit it but, Dandy always had a good taste in the classical genre. Well, at least to Sprout he did.
The door slowly creaked, Cosmo quickly swinging the door open once he saw his best friend. The two gave each other a quick smile before Sprout ran through the door, dropping the items on the others’ bed.
“Sprout what are you-”, He gave his friend a confused look, quickly shutting the door and looking at the items Sprout had thrown on his bed.
“What’s your opinion on Dandy?”
“Heh?”