Chapter Text
It had been roughly two weeks since Vee started hosting runs.
The toons in the elevator were waiting for Vee to appear. They’d gotten used to seeing her now. Yet, running the shop again was Dandy themself.
“Whew! Sorry about that folks! Golly! That took a while!”
The toons all sighed with relief at the sight of the flower back in their shop. “Dandy! Oh it's good to see you, Dandy!” Goob cheered and ran up to the counter. Dandy smiled. “That's great! Aw you guys missed me! Don’t worry, I’m doing better. Sadly I can't twist for now, so you guys can get away with not buying this time.” There was a bit of uneasy air. Dandy spoke up to try and clear it, “I won't let something like that ever happen again!” Shelly went over and asked, “So Vee’s not gonna host runs anymore?” Dandy’s smile faltered as they shook their head, “nnnnnOPE! HAHAHA!! No never again! I don’t plan on it….! Heheheh…”
The tone they used was difficult to read.
Meanwhile, Vee was in the lobby. She found it nice to return to normal.
Mostly to normal.
It took Vee a minute to pick up on it, but toons were looking at her differently now.
She walked into the lobby and immediately was met with strange gazes. Vee was confused. Why were they looking at her so… coldly? She caught the gazes of Tisha and Yatta, who looked almost angry with her. Some toons like Finn and Scraps looked uneasy. While a small handful looked either sympathetic or afraid.
It reminded her of…
How toons looked at Dandy when they first began the operation.
They didn’t trust her anymore.
It took Vee by surprise how quickly toons stopped trusting her with some things. Such as when she asked Brightney if she needed help, the lamp shook her head and said she got it despite usually being upbeat and enthusiastic for help, or when she asked Glisten if he wanted to gossip to which he just awkwardly laughed. On the other hand, a handful of toons like Rodger and Sprout came to question her.
Either way, it was a very strange experience for her.
She didn’t know how to feel.
Should she regret impulsively volunteering to help out like that? If she didn’t agree to help, toons would still trust her, and she wouldn’t have ever learned how to revive a toon.
And god she hated learning how to revive a toon.
If she didn’t the elevators would’ve shut down, or worse dandy would’ve stubbornly tried to continue hosting runs.
However, this doesn’t mean she should be happy she did that. After all, both choices lead to equally bad consequences she didn’t think ahead of time.
It hurt either way to walk past toons she used to be on much better terms with look at her like she had committed a crime.
Maybe it was just the fact that her head hurt quite badly.
Astro knocked on her door. Vee raised her head from staring at her shaking and tingling hands. She got up and opened the door. “Astro? Hey there, anything I can help you with?” She asked a bit too excitedly. She hoped this wasn’t more questions about her work in the operation. The moon looked at her, and asked in reply, “Hey, could I talk to you for a bit? Inside your room so we’re alone?” Vee’s antenna drooped. “... yeah sure, just come in…” She said.
Vee’s room was never that bright. She kept her lights dim. Papers were scattered across the ground filled with letters or music notes. There were boxes haphazardly shoved in corners. Her bed was a mess. Vee set her cane to the side and invited Astro to sit with her on her bed. Astro sat down beside her and looked at her. “So… Have any toons given you a tough time since…. You know?” he asked with some caution. Vee sighed in frustration. “No one’s really come up and argued with me yet… The most I get are questions. From Rodger and Sprout specifically.” She began. Astro commented, “They were very concerned for you.” Vee continued, “I’ve noticed that toons don’t really look at me the same way. It's like they don’t trust me anymore! I mean I understand why they wouldn’t but it… it does hurt.” Vee lay back in her bed. Astro followed. “Have any of your friends talked to you today? Or have they avoided you too?” he questioned. Vee sighed, “Brightney and Glisten both didn’t want to talk or hang out. When I saw Sprout, he kept asking me about what happened…” She said. Astro asked further, “What about Shrimpo or Shelly?” Vee shook her head, “They just looked at me with sympathy in their eyes.” She sounded frustrated.
Astro gently hummed before he remarked, “You know… It was just shocking, and I'm sure most toons will loosen up after a bit… Don’t worry.” Vee smiled, but astro added, “but, you know there are some toons who no longer trust you, and I know they won’t come around…” Her smile faltered and she turned away. “...I guess it's the price I pay for helping out Dandy. They know I’m not actually working in the operation, right? I helped out Dandy because I love them and I don't want them to strain themself.” she explained. Astro sighed. “A lot of toons who don't trust you have already been uneasy before about both you and your relationship with them. I think it’s rather silly really.” he said.
They sat in silence for a bit, before Astro remarked.
“A lot of toons were so worried and so uneasy because you reminded them so much of Dandy themself.”
Vee looked over to astro, and actually started to laugh. She laughed really hard. “HAHAHA!!! ME?! LOOK LIKE THEM?! OH ASTRO!!!” she had to collect herself, she was laughing so hard her voice was lagging. Astro looked unamused. “I’m serious, Vee! You acted so closely to Dandy toons got nervous! You smiled at the elevator like they would, you left a note like they would, you were secretive like they are, and- and-” the moon toon was frustratedly scolding. Vee held her hand to his lips in a “sh” motion. “Okay okay! I get it, I acted like them a bit. That’s not really a big deal. Come on, our characters mirror each other, it shouldn’t be that surprising.” she explained.
Astro still gazed at her with concern in his eyes. “It's just- it worries me too. You’re the first toon that was actually on the show that got fully wrapped into the operation…” He spoke cautiously. Vee picked at her antenna. “Come on, you’re saying Dandy never told you anything about the ichor? You’re their best friend! They wouldn’t keep that from you.” astro protested, “They did tell me some things but I don't know how to revive toons and you do! I was never called to host runs instead of them but you were! And I’ve never touched raw, unfiltered ichor but YOU have!” He paused, “Vee, you can see why everyone’s uneasy… and I just came to tell you that… I worry about you.” Vee’s gaze softened. “Astro.. I-”
She felt sharp pain in her abdomen, and hunched over on herself.
It felt like she was being torn apart from inside.
Astro jumped as Vee sat up suddenly, groaning and pressing her hands to her stomach.
“Vee!! VEE!!! Vee are you okay?!” he called as she suddenly pressed her hands against her videocassette player right under her screen. Vee shakily tried to shake her head. Astro was panicking as she gagged, and hunched over. Condensation formed on her chassis as she suddenly threw up, making astro jump in shock.
Staining the ground was a mixture of black and bright green.
A mixture of coolant and ichor.
Astro’s eyes were wide with horror. “V-Vee?! What’s wrong- Do you need me to-” Vee stopped him before he could continue. “Get o-out… j-just get out Astro…” she said through static. Astro protested, “vee you just vom-” vee grabbed her cane and stood up. She was trembling, but managed to shove them off and out of her room. “J-just go-o I’m FINE! I’m ju-ust fine!!” her voice sounded like a mix of anger and pleading. Before astro could do anything, the door slammed in front of him. He stood there for a moment with a gaze of horror. The moon quickly turned around to tell someone, anyone.
Vee felt more sharp pain spread throughout her arms and legs as she fell to her knees, she clasped her hands over her videocassette player as she vomited up more ichor and coolant.
The silence that followed after she stopped throwing up was deafening.
She was shaking, and staring at the puddle of bright green and black. Her hands were tingling like static. Her head hurt more than ever.
“What the [----] is happening to me…?”
Dandy returned from the run much later. Everything felt like it returned to normal. As they walked towards their shop, they caught some conversation between Dyle and Astro.
“I don’t know what happened… she was just fine!”
“You said both ichor AND coolant fluid?”
“Yes! Both ichor and coolant fluid!”
Coolant? The only toon with coolant was…
“What happened to Vee?” Dandy ran over to the counter. Dyle looked over. “Oh, Dandicus. Welcome back.” he said, but his expression was solemn. “Astro was telling me something about vee.” he then nodded to the moon. Astro looked worried. “Vee’s not well! I was just visiting her and suddenly she threw up both ichor and coolant fluid!” he exclaimed. Dandy looked shocked. “WHAT?! Why!? Do you know what's wrong with her?!” he asked. Astro shook his head. Dyle cleared his throat. “I can’t be certain, but with what Astro told me… it reminds me of something.” he remarked. Dandy demanded, “Well what?! Spit it out! Don’t be vague!” Dyle looked over, and said,
“Her symptoms line up with Miss Keen’s sickness.”