Chapter Text
Sleepless Nightmares
Wave 1 of the Infection
The infection was quick. When Vee, Shelly, and so many others were taken by Dandy, or whatever that creature was, many fled to the elevators. This was merely hours ago. Some may have survived, but not nearly enough. Dandy was still patrolling each floor, his eyes red with ichor. No one could get by him. Many other toons tried to make their ways to the facility exits, but all doors were locked tight, the building on shutdown. The infection, and every toon in Gardenview, was shut off from the outside world. The handlers were nowhere to be seen, and it was every toon for themselves. In the lower floors, the infection spread like wildfire. There was no mercy that could be found, no compassion that could survive the betrayal of Dandicus Dancifer.
Astro ran as fast as he could, his blanket tightly wrapped around him in a futile attempt to retain his energy. He turned a corner and dashed behind a fallen shelf. Thump, thump, thump. That thing...wasn't Dandy. That wasn't the best friend that stood by Astro in the beginning. That wasn't even a toon, not anymore. How could this happen? Astro shook his head, and tried to slow his panicked breathing, but halted upon the footsteps approaching closer. He didn't have much time, did he?
"As...tro..." a sing-song voice hissed in the flickering shadows. Astro tensed up but stayed quiet. He crawled forward, and stood back up, sneaking away from Dandy. A loud thud echoed through the floor, making Astro nearly jump out of his skin.
"I know you're there." the voice called out, seemingly following Astro's movements away from him. Astro hid behind a counter, peeking up to see if Dandy was nearby. Of all the toons Dandy had gone for, he was far more persistent with Astro.
Astro could see the large form of the creature Dandy had become, his height almost reaching the ceiling. He had to put one hand on his mouth to stifle a gasp of sheer horror. Ichor covered Dandy from the neck below, and he was almost unrecognizable. His large claws were the faded color of the rainbow, and tapes wrapped around him like chains. The petals on his head were torn and overgrown, and that grin, that awful grin, was never going to leave Astro's memory. Astro tried to stay quiet, but tears were starting to form in his eye.
"Maybe come out...and we can talk, like old friends!" Dandy called out, his back turned to Astro.
"Friends?" Astro replied, still hiding. "Dandy...look at what's happening, I- I...how could you?"
Dandy snapped in the direction he heard Astro's voice, his grin widening.
"How could I? Oh, Astro, you still don't understand." Dandy said, stepping closer to Astro's hiding place. Astro flinched, and dashed to the side. Dandy howled with a fiendish laugh and chased after him, his claws scraping the walls and ground as he ran. Astro kept running.
"Dandy, please! Is this really-"
Dandy slashed at Astro, throwing him to a nearby wall. Ichor stained his now torn blanket, the color turning dull. Astro let out a cry, and one of hands went to the gash on his side. He could feel ichor already beginning to infect him. Dandy lunged forward, slamming a claw on Astro and pinning him down.
"Can you feel the coldness? The fear running through your veins? Oh, Astro, you could've been my greatest ally, but no...you had to run. Run away, like all the others. We've been abandoned by our creator, Astro, yet you refuse me! For that, YOU betrayed me! I WILL NEVER LET YOU REST." Dandy screeched, his ruined face leaning closer to Astro's horrified expression.
"You will be wandering this floor, restless and twisted. I don't want to kill you. But you...are just as responsible for this as I am."
And with that, the darkness took over Astro's mind and body. Twisted.