Chapter Text
Hello! My name is SyncaBlade, but you can call me X. This is my first ever fic! It will be a bunch of fun short stories in an episodical manner, but uh, there may be an overarching story who knows. Please note that my autocorrect is very goodn’t and grammar and idk idc.
Please enjoy and note that most will be about Vee and Astro, Astro POV. Nightstatic YIPPE!
“Have you seen Brightney?”
It took Astro a second to process whether this was a question or not. Her voice was so monotone.
“N-No.” he replied, turning to Vee.
“No one has seen her. You’ve not had a book club or something?” She kept her hands on her hips as she stared, looking like an interrogator.
“No…” he replied again, trying to remember the last time he saw her. It had been a while. Did he remember seeing her since Gardenveiw shut down? He remembered her reaction, and maybe one or two book clubs since. It had only been three weeks. “Have you asked Razzle and Dazzle?” He suggested, thinking of the other book club members.
“Yes.” She answered.
There was silence.
“Scraps is on a run to the lower floors, collecting supplies.” He eventually added “Maybe you could ask her?”
Vee nodded. Her tail flicked. Was that a sign of annoyance? He really couldn’t tell. She was always hard to read, and she was worse at reading others.
He never told her this of course. He had known her for so long, yet still she baffled him sometimes.
“She’s been missing for about a week.” She stated, as she turned to leave.
“Brightney? Oh…” he said as he watched her go. A week? That was concerning. Deeply. She could’ve gotten lost on a run… or ran into what was left of a few of their friends.
He shuddered. Even the thought of what Poppy, Brusha, and Shrimpo had become was so visceral. Imagine coming across the empty husks of you own friends. Stained and breathing their own guts, choking and stumbling as they chased you down so you may meet the same fate, they way they just limped along mindlessly when not in pursuit. Their tears dripping, melting into the ichor of their blood.
It was all so simple only a week or two ago. Go deeper, get supplies, and come back with food and medicine. It was no longer so simple, watching their step for puddles of ichor that came from who knows where and their own friends attacking. Astro wondered how Tisha took Brusha’s death. She acted like she didn’t care, or was even happy, but he knew she was not.
Sprout entered the room. He had been working day and night trying to find a way to help them, and it showed. Astro saw him enter and put a mountain of cooking ingredients on the kitchen table. Astro had almost forgotten he had come to get breakfast.
He watched as Sprout laid out the ingredients and began cooking. Cosmo came to help, and soon the tables of Sprout’s floor were filling up with toons coming for breakfast.
“Breakfast is… uh… muffins.” Astro overheard Sprout, tiredly speaking to Cosmo.
“AGAIN??” Asked Yatta energetically. She didn’t seem mad, but definitely disappointed.
“Yatta…” said Looey, holding onto Sprout’s arm. He looked tired too. Everyone was at bit tired, at least Astro knew he was. He wondered if it might be partially his fault. It was his job to guard their sleep.
On the other side of the kitchen Vee was questioning Connie about Brightney. She did not seem to be getting anywhere.
“Muffins ready.” Grumbled Sprout, holding a couple trays of warm muffins. As tired as he was, the muffins still looked good.
Yatta snatched one and gobbled it up, despite her earlier protest.
Astro gingerly picked one up with his magic and took a bite. It was slightly overcooked, but it was still good.
He watched silently as groups of toons came for their muffins. Nobody had quite the reaction Yatta did, but many were tired of muffins.
He noticed Blot walking in. He still stood with the same confidence as ever. He watched as Vee approached and asked about Brightney.
“Have you seen Brightney?” She asked hopefully.
“.oN” he replied. It sounded like he said ‘No,’ but Astro was still learning how to understand him.
“Ok.” She replied. “Are you doing alright? I was told you were not reacting to what happened to Brusha very well,” she said. It sounded like concern inher voice, at least he thought. Her words sure sounded concerned.
“.eeV ko eb ll’I” He replied. Astro couldn’t quite understand.
Vee nodded. She got up and started heading for the elevator.
Astro watched her go. The concern melted from her demeanor with every step. She seemed angry. Or still concerned, but in a different way. Her tail continued flicking about as she walked away.
“She’s not taking this well.” Said Sprout, taking a sip from his cup of coffee.
“You say that about everyone Sprout...” He replied quietly.
“Doesn’t make it any less true.” He insisted.
“You need sleep Sprout.” Astro replied. It was not a great comeback, but he was not really looking for one. Sprout did need sleep.
“So does she, along with everyone else.” Sprout said slowly.
“Sprout. You can’t help anyone if you don’t sleep.” He said, trying to act stern.
“I can’t help anyone while I’m asleep.”
“Well- “
“Well, nothing! Go tell her to sleep. If you get her to sleep, I’ll sleep.” Sprout interjected wearily.
Astro stared at Sprout for a moment. Should he take this… ‘challenge’
Maybe he should. She needs sleep too, after all.
“Fine then, I uh- I will.” He answered as he tried to back away.
He turned around and left, only hearing Cosmo’s voice behind him.
Get Vee to rest. How was he going to do that? She had her opinions, and they rarely changed. If she didn’t want to sleep, she wouldn’t. So, he had to make her want to. Somehow.
He headed into the elevator and reluctantly headed to her floor. On the way up his mind raced with worries. Bothering her could be a bad idea, but what choice did he have? What if he messed up? He did not want to mess this up. It was his only way to help Sprout, and Vee, and everyone who relied on them.
As the elevator opened, he stepped out softly. He was met with a mess of a floor. Not too unlike his own, the toon handlers did not exactly clean up before they left. He wandered about the floor, big heavy boxes full of merchandise and equipment towered above him as he quietly searched for Vee.
It was not too hard to find her. He heard her metal footsteps almost immediately. It sounded like she was walking, but he did not know where. As he drew closer her footsteps seemed to come back and forth. When he turned the corner of a particularly big crate, he found her pacing. He was not quite ready to approach her, he did not like confrontation, so he waited and watched.