Chapter Text
Things were going great! Four floors down and things seemed to be fine. The saw no one down there but themselves, it didn't mean they exactly felt safe... but machine after machine, things were looking up. Shelly said after completing the very first floor.
"I can't shake the feeling I was being watched.."
"I'm sure it's nothing Shells"
Vee responded, her antenna twitching with doubt. No one commented after that.
The doors opened after a 'Ding!' And everyone stepped out, Astro moved like his legs had a mind of there own as he went on an autopilot. Paranoia at it's finest ladies and gentlemen.
Something felt wrong. And it wasn't just the suspicious amount of ichor on the floor, posters and walls. Astro recognised this as one of the kitchen floors, glancing over his shoulder at very second.
Why did he feel so unsettled here? Like a ringing in his head... kinda like when he was trying to control another toons nightmare.
"All right- I'll head left. You girls head towards the back and kitchen- Astro you cover the right."
Sprout spoke with authority no one gave to him, but again- no one made a comment about because it was somewhat nice to have someone calling the shots.
"Bark bark!"
"Oh, you can come with me Pebble"
Sprout kneeled down to pet the rock, letting it follow him as he separated from the others. Astro followed his action. Heading to a particularly dark area.
*God, my head still feels like it's ringing*
It was like an intending feeling of dread. He already had a feeling this whole thing was gonna end bad, but his was like a whole other person yelling in his mind about that this was particularly bad.
*Creeeeaak*
"Huh?"
Astro spun his head around, the ichor stopped flowing out the now full machine. The floor boards groaned of their age as someone was walking close by. Or something.
"Uh, I think you've wondered too far right"
He thought it was just one of the other mains who ended up where their not ment to be.
Then. He saw light.
A red light, flickering off and on in an unnatural and uneven pase. It was getting closer.
"Uh- anyone there?"
He questioned, hearing no response from his previous question. A Figure turned the corner- a particularly large head, strangely long and contorted arms and a *bloodshot eye* not to mention that it seemed to-
By whatever is still good, that's Brightney
Her head snapped to Astro, bending to where it almost looks painful. He couldn't believe it- in the short time he hadn't seen her, she became... that.
"Brightney.. dear what happened?"
Astro questioned.
He was met with a very shaky breath, loud enough to be heard from the other side of the room. Brightneys' eye were locked in on Astro, and her light flickered again. You could see the thoughts crashing in her mind- head twitching from its already painful position, causing each little movement to make small snapping noises as ligaments and metal clashed and snapped in her neck.
Astro stepped closer- he wanted to help her. Brightney looked in so much pain- Ichor covered her face, her legs were completely covered, the marking under her eye seemed to have melted and one arm looked horrifically torn and sickly.
The light flickered once more, but then it became much brighter.
She lunged at him.
He hugged her.
..........
"Where's Astro?"
Vee questioned, standing in the recently opened elevator.
"I'll go find him"
Shelly said, heading back out to where she saw him heading before.
She headed towards a seating area, where guest used to come for lunch and if you were lucky- Cosmo or Sprout would deliver it to you! Not anymore though.
...........
Brightney let her ichor filled arm drag along the floor, she'd come to the conclusion that it wasn't worth it to waste energy on lifting it. Same as what she thought with her left eye, not wasting energy to open it. But that lead to the ichor hardening and permanently closing it.
Her light flickered every few minutes, just enough to remind her that yes, you're still alive. You're still Brightney- The book club leader, the companion toon to Vee and the "smart one" when kids couldn't remember her name.
She let a smile hit her face for a second, remembering then they'd giggle at her telling fun facts- she missed those days.
But now, she can't even control her body- it wonders aimlessly as she's trapped in her mind.
*Ding!*
*Someone was here. Can they help me?*
*Please... I want help- I want to be in control*
She found Astro. Her body screamed to attack, to harm. But she fought that feeling, if only for a couple of seconds. Until he stepped forward.
She moved quicker, and silent. Rushing to swipe the moon with her twisted arm. Meeting him with nothing but anger on the outside.
She was met with an embrace.
The blanket draped around Astro opened up and held her tight.
"You're gonna be okay-"
He spoke soft, unlike her lampshade- now rough and torn at.
Brightney wanted to believe this- the ichor did not.
She stayed frozen in time. It felt nice, she almost forgot about everything thats happened for a moment.
The moment did last long.
Her arm- that contorted into a claw of some degree. Shook as she struggled to claw out the embrace, until it made it's way to his neck. Scratching, causing Astro to stumble back. Pulling the blanket back over himself.
He felt the cold ichor drip from his neck.
"Please- I-I can help you-"
"Astro-! We need to go- elevator is gonna close"
Shelly yelled from around the corner, not seeing the scene near her.
Astro paused. He stepped back. Brightney snarled, unable to form speech with all the ichor in her organs.
"I'll come back.. I promise"
He ran out, turning the corner and grabbed Shelly's hand, pulling her away from Brightney who was running after them.
"I'll come back for her. I promise"
Astro spoke, whispering to himself.
"Huh? What are you taking about?"
Shelly questioned, and she turned around just as they got to the elevator.
She saw Brightney.
She looked horrified.
She felt sick.
"Brightney-!" She called reaching an arm out but she didn't step out the elevator as it closed moments later.
"What... happened to her?"
Sprout questioned, he had seen her for about a second before the elevator closed in her face.
"Dandy. happened."
Astro spat.
And just as he spoke his name. The shop keeper appeared out the trap door.
"You guys are doing well it'd-"
"What. Happened. To Brightney."
Astro got uncomfortably close, leaning over the counter, staring Dandy down.
"She's a good example to why you don't touch the ichor"
Dandy spoke, like he was reading a boring newspaper. Not like this was about someone having their body contorted and *twisted*
Astro knew this was his fault. No doubt about it, and he shows No remorse for his actions. Sick bastard.
*WACK-!*
"IT'S YOU'RE FAULT. ISN'T IT"
Astro grabbed Dandys collar after hitting his face. Dandy replied with a confused huffed, before realising his fellow main toon just punched him.
"Astro- put him down!"
Shelly yelled in the background.
"..."
Vee didn't say anything.
Pebble whined
"This won't help us!"
Sprout warned Astro, but you could hear in his voice that he was holding back anger for Dandy. Astro threw a couple of punches before Sprout grabbed Astro's shoulders and blanket to pulled him back..
The blanket fell off.
Oh.
Oh no.
Astro paused at the sudden coldness on his arms. And extra set of arms. You know, the ones he's spent years hiding?
The other main toons stood in shock- he had another set of arms?
Shelly gasped.
Vee made a weird beeping noise as her hard drive was unable to process this.
Pebble hid behind Shelly
Sprout let go of Astro.
Dandy looked relieved that the force moved off him.
"Wellll looks like it's my time to leave" He called out to the confused toons. Winking ar Astro before his floor started sinking under him, lowering out of view.
Astro looked over his shoulder to see everyone's reaction. Before turning back to Dandy, who was mostly all the way down and the trap door was beginning to close.
Astro leaped forward, still being lead by blind rage for Brightney's pain. Reaching down to pull Dandy back up-
That didn't happen. The trap door closed, while Astro was still bending down and reaching in.
He screamed blood murder.
As his lower right arm got caught in the heavy metal doors. He squirmed and yelled in pain as more and more ichor pooled out his trapped hand.
Sprout caught himself out his daze to grab Astro again and pull his hand out. He'll worry about the extra hand thing later.
"ARGHHHH- PLEASE- GET ME OUT"
He screamed as he felt the bones crush. Then you could year it as well, echoing in the elevator.
Sprout grabbed Astro's wrist and yanked as hard at he could. You could hear the skin ripping.
"ARRRHHHH-" When he was pulled out, it was followed but more tering noises and a descriptive *Snap*.
Astro was breaking heavily, kneeing on thr floor. As he brought the hand up to his face (what was left of it anyway) and he stared in horror as all his fingers but his thumb were ripped out. And ichor was pooling down his arm.
........
Brightney sat at the closed elevator, her body ached.
It felt like she hadn't moved in hours.
*I'll come back*
You better.