Chapter Text
Serve and protect.
A duty every knight must bear. Soulvester walked through the room at a slow pace, his posture upright even with the heavy armor weighing him down. Performing his normal task, which is doing machines, he was abnormally quiet today. He failed to start any conversation with any toons in his team. His mind had been more focused on something or someone else.
Alas, he had to set his focus aside in an attempt to survive going through the floors. It wouldn't be very heroic of him if he were to die.
Once the host of the team, which was Sprout, was finally tired of proceeding, they rode the elevator back down to the main lobby. It was safe, and filled with toons who are all going through the same trauma of being left behind with monsters that look like the friend you just talked to five minutes ago.
Nobody knows why there are two duplicate versions of toons, and apparently, Dandy or Dyle don't know either. It's best not to think about it.
Exhaustion overcame Soulvester, though he did minimal work. He sluggishly made his way to his room, which was downstairs from the normal toon rooms, and let himself collapse onto his bed with a loud clank of metal hitting each other.
Without warning, a cool chill swiftly filled the room, and his eyelid twitched. It was Connie, passing through the walls of his room and silently floating to the knight.
"What's got you so tired, big guy?" Soulvester didn't look at her face, but just by the tone of her voice, he knew she was smirking, like always.
"Make thyself useful and abandon my room." He muttered.
"Oh, drop the fancy talk." She snickered as she sat on his bedside. "You don't even use it right, anyway."
Soulvester grumbled lowly, his fingers twitching. "What do you want from me, Connie?"
She leaned in, looking at Soulvester with a smug look on her face. "You were so quiet during our run today."
"Our run?"
"I was there, dummy. Did you notice or were you too busy daydreaming?"
"Oh, I hadn't noticed, I guess. Never mind that. It doesn't matter what I was 'daydreaming' about." He made air quotes with his fingers. "What matters is I don't feel like talking to anyone, especially you, so would you please leave me alone?"
Connie hesitated for a moment, her smirk dropping. She then shrugged and quietly left the room.
Soulvester could hear a toon talking through the thin walls of the building.
"If only we had taken precautions beforehand, we…"
His face grimaced; it was Rodger in all of his glory. Soulvester was never the type to particularly hate anyone, but he strongly disliked Rodger. His endless questions and inquiries drove him crazy. He wanted to somehow stuff his hand in his non-existent mouth just to hear his silence for once. It wasn't only his rambling that irked Soulvester— it was how absurdly connected he was to his partner, Leny. They were like glue and non-sanded wood. Always next to each other, always talking to each other, hell, they even sleep in the same room! Soulvester clenched his armored hands into a fist.
Good luck trying to separate them too. They were like this even in the show. If Rodger weren't so damn dependent on Leny, maybe he wouldn't dislike him as much.
Soulvester could feel the muscles in his face contort into a frown. To think about fellow toons like this was a disgrace to being who he's supposed to be, who he was written to be. A hero. The people just didn't get the time to expand on him; he was going to be a hero. Not a side character only appearing on Halloween episodes.
You're losing it, Soulvester. He thought. Just go to bed, and you won't think like this tomorrow.
He dragged himself into a more comfortable position. Though he did have thick, heavy armor, he always found a way to get at least comfortable enough to sleep. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh.
"Well you wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if he hadn't brought them to you..." Leny said.
Something fired in his mind; the word "danger" made him open his tired eyes. Softly, he shook his head and went back to attempting to sleep.
All night, he heard the sound of the two men talking through the walls. Though he managed to sleep a little, he still woke up with heavy eyes and an even more clouded and irritated brain. He got up nonetheless. With leaden steps, he stumbled to his door and opened it.
He stepped into the hallway, shaking his head side to side, left, right, left, right. This habit became something he doesn't even notice anymore.
As he was walking down the long hallway, he looked at the peeling paint and the faded, ripped posters on the walls.
Out of nowhere, he noticed something. Rodger and Leny don't even have rooms down here; they were in Eclipse's room. What could they possibly be talking about in Eclipse's room?
He let out a low breath, forcing the thought out of his head. With a practiced motion, he straightened his posture and tore his eyes from the worn, dusty floor, staring straight ahead instead. Today would be different. Today he would be composed, reliable, normal. No drifting off, no unnecessary “daydreaming.” Just focus. Just protection. Nothing else.
Without notice, a voice behind him broke the silence with himself and his thoughts. He abruptly halted.
"Soulvester, my dear friend! I have a question for you!"
To his delight, it was Leny who caught up to his walking pace. Soulvester looked down at him, noticing his small height.
"Ask away," Soulvester replied calmly, deepening his voice.
"Have you not noticed you almost…" Leny hesitated. "To put it lightly, you almost ended me yesterday?"
Soulvester choked on his saliva, suddenly coughing with widened eyes. "I cry your mercy?!" His knightly act dropped, he slouched, and his tone of his booming voice went back to the high-pitched tone he would never let anyone hear. "Why — I'd never!"
"I figured you wouldn't remember this event." Leny chuckled to relieve the tensing air. "You seemed like you were out of it, you hadn't even realized a twisted started chasing you and Rodger until I had taken the twisted away from you two."
Soulvester swallowed the lump in his throat. So out of character. So disgraceful. So unheroic. The light, beating heart in his chest went faster and faster. "You know I'd never—" He choked on his words once again. "I'd never do that! Have I been cursed by a witch?" He silently scolded himself mentally.
"Hold your horses, knight." Leny kept pace with a calm, confident step, but Soulvester felt something settle uneasily in his stomach. "I forgive you. I know you didn't mean it. Not someone as chivalrous as you." He softly laughed.
Soulvester stumbled. There were too many emotions firing off in his head. Truly, Soulvester had done something as heinous as almost getting him killed. Alas, he forgives him? Not only that, he was complimenting him! He snapped back into reality and back into his knightly persona.
"The acts I've done must've be harrowing. I truly apologize."
Leny shook his head and closed his eye. "You're fine, really." His soft fist struck Soulvester's metal forearm lightly, which made a soft clink. Soulvester didn’t turn his head, he couldn’t, but his eyes flicked down to where Leny’s hand had been. His muscles tensed.
The silence felt like forks scraping against rusted plates and bowls. A dried piece of paint fell from the wall as they were walking. The only thing audible was the clanking of metal hitting each other with every step Soulvester took.
It was almost like Leny could see the gears grinding and interlocking in Soulvester's head. Feeling merciful, he broke the grating silence.
"Well, I'd best leave you alone," He stretched. "Stay safe, Soulvester."
"Of course." Soulvester replied quietly, fidgeting with his fingers. He watched Leny pick up his pace and slip ahead. Soulvester’s eyes followed him a moment too long before he forced himself to look away.
The heavy air around him prickled at his skin like needles, he felt a shiver run down his spine as he took tremulous steps up the stairs and into the main hallway. The scent of pumpkin packed the corridors. Heavy and overwhelming. It filled his lungs like toxic fog, dense enough to suffocate on. That was how you knew it was Halloween.
He made his way to the main lobby, he stopped his drifting and looked at the towering tree in the center of the room. It covered the rising sun, yet the shine had still bled through the leaves and branches in soft beams of golden light.
He slowly blinked, and shook his sight away from the tree. Maybe he could talk to some toons today. To put him back in his normal knightly routine. But so early in the morning, many toons had been asleep or in their own rooms getting ready. To Soulvester's luck, no one but Eclipse stood.
She rubbed her rested eyes while leaning on the wall, her fluffy tail twitching every couple of seconds. The sun shined on her in a way that made her thick fur glow like a white, frozen lake being gazed on by the heat of said sun.
"Eclipse, how have you been holding together?" Soulvester began, casually pacing toward the wolf.
Her eyelids bolted open, noticing the ghoul with a startled look on her face, which turned to content once she settled.
"Well, I've been doing just fine as you have, Soulvester!" She replied with delight, her canine teeth peeking through her lip as her face twisted to a smile.
Soulvester's eyes widened and he cleared his dry throat, squinting. "Yes, indeed." He muttered with hesitance. She must be doing great if she was feeling the same as him.
He put his arms behind his back, his hands interlocking with another. He diverted eye contact, thinking about what to say next.
"Did you… need anything?" Eclipse broke the silence, tilting her head.
Soulvester perked up, her voice grabbing his attention. He hesitated.
"I suppose not."
Eclipse flashed a confused look at him, then she smiled; softly wagging her tail. "Well, I'll see you around!" She walked off, her smile and tail dropping as soon as she got out of his sight.
Soulvester stood for a moment, he felt an off sense of dread rising in his chest. He suddenly hit his head with great force. What a disgrace of a conversation! Do better, Soulvester!
He huffed, and began storming off before he suddenly halted.
The area in front of him where Dandy and Dyle's shops are, came a grating, familiar voice. Soulvester's index finger twitched.
"Soulvester! What a delight to see you!" Like always, it was Rodger. Soulvester squeezed his eyes shut tight for a moment, and then opened them.
"Rodger! I could say the same." He replied, walking to Rodger with a tightness in his spine that made his posture straight as a pole.
The magnifying glass held out his hand, inviting him for a handshake. Soulvester didn't move. Rodger broke eye contact for a second and put his hand back to the side of his body.
Leny was once again directly next to Rodger, staring off into space.
The detective cleared his throat, and began speaking again. "Leny here said how much of a saint you are," He chuckled. Soulvester's eyes widened. "and well, would you want to do a run with us? Trust me, we're good company."
Leny nodded faintly, still glaring off at nothing— like he had more important things on his mind.
Soulvester hesitantly nodded, looking at Leny. "Yeah… Yeah that would be splendid."
Rodger tilted his head, satisfied with his answer, but still squinting at the hesitance. "Right, would you like to go now?" Soulvester noticed his arm wrapping around Leny's shoulder, bringing him closer. Leny didn't budge from his trance. His fingers curled into his gauntlet.
Though doubtful, he really didn't think there would be any harm in going with them. If he couldn't bear that magnifying glass, there was always Leny to bear. He was so lively, kind, a toon you could never hate and he couldn't hate you either. He never touched you with a harsh intention, it was constantly gentle. The way he'd passionately stare into your eyes with tenderness as if he was some kind of angel. He'd hold you and never let you go. Soulvester's heart rate grew faster. He doesn't care about you. He'd never…
"Are we gonna go or must you stare?" Rodger interrupted his line of thought.
Soulvester shook his head, his eyes widening. "Oh, of course! I'm sorry."
Soon enough, the three all walked off, past the tree and into the elevator. Once they arrived in the large elevator room, the ghost noticed Leny snapping out of his hypnosis-like state and going back to his bouncy self. Soulvester was next to him, with Rodger being on the other side.
Leny turned his head toward Soulvester, about to speak but noticing how he was already staring at him. They both got startled at the same time and adverted their gaze. The door opened with heavy mechanical noises whirring and shuddering. Soulvester flinched at the loud slam it made when it finally completely opened.
Rodger was the first toon to walk down, walking with a subtle confidence that quietly competed with Soulvester's.
Soulvester quickly followed him, his chest puffed out with an arching posture. Leny caught up with them, giggling to himself.
"You know, you two aren't so different! I noticed you both walk with your arms behind your back, and you guys both kinda speak fancy. Ain't that neat?" Leny comments, his eyes gleaming with wonder as he walked with the two taller toons.
"Huh, I suppose so! Smart thinking, Leny!" Rodger replied with a light, interested tone.
Soulvester slowly nodded. The only response was a single quick, quiet exhale.
Their walking screeched to a halt when they all saw a twisted, swiftly hiding behind boxes.
It was Boxten, or what was Boxten. His long arms coming from out of the top on his head dragging against the floor, accompanied with the sound of subtle high-pitched growls. A familiar sense of fear bubbled in Soulvester's stomach. It wasn't even that much of a threat.
Something was just off today.
"What a hassle!" Leny whispered.
"Leny, please." Rodger sighed, trying to quiet down the camera.
Leny muttered his apologies, and the team moved on with great stealth, hiding behind walls, boxes, and running past twisteds, in which Rodger had to throw multiple items to distract them since Soulvester was incredibly loud with every step he took.
Eventually, the last machine was extracted and the large elevator door was open.
By the time both Rodger and Leny was in the elevator, Soulvester was still trying to make his way inside. He wasn't the fastest. Leny sighed, and ran behind him, putting his hands on his back and pushing him inside. Soulvester flinched, almost running directly into Rodger before catching himself. The door behind him slammed to a shut like a guillotine, which scared everyone for a moment. With every movement the machine made, it made a rusty scream and whir. Soulvester noticed that Leny had tensed when the elevator made its heinous whirring noises.
A feeling in Soulvester's stomach rose once again, something that had happened earlier. But this time there was no twisted, it felt as if snakes slithered down down his throat and inside his body. He took a deep breath, calming and preparing himself as the elevator door opens again.
This room looked more abandoned than the last, some of the walls had long vines running along it and into the cracks, but most of them were dead. Most likely to the lack of sunlight.
Nobody too dangerous was on the floor, just Tisha and Shrimpo.
I wonder how the real Tisha and Shrimpo feel when they look at the clones of themselves. A shiver ran down Soulvester's spine.
Leny ran off to extract a machine, which left just him and Rodger, they walked down a hallway. It had windows lining the walls, which gave Soulvester access to overlook the main room next to them. Rodger, however, was too busy looking for a machine.
Looking out the large windows, Soulvester noticed Shrimpo was about to turn the corner. Rodger still was not aware.
He reached out his hand to grab Rodger's shoulder. He stared at the magnifying glass, hovering his hand above him.
Soulvester silently retracted his arm back to his side. He watched Rodger turn the corner directly into the twisted with narrowed eyes.
Rodger yelped, squeezing his eye shut as the Shrimp slammed his fist on his glass. The detective shoved him back, and grabbed Soulvester's hand, running behind a large wooden box.
Shrimpo somehow had lost interest, and turned around.
Soulvester looked at the crack on his face, it almost looked like a flower. He felt a cold, ecstatic yet guilty feeling in his chest. He stared at the trembling detective.
"I didn't notice him, I truly apologize." Soulvester muttered.
Rodger looked up at him, his pupil contracted and his breathing heavy. "You're alright. I'm okay."
It was almost as if he was talking to himself. His voice was shaky, and his gaze lowered to the floor mid sentence. His arms hugged himself, his hands around his waist.
"Shall we continue?" Soulvester tilted his head.
Rodger composed himself, clearing his throat and fixing his posture. "Of course."
They returned to the corner, making sure to look around it this time. Soulvester noticed a machine, and calmly walked to it. He steadily put his hands on the red valve, and began to turn. He watched the black liquid fill the container. As it rose, Soulvester could see his reflection more clearly with the ichor filling the machine. He glared at himself.
Serve and protect my ass.