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Chapter 1: As Strangers
The cheery atmosphere of Gardenview never really bothered Dyle. In fact, he found some peace in the increasingly positive staff who would ensure that every single person who visited would leave with a smile on their face. Recently, however, this made him feel a little different. Though he wasn’t quite sure what it was, only being able to watch from the sidelines made him feel this hollow feeling in his chest. He has known that he’s always been different from the rest of the cast, never being allowed to appear on the show or interact with any of the guests, leaving him to his own devices in the control room behind all the bright colors and giddy laughter. Even so, his trains have always been enough to satisfy him for most of the day aside from the few conversations he would occasionally have with the other toons. So what changed? Why was he just now feeling this way after all this time of staying on the sidelines? He had always waited for his turn for one of his coaches to “tap him into the game”, but that would never come, and he knew it. He would never get his chance to play on the front lines, but did he really not care that he was always on the bench? Perhaps not. Could he be sad because of this? How ironic would that be? To think that he is unhappy at Gardenview, how was that even possible?
Perhaps it wasn’t a suitable time to be thinking about this though, the trains still needed to go in and out of Gardenview and he was the only one who could actually keep them running for extended periods of time. Delilah could most likely handle the controls for about a day, but would certainly not want to, especially for more than that. Besides, it was best that he never bothered her nor Arthur (especially her though) about much since that radio incident where he questioned them about his involvement with the cast. It seemed pointless of him to ask in hindsight, but his lack of interaction with others could very well be the cause of all his contemporary issues. Regardless, he was starting to get restless on the topic, and it was about time he took one of his breaks.
Without another thought, he swiftly stood up and made his way to the diner, planning to get his usual order: a well-done steak with rosemary and a side of mashed potatoes with gravy. It was most definitely the most exquisite meal anyone could ask for, especially when you’re in a bad mood. As he walked down the employee corridor, all he could think about was cutting into the juicy meat and slowly savoring each bite. The very thought of it made his stomach rumble, echoing down the hall. Though it was empty, he couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit embarrassed by his involuntary noises, holding it while he quickened his pace just slightly.
Once he reached the door, he let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, which he was taken aback by but nonetheless continued with what he was there for. He then reached for the golden knob on the door, twisting it to the left and pushing all his body weight on the door. If he wasn’t only half the door’s size, he wouldn’t have to put so much effort into getting around, period. However, they probably would not make separate doors suited to his height just for him. After all, he was the only toon (other than Dandy, but he rarely used the backways) who was allowed to take the back paths, so it would be rather pointless.
When he stepped out of the hall, the bright light of the diner flooded his eyes. Though he wasn’t entirely used to it since the lighting in the control room was quite dim, it still didn’t bother him much since he did in fact live in Gardenview. Besides, he had also seen the outside before, which was actually brighter than Gardenview, perhaps since he felt more at peace there than in Gardenview for whatever reason. Nevertheless, the point is that the light didn’t bother him despite his situation. After his eyes adjusted to it though, he stepped into the diner and stood in line at the counter. Though he hated to waste his time standing in a line, it was an unnecessary evil he had to face if he wanted his favorite meal of the day.
Within about five minutes, he reached the front of the line. At this point he was practically radiating with excitement, though he would never make that known to anyone, at least not on purpose. With this enthusiasm though, he quickly looked up at the cashier who just so happen to be... Cosmo? What on earth was he doing at the register? The poor guy looked exhausted and he couldn’t blame him. Not only was it rush hour since most of the employees took their lunch at this hour, but there was also a large influx of customers who were visitors. While deep in thought about the situation, Cosmo spoke up, his voice shaking a bit from what Dyle could only guess was from how stressed and tired he already was.
“Welcome to Gardenview Diner! What can I get for...”, he paused for a moment when he finally looked up to see no one standing there, only to look down to see Dyle.
“Ah, Dyle! I basically never get to see you! How have you been?”, he chirped with newfound joy which would probably be short lived considering he’d drop it almost instantly when he left.
Dyle blinked up at him with a hint of a smile on his face. He simply and calmly responded to his question by saying, "Ah, I’m quite well. Nothing extraordinary has been happening with the trains as per usual.”
Cosmo chuckled before replying, "That's good then! At least nothing bad is happening with the trains. I’d love to chat more, but as you can see, we’re pretty busy in the kitchen right now. But I’m gonna assume you want the usual?”. While saying that last part, he looked off to the side with this knowing smirk as he already started to hit buttons on the machine in front of him.
“Yes, you know me. I’d hate to change my schedule, period, after I’ve already planned it out. So naturally, it only seems fitting to get the same meal every time. Besides, you and Sprout always make the best food.”. While he never admitted it out loud, he definitely had preferences when it came to who he wanted cooking versus baking for him (Cosmo for baking and Sprout for cooking). Would he ever tell them? Perhaps not, it would probably have some sort of effect on them, so it was best to just avoid it.
With that, Cosmo gave him a close-eyed, sweet smile as a thank you and pressed a button initiating the customer keypad. Dyle swiftly took his toon ID from the pocket in his coat, inserting it into the reader. Once approved, a receipt was printed for him, which he tucked away in his pocket along with his ID.
“I’ll have your food in a moment, just hang tight!”, Cosmo said cheerfully before Dyle walked away to stand at the back of yet another line: the pickup lane.
While it was true that he had a whole two hours break like all the other toons did, he still found it wasteful to spend most of his break doing nothing but dwelling in one area while not being productive. Still, he needed to sustain himself by eating and drinking regularly while also getting proper rest, so he could not always be constantly working with his trains unfortunately. However, he couldn’t complain about getting food from Sprout and Cosmo since they always made every dish so delicious whenever they didn’t burn it. So of course, it was harder to wait since Sprout was the one cooking all the food at the moment.
After waiting in the pickup line for over ten minutes, Dyle was finally handed his food by an employee, notably Sam. As they looked down at him, a small smile formed across their half visible face, which was shocking considering they barely ever smile. In all honesty, it had seemed that they had taken a liking to him since he would occasionally stop by the kitchen when there wasn’t as much traffic. Nine times out of ten it was to discuss food deliveries, but often he ended up reminding Sprout and Cosmo to be careful in the kitchen after the two almost caused large fires (specifically for the second time this week). This would usually be Sam’s job after they put out the fires, but with Dyle around they could save their energy and just rest while Dyle simply reminded them of all the safety protocols they must follow while in the kitchen. And quite frankly, they were also happy about this since he formatted these lectures in a far kinder and more educational way than they could even if they were given the entire day to carefully choose their words. Considering all this, it started to become more apparent to him that they appreciated his presence whenever he could be there.
“I’m assuming you got the usual Dyle?”, Sam asked while sliding the red tray across the counter nonchalantly.
Dyle nodded his head before giving verbal confirmation. “Indeed, it would take a lot more than a busy day to deter me from getting anything else and you know it.”, he said with a sassy hand motion and a smirk.
Sam sighed before they leaned over the counter. They spoke in a hushed tone, pressing a hand to the side of their face while saying, “As you can tell we’re severely understaffed today... Sprout has been running around the kitchen like a chicken with its head cut off and Cosmo’s been asking me how to properly charge customers taxes on the register. The other two employees who usually run the front are both apparently sick, but between you and me, I think they just took a day off to go on a date or something. It's pretty obvious that there’s been some tension between them, but it also pisses me off that they couldn’t just wait for the weekend since now everyone is stressed out.”.
“I can understand that. It’s certainly inconvenient (and very inconsiderate may I add) when two of your employees leave everyone to do all the heavy lifting, especially on a particularly busy day. If they ever give you more issues with their attendance, please do let me know, and I shall report it to Arthur or Delilah. They’ll most certainly make short work of the issue in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.”, Dyle responded as he lifted the tray from the counter with a concerned furrow in his brow.
After hearing Dyle’s response, Sam leaned back and crossed their arms. “Noted, thanks Dyle.”, they responded drably, most likely because they were already feeling the exhaustion returning after their small chat. They then gave a small wave to Dyle as he started to walk off with his tray.
Though he mainly thought this whole ordeal was yet another waste of his precious time, he had to admit that not only was the food worth it, but so was the tea. It surely was something he could keep in the back of his head now when he inevitably encountered the two, or if he were to ever see them on one of the many security cameras stationed in the train cars. Besides, now he had something he could share with Dandicus that wasn’t his food thankfully. Speaking of food, his would grow cold if he didn’t find a quiet spot to occupy soon.
Focused on finding the perfect eating location, he rushed to the outdoorsy picnic area and looked around for a less populated area. Luckily for him, people usually never remembered to bring a blanket to have a picnic on, so most of the grassy spots were unoccupied. However, he also wanted to eat in the quietest spot since he’d prefer not to hear multiple conversations at once as it irritated him for some reason. Once he scouted out the area, he concluded that the best patch for his lunch was behind one of the fake bushes in the corner of the room.
Swiftly, he took off his coat and set it down, placing his tray on the grass next to it as to not get it dirty with gravy. Once he straightened everything out, he took a seat on the coat as if it were a blanket. At last, he could finally satisfy his growing hunger that was twisting the insides of his stomach. Upon further inspection, he noticed everything about the dish was absolutely perfect. Now that he had the time to stare at it, he noticed the little things like how the mashed potatoes had shredded cheese mixed in, the light consistency of the gravy, the way the steak shimmered with the coating of oil on top, even the rosemary gently curled on the center of the steak’s surface. The dish itself seemed as if it were glimmering with the artificial lighting of the many fluorescent bulbs illuminating the room.
Not being able to hold back anymore as his stomach yelled at him once again, he lifted his fork and knife to cut into his steak. As he did, the juices flooded onto the plate, spreading flavor to the potatoes on the side. He dipped the piece in the liquid before bringing it to his mouth and biting down. Instantly, a wave of seasoning hit his taste buds complimented by the savory fluid which balanced everything out perfectly. His heart started to race as he felt everything slip down his throat, filling not only his stomach with a warm comforting feeling, but his entire body. Satisfied with this, he happily closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations he felt as a result of the food.
As much as he wanted to scarf down the whole plate to satisfy his appetite and his deep-rooted desire to work with his trains, he had to refrain since it would make him feel as though he was an animal. Besides, he couldn’t afford to risk spilling any of his food on his clothes. Therefore, he took small bites, occasionally patting the side of his mouth with a napkin to rid himself of any residue from the food. Luckily, it paid off since he was able to cherish the flavor and texture of the dish before he thought his break was lasting a bit too much.
It was 2:30 PM when he checked his pocket watch, only to realize he had been out longer than he wanted to by a few minutes. Promptly, he placed all his trash on his tray and stood up. Using his foot, he slid his coat up his leg just high enough to toss it into the air. As it was in the air, he picked up his tray with his right hand, leaving the other open to catch the coat when it came back down. With one swift action, Bam he did it without a hitch! Having all his belongings in order, he walked to the drop-off racks and placed his tray on one of the bottom ones before sliding his coat on one arm and then the other.
While he walked back to the employee only door, he straightened out his coat, trying to look as professional as he once was when he arrived. When he reached the door, he pulled out a small key ring and placed one of the golden ones in the hole of the knob. Once he heard the reassuring click, he twisted the knob and walked down the empty halls once again. This time, he felt somewhat tired as he walked down them, but he could also feel a ball in his throat. Why was this happening? He didn’t understand what this feeling meant nor did he have the time to despite how often he felt this way. It wasn’t like he could inform anyone about it either, as they would only pry too much. Nonetheless, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that he hurried back to the control room to operate the trains since everyone and their mothers would be coming back from their lunch breaks.
The walk felt longer than usual, his footsteps echoing on the walls as the distance between him and any door in the corridor seemed to only widen. How long would it take to get back? He was frankly already prepared to sit down. Everything felt heavy, and his footsteps became slower for whatever reason he still struggled to grasp. He wanted to understand. He wanted to know what it was, but he only had vague ideas. Small pieces of a puzzle but no reference photo to use as instructions for assembly.
Suddenly, he hit his head on something hard but hallowed, almost like wood? As he turned his head up, he realized he had run into the door face first somehow. Frantically, he looked around to see if anyone saw that, but the hall was empty. He felt a sense of relief wash over him but also felt a pang in his chest, though he paid it no mind choosing instead to open the door.
When he did so, he was greeted by his usual panels of buttons and levers that he loved oh so much. This place felt more like home to him than his actual room at this point. He turned to the side to clock back in, only to find Arthur standing next to the board. Dyle stood there in shock for a moment before recollecting his thoughts and speaking up.
“Arthur? What are you doing here?”, he asked, puzzled and concerned. He usually never visited Dyle unless something drastically horrible happened. Did he do something wrong? Did he take too long of a break?
“Hello Dyle! Well, I wanted to address something with you. Do you have any time for me?”, he asked with this sweet smile on his face. Maybe it was too sweet for Dyle as it made him sick to his stomach. He felt a bit dizzy as well, but he took in a breath as steadily as he could and exhaled deeply. After doing this a few times he felt grounded again and spoke.
“Yes, I suppose I have a few minutes to spare. If you can, please make this brief and only include your main points since I will have to operate multiple trains in around 5 minutes.”, he said firmly as he knew Arthur had a tendency to beat around the bush. While he usually wouldn’t mind, he had work to do and having to keep up with a conversation while operating trains was not optimal.
“Ok, I understand Dyle. Well... I was looking at your wellness test results and they were... well how to put it... questionable? Bottom line though, I’m concerned about you. I figured that something might have been bothering you for a while, but I decided it would be best to hear it from you in some way. Though you may not entirely understand your emotions, I believe what you feel is loneliness.”. That last word echoed in Dyle’s head for quite some time after he said it. Loneliness? Was that really what he felt? Maybe he was right, but was that bad? Did this substantially affect his performance without him realizing it? Was he going to say that he needed to be taken away from his job to have Delilah fix the issue? He felt as if his mind was leaving his body as his body started to do things on its own.
Arthur rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. It was a comforting motion despite Dyle not entirely enjoying physical contact. “Don’t worry little one, it’s totally normal to feel this way. However, I’m afraid it might be affecting your mind more than you’d like to admit. Fret not, I’ve come up with a solution for you.”, he chuckled a bit before taking a step to the side. Behind him was a small creature who was slightly smaller than Dyle. Their head was a silver bell, and they wore a white button up shirt with a red vest over it. Notably, they also wore a black bowtie and pants with dress shoes. Despite looking so professional, they held their arm and tilted their head towards the floor, only looking at the consuls and levers when they shifted their gaze up slightly.
“This is ______, your new assistant! They aren’t familiar with any of the controls, but they’ll be able to help on occasion. Mainly they’ll be providing services on the VIP trains, but otherwise they'll be here with you!”, Arthur said with a jolly attitude. At this point, Dyle wasn’t sure what to think anymore. It seemed like he was trying to just help him, but who knows if Delilah asked him to create a new toon just to keep him in check. Either way, this was his reality now, and he might as well get used to them.
Arthur politely urged the new toon to step forward and introduce themself. “Go on, _____! They’ve been really excited to meet you, Dyle, but I suppose they got shy now that they're actually face-to-face with you.”, he said with a small smile.
After a few seconds of silence, the toon finally spoke up. “Hello, my name is _____. I’m very thrilled to be working with you, so thank you for tolerating me!”, they said with a shaky voice while speaking louder than they probably should considering their proximity. Nonetheless, Dyle couldn’t help but smile a bit, finding their behavior quite entertaining. While this new addition may cause him some issues regarding his efficiency, it was certainly not going to get boring around here anytime soon.