Chapter Text
DATE: MAY 30TH, 2007
TIME: 1935 (7:35 P.M)
Astro would be lying if he said didn’t miss the old Gardenview. Back then, everyone was happy and had nothing to worry about. Handlers took care of the other mains and there was always something new happening. It was beautiful.
Gardenview shutting down was the worst thing to happen. Everything fell apart. Toons started drifting apart, getting hostile over the littlest things, and coming back hurt from doing runs to find resources.
Worst of all, he was drifting away from Dandy. His best friend of all toons. It’s like Gardenview shutting down put a wedge in their friendship. They stopped talking all the time. Maybe because Dandy was stressed or because Astro was busy helping the others sleep. Astro could never figure it out.
He stood quietly in front of the Gardenview sign, lost in thought until someone approached him.
“Mr. Novalite. Good evening.”
Astro snapped out of his trance, looking tiredly at who spoke to him.
“Ah, Rodger… Good evening, how can I help you?”
“Just the usual with Toodles. She cannot sleep again after this afternoon’s run. I keep telling her to stay back, but she insists on helping out.”
Astro nodded slowly with a soft smile. “No need to explain, Rodger. I know how she is. How about you take me to her room, hm? Ask me some questions while we walk.”
Rodger seemed to light up at the thought of Astro talking to him about information on Gardenview.
Despite how little Astro talked to the other toons, he knew almost everything about them. Not in a creepy way, just in a way that could help when feelings are down. When the two made it to Toodles’ room, she was already in bed, clutching her little dog plush like a lifeline.
“Hi Mr. Astro!” Toodles smiled at him and Astro couldn’t help but smile back.
“Hello, Toodles… Having trouble again?”
“Mhm! There was a big scary monster and then Mr. Goob saved me!”
Astro chuckled softly, and waved a gentle hand over her head. “Let’s get some rest…”
Once Toodles had fallen asleep, Astro nodded politely at Rodger and took his leave before anything else could be said. As he walked down the hall, he yawned once more. He couldn’t remember the last time he slept properly. He was always napping instead.
Once again, he was alone with his thoughts. He’d always noticed how toons started avoiding Dandy unless it was necessary. But why? What had Dandy done? Astro couldn’t understand for the longest time. It irritated him. He had so many questions and they couldn’t be answered. That was until he decided to start going resource hunting with the other toons.