Chapter Text
Every time Lobber cleaned the walls of graffiti, they always double-checked to ensure that the RED_FACE wasn’t there. They saw it once. Staring . BLEEDING . Itcoudln.t go back inther
Ranger took care of the room for it, atleast.
They’d only seen it once or twice whilst cleaning (it liked to show up when it was a lone . hahaHAHAAHA IT WON.T TAKE ME) and nEVER AGAIN . So they took extra care. Blaster and Zoomer didn’t get it… they never would take its warnings seriously. They were LAWAYS things watching . .. one had to be veeerryyy careful.
Atleast Ranger understood this.
He always understood. Maybe too much. Was that bad? It depended. It depended on-
Knock. Ohno . Something fOUND THE “Hey, how’s uh- how’s the cleaning goin’?”
Oh.
It was just Ranger.
They had been awkwardly using their picker on the same spot for a while. There was no litter or mold piles to speak of. Anymore.
“fine.”
“Righty-o. Do ya’... want some help?”
“...Yes.” It could clean rooms on its own. And yet… it still let Ranger help whenever they offered. Anyone else would get a no. Except maybe Zoomer. She was… pleasant to be around sometimes. As for Blaster… they werent lettING THE TRAIOTER GET T>EM
…Besides, Blaster never offered to help after the first few attempts. Didn’t like how they stared. That was fine. Lobber was just looking out for themselves! Maybe if it made them so uncomfortable it was right to stare. It wasn’t sure. For a traitor, Blaster was very helpful. With cleaning. He was a nuisance otherwise. To others… not them. He just stayed away from them. Maybe t<hey were onto ssomhting .
Lobber was once more snapped out of their thoughts when Ranger cleared his mic. “Room’s done. We can move on ta’ bigger pastures now.”
“Yes. sorry. Was thinking .”
“...It’s alright. I know ya’ get stuck in your head a lot.”
“There’s always so much to think about.”
“Sounds fair ta’ me. Sometimes I lay awake at night thinkin’. Don’t do me no good in the mornings though.”
“it can be… disruptive. you get used to it.” They certainly had. With the right countermeasures. However, the ankle-monitor was getting in the way these days.
“Hah! Tha’s one way to look at it. I, however, prefer a full night’s rest.”
“i appreaciaete the daysnights wher the RED_FACE doesn.t blEED ANDSTTAS$RE AT ME ALL NIGHT”
“Zoomer and Blaster are about done… d’ya wanna wait at the elevator? We finished our quota for the day.”
“.. .that w.ouldben ice.”
“Sure would!” Ranger punctuated their glee with a pat to Lobber’s back. A simple act of camaraderie that he often showed. It was… nice to be included sometimes.
They walked the halls together, and Lobber noticed that Ranger was carrying a Rattle Sow. Must’ve found it while cleaning… that meant it was up to them to grab BUDDY. They did.ntlike that. Didnt trust it.
“Icould carry that Rattle Sow foryou .”
“Ya’ just don’t wanna handle BUDDY.”
“...right, yes, dumb ques-”
“Now, now, I didn’t say that. If you wanna carry the Sow, be my guest.”
“Thank you.” It plucked the antique easily from Ranger’s arms, and the other kept pace despite its slowed speed. Why was he so nice?
“So, did the cleaning go well? I know sometimes you see… the face, and it freaks you out.”
“Today was… good. Plenty to think about… maybe too much.”
“That’s good to hear, you did really well!”
“...REallly??”
“Yeah! You were showin’ those rooms who was boss the past few floors! Shoulda’ seen how Blaster was once he realized you beat them!” Another pat, but to its shoulders. With more force. Yet gentle. Encouraging .
“I didn’t know there was a competition."
“Eh, we like to see who cleans the most sometimes. Spices the job up. BUDDY’s in on it too. He’ll show who did the most of what wherever we’re done with an apartment. Who picked up the most litter, who got the most antiques… stuff like that. It’s fun.”
“...Hmm… a ployfor workehhic.”
“Pretty much. But it’s innocent and fun. Most of the time. Zoomer usually takes the top spot and she’ll hold it over us. Sometimes she’ll hold it over on someone in specific until they realize it doesn’t work. They mostly bother Blaster nowadays… according to her, he’s easy to rile up sometimes’.
“Interesting… a warning, for me ?” It was very sweet of them, sharing a warning after it’s shared many with them.
“Yeah. If she takes top spot in the future, she might try to hold it over you. I think she’s been avoiding too much interaction with you, but… I wouldn’t put it past them to try to eventually get a reaction out of you.”
“Hmm… won.t work Isee beyond those triks.”
“Had a feeling you’d say that. I’ll warn ya’ though, she’s persistent.”
Another warning. How generous! “I see. Thanyou for-”
“Woah, what’s the holdup! We got here like- forever ago!” Zoomer teased, holding BUDDY up like a trophy- and it seemed to be enjoying it well enough.
“...Yeah. Seriously though, what was the holdup? You guys didn’t like… run into two Quilted Brutes, right? Or a bunch of those Sporelings Lobber struggles killing?” Oh yes, very hurtful jab. Never anything truly mean. B.ut it heardthe mutterings… they woldnt let the traitor get under ther platng .
Ranger jogged ahead, laughing. How easily he connected to others… the perfect puzzle piece. “Nah, that ain’t it. Helped Lobber tidy up a room ‘s all.”
“Right… did they space out again?”
“Hey, they did a fine job! This is the last floor anyways- it’s not awful-”
Lobber watched from the elevator. For the object of focus for a conversation, no one batted a pupil at them. It set the Rattle Sow on the shelf, and waited patiently in the elevator. While listening, of course.
“Really? ‘Cause the last time Lobber spaced out, you had to shake them back to being aware before the fumigation got in! And then they blasted you!”
“It was an honest mistake Blaster. Ya’ know that. I spooked them.”
“I… don’t know, Ranger. They do that a lot- even when cleaning! Sometimes… sometimes I find myself rushing to clean a room while those fumes eat at my metal. There’s a quota to meet, and… Lobber doesn’t always help.”
“...I think you two are being too harsh. Everyone has their problems.”
They shared a glance, and Ranger drooped.
“Look. That’s true! We get that! But… I don’t think you’ve felt the terror of blasting down grime while the fumigation’s eating you from the outside. I think some of it got in my internals that day too, since I had some internal burning sensations for a while…”
“Plus… I’m pretty sure they’re super crazy. I don’t think it’s good for you to be around them…”
A fitting thing for a traitor to say… who was he to dictate who Ranger talked to? They had been here the longest, shouldn’t they have more authority?
“You two can have your opinions. I’m stickin’ with Lobber. Even if neither of ya’ will.”
But then again, Ranger was always very reasonable.
Maybe… too reasonable?
At first… they had thought him a spy. He was… off-put by it at first, before gradually warming up and interacting (LISTENING) with it more. No matter what, they stuck up for it. Unless of course, the issue was their fault. Which was fair and reasonable. But… as they had questioned earlier, why so nice? What didhe have to gain ?
Except… their knowledge. EVEYTH%NG ABOT THEM . THEYSAIDHE KN. E THATHEYWO ULD SAY SOM%T&HNG LIKE THAT EARLIR .
The elevator was moving. When was BUDDY plugged in?
They took a brief glance around, and no one seemed to be in a good mood. Ranger was standing by it (tooclose TOO CLOSE) while Blaster and Zoomer were on the other end of the elevator. It looked like the argument had progressed while they were busy theorizing.
It was dead silent now, and they couldn’t help but awkwardly shuffle away (very carefully.. . didnt want to alerthe others) from Ranger. He already knew too much… could they really let this one go?
Hmm.. maybe it was becoming the traitor with the whisper of such a tantalizing thought; that maybe Ranger isn’t a spy?
“C’mon, let’s get cha’ to the van and file our reports with the HQ. Then we can go home.” Ranger was holding onto their arm (when . when had it letthem get SOCLOSE) and gently guided them towards the vehicle.
“. . .okay.”
“I know you probably didn’t care, but… you beat out everyone else on squashin’ entities. They were pretty miffed about that n’!” He chuckled at that. Lobber didn’t see a point, but… it felt nice to prove that they weren’t a liability. It was just being careful… theywere always watching .
“Feelsgood.”
“See? I told ya’! Show ‘em who’s boss Lobber!”
“Hmm . ..”
“I’m driving!”
“...Please don’t go past the speed limit, okay?”
“Oh please, I don’t do slow.”
“SIXTY IS NOT SLOW!”
“Debatable.”
Ranger guided them towards the back. “Let’s… let them have the front seats. I know we keep BUDDY in the back, but… ugh! Y’know!”
They blinked.
“Yes.” They did not know.
Ranger finally let go of Lobber’s arm to slide open the van’s back doors. Lobber watched Zoomer and Blaster enter the front of the van from the sliding doors. Why did the van even need four seats in the front? BUDDY was very vocal when no one accompanied him, and even then, barely two could fit in the back with the supplies.
Something to hopefully learn more about after sticking around for a while. Not like it had the option for anything else right now.
An ecstatic “HEYA HUNS!” rang out. Lobber decided to drop the train of thought for now.
“Hey BUDDY.”
“...BU$UDDY.”
Their reply was staticky giggles and a big digital smile.
Lobber went in first, pushing aside some Cosmox bottles with their picker, before settling down. Ranger did the same as the van rumbled to life, brushing off the sleeves of their work uniform. Eventually he’d switch to something comfier at HEAD_QUARTERS. All but Lobber could keep their blasters during off-work hours. How suspicious.
The thin wall separating from the front did not hide Blaster blatantly playing some waves on a Tactical Daydream Device up there. Somehow, it wasn’t a problem when anyone but them snuck a few antiques here and there. The Crew Was Against Them. Unfortunately, it was safer Here than Out There.
While it stared straight at him, Ranger seemed more preoccupied with checking themself for stains. He didn’t bat a pupil at their unblinking stare. Or say anything about it. Wh y was being so Clean important to Him?
Could someone that unaware really be a spy? Or was it an act to lull them int o lowrng thei defnse ?
They yearned to know. But that blasted ankle monitor prevented them from doing many things. Like taking off their uniform with ease. Or doing what they usually did before-
...They could figure something out. Keep a pupil or two on Ranger outside of work. See how longTHE ACT LASTED .
If he really was a spy they could distance themselves. Act differently to throw him off the trail. Make a false confession that their warnings were just ‘delusions’. Anything to prevent what could happen if it revealed any more weaknesses to them.
It was their best optionwhywasitdark.
The only thing in the van with their red glow. They must’ve made it to HEAD_QUARTERS. Probably put BUDDY back without them. (Whatever Happened To That Rattle Sow?) Ranger likely did it, seeing as he liked to leave them be at times. Maybe Zoomer was right. Pondering their thoughts for too long left them vulnerable. They’d been doing it more since meeting Ranger… and getting comfortable with him.
Absoltelyunnacepptabl .
A bright yellow slunk into the van. It was Ranger. Upon realizing he had their attention, he cleared his mic, plug swishing behind them.
It was alone with thespy. Its uniform felt suffocating.
“So… this might sound odd… but you… sorta missed the entire drive to HQ. Zoomer and Blaster already went home. Sort of? They both chose to walk… I guess they just didn’t want me driving them back after… today.”
He knew where they all lived? Ververy interesting .
“I could drive ya’ back home? I never actually-”
It suddenly remembered why it always walked back from HEAD_QUARTERS after the Others had left. Had Ranger noticed too?
“Notnnecessary .”
“But-”
They tapped their ankle monitor.
“Oh- right… of course ya’ always walk back to… wherever you live from HQ. My bad.”
“Itsok . I appreacitte it anyway s.”
“...I’ll probably walk back too. Zoomer lives far, and Blaster… well, I think I saw him slink off towards an alley when I dropped him off one time- uh, what ‘m sayin’ is that I don’t live very far from my job. Zoomer and Blaster wouldn’t let that go if they found out…” He rubbed the back of his head meekly. Another ploy?
“I won’t tell.”
“...Thanks.”
If he didn’t live far… things just got much, much easier…
“I might be able to walk with you.”
“Wait- really?”
“I don- if it’s not far, maybe.”
“...I don’t want you getting in any trouble because I offered ya’ a ride.”
“it’ll be fine. Notthe first time .”
“Oh. Alright.” Oddly enough, Ranger’s posture became stiffer at their confession.
He stepped back outside the van, placing down a small lump before Lobber- and then closing the van doors.
Oh. This was theIR CLOTHES.
He Should Not Know That.
How’d they even open its locker? what a Foolish and Exposing move for A SPY .
SUre. sure. It’d play along. For Now.
Their uniforms were easy enough to remove, aside from Lobber’s ankle monitor often getting in the way of neatly sliding it off. They’d resigned themselves to just cutting the uniform slightly above it with their picker, and peeling it off after removing their boots. Rarely, it could get Zoomer to patch it up before anyone noticed. Less fines.
Despite how unnecessarily close they’d allowed Ranger to them, it doubted that he’d be lenient with it keeping its blaster. They never liked the weird sensation it gave upon disconnection. The Feeling Of Something Formerly Belonging There. TheNumbness.
Would they ever get their hand back?
It tossed it behind them with vitriol. terible thign.
When it finished changing, Ranger was right outside the van, waiting for Lobber to finish. It paused to (briefly) glare at their current location of (forced) employment as Ranger locked the van up.
“Van’s secure, we can go.” Ranger motioned at them (and stared for a little; suspicus), and began walking onto the cracked concrete.
Lobber followed close behind.
This would be a good opportunity for information gathering… especially since they didn’t have to be sneaky about it this time around.