Replacements

by Anonymous

Summary:

Dandy never meant to hurt anyone, he just wanted his friends back. He just wanted his friends back. He just wanted his friends back. He just wanted his friends back. He just wanted his friends back. He j̴̦̽u̶̩͑s̶̩̆t̵̖̕ ̷̛̮w̶̩͊a̶͝ͅn̶̪͒t̶͔͊e̵͇̔d̶͔̍ ̵̧͝h̶̛̼i̷͕͌ș̴̏ ̸͖̔f̸̬̆r̵̹̃ḯ̸̟e̶̹̚n̸̜̈́ď̸̟s̷̥̈́ ̶̺̅b̶̜̑ā̵͎c̴͙͝k̴͖̍.̸̖̽ ̴̦̾

Chapter 1: Just Another Day

Summary:

Just another day for Dandy, the grind and the rigorous play. He was fine, everything was fine.

Garden View Educational and Museum is a place where children and adults go to be entertained and to learn. The cartoony figures that roam its halls are always happy to perform, making the place feel alive. Nothing ever goes wrong, and the handlers are always fair.  

At least, that’s what the public sees.  

Not Dandy.  

Not him.  

 

 

The mascot of it all awoke with a jolt to the blaring sound of his alarm. 5 AM. The time he had to wake up every day.  

As much as he wanted to stay in bed, he knew Daven wouldn't be happy about that. The cold air sent a shiver through his body as he dragged himself to the bathroom, barely able to keep his eyes open. He stared at himself in the mirror while brushing his teeth, the bright colors of his petals almost too much to look at this early in the morning.  

Just another day. Just another performance.  

Dandy left the bathroom after giving himself a half-hearted pep talk, practicing his winning smile as he glanced at the rings of Polaroids hanging above his bed. His smile faltered. They were pictures of his friends. Shelly, Pebble, Vee, Sprout, Astro. Every photo had a date. Every photo held memories he’d never get to relive. The real them—the ones from back then.  

The dates were getting older. The memories were fading.  

No, no-

Dandy shook his head and turned away. No use thinking about it now. No use… That’s what Daven always said. He pushed open his bedroom door, forcing a grin. He had to be ready for anything. Expect the unexpected—that’s what the Handlers always told them. He was fine.

He was fine.

 

Laughter echoed through the lobby as Dandy dashed around, the giggles of children ringing in his ears.  

"Tag!"  

A child jabbed his shoulder, harder than necessary. He barely stopped himself from wincing, instead grinning and taking off again. His legs burned. He hadn’t sat down all day.  

Across the room, he caught sight of Astro’s Handler, Austin, watching him. The man’s face was tense, gaze shifting toward Astro, who was pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself.  

Dandy nearly stopped mid-sprint, confused.  

What was going on?  

But then-

"Laugh, Dandy. Play."  

The thought snapped him back to the present. He was still on shift. He’d ask Astro about it later. Dandy went back to chasing the young child filled with energy and playfulness, unaware of his drained body. It's not like he blamed the children for anything, it's not their fault for any of this... It never was, they're just kids after all. If anything, the handlers were to blame. He always hated them despite how kind they might act, he knew the truth. The truth. The truth-

Ugh! He needed to get his head straight. He just had to make it through another 20 minutes as that was when his break started.

Just 20 minutes.  

He could do that.  

 

Break time was 10 minutes late. He had been forced to play just a little longer despite 

Dandy knocked on Astro’s door, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat dripped down his face.  

"A-Astro?"

He called, still trying to catch his breath. The door creaked open, revealing a single glowing star in the dark.  

Astro. 

His best friend.  

"Dandy… You look—"  

"-Overworked? Hahh- ahh—yeah, I know!"

Dandy forced out, barely able to speak through his exhaustion. He coughed into his hand, forcing himself to get a few deep breaths before continuing.  

"I was actually wondering if… you were okay. You seemed… busy? With Austin earlier."  

Astro blinked before stepping aside, letting Dandy inside. The room’s cool air was a relief.  

"Oh. Right. That."  

"You don’t gotta tell me if you don’t want to,"

Dandy quickly reassured the soft blue carpet beneath his feet. Astro hesitated, shifting uncomfortably before sighing.  

"I’m just… I’m so tired."  

Dandy frowned.  

"Yeah, well, me too,"

He chuckled weakly.

"Welcome to the club."  

"No, I mean- really tired."

Astro murmured, rubbing his arms.

"Not just… physically. I don’t wanna do this anymore."  

Dandy’s breath hitched. Oh no... No no...

"Do… what?"  

"Everything."

Astro’s voice cracked.

"The children. The people. Garden View. I can't do this anymore. I'm so-so tired, Dandy!"  

Tears welled in his eyes, and in an instant, Dandy was at his side, pulling him into a tight hug.  

"I don’t—I’m so exhausted!"

Astro sobbed, arms trembling as he gripped Dandy’s back. His extra arms, arms he was always told to keep hidden, wrapped tightly around his friend. Dandy stiffened.  

"You've been doing this a-as long as me, you must be exhausted! Everyone must be exhausted!"

Astro cried, pressing his face into Dandy’s shoulder. The mascot didn’t answer. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. He was drained. He always had been... But he couldn’t say that. No one could know that.  

"M-maybe if I tell Austin, he’ll-"

"NO!"  

Astro flinched, pulling back in alarm. Dandy’s eyes were wide. Wild.  

"No-!"

He swallowed hard, forcing his voice steady.

"Sorry, but—no. You can’t tell him."  

Astro hesitated.

"W-well… what about Dalilah? Or Arthur?"  

"Not them either!"  

"But Dandy-"  

"You can't tell anyone!"

Dandy was standing now, breath uneven, panic flashing in his eyes.

"Please. I can’t-"  

He clamped his mouth shut. He had almost said too much. Dandy gritted his teeth as he tried to choose his next set of words carefully.

"I... Can't... I can't let them, uh, worry about you too much..."

Astro has an expression that is a mix of different things. Confusion? Apprehension? Disbelief?

"What… What is that supposed to mean?"  

"Look- just don’t tell any of the Handlers. Or the Founders. Or anyone. Please, promise me that!"  

Astro had never seen him like this. Something was wrong. Dandy was scared.  

But he nodded anyway.

"Okay."  

Dandy exhaled shakily, his tense shoulders dropping. He forced a grin.  

"Good! So, uh… you wanna do something?"  

Astro looked away. His hands curled into fists.  

"No. Just…"

He took a deep breath.  

"Just leave me alone."  

Dandy’s smile wavered. He wanted to stay—to help—but if that’s what Astro wanted…  

He nodded.  

"Alright."  

He waved and as he stepped out, he almost felt his heart sink a little.

 

Astro didn’t wave back.

Chapter 2: The Astro Incedent.

Summary:

He'd lost it all, everyone...... But did he really?

Dandy was going through the motions again.  

• Wake up at 5 AM.
• Get ready for the day. 
• Eat. 
• Play with the children. 
• Eat. 
• Sleep.  

Day after day, week after week, month after month. He was honestly surprised he hadn't gone insane. The only thing keeping him tethered was Astro. In the small scraps of free time the toons were given, he was always with Astro. He kept going for Astro. But...  

 

 

"Hey! Dandy!"  

Toodles' laughter rang out as she shoved a picture in his face. Dandy had always felt... Uneasy around Toodles. She never knew when to keep her mouth shut, and... God, it was hard to look at her sometimes. Was this her tenth iteration? Twelfth? He’d lost count. He just blinked, masking his unease with a bright smile as he glanced at the drawing.  

It was crude like all the others the kids would give them and Dandy playing in a field together.  

"Wow! This is great!"

He said, his voice light and cheerful. Toodles giggled, running off to do something else, and Dandy exhaled. He never liked talking to her after the third time. It was always so hard to look Rodger in the eye, knowing the truth. But he was fine. He was fine.  

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on the rest of the toon room. Finn was pestering Shrimpo again. Looey and Poppy whispered by the kitchen while Sprout and Cosmo worked on pastries for the public cafeteria-free labor. Gigi and Flutter chatted with Connie trailing behind. And, of course, Shanon was at the viewing desk.  

Even in their free time, they were always watched. Dandy could never break character.  

He was fine. He was-  

SHATTER.  

Every toon froze.  

Instinctively, their heads turned toward the kitchen, expecting Sprout or Cosmo to have dropped something, but no-they were staring too. Dandy’s breath caught in his throat as he locked eyes with Astro.  

He looked exhausted. Dark circles clung to his eyes, all four of his arms out. He was shaking.

Shanon stood up fast. Astro let out a sob.  

"I CAN'T FUCKING DO THIS SHIT ANYMORE!"  

The words cut through the room like a knife. He grabbed a broken shard of porcelain, gripping it so tight his hands started to bleed. Dandy bolted toward him before Shanon could.  

"No-no, no, no, Astro, don't-don’t do this!"

Hhe begged, his hands reaching for him, desperate. Astro shoved him.  

"NO! I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! I-I’M SO TIRED, DANDY!"  

His voice cracked, his whole body trembling. Shanon lunged, but Astro twisted, driving the shard into her hand.  

She screamed. Blood dripped to the floor. Her other hand snapped to her walkie-talkie. Dandy's stomach twisted violently as he knew exactly what was going to happen next.  

A toon breaks down. A toon lashes out. The handlers drag them away for "treatment." And then, like magic, they’re good as new.  

He had thought Astro would last longer. He had hoped. He had prayed. Dandy’s wide eyes flicked to the others.

Fear. Confusion. Horror.  

"A-Astro, please, calm down!"

He begged, his voice frantic, but Astro was too far gone, drowning in his own panic.  

"NO! WHY SHOULD I CALM DOWN?! I THINK I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ANGRY! I THINK WE ALL DO! GET AWAY FROM ME!"  

He turned and ran, bolting for the exit elevator. But before he could reach it-  

BZZZZT-

The sound tore through the room. Dandy squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to watch. He knew what was happening. He heard it.  

The electric snap of a taser.

The choked gasp.  

The dull, heavy thud of a body hitting the ground. When he finally cracked his eyes open, Daven had Astro pinned. His best friend was writhing, limbs twitching, his whole body convulsing with aftershocks. Tears and broken sobs spilled from his lips as Daven dragged him away. Before disappearing through the doors, Daven looked back.  

Their eyes met.  

That look.  

That cold, sharp look. A warning.  

"Stay quiet."  

Dandy always did.  

He always did. 

 

 

The toons were told Astro was having "a bad day" and needed "a break from Garden View for a while." That they shouldn’t worry.  

They believed it.  

They always did.

He hated their ignorance of that stupid lie of a story, but he also couldn't blame them. After all... Their second iterations and so forth were altered to be ignorant. With the handlers busy "treating" Astro, the toons got to relax for the entire day. They cheered for the unexpected day off, but Dandy? Dandy couldn’t celebrate because he knew the truth.  

His best friend was dead. Just like all the others. They were all dead. They looked alive, but they weren’t.  

Dandy knew.  

He knew three months ago, Shrimpo had actually killed Poppy and Looey. All three of them had been "treated."  

He knew a year ago, Cosmo had snapped in the kitchen and smashed his own face against an open burner.  

He knew a month ago, Razzle and Dazzle wouldn’t stop fighting until the handlers helped them.  

He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. He knew too much. H̷̫͗ẹ̷̈ ̵͍̽k̷̭͊n̸̢͊ë̷͜w̴̬̄ ̶̬̿t̸̜͒o̷͚̽o̴͖̍ ̶̤̉m̷̽͜u̶̫̽c̷̞͗-

A gentle poke to his shoulder made him flinch. He blinked as he looked behind himself.

Boxten?

The purple music box stood there, looking up at him with wide, uncertain eyes. Dandy had never really talked to Boxten. He knew of him, sure, but he never interacted with him. Just a shy little music box. Right?

"Oh! Hey, Boxten! What's up?"  

His smile was flawless, perfectly in place. Boxten fiddled with his hands.  

"...Is Astro okay?"  

The question hit harder than it should have for Dandy had been asked this a hundred times before. When his friends broke. He always gave the same answer that he was taught to say over and over again.

"Of course he is! He’s just not in the right headspace. It’s good that we give him time to relax and destress-"  

"You said that last time."  

Dandy froze and his smile faltered.  

Last time?  

"You... You said this when Shelly got upset."  

Wait. He remembers that?  

"And... you said that when Cosmo hurt himself on the oven..."  

He remembers?  

"And... when Vee-"  

"Boxten."  

Dandy’s voice was sharp. A warning.  

Boxten flinched, but his brow furrowed in something that looked like determination.  

"Dandy, I-"  

"Shh."

His voice dropped low. Urgent.

"My room. 10 PM."  

Boxten blinked, confused, but Dandy was already stepping back, scanning the room. Checking. Watching. Then he turned and walked away. As he moved toward the exit elevator, his mind raced. How does Boxten remember? After all, after a toon gets treated, they won't remember any past breakdowns from other toons... Wait...

Had he ever seen Boxten break down?  

Had he ever seen Boxten get dragged away?  

Had he ever seen Boxten be replaced?  

Dandy swallowed hard, stepping into the elevator. As the heavy metal doors closed, a twisted, horrible feeling churned in his gut.  

Guilt.  

And relief? It was a confusing feeling, complex emotions being hard for toons to understand let alone feel. Well, they used to at least... Usually, after a toon's third or fourth iteration, their emotions are... Dumbed down to avoid a breakdown happening again. The best example he could think of was Goob and Shrimpo, after all... They weren't always like that. He remembers the vague memories of Shrimpo smiling and laughing with others. He used to be mean and rude, yet fair and if you respect him, he'll respect you all the same. A tough but kind jock-type.

He remembers the small images of Goob having to stand up for himself and others, a serious tone that is absent in his current iteration. Goob used to be, while yes, a goofy and playful guy, he wasn't helpless and oblivious to his surroundings. He used to make keen observations on things like books or movies. Hell, his eyes weren't always crooked either, the handlers thought giving him a sight impairment was an "improvement" for fucks sake!

Flutter used to be quiet, but still talk.

Pebble used to not have a staring problem.

Finn used to not make so many fucking fish puns.

And Connie used to be so show how much she cared about her friends.

All these old memories, their true selves, just made him want to cry. It was like a punch to the gut so that begs him the question. For a toon that goes so unnoticed and quiet...

Had Boxten managed to slip under the radar all this time?

Chapter 3: 10 PM

Summary:

Dandy makes sure no one is listening in on him and Boxten's conversation because... It's going to be a lot for the poor music box

The time ticked on his clock as he obsessively checked for any cameras in his room he didn't know about or any recording devices. Logically, he knew there were none, but paranoia always... Kicked him sometimes. 'Pebble' ran around his room, chewing on his bone with not a thought behind his eyes... Dandy never blamed this Pebble for anything, it's not like he asked to be made in the image of someone else, but... The mascot sighed as he needed to stop thinking about this as he walked over to the most recent photo of him and Astro together. It was a week ago and it was some kid's birthday, Veronica had snapped this photo and gave it to him. He never thought he'd do this but... With a heavy heart, Dandy slowly wrote down the date the photo was taken with a pen, placing it back on the line with the others...

So it was official.

They were all dead.

Dandy looked at the dated photos, the last photos of his real friends, not some bastardized replacement he has to see every day...

Sprout's last photo was a photo the original Cosmo captured of him and Dandy baking together, smoke deading out of the oven. They both were panicking so hard it was funny, seeing Sprout distraught but laughing face always made him chuckle.

Vee's last photo was one she shot after he won her game show, winning both bragging rights and getting to host a game show episode. Vee was in the forefront of the photo, rolling her eyes with him in the background laughing.

Shelly's last photo was when Tisha snapped him and her digging up fossil replicas in her various sand pits. Her eyes were basically sparkling as she found the head of a spinosaurus.

And Pebble's last photo was when he got a photo of his beloved dog running in circles, trying to catch his tail.

God... While he loved staring at these photos, remembering who they used to be, it always hurt him so deeply. It felt like a wall of urns, the faces of people he held so close no longer... They're not here, he needs to stop thinking about this. He slapped his cheeks as he turned away from the Polaroids. He needs to move on already... Move on, move on, move on, he needed to-

knock knock knock

Three steady and small knocks interrupt his train of thought, and he does not even realize he's crying. Dandy looks back at his clock, the red lights staring at him, and it reads 9:50 PM. He was early. Dandy quickly gets himself situated, patting the tears out of his eyes as he takes a deep breath and opens his door.

Standing there revealed Boxten, his usual attire of a sleeveless tee and pants being discarded for an oversized blue shirt with shorts. His signature bandana remains, however. He could hear the quiet click of his winding key turning every so lightly.

"You came."

He said, his tone hushed like someone was listening in. He let Boxten in, and the music box looked anxious as he fidgeted with his hands.

"O-of course I did... Um... Did you need to talk about something?"

Dandy nodded and locked the door behind him. This made Boxten more nervous than he already was, given that no one knew he was in there and that he was now in the same room as the Dandicus Dancifer. The mascot wandered off to his bed, paying no mind to Pebble somewhere in the background.

"Yeah, just... I wanted to ask you a few questions if that's okay."

Boxten nodded as Dandy sat on his bed, the pastel rainbow of the sheets being a little hard to see in the dark. He only had a lamp on after all. The music box anxiously tracked over, sitting down at the end of the bed as Dandy began to talk.

"Um... You said you remembered Cosmo hurting himself?"

Boxten nodded.

"How far back do you remember."

Dandy remembers the first toon to get replaced... Rodger. He got too nosy, to say the least.

"F-far back on... Um, where? I need specifics-"

"Do you remember the first time Rodger needed to uh... Have a day off?"

Dandy says, trying to be direct yet vague, a tricky tightrope to play in this situation. He can see Boxten's winding key twist before spinning completely as he focuses on trying to remember. A soft lullaby emits, and they calm Dandy's nerves just a little bit.

"You... Mean the time Rodger kept mumbling about secrets?"

The mascot's heart almost dropped. He did remember. This was- no, IS Boxten. He wasn't alone, not yet at least.

"..."

"Dandy?"

"You..."

"U-uh, did I say something wrong?-"

"No!"

Dandy gasps, eyes sparkling a little as he felt some tears well up, pulling Boxten into an unexpected hug.

"The opp-"

He was cut off by Boxten shoving him off, making him a tad confused.

"D-don't do that..."

"Do what?"

"Hug- touch me unexpectedly. I don't like it..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine... Everyone forgets anyway."

Dandy felt Boxten's words tug at his heart. How the toons were now, it was always hard to establish any sort of boundary that didn't make sense to them... And given how touchy the children can be... The mascot sighs as he looks at Boxten, now turned away and staring into the darkness.

"... You... You said exactly what I needed to hear"

Boxten looks at him curiously as Dandy tries to pick his next set of words carefully again. Should he tell Boxten? He's the last of what Garden View used to be other than himself... Would it be too much for him to learn? Would it scare him off? Would he tell everyone and get replaced as well? Would-

"Dandy, you're staring..."

"Oh! Sorry..."

Boxten tugs at his bandana, looking more uncomfortable by the minute. If Dandy wanted to tell him the truth, he had to tell him now.

"Boxten."

The music box turns to look at him.

"There's something you need to know about... Everyone."

He began with a heavy heart, Boxten a little worried about what he was going to hear.

 

 

 

 

 

"... They're not real."

 

 

 

 

 

Those three words hung heavy above Boxten's head the moment he heard them, his confusion skyrocketed as he attempted to decipher what that even meant.

"W-what??"

"The toons- the toons you see every day right now, they're not the real ones. The real ones died a long time ago and-"

Dandy began to ramble.

"And- and they've been replaced, all of them, b-because they broke and I don't know what to do because I-I think you and me are the- the last- the last left and- I-I-"

Dandy starts to hyperventilate as he tries to recount this nonsense to Boxten, just frozen in shock and perplexion.

"TH-They took Astro! They took Astro f-from me and- and I feel like I'm alone because th- they'll puni-punsih me and-"

His words start to jumble as he starts to sob, gibberish spilling out his mouth as he grips his bedsheets, wrinkling beneath his grasp. He wanted Boxten to hold him and say it was okay, to calm him down, to give him ease, but Boxten didn't do anything. He only watched, hand twitching a bit as if he wanted to reach out, but didn't. You'd think that'd upset him but...

Honestly, a small part of him was thankful.

He knew if he walked up sobbing to any ol' toon know, they'd be quick to comfort him and give him saccharine words of encouragement. They're flawless in that right, so to have this... This unchanged toon in front of him, panicked, hesitant, and unsure of how to help... It really did prove Boxten was unlike any other toon. With that twinge of bittersweet hope, he wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled a genuine smile.

"Eh-... Sorry, I got lost in my own head."

"It's... It's okay, I... What do you mean they're-"

"The handlers replace them when they break."

Boxten stops talking, taking this reality-shattering information slowly. Dandy didn't blame the poor toon, it was a lot to take in after all.

"... So Poppy-"

"No, that's not your Poppy..."

He could hear Boxten sniffle as his own waterworks started up.

"I'm sorry I told you all this, but I felt like it was right. You're-"

"S-stop talking, please..."

Dandy promptly shuts up as Boxten turns away, getting off the bed. He trembled as his key started to wind again, his melody being more off-key than before.

"I..."

He sighs as he bits the inside of his cheek.

"I- I need to think about this..."

Dandy simply nodded as he watched Boxten walk off, unlocking the door, and leaving out of his sight. He felt saddened by this encounter given how it left Boxten crying... Might as well get some sleep, he was supposed to be two hours ago anyway... As he lay down on his mattress, one thought lingered in his mind as he drifted off.

How would he and Boxten continue on now that they both know?

Notes:

I am CARRYING the Non-Evil Dandy tag-

Chapter 4: Morning

Summary:

Dandy is left alone for a little and tries to talk to Boxten, doesn't go that well

BEEP BEEP BEEP

Dandy awoke to his alarm clock. 5 AM. The same time... every... day. He blinked a few times, groggier than usual, as last night’s events crept back into his mind. Boxten... right.

Dandy sighed, dragging himself into the bathroom. He shouldn’t have talked to Boxten, but what’s done is done. His hands trembled slightly, probably just stress. Yeah, just regular ol’ stress. He groaned, finishing up quickly before heading out. Skipping breakfast wasn’t an option when you worked with kids all day.

The dining room was already buzzing with early morning chatter layered over the usual bland background music. Dandy scanned the room: Razzle and Dazzle chatting with Brightney, Goob bugging Shrimpo while Scraps looked unimpressed, and Cosmo and Sprout clanking around in the kitchen. It almost felt like years ago, if it weren’t for Sam, standing in the corner, arms crossed, always watching. Even during breakfast, they had to stay in character.

Dandy exhaled, knowing exactly where to sit. There was a correct spot: with the other main characters. Anywhere else would raise suspicion. He plastered on his signature smile and waved at Vee and Shelly, though Astro’s absence twisted his gut.

"Hi there!"

"Hello, Dandy."

"Daanddyy!"

Shelly practically bounced up to give him a hug. Vee didn’t even flinch.

"What's for breakfast today?"

"Cosmo’s making pancakes, and Sprout’s cooking bacon and eggs"

Shelly chirped.

"Sounds delicious!"

Shelly giggled while Vee just rolled her eyes. It was always awkward having her around during meals, being unable to eat did that. Dandy kept his grin as he made his way to the kitchen, the sweet smells of fried eggs and chocolate washing over him like a distant memory.

"Good morning, Dandy"

Sprout greeted, handing him a plate.

"Morning, Sprout"

Dandy replied. Talking to Sprout always felt... off. Ever since he got replaced, there was something too serious, too... Knowing. It was like Sprout saw through everything. Dandy caught Cosmo’s friendly wave before heading back to the main table. The chatter faded into background noise as he picked at his food, eyes drifting across the room. Finn pestering Glisten. Toodles eating with Rdoger. Tisha cleaning up spills. Poppy talking with-

Boxten.

There he was. Quiet. Unassuming. Dandy’s heart skipped. Would Boxten mention last night?

He blinked hard, realizing he’d been staring too long. Sam might notice. Quickly, he forced his attention back to Shelly and Vee’s chatter, though Boxten lingered in the corner of his eye.

 

 

The day blurred by. Parents poured in, kids’ laughter drowning out the background music. Playdates packed his schedule, no breaks, but that was fine. This was normal.

Normal. Normal. Normal. Normal-

"Dannndyyy?..."

A little girl tugged on his arm just as he was heading for a break. He forced a smile despite wanting to just run from her. Her eyes sparkled with a sense of childhood innocence that calmed his nerves ever so slightly, letting his shoulders relax.

"Hm? Yeah, what’s up?"

"Where’s Astro?"

Her question hit him like a punch. He wanted to scream, but instead, he continued to smile and recited the same words he'd recited over and over again.

"He’s not feeling well today. Resting. It’s important to rest when you’re sick."

Foolproof. No handler ever corrected him for using it.

"Oh! W-well, tell him I said hi!"

He nodded as she ran back to her parents, ready to go wherever they needed to go. With a sigh, he started to walk away and that’s when he noticed Veronica pulling Devan aside, leading him somewhere out of sight into the Staff rooms. It wasn't uncommon to see that, the Main Toon handlers were often conversing with each other a lot and-

Wait.

Was he... unsupervised?

Dandy quickly looked around, expecting to see Shanon or Austin somewhere, but... No handler in sight. No watchful eyes. No one.

Holy crap.

Dandy’s heart raced and he felt a rush of excitement. He's almost never left alone during Open time. What should he even do with this freedom?

Find Boxten, of course.

 

 

Boxten sat by the lobby, Dandy’s radio playing soft classical music as he people-watched. Occasionally a kid waved or a parent asked for a picture, but no one really bothered him. Being a background toon had its perks.

So it startled him when he heard his name.

"Boxten!"

Before he could react, someone yanked him from his seat.

"WhOAH-"

"Sorry!"

That voice- Dandy?! Boxten stumbled into an elevator, away from the public eye. Only toons could use these unless there was an emergency. He barely had time to catch his breath before Dandy let go, leaving him dizzy.

"Ohh-"

"Er-sorry for the rush. Didn’t want anyone recognizing me too quickly..."

Boxten shook his head, trying to steady himself.

"I-I, um... hi."

"How are you doing?" Dandy asked.

"F-fine..."

Boxten’s words stumbled out. It’s not every day a Main Character drags you off for a personal chat. Sure, it happened yesterday, but he’d rather not think about that. Silence settled between them. Awkward. Unfamiliar.

"...So, uh"

Dandy started, watching Boxten fidget with his bandana.

"About yesterday-"

"D-don’t, uh... start with that. I don’t want to think about it."

Fair enough. Dandy frowned slightly.

"...Do you want to-"

"I really don’t want to be here right now."

"Kay."

Guilt prickled at Dandy. He hadn’t meant to make Boxten uncomfortable, but he didn’t blame him either. He’d literally dragged the poor toon into a secluded elevator. Boxten nodded slowly, backing up to press a button. The doors slid open, flooding the quiet space with the noise of the day. He gave Dandy a small, pitiful wave before disappearing into the crowd.

Dandy stood there, alone, unease gnawing at his chest.

Maybe next time will be better, he thought. He wanted to know Boxten. More than ever. Wait... was that selfish? He never cared about Boxten until now. Until Astro... Was he just hopping from one toon to another? Tears welled up. He sniffled, wiping them away quickly. Clenching his fists, Dandy forced on his smile, the one everyone expected, and stepped out of the elevator.

Was he using just Boxten?

Chapter 5: Late Night Chat

Summary:

A midnight snack.

The night was quiet for Garden View. Toons slumbered peacefully in their rooms, awaiting the next day of play and fun. Well, not for one toon.

Boxten lay restless in his bed, tossing and turning, feeling cold. He wasn't sick or anything, the blanket Garden View provided just wasn't the thickest. He always struggled to fall asleep, sometimes convinced Astro didn't like him because he had nightmares so often or woke up in a cold sweat. Astro... Dandy's words from that night echoed in his head:

"Th-they took Astro! They took Astro f-from me."

They took Astro...

Boxten grumbled, trying not to think about it. Dandy was crazy. Everyone knew he was a little off, he just... The music box sat up, his key twisting slightly as he sighed. Maybe a snack from the dining room would help him sleep. Boxten tugged the blanket off his bed, draping it over his shoulders. He headed out of his room, the silence and slight creak of the wooden floorboards a little creepy, but he'd been doing this for years. He was used to it by now.

Boxten entered the elevator, slightly regretting not wearing slippers as his feet met the cold steel. He shivered a little, pressing the dining room floor number. The door closed with a loud thunk. He wished it were quieter, but no one seemed to wake up from it anymore. He remembered Poppy complaining about it, saying it scared her. Maybe they'd all been desensitized to loud noises by now...

Poppy. Such a social butterfly and one of his best friends. He'd always admired her, but couldn't exactly remember why. Was it because she never looked tired despite all the children? Because she spoke her mind with confidence? He couldn't quite pin it down.

Oh well. He needed to stop thinking about it.

The elevator stopped and opened slowly, the grind of its gears oddly calming. Darkness greeted him as he stepped out, relying on memory to navigate. A lot of toons seemed scared of the dark now. Like Shrimpo, for someone so rude and overconfident, he never liked being in the dark for too long. Or Vee. She could literally glow. How does someone like that get scared of the dark? Odd. They weren't like that before.

Boxten smacked himself lightly on the side of his head. He was overanalyzing. He needed to stop. Dandy's words were getting to him. He's just crazy. He's just crazy... As Boxten turned into the kitchen, he saw a light on. Someone was here? Not Cosmo or Sprout, neither stayed up late. Gigi? No, she didn’t either. As he peered in, he heard soft classical music humming from a radio. Oh.

Dandy.

Boxten instinctively froze at the sight of the flower, as he usually did around any Main Character. Dandy sat on the counter next to the fridge, legs swinging idly as he munched on a cupcake. He looked... exhausted. Boxten stayed in the darkness, not wanting to be seen. Not yet.

"The handlers replace them when they break."

The words echoed in his head. Replace...

Dandy's lying. He has to be.

"The handlers replace them when they break."

Then again, not a lot of toons lie to each other anymore.

"The handlers replace them when they break."

And Poppy was never so...

"The handlers replace them when they break."

...

Boxten stepped into the light. Dandy stopped eating, eyes widening slightly. His body went stiff for a moment, his legs freezing as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Boxten-"

"Dandy."

He was quickly cut off as he felt a sense of nervousness he hadn't felt in a while. The flower shoved the rest of the cupcake into his mouth, quickly finishing it as he hopped off the counter.

"What are you-"

"I... I think I believe you."

Dandy paused, his tired brain needing a moment to process. When it clicked, it hit him like a truck.

"W-wait, huh?"

"I believe you... About the... Replacement thing."

Dandy stared, shocked. Boxten seemed just as unsure as he fiddled with the hem of his T-shirt.

"... How, uh... Why?"

He asked out of curiosity. He wanted to know what happened to make Boxten suddenly believe his seemingly nonsense.

"Just... Been thinking about... The little things, I guess."

Boxten walked past Dandy, opening the fridge to grab some milk.

"Little things?"

"Yeah, uh..."

Boxten struggled to find an example, finally grabbing sugary cereal from the cabinet.

"... Gigi."

"Gigi?"

"Yeah... remember how she always hoarded things?"

Dandy nodded as Boxten poured himself a bowl of cereal, taking a bite. The crunch followed after echoed, but he didn't really care right now as he started to talk.

"Mhm, yeah, 'cuz... she kept useshess shtuff. Like-"

He paused to swallow the food in his mouth. No other toon talked with their mouth open anymore.

"You could barely see the floor of her room, but she was never a thief."

Dandy nodded again. Gigi liked having things for the sake of having them, but she wasn’t a thief. Any knick-knacks she made were gifted, and even if she didn't like them, she'd keep them somewhere. Maybe on the floor, on a shelf, in her bed, in her head- anywhere.

"But like... Now, I remember last week, she tried to steal my bedframe. My bedframe!"

Dandy giggled. Really? A bedframe? Boxten chuckled too, hushed laughter filling the cold kitchen. It was a small sense of glee for them, but soon the laughter faded as Boxten continued eating.

"Yeah... And... She always shtayed up late."

"Oh yeah, we'd have to drag her out of bed, remember?"

"Exactly!"

He remembered, though his memory was fuzzy. Gigi's whiny voice begging for "five more minutes" for the fifth time. A fond memory. But her face... Even seeing her replica every day, he... He could never put that face to who Gigi was. It made him sad.

The silence settled in.

"... I miss the old her."

Boxten muttered as he finished his cereal. Dandy frowned, nodding quietly. The gravity of it all sank in.

"... Everyone, huh?"

Boxten asked, looking up at the flower..

"... Yeah...... Except us."

"Hm..."

Boxten drank the milk from his bowl, wiped his face, and placed the bowl and spoon in the sink. A somber look was plastered on his face as his key turned a little, making a soft but steady click noise every time. Dandy went to turn down his radio, the classical notes being slowly drowned out into the silence.

"... What are we going to do?"

The question hung heavy. Dandy looked away, picking at his petals, and biting his tongue. He slid down the cabinet, sitting on the floor with his knees to his chest.

"I don't... I don't know."

Boxten frowned, walking closer.

"Are you cold?"

Dandy nodded slightly. Boxten sat beside him, wrapping the blanket over them both. The simple gesture made Dandy nearly cry, a shaky sigh escaping him.

"Boxten..."

"Yeah?"

Dandy looked at him, tired eyes revealing his truth.

"I'm scared."

Chapter 6: A Broken Radio

Summary:

Dandy can't sleep without his radio

Notes:

DAMN WHY IS THIS CHAPTER SO LONG!?

"Dandy, Dandy! Did you hear?!"

Toodles' high-pitched excitement snapped Dandy out of his trance. The evening had settled in, and he was halfway through a sandwich Cosmo had made him during his break. The scent of fresh bread and melted cheese lingered in the air, but he barely noticed now. Across the table, Toodles stood with her usual animated energy on full display, her big, eager eyes locked onto him.

He smiled at her out of habit.

"Hear about what?"

"Astro's back!"

... What.

"He-.. Huh?"

"Yeah! He's back! He's alllll better now!! Somethin' about missing this place sooo much!!!"

No.. Not that can't- no... Dandy smiled as he kept his composure.

"Well, I'll give him a hi once I see him!"

Toodles giggles as she runs off to who knows where as he sits there in disbelief. No, he can't be back, it's only been a few days, and it usually takes the Handlers a week to get a replacement ready... Astro... Just the mention of his name made Dandy almost cry, he couldn't- he couldn't see what they turned him into, he just couldn't... Dandy looked around, making sure no one was looking as he put his hand over his mouth, resisting the urge to cry. He was fine. This was okay. He was fine. He was fine. HE WAS FINE!

He mentally screamed at himself as he forced a cheerful grin back into place. He had to be fine. Taking a deep breath, he pushed down every emotion threatening to surface. He just had to hope he wouldn’t have to see 'Astro' today, or tomorrow... Or ever.

But just as he was about to get up, someone stepped into his path. He barely had time to register who it was before finding himself looking up at Boxten. The music box stood there, shifting slightly, his gears clicking softly in the quiet. Dandy stared at him for a long second before offering a half-hearted smile.

"Hey..."

"Hi... You... heard, right?"

Boxten's voice was careful, uncertain. Dandy exhaled through his nose, avoiding Boxten's gaze.

"About Astro?"

Boxten nodded.

"Yeah. Toodles told me..."

"Are you going to be okay?"

Dandy hesitated, then nodded, making sure no one was looking before muttering,

"Y... Yup! I'll be just fine."

Boxten didn’t look convinced but didn’t press further.

"Okay..."

They parted ways after that, Boxten heading off while Dandy, as usual, was booked for the entire day. He had a schedule to follow, and an image to maintain. Everyone wanted to see him—he was the face of Garden View, after all.

He. Was. Fine.

The day dragged on like it always did: play, take pictures, repeat. Same routine, same scripted laughs, same aching legs. Sometimes it was fun—watching the kids' faces light up, hearing their giggles, but it was mostly draining. He was entertaining a pair of twins, a boy, and a girl. What were their names again? Sam and Pam? Faith and Christian? Willow and Forest? Something matching and overly cutesy. Parents always did that. He never understood it, but it wasn’t his problem.

The girl tugged at his petals, her tiny hands unintentionally pulling too hard. He laughed, even as his knees ached from kneeling too long.

"Haha!"

He was trying to enjoy the moment, but something felt off. A strange prickling sensation crawled up his spine. He shifted his gaze slightly, catching Sam staring at him from the corner of his eye. They were chit-chatting with the parents so he wasn't under a strict watchful eye, Sam was one of the scarier handlers, after all, next to Devan.

He kept his act up, forcing himself to focus on the game.

"Okay, okay! Aren’t you guys tired yet?" Dandy said, keeping his voice bright and playful.

The boy shook his head while the girl just laughed. He laughed too, though it was beginning to strain his throat. It was fine. He just had to push through a few more interactions... And then, the world decided to hate him.

Someone entered the lobby. 

Astro.

Dandy's entire body went rigid. He looked exactly the same. The same blue on his face, the same blanket draped over his shoulders, the same everything. A perfect copy. The original, if you didn’t know any better. Astro leaned against his Handler, yawning as if nothing had ever happened.

Dandy didn’t mean to freeze. He didn’t mean to stare. He didn’t mean to let his fight-or-flight instincts kick in.

But most importantly, he didn’t mean to run straight into Shrimpo.

"GAH!"

The shrimp-like toon yelled as he tumbled backward, Dandy following suit. The twins gasped, stepping back in surprise.

"Shoot- sorry!"

Dandy stammered, already trying to get up.

"WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING!"

Shrimpo screeched, his voice cranked to maximum volume. It made Dandy’s ears ring.

"Yeah yeah, I’m sorry, Sh-"

"UGHH! I HATE YOU! YOU’RE SO WEIRD! I HATE IT!"

His shouting alerted the handlers, Sam being the closest stepping in between the two toons.

"Shrimpo, stop it!"

They ordered, but it seemed like Shrimpo was out for blood today, fury twisting his little face. He shoved past Sam, launching himself at Dandy, and tackling him to the floor.

"W-WAIT SHRIMPO, I’M SORRY!-"

"SORRY WON’T CUT IT!"

Dandy barely had time to react before Shrimpo tried to punch him. But before he could land a hit, Sam grabbed Shrimpo like a misbehaving cat, lifting him off the ground. The tiny toon thrashed and screamed as Austin rushed over.

"O-oh gosh, Dandy?"

Austin knelt beside him, holding a hand out to lift the poor toon up

"Ow- y-yeah, I’m fine,

Dandy muttered quickly, pressing a hand against his side where he hit the floor. Austin turned to the twins and told them to leave. Meanwhile, Shrimpo continued squirming in Sam’s grasp, his screeching echoing throughout the room. Dandy just watched, an unsettling pit forming in his stomach.

Shrimpo wasn’t usually like this...

But there was no time to think about it. He had another playdate lined up, and skipping it wasn’t an option, the parents would complain. They always complained. Sighing, he let Austin guide him away, ignoring the tired-looking Astro sitting on the floor in the corner of his vision. He didn't want to talk to him, because that wasn't him.

 

 

Finally, closing time.

Dandy was sore, exhausted, and still reeling from the day’s events. He just needed to grab his radio. The music always helped him sleep. Except... when he arrived, someone was already there.

Shrimpo.

And he was holding Dandy’s radio.

"Shrimpo?"

Dandy’s voice wavered with unease, not liking where this was going. Shrimpo’s expression twisted with rage.

"YOU GOT IN MY WAY EARLIER!"

"I said I was-"

"SHUT UP! I HATE YOU!"

But he couldn’t stop him before Shrimpo smashed the radio to the floor, bolts and plastic scattering everywhere. It felt like a stab to the heart as he watched Shrimpo step on the pieces, destroying it beyond repair while laughing. Dandy couldn’t help but fall to his knees, watching the radio that had kept him sane for all these years, gone, in an instant, at the hands of the worst toon in the world.

This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. THIS WASN'T HAPPENING!

"SHRIMPO!"

He heard someone scream, but he didn’t recognize who, the ringing in his head and tears flowing down his face. He could see Shrimpo turn, looking at whoever was running at him before throwing him to the floor. Dandy couldn’t tell what was happening. All he could do was crawl over to the broken pieces of his radio, crying over them like someone had just killed a cat in front of him. He barely heard someone call his name or Shrimpo’s sudden cries. What was going on? This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t happening.

Then, soft hands cupped his face, wiping the tears from his eyes with inky black fingers.

"Dandy! Dandy, are you alright?!"

Oh, Boxten. Boxten. Dandy blinked as he looked past the music box, seeing Shrimpo unconscious on the floor, black bleeding from his mouth and head. Then, his eyes fell on Boxten’s fists, the same black ink staining them.

"..."

He didn’t know what to say as he saw Boxten’s worried face.

"Wh..."

"I-I didn’t- I panicked- I shouldn’t have-"

Dandy leaned into Boxten’s hand as he stammered, unable to explain the sudden... Violent outburst. Could he even call it that? Dandy stayed quiet as his breathing slowed, the tears dried, and Shrimpo lay bleeding on the floor.

"... D-Da-"

"My radio..."

Dandy whispered, pulling away from Boxten and staring at the broken machine.

"I-I'm sorry I didn’t come sooner..."

"It’s... okay..."

He whispered as Boxten backed away, running off to wash up. Dandy knew there was ichor on his face, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was that his music was gone. It was gone. Gone. Gone. He’s tried sleeping in silence before, but he was always left restless, tossing and turning in his bed. This had to be a bad dream, right? This wasn’t happening. He needed the music. He needed the music, he needed—

Boxten.

Boxten was a music box. As the toon approached, his hands cleaned, Dandy quickly stood up.

"Boxten! H-hey, mind doing me a-a favor?"

Boxten blinked, the sudden shift in mood unsettling and making him stamper more.

"Um... Sure?"

"You can play music, right?"

Boxten nodded.

"Okay, good, so like... I can’t sleep without music, so could you-"

"Yes."

"You didn’t let me-"

"I knew what you were going to say."

Boxten said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. Dandy was basically beaming, but not before remembering Shrimpo just lying on the floor, unconscious.

"..."

"..."

"We should, uh, get him back to his room, shouldn’t we?"

Dandy muttered, and Boxten nodded in agreement. They wandered over to Shrimpo, who was barely conscious. Dandy waved a hand in front of him, no response. Eh, he was probably fine as he grabbed him by the tail, literally dragging him back to his room.

"C-come on, at least carry him."

Boxten muttered as Dandy waved a dismissive hand.

"Ahh, he's fine... Probably."

The music box wouldn't help but facepalm as Dandy left Shrimpo on the floor of his room, opting to put a brick next to his body to make it seem like an accident. Rub some of his ichor on the brick to make it more realistic as well. Besides, if he remembered what happened, no one would believe him. Hell, he wouldn't believe it if someone sad Boxten sucker punched someone in the forehead until he bled. He dusted himself off as he exited like nothing happened, looking at Boxten once again.

"My room or yours?"

"I- erh... I mean, my room is closer so..."

Dandy just smiles brightly, a little odd considering he kinda just helped Boxten cover up a crime, but that's just how Dandy is sometimes. He's weird, is what Boxten thought as they walked down the hall and into his room. Honestly, Dandy had never really been a lot of the regular toon rooms, not seeing a reason why. Compared to his, it was small. The bed was small, enough to only fit a single toon, and a little lacklustre if he was being honest. Of course, he wouldn't say that to Boxten's face but- WAIT WAS THAT A COMPUTER!?

Dandy couldn't help but stare at the device on the desk for a hot second, surprised that a toon had one. He doesn't even have one! But questioning it was not the reason he was here; the reason was to get some sleep. He watched as Boxten pulled the stool on the floor next to his bed, sitting on it, and patting his bed.

"Wait, huh?"

"You're not sleeping on the floor so-"

"But it's your bed"

"Yeah, and that means I get to decide what happens."

Couldn't argue with that as Dandy shrugged and climbed on. It wasn't as comfy as his, and the blankets were a little thin, but I think that's his Main Character's privilege talking as he gets comfortable. Only a few seconds later, he hears the wind of a key as the soft grind of gears follows. Then, a melody. It was a lullaby, of course, and it played softly. Each string of notes brought Dandy to ease as he closed his eyes. The zing of each note slowly let him drift off and knowing that someone who wasn't a handler watching over him brought him an odd sense of comfort. The last thought he had before he was whisked away into the bliss of slumber was this.

How had he never noticed how sweet Boxten's voice was?

Chapter 7: Tired Eyes

Summary:

Astro's back!... But is he really?

Dandy probably had one of the best rests of his life. He couldn’t remember his dream, but he knew it had to be something good, considering he actually woke up feeling refreshed for once. He yawned, his mind still groggy as he tried to remember where he was. Purple… Blue… Box-

Right, Boxten!

Dandy glanced over at the sleeping toon slumped in a chair, his head resting on the edge of the bed. He looked so peaceful. The mascot shook his head, knowing he had to get up. Slipping out from under the sheets, he carefully stepped onto the floor and lightly shook Boxten’s shoulder.

"Boxten, Boxten, wake up!"

The music box groaned, stirring slightly as his eyes cracked open.

"Mm… Dandy?"

"Yeah, come on, Boxty, we gotta get up!"

Boxten rubbed his eyes, stretching as he slipped out of the chair.

"You seem… energetic"

He mumbled, noticing how much energy the flower had.

"Well, duh! I slept like a rock, haha! But I gotta get ready, see you later!"

Before Boxten could respond, Dandy rushed out of the room, ignoring the curious glances from the other toons. He practically sprinted up the stairs, making sure he got back to his room before the handlers could get suspicious. He had to get ready as fast as possible while still looking presentable.

Today felt good. He felt amazing, like he was on top of the world.

The moment he stepped out of his room, the handlers immediately noticed the pep in his step, the ease in his smile, the glee in his eyes. It was odd at first, but no one bothered to mention it. Why should they? It seemed like Dandy was thriving, so it was best to just let him be.

He played effortlessly with the kids, ran around without breaking a sweat, laughed without forcing it. He was having the time of his life.

So it was a shame to see it all come crashing down.

"Dandy."

Devan’s voice pulled him aside, snapping him out of his bliss.

"Oh! Hello! Do you need anything?"

He chirped, his usual cheer in place.

"Yes, we need you to interact with Astro so the public knows he’s okay."

Instantly, Dandy’s happy little world shattered. He froze, his smile faltering just for a second. The thing he had been trying to avoid was being shoved right in his face.

"Oh… When?"

"Now."

"What-"

Dandy barely had time to object before Devan grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward. His grip was too tight, but Dandy didn’t say anything. He just let it happen. He didn’t want to see Astro. He didn’t want to see what they did to him. He just couldn’t.

But at the hands of his handler, he shut down and let it happen.

Soon enough, they reached the massive tree in the lobby, standing tall and proud. Beneath it sat a tired-looking Astro, his head dipping slightly as he dozed off.

It looked like Astro.

But Dandy knew it wasn’t.

Devan nudged him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Astro! Hey, buddy, wake up! Can’t sleep now!" 

Dandy forced a grin, every word that left his mouth feeling like a knife to the gut. The replacement blinked awake, yawning.

"Oh… hello, Dandy..."

"Come on, we can’t just laze around here all day, let’s do something!"

"I’m tired..."

The way he said it, flat, dull, emotionless, cut much deeper than Dandy expected.

"Well, you’ll wake up more if we do something. Now, come on!"

Astro grumbled as Devan forced him up.

"What should we do first?"

"...Hm, I dunno, you decide..."

Astro practically leaned against Dandy just to keep himself upright. It broke the flower’s heart piece by piece.

"Well, wanna go do some arts and crafts with Goob and Scraps?"

"Sure..."

Astro barely moved as Dandy led him away. It wasn’t walking, it was more like dragging. Devan followed close behind, making sure the public saw them. Dandy heard little "aww"s and "ooh"s from nearby parents, oblivious to the reality of the situation. To them, it was just a sweet moment between friends. They had no idea.

He wanted to sob right then and there.

But he couldn’t. Not with Devan behind him.

Astro started dozing off again as they entered the elevator. Dandy barely even tried to wake him. He didn’t want to hear him speak. He didn’t want to be reminded of what this was. This wasn’t his friend anymore.

Devan stood upright beside them, waiting for the elevator to descend. As the doors opened, they were met with Victoria on monitoring duty.

"Hey, Tori, I can take over" 

Devan said as she smiled, giving a small nod before heading off to find Vee for her scheduled gameshow. Dandy nudged the imitation of his best friend, forcing Astro awake again.

"Oh… sorry..."

"It’s alright, come on!"

It tore Dandy apart inside to see that same familiar smile on Astro’s face, except it wasn’t his. They walked through the hall, passing Cosmo, who had Sprout trailing behind him like a shadow.

"Oh, Dandy- oh! Astro, glad to see you back!"

Cosmo beamed.

"Hello, Cosmo."

"How was the break?"

"Oh, I just sorta slept through the entire thing."

Cosmo chuckled, completely unaware. Dandy glanced at Sprout, who stood silently beside Cosmo, just… Staring at him. The replicants were always a little off, especially Sprout. The team had struggled to pin down his character, but this version of him always creeped Dandy out.

Sprout suddenly placed a hand on Cosmo’s shoulder. "

We’re going to be late."

Cosmo laughed sheepishly. 

"Right, right! Sorry! See you both again soon!"

He waved before speed-walking away, Sprout following behind like a guard dog. Dandy lingered for a moment, watching them go before shaking it off. He had to keep moving. In the corner of his eye, over by the TV area, he noticed Boxten staring at him.

They locked eyes.

There was something unspoken between them at that moment. Boxten’s expression softened, a quiet sadness in his gaze before he turned back to his friends.

Dandy swallowed hard and knocked on the craft siblings’ door. It swung open just a few moments later.

"Dandy!- ASTRO!"

Astro flinched at Scraps’ sudden outburst.

"It’s so good to see you again! Come in, come in!"

Dandy smiled, though it barely felt real, as he practically dragged Astro inside. He spotted Goob drawing at the table.

"Heya, Goob!"

The fluffy craft looked up and waved. 

"Haaaii!! Are you here to draw with us?"

"Of course!"

"Yaaayy!!!"

They sat at the table, Astro immediately leaning his head against Dandy, using him for support. His gaze flickered across the craft materials, but it was empty, aimless. A glowing star appeared from thin air, tiny sparks of blue dust flickering as it grabbed a pencil and started scribbling nonsense.

Dandy watched for a moment before finally deciding to work on something himself. But it felt so wrong.

Every now and then, he glanced at Astro, still mindlessly doodling. There was no objective, no focus, just emptiness. Just like all of them.

Then, suddenly, Boxten’s face flashed in his mind. His eyes.

Dandy stared at Astro’s lifeless black voids. Empty. Soulless. A cheap imitation. But Boxten’s eyes… A deep, inky black, yet with a certain shine, a fondness, something real. They looked the same as the others, but they weren’t, Dandy could tell.

Boxten was really something else, wasn’t he?

Chapter 8: Last One

Summary:

Boxten comforts Dandy after being forced to spend time wth 'Astro'

Boxten sat at his desk, his computer on, and played a web game called Revpets, which a kid had shown him. It was pretty cool, but he couldn't focus very well at the moment. Dandy was on his mind .

He had seen the flower earlier, traveling to the craft siblings' room, and... Well, he would say Astro, but... Boxten shook his head as he sighed. Dandy looked so pained to have 'Astro' there, and, honestly, he couldn't blame him. He felt bad for the flower, he'll admit it, and he'll admit he expected Dandy to knock at his door in the middle of the night.

 

"Dandy, it's-"

Boxten began as he opened his door in the dead of night, the knocking having woken him up from what had started to seem like a nightmare, and glancing at the clock that read 1 AM.

"I know, I know, I just..."

Dandy struggled to force his words out, head lowered and a pillow in his arms. Boxten shook his head, letting the flower inside as he went to sit on Boxten's bed. Dandy looked like he had been crying before, some tear marks streaking down his cartoony face. Boxten couldn't help but feel bad as he untied his bandana and wiped the leftover tears on Dandy's face with it.

"There, there, let it out."

He mumbled, opening his arms to offer a hug, which Dandy instantly took, crying into Boxten's shoulder.

"I-I just- God, I don't- I'm- ughhHHH!!"

His cries are muffled in the music box's sleeve, patting Dandy's back tiredly to comfort him a little. Tears soaked into his T-shirt, but that was the least of his problems. Dandy continued to sob and cry, sometimes scratching at his back, which did cause him pain, but this wasn't about him. All he knew was that Dandy really needed to be held, as he found himself unable to make any comforting words.

Boxten continued to rub circles in Dandy's back as he sniffled and sobbed.

"This... This is about Astro, right?"

He feels Dandy nod a little, shaking like a leaf in a snowstorm, brain clouded with negative thoughts. Boxten remained right by him, just holding him, key starting to twist to play classical music in an attempt to calm him.

"... A-at least it's over, right?"

That was a silver lining at best, as Dandy shoves his face further into Boxten's chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Somehow, some way, hearing the beat of his heart calmed him down enough to speak words correctly.

"... Boxten... I miss him- I miss him so so so much..."

"I know you do..."

"They.... Ruined him!"

"They did..."

"I-I JUST-"

Dandy's words are interrupted by his sobs, clutching Boxten's shirt tightly, needing something, anything , to ground him. He tries to think- think of anything but Astro. Astro. Astro. Astro. A stro. Astro. Astro. Astro. Astr o. Astro. Astro. Astro. Astro. ASTRO

"H-he's dead... He's dead, Boxten... He's gone, h-he's gone ...."

Boxten couldn't help but start to cry with Dandy, tears welling up in his eyes as the weight of the situation truly settled in for him.

 

He and Dandy are the last original toons.

The rest? The rest that were real- made with care- made with a being in mind.

They're dead, replaced by bastardized versions of themselves for the sake of profit, it seems... A copy of a copy of a copy... Boxten's friends- Poppy, Dazzle, Looey, Cosmo, even Bassie at times-

They're dead. Every single one of them.

...

He holds Dandy tighter as he begins to let out quiet sobs as well, letting the tears flow with Dandy.

"P-please, don't- don't go..."

Dandy pleads, needing Boxten to stay with him so he doesn't disappear- so he doesn't lose the last thing he has.

"I-I won't... I won't, I... Promise."

The star of the show just nods as he leans into Boxten, listening to the music he plays to calm them both down as they have a good cry together, the stress of everything happening weighing them down. The tears flowing out of their eyes made them feel a little better, even if they came from despair and mourning.

Mourning...

Dandy felt better knowing Boxten was feeling the same way, mourning the ones closest to them... He hadn't had time to sob about how, one by one, he saw them disappear... This crying session was long overdue, as Boxten and he sobbed their hearts out.

And soon.

The tears stopped flowing, only leaving the dried trails and sorrow swirling in their hearts. Boxten continued to hold Dandy, feeling tired from crying, but trying to stay awake for him, to keep playing music. He's... All Dandy really has now... This was the least he could do, be there at his lowest point...

"... It'll be okay..."

He whispers, rubbing Dandy's petals between his fingers as the flower just sighs from the contact.

"How can you be so sure?"

"... Because you have me now... I... I've survived this long, ey?"

The light humor was enough to make Dandy chuckle, even if it was not really a joke; it was enough to lighten the mood. Enough to make him feel better. Enough to...

"..."

"..."

"I don't know if I can face him ."

Dandy mumbles under his breath, feeling the body warmth being shared as he melts into it, feeling drowsier by the second.

"You... You can do it, I-I know you can."

"I hope I can."

"..."

Dandy's eyes soon became heavy as Boxten fell backwards onto his bed, winching a little at the weird angle his key was being pushed. Dandy quickly repositioned himself so Boxten was on his side, still holding onto Dandy closely. They cuddled up to each other closely, Dandy's face resting on the music box's chest once again. And once again, he listened to the steady beat of his heart.

"... Can... We do this again, sometime?"

"Hm?-"

"Not like... The crying, but just- being near each other? I... Like talking to you."

Dandy admits, hiding the blush on his face as he feels Boxten rub his back, both of their eyes getting heavy in the darkness as Boxten yawns, nuzzling into Dandy's petals.

"Of course..."

"... Thank you..."

No words were said after that, just the quiet breathing emitted by both of them until... They both drifted off to sleep...

The peace was enough, for now.

Notes:

Yes, Revpets is a reference to Neopets

Chapter 9: Insanity

Summary:

Dandy has a "talk" with an behind the scenes toon

Notes:

Welcome to me figuting out how to fit DYLE INTO THIS-

Man, Boxten was really something.

That was one of the many thoughts that had started to plague Dandy’s mind ever since that fateful night. He began to notice the small things-the way Boxten fidgeted with his bandana when he was thinking of an answer, the little jitters he did when he was excited, the sparkle in his eyes when he started going on about something he liked. It was just…

Slowly but surely, Dandy settled into this new routine.

Be the face of the show. A perfect mascot with a perfect smile, a perfect attitude, and a perfect friend to his best friend, Boxten Astro. The perfect toon in the light, and a real person in the dark-with him.

Dandy didn’t know he could feel so giddy all of a sudden.

He had just finished giving a kid his autograph on a drawing they’d made of him when he noticed Boxten walking the halls, alone. Usually, Boxten stuck close to Poppy, or Looey, or sometimes Dazzle, but lately he’d been… Reclusive. Dandy decided to see if he could cheer him up. He quickly jogged over, waving.

“Boxten! Hey! Why so down?”

The music box perked up at the sound of his name. He caught the look in Dandy’s eyes-strained, pleading, and, in his peripheral vision, he noticed a handler nearby. Boxten played along.

“O-oh, Dandy! Sorry, I just… Didn’t get m-much sleep last night!”

Dandy knew damn well Boxten had gotten more than seven hours of sleep… Because he’d been right there next to him.

“You oughta give a word to Astro. This little no-sleep thing is putting a strain on you, buddy! Remember, eight hours of sleep is-?”

“… I-is the best for the head.”

Dandy nodded with a cheerful smile, noticing how the parents and children around them weren’t exactly interested in their little chat.

“Hey-”

Dandy wrapped an arm around Boxten’s shoulders and pulled him closer.

“-Why don’t we go down and have a chat with him ourselves? I’ll do the talking.”

“Sure…”

In the corner of his eye, he checked again. Sprouts, their handler, wasn’t paying them any mind. They seemed to be in the clear. Letting go of Boxten, Dandy guided him out of the public eye toward the elevator. As soon as the doors slammed shut, making Boxten flinch, Dandy’s smile fell, replaced with a tired sigh.

“You okay?”

He asked it in a voice far lower than his usual family-friendly tone. Boxten fiddled with his bandana.

“Yeah…”

“Something’s on your mind. What is it?”

Boxten hesitated, shifting like he was walking on thin ice.

“You don’t gott-”

“Dyle. I haven’t seen him in years. Where is he? Has he been replaced, too?”

The name froze Dandy in place. His body locked up instantly, and Boxten could tell he’d struck a nerve.

“A-ah! I was just curious, is all! I-I mean, I knew he ran the trains and- and they’re still running, but I know Delilah nor Arthur are the ones running things-”

Dandy pressed a finger to Boxten’s lips to quiet him. Silence. Then he moved, slowly pressing a few buttons on the terminal.

“Dandy, what are you-”

“Let’s go find out, then.”

Boxten blinked.

“WHAT!?”

 

The elevator whirred to life, lifting them up until the sound of a train’s chugging filled the air. When the doors opened, they found themselves in the Train Terminal.

“Dandy… Why-”

“Why not?”

Boxten frowned, but followed. The place looked empty, shelves and boxes stacked high against the walls. Some were labeled with simple things like “Cleaning” or “Non-perishable.” The cold, grey atmosphere was a far cry from the colorful world they were used to, with only the signature rainbows lining the walls offering the faintest reprieve.

“… Are you sure he’s here?”

“He’s never anywhere else.”

Boxten stuck close as they walked, listening for any sign of that familiar ticking.

Tick… tick… tick…

They froze when they saw someone carting supplies out from a train, a golden chain dragging behind him.

Dyle.

It didn’t take long for him to notice them. His eyes widened when he realized who had stepped into his domain.

“… Dandicus? Boxten? What an interesting duo we have here…”

His voice was just as smooth as Dandy remembered. He stepped forward with a carefully crafted smile, Boxten hanging back.

“Dyle! Hey! Long time no see!”

He was only a few paces away when Dyle cut him off.

“Don’t be fake. I can see it in your face.”

Dandy’s smile faltered.

“What have you two come here for? It’s not every day I get visitors- especially not the two of you together.”

Dandy huffed, trying to keep his tone light.

“Just curious about you, that’s all! You’ve been cooped up here too long. We oughta check up, make sure you’re in tip-top shape-”

“Shut up.”

Dandy stiffened.

“Look, I’m busy. I don’t need you here.”

“Dyle-”

“Why are you really here?”

The question hung heavy in the air. Dandy stood tall but couldn’t hide the tension. Before he could answer, Boxten spoke.

“I’m… Curious about you.”

Dandy’s heart skipped. His eyes darted to Dyle, searching his expression.

“… Pardon?”

“W-well, we haven’t seen you in a while and, uh… Just wanted to make sure you’re okay and everything!”

Silence. Dyle straightened his posture with a sigh.

“You’ve always been an awful liar, Boxten.”

Boxten froze.

“But that’s how he made you, anyway.”

The words made both Dandy and Boxten tense, exchanging worried glances at the strange implication.

“You’re here to check if I’m still real, aren’t you? Is this about Astro, Dandicus?”

Dandy immediately stepped in front of Boxten, protective.

“… Dyle.”

“… Dandicus.”

The tension thickened.

“To tell you the truth… No, I’m not the original Dyle, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

Dandy’s heart sank.

“Delilah didn’t like that I kept asking to be in the show, and I’d rather not die again. So, you’d both better keep your mouths shut. Now get out.”

He pointed toward the elevator. Boxten was already backing away, but Dandy lingered, staring at him. The elevator doors opened, and Boxten called him back. He enters despite wanting to stay and ask more questions, to understand, to know how Dyle knows, but it's better if he doesn't ask. It's better if he doesn't know. After all, if Dyle isn't safe.

He isn't either.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Anon-05's Fic's