Vee Version Two: Vivi

by GlitterPop (CrossoverShipper90)

Summary:

Vee is always #1 in everything; her own game show, being a literal genius in (almost) everything, and her high status as one of the Mains.

However, despite not wanting it to happen, Vee is eventually replaced by version two: Vivi.

 

Vivi is everything Vee isn't: waterproof, helpful, kind, and can understand emotions.

 

But Vivi is also curious about her older sister, and confused as to why no one talks about her anymore. Is it because of her, or something else?

These two TV sisters - despite sharing the spotlight - have their own backstage dramas only each of them can solve.

And maybe one day, they can understand their connection lies much deeper than the endless floors below Gardenview.

Chapter 1: Introduction - Vivi

Name: Vivi (Vai-Vai) - Vee Version #2

 

Age: 21

 

Color scheme: Mostly electric blue with hints of hot pink and purple

 

Stats: Skill check 3 star, Movement 4 star, Stealth 2 star, Extraction 3 star, Stamina 3 star

 

Ability: "Disruptive Voice" - When near Twisteds, Vivi will use her microphone to create a strong, high-pitched scream to mentally paralyze them for 30 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. 

 

Attire: An electric blue tuxedo vest with a white dress shirt and a black tie, a hot pink microphone tail with a purple bow resting on the end. A white embroidered "V2" rests on the right side of the breast pocket. 

 

 

Catchphrase: "Always aim for the sky, like Vi!"

 

 

 

Notes:

Yes, I'm making a Vee Version Two story, since this new piece of lore was sticking in my head like glue for a while.

I'm excited to learn more about it if we ever get more pieces of V2.

Chapter 2: 1 - Heartbreaking News

"Introducing... Vee Version Two! The better version of Vee Version One."

 

 

 

The window revealed the offline model of the new Vee, hooked up onto several monitors as the body sat on a metal bed leaning slightly off to the side. The electric blue vest bore the white "V2" on it with pride, as if showing off that it was the new and improved second model. Her screen was off, but it reflected the shocked face of Vee Version One, who was outside in the hall looking in. Her tail landed on the floor with a soft thud as questions blurred through her processor, her robotic heart starting to race with unknown emotions. 

 

Delilah stood next to her, a pleased smile on her face as she stared at the improved clone. It took a lot of work to get this right, since Vee's ichor sample was much more delicate than the rest of the Toons. She barely had it to begin with, but the amount she did have was used to power up her heart, despite just being a robot. Delilah patted Vee's back as she continued to gloat about the upcoming replacement. 

 

 

"This new version of you will be MUCH more technologically advanced, AND will be waterproof! Since you glitch at the mere touch of water in your systems, this one will have no problems being around water, or any liquids for that matter. She will take over your show and your spot in the Main category, but I'll make sure it'll be like you were always here. Isn't this exciting?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No. It was not. 

 

 

Vee couldn't move. Couldn't talk. Couldn't breathe, even though she didn't need to. 

 

She felt... numb. 

 

 

Ever since her handler Veronica told her the news, of course she was more than upset to hear that they were making a copy of her. 

 

But seeing is definitely different than hearing. 

 

 

 

 

Seeing first hand... the finished clone that would... just take away her life, her purpose...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vee - for the first time - lost her voice. 

 

 

Delilah however, took her silence as a positive thing. She patted Vee's back once more before gently turning the Main to face her, her eyes hidden underneath her bangs as usual. She stared at the screen face of Vee, whose eyes carried a hint of hurt at what was happening. 

 

"Now, you may be thinking this is an immediate thing. But it's not." Delilah started, catching onto the surprised twitch of Vee's antennae. "I want you to take this as a grave sign; you're failing miserably. Always have been for the past - what? - MONTH, now? It can't keep going like this." 

 

 

 

Vee didn't think she was failing, at all. She didn't notice any glitches in her system, any external injuries on her body, or even missed any recordings or live shows for her game show. Everyone always said that she was amazing at what she did, no matter how rough it was for her on the inside. Even Veronica constantly told her that she was doing a fantastic job, even though Vee would just brush it off due to her flowing confidence. 

 

 

"Think of this as... a punishment if you continue to mess up. You always claim you're the best, so act like it if you want to stay here." Ms. Keen warned, her voice soft yet carrying that subtle point of warning. "I have no problems getting rid of you if you're just going to be a pain in my ass." 

 

 

Biting her digital lip, Vee felt the gravity of her dilemma prick and prod in her wires like virus bugs breaking down her firewall. Her literal existence was on the line, she couldn't mess it up now. Her microphone tail curled around her waist loosely as she lowered her head, not wanting to stare at the woman in front of her. 

 

 

 

".... You have some nerve." She muttered, making sure Delilah could hear the bitterness dripping from every word. "You really... have some nerve. I won't let you replace me that easily just because you prefer to get a quick few bucks in your pocket. I'm more than just my code... You know that." 

 

 

Delilah stayed quiet, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She knew Vee would be against this 100%, but she had a business to run. Yes, she quite enjoyed the money that Gardenview brought into her bank account every day, and she also liked being in control over all the Toons. So naturally, whatever she said would go into motion - regardless of whatever or not Arthur had any say in it. If she was considered a monster because of that, then she'll gladly wear that badge with pride. 

 

"I know you believe you're more than your code, but-" 

 

 

"I am more than my code. You may be my creator, but you're blind in the sense of seeing the real me." Vee hissed, her voice glitchy with anger. "I will NOT let you take this away from me. I'm just as good as Dandy, and you have no problem with him!" 

 

 

She got in Delilah's face, challenging the one who made her alive. "I will be the best. You can dump that disgusting rainbow mess in the trash, because I will remain here for the rest of Gardenview's days. Don't underestimate me. I hate it when people do that." 

 

She glanced once more at the unconscious clone, seeing how she was hooked up like she was on life support. Her angered face caught on the dark screen again, her eyes narrowing before she scoffed and walked away, her tail lashing out behind her. Delilah watched her, her teeth gritted with annoyance. She knew Vee was going to be a problem with all of this, but at least she'll have some entertainment watching this little robot grasp with the looming future of being replaced and forgotten. 

 

 

 

"Count your days, Version One. I'll be waiting." 

Chapter 3: 2 - Worry

"Wait, she showed you...?" 

 

"Yes. It was all set, just a flick of a switch and she would be turned on at any moment." 

 

 

Vee didn't know how to process the news that was just shoved in front of her so wildly. Usually, many things didn't concern her. But with THIS... this was gnawing at every processor in her body. Emotions were never her strong suit, and thus didn't know how to handle the storm inside her. So she figured that she could talk to someone who knew how to deal with them. 

 

 

 

Shelly. 

 

 

The ammonite Toon was ecstatic to talk when Vee came knocking on her door. She hadn't had the time to talk everyone else since Shelly was busy looking for more fossils more recently with her Toon Handler, so having Vee visit her was a nice surprise. However, once she saw the hint of distress in Vee's blank stare, her heart grew nervous since she NEVER knew Vee could feel something like that. 

 

 

When Vee told her about her new version, Shelly was at a loss of words. The humans always did have their own conversations and projects like the Toons, so no one really took much notice of them unless it involved them. To hear that Vee was in danger of being replaced by a clone of her... Yeah, this definitely involved them much more than she realized. Shelly took a moment to let everything sink in, and it sunk faster than a rock in a fountain. Not knowing how to think of this clearly, but also not wanting to downplay Vee's justified worry, she spoke. 

 

"I... I'm so sorry, Vee. I-I don't think that's fair at all for Delilah to just... DO that to you. I'm pretty sure you're just fine as you are, I know you're doing a much better job at being seen than me..." 

 

 

 

Vee's tail quietly thumped against the floor as she thought to herself. Of all the things that could've happened to me... Being replaced was NOT on there...

 

She crossed her arms and legs, tapping a finger against her arm as she tried to think of a way to not let Delilah play her like a fiddle. She knew that woman would probably sabotage something in her daily schedule so she could be replaced faster. For once, despite being the smartest Toon in the entire Gardenview, Vee didn't have a solution to this problem. 

 

 

"How do you do it...?" 

 

 

Shelly was startled at the sudden question. "Hm? Do what?" 

 

 

"Just... smile, when clearly your life just isn't worth smiling about. I know part of it is because we forget about you - and I'm sorry on my part - but you still just push forward and continue without ever looking back, like Goob. How do you just... get over all these obstacles and not just crash out...?" Vee asked quietly, vulnerability creeping out on her words. 

 

 

She was genuinely confused as to why Shelly Fossilian - the most forgotten Toon in Gardenview - wasn't screaming at the other Toons, at her, for leaving her out of many things or just completely forgetting her existence. Sure, there were many Toons within these walls, so someone who was NEW here would definitely struggle with keeping up names. But Shelly was here for months, and yet... She was still forgotten to the point that her name didn't reach others' lips, despite seeing it in literal posters pasted on walls all around. 

 

Vee felt bad, and wanted to know how she could just... move on, and hopefully give her some advice as to how to move on and prevent Delilah from getting rid of her. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's because of my handler." 

 

 

Shelly's voice was so quiet that Vee had to rewind it in her head at full volume. She turned to look at her, and froze as she saw tears pouring down her cheeks as Shelly stared up at her with a sad, trembling smile. 

 

 

 

 

"It's because of Ms. Shanon that I continue doing my best. S-she... believes in me all the time. It may hurt that everyone else just doesn't really notice me often... But the fact that I even have one person, even if it's just her job... It means the world to me that she sees me... Like, ACTUALLY see me - like I'm real, ya know...?" Her voice cracked and hitched as she held in her sobs, quietly wiping away her tears as she continued to hold a grateful smile. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vee stared, not in a rude way, just... contemplating her words. 

 

 

 

She did recall seeing Ms. Shanon and Shelly spend hours chatting together or digging for fossils with such happy grins full of joy and familial connection. It was so different than seeing the other Mains and their Handlers talk with each other; Sprout and Ms. Sam would act like contrasting siblings, Astro would be protected often by Mr. Austin - despite being scared himself. And Dandy, Pebble, and Mr. Devan... Well, they acted like best buds often. 

 

 

Vee's processor went back to all the times her Handler, Ms. Veronica, would always tell her that she loved her like a daughter. The TV Toon always brushed it aside since she didn't understand the idea of someone seeing her as a family member, and she never saw Veronica as anything more than just a human that was supposed to look after her. Vee looked at her microphone tail, watching it sway on the floor gently before sighing softly and standing up, startling Shelly once again as she calmed down from crying. 

 

 

"W-where are you going...?" She asked shakily. 

 

 

 

 

"I'm having a talk with my Handler. Oh... and..." 

 

 

 

Vee stopped right in the doorframe, her back to Shelly, as she muttered a quiet response. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Sorry about not spending time with you as often. I'll... try to hang out with you later." 

 

 

 

She quickly walked out, Shelly blinking for a few moments as she let the apology settle in her mind, her heart. The fossil Toon slowly cracked a smile, before giggling quietly to herself. 

 

 

"I'll be keeping you to your word, Vee."

Chapter 4: 3. Mother and Daughter

Veronica was simply making herself a cup of coffee, with extra sugar since for some reason, the coffee they had here was way too bitter. For the amount of work they were doing on a daily basis, the least the higher ups could do was give them some better options on what to drink. Veronica sighed and sipped her coffee, the perfect melody of sweet and bitter mixing across her tongue like a harmonic song. 

 

This was her sixth month anniversary of working here, and also her sixth month anniversary of being Vee's handler. 

 

She scoffed to herself as she thought about the pistachio green Main. That girl was the embodiment of not knowing what humble means; literally, it was like it wasn't even in her vocabulary, and she had quite a lot of words locked in that robotic brain of hers. Veronica sighed to herself, sitting down in the empty yet dirty break room as she looked through her phone to pass the time. 

 

A knock on the door made her pause and look up in confusion, setting down her cup. She didn't know who could be knocking; everyone else was busying with their assigned Toons, and Delilah and Arthur were both in a separate part of the building, so her skepticism was thick. The knock echoed again, this time a little harder. She slowly stood up and walked to the door, before responding through the closed door. 

 

"Can I help you?" 

 

 

 

"It's me. I need you for a minute." 

 

 

Her surprise rocketed from the voice on the other side. "Vee?" 

 

 

"Who else would it be, genius? Now open up." 

 

 

 

Fighting the urge to click her tongue at the sharp tone, Veronica opened the door and was greeted by her Toon, Vee. The TV head Toon stared at her in slight annoyance, her arms crossed as if she had waited for hours when it had only been 2 minutes. The human female blinked for a moment before clearing her throat. 

 

 

"You do know this area is STAFF ONLY, right...? You shouldn't be here-" 

 

 

Vee cut her off, waving her hand in dismissal. "I know that. But I couldn't find you anywhere else, and I was kicked out from the other break rooms since you weren't with me. That's why I want you to come with me to my room. Don't ask, I'll tell you when we're alone." She explained, stepping to the side as she waited for her to come out and follow her. 

 

 

The Toon Handler was confused - and to be honest, worried - about Vee's sudden urgency to talk to her. Normally, Vee would just hold it in or brush it off as just "a minor inconvenience that would solve itself in a moment." This was the first time Vee actually wanted her around, and while that made the human's swell in happiness... The tone of uncertainty she caught in the Toon's voice made her cautious on what was bothering her. 

 

---

 

Veronica could only stare wide eyed as Vee told her what she had witnessed. 

 

 

What the hell, Delilah?! You ACTUALLY showed her the new version??!! 

 

 

Ms. Hurley cursed mentally as she tried to calm herself down. She didn't expect Delilah to just straight up show her, and not even give her a warning! She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation as she forced herself to take a breather. Vee just experienced an existential crisis, and she needed someone to comfort her - even if she didn't physically show it on her digital face. Said Toon was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees as she tucked her head between her chest and thighs, her microphone tail swaying quietly in front of her. 

 

Veronica frowned in empathy at the TV head Toon, her heart going out to the Main. Vee didn't have to say anything; the fact that she was struggling to express emotions she never felt before was an answer by itself. For the amount she's been here, Veronica could tell that her Toon had a hard time being genuine in her words. Her voice was always filled with pride and sarcasm, and she never showed any signs of weakness to the children or even her friends. 

 

To see Vee so... quiet, and confused with herself... 

 

 

 

It hurt the female human. 

 

 

 

Finding a little surge of courage, Ms. Hurley stepped up to the silent Toon and slowly sat down next to her, the Toon not making any move to stop her. The microphone tail slowly curled up near the robot's leg, a faint mumble hissing out that Ms. Veronica couldn't quite understand, but didn't bother to ask her to repeat it. The muted gurgles of ichor moving through the walls and the AC gave a sort of human stillness that wasn't unwelcomed by the two of them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's not fair, Veronica." 

 

 

The human glanced downwards, the single sentence revealing the pain and worry that Vee couldn't clearly describe. The Main Toon's body started to shake ever so subtly, yet no sounds gave away any notion that she was crying - she wasn't there yet. 

 

 

 

Vee's processor nearly overheated by all the thoughts and "what-ifs" going through her head. She was still in shock, her robotic heart racing faster than a NASCAR race, and she didn't even watch those meaningless games. Her fingers drummed against her arms like keys being pressed into a hyper tune, her eyes narrowing even more as she tried to calm down. She sighed angrily and leaned her head against the forest green concrete walls, groaning as she closed her eyes. 

 

 

 

"Why do you put up with me...?" She whispered, her voice cracking with vulnerability. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Because you are my daughter." 

 

 

 

 

 

Vee cracked open one eye to look up at Veronica, the words she heard so many times coming back once again. The human only smiled back, a gentle smile that held that silent message: I mean that with all my heart. 

 

Vee watched as Veronica patted her head, being mindful of her antennae as she gently gave her daughter figure affection. Vee looked away with a pout, but she didn't move away as she let Veronica continue with the head pats. In the quiet room away from the screaming laughter of children and chatter of Toons, the mother gave her child some much needed affirmations, the child letting her do so without resistance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upload complete. 

 

Systems check.... 100% undamaged. 

 

Vee Version Two. 

 

Waking up...

Chapter 5: 4 - The Dawn of a New Toon

The first thing that welcomed her was darkness. Pitch black and frozen. 

 

 

Then, muffled sounds started to register in her head, voices that sounded so unfamiliar... Whispers that played a game of straining her audio receptors. 

 

 

 

"Is she waking up...?" 

 

 

"Of course she is. I turned her on a few seconds ago. Her screen should turn on in about a minute or two." 

 

 

 

Her voice box slowly cracked to life as she felt dizzy being woken up for the first time. A pitch that was a bit lower than most, but still pretty feminine enough to resemble Vee's voice. A faint gasp in front of her made her aware that someone was there, watching her wake up. 

 

Then lastly, her screen turned on. Sharp, curious eyes of blue slowly opened - taking in everything that greeted her at once. The first object she noticed was a camera pointing straight at her, presumably either recording her for later notes or just someone else using it to watch her from another area. It proved to be the former as she then noticed two humans watching her from either side of the camera, the lady on the left holding a clipboard and writing something down with a pleased smirk. 

 

 

The Toon's eyes narrowed as her eyes scanned the lady's personal information. Delilah Keen... Co-Founder of Gardenview. Huh. I don't think I'll like her much. 

 

 

 

"Hey there... Can you hear us, sweetie?" 

 

Her eyes moved up to the middle-aged man who slowly walked up to the side of the metal bed she was on, his smile gentle and welcoming. Arthur Walton, the other co-founder... He seems a bit more reassuring. 

 

 

She smiled in a friendly tone at him, and nodded. "I can hear you, Mr. Walton." 

 

 

The man gasped again and chuckled at the politeness of the Vee Version Two in front of him. He held out his hand to shake, the TV head Toon blinking for a moment before moving her white fingerless gloved hand to shake it slowly. Her microphone tail swayed over the edge of the bed, the purple bow shimmering underneath the artificial lights. She took this moment to look down on her body, taking in her appearance. Slender, yet held enough strength to hold her own. 

 

Her eyes flickered to the V2 on her vest, and furrowed her brow in curiosity, wondering if it was her name or just a symbol for something else. 

 

 

Delilah spoke up in an instant, her patience running a little thin. "Alright, Vee Version Two. Since you didn't have any issues with your systems, I can say that the experiment was a success. Now, we need to get to work on preparing you for your role." She flipped a page over the clipboard and looked at her watch before walking out in quick strides. 

 

 

V2 blinked once more, her head brimming with questions even more. Vee Version Two...? So there's a first version. Interesting. 

 

She moved to slide down the bed, but noticed Arthur holding out his hand with a grin. "You just woke up, so... Better to be careful." Smiling in gratitude, she held his hand as he helped her to stand on her feet and steady herself. The black leather boots she wore had a 4-inch heel that made her legs wobbly, but she held on to Arthur's hand for support as he led her after the direction Delilah went. 

 

She took this time to take a look around. Colorful posters that described many different characters; a flower with rainbow petals, an ammonite shell, a living rock dog, a butterfly, a lamp, amongst many others... Very interesting characters to have in a place like this. The rooms were very spread out, and she made a mental map on where each room was. Her heels clicked quietly against the wooden floors as she let Mr. Walton lead the way, the faint laughter of children catching her attention as she paused to take a look. 

 

Children were playing around with the rainbow flower creature and the rock dog, either chasing the dog or just letting the rainbow flower join them on making some drawings together. Her scanner informed her the two were named Dandy and Pebble; she saw their full names, but figured their shorter nicknames would be better to call them by. She tilted her head as she watched, Arthur noticing her gaze and smiled. 

 

"That's Dandy and Pebble over there. A lot of kids really like being around them, and the other Toons as well. I'm sure once you're clear to be shown to the public, everyone will like you too." 

 

 

Those words swelled in the clone's heart, a nervous digital blush popping on her face as she held her free hand over her heart, feeling it thump faster in rhythm. "Do you... really think so, Mr. Walton...?" 

 

 

"I know so." He reassured her, guiding her into a different spacious room. The walls were neon blue, and a queen-sized bed full of blues and pinks sat in the corner of the room. A dark purple desk sat near the bed, as well as what appeared to be a row of different colored microphones hooked above it. But what really struck her was the stage in the center of the room. 

 

 

 

 

It was enormous. Rounded steps led up to the platform, where receded stage lights lit up the whole area, ready to be used at will. The cute thing about it was that there were literal plushies of little creatures piled up on the stage, nearly overflowing. V2 chuckled softly, feeling happy at the new room made for her. "This is all for me...? I... am thankful." 

 

 

"Of course! Since you'll be living here now, I wanted to be sure you had a space to yourself. You will be expected to come to Delilah's office later, so for now, get used to moving around. And whatever you do..." He turned to V2, who could sense the little friendly warning in his voice. "Try not to let the other Toons see you; we want you to be a surprise to them, in a good way. Once you're all cleared, we'll then introduce you to everyone. Sound good?" 

 

 

Taking in the feeling of... well, everything - V2 took a deep breath and lightly patted her hands on either side of her head to get herself together. This was all so much to take in all at once, but if Mr. Arthur was this kind to her... She was sure everything would be okay, in one way or another. 

 

Bowing down in gratitude, V2 thanked him. "Thank you for all of this, Mr. Arthur. I promise to be a good Toon for you, and this place." 

 

 

Arthur laughed softly, patting her head, which made her cover her mouth in embarrassment as she blushed again. She felt undeserving of receiving affection, but that didn't mean she didn't welcome it. She let the man pat her head a little while longer before watching him leave with a friendly grin, closing the door behind him gently. Turning back, she sat down on her bed, feeling grateful for the change from the hard cold metal to the soft, warm fluff. 

 

 

 

"Wow... This isn't so bad at all... I like it here." 

Chapter 6: 5 - Making a Thought

"Rodger? Is my bow crooked?" Glisten clicked his tongue as he looked over his shoulder at Rodger with a pout, wanting to make sure his signature bow was on point. 

 

The detective looked up from his papers and stared for a moment, before going back to his work. "Your bow is fine, Glisten. It always is." 

 

Inwardly sagging in relief, Glisten smirked and faced Rodger fully, proudly crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Well, of course it has to be perfect. I'm the literal definition of perfect; any less would greatly damage my reputation." He took out his pocket mirror and checked for any smudges, the room becoming silent albeit the flapping of papers being moved constantly. 

 

 

Rodger felt a bit stuck; ever since he stopped receiving any information about the co-founders of Gardenview, he was stumped on how to progress with his current investigation. Lately, he began to wonder what all the black stuff staining the walls were, and why there were labs about all of the Toons. But Delilah saw his plan and promptly locked all her notes away - save for a few that Rodger managed to grab when she wasn't looking. And because there were no other mysteries to solve at the moment, the magnifying glass couldn't help but feel a bit... bored, he hated to admit. He knew cases would come up in their slow pace, but as of now all he could do was try to get more clues on what was really going on with their creators. 

 

Rubbing his head in exasperation, he put the papers down and took a sip of his tea, courtesy of Teagan. That elegant Toon really knew how to calm down even the most rambunctious Toons. 

 

 

 

"So, Rodger. Are you excited for our beach date in a few weeks?" Glisten purred, cocking a hip to the side as he applied lip gloss like a makeup expert. 

 

 

Ah, that's right. Arthur had announced that he was allowing all the Toons and the Mains' Handlers to have a week getaway to the beach as a treat for getting enough visits in for the past month. It would be their first time in a while since they went outside, and the first time ever they all went to the beach. Rodger smiled to himself as he thought about taking a breather in the shade while spending time with Toodles. 

 

"Yeah..." He sighed after a bit. "I am excited. I'm sure everyone will love heading to the beach. Delilah knows we've been putting in the effort for a while - I'm surprised she allowed this to happen considering she hated letting us go outside often." 

 

The mirror scoffed and sat on the desk, crossing his leg over the other. "Of course she was so against it. Yet she let Gummisha go on a little tour for her concerts. Ugh, make it make sense." 

 

"Well, Ms. Gummi is quite popular with her concerts, so she's the only exception. I do admit, she has a wonderful voice and energy to her." 

 

Glisten rolled his eyes but said no more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Are you jealous?" Rodger asked, making Glisten look down and mess with his collared sleeves. 

 

 

"... No." He muttered, earning an unamused glance from the detective. Glisten may be perfect, but his lying wasn't. He always grew jealous when others were able to perform better than him - like Gummisha and Vee. Despite their chosen terms of entertainment being different, both of them were quite popular in their own shows. While Vee and Glisten were close besties, Gummisha still didn't forgive the mirror after the constant bullying he gave her since her awakening, which hurt Glisten deeply. 

 

He still hasn't forgiven himself over it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm going to find Vee. She's been having the blues, and that CLEARLY doesn't suit her style." Glisten announced, getting up and quickly walking away, leaving the detective alone in his room. 

 

It was true what Glisten said. Two days ago, Vee started to become more quiet. That was quite the change for the majority of the Toons, since she was known for being quite snarky and bold with her words. Even Tisha was startled by this, and the two of them didn't even like each other that much. Rodger did try to ask the Main if anything was bothering her, but all he received was a small "Don't worry about it." 

 

 

His detective senses started to tingle, even more so as he picked up the notes from earlier. He began to re-read the papers again, this time more slowly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ah. What's this little note...?" 

 

 

The detective came across a little entry that was scribbled out at the end, Vee's name within the bullet points. He traced his finger over the point, reading what was on the paper: 

 

 

 

 

• Give Vee Version One an upgrade

 

 

 

 

 

Narrowing his eye, Rodger circled the bullet point with his pen, bringing the paper to his detective station and pressing a pin with the paper against the cork board. He tapped the pen against where his mouth would be, a hint of satisfaction creeping up inside. 

 

 

 

Looks like he got another mystery to solve. 

Chapter 7: 6 - Becoming Different

"Vivi." 

 

 

Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" 

 

 

 

V2 stood in front of Ms. Keen's desk, her hands behind her back as her tail swished slowly. "Vivi. I want to be named that instead." 

 

 

The human female narrowed her eyes in thought, seeing the bright side of calling Vee Version Two by a new name instead of just the full model. And in case anyone was eavesdropping, no one would suspect she was talking to a clone of Vee. Clicking her tongue, Delilah nodded. "I suppose that will be alright. It's safer, in a way." 

 

Vivi hummed and smiled softly, grateful that she didn't have to be called Version Two anymore. For the past few hours, Vivi had been given documents and tapes explaining what Gardenview was and who everyone was, including her own. Playing the tapes over and over, she grew curious about the relationships some of the Toons had outside of the show. She also viewed how her older sister Vee hosted her game show, and grew quite curious about her. 

 

Taking this time to ask questions, Vivi spoke. "What's Vee like? I noticed you didn't give me much information about her. Since she's a Main, I'd figured you would be adamant on making sure I knew everything about her." 

 

The robot caught the way Delilah chuckled under breath before replying. "Well, unfortunately I can't give you all of the necessary pieces about her. Before I do, I have to make sure you are well qualified for being around children. That's why I am going to give you your own game show privately, as a test." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What if I don't want that?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That answer caught the female off guard, but she didn't show it on her face. She glanced up at Vivi, uncaring. "Well, it's not really your place to have a say in anything. You're going to be a game show host, end of story." 

 

 

 

"No. That's quite rude of you to just do that without giving me a choice." 

 

 

 

Now Delilah was getting annoyed. Never in her years of control did she have anyone - much less a TOOL - defy her so easily. She put down her pen and leaned forward, her voice becoming dominant. "Vee Version Two. Don't make me regret creating you." 

 

 

"Ms. Keen-" 

 

 

Delilah held up a hand. "I said, you're in no place to speak. What I say goes in this place, Version Two. You'd do best to remember that." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLAM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"MY NAME. IS. VIVI. Get it right, Delilah." 

 

 

 

 

Her hand had slammed so hard on the desk it nearly broke in half from the sheer force. Delilah flinched from the sudden motion, her eyes meeting Vivi's angry blue ones. Her microphone tail started to create a high-pitched screech that nearly escaped the room, but she held it in - in remembrance of not wanting to be found out yet. She leaned forward, her rounded yet sharp nails leaving claw marks on the mahogany wood. 

 

 

"I'm not going to be a substitute for something that my sister clearly excels at. I wouldn't dare think to take something that makes her happy away from her, even if that was the sole purpose of my creation. I want to be able to have my own way of being known. If that bothers you, I'm afraid you'll have to learn to suck it up; it's only fair after you told many of the Toons to do the same." 

 

Vivi stared down Delilah for a brief moment, before slowly leaning back and fixing her neck tie. "Now, if there's nothing else to discuss... I'll be on my way back to my room. Have a good day." She bowed before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her. The human female slowly lowered her shaking hands to her lap, letting her pen clatter to the floor clumsily. 

 

 

 

"What the hell...?"

Chapter 8: 7 - Living in the Present

Here Vee was, sitting in the dining room while looking down at her glass of premium grade oil. She didn't have the ability to eat food like the rest of the Toons, but she did have to drink oil to sustain herself. Occasionally, she would "eat" batteries - by inserting them into her chest and letting her digestive cables connect to them and drain their energy. She didn't even feel like drinking at this point, but she knew she had to do it. So she calmly sipped her glass, while Shelly was chewing on some fried rice Shrimpo had surprisingly made just for her. The little crustacean was sitting on the end of the table, eating the rest of the fried rice. 

 

 

"Wow... I keep forgetting how much of a skilled cook Shrimpo can be, when he's not in his bully persona. He should do this more often." Shelly chuckled, taking another spoonful with joy before sipping on some water. 

 

Vee side-eyed the plate next to her, before rolling her eyes and tracing the designs on the tablecloth. "If he did this more often, then Seedly would be out of a job." 

 

The ammonite shell stifled a giggle, and the TV breathed out a soft laugh as well. This made Vee wonder why she didn't hang out with Shelly sooner; hanging out like this didn't seem so bad at all. Actually, this felt... better, at the moment. It did take her mind off the new version that was just waiting to take over her life at any moment. She still hated Deliah for even considering this without consulting her first. 

 

Then again, Delilah is rarely considerate with any of us... 

 

 

 

"Girl, there you are! I was literally going around trying to find your sorry butt. Maybe give me a heads-up on where you'll be next time?" 

 

 

Glisten emerged from the doorframe, a flicker of annoyance on his reflective face as he walked over and sat on the opposite side of Vee, taking note of her glass of oil. He moved his gaze between the glass and the TV Toon, before speaking in a confused hush. "I thought you couldn't eat or drink anything." 

 

"I can only drink oil, batteries are a 'once in a while' thing. You just never saw me drinking when you do stop by." Vee replied, shrugging as she finished the last of the black liquid. Even drinking wasn't required as much as others thought because she could go a few days without it. Even Shelly was surprised by the news, but didn't react due to not wanting to be seen as eavesdropping. 

 

 

Shrimpo, however, made his shock known. 

 

 

"WOW, EVEN ROBOTS CAN DRINK??!! THAT'S SO LAME!!" Vee rolled her eyes at the emotionless words, not bothering to give the little shrimp the satisfaction of being acknowledged. Shelly turned to him, trying to change the subject before there was another unnecessary outburst. "Thanks for sharing your fried rice with me, Shrimpo! It was actually better than Sprout's cooking, but please don't tell him I said that!" 

 

 

"Wait, that fried rice was SHRIMPO'S doing?!" Glisten shrieked in shock, looking at the nearly finished plate of fried rice in the Common's hand. He grumbled and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes in jealously. "How come Shelly gets some, but not me?" 

 

 

Shrimpo looked at him, deadpanned. "Because I only had enough for two people. ... And because Shelly doesn't annoy me like the rest of you." 

 

 

The mirror whined and slumped in his seat, Vee snickering quietly. It was fun watching Glisten not always getting what he wanted; like a spoiled kid who had competent parents that didn't mess with being disrespected. She messed with her microphone tail, getting bored before Shelly held her hand and pulled her up with a smile. 

 

"Why don't we look for some fossils together? We never got the chance to since you were so busy with your game show and the kids, but I still remembered you wanted to try something new because you kept complaining about how your routine was getting too repetitive for you." 

 

"Wait, did I say that?" Vee asked, scratching her screen in embarrassment. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait... I forgot. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I FORGOT. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her breathing quickened at the realization. She wasn't supposed to forget anything, she was SUPPOSED TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING. Even if it was a complaint on her end, her memory was supposed to be the best of the best. Was her processor failing her? No, it couldn't. She was PERFECT, the PEAK of flawlessness. Why did she have to have errors in her systems NOW of all times?! Her screen started to glitch as she started to have a panic attack, her body feeling numb and her voice box malfunctioning. She couldn't speak, she couldn't see clearly - 

 

 

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!??!

 

 

 

Shelly - despite being scared - reacted first. She held Vee's hand tightly and tried her best to get through to her, her voice firm yet gentle while calling out to her. Glisten and Shrimpo meanwhile, froze at the scene happening before them, not knowing what to do or even if they should butt in. 

 

"H-hey, hey...! Vee, it's okay... I'm r-right here with you, alright? Tell me what's wrong?" 

 

 

Vee tried to choke out words, but only glitchy whimpers and hissed screams came out. Her hands scrambled to cling to Shelly, who held her in her arms as she kept speaking to her. Glisten suddenly stood up, his voice shaky and quiet. "I-I'll go get Ms. Veronica..." Shelly nodded as the mirror rushed out, his steps quick with fear. Shrimpo still stayed silent, frozen as he witnessed the robotic main have her first ever panic attack. 

 

He should've been glad Vee was malfunctioning, yet... He didn't think it would get this bad. He bit his tongue and looked away, a gut feeling telling him he shouldn't interrupt. 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm still here, Vee... I won't leave you. Ms. Veronica is on her way, alright?" Shelly's soft words were the only sounds to break up the staticky whimpers from Vee, who still struggled but was very slowly doing her best to calm down. 

Chapter 9: 8 - Through the Grapevine

Meanwhile... 

 

 

Vivi was staring at a poster of Vee alongside the other Mains in the hallway by the lobby. She knew it was a dangerous gamble being out in the open like this, but she couldn't help but want to gain more insight into who her sister was. She hated being kept in the dark about Vee, so she was taking things into her own hands. A small Vee plush rested in her arms, her thumb gently rubbing the plush's hand as she continued to stare at the posters of her home. 

 

 

It was all a mystery to her... The way the humans had created all of them to begin with, and how long they planned on keeping this place running. Vivi had took note on how run down Gardenview was becoming behind closed doors, and faint traces of mold in storage areas and even the corners of the lobby. From what she had acknowledged; mold was dangerous for humans to breathe in, and since it was starting to show in places where the workers and visitors will reside in frequently... That was a health risk. 

 

Vivi turned to walk back to her room, before hearing running footsteps coming from the corner. She ducked behind the wall just as two pairs of steps rushed past, worried voices breathless as they ran down the hall. 

 

"What do you mean Vee might be having a panic attack?! What caused it?!" 

 

"I-I don't know! She was fine one moment, and t-then the next she was glitching like c-crazy!" 

 

 

 

The robot's eyes widened at the mention of the TV head Toon. Vee's having a panic attack...? 

 

 

Her wires churned in uncertainty - stuck between wanting to follow them to make sure Vee was okay and staying hidden to not reveal herself so soon. She promised Mr. Walton that she would stay in the shadows for now, but her worry for her family started to control her legs before she could clearly make a decision. 

 

 

She quietly ran in the direction she heard the two voices gone, holding the Vee plush close to her chest as her robotic heart sparked in unease. 

 

 

 

 

---

 

Quiet whispers from the dining room slowed down her steps to a gentle walk as Vivi neared the entrance. Her microphone tail flicked up and down as she silently hid in the shadows between the doorframe and bookshelf, listening while drumming her fingers against her thigh. 

 

"Glisten told me what happened while we were on the way here... I didn't expect you to have something like that, you never show your emotions much. Would you mind telling me what's going on...?" 

 

 

Her curiosity fried her processor to peek into the room, but Vivi held herself back, wanting to at least know if Vee was feeling a little better before going back to her room. 

 

 

"I forgot a simple sentence I said previously. And I'm not supposed to forget ANYTHING! Do you know how horrible it would be if Delilah found out about this?! If she figures it out, I'll..." A faint whimper full of mixed emotions squeaked out from who Vivi could guess was Vee. She bit her digital lip, her robotic heart shaking with the amount of pain she felt for Version One. She looked down at the plush in her hands, before hugging it gently. 

 

 

In a way, she was comforting her older sister while not physically being there. 

 

 

"I know how scared you must be, Vee. Believe me, I'm scared for you. I don't want to lose you either; so let's just keep this between us and your friends, okay? I have a feeling they care about you so much, that they wouldn't dare spill any secrets in the open where Delilah and Arthur could catch wind of what's going on with you." A calm voice replied, slightly easing both Vee's and Vivi's hearts. 

 

Version Two wanted to desperately see the face of the one who was comforting her older sister, but her judgement kept her body still and hidden from sight, content with just hearing the voice. She looked down at the plush in her hands again, a soft smile on her screen as she then started on her trip back to her room, her tail wagging a bit faster behind her. As Vivi turned the corner, someone called out to her in a chipper voice. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hi, Ms. Vee! Do you want to- Oh, you're not Ms. Vee." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vivi froze, her head slowly turning to meet a small 8-ball Toon looking up at her in confusion and interest. Her big dark gray eyes stared up at her before gasping and pointing at her in excitement. 

 

"Are you a new Toon?! It's been so long since I last made a new friend! We're having a tea party, now!" 

 

 

 

But before Toodles could take Vivi's hand and pull her to her mandatory tea party, the TV head Toon turned sharply on her heel, sprinted down the hall and disappeared at such a speed even Pebble couldn't achieve, even when playing fetch. Toodles blinked at the sudden departure before pouting and crossing her arms, staring at the floor. 

 

"I just wanted to have a tea party with her..."

 

 

 

She slowly trudged towards Rodger's office, hoping her father figure wouldn't mind attending her tea party instead. 

Chapter 10: 9 - Close Call

Vivi screamed into her pillow as she kicked her legs in the air in frustration, berating herself for being found out even when she was being so careful. 

 

 

I hate myself so much right now...

 

 

She lifted up her head slowly and sat on her bed, her electric blue and white pajamas hugging her body as a form of comfort. Vivi felt she could literally ram her head through the wall and that would probably do more damage than pulling off her antennae out of anger. But she knew it would only be problematic for Arthur - Delilah could kiss her ass, Vivi didn't give two capsules about her. 

 

Letting her bare metal feet touch the cold floor, Vivi stood up and stretched, checking her internal clock. "Just 5am...? Goodness, I should really get some proper sleep, but... I need to get out for a while." Being careful of where the floor would creak with each step, Vivi opened the door and quietly made her way out to the lobby once again. 

 

The quietness of the still building became a sort of calming lullaby in the dark of night, the moonlight casting soft shadows around the cold lobby. Vivi never knew how... OFF, this place felt when it wasn't full of laughter or movement. This didn't feel like a home; 

 

 

 

This felt like a prison. 

 

 

Vivi frowned in thought as she came to that mental answer. A prison...? That's a new outlook on this. 

 

Her digital eyes glanced over all the posters of the rest of the Toons, admiration coding itself into her screen. She didn't know how everyone else could handle it; she heard the constant screams and laughter of the children in the lobby when Gardenview was open, and the faint arguments of the... Toon Handlers, that's what Arthur called them, full of uncertainty and anger - even to the Toons, which Vivi couldn't quite understand. 

 

Her mind then came back to the panicked shouts of Vee's Toon Handler, and hearing about her sister's sudden panic attack. That made her question what exactly was happening while she wasn't around. Of course, she couldn't just get and ask Vee what happened - that would probably cause her to freak seeing her so soon. And she still remembered her promise to Mr. Walton to be on the low profile. 

 

 

"That kinda backfired with that little eight ball seeing me..." She chuckled quietly to herself, her microphone tail swaying in the grass under the tree. She had to admit; that little girl was quite the silent one with her steps. She didn't even hear her coming to her until she shouted like a megaphone was stuck in her throat. Vivi wondered if she could talk to her about what she knew about Gardenview and its creators, however she could see the little girl was... well, a child. She may not have a lot of knowledge of what happens, since she could have been in a different room away from all the screams of the adults. 

 

Vivi sighed and stood up, stretching once more as she flexed her fingers. "I should get some more sleep. Tomorrow I'm meeting Ms. Veronica, maybe I can ask her some questions about my older sister." 

 

Dusting herself off, she stepped down from the mini garden and started her trek back to her room. The faint peaks of dawn were starting to glow in the lobby, the space now having a faint orange glow. As she passed Dandy's shop, a sound made her freeze... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sickening, crunchy, fleshy rip, followed by what sounded to be a monstrous chewing. 

 

 

 

 

Cold dread drenched her systems as Vivi slowly looked at the pitch darkness of the store. Never did she think she would hear something THAT terrifying just before going back to sleep. Squinting her eyes, even though it was dark - the TV head Toon could make out a faint silhouette of something... BIG. It was hunched over, holding something in its teeth. Then, the store light in the back turned on, and it showed the demonic star of the show, further scarring Vivi. 

 

 

Its head suddenly snapped to where she was standing, yet could only catch the sudden wind of her disappearing immediately. A deep growl rumbled from the Lethal's throat as he slowly transformed back to the rainbow flower everyone loved: 

 

 

Dandy. 

 

His sharp gaze stayed on the corner where the nosy Toon was before, the red dots in his brightening even more as he grew even more angry that someone had saw him when he was in his state. His rainbow nails scraped the counter as he sighed through his clenched teeth. 

 

"I should really keep the shop covered at night." He grumbled, before heading to the bathrooms to wash the ichor splattered across his face. 

Chapter 11: 10 - Potential Replacement

There she was... Standing a few feet away from her, was Vee Version Two. 

 

 

 

 

She stood there with her fingerless gloved hands nervously fidgeting with her tie, her microphone tail swaying behind her. Veronica frowned slightly as she stared at the blue clone of her daughter, a taste of something unfamiliar and bitter settling in her mouth - but she swallowed it down as Arthur introduced the two of them to each other. 

 

"Now, ladies! Why don't we get acquainted with one another and take two hours to get to know each other better?" He smiled brightly, a stark contrast between Veronica's unsure frown and Vivi's nervous glance. When neither female spoke, Arthur chuckled and patted each of their shoulders. "I'll just leave you two alone for now-" 

 

"Is Vee okay?' 

 

The sudden quiet sharpness of the Handler's voice startled Mr. Walton as he turned to look at her, Vivi also looking up at the human male in faint concern for her sister. 

 

Clearing his throat, Arthur nodded with a gentle smile. "Y-yes, Ms. Hurley. Vee is doing much better now. Delilah is analyzing her systems and checking to be sure everything is running as smoothly as it should. I assure you Ms. Keen wouldn't let our Toons be in ill condition and not be able to show up for the kids." 

 

 

No offense Mr. Walton, but I highly doubt that... Vivi thought to herself, rubbing her arm as she looked away. 

 

 

Once the founder left the two alone, Vivi took initiative, curtsying in greeting even though she didn't have a skirt to do the full gesture. "Hello, Ms. Hurley. Please call me Vivi, rather than Vee Version Two. I... like being my own person than a copy of someone else." 

 

That surprised the human; she never would've thought this... new Toon, would be so polite and believe she was her own individual. It reminded her of Vee's constant boastings about her being one of a kind, how one else would even try to be like her. She hummed before holding out her hand for a handshake. 

 

 

"It's nice to meet you, Vivi. I am Ms. Veronica Hurley, you may call me Ms. Veronica if you'd like." 

 

Vivi's screen glitched in surprise at the hovering hand, blinking before slowly wrapping her fingers around the human's and shaking it slowly. The robot's hand felt... oddly warm as an actual human's warmth, despite being made of ichor and metal. And also slightly soft, like an actual human's hand. 

 

 

The two stared at each other awkwardly for a few moments, neither of them knowing what exactly to say. It was five minutes later when a whisper from Vivi broke the silence: 

 

 

 

 

"Am I... disgusting, in your eyes?" 

 

 

 

Veronica blinked in subtle shock as she looked to the electric blue Toon, who was looking away in shame. The look in her eyes reminded the human of Vee's questioning face as the green TV Toon started to wonder if she really was replaceable. Her heart, despite knowing she only had one daughter at the moment... Went out to the potential second daughter that stood before her. She knew Vee was scared of being replaced, but taking a moment to look at Vivi... 

 

 

She realized that the two TV head Toons were much more relatable to each other as she previously thought. 

 

 

"Of course not, dear. Please don't ever think that." Veronica whispered, gently holding Vivi's hand as a mother does to her young baby when trying to comfort them from a nightmare. She stared down at the neon blue eyes of Vivi, who looked back up at her with such innocence, hope and uncertainty one would mistake her for a newborn's soul stuck inside an adult's body. Ms. Hurley sighed through her nose as she gave her a soft smile. 

 

 

"Why don't we try talking about what you like to do for now?" 

 

 

---

 

"Mr. Rodger! I saw a Vee doppelgänger yesterday by the cafeteria holding a plush of Ms. Vee, but she ran away before I could get a chance to talk to her." 

 

 

The pen in his hand froze as he listened to what Toodles had just shouted to him as she entered his room. His singular eye blinked twice before standing up abruptly, his chair screeching and clattering to the floor behind him. 

 

"What did you say, Toodles...?" 

 

 

"I said, I saw a doppelgänger of Ms. Vee holding a plushie of her by the cafeteria, but she ran away before I could talk to her some more." Toodles repeated, sitting down on Rodger's bed as she kicked her legs without a care in the world. 

 

The magnifying glass rushed over and kneeled in front of her as he held a pad in his hand and fished his blazer pocket for a pen. "Would you mind telling me what she looked like?" 

 

"Sure! She was a very pretty blue, had cute pink and purple bows all around her, and she looked just like Ms. Vee, except maybe... more shy, I guess? She did leave pretty quickly when I tried to hold her hand."

 

The detective finally grabbed his pen and wrote down what was said to him in neat, quick strokes, before ripping the page from the pad and taping it on the board he currently named: "Works for a Vee Version Two." So far, all he had for a lead was some of the files he found thrown away by Delilah, and now he had a physical description of what this clone looked like. He stared at the corkboard in silence as he looked at all the evidence that was displayed in front of him. 

 

 

This was getting very interesting to Rodger. He knew Delilah was up to no good, Arthur on the other hand he wasn't too sure. The Mains were always held in higher regard than the rest of them, and that alone gave Rodger the impression that something was going on behind the founders' closed doors. He heard Toodles come up beside him as she looked up at the evidence with awed eyes. 

 

 

 

"Whoa... Have you been searching into Ms. Vee's clone this whole time, Mr. Rodger?" 

 

 

"Indeed I have, my little detective. And I think, I may have found my next course of action." 

 

 

The little eight ball squealed and clapped her hands in excitement, hopping on her toes as she turned to the older Toon. "Ooo! Can I come along? Pleeeaassseee~? I really wanna see her again!" 

 

Rodger glanced at the excited child, chuckling and patting her head. "I don't see why not. Just make sure you stay close and not scare her off, please?" 

 

Toodles mock-gasped. "I would never scare her off! I'm not that scary!" She pouted and playfully stormed back to the bed, Rodger chuckling once more under his breath as he began to prepare for the inevitable encounter. 

Chapter 12: 11 - No Voice

Notes:

T.W. Bodily Harm, no consent surgery, vomiting

Probably one of the darkest chapters I've ever written in my life.

Veronica is gonna become Momma Bear pretty soon, so stay tuned.

"You better learn your lesson by now. Making me waste my time fixing something that was YOUR OWN fault." 

 

 

 

Delilah grumbled to herself as she cleaned the scalpel she used to remove some of Vee's inner wires. The Main Toon was held up by her arms in chains, her stomach welded shut to cover up the surgery she undergone. Her screen glitched as her voice box gave out a scratchy sob, digital tears leaking out immensely. Her microphone tail laid broken on the floor, cut off from her body as the snipped end sparked, gradually dying. 

 

Delilah yanked Vee's antennae hard, pulling her head up in a sharp motion as she glared down at her with disgust. "Making a big deal out of forgetting just a simple sentence. Honestly, you are such a crybaby." Vee gritted her teeth, trying to be defiant and not give in to any pain that was clearly screaming in her body. She hissed like a cat, barely gaining the energy to stand up before suddenly aiming a sharp kick to Ms. Keen's stomach. 

 

 

... Which the human female caught effortlessly, gripping the robot's ankle tightly. "Don't. Test. Me. Vee." 

 

 

She dropped the leg, the impact sending a jolt of pain straight up Vee's wires. The Main Toon whimpered quietly before slowly dragging her injured leg back underneath her, her body jerking slightly from all the missing components missing from her core. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, how she despised this with every fiber of her being. 

 

 

 

She despised how she was cut open like a slice of meat, her wires and components ripped out like something straight out of those horror films she caught Dandy watching late at night. She felt a strange sensation of wanting to get something out from her throat, but she couldn't get anything to exit from her mouth. Slimy, cold... yet not actually residing in her throat as she initially thought. 

 

'Is this... nausea, I'm feeling...?' 

 

 

 

Her thoughts shut off instantly as Delilah yanked her antennae even harder, nearly ripping it off cleanly before whispering coldly in Vee's audio receptors. 

 

 

 

 

 

"If you so much as share a single note on what happened to you... Well... Vee Version Two will replace you instantly." 

 

 

 

 

 

And that was a promise. 

 

 

 

 

Hanging her head in defeat, Vee begrudgingly nodded, collapsing as the chains holding her arms above her head were released from their connecting points. Even though she didn't need to actually breathe, she coughed and gasped for air as she clawed at her neck, digital tears once again trickling down her screen face. Delilah merely stared down at her coldly, her ichor-stained hands holding a clipboard and pen as she began to write down notes to herself, completely ignoring the "dying" Toon below her. 

 

 

 

With enough force, Vee spat out a huge globby mix of sludgy oil and ichor from her mouth, her throat sparking with raw pain she never experienced before. Glitched cries and sparked gasps filled the room as the pistachio green Toon slowly found her peace, although it was a cruel peace. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shelly... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veronica... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

help me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

She curled up on the floor, tears filling the screen as she felt a sudden urge to do the one thing she never saw herself do. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cry. 

 

 

 

 

Sobbing and hugging the cut end of her microphone tail as a form of comfort, Vee's weeping slowly turned into full gut-wrenching wails, echoing loudly in the room yet never reached the ears of visitors outside. Delilah smiled coldly as an idea came to her, and she picked up a sharp needle filled with a dark red liquid. 

 

 

 

 

"Maybe THIS will remind you of how I expect you to behave." She chuckled darkly as she made her way over to Vee, who noticed the needle and backed up, unfiltered fear and caution programming itself on her screen. 

 

Her mind scrambled to find an escape, but her gut told her there was no possible way of getting out of this one intact.

 

 

 

A final scream from Vee echoed in the walls before it fell silent in the room once more. 

 

 

 

 

 

"MOM, HELP~!"

 

 

Chapter 13: 12 - Scattered Dreams

Astro had concerns about Vee. 

 

 

They started to notice that her dreams were starting to become more glitchy and broken, like damaged records. Smeared silhouettes of Delilah, Ms. Veronica, Dandy... Then her own body was sinking while a completely new clone of her was walking past, the spotlight shining bright on the doppelgänger before the ichor consumed Vee whole. 

 

 

The space-themed Toon pondered to themself about what could possibly be the source for all of this... darkness, plaguing the TV Head's processor. Surely it wasn't anything that Ms. Delilah had said to her previously, right? She was barely around to check in on everyone, and even Arthur was more present than her. So why was Vee having these gruesome nightmares regarding her...?

 

 

Astro didn't even realize they had stopped at the entrance of Shelly's room, heck they didn't know they had moved from their spot on the bench until just now. They started to move again but stopped once again, an idea coming to them as they faced the fossil-themed room with a small surge of confidence. Walking throughout the spacious room, they managed to find Shelly digging for fossils in the back once again. Astro saw that Shelly looked pretty down, her usual cheery and friendly disposition replaced by a lifeless stare and an anxious lip bite. 

 

"Shelly...?" 

 

Even though Astro's voice was softer than the rest of the Toons, it still managed to spook the ammonite Toon as she dropped the mini shovel she was using. The tears landed in the sand as she froze as a statue for a few moments before registering that Astro was behind her. Lightly patting her cheeks to snap herself out of it, she turned to the space-themed Toon with a barely concealed, shaky smile. 

 

 

"H-heya, Astro...! This is the f-first time in a while since y-you visited me! Did you n-need me for something?" 

 

The soft blue Main inwardly winced at the forced tone Shelly spoke with. Something was wrong, and Shelly probably knew what it was - or at least a part of the reason. Astro sighed quietly before slowly, yet swiftly sitting down in the sandbox next to the beige Toon, their blanket wrapped tightly around their body as a shield. A glowing star appeared and started to brush away the dust on the uncovered bone as Astro faced Shelly fully. 

 

"It won't be too long, I promise... I just need to ask you something..." They started, nervously glancing at the fellow Main who furrowed her brows in confusion, her guard slipping for a minute. Taking this chance to get at least ONE answer, Astro blurted out the question: 

 

 

 

 

"Has Vee ever talked to you about her worries or what has happened to her these past few days...?" 

 

 

 

 

Shelly's eyes widened, her breath hitched as her tail fell flat on the sand. Right on the money, looks like. 

 

 

Novalite's lips pressed in a thin line as they stared at their sister-in-arms. They knew she didn't want to be forced to tell what she was told by Vee, but Astro was too worried about the TV main to let this slide any longer. They scooted closer, the star holding the small brush moving up to her shoulder and gently patting it. "I know Vee must have trusted you with her secrets, and I'm not going to force you to say anything big. But all I want for you to tell me... is what exactly is causing Vee to have such vivid nightmares." They stared into her honey yellow eyes with their stardust blue ones, silently hoping that Shelly trusted them enough to give a clue. 

 

 

 

"There was... word about her getting upgraded...." 

 

 

Astro blinked in surprise, leaning back a bit as they let the shell continue. Shelly wringed the hem of her dress in nervousness as she slowly continued telling what she could. "I-I don't know much about D-Delilah's plans for Vee... But I do k-know that if she messes up... Vee will be gone." She mumbled the last part under her breath, but Astro caught it anyway. They looked to the side at the group picture of all the Mains that hung from the wall, their gaze staying specifically on Vee for a few seconds. 

 

 

 

 

They haven't seen her for the past few days, and with how each of her dreams were getting darker and more vivid than the last, Astro knew something wasn't adding up. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Have you seen Vee at all? I noticed she missed a few Main meetings, and we both know Vee would always be at least 10 minutes EARLY before the actual time." 

 

 

 

 

 

Shelly shook her head. "Last I heard... Delilah had to take her so she could fix the glitches..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A sudden burst of dread entered Fossilian's heart as she gasped, covering her mouth in horror. "W-what if she-" 

 

 

 

"No, she's not. I keep seeing Vee's nightmares, and her most recent one was... just a few minutes ago before I came to see you - so she's still alive. But I don't know where she is... I thought you would have an idea..." 

 

 

 

 

Shelly sighed sadly. "Sorry, Astro... I don't. Even if I did, you know we're not allowed to go into the 'Staff Only' sections..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Astro kept thinking to themself as they left Shelly's room. 

 

 

 

Their worry for Vee was growing, and they knew Shelly's was growing tenfold. Of course, the Handlers wouldn't tell them anything because Delilah told them not to. It annoyed Astro; Vee was their friend! They had a right to know at least if she was coming back soon or not! 

 

 

 

 

"Ah, Astro. Where are you going off to in such a hurry?" 

 

 

 

They flinched at the sudden voice and peeked from their blanket. 

 

 

 

"Rodger...? And Toodles? What are you two doing here...? Isn't it a bit early for lunchtime?" 

 

 

The eight ball waved a half-eaten turkey sandwich in the air with a grin. "It's NEVER too early for some snacks! Rodger even let me make it all by myself!" She huffed proudly as she took another bite, Rodger patting her head with a soft smile before turning back to the space-themed Toon. 

 

"My question still stands, Astro. Where were you going in such a rush?" The detective asked, raising his singular brow at the Main, who was just about to speak when Shelly came running up and nearly plastering the poor group to the floor had she not slowed down in time. 

 

"S-sorry, everyone! I just couldn't stay still and not help Astro find-" 

 

 

"Ms. Vee?" Toodles asked through a mouthful of her sandwich. Rodger lightly scolded her with a look as she quickly finished her bite, before she continued. "I actually found a clone of her and Rodger wants my help to find her!" 

 

 

 

That caught Astro's attention. They did remember seeing Toodles' dreams about talking with this blue doppelgänger of Vee at a tea party. 

 

 

 

 

That's when it clicked. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Is Vee getting... replaced...?" 

 

 

 

"That's what I've been figuring out." Rodger replied, holding up some documents he carried with him for his little exhibition. "It appears Ms. Keen has been creating a second version of Vee under our noses this whole time." 

 

Shelly looked away, shame filling her eyes that the secret was out so easily. "Vee was so upset when she told me... I never saw her that scared for her life..." 

 

 

 

Astro frowned in thought, their gaze on the documents in Rodger's palm. If this was true, then Vee wasn't just gone. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was probably held captive while the "upgraded version" was out walking within Gardenview. Toodles did say she saw her and her dream also showed a little glimpse of her, so it was possible the clone was nearby. 

 

 

 

 

"We have to find Vee. But first, we need to look for her doppelganger. Even if she's clueless to what's going on, we still need to find out what Delilah had planned for her." Astro spoke with a hint of determination, their eyes glimmering with no room for negotiation. 

 

 

Shelly nodded vigorously, wanting to help in any way she could. Rodger smirked at this new side of Astro, while Toodles finished the rest of her sandwich in a gulp, feeling excited for this new adventure awaiting them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dandy listened in from his shop, a cruel smile growing on his face. "Well, well~. Little Miss Perfect is getting replaced, huh? About time she learned her lesson." He chuckled quietly to himself, his interest peaked as he decided that he'll... join in on this little hunt on his own. It would definitely be funny to see what this new version was like. 

Notes:

I like using he/they pronouns for Astro.

Hope y'all enjoyed!

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Dandy's World OCs