Chapter Text
Floor 1:
It was bizarre. Insane even. What was Dandy thinking, allowing this without any bit of fuss??
Rodger shook his head, furrowing his eyebrow as he contemplated every decision that could've gone through that flowers head.
The infamous watch stood a few feet beside him. Dyle. Tall, calm, prestine in every way you could imagine. He was dusting off his suit jacket, adjusting his hat, his gloves, even his hair.
Rodger couldn't help the glance that he directed at Dyle. Which he knew the watch noticed.
"Daddy!!" And then another toon in their run, Toodles. Sweet Toodles. Ran up to Rodger and pulled at his pants. Rodger scooped her up into his arm. "Yes kiddo?" He asked, smiling warmly at her.
Before she could respond, Rodger noticed the other kid pulling at his pant-leg. Gourdy! Toodles best friend, and the kid he's helped with raising.
Rodger scooped him up as well, even though the extra weight didn't help with the back pain he had. Maybe he should fix his posture...
"You two tired already?" He laughed, holding them against his hips with a fatherly protectiveness.
"Noo!!" Gourdy giggled, kicking his legs. "We just wanna be carried!" Another set of giggles came from the two children. So adorable, the both of them.
Dyle turned his head to them, watching with an unrecognizable emotion, atleast, Rodger didn't recognize it.
He still questioned why Dandy let Dyle into their run. Their work. He was never meant to do this stuff. He took care of the trains, brought in food. Why was he, of all toons, helping with the ichor operation?
Not that it mattered; their team, already, was prepared face the challenges up ahead.
Now. To list everyone on their team.
Looey (main distractor)
Pebble (backup, takes vee or pebble)
Vee (extractor, does machines closest to elevator)
Shelly (extractor/support, boosts people and does machines by looey)
Gourdy (extractor and support, boosts people and does mainly treadmill machines)
Toodles (extractor, does spare machines)
Rodger (extractor, does regular machines in the middle.)
And.. Dyle..
What does Dyle even do? Will we ever know? He was never meant to work on the field, as previously mentioned. But one thing for sure. This run was going.. well. And it felt as if he was a cause of it. As if he was a lucky charm that allowed them to run through these floors.
Everyone seemed to pause as the elevator door opened for the first time. A rainbow room. Simple and easy enough.
Rodger placed down the two kid toons and stepped his way outside of the elevator, no twisteds were around, seemed they could explore a bit freely instead of waiting for Looey or Pebble to gather them all up.
"Be careful guys! If you see a twisted just holler!" Looey dashed out, making quick effort to try and gather.
Vee made her way to a machine near the elevator, turning the value with ease, out of all toons, she extracted the easiest, it made their jobs quick.
The kids had run off. Rodger too had thought about them and their well-being. He didn't like that he has to bring them along, he'd rather drop them off with another toon, maybe Sprout... nevermind. Not Sprout. Maybe Razzle and Dazzle? If he had to pick any toon in general his first two picks would be them. If he had to choose a main..? Astro. He'd atleast get these two troublemakers to sleep.
Besides that. Rodger stood infront of the elevator, standing up straight with his hands on the labels of his suit jacket.
Dyle stood next to him, facing forward now. The two didn't speak, mainly due to the fact neither of them were allowed to, to eachother.
But. It wouldn't hurt to break the rules, yes?
"I"ve heard much about you, Mr. Timesly." Rodger sparked up, glancing his singular eye to the taller man.
"Same here, I have my own curiosities about you." His voice came out smooth and deep, tinged with an accent resembling that of a british one. A bit posh, and a bit stereotypical if you'd ask me. But Delilah seemed to want to go all in with the british clock trope.
"Isn't it strange that we are not allowed to speak to eachother? Was Delilah scared of something? Why was a bond between us seen as inappropriate?" Rodger adjusts his cravat, half of the machines were already finished, he felt like this would go much faster this time. Maybe they could all last longer than they did in the previous runs they had attempted. Toodles and Gourdy were learning much, much more. And were behaved better as well.
"I always assumed it was because you were a detective." Dyle replied.
"Why does being a detective have to do with us?"
"They're afraid of you investigating me. They told me you'd ask strange questions. So I wasn't allowed to talk to you."
Rodger blinked, he looked flabbergasted at that. "Really? Why're.." He cleared his throat. "I wouldn't have asked those questions if told not to." That was a partial lie. He would ask, because sometimes he can't help himself. But if he was reminded then he'd stop.
"Maybe. I'm not opposed to answering some of your questions if you asked." The watch turned to face the detective fully, looking down at him with a polite smile
"So, Mr MacGregor. What about me has you dying of curiosity?" Ah. Rodger's last name. He never enjoyed being referred by it. When Arthur first told him it he was rather shocked. Out of every name..? But atlas, he didn't get a say in that decision.
"Just Rodger." He corrected, without malice or much to his tone. "I prefer Rodger."
"And I prefer Dyle."
"So be it then, Dyle." He let out a chuckle. "To start off, I'd like to-"
Before another word could be said, Toodles ran towards them, flailing her arms around.
"Get to elevator!!! Get to the elevator!!!" She yelled, running over to his Rodgers leg.
"I did a machine daddy! I did it!!" She seemed so proud of herself, and she should be! She was learning so well, Rodger himself was proud.
Dyle looked at the little girl, "Hello Toodles." He gave her a polite smile as well. She was such a good kid. The only complaint he had was the fact she and Gourdy would mess with the train collection he had. But other than that? Nothing else to report.
Pebble let out a bark as the little rock dashed to the elevator, followed by Shelly and Vee.
Rodger pulled Toodles into the elevator, his eye looking out into the room to spot Gourdy.
Soon enough, the little gourd boy with Looey leading beside him. They both entered the elevator, and behind them the door shut close.
"Everyone is alright, yes?" Dyle asked out, looking between the toons.
"I'm fine."
"Arf!"
"Great!"
Each toon reassured the watch.
"Alright then. To the next floor we go!"