Astro's gift

The three toons exchanged glances.

“He got caught.” Vee answered bluntly.

“What.”

“Vee!” Tisha elbowed the machine, frustration clear in her voice.

“How— What do you mean he got caught?!” Astro raised his voice, pure concern in his tone.

“Simple, he didn’t come back, Astro.” Vee shrugged.

“And you guys did… Nothing?!” Astro stared at the two, incredulous.

“…Well, he didn’t return to the elevator.” The machine gestured. “...He said he’d keep the Twisteds away, but…”

“So you just left him to die, is thatit???” Astro huffed, turning away from them.

He was going after Sprout. He could still be alive. Yes.

“Astro. You know it’s pointless to go after him, we can always—”

“I don’t care!” Astro cut Vee off.

“Astro, dear!” Tisha went after him.

The moon held Tisha back with one of his stars, keeping her away. This was something he was going to handle alone— he wasn’t going to risk anyone else’s life.

Astro stepped into the elevator, and soon it shut behind him.

Maybe this was stupid of him.

But there was a chance Sprout was still alive, right?

The elevator started descending— it was going to be a long ‘day’ for sure… if he didn’t end up dying for being this reckless.

It took a little while, but the elevator soon opened—Projector Room.

First floor.

Astro adjusted his blanket. Of course, this was going to take him a while to get through all the machines on this floor, especially alone.

The elevator behind him shut again as the moon stepped down the small stairs leading into the room. He looked around— there was no sign of Sprout, really, but it was very likely the group had passed through here at some point.

From here on, it was probably going to be a downhill spiral, but oh well.

1… 2. Astro advanced through the floors, none of them showing any signs of Sprout. Could he be deeper in?

3… 4. Or was Astro just wasting time?

By the time he reached Floor 5, frustration had started to settle in, worsened by the inconvenience of the Twisteds.

He was in the elevator again, hating the sound it made.

The way the gears moved and how the elevator wobbled more and more as it went down. He hated it. He wanted it to stop.

A noise came from the floor beside him. Of course, the floor finally opened up, and Dandy’s little shop began to rise.

Took him long enough to show up, huh?

Dandy adjusted a few items on his tiny counter before looking at his best friend.

“Astro!” He clasped his hands together. “Sorry for the delay, I had to keep an eye on a few other runs… But anyway, alone this time?”

Astro stayed quiet, his expression wasn’t exactly great… but he nodded anyway.

Dandy observed his best friend. Astro had been acting weird since the last time they saw each other today— what was the reason this time…?

He analyzed the moon, trying to figure out what was going on. Why would Astro enter a run alone? He was way too lazy to keep up with all the machines by himself, and on top of that, it looked like he was stupid enough to bring almost nothing with him, aside from a few items from the previous floors.

“Riiight… Do you need any items? I brought some things that might help you.” Dandy gestured to the shop.

There wasn’t much of use, really. Just some sodas, a few candies, and a protein bar among the items.

Astro observed for a bit, of course, the protein bar caught his attention, but it only made him avert his gaze and shake his head, signaling he didn’t want anything for now.

Dandy let out a long sigh.

“Alright.” He placed a hand on one of the levers. “Good luck, buddy.” He gave Astro one last look before pulling the lever and disappearing again, leaving the moon alone.

Astro adjusted his blanket, letting out a sigh. Yeah, this was going to be a long run.

The floor opened. Floor 5.

It was the Greenhouse.

Astro stepped out of the elevator once more, deciding to explore the floor. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting or relevant to what he was looking for. Okay, it was just Floor 5—surely, they made it far, right? 5 was nothing…

And once again, the cycle repeated. He went through Floor 5… Floor 6… Floor 7… Uh… Floor 11?

Every once in a while, he had Dandy’s company, though it was brief, especially considering the mood Astro was in, which seemed to frustrate Dandy in some way. Astro wasn’t buying anything, he didn’t seem interested in anything. Were the items that bad?

Floor 11 was no different— he just kept going, dealing with the Twisteds who barely even noticed him. It was ridiculous. He hated how the Twisteds ignored him, especially when he was near another Toon. It frustrated him so much. Sure, it was a blessing, but over time, it became an annoyance. Even more so because it meant he wasn’t much help besides restoring the vitality of the toons, which he often failed at due to his limited magic.

Astro grumbled as he stepped into the elevator once more, heading to the next floor. Dandy’s shop came into view again, and Dandy let out another long sigh.

This time, he had a bottle of soda, some bandaids, and a simple cable.

The flower seemed rather frustrated.

Astro just looked for a few seconds before losing interest—he already had some of these items anyway.

Dandy rolled his eyes.

“You’re really not gonna buy anything?” He placed a hand on the counter.

Astro just shook his head.

“Astro! I’m trying to help you, you could help me out too, you know? By buying something…” Dandy tapped his fingers against the counter, frustration evident in his voice.

“I… don’t need anything, Dandy, but… thanks anyway.” Astro didn’t look up.

Dandy’s petals spun slightly. He just stared at Astro in silence before pulling the lever again, still visibly frustrated. He wanted Astro to buy something. He hadn’t had much luck with the other run he was monitoring— he was at least hoping for something from Astro…

The lever was pulled, and Dandy left once again.

Floor 12.

The elevator doors opened after a few seconds, and Astro stepped out.

This time, it was the Diner Floor. Of course, the restaurant… How ironic.

Astro adjusted his blanket, pulling a cable from inside it before starting to walk. He was heading to the nearest machine to use it.

A circuit sound echoed.

Well, that wasn’t Astro.

He stopped in his tracks, standing behind some fallen shelves near the elevator.

That circuit sound wasn’t good.

The floor was engulfed in darkness— a Blackout.

Astro immediately started glowing, tension rising in his body. Okay, it wasn’t a big deal. It would be harder to locate the machines… but at least he could see his immediate surroundings thanks to his glow.

He started walking again, heading toward the right room— there was a machine there, along with a lot of ichor on the floor.

He put the cable away. It’d be good to keep it in case he found himself in a critical situation where he really needed to activate a machine quickly.

Astro placed his hands on the machine’s valve, planning to finish this one as fast as possible.

He could hear heavy breathing throughout the floor. It sounded close, which was odd… Along with footsteps?

Heavy feet sinking into the ground, each step making the ichor stick to the floor and peel off with a sickening sound.

It sent shivers down Astro’s spine— what kind of Twisted was on this floor?

He finished the machine quickly— it was one of many. There were still a few more to go… 8? 9? He wasn’t sure.

He moved to the left side, trying to avoid the source of the noise, though it seemed to be getting closer. Maybe the machine had alerted the Twisted somehow.

Astro picked up the pace, passing by a fallen iron shelf. He stopped for a moment, noticing some… Twisteds?

They were completely dead. It looked like something had eaten them, which was strange. Twisteds rarely ate each other. Sure, they needed ichor, and this was one way to get it, but still, they usually only hunted Toons.

The only time he had seen something like this was with Twisted Pebble.

Astro hesitated for a moment before moving forward again. He was probably going to enter that room ahead, the one with no exit. There was a chance there were machines there, but it would also be safer to wait for the Twisted to go farther away.

The heavy footsteps started approaching faster.

A chill ran down Astro’s spine, and he quickly ducked into the room, looking around— okay, there was a machine, but—

He was closer.

It was very possible that twisted would enter there.

Astro trembled, looking around more carefully. He had no way out.

His only option was to hide under the small table there and pray that the Twisted wouldn’t see him.

So Astro did just that— he hid.

The footsteps entered the room Astro was in, heavy and unmistakable, accompanied by the squelching sound of ichor underfoot.

Astro's nose itched from the faint scent the Twisted carried. Of course, it was ichor, but there was something else— a sweet smell that made him nauseous. He placed a hand over his face, trying not to make any noise. Sure… he was scared, that was obvious, but panic wouldn’t help him right now. That would only get him killed.

The Twisted walked past the small table, its breathing heavy, struggling as if it was choking on ichor. What a shame.

It left the room, trailing ichor behind.

Astro let out a deep sigh, waiting for the footsteps to fade before even thinking about crawling out from under the table. After a few long minutes, he finally did. Now, he could finally work on the machine in that room.

Once again, he worked quickly, using his hands instead of his stars— it was more efficient that way, and speed was his best option. He just wanted to make this floor and find Sprout.

Sprout always managed to keep the team alive. He was strong… Yes, he was probably still alive, waiting on some floor for someone to find him. At least, that’s what Astro hoped.

Sprout was okay.

The machine's whistle echoed through the floor— one more down. A few more to go… probably.

Moving cautiously out of the room, he headed straight for the kitchen. The sounds of Twisted seemed to be near the elevator.

Astro spotted an ichor machine outside, close to the soda machine.

He approached and started working again.

He pulled the valve hard, trying to finish as fast as possible. This area was too open— the Twisted could spot him at any moment if it returned.

His tension rose as the footsteps approached again, his heartbeat quickening. He tried to keep calm while he worked, just a little more.

And the footsteps were getting closer. There were so many other paths it could take— how ironic that it always seemed to move toward him unconsciously.

Astro finished the machine and quickly moved. He headed straight for the kitchen, taking the right path past the fallen metal shelf. Distance. He needed to put as much distance between himself and that Twisted as possible.

He passed behind an area with shelves, spotting some flour sacks— probably expired— and a lot of mold. The moon’s nose tingled.

The worst part? A machine was wedged between the shelf and those sacks.

Unfortunately, Astro had no choice but to fix it, despite his head already aching from the overwhelming stench. Mold and dust had never been kind to him.

After a few minutes, he finished and pulled his blanket over his nose. Then, he moved forward again, past the shelf, finding more fallen metal shelves with scattered objects.

Two machines were here.

Astro started working on one of them. The Twisted seemed distant, heading straight for the kitchen. Probably just one more machine left.

He passed by the shelf and moved toward the counter. There was a faint glow— most likely the last machine.

Getting close enough, Astro sighed, placing his hands directly on the machine to start.

The only problem was…

The footsteps were returning.

Astro kept working, hoping the Twisted would just walk past and head toward the shelves. Yes, there was no reason for it to come check here, right? Right?

His heartbeat sped up as the footsteps grew louder. He tried to peek but saw nothing but darkness. Astro gasped slightly, anxiety creeping in. He pulled his hands from the valve and tried to look again.

He backed away from the machine, circling the counter and moving straight to the other section, where the false elevator was. He crouched down, pressing his back against the counter, a hand over his chest, trying to calm his heartbeat.

The Twisted was going to pass by. That was obvious. But it was hard to stay calm with that heavy breathing so close.

The fear eased slightly when he couldn’t hear it anymore, but something still made him uneasy.

Why couldn’t he hear the Twisted anymore?

Astro glanced around, feeling a knot in his throat. He stayed quiet, trying his best to control his breathing.

Until a single drop of ichor fell beside him.

Astro slowly looked at the droplet on the floor. Confused, he adjusted his blanket.

He blinked once.

Well.

Astro looked up. Slowly.

A largeeye was staring at him. The Twisted was on the other side of the counter.

Oh.

The Twisted let out a distorted scream, lunging at Astro, trying to grab him.

The moon frantically scrambled across the floor, even pulling his hands out from under the blanket. His mind was spinning with too many thoughts. He couldn’t think straight.

Twisted grabbed his leg, making Astro scream on impulse. He twisted his body, kicking with his other leg as the Twisted raised a massive claw to strike him.

Astro quickly sent one of his stars flying toward the Twisted’s face, injuring it, forcing it to let go.

Astro gasped for breath, dragging himself further across the floor, trying to steady himself as he locked eyes with the Twisted.

…It was Sprout.

That enormous figure. He was covered in ichor, his form twisted. His leaves were larger, lined with vicious thorns.

Astro’s chest tightened. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. His body felt weak, his vision blurred.

No, no…

The Twisted kept a hand over its face, and as it recovered from the attack, it screamed again, snapping Astro back to reality.

It lunged once more, ready to kill the moon. Astro had to move— fast. The only upside was that this Twisted was slow.

Astro ran.

He dashed past the machine, pulling a cable from under his blanket and plugging it in, finishing the machine.

For a split second, the Twisted nearly grabbed him, but Astro was faster, sprinting away.

His body ached.

The Twisted chased after him, full of rage, with only one thought remaining in what was once Astro’s friend.

He needed to kill that Toon. It was necessary.

Astro darted past the middle counter. The Twisted let out another shriek, a tendril whipping out in front of the moon, nearly catching him.

The elevator was open.

And the Twisted was right behind him.

Astro threw himself into the elevator, desperately pressing a button to close the door.

…Sprout had become one of those things.

Astro placed a hand on his face, expressionless.

Sprout.

His friend.

Astro stayed silent, leaning against the elevator wall.

The Toon who alwayscomfortedhim.

A soft jingle played.

A section of the floor opened up.

Dandy had returned with his shop once again, even though this wasn’t the floor he was supposed to appear on.

“Astrooo… Friend.” He kept his usual smile, though he seemed mildly frustrated. “I brought some things you might be interested in.”

Astro slid down the wall, sitting on the floor. He was blank. Silent.

Dandy stared at him.

Ah.

So that’s how he reacted.

“…Looks like you found him.” Dandy rested his cheek on his hand.

Astro remained quiet for a while before finally looking at Dandy.

“You knew…?”

“Sprout turned into a Twisted? Oh, yeah. You know I have eyes everywhere, Moonshine.” Dandy kept his usual smile.

Astro fell silent again.

He had gone through all of this for nothing.

He had risked his life for nothing.

And Dandy had known the wholetime.

Astro hiccupped.

“Why do you… never do… anything?” His voice cracked, trembling with the weight of his emotions. He pulled his blanket over his eyes.

Dandy simply watched, his expression unchanged.

“We always do everything you ask! I’ve always been by your side, even when everyone else hates you!” Astro’s voice broke further as tears spilled down his cheeks. “Even in this whole mess… I… I’m here. Withyou.”

“You’re like this just because of Sprout? You know we can always replace him with—”

“I don’t want another! I just want my Sprout, not some copy, Dandy! What the fuck!” Astro hunched forward, pulling his knees to his chest, still sobbing.

His body hurt. He was exhausted. He just wanted this all to be over— to go back to how things were, when there were no problems.

Dandy stayed silent, watching Astro cry. He seemed indifferent to the situation.

Astro’s eyes burned, his body felt unbearably heavy… He just wanted to rest for a moment.

Just a little.

The flower remained still, watching his friend slowly drift off to sleep without saying anything.

Dandy sighed.

Maybe he was being a little unfair to his best friend.

Or maybe not. Who knew.

The elevator was seconds away from opening.

He placed a hand on the lever to return, but before pulling it, he glanced at Astro once more.

The flower muttered something, reaching for another lever with a different marking.

Dandy pulled it. The elevator made a small noise.

He stepped down from the crate he had been sitting on, grabbing a small bag beside him in the shop, and approached Astro.

He remained silent, of course, but adjusted the moon’s blanket before turning toward the door.

They opened.

…It was The Diner floor again.

He stepped outside.