Cosmo was in his room as usual, a room filled with posters and some plushies. There were a few aprons neatly arranged by color on a hanger on the wall. His bed was organized, as was his entire room.
Cosmo generally didn’t like leaving a mess wherever he went, especially since it was Tisha who usually dealt with that kind of thing in some rooms... like Astro’s.
It was funny how, during expeditions, he could often hear Tisha complaining about how some toons didn’t keep their rooms tidy or just left them messy— one of them being Astro himself. But, of course, she seemed to tolerate his mess more than the others for some reason, she was very patient.
Naturally, Cosmo didn’t want to be one of the 'toons Tisha complains about for being messy' Helping out by keeping his own room clean was already something— it saved the toon’s time, and that’s what Cosmo usually did.
Organizing by color and size always seemed ideal. Obviously, getting the occasional compliment from Tisha was a bonus, and he liked that.
At the very least, helping most of the toons was something he felt was necessary, even if they didn’t help him back… It was always satisfying to receive a 'thank you' in return for a good action— most of the time. Of course, there were still some exception. Like Dandy and Shrimpo... Who he preferred to avoid.
Cosmo got up from his bed, stretching a bit and letting out a yawn. He was thinking about what to do today. Maybe he would cook something?… Nah, he usually did that, it would be interesting to do something different. Maybe read a book or watch a movie? Around this time, some recordings of the Gameshow usually aired, right? But that wasn’t something he wanted to watch— at least not alone.
…Maybe he could check in on some toons? That would be good. Of course, there weren’t many he actually interacted with, but in a way, it was an opportunity to get to know them better despite the whole situation. Even though he hadn't gotten close to them over the years, he still made an effort every now and then. But it usually ended up being just a short conversation. That was the most Cosmo could do.
He let out a sigh and walked toward the door.
Until he heard a light knock. It wasn’t too strong or too weak— just 'ideal', so to speak, at least in Cosmo’s opinion.
He opened the door and found himself face-to-face with the "honorable" detective.
Rodger.
Cosmo blinked a few times and stared at him.
Oh no.
"Detective...? Do you need something?" Cosmo leaned a hand on the door, acting naturally. It wasn’t like he already expected something from Rodger, especially if it involved—
"Well, let’s say yes, Mr. Cosmo." The detective clasped his hands together.
"This involves Sprout?"
"No— Well—"
"Then no." Cosmo was already planning to close the door right there.
"No— no, really, this time it’s not about Mr. Seedly." He raised his hand.
"Uhuh…?" Cosmo raised an eyebrow, still suspicious about the whole situation. Rodger wasn’t one to talk to him unless it involved Sprout in some way.
"You see." Rodger paused briefly before continuing. "Glisten is busy, Miss Brightney too… And even Teagan, for that matter…"
"Okay…?"
"I need someone to keep an eye on Toodles for today. I have some plans… So... if you…"
"You want to know if I can babysit her???" Cosmo raised an eyebrow.
"Correct!" Rodger clasped his hands together again. "It would be of great help if you could do me this favor."
Cosmo pondered for a few seconds but soon let out a sigh. "Sure, I don’t see a problem with it."
"Stupendous! Then..." Rodger cleared his throat. "Little detective? Toodles?" He turned to the other side.
Cosmo leaned forward slightly, looking out of his room and into the hallway— specifically where Rodger had turned. What he saw was Toodles playing with one of the potted plants near the door of the room across from his. Her attention quickly shifted when Rodger called her.
"Me! Me!" She let go of the pot and ran straight to the detective, eyes sparkling.
"As you know... I won’t be able to take you on this 'investigation'... Little detective." Rodger placed his hands behind his back.
"Again??— Why????" Toodles made a disappointed expression upon hearing Rodger's words. She definitely wanted to go with the detective.
"Let’s just say it’s a complicated situation. I prefer to keep you out of this case for now, okay?" He gave a small pat on the creature’s head. "Maybe next time I’ll be able to set up a case for you. But for now, I just ask that you behave and listen to Mr. Cosmo, alright?"
"Ookay…" She said in a disappointed tone. "See you later, Rodger!" She hugged the detective, and he returned the gesture before turning to Cosmo.
"I leave her in your care for now. Good luck." Rodger gave a small wave before leaving.
"Okay— Good luck, Rodger, and be careful!" Cosmo waved.
He sighed and closed the door to his room. He didn’t want to let Toodles in— of course, everything was organized… And… It wouldn’t end well if she went inside.
"Soooo…" Cosmo started. "What do you want to do, little Toodles?" He looked at her, placing his hands in the pockets of his coat.
Toodles looked at Cosmo, thinking for a few seconds, despite not seeming to have a single thought in that huge head of hers.
"Uncle Cosmo… Do you want to play hide and seek???" Toodles smiled.
"Hide and seek…? Hmmm… I don’t know." He averted his gaze, feigning mild disinterest. "I’m not sure it’ll be much fun… You hide too well, Toodlesita!" He raised his hands in surrender, a small smile forming on his face.
"Hehe— Aren’t I? I’m better than anyone at this!" She grinned triumphantly, placing her hands on her hips.
"Yeah… I wonder if I can prove otherwise..." Cosmo placed a hand on his chin, pretending to think about it.
"Of course not! No one can!!" She let out a triumphant huff, still convinced she was better than ANYONE at it.
"Want to test it then??"
"Mhm!" Toodles adjusted her outfit.
"Oookay… I’ll count." Cosmo placed his hands over his eyes.
Toodles quickly ran off to hide.
As expected, Cosmo counted to ten.
"...Ready or not... Here i come!" He removed his hands from his eyes and glanced around.
He started walking, checking the nearby vases and even behind some crates…
"Hmmm... I wonder where she is..." Cosmo said between a whistle, stopping near Brightney’s door. He looked at the boxes nearby, but there was still no sign of Toodles.
"...Maybe in the kitchen?" He scratched his head.
Maybe she was hiding in the kitchen. It was unlikely that she had entered another toon’s room— most were usually locked.
Cosmo walked to the kitchen, glancing around again.
"Little Toodles?"
He opened one of the cabinets, finding only the usual food.
He opened another... and another, resulting in nothing.
Cosmo scratched his head, confused. He looked to the side, where he saw Shrimpo stabbing a plushie with some tacks, looking utterly uninterested in anything other than what he was doing.
Cosmo took a deep breath. He might regret what he was about to do.
"...Hey? Shrimpo?"
Shrimpo looked at him, already scowling.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT??" He huffed. Apparently, interfering had led to the worst-case scenario.
Cosmo took a step back and muttered something. He hated how Shrimpo could be so loud when it wasn’t necessary.
"Did you see Toodles pass through here??"
"DO I LOOK LIKE A BABYSITTER TO KNOW IF SHE CAME THROUGH HERE??"
"Uh.. Right— Forget it—"
"I HATE FORGETTING!" He stomped his foot. "GET OUT OF HERE 'CLOWNMO', YOU’RE ANNOYING ME, AND I HATE THAT! I HATE IT!"
"Oh dear God…" Cosmo hurried out, not wanting to hear more of Shrimpo’s yelling.
He sighed, walking toward the small reception while Shrimpo’s shouting faded into the background.
He saw Vee at the reception, probably doing some kind of backup or something, given her loading screen.
He stepped a little closer.
"Uh— Vee??"
The machine’s screen flickered, and she turned to Cosmo with a neutral expression.
Cosmo cleared his throat. "Sorry— Uh, did you see Toodles pass by here?"
"Toodles?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah… We were playing, but—"
"Oh, yes. She passed through here." She adjusted her tie. "She said something about helping Rodger or something like that."
"What."
"...Helping Rodger. I believe he went on a case, didn’t he?"
"She—Thanks, I have to go!" Cosmo hurried towards the elevator.
Vee was confused but simply shrugged.
Damn, shit… She went after Rodger, then??? Cosmo should have kept a closer eye on her!
Cosmo entered the elevator and pressed one of the buttons.
That kid.
It took a few minutes. The elevator arrived at the lobby, where there was little movement— of course, it was hard to find any toon in Gardenview, especially since they were spread across different floors. And if Rodger was on a run right now??
Shit.
Would anyone at least know what kind of case he was involved in? Maybe that would help Cosmo figure out where to look for Toodles.
Cosmo rushed toward Dandy’s little shop, scanning the area to see if he could spot any other toons.
There were Boxten, Poppy, and Looey. Of course, none of them were close enough to Rodger to know where the detective might be. The small toon let out a deep sigh, placing his hands over his face.
Okay, this would take time. He didn’t want to search for Toodles floor by floor and start a run.
…Maybe ask Dandy for help—
No. He would charge for that.
Think, Cosmo, think.
"Cosmo." Vee’s voice came from nearby. It was strange— she hadn't been in the toon rooms moments ago, so why had she come here?
"Ah… Vee?" Cosmo looked confused after removing his hands from his face.
"I managed to access some of the cameras. Toodles seems to be safe. However…"
"However—???" He looked anxious.
"However. It seems she entered a run by herself just to find our dear detective."
"Ah— Damn— Vee! Do you know WHICH floor she’s on?" He waved his hands, his feet fidgeting— he NEEDED to go after little Toodles.
"It looks like the elevator is taking her to Shelly’s themed floor. If you want, I can give you a little help with—"
"No need—Thanks!!!"
"Alright. Stay safe, Cosmo." The machine crossed her arms as she watched the small toon rush back toward one of the elevators. She was still concerned about the fact that Cosmo was going into a run ALONE without seeking another toon’s help.
Indeed, Cosmo was an interesting toon. A shame they didn’t interact much. He would probably manage.
Cosmo entered the elevator, quickly pressing one of the buttons to take him straight to the floor he wanted. Sure. Dandy probably wouldn’t consider this fair, but Cosmo didn’t see this as a run— he saw it as an EMERGENCY. A child was in danger, and that made Cosmo really nervous.
Cosmo paced back and forth as the elevator moved. He took a deep breath and slapped his own cheeks a few times.
Ok. Okay.
Getting nervous wouldn’t help. It was better to stay calm— even though this was a complicated situation. It was very likely that Rodger would be mad at him if something happened to Toodles— what if the detective didn’t let Cosmo see Toodles anymore?? Oh, heavens…
The elevator doors opened.
Cosmo flinched at the sound of the doors, but he quickly looked outside, took another deep breath, and stepped out. That’s when he heard the sound of a short circuit.
Blackout.
Oh, great.
He heard a scream from somewhere on the floor.
"TOODLES??" Cosmo ran to the left, heading straight for the center.
He started to hear heavy footsteps.
They were familiar.
He hated this floor.
Cosmo quickly turned left again, entering that little fenced-off area with picnic benches. He let out a deep sigh and waited for ‘it’ to pass by. But that wasn’t the case.
He heard heavy breathing and a brief growl— it sounded like a bird but also like a crocodile. It was horrible.
Cosmo swallowed hard, listening as ‘it’ got closer to where he was.
He curled up, hiding under the bench. ‘It’ sniffed the ground and let out a long hiss, followed by a cracking bone sound. Its heavy footsteps began moving away while Cosmo held a hand over his mouth, trying to control his breathing. Hearing those sounds was terrifying. He wanted to get out of there. He wanted to leaveNOW.
He crawled out from under the bench, stood up, and cautiously made his way out.
The footsteps had stopped. That was strange.
Oh, man… It would be so useful if Cosmo had the same ability as Sprout— he’d be able to find Toodles easily. But that wasn’t the case right now.
He kept moving forward, passing through more fences and entering the room with the projector. He observed his surroundings carefully, even the little animation playing on Shelly’s projector. There was, of course, a plush sitting alone on one of the beanbags, but it looked like something had torn it apart.
Cosmo sighed deeply and kept walking—he had a bad feeling.
He checked the back of the room, even looking inside some of the boxes, pulling them aside— maybe Toodles had hidden between them?
Then he heard a cracking sound.
Cosmo froze.
His heartbeat sped up.
He didn’t want to turn around. He wouldn’t turn around. He didn’t want to.
…He glanced out of the corner of his eye.
Nothing.
He turned.
Huh.
Maybe it was just his imagination—
Something jumped on him, knocking him down. He let out a groan of pain, feeling pressure pinning him to the floor.
Cosmo choked on his own breath, coughing as his body started to tremble. He was dead. He was so dead.
His eyes widened as he looked up, seeing the figure of Shelly.
Twisted Shelly, to be specific.
Ichor dripped from the twisted creature’s mouth as if it were ready to satisfy its hunger with its prey. She pressed the toon down harder with her hind claws every time he tried to move.
Cosmo took a deep breath, trying to control his breathing.
"Shelly— Shelly??" He whimpered.
The twisted creature only hissed in response, a grin forming on its face, its pupils sharp.
"Shelly— I-It’s me— Remember??!" Cosmo forced a smile, but his chest was starting to hurt from the pressure.
The twisted being stared at him. Intently.
Her pupils dilated. She let out a hiss, but it sounded somewhat… friendly. It was strange.
"...You… remember me?..." Cosmo took another deep breath.
Twisted Shelly growled, slowly lifting her foot off the toon, making a few hissing sounds and tilting her head.
Cosmo sat up, breathing heavily.
He looked at the Twisted creature a few times, but it was hard to see his friend like this.
Cosmo squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again, placing his hand on the ground to stand up.
"Alright…" he murmured.
Cosmo got up and glanced at the Twisted again. She was still staring at him.
He looked to the side and then back at her.
This was weird.
He decided to take a step to the side—
She bit his arm.
Cosmo let out a scream of pain, instinctively shoving his hand into one of the Twisted’s eyes, making her snarl and release him as he struck her.
She stumbled back, snapping her teeth as ichor dripped from her mouth.
Cosmo ran straight through the middle of the room, past the fake elevator and several tables.
Twisted Shelly chased him rapidly, emitting roars and sharp, high-pitched hisses— some sounding like laughter, others like crying. But it was clear she wouldn’t stop chasing him.
It was hard to see in the dark. Cosmo had never really handled blackouts well, and neither had Toodles. That only made the small toon more anxious— he had no idea where the child was.
But he was getting tired.
Cosmo took a deep breath, quickly looking ahead. There was a massive sauropod fossil. A jawbreaker lay on the ground.
He slid and grabbed it quickly, then spun around.
Twisted Shelly had leaped, ready to bite down once more.
That was her mistake.
Cosmo landed on his rear, losing balance as his legs trembled. But that didn't stop him from hurling the jawbreaker straight at Twisted Shelly’s face mid-air. She missed her attack, landing off-kilter due to the pain in her face. The Twisted clutched at her small claws, whining— Cosmo had probably hurt her. Too bad it would only last a few minutes.
He pressed his hands to the ground, scrambling to his feet as fast as he could. Cosmo sprinted behind the only fenced-off area in the corner near the giant sauropod fossil, pressing his back against it and taking a deep breath.
Twisted Shelly's footsteps were heavier now, her growls filled with anger at being hurt. That would make things worse for him.
She sniffed the floor, pacing back and forth, trying to locate the small toon, but found nothing. The hit had probably affected her sense of smell. Cosmo needed to take advantage of that while he could and move quickly.
There was a machine right in front of him. The small toon placed a hand over his chest and took a few cautious steps forward, weaving between tables and reaching the machine. He leaned slightly to the side, trying to spot any sign of the Twisted. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but her footsteps sounded farther away.
Cosmo shook his head, gripping the torn fabric of his sleeve. He bit down on the cloth, pulling with his opposite hand and teeth to rip that section of his jacket. Once he had torn it off, he wrapped it around the wound, tying it securely.
He released a shaky breath and flexed his injured arm, placing his trembling hands on the machine’s valve.
He just had to make sure the machine didn’t jam.
He started turning the valve as fast as he could, checking behind him every few seconds to make sure Twisted Shelly wasn’t approaching.
It took him a few minutes, but he finished. He moved toward the row of lockers past the fossil, but as soon as he got close, he had to duck down— the Twisted was back, sniffing around. No sign of Cosmo for her.
She let out a frustrated growl and wandered off again, this time getting closer to the sauropod fossil.
Cosmo crouched lower, pressing a hand to his mouth to keep from making any sound. His whole body tensed.
He had never truly dealt with Twisted Shelly before— she was usually avoided thanks to the distractor in the runs. But this time, he didn’t have that luxury. It was just him.
And he still had to find Toodles.
If she wasn’t already dead. That thought only made Cosmo more anxious.
He shifted slightly along the floor, bumping into the shelf beside him. A brief silence followed.
Twisted Shelly let out a hiss. Her gaze snapped toward the noise. Cosmo, in response, flattened himself against the ground, trying to stay out of sight. Luckily, the sauropod fossil’s support beams provided some cover, and Cosmo was small enough to remain hidden.
Twisted Shelly took slow, deliberate steps forward, scanning the area. Ichor dripped from her feet, making a sticky, wet sound with each step. Her hissing sounded almost reptilian.
She drew closer and closer, stepping over the sauropod fossil’s support. Her pupils sharpened to slits.
Nothing.
She placed her hands on the ground, lowering her head to search for anything hidden in the clutter.
Cosmo was wedged among the scattered debris, having crawled beneath a pile of benches and storage crates against the far wall. His heartbeat pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.
He could hear Shelly’s breath near him. The ichor dripping. He was going to be caught.
Cosmo squeezed his eyes shut, pressing both hands to his face, trying to stay calm. If he panicked, it would only make things worse. He shouldn’t have come alone— but this was his responsibility, no one else’s.
Twisted Shelly placed a clawed hand on one of the crates and tilted her head. She was going to check.
Then, the sound of a TV echoed through the floor.
Her pupils dilated for a brief moment before sharpening again. She let out a snarl and bolted toward the noise on the other side of the floor.
Cosmo finally breathed again— almost choking on air. He had been holding his breath out of fear. But, as expected, there was no time to rest. He had to move fast.
He crawled out of his hiding spot and checked to make sure the Twisted was truly gone before rushing toward the machine next to the lockers. His hands gripped the valve tightly as he scanned his surroundings.
Then, he heard it.
A soft crying.
It was coming from the lockers.
He stopped turning the valve, listening closely.
The crying was real.
He took a few cautious steps forward and carefully opened one of the lockers.
Inside, curled up in a ball, was Toodles.
“Toodles???” Cosmo exhaled in relief, dropping to his knees.
Toodles flinched, removing her hands from her face and staring at Cosmo, her eyes brimming with tears. Her expression was visibly distressed from crying.
“U-uncle Cosmo!”
She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. Cosmo held her close, feeling how much she was trembling. The child was clearly terrified— of course, he knew how much she feared blackouts.
“It’s okay... You’re okay.” he murmured, patting her back as she buried her face into him, still sobbing softly.
“I-I just… I wanted… to help Rodger,” she whimpered. “I-I’m sorry...” she cried.
“It’s okay. Just don’t do this again, alright?” He stood up, cradling her in his arms.
“O-okay...” she sniffled.
“We need to get out of here. How many machines did you made?”
“I… I only made two,” she sniffled again. “Near the elevator… then everything went dark.”
“Hmm… That means there are more. We need to made them before—”
A loud growl cut through the air.
Shelly had spotted them. She stood near the exit leading to the broken elevator.
“Dang—” Cosmo set Toodles down, gripping her hand. She was trembling even more now. He couldn’t see where the Twisted was exactly, but judging by the sound, she was on the left. “Come on, run!”
He turned back the way he came, with Shelly chasing right behind them. She was fast.
Cosmo dashed past the fossil, weaving between the tables to slow Shelly down. But she just leaped over them effortlessly, making Toodles shriek in fear.
A whistle was heard.
The panic mode started out of nowhere. The elevator opened.
"Go—Go!" Cosmo let go of Toodles and pushed her.
Toodles ran ahead.
Cosmo followed closely behind. Maybe if he pushed the shelf ahead— No, it wouldn’t work, he wasn’t strong enough.
Toodles turned right, entering the room beside them, with Twisted close behind. As soon as they got inside, they turned left, rushing past the lockers. They were soclose to the elevator.
Cosmo could feel his legs weakening, his breathing was heavy.
Twisted Shelly was catching up.
They ran straight and turned left. They were almost there.
Cosmo was losing balance.
Toodles quickly made it inside the elevator.
However, Cosmo—
He tripped and lost his balance, he was going to fall and get caught, most likely.
Until.
Someone grabbed him inside the elevator and pulled him in, making the doors shut just in time for Twisted Shelly to slam into them.
"That was close." That voice was familiar.
The hand let go of Cosmo, and he dropped straight to the floor, breathing deeply, trying to calm down.
He shook his head and sat up properly, placing a hand on the floor and looking up at the figure in front of him.
It was Dandy.
"That was a close one, huh, buddy?" He still had the same smile as always. It was strange.
Cosmo muttered something, running a hand over his face.
"Dandy...?" He sighed. "What are you—"
"I heard your conversation." Dandy shrugged, waving a controller in his hand. "I have to admit, opening the elevator ahead of time was trickier than I expected."
"...But why you just–"
"Anyyyyway...Toodles? You okay, little one?" He crouched down to the child's height. She still had teary eyes and looked a bit shaken up by everything that had happened.
Cosmo was a little frustrated that Dandy had simply avoided his question.
Toodles just nodded in response.
"Here, take this." Dandy reached into his pocket, offering her a chocolate bar.
Her little eyes sparkled for a few seconds before she took the chocolate and started eating, even though her face still showed traces of the distress she had just gone through.
Cosmo had calmed down more. He stood up and dusted off his clothes, glancing over at the two of them, just in time to see Dandy placing a band-aid on a small scratch on Toodles’ head.
At least she was safe for now.
"...I guess I owe you a thank you...." Cosmo said, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets.
"Hmm?" Dandy looked at him. "A thank you, huh?" He grinned wider. "100 tapes would be a nice way to show gratitude." He gestured with his hand.
Cosmo stayed quiet. He couldn’t tell if Dandy was joking or serious, so he chose not to respond.
"...Or not...Haha..." Dandy lowered his hand, pressing a button on the controller he was holding. "You guys should head back now. Cosmo, want to buy any healing items?"
"Ah… No, thanks, Dandy."
"Got it, buddy." And Dandy still kept that same smile.
The elevator started moving, heading back to the lobby.
The ride wasn’t entirely silent, thanks to Dandy chatting with Toodles.
Cosmo couldn’t quite process the conversation. His hearing felt muffled, and his vision was hazy— he had completely tuned out.
But as soon as the elevator doors opened, his senses returned. The first thing he saw was Dandy stepping out, with Toodles right behind him, looking much calmer.
"I spy with my little eye… something blue!" Toodles said, slightly more cheerful.
"Something blue? Hmmm… Would it be the elevator we just left?" He gestured toward the blue-colored elevator wall, which also had Astro’s cardboard cutout on it.
"Nuh uh! Try again."
"I don’t know… Maybeeee... the bench?" Dandy spinning his flower petals a bit.
"No!"
They walked past the tree in the lobby.
"Huh… Then I have no idea! Whatttt is it?" He smiled.
"Astro!" Toodles pointed to Astro, standing near Dandy’s shop.
"Wow… I never would’ve guessed, you picked something really tricky, huh?" Dandy gave the little one a playful pat on the head before heading toward Astro. Toodles followed, and Cosmo trailed after her.
"...Dandy." Astro said in his usual low tone.
"Hey, moonshine! Had to take care of a little problem."
"Ah... I noticed." He glanced at Cosmo, who seemed somewhat disconnected from everything. "...Cosmo?"
"Ah— Astro, hey!" Cosmo looked up and forced a smile.
"You… Are you okay..?" Astro’s tone carried concern as he stepped closer, even glancing at Dandy. Something about the situation seemed to bother him.
"Mhm— I mean, I could be better, right?" Cosmo sighed. "Just… ran into some trouble..." He fiddled with the drawstring of his hoodie. "...But Dandy helped me, so I guess it's fine."
"Ah… Helped." Astro went silent for a moment before speaking again. "…At least you two are safe now.." His magic glowed softly, sending some stamina toward Cosmo.
Cosmo let out a long sigh, feeling relief wash over him.
"Thanks, Astro."
"...No problem... You should get some rest." He tucked his hands back under his blanket.
"Yeah… I was thinking about that. Rodger should be here soon to pick up Toodles."
"Pick up… Toodles?"
"He asked me to watch over her." Cosmo rubbed his face.
"Ah... I see. Good luck—"
"If you ever need help, you knoooow where to find me!" Dandy leaned on Astro, who just shot him a look but didn’t seem to mind much.
"Okay—Thanks, Dandy." Cosmo waved. "Come on, Toodles— I’ll get you some cake."
"Oh—Okay!" Toodles happily bounced after him.
Astro remained quiet, watching the two walk off before turning his gaze back to Dandy.
"...So you really helped him..." The moon sighed.
Dandy didn’t say anything. His expression was neutral.
"...Why?" Astro still seemed surprised, keeping his eyes on the small flower.
Dandy simply looked at him, then turned his gaze back to the two, particularly to Toodles.
Astro followed his eyes, confused, then looked back at his best friend.
Dandy looked at him again, still with that neutral expression, before his usual grin returned.
"Soooo... I still need your help, can we?" He gestured, spinning his petals.
Astro watched as Dandy walked into the shop. The moon still felt confused about everything, but it was typical of Dandy to dodge questions he didn’t want to answer. Maybe he just helped because he wanted to? It was strange.
But Astro knew Dandy wasn’t truly bad. Not like everyone said.
Maybe that’s why Astro felt guilty even thinking of pushing him away.
Dandy was his best friend.
And that wouldn’t change.
Some time later, Cosmo had tended to his injured arm and put on a fresh hoodie. Toodles seemed fine too, sitting on the floor, playing with some toys in his room.
Cosmo let out a long sigh. He was exhausted— it had been a long day. At least he learned never to take his eyes off Toodles again, she could disappear at any moment. Hopefully, she learned something too? That was the expectation.
A soft knock came at the door. Cosmo quickly got up and walked over, opening it.
It was Rodger.
"Detective..." Cosmo leaned a hand on the doorframe.
"Greetings, Cosmo." Rodger kept his hands behind his back.
"Heey— Everything good?"
"...Quite well, thank you. I assume Toodles gave you trouble?"
"Ah—Whaaat? No, of course not— Haha..." Cosmo looked away.
"Right..."
He knew it was a lie. Rodger wasn’t stupid.
"Rodgerrr!" Toodles got up and ran to the door, hugging Rodger tightly.
"Hello, little detective… Did you behave?"
"Mhm!"
"Excellent. I’ll take you back to your room, it’s almost bedtime."
"Ookay." Toodles let go of him and walked off down the hallway.
Rodger watched her go, then turned back to Cosmo.
"...Thanks again for helping."
"...It was nothing."
It was definitely something. It had been complicated.
"Here." Rodger handed him something.
"Huh? What’s this?" Cosmo asked, confused, but extended his hand. Rodger placed a small box in it.
"Consider it a thank you. I still expect the day you’ll owe me one. I must admit, I still need answers, Cosmo." Rodger turned to leave.
"...I see." Cosmo watched him walk away.
He sighed.
Weird detective.
He went back into his room, shut the door, and headed to bed— he needed rest.
Lying on his back, he stared at the box before opening it.
Well.
It was a keychain.
A keychain of himself. Those were hard to find around the floors, but it was nice to have.
Cosmo gave a small smile and let out another tired sigh, setting the box on the nightstand. He stared at the keychain for a few more minutes.
Then placed it beside the box.
Cosmo turned off the lamp and got comfortable in bed, closing his eyes.
Tomorrow would be another day.