Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dazzles' mind wandered to a time where children cheered for her and her brother on stage when they'd pop in to welcome the audience. How teenagers enjoyed their piano playing -and often requested them to cover songs they barely had the ability to know about- and even when a toddler shoved a little drawing in their faces... Her hand danced on the surface of their bed, trying to mimic the motion of playing a frequently requested song.
Not a lot of things nowadays bring her a smile... as distant rattling of pipes and the lights automatically activating would've woke her if she did sleep...Their somber home was quiet enough for her to hear cosmos's distant steps and incomprehensible mutterings...

Turning over, she glanced at her brother, no longer did she jump when she meets that one broken eye, the dulled iris frozen forevermore. It almost felt like it was staring right at her through the crack. Gently she reached over with her arm and tried to shake him awake.

"Razzle... Razzle, its' time to get up." She gently spoke, in response he mumbled something too groggily for her to hear before parting his eyelid a small bit... and with a tired smile. He joined her in the waking world, the twins got up from their makeshift bed. Following their morning routine, they took the bundles of clothe off the table, and remade the table bed for tonight. Making sure they took their bag away from its' spot at the head of the table. It was awkward, but with some practiced effort they propped the duffel bag onto their back. It rested heavily on their shoulder, the shape uncomfortable. Not having been made for someone their size.

Weaving past and between decrepit backstage mechanisms and their old piano. They shared a small look to each other before bending down to lift up the projection screen, just enough for them to slip out from their sleeping area. Dazzle glanced to their left, past their brother towards a wall adoring various little head-shots of toons drawn above sets of marks. It hurt to look the marks over, but she felt a need to... it helped prepare her for the day. "M-morning!" Cosmo half shouts from across the room, the clattering of medkits and various cooking utensils adorning his rather large backpack was almost louder than his voice. He shot the two a nervous smile as he carried a tray of todays breakfast over towards the meeting table. Plopping it down in the middle before preparing each members' spot. "How did you two sleep? I-I tried to clean the table clothes so it'd be more comfortable!"

"It was great, Cosmo" Razzle replied, His ever present smile more sleepy as he attempted to ease the skittish toon, his smile was practically permanent... Dazzle wasn't sure it could go away even if Razzle tried to frown. "Hey Cosmo... did you sleep good?" Instead of answering Cosmo's question, Dazzle asked one of her own. Her gaze zeroing in on the ever deepening bags of the shorter toon as the siblings moved to help him set up breakfast. The bags under his eyes were almost as noticeable as her own. She was certain he didn't sleep a wink last night either.

The way Cosmo hesitated before placing down another plate and utensils was more than enough of an answer for her. Glancing down, she couldn't stop her eyes from being drawn to the tattered friendship bracelet, her brow softening. They've been searching for months but there was just no sign of Sprout. Dazzle wasn't sure if him turning up at this point would actually be good or not for the group. The sound of rattling metal drew her attention away from the melancholy thoughts that threatened to consume her. Looking to their right the trio easily spot Glisten stepping out of his sleeping quarter. He was already donned in a pot he reshaped into a helmet and a padded vest. His one good eye was difficult to spot through the eyehole, Dazzle wondered if he slept in the armor but choose not to talk about Sir Glisten, the Brave... as the mirror wants to be seen as. Even after a few years have passed since this nightmare started. His ego demanded him to give the armor a name like it was just another character for a play. Like some knight in one of those books Razzle once read to little kids long ago...

"Glisten, how is the armor?" Dazzle inquired, desperate not to think about the past. She wasn't interested in crying right now, she has done enough of that.

"Why its' simply MARVELOUS! I humbly thank you again for the idea!" In what Dazzle assumes was a ploy for normalcy, Glisten struck a pose. Showing off the amalgamation of stitched together clothing from the lost and found and the cooking utensils Cosmo was unable to make use of.

"...And the eye?" It was almost unnoticeable but Dazzle was watching close enough to spot how Glisten deflated, a shiver running down his spine as he looked away from the group. He left the pose with a hand slipping under his helm to feel his face...

"W-well... it doesn't hurt... c-can't see through it but I'm sure I still look just as dashing as ever." Dazzle noddled stiffly as she swallowed thickly. Unbidden the image of Vee's head between the teeth of that monster that wore Pebbles skin made her fist clench. Glisten was lucky that they and Flutter were close by, otherwise his stint at playing hero would have cost even more lives. Dazzle could still hear the distorted, short lived scream of Vee... It haunted her, she wondered if it haunted Glisten too. If it did. He did a good job hiding it... not as good as he does trying to hide the smaller than normal dog plush hanging off his makeshift belt. As if knowing her thoughts, one of his hands slipped down to try and tuck the plush out of sight.

"Did... Goob come back?" Razzle asked, figuratively stepping into the conversation between glisten and his sister. Glisten turned his head away from the two, staring past them... Dazzle traced his eyes and Razzle subconsciously followed suit as they turned to look upon the Wall. The twins' eyes scanned the marks under a rough sketch of Goobs' face... a new mark was amongst the number, Dazzle didn't need to count to know a new mark was placed. Now its' just down to five... Dazzles' frown deepened as she blinked rapidly. She needed to stop thinking about these things. She needed a distraction.

"Flutter, there you are." Cosmos' voice served as the perfect distraction, snapping both her and her brothers' heads away from the wall. She easily caught Flutter flying in from the door to the stairway, dashing through the air like it was nothing. It brought a odd comfort to the four toons when she glided down to land next to the table. Using her butterfly tongue, Flutter shifted the cards in the tiny purse on her chest. Cosmo scooted a chair back and helped Flutter sit at the table.

"Does... anyone else hear something?" Razzle half-whispered, his head slowly scanning the entire room for something. Dazzle struggles to tilt up her good ear, straining to hear what her brother was hearing. Cosmo stayed still like a statue, trying to keep his cumbersome pact silent. The three toons stared at the twins, waiting in baited silence. Razzle always had a good sense of hearing. A beat passes by when a loud thump echoed out from near the elevator further away from them. Just when everyone was about jump into action, a familiar voice rang out, sputtering out incoherent anger at the floor. After a tired look to each other, they all turned to stare towards the source of the noise. Spotting Shrimpo getting back up after another wipe out. He recently found a pair of skates and refused anyone's attempt at helping him learn how to use them... or how to tie the laces.

Razzle went to raise his hand in greeting but Shirmpo glared at the hand "I HATE HELLOS!" the loathing shrimp screeched as he stumble skated towards the table, stepping up the stairs before thumping his hate fueled butt into his seat. Dazzle wondered how Flutter was okay with sitting next to him...

Cosmo gingerly took the tray top off his latest dish. Dazzle wasn't sure what it was that they were eating. Could've been eggs, pancakes, or even cardboard cooked in the shape of toast. It didn't matter though, being picky helps no one. She and Razzle dug in while she glanced around the table. Glisten hesitated before he took a tentative bite of his first meal of the day, it was hard to read his expression with that helmet covering half his face. Shirmpo's face was scrunched up as he glared down at his food. Ironically, his food seemed to be glaring back. Unlike everyone else, Flutter was the only one who gets a liquid for breakfast. It was the only way she could really eat by herself. Flutter slurped up the off colored soup wit her tongue. Cutting her eyes to Cosmo, Dazzle noticed he did not set up a plate for himself and was just... sitting there. Dazzle chewed thoughtfully. before with a heavy swallow and a soft sigh, she lifts her head from her and her brothers' food. Letting him continue as she broke their routine of swapping bites.

"Cosmo... where's your food?" Cosmo shrunk in on himself as four -and a half- sets of eyes turned to look at him, the shaky smile slipping a little. Shirmpo didn't care, at least. Didn't look like he cared, he just finally started to eat. Flutter side eyed Cosmo, but kept drinking her soup. and Glisten turned his body completed to stare right at Cosmo as he ate, slowing down to pay more attention to what the lone toon says.

"W-well... I-I ate while I was waiting for the rest of the meals to finish cooking!" he half sputtered out the answer with a wave of his hands, a strained smile stretching across his face. A faint, almost growling wail from his side of the table broke the lie in half, the sound echoing throughout the room. Glisten and Flutter paused in their meals, glancing downwards at what is left of their breakfast.

"... So... we need to get more food?" Dazzle inquired, judging from the way everyone else turned to look at her, she may have sounded more... demanding than she thought. Cosmo sheepishly nodded after a beat of silence

"M-more ingredients... anyway... r-ran out of sugar, baking soda a-and olive oil..." Dazzle debated whether or not to press the issue, if they were missing more supplies than Cosmo was letting on, this was something the group needed to know... but looking at Cosmo, she didn't have the heart to push even though he was going hungry... or at least, he tried to go hungry. Glisten broke some of his remaining breakfast off and reached outwards, after a short 'fight' he shoved the bit of food into Cosmos' hands

"You better eat that." The rest of breakfast was eaten in uncomfortable silence.

Afterwards everyone besides Flutter and a rather unhelpful shrimp cleaned up their dishes and prepared the table for that mornings meeting. Flutter having flown off to fetch the map Razzle and Rodger drew together.

"Okay everyone... let us recap." Dazzle began "Floors 158 and 159 are lost, to Pebbles and Astro." Razzle, Dazzle and Glisten shared a uncomfortable shiver at the mention of Pebbles being so close to base. "Thanks to Flutter, we know they don't seem interested in leaving, but we aren't gonna risk it. So until further notice, we ignore the floors below us." This decision was met with a mumbling of agreement. After giving everyone a chance to air out their thoughts, the twins paused as Flutter flies back, map held between her chin and her neck, the twins took the map and began unrolling it onto the table while Razzle thanked Flutter for fetching it

"So we'll be focusing on the higher floors. 155 through 150 are relatively safe..." Dazzle softly sighed as Razzle took the speaking role with her tapping the respected floors, she never quite understood why it was always them that started the morning meetings. It was something she hate doing. but if they gotta start it, it had to be done. "The occasional twisted always appears but none of the bigger ones seem to be appearing so we can pop in to look for things we may have missed." Given the way shirmpo huffed, Dazzle already knew what he was about to say

"I hate double checking." she was thankful he was a little quieter about it though.

"A-ahem. Above that, we know floor 149 has too many twisteds to take head on. But none of the bigger monsters so someone could distract while others enter from another side of the floor. We didn't get to look around the place before they came running so there is bound to be stuff we missed there." Razzle offered the plan for that floor. And while the others mulled it over, Dazzle looked over the unrolled staircase map. Multiple floors were crossed out. Some with 'Empty' marked next to them. A few floors with 'Too many monsters'. And one with simply 'Dandy' on it. The amount of toons lost to floor 145 still caused a hitch in Dazzles' breath. They have only encountered him once, they thought that floor had no twisteds at all. They never realized it was because of what the tainted ichor did to Dandy.

"Sounds like a beautiful plan." Glistens' voice drew Dazzles' attention away from that map and back into the conversation. She hoped she didn't space out too badly

"Okay. with floor 149 planned out. We'll have to be careful if we go above it. Flutter only got to..." he trailed off, glancing over as Flutter shifts through her cards before throwing a small fit at not finding the right ones. Shirmpos' impatient tapping not helping with the wait. Growing frustrated, Flutter simply pointed her foot at the floor in question "Toooo floor 116... and that's without her exploring every room..." Dazzle didn't voice her thoughts but... that was risky... helpful, but not a good idea. If any of the big monsters caught her while she was scouting...

"Onto the staircase assignments... every so often after floor 140, we know a few stairways had gotten cluttered up and difficult to maneuver around. We are to meet up on the floors right before these stairways and continue as a group through the stairway that is the least dangerous." Dazzle spoke out, tapping the respected floors when she said them. She had to keep her mind on the meeting. She can think of what ifs later, when they are all back here safe and sound.

"As far as rooms are concerned. Look for diners, restaurants. Kitchens. Be careful... some of those monsters seem to wander around the kitchens more than others. Shelly being one of them." Razzle glanced to his sister to take over. Dazzle felt her throat tighten on reflex, even trying to say the name frightened her to this point... "and... Pebbles..." Dazzle caught how Glisten stiffened at the name. It wasn't exactly kind but she hopes he learned his lesson from the last time he went face to face with the rock dog.

"We need food... b-but we can't replace each other. So watch out for dangers. If anything happens, Glistens' reflection trick should work. Just... tap on a reflective surface and he should feel it from his hand mirr-" "WE ALREADY KNOW THIS!" Shrimpo snapped, causing Razzle to stall

"Get to the important stuff. I hate waiting here!" Dazzle shot a glare at the shrimp, words burned on her tongue as she grabbed her brothers hand, squeezing it reassuringly

"R-Right, well here." Razzle took his hand from his sister and pointed at a room on floor 125. "We believe is a potential spot where another group of toons are living. Flutter has been visiting it the last few trips." A half-hearted smile shot form Dazzle to Flutter, the butterfly toon winking with those happy looking eyes. " As... far as we know, the doors are locked from within and they have no means to defend themselves beyond the doors but have supplies we need... So we are going to try and reach them. And potentially bring them back here if needed."" - "And why can't THEY come to us!?" Shrimpo jumped to his feet, stomping his foot as he sneered. He nearly slipped on the skates again but caught himself with the table.

"If you were paying attention you would know that they don't have any way to defend themselves." Glisten shot back. Shrimpo huffed as he looked away. With what Dazzle thinks is dejection coloring his face. At least now he seemed done interrupting the meeting. She hopes.

Razzle coughed into his hand, Bringing the attention back to the matter at hand. "As we were saying. They don't have any weapons as far as we know. And not as many barricades as we do. Even though we could move to their floor. We already reinforced our few rooms too much to just move." Razzle nodded towards the work on the elevator not too far away from the table. It was blocked with bookshelves, work desks, and other objects. Dazzle was thankful the other elevator was out of order, otherwise they'd have to block both. Just because the button doesn't work doesn't mean something can't use it to get to them.

"I know how we all feel about splitting up... but given the food situation, and... how are the medical supplies looking?" Razzle asked Cosmo as he walks around the table, little plastic bags in hand as he hands out rations for the day.

"O-oh, we got enough for a severe injury. N-no rubbing alcoh- ack!" Cosmo jumped as Shrimpo snatched his bag forcefully. Shuffling away from the angry toon, Cosmo began tucking Flutters' rations into the bag on her back. "W-we ran out of rubbing alcohol b-but we are pretty good on bandages... we are low on salves and antiseptics" Cosmo resumed. "I-I'll have to recheck everything but we should be good f-for a few weeks" Razzle and Dazzle nodded in unison, to which Razzle's' smile grew a little bit at that.

"Alright, Food. Medical supplies. And if we can, check out floor 125 fo-" Shrimpo loudly groaned. Glisten rolled his eyes

"I think that's everything, we should hurry this up. Who takes which staircase?" Glisten asked as he stood up from his seat with everyone else. Shrimpo was determined to take staircase A for... some reason Dazzle didn't understand. Flutter pointed to A when asked which staircase she wanted. Razzle and Dazzle were willing to take B. Which left Glisten with C. With plans made and everyone aware of where to go. Everyone moved to get ready. Everyone but Cosmo walked up to a closet that was used to store their weapons. Glisten picked up a large kitchen knife and sheathed it across his back, plan B if he comes across a twisted that was too agile for his axe. Which he took a moment to lift, the fire axe was nearly twice his size. It always looked like he was gonna fall under its' weight but its' one of the best weapons they got. With his armor, he should be able to take on any twisted that isn't bigger than them.

Shrimpo had nothing more than a simple wrench. It wasn't even the weapon he preferred. No, that would have to be the padded glove he always wore. Dazzle swears he never takes it off... his weaponry worried Dazzle, along with the skates he never tied nor desired to learn how to use properly. She would never admit it aloud, but he was actually one of their more competent fighters... she would hate to lose him to something avoidable. She also shared concern for Flutter, since she was unable to wield a weapon. She'd have to rely on Shirmpo to keep both him and her safe. Though she pitied her, she would not want to take her place with the Shrimp

Cosmo was the only one who didn't need to grab his weapon, the makeshift sling was always on his person alongside the ammo he collects for it. It was also the most delicate weapon in their arsenal. Being made out of soften leather and a single shoe lace, it had good range and was better than nothing. But was better to distract from a distance than to protect oneself.

Razzle and Dazzle shared a look together before picking their weapon up. They still remember when they could only drag it, the cumbersome pipe wrench. Once more of a hindrance but now they could sling it over their shoulders with semi-ease.

Taking a deep breath, all of them looked to each other. Tension was thick in the air as they prepared themselves. They've only just begun splitting up and honestly no one liked it. With their bags emptied and their weapons in hand, they all moved for their respected staircase. Hoping to see one another again.

Solemnly, Cosmo watched as the others left. His stomach in knots as he slipped back into his kitchen. He needed to keep himself busy or else he would think of nothing but the the worst case scenarios... until they return he will just be watching the stairs, cleaning, keeping track of supplies and. Most importantly. Trying to think up something for breakfast tomorrow. He hopes they all return... prayed for it even... He glanced downwards at the bracelet that limply hung from his wrist. He prays they don't come back alone.

Chapter Text

Glisten was walking up stairway-C. his footsteps slow and methodical, the slight noise of his armor echoed both upwards and downwards. One wrong step and he'd make too much noise. He could almost picture it already. A horde of twisteds barreling down the stairway from above. Drawn to the noises he would make if he tripped and fell down to the ground, or down the stairs behind him...

He grimaced at the thought of the horde coming from below. Scrambling over themselves, flooding the stairway and clambering up after him like a roaring tidal wave... The only thing he hated more than his mind in that moment, was how quiet he had to be. He took a moment to listen, and only when he was sure nothing was listening, he would breathe... He wishes he could just run, be his usual self. Dance, sing. Something that wasn't just... sneaking alone... A star needs an audience...

He walked past another 5 floors, continuing up the stairs. Pausing at each doorway before going past them. Any bump could be a danger, any thump from a door could be a twisted trying to get out into the stairway. He tiptoed past another 2. Hearing muffled thumps from within, heavy. Slow. Thumps. His missing eye burned at the memories of... Gnashing rock and distorted screaming when he heard the muffled yet still bellowing barks of that ichor damned boulder. He struggled to ignore the thumping as he pressed onward.

He hung close to the railing, his fire axe in both hands. His knuckles ached with how tightly he gripped his weapon.

With slow, careful steps. He stepped up to floor 148 and froze to listen to the other side of the door like the previous ones… Thumps, a familiar music box tune from above… He felt paler than he looked as he shifted his gaze to stare upwards.

The thumps and music was faint but growing louder… nearly tripping over himself, he opened the door to floor 148 and closed it behind himself. Taking all the willpower he has to not run away from the door and risk making more noise. All he could do was stand there, back against the door as he waited...

The stomps and dreaded music of that Flower. Only slightly muffled by the walls and door. Pounded in his head all the same. He could feel his insides shift and churn as Dandy stopped on the other side of the door.

Glisten held his breath, Shifting his head to look from his left to right for signs of danger. The music played on and on, a mockery of a friends' favorite song. He hoped the music at least masked whatever little noises his armor would create.

The mirror began to slowly step away from the stairway door, opting to at least be out of view of the door in case Dandy walked through. At a good distance away, he began paying more attention to his surroundings. It seems he was in one of the many restaurants of Garden view. He felt hollow when his eye fell on the menu hanging above the counter, so painfully hollow.

Whether the floor was empty, or had twisteds hiding just out of sight. Glisten kept at his slow advance away from the stairway, axe at the ready in case something jumped out at him. With that dreadful music growing weaker the farther he moved from the door. Eventually all he could hear was his soft steps and a rather demanding stomach.

The empty booths bring a small sense of sorrow in him, his heart ached at how silent it was... how lonely the entire place was... With his nerves still at high alert. He stopped at a booth in a corner of a small room. A side room for birthday parties... Toodles' little birthday banner was still hanging above the booth. Sketches of him, Toodles, Pebbles and Rodger on each part of the makeshift banner.



With a tired hand, he brushed a small layer of dust off the booth seat before climbing up onto it, resting his axe atop the table... He tries not to remember, he has tried not to remember the good old days... His ugly crying did no one any good... but here... He couldn't help but think back to that birthday party...

Toodles was off somewhere after she had some cake, playing with the kids. Probably in a food-fight, most likely. Leaving Glisten and Rodger to eat together in their booth, Rodger preferred eating away from those who didn't know his secret. In a way to keep him comfortable, Glisten kept checking the area around them to ensure no one was watching. He doesn't quite remember what he ordered... or if he really touched it. He was too busy watching for Rodgers' comfort... well, that and he was too busy watching Rodger himself.

Rodger was always a bit bland with what he'd prefer to eat. The same order every time they came to a restaurant floor, no changes no matter if it was a celebration, a date. Or anything really special. He loved his spaghetti with extra meat-"claws". Glisten gave a small chuckle at the memory "Why didn't you order some for yourself?" he playfully mocked the memory. Quoting the question he remembered Rodger asking him once when he stole a meat-claw during one of their dinner dates.

"Because... its' yours." He solemnly answer the question as he imagined Rodger sitting there across from him... Glisten didn't even like spaghetti, or the meat-claws for that matter. He much preferred the pizza they made on these floors... at least, he thinks he did. Difficult to really remember what he ate back then. Things feel... fuzzy when he tries to remember what happened before the twisteds popped up.

Only things he could remember with a good amount of detail was Rodger... how he would fix his undershirt before donning that tuxedo jacket. How he'd go into a rant about the differences between his frilly jabot and a cravat whenever someone assumed it to be one. He leans forward, reaching over and moving his hand as if to clean a smudge off the imaginary Rodgers' face... He was always a bit of a messy eater whenever he ate spaghetti. Despite how 'well-kept' he would always claim to be.

Glisten then leaned back into his booth. Staring down at his axe as his mental imagine of Rodger continued to eat. That odd balance of both beauty and terror he saw in that detective... the blooming, almost flower like style his face would open up whenever he was eating. Oh, how Glisten missed hiding the fear it brought out in him... how he missed seeing it happen... that secret he and Toodles were trusted with before Gardenview was lost to the monsters.


____________
Four years ago.

They appeared with no warning, no one understood what was happening. One day, Everyone was celebrating the day Dandy had gotten the rights to Gardenview. The next, maybe not the next but sometime after. It happened. Twisted mockeries of friends, variants of friends. And even some unique friends were attacking all on sight and seemed to be everywhere.

They originally came from below, from their quarters Rodger saw the monsters swarm the stairs upwards. They were lucky they didn't enter the sleeping quarters of their floor. Dumb luck...

Everything suddenly turned into one of those horror movies Toodles insisted on watching before bed. Toons started locking themselves up, turning against each other. Some got together and tried to push the twisteds back down below. Others tried to save what they thought were just sick friends, only welcoming soon-to-be twisteds to their safe zones.


Having been together when it started, A group of vintage toons decided to stick together; Rodger, Toodles. Pebbles and Glisten were running for their lives, Rodger a half-breath mess. Toodles and Glisten trying to open any door on the stair-way they could find. And Pebbles is just struggling to keep up with his small size and the stairs. Multiple thumps, splattering of ichor from above. Monsters were after them. He could not remember which twisteds were chasing after them.

“L-let us in! Please!” Toodles cried, banging on one door, no response. The doorknob refused to budge. Even to Glistens’ shoulder. They were forced to move on. Rodger struggled to keep up with his bad legs, Pebbles did what he could to help. Which wasn't much.

The groans were loud, echoing up and down the stairway. They weren’t sure just which way was dangerous. There was at least one below but there could be more above. The constant echoing of banging, screaming. And groaning just made everyone dizzy.

Glisten opened one door, for a moment. He was happy. But he slammed it shut almost as quickly as he opened it when he saw a twisted Boxten inside, in the process of tearing apart another toon. He didn’t look long enough to see who was being attacked. But that ichor stained box would remain in his nightmares for years.

A cough caught glistens' attention, and with hurried steps. He hurried over to Rodger, who had collapsed from exhaustion. “Come on Rodger, we can make it.” Glisten claimed as he began to walk with Rodgers’ tired body half draped over his shoulder. Practically dragging the exhausted toon up the stairs as Toodles and pebbles ran ahead.

“T-theres’ five.. I-I counted… five… ” Rodger said in between breaths. Barely able to speak a whisper as he and Glisten went as fast as they could after the other two. Pebbles hurrying on ahead while Toodles paused to bang at each door, crying out for anyone inside to let them in when the door didn't budge. Five wasn't too big a problem in an open room... but in the tight confines of this stairway? You might as well just jump down the center if you think running past them was a good idea.

“W-why are you out there?! ” - “We shou…”   Glisten didn’t have the hearing to understand the quiet, near whispering voice of Dazzle, but could understand the familiar voice of Razzle clear as day. Whichever ones, he didn’t care. Twisteds don't talk, they only kill. That was something he knew. “We were looking fo-” Toodles began, half crying as she tried to plead for the twins to open their door. Glisten didn't think they had time to explain themselves as he banged on the door as hard as he could with his free arm.

“Let us in! There are five Twisteds behind us and who knows how many ahead of us! ” He yelled at the door. Causing the magic eight ball to jump and the magnifying glass to give him a look that lacked the energy to show any real emotion beyond tiredness. 'If only you had my shirt, you'd look perfect like that' Glisten momentarily thought when he saw that look on Rodgers' eye.

“I-I don’t know… It doesn’t seem right… “ glisten was about to yell something again when he barely caught Dazzle whispering. He couldn’t make out what words she was saying… The march of twisteds below got louder, and louder as the twins talked amongst themselves. Almost seeming to ignore the three in danger.

Glisten was about to run up the stairs, to move on. When he spotted a sight that still haunts him. Pebbles, what used to be a Pebbles at least. A twisted mockery that USED to be Pebbles. Was staring down at them. Pinned in place by a vending machine that must’ve been pushed down the stairs. It wasn’t barking but those red eyes gave all the danger Glisten needed to see. It was too busy chewing what remains of THEIR Pebbles.

Glisten backed up with Rodger towards the twins' door, the pinned twisteds' eyes glaring into them as it continued to chew up their friend. Toodles continues begging, banging onto the door with her little fists and the twins’ whispering lost to him as the heads of the five twisteds following them started to enter his sight. All Glisten could hear at the time was that chewing, that... damn chewing.

Despair was setting in, there is no telling if they can get past Pebbles in one piece. Nor if they could somehow get past the five twisteds chasing them. Neither path was safe, neither was gonna save them. Suddenly, a click broke through the chewing in his head. Spinning his attention to the door. A red and blue RnD was throwing the door open. Dazzle looking more worried and Razzle appearing terrified. 

“Get in! ” The twins shouted in unison. They didn’t need to be told twice. Toodles, Rodger, and Glisten rushed in without a second thought and immediately got to work barricading the door behind them. Despite his exhaustion, Rodger helped as best he could as the gangle of toons started pushing a vending machine and a couple chairs in front of the locked door. The banging began soon after it was locked.

They used all their strength to move the heavy machine, and afterwards all anyone there could do was sit down and catch their breath. And listen as the monsters banged on their door. Muffled growls and gurgling throats echoing from the otherside of the door. Rodger took the moment to reach over, catching Glisten off guard via wiping his hand against his face.

"S-smear... you got a smear. " the words felt alien to Glisten as he stared at that stupid, smiling eye... The two could only snicker quietly, much to the bewilderment of the twins and Toodles. Trying to pay the two no mind, the young toon turned to face Razzle and Dazzle. Smiling up at them regardless of how tired her face was.

“T-thanks… for letting us in.” Toodles was the first to speak, smiling up at the twins. Razzle smiled back. Dazzle… she tried to hide a look on her face… " Oh, It was nothing... H-here, how about we get away from the door?” Razzle said, gently taking Toodles hand while Dazzle gestured for the other two to follow.

Glisten saw that look Dazzle made when Toodles thanked the two… Was she scared? Frustrated? Whatever emotion it was… he understood that she did not want that door to be opened... wanting far away from that door, Glisten opted to pick Rodger up. The one eyed toon let out a short breath of surprise as he was plucked up and forced in a bridal carry. Glisten put on his best mask, smiling down as he walked. "So does your knight get a kiss, my dear prince?"

Rodger only retaliated with a gentle smack to the side of his face " This isn't... o-one of your... plays... Glisten." A half-breathed scolding came from the one eyed toon... despite not wanting to humor Glisten... the two smiled at the fact they survived and had gotten somewhere safe. They will mourn Pebbles tonight... but for now, they celebrate their survival.

________________
Back to the present


There Glisten sat at the old booth, hugging the toy he carried on his hip. A poorly repaired plush dog, missing an arm and a button eye. He fought against the tears as he hugged the small toy.

He fails to hold back the tears, like how he failed them . He should’ve been there to save them… He should’ve been there for them… They should’ve been together.

A thump rings out from somewhere else in the room. Snapping Glistens’ one-eyed gaze away from the battered old toy. Without looking, he slips the small doll back to its place on his belt and gets up from the booth.

He only had a couple seconds to slip against a nearby wall to hide from a group of twisteds that had migrated to this floor some time recently, maybe yesterday? They couldn’t have gotten here when he started thinking of the past.

He could hear more movement than he saw. He could hear the telltale scraping noise of a Finn dragging himself across the floor, the faint giggling of a deviously playful Scraps. The distorted, almost drowned music of a Boxten. And more.

Finn was nowhere to be seen, but there. He spotted a calico Scraps prowling around. Something about her rubbed him the wrong way, like nearly every twisted Scraps he had run into before. Something about them always seemed… less mindless than the other monstrosities. Yet just as feral. The way these scraps moved was more hunting, less roaming like the most other twisted mockeries of friends.

To the right, stumbling into his pathway to the stairway was a Boxten, a much lighter shade of purple with clouds upon his head and different outfit entirely. Ichor arms hanging limp from the top of his head. Next to the boxten was some emo Shirmpo that was… probably recently turned? It was only leaning against a wall. The two were familiar in a way… The Boxten at least, was once a member of their little group.

He had helped fix up Toodles’ toy once, and had saved Cosmo... Glisten never said it but he was happy he was there. He was a good listener when he was alone… Glisten felt a ping of guilt as he watched him wander aimlessly. Tears threatened to blind his remaining eye as he watched the twisted stumble mindlessly away from him.

“Sorry, Boxten.” Glisten sighed somberly before slinking back towards his booth, he had to get out of here. He could take on a few twisteds with relative ease but… he didn’t want to risk facing Scraps without someone to help break her attention. His armor isn’t as perfect as he wishes it to be.

He barely had time to snatch his axe when a half ichor coated, half caramel drizzled Cosmo rushed him. That single ichor claw slashing at the booth when he was grabbing the axe from the table. With a swift turn, Glisten smacks the Cosmo into the booth seats with the butt of his axe.

The noise wasn’t that loud. But the noises of footsteps growing closer made Glisten run. He doesn’t have to waste energy on this bunch. He nearly got tripped up by a face that brought back so many pun-filled nightmares, a fin-headed Finn nearly caught his leg with an arm as he ran around a corner. How Finns keep losing their legs is something he never understands and hopes he never will.

A colorful curse left his lips at the near-trip. But he kept on, Prismatic Finn joining the chase after him. So far, Glisten knew there were at least the five twisteds, each one behind him somewhere. If worst comes to worst he has better odds than the others if they were here. He wasn’t as smart as Rodger, but he knew his odds were still good.

He rounds another corner, half breathed and praying he is near a door. When he spots something that stole his complete attention. A yellow fluff boa. The stained purple dress. The tea-kettle shaped head… He fell silent as his gaze fell upon Her.

HER.
_______________________________________________

The group was recovering from running into Dandy. Rodger and Toodles were sending toons to the stairway where glisten and boxten protected them from the few twisteds that were attacking them on the floor. Boxten with a table leg, Glisten a kitchen knife and makeshift armored sleeve.

“ Rodger, look out! ” - Toodles’ scream drew Glistens’ eyes away from the rest of the fleeing toons. Something overwhelmed him as he ran from his spot, leaving Boxten to fend the twisteds from the rest of their fleeing troop.

“Rodger! Toodles! Where are you!?” Glisten shouted out as he ran past someone, twisted or toon he didn’t care. Someone yelled a name, was it his? Something grabbed his shoulder, he broke free easily and continued running. A pain hit his back, without missing a beat, he stabbed blindly behind himself with his knife, feeling himself free. He kept moving. Ignoring the fact his knife was missing.

“ Get away from her! ” - Rodgers’ voice yelled out. Glisten ran through a room, was he running through rooms? Where are they? All he sees is black, faint outlines coat his surroundings. He tried to 'warp' to them... but no. Nothing reflective was near them, or at least. With them. All reflective surfaces he could reach were in other rooms, none showed his Toodles. None showed his detective in his mind's eye.

Room 145, that was the room they all were in… wasn’t it? He couldn’t quite remember. The lights had gone out. He kept running in the dark as his gifted ability continued to fail him. He yells in the dark for them. All the while thumps echoed somewhere in the darkness, far away from him. Growing more distant the more he ran. Screams echoing from ahead, a fight. Muffled, but loud enough to hear.

Not every time they would yell back, couldn’t they hear him? He was trying to find them! The echoing sound of broken glass combined with a heart wrenching screech froze Glisten to his core. But only for a second.

He wasn’t running now, he was sprinting. Near banging himself on furniture and walls, something got stuck on his bow. He slammed something against it, freeing himself. And kept. Sprinting. His armored sleeve was forgotten, having gotten snagged by something else. Twisteds? a chair? He didn't care. He just had to get to her... he just...

Toodles’ voice rings out one more time with a steadily growing crack, but her voice is swiftly smothered by a sickening sound. Like a… a hard crunch . A purple dress enters his vision. A twisted Teagan stepped over something, each step crunching glass beneath her. Glisten could only see the purple dress for a moment before his eyes caught onto the figures on the ground.

If only you were faster. A sudden burst of pain shot up his body as the mockery of Teagan disappeared from his sight around a corner..

Glisten found himself over the bodies, details he did not want to see were bright as day and clear as bottled water. Yet also was too overwhelming to feel real. He wishes it was a nightmare...



Rodgers’ eye was broken, and ichor leaked from both his head and the wounds on his chest, slashes they looked like. Toodles laid close by, her corpse laid atop his own. Like she was trying to wake him up or... shield him. A hole was where her eight used to be, and cracks were splintering away from the hole, one gash of a crack took place between her eyes. Her face was devoid of emotion... but those eyes were locked in what he could only see as terror.

He cradled Rodgers’ body in one arm, while the other hopelessly held onto Toodles. The tears came down loudly as he clutched the two to his chest as best he could. Staining his monochrome body in ichor. He didn’t know which wounds were the last and which happened while they still lived... he couldn't tell how quick it was, how long the monster took... how long he was running...

He raised his head slowly, a sharp snapping of something managed to pull his attention upwards… Something was breaking. Cracking wood?

Things started echoing in his head, his voice? Rodger?... Toodles?... either it was just one or all of them. They shouted for help, the begged him to be faster. They ask why he wasn't there. Echoing words, and screams pounded the inside of his head. He couldn't even understand some of the things they said over the screams... He felt himself breaking. What an impressive failure. He thought to himself over the screams... over the sickening crunches and sounds of broken glass.



Nobody is perfect, and what fine proof you are. Glisten clutches at the bodies, taking labored breaths as the loneliness sets in... and the thoughts come breaking him down. Lucky for you, no one was watching. Was that cloud-dotted Boxten now twisted because he ran off to try and get to Rodger and Toodles? He didn't know, he didn't want to know. What's the harm in accepting that you failed more than just them... Why did he not take Boxten with him?

The poor music box feared being abandoned and you made that dream reality. He wonders if the screaming will end... Why did they others come back for you, they should've just left you with th-!

"SHUT UP!" Glisten shouts outward at the noises that surround him. A sickening crunch was his only reply, the crunch seemed to have silenced the screaming, the pleading. The thoughts and the breathing... A shaky breath left his lips before he screamed sorrowfully into the darkness. The tears flowed down like a broken sprinkler system.


When he next opened his eye, Glisten found that he was screaming at a mess on the ground… he felt exhaustion up and down his body… his fists felt sore and were pressing against some black mass on the ground… What was he doing on the... ground... When did he fall to the ground?

On the ground, underneath him at least. Was the pinned remains of the twisted Teagan that took everything from him… Her head was shattered against the ground. And his fists were... badly cut up in what was obviously an attack on the tea-kettle headed monster that took everything from him. Another shaky breath left him as he forced himself to stand, his legs shaking under his weight. A smile briefly found its way to his face but only for a moment.

'Where…' He began to think, his dazed mind struggling to understand what happened. 'Why'd I use my fists? Where’s my axe!?'  Turning around in a daze, he spots what looked like the remains of a battle. He wasn't sure what was buried in the twisted punk Shirmpo, but something was plunged so deep into Shrimpos' face it looked like a hole was punched where his face was, complete with ichor flowing out from it like a fountain.

Next to the Shirmpo was the calico Scraps from earlier. Her tail-tip missing, and... sharp gashes dotting her body from the head downwards. Right under her head was his helmet. Having been used as an improved weapon. It looked like it was stuck, stabbed into her neck... her maniacal grin was still there but those eyes looked lifeless.

With shaky legs, he stepped over to retrieve his helmet… a sharp, throbbing pain in his back brought his attention away from the corpses. It took him a second to grab whatever was on his back... And with a tug, he yanked it free. He found out where her tail went… must've cut it off with his knife bu-... where is his knife?

He stumbled over to Scraps' body. The throbbing pain spider-webbed up and down his body as he tore his helmet out of her neck. The edge was badly dented and the fight gave it a messy coat of ichor. He failed to note the color of his eye in his reflection when he looked the helmet over. He'll worry about his injuries or the armor later, he just needs protection... so he dons the helmet with little thought to if the tail broke through his armor.

Something out the corner of his eye drew his attention away from the damaged helmet. Off to the side, he spotted the caramel dribbled Cosmo. His knife was in the twisteds’ head, replacing the remaining eye it had left. Glisten chose not to count how many times he stabbed the monstrosity that used a friends' body. Instead he simply took the knife, wiped the ichor off the blade onto Cosmos' clothes. Then he Sheathed it onto his back while stumbling ahead, half limping. In search of the remaining bunch of twisteds that were in the room…

He quickly found the remains of the prismatic Finn. Broken glass and an ichor stained toy fish on the ground in a large puddle of ichor. His shirt was just floating in the stuff... He paused to wonder how fragile a Finn was once twisted. It... was it hard to reduce him to... this? Glisten felt sick at the sight.

To the right of Finns’ remains. And on a booth table was the cloud-dotted Boxten, Glisten forced down his lunch as the sight tried to bring it up. Boxtens’ head was not just chopped by an axe. It looked caved in. Ichor was splattered over the wall behind the twisted, from out the top of the poor things’ head. One of the ichor arms was stuck to the wall, or maybe that was just another stain of ichor. Glisten didn't look too closely at the stains.

Drawing his eye downward. He sees he apparently had buried the axe blade into Boxtens' chest. It looked like the only bit of the axe not painted black in ichor was in the middle of the yellow shaft. Both the blade and the bottom of the axe seemed to have found purpose in the fight... did he stab the bottom of it into Shirmpos' face?

His aching, sore body demanded rest… how long was he "out"? His limbs ache, his head throbbed, numbed pain spiderwebbed up and down his entire body as his nerves calmed down. He stepped forward, and with some effort. Pried the axe from Cloudy Boxtens' corpse... he couldn't help but picture Rodger helping him free the axe from its resting place.

A shaky breath left him as he forced the axe onto his shoulder, it felt… lighter, somehow. He chooses not to question it as he steps towards the kitchen area. With the monsters dealt with. He should at least look around, see if they missed any food or drinks from last time…

He paused on his way towards the kitchen, and couldn’t help but glance at his ichor stained hands, then back to the corpses of the twisteds…

The black tar blood of the dead monsters still moved… still flowing outwards from their husks… it was still wet…”Why…” he said, quietly as he looked down at his stained black hand. Speaking his thoughts aloud.

… “Why do my hands feel… dry?”

Chapter Text

Flutter flew between the shelves of the warehouse on floor 151-A. As she flew, the bells attached to her bag rang out, keeping the few twisteds chasing her from losing interest.

Shooting a glance behind her, she observed the mangled mockeries of friends long gone. The arms that spilled out from Boxten’s head struggled to keep their shape as they reached out for her .

Close behind the green music box was Poppy, her expression lifeless except for the inexplicable desire to kill. <Too fast to have been here long> Flutter thought as she flew over a table and a mess of overturned chairs. Poppy had gone to follow, gaze solely focused on her quarry as she smacked into the furniture. Boxten appeared smarter as it avoided the obstacles, the bubble monster ending up momentarily trampled by the music box and the monster that took up the rear.

Cutting her eyes forward for a moment, she made sure she wasn’t about to run into anything before looking behind herself again. Lowering herself a foot or two, she narrowly avoided a grasping hand that reached for her bag. Sucking in a breath she beat her wings harder. They burned as she dashed around the corner, yet the monsters still managed to keep up. With Poppy retaking the lead once more.

The one that had her most concerned was the star eyed, green gachapon in a tattered white sweater. This Gigi was a grinning malicious mess, even the cracked plastic of her head seemed to be smiling with jagged teeth. She keeps pace with Flutter, not faster than Poppy but not slower than Boxten. The hand that protruded from her head helped her in her pursuit. Each outstretched swipe threatened to pull Flutter down with her bag.

Flutter briefly saw it as she kept the three on her tail. Something tackled the Boxten when it lagged behind the other two. Giving them no time to follow the sound of a shrimp tackling their monstrous friend, the butterfly quickly flew back. Ringing those bells to keep their eyes on her as she flies the way Shirmpo came from.

He slowed his attack on boxten as she led the other two away, managing to keep boxtens’ lid shut and ichor arms away with his padded glove. While periodically slamming his wrench into the twisteds’ face. Choking up on the wrenches handle, he wallops the music box headed fiend.

The regular arms below posed little threat other than grabbing at him… and even then, the grip was too weak when those hands managed to get some grip on his shirt. He did his best to stay focused... but he couldn’t help but notice a feeling worming its way in. Something felt off, he couldn’t tell quite what.

Shirmpo lifted his head, with this twisted unable to pose a threat, he did his best to watch Flutter as she flew further away with the other twisteds. Barely managing to track her in the darkness.

“Sulphur!” She hears him yell from across the room. “ Watch the walls!” She quickly snapped into autopilot as she shot a focused glance to the corners and walls. Hearing his beat-down of the twisted kick up as the other two twisteds clambered after her. She briefly looked back, momentarily thankful they ignored the echoing thumps of wrench against twisted.

Sulphur felt Gigi grab onto her bag. With panicked flapping of her wings, she manages to pull herself free from the ichor hand. The twisted bubble nearly managed to grab the butterfly as she dashed away. The gnashing of the bubbles’ teeth echoed in her head as she kept flying forward, coming to a corner. She slowed herself just enough to look around it before she ran into something…

She spots it on the wall before she realizes it. And makes a wide berth around the lasso-like tongue of her twisted variant. Managing to stay just out of range for it to try to snatch at her. She felt the twisted flutters’ gaze on her.


Upon the wall was what once was another Flutter. A smeared glob of ichor around itself almost hid it against the darkness, Like a splatter of paint thrown upon the wall. She could just barely make out the heart-shaped head, what remained of the bent wings.

Once, the sight would’ve froze her to her core, just the sight of how much damage her counterpart suffered. One single eye stared down at her, tracking her movement the best it could without moving any other part of its body. As if it believed she didn’t notice it.


Its’ tongue droops down from its mouth, seemingly stretched out to an impossibly long length. It was long enough to touch the ground and then some. She wasn’t completely sure how it did it, but the wall-flutters’ tongue laid on the ground in the shape of a snare. Guarding a medkit and the immediate corner. With one working eye, it could only watch Sulphur as she kept moving.

She refused to look back at that twisted reflection of herself. She didn’t want to imagine which of those monsters did that to her. She didn’t want to think of herself ending up like that.

She could only hope that she didn’t suffer.

///////\\\\\\

Shirmpo released his grip on the twisted music box. He stared at his work, breathing in slow sharp bursts. His wrench had broken through the outer shell of the Boxten, revealing the inner workings. Leaving a sight he both was and wasn’t used to.

He couldn’t stop his arms from shaking, eyes locked onto the broken bits of metal, the intricate gearwork handcrafted for playing music, the broken key that lay inconspicuously under the corpses’ head. “A… an Original…” he muttered under his shaky breath. He knew he should move on, help Sulphur with the others. But something wouldn’t let him move. A nagging feeling had locked his eyes on the music box sprayed across the ground.

The green paint job wasn’t noteworthy, plenty of toons started doing stuff to make themselves easy to tell apart from one another. He sighs in frustration as he continues, almost against his will, to look the dead toon over.

He hated this feeling in his chest, this sharp pain as he felt a familiarity from the way he gazed into the dead monster under his foot. Using his wrench to turn the crushed open music box, he gave the sides a cautious look. Eyeing the poorly done green paint job, most of which was lost to time. The chipped and peeling green barely hid the dull purple underneath. He couldn’t tell how much of the damage was from him. But the realization of who this was dawned as Shrimpo spotted the scar, more a tattoo really… Little dots leading to an X, scratched into the side of the head.

He felt a need to say something, anything. He hated this building feeling behind his eyes and did his best to snuff it down with a sharp inhale. But it just kept digging into him as he stared at that stupid tattoo. He brings his wrench back, behind his head… “Bye Stow.” His hatred for that feeling was almost greater than the hatred he felt when he said those words. With this feeling at the back of his head, he smashes the head of his wrench into the twisteds’ torso. Ensuring that if he didn’t finish the job, at least it would have a much harder time chasing anyone. 

Letting the echo of crushed metalwork ring out. He gives the fallen survivalist another look before turning away. “I hate this floor.” he growled as he moved to catch up with Flutter and the other twisteds. Managing to catch himself mid stumble as he skates away from the mangled corpse.

\\\\\\\///////

Fighting against the ichor hand that managed to snag onto her bag, Sulphur did her best to fly over a collection of boxes.

She watched the Gigis’ grin widen slightly as it climbed atop a box, dragging her lower and lower until a sharp crunch sound pierced the air. The twisted's grip loosened enough for Sulphur to get away as it screeched, the box no longer able to support its weight.

Daring to look back, Sulphur prayed that both twisteds were too busy being caught in the mess to bother with her.

She turns right back around as the twisted she had not thought about lunged for her. Pushing her wings harder, she dashed forward, the flailing arms of Poppy barley grazing her.

Exhaustion and pain danced across her wings, combined with the choking noises of Poppy. Sulphur barely had time to think as she just kept beating her wings harder and harder to build up space between her and It .

With more and more pain arcing across her back, she flies face first into an abandoned van. Not realizing what it was in the darkness until it was too late.  <Blasted blackout> groaning in more annoyance than anything else. She whips around, Stopping in place. Frozen with a lump of air in her throat as Poppy was there in front of her, and then it wasn’t.

Blinking owlishly it took her a moment to understand that Shrimpo had come barreling in, throwing his entire body into the remaining monstrosity. Tentatively Sulphur picked herself up, inching closer before stalling.

Dragging itself across the floor she watched as a Cosmo reached out, its clawed hand grasping as it let out a gurgling noise. The sight simultaneously tugged at her heart and brewed fear in her mind as her eyes stayed on the mangled reanimated remains of yet another toon.

Sulphur felt herself flinch as Shrimpo buried his hand in Cosmo's head, wrenching the twisted forward only to slam him face first into Poppy. She watched as he raised his other hand, the metal of the wrench catching on the low light before he brought it down onto the writhing twisteds.

Sulphur couldn't stop herself from cringing at the sound of metal on flesh, an ever growing pool of ichor made her stomach turn, forcing her to look away. Instead of watching this brutality she looked back at where she had last seen Gigi. The oppressive darkness of the blackout made it difficult to see but she could sort of make out the shifting shelf.

<I’ll be right back.> Shirmpo didn’t respond, at least, She didn’t think he did; really the only sound that could be heard was the wet slapping of his wrench battering the monster’s bodies.

She decided against flying, instead opting to walk over and try to gauge how best to deal with the momentarily trapped Gachapon.

From the other side of a shelf full of boxes, she peers through the gaps as the sweater wearing monster struggles to free itself. A bit of wood had impaled one of its front legs. Limiting its mobility as it tries again and again to brute force its way out of the box. Releasing a horrible howl of pain as another bit of wood impales it somewhere else.

Its mindless growls and roars echo into the darkness as it tries to grab some of the crate. Too busy trying to free itself to look for its prey. Using its predicament as a distraction Sulphur was careful as she glided up to the top of the shelf, keeping the beat of her wings as quiet as possible.

There were various boxes of differing sizes along each shelf. For whatever reason, they were not stacked at all how one should stack a shelf. There was some sort of pattern to it, but she paid it no mind. Sulphur pushes her entire body against the shelf, testing if it'll move. And it did, just not easily.

Glancing along the shelfs' supports. She spotted a small wrench on the ground, and with her feet, got to work loosening up the bolts on the shelf legs. She was nowhere strong enough to topple the entire thing but what she can do is at least make it unstable enough to fall apart.

At least, the plan was for it to break apart. She didn’t have the easiest time loosening the bolts, it took effort just to get them moving. But she persisted, keeping one eye on the twisted Gigi at all times.

The monstrous gachapon was making very little progress, but progressed nonetheless. Little tonks of bolts hitting the ground were suffocated by the monstrous noises of the trapped creature. She got one bolt off, the shelf didn’t budge. She got another bolt off, the shelf shifted. The moment she moved to loosen the third bolt, she could feel the entire thing shake.

Moments before the shelf and all its contents come crashing down atop the twisted, Sulphur frantically throws herself away from the shelf. Tumbling to the ground in a tired mess, she could barely lift her head to look at the mess of parts and boxes. No twisted to be seen, but the muffled screeching told her it was still alive, just trapped under the ruble. It was clear her plan didn’t quite work as well as she thought it would… but it was still better than letting the bully try to fight the gachapon

Lifting herself to her feet, she took a deep breath and admired her victory. With no true way to fight, Sulphur took her wins wherever she could… For a moment she deflated at the mental image of herself getting caught in the collapsing shelf.

Shaking the nerves away, with the third monster dealt with, Sulphur makes her way over to her partner. Her tired wings resting as she limped over. She spots him staring towards the collapsed shelf and its contents. She didn’t see his face but the moment he spotted her safe and sound, he went right back to smashing his wrench into the twisted duo pinned beneath him.

He slowed the swinging till he was certain there was no movement. Pulling the wrench free from the twisted corpse, he stands atop the two bodies. Spilled ichor dripping from his tool.

Sulphur watched too, as the two mangled corpses slowly melted down into ichor. <No skeletons> She noted as the two watched the remains come undone.

While Shirmpo takes slow, steady breaths to collect himself, he kept his eyes on the slowly growing ichor glob. Almost daring it to move as the corpses melt into it… Hesitantly, he steps back from the liquefying remains with Sulphur. Taking the moment to breathe so they can finally look the place over for supplies.

<Hey Prawn.> She sends outwards as she takes a moment to recover her stamina, finally feeling the burning in her wings and the tightness in her chest. < Two Twisteds, one crush-tation… eh? > her shoulders shook in silent laughter at her bad joke

Prawn leaned away from her for a moment, as if the joke was an invasive smell. He stares at her for a moment with only tired anger etched onto his face… Just to reply with a shaky breath and a poorly hidden smirk. Wiping ichor off himself as he states “ You spent too much time with Finns.”

<Heheh, maybe… but better to joke when we still can.> Prawn shot her a heated glare before shifting his gaze over to the trapped Gigi “Is that the last freak here?” he asks, choosing to ignore her comment.

<Well, there is still the ‘me’ on the wall… but I think so> Sulphur answered as she moved to rest her wings against the van beside the two of them. Shirmpo watched the thrashing, pinned gachapon along with her. Taking a short break from his duty…

She couldn’t see any signs of the Gigi getting out from underneath the rubble. Just bits of metal and wood shifting as the monster weakly thrashed about beneath. At any point it would either break out and be dealt with or succumb to its wounds and die trapped and alone…

It hurt her to know Gigi, a good, while mischievous kleptomaniac was reduced to a screeching beast under the remains of a shelf full of boxes. A sight she previously took as one of her few victories over the twisteds was slowly shrinking to a somber realization of who that twisted used to be…

“... I hate seeing you mope” With a raised eyebrow, Sulphur shot Prawn an inquisitive look as she sent out another message for him <What was that?>

“I SAID I HATE SEEING YOU IDIOTS MOPE!” He yelled, turning to stare right at her. They locked eyes, a mock sort of anger rising in Sulphurs’ eyes as Prawn just stared in fury… They held this stare down until Sulphur turned away, shoulders bouncing in a silent giggle. Whether he intended to take her mind off the Gigi or not, he succeeded.

Prawn softened his gaze somewhat, to his usual brand of anger. As the two enjoyed the relative silence, Sulphur gave one more concerned glance around their surroundings as the short moment of relaxation slowly melted away to a feeling of dread, as if she was forgetting something. She couldn’t place the feeling but something was definitely off… Something felt wrong.

<… Did you take care of the Brightney?> Prawn was taken aback at the question, for a moment he thought about it… They entered the floor, and the first thing they saw WAS Brightneys’ red light as she charged after them with the other twisteds in tow… then while the two were separated, there was the sound of glass breaking and the lights went… out

“I thought you took care of her.” He numbly answered Sulphur… Neither had time to think before a red claw springs out from the darkness behind Sulphur. Flailing for a moment in a panic she tries to fight against the grasping limb with her wings, but all she can do is slow down the pull.

Prawn went to help her, but a force tackled him to the ground before he could even take a step. Instinctually, he moves to shield his throat with his padded hand. The creature atop him reveals itself as it bites down hard on his tape-covered glove.

He comes face to face with Brightney. A small bit of broken glass fell from the half torn lampshade head as it tried to tear the glove away with its teeth, its eyes narrowed at failing to get to his neck.


He took a moment to realize what happened. While those previous three twisted's were giving chase, the snarling monster that was pinning him down had gone for backup? It.. Was it smart enough to do that? It was smart enough to break its own lightbulb? What was going on? Could all of them do that? Prawn had so many questions but no time to think about them.

“Get. Off. Me!” Prawn snarled as he tried to throw the twisted off balance but the Brightney held fast. Its teeth sunk into his glove, ichor dripped from its mouth as it gurgled around the fabric.

Daring to look away from the immediate threat he snuck a glance at Sulphur.

Panic welled in his chest as he saw her struggling, her legs helplessly kicking out against the Goob’s arms. Prawn struggled harder against Brightney, mind racing as he tried to think of something, anything that he could do to save Sulphur.

He could hear Sulphur's bells ringing out frantically but there was something else. It sounded like footsteps... Rapidly approaching footsteps. Was there another twisted he didn't know about? Was it... Prawn's train of thought stalled as blue light lit up the darkness. The Brightney sensed his distraction but it could do nothing to press its advantage as two jagged antlers ran straight through the twisteds side. The lamp-shade froze, the pressure around his hand lessening as for a breath... everything was still.

Then Prawn was throwing the Brightney off of himself.

With the twisteds’ weight off, he quickly got his feet under him before locking his eyes onto the toon before him. The flailing twisted couldn’t easily reach him or the toon struggling to lift it over their head.

Prawn blinked owlishly as he stared at this new arrival. Wrapped in vibrant red and green paper stood an unfamiliar figure. The sudden blue light made it near impossible to see any details of his savior.

“Who ar-” Prawn didn’t have time to finish his thought as the toon reached over and shoved him away.

“No time! Save Flutter!” The figure shouts while straining under Brightneys’ writhing mass.

It was more akin to a punch, but the shove helped Prawn pick up some speed, with the toon-assisted dash. He hurriedly chased after Flutter as she was pulled into the darkness.

It didn’t take him long to rush past her and get to the one armed Goob. Tackling it to the ground with his full body, He began the onslaught. 

Pounding metal into flesh. 

Pained noises. 

Sad mindless eyes.

That feeling from earlier was back, it wasn’t as bad as it was before but still he hated it; almost as much as he hated the Goob beneath him.



Sulphur laid on the ground, wings and legs sore as she tuned out the distant sound of a wrench slamming into flesh. Prawn would be okay, he didn’t need her help so instead she turned her focus on the bobbing blue light.

A Rudie stumbled around, the weight of the twisted impaled on his antlers made his movements awkward.

<Another year.> Sulphur released a humored breath. <Lucky us.>

Taking in the sight of the holiday toon she noted that they were very much a mess. Their fur, well at least what she could see of it, was matted and spotted with blots of ichor. This Rudie looked to have seen better days and something in the back of her mind told her that something was wrong, that she should not just be laying here watching them dislodge the twisted from their antlers. But she was, it was hard to look away as the Rudie smacked the twisted into the wall with an audible thwack. The Brightney stopped moving, its body going limp as the reindeer reached up to push the lamp off..

Sulphur noted that it didn't seem to be working but just as she was about to get up to try and help. A tearing sound erupts from the twisted. Wet, yet heavy. Quick but long enough to understand what it was. Sulphur cringes into herself at the sight. “ O-oh! dear.” Rudie succeeded in getting the twisted off of him. It was a messy affair that Sulphur couldn’t help but stare at. The once smart, well-read lamp was splayed on the floor in two pieces. Ichor pouring from the two halves, staining the ground black.

“A-ah, w-well uh… sorry, Brightney!” Rudie exclaimed while backing up from the two halves before finally noticing Sulphurs’ gaze. After a short awkward bout of silence. The Reindeer swiftly hopped over. One bell-bracelet jingling as he takes a small bow. She wished he could understand her, so she could point out the small bit of twisted flesh still stuck on his antlers

Which… she tries to ignore, despite the ichor dripping from the jagged antlers. “ Terribly sorry about that! Terrible sight. Most twisteds I fight end up something like that a-and I was… She was twisted, right? All I know i-is that she was attacking your friend an-”

Like a kid who got caught with their hand in a cookie jar, She couldn’t help but be concerned over how guilty he looked. At least, she thinks he looked guilty. With that blue light blinding her whenever she looks at his face. He might as well be giddy and she wouldn’t notice. Nonetheless, she accepted his help to her feet as he ran his mouth.

“I swear, I- It looked like she was attacking your friend!” Seeing no sign of him slowing down, she begins to shift through her notes with a tired huff as he wrings his hand-hoofs.

“I-it’d be meaner to just not do anything right? I did good!... r-right?” - “ Oh, shut up!” Prawns’ yell made both toons jump as he stomped over. There was a brief scare of a trip but nothing disturbed his slow march towards the two.

Resting his ichor stained wrench on his shoulder. A tuft of beige-colored fur clings to the head of his wrench, kept in place by sticky, still dripping ichor.

“You. I hate how talkative you are!” Prawn exclaims, forcefully poking Rudie in the chest with his mangled glove. “ I hate surprises too, so where’d you come from!?”

Just when Sulphur was about to pull up her notecard, Rudie locked his attention onto Prawn. “Oh, well. I was in here, something must’ve moved me cause I woke up on the ground right over there-” The nervous deer explains as he turns around to point at where he woke up. Sulphur followed the direction, freezing upon seeing his hoof point directly at the mess atop Gigi.

- “I woke up and saw Brightney sneaking around in the dark, I-I figured to follow. See what was happening and w-well… I saw her attack you. And I-” Rudie taps his hand-hooves together as he spoke, which only seemed to help fuel Prawns’ anger at the reindeer.  “GET TO THE POINT! W-”

A forceful stomp took the two toons’ attention off each other, and towards Sulphur who held a notecard aloft with her tongue. It read; “Who are you?”... “I WAS GONNA ASK THAT!” Sulphur rolls her eyes at the fuming Shrimp.


The deer toon, after having taken a few steps back from the raging bully. Rubs one of his hoofs against the side of his head, staring at the two as if they just said; it wasn’t christmas. “Uh… I’m… Rudie… Are you two oka-”

“NOT THAT NAME! YOUR NICKNAME!” Prawn yells, causing both Sulphur and Rudie to recoil in shock at how loud he can really get. Worried he was gonna go off, Sulphur walked over to his side and gave him a hard enough nudge to draw his attention to her.

<I don’t think he has one.> Her statement froze the hateful Shirmp, who softened somewhat into a… well, still frustrated. But he doesn’t look like he is gonna kill anyone now that he took the wrench from his shoulder down to his side. “Okay… Rudie, We use nicknames so we don’t confuse ourselves.”

“... Like… what the guests used to call us?”  The deer asked, still rubbing the side of his head in what Sulphur hopes is just confusion… She couldn’t help but shoot a fleeting glance at the collapsed shelf. “Yes… kinda… Whatever. Point is, if there is a monster YOU on the floor, and someone yells ‘watch out, rudie’ which rudie are they talking about?” 

Rudie was about to say something when Prawn continued, smacking his rising hoof back down to his side. “IT DOESN’T MATTER. It is confusing! So. Either think up a new name, or remember one some snot nosed brat called you. I don’t care which.”

Rudie stayed silent for a long moment, waiting to see if Prawn was gonna say something. As the bully starts to get more frustrated. The reindeer finally opens his mouth. “ H-how about Prancer? I always wanted to pull Santas’ sleigh!”

Prawns’ immediate response was to look to Sulphur before letting out a sigh “ It… works… I hate it, but it works… I’m Prawn.” He half growled the name out, he never did like the name he was given. ”And this is Sulphur”

“Wonderful to make your acquaintances! Err… again!” Prancer happily says with a tiny, joyful hop from hoof to hoof. <Ask if he is hurt> - “ What? Why? ” Prawn turns around, staring at her. “ Uuuh…. why what?” Prancer asked, shooting a concerned glance to Sulphur “ did… you say something?” He brings his hoof to rub up at the back of his head. The same spot he rubbed earlier…

“Yes. She did. And she asked… Are you hurt? ” The somewhat confused, mostly angry crustation relays his partners’ question. The deer chose against questioning any further as he patted himself up and down. “ Well- I got a… pounding headache and this spot doesn’t feel good”   He forces a smile onto his lips, bringing the hoof-hand behind his head “but I’m good enough for a jolly christmas day”

<Ask if he slept on a shelf> Sulphur practically ordered her friend, who after a short silent gaze of anger. Words dripping with more anger, relays the question. “ She wants to know if you slept on a shelf. -I hate relaying messages, Sulphur! You know this!”

Sulphur barely paid her friend any mind as she quickly shifted through her notecards as the holiday toon watched on. “ I… did… something must’ve knocked me off or -” his words stopped in his throat as Sulphur stepped in front of Prawn, with a “ I’m sorry ” note card held out for him.

Prancer looked down at the note, before looking up at her face. He couldn’t help but furrow his brow at the way she failed to keep eye contact. “ Well, let’s uh… just… call that a rud-ie awakening. Eh?” he joked as he reached over to gently pat Sulphur on the shoulder.

Prawn lets out a long, frustrated groan as he slips a hand into Sulphurs’ pack.. “ It’s okay, you were just punishing the critter on the naughty list… I-I mean, is that one of th-” - “The thing squirming under there is a twisted. Shut up.” Prawn interrupts the deer as he pulls out a gardenview brand band aid from the butterflies’ pack. Doing his best to reach the deers’ head, he applies the Dand-aid with a weak, yet forceful smack.

“She asks for you to come with us. So shut up, and follow if you want to. I don’t care. I hate this floor.” Prawn skates past Prancer, snatching something out of a broken box, before skating - and catching himself mid-stumble - towards another set of boxes.

“I would love to spend Christmas with someone again.” Prancer thought aloud as he flattened the bandaid properly, She didn't need to see his mouth to see the smile plastered on his face. He walks off to look for supplies elsewhere in the room... she mentally notes to ask about his closed eye when they are somewhere safer.

<Maybe Chef could take a look at it?> Sulphur thinks to herself as she watched Prancer walk off. Only to turn her gaze onto the shrimp. With no one to eavesdrop on, at least Prawns' side of their conversation. <Why did you want him to come with us?>  she asks as she hurries over to his side.

He refused to say anything as he briefly looked past her.

<I didn’t ask if he could come… Why did you?> Prawn opened his mouth for a moment, before closing it with a hiss of bottled up anger. That feeling he couldn’t quite name came back, shrinking in on himself. He shot Sulphur a shrug as he shifted through the contents of a box... Choosing to drop the subject, Sulphur joins Prawn in scouring for something useful to bring back home.