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"I could try and revive them, they'll notice though."
Dandy looked first at Dyle, then, to the floor.
"Yes, we still could try something."
Dandys eyes flickered back at Dyle, who was towering over his on the floor sitting form.
"How so? She's clearly somewhere down there, our bond never stopping to burn."
Looking down at his arm, that burning red light, a sensation all to familiar to Dandy. He'd gotten used to it a long time ago.
A bond not many toons possessed with each other, one invisible for others, one that would only dissipate once both of them were met with their ends. A string of fate.
It had began to fade a long time ago, even before the shutdown of Gardenview Starting with the decline of Dandys mental health. The closure of Gardenview only fueling it, Vees lack of care for herself resulted in the multiplication of her malfunctions. If something minor were to happen, she'd surely end up as dead meat.
Exactly what had happened, she went on her supposedly last run, never to return again.
Dandy didn't need the news be brought to him, neither did his shop have to go up in the elevator for him to know.
He saw it clear as day, he was looking for items. He'd noticed Vee and the others being low on health and decided to search for something useful, maybe a heal. Reaching for the bandages he saw, -no, felt it.
The previously intense red glow dimmed, just slightly, but still enough for him to notice. That strings light particles started crumbling.
If it weren't for the fact he'd have to host the run, he'd probably would have shed more than just a tear or had a drop to his knees.
She wasn't the first death, no, she wasn't the last one either. Astro was with her, the last one standing at the end, his best friend.
Astro hadn't cried, at least not in his presence. Both of their guilt increased that day immensely.
Someone like Astro would stay strong, he thought. Well, he was wrong. He started to hide away from him, isolate himself, while all that Dandy could do is to send him on more and more runs.
Until even his best friend Perished.
Most toons would twist by succumbing to their strong emotions while oftentimes being hurt before. Others would be quietly left behind, either supposedly dying because of the twisteds or just dying. Though, the dying part was up to debate.
"They don't have to know," Dyle stated, while snapping Dandy out of his thoughts.
"How in the world would we achieve that?"
"Just change how they think and what they know, their memories. Didn't Delilah do that countless times?"
"That could work, it has to.
But wouldn't it mean they are my friends, but truthfully not, in a way?"
"I'm sure that is indeed the case.
I'll get the supplies ready in Delilahs laboratory." Dyle was about to leave as Dandy stopped him, tugging on the hemm of his pants.
"I don't think I can handle bringing her back. This is difficult."
"I am sure it is."
"Dyle, I can't just recreate her, not without our memories, not without her being different, without me being different.
I just... I just know I couldn't handle any of them head on, but I do want my friends back. I want things to be just like before Gardenview closed, before the first death occurred, before my two closest toons went on their final runs.
Now all I'm left with is this wicked reminder; I failed, not just her, everyone"
Dyle watched Dandy speak intently, his gaze focused on him, locked in a way.
Before Dandy initially told him about his bond with Vee and how they, or at least Dandy felt, towards each other, he thought he hates her. He thought they were mortal enemies, not that those tendencies were mere rethought conflict, especially after the announcement for the supposed "Version 2" update.
If only he knew how Vee felt, but now he has to assist Dandy with his husks of actual advices.
It had worked fine for now, thanks to Astro.
Astro had talked to him more and more as the toons gradually got less.
He had taught him how to understand Dandy better, he shared secrets about everyone that even Dandy himself didn't know.
Out of all the toons he could've told him abouy the lesest, he chose Vee. Maybe because of their long lasting friendship he just couldn't bring himself to reveal more.
In his last days Astro had talked about her again, he must've noticed Dandys mood. Still he didn't want to confront him, so he'd been the next best toon.
Vee was apperantly especially down lately, before her death, not taking any toons twisting very well. On top of that she was struggling to function properly, knowing she would fail and die eventually. Sooner or later.
There was something prepared for Dandy, at least almost. It wasn't finished. That's what Astro told him.
A gift, a recording, whatever, all Dyle knew is that it was for Dandy and for Dandy only.
Dyle can grasp just slightly how Dandy must be feeling right now, but both of them know they have to keep going and worry about other problems.
"We still need to figure out how to keep everything running here if we are indeed not proceeding like this."
"No, no, it's okay, we can proceed," Dandys change confused Dyle mildly.
"Huh?," is all that Dyle could respond with, taken a back.
Suddenly Dandy stood, no, jumped up, back on his feed. A smile plastered on his face, a full on wide grin. That kind of look that Dany would make on the show, just more forced, more calculated, with precision. Disputing the wrong kind of elegance.
Only one thing was different, -his eyes. Usually they'd sparkle, full of glee and whatnot. Now they seemed to be just a shell of their formal self. Just like an illusion trying oh so desperately to be upheld.
"Does it look to forced?," he than encoured, grimace still intact.
"May I ask; For what that is for?," the Clock toon asked.
"You'll see," was the response Dandy went with, initially it would've been something explanatory, but that wouldn't have been what fits his new character, his facade.
If he can't talk to them fully invested, he'll never have to grief or associate them with his friends, their counterparts.
If he closes himself of and builds up barriers, they'll soon enough get bored of him and will stop trying to press him.
They'll get agitated and irritated towards him, maybe even hate him.
They'll never know much about him or the Ichor Operation.
But that's fine by Dandy.
"Let's go dear friend!"
The ever so gleeful expression still lacking any positive emotion was seemingly printed on to Dandy and made Dyle feel strange, especially after he spoke to him.
"Sure, Dandy, but there's something for you. I would recommend getting it before we recreate the toons."
"Oii! Now I'm interested. Is it, maybe a gift? hmmm?"
"No, it's something from Vee, Astro told me. I haven't checked personally, but apperantly she was working on something for you before her death. From what I know it isn't finished."
Dandys eyes sparked, maybe it was intrigue, maybe grief. With how Dandy is acting now, it seems like it will be a long road of learning what his bosses emotions are all the time.
Dyle can only wonder of how long it will stick. Will he ever change back?
"I'll see you later at Delilahs laboratory."
"Later!"
They say as they depart, both taking their own way.
Maybe things will change for the better..