using you // dandy's world

ruby

(Kalamari)

Chapter 6

Ruby

Floor 5

                       Ziggy's words stay with me as I get off the elevator. "For Goob". It was only two words, but they replay in my mind like a broken record. It's honestly what's keeping me going right now. When I saw Goob like that, dead on the floor, I felt like it was over. And the scarier thought was that might want to be just like him.

                        But it's okay. Because I can't die now. Not after what Ziggy said. I have to keep going. It's what Goob would have wanted.

It's what she would want. 

                         I smile to myself a little, hope sparkling within me. I feel as though I've chugged 200 poppy pops at once. And right now, my record is only 50!

                             Ziggy's distracting, so Glisten appears next to me. Any spark that has shown in my eyes goes to run and hide. HIM. Most of us in the elevator just ignore him, Ziggy loves him, but I have some grudges. He's just so nosy! He's always trying to get up in my business, saying he "just wants the tea to spill". Yeah right. He feeds off our insecurity, and everyone lets him get away with it! Well, I won't. I'm not about to excuse this self-obsessed mess.

"What do you want, Glisten."

                               "I'm merely here to hear about the TEAAAA~" Glisten smirks, his eyelids still drooping low. I pout, turning down the corners of my mouth as far as they can go, possibly traveling to another square on my face.

                               "Have you no shame?? Someone just DIED, and you're asking me about 'the tea'?? You're sick." I turn back to my machine. My comment seemed to have left no impression on him. His smirk fell a little. Not that it was genuine.

"Oh, ouch, how will I ever recover?" He swooned, his voice oozing with sarcasm. I groaned.

                                "Just go away! I'm going to fail a skill check with you around!" I wave one of my hands at his face. ERRRRR. The first time I had ever failed a skill check. I felt my vision turn red, my hands shaking with fury. I turned to absolutely end his entire life, but he had already darted away, giggling.

That's when he runs straight into twisted Teagan.

I mean...he got the tea? 

The second I hear the ding of my machine finishing, I bolt away before Glisten can screech at me.

                            Now, normally I would feel bad leaving him behind, but I know he'll be alright. He teleports behind me, sparkles getting in my eyes and mouth. He has a stupid little pout on his face, his arms crossed.

"You little shit."

"Hey, that's a little rude..." I try to keep my snickers., but I keep coughing up sparkles.

"Thanks to your little tomfoolery, I am at TWO HEARTS."

"Hey, at least you're not DEAD. You'll survive."

"Give me another item this instant! I don't want a valve!"

                        "Wh-YOU HAVE A VALVE! THOSE ARE VALUABLE! I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU GIVE IT UP!!" He begins to glare daggers at me. I slap him lightly, to which he slaps back. Soon we're having a slap fight like we're a bunch of little kids on the playground. A few of our fellow toons see this little "fight" and watch happily. Some of them start laughing. I feel my face turn redder than it already was.

"Whatever, let's just try to be productive."

                        "Just tell me! How are things going with HER?" I freeze up. That was not what I was expecting him to ask.

"....why??"

                         "Cause. I think she should know the chance of you not returning, hm?" This makes my muscles tense up. What does he mean by that? Of course I'm going to return. I have all of my hearts. I've been doing my machines. We're already on floor 5. Things are going smoothly, there hasn't been-

                         The image of Goob reappears in my brain. The ichor-covered bite mark on his face. The matted, slightly black fur on the ground that had been reared from his body. That stupid grin that stuck to him like superglue being replaced with those empty eyes. Those stupid, empty, void eyes. And the feeling of knowing that no medkit or bandage could save him then.

Do I even...know when these supply runs end?

...

                       "Of course I'm going to make it back," I turn to Glisten, forcing any tears that I had maybe felt back into my eyes, "now make yourself useful and do a machine like the rest of us." I coldly turn my shoulder, beginning to walk away. I walk swiftly enough so that it doesn't look like I'm running, but so I can conceal the small teardrop that manages to escape my eye.

I will survive this.

I HAVE to.

                     I begin to walk into the elevator, not paying attention to the world around me. Everybody is in, except for Glisten. He teleports next to me again, but this time there aren't any sparkles. Something must be really wrong.

"Whoa, what happened??" I ask him. Never before did I think I would be worried for the twink.

                  "Teagan happened, that's what." He coughed, ichor bursting from his throat. "Are you going to give me a bandage or what?" It's technically floor six now, so Dandy will be returning with his shop. Maybe this time he'll have a medkit...?

                     But instead of that stupid, manipulative flower appearing with 15 gumballs, a different person shows up. One with semi-translucent skin.

"oh...hey there." She takes a hit of whatever she's smoking.

GREAT.

(A/N, if you check the author note in the beginning, the newcomer is Ghost, an employee of Dandy's shop ^^)

Shrimpo: three hearts

Bonnie: three hearts

Goob: dead

Ziggy: two hearts

Ruby: two hearts

Vee: two hearts

Glisten: half-dead