Shelly's pov

I took the broken elevator up to floor 75 to check how Shrimpo and Goob are doing. I wonder if they got rid of the intruders...

The odd thing is that when I got there, no twisteds around.

I walked up towards the normal elevator and found Shrimpo sitting near the doors, looking down as he hugged his knees. Maybe he is waiting for Goob? Eventually, he heard my footsteps and looked up towards my direction.

"Shelly? Sorry, did I take too long?" Shrimpo asked, curiously

I chirped, "I'm just here to check up on you! I see the intruders are dealt with. Where's Goob?"

...

Silents quickly filled the room,

"He... left to get fixed."

Shrimpo muttered quietly, but I could still hear him.

I just nodded, I remember Astro mentioning that Dandy might have found a possible cure for twisteds, but he hasn't caught one to test it on... I wonder if it actually worked...

...creak...

A creak from a distance scattered my thoughts. Snapping my head towards the disturbance.

Someone was there. I squinted, trying to focus on them. Only for a demon to look back.

Horns and a tail. Covered in black.

Shrimpo noticed me staring into the distance. "Oh, right. Shelly, you remember Scraps?"

-1 month-

"I'm so glad another girl is here. I mean, I'm not glad they are impure, but I'm not so lonely anymore because she's around now.

That sounds selfish. Is that selfish?

Enough about me, let's talk about Scraps!

Within the month, I hung out with her, I never actually realized how much pent-up anger she had. Never even thought she had any.

Always played her part, y'know? Overprotective big sister.

I think that I should let Scraps wander for a bit without my help, so she knows the area. I hope we can hang out next time, though!"

Scraps pov.

For once, I don't really have a set opinion. As much as I hate not being able to see my 'friends' anymore, I like that I don't have to pretend anymore.

Overprotective big sister.

That's the role I was given and to stick to it. Even after the show ended, the other toons expected me to still act like it.

At first, I tried to be my role, be that sister, I lied to myself that 'I'm not acting, this is who I am. I like being this. This IS me. I am overprotective to my little brother Goob.'

I was lying to everyone constantly, so much to the point I was believing them too.

But funny enough, I think he somehow knew. That something, from the bottom of my heart. I loathed him.

That act wasn't going to last long anyway. It's was chipping at me. inside out. It was a chore caring about someone who didn't have to care about me as much. But I know Goob cared about me, but that was genuine because that care wasn't EXPECTED of him.

Other toons expected me to know everything about him to the point that the only reason other toons would talk to me is because they want to know about Goob.

I should have just dropped the act the moment the show was over. Why did I try to act like I cared about him when he went to 'save' Shrimpo. No one was watching anyway.

...

I would be lying if I didn't get benefits from it. I can tell when others are acting. I can tell if they are lying to me or when they are genuine.

I thought everyone knew Shelly was pretending to be ok when clearly everyone was forgetting about her, but it turns out it was only a small handful.

That reminds me, Shelly said that I'm not just a regular twisted. I'm impure. I thought she was insulting me at first, but that's just what we are categorized as.

My body aches every day from the constant corruption, I got taller, got new limbs, and an extra eye. In fact, I don't have to open my eyes at all. The third one is always open, I feel like I'm in a dream, my eyes are closed, yet I see everything.

This time, Shelly is busy helping Astro, so she can't help me out today. I'm on my own for now.

That's fine. At least I don't have to worry about another toon as well. I trudged carefully, trying to get ahold of my mutated legs-

BASH

my ear twitched hearing the shattering of glass. I shuffled to where I heard the sound... and...

... hm ...

I opened my real eyes to check if my impure one was deceiving me.

Twisted Shrimpo but much taller and tougher looking... all the while wielding a bat.

I closed my eyes again. Slowly prowling my way behind him. He seemed calm despite murdering a twisted in cold blood nor tired from recklessly swinging his iron bat.

.

Ah, I remember now. Shelly mentioned Shrimpo very briefly, most notable fact being that he took care of a twisted version of Goob. Maybe it was to make up for his behavior towards him when he was a toon, or maybe he has other motives.

"Shrimpo?" I called out to him softly

His shrimp tail perked up, and he turned to me. "Scraps. Is Shelly not with you today?" He asked so casually... acting as if I haven't changed at all, acting as if I didn't turn into this hideous beast.

I shook my head, "she's busy today." He hasn't yelled at me yet. By now, he would have told me something with the word 'hate'.

"Mhm..." He shook off the Ichor off his bat, then wrapped the handle with bandages around his waist.

"You settling in well? How is your body doing?" Shrimpo asked out of genuine concern....

Odd.

"Im fine... but you are oddly calm-" My left leg gave out in me, making me fall onto my back. How embarrassing...

Shrimpo chuckled before he walked next to me and sat down. "Yeah, my routine changed. A lot changed..."

I sat up, letting my leg rest while I talk to Shrimpo. I always thought he was acting, too. I mean, I remember before the show, he was actually really sweet. But after we got our roles, he was set with being a bully and it went all downhill from there for him.

"Shrimpo, before... all of this, did you really hate everything?" I had to ask, it was something I could theorize, but I could never get an answer to.

Shrimpo turned his head slightly to look at me, "Yeah..."

"But why, you weren't like that before the show. You were friends with Boxten and Finn, right?"

Shrimpo sighed, "right... before the show. You remember when we got our roles? I hated mine. I wanted to be something like Finn's role, but I got stuck with the bully. I hated the whole show because of it. And the fact that the other toons started treating me like one behind set started to mess with my head. I hated it, I hated the show, the handlers, I hated my role. The more the show continued, the more bitter I got."

Shrimpo scowled, then took a deep breath, realizing how much he was rambling on. "Sorry, still sour over it -"

"No. I get it. Dont apologize. I hated my role too." Shrimpo's rant just reminded me of my own role issue. But I had other things to ask before I go back into that rabbithole.

"Do you still hate me." I asked I purely out of curiosity.

"...no, but at that time, yes. But the more time I spend alone, the more time I have to think without rage to drown out my thoughts. You're not half bad."

I can't help but chuckle before wincing at my constant pain,

Shrimpo sat closer and rubbed my shoulder, "It will go away eventually. I guarantee you this is worth it."

"What do you mean?" How could this be worth anything? This feels like all of my nerves are being cut constantly.

"Hm, well, you can think of it like becoming a main, your skills are a little better, and you get an extra advantage."

"...I'll look forward to it, Shrimpo."

End of book one.

Book 2 teaser. :)