Chapter Text
“Jack, give moon his 300 dollars, you landed on his property,” sighed Solar, rubbing his faceplate. For some reason, Monty thought it would be a good idea for the family to have a game night, but knowing how everyone got about Uno, Terra had suggested monopoly— maybe not the best choice.
“NO! HE’S IN JAIL! IM NOT GONNA GIVE MONEY TO A CRIMINAL!”
“Jack, that’s not how you—“
And of course, Jack thought the best thing to do in this moment was start screaming.
“Moon, why is Jack screaming,” Molten inquired while turning to face the older model.
“Shut the fuck up Molten, you don’t get to talk after steeling my last railroad!”
“I WISH I WAS NEVER BORN.”
“ME TOO? YOU THINK I WANTED THIS?” Solar replied to Suns… impromptu crying? Mini breakdown? How do you describe seeing a 8 foot tall metal guy start crying about…something? The only thing solar could do was agree with his statement.
“Hello.”
Solar jumped at the sudden voice, one that he hadn’t heard in months. It was none other than Gemini, the astral that everyone now associated with bad news. The last time Gemini had visited it was when Cosmos tamped with dark star power, therefore everyone was immediately on edge for what had happened now. The tall Astral seemed to be holding something in a medium sized orb, opaque with the star power it was made of.
“Ahem.”
The sound of their voice (voices?) brought everyone back to the present moment.
“We have… determined that Cosmos shall be… discharged from the rank of Astral, due to… injures sustained during battle.” The room had gone silent, not a single person dared to make a sound. When it became clear no one was willing to ask the question they all had, Sun decided to take matters into his own hands (As he had to do for cosmos many times to protect them)
“Wha-what injures are we talking about? Like a cracked frame or a broken optic or,” He trailed off, his usual stutter slightly stronger than normal as he tried to hold himself back from panicking
The tall astral lowered the light blue orb down to the sofa, placing it down gently, before the sphere dispersed into light glitter raining down on the small body—covered in oil and some blue non Newtonian fluid— that was once inside it.
The family could not understand what they saw, their own brother covered in his own black oil, light blue starpower seeping through the hole on his chest onto the clean sofa. His head was mauled, their once baby blue hood stained black. Their torso was split open, showing their shiny endo skeleton and wires that gave him life.
Their soft pastel hands were crushed, parts of their casings completely missing. The only part that escaped the damage was the star at the end of their hood, glow illuminating the gore of its owner.
They all stared in shock and horror at what they were witnessing.
This was… Cosmos
What happened to Cosmos?!
“What happened… to him…?” Sun asked, his voice shaking, the grotesque sight urging him to vomit. But he held it down. He looked down at what was formerly his brother, which now just appeared to be a mutilated corpse splayed on their couch. Sun was glad that Dazzle had gone to sleep early, she would’ve surely been traumatized at the sight.
“We were amidst a battle, the Negative Star Astrals had overpowered us, and we were on the retreat from the planet. We could not save it.” Taurus said solemnly, he hanged his down in shame. Unable to stop what would happen next to the young astral. “Cosmos had been struck down on our retreat, and Cosmos… perished down back down onto the planet where the negative infected individuals awaited him… The Healing Astral, known as Virgo, tried their best to save him… But this is all that was left, once we purified the body.”
The family all stared at the body.
No.
This couldn’t be all that’s left of Cosmos
The once bubbly animatronic, who had a laugh that was contagious.
Who always knew what quip to make
The one who was obsessed with all things sweet
This mutilated body could not be all that’s left of that animatronic that they once knew.
“There’s gotta be something we can do.” Monty’s voice box cracked to life, it was weak, and to be honest, he just felt like crying his eyes out. But crying never did anyone good, it sure wouldn't help Cosmos. “Can’t ya bring him back? You astrals are all mighty powerful beings.” Monty continued to try and bargain, but Gemini shook their head.
“We cannot bring things back to life, astrals are meant to obey the laws of nature. You can not bring back someone who is already dead.” Gemini grumbled, like a storm in the distance. “Bringing the dead back to life is something that only Negative Beings can do.”
“Then why did you bring him back?!” Solar exclaimed angrily, he was angry for so many reasons.
He as angry family night had been interrupted
He was angry that Gemini left the mutilated body of their brother on the couch.
He was angry that his son, Jack. Was witnessing something so gruesome.
He was angry because the family member who introduced him to this family, had died, because he went to some war in space!
And he was angry because he couldn’t save Cosmos, he couldn’t do anything.
So why did these space twins bring him back here?!
“Did you just want to show us that you couldn’t protect him!?” Solar’s black rays, which he always made sure to hide, were poking out. He hated those rays, but they always popped out in moments of anger, he hated looking like an Eclipse. But he hated being useless so much more. “That Cosmos died because you didn’t do your job?!”
“Cosmos knew what he was signing up for.” Gemini raised their voice, making it louder, but making it as cold as possible. In war, there would always be casualties, Cosmos knew that. Cosmos knew that he would be put in danger. He knew there was a risk of him dying, everyone in the war knew that. “It is clear that the family who pushed him for this, did not realize what you wanted him to do. I brought him back, so he can have a proper Earth burial, as it is traditional on your planet.”
The family silenced themselves.
What did they send their brother off too?
A war?
Why’d they do that-
To prove that he had matured?
That he surpassed his trauma?
That he would no longer be a burden on the family?
Those reasons feel all idiotic looking at the mutilated corpse of their brother.
”
Guys! I brought some drinks and chips for everyone and a sponge for ja— oh- oh my god.” Terra stuttered as she saw the mess that was once her brother, now only a tangle of metal and wires.
Her brother who loves loved eating Nutella with nothing but his hands.
Her brother who calls called himself ‘funsized’
Her brother who was always used to stimming stim and moving move around.
Her brother, who was reduced to scrap metal and oil stained fabric.
Monty’s head snapped in the direction of the Terra. There he saw his lover's mouth wide open, and tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “Babe-” Monty tried to reach his lover, but couldn’t. The gap between the cose, but too wide. He couldn’t move, his feet were planted to the ground. “Cosmos-” He tried again, how was he supposed to explain Cosmos dead on the couch. How was supposed to explain that her brother died in a war that they all pressured him into “He just-”
Gemini said coldly. “Your older brother has fallen honorably on the front lines.”