Chapter Text
○○○ VEES POV ○○○
Vee hated Tisha.
Tisha hated Vee.
That's just how it was. That’s how it’s always been, and always will be. Vee was used to it, throwing insults, pranking one another, constantly griefing one another in runs, the usual. She would grab a twisted, hide behind a corner, and let them latch onto Tisha while she was in a corner doing a machine. She’d scowl in anger at Vee, making her laugh. It was some good times.
Lately, however, Tisha has been extra nice, which ticked Vee off. What happened to their griefing? Tisha would distract, stay way out of Vee’s way, use airhorns, and flash her a smile in the halls… it was off. Vee waltzed right up to Tisha, leaning on a wall.
“So, what are you plotting?” Vee casually dropped.
“Huh?” Tisha asked, looking up from the sink where she was doing dishes. “I don’t know what you're talking about.” She answered politely, looking back to the sink.
“Cmon,” Vee sneered, leaning over Tisha, “you know that I've noticed you're acting off.” She rolled her eyes, pushing Tisha teasingly, making her drop the plate she was washing. Tisha's eye twitched, her hands clenching.
“Vee Version 1. I am going to strangle you with my own hands, and I will enjoy every moment.” Tisha snarled, taking off her dishwashing gloves, facing Vee.
“Alright Ms. Cleanliness. Get with the new tech, you're still washing clothes with those.. boards. Machines are better, face it. You’re behind.” Vee hissed, stepping forward, challenging Tisha.
“Oh, yeaaahh, like you’re the best, uh huh. You–!” Tisha poked a finger at Vee, about to butt in with more insults, but she was cut off by Dandy.
“Enough, enough, you two. Calm down, we open soon! You two need to put on your game faces on, and get to the front of Gardenview! You especially, Vee.” He smiled, almost toxically, “and Tisha, mind sweeping the elevators? They look a bit dusty.” he continued, before strolling away.
“This isn't the end, Version 1.” Tisha hissed at Vee under her breath, before stomping away to the elevators.
Huh, Vee sneered in her mind, she's finally back to normal. A sigh escaped her soundbox, she wished they could’ve bickered a bit farther. Vee had wanted to try her new alarm sound effect. It would’ve annoyed Tisha, 100%. Vee’s screen flickered a little, as she stood idly, before remembering to scurry to the front of Gardenview.
She stood next to Astro, her mic tail swishing behind her. Vee watched as the train doors opened, tickets were clipped, and kids rushed in. Their toon handlers made sure no one was trampled, obviously having Pebble and Dandy be the stars of the show. Vee looked around at the kids around her, grinning as putting her gameface on.
“Alright you all! Who wants to do some trivia?” Vee hollered, popping the wheels out of her boots, skating slowly behind her. She let the kids trail behind her, her toon handler trotting beside her. Vee peacefully slid into the elevator, popping the wheels back into her boots. They waited for the elevator to get to her room, and she skated behind the stage.
Vee noticed Tisha come out of her backstage room, and she noticed her room was spotless. However, a note lay on the desk.
“Dear Vee, I sincerely hope you hate the way your room reeks of bleach.”, it read. Vee immediately knew it was Tisha by the handwriting, smooth and wispy. Vee chuckled to herself, as she stared at her mirror. Pictures, reminders, notes from kids, notes from adults.. ick. Along with that, it was full of photos of herself. Might as well add another trinket. She pinned the note to her mirror, text out, perhaps as a retort to Tisha if she comes back inside again. Vee fixed her suit, tightening her bow, fixing her collar, adjusting her Gardenview pin, all of the usual, before stepping on stage.
“Hello, boys, girls, and those in between! Welcome to VEES TRIVIA, where our lucky 4 contestants fight with their brains to come out on top and win the highest prize! Nooowww, who will we pick as our lucky 4 kiddos?” She announced, looking at the crowd, seeing plenty of hands shot up. “Alright, you, in the striped yellow shirt, you in the blue, you in the pink.. ah, you in the blue and red.. and our final contestant..” Vee emitted a drumroll from her speakers, which picked up on her microphone, “You, the audience! I wouldn't dare leave anyone out, so let your guardians raise their hand for you to answer!” Vee smiled warmly, turning to her contestants in the stands.
“Now, for our first question, when was Gardenview established?”
○○○
Vee fiddled with her antennae, fixing them to her liking. She adjusted her suit again, sighing as she noticed a minor stain. She’d have to ask Tisha.. ugh. Vee stood up, strolling out of her room, looking around until she spotted Tisha.
“Hey, Old Fashioned, I–” Vee started, looking at the stain before being inches away, face to face with Tisha.
“You have a stain, I know.” Tisha muttered, her eyes set on the stain. “Give me your suit. I’ll clean it. Do you have any extras to wear while it's being cleaned?”
“I mean.. tomorrow's Monday.. we’re closed.. so.. it shouldn't matter?” Vee replied, almost forgetting their bickering train as she backed away.
“Vee, are you going to stay cooped up in your room the entire day tomorrow?” Tisha sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose, “I guess. At least come out sometimes, whatever.” Tisha grumbled, “Ok. Suit. Hand it over.” She reached out her hand.
“Uhh.. can I at least hand it over when we’re not in a hallway?” Vee queried, fiddling with her mic tail.
“Yeah, hurry up, I need to clean Blot’s room.”
“Oh, alright.” Vee mumbled, popping her wheels back out and skating back to her room as fast as possible. Vee closed her door, unbuttoning her suit, her grey-metallic body and lime-green body panels revealing. She had a branded “V-V1” on her chest, on her left. She glanced at it, before throwing on another, darker, suit.
After getting out of her room, she passed on the suit to Tisha. Who, as per usual, seemed pissed to even be within the glow of Vee’s screen. Vee laughed out loud for a moment, thinking about it.
“What?” Tisha snapped, glaring at Vee.
“Nothing, oldie.” Vee sneered, crossing her arms. “You can handle a single thing being hidden from you.”
“Shut it, Version 1.” Tisha rolled her eyes, glancing at her spritz bottle. “..ooorr else I’ll use this.” She chuckled, spinning the bottle in her hand.
“You wouldn’t, you love me too much.” Vee mocked.
“Yeah, whatever. Get outta here.” Tisha frowned, nudging Vee in the ribs a little too hard.
“Yes Ma’am.” Vee grinned, rolling back on her wheels to skate back to her room.
Vee thought about their interactions as she prepared to go into charging mode. Oh, how glad she was that Tisha was the same old rude her. Her being that nice was uncomfortable.
○○○
“Morning, Vee!” Shelly chirped, bounding into Vee’s room.
“Mor-morning, Sh-shelly–shelly.” Vee’s voicebox glitched mildly, due to her still waking up.
Vee stepped out of her charging port, groggily walking over to Shelly and fistbumping her. She walked out of her room, automatically scanning for Tisha, just to do her usual routine of annoying her. She spotted her, strolling over and grabbing a cup of juice as she was on her way.
“Hey, oldie.”
“Hey, Version 1.”
They had a mutual, annoying nickname for each other. Vee held her juice innocently, doing the usual banter between the two before suddenly dumping the contents of the juice onto the carpeted floor.
“Oops, did I do that?” Vee chuckled, throwing the cup on the floor as an insult to injury. She grinned smugly at Tisha, who was fuming.
“Why, you little..” Tisha started, before taking a deep breath. “Version 1, respectfully, I hope you get Finn’s water on your motherboard.” She hissed, slapping Vee out of spite.
“You know that didn’t hurt.” Vee retorted, looking at her hands.
“Would you rather I smash your screen in?” Tisha growled, gripping Vee’s shoulder.
“Fair enough.” Vee sighed. She let Tisha calm down a little before going to annoy her again, before she was grabbed by Looey.
“Perfect timing! I’ll need you two in a run, ok? Vee, I need you to stay by the elevator, make sure no kids follow, and Tisha, stay with me, cuz you're SUPER strong, so I can get your help.” Looey rambled out in one breath, panting as he finished his sentences.
Vee looked at Tisha.
Tisha looked at Vee.
Begrudgingly, the two were forced to cooperate with one another on a run to get some more supplies for their handlers.