[CHAPTER ONE] Bait & Switch [DW AU]

Instructions

{ Chapter One - Brightney } I lost my glasses. I immediately realized that when I woke up in the morning and my hand didn’t grab them when I reached over to my nightstand. I never misplace things. Ever. I’m far too smart for that. Someone had to have stolen them, I suppose. Maybe Gigi? She’s stolen them before. I’ll talk to her first. So, with a sigh, I sit up and get out of bed. One foot in front of the other, all the way to Gigi’s room. It’s been rather taxing to get around Gardenview since the shut down since all the elevators were shut down for “safety reasons”. Nobody even knows what Arthur and Delilah are protecting us from. Were they aware that they trapped around 40 living, conscious beings in a facility when they left Gardenview? Maybe. I’ll never know their true intentions, despite my wits, but I still like to think about it every time I cross the hallway and go up the stairs to the next set of toon rooms. I believe I woke up last. I had to squint to understand the clock, but it read 10:20 AM from what I could tell. Then that means other three main characters must be awake by now, along with all the other toons. As I passed by the kitchen, my theory was proven correct by the friendly banter and silly conversations coming from inside. They’re all eating breakfast. Without me, of course. I don’t mind. I don’t really like talking to any of them anyway. The sweet yet sicking aroma of maple syrup has made it’s way out of the kitchen and to the hallway I walk in. Pancakes. Again. I’m glad we have food, but if it’s just a large amount of pancake mix and various candies scavenged from the floor, I think we’re better off eating drywall. I’m getting sick of sugar by the second. I nearly miss the staircase thanks to my nearsightedness. I hope I’m right about where my glasses are. I was blessed with many things but proper eyesight was not one of them. Trodding up the steps, I take extra care to watch where I put my foot so that I don’t slip and fall. I’ve fell down the stairs before and, trust me, it’s not fun. Vee, my side character counterpart, needed help carrying boxes up the stairs and insisted I help her. I don’t really like her all that much, but I agreed since I’m the responsible one around here and must live up to that. One misstep later, I’m at the bottom of the stairwell, accompanied by a sprained ankle and broken and misshapen boxes who spilled all their contents of books and papers out. I think that’s when I really started to dislike Vee. It’s rather odd, in maybe a humorous way, how I’m the only main character who isn’t particularly close with my side character counterpart. Cosmo is inseparable with Sprout, Tisha is very fond of Shelly’s company, and Toodles’ adores her pet rock, Pebble. Meanwhile, Vee is more like my shadow, always following me around. Also like a shadow, I never asked for her to follow me. But she obviously doesn’t know that. She thinks we’re best friends, doesn’t she? We aren’t. Right…? I don’t care about her. At all. Sigh. Now, that I’ve finally reached the top of the staircase, I go to Gigi’s room. It’s pretty quiet up here. I like that. It’s very hard to get a moment of silence in Gardenview during the day, so I always relish those quiet moments when I can, usually by curling up with a book. I would be reading right now, actually, if I had my glasses. I usually do that after breakfast, since I don’t like social interaction too much. Everyone in Gardenview is annoying one way or another. Where did I place my book anyway? I didn't lose it. I never misplace things. Ever. Just as I was about to form the thought that maybe Gigi also stole it, I walk straight into something. “Hey-!” says the object. Maybe it’s a someone instead. “Sorry, sorry. I can’t see very well without my glasses.” I reply, trying to be polite. “Oh, hi Brightney!” the toon says cheerfully. I can make out that, based on the blur of colors I see and the voice I hear, that this toon is Vee. “Why aren’t you eating breakfast?” “I’m looking for my glasses.” I respond simply. “I think Gigi stole them again.” “Classic Gigi.” Vee chuckles. We chatted a bit more, maybe for four or five more sentences. I obviously was getting impatient, but tried to stay friendly. For some reason, I thought in the moment, I act coldly around everyone except Vee despite her being the toon I dislike the most...