#tiddly

“It’s hard to say, but the guy acts like we’re all part of a hive mind.” She rolls her purple eyes as she recalls his own eye rolling to what he thought were stupid questions.

“What happened to the kids?” Anxiety began to bubble in his chest, what happened to them? Maybe they might be here somewhere?

“The guy said he lost signal after ‘the test subject Umby Pumby became deceased’.”

A cold shock vibrates through his whole body, it became hard to breathe for a few seconds.

“Um, shit, maybe now wasn’t the time.”

Umby...is dead?

That couldn’t be true.

“This is going to sting.”

A hiss of pain escapes him as the woman feels around the area that the arm was ripped from.

“I should be able to get it working and back on your body in thirty minutes.”

Tiddly sighs, feeling a type of numbness. He didn’t say anything else for these long minutes, trapped in his thoughts, so many questions. Maybe he’ll be able to question this Peppermint guy, ask how on earth he knows the Tiddlytubbies names even if he would have to endure hearing his children be called test subjects.

Hissing when she began the process of reconnecting his fixed arm. It almost felt like being literally shocked.

“Alright, try sitting up.”

Tiddly cautiously pushes himself into a sitting position, thankfully his metal arm was working.

They’re startled when someone slams the doors open. A small cherry red Teletubby looked angry as she sulked in.

“Captain Cox? Is there a problem?”

She squints at Tiddly. “What is this dumb ass experiment this rat won’t shut up about?”

“...Experiment?”

“Yes! The experiment that you took part in!” She waves her neon gloved hands in the air.

The colors kind of hurt his eyes.

“I don’t understand.” He could not understand why she was so upset about this.

“...Are you actually blissfully unaware that you were taking care of test subjects?” Her lips form in a straight tight line as she folds her arms over her jacket.

“...Apparently because I have no idea why you keep calling my kids ‘test subjects’.”

She sighs heavily, running a hand down her face. “Okay, alright, Dr Roberts and Tiddly, follow me to my office.”

“Wait, how do you know my name?”

“Peppermint.” With that she briskly leaves the room.

“It almost feels like this guy was stalking us.” He mumbles as he slides off the metal table.

Roberts pauses. “Based on my conversation with him, I think he actually did.” She had to pull Tiddly along since he froze with his jaw dropping. “Come on, Tori won’t like this waiting.”

The little captain must really be in a hurry based on how fast her pace is.

Her office had a desk with papers and toy guns on it. She sits in the rolling chair that obviously was lifted up so she could sit properly at the desk.

“...He said something might be wrong with the custards, since Baa apparently pulled a prank on Nin and that night she killed two people.” She pauses. “Well more like one because you’re obviously alive.”

Tiddly fiddles with his arm as he shifts in place. He did remember Baa pranking Nin with custard.

“He didn’t care to check so I need you two to go investigate the land and bring any clues back.”

Even though she clearly wasn’t asking, Tiddly ran the images in his head. Not exactly eager, but he needs to figure out where the kids went.

“Alright, I’ll ask Johnson to double check a helicopter so we don’t accidentally get stuck at the crime scene.” The gray Tubby nods with a polite smile.