His Angel still said nothing as he is still carrying him up and out of the elevator they just escaped from. Dogday, though still in nauseating pain, was oddly comforted by his savior's presence. And why wouldn't he, Poppy's Angel could have just left him there, let the tiny critters feast on his insides and use his husk as a puppet. It is what Catnap wanted, it was how it was designed, the whole ordeal was a trap from the start, and he should've known better.
He thought when that monster left the cell door open it was just a way to cruelly mock him for his state of being, a chance at freedom just hanging right in front of him but he himself was just too weak to even pull the leather straps off himself.
But the moment when Poppy's Angel showed himself, he almost knew that Catnap was lurking nearby. There was just no way that that thing would let someone like him slip by, into his own lair, his torture chamber.
He thought he will die there.
But yet, here he is, carried in an Angel's arms.
It was almost surreal, how he ripped his bindings down, carried him through the maze, and finally being confronted by Catnap himself. And then, when everything seemed lost, that…thing appeared. He thought he was seeing things, but the way Catnap and the lesser critters looked at it, he knew he wasn't hallucinating. It was just so jarring seeing how Catnap reacted to it, he was just as shocked and awestruck as he was.
And nothing compared to when the Angel roared at his tormentor, and sent him across dozens of feet in a single hit.
Now Dogday knew that humans aren't that strong, especially compared to the bigger bodies, so where on Earth did he get such strength? It was then that he remembered the second before the punch, the winged thing gripped him on the shoulder. As if, it was supporting him. Is that how Poppy's Angel gained such absurd strength? That being just came in, helped, and then left once the deed is done. Was that just a spontaneous occurrence, or maybe, maybe was that thing there the whole time?
Well for whatever reason, he is free! And he has whatever god there is to thank for it.
Soon enough they had both reached the end of the tunnel leading out of the Playhouse. And for once, Dogday lovingly embraced the fake sunlight of the Playcare's "outdoors". His Angel then carried him towards the center statue, its figure bringing haunting memories of the old days.
The Angel then gently let him down, with his back against the stone wall, and then took a seat beside him.
After a moment of silence, Dogday then finally speaks. "Angel. I…I don't know how you did it, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I have no idea how long I was down there, but you…"
Dogday then noticed that Gabe wasn't looking at him, not even listening. He is still in that same dazed trance since he knocked Catnap out. The Angel just looked straight ahead, his eyes tired and batted breaths riddled with exhaustion. Gabe then looked down at his hands, blood still coating them, but now have darkened and dried till some are falling of in thin flakes.
He was shaking, trembling.
"Angel?"
Gabriel was then snapped out of his stupor once Dogday's voice overpowered the noise within his head. He then looked back up to the giant plush, though his expression is plastered as a smile he can tell Dogday is concerned about him.
"What is wrong?" He said.
Gabe didn't respond right away, he was still gathering his thoughts and bearings as he gazed at the bigger body Dogday sitting near him. "I'm fine." He finally said. "I'm fine."
Dogday however wasn't so convinced. "But you looked like you were, out of it."
It was then that a sudden realization hits Gabe. "Wait a minute, did I carry you here?!" He said looking around as if he had just realized where he is. "How long were we here?"
"What do you mean?" Dogday said raising an eyebrow. "Are you ok?"
"I…" Gabe was almost lost for a second, it felt like he was having a relapse.
Dogday then placed a plush paw on Gabe's shoulder. "Angel, do you remember what you just did?"
The human looked to the ground for a moment, his mind was still in a haze, shrouding whatever memories he may have had but mere moments ago. "I remember seeing you, then the other Smiling Critters. I…I tried to get you all out, but, Catnap was there. I picked you up and ran, then we came to a locked door. I tried to defend you, but Catnap took me out."
Dogday then leaned in closer to Gabe. "Then what?" He said comfortingly."
"Then…oh God, then I saw the tiny critters, crawling into you." The memories almost made the human want to throw up. "Then I saw Catnap, he was just, laughing about it. Enjoying it. I just…I got so angry."
Then the flood of memories stopped, he couldn't recollect anything after that anymore. "And that was it. I don't remember what happened after that. It's all just, cloudy. And then next thing I know I'm here, with you."
Dogday was actually extremely surprised. "So you don't remember that thing behind you?"
"What thing?"
"…" Now Dogday was incredibly confused, how could it be that they had seen it but the Angel didn't? "Um, never mind." Maybe it is best not to worry about it for now.
They both then just sat there, their backs leaning against the center statue. Gabe is still trying to recollect what had happened before coming here but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the slightest idea what. Sure he remembered being angry, but it seemed that he was furious so much so that everything around him must have blurred. Like he was put on autopilot.
"So,…" Dogday asked. "What now?"
If Gabe were to be honest, he really doesn't know. He was supposed to turn on the backup generator to the Schoolhouse and that was it, they'll finally have enough power to divert all the Poppy Gas away from their objective. But Miss Delight has destroyed it, and he can't remember there being any generators inside the Playhouse. Not when there was a whole army of plush zombies just gnawing at his heels.
So what can he do now?
Just when he was about to give an answer however, Gabe ended up laying his hand near Dogday, but then feels something warm and sticky between his fingers. Looking down he finds the palm of his hand coated in dripping blood. It was then that when he finds the source of the bloody pool did he remember something glaringly important.
"OH MY GOD!" Gabe yelled as he shot straight up, startling the giant plush, and then immediately begins inspecting the enormous wound in his torso. "I completely forgot! You're,..oh God!"
"Woah calm down Angel!" Dogday said while taking the human's hands reassuringly. "You don't need to freak out about it."
Gabe then gave him an incredulous look. "My friend what you mean don't freak out?!" He said sarcastically panicking. "You are, missing, a whole half of your body!"
Dogday peered down at his missing waist, he can still see some of his intestines poking out from under the bloodied marred fur. He won't lie, he is still in incredible pain, much more now since their escape caused a lot of the clotting to break thus continuing the bleeding. But this is but a single moment compared to the ungodly amount of time he was stuck in there.
So he sighed. "It's alright, Angel. I'm practically used to this by now. Do,..do you want to know, how long I had been stuck in that cell, like this?"
"What?"
"Angel, how long has it been since Playtime.co was abandoned?"
"Um, ten years ago. Why?"
The dog plush gazed at him amazed. It had really been that long? He actually scoffed before then weakly laughing about it. "Eight years. I had been in that cell like this for eight years. After the company was shut down, I kept the time. But in there…" Dogday then clasped Gabe by both his shoulders, his white irises gazing deeply into his. "Angel. You,…you have no idea what this means to me. But…"
The toys voice begins to falter, while Gabe still sat and listened. "You,…I shouldn't even be here. I…I can't help you, not when I'm like…this." He said gesturing towards himself. "I'll just slow you down. Make you vulnerable. I…maybe you should have left me there, Angel. At least those critters could have had something to eat."
Gabe didn't know why, but at that moment he wanted nothing more than to just slap the living daylights out of whatever was putting these things into this toy's mind. It was then that he remembered. Catnap. He did this. Broke this poor creature's body and mind to make him feel inferior, less that anything. The thought alone made him ball his fists together till his knuckles turned pale.
Again that same white hot anger flooded his mind, clinching his jaw tight that the ringing in his ears intensified. Clouding his thoughts till all before him is dark red. Catnap, he had hurt Dogday. He hurt his friends. Hurt Huggy, hurt Mommy. Forced them to serve the Prototype. Forced them to cannibalize each other. He hurt them all. They are hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt!!!
"Angel? Angel!" Dogday then snapped him out of his stupor, the red once encroaching his vision fading. "Angel, is something wrong?"
Gabe was just about to give a solid answer, but then his phone rings. Now that he is out of the Playhouse there is connection again, and Ollie isn't hesitating to call back. "Hey! Are you ok?!" Ollie said through the line. "No ouchies or bumps or lost body parts?"
At the mention of that last part of the kid's question, Gabe then lifted his left hand up and views the burnt stump where his ring-finger used to be. "Um…maybe." He hesitantly replied.
"Oh! Then you really need to get that checked!" Ollie said, though Gabe figured that he probably doesn't know the full extent of his injuries. "The closest place I can think of that could have medical supplies is the School, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to go back there. So I think the best place would be-…Wait a minute, who's that with you? Is that Dogday?"
Dogday perked up, believing it is him that Ollie is talking about. Gabe wonders if he should tell Ollie about him, but Dogday sensed his hesitance and nods for him to go ahead. "Yeah, this is Dogday."
Ollie immediately responded excitedly. "Dogday is alive!? I can't believe it! I thought he was killed off by Catnap, but I guess I was wrong!"
"Yeah, but we have a bit of a problem." Gabe said. "I don't know if you can tell, but Dogday is a bit…hurt."
"Hold on, let me get the cameras to zoom in on ya…just a little closer aaannnd…oh…I see." Ollie's tone of voice suddenly changes. More serious and less cheerful. "Hmm,…we need to repair him."
"You think?!" Gabe replied with painful sarcasm. "Maybe I can get his lower half sowed together, but I still don't know how damaged his organs are."
"There's no need to do that." Ollie said. "I know of way to not only to repair him but completely heal him entirely! Legs and all!"
"Wait, seriously?! How do I do that? I mean, sure I know how to clot a severed finger."
"Just head back to the Ward, there is a special room hidden inside where you can repair him. I'll call Poppy and tell her to come to you with Kissy, she knows about it and will help out."
For the first time in a long while Gabe is actually happy, it had been too long since he had ever received any good news. "Great! I'll take him over there right now!"
"Now hold on." Ollie forewarned. "There is something you should know, in order to properly heal Dogday, you are going have to get some blood on your hands. And I don't mean that in a sinister way, I mean actually get your hands bloody. Because the scientists, while they do use all their science-y stuff, they use very special thing that they use to make all the toys, and it requires blood. It's how they made all the big toys too!"
Gabe wasn't sure what to make of what Ollie meant, but if it had anything to do with getting Dogday back even better than ever, then he's all for it. "Oookaaay. Well if that's what it takes, then yeah I'll get to it then."
"Good! I'll call back when- wait, did you say something about a missing finger?"
"Goodby." Gabe said quickly hanging up the phone, he is definitely not in the mood to explain anything any further, not when there is someone to take care of.
Though Dogday gave him an inquisitive look, he was then yanked up onto Gabe's shoulders and is then carried. The Grabpack made the ride a bit uncomfortable, but compared to what he had endured Dogday could care less, especially since it would be complaining to Poppy's Angel.
After some time, and a few wasted minutes of Gabe trying to retrace steps, they eventually find themselves heading deeper into the halls near the Playcare's outer shell. Dogday simply drank it all in, the sights, sounds, even the pungent smells. It had been stuck in that cell for so long that everything felt new. Even staring up in awe of the tall corridor on the last leg of their walk.
Entering the Ward, Gabe took a quick look around. It is the same as he left it, dim and decrepit. Ollie did say that he'll call Poppy and Kissy to come over, but they're not anywhere in sight. They must still be on their way. "Well, they're not here now." Gabe commented while taking the giant dog plush over to one of the stretchers. "I hope they don't take too long."
"Trust me, Angel." Dogday said as he reclined and placed his head on a pillow for the first time in eight years. "They can take all the time they want." He groaned, feeling his spine pop in multiple places.
And so they both waited, Gabe taking a seat on one of the rolling swivel chairs. Silence reigned with the only sound being their breathing. But it was then a curious question came to the young man's mind.
"Hey Dogday?"
"Yes Angel?" He perked up.
"You were stuck in there for eight years, and I'm pretty sure you only had the other Smiling Critters to talk to, so how on Earth did you find out about me before I came?"
Dogday hummed before giving his answer. "The tiny critters. That's how we found out about you, Angel." He said laying down staring up to the dim ceiling. "You may not know this, but we have a…certain way of talking among us. It is so faint to the human ear but is still audible to those who listen carefully. The reason is is so that the Bigger Bodies won't hear, or worse, the Prototype."
He then shifted his weight a bit as he then continued. "I can hear them too, even in that…God awful place. A short while ago, I heard some of the critters chatting to themselves, saying how some foolish human somehow made it past Huggy, and released Poppy. I couldn't believe my ears at first, but then, I heard her voice. Poppy's voice. She tried to tell them about you, about how you are going to fix this, fix everything. But they didn't listen to her, instead they chased her off. Then sure enough, just mere moments later, you came."
"So Poppy already went to those critters? Huh, she works fast." Gabe said relived. "For a minute I thought Poppy wouldn't have went to them."
"What, like you think she's doing things just because she feels like it?" Dogday retorted. "I know she sometimes comes off as a bit, off putting, but she has a good heart."
"Yeah. But also another thing, why do you keep calling me Angel?" Gabe asked. "You do know that is not my real name, right?"
"I know." Dogday replied. "But that is what poppy kept calling you, and the name sort of sticks." He then humorously says. "And in speaking of which, I don't think we've introduced ourselves properly, did we?"
"Oh right." Gabe exclaims. "You go first."
"Well, first off, I don't really know what my true name was before they turned me into, well, this." He said begrudgingly. "But, I've grown used to it. In fact I'm just fine with this body. So I you can call me Dogday."
"Cool! And I'm Gabriel. Gabriel Gibbons."
"Gabriel?" Dogday actually couldn't help but chuckle. "And yet you don't call yourself an angel."
"Hey now, just because my mom decided to name me after a literal archangel doesn't make me any more special. That's what my mom thought and yet I still cuss up a storm sometimes!"
And now this time, Dogday truly laughed. Then it dawned on Gabe, this must have been the first time in eight tortuous years that this creature has shown any sort of genuine emotion. Even the fake smile sown to his face seemed to have a happy glow to it. Just the thought alone brought yet more remorse to the human's weary mind, yet another reminder of what couldn't have been if he had enough courage.
If only he had done something different.
Dogday then seemed to notice Gabe's downcast expression. "Gabriel, is something wrong?" He asked.
But before Gabe could give an answer, they both heard something coming from outside. They were heavy footsteps. A shot of adrenaline hitting their veins, Dogday instantly brought himself straight up, and almost falling off the stretcher in the process, his eyes riddled with terror. Gabe on the other hand immediately placed himself between Dogday and the Ward's double doors.
A blaze of questions ran through Gabe's mind as he mentally prepared himself for the coming threat. Has Catnap already come for them, or is it another bigger body entirely? Well which ever it may be, his finger twitches on the flare gun's trigger. With luck, he'll manage to fire a shot at its face before grabbing Dogday and run out.
However as soon as the twin doors opened, his anxious thoughts that plagued his mind fled away as the large pink face of Kissy Missy peers in with herself being crouched down to fit through the doorway. And there sitting on her shoulder is Playtime Poppy herself, and she looked overjoyed seeing him.
"Gabe!" Poppy yelled happily as she hastily clambered down Kissy's arm before then running up to him. She was actually genuinely worried about him. "Ollie told me everything! That kid was supposed to tell you about Miss Delight but he didn't get to! Are you hurt? Nothing is broken, right? Do I need to do anything for you?"
"Oh uuuuhh, there's nothing!" Gabe said putting his left hand behind his back. "Nothing to worry about at all."
Poppy however noticed. "…Gabe, what are you hiding?"
"Hiding?" Gabe replied a bit nervously, he hates to think what would happen if she knows about what the tiny critter did. "Hiding what? I've got nothing to hide."
She wasn't convinced. Looking into Gabe's eyes, though she can tell that he doesn't want her worried, it wouldn't be prudent if there isn't something worth looking at. "Uh huh." Poppy then turned to Kissy, who also wasn't buying into Gabe's fibbing. The two nodded at each other, and Kissy suddenly grabbed the young man's right arm and then yanking it out to the open, pulling it down to Poppy's level. Poppy gasped and clasped her petite hands over her mouth.
Then after a few seconds of silence, hell broke loose. "I'M GOING TO GET THAT KID FOR THIS!!" She shrieked, forcing all three, even Kissy, to cover their ears. For such a small person, she definitely has amazing lung power.
"Poppy!!" Gabe yelled. "A little quieter, please!" He didn't know what's out there in the rest of the corridors, but Gabe felt that the whole Playcare must have heard them now. And the absolute last thing they need is for Catnap to know where they are.
"I'm sorry, but, you lost a finger! How could this happen?!" She yelled as she then literally hopped up, grabbed his hand, and pulled it down to look at it further. Nearly causing Gabe to stumble.
"It was one of those Mini-critters. But don't worry, I uh, well I burned the stump." Gabe futilely comforted as the little doll was practically fawning over his hand like a mother inspecting a cut on her child. "So it's not bleeding anymore. That's a good thing, right?"
"Yeah but think of what could happen afterwards!" Poppy said, still inspecting the burnt appendage. "It could get infected! Catch a disease! Or even get tetanus! Then next thing we know, we have to amputate the whole hand!"
"Ok ok ok!" He hurriedly addressed. "I'll take care of it, we are in the Ward after all. But only after we take care of him." He said looking over to Dogday, who had just been sitting there the whole time observing.
A rather comfortable expression came from his eyes as he gazed at the two. "Heh, if I didn't know any better, I would have mistaken you two for siblings."
Poppy seemingly ignored that statement, because she was too awestruck to even reply once her eyes set on Dogday. She then made her way to the stretcher, to which Kissy knew she'll want to get further up on it, and so she picked the doll up and brought her to eye level with the canine plush. Gabe watched their interactions with modest silence. It has been too long since they had last met.
"Dogday…" Poppy breathed in disbelief.
"Hey there little princess." Dogday groaned tiresomely while referring to her pet name. "Long time no see."
She tentatively placed a hand to the plush's paw. "I…We were together with the Smiling Critters. We were about to face the Prototype but…" She croaked. "But Catnap was there. Then in the smoke I saw him take you…as he dragged me away to that case."
"Yeah." Dogday groaned. "We really thought we had him, right?"
"I…After all these years…I, I thought you were dead." She quietly said ashamed.
"I thought we were good as dead too." Dogday somberly replied. "But as it turns out, Catnap wasn't so keen on letting his 'friends' simply leave this world so easily."
She wondered what he meant by 'friends'. But when the implications of the meaning dawned on her, a newfound hope rose in her chest. "You mean…The Smiling Critters are still alive?"
Dogday then gazed down in front of himself, a forlorn expression in his eyes as he views his own entrails peeking out from under his furred skin. "…Yes…and yet, I am better off than some of them."
Poppy peered down the plush's abdomen to the gaping hole where his pelvis should be. But now there is nothing there but dried blood and exposed organs. She couldn't stand the sight of it, Dogday is a good friend, and a good person in general. Despite all the horrific experiments and the torturous abuse suffered from the doctors and staff, he'll be there for them to put a smile on their face. Whether it be the children, the Smiling Critters, or even any of the Bigger Bodies, he'll always be there for them.
Even Catnap.
Dogday was there for him, and this is how he thanks him?
Her small hands gently stroked the canine toy's dirty fur, feeling every blood stain and dirt splotch between her fingers. The look on her face is strained, a composure that is nearly falling apart from the seams. Gabe sensing her grief places a hand on her back, a small comfort in his eyes. He knew that she is trying to keep her emotions checked, but within those sky blue eyes and pale pearly skin, he can see the indignant fury burning beneath.
"Dogday." She then states, her words hushed and hissing through her clinched teeth. "We will make them pay, the Prototype, Huggy, Mommy, even Catnap. We will have our revenge. I swear it."
Gabe cannot lie, despite her small frame and non-threatening appearance, she can become rather scary when angry. Dogday hummed, although he is still skeptical about all this, especially about her revenge plan. And there is another thing that needs addressing, namely himself.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I ain't going to be much help." A sad sigh escaping his voice box. "Not when I'm like, this."
Dogday slumped back till his head is on the pillow, he then looked to Gabe, his countenance downcast and regretful. "I still don't know why you saved me Gabriel. I was good for nothing then, and I'm no different from then to now. It was better for everyone that I was left there. You should have just let me die.""
Gabe bit his lip, genuinely upset that this plush is still acting as if his life was meaningless. It's not, far from it. But how can he convince him? It was then an idea came to him, a harsh one, but it'll work. "So you are saying that your friends are good for nothing too?" He said.
"What?! NO!!" Dogday instantly responded with such steadfast words. "They are the best people I have ever known! I would never tell them that!"
Good. Exactly what Gabe wanted to hear. "Then why are you telling yourself that?"
"Because…" He is starting to run out of excuses. "Well look at me! I'll only slow you down, I can do nothing to help or protect you."
"And you don't think that your friends are any better off than you?" The human retorted. "Are you saying that they are better off dead too?"
Dogday tried to come up with a good answer, but he couldn't find any. To agree with what Gabe is implying would mean to say that his friends are just as useless as he is. But he is not, how could he say such things about them? They were there for him even when in those God awful cells. How could he just say that his friends are better off dead when they deserved to…to live.
And then it clicked.
"Oh…oh God." Dogday croaked, nearly welling up in tears. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I should have never said that!"
Dogday was on the verge of tears, but just when they were about to spill he felt a pair of arms wrapped around him. Gabe clung unto him warmly. "Don't be sorry, if you really don't want me to regret saving you then don't say that stuff about yourself ever again."
"I agree." Poppy said as she did her best to comfort the dog plush in her own way, even Kissy joined in too.
"…Thanks." He sniffled, wiping some excess tears brimming from his eyes.
It was a blissful moment, despite the circumstances they are in. Gabe wanted this to continue on longer, allow Dogday to finally understand his value amongst them. But now there is hardly any time to lose. Catnap is still around, and he'll hate to think how that mad cultist will react to seeing he's missing a prisoner.
"Heeey, look, I want nothing more than to let this moment go on but, there is a reason why we are here." Gabe said, but in such a way so it won't sound rude.
"You're right. We should get going." Poppy said as she gestured to Kissy, and then after she is securely mounted on the giant's shoulder, Poppy then begins by asking a question. "Gabe, how much do you know about the Ward?"
"Uuuh only about as much as you told me." He replied plainly. "Been a former assembly worker, remember?"
"Right right." She deadpanned. "Well, there is something else you should know. Come on."
The pair then started walking away, but Gabe still has yet to figure out how to carry Dogday more comfortably around. "Uuumm…" He then spots something laying sideways on the floor. "Hang on a second." He gestured as he went to the object. A wheelchair. Perfect.
Gabe then unfolded the contraption, the metal bars are rusted over and the leather padding leaves a lot lacking, but it is functional enough to work. He then lifts Dogday up and then places him squarely in the seat.
"Comfortable?" He asked.
"Like I have any right to complain?" The living plush retorted.
"Hm, I'll take that as an okay then."
Now with a better mode of transportation, they followed the two as they made their way past another set of double doors, but these lead them deeper into the Ward. It was safe to assume that what happened to the rest of the Ward was nothing less but a catastrophe. Overturned stretchers and tables everywhere, medical equipment bashed and thrashed around, and syringes and needles strewn about the place.
Pieces of broken glass lied all over the place, he only hoped that Kissy doesn't get any cuts when stepping on a few. And of course there are toy corpses everywhere, along with the ever present blood splatters strewn on the walls and floor along with the pungent smell of death and decay.
This was the setting to the rest of the Ward, that is until the group reaches the far end of the miniature hospital. They ended up reaching an oddly ominous large iron door, like the ones used for bank safes, there is even a wheel nob attached to the dead center of the hatch. But it seemed that the only way to get it to open is the blue Grabpack hand scanner to the right right side of it.
Already knowing what to do, he fires the blue hand, but when it connects the scanner doesn't respond.
"Hmm. There's no power." Poppy mused.
"Really?" Gabe groaned, he already knew where this is going. "Alright, you three just stay here. There's probably some weird puzzle around here somewhere and-."
But it would seem that Kissy wasn't having that, she grew impatient about having to tend to Dogday, she isn't about to just sit around and wait for this human to finish a dumb puzzle. She then immediately let Poppy down, much to the human's and doll's confusion, and then begun to wrap her long arms around the wheel nob.
"Kissy, what are you doing?" Poppy asked.
But Kissy didn't so much as glance at her, she was just too focused on getting a secure grip on the door. Then with all her might, Kissy began to pull on the nob, the metal clanged and banged as Kissy would let the wheel revert back to original position before abruptly yanking it back. The trio knew what she is doing. She's trying to break the lock by forcing the wheel nob to turn.
"Now hold on Kissy." Gabe tried to intervene before things get worse. "I can just simply do the puzzle and get it over with."
She still didn't listen, only now she began to pull harder. They can even hear the metal mechanisms within begin to groan.
Poppy then spoke up. "Now hold on Kissy, Gabe will-" But she still didn't listen, and then the wheel began to budge. "Hold on! Wait wait wait wait! DON'T YOU DAR-"
"CRACK!!"
And then with a resounding noise, the locking mechanisms within the door are dashed to pieces. They can even hear what is left of the shattered metal bits trickle from within once the echoing died down. Kissy looked to the gang gawking at her to then the wheel nob, then after a few turns on the wheel, the steel door swings open. The metal rods that once locked it in place retracted into the twelve inch thick safe door.
Though the scene felt tense, Dogday couldn't help but laugh. "Heh, nice to know you haven't changed, Kissy."
The other two members however weren't so amused.
"Ugh, Kissy." Gabe groaned. "You need to be more careful."
"Did you realize what you nearly did?" Poppy sternly scolded. "If you had broken any more of what's inside it those rods wouldn't be able to pull out and the door would be stuck for good. We wouldn't have been able to fix Dogday!"
The pink giant didn't seem to care though, she made a few quick chittering noises and then gestured them to come inside.
"Yes, I'm glad you got the door to open." Poppy said as they all made their way through the doorway and into a new corridor. "But next time, think ahead ok?" Kissy nodded as she then picked Poppy back up on her shoulder.
They were but a few feet in when the atmosphere of their new environment suddenly changed. While the toys expected it, Gabe however didn't. For this place is frigidly cold. The floor beneath their feet is saturated with moisture, but thanks to the rough texture of the concrete they wouldn't slip so easy. The walls however were coated with frost, and the ceiling was dotted with occasional icicles. They can even see their breaths steaming out of their mouths.
Gabe shivered as he did his best to keep himself from slipping while pushing Dogday. "Brrr. Is this a fridge or something?"
"You could say that." Poppy replied, almost just as cold as he is. "But it's a good sign. It means the spare parts are still fresh in storage."
"Spare parts?" Gabe muttered under breath. What did she mean by that?
The cold intensifies with every step they took, it felt borderline freezing. So much so that even Dogday couldn't stop shivering, even with his fur coat. Till soon enough they reached the end of the hallway. The space opened up to them, and Gabe's fascination reached peak as he surveyed the large room before him.
This new room looked almost identical to the rest of the Ward, except this place appeared to be left undamaged compared to the maelstrom of a mess outside. The medical equipment remained intact, like as if it was all left just as it was the day the factory shut down. There is a ramp leading downwards along with twin sets of steps on either side of it. The room leading into from the ramp is spacious, a rectangular room stretching fifty feet deep by a hundred feet wide.
On the left wall, placed a dozen feet above the floor, is an observation room. And towards the back side of the wall is what looks like a long chain belt, their ends leading out and in from rectangular holes inside the walls. The chain seemed to be designed to carry something from outside the room, and hanging from the chain are icicles, a sign of long absent use.
"What is this place?" Gabe asked. His eyes still wandering the mysterious room.
"This, Angel." Dogday said, his own gaze glazed with somber. "Is where toys like me get fixed."
The atmosphere of this room felt desolate. No, haunted.
Wrong things had happened here. He can feel it.
"This place?" Gabe replied with a hint of uncomfortable disgust.
Poppy hummed. "Yeah, this is part of the Ward most people don't get to see." She explained. "If any of the toys, like Kissy or me get broken, this is where they'll take us. There are other Wards like this one around the factory, hidden away out of sight. One near the lobby for Huggy, one in the Game Station for Mommy and the other toys, and then this one, made for the Smiling Critters."
"Huh, at least they cared somewhat about you." Gabe dubiously replied.
"Make no mistake, Gabriel. They didn't." Dogday said. "This is just a way so that nobody would see we are living beings with flesh and blood. Everyone outside all thought we were just employees in mascot suits."
"Well, now I know." Gabe said shrugging his shoulders yet with a hint of sullenness. "But why does it have to be so cold in here?"
"Because." Poppy said before pointing off to the side. "That's why."
Gabe looked, and there leaning against the wall near the chain belt is a large rectangular frame. Made of robust metal rods yet similar in appearance to that of a large picture frame, there is a series of clamps arranged in rows all around the inner frame and they are holding onto a mesh of steel wire holing up something that looked like a pair of arms.
It was then that Gabe realized that these 'arms' are actually real arms made for one of the Smiling Critters. The green fur and sown on plush paws, though its open sockets stained with blood and layered with frost and watery residue, gave it away as replacement arms tailor made for Hoppy. Flesh, fur, and bones in all. And it is hanging there by attachments connecting it to the frame's wire mesh, like a butcher meat straight from the freezer.
"Wait, when you said spare parts." Gabe said.
"I actually meant spare parts." Poppy confirmed.
Gabe looked between the arms hanging in the frame to then Dogday's open abdomen. He already knew where this is heading, but he doesn't believe he is ready for it in any shape or form. "Uh, Poppy. Just to make this clear I want to help Dogday more than anything, but you do know I'm not at all a surgeon right?"
"I know, but you don't have to be." Poppy reassured. "Come with me."
Much to Gabe's confusion, he then followed both her and Kissy alongside a walkway on the side of the wall, heading towards the observation room overhanging the Ward. Gabe made sure to take Dogday with him, but when they reached the end of the walkway he found that the way up to the observation room is a set of iron grated stairs. He internally groaned within himself, it is going to be a pain getting Dogday up those stairs, especially when he's in his wheelchair.
But Poppy wasn't intending to bring the canine plush along.
"It's okay Gabe, Dogday can stay here for the moment." She said before turning her attention to Kissy, who then let her down so that Gabe can be the one to carry her. "Wait here with him, we won't be long."
Dogday knew what was up there, and he knew for sure what Poppy was intending to show his Angel. "Miss Poppy, are you sure?" He said with a hint of uncertainty.
"I'm sure of it, Dogday." Poppy affirmed. "He needs to know this if we have a chance to restore you."
Now Gabe is even more confused. "Know what?"
Both Poppy and Dogday took a look at each other, they both felt the same uncertain suspense the other had, but if they wish to continue they had no choice. "Just come and see. Alright?"
Gabe looked to Dogday, he too can feel how uncomfortable he is just as he felt the same from himself. But the canine plush nodded to him, whatever it is that Poppy is going to show him it is a sensitive issue, but one that they can't avoid. So, carrying Poppy in his arms, they both ascended the metal staircase till they reached inside.
It turns out, that the observation room was just made to overview the Ward, it is also a chemical laboratory. If all the beakers, phials, and a whole other slew of other chemical equipment have anything to say. There is also a large machine sitting at the very opposite end of the lab, appearing much like a compact fridge, except there is a glass window attached to the very face of it, allowing one to peer inside the machine's inner compartment. There is also many series of tubes and small phials connected to it.
Gabe didn't know why, but it felt unnerving just looking at it.
There is also a seat next to it with an enlarged armrest, with a pair of leather straps on each end of it. It reminded him of those one chairs where doctors would draw blood. He remembered so from a blood donation he did awhile back.
Poppy directed him to sit in it, but she can feel the hesitance in the human's approach. Don't worry Gabe." Poppy comforted, rubbing a hand on his forearm. "I know you aren't comfortable with this, but I need to demonstrate it so you can understand it fully. And plus…" She then gently ran her fingers over the burnt stump where Gabe's finger should be. Her face lowly and sullen. "I should take care of you first."
Then after setting her down on one of the desks, Gabe then took a seat on the weird chair. Meanwhile, Poppy was busy looking through the desk's drawers, Gabe can't really make out the many medical items within each drawer, but he can see what Poppy was pulling out. A syringe, a plastic capsule, clean cotton balls, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and some medicinal elastic wrap. The sort of items used for…
Wait,…is Poppy planning to draw blood from him?
Ollie did say something about using blood, is this what he meant?
Poppy can already tell just how uneasy Gabe felt, his anxiety growing by every moment. "Look, I know what we're doing is weird, so just bear with me for a moment." Poppy addressed calmly. "I just need to draw a blood sample."
"I'm not worried Poppy." Gabe corrected. "I just don't know what the heck is all this and how it's going to help Dogday."
"You'll see. And thankfully all of this is still sterile, since that front entrance has been closed for all these years, nothing has ever disturbed the equipment."
Gabe then prepares for the blood draw, first wiping the area of injection with a cotton ball doused in peroxide, then using a leather strap to cut circulation in the upper arm. Poppy then prepared the syringe, attaching the capsule needed to store the blood. With everything ready, Poppy aligned the needle towards the pit of Gabe's elbow, where the skin and flesh is the softest and where the most blood will be.
She looked up to him expectantly yet comforting, waiting for Gabe's consent. He gives her an affirming nod. And with that, she injects the syringe into his arm. The blood immediately begins gushing into the capsule, and in less than a minute, it is completely full. She then pulled the needle out and then quickly puts a cotton ball on top of the puncture wound. Once her hand is free from it, Gabe then pressed down with the cotton, preventing any more blood loss.
Poppy then tosses a roll of medical wrap. "After you get that covered, I'll then show you what comes after next."
Gabe silently nodded. Then once the wrap has been placed fully around the injection wound, he then got up and followed Poppy, she was heading to the same machine that was giving him ominous feelings from earlier. She then turned to Gabe, blood sample in hand, and then slots it into and inlet on the front side of the machine, twisting it in place till a small click was heard.
"Gabriel, what I'm about to show you must never leave this factory." Poppy explained. "Even the scientists knew better than to share this secret to the rest of the world. Do you promise?"
Gabe wasn't keen on telling anybody about anything he had seen thus far. Even his own neighbors would think he's having a psychotic breakdown if he told them about it. "I promise." He sincerely said.
Poppy nodded, and then with a flick of a switch the machine blares to life. Metallic noises and motors whirling that haven't been heard in the past decade screamed. Gabe watched as his own blood is sucked out of the capsule and then travels through plastic tubes. A light from behind the machine's glass pane lights up, revealing there to be a decently sized beaker inside.
A nozzle just above the glass beaker then trickles out a thick, red substance. His blood infused within this concoction. Filling the glass up till it reaches near to the brim. Then once the gelatinous liquid settled, two metallic needles descended into the mixture, and to Gabe's amazement a purple arc of electricity arches between the two poles, electrifying the mixture. Then once the bolt of lightning vanished, the solution is now ready.
The glass pane then slides open, allowing Gabe to reach inside and grab it.
"Now Gabe." Poppy said. "What I want you to do is take what's left of your missing finger and dip it inside there. And whatever you do, do not remove it until it is done."
"Okay then." Gabe then did just as told and placed the stump of his ring finger inside the solution. "But when should I know it is do-AGH!!"
Just then a massive jolt of pain pierces his hand, directly from the finger's stump. It felt like he was burning it with white hot metal all over again. "Don't pull it out!" Poppy warned. Gabe winced in pain, but did just as so. He doesn't know what this stuff is, but one way or another it better be worth it.
However, once he took a look inside the solution, he can then see what she truly meant. The burnt blood then suddenly begins to flake and peel off from the stump, leaving the flesh and bone exposed. Suddenly to his utter shock, the bone then begins to extend. Wait, no, growing. Then the muscles and ligaments followed, trailing just behind the growing bone.
The sheer levels of pain were intense, but yet the only reason he hasn't reeled his arm back is because of how much awe he is in as he watched his finger return.
Soon enough the skin completes its regeneration, and the pain ceased. He then pulled his hand away, and in the stump's place is a new fully functioning finger. Gabe was shocked, astonished, his jaw literally hanging open but not a word or breath escapes between his lips. Poppy sympathies with the human, it is not everyday that even the scientists get to see their own handiwork in such fashion. She can only imagine what thoughts are running through the young man's head.
"...Uh, Poppy?" Gabe asked in hushed tone. "Can you please explain this?"
Poppy took in a deep breath, there is going to be a lot to explain for this. "This Gabe, is Poppy Elixir." She starts. "This, is the stuff they use to create all the living toys you have seen in the factory. You see, a long time ago Playtimeco's founder, Eliot Ludwig, was the first to begin the development of the Elixir. First using it on animal test subjects such as rats. No one knows why he created the it, but I did hear a rumor once that he wanted to use it to resurrect his daughter, but I personally don't believe that. Because if he did, he would have done it once the final product was finished."
"The final product?" Gabe asked, still gazing dumbfounded at his restored appendage. "And what is that?"
"Not what, who." She replied. "The Prototype. He's the first successful product of the Poppy Elixir. And from then on, he perfected the formula, even till death. Even Harly Sawyer had trouble trying to replicate it. Through the Elixir, it can repair damaged organs and tissue, sometimes even regenerate a whole new one. It can clean infections, cure brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Dementia, and can even help eliminate cancer."
Gabe was at a complete loss of words, but yet he still finds enough to formulate one long question. "So what you mean to tell me, is that they created a medicine that can be best described as a miracle from God himself. That can cure brain diseases, fix failed or damaged organs, and even obliterate cancer. But the one thing they used it for, was to turn children into monstrous experiments?"
Poppy was a bit hesitant to answer given her friend's rather passionless tone. "Apparently…"
The human then took a deep breath. "Ok, um." He then cleared his throat, and gave the appropriate response he can think of.
"WHAT!? WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K!!!" He roared. "These people are the dumbest f**king idiots on planet Earth!! They could have won multiple Nobel prizes for this, but no! Instead they'll rather be a bunch of evil, sadistic f**cks!! These stupid, f**cking, satanic, pieces of S**T!! I…why…GAHH!!!"
He roared as he then punched the wall beside him, sending utensils and small medical equipment clattering everywhere on the floor. Once he was through with his little rant, and finally regaining his breath, he looked back to Poppy to see her covering her ears.
"My, for an Angel, you definitely have a rather dirty mouth!"
"Well it's true!" Gabe exclaims. "I mean, seriously, out of all the things they could have done differently, they decided to do all, THIS! It's just…It's all…"
He was practically breathless at this point, but as the adrenaline subsided, he realized just how uncomfortable he made Poppy feel. So taking a deep breath, he calmed his nerves, his face riddled with tiresome guilt.
"I'm sorry." Gabriel replied softly. "It's just…ugh, I just can't believe these people would be so smart yet so stupid." He said rubbing his head, groaning as he trailed his pressed fingers across his temples.
While Poppy did find this little debacle rather humorous, she knew that Gabe was right. These scientists could have done so much good for this world, only to throw it away, and for what?
"It's alright, I understand, but it doesn't matter now." She said directing her human's attention back to the now. "What does matter is getting Dogday back to normal."
"Right." Gabe then asked. "So all we have to do is take some of Dogday's blood, hook it up to this machine, and it'll help heal him?"
"Exactly! We can even use it to replace his legs. You just need to get the right parts within this lab's freezer."
"Alright then." He said standing back up, clinching his fully restored sit in determination. "Let's fix ourselves a broken toy."