"Now where are they hiding?" Poppy said to herself as she continued her trek through the ventilation ducts with a red video tape in her hands. "They couldn't have stayed in the Ward, that place is too cold to stay in for long, especially for Gabriel's sake. Plus I did tell them to find a tape player along with a TV, which the Ward doesn't have. So the Gas Production Zone is the best bet, since it is kept out of the way from the rest of Playcare."
And so as she continued on, her tiny footsteps tapping against the metallic paneling, her thoughts then drifted back to the human in question. Ever since he came here Gabriel has done nothing to harm any of the toys here, either if they're for him or against him. In his own words he said he'll bring them all out of here, and it seemed that he is doing his best to fulfill that promise. A noble effort, but one she finds incredibly dangerous, let alone naive.
And yet for some miraculous reason, he has survived this long only by his attackers good graces. First he saved Huggy, who while she knew he had only served the Prototype out of survival, Huggy's sheer animosity towards other humans couldn't have been quelled so easily. But he was nothing compared to Mommy Long Legs, her hatred for Gabriel was unbound and amplified by her broken mind, but yet somehow both survived each other's encounter. And that isn't even counting all the other toys Gabriel has survived in between them.
Poppy couldn't understand it, how is this even possible for him to do? It is almost stupid for Gabriel to think that he could manage to get them all out of here. Where could they even go? Sure he said he'll take them all in, but he couldn't possibly fathom how many of them there are here. Even after all this time, the big fight, the starvation, the cannibalizing, there are still hundreds of living toys sleeping and waiting within the factory's walls. There is no possible way for him to accept all of them into his home.
This factory, this place they call hell, this is their only home.
Which is why if they wish to find any future here, they must kill the Prototype.
And now she must help give Gabriel a reason why they must, and what she has in her hands will be more than enough to convince him. And that will be the first phase of her plan. The next will be to assist Gabriel in killing Catnap, once that is done many toys will most certainly see, and many will be convinced to join their side and defeat the Prototype.
But first things first, she needs to find her friends. She has already wasted enough time as it is, if she knew if she didn't get to them soon then Catnap would for sure have done something by then. The mere thought of Catnap finding them made her heart quicken and her blood roil, and being the sadistic and unpredictable fanatic that he is there are a myriad of horrific ways to which that purple monster could have hurt them. Could have tortured them. Could have killed them!
So consumed by fear she was that Poppy hardly noticed her breath quickening to a ragged pace. It was only until did she finally stop did she notice this, but while she knew it wasn't good for her to feel this anxious, she is pressed for time. Poppy knew she couldn't hesitate for even a moment, not while her friends are waiting on her.
However, as she nears the Gas Production Zone, she smells something. A small yet noticeable whiff of air carrying a distinct, pungent scent. And by happen chance, she even sees some residue stuck to the metal paneling. A red, almost blood-like substance stuck on the metallic surface in a thin sheen, appearing as like bodily ichor.
It smelled like burnt poppies.
"No." She gasped aloud as she at once ran as fast as her tiny legs would let her, following the trail of smell and residue till it almost became unbearable to smell. If she were to stay exposed for too long, she'll risk herself in passing out and succumbing to the Red Smoke's effects. But with her heart pounding and blood racing, she couldn't care less if her friends are in danger.
Soon enough she reaches the exact place she was looking for, bursting through the ventilation grates, and sure enough, all around in the room's interior, is the unmistakable remnants of the Red Smoke. All along the floor and walls is the blood red residue coating every surface in a sickly sheen. And as if this wasn't proof enough, still drifting about in thin streaks and wisps is the lingering gasses of the Red Smoke still lingering and floating about close to the floor.
Catnap was here, and judging from all the paw and footprints, so was Gabriel and the others.
Poppy's poor heart almost couldn't keep up with the torrential thoughts storming in her head, a hurricane of dread. Dozens of fears stirred as questions burned within her. What happened to them? Are they alive? Did they escape? How could this happen so soon?
Her breath quickens to a breakneck pace, her head so light that her vision darkened and threatening to faint. The strength in her legs begins to give out, and the nauseous feeling rising from her stomach skews her balance threatening to lose her footing.
But just when she was on the verge of fainting, the intercom in the room blares on.
"Poppy, is that you?!" Ollie's worried voice blared through the intercom's static.
"I—I'm here." Poppy breathlessly replied as snaps out of her dizzying stupor. "Where…Where are they?"
Ollie however wasn't willing to answer yet. "Look, I can see you in the cameras, you look like you were about to fall over at any second. Just take a moment and I'll…"
"No Ollie." Poppy bluntly replied. "Tell me what happened to my friends. Now."
"Ok ok! In case you are wondering, Catnap, that's what happened." Ollie hastily replied. "I tried to warn them but he came in so suddenly and quickly, and there was this heavy interference. I couldn't reach them in time to warn them, and then Catnap was upon them."
Poppy's fists clinched at mere mention of that monster. "What did he do?" She darkly asked.
"Well, he went after Gabriel, and Gabriel specifically. He was very close to killing him, but Dogday managed to fend Catnap off while Kissy sent Gabriel away out of his reach. Then once Gabriel was safe, I thought Catnap would go for the other two instead, but then he did the strangest thing. He then just left the two alone and ran away."
"So they're both alive?!"
"Yeah! They are all still alive."
Poppy felt the crushing weight of dread lift from her chest the moment she heard those words. "Oh thank God!" She exasperatedly sighed. There was however one question on her mind however. "Then where are they now? If this happened while ago then they must be together right?"
"…"
"Ollie?"
"About that, um…" It was painfully obvious to Poppy that Ollie was reluctant to say the right answer. "You see, while I did get in contact with Gabriel, I couldn't with Dogday or Kissy since they don't have a phone on them, and they are…uh…"
"Just spit it out." Poppy deadpanned.
"…They aren't looking for Gabriel."
Poppy was visibly surprised, but moreover upset. "What do you mean they're not looking for Gabriel?!" She exclaimed.
"That's the thing, I don't know why!" Ollie defensively replied. "But instead of getting to Gabriel they are instead heading for the Playhouse."
"Why would they go there?!" Poppy yelled. "There is nothing there except those disgusting Mini-Critters and the…" It was then that realization dawned on her. "The rest of the Smiling Critters. They're going to try to break them out of there aren't they?"
"That seems most likely." Ollie agreed. "They made a bee-line straight towards the place as soon as Catnap left."
But what about Gabe?" Poppy near frantically cried. "How could they just leave him?! I need to get to them and find Gabriel before Catnap does!"
"Then head back into the vent, it should be the fastest way to get to them. But be careful of the those mini-critters, you know what they did to Gabriel, I don't want to think what they'll do to you."
"Oh please don't remind me." She groaned as she then started down the vent from whence she came. Thankfully she knew these vents like the back of her hand, it wouldn't take too long for her to find the Playhouse and the others inside.
But for now, while she is running as fast as her little feet could carry her, she was left indecisive about what to do whenever she finds them. On wether or not she should thank Dogday and Kissy for saving Gabriel, or if she should scold them both for then leaving him.
<<<<<<<<<<~>>>>>>>>>>
Peeking around the corner, Dogday, along side Kissy just feet behind him, venture through the filthy and dilapidated corridors of the Playhouse, Catnap's home and his personal dungeon. The place is just the same as he had left it, the colorful styrofoam paddings that made up the walls and floors torn and aged to the whims of time while mired with blood and other kinds of filth that he frankly doesn't want to know about.
The air still stinks of the rancid, sweet smell of decaying flesh, and the only light available to the duo of toys are the occasional flickers of fluorescent ceiling lights and bunches of candles made from bones and other bodily objects, basking an eerie light on the ruined playground structures and the occasional dead toys with their bodies or severed heads skewered with splintered wood or rusted rebar. Truly a perfect hideout for an occultist fanatic.
And they both knew they weren't alone in here.
Keeping each breath and movement to bare minimum, both Dogday and Kissy took absolute care to keep as quiet as possible. The Mini-Critters could be hiding anywhere in here and all it takes is for one to pop out and notice them, and the whole herd will come flooding through every crack and hole they can crawl through.
"Okay, they must be around here somewhere. All we need to do is find them and get out." Dogday said in a hushed whisper. "Now Kissy, just so you know, there is some who can't walk, so you're going have to pick a few of them up."
Kissy then made a few growls and hisses in a manner that seemed displeased.
"You ripped open a six-inch thick steel door and you're complaining that you can't carry them all?" Dogday replied nonchalantly. "Plus we'll need that strength if we're going to bend those iron bars open, they're locked in jail cells after all."
As they then turned around another corner more of Catnap's handiwork comes to view, this time instead of skewered toys it is lines upon lines of severed heads hanging along tied string along the ceiling like beads of a bloody necklace. If it weren't for her permanently frozen face Kissy would have looked repulsed at the gory sight, all she could do is make a few whimpers and chirps to express her discomfort.
"I know, I hate this place as much as you do." Dogday replied in an attempt to comfort her. "Trust me, the sooner we find our friends the sooner we'll leave."
On and on they went, down the ruined paths of padded corridors. Past rusted playground equipment and through old plastic tunnels. Following the trail of dim candles and bloody monuments. Till a familiar scent whiffed by Dogday's sensitive snout, the smell of decay and humid ichor. He knew that stench all too well, for he had been hanging both figuratively and literally on the edge of death within that very smell for the past eight years.
"I can smell them. This way." Dogday gestures to Kissy to follow. For while the pink giant doesn't know what Dogday meant, but as it turns out, Dogday's senses had been amplified tenfold, courtesy of Gabriel's surgical transplant to a his new body. And now with his newfound sense of smell, he begins to sniff the air in deep wafts, letting the smell settle in his nasal cavity, and with the scent imprinted in his very brain, he follows the stench towards it's very source.
Down and down they went, continuing on their way with determined yet intrepid silence. Each step just as quiet as before, following the scent trail like a hound on the hunt. They did not know whether or not any of the smaller critter plushies had noticed them yet, but the apparent lack thereof is a good sign so far. Or perhaps they do know they are here, and yet are too reluctant to come out of hiding. It seemed that their encounter with Gabriel still left an impression on them.
Soon enough they then reached a familiar tunnel leading straight to a broken hole in the roof. Carefully they made their way up past the broken wood planks till they made it up through the floor, and into a very familiar place. Dogday couldn't help but feel overwhelming dread as he gazed at his surroundings.
The prison looks the same as it was before, eight dilapidated cells each barred with rusted, black iron bars, the ceiling dripping with tainted water mixed with blood, and the piles of filth and bile made of bones and leftover pieces of plush skin. And of course the all too familiar inscriptions of chants and prayers scratched into the walls made by Catnap's own claws.
All of this brining back painful memories of pain and unrelenting nightmares. But the one thing that his acute senses had been searching for is lying in each of these cells. And sure enough, once Kissy herself then rose up from the floor following Dogday, he then sees searches one of the cells closest to him, and to his utter relief he finds Craftycorn there, and judging from the ragged rise and falls of her chest, she is still alive and breathing.
"Crafty?"
The life sized plush stirred awake, her missing eyes gazing out from the bars of her cell in frantic hope that she wasn't miss hearing. "Day?" She boarder-lined whimpered as she then grasped the cell bars with her plastic hooves.
Dogday then reached a hand into her cell, caressing her bloodstained face with the comforting touch of his furred paw. "Yeah. Didn't expect me so soon huh?" He joked as a tear seeped from his eye.
Soon enough more groans were heard from the other cells, followed by the colored faces of the other Smiling Critters cast peering in from the shadows casted by candle light of their prison. The sheer amount of surprise and joy of seeing their friend was palpable, and a bit too loud for Dogday's liking.
"Shh!! The smaller toys might hear you!" He whispered loudly.
"You're-you're walking!?" Picky exclaimed, hardly believing what she is seeing. "Where did you find legs?!"
"Y-Y-You evvven lo-ok diff-erent n-n-now." Bubba joined in, commenting through his distorted voice.
"I'll explain later, but we don't have much time." Dogday replied. "Catnap is coming and we need to get you all out of here!"
Kickin shrieked once he heard that name. "CATNAP!! I didn't do anything! I swear! I hadn't made a single noise this time!"
"Shush you over-sized turkey!" Hoppy yelled back to the shrinking plush. "He'll be here sooner if you keep screaming like that!"
"And the Mini-Critters even sooner if you do as well!" Dogday scolded before turning to Kissy, and then nodded to her to give her the go ahead.
She then acknowledges, and upon heading to Crafty's cell door, she then proceeds to wrap her long, pink arms around the metal bars, coiling around them till she gains a tightened grip on them, and then with all her might begins to pry the bars open. It took mere seconds for the first set of bars to be pulled apart, just wide enough for Dogday to reach out his paw guide the blind Crafty out of her cell for the first time in so long.
Immediately after taking her first step, she then lunged onto Dogday, giving him the tightest hug she could possibly give. While Dogday, though taken aback, reciprocated with just as much vigor, and then hugged her just as tight. All the while Kissy is moving to each cell, pulling the bars apart one cell block at a time. To which Dogday then began to explain his escape plan to them.
"Now look, I know some of you can't walk. So if we're all getting out of here then we're gonna have to make this group effort." He said while still grasping Crafty's hand. "Hoppy, you literally have no limbs, so Kissy is going to carry you out."
Hoppy tried to protest. "But-" But then Dogday immediately shot her down.
"No buts!" He then continued. "And Picky, since Bubba can't wheel himself around in his wheelchair alone, you're going have to push for him. Crafty, you will hang onto me and I'll guide you out. And as for you Bobby, given how Catnap has literally put your heart in a box, I'm gonna need you Kickin to help her carry the box along with her heart out, you can do that right?"
"I-I think so." Kickin whimpered as he too took some of his first steps out through the bent metal bars of his cell and approached Bobby while she's still in her own.
Once the last cell door has been pried open, and everyone has gathered themselves as per Dogday's instructions, he then inspects them all to check and see if everyone is ready. And just as he has told them, he sees Picky at the handle of Bubba's wheelchair, Kickin helping Bobby carry her heart, and Hoppy being carried by Kissy with an obvious scowl on her face. All that was left was one thing, he then took Crafty by the hand, and then said to them.
"Alright, we're gonna have to be slow and quiet. But since I don't know how close Catnap could be, let's try to be quick as possible and-" But just as he was about to finish explaining, his sharpened and sensitive ears picked up something nearby. A loud thumping of footsteps approaching from the hallway.
There is someone coming, no, a bunch of people coming. Kissy noticed this too, who then tossed Hoppy behind her to the floor who then let out a pained groan. Both Kissy and Dogday then to put themselves up front in between the Critters and the coming troop. Bracing themselves for whatever intruder could be.
The footsteps then got closer, and closer, and closer.
Until all of a sudden, just as whoever it was had reached the open hallway, the sound of footsteps abruptly stopped. The two defending toys were confused, but yet still held themselves firm for whoever it might be. But then a voice calls through.
"Hello?" A feminine voice said from behind the corner. "We know there is someone behind here, we mean no harm."
"That voice…" Dogday whispered to himself. There is something familiar about this one. "Who are you?" He shouted. "What do you want?"
"Oh, it's not Gabriel." The stranger said seemingly to someone else with her, still hidden behind the corner. "But that's a uh, good question, but I must ask, you're not wanting to hurt Gabriel, are you?"
"Wait-what, NO! Of course not!" Dogday yelled back. "But seriously, who are you?!"
The stranger then replied, albeit much more nervously than before. "I-I will tell you. But just promise you won't hurt us okay?"
Dogday then glanced towards Kissy, expecting some reply. She then nodded approvingly. "Alright we promise!" Dogday said. "Now come on out so we can see you. Slowly."
It was then that nothing happened after a short, silent pause. But just as Dogday was about to call out for the stranger yet again, something begins to slowly peek its way out from behind the corner, It looked pink and rubbery. At first they thought it was some kind of rubber glove, until the pink hand then slowly stretched out further and further until it is simply hanging out in the air of the open hallway. The pink hand then waved at them.
It was then that Dogday connected the dots. "Wait a minute. Mommy Long Legs, it's you!?"
The pink hand then retracted back, but then followed by Mommy's face peeking out the corner, her emerald green eyes shining in the candle light. "Dogday?! You're here?!" She said incredibly surprised as she then stepped her whole form into the hallway. "I…I thought Catnap got rid of you!" She then spotted the other Smiling Critters cowering behind him and Kissy. "And the others are alive too!? I can't believe Catnap hadn't killed you all off yet!"
But as Mommy was about to approach them, Kissy then harshly hissed at the giant pink spider. Mommy reeled back surprised, she hadn't seen Kissy there once she made herself known, let alone expected her with them. "Oh, you're here too? While Mommy's not surprised you'd be down here, I wasn't thinking right here. Normally I would have seen you carrying Little Miss Poppy around."
Kissy still glared menacingly at her, she knew what this Bigger Body toy is capable of, and she wasn't willing to think for a second to let her guard down. But Dogday on the other hand has more questions in mind.
"What are you even doing down here?" He firmly asked. "A lot of you, even Huggy mostly keep themselves out of Playcare."
"Oh believe me, it wasn't my idea." She replied with a bit of sarcastic humor.
Dogday then thought for a moment what she meant, until he came to a rather premature conclusion. "Oh I see how it is." He said accusingly. "Let me guess, the Prototype told ya Gabriel is down here so you could kill him. You came here to get yourself back on the Prototype's good graces hadn't you?"
"DO NOT put those words in my mouth!!" She shouted angrily. The remark clearly striking a nerve somewhere within her. "I didn't come down here because that raisin-faced, bloated bag of blood and puss told me too! I hate him! I hate him, I hate him!!"
While Mommy was in a rage, her hair and arms stretching like wrung wires and her eyes dilating till nothing but black pupils remains, the group reeled away frightened by the giant toy's sudden outburst. Had it not been for Dogday's retraining arm held in front of Kissy a fight would have broke out, the last thing they all needed right now.
It was then after a short, silent pause, that Mommy's hyperventilating slowed to a calmer pace, her face then expressing nervous sorrow. "I'm so so sorry!" She hastily said putting her hands on her face. "I just, things have been…hard lately. We had only just came down here to know more about the human and we didn't want to startle him."
"That's, uh, alright I guess." Dogday replied, though still a bit wary should Mommy have yet another shift of attitude. "Wait a minute. You said 'we', as in plural. Who else did you bring with you?"
Mommy was silent for a moment, she looked apprehensive, but it seemed she knew that this was coming. She then turned around and called out towards the dark corner. "Alright everyone, you can come out now."
There was then a bunch of shifting noises coming from the darkness, and then out from around the corner faces appeared. The first lowest to the floor is the bigger bodied PJ Pug-a-Piller, his large, rotund head tilting out from the corner staring at the group with his massive black eyes. Other toys then peeked out, the next was then Bunzo, then the Mini-Huggies, and lastly Daisy. There are even some smaller toys with them, their tiny heads leaning out from the corner along with the Bigger Body toys.
But just as it seemed that all of them had finally revealed themselves, Mommy then looked back around the corner, as if there is one more person missing. "Yes, you too." he said. "You can't hide from them forever."
Nothing happened for a brief period, that is until the group saw a yellow paw them latched onto the wall with a fuzzy blue arm trailing from it. And then slowly, making his face show from out of the corner, Huggy Wuggy then showed his face fully to them.
Dogday was surprised to see all of the upper-level toys here, especially Huggy, who has been known to never venture far from his post. But just as he was about to speak, he hears someone hissing beside him. He looks and sees Kissy snarling loudly, her eyes dilating to pitch black and her mouth opening wide to a maddening smile, revealing rows upon rows of sharp, fang-like teeth.
He immediately knew what was coming. So he jumped right in front of her just as she was about to lunge at the other group of toys. "Nope nope nope! We are NOT doing that here!" He said as he held the pink giant at bay with as much strength he can muster. She then hissed at Dogday, much to his chagrin. "Look I don't care how much you hate Huggy, but we are not having that fight here, especially when we are trying to get everyone out of here!"
After a few more seconds of flailing, shoving, and hissing, Dogday finally managed to get Kissy to calm down enough to put herself under control. He then looked towards Mommy harshly, she should have known how strongly Kissy felt against Huggy.
But Mommy held up here arms in protest. "Hey don't look at Mommy. It was his idea after all." She said referring to Huggy, who is cowering from behind the corner. "You see, while Mommy was playing some games with our Little Angel, Huggy has been very sad lately. He then started thinking and thinking, and then he wanted to know more about Gabriel, so he went down to find him. But then he found out I was after him, and wanted to help Gabriel, but by the time he caught up, he only found me at the Prototype's mercy, and then shoved me out of the way. After I came to, we talked and talked, and Mommy agreed to see the Human ourselves."
Dogday along with the rest of the group listened intently, yet there are still some questions that remain unanswered. "Okay, but how did you find us here?"
"We were honestly expecting Gabriel here." Mommy explained. "You see, a little birdie told us that our Little Angel is heading down here." She said as she pointed to Daisy beside her.
That explained how they found them, but there was one more question that he needed to ask, and it was the most important to him. "And what is it that you'd all will do once you meet Angel then, hm?" Dogday asked.
"To talk." Mommy replied, although strangely a bit hesitant though.
It didn't take too much for Dogday to immediately catch on. "You're lying. I can tell."
"I'm not lying!" She fiercely retorted.
Dogday's countenance then darkened, and along side him Kissy began showing teeth yet again. "If you all are planning to hurt Gabriel, I swear to God we'll…"
"OKAY!! I just want to be with him!!" Mommy abruptly cried out. "We,…just want to be with him. Because we, like him. That is all."
The troop of toys were actually surprised, and it seemed from the looks of Huggy and his own group, they all felt the same about Gabriel. They all actually went down here just so they could be with him. It was strange, almost unheard of. But it looks like the impact that Gabriel had on the toys within the upper levels must have had a more personal impact than any of them had thought.
Dogday then sighed. "Well, I can't exactly blame you all for wanting to be with him." He said with a somber tone. "Given how Gabriel has been so good to us lately, I guess one could say that he makes everyone feel better whenever they are around him."
"Right…" Mommy said remorsefully. "And speaking of whom, where is he?"
"That is something I was going to ask you as well, Dogday." Said another familiar voice from above. They all looked, and lo and behold, they all see Poppy standing there within an open air shaft, and she does not look happy at all.
"Poppy?" Dogday exclaimed surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"You know that's funny you should ask that." She replied with a hint of scolding. "Because I think a better question is, what are you twodoing here?"
"We came here to free the other Smiling Critters, that's what." Dogday replied. "What's the problem?"
"What's the problem? What's the problem?!" Poppy yelled out frustratedly. "I can't believe that you and Kissy just decide to abandon Gabriel when Catnap is obviously after him the whole time!"
"What are you talking about? He was after our friends first, he said so himself."
"I-I-Illogical." Bubba tried to speak up despite his condition with the needles stuck in his head. "Ifff Cat-nap was a-a-fter sssomthing then-n he w-w-will not sto-op by annny meansss n-n-necessary."
The realization then dawned on both Dogday and Kissy, their expressions contorting into a one of dreaded terror. "Wait, what you're saying is…" Dogday slowly and hesitantly asked. "Is that Catnap lied to us, just to get Gabriel alone?"
Even the other toys were incredibly surprised by how slow the two realized. "And you both just figured this out now!?" Picky scolded.
"...um, yes?" He weakly replied.
Everyone within the room expressed their deadpanned contempt for the two giant toys, even Huggy who is incapable of frowning could look like he was giving them a harsh look.
Even Poppy was frustrated. "Dogday, Kissy, you two are the sweetest people I know besides Gabriel. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you two would also inherently posses his naivety."
Before either of them could apologize however, there was a sound of ringing coming from somewhere. Dogday instinctively knew it must be Ollie calling, so using his sensitive hearing, he hones in on the ringing noise and hears it coming from under a pile of rubble. Then after clearing away the layers of concrete and wooden planks, sure enough, they find a Playtime.co issued phone ringing there on the floor.
Dogday then picked it up, and switched it to speaker mode so the others can hear.
"Can you all hear me?" Ollie said through the line. "Man, I can't believe I managed to find this one! But I need to tell you all something, there is some good news and then some really bad news."
"Then just tell us already!" Poppy exclaimed abruptly. "Is it about Gabriel? Is he okay!?"
"Well the good news, Gabriel seems to be alright. He just left the Councilor's Office and he has already turned the last generator on. And judging by the look on his face, he really means business."
"And…" Dogday asked nervously hesitant. "The bad news?"
"The really bad news, is that once he sets up the last remaining cords, he'll drag the master power cord all the way up to the Gas Production Zone where he'll hook it up to the main console. But that's where the bad news happens."
What Ollie then says next, sends absolute dread down everyone's spine.
"…Because Catnap is waiting for him."