At the train station, Huggy Wuggy was pacing around while Bunzo Bunny sat on a bench with the Mini Huggies beside him, and PJ Pug-A-Pillar lay on the ground asleep.
The Mini Huggies looked at Bunzo Bunny with worried chirps, which made him look at them. "It's alright, guys; I'm sure Big Sis Misha is fine, especially if Mommy is finding her," she said.
PJ Pug-A-Pillar's nose wiggled a bit before he woke up and turned to the back, barking, which made the others look at him. "What is it, PJ?" Bunzo Bunny asked.
When Huggy Wuggy looked forward, he saw Mommy Long Legs carrying Michelle in her right hand. "Misha," he said before approaching them. Michelle smiled and waved. "Hey, guys," she said.
Huggy Wuggy picked Michelle up and hugged her, which made her giggle and pet his head. "I missed you, too, bud," she said. Mommy Long Legs approached the duo. "Alright, that's enough; you're getting drool on her," she said.
Huggy Wuggy rolled his eyes before setting Michelle on the ground. "To think that you're a year older than my little Misha; had I not known that, I figured you were six," Mommy Long Legs said before giggling with her hand covering her mouth.
A tick mark formed on Huggy Wuggy's head before growling at Mommy Long Legs. "Hey now, you shouldn't do that to your elders," she continued. Huggy Wuggy stepped toward Mommy Long Legs. "Mommy one year older than Huggy," he said with a growl.
Mommy Long Legs slightly glared at Huggy Wuggy. "Exactly, hence why you should have a higher respect for me as someone older than you," she said, which made him snarl.
Michelle stood between the large toys and held her hands out. "OK, we're not going to do this... not when we're so close to our goal," she said. The large toys stared at one another before sighing and looking away. "Sorry..." they said, lowly.
Michelle smiled. "Thank you," she said before looking at Huggy Wuggy and gesturing with her hand down. Huggy Wuggy nodded and kneeled to Michelle's level. "Thanks, bud," she said before unzipping her bag.
Michelle grabbed a bag of cookies and opened it. "I know I packed twenty of these cookie bags, but I think we should rationalize these so they can last longer," she said. Mommy Long Legs nodded. "A lovely idea, my little Misha," she said.
Michelle grabbed a cookie and put it in her mouth before holding the bag to Mommy Long Legs. "Could you hand these to the others? I'm gonna power up the cable car so we can head to Playcare," she said with the cookie in her mouth.
Mommy Long Legs nodded. "Consider it done," she said before lowering her hand under the bag of cookies. After Michelle placed the bag of cookies in Mommy Long Legs's hand, she approached the maintenance room door and held the cookie in her mouth.
Michelle bit the cookie and chewed a bit before placing her hand on the handle. Michelle tried opening the door, but it was locked, which annoyed her. "Well, that's just great..." she said, lowly, before stepping back. "How am I supposed to get in there?"
Michelle heard a chirp, which made her look down. Michelle saw Tulip waving to her. "Did you find something, Tulip?" she asked.
Tulip climbed onto Michelle before holding onto her shoulder; soon after, they pointed to the left with a chirp. Michelle turned her head to the left and saw a security room. Michelle hummed. "Well, it's worth a shot," she said before approaching the door.
Before Michelle entered, she looked at Mommy Long Legs as she handed cookies to the other toys. Michelle looked at Tulip. "Did you get a cookie?" she asked.
Tulip looked down and shook their head; Michelle looked at the cookie in her hand before splitting it in half. Michelle held one half to Tulip, which made them look at it. "Here," she said.
Tulip smiled and happily chirped before wrapping the cookie around their arm and putting it in their mouth. Tulip happily purred, which made Michelle smile as she finished her half before entering the security room.
As Michelle looked around, she spotted a door on the right. "You might be something," she said before approaching it. When Michelle opened the door, she saw a hallway leading to another door, which made her walk forward.
When Michelle opened the door, she saw a beam with a handprint hanging on the side. "That's new..." she said, lowly. "Let's test what this does." Michelle pulled the right trigger, launching the green hand; it spun around the beam before shooting to the right.
Tulip made a surprised chirp as Michelle looked at it. "Interesting; if I can line it up right, I can get it into that input unit," she said as she retracted the green hand. Michelle looked at the handles above the spinning mechanism before pulling the left trigger.
When the blue hand grabbed the handle, Michelle noticed a blue light coming from the top part. "Oh, that's neat," she said. Tulip chirped as Michelle aimed the beam at the power input. "That should do it," she continued.
Michelle pulled the left trigger, launching the blue hand and touching the output unit, which lit the cables. "And now..." she said before aiming and pulling the right trigger. The green hand spun around the beam before hitting the input unit, which powered the area up.
Tulip rubbed their head against Michelle's cheek with a purr, which made her smile and pet their head with her fingers. "Thank you, Tulip," she said before walking toward the door. When Michelle came out of the room, she noticed the turnstiles were powered up. "Nice," she said.
When Michelle looked at the other toys, she saw Bunzo Bunny playing chase with a few of the Mini Huggies, Mommy Long Legs petting PJ Pug-A-Pillar's head, and Huggy Wuggy holding his arm out as Lilac swung on his arm.
Michelle chuckled a bit before approaching the toys. "Hey, guys," she said, which made them look at her. "I got the power back on; we should be able to take the cable car to Playcare now."
The others nodded as they approached the turnstiles; Michelle and the smaller toys went through them while Huggy Wuggy, Mommy Long Legs, and PJ Pug-A-Pillar went over them.
As Michelle reached the top of the stairs, she saw a cutout of a chicken Smiling Critter wearing a collar with a red star pendant on it. Michelle pressed the button. "Hey, I'm KickinChicken! Wanna go outside and hang out?" the cutout asked.
Michelle stared at the cutout. "If it's like the Bubba Bubbaphant cutout, one press should be enough," she said. "It's still nice to see Kevin's favorite Smiling Critter."
Michelle approached the cable car and examined it with a hum. "Not all of us will be able to fit in this cable car," she said before approaching the lever on the left. "We might have to send it back up here a second time."
Mommy Long Legs looked at the cable car. "That seems to be the case; I think it would be in our best interest if PJ and I stayed behind since we're the largest ones," she said.
Michelle nodded as she pulled the lever down. "Good idea, Mommy," she said before walking toward the right lever. "I'll make sure to send the cable car back up once we reach Playcare."
Mommy Long Legs nodded as Michelle pulled the lever, which opened the cable car's door. "With that setup, let's board on," she continued. Huggy Wuggy crouched before entering the cable car and sitting down.
Bunzo Bunny held his left cymbal under his arm before holding his paw out, which made Michelle take it before they and the Mini Huggies entered the cable car. When the doors closed, the cable car started moving.
As Michelle sat down, Bunzo Bunny sat next to her and placed his cymbals on the seat. "It's been a while since I rode this cable car," she said as the cable car went down a slope. "We're so close to you guys... I can feel it..."
The TV inside the cable car turned on, which made Michelle and the toys turn to it. "Hello, my name is Elliot Ludwig," the man on the TV said.
A few of the toys growled at the TV, which made Michelle look at them. I guess a lot of the toys don't like Mr. Ludwig even after death, she thought.
"When you look around at the world today, what one thing do you think it needs more of?" Elliot asked. Michelle looked at the TV. "I asked around, once," Elliot said. "'Money, I never have enough.'" Michelle looked away. "Very accurate for greedy people..." she said, lowly.
"'Understanding, I can never get any,'" Elliot said. Michelle crossed her arms. "'Faith, the common man has lost it,'" Elliot continued. Michelle trembled a bit. That's very accurate to me... she thought.
"Each answer was different... and I could perhaps see some little truth in each," Elliot said. "But I think each was also missing something... something simple." Michelle looked at the TV. "You see, not one of them could muster a smile," Elliot continued.
Bunzo Bunny looked at the window and spotted something before poking Michelle's arm. "Come look at this, Big Sis," he said, lowly. Michelle looked out the window and saw a dome in the caverns. "A smile is hope; a smile is love," Elliot said. "A smile is understanding."
Michelle glanced at the TV. "And there is nothing more gratifying to my soul than being the reason for a child's smile," Elliot continued. "To be the spark that ignites all their hopes and dreams. For it is only through hopes and dreams that we may create a better world."
Soon after, the cable car was close to the dome. "One where our children need not be afraid. One where they are protected," Elliot said. "After all, this company and its toys are nothing without them."
The cable car entered through a red hole. "These children deserve to smile, they deserve to love, and they deserve a safe home," Elliot continued. "That is why it is with enormous pleasure that, as the founder of Playtime Co., I announce..."
When the cable car entered the dome, the lights turned on, which revealed an area with the inner dome painted blue, faux clouds hanging above, four buildings around it, and a Smiling Critter statue in the center. "Playcare!" Elliot shouted. "Our very own on-site orphanage."
The toys looked around the area. "But it's not only that; it's a school, a playhouse, a place to belong," Elliot said. "Our very own ecosystem beneath the surface... dedicated in every inch and detail to ensuring a child's smile."
The cable car circled the area. "It's teachers and counselors, mothers and fathers, until such a time they have all of that in you." Elliot continued.
Michelle stared at the area. "May Playcare bring joy, inspiration, and smiles to all who enter these doors," Elliot said. "For what gives life its meaning if not a smile?" Soon after, the cable car stopped, which caused a few of the toys to stand.
As Bunzo Bunny grabbed his cymbals, Michelle stood up, which made him look at her. "Before we go out there, we must remember that this is CatNap's territory," she said before looking at the toys. "Be on guard and don't separate yourselves from the group."
The toys nodded as the cable car's door opened, prompting Michelle and the others to walk forward. Hang on, you two... I'm coming to find you... she thought.