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The assumptions one would make of Mommy Long Legs were right and wrong. On the one hand, the toys knew of Mommy Long Legs. On the other, they didn’t know of her as well. She never left her area, only sending what others considered the beasts of the Game Station to hunt food for the week so they would survive.
”I feel like having a few mini Candy Cats.”
The mascot named Bunzo Bunny just so happened to be one of them. He knew of her character. How she acted, spoke, the level of which she actually cared for the other toys in her vicinity. And he had to say the rumours were right of her ruthlessness. As one of her children, he gained special privileges with having food or being sent to hunt and have temporary freedom. He rarely saw any of his other siblings, Mommy preferring to keep them apart in case they weren’t able to get along.
”Though I feel like I shouldn’t keep you isolated, little Bunny. You used to be so volatile, independent, not belonging to Mommy. Your true leader. You belong to me, little Bunny. Isn’t that correct?”
The toy merely nodded. He rarely spoke around the spider lady. He was in his usual station, Mommy’s pink hand cupping his chin as she detached the beam that held him and brought him to her level, catching the bunny off guard as he had been sleeping prior to her surprise visit. It had been amusing to the spider mascot when she witnessed him hanging limp, as if he was a puppet on a string.
“Yes, mama.”
The title of being the parent to the toy made the spider mascot beam. Any term resulting her name always gave Mommy the feeling that she did something right, filling the void of loneliness in her once humanistic soul. Belonging to the body of the mascot, and the other spirit of the actual toy ruling over the body as per the request of the host. She had the bunny toy purring as his mind went blank, the mark on his neck glowing as she triggered the thing to flicker. Ever since Mommy heard of a human killing off Huggy and a few of the other toys, she felt the need to check in on her children. Even if it wasn’t seen as a regular visit.
”Mommy…what’s going on?..”
Bunzo started squirming as the familiar haze of Mommy’s venom spread through his artificial veins. Fighting against this new serum, she held the bunny down and pinned him to the ground. Her form on top his own to display a type of dominance. He recalled that she did this when she felt her children’s minds breaking out of the control. Or what she liked to call her influence. She did this for their benefit, she said once before Bunzo witnessed PJ succumbing to her control. He had always been the hardest fighter out of all of the Game Station residents. It had been upto Mommy to hunt and kill the canine caterpillar for disobeying their superiors. Instead, she had taken him in as her own, and killed whoever opposed the sudden idea.
“I know you want to leave me. No one leaves this place. No one leaves Mommy.”
She needed to remind them of their place. By her side, in their living spaces where she could keep an eye on the four of them. Daisy was a little too independent for her taste, but they allowed Mommy to claim them as her own, so she wouldn’t argue with the conditions that would soon be reset. The little flower was planning to visit soon anyway.
”I heard of a flesh thing in the factory. They’ve killed a certain blue friend of ours. And Mommy has decided to test them to see if they’re worth being down here. Mommy needs you on your best behaviour, okay?”
She kissed the bunny’s forehead, then lifted him into her arms. Shoes sticking to the walls, she managed to re-attach the bunny mascot to his beam. Lowering and lifting him to see if it still worked. A part of Bunzo stirred upon hearing of another possible visitor in their domain. The majority remained in a haze, Mommy’s orders and general words the only thing he heard under her influence.
”Remember, little bunny, you all belong to me.”
***
Huggy’s little counterparts were the first to teach him on how to break his bindings. His younger siblings as Mommy called them snuck into his area one night. It was forbidden. However, with the souls of toddlers stuck into little nimble bodies, they were bound to eventually grow bored.
”Go back! Go back!”
They ignored Bunzo’s attempt to warn them of the consequences. Too focused on their current task, Bunzo’s hearing picked up on a click, then he was holding the sides of his station for dear life. One thing he noticed was that he was able to move without restriction. The mini Huggies begged him to trust them, and so he allowed them to take his paws into their gloved hands, lowering him to the ground. He felt conflicted in his current position.
”You ignored Mommy?”
She must have been far away if the mini huggies had been brave enough to visit him. Four of them sat in front of the bunny mascot. Yellow, Blue, Red, Green.
”….Hhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrhhhhhhhh!!!…”
He decided that those colours would be their names. One of them shrieked in excitement, comfirming their inability to speak.
”Why are you here?”
Mommy was going to kill them all if she found out that they broke the rules. The red mini Huggy spoke next, making the bunny toy flinch as their own glazed, green eyes stared into his same coloured ones. It proved that Mommy had influence over more than just the bunny mascot. And that the mini huggies were capable of speech, they were just too lazy to learn basic sentences.
“Curious.”
He would take what he could get. They freed him of his prison. That he could work with. Bunzo had been sleeping before they entered. Unless Mommy took off his restraints, he didn’t really have anything else to do. The mini huggies grabbed each of his paws into their gloved hands, leading him to their own area of the Game Station. Then, out of nowhere, Bunzo felt an old part of himself stir from his mind. The independent rogue toy who wandered for many years before Mommy had swiftly taken him off the halls of the factory. It came back with a vengeance, and demanded Bunzo’s freedom.
We’re disobeying Mommy.
And for just a minute, he considered bailing on the mini huggies. As if sensing his thoughts, the giant green mini Huggy’s gloved hand grabbed the back of his head, their eyes staring into his own, a green glow emenating from his eyes as something or a certain spider queen’s voice entered his head.
You are mine.
That was all it took.
Bunzo collapsed to the floor, one hand stuck out to support his frame. Paw on his head to sooth the pain, the fog came back full force and the same green mist clouded his mind. His eyes returned to the emerald colour, Bunzo silently following the mini huggies to their domain.
The game known as Wack-A-Wuggy. He felt sorry for the little ones. Permanent bruises, marks, and scars covered their bodies. Years of physical abuse on their bodies had taken its toll. They seemed cheerful despite the circumstances. And when Bunzo entered the game, they stole his cymbals and forced him to meet the others. A whole load of mini huggies revealed themselves in the holes, too shy to greet the newest visitor in their game. Only coming out when Bunzo laid on his stomach, arms folded in front of his chest. He peered down at the mini huggies sniffing his frame, and circling him the entire time. They were as curious of this new circumstance as him.
“Hey there, little ones.”
If Mommy got wing of this little meeting, then she would have their heads.
”I came from another area. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. That I can promise.”
It would be worth getting to know his other neighbours.
***
Daisy was a territorial creature. There was a rule that the toys and even Mommy shared in a unspoken fashion. She was the second in command, respected by the toys. Bunzo was the third in command. He didn’t object.
Never, ever let them catch you with PJ in a position in which you could be harming him.
No one stood up to Daisy. They suspected that she grew to have the brat kid complex as to have whatever she wanted. Her greatest desire was to keep PJ safe from any harm. As Bunzo grew closer to the mini huggies, Daisy and PJ formed a mutual bond of their own. It was rare that they were all together, but they respected each other enough to not doubt them in their time of need.
SHE’S HERE.
…Except at this very moment.
Whenever Daisy’s plants decorated the walls, you had approximately five seconds to flee the premises, or offer a very good explanation for why PJ appeared saddened. The canine caterpillar remained in a dreamless sleep as the other toys fled his domain. Daisy’s plants rose through the cracks in the walls along through a giant hole. Her strings were broken at the minute, and she didn’t care to walk.
“Mommy claims that there is a human.”
Bunzo tended to the sleeping caterpillar, the now awakened PJ panting with his tongue hanging out as if he were a human’s pet dog. Being part canine, it made sense. Bunzo’s paw rubbed rubbed over PJ’s stomach, the mentioned lifting some of his legs to expose the part so Bunzo could apply some disinfectant. Mommy usually helped with the injuries-
“…RAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH….”
”This is what happens to children who don’t behave.”
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’ll do better!”
-But she was busy with some other business. Bunzo shushed PJ as he whined due to the pain. Bandages were wrapped around some of his extended limbs. Daisy looked over the Bunzo, her leafy hand on his shoulder to peer at the injured mascot who refused to leave his domain. The bunny and flower mascots were close enough to tolerate physical contact with each other. However, the moment they felt like it, they could fight the other toy until the day ended.
“There is. But they ain’t here yet.”
”So, who hurt him?”
”Ask Mommy.”
”Tell me and I can take them out myself.”
”I’m not allowed to say. Mommy’s orders.”
He didn’t even care that Daisy had her strings tied on his limbs. Holding him down so he couldn’t move, the Bunny had the audacity to smirk at the flower mascot. Despite their appearances, they were able to express their emotions around each other. Although it took a certain level of trust around humans for them to let their guard down. They’d be punished if it weren’t doing their shows. Bunzo had the scars to prove how much he used to disobey their superiors.
“…Fine. If there is a human here, what does Mommy want with them?”
The flower mascot’s stemmed arms folded, and her mouth turned into a pout. She sat down on a summoned sun flower, allowing the others to rest on a couple of flattened purple pansies. Bunzo’s ears twitched at the mention of the human.
”She wants to test ‘em. See if they’re strong as the rumours say.”
”What about the wild packs?”
“Every mascot is personally handling their territory. They don’t want the human to be dead just yet.”
Bunzo finished patching up PJ, lifting the caterpillar mascot by his middle section and tossing him over his shoulder. PJ’s body slowly shrunk to a size he felt most comfortable in the moment. It made things easier for Bunzo anyway. Carrying the caterpillar out of the room, Daisy offered support by summoning vines and roots for Bunzo to walk across as a shortcut. He handed the caterpillar to Daisy, the mascot nuzzling her cheeks as a show of affection.
”PJ, not in front of the others…”
She blushed as she looked at Bunzo, gratefulness in her realistic eyes that resembled Mommy’s and some of the other dolls. He knew that he wasn’t as important as some of the other toys. Still, he accepted his purpose as a part of the family. Even with the freedom given by Mommy, he never betrayed her or his siblings’ trust on him not to leave. He waved goodbye, hopping on all fours out of the area. Daisy allowed the mental mask to slip, expressing her worries over PJ as she carried him to his private room.
”Talk, now.”
The canine caterpillar chuffed, rolling onto his back and then his side. He wasn’t able to talk out loud, but the the bond between Daisy and PJ allowed Mommy to awaken their hosts enough for the to connect. With enough practice, their thoughts intertwined and it was like a real conversation.
Out hunting. Mini Cat-Bees got the best of me.
His language wasn’t the best it could be.
”And that’s it? Why didn’t you tell the others?”
His next answer made the selfish part of Daisy swell with pride.
Don’t trust them. Only trust you.
”Oh…Thanks, Caty.”
A short nickname for caterpillar. Daisy came up with it long before PJ willingly told her his real name. He curled up next to the side of the flower mascot’s side, putting his head on her lap as he drifted off from exhaustion. She felt sorry for the only one she truly cared for. The others were alright in her books, but PJ and her just clicked. Three words ran through Daisy’s mind the day she met the mascot and now as she watched him sleep and silently watched over the other toy to ensure his safety.
I’ll protect you.
If the rumoured human came, Daisy wouldn’t hold back against them.
***
Everyone was notified of the human’s presence the moment they stepped into the Game Station. The haze that always lingered in the back of their heads increased tenfold. Daisy, despite her protests, was ordered to remain in her designated area. Mommy had a point during their argument that she bent the rules for the flower mascot.
All of the Game Station resident prepared for the human’s arrival. They all had one bit of leverage over the flesh thing. A considered enemy amongst the toys.
”Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!”
Mommy dangled the doll known as Poppy Playtime like a limp puppet. Flailing in Mommy’s pink hand and trying to escape, her words were lost to the rest of the toys who played the newest game of piñata. It was like celebrating a birthday, but Poppy could’ve lost her life.
”We’re having fun! Aren’t we, children?!”
Poppy noticed Bunzo hiding in the corner as the others toys took pleasure in her misery. She screamed, taking her eyes off the bunny mascot for a second to ensure she didn’t die to these monsters. Her dress was thankfully closed by Mommy’s hand. She let Poppy have some dignity. The control over these toys was so strong. Mommy allowed them free will, though they lived under a constant haze with the only trail of the thought was to obey the spider mascot.
Are you aware?
Bunzo made sure Mommy wasn’t watching, then made eye contact with Poppy. His eyes were still green, but they were faded to a more blackish, pie cut colour unlike Poppy’s realistic eyes.
Unfortunately.
Poppy knew that she couldn’t ask the bunny to free her. Disobeying Mommy must’ve been like breaking the humans laws. There were severe consequences. Although, she sent one last message to the human she traveled with before Mommy cut off the link between them and the doll.
Be careful, human. One of the toys will help.
***
The human, or the person better known as the ex-employee, entered Musical Memory. They received Poppy’s message, a pain in their head seething before she was cut off from them completely. The screen of the messy television turned on, a voice blaring a message directly to the one who entered the domain.
“Welcome to musical memory! This is a test to see how your memory and coordination operates! Now, beware, Bunzo will lower if you lose, but the more you win, the more he will rise! And if you end up winning, a prize will be given to the lucky child! DoESn’t ThAt soUNd fUn?~”
The ex-employee rolled their eyes, their hands fiddling with the grabpack. They had to admit that they were bored. The spider woman, Mommy, who had kidnapped Poppy still wasn’t here. They had some time to kill before she inevitably tried to end their life. They hummed to themselves, wiping the blood off their shirt before discovering a button. They blew off the dust to see what it said.
Release of the musical mascot.
They ex-employee shrugged, then pressed the button. They had a ‘Woah!’, something falling from the ceiling. Someone, or something hitting the floor with cymbals crashing onto their back. The mascot lifted its head, the ex-employee’s eyes wondering upon seeing another possible threat.
“Red?! What the heck?!-”
It paused as its eyes settled on the human in its domain. The ex-employee took note of the green glow on the pupils. As if something was watching through its eyes. It wasn’t attacking them, though it wasn’t moving at all. As if deciding what would be the best possible decision.
Who’s Red?
The Mascot crouched on all fours, circling the ex-employee, analysing their weapon in the choice of the stupid grabpack their handlers used to torture them with. Hissing at the human, Bunzo pinned them by their arms, his cymbals ready to smash their head. His grin sadistic as he looked over the ex-employee, ready to mash their head into a million pieces.
”You were supposed to wait for Mistress.”
Who the hell was this mistress of the mascot’s?
”What is going on here, children? Is this a fight? Bunzo, you know the punishment if you provoked this.”
Bunzo immediately got off the ex-employee, mumbling an apology as the beam lowered and he attached himself back to the metal thing. Mommy began her speech, and she communicated with her child that acted out of order. Bunzo mentally apologised and she forgave him. It had been Mommy’s fault for being late. His instincts had been his guide in the moment.
Just a little longer, darling. Then they’re yours to feast on.
A part of Bunzo screamed to break out of Mommy’s influence. As soon as Mommy sensed any signs of resistance, the green haze increasing tenfold and practically blinding the toy with only his instincts controlled by the spider mascot. She began her tangent for the ex-employee, then backing away as Mommy climbed on the observation window.
”Oh, isn’t it amazing? Mommy hasn’t seen the place up and running in years! Mommy can only imagine how excited Bunzo must be, it’s been such a LONG time since he’s been able to play! To cheer! To EAT!”
A wire in the ceiling slowly lowered the bunny mascot down closer to the ground. Only holding him inches above the ex-employee’s face. The gleam in his eyes twinkled at the potential prey he would get to play with. Cheer with. And to eat.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
”Whoops! That’s the dinner bell! Good luck!”
And thus, the hellish game began.
Bunzo watched in sadistic glee as the ex-employee had to remember the fast paced beats of the screen. Each time they lost even a little, he was lowered down to their height. He was in reaching distance now. A part of Bunzo, the one stuck in the haze, tried reaching through to his severed side, the instincts Mommy manipulated into its one entity to create the perfect mascot, or child in her words.
Why are you doing this?
Mommy was too focused on the human’s struggle to notice Bunzo’s own. The green fog faded, revealing the human in danger of being killed by him. He blinked, his eyes reverting back to their normal colour as the human reached the final round. Mommy watched with a big smile on her face as the human hit the wrong button, the chords attached to Bunzo sending him flying on the human’s torso. Pinning them once more, the haze returned and his body readily lifted the cymbals to smash the human’s head into mush.
The part of Bunzo that rejected Mommy’s control, the host, reached into the human’s mind to tug at their thoughts. The bunny mascot was able to view the begging and feel what the human did at this very moment.
I messed up. I messed up. Please don’t kill me.
Mommy had managed to manipulate the toy side of the mind. Slowly lowering the cymbals, his blinked as the fog cleared, Bunzo’s thoughts becoming his own for the first time in years.
”Kill them, my little bunny! I did promise you that they would be your food!”
The bunny mascot held a paw to his head, rubbing it in hopes of soothing the ache. As his eyes landed on the human, an old set of instincts replaced what Mommy engraved into him. He instantly helped the human to their feet, wondering where he was and what had just occurred. The memories were faint, as if someone else had been in control.
What is going on?
He knew the predator known as Mother lurked above. Decades had passed since she put him under her control. She snatched him from the halls of the factory, forcing Bunzo to endure a years worth of torture before he succumbed to the spider mascot. His mind hadn’t been his own to even think for himself. Following her orders had been his only purpose.
“Bunzo, you earned your reward. Go for the kill.”
A pressure started up in his head. A force fighting against its mind. It wanted to lull him so it could take control. But the Bunny connected with his host, them filling in the blanks of his memories.
”What did you do to me? They’re innocent.”
The atmosphere turned darker than intended. Mommy gained a look of unanimous hatred and possessiveness. The memories of this overhead forcing Bunzo to kill others of his kind had him shook. He was in denial, but soon accepted the memories as facts.
”I made you better.”
”You made me a monster. I am not yours.”
Mommy’s hand slithered through the vent along with her arm, the limb wrapping around Bunzo’s throat. Lifting him in the air, she squeezed to warn him of the incoming punishment, but just enough to not cut off his artificial airways. Old instincts kicking in, Bunzo threw one of his cymbals around the observation glass where Mommy was located.
Smash!
It broke through the window, stunning the spider mascot. She staggered backwards, letting go of Bunzo and giving him enough time to toss the human onto his back. They yelled in surprise, but clung to his fur and along his shoulder as he took a shortcut through his area away from Mommy. One of her hands then dragged him by his ankle so he was under her frame. She tried keeping her hand around his throat, expecting him to be usual submissive self. However, the predator was awakened and he wouldn’t hesitate fighting her. Bunzo’s vision faded as he shoved the human, his eyes meeting the beasts’, Mommy’s own predator side taking control as she tried showing her authority. Like he needed her to be alive. This made Bunzo so angry that he did something that would surely regret.
”What are you doing?-….AGGGGGHHH, STOP!”
Bunzo attacked Mommy. Pouncing on the spider mascot’s midsection, he pinned her to the ground as he hissed, Mommy too in shock to react. The other mascot held his cymbals and slammed it into her arms and wrists, denting the plastic the ends so Mommy would’ve had to fix her hands. It would take a while if she wanted to climb anything again. She looked at Bunzo with a expression of hatred and a hint of the same possessiveness as always, her dented hand cupped his cheek, making him lower down to her level. She whispered something in his ears that made a chill go down his artificial spine.
“If you kill them now, then I’ll allow you even more freedom than the others.”
It was so tempting to give in to her demand. But he made a vow to help the human.
”I’d rather live in the halls of the factory than remain here.”
He quickly leapt of Mommy, grabbing the human and throwing them on his back. He crawled through a space big enough to fit him, and then looked down through the hole to see what the spider woman would do. Bunzo could just imagine the insanity in her eyes as she screamed loud enough for the whole world to hear her next words.
”GET BACK HERE, YOU TWO! YOU’RE MINE, MINE! YOU WILL NOT LEAVE MOMMY, BUNZO! THE HUMAN WILL PERISH, EVEN IF IT HAS TO BE BY MY OWN HANDS!”
The bunny mascot almost whimpered in fright at the threat. But he needed to remain strong for the human. A part of him wanted to go back to Mommy and beg for forgiveness. Return to the green fog and live in the blank state the Mommy’s influence had provided. The part that was aware and in control intercepted these thoughts. Their relationship wasn’t healthy. Mommy did desire a family, but the means she went to get it were unorthodox. He hid in the corner of a little area while Mommy passed through in her beast form. She only ever reverted when it was her turn to hunt for food. Now she was on the prowl for both their heads.
And she’ll tell the others. They’ll think I’ve betrayed the family.
Bunzo had no idea why he rescued the human from Mommy. The human got off his back, a hand remaining on the Bunny’s shoulder as they witnessed a flurry of emotions flowing through his eyes. Panic, worry, concern, anger, and the strangest of all, a hint of fear which was directed at Mommy. Even the ex-employee was surprised that he saved them. Poppy had been right with her message.
”We need to complete the other games. Escape my siblings as Mommy puts ‘em, we got the code from her. Then you escape with the doll. I’ll remain here. There’s no hope for me, I’m not myself at certain times.”
The bunny mascot acted nothing like his cut out counterpart. Being the factory for years had changed the toys. Mostly for the worst. It was rare that they had an ally. Few to none existed in the factory that actually liked the ex-employee. Bunzo wished the others had the same resistance as his host. He wasn’t sure if he would be forced to harm them. It hadn’t been their fault that Mommy influenced their minds like she did to him. Living in the blank haze of obeying the spider mascot had been hell. But she gave them a home and a somewhat parental figure.
She just went about it the wrong way.
I feel somewhat sorry for her.
Bunzo attempted to act as his old self. He remembered that he used to guess when kids celebrating turning a year older. The ex-employee led the mascot to their next location as he asked a familiar question.
”So, when’s ya birthday? Never-mind, I bet I can guess the date!”
What was going to happen to them now?