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Cathy and Theo (And Mae) were slowly making their way through the playcare, back towards the elevator room, where they were supposed to meet back up with Poppy, Kissy, and Dogday.
But right before they were about to go into the elevator room, Theo stopped.
“M-mom… wait…”
He whispered.
Cathy stops too, looking at him.
“I… I want to wait out here for a bit.”
He says.
Cathy tilts her head. “Are you sure?”
Theo nods. “Yeah…” He says.
“I need some time to mentally prepare.”
Cathy sighs. “If you say so, moonbeam…”
She says, petting his head and making him purr.
She looks at the little Dogday mini.
“You staying too, Mae?”
The little plushie squeaks and nods.
“Alright then.”
Cathy gives him more head pats, before heading back into the elevator room.
“I’m back!”
She says, walking in.
The pink fluffy monster walks in, the little porcelain doll sitting on her shoulder.
“Good job!”
Poppy says with a big smile. “We saw the lights come on, did you get the last wires?”
Cathy nods.
“It was a real trial to get through the counseling center, but I pulled it off.”
Poppy motions
“That’s great.” she says. “With the power restored, we can finally take the elevator down to where the safe haven is.”
Cathy smiles. “That’s good.”
Poppy smiles happily.
“We also have some better news…”
Cathy tilts her head. “What is it?”
Poppy whispers something into Kissy’s ear, who nods and walks back towards the other door, going into it.
Cathy was confused.
Kissy then slowly leads Dogday out… who was no longer just an upper half.
He had new legs, made out of different stitched up toy parts.
“Hey, Cath.”
He says with a smile.
Cathy’s eyes sparkle.
“Dogday!”
She says happily. “You got your legs back!”
Dogday nods happily.
“I’m not quite used to walking with them yet, but I can stand just fine.”
He says.
Cathy walks over, noticing that he was a bit taller than her now.
“Well I'm glad you’re getting better.”
She says, hugging him softly.
Dogday stiffened up, then melted into it, hugging her back.
“Thank you, Cath…” He says. “I’m glad too.”
Cathy pulled back, looking him up and down again. “How’d you manage to pull it off?”
Dogday smiled.
“Well, thankfully Kissy is really good at sewing.”
Cathy glances at Kissy. “Really?”
The pink fluffy monster gives her a nod.
“Huh.”
Cathy says. “How about that?”
Poppy smiled. “Well, with all the power in place, we should get the elevator working.”
Cathy then remembers.
“Oh wait!”
She says. “I have some good news too!”
The others look at her.
“What is it?” Poppy asked.
Cathy smiles.
“Not only did I get the power working again, but I managed to ally someone else with us.”
She giggles. “Two someones as a matter of fact.”
Poppy smiles.
“Wow, really?! You found more allies?”
She says.
Cathy nods. “Yes.” she says.
She then gets a bit nervous.
“Although… you might not be as excited to see them.”
Poppy’s smile fades.
“What do you mean?”
Cathy turns towards the door.
“Well, you’ll see.”
She says, walking out.
“Okay baby, you can come in now.”
She says when she sees her kit.
Theo shakes his head.
“Mom, I can't go in there!”
He whispers. “T-they’ll all get scared, as soon as they see me, they’ll all attack…”
Cathy gently pats his shoulder. “Sweetie, I'm sure they’ll give you a chance if you just explain the situation.”
Theo was still shaky. “I can’t!”
He says.
Cathy gently looks him in the eye.
“Hey, calm down, take a few breaths.”
She says.
She helps him to do a few brief breathing exercises.
In, out. In, out.
Once they are done, Cathy smiles.
“Feel better?”
Theo nods. “Y-yeah… a bit…”
Cathy pets him softly.
“So, are you ready?”
Theo gulps, nodding.
“A-as I'll ever be.”
Cathy smiles, walking back into the elevator room.
“Alright, he’s ready.”
She says to the others.
“I’m glad to say that one of your old friends has finally come around.”
Poppy was still confused.
“Old friends…?”
Cathy nods, then turns to the door.
“Okay Theo, time to come in.”
Dogday flinches, his eyes going wide.
Slowly, Theonap walks into the room, Mae still riding on his back.
Everyone freezes at the sight of him… and he freezes at the sight of Dogday.
Nobody moves a muscle, the tension in the air thicker than a wall of pure steel.
Then, Theo starts to move.
He gently takes Mae off his back, handing her to Cathy, who holds her.
Then, he slowly walks towards Dogday, who looked equally scared and angry, but couldn’t move.
“S-Sam…”
Theo says, lowering his head to look him in the eye.
“I… I thought you were dead…”
Dogday, or, Sam? Breathes nervously.
“I-I almost was.”
He says.
“But your mother saved me.”
Theo gently looked at Cathy, nuzzling her head and making her smile.
He then looks back to Sam.
“I know that… it’s probably meaningless to you, but…”
He gets on all 4 of his knees, to be eye to eye with Sam.
“I… I’m so sorry.”
Sam’s expression softens a bit.
He never thought Theo would ever say that.
“Y-you are…?”
Theo nods, starting to tear up.
“I’m sorry for… everything.”
He says.
“I’m sorry for not listening to you… I'm sorry for betraying you and the others… I'm sorry for all the awful, awful things I did…”
He looks down at Dogday’s new legs, tears spilling down his face.
“And I'm so, so sorry for hurting you, physically and emotionally…”
He sniffles.
“It’s just… 1006 had me under his curse for so long…”
He says.
“I thought that… since he saved me… I was supposed to repay him…
Theo looks down, tears dripping onto the floor.
“But now I realize…”
He sighs.
“I can’t pay back a debt that big…”
He looks Sam in the eye again.
“And, I definitely can’t atone for the sins I've committed…”
He cries, leaning closer.
“I… I’m not expecting you to forgive me… you have every reason not to…”
He takes a breath, looking up at Sam again.
“But, if you’ll let me…”
He mumbles. “Which I doubt you will…”
He looks deeply into Sam’s eyes.
“I want to join you.”
He says.
“I want to help you take 1006 down in any way I can.”
Sam was silent for a few moments, the tension in the air still thick as molasses.
Then… he started to cry too.
Theo jumps, backing up a bit.
Sam gently takes Theo’s face in his hands.
“Oh Theodore…”
He says. “I never thought you’d say that…”
Theo remains silent, afraid.
Then, Sam pulls him closer.
“Theo… I can’t forgive you now… but…”
He looks into Theo’s big, vacant eyes.
“I… I want… to try to.”
Theo smiles, crying happy tears.
“Oh Sam!”
He says, hugging Sam as gently as he could.
Sam hugs back, starting to cry as well.
The two friends shared a warm embrace, immensely happy to be on the same side again after so long.
“I… I’ve missed you…”
Sam says. “So much…”
Theo nuzzles his head.
“I’ve missed you too…”
He says. “Not being able to speak to you… and having to do those… awful things to you…”
He starts to cry.
“It was… torture…”
Sam buries his face in his neck.
“Oh Theo…” he says. “I kept trying to tell you not to listen to the prototype… I'm so glad you finally understand…
Theo sniffles, Crying into Sam’s neck.
“I know…” he says. “I should have listened to you…”
Everyone watched the happy reunion.
Poppy, Kissy and Cathy all try to keep from crying.
Once Sam pulls back, he looks Theo in the eyes.
“Yes, we accept your help.”
He says, gently giving him scritches and making him purr.
“Or at least, I do.”
He glances over to Poppy.
Poppy looks to Kissy, who gently nods, then looks back to Theo.
“Okay… we accept too.”
She says.
“We’ll let you help us, but we’re gonna keep a close eye on you.”
Theo nods. “That’s fair…”
Cathy gently pets Theo’s back with her free hand.
“I’m proud of you, kitten.”
Theo smiles softly.
“Thanks mom.”
He then gently hugs Sam again, and the two embrace for a while, just happy to be in each other’s arms again after who knows how long.
While they were doing that, Poppy then gets Cathy’s attention.
“I have even more good news.”
She says, smiling.
Cathay smiles. “What is it?”
“We’ve also found one more ally.”
Poppy says.
Cathy’s eyes light up. “Really?”
Poppy nods, then gestures to Kissy, who goes back into the other room, and when she came back, someone else was following her.
Cathy’s eyes widened.
She was… another… human…?
A young woman, about 24 years old, with tan, sun-kissed skin, messy auburn hair, and bright hazel eyes.
“Hey.”
She said.
Her voice sounded… familiar.
Cathy was astounded.
“You’re… a human…?”
She says.
The redhead smirks.
“Last time I checked.” she says.
Cathy was astounded.
“How are you… alive…?”
The redhead walks closer.
“I’m in the same boat as you…” She says. “I used to be here when this place was in its prime, then I came back to find it like this.”
She sighs. “And somehow, I ended up down here.”
Cathy nods, understanding.
The redhead nods back. “So what’s your name?”
Cathy looks at her.
“Oh, I'm Catherine, but I usually go by Cathy, or Cath.”
“Sweet name.” The redhead says with another smirk.
“Name’s Daffodil, but you can call me Daphne.”
Mae squeaks happily, for seemingly no reason.
Cathy looks down, thinking.
“Daphne… Daphne…”
She says, trying to recall.
Suddenly, a memory flashes forward in her mind.
A memory of a young, 12-year old girl, giving a Dogday plushie to an even younger girl with pigtails.
She looks back to the young woman.
“I remember you.”
Cathy says to her. “You were… Asher’s daughter, right?”
Daphne sighs, nodding.
“Yeah…” She says. “I was sent away when I was like 14, cause they didn’t want me to get stuck in machinery or whatever.”
She sighs.
“I came back to find out what happened to my dad, and my little sister, Mae…”
Cathy gets a pit in her stomach.
“Mae…?”
She says.
Daphne nods.
“Yeah… Mavis Clement.” she says. “She was another of the kids here in the playcare.”
She looks Cathy in the eye.
“Do you know what happened to her…?”
Cathy gets nervous.
“Um… well…”
Theo puts a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him.
He gestures to the little Dogday mini, who she was still holding.
Cathy slowly nods, looking back to Daphne.
“Yes… we do.”
She says.
Daphne tilts her head. “What are you talking about?”
Cathy gently sets Mae down, nervous.
The little Dogday plushie runs over to Daphne’s feet, squeaking happily.
Daphne glances down.
“Oh, hey there.”
She says with a smile, kneeling down to pet her softly.
“Is this one not feral like the others?”
She says with a grin.
Cathy and Theo looked away, awkwardly.
Daphne’s smile fades.
“What, did I say something wrong…?”
Cathy sighs.
“Daphne… dear…”
She points at Mae.
“Look closer.”
Daphne slowly picks up Mae, observing her.
She looked just like any other Dogday mini, except…
For the two pink ribbons tied around her ears.
Daphne’s eyes go wide and her body goes cold.
“No, no, you’re not…”
She looks into the little toy's eyes.
Mae squeaks sadly, nodding.
Daphne tears up.
“Oh my god…”
Daphne holds the little toy close, crying softly.
“I… I thought you were dead…”
She says through her tears.
The little toy squeaks sadly again, nuzzling against her.
Daphne cuddles her sister closely for a few moments before pulling back, looking into her tiny eyes.
“Is… is dad….?”
Mae nods sadly…
Daphne shakily sighs, holding Mae closer.
“I figured…”
She says, tears still rolling down her face.
Mae starts to cry too, her little broken squeaks were heartbreaking.
“Hey…”
Daphne says, looking into her tiny eyes.
“I might know something that’ll cheer you up.”
Mae tilts her head.
Daphne smiles softly.
“I’ve learned some stuff from kissy.”
She says. “I can probably fix your broken voice box, so you can speak again.”
Mae squeaks happily again, hugging her softly.
Daphne giggles.
“I’ll take that as a yes then.”
Cathy walks over, gently petting Mae’s tiny head.
“I… I'm sorry this happened to her…”
Daphne sighs.
“It wasn’t your fault…” She says. “All the sick, twisted stuff that happened to all those kids wasn’t anyone’s fault but the a-holes who did it to them.”
Cathy nods. “I know…”
She looks down. “Still… I just wish there was something more I could have done…”
Theo walks over, softly nuzzling her head.
“It’s okay, mom…”
He says softly. “You were able to save me from 1006’s control...”
Sam shakily walks over too, gently taking hold of her hand.
“And me from getting eaten...”
Mae squeaks, as if saying “And me too!”
Cathy smiles softly. “Thanks everyone.”
She says. “I couldn’t ask for a better team.”
Everyone gathers around for a big group hug, and it made Cathy feel happier than she had felt the entire time she was in this factory.
After the group hug is over, Kissy then carries Poppy over to the elevator, setting her down gently.
Cathy and Daphne, who was still holding Mae, get onto the elevator as well.
“Soon as we reach the bottom, we’ll send the lift back up.”
Poppy says to Kissy and the boys. “Just hold tight, okay?”
Kissy, Sam and Theo all nod.
Poppy then looks at Cathy.
“After you.”
She says with a smile.
Cathy nods, pressing the down button, and the elevator starts to move downwards.
“Alright.”
Poppy says. “We need to be cautious. There’s something-”
Suddenly, some monstrous sounds come from up above, causing everyone to look up.
“What- what’s she doing…?”
Poppy says. “This isn’t-”
Then, they hear screaming.
Poppy’s eyes go wide.
“No, no NO!”
Cathay gets scared. “What’s going on!?”
Poppy tried to reverse the elevator, with no luck.
“WE’RE COMING! JUST HOLD ON!”
Cathy’s heart drops.
She desperately tried to reverse the elevator as well, hearing more screams from up above, but it was too late, it kept going down.
“COME ON PLEASE!”
She screams.
Poppy tugs at her pigtails. “C’MON C’MON GO FASTER!”
She says in desperation, stomping on the ground.
The two let out gut-wrenching screams.
“KISSY!”
“THEO!”