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The room was quiet save for the music box nearby that played on loop. Poppy couldn’t help but mentally sway to the toon. She dared to open her eyes to see if she had any visitors, and it didn’t surprise her that she didn’t. The porcelain doll sighed and closed her eyes again. Kissy Missy hadn’t reported to her in months, not since the last human that responded to her call was mauled to death by Huggy. Just like every other human that arrived. But Poppy felt only shame. Shame in the humans’ failures to survive.
Poppy was so far deep in her brooding, she didn’t notice the door opening nearby. Kissy Missy walked up to her case and patted the top of it. Poppy didn’t flinch at the sound, knowing by now who it was. Poor Kissy couldn’t open the case herself, and Kissy couldn’t make the trip back to the Safe Haven to tell Doey of her predicament without getting sedated by the Red Smoke.
Poppy smiled slightly in greeting, “hey, Kissy.” Poppy then noticed that Kissy was holding a piece of paper and asked, “what is it?”
Kissy held the paper to the case so Poppy could read it. It was an attendance chart for the factory’s gift shop. The date immediately caught her attention. It was dated August 8th, 1995. The day of the Hour of Joy. Thinking Kissy found something, she read the paper first. Her eyes widened when she saw it.
An employee named Koa Philips was reported absent from work.
Poppy looked to Kissy with a mixture of disbelief and shock. “An employee wasn’t here that day?? One survived??”
Kissy pulled the paper away and tilted her head as if saying ‘it would seem so.’
Poppy looked down in thought, her disbelief shifting to hope when she realized something, “’Koa.’ Is that… is that the ‘Koa’ the Smiling Critters always talked about? The human that was nice to them and the orphans?”
Kissy nodded in confirmation. She may not have met the human, but she checked all other records and this was the only employee with that name. Kissy then held up another paper with a note saying the employees were still alive. A call for help.
Poppy looked up and nodded, “it’s a long shot… but it could work.” Kissy tilted her head as if asking a question, though Poppy knew Kissy so well and knew what she was asking. “I know we’ve gone through dozens of humans over the years, but we cannot stop trying. It’s sacrifices we have to make, Kissy. And this human has something the others didn’t. I don’t know why I didn’t think to ask you to check the employee records sooner – thank you for thinking of that, by the way – but this human could be the hope we needed. Send the letter.”
Kissy nodded and left the room to get to work, Poppy watching as she left.
She closed her eyes and drew in a heavy breath through her nose, “soon, Prototype. Soon you will pay for what you’ve done.”
From a nearby vent along the top of the wall, glowing pinpoint white eyes watched the scene unnoticed.
…
The vents were dark and dusty, but that did not deter the little toy making their way through. A mini–Baba Chops scurred out of the vent into the Prison and scrambled to find her master. The Prototype was stalking the Prison impatiently, having lost Doey once again after trying to get into the Safe Haven, his mechanical limbs shacking with poorly contained frustration and rage.
Nervous beyond the pale but knowing she had to deliver her news, she crawled lowly to the Prototype and got his attention. He picked her up by the scruff of her neck with his needle fingers and held her up to his face, his glowing orange eye warning her to be honest. When she told him what he learned, his limbs tensed up and he dropped the toy black sheep.
“Gather the faithful…” he growled in different voices and walked away. “Have them meet me in the other side of the Prison.”
The black sheep wasted no time and scampered to follow orders, passing the word to the other small toys to gather the other toys and mascots from their territories.
…
The Prototype rubbed his right temple area with the tips of his needle fingers to ease the pulsing ache in his head from the noise around him. His faithful disciples were arguing among themselves about the survival of an employee and her potential return. He saw the little toys arguing with each other, while CatNap hissed at Simon Smoke, Allister Gator, Icky Licky and Rabie Baby while Mommy and Lily argued rather loudly. Despite the irritation and headache, the Prototype found himself able to think about the situation. While the Prototype waited for his followers to gather, he had found an open file in an office and found it was the same human Poppy was calling to the factory. Looking over the file, he saw the human’s name was ‘Koa.’
‘Such a… divergent name,’ he thought to himself, before he straightened up in realization.
The sound of a ghostly, unsettling melody creeped in like a shadow with muffled, hush tones that suggested whispered secrets mixed in as the Prototype realized he recognized that name from when he spied on Playtime after he escaped confinement. The Smiling Critters called a rather young employee that name while she was tending to a crying toddler, and her appearance matched the photo in her file, he remembered. He had heard rumors of a young employee treating the orphans and Smiling Critters as equals and not as lab rats during his confinement as well.
‘It’s the employee I personally wanted to meet,’ The Prototype thought in realization. He remembered his desire to see if the young employee’s care was genuine or a façade. He had encountered employees who were nice, but it was very rare, and based on the Smiling Critters’ description of her, they practically admitted she was angelic compared to the scientists. He found his desire to meet her returning. Not only that, but he realized she already had most of the heretics’ trust as they knew of the Smiling Critters’ stories of her as well. His orange eye glowed with sadistic pleasure. He had an idea.
‘I do believe I can make this work to my advantage. I can see if that kindness she displayed was a mask or genuine. And if she is seen as the heretics’ hope, I can make them see reason with that hope by joining me, or I’ll turn her into their doom.’ He looked to his disciples and mentally chuckled with pleasure, ‘and I can grow stronger while doing so.’
He stomped his mechanical, spidery legs loudly, making his disciples quiet down and look to him, a dark ambient drone introduced itself in the haunting melody.
“Let her come,” The Prototype said calmly, stalking along the ground, forcing his followers to clear a path for him while looking at him with shock and confusion. “A mere human is no threat to us. We’ve eradicated thousands of them in a single hour while stragglers were crushed like the roaches they were. This one will be no different. Once she is within these walls…” The Prototype’s voice boomed with sadistic excitement as he yelled, “the last of the employees will DIE!!”
The Prototype’s sadistic laugh echoed the Prison as his followers stared in awe. while a slow, poignant piano melody settled in like the midnight hour, then the Prototype broke in song.
The Prototype
In the dark of the night, I was tossing and turning
His disciples watched as their awe turned to anticipation.
The Prototype
And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be
CatNap brought his forepaws to his chest in shock. The Prototype marched away, his legs moving in rhythm.
The Prototype
It scared me out of my wits
A corpse falling to bits
Then I opened my eyes, and the nightmare was me
The melody picked up with discordant strings that raised the tension and excitement of the toys. Simon Smoke, Icky Licky and Allister Gator stood next to each other as the Prototype walked by them.
The Prototype
We were once the most mystical toys in all Playtime
Simon Smoke, Allister Gator and Icky Licky
Ooh-aah-ooh
They sang as their master’s shadow passed over them.
The Prototype
When the employees abused us, they made a mistake
The Prototype hissed that word while stealing a glance towards a security camera, knowing the Doctor was watching them.
Simon Smoke, Allister Gator and Icky Licky
Ooh-aah-ooh
They vocalized again while their excitement grew by the second.
The Prototype
My curse made each of them pay
His shadow loomed over fossilized corpses and skeletons of employees scattered in the Prison as he walked by.
The Prototype
But one little girl got away
The Prototype held up Koa’s picture in between two claws, then impaled the photo with another claw.
The Prototype
Little Koa, beware, the Original’s awake
He retracted his finger and let the photo flow to the ground like a leaf falling from a tree, making a few little toys chase it as if the photo was actually the human. The melody took on a full mixture of rock and traditional Russian choral music and the mini toys started dancing while the larger counterparts sang and the Prototype swayed gleefully.
Toys and Mascots
In the dark of the night,
vengeance will find her
In the dark of the night,
just before dawn
Some of the mini-Nightmare Critters started harassing the mini-Smiling Critters until CatNap stepped in and hissed, threatening to sedate them if they didn’t stop. The Prototype placed a hand on CatNap’s shoulder and held him close as he sang.
The Prototype
Revenge will be sweet
The Prototype and Toys
When the curse is complete
The Prototype smiled in gleeful sadism, knowing he was getting his disciples riled up for a hunt.
Toys and Mascots
In the dark of the night
The Prototype
She’ll be gone
Lily used her braids to climb to the ceiling where Mommy Long Legs was crawling and vocalized with her, like they were wolves howling at the moon.
Lily and Mommy Long Legs
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh
The Prototype
I can see my dear Poppy is baiting the prey
The Prototype watched a nearby security camera that displayed Poppy’s room, Poppy nodding to Kissy to send a prepared manilla envelope to Koa. Huggy hissed hungrily, having gone through this nearly six dozen times by now. The Prototype then surprised him by picking him up by the scruff of the neck, singing to him while glancing to the other mascots and toys.
The Prototype
My disciples will be in place and traps are set in the catacombs
Knowing what the Prototype was hinting at, the other mascots all bowed in submission to him as he adjusted his grip on Huggy to hold him by his torso.
The Prototype
As the pieces fall into place
I’ll see her crawl into place
He sang as he stroked Huggy's head like he was a pet, making CatNap a bit jealous until the Prototype rudely dropped Huggy to the floor like he was a rag doll.
The Prototype
Bienvenida, Koa, scapegrace
Welcome home
The other toys and mascots were now too riled up and excited for the upcoming hunt once the human arrived. They marched in rhythm alongside the Prototype, avoiding his legs, and sang alongside him.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night,
terror will find her
The Prototype
Terror’s the least we can do
That got his followers even more excited as they sang in excitement while Lily and Mommy vocalized from the ceiling.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night,
vengeance will brew
Lily and Mommy Long Legs
Ooh-ooh-ooh
The Prototype caught up with CatNap and cupped the purple feline’s face with both his claws, picking CatNap up and holding him at eye level. CatNap held onto the Prototype’s wrists for more support as the Prototype sang in his face with a gleeful smile.
The Prototype and Mascots
Soon, she will feel
The Prototype
That her nightmares are real
The Prototype sang more in suggestion to CatNap, telling his most faithful follower what he wanted him to do in song. This made CatNap’s heartrate pickup speed in excitement.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night
The Prototype
She’ll be through
The Prototype rudely dropped CatNap, but CatNap paid no mind to it, more excited that the Prototype had made a personal request of him. The toys continued to march alongside the Prototype in rhythm and sang while CatNap picked himself up and rejoined the march.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night,
vengeance will find her
CatNap
Find her
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night,
terror comes true
CatNap
Doom her
The Prototype
My dear, here’s a sign
The Prototype and Mascots
It’s the end of the line
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night
In the dark of the night
They made it to the end of the Prison, and the Prototype stopped his march. The little toys gathered around the Prototype while the larger mascots awaited orders, which the Prototype sang with pride, pointing to the side with his claw, watching the toys with his orange eye.
The Prototype
Come, my minions
Rise for your master
Let your hunger shine
The toys and mascots scattered to crevices in the cave walls and into nearby vents, while the larger toys climbed walls or ran to their respectful territories in the factory to prepare for the human’s arrival, singing as they did.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night
In the dark of the night
The Prototype
Find her now, yes
Hunt ever faster
The Prototype watched as the toys and mascots disappeared from view and found himself in his domain within the labs, the voices of his followers sang in the background.
Mascots and Toys
In the dark of the night
In the dark of the night
In the dark of the night
The Prototype smiled in pleasure as he stared at something before him. Once the sound of his followers’ voices faded and he knew they wouldn’t hear, he sang with twisted, sadistic pleasure.
The Prototype
She’ll be mine
The Prototype back up and left the operating room, not taking his eyes off of what he was staring at until he slammed the door, the music ending with a dramatic, booming note, a white, back paw of a large Smiling Critter and the tip of a wolf tail on an operating table visible in the corner of the line of sight.
The Prototype stalked through the labs to a security room and watched patiently. He didn’t have to wait long. Four days after Poppy sent the letter, once dusk fell, the security camera in the entrance lobby caught movement. His orange eye reflected on the monitor as he watched the human play the security tape. He chuckled sadistically and tapped the screen with his finger and purred.
“Welcome home.”