The Point of NO return Part 1
—Okay... once again... remind me—why exactly are we doing this?
It's easy to lose your way.
It's easy to look the other way...
Why does he make it look so easy...?
DogDay answered with his arms crossed while everyone around him nodded in agreement.
Poppy stepped onto the examination table where they had spread out a crude map of the laboratories.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she paced slowly across the table, nudging pebbles aside with each step, completely absorbed in thought.
DogDay groaned, dragging both hands over his face before clutching his long ears in frustration.
—Would you please explain yourself, Poppy... for the love of—it.
The words slipped through clenched teeth.
Doey quickly raised his hands in an attempt to calm everyone down.
—Easy, everyone... We're all orphans here.
DogDay tilted his head, thinking for a moment.
—No... —Poppy broke the silence once more —I mean we really have to save the orphans.
She crouched down, picked up a tiny thimble, drew a smiling face on it with a pencil, and held it up for everyone to see.
—Somewhere in this facility... the Prototype is keeping them imprisoned.
—The children from Home Sweet Home... they're still alive.
Everyone stood frozen, memories of the orphanage creeping back into their minds like ghosts walking beside them.
Doey was the first to recover.
His neck stretched across the table as he followed her movements over the map.
—Someone keeps delivering supplies to a section of the labs that nobody's allowed to enter, Whatever food is left over gets sent there...
—What else could they possibly be feeding?
Someone answered almost immediately.
—He's the biggest experiment in the entire facili—
Poppy interrupted while picking up a pencil.
—He's not human, He was created here.
She drew a tiny house in the middle of the map, then added a large question mark above it.
—That's why he wants to keep us trapped, because he has no idea what exists beyond these walls.
—We need to change the plan.
Her eyes were filled with determination.
One by one, she searched their faces, hoping to find someone—anyone—who agreed with her.
—W-What's wrong...? You don't want to...?
Doey let out a weary sigh.
—Poppy...We're exhausted, scared, we agreed to the original plan because after everything we've seen... escaping finally feels possible, but—"
A fist slammed against the table.
—We can't march straight into the wolf's den chasing children who might already be dead!"
DogDay's hands crumpled the papers beneath them.
Tears threatened to stain the map.
—We have to think about ourselves too, Poppy...
Silence settled over the infirmary.
Even the whispers of the younger children faded away.
—L-Let's... take a break...
One by one, everyone filed out of the room.
Kissy lingered for a moment at the back, absentmindedly rubbing her own arm to calm herself.
She looked at Poppy for a few seconds...
Then quietly followed the others.
She bit down hard, still clutching the pencil.
—I-I know...We've already abandoned our original attack plan...
—Let's split into two teams, our rebellion doesn't have to become the same as his.
DogDay walked to the table again, resting both hands against its edge.
—The plan was for all of us to leave together, that'll draw the attention of the entire factory.
Poppy stepped toward him until they stood face to face.
—I'd rather protect one group than spread ourselves too thin.
—Besides...You said you've explored the factory, you'll lead us out... won't you?
—It's too dangerous, and you know it, if we're caught, everything ends right there, but if we split up...
—At least one group will have a chance to make it.
He slammed his palm against the table again.
Poppy didn't even flinch.
This argument wasn't ending anytime soon.
Outside the infirmary, Doey watched them through the doorway with a tired smile before guiding everyone farther down the hall.
He understood both sides.
If the first team escaped...
The second team could search for the children.
And confront the thing that started all of this.
"This... could actually work."
"Watch your language, Kevin..."
Doey chuckled to himself.
"If we play our cards right..."
—Say it again... —DogDay looked around the room —What exactly are we doing?"
—Escorting Exploration Team One to the surface.
Bubba answered without hesitation.
—And sending the bait team down into the lower levels.
KickinChicken replied with his arms crossed.
Every head snapped toward him.
He merely shrugged, swinging his hands casually in front of him.
—Come on... it makes the plan sound more exciting.
Everyone buried their faces in their hands.
Poppy cleared her throat and rearranged the pebbles and scraps of paper spread across the map.
—I'll escort Exploration Team One to the exit.
The others watched as she moved the markers toward the factory's surface, quietly nodding.
DogDay picked up the little thimble with the smiling face and turned it between his fingers.
—Three weeks. — his voice was calm —No longer than that, Poppy.
Doey placed a hand on the pup's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
—If talking doesn't work... — Doey smiled. —I can slip through places no one else can. I'll move faster than anyone."
—We'll hold things together here.
Everyone turned toward her.
—We're supposed to trust each other, aren't we?
DogDay stared at her for a long moment.
Then let out a slow, defeated sigh.
—I can't believe we're actually doing this...
He looked around at every face in the room.
—But...There's no turning back now.
Without a word, everyone stepped forward.
One by one, they rested a hand on their leader's shoulder.
Just silent understanding.
Then they separated to finish their preparations.
Small gifts they hoped would serve as a gesture of peace...
Others helped prepare the younger children for the journey ahead.
The following days would be long.
DogDay and PickyPiggy left before sunrise, their mission was the longest...
And by far the most dangerous.
They couldn't afford to waste another minute.
Poppy and Doey stood at the entrance to see them off, Doey would take a completely different route, but...
Seeing them together one last time before everything began.
They were in this together.
The flickering lights barely pushed back the darkness ahead.
Poppy had described this route to them countless times, but they hadn't taken her original path.
They had chosen to enter through the Waste Disposal Sector.
The stench hit them immediately.
Something sour that clung to every breath.
The constant feeling of being watched.
An invisible hunger surrounded them.
Only the sound of something cracking beneath their feet.
The darkness refused to answer.
DogDay and PickyPiggy continued forward until a faintly glowing sign emerged through the gloom.
They quickened their pace—
A tiny Bron slowly rose from a pile of garbage.
It simply stared at them.
—H-Hi there... —Picky forced a smile as she carefully stepped forward —We're from Home Sweet Home, W-We brought supplies...Is Daisy nearby? Or maybe... CatNap?
The little Bron tilted its head.
Its tiny voice echoed through the corridor.
A mixture of pink and brown sludge dribbled from its mouth.
A chunk of flesh slipped free, rolling lazily across the floor.
—Are...You offering yourselves?
Floating inside endless darkness...
Looked ready to consume them whole.
This place wasn't anything like Giblet had described.
DogDay and Picky exchanged a glance.
They slowly took a step backward.
A quiet giggle echoed behind them.
Watching from the darkness.
Strings of saliva dangling from hungry mouths.
This is what the workers felt that day.
Neither of them waited, DogDay kicked the Bron square in the chest as they sprinted past.
The supply crate slipped from their hands, they couldn't afford the extra weight.
The starving experiments rushed toward the fallen box.
Several stopped to claw through the supplies—
Until thick roots lashed across the floor, striking them from behind.
The creatures scattered immediately...
—Don't let them escape —A calm voice drifted through the darkness —They're our guests."
A smile full of far too many teeth appeared.
Long vines wrapped around one of the experiments that had stopped to rummage through the supplies.
The creature barely had time to scream.
Daisy lifted it effortlessly.
She casually dropped the limp body onto the ground.
The remaining creatures merely stared.
Food should never be wasted.
Hidden above the corridor a tiny spy felt his heart skip a beat.
Everything had gone wrong.
He slipped silently into the ventilation ducts.
He had to warn the others.
Doey continued crawling through the ventilation system, following the route Poppy had originally mapped out.
The corridors were silent.
No scavengers demanding payment for safe passage.
The silence itself was unsettling.
He slipped out of the vents and glanced around.
His body slowly returned to its normal shape.
He adjusted his bowler hat before peering into the surrounding rooms.
He stretched his body through cracked doorways, leaned into narrow openings, and climbed the upper walkways to get a better look.
A metallic rhythm echoed through the halls.
The sound came from the walls themselves.
As if enormous limbs were searching every corridor.
The distorted voice reverberated through the laboratory.
Doey narrowed his eyes and slowly took a step back.
He had absolutely no desire to fight, not unless he had no other choice.
—We cAn TaLk, ThInGs DoN't HaVe To EnD tHiS wAy."
Long fingers curled over the edge of the corridor above him.
That enormous grin emerged from behind the wall.
But Doey was already gone.
Only a flattened smear of blue putty remained.
The Prototype touched it gently.
His mask emitted its familiar...
Doey's voice echoed from somewhere behind him.
The Prototype merely straightened his posture.
—YoU hAvE eNtErEd My TeRrItOrY...WiTh No ClEaR iNtEnTiOnS.
His eye slowly swept across the darkness.
—I cOuLd HaVe CrUsHeD yOu ThE mOmEnT yOu ArRiVeD...
His body twisted effortlessly as he climbed onto the ceiling.
Metallic limbs buried themselves deep into the concrete while his torso rotated into place with disturbing elegance.
—Alright, I'm listening, What does the 'King of Playtime' want?
The Prototype gave a slight theatrical bow.
One hand rested against his chest.
The other stretched outward.
—LeT uS jOiN fOrCeS, To KeEp ThIs PlAcE aLiVe.
Hidden beneath one of the catwalks, Doey frowned.
—And you don't think leaving this place would be the better option?
Without warning, the Prototype's accordion spine collapsed.
His chest dropped several feet.
Long arms swept beneath the platforms, feeling through the darkness.
—ThE oUtSiDe...Is DaNgErOuS
The voice had moved again.
Another click escaped the Prototype's mask.
The only thing he'd managed to catch...
Was another trail of blue putty.
—Have you ever actually been outside?
The glowing eye disappeared into the darkness of the mask.
—We're starving, nothing grows here except mold.
The Prototype lowered his head.
A dismissive flick of his hand.
As though swatting away the argument.
Driving one blade into every wall he passed.
—HoWeVeR...YoU aRe RiGhT.
His gaze wandered across the abandoned laboratories.
—Then what exactly do you have in mind?
Doey continued slipping through narrow cracks between the walls.
The Prototype's mask clicked once more before his body slowly rose back toward the ceiling.
—If...YoU jOiN mE, I cAn GiVe ThEm...A bEtTeR lIfE.
He placed one hand over his heart.
The other behind his back.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
The resemblance was impossible to ignore.
Even if someone would pout the moment he pointed it out.
He shook his head and climbed another level.
—Why me? I thought CatNap was your right hand.
The elegant fingers vanished, razor-sharp claws shot forward.
Doey barely had time to react.
The strike pierced straight through his head.
The Prototype believed he had him, then the putty slipped between his claws.
And Doey disappeared into the walls once again.
The Prototype flicked his hand in visible disgust.
Blue residue clung stubbornly to the metal.
He wiped it against the concrete.
The clown bent down and retrieved something left behind during the escape.
He balanced it carefully on a single finger.
Before crushing it in his fist.
His glowing eye searched the darkness once more.
—YoU...ArE iNtElLiGeNt, YoUr JuDgMeNt Is NoT cLoUdEd
—CoUlD aCcOmPlIsH...GrEaT tHiNgS."
The laboratory fell silent.
Doey didn't answer again.
A soft huff escaped the prototype's body as it spun its hat on one of its fingers.
The sound of metal springing open as the tips were pulled apart.
The harlequin began to descend; if the boy had fled, there was no reason for him to stay there.
The prototype’s body froze; its head tilted slightly to the right—toward where the noise had seemed to originate.
—What would I gain by joining you?
Now it was the prototype that remained silent; it placed the bowler hat in its palm and stared at it intently, as if Doey were standing right in front of it.
The word echoed through the space.
Doey remained silent, rubbing his chin as he thought.
He replied after a few more seconds. That answer drew a laugh from the prototype—though it kept the amusement internal.
—Just... answer two things for me, and I'll think about it.
The prototype's glowing eye dimmed for a second before flaring up again—a sign of annoyance on its part, but...
Its hand closed around the hat, pressing it against its chest, while it raised its other hand.
He paused for a moment; the prototype squeezed the hat slightly between its hands.
—What would you need me to do?
That question brought an internal smile; its mouth opened for a few seconds, but the words—not yet fully formed—were cut short.
The Prototype opened his mouth to answer.
The laboratory grew still.
—Are the children from Home Sweet Home...
He locked eyes with the glowing orange light.
The kind that settles over a room after someone asks the one question no one wanted to hear.
The Prototype stopped searching.
His fingers froze in midair.
Every hidden blade remained perfectly still.
For several long seconds...
Doey slowly emerged from the shadows several floors below, deliberately keeping his distance.
He allowed himself to be seen.
Footsteps echoed somewhere in the distance.
A flood of smaller experiments suddenly burst through the corridors.
They ripped chunks from the walls to squeeze through narrow openings, racing toward different sectors of the facility.
The entire laboratory had come alive.
The sound of metal descending snapped Doey back to reality.
The Prototype was climbing down.
The Prototype's lone orange eye burned in the darkness.
He had shut off the lights himself.
—You never intended to call a truce.
Silence was answer enough.
The Prototype resumed his descent, following the direction the experiments had fled.
Doey remained perfectly still.
Another realization struck.
There wasn't enough time to warn him.
Only one option remained.
The putty covering Doey's body began to boil.
Bubbles swelled across his skin.
His arms stretched like serpents.
Steel railings buckled beneath the growing weight.
The gentle, rounded face split apart.
Three pairs of crimson eyes opened inside his jaws.
Smoke curled lazily between rows of teeth.
A voice echoed inside his mind.
The six crimson eyes flared brighter.
The creature made no sound.
It simply began racing across the walls.
Until it finally stopped.
Exactly what he had to do.
The Prototype reached the doorway the others had smashed open.
Far in the distance, he could hear a strange mixture of laughter and screams fading away.
Things had changed a long time ago; nothing could stay the way it once was.
It was time to look toward the future.
...Even if that future looked far too much like the past.
Am I making the same mistakes?
The thought crossed his mind for only a moment, and he dismissed it just as quickly.
Immortality was necessary.
Only then could they live in peace.
Without endless complaints.
The Prototype raised both arms and stretched.
Something warm landed on his hands.
It continued dripping down his right arm.
The clown lowered his gaze.
The same residue Doey always left behind whenever he slipped through cracks.
The metal supports along his back groaned.
His accordion spine extended instantly.
Hidden blades slid into his hands.
If that blob of putty thought it had cornered him...
His ascent suddenly stopped.
The dripping hadn't stopped.
The Prototype switched the lights back on.
There was no surprise in his voice.
Only his eye slowly narrowed as he tried to focus on whatever was blocking the light.
Two crimson eyes greeted him from the darkness.
A waterfall of burning-hot putty crashed over him.
The molten material poured through every opening in his mask.
A sound Doey had never heard before.
A horrific mixture of grinding metal...
And the overlapping voices of several adults.
Something deep inside Doey shivered.
The accordion spine slowly contracted until it locked back into the base of his body, both hands covered the mask's eye sockets, steam hissed from every joint.
Doey snapped back to reality.
There was no need to block the light anymore.
He released the ledge above him and dropped.
Before the clown could recover his vision...
The Prototype violently shook both arms.
If the putty hardened around him...
That would become a serious problem.
And he had no intention of losing this fight.
The whistle of something falling echoed above him.
His mechanical legs bent slightly.
The clown stretched his accordion spine toward the wall.
His entire body flattened against the concrete.
He had to avoid the impact at all costs.
Doey hit the floor with a deafening crash.
The Prototype's instinct had been right.
Taking that hit directly would've caused severe damage.
Every sense in his body rang from the impact.
Two hands slammed against the floor.
His body launched upward.
The remaining arms seized the Prototype's.
He smashed the clown into the wall.
He wouldn't let him land a single hit.
Wouldn't give him even one chance.
The wall finally gave way.
Both of them disappeared beneath the collapsing concrete.
He shoved the rubble aside.
Grabbed the Prototype by his clothes.
And pulled with every ounce of strength he had.
Maybe I can tear him away from that spider-like torso.
Then all that'll be left...is a clown wearing a jester's hat.
Meanwhile, the Prototype understood exactly what his opponent was trying to do.
A quick glance was enough to spot the metal latches securing his waist.
They were still unlocked.
He simply relaxed the accordion mechanism, allowing his spine to extend naturally and preventing Doey from tearing his upper body away from the rest.
Kevin cursed under his breath.
But he wasn't about to give up.
With every ounce of strength he had, he hurled the Prototype's upper body as far as he could.
Then he lunged forward, bringing his fists crashing down onto the spider-like frame that served as the clown's lower body.
A sharp metallic screech echoed through the darkness.
He didn't even look back.
His chance to destroy the thing carrying him.
The Prototype lifted his chest and began retracting his spine, pulling himself back toward his lower half.
In his haste, he allowed the elastic material to recoil naturally.
Like a spring snapping back into place after being stretched.
Was like countless tiny bubbles bursting one after another.
Pink fluid seeped from the openings in his mask.
The clown raised his blades.
Even if his spine hadn't locked back into place yet...
Even if the recoil threw his balance off...
He was ready to impale him.
Kevin heard the cracking sounds.
His assault came to an abrupt stop.
His head turned toward the noise.
Only a fraction of a second passed...
And both of them made their choice.
Using all the momentum of his returning body...
He would drive the blade straight through him.
Doey heated the putty again.
The impact landed with terrifying force.
But instead of piercing him...
His body swallowed it whole.
The Prototype's arm punched completely through the material...
Yet the rest of his body had become trapped inside.
His fingers spread apart.
His wrist twisted desperately, trying to reach Doey once more.
Until the Prototype disappeared completely inside him.
The mechanical legs began jerking wildly.
They pulled against one another without control.
Only one sentence remained.
You'd be perfect for facing him, Doey...
You're the only one here made from such a unique material.
Inside the living prison...
A sharp pain spread through the clown's chest.
His entire body had been swallowed by darkness.
—Everything's going to be alright...
The words cut through his thoughts.
Another man laughed as he gave someone a friendly punch on the shoulder.
—Idiot, He doesn't even have a nose.
The sheer absurdity of it.
I'll make him pay for that someday.
The pressure around his body kept increasing.
Doey stopped contracting.
He began returning to his normal form.
The extra arms melted back into his body until only one pair remained.
His hands touched the floor.
He crawled away from the motionless mass behind him...
Leaving what looked like a hardened cocoon of blue putty.
The man of putty collapsed onto the floor.
His chest rose and fell in frantic breaths.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Doey rolled onto his stomach.
Both hands slammed against the floor as he pushed himself back up.
I don't want to hurt anyone else...
Now he could hear lighter footsteps approaching.
—My friend!! Did you really beat the clown all by yourself?
Doey finally managed to stand.
Giblet was happily bouncing on top of the hardened cocoon.
Doey's eyes widened immediately.
Giblet turned toward him.
Several others had already started climbing onto the cocoon as well, but they stopped the moment they heard their leader and peeked out from behind him.
Voices overlapped as everyone hurried toward him.
—W-What are all of you doing here? What about the plan?
—Someone told us the plan had failed.
Bobby folded her arms and glanced at Giblet.
The little fox laughed nervously, scratching behind one ear.
—So...We came to back you up.
The group immediately broke into conversation.
Several Mini Huggies and Smiling Critters climbed onto the stacked crates around the warehouse.
Others scrambled into the abandoned forklifts, sitting in the driver's seats and spinning the dusty steering wheels.
A Mini Huggy chased a CatBee between the rows of crates.
Both of them leaped onto a large red container.
The others burst into laughter as they accidentally flipped through the air before landing.
For just a few seconds...
The atmosphere changed completely.
Every head turned toward the cocoon.
They looked around instead.
Maybe one of the kids dropped something.
Maybe someone broke a steering wheel.
With so many crates scattered across the warehouse...
It was impossible to tell whether the noise had come from an enemy...
DogDay and PickyPiggy were still missing.
—Giblet...Where are they now?
Doey stepped toward the fox.
Giblet immediately began stumbling over his own words.
He had lost track of them while searching for everyone else.
The group quickly began arguing among themselves.
None of them noticed the terrified expressions spreading across the children's faces.
The crate where the Mini Huggy and CatBee had landed...
Steel springs unfolded beneath it.
Two long arms burst from either side.
The children barely had time to jump away—
A jack-in-the-box head shot forward on a massive spring.
Its jaws ripped across the concrete—
Taking two children with them.
The terrified scream snapped everyone's attention toward the monster.
The floor shook violently.
Crates flew across the warehouse, smashing against the walls.
The group scattered to avoid the impact.
The truth hit them all at once.
Inside Boxy Boo's territory, the creature slowly turned toward them.
And pieces of the children it had bitten...
Still hung between its teeth.
A chill ran through Doey's body.
Everyone instinctively looked toward Doey.
No one dared attack without a plan.
Every eye remained fixed on him.
Waiting for the first mistake.
Doey's body trembled ever so slightly.
He couldn't afford to show fear.
He stood perfectly still, the lights flickered again.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
No one looked away from Boxy.
They might have noticed the cracks spreading overhead.
Was forcing its way through them.
A massive slab of concrete crashed onto Boxy's head.
The creature snarled and looked up.
Another chunk smashed against its jaws.
The lights flickered again.
Everyone stared at the hole in the ceiling.
Every single one of them regretted coming here.
A flower petal slowly emerged from the darkness.
Followed by bright, lively eyes.
A gentle smile, hands from which thick roots dangled lazily.
—Well...What do we have here? Was the party always underground?
A quiet giggle echoed through the warehouse.
—Looks like the King was right...There really are pests in the garden.
Her arms and legs embedded themselves into the ceiling.
Her head rotated effortlessly, allowing her to keep watching them as she walked upside down.
—What a mess...Pests Must be...ERADICATED.
The flower's once gentle eyes...
Tiny eyes began opening throughout the darkness above.
Small impacts echoed through the ceiling.
The soil continued falling around them.
Doey hurriedly raised both hands.
He wasn't here to fight, he never had been.
A child's laughter drifted through the warehouse.
Mixed with bursts of static.
—lEt'S sHoW tHeM...WhAt HaPpEnS tO bAd ToYs.
Doey slowly turned his head.
A metallic snap echoed through the darkness.
Only a single orange eye remained.
The orange glow vanished.
The warehouse fell silent.
Would follow him into every nightmare.
The guilt of realizing...
That they had done exactly what the Prototype wanted.
PreVioUs pOst *-* PaRt Two
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