Location: Playcare - Playtime Co.
No POV
After Y/n and FrownyFox managed to escape from the Playhouse and witnessed the death of the CEO, our heroes finally made it back to Playcare before the phone began to ring as the Prototype is calling them. Y/n remembered what the CEO told them to not trust the Prototype, despite of how he managed to get him and FrownyFox all the info they need to get through this, but they're gonna have to trust him a little longer before they can make a run for the exit after they complete the task.
Y/n then brought out the phone and answered the call.
Y/n: Hello?
Prototype: (Deep Voice) Are you alright? Did you and your fox friend have a hard time getting out of the Playhouse?
Y/n: Yeah, we had a little problem with the Mini Critters in the Playhouse.
Prototype: (Deep Voice) I see. No injuries or lost body parts?
Y/n: Just a few minor scrapes and bruises. Not to mention that I am slowly turning into a Smiling Critter, and I nearly lost my sanity if FrownyFox didn't get me some snacks to calm me down.
Prototype: (Deep Voice) I see and I'm surprised that you two made it out of both the Schoolhouse and the Playhouse alive. As your predicament, I will see if there's a cure to your infection, but you may want to pick up the pace if you want to stay human. We cannot let that happen now, do we?
Y/n: No not really.
Prototype: (Deep Voice) Good. By the way, have you two seen the shrine in the Caverns?
Y/n: Yeah, I think I did, and we've seen some people in robes including CatNap worshipping it. We didn't want to disturb their peace while we were on our way to the Playhouse. Did CatNap make that statue?
Prototype: (Deep Voice) Yes. He made it to represent me as the God of this world. You see, before you met CatNap, the scientists have been using him for some experiments before they decided to use him as one of the caretakers of Home Sweet Home as his sleeping gas helps the children sleep at night, which you were chosen to test out CatNap to help you sleep at night, thus solidifying your friendship with CatNap until there was some, "Accidents" that happened here, leaving this company to be shut down and left to rot that you see PlayCare today.
Y/n: I see. I did meet up with the CEO that told me about how he locked up CatNap and the Smiling Critters in a jail cell, just to destroy the company for a good cause. Now I can understand how this place ended up in ruins.
Prototype: (Deep Voice) That's right, Y/n. They would've perished if they stayed there for too long, but the CEO of Pryton Industries released them from their prison, and I took over the role as the leader and I saved their lives, and they worshipped me as their God as they all see within their eyes. Which is why we are creating a portal that will lead them to a new world to live in, where they will all be finally free from the darkness within this world that is Playcare. I will do anything to keep them safe and kill anyone that opposes me and the Smiling Critters.
Y/n: That's nice. What should do next?
Prototype: (Deep Voice) Well, after you managed to bring some power to the Power Room from the Schoolhouse, despite of Miss Delight smashing it with her imaginary friend, Barb, the power has still managed to make its way to the extension cord for you to route to the Power Room. You two are really close to the end. Once you route the power from the Schoolhouse to the Power Room, you need to go to the Counselor's Office this time to find the last Power Generator. I sent you the key to get in, but I highly suggest you bring the mask this time if you want to go through the Red Mist without passing out like how it happened back at Home Sweet Home.
Y/n: Ok. Thanks for the tip, I guess.
Prototype: (Deep Voice) You're welcome, Y/n. You know what to do and be careful when you enter the Office. There is a monster that lurks around there as its hunting ground as it will stalk you in the shadows. So, keep your eyes open and stay within the darkness as every shadow and every flickering light in the office is a hiding spot. It always stalks its prey first and it will take away anything in your possession to defend yourself with. When you're at your most vulnerable...he'll kill you. The monster lives for the hunt.
Y/n: Uh....can you tell me what kind of monster that lurks around in the office?
Prototype: (Deep Voice) Well, let's just say that this "monster" is one of Playtime Co.'s most dangerous and unstable creations. It will not stop until it captures its prey and not even me nor CatNap could stop it. So, I highly suggest you be very careful and don't let see you until you finish the job. Good luck and be careful.
(CLICK!)
Y/n: (Gulp) Well, I think we should do what he has to say and be careful when we enter the Counselor's Office.
Frowny Fox: Good idea. Let's send the power to the Power room and get this over with, so we can get out of here and cure your infection, before it's too late.
Y/n: Alright, let's do this.
So then, Y/n and FrownyFox did the task of bringing the extension cord to route the power to Playcare and after they managed to do that, Y/n grabbed the key to the Counselor's Office sent by the Prototype and the gas mask as they're both ready to head in there to find the last back-up generator to finally bring back power to Playcare to complete the task at the Gas Production Zone.
With the first task done, the two of them head over to the Counselor's Office to go find the last back-up generator and get out of there before the monster finds them.
Y/n: Well...(Gulp) You ready to do this, Frowny?
FrownyFox: Yep....(Gulp) Let's get this over with...
Y/n: Alright then, let's do it.
They then entered the Counselor's Office, and they can already see the Red Mist from one of the rooms and noticed another door that needs some power to open up and Frowny Fox went up to the vent to find a battery pack for Y/n to open the door as he inserts the battery into the slot and the door opened up and Y/n went in with FrownyFox jumped out of the vent and climbed back up to Y/n's shoulder.
Then as they proceed to the next area, it was a bit dark with some of the light flickering as they kept their eyes peeled for the monster as they kept searching every room until they made it to a dead end before looking up to see a bar high up to the ceiling that leads them to the vents as Y/n used his Grab-Pack to get to the vents before coming back out to find them back into the Caverns, but in a different area that is filled with some parkour and puzzles as they both started solving puzzles and performing some parkour to continue on their journey in the Office.
Timeskip - 11 Minutes Later
After solving more puzzles and doing more parkour, the two of them managed to head back inside the Offices before coming inside an office that belonged to Stella Greyber aka the Head of Playcare. Inside the office is a huge mess as it hasn't been used for a long, long time since the factory got shut down and the monster is lurking around the Office as it's hunting grounds to stalk its own prey.
But then, they noticed something inside the vent as Y/n opened it up the vent and a key fell out that should open up one of the doors to the next area of the Office as they went to the door that is locked up, unlocked it and went out to find the cardboard cutout of CraftyCorn and they are afraid to listen to what she has to say.
Y/n: Should we go ahead and play it?
FrownyFox: Ok, but this is the last time we will play these cardboard cutouts.
Y/n: Alright. Let's listen to what she has to say then.
He then pressed the button on the cardboard cutout and listen to what CraftyCorn has to say.
CraftyCorn Cutout: H-Hi... I'm CraftyCorn. Can you help me with my painting, Y/n? You will, thank you!! Pass the blue, please! Thanks! Now, can you give me some red? More red, please! Out?...But we can't be out. They're hiding more red from me from finishing this portrait of you, Y/n...I know they are. GIVE IT BACK YOU FREAKS!!! I NEED TO FINISH WORK OF ART FOR MY PRINCE CHARMING!!! GIVE IT TO ME!!!! NOOOOOOOW!!! (Screaming in the room with CraftyCorn then fades into Static). Ah! Now that's MUCH better. How does it look, Y/n? I made this portrait of you, me and our family just for you...all of this....for YOU...(Giggles then Laughing Maniacally before fading to static)
Y/n: (Thinking) I have PTSD....
FrownyFox: .........................Let's get going.....
Y/n: ............ok then............
They both went down the stairs and continued exploring the Office while they kept looking at their surroundings for the monster before finding another dead end and looked up to find another air vent to climb into as they traveled through the vents before Y/n suddenly smelled the Red Mist with his Smiling Critter nose as he immediately puts on the Gas Mask and while Frowny Fox took a deep breath, and they went down to the room with the Red Mist as Y/n quickly tried to find the battery pack, which is far away from the other room where they went through to get into the vent from the other side and he immediately placed it in the slot to power up the green hand Charge Port.
With the Charge Port powered up, Y/n quickly powered up the other charge ports in the room to proceed through to the next area, where the Red Mist is not covering up the room and FrownyFox can finally gasp for some fresh air.
Y/n: You ok, Frowny?
FrownyFox: (Breathing Heavily) Yeah....(Gasp) I'm fine.
Y/n: I probably should've asked the Prototype to give you a mask to breathe through the Red Mist so that you do have to hold your breath all the time.
FrownyFox: Don't worry, I'll be fine. Let's just keep going before the monster gets to us.
Y/n: Good point. Let's keep moving then.
So then, Y/n and FrownyFox continued moving around to get through another set of puzzles and parkour obstacles to get to the next area of the office to find the back-up generator, it was very tiring of Y/n to go through so many obstacles, but at least Y/n and FrownyFox managed to go through a lot of them during their journey and made it this far.
They took a deep breath and did what they need to do to keep moving before the monster shows up and hunted them down as its next victims to devour.
Timeskip - 35 Minutes Later
After yet another series of puzzle solving and parkour attempts, the two of them went through another air vent maze before they both ended up in another hallway with the Red Mist and FrownyFox already held onto his breath as Y/n quickly and quietly tried to get out of the hallway with the mask on.
However, just as Y/n was about to go put a battery into a slot, he was soon ambushed by the monster that Prototype was talking about as it hit Y/n so hard that his gas mask was knocked out and he tried his best to get up, but he immediately passed out from the Red Mist as the monster looked down at Y/n that took an odd resemblance to CatNap, but in a whole different look as he looks like the same type of monster that Y/n ran away from inside his dream when he entered Home Sweet Home as he spoke to Y/n in a deep, hushed tone in his voice before Y/n finally blacked out.
???: Go to sleep~
With that, Y/n passed out and immediately went into dream land, but this time, Y/n is about to witness a Never-Ending Nightmare that he will never escape from as this adventure is not far from being over...
Stay tuned...
END OF CHAPTER 18
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 19