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Once poor KickinChicken recovered from the shock and the hallucinogenic effect of the gas, everyone got together to make a plan and get us out of the problem they were in; with three friends missing and possibly dead, a monster who was behind the whole catastrophe, and a former friend of the Smiling Critters who was just licking the monster's boots.
But as I usually heard and as I now say, hope is the last thing you lose.
CraftyCorn: So, what can we do to save them?
DogDay: It is easy; Without CatNap, we have a free track to search for them. We have to distract him or keep him in one place for a long time!
KickinChicken: Sounds great! But how do we do it?
Austin: It's easy, we have to use a bait that can attract him easily! He must be afraid that something is in danger in his territory. We have to find some weak point.
Oscar: Got an idea! What areas does he frequent? The offices and Home Sweet Home! We form two groups, each with a walkie-talkie that we own, in those two zones. We use one as bait and then we lock him in a room once we have him in a place! A third group will guard CatNap once he's locked up, and we'll go in a larger group to look for the rest.
Hoppy Hopscotch: Your brother, Maya, has great planning skills! He should continue studying Business. He has the vocation of a boss.
Maya: In the end mom was right. Thank God he never listened to dad. He would have forced him to be a lawyer.
Austin: Dad always thought of the best for us.
Maya: You never defended mom...
Oscar: Let's see, this isn't the time for that, guys! Let's form groups; Austin, DogDay and Hoppy, to Home Sweet Home! Maya, Kickin and I to the offices! Crafty, you stay at the statue, we'll leave you one of the three walkie-talkies we have. When one of us says "CatNap is trapped" and tells you the location, that's your signal; If you hear that, run to the other group and take them to where we have trapped him. Then we'll create a small group to watch him, and the rest will search in and out of PlayCare! They could be anywhere.
Austin: Great job at making this plan, Oscar. Let's get going.
Austin took out of the backpack three walkie-talkies, gave one to me, kept one and gave one to CraftyCorn.
Austin: There you go, Crafty. Keep an eye out for any signs, okay?
CraftyCorn: Of course. But be careful, please...
I nodded. We got out of the statue, but soon stopped. Among the spots of my poor vision, I managed to glimpse the long, pink silhouette of Kissy Missy, with Poppy on her hand.
Austin: Oh. Hello.
Maya: Poppy! Kissy! What a relief to see you again! Where were you?
Poppy: We've been busy...wow, I see you didn't just rescue DogDay! The whole gang is united now!
KickinChicken: Wow! What's up, Poppy? Doing good?
Poppy: No, how are you? I'm relieved to see you're alive, even after all this time!
Maya: Umm...it's not 100% clear that everyone is alive. Bobby Bearhug, Bubba Bubbaphant and PickyPiggy were captured recently by CatNap.
Although she didn't say anything or moved her permanent smile, Kissy began to fiddle her hands, as if she were nervous or tense.
Poppy: Is that so? I'm sorry about that...you're planning to rescue them, I believe.
DogDay: Of course! We cannot leave them to their fate. We have a plan to trap CatNap, and then we'll look for them.
Poppy: Is there room for us to help?
DogDay: It's not much, but we need you to stay with Crafty to look for the rest when we give the signal. Could you stay with her, girls?
Kissy Missy nodded. Poppy seemed to agree, since she gave us a solemn look before smiling.
Austin: Great. CraftyCorn will explain what to do. If you don't mind, we have to cover two areas to catch CatNap, so we have to hurry up.
Poppy: Okay, good luck!
The group divided into two sides. Maya, Kickin and I went to the offices. From what Maya and Austin told me, in that area the children were looking for advice... although I don't understand what kind of advice the children needed... like psychological support or something like that?
I looked at the rooms, and then at KickinChicken.
Kickin walked through the rooms looking dazed. I was worried about how weird Kickin was. Not only was he psychologically affected by Bubba's disappearance, the effect of the gas and all the stress of that strange adventure, but something else worried him.
I approached him, since we could surely talk about it; KickinChicken was like another teenager!
Oscar: Hey, Kickin. You're doing good?
KickinChicken: I'm still feeling weird. That gas has taken a huge effect...
Oscar: Weird...when we found you you were screaming, but you were awake. Normally that gas puts you to sleep.
KickinChicken: Oh...was I screaming?
Oscar: Don't you remember well?
KickinChicken: It's hard for me...it's like...fuzzy? I guess?
Oscar: I understand...but are you sure it's nothing more?
KickinChicken: Um...yeah, there's something else...but if I tell you, you're going to treat me like a crazy dude or something of the sort.
Oscar: Kickin, everyone in this life has been crazy. What difference does it make to be crazy again?
KickinChicken: Oscar, I have suffered...hallucinations...
Oscar: Don't worry, I suffered them too. A lanky Huggy Wuggy came out of a TV! We got higher than the sky with that gas.
KickinChicken: Yeah, but I'm not sure if they're normal hallucinations. These were a little more...special?
Special?
What will he have seen? I have to investigate further in the matter.
Oscar: But what did you see?
KickinChicken: I don't know...it was very fast! I was flying through some red clouds, and every so often I was in a different situation...One I think was someone hitting a box from the inside...another was...looking at the ceiling, as if tied to a stretcher; and the last one was a metal room with blood on the walls.
Maya: ...Guys, what the hell are you talking about?
Oscar: KickinChicken suffered from some suspicious hallucinations.
Maya: What kind of hallucinations?
KickinChicken: I saw myself in different situations...! And they were all so realistic that I guess I became overwhelmed...
Maya: What did you see? Describe me one of them.
KickinChicken: ...I don't know, in one it was like a kind of wooden box...but, like, like a coffin. And I was like knocking the coffin from the inside...
Maya: How strange...that coincides with a hallucination that Hoppy also had due to the gas.
KickinChicken: Has she seen it too?!
Maya: No, hers were auditory hallucinations! She told me that she was like in a black background and was hearing things.
Oscar: It's true...! I was overwhelmed when I told Hoppy that Picky had been kidnapped, and she reassured me by telling me that she was alive because "she dreamt it"!
Maya: ...We're going to go absolutely crazy in this shithole.
KickinChicken: I should talk to Hoppy about this. But maybe later...
Oscar: Shh! Silence, a moment! I hear something...
The three of us hid behind an open door, the three of us leaning against the walls. CatNap appeared in the room at a slow pace and I almost fainted from fear, but I was the only one in that state; Kickin seemed to be waiting for something...
Before CatNap turned around, Kickin noiselessly emerged from his hiding place and ran into the next room. CatNap saw him and ran after him, chasing him as if he were hunting a mouse.
Luckily, CatNap didn't realize we were there. Maya seemed to have a plan; he sent me to the other side of the double doors and asked me to grab it.
Maya: As Kickin goes through this door, close it quickly! I have a key that I think works for this.
I nodded and waited.
I think the shock of the adventure and the nerves made me impatient. I kept looking out the door from time to time looking for Kickin, although Maya strongly insisted that I not do that.
Eventually, he ran back. We could hear CatNap striding forward, and that was the signal.
Maya and I pushed the door open and locked it, despite the eerie, unearthly knocks and roars with which CatNap communicated his frustration, possibly warning us that it wouldn't stay that way.
Eventually, he stopped. He started roaming around the room.
With a mocking smile, Kickin patted me on the shoulder.
KickinChicken: Done! Notify headquarters!
I took the walkie-talkie and connected to the walkie-talkie we left with CraftyCorn.
Oscar: Crafty, we've caught CatNap in the offices. Go get the rest.
*CraftyCorn: *Static* ...Right away!*
Maya: Phew...! At least we did it...
Guys, mind guarding the door? I'll wait for them at the entrance.
Maya left the offices, and I stood next to KickinChicken at the door. We didn't talk much, until I brought up a topic of conversation.
Serious mistake.
Oscar: Do you miss Bubba?
KickinChicken: ...I don't want to talk about this, Oscar.
Oscar: The best thing is to talk about things...if you don't talk about problems, they fester and become a trauma. Nobody wants a trauma.
KickinChicken: I don't...but I don't think my body will endure talking about it...
Oscar: We'll stop talking about it whenever you want...
KickinChicken: ...Okay. Okay...let's talk about it.
Oscar: Okay...tell me, how do you get along with him? Lets start by the beginning.
KickinChicken: Before or after...all this?
Oscar: Let's start before.
KickinChicken: Let's see...Bubba and I had a...neutral relationship, I guess? We got along cordially, but we never became very intimate, among other things because we didn't have the same tastes. The relationship...well, it deteriorated outside. I realized that he didn't like us to correct him, he didn't tolerate failure or mistakes well. And also I was very stubborn. I don't know how he didn't lose his mind before...
...And I tell you one thing, don't let it leave from here. Deep down...somewhat deep down, I admire him. It's the opposite of me. He is sensible, conscientious, very attentive, amazingly intelligent and helpful. He never rose his voice at anybody...!
So when we fought, it scared me, because he never got so...aggressive. But damn...now I see it justified! Who knows how bad he had to go through...and now, who knows where he is... I'm afraid he will die without us fixing it...
Oscar: What are we doing here then? Let's look for both him and the others.
KickinChicken: I know, I know, I want to find him, tell him I'm sorry, that I was an asshole...! But what clue do we have...?
Poppy: This one. Forgive me for intruding, gentlemen...but this may be of help to you.
Poppy had entered, perched on Maya's shoulder because Kissy Missy couldn't fit through the front door. In her hands she had a note.
Kickin took it and read it. He then looked up. He didn't look happy.
KickinChicken: This ain't his handwriting, and this...this is a huge shit! Is this some sort of joke, guys?
Oscar: What does the note say?
KickinChicken: Read!
Oscar: Um, I got vision problems, Kickin.
Maya: I'll read it.
Maya snatched the note from Kickin's hands.
Maya: Right. *Ahem*
KickinChicken: What in the fuck is this?! This stain is blood, god fucking dammit!
Oscar: And what's that "present"?
Maya: ...Austin has it.
We heard a distant cry.
CraftyCorn: AUSTIN! ARE YOU OKAY?!
Maya: I rectify, Austin fainted; Now someone else has it.
KickinChicken: Is anybody gonna answer?! Who the heck did this? Who the fuck is this BullShit-Bull?!
Poppy: It has its explanation. I apologize for not saying it sooner...but you deserve to know the truth. The other Critters are outside. So, if you mind leaving me a second to explain...?
Oscar: And CatNap?
Kissy, without saying a word, slipped through the door as best she could and stood in front of the locked door.
KickinChicken: Uh...nice. Thanks, Kissy!
Poppy: It will be just a minute, guys. We'll go outside. Kissy, mind staying alone for some minutes?
Kissy looked at the locked door, then back at Poppy, and nodded.
Poppy: Alright. Let's go outside. And stay tuned, KickinChicken...this is important.
We left the offices. Austin, Hoppy and Crafty were outside, looking terrified at a little cardboard box with blood soaked at the bottom, dripping onto the floor. DogDay, who was holding the box, was shaking, and Crafty and Hoppy were holding Austin's arms to keep him up, because he looked like he might faint at any moment.
Kickin snatched the box from his friend's hands and looked inside. With the box still in his hands, Kickin fell on his butt to the ground.
I directly took out whatever the contents were, and soon found myself with something gelatinous and long in my hand.
Oscar: What is this? I do not see it well. Is it...like a squid tentacle?
Maya: It's a tongue. And on top of that, torn from the throat, it's strange, strange...
I screamed and dropped it back into the box. I got dizzy, but Maya caught me in time before I fell to the ground.
Austin: Maya, was it necessary to be so graphic...? How fucking disgusting when I saw it.
Poppy: Well, guys, Smiling Critters included, you have something to know...
There is a project: Bigger Bodies Project. We are part of that project created by Playtime Co., and now we are here, because of the Prototype.
But before you, there were many projects. For one reason or another, those projects were rejected. Any rejected subject was usually thrown into the garbage compactor.
BullyBull is an example. He was going to be the true leader of the Smiling Critters, and in fact, DogDay was created around the same time as him...but during the project, he showed aggressive behavior, and was therefore rejected and thrown away, and DogDay became the leader. In the end, he and the other rejected Critters formed a group. There were 4 in total, but they died of natural causes due to lack of resources down the garbage compactor. BullyBull survived by eating the bodies and allying himself with the Prototype just for the sake of survival.
Now, BullyBull resents you; He will destroy you by taking revenge on you.
DogDay: Wow...what a drama.
KickinChicken: Drama?! A degenerate bull has kidnapped our friends because of us!?
DogDay: It's not our fault, guys! Maybe we can help him reconsider...maybe he's not an evil guy! Will he just feel alone and use violence as... a refuge from his insecurity?
Hoppy Hopscotch: ...Just in case, I'd kill him!
DogDay: This is not the solution! We won't become monsters like those from the Hour of Joy just to attack that guy!
Silence fell on PlayCare.
Once again they mentioned the Hour of Joy! But what will that be...?
The Smiling Critters' faces had changed. DogDay realized belatedly that he had said something he shouldn't have. My siblings were a little confused; They didn't know about that either.
Austin: What's the Hour of Joy?
Poppy sighed, smoothing her blue dress with her little porcelain hands.
Poppy: Austin. Maya. I'm afraid I don't have the evidence with me...but you deserve to know the truth.
Maya: ...Oscar, honey, go with Kissy Missy for a moment.
I nodded and went to the offices. Kissy was against the door, hugging her left knee. She looked at me for a moment and she looked down again. I sat next to her, and placed a hand on her furry, fluffy, pink leg.
We stayed like that for a while until her stuffed hand came up to my head and smoothed my hair.
I felt like a child again...
Suddenly, the front door burst open, Austin stormed in, grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the offices.
That movement from Austin stunned me.
Oscar: Austin! What's happening?
Austin: We're leaving!
Oscar: Are we going to rescue the others?
Austin: Rescue the others, my ass! We're going home, we've wasted enough time in this hellhole for absolutely nothing!
Oscar: What?! No! I'm not leaving!
Austin: Oscar, we have nothing else to do here!
Oscar: And the workers?! And them?!
Austin: ...I'm not going to fill your head with that stuff! We're going home, that's it!
Oscar: NO! AND IF I SAY NO, I'M NOT GOING!
I slapped his hand and stood on the spot. I would only leave if he dragged me, let's see if he has balls!
Maya ran to us, and she hugged me tight.
Maya: Have you lost your mind, Austin?!
Austin pointed the index finger of his mutilated hand at Maya's head, as if he were going to cast a curse from the heavens on her.
Austin: Damn that tape and damn that note you gave me, Maya! Because of you we are mired in this shit!
Maya: It's my fault, on top of that?! It was in the mail and it made me homesick, what did you want me to do?!
Austin: Don't you realize that we've put ourselves in danger for something we should have forgotten?! And on top of that we have gotten Oscar involved! You are selfish, Maya!
Maya: ...Me selfish!?
Austin: Yes, you! Even dad knew it!
Maya: Don't talk to me about that traitor now!
Oscar: SHUT UP NOW!!!
They both fell silent. Tears began to accumulate in my eyes.
Oscar: At some point can I be surrounded by adults who don't argue and who love each other?!
Maya: ...Oscar, we love each other very much-!
Oscar: You love each other a lot, my ass! I'm not an idiot! You adults have been fighting in front of me since I came to this disgusting world! When I was born, dad and mom were in crisis; When mom died, I was at home when I was three years old, playing with what I could, and I saw women passing by, and more, and more women! A new one every night! And I called every single one "mom" in case one read me a bedtime story! Dad also argued with you two. And when you finally won custody of me and got out of that hellhole, you also started fighting!
Adults have screwed up my childhood, and although the ones who have loved me the most are you, I can't when you fight, when you attack each other!
Maya and Oscar: It wasn't my thing!
Oscar: I DO NOT CARE!
This is not about us, or me. This is about them! These toys need justice and love, the same thing we have. We are privileged, we have a great gift! We're a family, damn it! Let's enjoy it! Is it too much to ask that you stop fighting?
Austin: ...Fuck...you're right. Maya, I'm sorry, I...maybe I've been acting a jerk towards you these years, I shouldn't have resigned on your behalf, I should have consulted you...but I just wanted to save you. If we had stayed, we would have died...
Maya: I'm also very sorry...I was very angry because of your outburst...but I never thought that you were doing it to save us...maybe I'm selfish after all...
Austin: No, please, don't beat yourself up...I've been insensitive.
Maya: Okay, let's stop giving each other shit, that's not the point...so, truce?
Maya showed a hand. Austin looked at her and smiled.
He grabbed her hand, using his hand with missing fingers.
Austin: Truce.
They shook hands.
I smiled hugely, and my eyes filled with tears. Finally, after years of arguing between adults, I saw two adults together, without fighting or doing strange things like those women Dad brought home every night when I was three.
Austin put his hand on my back and gave me a hug, mumbling an apology for his violence and for how blind he was. Then, forced by Maya, he apologized for the pun.
Oscar: So, what will we do?
Austin: Isn't it obvious? We're giving them some well-deserved justice! We're defeating the goddamn Prototype.
Maya: Hell, yeah! Let's get going! We've got some friends to rescue and an enemy to destroy! Get the others, and off we go!