(☀)
Honestly, it was calming to see the whole team together again.
Since our reunion at PlayCare, we've just been dividing ourselves. And dividing only brought greater problems.
So, until the situation forces us, I do not plan to separate myself from the rest, and I do not plan to let anyone separate from the group.
We had found a quiet place to rest comfortably. A few like Bubba and Kickin were overcome by fatigue and ended up falling asleep. Others like Bobby, Picky and Hoppy were busy catching up on everything that had happened. CraftyCorn had stayed with LuckyLlama, and I also eventually went with them to inform LuckyLlama of the things that happened.
But my attention, my watchful eye, was on CatNap.
He stood aside, meek, doing nothing except wagging his tail gently from time to time, with that smiling and bizarre expression.
I didn't trust him one bit. I knew that, at any moment, he was going to betray us. The problem is that I don't know when that time will come. So I have to make sure he doesn't do anything that puts the others in danger.
When I saw that tranquility prevailed in the group, I decided to start thinking about a plan on my own, and present it when everyone rested a little more.
CraftyCorn went with the other girls, and I stayed with LuckyLlama.
I thought for a while, but every plan I could think of was interrupted by some flaw.
I almost despaired, but LuckyLlama soon caught on to my nervous state. He took out a notebook and began to scribble what seemed like a few lines.
Soon, the lines were forming what looked like a map.
DogDay: Umm...May I ask what are you doing?
He didn't show me his notebook yet.
It was a map...but of what?
LuckyLlama began to write down some names inside what could be the rooms.
When he finished, he ended up showing me the notebook.
DogDay: Um, what does this mean?
He then wrote something at the upper part of the page.
I soon understood.
He had drawn the whole hideout of the Rejected Critters!
I couldn't imagine that place being that big...no wonder we got lost once or twice.
DogDay: Impressive! How come you remember all the rooms and their functions?
He shrugged, smiling a tiny bit.
I tried to pay close attention to the type of rooms there were.
The complex was made up of two large hallways. The four Rejected Critters had their own sector each. Most of the sectors had an unnamed room- I assumed they were not very important- and a cell, but three of the sectors had soundproof rooms, and other special rooms, like a power zone, a medical bay, a studio and a room with supplies.
The exits were also numbered.
We could make a plan based on this!
I went to look for the others, and when we were all there, we decided to build a plan together.
DogDay: Well guys, LuckyLlama has delighted us with a map of the Rejected Critters' hideout!
KickinChicken: Seriously?! How do you remember all that?
PickyPiggy: Well, Bubba! Guess you got some competence now!
Bubba Bubbaphant: Haha. So funny.
Hoppy Hopscotch: So, what's the plan? What are we going to do?
DogDay: It's something harsh to say...but we have to, you know, kill them?
Bobby Bearhug: Um...I'm not very sure about that.
DogDay: Oh? Why not? Are you okay?
Bobby Bearhug: Yes, yes, I'm perfectly fine! But maybe killing them is too difficult. They are pretty smart...
Hoppy Hopscotch: That's why we need a plan! We have to take them from the rear!
Bobby Bearhug: Wait, I don't see this! Who tells you that they are not planning something against us right now?
Bubba Bubbaphant: At this exact moment? I don't think so. As long as they didn't put microphones...
KickinChicken: Exactly.
Bobby Bearhug: What if there are?
Bubba Bubbaphant: Bobby, calm down. I say it jokingly! I doubt there are microphones!
CraftyCorn: One question...and do the microphones have little red dots that blink?
PickyPiggy: What question is that?
CraftyCorn: I say that because...there's something there.
CraftyCorn pointed her hoof at what looked like stacked wooden boxes.
Hoppy, who was closest to said boxes, approached and saw a little light, red and blinking, in a gap between two of the stacked boxes. Hoppy barely reached in and took out a small black device, with a single side button and that little light.
He showed the device to the rest. Encouraged by Picky and Kickin, Bubba walked over, picked up the object, and quickly examined it.
Bubba Bubbaphant: ...A recorder.
PickyPiggy: Shit! Are they spying on us?!
KickinChicken: Well in the end you were right about the mics thing, Bubba.
Bubba Bubbaphant: This is the first time I'm upset that I'm right. But guess what?
Bubba slammed it to the ground and stomped on it several times. It was left as black tiny shards with exposed wires.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Done! One less recorder, because I can't guarantee that it will be the last one!
Bobby Bearhug: You suggest to look for more of these?
Bubba Bubbaphant: Exactly! We have to make them run out of resources that foster their espionage capabilities. This way we can present our plans with complete peace of mind.
Hoppy Hopscotch: Oh, hell yes! I love the idea! Let's smash recorders!
DogDay: Okay, I guess the plan can wait for a tiny bit...okay, let's look for recorders! Please try not to go too far from the area.
We started looking for recorders, cameras or any spy device. We divided into small groups; Bubba went with Bobby, Hoppy with Kickin, Picky with Crafty, and I was with LuckyLlama.
As expected, CatNap didn't bother to help.
Despite being divided into groups, we did not stray far, and always had another group in sight to feel safe.
When we finished, a few hours later, several of us had found several of the traps; Bobby had found two recorders, Kickin one, Hoppy two others, and Crafty had stumbled upon a small camera.
They left it all on the floor, and looked at them all.
Bubba Bubbaphant: I still doubt these are the only ones.
Bobby Bearhug: But is it safe to go any further? Like, we should go together to find those things?
Bubba Bubbaphant: I was going to suggest splitting up.
My heart skipped a beat.
DogDay: No, Bubba, that isn't a solution! It's not even an option!
Hoppy Hopscotch: Why not?
DogDay: Guys, you know what happens when we split up.
Bubba Bubbaphant: I know it's a risky measure, but I can't think of more effective options...
KickinChicken: What if we send just two?
DogDay: ...Well, that is a better idea than all of us splitting...only two go a bit further. But still, I don't think it's the best idea.
LuckyLlama made some signs. Bubba frowned a tiny bit, not looking convinced.
Bubba Bubbaphant: I'm not sure it's safe you go. If they find you, you may be in danger. I tell you this from enormous experience, although I don't know if my experience is greater than yours.
DogDay: Let me guess; he wants to go look for them?
Bubba Bubbaphant: Yeah, but if the Rejected Critters know he's an ally of ours, we're screwed.
DogDay: I offer to go look for microphones.
Bobby Bearhug: Really? I don't see that...
Hoppy Hopscotch: Bobby, may I know what's wrong with you?
Bobby Bearhug: Nothing! I just...I don't know, I'm worried that those bastards will get their way and destroy us. Since we divided into groups, everything is a problem. The last thing we should lose is our leader...
Bubba Bubbaphant: Well...in that case, I-
PickyPiggy: No!
Bubba Bubbaphant: No? Why not?
PickyPiggy: It's dangerous to go alone!
Bubba Bubbaphant: I'm not going alone! Another person is going with me.
Hoppy Hopscotch: Hm, I can go!
Bobby Bearhug: No!
Bubba Bubbaphant: Oh my gosh, this will take forever...
KickinChicken: Fuck it, guys! Bubba and I will go!
Bubba Bubbaphant: You? No offense, Kickin...but if I go with you, they see us and you get angry, we won't get out alive.
KickinChicken: I don't understand, but hey, do what you want.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Will I go...with DogDay?
Bobby Bearhug: Bubba! Should I explain again?
DogDay: Okay, Bubba, I accept the offer! Let's go fast, because this argument is going way too long.
Bobby Bearhug: Guys- ...nevermind. Just be careful!
I went to Bubba, who was given a second copy of the map that LuckyLlama made and a way to get there, outside of our safe zone.
While we were walking, I looked for anything that revealed espionage on the part of these people.
I didn't find anything. I only saw strange scratches on the walls, marks of dried blood.
I began to remember the Hour of Joy.
When the alarms went off. When the panic began. When the screams became deafening. When the blood stained everything.
When chaos was raging, I delved into PlayCare. I was looking for CatNap, when I was stupid enough to believe he was my friend, when my mind falsely warned me that he was in danger.
He wasn't.
He was impassive, with that hateful bizarre look, with his claws full of blood.
I remember yelling something at him, but I don't remember what.
If I remember his response, yes, I do.
I cannot forget it.
"I carry out orders from the Most High, DogDay."
And then offered me to join The Prototype.
I rejected the offer, and I paid so dearly, but so dearly, that not even at the end of my life will I be able to pay the price.
CatNap called me a "heretic" for the first time, and with his gas he put me to sleep, beginning my torture.
A bitter taste reached my palate. I shivered remembering the cold, the pain, the blood, the fatigue and the disappointment I had with myself. A tear ran down my cheek, but I was able to wipe it away just as Bubba looked at me.
I looked back at him and smiled.
I paid attention to him a little. I could only focus on the injuries he had obtained.
His slightly swollen and bruised ear, his torn cheek, his knuckles with peeling skin, his neck with nail marks that he clumsily tried to cover with the lapels of his coat, the dried blood at the base of his trunk.
But despite everything... here he is. Next to me, helping as if nothing had happened to him.
He has fought like a champion, and despite everything he has suffered...here he is.
And here they all are.
Everyone has suffered for one reason or another.
But in the end, they are here.
I think that's what really matters now.
After a while of searching, we found nothing, except a cardboard cutout.
It had a replica of BullyBull drawn in a more cartoonish style, with a huge smile on his face.
Although if I think about it, this smiling BullyBull doesn't sound familiar to me. It was not a malevolent smile or a perverse grimace like his, but a smile that gave the sensation of pure happiness.
There was a button on the cutout.
Without warning, Bubba pressed it.
Static sounded, and in the background an inaudible whisper.
Bubba pressed the button again, with no different result. And like the third time the charm came, he pressed again, and a phrase was heard.
"You're not going to get rid of me. You're going to pay for this."
After the initial shock, Bubba pressed the button continuously in search of another line, but nothing happened. Not even static could be heard.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Great, this is dead now.
DogDay: Maybe we should return? This gives me a bad feeling.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Okay, let's go back.
We were both going to take the way back, when in a dark hallway somewhat close to us, we saw something.
I thought it was the fruit of my imagination but I soon realized that it was not, and we had really seen a silhouette of a long dark purple skirt that was camouflaged in the darkness.
It smelled like violets everywhere. So someone had to be watching us.
I told Bubba to stay still there, and I approached the door that led to the dark hallway.
I stuck my head inside and tried to investigate, but someone pulled my arm and pulled me out of there. Before leaving, I saw two white orbs that blinked slowly for a moment, as if they were real eyes.
Once outside, I saw that it was PickyPiggy. I was surprised to see her there, and above all, I was surprised to see her so nervous. She spoke hastily and pulled lightly on my arm.
Bubba approached her and grabbed her shoulders, trying in vain to calm her down. She was very agitated, moving her head in all directions and taking deep breaths between inaudible sentences she tried to say.
Bubba seemed to tense up, and shook her lightly. This surprised her so much that she calmed herself down.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Picky, calm down! Breathe for a moment.
PickyPiggy took several deep breaths, and Bubba talked to her about ordinary things in a soothing tone, until she calmed down herself.
When she could articulate a word, she looked at me with fear.
PickyPiggy: They found our hiding place.
I stayed silent. My heart sank in my chest as if a cold mass was crushing it.
She didn't need to give us more details.
DogDay: Have they hurt you guys?
She shook her head, but shrugged after it. She looked visibly scared. Something else had happened.
But we weren't going to ask her. She was too tense to bombard her with questions.
Bubba put his arm around Picky's shoulders and sighed.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Let's go back...
We returned to where we had hidden.
There was no one around.
PickyPiggy: Guys, it's us.
Hoppy came out from behind a wall and sighed in relief when she saw us. Little by little, the rest came out of their hiding places. Of course, no trace of CatNap. And that, honestly, made me happy.
DogDay: What happened? Are you okay guys?
Hoppy Hopscotch: Yes, fortunately they didn't hurt us.
Bubba Bubbaphant: But Hoppy! Your cheek...!
Indeed, Hoppy had a thin cut on her cheek, near her nose, which bled in small droplets.
Hoppy Hopscotch: I wanted to defend myself; it kinda backfired on me. But nothing serious.
Bubba Bubbaphant: So, what happened? What did they come for?
KickinChicken: They came, according to them, to warn us.
DogDay: Warn us of what?
Bobby Bearhug: They say something about taking back who's theirs...
That phrase shook me.
It was possible that they meant finding LuckyLlama and taking him away.
Solitary cells, torture, blood, tears came to my mind. Were we really going to let them take him to those kinds of places, let them make him feel those things?
Bubba Bubbaphant: Don't worry, if we protect him, they won't take him away. We can move places. I still remember the hiding place we made before we found Bobby's phone. I think we'll be fine there.
DogDay: Oh, do you have a hiding place? Brilliant!
Bubba Bubbaphant: I remember where it was. We're going over there.
CraftyCorn: Okay, Bubba, DogDay, you lead the way.
LuckyLlama was a little confused and scared, but he agreed with the plan to move and made no complaints.
With Bubba and I leading the way, we walked through the vast hallways of the complex, which for a moment seemed vast, confusing, and ridiculously huge, until we reached a makeshift hideout, made up of wooden boxes forts, with wooden plank roofs. There wasn't much, but the place seemed pretty safe.
I went into one of the forts and stayed there, next to LuckyLlama. I couldn't start a conversation with him, because he was nervous and we were separated by the fact that I didn't know how to interpret sign language.
We were all exhausted from the change of location, since the way to the starting point to the hiding place was miles away, but Bubba and I, the two "sufferers", or so Kickin jokingly called us, decided to get to work and find a way to get medicine, food and other supplies, because they had left nothing before leaving.
When we were already considering the dangerous idea of sneaking into the Rejected Critters' hideout to steal things, CatNap arrived.
I was going to reproach him for what he wanted, but I didn't have time to say anything, because he left several large bags on the floor.
Bubba approached without shyness and looked inside the bags.
His eyes shone with pleasure.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Oh...! DogDay, look!
I approached too.
The bags were full of things; tons of food, blankets, medicines, tools...
Where did CatNap get all this?
I looked towards him. He was staring at me, and that made me uncomfortable. I think he was waiting for me to thank him.
I hope he is patient, because if he waits for me to thank him, he still has a long way to go to earn my respect.
Without saying anything, I grabbed a bag and dragged it to one of the forts, which was empty.
Bubba went with me, but he stopped me for a moment.
Bubba Bubbaphant: Aren't you being a little nasty with him?
DogDay: I know.
Bubba Bubbaphant: So?
DogDay: Before I would say that I feel sorry for him but I had no other option. Now I just have no other option.
Bubba wanted to respond, but he just sighed and went for the rest of the stuff.
When we finished, we were exhausted. We hadn't eaten anything yet, but we didn't care. The rest were already asleep, and we were too tired too to feel hunger.
We went into the only box fort that was empty of the three of the ones they built. Bubba lay down and fell flat into slumber. I was sleepy, but I was tossing and turning for a while.
When I was able to fall asleep, someone shook me lightly by the height of my leg.
I opened my eyes, and saw PickyPiggy at the entrance to the shelter.
She had put her braids back up and suddenly I saw the usual PickyPiggy, although she was still of a darker pink and was a little taller.
DogDay: Picky...? Wha-
PickyPiggy put her hoof up to her lips and pointed at Bubba, who was sleeping peacefully.
She motioned for me to come outside. I tried to make the minimum noise and left the fort with Picky. We stood in the middle of the hideout.
DogDay: What's up?
PickyPiggy: DogDay, I have to confess something.
The warning about LuckyLlama, remember?
DogDay: Yeah, what's up?
PickyPiggy: Um...well...er...it wasn't directed at LuckyLlama. I'm certain it is directed at me.
My heart sank in my chest again. I began, involuntarily, to shake my head. She was crying silently.
I didn't want to believe it.
In the end the only thing they want is to take people from our group...
...but they weren't going to make it. Bubba had said it. Now we are in a safe place, which they can't find.
With half-feigned confidence, I gently took her shoulders.
DogDay: Don't worry Picky, they won't find you. We are in a safe place. And if they find us, we won't hand you over. Before that, we would give up our lives.
PickyPiggy: ...Actually, what I wanted to tell you is that I'm going to surrender voluntarily. I prefer to go on my own with my head held high rather than being dragged away with my dignity crushed.
DogDay: ...What?
PickyPiggy: They have humiliated me quite a bit, and they humiliated you too. If they take me, they will leave you alone. I hope so.
And no, I'm not going to run away. I've already run away enough. I'll wait for them here.
DogDay: Picky, I'm not going to just let you go. If they find you, we will help you. We will never let them catch you.
PickyPiggy: Okay...but prepare Bubba for me. If something happens, I don't want it to affect him.
DogDay: How do you not want it to affect him? Of course it will affect him!
PickyPiggy: Please, DogDay, help me. I want them to be calm if the Rejected Critters end up finding me...
I couldn't believe what was happening.
I grabbed her hand with my left and wiped her tears with my other hand. She sobbed.
DogDay: I...I'll try to explain. But I cannot promise anything.
PickyPiggy smiled and hugged me. She held my face with both hands.
PickyPiggy: Thanks...if you want, go back to sleep. I...need to take a break.
Picky smiled again and left.
I returned to the box fort. Bubba was still sleeping, unfazed by the noise.
I tried to sleep too, but this enormous responsibility kept me awake.
I may be the leader, my mission may be to protect my friends and guide them on the right path...
But this...god, this is the worst challenge I've ever had to face.
And I don't know how to do it.
Maybe I'm not a good leader...?
BullyBull is right in the end. After 10 years without being a leader, now I have no idea how to do it...
What can I do now...?