Darkness was the first sensation that his tired eyes beheld, along with the numbing sensation of limp limbs devoid of strength. Which is strange since for as long as he could remember whenever he awakens it will always follow with blinding lights due to the absence of eyelids. He remembered how he first learned to fall asleep, just simply daze off and allow his mind to slip to thoughtless emptiness, it always brought dried pain to his eyes whenever his vision returns.
But now, there is no pain. In fact, there is no pain at all.
The viscous cycle of pain isn't there anymore, the soreness of his beaten and bruised muscles are no longer there, and the throbbing pain of headaches and irregular heart pains are absent. And strangely of all, the all too familiar sting of his lost legs are gone.
Though the last flickers of his tormentor's sting remained, they felt fleeting as Dogday forced himself back awake. Opening one eye at a time, bright lights assaulted his gaze. He winced, but his vision prevailed as his view focused. The first thing he saw was an overhead lamp, the seven lights arranged within the circular frame shining intensely on him.
He didn't want to stare at these lights any longer. With returning strength trickling back into his muscles he pushes himself up, slowly and with grudgingly steadiness. His ears heard someone nearby, he can hear them despite the muffled hearing, whoever they are sounded surprised and relieved. His vision now completely cleared focuses in on the person in question. It turned out to be Poppy, and she was overjoyed to see him awake.
"Dogday!" She exclaimed. "I was so worried, you were sleeping for awhile and I thought there was something wrong."
Dogday opened his mouth and spoke. "What are you talking abou—wait a minute…?"
His mouth opened? But that's impossible. Sure he has a mouth but it isn't real like Huggy's or Mommy's. His is simply sowed fabric over molded cartilage and hard plastic, the only real part of his mouth was the entrance to the esophagus just behind the voice box. But now, as his paws traced over his lips, he can actually taste the inside of his mouth, feel the cool air pass over wet gums. He realizes that he has a tongue now, and with the wet appendage he can feel that he now has teeth, the front and side teeth resembling that of a canine's while the ones in the back are like human molars.
"Wha-…What is this?" Dogday whispered flabbergasted. But that wasn't all, there was something in the air, it is pungent and rancid. Normally he would see or feel it, but now he can sense it in his nose. Is this what smelling is?
The doctors and scientists never gave him nor the other smiling critters the sense of taste or smell, finding such things as trivial and unnecessary in their creation. Only Catnap was given these senses as a way to make him 'more effective'.
But this left him with one burning question, how on Earth is able to all of a sudden smell and taste. Why does he feel so…whole?
"Please…please don't let this be a dream…" He muttered somberly.
Poppy then spoke up, snapping him out of his stupor. "Hey, I know that all this is very new to you, but before I explain, you might want to take a look down." She said pointing down past Dogday's torso. "I hope that they look okay."
Dogday then propped himself up, his elbows locking as he planted the flat of his paws firmly on the metal stretcher's surface. He looked down past his waist, and what he saw couldn't have made him any happier. For he is now sporting a pair of new, un-maimed legs. He leans further forward to get a better look, not a spot or blemish on them. He feels them, massaging his new calves and knees, he can feel every tendon and muscle fiber brimming with a strength once foreign to him.
"Oh my…Poppy." Dogday croaked. "He did it! Gabe actually did it!" He beamed. His eyes shone with ecstatic joy.
"That isn't all you silly puppy." Poppy said with a touched smile. "Take a look in a mirror." She then pointed towards the large steel door that once lead Gabe into the Ward's freezer.
Dogday at once attempted to stand up, but as soon as he shifted his weight to his feet he immediately fell, nearly landing on his face were it not he quickly caught his fall. He guessed that despite there being latent strength within his legs his brain has yet to connect with them.
"Careful!" Poppy exclaimed nervously.
"Don't worry I'm fine." Dogday said raising a paw. "It's just…It been awhile."
Then with slow and attentive movements, he brings himself upwards, his legs shaking as he does so. With one step at a time, he inches closer to the freezer door, the orange outline of his visage becoming visible as the haze hiding his reflection focuses. Then when he was but a foot away, he sees his reflection in full, and his jaws figuratively and literally drop.
His face isn't the same as it was before, while it still bore same resemblance to his former self, this one was distinctly more fluid and life-like, not like the cartoon version of himself but somewhere on those lines. His muzzle is a bit more elongated, sort of resembling an actual dog's muzzle, but the way the lips and muscles within it were sown in such a way that while it used a sense of realism it still kept a cartoony look. Even his eyes, once shrunken and strained within the expressionless voids of his sockets are now big, bright, and glowing with a subtle peach color.
From what he remembers, he should be around twenty years of age about now, a young adult.
But now, he actually looks and feels young.
"Gabe couldn't find the right leg parts." Poppy explained. "But he found something better instead."
Dogday is awestruck, the longer he stared at himself there is not a blemish, bruise, or splotch of stained blood in sight, even his sun-shaped pendant shined brighter than it did before. He gazed at his face, no longer frozen with that stifling grin, but now moving with such fluidity. It was as if he was completely brand new. Reborn.
There was something streaming down his face, he puts a paw up to the liquid and brushed it off, they were tears. Never in all his life had he ever had the privilege to cry.
"Poppy…" Dogday croaked before turning to her. "Where is Gabe? I…I have to thank him for this!"
"The last I saw of him he was just heading to the bathroom." She replied. "I don't know why, but he didn't seem to look so good."
Dogday then ran up to her, nearly tripping over himself. He wanted to meet his savior so badly that he was even on his knees before her. "Then please take me to him!" He practically begged. "I have to thank him! I need to thank him! Please?!"
Poppy reeled back slightly as she was taken back by the canine plush's eager display. "Um…well uh, just pick me up and I'll lead you to him." She said with a nervous grin.
The before she even realized it, she was then snatched up in a split second into Dogday's arms. Yelping as she was being carried straight out of the Ward in fervent haste. By the time they left the broken safe door Dogday was literally running. Even though she is kept securely in his arms, Poppy was clinging onto the orange fur for dear life as they rushed past the Ward's medical equipment. She forgot that dogs are known to be fast runners.
"Could you please slow down!" Poppy yelled with her curly pigtails whipping in the wind.
"Sorry!" Dogday replied sheepishly as he slowed to a much more relaxed pace.
Down the winding halls they both rushed past, Poppy directing each step Dogday took as she read the signs hanging from the walls. Even though they had slowed to a moderate pace, Dogday couldn't help but keep on running. This amazed Poppy, one moment he could barely stand on his two feet, now he is sprinting without fear. To think that Dogday was just a torso with arms for the past eight years.
They'd soon enough made it around a corner, and sure enough they see the towering form of Kissy standing near the bathroom's doorway. Kissy immediately noticed them, and behind that seemingly frozen expression they can see how surprised and overjoyed she is seeing them. Dogday ran up to her and the two immediately went for a hug, sharing a familiar warmth that was absent from them for so long.
Even though Poppy is caught in the middle. "Um…" She tried to say gasping out as she was sandwiched between the suffocating embrace of the two giant toys. "Need…air…"
"Oops! Sorry." Dogday yelped as both him and Kissy pulled away, giving the doll some much needed air. "I'm just, I'm just so happy! And I haven't even thanked Angel yet!" He then looked to the bathroom doors. "He's in there right?"
However at the mention of Gabriel, Kissy, for just a brief moment, acted strangely hesitant. Looking away seemingly shamefully.
"Kissy? Is there something wrong?" Poppy asked before Dogday immediately interrupted.
"Is Gabriel okay?" He said in a worrisome tone. "Is he hurt?"
Kissy nodded no.
This calmed him down greatly. "Oh, so he's just reliving himself then?"
Again, Kissy nodded no.
Now both Dogday and Poppy are confused. "Okay…if he is not hurt, or reliving himself, then what is he doing?"
Kissy was hesitant to even acknowledge them, but she knew it wouldn't be a great idea to just leave them without an answer. Especially if one of them is a clearly distressed living canine plush. So she did the next best thing and just showed them. She then lifted a yellow paw up to the bathroom door handle and then opened it slowly, the rusted hinges creaking against the doorframe. They all then peered inside, and past the dank and dilapidated interior, they see in one of the stalls a pair of feet sticking out of the open door. Gabe seemed to be on his knees, kept hidden behind the stall walls.
Dogday was just about to walk himself in to ask his savior what he is doing, till a rancid smell pierced his nostrils. This one didn't smell like the sickly sweet scent of decaying flesh he has now grown accustomed to, this one is different, and it is no less disgusting. He ears then heard something, it sounded like something fluid gushing out into a bowl of water. This gushing happened periodically and repeatedly, followed by bated heavy breaths and painfully strained retching.
He and Poppy then connected the dots and both were taken aback by shock. Gabe is vomiting.
Dogday was just about to rush in until Poppy stopped him. "Wait!" She yelled in a hushed tone. "Let's leave him be."
"What? Why!?" Dogday whispered back incredulously. "We can't just leave him like this!"
"I know, but I remembered how he looked when he left." She explained whilst still looking towards where Gabe is stil currently hurling. "He clearly wanted some time alone. Maybe it's best we let him have it. Let him take a break, especially after everything he's been through."
Dogday looked between Poppy and the hidden form of Gabriel, he can hear him groan in throbbing nausea. He didn't want to leave him like this, not after everything he did for him. But if being alone is what his savior needs at the moment, then he'll do just that.
He then with quite care allowed the door to slowly swing shut, leaving Gabe in his absence. He then took a seat with is back against the wall, Kissy and Poppy joining him, and they all simply sat there in silence, waiting for their friend.
<<<<<<<<<<~>>>>>>>>>>
The last strings of rancid spittle oozed its way out as Gabe coughed the lingering traces of vomit out of his esophagus. Opening his eyes, wet from the stream of tears cascading down his warmed cheeks, he sees his handiwork as a sickening colors of green and brown swirled and writhed in the toilet bowl. The putrid scent of stomach acids saturating the surrounding air.
He felt weak on his arms, but the sting within his throat felt worse, if he doesn't do something about it he could get a sore throat later, the absolute last thing he wants in a place like this. Pushing himself up, he exits the bathroom stall and heads for the sinks, avoiding the puddle of rust infused water as said fluids dripped from a hole in the ceiling.
He turns the faucet and a small but consistent stream of water flowed through. He allowed the water to flow for awhile, so that any stagnate water left inside will be flushed out. He then cups his hands and takes a swig of water and then gurgles it in his mouth, he isn't dumb enough to simply drink it, but he is still putting it in his mouth though. He prayed to God that there isn't any viruses that'll infect him.
When he was satisfied he got the taste of puke out of his mouth he then spat it out, watching the contents swirl their way down the drain.
He then took a look at himself in the mirror, it had been awhile since he got a look at his own face, and he certainly looked worse for wear compared to how he was before he'd ever entered the lobby. His hair once groomed and well kept, is now wild and matted down with blood and oil. The remaining wet traces of tears still shimmered under his bloodshot eyes, the lids underneath his eyes darkened due to lack of sleep. And remembering how he was clean shaven before, the facial hair has now grown back into a rough stubble.
It must had been days he'd spent down here.
Days without food, little water, and any actual rest. He's spent.
He wanted nothing more than to just fall to the floor, roll over, and give up.
But he can't. Again that familiar gut feeling returned, compelling him to bring himself away from the sink and take the needed steps forward toward his goal. He has a reason to be here, a purpose he has yet to fulfill, and he's not done yet. As long as there is still work to be done here he will not rest until the deed is done, even if his body will scream for him to stop.
But what is that mission? So far all other reasons for him being here are left null and void. He came here looking for answers, and he did. He wanted to leave and take as many toys as possible, Poppy ruined that. And now all of a sudden he needs to kill someone?! Sure the one he needs to kill in question is quite possibly the most evil being imaginable, but why? They can all just leave. What is Poppy's problem in wanting to kill the Prototype?
But then again, the Prototype has already done incredibly wicked things, but they can just forget about that thing. In fact, the Prototype can just roll over and die for all he can care. If it wants to stay here and rot for the next decade, then good, it can go to Hell slowly. So while Poppy's reasons about killing the Prototype are already obvious, it still doesn't explain why that thing must die before anyone can move on.
What did the Prototype specifically do to earn such retribution?
Well, he isn't going to find out just standing here.
Gabe then turns to the exit, and with tired yet determined vision, he leaves the bathroom behind with trepidation in each step. Once outside, he was greeted with the pleasant sight of familiar faces. And among them was a friend he did not expect to see so soon.
"Gabriel!" Dogday exclaimed happily upon the sight of him. Then before Gabe could react, the canine then at once leapt up from where he was sitting and ran up to the human. Gabe let out a surprised yelp as he was then snatched up into a tight embrace, Dogday's face nuzzling on his head. "It's so good to see you again! I can't believe you actually went and did this for me! You really are an angel!"
"Mmmhm!" Dogday can hear Gabe mutter under the furred arms wrapped all over him.
Dogday then looked towards Popy, who is tapping one of her tiny feet on the ground giving a disapproving look. Dogday…remember your strength." She reminded.
"Oh right. Sorry!" He then let the human go, who then flopped to the ground on his rear end, gasping for air.
After catching his breath, Gabe then looked up to Dogday and glanced at his new form. So far he looks far better than he did the last he'd saw him. "Are you okay Dogday?" Gabe asked as he stood back up and examined him better. "How are you feeling? No sore limbs or trouble breathing or anything?"
The canine plush scoffed as if it was a dumb question. "Seriously? I feel better now than I had ever did since I lived! But what about you?" He said turning the conversation to the human.
"What about me?"
By now Dogday looked even more worried. "What about me? Gabriel, you were…well, we didn't want to bother you, but I knew you weren't feeling well."
Gabethen reassured. "Don't worry, I'm fine I'm just fine." Dogday can tell however that the human was struggling, even behind those adamant eyes he can see weariness.
It was then that Poppy spoke up. "Are you sure Gabriel?" She said in a serious tone.
He then turned to her, firmly saying. "Yes I am sure."
"Good then." She replied. "We'll find a safe place to lay low while you find the last generator." She said as she was then lifted up by Kissy onto her shoulder. "Ollie will contact you once you reach the statue."
Gabe then nodded and was just about to leave, but Dogday had something else to say. "Wait, that's it?" He said both confused and yet incredulously. "Gabe was just vomiting his guts out a moment ago and we're just letting him head back out there? Just like that?"
"He said he is alright." Poppy replied.
"But didn't you just see him?" The canine plush said, looking at her with dismay. "He was just sick and you're just letting him go. I cannot emphasize this enough, but he needs rest."
"But if he doesn't get that back up generator up and running then we will be getting nowhere near the Prototype!" She answered with a hint of indignant fury.
"Guys…" Gabe said trying o break the tension, but to no avail.
"This isn't about the Prototype, Poppy, this is about Gabriel." Dogday argued.
"He just said he's fine! He's handled much worse than this so far." Poppy angrily argued back.
"Guys…" Now Gabe is starting to feel annoyed.
"And you don't think that maybe all of that hasn't affected him? People say they're okay when they're not all the time!"
"And yet he pulled through! He'd always pulled through!"
"And on the chance that he doesn't?"
"That won't happen."
"Then how do you know?!"
"I just know okay!"
"Ohhhh! I get it now! So just throw him in there and see what happens because Poppy knows the future!"
"Shut up!"
"Do you even care about Gabriel at this point? Because by now it certainly looks like you're just using him!"
"I DO care about him! More than you know!"
"Then why the hell do you keep-!"
"WILL ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!!" Gabe ferociously roared out, forcing both toys to suddenly cease their arguing and look at the angered human with wide eyes. Even Kissy seemed to flinch at how loud he was. "I don't care! I seriously don't care at this point! The Prototype's horrible, I get it! But why bother with him when we can all just leave!?"
Poppy tried to give a good answer. "Because…because he will stop us."
Gabe rolled his eyes. "Oh he'll try to stop us? Because he doesn't want us to leave? Heh, I see." He said calmly with a smirk at first before erupting. "Well then Prototype can just F**K OFF!!! If that thing wants to spend the rest of its miserable existence slowly going to Hell, then let him do it! Let him jump off a building, drown himself! But we can leave, I have the means of taking care of everyone here, even out of sight from the rest of the world."
He then brought himself close as possible to Poppy's face, her expression becoming laced with dread. "So tell me, Poppy. Why, do, we, need, to kill, the Prototype?"
Poppy sighed. "To make things right. Remember? For what the Prototype did to us, and to you."
Gabe looked at her surprised. "What he did to me?" He repeated. "The only thing he has done to me so far is wreak a train ride and acting like a little coward. What could he have possibly done to me that will make me want to kill him?"
Gabe locked eyes with the doll, waiting for his answer. But he noticed how Poppy's expression has changed, from once before she was indignant and resolute, but now, she is gazing deep into his eyes with dreadful anxiety, he can tell that she wants to tell him the truth, but she's scared. It made Gabe realize, was Poppy withholding the truth just to keep him safe the whole time?
Poppy then looked towards Dogday, he too has the same look of worry within those dark eyes just like her's. "I believe it's time we tell him." He said, his tone darkened. She looked up to Kissy, whom also nodded in agreement.
There really was no point in withholding the truth any longer. She knew that Gabe has so far learned of Playtime.co's downfall, but he'd only been following the breadcrumbs, he had yet to witness the truth in full. But it must be told right, not with mere words alone.
"Not yet, not like that." She said, her head hanging low. "Words won't do it justice." She then eyed the ventilation duct above them. "Kissy, could you bring me up there?"
The pink giant nodded, and taking Poppy in her han she lifted her up to the vent's grated entrance. Poppy then pulled on the grates and popped them off, tossing it away letting it crash loudly on the concrete floor. She then climbed herself in, and looked back to the trio below her. "I'm going to go grab something, you two take Gabe back in the Ward and wait for me there."
"Wait!" Gabe shouted out confused. "But aren't you gonna tell me why?"
Poppy gazed down to the troubled human below her, her expression displaying that of genuine concern. "I just need to grab something, a tape actually. You want to know why we must kill the Prototype? Well, let me show you. Just stay with them, and I'll be right back. And make sure you have a tape player and television with you. See you soon."
And so she disappeared within the vents, leaving the toys and human behind. Gabe was left confused, what the heck is even happening right now? One moment he was just going to do his job, the next he is questioning what he's even doing in the first place. Dogday can see the distress within his human friend, he then placed a paw on his shoulder, who then looked up to him with a mixture of bewilderment faint flickers of anger.
"Come on." Dogday said comfortingly. "Let's find a safe place."
Meanwhile in the vents, Poppy began her trek. The tape she is looking for is kept in a secure place all the way back up to Elliot Ludwig's office. Catnap himself kept that tape there as an ironic reference to Playtime's fall, how it all the pain and suffering began and ended in the office of their tormentor. But now there is a better use for it, for in it contains the last piece of Gabe's search for answers.
Never did she think that she'll ever had to play it, to see the senseless death and carnage that that cursed tape contains. But if her new friend needs a reason, the true reason for being here, then she must show it to him. Even if it means it might hurt him to see the true horror of the Prototype's evil, or hurt the others for having to rewatch the same violence they had no choice to take part in.
It is time to show Gabe the final moments of Playtime.co.