A/N: TW - Panic Attack
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As the group entered the hallway, Bobby BearHug turned her head to KickinChicken. "Kickin', go scout ahead," she said.
KickinChicken nodded before sprinting ahead; Bobby BearHug turned her head to Bubba Bubbaphant. "Bubba, you take the back while Huggy and I stay by Misha's side," she continued.
Bubba Bubbaphant slammed his padded hands together. "Got it," he said before the group walked forward.
Michelle grabbed the right arm cannon's handle before aiming the flashlight around. When the group entered the main lobby, they saw KickinChicken looking around before turning to them. "No sign of CatNap anywhere," he said.
Bobby BearHug nodded. "Good... let's keep it that way," she said.
KickinChicken looked at the large door on his left with a dim sun emblem above it before pointing at it with one of his digits. "But if we want to get to that backup generator, we'll need to power this area up," he said.
As Michelle looked around with the flashlight, she noticed a hole in the ground before approaching it, which made Huggy Wuggy and Bobby BearHug follow her.
When Michelle was close to the hole, she saw a red gas mask hanging on the floorboard before aiming the right arm cannon at it and pulling the trigger; the purple hand shot forward and grabbed the gas mask.
After the purple hand retracted back to Michelle, she grabbed the gas mask with her left hand before examining it. "This'll be useful if I have to traverse through Red Smoke," she said as she let go of the right arm cannon's handle before putting it on.
After Michelle made adjustments to the gas mask, she turned her head to Huggy Wuggy. "How does it look?" she asked in a muffled voice.
Huggy Wuggy gave Michelle a thumbs-up, which made her take the gas mask off and hang it on one of the GrabPack's hooks before looking at the hole. "Cool, now let's see what else this hole has to offer," she said before jumping down.
The air jets activated before Michelle landed on the ground; when she stood up properly, she spotted a large racecar toy with a plastic ring on the back of it and boxes covering a hallway filled with Red Smoke. "We got some Red Smoke here," she continued.
Huggy Wuggy whined a bit until Bobby BearHug placed her hand on his shoulder, which made him look at her. "Don't worry; I'll accompany her on your behalf," she said.
Huggy Wuggy nodded as Bobby BearHug jumped down the hole and landed on the ground. Michelle got behind the racecar toy and grabbed the right arm cannon's handle before aiming at the plastic ring and pulling the trigger.
The purple hand shot forward and grabbed the plastic ring before pulling it back, which started the racecar toy.
After Michelle retracted the purple hand, the racecar toy drove forward and rammed into the boxes, destroying them in the process before crashing at the end of the hallway.
Michelle grabbed the gas mask off the GrabPack's hook before putting it on. "Now we can enter," she said in a muffled voice.
Bobby BearHug nodded before the duo entered the hallway. When Michelle looked down, she spotted a jump pad, which made her stop on top of it and aim the right arm cannon at it before pulling the trigger.
The purple hand launched Michelle into the air before landing on the ground. Michelle took her gas mask off and hung it on one of the GrabPack's hooks while Bobby BearHug climbed out of the hole before they looked around. "It looks like we're in the laundry area," she said.
Michelle spotted a large hole in the wall before the duo approached it; when they went through it, they saw a desk, a clipboard, and a long window on the wall. "What the hell..." she said in a low voice before approaching it.
When Michelle looked through the window, she saw a children's room, which made her eyes widen. "Were these scientists... watching the orphans here...?" she said in a low voice.
Michelle crossed her arms and looked down, trembling a bit. "So every time I visited Kev and Katie... they were always watching my friends and me..." she continued.
Bobby BearHug looked at Michelle, concerned. "Misha..." she said in a low voice.
Michelle turned away. "I-It's fine... well, not really, but..." she said before sighing. "L-Let's just leave this place."
Bobby BearHug nodded as she spotted a dresser in the gap. Bobby BearHug approached the dresser and grabbed it before pulling it away from the gap and setting it to the side. "This way," she said.
Michelle nodded as Bobby BearHug went over the furniture. When Bobby BearHug turned to Michelle, she held her hand out, which made her grab it before she helped her get over the furniture.
When Michelle got on the floor, she spotted a blue hand scanner near the door. "I can open that door," she said before approaching it.
After Michelle crouched under a few pieces of furniture, she grabbed the left arm cannon's handle before standing up and aiming it at the scanner.
The blue hand shot forward and touched the scanner, activating it; Bobby BearHug grabbed the furniture behind Michelle and tossed it to the side after it finished.
The door before the duo opened, revealing a small hallway before Michelle entered and looked around; soon after, she spotted a door before approaching it and let go of the left arm cannon's handle. "Only one way to go," she said before grabbing the doorknob and twisting it.
After Michelle opened the door, the duo entered a room with a TV on a desk and a brown VHS player next to it. Michelle spotted a brown VHS tape on top of a box, which made her crouch before aiming the right arm cannon at it and pulling the trigger.
The purple hand shot forward and grabbed the tape before retracting back to Michelle. "What do you have?" she asked herself before grabbing it with her left hand.
Bobby BearHug looked at the tape in Michelle's hand, which made her freeze up with widened eyes. That tape... she thought.
Michelle approached the TV, which made Bobby BearHug look at her with panicked eyes. "Hang on, you shouldn't—" she was cut off when she put the tape in the player, which booted it up. "Subject is stable, designated #1322..."
Bobby BearHug was worried before approaching Michelle. "Clear neural abnormalities were detected in his recent check-up," the scientist continued.
The duo heard papers shuffling from the TV. "Though highly irregular, we've pulled him from the Home Sweet Home just before lights out to perform—" a young voice interrupted the scientist. "What are you doing with my friend?"
Michelle stared at the TV, shocked. "It's Joseph... he's one of Kevin's friends; I remember playing with him a few times," she said.
"What are you doing out of bed? How did you get in here?" the scientist asked.
"Is Kevin sick? Why did you take him away?" Joseph asked.
Michelle's eyes widened, and she let go of the right arm cannon's handle. "I-I... yes... Kevin is very sick; very, very sick," the scientist said. "But we want to make him better."
Michelle reached for the part of her tank top closest to her chest with her right hand before grabbing it. "But he can only get better if we take him to where we can provide proper care and give him proper rest," the scientist continued.
Michelle clenched her tank top. "Will... d-do you really think he will be OK?" Joseph asked.
"I should think so. We're good at what we do, son," the scientist said. "We paid attention in school, learned, and got our proper rest when we needed it— just like you need it now, I should think."
Michelle trembled. "Come now, let's get you on back to bed," the scientist continued.
"O-OK..." Joseph said in a low voice.
"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Joseph. And I promise you, your friend will be alright," the scientist said. "When you see him again, he'll have never been better."
After the TV ended, the room was silent, which concerned Bobby BearHug. "Misha?" she asked.
Michelle started hyperventilating. "No..." she said in a low voice before shaking her head. "No, no, no, no, no... Kevin..."
Soon after, Michelle collapsed to the ground, which shocked Bobby BearHug. "Misha!" she shouted before kneeling beside her.
Michelle clutched part of the tank top she held, crying with ragged breaths. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm—" before she could repeat the same words, Bobby BearHug quickly took a deep breath before Pink Smoke at her.
When Michelle breathed in the Pink Smoke, her breathing started to slow down a bit, and she let go of her tank top. Bobby BearHug gently held Michelle in her arms with worried eyes. "I'm sorry I had to do that; it was the only way to calm you down," she said.
When Michelle stared at Bobby BearHug, tears fell from her eyes before she covered them with her hand. "That scientist lied... they didn't take care of Kevin... if they did, he would still be with his sister and me at the time..." she said before crying.
Bobby BearHug looked at Michelle with somber eyes before gently petting her head with her thumb. "There, there, Misha... everything will be OK; I promise..." she said gently.
When Michelle pulled her hand away from her eyes, she looked at the ceiling. "I've never had a panic attack happen twice in one day; I must look very pathetic, don't I?" she asked.
Bobby BearHug shook her head. "Not at all..." she said, which made Michelle look at her. "Just because you were vulnerable at that moment does not make you weak; it actually makes you stronger."
Michelle stared at Bobby BearHug before gently smiling at her and sitting up. "Now I can see why you're Katie's favorite Smiling Critter," she said.
Bobby BearHug looked at Michelle as she wrapped her arms around her neck. "Thank you for your kindness..." she continued.
Bobby BearHug looked down with somber eyes before gently wrapping her arms around Michelle. "It's nothing..." she said in a low voice.
After some time, Michelle pulled away before looking at Bobby BearHug. "I think it's time we leave this room," she said.
Bobby BearHug nodded as she set Michelle on the ground before she stood up and they left the room.
The duo went through the hole in the wall and looked around. "This looks like a kids' room..." Michelle said as they entered and approached the door on the other side before she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.
When Michelle opened the door, she saw CatNap walk past the hallway on the other side, which made her eyes widen. Bobby BearHug covered Michelle's mouth with one of her fingers and wrapped her other arm around her before pulling her back into the bedroom.
The footsteps grew quieter until the hallway was silent, which made Bobby BearHug sigh in relief and step out of the room before glancing at it. "That was too close for comfort..." she said in a low voice.
As Michelle looked around, she spotted the barred door near the lobby before tapping Bobby BearHug's hand, which made her look at her. "What is it?" she asked.
Michelle pointed at the barred door, which made Bobby BearHug look at it. "Ah, I see," she said before placing her on the ground.
When the duo got close to the barred door, Michelle whistled; Huggy Wuggy picked it up before he turned to it. "Misha," he said before approaching it.
KickinChicken and Bubba Bubbaphant looked at Huggy Wuggy before following behind him; soon after, they spotted the duo. "You two alright?" Bubba Bubbaphant asked.
Bobby BearHug looked at the trio. "Besides watching a certain tape and hiding from CatNap, we're doing fine," she said.
Huggy Wuggy looked at Michelle and noticed her puffy eyes, which worried him. "Misha OK?" he asked.
Michelle looked at Huggy Wuggy before nodding and rubbing under her eyes a bit. "Yeah... I just... went through a lot of emotions in less than an hour," she said. "We'll try to get the power back on and find this generator real soon."
Huggy Wuggy nodded as Bobby BearHug looked at the duo. "If we aren't back, abandon this area and head back to Safe Haven," she said.
The duo looked at Bobby BearHug, shocked, as Bubba Bubbaphant looked at her. "But Bobby—" he was cut off when she looked at them with stern eyes. "That's an order from your second-in-command."
The duo was silent before sighing. "Yes, ma'am..." they said in a low voice.
Bobby BearHug nodded before the duo left the door; as they entered a different room, Michelle looked at her. "You know those two aren't gonna abandon you," she said. "They'll do the same thing your group is doing right now with DogDay."
Bobby BearHug sighed. "I'm well aware..." she said before looking down with sad eyes. "That makes them just as foolish as I am for staying behind and finding a way to rescue him."
Michelle looked at Bobby BearHug. "I don't think it's foolish," she said, which made her look at her. "You're worried about your group leader and one of your best friends; I would've done the same thing if I were in your shoes."
Bobby BearHug stared at Michelle before looking forward. "Now I can see why he holds a high standard for you..." she said in a low voice.
Michelle looked at Bobby BearHug, confused. "What?" she asked.
Bobby BearHug shook her head. "Nothing... let's just power this area," she said before walking forward.
Michelle stared at Bobby BearHug with weary eyes before slowly nodding and following behind her.