As the duo was walking, Mommy Long Legs was silent with a contemplative expression. Michelle turned her head to Mommy Long Legs and noticed her expression, which surprised her. "Is something on your mind, Mommy?" she asked. "You're normally not this quiet."
Mommy Long Legs looked at Michelle before sighing. "Can I ask about your opinions?" she asked.
Michelle nodded. "Of course," she said.
Mommy Long Legs glanced at the phone in Michelle's hand. "What's your opinion on this 'Ollie' fellow?" she asked.
Michelle looked at the phone before crossing her arms. "If I'm blunt, something about him feels... off," she said. "I mean, how can someone who sounds so much younger than me know so much about this place? Hell, even I didn't know half the stuff existed in this place."
Michelle sighed. "I want to trust him for being Poppy's friend, but... I've been lied to by so many foster homes about making their place a forever home, and..." she continued before looking down. "The stuff he's saying and all the other stuff he did... it just doesn't feel right."
Mommy Long Legs hummed and nodded. "And the larger Smiling Critters?" she asked.
Michelle glanced at the statue. "They're good people, but they're hiding something," she said. "If I had to guess, it's to keep my emotions in check, but..."
Michelle sighed and looked forward. "I'd rather be told the truth than have it hidden from me," she continued.
Mommy Long Legs nodded as Michelle grabbed the end of her braid with her left hand before playing with it. "I'm sorry I dumped all of that on you," she said.
Mommy Long Legs gently smiled at Michelle before raising her hand and petting her cheek. "No need for apologies, my little Misha," she said, which made her look at her. "If anything, I'm grateful that you trust me enough to say all that."
Michelle smiled at Mommy Long Legs as she let go of her braid. "Well, of course I trust you," she said. "You and the other toys under the statue have been the closest thing to a family I've ever dreamt of."
Mommy Long Legs smiled as the duo as they approached a brick building with blue stripes, a slightly curved roof, and a bell at the top.
The duo stood by the double doors. "You made it to the school; let's make this quick," Ollie said, which made them look at the phone. "Find the generator inside, leave, and plug the school's power cord into the center."
Michelle nodded as she dug her hand into her left pocket before pulling the key out of it. "Will do," she said before putting it in the lock and twisting it, which unlocked the door.
As Michelle held one of the door's handles, Mommy Long Legs grabbed the phone out of her hand, which surprised her before she turned her head to her. "What are you doing with the phone?" she asked.
Mommy Long Legs smiled at Michelle. "I'd like to have a little talk with Ollie while he's still on the line," she said. "You go on ahead without me."
Michelle stared at Mommy Long Legs before nodding and placing her hand on the other door's handle. "Alright... don't take too long," she said before pulling the doors open and entering the school.
When Michelle was out of sight, Mommy Long Legs's smile disappeared. "What was it that you wanted to talk about?" Ollie asked.
Mommy Long Legs looked at the phone with stern eyes. "To be frank, I don't trust you at all," she said. "My little Misha may be giving you some type of chance, but I'll make it straight."
Mommy Long Legs's mouth curved into a twisted smile while her pupils dilated. "If you cross me and my little Misha's group, I'll tear you apart and eat your insides while you're still alive... understand?" she continued.
"I... understand," Ollie said.
Mommy Long Legs giggled as her pupils returned to normal. "Good," she said before entering the school.
At the bottom of the stairs, Michelle leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Michelle heard steps from the stairs, which made her get off the wall and look up.
Soon after, Michelle saw Mommy Long Legs stand on the landing of the stairs before looking at her. "Apologies if I've kept you waiting," she said.
Michelle shook her head. "Not at all," she said before looking at the phone. "Why did you want to talk with Ollie anyway?"
Mommy Long Legs smiled as she stretched her arm and held the phone out to Michelle. "Let's just say... I was setting up some ground rules," she said.
Michelle stared at Mommy Long Legs before grabbing the phone. "Alright..." she said before turning to the hallway. "Let's find this generator."
Mommy Long Legs nodded as she got on the ground floor before the duo walked forward. "Be careful in there; I don't think I can connect to you on that side of the dome," Ollie said.
After Mommy Long Legs opened the blue double doors, the duo heard static coming from the phone. "And you won't be alone. There's someone else in there, too. They're not your—" they heard more static coming from it before it went silent.
Michelle hummed a bit and hung the phone on one of the GrabPack's hooks. "Something tells me he was trying to say there's an enemy in this school," she said.
Mommy Long Legs nodded in agreement. "But don't worry, my little Misha... I'll protect you no matter what," she said.
The duo heard static coming from the intercoms, which surprised them and made them look around. "This is Miss Delight speaking; please excuse the interruption," a female voice said. "Students, remain in your seats until the bell has rung, and no going in the halls without a hall pass!"
After the intercoms stopped, Michelle stared at one of them, shocked. "Miss Delight..." she said in a low voice before looking forward. "If I remember correctly, our orphanage had our version of Miss Delight, who would watch over us in Playcare."
Michelle crossed her arms. "It wouldn't surprise me if she gave them reports about our orphanage," she continued.
Mommy Long Legs hummed. "Well, I hope we don't encounter the one on the intercom," she said before they approached the door on the right.
Michelle grabbed the right arm cannon's handle before placing her free hand on the doorknob and twisting it.
As Michelle opened the door, the duo saw a classroom with a green power socket and a piano at the center with a note on the seat. "There's a note in here and our power source," she said.
After the duo entered the classroom, Michelle approached the piano seat and picked up the note. Mommy Long Legs stretched her head toward Michelle and looked at the note. "Apparently, it was written weeks after this 'Hour of Joy' event," she said.
Mommy Long Legs froze as Michelle turned her head to her. "Do you know what this 'Hour of Joy' is?" she asked.
Mommy Long Legs uncomfortably turned her head away. "It's... something I'm not proud to be a part of..." she said in a low voice.
Michelle stared at Mommy Long Legs before nodding. "Then I won't pry into it," she said before looking at the note. "If I had to guess, this was written by Miss Delight because the note says weeks after that event, someone locked the front door."
Michelle set the note back on the piano seat before looking at Mommy Long Legs. "Now then, let's see where that input socket is hiding," she continued.
Mommy Long Legs nodded before approaching the other door and placing her hand against it. After Mommy Long Legs pushed the door open, she spotted a green input socket next to a door before turning her head to Michelle. "Over here," she said.
Michelle approached Mommy Long Legs and looked at the green input socket before turning her head to the right, revealing a security gate.
Michelle hummed and nodded before aiming the right arm cannon at the green power socket and pulling the trigger; the green hand shot forward and touched it, which powered it up.
After the green hand retracted back to Michelle, she aimed the right arm cannon at the green input socket and pulled the trigger. The green hand shot forward and touched the green input socket, which opened the security gate. "C'mon," Michelle said.
Mommy Long Legs nodded as the duo quickly went through the opening; after the security gate closed behind them, they walked forward. Michelle uncomfortably looked around the hallway. "This place gives me the creeps; it's so... quiet... abnormally quiet," she said.
Mommy Long Legs nodded as the duo turned the corner. "I don't like this either..." she said in a low voice.
Michelle approached the door on the left before placing her hand on the doorknob and twisting it; after she opened it, she looked around before spotting a battery next to the window.
As Michelle approached the battery, she noticed a note on the windowsill, which made her grab it. As Michelle read the note with a slight hum, Mommy Long Legs's head went through the opening before looking at her. "Did you find something?" she asked.
Michelle turned to Mommy Long Legs. "Another note," she said before looking at the note. "It seems Miss Delight made a weapon out of some school supplies and called it 'Barb'... apparently it was meant to be a self-defense weapon for a perpetrator outside the school."
Mommy Long Legs hummed a bit and retracted her head while Michelle set the note back on the windowsill. Michelle grabbed the left arm cannon's handle before aiming it at the battery's handle and pulling the trigger.
The blue hand shot forward and grabbed the battery's handle before it retracted back to Michelle. "Now to find the socket," she said before she left the room, and the duo walked to the left.
After Michelle pushed the door open, the duo entered a room with two battery sockets and a disabled green power socket. Michelle approached the right battery socket before putting the battery inside it. "One down, one to go," she said before they approached the door.
After the duo left the room, Michelle let go of the arm cannons' handles before crouching under the desks and crawling forward.
Halfway through the crawl, the duo heard steps, which made Michelle stop before they saw a shadowy figure walk in the hallway, which horrified her.
Michelle quickly got to the other side and grabbed the right arm cannon's handle before standing up and aiming the flashlight at the hallway with a slight tremble. "I didn't like that..." she said in a low voice.
Mommy Long Legs stepped over the desks. "Stay close to me," she said, which made Michelle nod before they walked forward.
As the duo looked through the opening on the left, they saw a room full of office desks and broken computers. Michelle looked around the room with the arm cannon's flashlight and spotted a note near an open vent before approaching it.
Mommy Long Legs approached Michelle as she picked up the note with her left hand and read it. "Another note?" she asked.
Michelle nodded and turned to Mommy Long Legs. "However, this one is kinda sad," she said before looking at the note. "Apparently, her sisters argued about a food shortage and singled her out to die."
Mommy Long Legs hummed a bit and nodded. "A sad fate for her, indeed..." she said in a low voice.
The duo heard static coming from the intercoms, which made them look at the roof. "Wait... I recognize you... Yes, I remember," Miss Delight said. "You're one of the orphan children one of my sisters watched over; you've gotten so much bigger."
The duo stared at the intercom. "But why are you here, though?" Miss Delight asked. "Hmm? Barb? Oh..."
Michelle uncomfortably stared at the intercom. "Barb says you're looking for some important people to you; CatNap wouldn't like that you're here," Miss Delight said.
The air in the room shifted. "You should leave... for your own safety," Miss Delight continued, which sent a shiver down Michelle's back.
After the intercoms stopped, Mommy Long Legs angrily growled and glared at one of them. "The nerve of that woman!!" she shouted. "When I get my hands on her, I'll tear her to pieces!!"
Mommy Long Legs froze a bit and glanced at Michelle before calming down and clearing her throat. "Sorry about that..." she said contritely.
Michelle shook her head. "It's fine," she said as she tossed the note to the ground. "Shouting is a good way to release anger."
Michelle looked up and noticed a handle inside the vent before looking at Mommy Long Legs. "It looks like you'll have to stay out here while I traverse inside the vents," she continued.
Mommy Long Legs looked at Michelle, worried. "But what happens if Miss Delight finds you?" she asked.
Michelle smiled at Mommy Long Legs. "If I encounter Miss Delight or someone who intends to hurt me, I'll shout or scream," she said. "You can follow that to my location and take care of them."
Mommy Long Legs stared at Michelle before sighing. "Very well... just be careful," she said.
Michelle nodded before aiming the right arm cannon at the vent's handle and pulling the trigger. The green hand shot forward and grabbed the handle before Michelle pulled herself up.
When Michelle reached the top, she landed in the vent before crouching and crawling forward. When Michelle was close to an opening in the ground, she got out of it before landing on the ground; after she stood up properly, she saw a battery on top of a blue barrel.
Michelle grabbed the left arm cannon's handle before aiming it at the battery's handle and pulling the trigger; the blue hand shot forward and grabbed it before it retracted back to her.
Michelle looked up and spotted a handle inside the vent before aiming the right arm cannon at it and pulling the trigger, launching the green hand and grabbing it.
Michelle pulled herself up before landing in the vent. "Now to get back to Mommy..." she said in a low voice before crawling forward.
As Mommy Long Legs looked around the room, Michelle got out of the vent and landed on the ground, which made her look at her. "Let's head back to the room with the disabled power socket," she said.
Mommy Long Legs nodded before the duo left the office room; when they entered the room with the disabled green power socket, Michelle placed the battery inside the battery socket, which powered it up.
After the duo stepped out of the room, Michelle faced the green power socket. "We only have ten seconds to do this," she said as she aimed the right arm cannon at it.
Mommy Long Legs nodded as Michelle pulled the trigger, launching the green hand and touching the green power socket, which powered it up. After the green hand retracted back to Michelle, Mommy Long Legs quickly scooped her up before stepping over the desks.
When the duo entered a room with the green input socket, Michelle aimed the right arm cannon at it and pulled the trigger, launching the green hand and touching it, which opened the security gate; Mommy Long Legs placed her on the ground. "That takes care of that," she said.
As Michelle looked around the room, she saw a yellow VHS tape inside a blue locker, which made her let go of the left arm cannon's handle before approaching it.
When Michelle was near the locker, she picked up the tape and examined it. "There might be a VHS player around here somewhere," she said.
As the duo entered a large room, Michelle turned her head to the right and saw a TV with a yellow VHS player next to it. "Bingo," she said before approaching it.
After Michelle inserted the tape into the player, the duo looked at the TV as it booted up. "Where are the kids? Please, where are the children?" Miss Delight asked. "Are they... in the same place as the employees?"
Michelle uncomfortably stared at the TV. "NO... Are the children safe?" Miss Delight asked. "YES..."
The duo heard Miss Delight sigh. "Can I see them?" she asked. "NO... and that was it. That's all he'd tell me."
Soon after, the duo heard maniacal laughter. "Probably because he knew I'd kill 'em all," Miss Delight said as her laugh became insane.
After the TV turned off, Michelle stared at the TV, horrified, and covered her mouth with her left hand. "My God..." she said in a low voice.
Mommy Long Legs looked at Michelle with a slight frown before wrapping her arms around her and gently petting her head. "It's alright, my little Misha..." she said in a low voice. "It's alright..."
The duo heard steps coming from the door, which shocked them and made them turn to it. "We shouldn't stay in one place for too long..." Michelle said in a low voice as she pulled her hand away from her mouth before looking at Mommy Long Legs. "Let's keep going."
Mommy Long Legs nodded and let go of Michelle before they approached the door. Michelle placed her hand on the doorknob before twisting it; after she opened it, the duo entered a hallway before walking to the left.
When the duo was near a security gate, they saw a large generator behind glass in the distance. "There's the generator," Michelle said before looking around. "It looks like we'll need to find an alternate route."
Mommy Long Legs nodded as they walked to the right; after Michelle pushed the door open, they entered another room full of office desks and broken computers.
Mommy Long Legs spotted a note on a Bunzo Bunny corpse hanging by a wire before stretching her arm toward it. After Mommy Long Legs grabbed the note, she retracted her arm before reading it; Michelle looked at her. "What does it say?" she asked.
Mommy Long Legs clenched the paper with a slight tremble. "It seems like this Miss Delight tricked her sisters by playing dead to kill them," she said before tossing it to the ground.
Michelle's face went pale, and her stomach turned. "She... killed her sisters?" she asked before flinching and covering her mouth with her left hand.
Mommy Long Legs panicked until Michelle raised the right arm cannon before swallowing the contents inside her mouth. "I-It's fine..." she said before calming down a bit. "I just... didn't expect that..."
As Mommy Long Legs looked up, she noticed the open vent. "It looks like I'll be waiting again," she said before looking at Michelle. "If something happens in the other room, scream or shout for me."
Michelle nodded before approaching the hanging Bunzo Bunny corpse; she looked up and spotted a handle inside it before aiming the right arm cannon at it and pulling the trigger.
The green hand shot forward and grabbed the handle before Michelle pulled herself up; when she reached the top, she got into the vent before crawling forward.
When Michelle was close to a vent grille, her blood ran cold when she saw a long, blonde-haired toy walk across the hall. "Miss Delight..." she said quietly before she continued crawling.