The explosion was still fresh in his ears as Dogday continued sprinting through the empty, dilapidated corridors. Deep in his gut he just knows that Gabriel is somehow the reason, but for what end he did not know, though a part of him fears what it could be.
Gabriel had been reduced to nothing but a wreak because of the constant struggle he endured, both physically and mentally, and given how unstable he was just minutes prior of his absence, Dogday knew that anymore that his human friend could be put through will practically kill him at this point.
He cursed Poppy for being so persistent on Gabriel in fulfilling her mission, her and that other friend "Ollie" had done nothing but run him into the dirt and kept asking for more ever since he took her out of that case of her's. Sure he knows that Poppy does care about Gabriel, at least as far as her plan is concerned, but she should have known that he can't continue the moment they found him unconscious inside that safe-room beside Catnap's altar.
And what became of Gabriel soon after, Dogday still felt the pain that emanated from that man as he was literally breaking down at the seams. Laying bare the entirety of his life in but a few moments of unfiltered madness. It was honestly awkward and almost unnerving, but hearing how everything in his life connected back to this factory, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He must have been alone for far too many years, and most unfortunately the only people in the whole world that would bother to listen to him was them.
And in speaking of Gabriel being alone, his first mistake was leaving him in the first place, he still felt stupid for falling for Catnap's obvious lie. And the second was not keeping an eye on him ever since they left that safe-room, to think he'd pick a fight with Mommy Long Legs when he'd should have known just how unstable the human was just moments ago.
He swore that from now on he's not letting that young man out of his sight for a single second.
But of course they'll have to find him first. Huggy and Mommy had also joined in on the search for Gabriel, taking separate routes within the tunnels looking for him. It was Poppy's idea though, given their behavior after Gabriel's confession she couldn't trust them with the injured Smiling Critters, which meant leaving Kissy as the only strongest of the group.
Though neither of them don't trust Mommy or Huggy with Gabriel either, which meant Dogday had to find him first. Though thankfully, he is now well equipped to do just that. His heightened senses were like a newfound power to him, all thanks to Gabriel transplanting him to his new "True-Bodied" self. He can hear a pin fall a dozen meters away and smell the thinnest scents within the air. And right now, he can literally smell exactly where Gabriel is.
But there was another scent in the air, and it was something much more pungent than the sharp smells of smoke, dust, and metal. Like flesh that has been rotting in deep soil for an incredibly long time, similar to the throat-choking stench of the heaps of decaying bodies deep below in the prison and labs. He doesn't know where this stench is coming from, and given the fact he can smell Gabriel's distinct scent nearby, it can't be anything good.
Dogday picks up the pace of his running, zeroing in on the human's scent, getting ever more closer. The dust in the air becomes more thicker with each passing second he ran. He then heard something coming from nearby, the distinct footsteps of both Huggy and Mommy approaching from somewhere down the hallways near him. Great, just when he thought he could get to Gabriel before they did. He forgot that they are far more exceptional hunters than he is.
But there was another noise further own the corridor, sounding like something hard hitting against soft, wet flesh, and it is coming from where Gabriel should be. The stench and noise grew the closer he got to the source, till at last he reached a corner that he just knew Gabriel is just around. Quickly he ran past it, and when he did however, he froze in place.
He didn't even notice Huggy coming up just to the side of him. The blue giant tilted his head curiously, seeing Dogday's mouth slightly agape and his black eyes wide as he stared terrified at what lies before him. Huggy didn't know what could be wrong with him, that is until he glanced at what Dogday was looking at, and at once he reared back, making a hissing noise no similar than a gasp.
Then no sooner than that, Mommy approached them as well. "What are you two bozos looking a-" Her remark was cut short however, when just like Huggy she just so happened to glance at what they are looking at, and she couldn't believe her artificial eyes as her whole elastic body freezes rigid.
The Prototype, the monster that has tormented them through hunger and violence, laying underneath heaps of ruin and rubble. His entire body submerged within the broken slabs of concrete and spires of twisted rebar. And at the lowest end was the Prototype's massive "head" sticking out just beside his clawed hand.
Or perhaps, what was left of the Prototype's head. For there he was, Gabriel standing there over him, and they watched as the human was literally tearing into the Prototype's flesh. The skull was shattered open, with a mace of concrete and rebar lodged within the upper half of his cranium, with Gabriel grabbing fist-fulls of brain matter and ripping it apart, the grey matter flinging everywhere.
Anything else he can grip on he also tore, he clawed on the black skin till he flayed to shreds, he gripped the broken edges of the monster's skull and shattered more pieces off of it, he then dug his full hand into the Prototype's eye socket and ripped one of his blood-red, fist-sized eyeballs out with a sickening wet pop, and sparks flew as he tore into the cables and wires that connected the back of the head with the rest of his body.
And as for Gabriel himself, they had never seen someone so completely soaked in blood. And though he is wearing a welding mask and heat jacket, the amount of blood on him was so copious that the wet sheen glistened in the sickly yellow light. Huffing and panting with vigor as he continues to rip and tear the Prototype apart with the mentality of an animal.
All the while the trio of living toys watched on, frozen in place with no idea what to do or even think of at the moment. They couldn't tell what was scarier, the fact that the Prototype is lying dead just several feet away from them, or that Gabriel is acting like he lost his mind.
Dogday was the first to start walking towards him. Tentatively, with each step as soft as possible to avoid arousing him. He doesn't know what would happen if he chose to disturb Gabriel while he is like this, he is clearly unstable, he could either turn around and run deeper into the factory, or even just straight up attack them, and the one thing he doesn't want to do is force him to submission. But either way, he needs to snap Gabriel out of it.
"Buddy?" Dogday said aloud. But he didn't respond, didn't even notice as he instead took what little was of the Prototype's hair and then peels the scalp along with it.
With no other option, he then reaches out his hand to take ahold of his shoulder. "Angel, Gabriel, it's done. You won." Yet even then Gabriel didn't so much as flinch, yet still was he focused on tearing off what's left of the Prototype's face.
"Gabriel, enough!" Dogday insistently repeated. "You did it, he's dead!"
But Gabriel didn't respond not listen.
Dogday then looked to the others behind him. "Will one of you please help?"
Huggy, seemingly the only one focused on what was happening, then lumbered over and wrapped his long arms around Gabriel's midsection, his fuzzy blue arms becoming instantly stained red with blood as he began gently pulling him away from the carnage he inflicted. But Gabriel resisted the pull, pushing with all that he has to lunge back onto the Prototype's corpse with arms outstretched, fingers curled like talons ready to tear.
Dogday intervened and gripped Gabriel's arm on both sides, trying to get him to calm down, he was practically growling at this point.
"Hurt. He hurt them." Gabriel muttered with a guttural growl. "Kill him. Must, kill him."
Dogday felt his heart sink when Gabriel uttered those words. When he first met him he remembered the empathy that seeped from his eyes upon everyone that he looked upon, but now, they are unfocused, blood-shot, and filled with such amounts of primal rage that it almost seemed unnatural to even possess so much. And he knew he felt partially responsible for it.
Though while now pulling back was easy, getting him to calm down has become an ordeal in of itself. Writhing within the grip of two Bigger-Bodies, he sometimes even managed for a brief moment to loosen Huggy's grip on him. He may not look too athletic, but he definitely has the stamina and endurance of an ox. Must have been from the farm work he told him about, Dogday thought.
And yet as they were continuing pulling Gabriel away, he couldn't help but notice that Mommy wasn't taking any part to help them. Her refusal to help has honestly grown frustrating at this point. But when he turned and looked at her, there wasn't any of her usual demented smile or stubborn sass that she is known for. Instead, she is simply frozen still, gazing unblinkingly at the carnage and wreckage before her with an expression that he can best describe as shock and awe.
Perhaps she is just soaking in the fact that Gabriel, the very same person she has had a personal vendetta against, has done something that no one has either didn't or couldn't do. Maybe it is best to just let her soak it in.
And in speaking of soaking in, by now, Gabriel definitely deserves a long bath. All the running and fighting has made the young man so filthy that he almost smells just as rancid as a corpse. All that sweat, dirt, grime, blood, and…wait…what's that other smell? Dogday sensed something off about Gabriel, an additional scent past all the others. He takes in another whiff of him, and a long familiar scent came to mind. Fire, like that of the candle light that Catnap lit during their torturous time in his prison. But if the scent of fire is on him, then…
He then pulls Gabriel away from Huggy's grip, and pulls the zipper of his jacket down and then peeling it off of him. And then just to his horror, he sees the burn marks. Many large holes in his shirt that burned all the way through to the blackened skin underneath, revealing the tender and exposed flesh beneath.
"Oh my God!" Dogday exclaims. "We need to get him to the others, now!"
Dogday didn't hesitate to pick Gabriel up and carry him, sprinting down the corridors in a mad dash back to the rest of the group, leaving both Huggy and Mommy in the dust.
Huggy watched as the human and giant plush disappear out of sight, he honestly couldn't blame him, he had seen the burns himself. He then turns back and sees Mommy still there, that same dumbstruck look still plastered to her face. Now is not the time for such things, better things are coming, and he doesn't want to waste anymore time than he should.
He lumbers over, and haphazardly places a pelted hand on her shoulder, to which snaps mommy out of her stupor and glances back at him. And though despite lacking the ability to speak anymore than gurgling hisses and growls, his knowing eyes spoke for him.
They both gazed at the monstrous body for one last time, and without so much as a word or spat of insult, they turned, leaving their former leader behind.
<<<<<<<<<<~>>>>>>>>>>
"Come on Ollie, please! Where's Gabriel?!" Poppy yells while desperately clinging to the silent phone like it is her lifeline, all the while Kissy, as well as the other toys from the upper levels, could do nothing but watch from the sidelines as they waited patiently in the hatch room leading to the prison. "At least say something!"
Many of the other creatures around her however don't share the same sentiment about Ollie as Poppy did.
"Just forget about the kid, Poppy." Hoppy said. "That boy is probably just waiting for just the right, convenient moment to answer you and then suddenly something dramatic happens."
Poppy glared daggers at her. "Hoppy, so help me, I would have left you and the others in that prison if it weren't because of Dogday and Kissy." She harshly replied. "Ollie has been the only friend I have for has long as I can remember, and I trust them with everything I am! There's probably some interference, or something preventing contact, there just has to be something wrong."
"Well, I'm gonna ignore that first thing you just said, doll." Picky answered with a sneer. "But what I will say is that you trust that kid way too much."
"Excuse me?"
It was then that Bobby spoke next, attempting to deescalate the tension. "I think what Picky is trying to say is that, you probably shouldn't depend on him so much."
"But he has been with me even before the Hour of Joy." Poppy interjected. "He has always answered my calls, always knew exactly what to say, he was even the one who came up with the idea to find someone to save us in the first place!"
"You mean the same plan that killed over ninety other people?" Hoppy sternly replied. "I still can't believe that you would agree to do that kind of crap! And from what Gabriel has said, it has affected even more people outside this damn factory."
"A-And from a l-logical ssstandpoint." Bubba said, fighting through his heavily distorted voice box to say his piece. "Ollie m-m-may have been resourceful a-and informative, bu-but he hasss never sh-shown his face, nor giv-en much d-d-detail about himself bessssides his name."
It was then that Poppy's temper is really starting to reach its peak. "If you are saying that Ollie has been doing something behind my back, then you know nothing about me!"
"Well, we know nothing about him either." Crafty said. "But I'm more worried though about the Angel. I may not have eyes to see, but that was without a doubt an explosion we all felt, and I worry that the Angel may be in danger."
"Don't worry." Poppy replied with reassurance, stating it as if it was fact. "Gabriel is perfect! He has survived far worse, if he's in danger just give him some time, and he'll come back."
All the others were actually taken aback by Poppy's apparent nonchalance. Especially Kickin, whom is the most worried. "But what about Dogday? He's in there too. What if they don't come back? What if they die in there? What would we doo? We'll all die here, all of us!"
"Just wait for them." Poppy kept on convincing. "Just a little more time and-"
But before she could finish saying, something was heard running down from the corridor. Everyone's attention was turned towards the incoming thumping noises, but Kissy swiftly went ahead and placed herself between the defenseless group and the oncoming intruder. Her body tense and teeth bared, she prepared for the eventual fight. The moment the dark silhouette passed beneath the hanging ceiling light, her stance immediately relaxed, knowing who it was.
And it seemed the others knew who it was too.
"Oh Dogday!" Poppy exclaimed, a breathless sigh escaping her porcelain lips. "I was so worried! Please tell me you found-"
However her eyes immediately went wide the very second Dogday entered, and upon seeing who he is carrying, her entire world shattered around her. Gabriel's entire front side has been completely drenched in blood, with cuts, bruises, and burns littered all over his now exposed upper torso. He was hanging limp and near lifeless in Dogday's grasp, the only sign of life within him was the subtle rise and fall of his breathing chest.
Everyone within the room was stunned silent, while Poppy could barely even utter a single word out of her mouth.
"…Dogday…" She said breathlessly. "Wha-…what happened?"
"The Ward!!" Dogday yelled whilst interrupting her. "The Ward! We need to get him to the Ward!" He said running past the entire group.
Then just as quick as he appeared, he made a mad dash past the distraught group and disappeared through the door leading out to the Gas Production Zone, trickles of blood left in his wake, unknown whether it was Gabriel's or someone else's. All the toys within the room are speechless, even the normally loud Hoppy held her mouth shut. Nobody knows what to make of what has just happened, until another pair of footsteps was heard coming.
Huggy and Mommy soon appeared, the former kept on running past them, following Dogday whilst Mommy stayed behind with the group. She just simply stood there, the same dumbfounded look on her face as she gazed out where Gabriel has been taken. The toys seeing her in such a state was just simply uncanny, foreign even, and thus with interest piqued enough for her to dare to approach her, Poppy then asked her.
"What happened?" Poppy asked. "What did Gabriel do?"
There was a pause between the porcelain doll and pink spider, the latter not even bothering to look at the former as she still gazed out the door, clearly in disbelief.
"Gabriel ran back in the depot." Mommy said still not looking at her. "And there…the Prototype found him."
All at once, everyone within the room turned their heads to her, eyes wide with both terror and shock as their collective attention now became fully enraptured.
"WHAT!?" Poppy yelled out. "Is that what that explosion was about!? Why didn't he run back here for the rest of us!? How did he survive?!"
"He didn't survive, Poppy." Mommy bluntly replied. "He won."
A palpable silence fell on the room, everyone holding their breath as if what she is implying is some kind of cruel joke. It can't be, can it? Mommy knows their uncertainty, she could hardly believe it herself, so now she has to be the one to reassure it.
"The Prototype is dead."
<<<<<<<<<<~>>>>>>>>>>
Dogday nearly slipped just when he passed the broken threshold to the Ward, he forgot just how slippery the thin layer of ice could get, after all, he is essentially entering a massive freezer room that has been repurposed as a operating room. A curse slipped through his mouth once he regained his bearings, doing everything possible to make sure that Gabriel is safe within his arms.
And this terrified him, for he does not know what extent Gabriel's injuries could be. Besides the obvious clusters of cuts, bruises, and burns, for all he knew Gabriel could have broken bones, damaged organs, or even worse internal bleeding, and that is something he knew no amount of surgery could fix. And given the fact that he has absolutely no experience performing medical procedures, he has no idea how to heal him. But he has to try, somehow.
Despite the darkness, Dogday can still see with almost pinpoint clarity, another reason to thank Gabriel for the new body he gave him. And since this Ward was closed off from all the others, navigating the frost laden corridors was much easier, just enough to finally reach his destination, the very same operation room that Gabriel gave him renewed life.
But now that he is here, he had no idea what to do next, so he figured laying Gabriel down would be the best option for now. Maybe the cool, smooth surface of the operating table will actually help calm him down a bit. Especially given just how rigid and tense he is, like a wound up coil ready to spring at any second of release.
And all the while, Gabriel was still speaking nonsense through guttural growling and gritted teeth.
"Crush, him. BURN, him!" Gabriel said as Dogday finally laid him on the table. But he however sprung upwards and tried to get on his feet to run, forcing Dogday to hold him down by hugging him.
"Gabriel, buddy, it's okay. You're okay!" Dogday said softly, doing everything to comfort the human as he trembled violently within his fuzzed arms. "No one is after you, no one will hurt you."
Huggy soon entered the room with them, tilting his head looking concerned at the human being held tight within Dogday's grasp. His appearance actually gave Dogday an idea.
"Hey Huggy?" Dogday said, straining to keep Gabriel from struggling. "You're stronger than I am, yeah? And good with hugging?"
Huggy nods yes.
"Good." He then tries his best to hand Gabriel over without losing his grip. "Hold him tight. I need to find something to help him."
Huggy did as exactly as instructed. He took Gabriel within his arms and began coiling them around the human, albeit gently, knowing the true length of his strength. But what he discovered is that while Gabriel is certainly trying to wiggle himself free from his grasp, he isn't trying to escape because he was afraid, but rather eager and anxious. As if at any given moment he needs to fight back against some unknown threat.
"Hearts…huge hearts!" Gabriel practically roared with such viciousness that it almost sounded beastly, with Huggy ever watchful and listening to it all. "Tear them out, tear them all out!"
While this was happening Dogday was practically running all over the place, shuffling through boxes and containers full of medical equipment and other supplies. While he was successful in finding things such as painkillers and other medicinal creams and bandages, he knows it won't be enough for someone of Gabriel's condition. He needs something more thorough.
Just as soon as he thought of this, the rest of the toys following Mommy Long Legs entered the room with them. Even the injured Smiling Critters came, with Kickin pushing the wheelchair-bound Bubba with Hoppy just sitting on his lap while Crafty held onto him for guidance, and Picky helping Bobby steady the box containing her heart.
Poppy and Kissy were the last to follow inside, and Poppy, being far too scared for the human for her own good, nearly jumped off from Kissy's shoulder at the sight of him. Knowing her eagerness, Kissy let Poppy down by her Velcro paw and was brought down in front of him.
"Gabe! Oh Gabe!" Poppy exclaimed worriedly. "You-, I'm so sorry! I should have thought better! I should have planned if the Prototype would come for you!"
Gabriel however was almost unresponsive, at least not directly, all he did instead was yell out into space. "Bodies! Are, everywhere! Must, KILL HIM!"
This rambling was strange to Poppy, though while she does know Gabriel is not in the right state of mind, what he's saying could imply that the Prototype is still alive.
"What does he mean?" Poppy asked Mommy. "I thought you said he killed the Prototype?"
"Are you kidding me? Have you seen the mess he made? We found him literally ripping his brains out!" Mommy remarked.
But with the look that Poppy was giving her, she seems unsure about it. Understandable given how much of a threat the Prototype is, it must be hard to think for her that Gabriel could do such a thing. So knowing that she needed proof, Mommy went closer towards Gabriel, moving beside him and inspected his arm. Once she's found the proof she needed, she then lifted it up to Poppy's face level.
"See? Look!" Mommy said while holding the blood soaked arm. "There's still pieces of brains under his finger nails!"
"EEWWW!!" Everyone collectively yelled out in disgust. Even Poppy had to cover her mouth to prevent retching at the sight of the small pieces of flesh still clinging to his skin.
"Well before we do anything we gotta clean him off!" Poppy said once she regained composure. "We can't let his stay filthy like this."
She then gestured to Kissy to let her down to the floor. "Go and take watch outside." Poppy told her. "We need to make sure we're not interrupted."
Kissy nods and then immediately takes her leave, while Poppy then looked to Dogday, Mommy, and Huggy, the only three that are capable of helping at the moment. Sure there is Bunzo, PJ, and the Mini-Huggies, but they will be more useful to help tend to the Bigger Body Smiling Critters than what they are about to do.
"Alright, first things first." Poppy ordered. "Mommy, Huggy, I want you two to get Gabriel cleaned off."
"Oh really?" Mommy replied with sass in her tone. "And since when are you the boss of me?"
If only she were taller, Poppy thought, she would slap that smug look off of the round, pink face. "Well we need to heal him don't we? And what we are about to do we can't risk contamination." She then points out to a wall behind them, and there is a small ceramic tray with a drain in the middle along with some pipes leading to a shower head above. "Go get him washed off over there, me and Dogday need to prepare."
Both Huggy and Mommy looked to each other, and while they are not keen on following orders from anyone, especially for the likes of Poppy, they can't just simply ignore her. They had after all came all the way down here to understand more of their human friend, now turned savior.
And so with no objections, they both took Gabriel away to the open shower while Poppy and Dogday conversed.
"And how exactly are we going to heal him?" Dogday questioned. "We don't know the extent of his injuries, he could be bleeding inside and we won't even know it. And I'm no surgeon. Sure Gabriel operated on me when he switched my old body out for this new one, but that was completely planned out by the scientists to be as easy as possible. And as far as I'm concerned, there is no "Truer" body for Gabriel than what he already has."
"We won't be doing anything like that." Poppy corrected. "In fact, what we're doing is even much more simpler. Now, see that tub over there? Wheel it over to that nozzle, the one under the overhead lab, we'll be needing the equipment up there."
With Dogday and Poppy busy making preparations, both Huggy and Mommy were busy with their own task of getting Gabriel cleaned off. With Mommy having the most dexterous of fingers, she was the one who started pulling the blood soaked clothes off with Huggy keeping the human steady within his grasp. First removing the Grabpack and letting it fall to the floor, and though it was brand new it looked like it is already gone through years of use.
Though while she did remove his shirt and pants, she of course didn't dare take his undergarments off, if Gabriel were completely aware at this point he would've been most embarrassed enough already. Best to keep it on for both of their sakes.
She then turned the water on, and with Huggy being the one to hold the weak human up, he then positioned him under the cascading, warm water. All the blood, grime, and dirt flowing down his body and in through the drain with Mommy hanging a large bottle of liquid soap over his head letting the flow of water do the cleaning for her, it was oddly satisfying to watch as this disheveled human become clean again.
But it also started to show what exactly Gabriel has endured throughout his journey through this factory. Bruises, scrapes, and cuts adorned his body, and there is even a massive trio of gashes lined up with each other on his back. Claw marks. It didn't take them much to figure out that it was Catnap's doing. And with all the running, climbing, and Red Smoke he inhaled, it was honestly a miracle he survived for so long.
It was astounding, incredible. Just simply, impossible.
No normal human survives this long. Just what is it that makes this human special compared to the others that came?
But what they didn't notice however, was that at that moment, were it not for all the water flowing down his face, they would have seen tears streaming down inflamed cheeks.
"I'm sorry."
Both Huggy's and Mommy's attention snapped quickly towards Gabe, who was a mumbling mess beneath them.
"I'm so sorry. Should be better. Must, be better. Do, better."
Each of them were frozen whilst staring at him, for they never thought, in a thousand years, that they will ever meet a human that would even bother to apologize, to regret anything. The moment was so surreal that they almost didn't hear Poppy calling out for them. They looked to see her gesturing them to come over, and with Gabriel cleaned off, or at least as clean as he could be, they then brought him over to them and it looks like they have a solution to their healing problem.
The device they have set up in the middle of the room was strange to say the least. It's appearance like that of a rectangular metal tub with electrical cables attached, and a long semitransparent rubber tube that leads up to the lab room just above, and is wide enough to channel dozens of gallons worth of fluids through like it was meant to fill the box up with something.
And standing just above it is a stretcher, with straps meant to hold onto someone's wrists and ankles. The stretcher itself was suspended by a series of woven steel wire, keeping it aloft and angled enough so that the patient can be strapped down properly and easily lowered inside, there is even a double-sided lid on top to allow entry and sealing behind. If it weren't for all the electrical wires and the heart monitor displayed on the side of it, anyone would have mistaken it for a sarcophagus meant for the dead.
"What is this thing?" Mommy asked curiously.
"This, is one of Playtime.co's most important invention." Poppy said with admirable praise, but also with solemn scrutiny. "This, is a healing chamber. Meant to submerge someone completely in Poppy Elixir. Allowing the elixir to completely heal someone, inside and outside. It was one of the inventions that could have changed the world, but yet they…"
For a moment Poppy fell silent, reminiscing of all the greatness they could have achieved, but yet lean ver farther into the horror of their ambition.
Dogday then placed a paw on her back, getting her to snap out of it. "Poppy, now's not the time." He said.
"Right." Poppy corrected herself. "Anyway, Gabriel needs to be submerged in the stuff. It will take a whole day for it to fully work, but once he's finished he'll be good as new!"
She then nodded to Dogday who then handed her an empty syringe, after which he then speaks to the other two. "As she takes a blood sample, mind if you two help me get him ready?"
Both Mommy and Huggy silently nodded, which Poppy takes notice of. Normally Mommy would have made some sassy remark or a rude comment but yet she has held her tongue, and while Huggy of course isn't as vocal as Mommy, he displays an unresponsive and aggressive behavior towards anyone who tells to do anything. The fact they both have listened and followed so willing might hunt to something changing with their attitudes towards them, might be a welcoming sign.
But as for Gabriel, anyone with eyes can see that damage done to him is more than just physical. The way his body spasms and tenses, like a caged animal backed into a corner. They can now plainly see the tears falling from his eyes, his gaze unfocused and remorseful, as if he has just committed a grievous sin. And all the while he kept on ranting, on and on about how he should have done different, about how sorry he is.
It wasn't until they finally pulled the last strap on did they finally take some time to comfort him, Dogday putting a paw on his shoulder while Mommy caresses the back of his head. Gabriel was so stressed within the moment that he didn't even notice the needle being stuck in his arm. Once Poppy was done drawing blood, she then handed it to Dogday.
"Take Mommy and Huggy up to the lab with you, it's gonna take a few hands to help get the elixir just right." Poppy tells him.
"Right." He then nods to the two toys to come with.
Everything was finally in place for the procedure. With Dogday along with the others up in the lab, he installed the tube filled with the blood sample into the machine and let it do its magic. But to make such copious amounts of the elixir, Mommy and Huggy, while directed by Dogday, turned valves of the pipes carrying key components of fluids in order to meet the right conditions for the elixir to be properly made.
Soon enough, a stream of viscous, poppy-red substance began flowing down the tubes leading to the healing chamber for which Gabriel is to be incubated in. But there is but one last thing needed in order for them to begin, and that is the rubber face mask that will supply him with fresh oxygen. Thankfully Poppy had already prepared it, she climbed on top of Gabriel till she reached his head, standing on his chest with the mask in hand. She was just about to pull onto Gabriel's face, that is until what he said next.
"Useless." He said, as blatant as he can be. "I let this happen. I'm useless. Oh God, forgive me."
This struck a cord deep within Poppy's heart, for she knows that pain, far better and intimately than almost anybody here. She couldn't do anything when the Hour of Joy happened, she couldn't stop the Prototype from tormenting their lives any further, and worse, she made the problem worse when she helped Ollie call all those innocent people to the factory. If there has been anybody she believes who should be calling themselves useless, it should've been her.
She was the one that left Safe Haven out of desperation, and she was the one that got trapped in that case while the factory suffered around her. But this man, this kind stranger, who has done nothing but suffer all to make sure not one of them dies, and yet he is calling himself such things? It is almost unbecoming and insulting to her that he believes such things about himself.
With as much gentleness as her small hands allowed her, she tentatively clasps the face mask on, making sure both mouth and nose are comfortably covered, all the while starring directly into his eyes, conveying soft feelings and gentle intentions.
"Gabriel, look at me." She said, but his gaze was still unfocused and all over the place. She then took ahold of his face, her small hands clasping both cheeks, and pulled him until his face is directly in front of hers.
"Hey, look at me." And when he finally did, his tired eyes lock-in onto hers, she then leaned upwards and kissed his forehead, conveying all the warmth and gratitude she could in that one gesture. And then with tender words, she spoke to him. "You are not useless. What you did, I can't even describe the words to say how much I am indebted to you. But all I can say is, thank you, Gabriel."
She then pressed her forehead against his, and in that moment, it was as if the whole world suddenly became right. As if there is nothing left standing between them and finding a future. "You hear me? You did good, Gabriel. You did-"
But then, they heard something, a horrible screeching coming from outside. Everyone turned their heads to the door, but all they see is darkness ahead. And yet through it they hear noises of banging metal, thrashing, glass crashing, and the sound of terrified shrieking. There is only one creature they know of that is already out there.
"Kissy?!" Poppy exclaims. "No, oh no no no! Dogday! Somebody help her!"
Dogday, while though still up in the lab then sprung to action and ran for it. But the moment he made contact with the door to the on site lab, it suddenly won't budge. Confused, Dogday shoved against the door over and over again, but it refused to open. Even Huggy and Mommy, when they tried to break the windows they couldn't, the glass was designed to be completely bulletproof.
"We can't get out! The door just locked us in!" Dogday yelled.
"What?! But how-!?"
And then all of a sudden, just when the situation couldn't get any worse, a bright orange glow erupted from down the hallway where kissy should be. This was followed by such pained and terrified roars, that it sounded more like the cries of agony. And Gabriel, doing nothing but see and hear her cries, thrashed about on his stretcher, trying to tear the straps off himself. But he couldn't, simply for the fact that Poppy is still on him, and he wouldn't risk hurting her.
And then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the glow faded, leaving nothing but the ear-ringing silence and the dark expanse of the hallway in front of them. Everyone held their breath in woeful anticipation. The seconds that went by were so painful that it felt like hours to them. Then finally, a form begins to congeal in the darkness, lumbering and limping towards them.
"K-Kissy?" Poppy nervously muttered.
Nothing, the only response was silence. Till a flash of pink was sent hurtling towards them, landing on the floor with a resounding thud as Kissy's limp body laid sprawled on the floor in front of Gabriel and Poppy. The other toys shrieked and gasped in terror at the sight in front of them.
All over her body laid dozens of bloody gashes and shards of glass stuck to her skin. Her entire right arm has been burnt to black crisp along with half of her face, so fresh and severe were her burns that the embers of what was once her fur flickered within the smoke.
But yet even despite this, Kissy is still yet alive. Her weak body faltering as she turned her gaze towards Poppy, reaching out her burned arm for her in an attempt to reach her, till the last of her strength gave out, and she collapsed to the floor unconscious.
"KISSY!!" Poppy screamed as she went and jumped off of Gabriel and ran for her, she tried to hug her the best she could, but can only do so much a lean in on her head. "Oh Kissy! Who…who did this?"
Just her words finished, another noise came from the hall. The same shadow that they all thought was Kissy began to emerge, the noise mechanical thumping and grinding metal following as the massive entity slowly entered the room. And as the enemy revealed himself trough the dark and the fog hanging just above the frost-ladened floor, everyone was stunned speechless.
His hulking mechanical frame has been bent, broken, and crushed in various places, with chunks of concrete lodged within the gears and servos and many shafts of rebar skewered in multiple directions like needles or twisted thorns. His cowl, made from the corpses of his victims, is now practically no more, only the burnt remnants of skin, polyester, and skeletal structures. His mass of hearts within him has a massive I-beam sticking through its center with the other end jutting out from his back. And his face, still carrying that same grotesque smile, yet now has half of his cranium smashed in, with Gabriel's club still lodged inside it.
It was hardly believable, and yet there he is still standing and with them.
The Prototype is still alive.
"Congratulations, Gabriel Gibbions." The Prototype said cheerfully with an eerie tone as he made his way towards Gabriel, whom is still strapped down and unable to move. "You have exceeded my expectations. You've evaded Huggy, beaten the Game Station, and endured all of Playcare. And most importantly, you've managed to survive, me. And no, you didn't win, you just simply managed to trap me. At least, for a little while."
It was then that the Prototype noticed Poppy standing on the floor next to Kissy, her eyes wide and lips quivering in utter dismay as she stares at the mangled monstrosity.
"Oh Poppy. Dear, sweet, little Poppy." The Prototype said in such a soft, eerie cacophony of voices that it even tingled their ears. "Through all the years we had known each other, I had thought that you would come to understand why your little plan to kill me is futile. Though, I too understand why you would have thought so, after all, it takes more than flesh and blood to kill me. And besides, you were never in control to begin with."
He then turned his attention back towards Gabriel, whom by now is thrashing around with such violence that his wrists and ankles that are strapped down began to bleed. Staining the leather bands red with blood, grunting like an animal ready to kill.
"For you see I have been watching you work, Gabriel, come to understand your drive, your desires. And I must say, I see now why He has chosen you for this. You believe the only way to make things right is to simply forgive. To bury the past and forget it. But the truth is, you can't forget something that you have buried to begin with, and this constant reminder infuriates you."
The Prototype then leered over him, his face mere inches from his own. Judging him, taunting him.
"It must burn within you, doesn't it? After all, I was the one who effectively ruined your life. I killed your friends, gave your parents the reason to abandon you, driven your brother to madness, and killed your sister. Tell me, do you forgive me? Are you willing to forget what I have done to you?"
Gabriel made no answer, not that the Prototype was expecting it, the human's mouth was basically muzzled with the breathing mask.
"No? Of course you don't. Such a hypocrite you are."
His gaze then shifts away from Gabriel for a moment, as if he is contemplating something.
"But yet…here you still are. Here, you are still doing what He needs you to do. So even then, you are still a threat to me. Your presence will only make things worse for me. Which is why I must take, drastic measures."
And then, his right arm sudden begins to shift and pulsate with, as if there is something moving underneath the grafted polyester skin along with a sickening noise of moving flesh. Then out of his "hand", a long syringe with a large phial attached to the end juts out from it, the needle a full five inches long. And then, as quick as lightning, The Prototype stabs the needle right into Gabriel, aiming just below the chest to miss his most vital organs, yet cause the most excruciating pain.
All the other toys around them gasped as they are forced to watch as the Prototype begins siphoning blood straight out of Gabriel's body. Dogday up above being flung into a rage as he is now literally punching the window till his own knuckles start to bleed.
Then as soon as it began, the Prototype retracted the needle, leaving a gaping hole within the human's sternum. Gabriel felt light headed, his vision blurring in and out from darkness. But he musters the strength long enough to see that the Prototype has extracted a whole gallon of his blood, holding it up like a trophy.
"And with this, I can begin finalizing my work." The monster said before reaching for the crude club still lodged in his brains, his needle-like fingers grasping the object gently before ripping it out in a sudden jolt.
He then looks to the human, and sees that behind him that the healing chamber is filled with Poppy Elixir and is ready to begin. "It appears our time is up. I am not allowed to kill you, not yet. But I won't allow you or Him to stand in my way."
Then all of a sudden, half of the gallon phial of blood is suddenly drained, absorbed into the Prototype's system. And as if like magic, the fleshly parts of the Prototype suddenly grow back, his face appearing as if nothing had happened at all.
With the deed done, the Prototype gazed at him for just a second longer, relishing every second of the moment.
"Until we meet again."
And so, the Prototype then turns around, and leaves without another word.
Then as the Prototype disappears in to the darkness ahead, the mechanical wires keeping Gabriel upright have now switched on, the system of pulleys lowering him into the vat of Poppy Elixir, the viscous red substance begins washing over him as he could do nothing but allow it to happen.
But just before unconscious slips his mind into the welcoming embrace of sleep, he can hear his friends above, calling out for him with comforting and reassuring words, making sure he's okay.
It was then, that finally, after so long that he realizes, he can now finally sleep. Because as the double-sided lids then close in on him, concealing him in darkness, he knows that his friends are waiting for him on the other side. But yet despite this small comfort, he can't shake the feeling deep within his gut.
That he truly is part of something bigger than he could ever imagine.