Before Joy there was Hope

The Cracks Hidden behind Blue Paint

Hopesong was never one to wander the Playcare alone. She always preferred walking with one of her aunts and uncles or her Papa, but today was different she was left to her own devices. She first played with the children during recess, telling them stories, singing to them, and letting them climb on her back so she could hover off the ground with them. Once the bell rang, the children went back inside, leaving her alone.

So now she was wandering the Playcare with the occasional adult walking by and saying 'hello' or a rude grumble about how she shouldn't be left alone. She eventually got to the edge of the playcare and paused, seeing an elevator. She looked around for any workers or scientists before climbing onto the elevator. She didn't understand any of the buttons on the control panel, but she did understand the up and down buttons. She pressed the down button the elevator desended into the caves below.

At the bottom, Hopesong stepped off the elevator and looked around. This was a part of Playcare she'd never seen before the sound of construction and drilling echoed in the caves. Builders were walking around, either talking about some blueprints or carrying materials. She wandered around carefully, not wanting the workers to see her. She didn't know how long, but she found an odd looking device it looked like a pair of colorful hands attached to a square box of sorts. She hummed and put it on smiling and giggling, messing with the buttons. She managed to figure out that the mystery tech was a pair of hands that could stick and grab objects.

Once she managed to figure out this strange device, she continued her little adventure in the caves. It smelled damp and felt cold. Large electrical lights were the only things giving the caves a light source, making the shadows seem more pronounced. She hated this feeling of helplessness but pushed on. Eventually, she came across a dead end and saw a spot where she could use the device to pull her up. She aimed to shoot the red hand at the wall and managed to get it to stick the wire, pulling her up to the ledge. She grabbed onto the ledge and went to pull herself up, but before she could, she was met with the sight of a decaying body of a worker. It was hidden away, so the other workers wouldn't see, but it was a horrific sight

It appeared to be a man with his stomach torn open blood staining the ground and some of the stone wall behind him, but what horrified Hopesong the most was that his entrails were strewn around as if they were string being torn from a doll. She let out a scream at the sight, but soon that scream turned into a horrified yell as the red hand let go of the wall, making Hopesong lose her grip. She didn't have enough time to spread her wings and stop her fall as she plummeted to the ground. The harsh stone ground broke her fall, a loud crack coming from her right wing, and her head exploded with pain blood going down her forehead.

As she lay there crying and her vision turning to black, the last thing she saw before the inky black claimed her was the silhouette of a cat standing over her.

"....U-Unc-cle.....C-Catn-nap...?"

●~<◇>~●

"Hopesong? Hopesong! It's time for lunch!" (Y/n) called out for the pegasus. They have been looking for some time but could not find her. Worry and panic started to grow and left a nauseating feeling in their stomach. Hopesong was young she could've wandered off to anywhere in the Playcare or left the Playcare and went to the upper levels. She could be hurt somewhere or worse, and no one would be none the wiser.

"Please! Hopesong! Answer me!" (Y/n) called out desperation clinging to their words as she continued their frantic search. They hoped she was just sleeping somewhere and didn't hear them or she was playing hide and seek and playing them for a fool. Those thoughts were better than the horrific alternatives.

They turned around to go to the Playhouse to retrieve Dogday. However, they yelped when Catnap stood in front of them. They were about to scold him for leaving his cell and scaring them, but all their words died at the sight of the injured pegasus who was held attentively in Catnaps arms "Help....her..." he held Hopesong out to (Y/n), and they wasted no time calling out for a scientist. They took Hopesong away while the other scientists led Catnap back to his cell.

●~<♧>~●

Dogday tried to calm down his friends, who were frantically looking for a certain cat. They had returned from the school to find that Catnap was gone, leading to pandemonium. Dogday managed to stop their panicked looking and yelling, "Everyone! Let's calm down. I'm sure he didn't get far, and he'll be found in no time, " his words reassured the others, making them relax.

They all jumped at the sound of the main door opening, and a few scientists walked in with Catnap. Dogday sighed in relief. "See? They brought him back safe and-" Catnaps raspy voice cut through Dogday's words "Hopesong...Has been hurt.." Dogday froze and looked at Catnap."W-what..? What do you mean Hopesongs hurt!?" Instead of answering, Catnap went back into his room and laid down in his bed.

The others were talking loudly in worry and panicking at the knowledge Hopesong was hurt, Dogday couldn't hear it to him it was all static as his thoughts roared in worry.

How could he let this happen?

Why didn't he protect her?

Was she alright?

Was she alive?

That single thought made his legs move before his mind could. Without another word, Dogday ran out of the Playhouse in search of Hopesong.

He couldn't lose his sunshine.

●~<♤>~●

Hopesong slowly opened her eyes her head was throbbing in pain, and so was her right wing. She waited for her eyes to clear up, and once they did, she was surprised that she was no longer in the caves below.

She was back in her and Dogday's room wrapped comfortingly in blankets and many pillows. She touched her head and felt bandages she must've been out for some time. She paused, hearing a snore next to her. She turned her head and found Dogday sleeping beside her. His arms were wrapped around her protectively, almost hiding her away so nothing could disturb her.

"Papa?" She asked, and Dogday snapped awake, looking at Hopesong "H-Hopesong...You're awake...?" he said in awe, tears going down his face. Before she could say anything, Dogday hugged her tightly, minding her wing "Oh thank god!" He cried out. He rested his head on her head, sobbing and whimpering as he held her close. "I thought I lost you..!" He sobbed gently, petting her hair.

Hopesong felt horrible for worrying Dogday like this. He must've waited for her to wake up, never leaving her side. "I'm sorry, Papa...I...I didn't mean to worry you." She looked up at him, trying to comfort him. He calmed down and pulled away so he could look at Hopesong. "It's fine, my little pegasus, I'm just relieved you're ok. However, what were you thinking? Going down to the caves. Alone. That is a restricted area, young lady. Something worse could've happened to you." He scolded her, and Hopesong looked away, ashamed."I'm sorry, Papa. I just wanted to go on an adventure.." she mumbled, looking at her hands.

Dogday sighed and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm just relieved that you're safe now. Although you'll be grounded for a month, which means you'll be staying in this room even after your injuries heal and won't be allowed to go anywhere without supervision. Understand?" Hopesong nodded, staying close to Dogday. He rubbed her back, comfortingly urging her to continue resting.

She never mentioned what she saw in the cave that day. Unsure if she'll regret her decision in the future.