Ruthlessness Is Mercy Upon Ourselves (Reader Insert)

Create A Friend, Lose A Friend, Destroy Thy Enemy

I looked around before spotting a door. There was a poster on it; "Nobody Leaves Without A Toy!" It says. Next to the door is a scanning device. "Okay...?

I turned around to where I get to create said toy. Next to the button was an info board.

Make-a-Friend (1960)

Our founder, Elliot Ludwig, was a visionary.
He set the stage for all of Playtime Co.'s greatest feats.
Yet of all the amazing things that he created,
the Make-a-Friend machine is one of the most creative, impressive, and advanced.
It is solely responsible for nearly every Playtime Co. toy sold on the market to this day.
All it needs is to be fed the proper parts, and it will then paint, assemble, and do a quality inspection of the toy all on its own.
Gone is the need for complex sorting or back-breaking labor.
This machine can do all that- and more!

"How nice." I muttered. I looked to where the button was to get the machine up in running, only to see a screen above it saying in a bold, red color "Needs Power". I looked around before spotting a staircase that led above where I am. I walked over to it and climbed the staircase, and when I made it to the top, I found another VHS player, that was pink this time, connected to a TV. "More scavenger hunts; Fun." I sarcastically said.

I turned around and walked on the catwalk, which was led short because there was a big gap. I noticed that the metal grate had a handle. I noticed something out of place in the corner of my eye, only to see that it was the pink tape; how did it get there? I extended a hand, successfully grabbing it.

I ran back over to the VHS player, insert it and watched the screen- well, more like listened; from what it sounds like, it seems to be an interview.

Interviewer: So, stella, what made you want to work at the Playtime Co. factory?
Stella: Playing with toys when I was young was so magical. I could go straight from my bedroom floor to anywhere in the world. It was such a great feeling. And... being able to work at a toy factory... somewhere that can provide kids with that same experience... That's a pretty great feeling too! Sometimes though... I really, really wish I could go back. To being a kid, I mean. And it's weird, cause... adults are just kids, but older. I don't think anyone ever really feels like an adult? But you're body just gets older... and older... and then you die. Poof! *Laughs* Human bodies just can't stay young forever. There's things though! Like some trees that can stay allive even while being way older than a person. I mean... The oldest people to ever live are STILL younger than those! So I guess everyone is always young relative to something... Right?
Interviewer: Alright... I think we're getting a little off track...

"Well... isn't that just something." I muttered, feeling a tiny bit uncomfortable for some reason.

(Time-skip because I don't want to write a paragraph or two about going around on the catwalk to complete a puzzle)

Once I heard that familiar tune of this weird puzzle, I tiredly cheered, I struggled with it. I walked around the catwalk until I made it back to the staircase, walked down, walked over to the console; the screen now saying "Power On" in a bright green that it could be mistaken for yellow.

I pressed the button, but nothing happened. "Huh? Well... that was disapoint-" I was interrupted by the sound of a horn going off as the Make-a-Friend machine was now alive, causing me to jump with a scream. "I'm... I'm... starting to hate this place..." I muttered, gasping for breath.

I stepped away from the button and pulled the levers on each container that held various doll parts, watching them roll onto the conveyor belt and into the machine. I turned around and noticed that the machine in the middle was looking right at me. I moved in different directions, but they followed me.