Rose - A Poppy Playtime Story

Chapter 66 - Accomplice

The little mini walked away after throwing his food to the floor, muttering about how unsafe it was to even keep Catnap here. Catnap smiled once he left. Don't worry your little head, Thomas.

He had hatched the plan. It was pretty simple, but he needed one thing; a toy on the inside. Someone who knew their way around the area, and could help him get out without being seen.

Just then, like a sign from the heavens, the door opened once more. Two little eyes popped into view, accompanied by matted ears.

"H-Hello, Scarlet." He said, softly. He gave her a little wave, and she waved back with enthusiasm.

"I came to visit you. It must be lonely here." She whispered, closing the door. Catnap had a brief concern that she would be locked in here too, but that eased when he spotted a key hung on a string around her waist. Catnap hummed, his eyes locked to the key for a moment.

"I t-t-thank you f-for y-your concern, b-but it's d-d-dangerous f-for you h-here."

The mini sighed, "I know, but I just can't stand the thought of you alone in the dark. Everyone talks about you like you're our worst nightmare, but...you're really harmless."

"T-Trust me, I a-a-am not."

It was silent for a bit, the annoying buzz of the generator filling the cat's ears once again. Oh, how he hated it.

"Where's your friend?" She asked, looking around the room. Catnap had only one guess to who she was referring to.

"Doey t-took them." The body had been taken by the doughman while the feline was asleep. The idea, honestly, should have reached the man before. When Catnap had awoken to it being gone, he had been so determined to find it, that he broke the withered chain around his ankle.

Now, the band hung on the limb, with a small fraction of the chain still connected to it. Doey had certainly noticed it when he had come to bring him food the day after, but he didn't say anything, only looked at it suspiciously before leaving the room.

"That's sad...I'm sorry." Scarlet walked over to him, putting a small paw on one of his legs. The cat hissed, a spark of pain making him pull back. Still broken.

"I'm sorry! Are okay?" She frantically apologized, backing away from him. Catnap had no reason to blame her, his purple fur hid the remaining bruises and cuts well. Making him appear relatively unharmed.

Though, his one ankle was bent at a weird angle, and his legs were stiff and unmoving. Catnap had no idea how he could still move them at all, though it did take a lot of effort. Wait, could he walk?

The cat shut his mouth, clenching his teeth tightly. He would not cry. No little pain would make him cry. Doey will not make him cry.

"It's a-a-alright, l-little s-star." He said, giving her small smile. Though, he doesn't think it helped. She hugged her shoulders, looking down with shame.

"Are you okay...?" She whispered, not quite meeting his gaze. She reminded him of a small boy, with big gentle-blue eyes. What was his name...?

"I'm f-fine." He assured, deciding to focus on the present. Trying to remember the past was already so much to handle, but even more when there was the constant motion and continuation around you. How was he supposed to ever understand it? Why should he even try?

"Okay. Um, how have you been doing, like emotionally?" Catnap stared at the floor for a good second. He couldn't help but notice her eyes drift towards the various uneaten food trays.

"Truthfully, n-n-not great, b-but I could b-b-be worse." She frowned.

"Have you...been eating?" They both knew that she already had the answer to her question. Catnap guessed she just wanted some clarification for what she was seeing.

The feline decided to lie. "Yes. I k-know w-w-what you might be th-thinking w-w-with all f-food around me, b-b-but they just g-give me e-e-extra s-sometimes. Something a-a-about me looking l-like I'm about to s-starve t-to death. I just d-don't h-h-have enough hunger t-to e-eat it all. Do y-y-you w-want some?" Holy Prototype, that was a mouthful. Wait...why would I think of-

"Okay, that's good!" Scarlet laughed, smiling at him. "I was worried for a second there, and as for your question, absolutely!"

She skipped over to him, grabbing a piece of bread on the way. She immediately sat down next to him, and started devouring the thing. Catnap would be lying, if he said he wasn't impressed with how quickly it vanished.

"We barely have food here. Though, we go out searching a lot. We used to have a friend that would get food for us, but one day she just disappeared. She was one of the Smiling Critters, like you! I think her name was Hoppy."

Catnap froze, "Oh?"

"Mhm. I think she's the rabbit one. I don't know much about the Smiling Critters, everyone thinks they're pretty much all dead. Poppy was the only one that thought they were alive." The mini's voice got soft, and she frowned. "We haven't seen Poppy in ages, maybe even a few years or so. It's hard to keep track of time down here. Doey...hasn't been the same since then. Despite all their fighting, I think he really cares about her. So when she just vanished, he...didn't take it well."

"Anyone who mentioned her name, immediately gets a crazy amount of attention from him. It's almost scary. Pepper says that Doey's obsessed, and when we eventually find her body, Doey will just break." The little Dogday picked up another piece of bread, eating it at a slightly slower rate. 

"Kissy had gone with her, probably the only reason why Doey let her leave at all. We all get daily reminders of how dangerous the rest of the Factory is. I hope they come back. Alive. Doey is really staring to lose his mind."

The gears turned in Catnap's head, until he smiled. "W-Well, let's g-g-go get her t-then." Scarlet's head snapped towards him.

"What? Go get her?" The cat nodded. "But I'm just a little mini, who has barely ever been out of the Haven. And you...you're not allowed to leave."

"Y-Yes, but t-t-that doesn't m-mean we c-can't t-t-try. We c-can do this."

The paused, her eyes filled with curiosity and fear. "You really think so?" The feline nodded.

Scarlet thought it over for moment, putting a tiny finger to her chin. "If we do find Poppy then Doey wouldn't be so mad anymore, and maybe he won't be mad at you!" She smiled, "Okay! Let's do it!"

Catnap grinned back. Perfect. Inside toy acquired.

(Catnap be going on another villain arc with the next few chapters lol)

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