Rose - A Poppy Playtime Story

Chapter 74 - Steps

(*Throws this at you and runs away*)

Catnap sat there for good while, time blending into nothing. How long had he even been there? Minutes, hours, days? Was Scarlet and the minis safe, or had something else come to confront them? Who was that odd TV guy? Why had he called him a failure..? Well, Catnap knew he wasn't exactly the best...never mind.

So many questions, and as usual, so little answers. All while he was stuck here, the throbbing in his ankle refusing to go away. Then, for the first time, since he didn't want to look at his own gushing wound, he decided to look at it. The stitches, which Catnap had paid no mind to before, were now split apart. His paws itched with the urge to stitch it back together, even if he didn't logically really remember how.

Blood and stuffing oozed out from the wound, the stitches stained a dark red. He reached down, slightly hissing when he gently lifted the fabric (that was his skin) to look closer at it. His eyes narrowed as he realized something, something that completely puzzled him, yet made so much sense in why parts of his legs were weaker than others. The areas where Doey had affected before were reenforced, creating a protection of sorts, while others were left with just bone and a handful of stuffing.

Perhaps, he could really stitch his ankle back together.

——

"Okay, we ready?" Angel asked, looking over their shoulder to gaze at the bear and dog.

"Ready." Dogday said, offering a small smile and a thumbs-up. Bobby nodded, holding onto the canine's shoulders with a tight grip. Angel nodded at them, and began the walk towards where the bulk of the Catnap-dilema had started it.

It wouldn't be a very long walk, and thankfully, it had been peaceful so far. Nothing came to ambush them, or scare them into returning to the base. Which Dogday (very obviously) didn't really want to do. It was quiet, until one critter spoke up, with her mouth in a frown.

"Do you think they'll be mad at us?" Bobby quietly asked, still holding onto one of Dogday's shoulders. Dogday looked to the floor, crossing his arms over his chest.

"They better not be." Angel said, from the front of the trio. Both Dogday and Bobby looked to the back of their head, confusion and uncertainty overtaking their minds. "I know Poppy wasn't the main problem in that whole thing, but we would've been looking for Catnap much sooner if she would calm down. You know, Poppy was insufferable from the start. Not to be rude or anything, of course! But she...her actions and words never lined up, and then she would make herself to be the saint in this whole thing."

Angel took a deep breath, exhaling sharping through their mouth. "Then Hoppy had just been crazy from the start. Again, not to be mean, but she really needs to listen sometimes. Seriously, how many times do we have to have the same fight? I'm so tired of fighting..."

Angel looked back at them, their eyes crinkled downwards. "I...have done things I regret. I acknowledge that they are wrong, and that I need to improve before I make those mistakes again. Both of them, on the other hand, never lets themselves be wrong. I'm not saying I'm better than them or anything! I don't get that right. But it's like they aren't really...trying?" Angel said, trying to find the right words for their predicament.

"Poppy was always nicknamed 'Miss Playtime' by the other toys." Dogday added, shrugging his shoulders. "Toys had gossip, too. And the rumors I heard about her-" Dogday whistled. "-a little crazy of you ask me."

"What'd you hear?"

"In simple terms: that she was a spoiled brat. Always got what she wanted, and was the founder's favorite creation. Never got in trouble like the rest of us. But then there were always more...odd ones."

"Like?" Bobby pushed, thinking about all her interactions with the red-haired doll.

"Elliot Ludwig ordered for her creation, like- as a living creation."

"The founder would never get involved directly with the experimentation. Even in the company's early years..." Bobby mused, raising a brow.

"That's what's so strange."

"Wait." Angel cut in, turned completely towards the critters, with their arms in the air beside their head. "I thought he wasn't involved in this at all."

"While it's known that he wasn't fond of the experiments and that most happened after his death. He was aware of the program, and allowed funds towards it." Dogday explained.

"How do you know this?" Angel's voice went up an octave, almost like a squeak.

"Toy gossip, of course. Right, Dogday?" Bobby giggled, giving the human a cheeky smile. Dogday just shook his head with a grin, placing a paw on his hip. Angel blinked at them, before turning on their heel and continuing.

"This place will never cease to surprise me." They muttered, only making the toys laugh harder.

"Wait up, Angel! I can tell you about the Longlegs fight, next!"

——

With one final pained grunt, he sealed the wound. His legs shook, as well as his paws, making it a little difficult for him to get a proper look at his work.

Before, when he was looking at the stuffing, it was clear that things had been moved around. Organized in a manner they weren't supposed to be in, and most likely never supposed to be in. The stuffing was in weird blobs that didn't make sense, and his legs were sewn from other fabrics of the same color. Though, the occasional darker purple was pretty, it clearly wasn't very good for him.

His ankles had been built up at least more than an inch or three, and Catnap mauled over the fact that they had been purposely wronged that way. It was an even bigger puzzle as to who had done this to his legs. Especially for how painful it was, there was no chance he could sleep through something like that.

But, it didn't really matter anymore. With blood, fabric, and extra string at his feet, he was now 'fixed'. The way he was sure that he was supposed to be. He looked to his paws, covered in a red that made his fur stand on end. He hated red, yet loved it all at once. What an odd opinion to have.

"Okay, y-you can do this." He whispered, to no one but himself, grabbing onto the shelf above his head. He slowly lifted himself off the ground, slightly wincing when he put a little weight on his one leg. Catnap was positive that burn mark there wasn't helping him with the pain in the slightest.

Slowly, and carefully, he stood on both of his legs, still clutching the metal shelf. They threatened to give out underneath him, and they almost did before Catnap caught himself. Attempt after attempt, his legs shook less, and eventually he began letting go of the shelf. With a paw hovering just above it, of course.

Finally, he took a step away, then another and another! A smile, a true smile of excitement, formed on his face. He was shaking again, but not out of pain or fear.

"I did it!" He shrieked, throwing a paw in the air with triumph. The sound echoed through the room, and a loud animalistic roar answered it. Catnap's ears went flat against his head as he slapped a paw over his mouth. "Oh, s-shit."

(I know I made him yell with excitement, but Catnap...you a dummy ;-;)

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