Overdue Check-Up (Poppy Playtime) [On Hold]

[Chapter 5] Part 11: Memory Records Ep. 1

Nearic stared at his uncle in horror, "What?! They recorded that shit?!"

Catnap looks away, "Worse, since we're technically 'artificial beings,' our minds are mapped differently, which they somehow managed to save and imprint into those cards," he nods to the machine, which now displayed the first memory was ready to be played.

"What am I going to see?" the teen asked worriedly, looking back at Catnap.

The toy looked away and shook his head, "I don't know, they had a lot of us recorded in them, but my best guess... nothing good."

Nearic walked over to the center of the machine where a helmet filled with electrodes hung above him, and a lever sitting to his left. Taking a deep breath, he looked over at his uncle and asked, "Are we sure there's no other way through?"

Catnap frowned, "I wish there was."

Nearic swallowed thickly and gripped the lever, "Catch me if I fall?"

Catnap nods, "I'm expecting it."

Closing his eyes, the Survivor pulled the lever down and stood still as the helmet slowly lowered over his head. He stiffened as a tab popped up showing like a computer, showing it was activating; however, as it was, one of the lines glitched from READ-ONLY to IMERSIVE INDUCTION. Another tab popped up with a 3D model of a brain, highlighted in red as more and more started to change to yellow.

Nearic groaned at the feeling in his head, gripping the handlebars tightly, as he struggled to keep his eyes open, not knowing when he had opened them, "This is weird..."

Both tabs moved aside as a loading bar filled up his vision. The brain tab showed more turning yellow in small sectors before changing to green. The first tab now had more text as it worked through its protocols. He barely caught the number '1170' before light filled his vision.

.

.

.

I open my eyes and see that I'm laying down. W-what...? Happened...?

"Rise and shine!" I turn towards the voice and a lit up screen, but my vision is so blurry I could barely see anything, "It's time to meet the day."

I slowly prop myself up from my bed as I hear a rooster play on the screen. I look over when my vision finally clears and I see a woman in a multi-stripped shirt with coveralls. The background on the screen had a white fence arched behind her, two green hills with a tree and a house, and a blue sunny day with a few clouds and a hot air balloon.

What's going on?

"We're all so proud of your progress, Huggy!" What, Huggy? I feel my chest squeeze, no... no that was nightmare, it had to be! I look down at my hands and-

No...

No no no

They were yellow, a black Velcro patch on the palms, blue fur reaching up my arms. I try to move my hands around, only to see the yellow fabric turn instead. This can't real...

I reached up and felt my face, fur folding on fur; soft, cushioned impacts instead of a clapping sound I should be hearing. I wasn't dreaming, it wasn't a nightmare!

I held my right arm out and grabbed its wrist, the hand shaking with my panic, "Today, we're going to play a game called 'Cleaning Up.'" I look over at the screen, "The friends will love this game," the woman announces, leaning slightly closer for a moment like it was a secret.

"Drop the block into the correct hole," she explains. I slowly begin to stand up as she continues the game, "and for those naughty blocks that don't match," she taps her chin in thought, "see if you can find a place for those!"