He stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the wreckage of Home Sweet Home. Bunk beds were overturned, mattresses torn open, and broken furniture lay scattered across the floor.



Everything was in ruins. Dust and the scent of rust lingered in the air, thick with the memories of what this place once was.

His priority was finding the batteries for the backup generator, but they were buried beneath the chaos.

Carefully, he maneuvered through the mess, sifting through debris and overturned belongings.

Then-movement.



He froze.

Something shifted beyond the blocked hallway ahead. Though the passage was obstructed, he could still see glimpses of the other side.

And then he saw it.

A massive purple cat slinked past. Silent. Eerie. Its glowing eyes scanned the area, tail flicking as it prowled forward.

His breath caught in his throat.

He pressed himself against the wall, heart hammering in his chest. The air grew thick with tension as he remained perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.

The creature-Catnap-moved on, disappearing into the shadows.

Only when the silence stretched long enough did he dare exhale.

I don't think it saw me...

Shaking off the unease, he turned in the opposite direction, refocusing on his task. He needed to find the batteries-and fast.

---

One by one, he retrieved the power cells buried within the debris and plugged them into the power containers. With each successful placement, the facility around him flickered, slowly coming back to life.



His search eventually led him to a door at the end of the passage. He cautiously stepped inside, his gaze landing on a bed near the center of the room.

Kissy Missy.



She sat there, motionless, staring at a picture in her hands.

He held his breath, not daring to move.

Unlike the other creatures, she wasn't immediately hostile. Her posture was eerily still, her pink fur illuminated by the dim light overhead. Whatever was in that picture-it mattered to her.

Rather than risk drawing her attention, he slowly backed away, careful not to make a sound.

Once outside, he quickly made his way back to the center of the orphanage, where the final power cell slot awaited.

He slotted the battery into place and pressed the button to the right, triggering a mechanism that caused a doorway to open.

His eyes shifted toward the door behind the hole where he had found the gas mask earlier.

---



Beyond the entrance, electric poles lined the path, wires hanging loosely between them. He needed to reconnect them to restore the power. Carefully, he worked to bridge the circuits, ensuring each pole was linked to the next.

The moment the final connection was made, a heavy shutter on the left-hand side groaned open.

A new passage.

He crouched, ducking under the opening and stepping cautiously into the dimly lit corridor. The air was stale, thick with dust and the remnants of a time long past.

Eventually, the path led him to an elevator platform.



A single red button awaited him.

Without hesitation, he pressed it.

The elevator rumbled to life.

He stepped on, watching as the platform ascended, carrying him toward the entrance of Home Sweet Home.

Just when he was out of the door-a sudden impact.

Something heavy slammed into him, knocking him off his feet. He barely had time to react before he was pinned to the ground. A blur of pink fur and piercing eyes loomed over him.

Kissy Missy.



She let out a guttural snarl, her fingers tightening around his shoulders.

"Wait-!"

Before she could strike, a voice rang out.

"NO! NO! LET GO! He didn't do anything wrong!"

Poppy.

The little doll darted forward, placing herself between them. "We're here to help!" she pleaded. "Please, just listen!"

Kissy Missy's breath was ragged, her body tense, but she hesitated. Her grip loosened.

Poppy sighed in relief. "This place makes her... tense," she muttered, rubbing the side of her cracked porcelain face. "I'm glad Ollie could help you get this far. He's the reason we found you at all."



Slowly, Kissy reached for Poppy, lifting her onto her shoulder.



"Looks like the train crash hurt us both. You've been through so much," Poppy murmured, looking at him. "You deserve an explanation. Come on."

"Hey you'll be okay. We'll be okay.." Poppy said reassuring Kissy.

They walked ahead, stepping onto the elevator platform as Poppy pulled a lever from a nearby panel. The ground trembled beneath them as the platform began to rise.

Poppy turned to him, her voice steady yet urgent.

"Listen, I'm not your enemy... but I can't let you leave. What's happening down here is bigger than all of us. And I need you."

He frowned, glancing at her. "You need me?" His voice came out rougher than he intended. "After everything I've been through, you're asking for more?"

Poppy's blue eyes locked onto his. "I know you're tired. I know you didn't ask for this. But we don't have a choice. We need to get revenge on those monsters who tortured you-who tortured us."

His jaw clenched. "Revenge?" He exhaled sharply. "You think that'll fix anything? Huggy, Mommy... I didn't kill them because I wanted to-I had to. I was trying to survive, Poppy. That's all this has ever been."

Poppy nodded, but her expression remained firm. "And survival is exactly why we have to end this."

The platform rose higher.

Behind them, Kissy Missy shrank into herself, gripping her arms tightly. She trembled but didn't speak.



Poppy's voice darkened. "They didn't act alone. They're disciples of the original. The Prototype."

He inhaled sharply. "The Prototype..." The name sent a shiver through him. He had heard whispers before-fragments of something monstrous, pulling the strings behind every nightmare in this place. "What is it?"

Poppy hesitated. "Something beyond any of us. It's not just a machine, not just some failed experiment. It watches. It controls." She clenched her fists. "It's the reason I was trapped in that god-awful case for so long! The reason everything here still suffers!"

The platform reached the top, stopping in front of a large red button.

Poppy gestured toward it. "Do the honors?"

He stared at it for a moment. Then, with a steadying breath, he pressed it.

Instantly, Playcare roared back to life.

Lights flickered on, illuminating the orphanage in harsh, artificial brightness. Machines groaned awake, gears turning after years of silence.

For the first time in ages, Playcare was fully illuminated.

As the platform began to descend again, an uneasy weight settled in his chest.

Poppy's voice took on a sharper edge. "The Prototype knows we're coming now. If you try to escape, he'll kill you before you even reach the front door."

He exhaled through his nose. "So, we're trapped."

Poppy shook her head. "No. We fight."

He scoffed. "Against what, exactly? A thing that can 'watch and control' everything?"

Poppy turned to him, her expression uncharacteristically serious. "Let me help you kill him. Let me help you save everyone."



He hesitated. "And what if I don't want to be your hero?"

Poppy's eyes softened slightly. "You're not a hero." She tilted her head. "You're a survivor. That's why you're perfect for this."

He swallowed hard.

Behind them, Kissy Missy curled in on herself, trembling. She looked smaller than she ever had before. She still said nothing, but her fear was suffocating.

The platform finally reached the bottom.

Poppy's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Catnap is coming."

His body tensed.

"Catnap...?" The massive feline that moved like a shadow, always watching. Always waiting.

Poppy nodded. "He's the final obstacle The Prototype has placed against us. We can't stay here."

She took a step back. "Keep yourself safe... Ollie will call you."

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

"Right. As if I have other choice. "

The platform ascended once more, carrying Poppy and Kissy Missy into the unknown.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the spot where they had just been. Then, with a steadying breath, he turned back to face the horrors ahead.