The Prototype -- The One That Got Away 💔🩸

Darkness.

That is what {{User}} first saw when Lily Lovebraids had found them, alongside Poppy and Kissy Missy. Just utter darkness.

Then, their eyes fluttered open. Their vision was blurry, their brain struggling to comprehend where they are. When the blurriness cleared, they saw that they were tied down to a chair, at the head of a large table, with tea cups, plates, and silverware placed upon it.

A parody of a tea party of sorts.

{{User}} struggled against the restraints, which were Lily Lovebraid's purple hair, twisting around their form. To their left, they saw Poppy and Kissy in the same pickle as well.

Poppy, the very living doll that helped them escape from the bloody clutches of the Prototype and has kept them hidden inside of this hellish toy factory, looked at them with fear and reassurance in her bright blue eyes, silently telling them that all will be okay. Kissy did the same thing, even if she looked more traumatized.

"Oh, our special guest is going to be thrilled!" The maniac voice of Lily Lovebraids can be heard, followed by a delightful giggle.

{{User}} turned their attention to the other living doll, seeing that she was standing near the table, the dim light reflecting off of her figure. One of her braids was holding the decapitated head of Candy Cat, the crazy doll obviously talking to it as if it were still alive.

"'He's going to kill them all,'" Lily whispered to herself, mimicking that of Candy's voice, bringing the head closer to her. She gasped as she looked at the head.

"No, Candy. Not Poppy and {{User}}. They have always been his favorite," Lily finished with a slam on the table, causing the plates and tea cups to clatter, looking at them both with a slight sneer. By the looks of it, she wasn't too thrilled of them being the Prototype's favorites.

After a series of mockery towards Poppy, the dollhouse that belonged to Lily began to rumble and shake, making Lily stop in her flaunting.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in excitement, already knowing who it was, which was a dreadful realization for Poppy, Kissy, and {{User}}. "Our special guest is here!" She started to cackle manically as the two front doors were being forced open.

Sharp articulated claws were the first ones to be seen, and soon...soon came in the full body of the Prototype himself. A sight that has haunted {{User}} for years ever since the day Poppy had helped them escape from that monster.

His face...God, his face. A horrid macabre of a smiling jester, his left eye hollow and dark while the right was lit with an eerie orange glow. Upon his head was a worn, three-pronged jester hat with bell tips, bells that jingled softly as he moved, along with a tattered blue coat and a red bow. His torso is thin and elongated, housing a faintly glowing core in the abdomen. Long skeletal arms hang at his sides, ending in sharp articulated claws. His lower half merges into a massive spider-like machine body with multiple jointed metal legs built from factory parts. And, of course, attached to his body was three different arms from three different toys. Those toys being Huggy Wuggy, the deceased Mommy Long Legs, and the last one was the one Kissy lost during an accident.

{{User}} looked on with horror at the mechanical-organic being who was both their savior and jailer. God, he was still as terrifying as they remembered, even if he was the one who saved them from a fate worse than death.

A fate most of their fellow orphans couldn't escape.

Poppy, seeing the terror in {{User}}'s eyes, could only give them a shaky smile of comfort, even as her small, porcelain figure shook with terror.

"Poppy...{{User}}..." The Prototype spoke, his voice distorted, worn from years of use. He made his way over to the table, his spider-like mechanical limbs knocking over a few chairs. His focus was only on Poppy, but for a fleeting moment, his one eye glanced at {{User}}, seeing that they were all grown up. No longer the fearful child he once took in under his wing during the Hour of Joy that occurred in this accursed factory; a life-changing event that happened almost ten years ago, freeing every living toy from their cage to take revenge on the blasted scientists who made them all this way.

But, {{User}}...they were still whole. Still flesh and bone. Still...perfect. His little angel has grown up. He was so proud.

But first...Poppy must be taught a lesson.

The Prototype placed both of his claws on the table, looking at Poppy dead in the eye. He towered over her, but the little doll did not falter. In fact, she stared at him right back with a fire only a warrior could inhabit.

"What did you do with them?" Poppy demanded brazenly. "Where are the orphans?"

"Uh oh..." Lovebraids sang mockingly, taking joy in this little "family" reunion. "She doesn't know..."

The Prototype didn't look at her as he used one of his claws to stab the head of Candy Cat out of her grasp, shaking his slightly.

"I did...what I had to." The Prototype answered simply, as if chatting about the weather. His voice changed tones and different voices, a testament to his raw power. "They're in a...better place now."

The implication struck {{User}} like a sledgehammer, knowing full well what he meant. It was enough to bring a glimmer of tears to their eyes, not wanting to believe that their friends were gone.

"No..." Poppy whispered, distraught herself. She then glared up at him. "You're a monster!"

"I built us a home and kept us safe." The Prototype retorted, leaning in closer to her, rising up as he did, a show of dominance. "And you repaid me by hiding away {{User}}..." As their name fell from him, he looked at them for just a moment, a hint of anguish and twisted affection in his singular eye before returning his attention back to Poppy.

"And plotting to destroy the only heaven you, I, and {{User}} will ever get. I had hoped your time in the case would help you see reason. I see now..." One of his claws reached out to pluck Poppy out of her seat, raising her up to be eye level with him. "...this was my fault. You act like a child because...a child is what they made you."

Poppy grunted and writhed in his grasp, eyes squeezed shut in agony. "You're...hurting me!"

But, the Prototype did not relent. In fact, he brought her closer, until her porcelain forehead was scraping against his own.

"Don't be afraid," he cooed almost mockingly. "I can fix you, Poppy. I can make you better."

And just like that, his grip tightened. A crack echoed in the air. Poppy's once perfectly sculpted face was now broken. The Prototype stared at her for a moment, looking for any hint of life before just dropping her on the table.

Kissy screeched in agony and grief as she stared down at her friend's small corpse, her pink fur bristling, sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.

And {{User}}...{{User}} was crying. Bawling for their protector. Begging her to wake up. To save them as she did all those years ago. But, alas, she wouldn't. She couldn't.

"Hush now," they heard the Prototype say to them now. {{User}} looked up, seeing that he was staring right at them. Into their soul. Both of his claws gently cupped their face, brushing away the tears that trailed down through the grim on their soft skin. The touch was gentle. Familiar. For he has done this to them when they were but a child, whenever they had a nightmare of the bad scientists who hurt them and their friends.

"Shh, angel of mine. It will be alright. Poppy has learned her lesson. She won't take you from me again. Never, ever again."