Chapter Text
A lie, everything was a lie
That paradise promised was a lie
Being part of something bigger was a lie.
… his whole life was a lie.
Just the pain was real, just the tears, the bad memories, the betrayal...
He felt ready to explode in anger.
They were all there, enjoying, laughing, playing… even… him. His teeth tightened.
“You deserve better of what HE offers you, Catnap” were the final words Delight ever directed his way… now he understood the sour meaning of those words.
He always defended the Prototype, his god that filled his head of many promises, of many sweet nothings, of many dreams that he would accomplish once they were “free” … and free they were on such a small amount of time… then they had to learn to survive. And once his death came upon him, he thought he would have a dignifying end, that he would be a part of the Prototype, that the promises would be accomplished…
And he ended here…
Seeing all of them here… seeing that guy here… sour memories appeared and before he could stop them, tears appeared one after the other running his cheeks.
The laughs were in the air, present, but something made the only dog among them to turn his head, freezing at the sight. His sudden lack of words alerting the rest of his friends. One by one stopped watching the lone figure far, far from them, more than one gasping at the sight
“what the hell is he doing here?!” the rough voice of the green rabbit cut the air
The others, being as stunned as Dogday, weren’t able to talk, but seeing the purple cat there… fear struck all of them, and Hoppy, even if afraid herself, was more than aware that it wasn’t comparable to others in the place. But her major concern was Dogday out them all. She knew it was him the monster was looking at; So she prepared to do what it would take to protect him, but before she could think of putting herself in front of the pooch, tears appeared from Catnap’s eyes down his cheek, taking everyone aback.
Bubba perked a bit, noticing the light tremble in his body, and the angry tears… that were also sad?
Before they could say something, Catnap spun in his heels to walk away from them on a fast pace… as if being near of them bothered him.
“And don’t come back you freak!” Hoppy yelled, now more awake than ever.
“What is wrong with that monster?” asked Kickin finally, his body trembling slightly
“Not our problem at the moment, but we will have to be careful now that we know he is here” added Bubba raising up a bit his glasses.
“S-should we keep our game going?” timidly wondered the unicorn, nervously holding Bobby’s hand for comfort.
Bobby hummed thoughtful, she did felt something in her heart tugging watching the purple critter cry… but seems like he was trying to burn those bridges…
“Well, I say we get some snacks for now and call it a day” added Picky finally speaking, Bubba nodded to then gently pet DD’ shoulder making him jump.
“you ok, Day? We know that out of our all you must be the one the most affected… after all what you have told us…” the blue elephant shrugs casually, Dogday swallowed… he has been telling them slowly a few things they didn’t live enough to experience. But he hasn’t been able to tell them more details, since he has arrived relatively short time ago.
“Yeah… there is still a lot I have to tell you…” a deep sigh escapes his mouth as he observes his other friends.
“There will be plenty time for that, leader, for now let’s get those snacks, we all deserve a rest” the greenette added as she pulled D’s hand, all the critters walking towards the village.
“Well now we know why there was another house in the village” everyone looked at the pig “it’s a scratcher, we should have known”
“I always suspected” – interjected Crafty “but never though that he would come to his place…”
“Last time I saw him he was starving, and preferred to feed the minis and… me” added Dogday lowering his voice and head.
“The least he had to do, after all the things he did to you! I just hope everyone is being taken care of in the Save Haven…” Hoppy’s eyes go towards the sky as she is deep in thought, the others smiling sympathetically; some of them weren’t around when the rest of rebel toys could enter the haven, some ended up either finding death because of outside matters… or by HIM.
As they were going to the center of the village, Dogday couldn’t help but spare a last look to the place where Catnap came from… and wonder…
His thoughts got cut when he heard
“Maybe we could burn the house, that way we don’t have to worry about him coming back” Kickin would admit it, he was still afraid of the cat, specially when all he remembers is a lanky monster that would follow the Prototype like a lap dog… even more than the one that actually looked like one.
“Not even a chance” Bubba cut the trail of road of everyone, that looked at him confused “the area is too small and has too many grasses, if something goes wrong it could also compromise nearby houses like Dogday’s, and, depending where the wind blows, even burn trees that would spread fire to all the forest in a matter of seconds”
“Darn, there goes that plan” the green rabbit pouted.
“Just let it be for now, we will decide what to do after we have eaten… none of us were expecting to see him appear out of nowhere after all” while he trailed, Bubba took out his notebook and wrote a few things. The others only shrug and that is the end of it, though, in the head of certain pup, several ideas spin constantly recalling not particularly happy memories.
“I would never side with a monster like you and the Prototype!” he flinched…
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Catnap wanted to be as away from the critters as he could. Sitting on a nearby lagoon he sat to think what could he do… he wondered if delight had arrived to that place… they weren’t friend exactly, but he respected her for surviving that long by her own strength, just with Barb as her only weapon… he couldn’t help but smile a bit; it was mostly because of that that he didn’t went near her work zone, she was agile and certain when wielding Barb, but she didn’t just stop her drive that easily. Not even for him -another reason he used to ask the prototype not to send him to her that often, or the minis, considering some of them ended up being soup for them.
… the minis…
He would be a fat liar if he said he didn’t miss them, annoying as they were… they would cuddle and snuggle around him during hard times and particular cold nights… he just hopes they don’t get the bright idea of hunt each other or wander way too down on Sawyer’s territory; after all, the last he wants is that ball of yarn with feet to just come and eat them, he rolled his eyes thinking particularly on that…
He hoped, at least, if Poppy’ stupid angel was that good like what they seem, that they are able to kick Sawyer’s metalical butt.
“Now… I just have to think on what will I do from now on…”
It was going to be a long second life it seems… and he didn’t even know where to start…
“… Truth to be told…” he murmured to himself… tears appearing again… he hasn’t felt this alone since he… was abandoned at Play Co. by his parents… and later when he was rejected by everyone at Playcare… “I wish…” he couldn’t complete the phrase… it was stupid.
He already wished a friend before…
He though he found it on 1006…
He though he found one… in Dogday…
Just for them to be liars
Liars… LiaRS… LIARS… LIARS!!
Tightening his fist, he fast leans to take a rock and with all his fury launch it to the lake. The rock impacted the surface… then bounced and impacted again on the lake to finally sink in the water… he panted.
Even that outlet wasn’t enough…
“You said you were my friend” he muttered with batted breath, scrambling to get another rock and repeat the process “you said you would stay by my side!” and another rock “you said you cared!” and another one “liar, liAR, LIAR!!” the only thing the moon toy felt was rage and pain, at some point during his fit, he cut his hand and not even that stopped him.
“I would never side with a monster like you and the Prototype!”
Catnap was exhausted… not because of all the physical activity… not for how much his throat hurts… the worse that ached wasn’t his body… it was his heart… and after panting some… he fell sitting, his legs having given up on him… and the tears came back after that…
The only thing he could do was hug his legs and cry sourly…