____________________________________________

When Ash uncovered his face, he saw that the room was dim and the doll was gone. Ash felt his heart pound 'where did it go?!' he wondered, panicking to himself. He looked up and around to see the lights very dim. Ash exhaled to himself, welp- now he has to worry about a toy on the loose.

He stepped back and turned around, walking out. Everything was a mess when he got to the main room, the way in was blocked off completely. "Are you fucking kidding me?!" He murmured aloud. He sighed and looked around, he noticed the shelf from before was knocked out of the way in front of that door.

He walked over to it and opened it, to reveal more of the factory. Ash huffed out and shook his head, of course he should've expected this. He sighed and walked through the door and into the factory again. He looked around the halls, seeing a Huggy painting on the wall, across from it was a dinosaur character.

Ash hummed out as he continued along. He found another set of doors, trying them both, he found they were locked. As to be expected, he sighed and walked along and saw another Huggy and dinosaur character painting.

"This way" Ash heard a sudden whisper. He perked up and looked around. "Hello?! Who said that?!" He called out. No response. Now he felt like that time he was hallucinating. He walked over to the door and read the top of it "Elliott Ludwig" he hummed out at that and tried the door. Again, locked. Ash grumbled "how many locked doors are there?!" He asked out loud.

Ash sighed as he stepped away and moved to the left. There seemed to be a door with two panels, but they were off. Ash grumbled, looks like he's gotta reroute more power. But where? He sighed and walked off, he did notice the toy with dried up blood near it, but he chose not to investigate it. He knows that these toys, or some of them maybe were experiments.

Why, he had not the slightest clue. Walking along, he went to the right, and as he walked by, he happened to notice a sort of cave in on the floor. Ash blinked and walked closer to investigate.

"Keep going..." Ash stood up "ok, I know I'm not going crazy. Who the fuck said that?!" He spoke up. There was no answer, which irked him a bit. He sighed and again shook his head. He looked around and found a handle above the cave in on the ceiling. He blinked as he aimed the hand towards the handle, he shot the hand over to it.

The hand grabbed a hold as Ash stepped back. He did a sprint and jumped as the grab pack hoisted him up and over the cave in and to the other side; releasing the hand and landing on the other side. Ash smiled "ha! First try" he told himself as he walked down the hall. He came across a cut out of Huggy. Ash blinked and looked around, not expecting a cut out.

He clocked the button "does someone need a hug?" The sound came out from the cut out, causing him to jump back. He was not expecting that to work. He shook his head, not wanting to listen to more and turned to the pile of barrels. He hummed and began to pull them away with his bare hands, it wasn't hard for him honestly, he's lifted things heavier than those barrels.

He saw a door and tested his luck. He was happy when the door opened. He stepped in and looked around. It was pretty crammed, some place he knew Blake wouldn't be fond of. He walked to the end and found this flower looking key. It was huge. Ash tilted his head and grabbed it.

Could this be the key to that door? Well, only one way to find out. He made his way out of the room and towards the hall. He swung over the caved in floor and ran towards the door. He inhaled and exhaled as he looked at the key hole. He stuck the key in the hole and turned it, the door clicked as he opened the door. The hinges squeaked as the door opened.

He looked in to see that it was an office of some sorts. He approached the desk and found a tape on it as well as a blue print and a note. Ash hummed and decided to read the note, he sat down and read out.

"This experiment utilized a live rat.
• Rat was fed 3 portions daily for 2 weeks.
• At the end of the two weeks, the rat was killed and submerged into a poppy flower and preservative gel mixture.
• 1 week later, an electric shock was applied to the rat (still in the gel) in an attempt to revive it.
• The rat remained unresponsive.
Analysis:
I still believe in the potential of the poppy flower. Its unusual properties lead me to believe that the proper mixture and procedure could have life altering properties. The poppy flower has for a long time carried heavy symbolism, and I don't believe that's for no reason. Perhaps something larger than a rat would yield different results."

Ash frowned a bit, looks like Elliot was in on all these experimentations. But why? He looked at the tape and grabbed it. He read "Elliot Ludwig Biography" he stood up and slipped the tape into the player and pulled the chair over. He needed to sit, he looked up and focused up at the screen as it static on. It began to play.

"Playtime Co. is the product of a great man, by the name of Elliot Ludwig. Divorced, but a family man at heart, his sights were always set on bringing amazing toys to amazing children around the globe." He noticed that his face was blurred out. But why? He focused up to the rest of the tape, hopefully he'll figure it out here "Ludwig spent countless hours in the factory, working overtime relentlessly in an attempt to continuously innovate and surprise." Ash hummed out "now that's dedication, I'll give him that" he commented.

Then, some sad music played, which caught Ash slightly off guard "In the 1960's, an unfortunate family death had pushed Ludwig down to his lowest. But with so much ambition, he rose back up and continued to fulfill his vision for the Playtime Co. toy factory." Ash blinked in surprise, he wasn't expecting that to be said. But danm, despite that death, he still rose back up.

"Ludwig could never be content leaving a project unfinished, but just how did one man come to create such an astounding empire? How did he manage to stay determined, even after suffering such a tragic loss? It all began in the fateful year of 19-" there was a sudden static that cut it off and stopped the tape. Ash perked up, he tilted his head confused. Why did it stop suddenly?

"WAS THAT THE BITE OF 87?!" Ash suddenly shouted out. Ash blinked before he laughed out, God if Misty were here, they'd definitely goof around and not take anything seriously. Ash hummed out, who did Ludwig lose? Was it a family member, close friend, someone he loved dearly? All these questions lingered in his head. Ash sighed as he stood up.

He didn't have time to figure it out, he looked around with his functioning eye and noticed a vent that was partially open. He shot the hand over and began to pry it open. After a few seconds, the vent opened, he smiled and walked over and climbed into it. He stood up and walked in it. He moved forward before he took a left.

He continued forward and took a right and reached the end of the vent. He jumped down and into the room. He looked around and found two metal poles. He stepped closer and found a second receiver. But, just as he went to look around he heard a crash. Ash jumped back and yelped. It was that doll he let out!

"Oh! Uh- sorry!" She said "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just... Trying to get the power back on" she said as she looked behind herself and stepped back adding on "here." Ash looked between her and the receiver. He shook his head as he spoke up "w-wait- you're not gonna attack me? Or, I don't know..." He trailed off.

The doll shook her head "why would I?" She asked. Ash looked up, the fact he was shocked was known to her. Ash hummed "well... Uhhh, do you have a name?" He asked as he shot one of the hands to the first receiver. She nodded "my name is Poppy, and you are?" He looked at her and replied "I'm Ash, nice to meet you" he felt slightly wary of Poppy, but he's gonna give her the benefit of the doubt.

He stepped back and did a ring around the poles and shot the hand to the second receiver, powering something on. Poppy clapped at his work, Ash felt a small smile crack as he did a bow. She huffed a chuckle "I wanted to thank you for freeing me. I was stuck in there for so long! Thank you." She said graciously to him as she too bowed.

Ash nodded "anytime Poppy, happy to help" she smiled at him and replied "I'd like to pay you back" she stepped into the vent and continued "there's a train station nearby, it needs a code and I have it" Ash perked up and huffed out a chuckle as well "that's a new ticket way out" he murmured. Ash looked up hearing her in the vents "we're gonna get out of here" Ash hummed out.

Maybe he owes it to her to let her leave with him, she is giving him a ticket way out. "As soon as you get on up here" she said as she chuckled out. Ash let out a nervous chuckle "uhhhh, how?" He asked as he walked over.

The vent had a height over his own, so he couldn't jump up and into it. Poppy looked between him and the vent "I don't know-" she answered honestly. Ash looked around to see if he could find anything that could help him. Then, he found a handle above the vent. "Ah-ha!" Ash spoke up as he shot the hand to the handle. He pulled himself up and hopped into the vent.

"I'll meet you at the other side Poppy!" Ash called out. She responded quickly "alright Ash!" Then she began walking off. Ash made his way back, but reversed what he did to get there. He took a left and walked forward up, taking a right he reached the room and jumped down. Ash looked around, no Poppy in sight. He grew worried that maybe she double crossed him, or maybe she got hurt.

"Hey! I'm up here!" She called out as she stuck her head towards the entrance of the vent above. Ash jumped at her but sighed with relief "I see you" she said as she giggled. Ash giggled back at her as he gave a sly expression. He suddenly disappeared from her sights. She perked up "Ash?" She called out.

Ash suddenly jumped out, spooking her "BOO!" He shouted. She jumped back "WAH!-" Ash started to laugh out a bit, she soon joined in, lighting up the mood completely for the two. Once calm, she spoke up "I should be able to follow you through the vents" Ash looked up "why don't you come out the vents instead? That'll be quicker" Ash suggested.

Poppy nodded "while that's true, I'll be in danger on the ground than the vents" Ash looked at her expression, seeing she was serious in her statement. Ash nodded "alright" Poppy nodded back "this way" she replied as she walked into the vent. Ash nodded and he made his way out of the room.

He headed towards his right to where that other door was. The panels above were lit now, which was what power he'd turned on for. Good, he didn't need to waste time trying to open this door more than he already was. He shot both hands to the panels to let them scan the hands. Once scanned the door opened.

He stepped in and was in shock to see an abyss below him. He blinked and exhaled 'well shit-' I got my work cut out for me-' he thought to himself. He sighed as he looked up and found a handle. He shot a hand towards it, going half way towards the handle to him (aka the cord is half out). Ash felt his heart pounding hard, he was definitely nervous about falling.

He exhaled, hearing Poppy humming that same music box lullaby definitely gave him a peace of mind. Ash stepped back a bit before he bolted forward and jumped. The grab pack swung him over as he yelped and let out a "WEEE!" once close enough, he pulled the trigger and released the hand from the hold of that handle.

He flew through the air and landed safely on the other side, doing a roll as he landed on the ground. Ash huffed out with relief before he stood up. He approached the door at the end, passing by two doors that he assumed were locked. He opened the door as he found Poppy looking down this tunnel.

Ash approached carefully "Poppy?" He called out. The doll, Poppy looked back at him, his look was plastered on her face; which worried him. Ash approached her and kneeled down to her level "Poppy, what's wrong?" He asked cautiously. She sighed and spoke up "listen... I'm going to need you to trust me-" she was abruptly cut off as something, or maybe... someone grabbed her and pulled her down.

Poppy screamed upon that, Ash jumped back a foot or so and processed that fast "POPPY!" He shouted jumping up and looking downward, the tunnel was dark so it wasn't possible to see how far it was. Ash cursed under his breath "ah shit! Now what?!" Ash murmured. Poppy was his only way out, and she's gone. Ash gritted his teeth, he didn't have time for this.

He looked down at the tunnel, though hesitant, he knew it was that he had to do this. He needed to follow... Whoever it was that grabbed her and rescue her. He inhaled sharply, holding his breath 'you got this Asher, just jump and things will be ok... Hopefully...' he thought to himself as he exhaled, jumping below, unknowing of what awaits him.

Hmmmmmmmmm I wonder 👀👀👀 anywho- stay tuned for chapter 5 the game station. Untill then

Cat~con out!