Disclaimer: I don't own Poppy Playtime (Video Game). I don't own the picture (cover). Or the song if I put one in.

(qwertuno and SilentReadersMatter)

(Based on the idea if the Player actually went back to Mommy instead of running away.)

(Hope you enjoy.)

She opened the gate by a hidden switch. The female mascot glowered down at the human, so sure they would die at the last of the children's hands. The other two had failed, but she had forgiven them. What kind of parent would Mommy be if she inflicted any cruelty on the poor little thing? She chose then to make her grand entrance as the ex-employee walked in, their eyes more guarded and cold than before this encounter. It took her back by a bit. This human had no emotions. They didn't speak. They were essentially a living puppet under Miss Poppy's spell.

The ex-employee switched on the tv to listen to whatever it had to say. Like the others, the same voice repeated the introductions for the game. They mostly did it to annoy Mommy. Even they had a childish streak to them. It just wasn't often that they showed it.

"Welcome to Statues. This advanced obstacle course is designed to test your physical endurance and strength. The rules are simple, the lights will turn off, you can move through the obstacle course at this time. However, when the lights turn on, you can look around, but cannot move. You may move again once the lights turn back off."

The caterpillar mascot they had send a cutout of appeared through a vent. He looked oddly cute. The ex-employee would've taken him for an alley if they didn't know his affiliation with Mommy. Speaking of the devil, she banged on the wall impatiently, waiting for the tape to end.

"The loveable PJ Pugapillar will follow you! If PJ reaches you, your test is over. That's all, good luck!"

She seemed to beam with excitement as she climbed on the glass. The ex-employee still felt no fear as she grinned at them with a sinister look in her eyes. They let lost their emotions years ago. And they hadn't felt anything in years. The caterpillar mascot seemed to sense their sentiment, giving the ex-employee a convent look before Mommy noticed. It was only for a second, but it was enough for the ex-employee to know that someone cared.

"It was always so sad to see the kids go. They called me mommy because I was the closest thing they ever had to one. But they'd come for games, and never come back. They left Mommy to die alone. Mommy didn't deserve that. But you... You worked here, so if anyone deserves to die alone, it's you."

Probably true, but they weren't planning to just yet. The gate opened, and they sprinted in the darkness away from the monster chasing after them. He followed behind, his form quicker than it looked at a first glance, the ex-employee running for their life. They didn't want to be caught and possibly killed.

Just. Keep. Going.

The game was harder than they anticipated. Whoever thought that statues would be fun was a prick. In the ex-employee's book, they were borderline insane. How did having a giant canine caterpillar chasing out in the darkness even count as fun? It was downright creepy. They were frightened, maybe even terrified.

If I fail this, then I'll actually listen to Poppy for once if we reunite. She may babble, but she has a point of how dangerous these toys are.

They had to imagine how the children felt when they had endure this game to get through to the next level. God, it must've been traumatising for them. They recalled a brief recording where the children screamed in PJ's presence, the mascot having lesser control of himself back than then he did whilst chasing the ex-employee. They kept looking back at the caterpillar mascot pursuing them. He kept moving everyone it went light and every time it went dark. They had no choice but to try and outrun him. Pressing a button on the grabpack, they sent it flying and the hand curled around a nearby ring.

I need to get a few metres between us.

They practically flew a decent amount of distance between themselves and PJ, the caterpillar looking mad as he freakishly moved all of his limbs in sync to curl around the beam and climb it. His placid smile staying in the whole time as he stayed at with a mix of bloodlust and amusement. He was enjoying this game, that much the ex-employee. Mommy simply watched with increasing glee as they became more exhausted. It had been days since they slept and hours since they had a chance to rest. With the rest of the toys hunting them, the ex-employee had to stay awake and alert to fight off any potential enemies.

I freaking hate this place.

They glared at the spider lady, wishing they could speak and curse at the mascot. She merely titled her head in a curious way, her entire form on the glass, climbing and making herself stick to it like a true spider would.

Why the hell is she called Mommy Long Legs if she's supposed to be a spider?

The ex-employee groaned as they made their way to the final yellow foam thing. They were about the carry on, then they saw the dead end. Turning around, they instantly knew Mommy planned this with the sharp grin and the psychotic colour of her eyes slowly being consumed by a greyish tint. She had cheated. She meant for the game to screw over the ex-employee. They needed a way out of this fast.

"....Hhhheeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhh..."

PJ's hungry hiss was the last thing to be heard before they sent the hand of the grabpack flying somewhere. Anywhere. Praying it would potentially help them out if this trap. Luck happened to be on their side as they went flying, their body colliding with the glass as it sent through it and onto the floor. They laid there in pain, some shards having gotten into their arms, legs, and even their stomach. Blood pooled from their wound as they stood up again. Glaring at the mouth agape mascots, the ex-employee limped to a hole they spotted, removing a chair and falling into it with ease. They had one thought before their vision started to blur. And the spider mascot would begin to hunt them as well.

Screw them.

***

That wasn't part of the plan.

They weren't meant to survive. She rigged it perfectly so that PJ would have his last meal of the day. And it would have been a human. It made the little so happy when he learned of the potential food source. He looked up, rather fearful of the consequences for failing Mommy's request at capturing the newest intruder in their domain.

"...They got away."

He tried backing into a hole to hide, but the spider mascot's pink hand caught him by his middle section. PJ internally cursed his long body as he was turned to face what he and the others called the beast. The one with silver eyes that had hurt them in the past. He couldn't speak, but he would fight to end if it meant trying defy death itself. They thought of Mommy as the devil. She pulled PJ to her blank frame with ease, the canine caterpillar mascot whimpering and clawing at anything to delay the inevitable. They were pulled to Mommy, her eyes dull and she did something that she hadn't in a long time.

"...It's okay, little one. You can relax."

Her hand began petting the mascot. PJ stiffened in her grip, waiting for the caress to turn into a hit. She always did this. It went from affection to abuse in a matter of minutes. He didn't calm down, his body trying to protect him from the hits that weren't coming.

"Mommy won't hurt you, PJ. Those days are long past. I did promise. You know Mommy doesn't break her promises."

That's what she always said. His body refused to relax in her grip, instead, PJ pushed and shoved Mommy as hard as he could. This greatly annoyed the paternal figure he had known, flipping PJ onto his back and looking him directly in the eyes. He couldn't speak, but he understood what she said every time.

"I know you didn't mean to lose them. You would've won if they hadn't cheated. Mommy will bring them back, PJ, but we did lose. We didn't predict their little window stunt. We have to keep our word of giving what they treasure the most back to them. The little doll and the blasted train code. I don't blame you in the slightest, little caterpillar. It wasn't your fault."

PJ's eyes narrowed, though he allowed his legs and body to relax. He saw nothing but affection and frustration in the green eyes assuring him that this wasn't a trick. Trusting the spider mascot was a lot harder than it seemed, though he did become putty in her grip once she found the spot behind his ear, and he went back to his regular self. He stared ahead of Mommy, not minding the bonding session as she smiled at the toy she considered one of her own trusting her at least. She only had to wait until Daisy wasn't around. She witnessed PJ's eyes becoming the green she loved seeing consume her own before he succumbed.

"That's it, give in to me. Become mine."

It was only to let him relax. Mommy had no intention of making him kill the other toys. She had a bad habit of punishing her children if they were to fail. And she tried holding herself back, she really did. But her host, the beast, and her instincts were too overpowering. She ended up swallowed by the darkness and the humane part of her woke to her children beaten and severely injured. And to witness her...adopted child shivering in fear beneath her frame, she felt something inside her shatter to pieces. Is this what the human felt like? She had only been wanting to play? If they had failed, then Mommy would've ended the game and given them another chance.

"This is going to be irritating."

Mommy hadn't completely lost her mind. She lowered PJ to the floor, admiring his peaceful form before she clung to the wall and went to the room she had last seen the person who went through their games. The darkness covered the hole. She would have to actually search for them.

"Guess I have to do this the old fashioned way. Scaring them to come out. It worked with the other adults. Why not them?"

It was time to find the human.

***

"Where did you go? The game is over, you won!"

Covered in dirt and grime, the ex-employee stirred from their fall. Eyes opening little by little, they stood with support from the wall with their actual hands. If they had to rely on them-self and not the grabpack exclusively, then it meant they were in trouble. They cried out mutely as they irritated the injuries. Cuts from the glass and bruises from the when they fell into the hole.

Just try not to think about it.

They didn't want to move. It hurt them too much. But they had to if they wanted to live. The ex-employee reluctantly pulled themselves up, limping down the hallway to whatever area may be coming up next. Mommy's shrill voice went straight through them, making the ex-employee want to the shoot for her to shut the hell up. If only their throat didn't have the scars. Their hand felt around their collarbone, then their neck. A soft sigh which would never be heard left them. At least they learn a good amount of sign language.

"Come back and Mommy will give you the code, pinky promise!"

The ex-employee couldn't even get up to the room anyway. They continued down the hall and saw a poster. On it was Mommy, a blue male version of her, and a baby version in the middle. The Long Legs family seemed happy. If that was the case, then why were they separated? Had the rest of them been sentenced to decommission? The ex-employee tried remembering, but they had no memory of the yellow or blue version of Mommy Long Legs.

They simply shrugged, dismissing this new discovery as just another weird coincidence. They yelped as they fell to the ground, holding their arms and sides to try and ease the pain. Their breath hitched as they tried breathing in and out. Inhaling and exhaling to stay calm. Maybe the idea of going back to Mommy didn't seem too bad-

No, you can't, she's going to kill you.

-They'd need to make it on their own. They had last time. This area would be no different.

"Mommy knows the game is really hard, but Mommy has just decided you've won! Come back! Mommy doesn't like cheaters! The rules are so simple, you die, Mommy gets to watch! COME BACK TO ME!"

The ex-employee's body flinched from the shrill of the last sentence. They were seriously considering going back to her. It would make things easier for the both of them. She had kept her word when giving them parts of the train code. Even if she rigged it, they really had no other choice if they didn't want to die of blood loss. Though it would've been ironic if they died of something that was their own fault, instead of at the hands of the toys.

"AAARGH! HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME! I WILL FIND YOU, AND WHEN I DO, AND WHEN I DO...Where are you? WHERE ARE YOU?!"

She ended the messages with a trail of giggles. It slowly turned in to cackles as the intercoms turned off with a screech. Again, it went right through the ex-employee, and they closed their eyes as sleep tried to claim their mind. But if they closed their eyes for too long, then they would enter a permanent sleep. Never to wake up if the factory willed it so. The idea of going to back to Mommy stuck itself in their mind, annoying the ex-employee to no end. It seemed like the only option at this point. They slowly rose and put their hand on the wall, coughing out blood as their wounds continued to get worse by the bleeding and perhaps even becoming infected.

"MOMMY WILL GIVE YOU THE TRAIN CODE IF YOU SIMPLY RETURN TO HER! DO NOT RUN AWAY FROM ME!"

They froze, hands on their knees as they panted. The spider mascot's words were getting to them. Would she keep her word? They were tired of running from the toys anyway. Well, there was only one way to find out. They would return to Mommy, even if they died a fool. Their body shaking with nerves, they made their way back to the hole, shooting out one of the hands and watched it curl on to a nearby beam.

Time to see if I'll end up in hell.

***

Pulling themselves to the surface, the ex-employee gasped as their body endured more than it could with stiffness from climbing and sudden use of their  energy. The next sight sent a chill down their spine.

"They'll be here soon. Mommy will teach them a lesson."

Mommy clung to the wall in the game on all fours, she advanced towards them, each of her limbs, fingers, and even her hair stretching out, growing sharper, growing more spider-like in appearance. Her pupils expanded, becoming a silver ish colour with it taking up the whole of her eyes. The ex-employee banged a hand on the glass with the grabpack to let her know their location. Her silver eyes widened, and she transformed back to her usual self. Although her eyes remained a bit expanded with her not trusting them. That was understandable. They had ran away and then suddenly returned.

"...You're back. This was unprecedented."

Then she shot out a hand and grabbed them from the waist. The ex-employee fought to get out, but she brought them close to herself as she examined their wounds. Seeing Mommy up this close made them realise how giant she was, compared to them anyway. They were cursed with a tiny body. They hated their family's height and genetics.

"The little human in my hand. I could squeeze the life out of you. After all, you deserve to die alone. It really was a mistake to leave, little one. In a different timeline, we may have even been a family."

The ex-employee would rather die to Huggy a thousand times over than be related to the crazy mascot. They shot her a disapproving look, the spider mascot rolling her eyes and dropping them to the area below. PJ laid there right in front of the ex-employee as they landed on their back, crying in pain once more. The caterpillar sensed their sentiment again, offering his back to the ex-employee. They didn't think twice before climbing on. PJ Pug-A-Pillar scurried across the room on beams and the floor to get to the entrance matting. He went as far as the playground, allowing the ex-employee to climb off. They patted the canine caterpillar mascot almost instinctively, then freezing up and retracting their hand in fear of making the mascot mad from the touch.

Please don't kill me.

PJ merely barked before leaning into the palm on their hand. He didn't want to kill the human anymore if they were willing to not hit him like the others. The ex-employee hesitatingly rubbed their hand on PJ's fluffy crown, Mommy appearing behind them not even a minute later. When they turned around, the ex-employee tensed as she gave them a blank stare. Surprisingly, she referred to herself in the first person instead of the third. Maybe it was finally annoying her as it did them every time she did it.

"I'll give you credit, human. You beat my games and survived my little tests. Mommy promised you the train code if you came back. And she intends to keep her word!"

Mommy's hand offered a piece of paper to the ex-employee. Snatching it out of her hand, they determined the legitimacy before putting it in their pocket. Nodding their hands, the ex-employee looked down and fiddled with their actual hands. What would happen now? Would Mommy allow them to leave? Even if so, it didn't mean her children wouldn't return for some petty revenge. The spider lady seemed conflicted herself, reaching out to touch the ex-employee, then stopping once they flinched away from her hand. In the past, she had been trying to kill them.

"I've grown to care for you, human."

They looked at Mommy, intrigued by her words. Folding their arms, they indicated for her to keep going. If it lead somewhere good, then they wouldn't try and flee.

"You're the first to beat the games in years. And my...host wants you alive. That is why I proposed this little deal. If you lost, then the results would've been the opposite from now."

They already knew that from the get-go. As they considered her words, they felt a pressure against their abdomen. Peeking down, PJ had his head pressed against their side, seeking their hand as he on his back, clearly wanting more affection. They shrugged, complying with his wants and starting to rub his stomach in the wall they would with someone's pet. He seemed to enjoyed the gesture as his foot went up and he opened himself wider to their touch. They hadn't realised that they unconsciously turned their back to Mommy, and she took this opportunity to get too close for comfort.

PJ whined as he knew what she was doing. This human had been nice to him. It would be sad to see them go this soon.

"Time to sleep, human."

Mommy's hand covered their mouth, lifting the human close to herself. Her mouth opened, and she sunk her now perturbed fangs into their neck. Her venom began to spread everywhere in their body. Starting from the blood cells to their nerves, paralysis kicking before it went to their brain. Whatever chemicals she injected them with now made them sleepy. Mommy cradled them close in her arms, whispering sweet assurances and rocking them as if they were a child, maybe even a baby.

"It's okay. Mommy's here. Just let go. Sleep now."

She kept repeating those four things. Her venom then took affect, the grabpack slipping off the ex-employee and falling into the ground. They tried fighting the spider lady with little effort, all of it in vain as their eyes slid closed due to the exhaustion, their wounds, and the venom forcing them to give in. Their brain shut down, the ex-employee becoming oblivious to everything except the darkness. The sweet, sweet sound of sleep consumed them. They never felt Mommy moving around and carrying their form elsewhere.

"I really hope to never see you again."

They didn't know where she would take them next.

***

The next time they awakened, the ex-employee found themselves in the main area of the game station. Covered by a pink blanket, they noticed the colour before they huffed as the memories came back to them. Mommy practically poisoned them, only to spare their lives instead of killing the ex-employee right then and there.

Jesus Christ, man. I only want to solve this stupid freaking mystery.

They seriously envied these toys sometimes. They didn't have to deal with the human problems. The next decision on their shoulders was where to search for Poppy. It wasn't fair to leave her behind. She had been the one with the train code in the first place. It was the original plan to leave with the doll before they had been deterred by Mommy and her children.

I need a plan. Mother always said to have a plan B. Plan A failed. Plan B is to get the little thing and hopefully get out of here.

They had the train code, Mommy's permission to leave, and the satisfaction of knowing that they defeated these toys fair and square. They didn't see the eyes watching, but they spotted a golden glow before it disappeared. They sighed, a few plans forming in their mind. And now with their determination back, the ex-employee finally made the choice to enact on it.

Get the little doll. And then leave.

Now it was time to find Poppy. They really, really hoped that nothing else would try to interfere with their journey.