Chapter 1 - Leaving the Toy Chest
A short and slim arctic fox, with her beautiful white peacock tail trailing behind her, was casually walking through the stone halls of a castle, the castle in which most of the inhabitants of World's Toy Chest lived. Those who didn't live in the castle lived in spread out villages around the castle itself.
The fox/peacock's blue eyes were filled with boredom, as her head sulked a bit as well. The only thing ruining her flawless white fur and tail was her PipBud, which was clasped on her left foreleg.
"Hey, Bella!" a familiar voice called, and the said white fox turned to find an anthropomorphic pink squirrel imaginary friend with a pink bow approaching her. It was Fluffer Nutters, Bella's only real friend in the whole place.
"Hi, Fluff. What's up? Something wrong with your PipBud?" Bella asked with a smile, looking at Fluffer Nutters' PipBud on her right wrist.
"No, just thought I'd walk with you for a bit. I've needed the exercise since Jackie and I've been trying," Fluffer Nutters admitted, turning her focus forward like Bella.
"Oh, yeah? How's that working for you?"
"Not good, mostly because of our totally different DNA. Who knew it was so hard for imaginary friends to start families?"
"I certainly didn't, and I still don't. Not to seem rude, but I think I'll avoid the family life."
"That's too bad. You'd make a great mom."
"Oh, how dare you?" The two girls got a good chuckle out of that.
"But for future reference, you think you could at least babysit for us?" Fluffer Nutters questioned, interrupting their laughter.
"Hmmm…I doubt it," Bella began with a hum, but then she smiled, "But for you, I'll think about it."
"Thanks, Bell. I've gotta go now, got dinner waiting in the oven. Thanks for the walk!" With that, the pink squirrel exited through a door in the hall.
"No problem!" Bella called after Fluffer Nutters shut the heavy wooden doors, and she was alone again when the echo of the door shutting traveled down the halls.
"Good luck on that family."
That night, Bella was waiting up in her office for her shift to end; being a PipBud Technician, nothing ever happened these days. But to get the wages she needed in this perfect little community, she had to wait another half hour in her boring office before her shift ended.
"It's a small world, after all…iiit's a small world, aaafter aaaall…" Bella sang dryly, slouching in her swivel chair and resting her head on her desk, staring blankly at her toolbox.
"You know, you're almost as good a singer as me." Bella's head immediately perked up upon the all-too familiar voice. And there she was standing in the doorway, a rather small imaginary friend with an hourglass figure, dark purple fur, little feathery tufts atop her head, and the most adorable eyes. Berry Sweet. She was the famous singer of World's Toy Chest, the most beloved of all in fact, because of her melodic and gentle voice, as well as her kind nature. Point is, everyone in World's Toy Chest tuned into the radio on their PipBuds to listen to Berry's songs(which was all they were really used for these days), and Bella was no exception.
I can't believe it! Berry, the sweetest girl and best singer, is in MY office! I am not worthy of her presence! Bella screamed in her head, but she kept quiet on the outside.
"B…Berry? W-what are you doing here?" Bella stuttered when she found her voice; though, she failed to hide her surprised expression, making Berry giggle.
"I needed some help. You're a PipBud Technician, right?" Berry asked politely, stepping further into the office and quickly glancing down at her PipBud on her right wrist.
"Y-yes, I am, Ma'am," Bella quickly informed while jumping down from her seat.
"Oh, please, you don't need to be so formal."
"Oh, right…sorry."
"Don't be. I'm the one barging into your office on such short notice. I bet you're extremely tired, and here I am preventing you from going home just yet."
Bella was utterly panicking inside when she saw the shameful expression on Berry's face. She wanted her of all people the feel the most welcome.
"Believe me, Berry, my door is always open to you," Bella reassured sincerely.
"Really? Well, that's good to hear," Berry sighed with relief, and then she raised her PipBud into view, "It's chafing my wrist really badly, and it's really hard to focus on writing my new song."
That's right, she's releasing a new song next week, Bella thought with realization, and she grabbed the special keys, the only kind that can unlock PipBuds, from her toolbox to unlock, and Berry's soon popped right off with ease.
"Don't worry, I can help with that. I'll take it off and have it all spiffed up for you by midnight tonight," Bella informed with a bright smile.
"No, no!" Berry exclaimed, but quickly cleared her throat when she realized she raised her voice, "N-no, that won't be necessary. I need to put some salve on this and rest it for the night…just have it back to me by tomorrow afternoon, ok?"
"Sure thing, Berry. I'm happy to be of service," Bella chimed, just barely catching herself from giggling like a school girl.
"I'm sure you are. Thank you berry much." And with that, Berry disappeared out of the office, allowing Bella to jump around with joy and whisper-cheer "Yes!" once she was gone.
The next morning, Bella was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with Berry Sweet's PipBud in her mouth; she had been up late polishing and refurbishing it to make sure it was perfect for Berry's next show, even just sitting and admiring the star's trademark "B. Sweet" carved into it.
But Bella couldn't be more happy as she skipped to Berry's room, which was the second highest in the castle(next to World's). But as soon as she rounded a corner, she felt the need to pause in her tracks when she saw the large crowd of civilians and guards standing outside of Berry's room.
"How did this happen?!"
"How could she do this?!"
"I bet she had help!"
Bella felt more and more enticed as the terrified conversations went on, even as she slowly approached it.
"BERRY SWEET'S GONE, AND NOW WE'LL NEVER HEAR HER SWEET VOICE AGAIN!"
It struck Bella like a stake to the chest.
Berry's…gone? Bella thought with paranoia.
"There's nothing we can do! Her PipBud was removed!" a guard called out, only panicking the crowd even more, but no one was more scared than Bella now.
She looked down at the PipBud in her mouth…she was tricked into removing it, and now she would be impossible to find without it!
Bella didn't know what to do next, other than to run and hide. And so, she did.
Word of Berry Sweet's escape traveled very quickly throughout all of World's Toy Chest, as well as the even worse news that she tricked a PipBud Technician into removing her own PipBud. World was not happy with any of it.
"Good evening, everyone! I have some very bad news, in which I'm sure most of you are already aware of, but I'm sorry to say that our beloved star, Berry Sweet, is no longer with us!"
Everyone shrunk at the over-powerful voice of World, which he rarely used in the perfect world he created. But it was situations like these that he enlarged himself, due to the powers he was created with, and spoke with sternness and sorrow.
"And I'm sure you all probably know that she only escaped because she tricked a poor and innocent PipBud Technician into removing her PipBud! I want you to know that the action to leave my world was her choice, and as I've said before, the PipBud Technician is innocent! DO NOT blame her! For now, let us all hope and pray that Berry Sweet is still ok, and that she may one day return!"
No one was more scared to listen to World than Bella, as she was curled up in her bed into a tight ball and hugging Berry's PipBud tightly.
"Oh…damnit, Berry, why did you do it?" Berry grumbled, but she wasn't the slightest bit angry at the said singer. She threw her blankets off and sat up, observing Berry's PipBud closely.
"I don't understand, Berry…we all loved you…didn't you love us?" Bella was beginning to cry, and so she wiped her eyes and nose with her blankets. "Any other way, it's my fault…I let this happen…and now, because of me, you're probably d…"
Bella couldn't bring herself to speak the last word, and instead only wiped more tears away and sniffled. So, she tried to take her mind off of it all and go back to focusing on Berry's PipBud.
One horizontal dial on the left allowed the user to move the arrow on the bottom from side to side through options, and another vertical dial, also on the left, allowed the used to move a separate arrow to move up and down files. Berry's files were mostly filled with songs, old and new, complete and barely half finished, and Bella's curiosity grew more as she scrolled through more files.
"Wow…I wonder if she sings with herself in the shower," Berry wondered aloud with a smirk, but then she froze on a certain file that was entitled "Override Code."
Bella hoped it wasn't a new song, as she didn't want to spoil it, but she selected the file anyway. It turned out to by an audio file.
"The override code for the door to World's Toy Chest is Zombie Fighters," a feminine voice announced, and Bella only shook her head when she couldn't believe what she just heard.
"The override code? How the hell does Berry have this?" Bella whispered with shock, thinking about the door that kept everyone from leaving World's Toy Chest.
Everyone knew it was literally the only entrance and exit to World's Toy Chest, but it was nearly impossibly to get through at all. For one, it was the most heavily guarded place in the entire toy chest. And two, the metal door was thick and heavy, and the only way to unlock it was to a specific password…and apparently, an override code as well.
Everyone also never even thought to leave, as they believed that there was basically nothing on the other side. Just a black void that you would fall through for all eternity.
"But what if it's not?" Bella asked herself, knowing Berry was much smarter than that, and that she wouldn't leave if she knew there was nothing out there. And even if there is something out there, how would Berry survive all alone?
She can't…and she's not going to, Bella pondered, making a very drastic decision.
Bella left the castle in the cover of night, after packing some food, water, and some of her PipBud Tools in case; anything else she needed would be taken care of by her PipBud.
She traveled much farther than she ever had in World's Toy Chest, believing she had traveled all the way around the world. But to her surprise, she didn't loop back around, and the door to the surface was completely unguarded, which was also quite shocking. You would think after Berry's dreaded escape, the guards would be more persistent to prevent anymore escapes.
But that wasn't the case. The door was completely unguarded.
Bella had never seen the entrance/exit before, and she was certainly surprised when she realized the door was blocking a slanted building that ran all the way up into the sky, making it almost impossible to see the top. There was also only a single computer, a large and square-shaped device that Bella heard rumors about technology like this from an era called the "90's."
But she didn't worry about that now. This computer was the only thing connected to the door, which meant it was the only thing to unlock it too.
"Ok, ok, let's see…" Bella mumbled quietly while sitting at the computer and recalling the override code, slowly repeating the numbers aloud as she typed it in.
"Oh please, please, please, pleeeaaase work," Bella prayed after hitting enter, and she clasped her paws together and closed her eyes tightly, and her prayers were immediately answered with the computer dinged and the door whirred loudly.
Soon, a large clunk filled the air and steam emitted from within the cracks of the door, which creaked with ear-scraping metal as it opened slowly. Dust was also falling from the edges of the door, making Bella finally question the last time it was opened.
But to Bella's dismay, a siren was soon blaring and echoing for miles around, most likely alerting the guards and World.
"Guards, close that door and stop her immediately!" World's voice boomed overhead, but Bella couldn't see him anywhere, "You there, stop right there! Don't even think about going through that door!"
"But I have to!" Bella protested with a shout.
"No, you don't…it's Bella, right?"
"Yes, that's my name, but how do you know I can't bring back Berry Sweet?!"
"Because it's IMPOSSIBLE! And if you leave, you'll NEVER be let back in!"
Bella nearly stumbled upon hearing that, realizing no one cared about her enough to search for her in a world of nothing.
"But I will bring her back. You'll see," the fox/peacock stated firmly, knowing World wouldn't hear her, and she jumped through the door and sprinted up the stairs before the guards reached her.
And then the door closed with a hiss.
Bella immediately stopped once the upwards staircase was now pitch black, as even her feline vision couldn't see in this kind of darkness.
"Yeah, this isn't darkness…it's advanced darkness," Bella couldn't help but chuckle, as she squinted to look for the light button on her PipBud. Soon, her PipBud glowed with a bright green aura, providing light all around her. But the sight before her was not pretty.
She gasped and jumped with she found long dead corpses of several people and imaginary friends scattered about, all seeming to have been doing to same thing of trying to get down the stairs and into World's Toy Chest…which some obviously weren't so fortunate.
But Bella shook off the goose bumps and continued to walked up the old stone stairs, this time much slower, and she soon came up to a smaller entrance than the one at the bottom of the stairs. It was covered by a thick board, so Bella reached up and pushed with both paws.
First of all, Berry is still Berry, I just added "Sweet" to make it more interesting. Hope that's ok with you. And second, the voice on the audio file is actually Frankie, just in case you were curious.
But what will happen to Berry and Bella now?
Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!
