This story takes place during the events of Poppy Playtime Chapter's 1 and 2. You do not have to read The Sun and The Warrior

Life goes on, and one should look ahead and not backward.

- Sonali Bendre

"Alright, this is the last one," a young woman said with a grunt as she lifted the heavy cooler onto the counter. Once it was on the counter, she gave a tired sigh.

Twenty-six-year-old Koa Philips was in town delivering some of her game to the local meat shop. The cold temperatures of fall had settled in and Koa was making her final deliveries before the first snows of winter arrived.

"Oh, thank you so much, Koa," a masculine voice said as he returned from a back room.

The owner of the shop, Julius Frye, was a tall, thin but well-built middle-aged man with golden brown hair that was starting to grey at the temples. He had a thick Walrus style mustache on his upper lip, and a strong jawline. His brown eyes were gentle and held wisdom and showed they were willing to share it, even if you didn't ask. Even though he wasn't related by blood, Koa saw the older man as an uncle, with him having grown up with and joined the military with her father. After a few years, he left the military to spend more time at home, but he and Koa's father's friendship never faded or faltered. Once he made it to the counter, he opened the cooler and gave a big smile at what he saw.

"Aw, yes, Koa! That's the finest cuts of wild boar I've ever seen," he praised.

He closed the cooler and carried it to the back room, and he came back with a basket filled with brown bags and jars for easier transportation and storage. Koa returned the smile at what she saw. She opened some of the bags and was happy to see fresh vegetables, dried herbs and flour. The jars had various jams and preserved fruits.

"Thank you so much, Jules," Koa said as she sniffed a bag that had dried basil, which made Julius chuckle.

After Koa placed the bag down, she groaned in discomfort and rubbed her back. Julius noticed and went around the counter to stand by her side.

"Your back again?" He asked gently, even though he already knew the answer.

Koa nodded, and Julius helped her over to a seat behind the counter to help her rest. Koa sighed as the tension in her back started to ease. Julius patted her shoulder in comfort before he returned to wrapping and storing the cuts of meat Koa had brought for him. After about half an hour, Julius returned to her side and saw her still sitting on the chair.

"Still hurts?" He asked surprised.Koa nodded.

"The pain never really goes away," she paused to sigh. "The pain only subsides enough that it's tolerable."

About ten years ago, Koa was savagely mauled by a bear while out hunting. The bear had ripped open her back so deep that her spine was exposed, and snapped the bones in her right arm, and the bones ripped through her skin. And the bear bit and clawed deep in several other places, but her back and right arm took the worst of the attack. By the time she reached the hospital, she was practically dead, but it was a miracle she survived at all. Now she lives with constant pain due to permanent nerve and muscle damage in her back, and her arm isn't as strong as it once was.

"Though," Koa thought out loud, "it could have been worse."

Julius hummed and nodded in agreement, but said nothing. He knew Koa didn't like to talk about it. Before the attack, Koa used to work part time at a toy factory known as 'Playtime Co.' While Koa laid in a coma in the hospital, the entire staff of the factory disappeared without a trace. When Koa awoke from her coma three weeks later, she was bombarded by the media, not only for the bear attack, but also questioned about the staff of Playtime disappearing. After her family and detectives forced the media out, she was questioned if she knew about anything in the factory. Only Koa had no answers as she had only worked for the factory for barely two months, and she was just a cashier at the toy shop, and she visited the on-site orphanage while she worked there. She never noticed anything suspicious. After nearly a year of investigating, and several detectives and police officers disappearing as well, Playtime Co. became a restricted area and the investigations were closed.

Even months after leaving the hospital, the media would not relent on Koa for answers, and even questioned why she didn't go back to the factory to look for her co-workers. It was after her father got involved with his military authority that the media stopped harassing the teenager for answers.After a few more minutes, the pain finally subsided enough for her to walk again. With Julius' help, Koa stood up and made her way back around the counter. As she got around the front to grab her basket, Julius stopped her.

"No, no, no. I'll get this," he insisted.

"Thanks, but I can carry it. It's not as heavy as the coolers," Koa insisted in return.

"Koa, you literally just recovered from an attack. You shouldn't lift right now."

Koa made a move to protest, but she gave a designated sigh. She knew he was right.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Anything for Preston's little girl," Julius said with humor in his voice, which caused Koa to chuckle.

"I'm not a child anymore," Koa said with faked irritation. "Daddy's been treating me like a fragile porcelain doll since I came home from the hospital when I was a baby. It got worse after the bear attack. I don't need you treating me like a doll, either. I'm just glad he didn't treat me different from my brothers when it came to training."

"Preston knows how strong you really are, Koa," Julius said as he picked up the basket. "He knows you can kick any man's ass with one hand tied behind your back. Especially your brothers' asses."

Both of them burst out laughing.

"In all seriousness," Julius said after calming down, "you survived not only a bear attack, but also premature birth. Shenandoah named you well."

"Mom named me that because she said I have a 'warrior's spirit,'" Koa said as she opened the front door, which she held open so Julius could walk ahead.

"She's not wrong."

Koa gave an amused chuckle as she unlocked her black 2005 Chevy Silverado truck. She opened the back passenger door so Julius could place the basket in her truck. Once the basket was in the truck, she shut the truck door.

"I'll go get your coolers, Koa," Julius said as he turned back into the shop.

Koa nodded in acknowledgement and moved to her trunk and unlocked and opened it. After barely two minutes, Julius and another employee of the shop came out of the shop, each holding two coolers, which they placed in the trunk of the truck.

"Thanks again, Julius. And thank you, Ethan," Koa said to the men.

"You're welcome," they said in union.

Ethan, a young man a few years older than Koa, with dark brown hair and a full facial beard, smiled as he turned around and returned to the shop.

"You know, Koa, I'm sure Preston wouldn't mind if you and Ethan shared a meal," Julius said, a slight tease in his voice.

"Not you too," Koa said with annoyance as she shut the trunk. She turned and walked towards the driver's side door.

"Koa, your older brothers are married with families of their own. You're at the age where you could start a family," Julius said, defending himself.

"I was hoping to enjoy the next few weeks without that lecture," Koa said.

"Sorry, but while your parents are out of state, your father asked me to make sure you had someone to rely on," Julius said, again in a defensive tone. "He named me your godfather, after all."

Koa sighed. "It's appreciated. Really. But I'm an adult. Mom and Daddy, and you, taught me everything I know."

Julius nodded. "I'm serious, Koa, if you need anything at all, you are to tell me."

"Yeah, and I will," Koa said as she opened her truck and hoped in, pulling the door shut as she sat down.

"Thanks again, Jules."

Julius slapped the hood of her truck a few times in acknowledgement with a nod, and stepped back so she could drive home. He watched her drive off with a smile on his face.

….

The drive was quiet. Driving through a trail between the trees was smooth. Fortunately, it was still an hour before sunset, so Koa had some time to relax a while before dinner and her evening chores. Once her cabin came into view, she was surprised to see a delivery truck pulling out of her driveway. With the truck coming her way, she pulled over slightly to give the truck space to leave. The driver waved his hand in thanks before driving off.

"That's odd," Koa thought out loud. "I'm not expecting any deliveries."

She finished the drive to her cabin, put her truck in park, shut it off, and exited the vehicle. Before she climbed the steps to her porch, there was in fact, a manilla envelope by her door. She climbed the steps up her porch and approached the envelope. Upon looking at the return address table, she froze.

"What the…"

She couldn't finish her sentence. There at the opposite corner of the return address lable was the logo of her former workplace: Playtime Co.

No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected.

- Julius Caesar