This scene is a deleted scene from Rise of the Fallen Moon. It takes place right after the chapter Vindication, but before the final chapter, Veracity - Rise of the Fallen Moon of the story The Dawn Before the Fall.


To be angry is to let others' mistakes punish yourself

- BUDDHA


Koa was pacing around the medical room. She was struggling to comprehend what Poppy had told her and the others.

DogDay was still comforting Kissy Missy, whose anxiety only skyrocketed after learning about the dangers they were about to face. DogDay's own anxiety was starting to climb. Even CatNap was trembling slightly in fear.

CatNap still had the porcelain doll in his paw, who watched as the young woman paced.

Koa's breathing started to pick up. All of a sudden, she yelled and started punching the wall in a fit of rage.

"Angel!" DogDay and CatNap yelled at the same time while Kissy's paws went to her mouth in shock.

DogDay stood up and carefully approached Angel's side, who didn't notice him until he embraced her from behind.

Even though she stopped punching the wall, she continued to scream in frustration. Slowly, DogDay sat down with her and held her tight, careful not to hurt her and so she wouldn't hurt herself.

After a few minutes, she finally calmed down, DogDay loosening his hold on her, though he didn't release her yet.

"Angel, I-" Poppy started before Koa cut her off.

"Don't!" Koa yelled as she brought her hands close to either side of her head in anger. "Just don't!"

Koa took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

"You don't call her that, Poppy," CatNap growled angrily.

"You've caused enough trouble," DogDay said angrily.

"I was just-" Poppy tried again, but was cut off again.

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Koa yelled, though she refused to make eye contact with Poppy. "This isn't the first time you've lied! You said CatNap was the last one to get through to the Prototype! I mean, you didn't warn me of Miss Delight, now did you?!"

She paused and took a deep breath before continuing at a reasonable, calmer tone, though she trembled as she spoke.

"Though… I should've known. I should've known The Prototype wouldn't be the only thing down there. Obviously, he's not stupid. I should've known better. But still, like an idiot, I believed you, Poppy," she growled the last sentence.

DogDay hugged her close in comfort.

"I-" Poppy tried a final time.

"Angel has made it clear by now that she doesn't want to hear what excuses you have, Poppy!" CatNap growled.

After making sure Poppy wouldn't try to speak again, CatNap made a move to join DogDay in comforting Angel. But just as he got to his feet, Angel turned her head away.

"CatNap, can you..." she paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm so sorry to ask you of this, but can you please do something with Poppy first? I can't look at her right now, and if she gets close to me right now, I'm gonna kill her! Please, CatNap. I'm sorry ask this of you but I don't trust she'd try to run off and -"

"Angel, it's okay," CatNap gently interrupted before he turned to Poppy and growled, "I'd gladly take care of her."

CatNap slowly stalked out of the room with Poppy still in his paw. Fearing what was about to happen, Poppy tried to struggle in his grasp, but to obviously no success.

"Kissy!" Poppy called to her friend for help.

Her response was Kissy turning away from her.

Once they were outside of the room, Poppy could be heard pleading for CatNap to not do what he was about to do. Then there was a faint hissing sound. The sound of smoke being released from a pressurized container.

After a few seconds, both Poppy's pleas and the hissing stopped. The next moment, CatNap returned with an unconscious Poppy in his paw, whom he unceremoniously tossed onto a bed once he was close enough.

With his request done, he slowly approached Koa, who was still in DogDay's arms. Once he was close, he lied down in front of her and gently purred. DogDay released his hold on Angel so CatNap could offer his own comfort.

CatNap slowly crawled forward and nuzzled Angel's torso, who hugged his head in response. Getting emotional at the scene, DogDay placed his hand on Angel's shoulder.

'Finally,' DogDay thought happily. 'This was all I wanted for him. For CatNap to truly meet her. To feel the friendship Angel… Koa gave us all those years ago. Perhaps if he meet her sooner, things would've been so different.'

DogDay shook his head lightly. Dwelling on it wasn't going to change anything. But, here was CatNap now, feeling the love he was neglected for so long.

"Thank you, guys," Angel said quietly. "I'm so sorry for how I acted before."

"You were angry," CatNap gently purred in understanding. "You have every right to be."

"You've been lied to and used enough, Angel," DogDay added.

Just then, they all heard Kissy approaching them. When she was close, she glanced to the side and rubbed her paw in shame.

Sensing what she was thinking, Koa smiled slightly, and extended her hand to Kissy. Kissy then placed her paw in Angel's hand, and Angel pulled Kissy into the embrace.

After a long while, Koa had an idea.

"Guys," she gently said, getting their attention. "Before we go down to… his layer, there's something we should do first."

"What?" CatNap asked first.

"Well, since we're going up against a toy lion, a dinosaur, and some more small toys, we're going to need all the defense and protection we can get," Angel explained.

"How are we going to do that?" DogDay asked.

"I can build some," she said simply.

That certainly surprised everyone.

"You know how to do that?" DogDay asked.

"Yeah, I do," Angel said as she stood up. "We're just going to need some supplies. And there's plenty in the caverns."

"What about your gun?" CatNap asked.

"We should leave that as a last resort. It's loud and will draw attention to us. Plus, there's only six rounds. I'll need to use those wisely," she explained.

DogDay, Kissy, and CatNap all nodded in understanding and agreement.

Everyone stood up to support and watch over Angel. DogDay retrieved the unconscious Poppy as they passed by the beds. Kissy retrieved Koa's Grab-Pack as well. CatNap offered to carry Koa on his back, though Koa insisted she'd be fine.

"I don't think so," was CatNap's response.

Once again, CatNap forced Angel into his back with his head and shoulders. Angel sighed in resignation and let CatNap hold her.

DogDay chuckled at the sight.

"What?" CatNap asked.

"I'm glad you've finally given her a chance CatNap. I'm glad you've finally experienced what I did with her all those years ago," DogDay admitted. "That's all I wanted for you."

CatNap looked DogDay in the eye for a few moments before he responded.

"Thank you for not giving up on me, DogDay. Though, I hate to think of what could have happened if things didn't happen the way they did," CatNap admitted.

"Dwelling on it won't change anything," Angel spoke up. "Right now, we should just focus on the here and now. Especially since the fight's not over."

CatNap and DogDay nodded in agreement, and everyone made their way to the caverns.

"Angel," CatNap spoke up, "since I missed it all, could you share how exactly you came to work here, and how you met my friends. And… how you survived… the Hour of Joy."

Angel looked down to CatNap. She didn't really have to think about it. It did seem fair to explain.

"Of course I will," Angel said. "It was just before the summer of 1995…"


Our ability to discriminate between real danger and perceived danger is an imperfect system. The brain is going to err on the side of caution, even if that means you shut down when you don't actually need to.

- Faith G. Harper