WARNING:
This content contains graphic descriptions of child abuse/death, mental and emotional manipulation, blood and violence. This content also contains explicit language and suicidal thoughts.
Reader discretion is advised.
AN: This story is a sequel to The Sun and The Warrior. If you haven't read it already, I highly suggest going back and reading the Sun and The Warrior before reading Silent Storm.
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless when facing them.
- Rabindranath Tagore
"Down here… it's not like anything you've seen above. It's not trying to hide what it is. It's hell, and Playtime wanted it to be. But… we have allies here! We can get to them!" Poppy explained.
The elevator seemed to pick up speed since the trip started. Koa held her knife to her side. DogDay continued to hold Poppy out towards Koa, though his own shock was visible in his features. Kissy Missy stood near Koa's side, hugging herself to comfort herself.
Just then, the elevator reached the bottom of the shaft and the door opened. No one made any effort to leave the lift.
Koa was unable to comprehend what Poppy said. She figured the Prototype would have some kind of protection down here. Though, she was skeptical about the allies Poppy mentioned.
She looked to DogDay and then to Kissy. Koa knew the risks she was about to take. She knew they did too.
Was she ready to take them though? She didn't want anything to happen to them. If what Poppy said about this place was true, it was too dangerous to bring them. It was even more dangerous if she had them wait in Playcare.
DogDay, seeing the turmoil Angel was going through, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, earning her attention.
"Angel, we're here for you. You're not doing this alone."
Kissy, seeing Angel's turmoil as well, in response to DogDay's statement, came up and hugged Angel from behind.
In response, Koa held onto Kissy's arm, and looked to DogDay. Taking a deep breath, she nodded.
"Thanks you two."
After a moment, she glanced to Poppy and saw the doll had an impatient look on her face.
"Something you want to add, Poppy?" she questioned angrily, warning Poppy to tread carefully with what she wanted to say.
"I'm sorry," Poppy said impatiently, showing Koa her apology wasn't genuine, "but we need to hurry! We've wasted enough time!"
"'Wasted enough time'?" DogDay growled, turning Poppy to have her face him. Baring his teeth, he challenged, "healing Angel from her injuries was 'wasting time'?!"
Koa smiled to DogDay, proud that he was standing up for himself and her.
Poppy gulped before she stuttered, "I-I-I mean here. We've wasted enough time on this lift. We need to hurry to save the orphans!"
"WHAT!?" Koa and DogDay yelled simultaneously.
"The orphans are still alive," Poppy revealed, "and there's still time to save them."
Koa and DogDay shared an incredulous look.
How could that be? How could the children still be alive? It's been ten years!
"Please, I know you have questions, but we really do need to hurry. I'll answer your questions once we get to the Safe Haven," Poppy explained.
DogDay looked to Poppy again and asked, "you had four days to tell us all this! Why are you only bringing this up now?!"
"I just-"
"NO!" DogDay interrupted, "Don't try to make an excuse! You have no excuses!"
Koa smiled slightly at the scene, but then cut in, earning their attention, "DogDay's right Poppy! But, unfortunately, Poppy's also right DogDay. It's not safe down here. Poppy, you better be right about this 'Safe Haven.' Because you know the consequences if you lie to us."
Poppy watched as Koa placed her hand on her revolver's holster. Poppy gulped and nodded.
Seeing Poppy relent, Koa sheathed her knife and looked to DogDay and Kissy.
"You two ready?"
Kissy hugged Angel a bit tighter and nuzzled her head.
"We've come too far to turn back now. And it's too dangerous to split up, Angel," DogDay stated.
Sighing a final time, she nodded.
"Alright. But you both stay within eye and ear shot. No straying away. If you notice anything you think is important, just give it to me and we'll go over them later," she instructed seriously.
They both nodded in agreement and understanding.
"So where exactly are we going, Poppy?" Koa asked.
"Follow the Red Smoke," she instructed, "that will lead us to the Safe Haven."
With that, they left the elevator and started their quest.
They found themselves in a loading bay, and, with the aid of a battery and the blue Grab-Pack canon, managed to get into the back halls. Finding a storage room, there wasn't anything useful aside from a form about The Red Smoke, which Koa took a few minutes to read.
Once she finished, Koa folded and pocketed the paper before they moved on.
Traveling through caves, and tunnels, and across large gaps, they eventually found more loading docks.
DogDay found a side room with a tape, which he played. Though the video was about the flare gun for the Grab-Pack. It was information they already knew.
Finding blast doors that were tied off, Koa fired a flare and it burned the thick ropes tying the door.
Once the ropes were burnt, the doors opened up, and the powerful, overpowering odors of rot, decay, and death flooded everyone's nostrils.
DogDay ended up vomiting from the repulsive odors. Koa was dry heaving and retching. Kissy Missy brought her paws to her face to where her nose would be as if to block the smell. Poppy's face contorted in disgust, but gave no other reaction.
"What the-" Koa heaved.
Bracing herself, she opened the doors wider, only for the odors to become stronger. This time, Koa did vomit.
After recovering from the putrid odors, Koa took a look beyond the doors, and saw piles upon piles of decaying, rotting corpses. Practically mountains of corpses.
"We'll need to be careful once we go in there," Poppy stated upon being given a look by DogDay and Koa. "There are Rabids in there."
"'Rabids'?" Koa questioned.
"Little toys that have gone completely feral," Poppy stated. "They've gone completely made from everything that's been happening here."
Koa gave a frown, but then recovered to tell the others to be ready. Koa prepped her Flare Gun, remembering how back in the Playhouse the Ruined Critters retreated whenever she fired a flare. Perhaps these 'Rabids' would to.
Once they were through the doors, no one could hold in their disgust. Mutilated, rotting corpses surrounded them. There was movement all around them. DogDay had his teeth bared. He placed Poppy on his shoulder to keep both hands free. Koa knew by now that Kissy wasn't violent, but she could tell Kissy was anxious and ready to defend herself if anything jumped out at them.
So far, so good. During their journey, they found a few scattered papers, which Koa pocketed. She had to fire a few flares to scare off a few toys, but they remained vigilant.
A bit further into the room, DogDay glanced down towards one of the piles and saw something out of place. Looking closer, he saw it was attached book.
And not just any book.
It was a copy of The Adventures of the Word Wizard.
It was a favorite of the orphans and the Smiling Critters before…
DogDay picked up the book and dusted it off. He couldn't help but reminisce of happier memories.
"DogDay," Poppy whispered quietly, but DogDay silenced her with a growl.
"What's that?" Angel asked quietly, walking up to them.
DogDay looked up and saw Angel with a curious look on her face.
DogDay showed her the book and said simply, "an old favorite of ours during rare, happier times."
Angel gave a small sad but understanding smile and took the book, and stored it carefully in a compartment the Grab-Pack provided.
"When this is over, we can relive those happier times," she whispered quietly.
DogDay smiled sadly and gave a quick hug before they continued their journey.
Once they made it to the other side, they found what looked like a way out.
Koa held her hands out to stop the group. That was too easy. There had to be a trap waiting. She looked behind her and whispered to them.
"Stay quiet, stay together."
They all nodded. Slowly they moved forward…
Only to be blinded and disoriented by large, bright flood lights, and a loud blaring siren.
After half a minute, the lights finally turned off, but new sounds filled the room.
The snarling and growling got louder.
All of a sudden, a horde of little toys swarmed them from one of the piles of toys in the corner of the room.
Mini Critters and Huggy's and Kissys started advancing them. Koa started firing flares blindly to the floor. Some of the Rabids got past the flares and attacked everyone in the group. Koa kept firing flares while DogDay, with Poppy on his shoulder, and Kissy fought off the Rabids as best they could.
After what seemed like an eternity, they Rabids suddenly backed off and retreated just as suddenly as they appeared. Everyone was panting to calm themselves down.
DogDay, panting tiredly, continued to watch as the Rabids retreated. Kissy, shaking a little bit, followed his gaze. The Rabids disappeared at the top of the pile.
Koa noticed the others looking up, and saw that was the way out. Figuring that was the way out instead of the locked gate, everyone climbed up the pile of rotting corpses, trying not to be sick as the brittle bones in the corpses crunched under their feet.
Once they were at the top, they saw nothing but cliffs and chasms, but they saw platforms for the purple launch hand for the Grab-Pack as well.
She looked behind her to the others with concern.
Noticing, DogDay said, "we can make those jumps Angel, don't worry."
Koa then looked to Kissy, who nodded in confirmation.
Feeling better, Koa prepped her Launch Hand on her Grab-Pack, and used it to get across the caverns, with DogDay and Kissy following behind her.
Once they were safely across, Koa saw DogDay grab Poppy in his hand again, and Kissy shake the dust from herself, they continued their quest.
Not even three yards ahead of them was what looked like a train station, though it was nothing like the Game Station. It was a prisoner train.
Suddenly, the phone they had to communicate with Ollie started ringing. Koa gave a glare before she answered the phone.
"Hey, it's me again, Ollie," he said, sounding frightened and exhausted. "I wanted to… uh… I wanted to talk to you. Before you go inside, I mean."
"Yes?" Koa asked.
"Everything you've seen out here: the piles. The dead," he shuttered as he spoke that word, "they ALL came from inside. Believe me, everything Poppy said about this place is true. It's hell…" he shuttered again. "But she hasn't seen it like I have. It's worse now. Worse than it's ever been."
Everyone looked to Poppy when he said that.
"Just… try to stay safe," Ollie pleaded. "Please. Don't let your guard down for even a second! I'll try to help you when I can."
With that, Ollie disconnected the call. Koa put the phone away. After she did, Koa approached DogDay who had Poppy in his hand. DogDay in response, held Poppy out to her.
"Just how long has it been since you've been down here, Poppy?" Koa questioned.
Poppy hesitated, but DogDay gave a warning growl. Sighing Poppy said sadly, "it's been years now. I'll explain once we get to the Safe Haven."
"That's right, you're going to explain. The one thing we can agree on is it's too dangerous here for that conversation. We will get answers Poppy." Koa warned darkly.
Poppy gulped and nodded.
Looking around, Koa saw a door that probably led to a power room. Next to the door was a decomposing corpse of what was obviously a train conductor. Trying the door, she found it locked.
Checking the corpse, Koa found no key. With that, everyone got to work at looking around. DogDay had set Poppy down, Koa promising to break Poppy's other leg if she tried running off. Not that she could with a dislocated ankle and broken foot.
Seeing an open cell hanging on a crane, DogDay helped Koa up onto the top of the train so she could reach it. Once she was inside, she looked around a panel, and gasped in shock.
There, sitting on a toilet, was a decaying, severed corpse of what looked like a Kissy Missy. Protruding from the torso of the corpse, was a key. Koa fell to her knees. She wanted to cry. She was ready to cry.
"Angel?" DogDay called out, catching her attention.
Koa collected herself, apologized sadly, and took the key from the corpse. Climbing down from the cell, she let DogDay help her down, who noticed the sad look on her face.
"Are you alright?"
Koa shook her head, "there was a…" she trailed off, unable to finish.
DogDay nodded in understanding, and walked with her to the door. Once the door was unlocked, she saw a VHS tape and TV, and played it.
What the screen displayed was a cell from the train.
"Hey Cole," a man greeted tiredly.
"Hey Norm," another man, Cole, responded.
"Two o'clock, huh? Best time of the day," Norm stated in relief.
"Yeah…" Cole said in relief.
"So, uh, what block are you again?" Norm asked.
"North," Cole answered simply
"Can't say I hear much about that one," Norm said.
"You wouldn't," Cole said admittedly.
"High security?" Norm questioned
"HIGHEST security," Cole said seriously.
"Tt. Cushy…" Norm said in slight envy. "Know what we get in the East? Toys banging on the walls, crying for their parents, their Counselors, whatever. It goes ALL day and night… And it just wears on ya, ya know? I'd KILL for a little security. And quiet."
"Right," Cole said in agreement. "Know what we get in the North? Things. Whatever they are, they aren't people anymore. Their cells might as well be cages. They're animals. Sick. Twisted. Just…" he paused to swallow. "Instincts and anger. That's all that's left of them."
"Sure, but at least then it's not like yelling at your own kids for them to be quiet though, ya know?" Norm said. "I mean, if you have to listen to them-"
Loud banging and screeches in the background cut him off, causing everyone to flinch.
"Oh, great…" he exhaled tiredly. "So much for our two o'clock."
"Yeah, we really do have it rough, don't we?" Cole said sarcastically.
With that the screen went black. Koa stood there in shock, the others behind her. She started to tremble and took deep angry breaths through clenched teeth. All of a sudden, with a scream, she punched the TV screen, actually shattering it.
That made everyone flinch in fear.
"Fucking PIGS!" Koa growled.
"Angel…" DogDay was heard behind her.
She looked to them with an angry, tired face. Realizing what she did, she took a breath to calm down, she quietly apologized.
"No Angel, don't apologize," DogDay insisted.
Koa gave a small smile, then refocused on the task. Seeing a charger, she fired her Blue Grab-Pack canon, and wrapped it round the two power poles outside, then fired the charge to the receptacle. With that the train powered up.
Once the Grab-Pack canons were released, a door to a cell on the train ominously opened up.
Everyone figured this was a trick of some kind. To make sure nothing was inside the cell that could hurt anyone, Koa took a peak inside the cell.
Kissy, standing nearby waiting for everyone, looked behind her. She could hear something moving around.
DogDay noticed and called out to her, "Kissy? What's wrong?"
Within the cell on the train, Koa looked around. No one and nothing was in there. Koa looked up and saw a camera on the ceiling and a TV in the upper corner of the cell. Suddenly, the door slammed shut, pushing her into the cell and locking her in.
"Hey!" She called out.
All of a sudden, she heard Kissy Missy screaming.
"Kissy!?" She screamed desperately, standing up and pounding on the door.
Kissy was heard screaming again, and DogDay was heard roaring loudly.
"KISSY! DOGDAY!"
All of a sudden, she felt the train shift.
The train was moving!
"No! NO NO!" she banged on the door harder.
DogDay was then heard yelping in pain, but then he roared in anger.
Their cries, screaming, and roars grew quieter as the train continued to move.
All of a sudden, there was the sounds of garbled audio and straining electronic charges.
"Mmmm, now what's this? Do I feel something squirming its way beneath my skin?" a deep, masculine voice with a thick British accent questioned with a curious purr, startling Koa. "An invasive, foreign little germ? After all this time?"
'Wait, I know that voice!' Koa thought mentally, a look of shocked fear on her face as she turned away from the door to face the cell.
What made Koa so afraid was that no one else was in the cell with her.
"Ah… but I see… you," the voice spoke again, and Koa looked up towards the upper corner of the cell, and saw a TV screen broadcasting an eye, not all too different from the All-Seeing Eye, which was blinking at her.
Koa pressed herself against the door as the voice continued, "well, Little Germ, let's make a game of you."
All of a sudden, the train started bouncing and jerking around, tossing Koa around the cell.
"You've blundered along the shadows above, and only managed to squirm all the way down here but by the barest skin of your teeth," the voice growled as the train continued to toss her around. "There are no shadows here that would be of use to you. Not even the ground beneath your feet is yours."
The train then jerk so hard that Koa smacked her head on the wall behind her. Dazed, Koa tried to stay conscious, but the world around her started to go black.
"There are no places you can hide," the voice continued. "Not from me."
Just as Koa lost consciousness, the voice gave a sadistic laugh.
The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions.
- Alfred Adler
