A Prowler Emerges

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You could feel a weight on your chest pressing down on you as feeling slowly returned to your body. Opening your vision to a blur of grey, red and green, you could hear muffled voices slowly becoming clearer as you stirred. "(Y/n)! You're awake!" Kick said as you could see him run up and kneel next to you. You groaned as you rubbed your head, "I'm really getting sick of this red smoke. But, how's everyone else."

"We're all okay. Dogday was able to help us stay awake long enough for Catnap to get the doors open and get us into the office." Miss Delight said as you finally acknowledged the fur tickling the back of your neck. You turned and saw that you'd been propped up against Catnap, who was laying on the floor with his eye blacked out, and letting out small but just noticeable snores.

You remembered how Catnap had stopped the pump of red gas just before you'd passed out. Slowly placing a hand on his skeletal figure, you slowly ran your hand up and down, giving a silent 'thank you' to the critter. Your attention then shifted to the toy Bobby and Hoppy who were sitting against you on either side.

"Um... we have just been resting here. To let you and Catnap rest." Crafty meekly said from another corner of the room, joined by Dogday. "I also took the liberty of stopping the release of the red smoke in the area, so we're good to continue on as soon as you both are ready." Kick said as he stood back up. You gave him a thumbs up as you began to feel Catnap stirring as well.

You then slowly sat up, awakening the toy critters who fell sideways without you to be their support. You then helped them up as they took positions on your shoulders again. Catnap also stood up, allowing Dogday to climb onto his back again as the entire group was ready to go.

However, an alarm began blaring as the main console flashed 'WARNING: PRESSURE CRITICAL' as hissing steam could be heard. Finally, a window exploded opposite the group, who were lucky enough to avoid any glass shards as the pressure finally relaxed. With a new path open, you and the others carefully climbed through the window and through a broken wall to a narrow hallway.

Carefully making your way up a set of stairs, a growing noise revealed itself to be a set of shutters that were being propped open by large crates, allowing you to squeeze underneath and continue. In a small storage area in between the two doors, you'd spotted a piece of paper discussing a child who'd been turned into a bigger bodies version of Yarnaby, reminding you of the lion cutout from earlier.

You decided to read it out loud as the group searched the area for supplies. "Prisoner Profile, Experiment 1166: Yarnaby. Characteristic for these early ilk, 1166 demonstrates an acute lack of higher cognitive function. Complex reasoning, speech, problem-solving, and greater introspection all appear either severely limited or altogether nonfunctional. Physically, it's what it needs to be. Strong. Agile. Swift. And yet I'd hoped for a greater mind behind it."

"However, 1166 displays an odd sense of loyalty to a select few security staff, who nauseatingly feel some kind of sympathy for it, indicative of domesticated dogs and cats. This means its will can be bent. It feels. It fears. I believe this is our first sign of progression. That our processes, while admittedly still rudimentary, are showing us where more work need be done, and that improvements ARE possible. Still, 1166, "Yarnaby," is an odd, funny little creature. The way it sits in the corner and watches me, playing its funny little music (I'm glad this request was taken seriously, I got a good laugh out of it.) It amuses me."

"Conclusion: I'm going to isolate it. It'll have contact with no one but me. Considering my importance to the project, it's doubly important that I'm properly protected at all times. And besides, I might get a good laugh or two at the pathetic little sounds it makes. By the time I'm done with it, I'll be its entire world. It'll know nothing else..."

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