#crafty corn

Harley's jaw worked once. "Elliot loves children, not vultures."

"And yet," Leith said, eyes cutting toward the host, "vultures make good publicity when you feed them something shiny."

The host's voice rolled out—thin, eager, practiced—introducing Elliot as a visionary, a philanthropist, a man with a heart as large as his company. The applause came fast, loud, obedient, like a reflex the room had been trained to perform.

Elliot's hands rested lightly on the podium. A stack of neat papers sat in front of him, but everyone knew he wouldn't need them. He never did when he spoke about his toys. About his dreams. About children.

He glanced once, just once, over his shoulder—toward the four behind him. It wasn't a look for the cameras. It was a look that said we're doing this, and I'm trusting you to hold the world back while I hold the light up.

Leith answered with a minute nod.

Stella's smile widened, proud as a teacher watching a child step onto a stage.

Eddie didn't change, but his attention tightened, like a door clicking into lock.

Harley's expression remained gruff, but his stance shifted—half a step, subtle, ready.

Then the room went quiet.

Elliot stepped forward, and the first words arrived softly, like a match struck in the dark.

Here is the transcript that played live across the country:

"Hello."

"My name is Elliot Ludwig."

"When you look around at the world today, what one thing do you think it needs more of?"

"I asked around, once."

"Money, I never have enough."

"Understanding, I can never get any."

"Faith, the common man has lost it."

"Each answer was different... and I could perhaps see some little truth in each."

"But I think each was also missing something."

"Something simple."

"You see, not one of them could muster a smile."

...

"A smile is hope."

"A smile is love."

"A smile is understanding."

"And there is nothing more gratifying to my soul than being the reason for a child's smile."

"To be the spark that ignites all their hopes and dreams."

"For it is only through hopes and dreams that we may create a better world."

"One where our children need not be afraid."

"One where they are protected."

"After all, this company and its toys are nothing without them."

"These children deserve to smile, they deserve to love, and they deserve a safe home."

"That is why it is with enormous pleasure that as the founder of Playtime Co., I announce... PLAYCARE!"

"Our very own onsite orphanage."

"But it's not only that."

"It's a school, a playhouse, a place to belong."

"Our very own ecosystem beneath the surface, dedicated in every inch and detail to ensuring a child's smile."

"It's teachers and counselors, mothers and fathers, until such a time they have all of that in you."

"May Playcare bring joy, inspiration, and smiles to all who enter these doors."

"For what gives life its meaning, if not a smile?"

While he spoke, the cameras drank him in—close-ups of his eyes when he said hope, a slow pan of the Playtime Co. logo when he said protected. The director knew what to do with a man like Elliot Ludwig. The director knew how to make a promise look like a miracle.

Behind him, the trusted staff became a quiet constellation of small movements and quieter words, careful not to disturb the glow.

Leith leaned toward Eddie, barely a breath. "How many flashbulbs do you count?"

Eddie's gaze tracked the front row, then the risers, then the far corner where two men in matching suits stood like bookends. "Twenty-seven cameras," he murmured. "Twelve still photographers. At least three live feeds."

Leith's eyes gleamed. "Perfect."

Harley's voice was a low rasp. "Three live feeds means three chances for someone to ask the wrong damn question."

Stella, still clasping her hands, whispered without turning her head, "Elliot's doing beautifully."

Harley's mouth tightened. "Elliot always does beautifully. That's the problem. People stop looking at the seams."

Eddie's attention flicked up to the ceiling lights. "Seams are what tear first under pressure."

Leith gave a soft, humorless exhale. "Spare me the poetry, Eddie."

"It's not poetry," Eddie said, flat. "It's physics."

When Elliot reached the word PLAYCARE, the room stirred like an animal hearing its name. Reporters leaned forward. Pens started moving again. The host's eyes widened in a practiced expression of delight. Somewhere in the back, a producer mouthed, We've got it, we've got it.

Stella's cheeks flushed with pride, like the announcement was hers as much as his. "Our children," she whispered, almost to herself.

Leith's smile never broke. "Listen to them," he murmured, eyes on the crowd. "They'll clap for anything if you give them a heart to hold."

Harley's stare remained fixed on the reporters, suspicious and sharp. "They'll clap," he said, "and then they'll cut it into pieces for the evening news."

Eddie watched Elliot's hands—steady, open, sincere. "He believes every word," he said quietly.

Stella's smile softened. "That's why it works."

For a second after Elliot's final line, the air seemed to hold its breath—like the whole room had been trained to pause for meaning.

Then came the applause.

It rose in a wave, the kind that made a promise sound like a certainty. Some people stood. Some didn't, but clapped harder to make up for it. A camera operator wiped sweat from his brow and kept filming anyway.

Leith exhaled, satisfied. "One-fifty," he murmured again, almost fondly. "And not one of them can resist that speech."

Harley didn't applaud. He didn't even blink. "They're not here for the speech," he muttered. "They're here for the blood in the water."

Stella's eyes sparkled as she watched the press react like delighted children themselves. "They're here because Playcare is beautiful," she said, breathy. "Because it's—"

"Because it's a story," Leith cut in smoothly. "And stories sell."

Eddie's voice was quieter than all of them. "So do secrets."

The host leaned in with a practiced grin. "We'll be taking questions now."

Hands shot up immediately—dozens, eager, aggressive, hungry.

A woman in the front row got called on first. "Mr. Ludwig—an onsite orphanage beneath the factory? Why here? Why now?"

Elliot smiled with the ease of someone who had been rehearsing that exact moment. "Because children shouldn't have to wait for the world to become gentle," he said, voice warm enough to soothe. "We can build gentleness. We can make it real."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Several reporters nodded like they'd been fed something they wanted to believe.

Leith's lips barely moved. "Hook, line, and sinker."

Harley's gaze slid to the questioner, then to the people sitting around her. "Remember her face," he whispered. "She's the kind that comes back with sharper teeth."

Another reporter, older, skeptical. "So it's charity. A tax write-off."

The room tittered. A camera zoomed slightly, hungry for scandal.

Behind Elliot, Harley Sawyer's jaw tightened like a clamp. Stella's eyes widened, offended as if someone had insulted a fairy tale. Leith Pierre's smile sharpened, perfectly controlled. Eddie didn't react—only blinked once, slow.

Elliot didn't flinch. "If you've ever watched a child smile because they felt safe," he said, "you'll know there are things worth more than money."

Applause broke out again, smaller this time, a pocket of loyal sentiment.

Stella looked almost triumphant, whispering, "See? They understand."

Harley's voice stayed low. "They understand the version he gives them."

A third voice cut in, impatient. "How many children will you house? What's the vetting process? Are there licensed caregivers? What about education?"

Stella's posture straightened at that. This was her world—classrooms and crafts, schedules and songs. The public image.

Elliot nodded, as if pleased by the seriousness. "Playcare will welcome children who need homes," he said. "We have trained staff. Teachers. Counselors. We're creating a place where education and play go hand in hand—where healing is allowed to happen."

Leith leaned toward Stella with a small, approving tilt of his head. "That was your phrasing," he murmured.

Stella looked delighted. "He listens."

Harley muttered, "That's also the phrasing that'll get scrutinized."

"And security?" another reporter asked. "This is a factory. Heavy machinery. Restricted areas."

For the first time, Harley Sawyer looked almost amused—an expression that didn't soften him so much as reveal sharp teeth behind the curtain. He said nothing, but the way his gaze swept over the crowd felt like a warning.

Elliot answered smoothly. "Playcare is its own ecosystem," he repeated, leaning gently into his own language. "Separate. Safe. Designed with children in mind."

Eddie's eyes flicked to a man in the second row who hadn't raised his hand—who didn't look like press at all. "We've got someone here who's not on the list," Eddie murmured.

Leith's smile didn't change, but his eyes did—cooler, sharper. "Describe him."

"Gray tie. No notepad. Watching Sawyer more than Elliot."

Harley's head didn't turn. "If he breathes wrong, I'll feel it."

Stella's voice came out small, almost annoyed. "Can we not do this right now? This is Playcare."

Leith's whisper was soft as silk. "Playcare is exactly why we do it."

"What about—" a voice started.

"What about the rumors?" someone else blurted, louder. "About 'Special Projects' and—"

Leith Pierre's eyes flicked toward the speaker, quick as a knife. The host tensed. A producer off-camera hissed something sharp into a headset.

Harley's shoulders shifted, the tiniest inch—ready to move if Elliot so much as glanced his way.

Elliot's smile didn't move. "Playtime Co. has always pushed innovation," he said evenly. "But today is about children. About giving them a place to belong."

The cameras loved that line. The room, too. It was easier to clap for belonging than to dig for uglier truths.

Leith let out a slow breath through his nose, pleased. "Beautiful pivot."

Eddie didn't look pleased. His eyes stayed on the man in the gray tie. "He's still watching," Eddie murmured.

Harley's voice was granite. "Let him."

Stella, hands still clasped, whispered like a prayer, "Let them all watch. Let them see how good this is."

And the questions kept coming—layer after layer, like the press could peel back the paint if they asked hard enough.

"Will there be outside oversight?"

"Will you release financials?"

"Is this connected to your recent acquisitions?"

"Are children being used in product testing?"

That last one made a hush fall so suddenly the room seemed to freeze.

Stella's smile faltered—just a flicker, gone almost before it existed.

Leith's expression remained composed, but his eyes went cold.

Harley's hands flexed once at his sides, like he was imagining snapping something in half.

Eddie's gaze sharpened to a point.

Elliot, still radiant beneath the lights, answered with the same gentle steadiness. "Playcare exists to serve children," he said. "To protect them, educate them, and give them joy. That is our only purpose here."

It wasn't a denial, not really.

It was something smoother.

Something that slid right off the tongue and landed in people's hearts before their brains could catch it.

The host quickly called on another reporter, steering the moment away like a ship avoiding rocks.

The room exhaled. The applause returned in little bursts, nervous and relieved.

Leith leaned in, whispering at Eddie's ear, "Get me the name of the one who asked that."

Eddie nodded once. "Already working on it."

Harley murmured, almost inaudible, "And the one in the gray tie."

Eddie didn't blink. "Already."

Stella's smile returned, brighter than before, like she could force the world back into the shape she wanted. "They're excited," she whispered, as if that made everything safe.

Elliot kept answering, kept smiling, kept shining—his voice a warm blanket thrown over sharp edges.

And the press, for all their hunger, kept eating it up.

Because the truth was simple, and humans loved simple truths most of all:

A man stood under bright lights and promised a safe home for children.

So they clapped.

They filmed.

They believed.

And somewhere deep beneath the factory—beneath the stage, beneath the applause, beneath the story being sold—Playcare waited like a gift wrapped too perfectly, its ribbon pulled tight enough to hide what lay inside.

19 YEARS LATER. 

PLAYTIME CO.

January, 23rd. 

1994.

PLAYCARE.

TIME: 3:30 PM. 

Third Person POV. 

Nineteen years later, the promise still played on loop in places that didn't matter.

Down here, beneath the factory's bones, Playcare had become its own small world—sealed away from seasons, from headlines, from the kind of time that left fingerprints. The lights never quite dimmed the way real sunlight did, but they warmed the painted walls all the same. The air always carried a soft blend of disinfectant, laundry soap, and something sweet from the Kitchen vents—vanilla, cinnamon, butter melting into batter.

If you could see it the way the security cameras saw it, it looked flawless.

A slow, cinematic pan sweeps across the main concourse: a bright corridor of murals and rounded archways, floors polished so clean they mirror the ceiling lamps like little moons. Colorful signage hangs from above—friendly arrows and bubbly letters—pointing toward SCHOOL, TOY STORE, PLAYHOUSE, DUCK POND.

A cluster of kids in uniform shirts and soft slippers hurries by with a chaperone, their laughter echoing through the hall like bouncing balls. A worker in pastel scrubs kneels to tie a shoelace, smiling wide. Another staff member pushes a cart stacked with folded towels for the Splash Zone, humming a nursery song that's been heard so often it might as well be part of the ventilation system.

The camera glides through an open doorway into the School—bright tables, blocky chairs, a chalkboard with cheerful handwriting. A teacher points to a poster that reads "Big feelings are okay!" while children raise their hands. In the back corner, a bulletin board is pinned with finger paintings and cut-out stars.

A smooth cut transitions to the Counselor's Office—softer lighting, a comfy chair, a box of tissues on a table like an offering. A worker's voice is gentle, practiced. The door closes with a quiet click.

Then the Toy Store—shelves bursting with plushies and plastic grins, bright packaging, Playtime Co. branding everywhere. A staff member arranges new boxes as if order alone can keep the world kind. A child presses their face to the glass display, breath fogging it in excitement.

A floating camera move—like a game's guided tour—leads into the Craft House. Glitter jars. Paintbrushes. Construction paper like stacks of tiny sunsets. Kids bend over their projects, tongues poking out in concentration. A worker wipes glue off a small hand, laughing.

The camera drifts onward into the Library, where the lighting is warm and hush falls like a blanket. A few children sit curled into beanbags with picture books. A librarian figure slides a book back onto a shelf, finger to their lips with a smile that says quiet can be happy too.

A wide, glossy cut takes us into the Splash Zone—a pool inside, bright tiles, lifeguard whistles resting against staff chests. Beyond a sealed door is the outside pool area, visible through thick panes: painted sky murals and artificial "sunlight" beams, water shimmering like a promise. Kids kick and splash under watchful eyes, shrieking as if joy is something you can churn into foam.

Then the Playground—the outdoor section of Playcare, ringed with high walls painted like open fields. Kids climb, race, tumble in the padded grass. A worker checks a clipboard. Another counts heads. Everything is supervised. Everything is safe.

Finally, the camera glides toward a set of double doors that breathe out warmth.

KITCHEN.

The heart of Playcare, if you asked the right children.

Metal counters shine. Big ovens hum. Pans clatter. A cook in a hairnet slides trays into a rack and calls out meal times in a voice that feels like routine. The scent is always something comforting—bread, soup, cookies—like the building itself is trying to remind everyone of home.

And through all of it—always, always—there's the quiet presence of the mascots.

A towering figure crosses the hall in the distance: bright colors, a huge grin, limbs too long to look real and yet moving with careful gentleness around the children. Another giant shape leans down to offer a high-five, its smile painted wide enough to be seen from anywhere.

The Smiling Critters: Playcare's friendly guardians, larger-than-life in every sense. They were the face of safety. The proof that Playcare was different. That nobody here had to be alone.

The camera lingers for half a second too long on one shadow slipping across the wall—low to the ground, catlike, unhurried—before it cuts away.

Because this cutscene isn't about that.

Not yet.

A soft fade-to-black.

A gentle chime.

And then—

HOME SWEET HOME.

The screen fades in to a small dorm room, tidy in the way staff liked it: a twin bed with a bright blanket, a small desk, shelves with a few personal items, drawings taped to the wall. A nightlight glows with a simple smiling sun, casting warm shapes across the ceiling.

A child stirs under the blanket.

Y/n.

Ten years old, curled up like she's trying to take up as little space as possible even in sleep. When she wakes, it's slow and careful—blinking away dreams, shoulders tight, hands immediately searching for something to hold, something to anchor.

Her hair—Y/H/C, falling to Y/H/L—is mussed from sleep, a soft halo that she tries to tame with her fingers before she's even fully sat up. Her eyes—Y/E/C—flick around the room with the nervous quickness of someone who expects to be watched, even in a place that claims safety. Her skin—Y/S/T—catches the nightlight gently.

She sits up and pulls the blanket closer around herself, as if fabric can hide the parts of her she feels too big in. Even alone, her posture is guarded—shoulders rounded, chin tucked, gaze lowered like the world is always ready to judge.

She's shy in the way that makes words feel heavy. Insecure in the way that makes mirrors feel like enemies. Anxiety lives in the small movements—fidgeting fingers, a bite to her lip, the habit of shrinking into corners.

But there's something else in her too.

A softness.

A kindness that hasn't been crushed out of her.

A generous heart that shows up in small ways—extra napkins saved for messy friends, giving away the best crayon, offering her cookie even when she's hungry. A girl with a heart of gold, even if she doesn't believe she's worth much herself.

Her gaze drops to the nightstand.

A folded note sits there, placed neatly like it belongs.

Her breath catches.

She picks it up with both hands, careful as if it's fragile.

A familiar scent clings to the paper—sunny, warm, like citrus and clean cotton. Like him.

She unfolds it.

The camera pushes in close enough to read over her shoulder.

Good morning, Angel. I have a surprise for you. But you have to find me to get it. HIDE AND SEEK! First clue is somewhere you can smell something sweet. Come on—show me that brave smile. ☀️ —DogDay

For a second, Y/n just stares.

Then her mouth twitches.

A smile—small, shy, real—blooms like a sunrise she forgot she could have.

It's the kind of smile she only wears when DogDay is near. The kind she doesn't feel safe enough to wear for anyone else.

She clutches the note to her chest.

When DogDay is around, she's lighter. Happier. Like her fears don't bite quite as hard.

When he isn't... she disappears again, folding back into herself.

But the note is proof.

He's here.

He's thinking about her.

And he wants her to play.

A soft UI prompt appears at the bottom of the screen—clean, game-like, unobtrusive.

OBJECTIVE UPDATED: Find DogDay.

Another prompt fades in, gentle as a tutorial:

MOVE: Left Stick LOOK: Right Stick INTERACT: ✕ OPEN NOTE: Options

Y/n swings her legs off the bed, feet searching for slippers. Her hands tremble a little—not from cold, but from the sudden pressure of leaving her room. Going out where other kids might stare. Where staff might call her name. Where she might bump into someone and not know what to say.

Her smile wobbles.

Then she looks down at DogDay's handwriting again.

And steadies.

The camera shifts to a third-person view behind her—over-the-shoulder, gentle sway, the kind of framing that makes the world feel big and you feel small inside it.

She steps toward the door.

Her fingers hover at the handle, hesitating.

Another tiny UI hint flickers:

HOLD INTERACT: Open Door

She takes a breath.

Opens it.

The hallway beyond is bright and welcoming, painted in happy colors—yet it feels enormous when you're ten and nervous, when you're trying not to be seen and also trying not to disappoint the one friend who makes you feel safe.

A distant laugh echoes.

A staff member's voice calls, "Good morning, kiddos!"

Somewhere far off, something big and cheerful stomps lightly—careful not to shake the floor too much.

Y/n steps out.

The door clicks shut behind her.

The note crinkles softly in her hand.

And the game begins.

A new prompt appears, glowing briefly before fading:

CLUE 1: "Somewhere you can smell something sweet." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: The Kitchen.

As Y/n starts forward, the camera pans with her, showing the world the way it wants to be seen—bright, safe, full of routine joy.

But just for a second—just long enough to be felt—a security camera in the ceiling turns with a quiet whir, tracking her movement.

And far away, beyond the cheerful noise, a low, catlike silhouette slips through a shadowed passage... unhurried... unseen...

Y/n's slippers squeaked softly on the polished floor as she stepped into the hallway, the camera settling behind her shoulder in that familiar third-person frame—close enough to feel her smallness, far enough to show the world towering around her.

A faint objective marker blinked somewhere ahead, a gentle golden icon shaped like a sunbeam.

OBJECTIVE: Follow the scent. Find the sweet smell.

The air guided her before any sign did. Warmth drifted out of a nearby vent—vanilla, sugar, butter—like an invisible hand tugging her forward.

Kids moved around her in little groups, chattering and laughing, and the instinct to fold into herself came quick. Y/n's shoulders hunched, her hands going instinctively to her sleeves as she walked. She kept her gaze low, eyes flicking up only in tiny checks—where am I, who's there, is anyone looking?

A staff member passed with a kind smile. "Morning, sweetheart."

Y/n's lips parted like she might answer.

Nothing came out.

She nodded quickly instead, cheeks warming, and hurried onward.

The Kitchen doors were ahead—double swing doors painted bright, with a smiling sun sticker stuck slightly crooked in the corner. The objective marker pulsed brighter.

INTERACT (✕): Enter Kitchen

You press it.

The doors swing inward with a soft, familiar thump.

Warm air rolls over her like a blanket.

Pans clink. A timer dings. The scent of cinnamon is so strong it feels like a hug. Staff in hairnets bustle between counters and ovens, and several kids sit at a long table decorating cookies with frosting, their hands sticky and gleeful.

Y/n pauses in the doorway, suddenly very aware of herself—of her body, of the space she takes up, of how bright the room is.

Then—

A shadow falls across the tile.

Not a scary shadow. A big one. A friendly one.

The screen subtly letterboxes at the top and bottom as if the game itself is smiling and leaning in.

A cutscene steals control.

Picky Piggy steps into view, towering but gentle, her pink form bright as bubblegum and comfort. Her grin is wide in that Playcare way, but her eyes—soft, perceptive—look right at Y/n like she's the only person in the room.

"Angel!" Picky Piggy's voice is warm and delighted, like she's been waiting. "You came!"

Y/n's hands tighten around DogDay's note. "I... I smelled..." Her voice is small, almost swallowed by the Kitchen noise.

Picky Piggy leans down a little—not too close, not invading—just enough to make it feel like a secret between friends. "DogDay's playing Hide and Seek again, huh?"

Y/n nods.

Picky Piggy's grin widens. "Then you'll need fuel. Brain fuel. Heart fuel. Tummy fuel. The best kind." She taps a flour-dusted hoof lightly against the counter. "I have a challenge for you."

Y/n's eyes widen, a flicker of anxiety. "A... challenge?"

Picky Piggy's voice softens. "Not a scary one. A yummy one. You like baking, right? You always look happiest in here."

That lands in Y/n's chest like something gentle and true. Her shoulders loosen by a fraction.

Picky Piggy straightens, playful now. "Make the perfect batch of cinnamon bites. If you do, I'll give you your next clue."

The letterbox fades.

Gameplay returns.

A clean tutorial overlay appears:

CHALLENGE: Cinnamon Bites STEP 1: Wash hands (Hold ✕) STEP 2: Measure ingredients (Rotate stick to align) STEP 3: Mix batter (Tap ✕ to stir) STEP 4: Bake (Set timer) BONUS: Add a sprinkle pattern (Optional)

Y/n moves to the sink, hands trembling slightly at first—then steadying as warm water runs over her fingers. The game gives a soft vibration feedback when the "Clean" meter fills.

She measures flour. Sugar. Cinnamon. The spoon trembles; the UI bar wobbles; the player corrects it with tiny adjustments. A gentle chime signals Perfect Measure.

Y/n's breath catches like she can't believe she did it right.

She mixes. The batter thickens, glossy and warm. The stirring prompt accelerates, and as you keep rhythm, the little "Confidence" icon in the corner—subtle, optional—ticks up by one.

The timer is set. The oven door closes with a satisfying thunk.

While they bake, the camera doesn't rush. It lingers on Y/n's face—her eyes softer now, her mouth relaxed, the anxiety in her shoulders uncoiling because here, in the Kitchen, her hands know what to do.

The timer dings.

INTERACT (✕): Remove tray

The tray slides out, steam curling upward. Golden bites, dusted perfectly. The optional sprinkle pattern glitters like a little constellation.

RESULT: Perfect Batch! ★★★

A brief celebratory sound—small, not obnoxious—like the game respecting her quiet victories.

As she turns, control slips again.

Letterbox returns.

Picky Piggy clasps her hooves together with theatrical awe. "Ohhh, that's gorgeous." She leans down, sniffing dramatically. "Cinnamon. Comfort. Safety. You did that, Angel."

Y/n's cheeks warm. "It was... easy."

Picky Piggy tilts her head, gentle and knowing. "It wasn't easy. You were brave enough to try."

She reaches behind her back and produces a small folded paper, decorated with a doodled sun and a little chicken footprint. "Here. Next clue."

Y/n takes it carefully, like it might break.

Picky Piggy's voice drops to a fond whisper. "DogDay's been smiling all morning. The real kind. The kind he saves for you."

Y/n's throat tightens, emotion blooming fast and surprising. She looks down so no one sees, but Picky Piggy sees anyway.

"You go on," Picky Piggy says, softly commanding. "And if anyone makes you feel small..." Her grin flashes brighter, protective. "...tell them Picky Piggy said that's not allowed."

Y/n nods quickly, hugging the clue to her chest.

The letterbox fades.

Gameplay returns.

CLUE 2: "Find the place where color lives and imagination breathes. Look for something sky-blue." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Craft House

A waypoint marker appears, a soft blue shimmer.

Y/n steps back into the hallway, the warmth of the Kitchen fading behind her. Her shoulders start to creep upward again—until she glances at the folded clue and steadies.

She follows the marker.

Past the School doors. Past the Toy Store. Past a staff member carrying a basket of clean towels. Kids dash by laughing, and Y/n steps aside, shrinking against the wall, trying not to be bumped.

Then—

A bright doorway.

The Craft House glows like a spilled rainbow.

INTERACT (✕): Enter Craft House

You press it.

Inside, the air smells like paper, glue, paint—possibility. Glitter sits in jars like captured stars. Children work at tables, tongues out in concentration, while staff circulate to help without hovering.

And right at the center, standing tall on two feet with a unicorn's graceful poise and a mane in baby-blue accents, CraftyCorn turns as if she felt Y/n enter the room like a shift in light.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

"Sweetheart." CraftyCorn's voice is soft, musical, like she's careful not to startle. "There you are."

Y/n's eyes brighten despite herself. "Hi..."

CraftyCorn approaches in slow steps, her huge smile not overwhelming because her eyes do the real talking—gentle and warm and proud. "DogDay's little Angel on a quest."

Y/n nods, clutching the clue.

CraftyCorn's gaze slides to the paper in Y/n's hands. "He sent you to me next, didn't he?"

Y/n offers the clue with both hands. CraftyCorn reads it, then hums thoughtfully. "Color and imagination... sky-blue..." Her eyes twinkle. "That's me."

Y/n's shoulders tense, anticipating. "Do I... have to do a challenge?"

CraftyCorn leans down, just a little. "Only if you want the next clue. And you do." She smiles. "But listen to me, okay?"

Y/n looks up.

CraftyCorn's voice is tender. "You don't have to be loud to be strong. You don't have to be small to be worthy. Art isn't about perfection. It's about truth. And you, Angel... you're full of it."

Y/n's eyes sting, caught off-guard by kindness.

CraftyCorn straightens. "Challenge time." She gestures toward a big easel with a canvas already sketched in faint lines. "You're going to paint a memory."

Y/n swallows. "A... memory?"

CraftyCorn nods. "A happy one. Something that feels like sunshine. When you finish, you'll see your next clue."

The letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CHALLENGE: Paint a Memory GOAL: Complete the canvas using the correct colors CONTROLS:

Select color: D-pad

Paint: Hold R2

Clean brush: Tap □ HINT: Sky-blue goes where you feel safe.

The canvas shows faint outlines: a sun, a big friendly shape, a small figure standing beside it—suggestive, not explicit. The palette offers simple colors.

Y/n hesitates. The cursor shakes slightly, reflecting her nerves.

Then you guide her hand.

Sky-blue.

The brush lays down color, smooth and satisfying. A gentle sound plays when the paint fills the outline cleanly.

Yellow for the sun. Warm orange accents. A soft brown for the big figure—DogDay's silhouette, unmistakable in the way the lines curve.

And the small figure... her.

You paint her not as she thinks she looks, but as she feels in that memory: safe, close to warmth, not shrinking.

A quiet "Completion" chime rings out as the final stroke settles.

The finished painting glows subtly. Not flashy—just enough to feel like the game is saying: Good. That mattered.

Letterbox.

Cutscene returns.

CraftyCorn gazes at the canvas, her expression softening into something almost reverent. "Oh, Angel..."

Y/n's voice is barely a whisper. "It's... not good."

CraftyCorn turns, eyes wide with gentle seriousness. "It's beautiful." She taps the canvas lightly. "Because it's honest. You painted how it feels, not how you think you're supposed to paint."

Y/n swallows hard. "I just... I didn't want to mess it up."

CraftyCorn leans down until her smile is level with Y/n's eyes. "You can't mess up being you."

Y/n's breath stutters, emotion rising like a wave.

CraftyCorn reaches behind the easel and produces a small folded note with a tiny elephant doodle and a stamped star. "Next clue. Bubba's waiting for you. He's pretending he isn't, but he is."

Y/n accepts it, fingers lingering on the paper as if it holds warmth.

CraftyCorn straightens and lifts one hoof in a gentle, encouraging gesture. "And Angel?" Her voice turns playful. "If you ever forget you're a masterpiece, come back here. I'll remind you."

Y/n nods quickly, a shy smile flickering.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CLUE 3: "Brains before brawn. Quiet before loud. Find me where the pages whisper." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Library

The waypoint shifts, now a calm gold icon.

Y/n walks out, the hallway noise returning like a tide. Her anxiety begins to crawl back in the spaces between footsteps. She passes kids and staff, trying to avoid being seen, even though nobody is being unkind.

Her mind is louder than the world.

Do I look weird? Am I walking funny? Are they staring?

Then she squeezes DogDay's note in her pocket like a talisman.

Good morning, Angel... show me that brave smile.

Her steps steady.

The Library doors come into view, painted with small storybook characters and a sign that reads Quiet can be joyful.

INTERACT (✕): Enter Library

Inside, hush immediately blankets her. Soft lights. Beanbags. Shelves lined with colorful spines. A staff member at the desk gives a gentle nod.

And there, sitting at a low table like a professor with a stack of books arranged by size, is Bubba Bubbaphant—huge, blue, attentive, his posture steady like he holds the world together just by standing in it.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

Bubba looks up over the rim of a book. "Y/n." He says her name carefully, like it deserves respect. "Good. You made it."

Y/n fidgets. "Hi, Bubba."

Bubba's big eyes soften. "Your route is efficient. Kitchen to Craft House to Library is the shortest path with minimal crowd exposure."

Y/n blinks. "You... you noticed that?"

Bubba closes the book gently. "I notice many things." A beat. "DogDay asked me to make sure your challenge would not overwhelm you."

Y/n's chest tightens at that—at the thought of DogDay planning around her fears like they matter.

Bubba clears his throat, businesslike. "Challenge. A puzzle. Basic cognitive engagement. You can do it."

Y/n's fingers twist. "What if I can't?"

Bubba leans forward, voice calm, steady as a hand on her back. "Then you will try again. And again. And again. That is how learning works. That is how courage works."

Y/n's eyes flick up, shining.

Bubba slides a small wooden box onto the table. It's carved with simple shapes—sun, star, heart, smile. "Open it. Solve the sequence. Then you get your clue."

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CHALLENGE: Bubba's Sequence Box GOAL: Press the symbols in the correct order HINTS:

A smile is hope.

Hope leads to love.

Love leads to understanding.

Understanding brings a smile. CONTROLS: Interact (✕) to press

The box shows four symbols: Smile, Heart, Lightbulb, Sun.

You try an order—wrong. A soft buzzer, not harsh.

Y/n flinches. Her shoulders tighten.

Bubba's voice (non-cutscene, faint from behind) gently rumbles, "Again. Carefully."

You think. The hints loop like Elliot's speech—twisted into something child-friendly. Smile is hope... hope leads to love... love leads to understanding... understanding brings a smile.

A circle.

So start anywhere? But the box wants a specific start—there's a tiny scratch near the Sun symbol, an environmental clue. Sun... hope? Or Sun as spark?

You press: Sun → Smile → Heart → Lightbulb.

The box clicks.

A satisfying mechanical whirr. The lid pops open.

Inside is a folded note with a green hopscotch doodle.

RESULT: Solved!

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

Bubba nods once, proud but not showy. "Correct."

Y/n's voice trembles. "I did it?"

"You did it," Bubba confirms, as if stating a law of nature. Then, softer: "I knew you would."

Y/n's eyes sting with the kind of emotion she doesn't know what to do with. Praise makes her nervous. Praise feels like a trick.

But Bubba's praise feels... factual. Safe.

He hands her the note. "Hoppy next. She will make you move."

Y/n's shoulders tense on reflex.

Bubba notices. Of course he does.

His voice lowers. "Remember: you do not have to be fast to be worthy. You only have to keep going."

Y/n nods, clutching the clue.

Bubba's gaze flicks toward the door, then back. "DogDay is proud of you. He has been proud of you for a long time."

Y/n swallows, and a tiny, shy smile appears.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CLUE 4: "Find me where feet fly and laughter bounces. Step, hop, don't stop!" SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Playground

The waypoint jumps to the outdoor area.

The Playground is louder. Brighter. More eyes.

Y/n's confidence—so carefully built in quiet rooms—wobbles as she approaches the doors leading outside. Kids rush past, and she reflexively steps aside, pressing herself to the wall.

Her heart pounds.

A tutorial tip appears, gentle:

TIP: If crowds make you anxious, walk near the walls or use alternate paths.

You guide her along the edge of the corridor, past a mural, into a side route that opens toward the Playground doors.

Outside, the air is cooler. Artificial "sky" lighting casts everything in a constant afternoon glow. Kids run across padded turf. Staff stand at the perimeter, counting heads, smiling.

And in the center—green as spring—Hoppy Hopscotch bounces with restless energy, arms thrown wide like she's trying to hug the whole day.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

"ANGEL!" Hoppy's voice rings bright. "YOU MADE IT!"

Y/n flinches at the volume, then relaxes when Hoppy kneels a little, lowering her presence so it doesn't crush.

Hoppy's grin is huge. "Hide and seek! Hide and seek! DogDay's doing it again! I knew he'd rope you into fun."

Y/n's cheeks heat. "He... he asked me."

"And you said yes!" Hoppy cheers, then leans in conspiratorially. "That's already a win."

Y/n twists her fingers. "What's my challenge?"

Hoppy straightens, eyes glittering. "A hop course! Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy!" She gestures to a chalked hopscotch path with playful obstacles—balance beams, little jump pads, a short climbing frame. "You get through it, you get your clue."

Y/n's stomach tightens. "In front of everyone?"

Hoppy's energy softens like a volume knob turned down. "Hey." She touches a paw lightly to her own chest. "Eyes on me, Angel."

Y/n looks up.

Hoppy smiles, gentler. "Nobody's judging you. They're just playing. And if you don't want a crowd... we can make this your private runway."

She waves an arm, and a staff member casually redirects a few kids away with a cheerful, "Other side, kiddos!"

The path clears just enough to feel less suffocating.

Hoppy leans close, whispering like it's a secret spell. "You can do hard things, even when your brain says you can't. Ready?"

Y/n nods, nervous, but nods.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CHALLENGE: Hoppy's Hop Course GOAL: Reach the end without falling CONTROLS:

Jump: ✕

Balance: Left Stick

Grab ledge: R2 CHECKPOINTS: Enabled

The course begins with simple squares—hop, step, hop. Then a balance beam. The beam sways slightly. Y/n's arms lift automatically for balance, her breathing quick.

You guide her gently. The meter stabilizes.

A jump pad launches her to a soft platform. Her feet land with a satisfying thump.

Then a short climb. Hands grasp. Pull up. The camera tilts, showing the Playground below—a little dizzying.

She hesitates at the top.

A subtle prompt appears:

ENCOURAGEMENT: Remember DogDay's note.

Y/n's hand squeezes the paper in her pocket.

She jumps.

She lands.

The finish marker glows.

RESULT: Course Complete! ★★★

A soft celebratory chime.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

Hoppy explodes into quiet-applause—big paws clapping softly so it's not overwhelming. "YES! YES! YES! Look at you!"

Y/n's face goes pink, but there's a spark there now—a flicker of pride she can't quite hide.

"I almost fell," she whispers.

Hoppy beams. "But you didn't!" She leans in, voice sweet. "And even if you did, you'd get back up. That's what we do. That's what DogDay does. That's what you do."

She hands Y/n the next clue, folded with a tiny chicken doodle and a splash mark. "Kickin's next. He's gonna pretend he's too cool to care, but he cares."

Y/n smiles a little. "Thank you."

Hoppy's grin softens. "Anytime, Angel. And... hey." Her voice drops, sincere. "Your courage? It's loud, even when you're quiet."

Y/n's eyes sting again. She nods quickly.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CLUE 5: "Cool steps, smooth moves. Find me where water shimmers and courage splashes." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Splash Zone

The waypoint shifts toward the pool.

The closer Y/n gets, the more the air changes—humid, chlorinated, echoing with shouts and splashes. Her nerves creep back in. Pools mean bathing suits. Bathing suits mean bodies. Bodies mean... her thoughts turn sharp.

She slows at the entrance.

A small optional prompt appears:

OPTIONAL: Take a breath (Hold L1)

You hold it.

Y/n inhales. Exhales. The screen subtly steadies, the edges of the frame losing a faint "anxiety blur."

She steps in.

Kids splash. Staff laugh. Towels hang on hooks. The water glitters under artificial sunbeams.

KickinChicken stands near the edge, bright yellow and effortlessly cool, one wing resting on a lifeguard stand like he owns the place. He turns slowly, grin easy, eyes half-lidded with swagger.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

"Well, well," Kickin says, voice smooth. "If it isn't DogDay's favorite detective."

Y/n freezes. "I'm not—"

Kickin lifts a wing. "Relax. I'm messin' with you." His grin softens. "You're doin' good, Angel."

Y/n's shoulders loosen a fraction.

Kickin nods toward the pool. "Your challenge is simple. Walk the floating path. No falling in."

Y/n's eyes widen with immediate panic. "I— I can't—"

Kickin's cool persona drops just enough to show kindness underneath. "Hey." He steps closer, lowering his voice. "Nobody here is gonna laugh at you. Not on my watch. Not on any watch."

Y/n's throat tightens.

Kickin tilts his head toward a quiet corner where a floating foam path is set up away from the main crowd. "We'll do it over there. Just you and me. And... if you fall in?" His grin turns teasing again. "It's just water. You'll live. Might even feel kinda nice."

Y/n swallows, nodding shakily.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CHALLENGE: Floating Path GOAL: Cross the foam platforms without falling CONTROLS:

Step carefully: Left Stick (slow for stability)

Balance: Tilt Right Stick

Recover: Tap ✕ when wobbling TIP: Slow is steady.

Y/n steps onto the first platform. It shifts under her weight. The balance meter wavers.

You go slow.

Platform to platform. Her arms lift. Her breathing quickens.

Halfway across, a platform tilts. The meter spikes. The camera wobbles, heart-thump audio rising.

You tap ✕ at the right moment.

She steadies.

Another step.

Another.

She reaches the end and hops onto the tile, wet but not fallen in.

RESULT: Crossed! ★★★

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

Kickin whistles low. "Okay, okay. I see you."

Y/n laughs—tiny, surprised, like she didn't expect sound to come out. It makes her look younger, lighter.

"I did it," she whispers, almost to herself.

"Yeah you did." Kickin leans down a bit, voice sincere now. "And you looked cool doin' it."

Y/n's cheeks flush.

Kickin hands her the next clue, stamped with a red paw print and a little heart. "Bobby's next. She'll make you do the hardest thing."

Y/n's stomach tightens. "Hardest?"

Kickin's grin softens. "The inside stuff. But you're not alone."

He taps her note pocket gently—careful not to touch too much. "DogDay's got you. We all do."

Y/n nods, clutching the clue.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CLUE 6: "Find warmth where hearts mend. Where kindness speaks softly." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Counselor's Office

The waypoint leads back indoors, away from echoing water.

The hallway feels calmer. Y/n's nerves ease as the noise fades. She walks past murals and soft lighting, following the warm red icon.

The Counselor's Office door is half open.

Inside, the lights are gentle. The air smells like chamomile and clean linens.

Bobby BearHug stands in the center, tall and curvy, red fur plush and comforting. She turns as Y/n enters, her expression instantly soft—like love given a body.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

"Oh, honey." Bobby's voice is a hug made sound. "Come here."

Y/n's instinct is to step back—touch is scary sometimes, even when it's kind.

Bobby notices and stops a comfortable distance away, respecting the boundary without making it a big deal. "Only if you want," she says gently. "No pressure."

Y/n's shoulders loosen with relief.

Bobby smiles. "DogDay's game. Hide and seek. You're doing amazing."

Y/n looks down. "I'm trying."

Bobby nods, proud. "I know. That's why I'm proud."

Y/n's eyes sting again, as if kindness is something sharp inside her.

Bobby's voice turns softly serious. "My challenge is different. No jumping. No balancing. No puzzles."

Y/n looks up, nervous.

Bobby gestures to a small table with little cards—faces drawn on them: happy, sad, angry, scared, lonely, brave. "Pick the ones you feel most days. And... tell me why."

Y/n's breath catches.

That's terrifying.

Not because it's hard—because it's honest.

Bobby watches her with patient warmth. "You don't have to say much. Just enough. I'm here."

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CHALLENGE: Feelings Cards GOAL: Select 3 feelings and place them on the table CONTROLS:

Select card: ✕

Place card: ✕ NOTE: There's no wrong answer.

The cards sit there like mirrors.

You hover over scared. Over lonely. Over brave.

Y/n's hand trembles as she picks them up, one by one, placing them down.

When the third card lands, the game pauses control gently.

Letterbox.

Cutscene.

Bobby looks at the cards, then at Y/n, her eyes shining with compassion. "Scared," she says softly. "Lonely. Brave."

Y/n's voice is small. "I... I don't mean to be lonely. I just—" Her words catch. "People look at me and I feel like... like I'm too much."

Bobby's expression doesn't flinch. No judgment. Only understanding.

"Oh, sweetheart," Bobby whispers. "You are not too much. You are a whole person. You are allowed to take up space."

Y/n's eyes fill. She blinks hard, trying not to cry.

Bobby keeps her voice gentle, grounded. "And brave... you picked brave. Do you know why that matters?"

Y/n shakes her head, tears clinging.

"Because even on the days you're scared and lonely... you still get up." Bobby's smile is soft as a blanket. "You still try. You still care about other people. That's bravery."

Y/n's tears spill over, silent, embarrassed.

Bobby steps forward slowly, asking with her eyes.

Y/n nods—tiny, permission given.

Bobby wraps her arms around Y/n in a careful, gentle hug, not squeezing too tight, not trapping—just holding like the world can't hurt her for a second.

Y/n's shoulders shake as she cries into Bobby's fur, and for once she doesn't apologize for it.

When she pulls back, Bobby wipes her cheek with a soft paw. "There," she murmurs. "Now you can keep going."

She hands over the next clue—this one decorated with a sun doodle and a little pawprint trail. "DogDay's close. But there's one more stop."

Y/n sniffs, nodding, clutching the clue like it's a lifeline.

Letterbox fades.

Gameplay.

CLUE 7: "One more friend before the sun. Find where stories are made, where curtains sway." SUGGESTED DESTINATION: Playhouse / Funzone

The waypoint shifts—gold, bright, pulsing like a heartbeat.

Y/n walks, still wiping at her cheeks. Her anxiety is quieter now, muted by the warmth the Critters keep giving her. She passes kids and staff again, but this time she doesn't press as hard into the walls.

She's still shy.

Still insecure.

Still frightened of being seen.

But she's carrying something now. A string of small victories. A chain of gentle hands.

The Playhouse / Funzone entrance isn't as bright as the signs make it look.

The giant smiling archway is still there, teeth white and cartoon-wide, but the lighting beyond it is dimmer, warmer in the wrong way—like a bulb under a blanket. Sound doesn't bounce here like it does in the Kitchen or the Playground. It sinks. It muffles. It becomes something you can't quite place, like your own heartbeat echoing back at you from somewhere else.

Y/n slows at the threshold. Her fingers pinch the edge of the clue paper until it crinkles.

A tutorial prompt appears—clean, game-like, and just slightly too calm:

STEALTH TUTORIAL UNLOCKED CROUCH: L2 HIDE: Hold ✕ behind props DISTRACT: Throw toy (R1) SILENCE: Hold L1 to steady breathing AVOID: CatNap

Y/n swallows.

A low purr threads through the Funzone, not cute, not comforting. It's deeper than it should be—like a machine trying to imitate an animal and getting the frequency wrong. The purr vibrates through the floor, through her slippers, through the bones in her ankles.

She steps inside.

Gameplay takes over fully: third-person camera, slightly wider field-of-view, corners dark enough to feel like they have weight. The objective marker sits far beyond the maze of props, glowing gold behind a curtain that looks like sunlight trapped in fabric.

OBJECTIVE: Reach the golden curtain.

As the player nudges Y/n forward, the Funzone reveals itself in slices: stacked foam blocks shaped like candy, a tunnel of warped mirrors, draped carnival curtains, oversized toy chests, toppled clown cutouts with painted smiles. A "Fun!" sign buzzes overhead—faintly, intermittently—like it's struggling to remember what it means.

A silhouette moves at the far end—low to the ground, catlike. Two eyes glow, slow-blinking. CatNap.

Then—something new.

A voice, deep and raspy, slides out of the darkness like smoke.

"Little Angel..."

Y/n freezes so hard her character model almost looks locked in place. The camera subtly tightens, as if the game itself is leaning closer.

CatNap's head turns, not toward her—toward the sound of her breath.

His voice is velvet dragged over gravel.

"Hide and seek," he purrs. "You hide... I find."

A new tutorial line appears, more urgent than before:

CATNAP HEARS BREATHING Hold L1: Steady breathing to reduce detection

The player holds L1. Y/n's shoulders lift with a quiet inhale, then settle. The screen edges stop faintly pulsing.

CatNap pads forward, silent. Too silent. His purr grows louder with proximity, like an approaching engine.

HIDE (Hold ✕) appears near a foam block stack.

The player pulls Y/n behind it, crouched.

CatNap passes the opening in the blocks—close enough that the shadow of his head crawls over the floor toward Y/n's shoes. His eyes glow through gaps. He pauses.

The purr deepens.

The voice drops to a whisper that still fills the room.

"I can smell fear."

The player remains still. The "Noise" meter stays low.

CatNap moves on.

Y/n slips to the next cover point, heart thundering.

This is longer than a hallway dash now—this is a maze. A real stealth segment with rhythm: wait, move, breathe, hide, distract.

SUB-OBJECTIVE: Find 3 Sun Tokens to unlock the golden curtain.

Three small golden sun icons shimmer in the environment: one near a mirror corridor, one inside a toy chest, one tucked behind a curtain stage.

Y/n has to grab them. To earn the right to meet DogDay.

But CatNap isn't just patrolling—he's playing.

And he's talking.

His voice drifts from different angles, sometimes close, sometimes impossibly far, like the sound system is lying.

"DogDay thinks he keeps you safe," CatNap murmurs, amused. "Does he?"

Y/n flinches at the name. The player guides her deeper, toward the first token.

The first Sun Token glows beside a warped mirror hallway. The mirrors stretch her reflection—taller, thinner, wider, wrong. The camera catches a flash of her own face bending in ways that spike her anxiety.

A prompt:

INTERACT (✕): Collect Sun Token (1/3)

The player presses ✕.

A soft chime.

CatNap's purr stops.

Silence snaps into place like a trap.

Then—his voice, close.

"So bright."

The "Detected" meter spikes.

The player whips the camera around. CatNap is there—behind her—appearing from a shadow that didn't look big enough to hold him.

DETECTED! RUN!

Y/n bolts, feet slapping against the padded floor. The camera shakes. The purr returns, louder, chasing.

She reaches a curtain to hide—

Too late.

CatNap pounces.

FAIL ANIMATION 1: "THE PIN" He lands gently but decisively, knocking Y/n onto a cushioned mat. No claws. No harm. Just weight and inevitability. He pins her with forepaws like she's a toy he doesn't want to lose. He lowers his face to hers, eyes glowing, smile painted wide.

His voice rumbles right against her ear.

"Found."

Then he nuzzles her cheek, slow and possessive, and drags his tongue across her face—one long, rough lick.

Y/n squeaks, squirming, half horrified, half giggling through panic tears.

CatNap purrs, satisfied.

CAUGHT! RESTART: Sun Tokens reset to last checkpoint.

The screen fades to black with a soft, unsettling lullaby tone—almost comforting, almost wrong.

Checkpoint loads: Y/n back at the entrance of the Funzone maze, token count restored to (1/3) if the checkpoint was after it, or (0/3) if not—depending on player progress.

The game gives a gentle tip:

TIP: CatNap reacts to collectibles. Move after the chime fades.

Attempt two.

The player moves slower, using distractions: a squeaky clown nose, a rolling ball, a wind-up toy that chatters teeth. Each throw draws CatNap away, his purr sliding across the space as he follows sound like it's delicious.

Y/n collects Sun Token #1 cleanly this time.

She creeps toward Sun Token #2—inside a toy chest surrounded by toppled carnival props.

INTERACT (✕): Open chest

The lid creaks.

A tiny squeal of hinges.

The "Noise" meter jumps.

CatNap's voice slides out from somewhere overhead, amused.

"Ohhh... what's in the box?"

The purr shifts direction—fast.

The player tries to close the chest—

Too late.

CatNap drops from above like falling night.

FAIL ANIMATION 2: "THE DROP" He lands in front of Y/n, not on her—blocking her escape. A wall of fur and shadow and too-bright eyes. He leans down, nose inches from her face, inhaling like he's reading her.

His raspy voice is almost gentle.

"Don't run."

Y/n stumbles backward.

CatNap steps forward—slow, controlled—until her back hits the toy chest. He presses his head into her stomach like an enormous cat demanding attention, and then rubs his cheek against her, purring hard enough to vibrate the chest behind her.

A sudden lick—quick, messy—across her chin.

Y/n yelps and tries to squirm away, cheeks burning.

CatNap's purr becomes a pleased rumble.

CAUGHT! RESTART: Last checkpoint.

When the player loads back in, there's a brief moment where the Funzone seems... slightly darker. Like the game has adjusted the lighting by a fraction. Like it wants you to feel the cost of failure without punishing you.

Attempt three.

The player uses the "Steady Breath" mechanic more often, holding L1 when CatNap is close. The screen edges stop pulsing, the "Detected" meter calms.

Y/n collects Token #2 successfully.

Only one left.

Sun Token #3 sits behind a small stage curtain. A spotlight flickers, then steadies, illuminating a painted sun on the floor. The gold token glows at its center like a prize.

But the stage is open. No cover.

The player waits for CatNap's patrol path to shift.

CatNap prowls nearby, purring. His voice drifts in and out like a radio station.

"I used to watch them sleep," he murmurs. "All those little breaths. All those little hearts."

Y/n's stomach twists. Something about the way he says it—like it's tender, like it's ownership—feels wrong in a way she can't name yet.

A staff voice echoes faintly from far away—someone calling kids to an activity. The sound doesn't reach the Funzone properly. It arrives warped, muffled.

CatNap's voice follows it like a shadow.

"They can't hear you in here."

The player makes the run for it anyway—quick, careful steps.

Y/n reaches the token—

INTERACT (✕): Collect Sun Token (3/3)

Chime.

CatNap's purr stops again.

That silence—sharp, sudden—feels like teeth.

The "Detected" bar skyrockets.

A whisper hits from behind:

"Mine."

Y/n spins—

CatNap is close enough that the camera barely frames him.

The player tries to sprint—

CatNap pounces, but instead of the pin, he does something different.

FAIL ANIMATION 3: "THE CARRY" He scoops Y/n up—not roughly, but effortlessly—lifting her off the ground like she weighs nothing. Her legs kick in the air, slippers dangling. His purr returns, loud and triumphant.

Y/n's breath comes out in panicked little sounds.

"Put me down—!"

CatNap's raspy voice rumbles under her, almost amused.

"No."

He nuzzles her neck, then licks her cheek—slow, indulgent—like he's soothing a kitten. Like he's calming her, not catching her.

It's affectionate. It's gentle.

And it's horrifying anyway, because it ignores what she wants.

Because it's love-shaped control.

CatNap lowers her back to the floor with care, then bumps his head against her chest once—claiming.

"Again," he whispers.

CAUGHT! RESTART: Last checkpoint.

The game fades out with that lullaby tone again—sweet enough to be wrong.

When it fades back in, the objective updates.

Because you did collect all three tokens before being caught. The game remembers.

OBJECTIVE UPDATED: Unlock the golden curtain. NOTE: CatNap remains active. Reach the curtain without being caught.

Now the maze becomes a final stealth run—CatNap patrols faster, purr louder, voice closer.

But the player knows the route now. The cover points. The distraction spots.

Y/n crouches behind foam blocks, breath held. CatNap passes so close his tail brushes the corner and makes it twitch.

His voice murmurs, almost fond.

"Angel. Angel. Angel."

Y/n squeezes her eyes shut, fighting the urge to bolt.

A prompt:

HOLD L1: Steady breath.

You hold it.

Her breathing quiets. The "Detected" meter drops.

You throw a toy—R1—into the far tunnel.

A wind-up chatter-toy clacks and laughs.

CatNap turns, intrigued, purr shifting away like a current.

And for a moment—just a moment—his silhouette crosses a flickering light patch and the game's lighting catches something about him that isn't cute.

The way his smile seems too still. The way his eyes glow without warmth. The way the purr sounds like it could become something else if he ever stopped pretending to be gentle.

Foreshadowing without a scream—like a shadow behind a curtain.

Y/n moves.

Low. Quiet. Fast when she can, slow when she must.

She reaches the golden curtain, fingers trembling.

INTERACT (Hold ✕): Pull curtain

The screen letterboxes.

Cutscene begins.

Y/n slips through into warm light—sunlight in fabric form—leaving the Funzone behind like waking from a bad dream you can't explain.

And behind her, just out of frame, CatNap's purr fades... then stops.

His voice, distant now, rasps like a promise he's saving for later.

"Good work...Angel...hurry now...Dogday is waiting..." 

The golden curtain parts beneath Y/n's trembling hands.

For one heartbeat, the Funzone tries to follow her—its dimness clinging like fog, its hush pressing against her ears. Then she slips through, and the world on the other side feels like stepping into warmth that doesn't ask questions.

Light spills over her first—soft, honey-gold, strung in tiny sun-shaped bulbs that glow like fireflies caught in a jar. The air is different here, too. Cleaner. Warmer. It smells faintly of laundry soap and citrus and the kind of cozy sweetness that lives in shared secrets—blankets warmed by bodies, pillows that have been hugged a hundred times.

The sound changes. The Funzone's muffled emptiness drops away, replaced by something gentle: the quiet crinkle of fabric, a faint hum of ventilation, and the steady, comforting rhythm of someone breathing nearby.

Y/n stands still, clutching the curtain behind her as if she's afraid she'll fall back through it by accident.

Her chest rises and falls too fast.

Her cheeks are still damp—either from the Funzone's air or from her own nerves she hasn't realized she's been crying through. A smear of panic lingers in her limbs, the memory of glowing eyes and a voice in the dark that knew her name.

Angel. Angel. Angel.

She swallows and looks around.

She's in a hidden alcove built out of softness: a little fort of cushions and blankets tucked behind stage props, away from the traffic and noise. Oversized plush toys sit like guardians at the edges. A small pile of craft paper suns—cut and colored by hand—hangs from a string like a homemade constellation. There's a low table with a mug of cocoa gone cold and a plate with a single cookie that looks like it's been waiting a long time to be eaten.

It doesn't feel like a place made by Playtime Co.

It feels like a place made by someone who knows what it means to need somewhere safe.

And there—half in shadow, half in sun-glow—DogDay stands with his back turned, as if he's been listening all along.

His shoulders are squared, but not tense. More like... braced. Ready. Like he's been holding his breath for her without letting the world see it.

When he turns, his smile is already there.

But it isn't the painted, public smile. It isn't the "mascot" smile meant for cameras and little crowds. It's softer—real in the way a sunrise is real. The kind of expression that belongs only to the people you trust enough to be unguarded with.

His eyes find Y/n, and something in him visibly melts, like he's been carrying worry in the shape of his ribs and finally sets it down.

The screen letterboxes—cinematic bars sliding in—because this moment is too important to be interrupted by UI.

Cutscene.

DogDay takes one step toward her, then stops, careful. He doesn't rush her. He never does.

"Y/n," he says, voice warm as light through curtains. He says her name like it's a gift he's glad he gets to hold. "There you are."

Y/n's throat tightens. She tries to answer, but her voice gets caught somewhere behind her ribs.

She nods instead, small.

DogDay's smile flickers into something even gentler. "You made it through."

Y/n's hands, still clinging to the curtain, loosen only when she realizes she's safe. Only when she realizes he's here. That he's really here, and not just a hope she carried like a lantern.

"I... I got caught," Y/n blurts, because the words tumble out when she's nervous, and she hates that she's still embarrassed even now. "CatNap—he—"

DogDay's expression changes. Not to anger, not to panic—but to a quiet, protective seriousness that settles into his face like a shield being raised. His ears tilt forward slightly, attentive.

"Did he hurt you?" he asks, low and immediate.

Y/n shakes her head quickly. "No. He just—" Her cheeks go hot. "He licked my face. And... and pinned me. And—" She makes a helpless gesture, mortified. "It was gross."

DogDay's mouth twitches, a laugh trying to break through the concern.

But his eyes stay on her, scanning—checking for tears, for scrapes, for the subtle signs of fear he's learned to recognize in the way she holds herself.

"You're okay," he says, like he's confirming it for both of them. Then softer, as if speaking directly to the part of her that still feels the dark behind the curtain. "You're here."

Y/n's shoulders sag in relief so sudden it almost looks like she's collapsing. She takes a small step forward, and another, pulled toward him by something that feels like gravity.

DogDay watches her approach like he's trying not to spook a frightened animal—like he knows that sometimes even kindness can feel too loud.

"I didn't think I could do it," Y/n admits, voice trembling. "Not... not the whole thing. Not the running and the hiding and—" She swallows, eyes shining. "I got scared."

DogDay nods slowly, as if she's told him something sacred. "I know."

Y/n blinks. "You... you know?"

DogDay's smile softens. "I know the way your courage works," he says. "It's quiet. It doesn't shout. It doesn't show off." He takes a careful step closer, still giving her space, still asking without asking. "But it's there. Every time."

Y/n chest aches. She looks down, fingers twisting at her sleeves. "I don't feel brave."

"You don't have to feel it," DogDay says. "You just have to do it."

She laughs weakly through the tightness in her throat. "That sounds like something you'd say."

DogDay's grin brightens, just a little, the sunshine returning. "That's because it's true."

A beat passes. The soft lights hum. The little fort looks like a pocket of peace stolen out of the world.

Then DogDay's gaze drops to Y/n's pockets, the edges of folded papers peeking out—clues, doodles, small proof of all the steps she took.

"You went to everyone," he says, voice full of pride he doesn't try to hide.

Y/n nods. "Picky made me bake. Crafty made me paint. Bubba made me think. Hoppy made me jump. Kickin made me cross the floaty thing." Her face warms at the memory. "Bobby..." Her voice catches. "Bobby hugged me."

DogDay's expression goes soft at that last part. His eyes flicker, as if something tender moves through him.

"She did," he murmurs, pleased. "Good."

Y/n looks up, confused by the weight in his tone. "Why did you... set all that up?"

DogDay holds her gaze. His smile fades into something deeper—something raw and honest that doesn't belong to mascots or games.

"Because I wanted you to see yourself the way we see you," he says quietly.

Y/n breath hitches.

DogDay continues, slow, deliberate, like he's laying each word down so it won't hurt her when it lands.

"You spend a lot of time hiding," he says—not accusing, just naming. "You hide in hallways. You hide behind your hair. You hide behind your sleeves. You hide your laugh like it's something you're not allowed to have." His eyes soften. "You hide even when no one is chasing you."

Y/n's eyes sting. She tries to look away, but DogDay gently shifts so she can't—so she has to face him, face the kindness, face the truth.

"I wanted today to be different," he says. "Not because you need fixing. You don't." His voice grows warmer, firmer. "But because I wanted you to have proof. Proof in your hands, in your muscles, in your memory—that you can move through the world and nothing terrible happens just because you exist in it."

Y/n tears spill over, sudden and silent, like they've been waiting for permission.

DogDay's posture softens immediately, like he feels each tear as if it's falling on him.

"Hey," he says, tender, and reaches toward her—stopping halfway, still asking. "Can I...?"

Y/n nods, a tiny motion.

DogDay wipes her tear with the gentlest touch, like he's afraid the world might bruise her if he presses too hard.

"You did so good," he murmurs. "I'm proud of you, Angel."

That word cracks something open in her chest.

Y/n makes a small, broken sound—half laugh, half sob—and presses the heel of her palm to her eye like she can push the emotion back in.

"I'm sorry," she whispers automatically, the old habit.

DogDay's expression changes instantly—soft sunshine turning into quiet insistence.

"No," he says, gentle but firm. "No sorry."

Y/n blinks up at him, startled.

DogDay leans down slightly, voice low enough to feel like it belongs only to her.

"You don't have to apologize for being soft," he says. "You don't have to apologize for taking up space in the world. And you never have to apologize for feeling."

Y/n's lips tremble. "I'm trying," she whispers. "It's just... my brain is mean."

DogDay nods like he understands that intimately. "I know." His smile returns—warm, stubborn. "That's why I'm here. To fight it with you."

A beat of silence, filled with tiny sun-lights and Y/n shaky breathing.

Then DogDay straightens as if remembering something, and his eyes brighten with a gentle, excited energy.

"Okay," he says, and the playfulness returns like sunshine after rain. "Now. Surprise."

Y/n breath catches. She almost forgot—almost lost the thread in fear and tears and relief.

DogDay reaches behind a cushion and pulls out a folded bundle of fabric.

An oversized tee shirt.

Soft, thick, clean. It looks brand-new, but not factory-new—like it's been chosen, not produced. Like hands and heart were involved.

He holds it out to her with both hands.

Y/n eyes go wide, confused at first. Then she sees it.

The front is embroidered with a cheerful sun emblem. Beneath it, in careful stitching that looks like it took time:

DOGDAY & ANGEL —small, warm letters like a promise.

On the sleeve, stitched in a tiny script:

ANGEL

Y/n hands rise slowly, like she's afraid if she moves too fast it will vanish.

DogDay's voice softens. "I had it made for you."

Y/n throat tightens. "For... me?"

DogDay nods. "For you." His smile turns shy for the first time, as if he's nervous she won't like it. "And—" He lifts the hem of his own shirt.

He's wearing the matching one.

Same sun emblem. Same soft fabric. Same custom stitching—his sleeve reads:

SUNNY

A pair.

A set.

Something shared.

Y/n s breath stutters as the meaning lands. Her eyes fill again, faster this time.

DogDay watches her reaction like he's holding his own heart in his hands.

"I wanted you to have something you can put on when I'm not right next to you," he says quietly. "Something that feels like..." He searches for the right words, then finds them. "Like being held. Without anyone having to see."

Y/n swallows hard, tears spilling. "You thought about... that?"

DogDay's eyes soften, and the love in them is so obvious it almost hurts to witness.

"I think about you a lot," he admits. No teasing. No deflection. Just truth. "I notice when you skip meals. When you try to make yourself smaller at the table. When you laugh and then look around like you're scared someone will punish you for it." His voice drops. "I notice when you're alone."

Y/n chest aches. She clutches the shirt tighter, like it's already the only safe thing in the world.

DogDay continues, words slow and careful.

"I can't be everywhere," he says. "I wish I could. But I can't." His smile trembles at the edges, like even he feels the frustration of that. "So I wanted you to have something that says what I would say."

Y/n looks up at him through tears. "What would you say?"

DogDay steps closer, just close enough that his warmth reaches her.

He speaks softly, like he's telling her a secret that's also a vow.

"I would say you're good," he whispers. "Not perfect—good. Kind. Gentle. Worth knowing. Worth loving." His smile brightens. "I would say the world is better because you're in it."

Y/n face crumples.

She tries to speak, but the emotion is too big. It swallows her words and turns them into shaking breaths.

DogDay doesn't rush her.

He just stands there, steady as sunrise, letting her feel everything without shame.

Then Y/n makes a tiny sound—barely there—and steps forward with the shirt pressed between them like a bridge.

DogDay opens his arms.

Not demanding.

Not pulling.

Just offering.

Y/n collapses into the hug like she's been waiting her whole life to be allowed.

DogDay's arms wrap around her carefully—big enough to make her feel completely held, gentle enough that she doesn't feel trapped. He tucks her close, chin resting lightly above her head, and for a moment the whole world looks like it might actually be safe.

Y/n's shoulders shake as she cries—quiet, messy, real.

DogDay murmurs against her hair, voice thick with tenderness.

"I've got you," he says. "I've got you, Angel. Always."

Y/n clutches his shirt, the fabric under her fingers grounding her, proof that he's real and warm and here.

"I love you," she whispers before she can stop herself—small, frightened of the words, frightened of how big they are.

DogDay goes still for half a second.

Then he hugs her just a little tighter, like the words are something precious he doesn't want to drop.

His voice, when it comes, is soft as sunlight.

"I love you too," he says.

Not loud. Not dramatic.

Certain.

Like a truth that has existed longer than the sentence.

Y/n sob turns into a tiny laugh, broken and bright at the same time, because she can't hold that much warmth without it spilling out somewhere.

DogDay pulls back just enough to look at her face, wiping another tear from her cheek with his thumb.

"Hey," he whispers, smiling. "Put it on?"

Y/n nods quickly, still crying.

DogDay helps—careful hands guiding the fabric over her head, straightening the shoulders, tugging it gently so it falls comfortably—oversized in the way that feels safe, the way that doesn't cling, the way that lets her breathe.

When she looks down, she sees the word stitched on her sleeve.

ANGEL.

She presses her fingers to it like she's afraid it might not be real.

DogDay beams like he just watched the sun rise.

"There," he says, voice warm and proud. "Perfect."

Y/n laughs again, wiping her face. "It's... it's really big."

DogDay's grin turns playful, but his eyes stay tender. "Good. Then you can hide in it when you need to." He tilts his head. "But I hope one day you won't feel like you have to."

Y/n's breath catches at that—at the quiet hope wrapped in the joke.

She nods, too emotional to answer.

DogDay's gaze flicks briefly toward the golden curtain behind her, toward the darkness beyond it.

For just a second, a shadow crosses his eyes—something protective, something watchful.

Then he looks back at Y/n and the shadow vanishes, replaced by sunshine again.

"Come on," he says gently. "Let's go get you something sweet. You earned it."

Y/n nods, slipping her hand into his—small fingers swallowed by his warmth.

He squeezes once, reassuring.

And as the sun-lights glow above them and the fort's blankets rustle softly, the camera pulls back—slow, cinematic—framing the two of them in a pocket of golden warmth surrounded by a world of painted smiles.

Just before the screen fades, the sound of the Funzone returns for one breath: a distant purr that stops too abruptly, and a deep, raspy whisper from behind the curtain that doesn't belong to any lullaby.

"Next time..."

DogDay's grip tightens around Y/n's hand, subtle but immediate.

He doesn't let go.

He won't ever. 

He loves her too much. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Word count: 12K 

Crafty's apron is inspired by kirarakoo's Doey apron design on TikTok!

And her charm can actually open! It's a little case for her paint :D

Close up versions