What if Lou accidentally came to Uglyville before the uglydolls came to the Institute of Perfection?
Not sure exactly when you sent me this, but @subwhizz has a comic/graphic novel that they are working on called "Lou in Wonderland AU" and it is exactly what you're asking.
HOWEVER, I'm never gonna pass an opportunity to write out some ideas that sprung into my head. I do suggest reading the "Lou in Wonderland" story though. Sub is an amazing artist and an even better storyteller!
The machines weren't perfect themselves by any means. Come to think of it, it would be pointless for Lou to even exist if the machines didn't intentionally create flawed dolls to a certain extent. But when Nolan popped into the Institute, Lou realized maybe the humans had let the factory go. There hadn't been that bad of a mess up since...
Lou shook the memories away, focusing on the never-ending tunnel in front of him as he walked. The flashlight flickered and the bulb made a static noise as it tried to warn Lou that the batteries were dying. He ignored it. Besides, the pipes only led to Perfection, so realistically he could just turn around and get back home easily.
It flickered again and Lou slammed the heel of his hand against it. "Stupid light..." He looked up, coming to a halt. "What in the world...?" The hole that normally led to the incinerator was blocked up with splintered wood and poorly driven in nails. No wonder he had mistakes like Nolan ending up in Perfection...
But that didn't entirely make sense either. The machines would realistically pop out a faulty doll out of every 100 or so made. He'd checked the math himself. That's what made Ox such a spectacle was that it was the first doll in years since the company started that hadn't been sorted correctly. But Nolan would still be recognized as a Pretty Doll. Despite his...differences, Nolan didn't have enough faults to him for the machine to deem him as a mistake.
So, if Lou hadn't seen any other faulty dolls...and the incinerator was blocked up...then where were mistakes going?
Lou blinked as the flashlight flickered one last time before dying unceremoniously. He sighed. This was a mystery for another day. Or whenever he could manage to steal the batteries from one of the robots again.
"Good thing the pipes all lead to--OHMYDOLL!" Lou screamed and felt his heart practically leap into his throat as he freefell into...well, it had looked like darkness before but now this was just liquid darkness he was slipping through. He desperately tried to reach his arms out in hope to grab onto something, but it felt like more pipe. But why was it going down!?
He screamed the whole way down, opting in closing his eyes despite not being able to see anything regardless, and praying that death would meet him quickly.
Light soon blinded him and he hardly had time to adjust his eyes before his whole body ached from crashing onto something hard. Luckily he landed on his back.
He groaned, eyes squinting in pain and still blinded by how much light there suddenly was. Some of it was blocked out suddenly by a weird, red figure. A wing-like appendage moved across his vision a few times and then he realized there was a voice connected to it.
Lou grimaced from the pain all through his back and head. "Please tell me I'm dead..."
The head of the figure tilted curiously. "I...w-well no...um...w-would you like to be?"
Lou put a heavy hand to his forehead. "Kind of. Are you gonna kill me?"
"No, but I do offer therapy sessions."
Who or whatever this voice belonged to had a lot more personality than the mindless dolls he trained on the daily. It didn't sound like such manufactured dialogue.
Something poked his side and Lou coughed as pain and a tickling sensation bubbled through him. "We have tons of food here too. You're awfully scrawny."
Lou waved the...it felt like an actual wing. What the heck. He opened his eyes blearily and finally got them to focus on...
Lou scrambled back quickly. "What in the world are you?"
The bat looked surprised and a little put off by the reaction, but he spoke calmly. "My name is LuckyBat and I'm an UglyDoll, just like you!" He smiled with sharp fangs poking out of his lips.
"Excuse me?" Lou narrowed his eyes at the creature.
"Welcome to Uglyville! We never got an announcement of a new arrival. Did you get here through the flower?" LuckyBat paced a few circles around Lou, inspecting every inch of him.
Lou would lean a little ways opposite of wherever Lucky was as he revolved. "Flower?" The bat simply gestured upward. Lou followed up to the weird sunflower-looking thing jutting out of the cliff. "Yeah, I came out of that I think." Lou shook his head. "Where did you say this was?"
"Uglyville," Lucky straightened with a smile.
"Right..." Lou winced and forced himself to stand up. He rubbed the back of his head.
"I think this belongs to you. It fell out of the flower too." Lou squinted down. Lucky held up a dented flashlight to him.
Lou took it, already knowing it really wouldn't work anymore despite getting new batteries. "Thanks...What's your name again?"
"Luckybat." Boy, this newcomer sure had a bad memory.
"Why are you called that?"
"I'm usually very lucky. Lucky to have great friends, a great home, to be alive--"
Lou snorted. If this creature was here only because the incinerator was blocked, then yeah, he was lucky to be alive.
"What's so funny?" Lucky looked genuinely interested.
Lou shook his head quickly, going back to tinkering with the flashlight. "Nothing. I have another question."
"You're full of those, huh?" Lucky smiled.
The blond rolled his eyes. "Yeah. How do I get back up into the pi--flower?"
Lucky tilted his head. "You...want to leave?"
The bat seemed nervous now for some reason. "W-Well, I'm not so sure, but...I think I know someone who could help! She talks a lot about the flower and going through it. I'm sure she's got a million different ways to get up there!" Lucky bounded off ahead of Lou, not bothering to see if he was following.
Lou sighed, looking at the flashlight in his hand once before tossing it behind him and following the bat toward wherever.
The flashlight flickered back on behind them.
I'll probably leave this right here for now and if you want a continuation I'll make the next parts longer.
Spoiler, I think I plan on continuing it anyway, but STILL.
It's also currently 1:40 in the morning where I am and I need to go to bed...
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