Not Exactly a Child's Play

After a few minutes, Dr. Gorgonia finally leaves and enters a door on the side of the large room.

Neve: Maple, time to move!

Maple, who was toying with a small spider that had already made a web on her, leaves the spider aside and they both follow Dr. Gorgonia without leaving the ventilation system

They reach a long corridor with several doors, Dr. G. stops while going through her notes. Maple and Neve catch up and stand almost on top of her.

Neve tries to signal her partner to stop but accidentally blows dust off one of the walls. Maple tries not to breathe but it's too late, and despite her efforts to hold it, she ends up letting out a little...

Maple: Itchee!

They both turn to Dr. G. who seems to be unaware of the noise, however, she raises her nose and begins to sniff the air.

Maple: Do you think she heard us?

Just as Maple finishes her sentence, Dr. G. runs into the nearest door and almost immediately after, an alarm goes off throughout the complex.

Maple blows the lid off the vent and throws herself into the hallway

Neve: MAPLE, WAIT!

Maple enters through the self-closing door.

Neve: OH NUTS!

Dr. Gorgonia runs through the halls and rooms nonstop followed by Maple, who gets closer and closer. In an effort to get rid of her pursuer, Dr. G. activates some valves that cause the entire room to fill with steam, stopping Maple long enough so she cannot reach the back door before it closes, leaving Maple inside.

The other side of the door leads to the large room with the cages from before. Dr G. signals the Purrcats, which are already on alert, pointing to the door where she came from.

The guards adopt an attack formation and Dr. G. stands by the console that is in the middle of the glass cages.

Seconds later the door opens and the steam enters the room.

Maple: Nice try Doc. But there is no prize at the end of the maze

Dr. Gorgonia: I don't know who you are, but you better surrender!

Maple comes out of the steam and faces the four Purrcats

Maple: I'm going to turn you into "Shredded Cheese"!

Eight more Purrcats enter the room, four from each side and they get in line with the others

Maple: Ah, Uhm... "Cheese chunks" maybe?

The Purrcats aim their guns at Maple who tries to materialize her gun, but before she can do so, gunshots begin to ring out across the room, causing Maple to flinch and close her eyes.

Screams and thuds are heard throughout the room, followed by absolute silence.

Maple opens her eyes to notice that there is not a single scratch on her and the twelve Purrcats are lying on the floor.

Neve: MAPLE, GET GORGONIA!

Maple turns to Neve who is still in the ventilation system with her gun in one hand and pointing to Dr Gorgonia with the other.

Dr. Gorgonia: Ok, I don't care who you are, or why you came, what matters is that you are about to get wrecked...

Dr G. presses a series of buttons on the console and all the cages open at the same time; the snakes are the first to come out, crawling quickly and spreading all over the place. Maple, noticeably terrified, jumps onto a lamp hanging from the ceiling as the snakes pass under her until not a single one is visible on the floor.

Maple, still shaken, carefully drops down and looks around to make sure there are no more snakes, then she remembers and turns to the console but there's no one there.

Maple: NEVE?

But Neve is no longer on the vents above.

Maple starts to walk carefully throughout the silent place.

Maple: HELLO? ANYONE? Snakes? Neve? Doc?

A faint voice is heard coming from behind Maple.

Voice: MA-MA!

Maple: Mama?

The voice gets louder.

Voice: MAAA-MAAA!

Maple starts to turn slowly and she discovers what appears to be a rag doll, two and a half times her size, with an empty stare and a clumsy walk.

Doll: MAAAAAAA

Maple: Mother!

The doll drops down to try to crush Maple with her body, but Maple manages to pull herself away in time. As it hits the floor there's a rumble and the ground shakes for a couple of seconds.

Maple: WHAT THE NUTS IS THIS!?

Maple tries to call Neve as the doll sits back up.

Maple: NEVE, NEVE, COME IN.

Again, only static.

Maple: Neve, I swear I'm going to...

Before Maple finishes her sentence the Giant Doll tries to bear hug Maple.

Doll: MAAAA-MAAAA

Maple manages to dodge the doll again, who now looks more determined to grab Maple.

Maple: I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER!

The doll chases Maple, who does nothing but dodge and hide behind boxes, workbenches, and other objects found within the place. After several attempts, she manages to evade the doll by hiding under a desk, from where she attempts to communicate with Neve again.

Maple: NEVE, I NEED HELP!

A Purrcat's body hits the wall behind Maple, then falls at her feet. The Purrcat's mask shows two "X's" instead of eyes; this makes Maple finally understand that the only way out of there is fighting.

Maple: Alright, let's dance!

Maple jumps on top of the desk where she was hiding and materializes her weapon

Maple: Mommy says it's past your bedtime!

Doll: MAAAA-MAAA

Maple shoots at the doll several times as she runs towards it, but the shots, apart from leaving a few small burn marks, do nothing but make the Giant Doll angry.

Doll: MAAAAAA

The doll tries to kick Maple who deftly drops to the ground sliding to the other side, while repeatedly shooting at the doll's supporting leg. The doll loses its balance and falls on its knee with a wince.

Doll: MAAAAA

Maple tries to approach the doll from behind but it turns quickly enough to hit Maple, who flies until she collides with one of the open cages that moves slightly on impact.

Maple shakes her head and gets up slowly.

Doll: MAAAA-MAAA

Maple: This is starting to annoy me! And FYI, I don't like children!

Maple gets into the cage and locks the door.

Maple: Think, Maple, Think!

The Doll hits the cage repeatedly while Maple sticks to one of its walls, looking for something that can help her but finding nothing.

Doll: MAAAAAAA

Maple: Why don't you bother your father instead!?

The doll shakes the cage violently, which begins to crack under the pressure. Maple is still deciding what to do, when she notices that the doll's limbs are stitched together with strings and one of them is sticking out of the neck joint.

Maple: What... is... that?

The doll decides to flip the cage which causes the door to burst open, slamming Maple against one of its walls.

The doll now positions the cage like an open chest and reaches in to try and get the Ranger out. Maple notices and sits up quickly.

The doll's hand enters the cage reaching for Maple who takes her gun and sets power to 11. A small beeping sound goes off.

Maple: Looking for mommy? HERE'S MOMMY!

Maple aims and moves the gun as far away from her body as possible and then opens fire.

KABLAM!

The barrel of the gun explodes, but the charge hits the doll's hand, blowing it to pieces.

Doll: MAAAAAAAAA

The doll takes out what's left of her hand from the cage, the filling begins to spread everywhere, it is a very fluffy white tassel that falls to the floor forming little clouds.

Maple takes advantage of the fact that the doll flinches and climbs the body until she reaches the neck where the thread was sticking out. The doll tries to shake off Maple but can't, then tries to grab her but her arms aren't designed to bend so far.

Maple takes hold of the string and pulls it freeing even more string; once a good amount is exposed, she wraps the thread around her arm and torso and kicks her legs back to jump as far as she can.

Maple: HIYAAAAAAA!

A large amount of thread comes off the doll's neck and the joined parts are now beginning to pull apart

However, the doll can still move, so she slowly turns to where Maple is sitting on the floor entangled in the threads.

Doll: MAAAAAAAAA

Maple realizes that it isn't over yet, so she clumsily tries to unravel the threads, making them tangle even more, rendering her immobile.

Panicked, she begins to crawl on the floor, like a worm fleeing from a hungry bird.

The doll tries to attack once more, but the weight of its head, now detached, causes it to slowly separate completely, both parts falling to the floor one after the other, twitching and rolling until they finally stand motionless and one last sound comes from the doll.

Doll: MAAAaaaaa.

Maple, still tangled in the strings, looks at the doll and starts giggling before throwing herself on the floor relieved.

Maple: HEH! HE HE! hehehehe!

Calmly, Maple finishes removing the strings from her body, as a voice interrupts the silence

Neve: I thought only cats played with yarn...

Maple: WHERE WERE YOU?

Neve: Winning a race against a Rat!

Neve moves away and reveals Dr. G. who is tied and gagged on the floor.

Neve: While you were "Playing House", I neutralized the remaining guards, restored communications and called for backup, so... Mission Accomplished!

Maple: Come here so I can ki...!

Voice: Rangers? Come in, we're heading to your location, are you okay?

Neve: Everything in order, I hope you brought tea and biscuits

Voice: I don't know what for, but I think we have some.

Maple pouts at Neve who smiles widely