That Violet Disciple - Poppy Playtime

2 - Breaking Chains

The dome was in its simulated dusk when Yin landed on the plastic grass. DogDay was a few steps away, propped up on his hands and looking up at the dome.

"I know it's all fake," the dog said, "But it's... still pretty. Better than the same old ceiling."

Yin gave a soft hum in agreement. The two stood beside each other and watched the dusk "sky" for a while. Crickets chirped from hidden speakers. The air was completely still.

Yin coughed to recapture attention, then pointed to the straps still on DogDay's wrists and neck. He crouched down and gestured for the toy to give him a paw. DogDay complied and Yin carefully unbuckled the leather belt.

"Thank you for saving me," said DogDay. "I... wasn't expecting it, but I'm glad all the same. Poppy really chose a good one, haha!"

Yin smiled and nodded. His brow lowered as the strap came loose. He knew these toys were an unholy combination of human and plastic, but his chest ached to see raw and bleeding lines cut into the matted brown fur. He moved on to the other arm, then sat on his knees and tilted DogDay's head up in order to get to the collar.

The collar was cinched tighter than Yin thought possible. He unclasped it and DogDay let out a whine.

A line of blood ran.

Yin opened the collar a little and several barbed hooks tore out with it. Yin gasped and DogDay whined louder. Yin tried to back up, to reassess and take it slow, but DogDay grabbed his hand.

"Please," DogDay rasped. He moved Yin's hand back to the collar. "P-please...."

A lump caught in Yin's throat. But he did as DogDay asked, gingerly pulling both ends of the collar away.

Even though he tried to turn the hooks out and not tear straight through, they still came away with pieces of their captive. Blood and flesh and fur clung to the inside of the collar like Velcro picking up loose hair.

DogDay was doing his best, but he couldn't hold back the whimpers of pain. Sometimes the groanings sounded more human, sometimes more doglike, but they were equally hard to listen to.

Still, Yin did as DogDay asked, peeling the collar away until there was just one hook left, the one that the carabiner hooked into. All the other hooks had been about the size of a typical fish hook, but this one was at least as big as his middle finger. That, and with its placement, Yin was sure it was pierced through one of DogDay's neck bones.

Yin would need more leverage. He couldn't pull it out while practically hugging the giant toy. He stood up and clicked his fingers to make sure DogDay was looking at him.

DogDay tried to focus on the human above him. His neck hurt so bad. He didn't know what was in the collar that made it so painful, but it had been like that when they put it on him. There was some relief from the choking tightness, but the tearing pain was awful, like the little toys were clawing into him again. Blood dripped and puddled under his head.

The human was trying to say something. He was gesturing again, miming... something... about a hook? Yes, a hook. In the back of his neck. Strange, DogDay didn't remember a hook there. The human made another sign, pointing his fingers at each other and twisting. DogDay still didn't know what it meant, but by the human's expression, he guessed it wouldn't be pleasant. "J-just... do what you h-have to," DogDay assured the hesitant man, "I'll be f-fine."

The man curled his hands into fists. His jaw tightened and he stepped around to DogDay's side. DogDay didn't know for sure what he intended to do, but trusted him to do what he needed to in order to get the collar off.

Still, a sharp panic clutched DogDay's chest when the man pressed a hand to the back of his head and a knee between his shoulders. The last time he was pinned like this... was also the last time he had legs. Was he about to lose his head now?