Overdue Check-Up (Poppy Playtime)

(Chapter 4) Part 9: Yet Another Foe

The two toys huddled around the brothers, shielding them from whatever may come at them while The Doctor continued his monologue, "Certainly not family. However, that just means I get another subject to utilize in the future, I've never remade a foreign human before."

Nearic steps up, growling angrily and loudly, "You stay away from my brother!"

There was a slight pause, before The Doctor spoke again, "The others you've faced, 1170 1188, 1222. Been there, done that. But I'm surprised you were able to 'Redeem' a certain feline, I thought it was going to be most loyal, it always spoke of The Prototype with a reverence. Guess you're higher than that my little Dancing Miracle."

Nearic gasped as he stumbled back, falling onto his behind as he struggled to breath, "Neairc!" Dan shouted, kneeling down to him, "Nearic, what's wrong, talk to me!"

"Repressed memories, such a bother, don't you think?" the voice commented.

Dan glared at the camera looking at them, "What did you do?"

A sigh left the machines around them, "The other scientists always called him that behind closed doors, I merely wanted to test out how he would react, if he would crack under two little words. So fragile, the human mind is, isn't it?"

Catnap yowled while Dogday snarled, "I'll skin you alive, you monster!"

The Doctor laughed, "Too late for that Catnap, but I'd like to see you try. However, I have tests to run, and you have become perfect test subjects, so let's try our hand at something a little... different."

"Oh Yarnaby," The Doctor called, the lights just beyond the glass of the observation room turning on and the door to the cell inside opening smoothly.

Nearic clutched his chest as he stared ahead in fear, Dogday taking a step back, "Uh oh."

A moment later, said toy charged out and started clawing at the glass. The four jumped back while Yarnaby circled around before attacking the glass again by headbutting it. They then roared at the four individuals, their head splitting in half vertically, revealing large canines surrounding the lips and a smaller secondary mouth at the back of their big one. They roared a few more times as Yarnaby jumped up trying to push their way in, but eventually gave up.

They closed their mouth as The Doctor spoke again, "Please, do keep making this enjoyable for me. I'll be taking notes," the large lion toy eventually backed off, walking away through a tunnel to their right.

Nearic whimpered as he clung to his brother, "Hurts..." he muttered.

Dan held his brother gently while sticking close, "What is it, what hurts?"

The younger brother slowly moved his left hand to his lower abdomen, clutching it tightly. The gesture had both Dan and Catnap glancing at each other, but Dogday was more worried about the episode.

He kneeled down picked up his son, holding him tightly against his chest, "It's okay, it's okay. You're okay, I promise."

Nearic moaned as he turned into his father's chest, rubbing his cheek into the thick vanilla scented fur, which was hard to smell through the horrid odours of everything else within the facility. The patch of smooth medical tape brushing against his left hand was just good enough to help calm him down further.

Catnap looked at Dan, "Get us through, solve the battery problem, we can't afford to stay in one place."

The older brother stared at the shaking boy, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, will do," then waking over to the slightly open mounted metal box, before swinging one of the doors open, "I'll be quick, I suggest you pass him around, for now. I don't think he'll be able to focus at the moment."