Disclaimer: I don't own Poppy Playtime (Video Game). I don't own the picture (cover). Or the song.
(qwertuno and SilentReadersMatter)
(Hope you enjoy.)
They arrangements I were forcibly settled into just didn't feel right. Bron had once been an enemy I fought to kill. Now he acted as some action hero to promote his franchise.
The room we shared was a little electricity close with a box, food, and others rations. I didn't hate, but I didn't like him either. Guess why in about five seconds.
1...
2..
"Hey, human!"
It only took two seconds. Last time it was fine and the fact it was going down more scared the shut out of me if I had to deal with any longer than necessary. I got hints that him and Cuddly were somewhat friends in the past.
How the fuck did they put up with the robot?
"Human, human, HUMan!" His voice glitched and my breath hitched. "C'mon, StOP IGNoriNg mE! iT's rUDe!"
"Boogie, please." I begged. "Be quiet."
"Can't!" He chirped cheerfully, then a hand reached for his throat. A dark look crossed over his reddish eyes. "YoU bROkE iT, nOw I caN'T sHuT uP! i'M sTUCk lIKe tHis."
Guilt leeched into my brain. I caused that? I only meant to scratch the metal frame and maybe leave some scars.
Perhaps I was turning into a monster. I honestly wouldn't mind, it'd be better than the current situation I currently had to deal with..
I don't want to talk about it.
"Boogie." I put a hand on his server? Chest? Or faceplate? I didn't work with robotics when I worked in this place. "I'm...sorry. We thought you wanted to kill us. Cuddly took it a bit-"
"Don't you DaRe blame MY kInD!" Boogie shrieked with hatred. "YOU shoCkEd mE! YOu ended up putting me iN thE wiRes! I may have been apart of bullying the little one, but I never went so far as to electrocute my oWn kInD!"
I paused, not knowing what else to say. That last sentence outstayed its welcome in the processing part of my brain. It repeated over and over and over. I thought about it in ways I didn't like.
"Bullying the little one." I muttered, closing my eyes as images plagued like a daydream. "What did you do? Tell me exactly."
"Let's say we broke a few screws." Boogie giggled, broken hand gesturing to his broken head, not even having the fingers to point. "All of our heads are iNsANe! Cuddly's not the worse, but they aren't the sanest either. Huggy's more cannibal—and I-"
"Like to electrocute people." I breathed softly, arms folding in self-comfort. "But you seem so sane-"
Boogie then broke out into shit insane laughter that made Cuddly seem sane in comparison.
And I've seen them beat other toys.
I found Boogie very annoying. The robot was always talking and trying to keep active no matter how much I protested for a little peace and quiet.
"Human, human, human." The robot's limbs sparked to life as he connected his severed arm to the power cord they happened to be right next to in the room they resided. "I have more power than you think. Poppy always has a purpose."
At that moment, electricity coursed through the wires and into the machines. Not big, just small like the box finally coming to life.
"Holy shit."
"Cool, eh?"
Bootie retained his spirit. He never lost it through the control taken and events leading to the utter bull shut we all had to put up with. In some ways, he was annoying.
In others, he was incredibly useful.
"Besides, I have a plan."
I turned in interest. Sitting down with my legs crossed, I leaned close to indicate I showed to be listening to Boogie. After all, he was my only ally as this moment.
My ex-ally happens to be under control of a psychotic doll using them for her own purpose.
God, I wanted this to be a dream.
Bron stayed standing whilst leaning against the pier chord. The electricity seemed to make him content in recurving more power to be awake. I internally begged he didn't have a battery.
The situation can't get worse.
"We use the little ones." At my confused expression, he chuckled manically. "Use the little shits we call minis. Believe it or not, they can provide pretty good distractions."
Boogie's digital fsce expression changed to bored as he reveal a mini version of Huggy swinging on his arm like a regular child. It was disturbing how...normal they acted without Poppy's influence.
"Wee!" It swung side to side, then waved at me as if we were friends. "Hi, human! Huggy really likes you!-"
"Well, thanks!"
"Enough to keep your head as a trophy!"
They giggled at a high pitch. I exchanged links with Boogie and next thing the mini knew, he was being sent off his arm and right into a wall.
Little. Fucking. Shit.
The robot acts more human than the organ filled toy. How ironic.
"Thanks."
"I said they were useful." Boogie commented, irritated at their antics. "I never said I liked them. I don't have enough to invade theirs. I want to kill each one of them. But, no, Poppy wants them for other small tasks like soacws that can't be filled with our sizes."
I nodded. Staring at the mini, I picked it up in my arms as it started crying. For some reason, I felt the urge to comfort the little thing.
My mistake really.
The mini instantly shirked as if I was the one on the giving end of pain. Another mini barged and then multiple were trying to shove me. I looked at Boogie and his digital expression faded, leaning only the eyes visible.
His expression must've been limited.
Probably his programming.
"C'mon." Boogie prodded the mini off me. He gave them a seat in his arms as little swings and playgrounds to distract them. "Off the human unless you're willing to help."
They all paused. Swearing to God, I heard their necks snap to attention at Boogie's statement. Their interest may have been peaked.
"Help?"
Someone called in the darkness. I glanced at the shadows and someone stepped out. A bigger mini, slightly bigger and having a more serious look on him. He was the leader.
Anyone could tell.
"Get off the robot." He spoke with an authoritative tone. The minis obeyed. "How can we help, Boogie?"
The leader to totally ignored my presence. Boogie held up a hand in a gesture of, 'quiet for now.' I got the messsge and sat down watching their interaction with the grabpack at the ready.
If these little shits try anything...
Boogie tensed as the slightly bigger mini sat just outside his lap. The others crawled behind the leader seemingly over a mental command. They all sat close to the leader with one even clambering to their back unnoticed.
"Depends what help you'd need."
"Distracting Poppy-"
"Bye bye."
The leader already walked off back to their former home. Boogie zoomed and stopped them in their path. The leader glared and the other minis hissed like reflecting the emotion.
"Please, Hugs-" Boogie sighed, voice sounding like two people speaking at once. "We need this. The human is desperate."
Way to throw me under the bus. The leader gave a smug face. The tactic Boogie used seemed to be working even if I was the one suffering.
Clever asshole.
"One problem." The mini clapped its hand. "We can't resist the command of our leader. How the hell are we meant to resist Huggy, let—let alone POPPY?!"
It screeched, fear leaking into its breath. It's breathing became more faster and high pitched. The other minis comforter the leader and it calmed down after a second or two.
"That's...actually the easy part!" A mental bulb lit in Boogie's processors. "Assign yourself as not Huggy's little ones, version, wHaTevEr yOu caLl iT tHESe dAYs!"
The minis looked at their thoughtful leader. I started thinking this little plan could work. If the minis distracted them others, we could sneak off to wherever Poppy moved herself. Maybe another place, gave a few of them. After all, not every mini pack would be in our side.
The leader mini rolled its eyes.
"If this doesn't work, I'm blaming the human." It grumbled softly, holding out a hand. "Fine. We'll see if the other agree. Candy's is definitely no. Bee's, maybe, it depends. Kissy's is a yes. And Bron...we don't talk about the flesh eaters."
Boogie nodded with a new smiling expression. He shook the minis hand and brought it into a hug whilst jumping in its frame around threee times before letting them go. The leader mini genuinely looked afraid and scuttled back into the darkness.
For a moment, their eyes held hope. And so did we. We had a plan, somewhat allies in the making, and a process we could count in.
It was better than nothing.
***
Have you ever felt empty? Like sort of yourself had been removed? Placed inside your brain to be trapped and observe the parts another entity has decided is worthy to keep?
There is a fog. It blocks out thinking and physical restrains. She controlled us inside and out. My mind belongs to the only one and Poppy.
I can only stand where she stands me to.
Hunt in the shadows.
My arms hang at my sides, my legs mine limply in the doll like a rag doll. I am Huggy's counterpart and not a creepy crawler.
My name is Cuddly. I'm a rip off.
Worthless! Pointless.
Useless.
These voices refuse to cease speaking. New methods replace the rational thoughts. I run purely on instinct. There's no room for softness for the monsters we call humans.
I can stand, crouch, walk, sprint.
I watched from afar. And then a voice shouts:
Fight it!
Please, stop...
They fade with the new voice. I can't remember why they didn't. I can't remember why they want to me to this newfound blankness.
I don't think. I don't feel.
Why would you give up painless fortune?
***
They say good things come in small packages.
Clearly they never met the minis. Literally, these things came in packages and they never stopped bothering Boogie the moment they discovered his existence.
Why they chose to like him is a mystery.
His plans could turn sour. He's already seen Cat Bee and Candy spying from their little places in the ceiling. They can hide, but they can't escape his sensors.
He was built to ensure safety as well as entertain the children anyway possible. The managers wanted multiple purpose to save money and the amount of people needed for the experiments.
"They are fucking creepy."
The human is riding on Boogie's back with the risk of being electrocuted. As Playtime's policies said, 'we are not responsible for any lost property and sustainable injures.'
So, Boogie is not responsible for theirs.
"Sure." He sighed, forcing his front limbs to manage themselves. It hurt so much. "Just up here and then we should be there."
There's a meeting spot. All the minis guide them towards it and slip open a hatch. A hole opened, revealing a sized whole big enough for two-
"Heeeh!"
Maybe one.
Biggie has a few seconds to look before there's a crash in the vents. Huggy is on his frame moments later and he promptly shoved the human into entrance where the minis shriek worriedly.
"Found you, robot." Huggy snarled, a girlish tone echoing in the halls. "Thought Huggy wouldn't track your down, his purpose is exactly that."
Boogie made eye contact with the human. At last they were safe. To entertain was their purpose.
So was to protect.
***
I didn't expect for there too he camera watching my every line in the factory, but here we were. The screens showed everyone walking or their location to me.
It was the minis' heaven.
They watched with some sick fascination as Boogie and Huggy battled it out in the hallway next door. Them fighting out proving somewhat funny to them all.
What the hell is wrong with them?
"So, master is battling the robot?"
I blinked, that was unexpected. Was this an interrogation of some sort?
"Yes."
"And Huggy is controlled by her?"
"Yes."
A secondary pause. The mini leader shrugged.
"Get the others."
"So-"
He glared as if I looked stupid.
"We're in."
I internally squealed. I shook their offered hands. The potential partner might even work in our favours. Or it may go to shit.
Either way, we had some allies.
"What have they become?"
I winced, glancing at the monitors keeping an eye over the monsters stalking the halls. I spotted one in particular standing near Poppy rather uncomfortable with their position.
I stroked their face over the camera. Blinking tears out my eyes, I laughed softly. Perhaps I'd gotten to attached to a fucking living toy.
"Cuddly, you son of a bitch. Don't die."
I tapped on the screen. Kissy looked to be in her own. I had no idea of her tactics, but she seemed to be the easiest of the target without backup.
Better help them while you can~
Something made me flinch. Glancing behind my shoulder, I saw a human looking version of Poppy except she had normal hair, eyes and surprisingly more normal appearing skin. Her name came to mind instantly.
Stella.
Her eyes softened as if control was finalised.
Help us!
A force pulled her back to Poppy's side. The toy part of the doll refused to let the human half leave. She is what made Poppy sentient.
Appeal to the human half.
Something told me I found her kryptonite.
***
Boogie...
***
C'mon. I know Cuddly had access to the mind.
"Simply think of talking to them." A random mini commented, nuzzling my side and hugging me close. "Your warm. Human's warm. I like warm. Better than cold."
I didn't hate this one.
***
Boogie!
What?!-....HUMAN?!
***
I bursted into laughter. Calming myself, I concentrated on the message I wanted to send that might help Boogie win the fight.
Huggy flipped Boogie onto his back. With his current condition, the robot was in no shape to win and could only hold himself back best he could to protect the human.
The monitor showed him losing.
***
Stella ran to Poppy's side.
Isn't she the human half?
Yep, but she escaped and is awake. I think-
Appealing to them brings the humanity.
Yes. Just try.
...If this doesn't work, I'm replaying Miley Cyrus over and over until the day you die.
Yes, thanks! What?!-
Hehe.
***
The robot shrugged it off. Stranger things happened in this factory-
Your forgetting we were tortured.
Sorry, HORRIFIC things happened in the godforsaken place. The human communicating with Boogie was one of the more normal tendencies he committed.
Sorry, sorry,
He felt a hand squeezing his metal arm. Unlike everyone else spirit's, Boogie's never spoke with him face to face. Always back to back. He couldn't cope seeing the consequences of his past.
The body he now inherited.
"Huggy." He dodged the deadly hands and winked at the murderous toy. "Hugs, Hugster. C'mon buddy, gotta remember me! We were old pals back in the day!"
"Heeeeehheeeeee..."
Huggy stared at him dead eye. No recognition shone in those eyes except the instinct to hunt and kill. Emotions coming through his human half were sadness and depression. Where he once would've enjoyed the thrill, now regret and disgust for what he became replaced it.
Come on, Pierre.
What had Poppy done to them?
The last time they were like this was when rhe damn outrage happened. Trapped in a cycle where all they desired was the deaths of their creators. The scientists. The staff. The managers.
Elliot Ludwig.
Finally having enough, Boogie grabbed Huggy's wrist and restrained him from behind. He slammed Huggy against the nearest pipe. The tou glared at the robot with so much hatred.
"I cannot feel, Huggy." He stated, a digital expression of sadness on his optics. "I can't feel because of her. Poppy did this. Huggy, fight back. She made us monsters. We are MONSTERS-"
WHAM.
Boogie punched a whole in the wall. Tears would've been flowing down his cheeks if he had the ability, but he wasn't human. Not like the human who was capable of emotion.
He had no clue how to handle the situation.
Anger? Sadness?
What were any of them?
"Huggy, you can kill me." His optic eyes closed showing their best intentions. "I've wanted death the moment she made us murdered. Huggy, just fight her. Your stronger than us."
He made eye contact with the monsters. Emotions swirled in those orbs beneath the desires Poppy implanted so she'd have the control she needed to complete her plans.
"We'll be ruined. I'm tired, Huggy. I'm not going to last much longer. Sure they'll built more copies, but who can compare to the original? The starter of the show? To us. If your going to kill me, at least let it be Pierre."
Boogie zoomed a few away with closed eyes. He prepared for the inevitable blow...
"Sorry robot."
Only for arms to scoop him into a hug.
What?
His optics flared to life. Looking up, Huggy brought him into a one sided embrace. He couldn't help himself, Boogie laughed like a child.
"Oh thank God that worked!"
***
We achieved success!
***
I watched from the monitors. Whistling proudly of Boogie for his accomplishment turned surprising. Considering I now held third minis in my arms alone.
"He did it." The mini leader commented. "I guess there is hope after all. You've earned my respect."
I walked out the room now that it seemed to be safe. There was a just a little less tension between the three of us now.
"Well done, Boo."
Boogie beamed at my praise. For a second, I saw a shadow attached to his back. Boogie's eyes shined a noticeable black, then he turned with a spirit fused to the backside.
"My punishment is attached to my consequence."
I nodded in understanding. The spirit gained my sympathy. He tried nothing wrong and I instantly knew who he had to be.
"Avery. Rich's friend."
"Me and Ron were close. Not anymore."
"Goodbye, Avery."
He faded to god knows where. Maybe a place only the hosts could see and locate. Never less, we didn't have time for others topics.
Boogie returned to normal and has a good catch up with Huggy. We appealed to the human side and it worked. The implanted instinct vanished.
Houston we sure do have a solution.