Henry - Reluctant Slave Owner

"Lights? Camera! Action!" calls the director from his chair high above the stage. The stage's lights flicker on, flooding the stage with blindingly-bright light. Loud music fills the room, and an audio recording of an overly-excited crowd pipes in from some hidden speaker system. "LLLLLADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S TIME FOR TRICKY TRIVIAAAAAA!!!" The invisible crowd gets even louder as the show's host, an incredibly well-dressed tiger, saunters out onto the stage, waving to the cameras. He stops in the center and spreads his arms wide, as if trying to embrace the whole world. "Hello, Nalne Island, and welcome to tonight's episode of Tricky Trivia! We have a few wonderful contestants tonight, and I'd love for you all to meet them." He gestures to the left side of the stage, where four podiums sit, each hosting a contestant. There is an elderly frog woman, a gym-bro human man wearing a tank top and cap, a nervous-looking calico cat girl whose glasses are far too large for her face, and Henry, the wolf, looking altogether unremarkable in his casual blue hoodie and sweatpants. "Now that you all know who's playing, let's kick things off with our first category!" The host continues, taking his place near the large television screen across the room.

Twenty-two minutes and two eliminations later, it's just Henry and the cat girl in the finals. The two contestants stand face-to-face in the middle of the floor. Henry can see the nervous sweat dripping down the calico's face, and he smirks. I've got this in the bag. She can't stop me. "All right, you two! This is the final question, winner-takes-all. We've got a lovely prize backstage for the winner, so don't mess up now!" The host says, explaining everything for the people back home, who are probably getting back from a commercial break. The host procures a small envelope from his suit jacket and pulls out a small piece of paper. The music grows dramatic as he begins to read the final question. "In Dana Templeton's hit movie Love is Like a Frying Pan, what color shirt is the newspaper-reading extra wearing in the scene where the protagonist is hit by the titular frying pan?" Henry had to take a moment to process. God, that question was phrased awfully. And such a bullshit question to ask, too. Nonetheless, he wracks his brain, trying to remember. He had watched the movie with his mother when he was nine? No, ten... "Mustard y-yellow...?" The calico chimed in, quivering like a bowl of Jell-O. BZZZZZT! The invisible crowd groans, and the host grimaces. "Aw, I'm so sorry, but that's incorrect, sweetie! I hate to do this, but you're eliminated." Henry watches as the calico girl walks off, looking almost relieved to leave the stage. He realizes the host is watching him expectantly, waiting for his answer. Then it hits him. He and his mother had made fun of that particular actor for one thing, all those years ago. "This is a trick question. The newspaper extra was shirtless!" Ding, ding, ding! Suddenly, the host's paw shoots out, clasping Henry's with an almost painfully tight grip as he pumps it up and down. "Congratulations, Henry! You've won the game, and our awesome prize!" Henry's face lights up, and his tail starts to wag. "R-really!? Oh, yeah!" The host gestures to a large red curtain. "And here it is, yours to keep!" The curtain raises slowly, a drumroll driving up the suspense. As it raises, Henry's elated expression falters. The prize? It's you, chained, branded, and collared.

About an hour later, you're led to a small electric-blue sedan by the game show's host, and the tiger man looks none too happy about having to lead a slave. "Get in there, 'special prize.' Your new owner awaits. Just wait a month and you'll be back here. They always give the slaves back." He opens the door and shoves you inside, your chains clanking against the car door as you come to your senses. Henry looks at you, a sorrowful expression on his face. "I am so, so, sorry for... all this." He gestures vaguely at you, your collar, the studio, himself, everything. He runs a paw over his face with a sigh. "I'm Henry. I'm your new owner, I guess. Don't talk if you don't want to. I get it." Without another word, he starts the engine and pulls out of the parking lot, turning onto the road. Faint rock music plays from the radio, filling the awkward silence between the two of you.