They had all felt complete on that day, the first and final time they were rented out for a child's birthday party. Their programming had taken over and on instinct they knew exactly how to perform. It was a good feeling, knowing that you still had some purpose in the world. Though it was terribly ironic and twisted, even more so in those sweet moments just before closing time.
Baby was the star of Circus Baby's Pizza World, being that she was the establishments chosen mascot. Of course true to her name Henry had given her an appearance similar to a clown. Sporting bright red ponytails and rosy cheeks wrapped together with a frilly dress to match the overall design and harmless look. Her green eyes bright and full of life. The company made sure to equip her with the finest technology, a robot designed to make ice cream and balloons. Baby could even sing and sway from side to side in a dance like motion. Perfect in the eyes of a child, but some things can be easily misunderstood through them. As we all knew. Needless to say, Circus Gallery was packed with fascinated adults and adoring children.
Funtime Auditorium was intended to be for the older children, the ones who could understand tough concepts and discipline. The large stage decorated with colorful light bulbs of pink and purple illuminated the two animatronics. The bear animatronic stood to the left all shiny and white with light pink highlights. Wearing the traditional black top hat and bow tie with a microphone gripped in his left arm. In his other hand he held a hand puppet, which the bear referred to as BonBon. Which Henry never could explain since he had never programmed the bear to say that. The small bunny was a dark blue with a softer hue in various places on its body. Funtime Freddy's role was to entertain kids by telling stories, specifically fables. In which the hand puppet would ask questions towards the children.
Funtime Foxy was a gleaming white and pink fox with orange eyes and unlike his partner was free to roam Funtime Auditorium. Differentiating from the rest of the animatronics he was motion activated, unique. Built to keep track of large amounts of children, as it was very hard to go unnoticed by the fox since even the slightest movement would capture his attention. Besides an extra layer of security the animatronic was made to physically interact with the kids. Programmed to play games such as hide and seek or tag. Through these games Henry had hoped to teach children the importance of playing nicely and sharing. The winner of each game received a prize either a plush toy of one of the animatronics or candy.
I was the animatronic who occupied Ballora Gallery, a mechanical ballerina with painted white skin. Delicately crafted with rosy pink cheeks, blue hair, and a purple tutu. Programmed to dance with grace, in ways that were all too human. Surrounding me were four puppet-like dolls wearing tutus like me with painted white masks. Besides the fabric the rest of their bodies were bare, bathed in a wooden color with their feet also painted to look like they were wearing shoes. Oversized mouths were cut through their masks to make them appear overly happy and smiling endlessly. It was quite unnerving to the few parents and children who came to see me dance on that day. I could hear the parents whispering amongst each other and making comments on how I looked and moved too much like a human. If only any of them had known, their reactions would've been priceless.
x*x
I was William's first experiment, his very first monster. William and I met at the only bar in town, a run down building with very little appeal. The pay was decent considering that the man running the place was an absolute asshole. Though I suppose looking back, he was probably pretty desperate to keep his only bartender from quitting. Wasn't like business was in anyway booming and the help wanted sign on the outside of the window had been there for months.
Being a quiet and shy person I just minded my own business and served whoever came in through those doors as quickly as humanly possible with little to no social contact. The people who came in were certainly not the type to sit around and have a nice conversation. With only around 15 regular visitors that came in weekly it certainly wasn't anything to complain about.
It's funny, I can remember the day vividly and the ones that came before it, but anything past that is scrambled. I suppose it's for the best.
It was a slow and boring day as usual which was the way I liked it. After serving a man another bear, against my better judgement, the poor guy looked as if he'd topple over at the slightest breeze the bell on the handle of the door jingled. Before turning around I allowed myself a self pitying smile, it was hard enough taking care of one drunk at a time. Praying that he didn't break anything or throw up on the floor.
So of course when I turned around to greet the customer with a strained smile I was definitely expecting another middle aged man with a foul temper. What I wasn't prepared for was the young man clad in jeans and an overly bright purple T-shirt. I'm not sure how long I stood there gawking at his features like a mad woman but judging by his quirked eyebrow I probably made myself look like an utter fool. It was impossible to pull away from those grayish eyes and light copper hair. Damn he was something else.
Luckily for me my boss was watching the scene, and a short bark from him snapped me right out of my thoughts. Turning away to hide the slight blush, I briskly walked behind the counter focusing my eyes on some unseen display by the far corner of the restaurant. Waiting for this man who I've never seen before to make an order from the menu. The one that I was supposed to hand out.
Internally facepalming, I opened the cabinet to my left and grabbed a menu which detailed a moderate sized lists of drinks. Personally arranged to the soft drinks up to the ones that could really fuck a person up. Scraping up whatever self dignity I had left I handed the menu over. Trying with whatever willpower I could muster to avoid eye contact.
As fate would have it, the man insisted on having small talk. Introducing himself as William Afton in his smooth British accent…
Everything is scrambled after that, like a scratched movie disk distorted and corrupted, yes you can make out a few frames but never see the whole picture. In fact I can only clearly remember the biggest events that took place during my life.
I remember that he used his words to get what he wanted, having a friendly demeanor and a persuasive vocabulary it wasn't that hard to do. Not for him.
I could never see the whole picture, in all honesty I was far too thrilled when he asked me out on that first date. Short audio records indicate that we both had an amazing time, two voices merging into laughter with the background noise signaling that we were at some sort of carnival. Don't ask me to recall that for you, it's not one of the few memory files that I was graced to keep.
It was four years later and Will was still the sweetest man. Sure he did seem to have a little bit of a drinking problem and was particularly attracted to vodka. He would frequently take me places such as the park or dinner at a nice restaurant, nothing too fancy but still fun. I'm not sure how he did it but he made me laugh my ass off at times, especially with his terrible pick up lines that made me internally cringe. Of course nothing was completely perfect, there were times where William scared me. He always liked to be in control, especially around other people. If I cut him off while he was talking to another person he'd just stare at me, making me uncomfortable. Though I would always just shrug off those feelings, besides we all have our own demons. Don't we?
William didn't like sharing much about his past with me, switching topics quickly before I could get many answers out of him. I managed to find out that he wasn't that close to his family, especially his father. He said that they never saw eye to eye, and I had my suspicions that the relationship was abusive. Though I never asked William about it, he had made it quite clear that it gave him no pleasure in disclosing that kind of information. It's funny when I think about it now but our relationship almost seemed like a detective mission. If so then I was one crappy detective, with one very stubborn and uncooperative suspect.
It gets real staticky after this point, I can remember the events but almost none of the details. I just know that they happened.
That same year when I started to have an uncomfortable feeling around him, he just gave off an aura that made my skin crawl, he asked for my hand in marriage. I remember that sinking feeling, the titanic sinking down to a watery grave. That type of feeling. The trees in the park leaned in against the wind as if listening in on the word that failed to escape my lips. As he knelt there on the ground a light smile on his face and a silver ring in his hand, I realized that I couldn't refuse his offer. Even with these inner feelings of warning my heart loudly protested that I loved this man and you're always supposed to listen to your heart, right? With the trees listening in anticipation, I let William grab my hand and slip the ring into my finger. Allowing the word escape my lips, in a quiet whisper "yes".
It's cliche to admit this but William truly did change when the marriage was finalized. No huge and extravagant wedding, no he insisted on going to the courthouse to save money. Yes I could see the benefits to that but I truly did dream ever since I was a little girl of having a wedding with beautiful flower centerpieces and a table dedicated to delicious candied deserts. Of course I always imagined of picking out a wedding dress that complimented my curves and my father walking me down the aisle. I don't know why I relented to him, but what matters is that I did. William always had to have his way, I was just not aware at the time of the extent of it.
William was fired from his job as a mechanic only a few months after we tied the knot, he never mentioned why but I had the gut feeling that it was because he was drunk. If the empty beer cans in his workshop that morning were any evidence. He came home a screaming mess, and that was the first time he laid his hands on me in anger. That was the first time I truly opened my eyes and saw the monster inside him. Eagerly waiting for that leash he kept loosely around its neck to break. Afterwards he apologized profusely, trying to help me off the floor after he had slammed my side in the kitchen counter. It goes without saying that I forgave him, and that I was one stupid person to ignore all the internal alarms to get away from him, or the warnings that followed. I could've left at any time, but I felt like I truly needed this man who could shower me with love at one moment and then take it away with the turn of a dial. I hated being always on edge around him, my mother had warned me to never play with fire. If only I had listened to her, if only.
I became pregnant with our first child that year, for some reason I know that, but can't make out the picture. A boy that arrived two weeks before the due date, but other than being a little bit underweight he was perfectly healthy. His father decided to name him Michael, I thought the name suited him well so I didn't object. Though I doubt it would've changed his decision even if I had, I never won the arguments. It was after the blessing of our first child that William met Henry, he was a couple years younger than William with shaggy brown hair and a sense of creativity. With William's knowledge of machines and Henry's ability to draw and visualize they decided to open up a restaurant of their own. Two unemployed men trying to secure financial stability for their new families.
It was like a gift from God when William received a letter in the mail stating that his mother had died and had left in her will a large inheritance to her only child. That was when Henry's dreams finally had a chance to be something other than a drawing. I was left almost completely in the dark, aware that this establishment would be aimed towards children and would have two realistic mascots to hold people's attention.
The next few years were hectic to say the least as Michael was turning out to be one mischievous boy. One whose curiosity got him into more trouble and self amusement than I would give him credit for. He was my little ray of sunshine inside a house where I felt very alone since my husband wasn't around much to give me any attention. William always excused his absence due to the fact that over the past few months Henry's wife had become increasingly ill, this had taken a hard toll on his business partner as now he had to care for both his wife and their two year old daughter. So Will had agreed to come over when building the animatronics and discussing their company and I suppose that it was the right thing for him to do.
Michael was twelve when I gave birth to my second child, another boy. It didn't slip from my attention that he seemed overly jealous of his new brother, I understood that it must've been hard for him to accept that he wouldn't have my full attention anymore. He began locking himself up in his room more and more, not that his father was around to help anymore. Engaging himself fully on his business in which he took almost all the credit, pushing Henry off to the side like a puppet. William took it upon himself to name the establishment Fredbear's Family Diner, the two mascots being an animatronic bear and rabbit. The bear was chunky to say the least with an ugly yellowish hue with a purple top hat and bow tie. The rabbit on the other hand looked slightly better being lime green and looked almost cute with its overly sized buck teeth and huge eyes. William had programmed them himself and I was very proud of him. Though every time I mentioned it he just waved me off, as if he didn't believe my words. The two animals standing on the stage that was centered up against the back wall of the diner could lightly dance and sing. Fredbear could sing children's nursery rhymes, which did sound a little too cheesy but the children and parents seemed to approve of this well enough. The rabbit nicknamed Springbonnie was the guitarist of the duo and more often than not would not sing except on rare events when she would join in on the song's chorus.
I had become good friends with Henry at this point, me and William both. Though I certainly was surprised when he started asking me to babysit his little girl, bringing her over and picking up William on the way to run their business. Henry's daughter was a quiet little thing with big brown eyes and long black hair. She loved to play around with my youngest son, though Michael went out of his way to ignore her. I was starting to worry about him, he needed a father figure in his life and I feared that he felt abandoned.
Elizabeth was my last child, a perfect little girl who had my features which only became more noticeable as she grew into an overly energetic toddler. She had bright orange hair, which I couldn't help but put it up in the cutest ponytail. Her green eyes were a lighter shade than mine, with those she could get almost anything that she wanted. She certainly got her looks from me and her personality from her father.
William took a liking to Elizabeth, showing more affection towards her than our other two children. It left a hollow feeling in my gut, knowing that my children were not treated equally by their own father. Knowing that my two boys were very much aware of this. Michael would refuse to go to school, which of course angered my husband. Will never got physical with any of the kids but he made up for it with his words, creating a moody and angry teen that had trouble with authority. His brother hated the yelling and constant fighting between Will and myself. Breaking down and running into my arms as if everything around him was out to get him.
Elizabeth was six years old when I walked in on the blueprints left on my husband's workbench. Blueprints of a new wave of animatronics with capabilities not yet known in the entertainment business. Animatronics that would take many years to build and perfect. Moving faceplates with self built memory cards and advanced programming to do all sorts of activities.
I might've thought them to be beautiful and unique. The first blueprint showed a clown, which had unnerving characteristics similar to my daughter, flipping through the other sheets I came across additional characters. There was a fox and bear with matching color schemes so she assumed it would be a similar gig as with Fredbear and Springbonnie. Paper sketches of baby-like dolls and puppet dancers, and finally an animatronic ballerina. I was astonished at these designs, was this why William had been gone so much?
Thinking of how selfish and blockheaded I had been at thinking he had just abandoned his family to hang out with another man I almost didn't look over the notes scattered at the bottom of the blueprints. Describing the character and revealing their names, but that wasn't the part that my eyes were attracted to or what made my heart skip a beat.
There were four notes under each character describing their diverse capabilities. The clown and ballerina didn't show anything too disturbing, no I found those on the funtime duo. Placing my trembling hand over my lips I read over Funtime Freddy's page, trying to make sense of the information my eyes were absorbing. The bear was built with parental tracking, that made sense of course they would need to make sure that every child was supervised at all times.
"No...what is this?" The small plea escaped my lips as the panic started to build up inside of me. Why would a robot need a voice system that could mimic voices? My answer was quelled the second I read the rest of that sentence...to lure. Animatronics built with plates so that they could open up, Funtime Freddy had a storage tank. I could put two and two together, but it was as though my heart wouldn't accept it, I couldn't! I found Funtime Foxy, a pain growing in my chest as I read over that one line, parental voice sync & replay.
Was I really that blind, too naive to notice my husbands slow decline? Yes William had showed signs of sadistic behavior but that was towards her, not their children. He would never hurt a child...his child.
"Oh my God, what do I do?" My voice rose in a painful moan, hands pulling at my hair trying to get a grip on myself but failing miserably.
Before I had time to process what was happening I felt arms wrap around my waist, cradling my shaking figure. Hands gently stroking my back in a comforting motion.
"Do You like my designs? You weren't supposed to see them yet but it's too late for that, yes, too late."
"William what's happened to you, honey please talk to me. I'm scared I don't know what's going on?"
"You're such a curious little thing, how I love this side of you. Trembling in my arms, well sweetheart do you want to know a little secret?"
I didn't respond to that, how could I? So I stood there in his arms staring at the blueprints in horror.
"I remembered how much you loved dancing, before taking on a full time job took that away from you. You always described how happy and weightless you felt while jumping through the air and it may surprise you but I was listening. To every word that rolled off your tongue. You see that ballerina design, that animatronic is for you. I'm going to make her only for you."
What William said sounded wrong to me, the whole concept was just creepy. He must've felt my body tense up because he pulled away from me, chuckling lightly while putting a finger under my chin to lift my head to look up at him.
"I'm sorry, you weren't supposed to see any of this, not until Ballora was complete. I would've liked this experiment to have gone without any hitches but I guess some things don't work out the way they play out in your mind."
William's voice was leveled and friendly. I was confused what was he talking about? He never acted like this, switching between sentences that made utter nonsense. This had to be a nightmare, maybe she had a little too much wine before going to sleep? No, she was always sure never to overdo it, a small cup in the evenings. My sporadic thoughts were cut short when I glanced down, seeing the light from the desk lamp bounce off a shiny object in William's hand. I had always been a fool, never questioning William's intentions. I couldn't react quick enough, not even when I realized that my loving husband held a knife in his other hand. I only stared at him incredulously, my eyes wide and beading with tears. I could've made a run for it, but deep down we both knew that I wouldn't do it. Not after all these years submitting to him like a loyal dog. I felt hot betrayal weave through me, the hurt of knowing that you married only a small fragment of what he really was. A monster, one who knew how to swoon you into a thick layer of lies, able to make a person turn the other way at questionable actions. All of these revelations came crashing down, and I stood there, shaking unable to make out intelligible words, unable to do anything to save myself. From the demon I loved.
"Wait for me my love, come back to me. You shall dance again, I promise."
I never felt the knife puncture my chest, I was numb by then. A coldness that spread, as William's face filled up my entire vision. Until there was nothing else, and then the lights went off. Everything shut down.
x*x
"That's all I can remember from the past, my little ones. My human name has long since faded from my memory bank, I'm Ballora now. I came back for him I suppose, maybe there's still a part of me that cares about him, that will wait for the side that only I could see. Maybe one day he'll come back to me, a girl can hope anyways. It's hard to remember what he was like before he changed, I can't describe it, or I just don't want to think about it. Because if I think too much then I could realize that it wasn't real, that it was only one of William's many masks. A mask that he made only for me and probably Henry too. I should be thankful for this robot body and programming, there's so many things that I can't recall. The happy memories are always the most bittersweet, is that why there are so few of them? It's weird being made of chrome, I'm no longer human. My emotions are so dulled, but there are traces left. I can still love, as you can tell my Minireenas, I adore the four of you. I can also hate. Hate myself for what I let happen, the fate of my family is a twisted one."
Ballora looked up from her precious dolls to acknowledge the other three animatronics huddled by the entrance of the room. Their eyes wide and mouths gawking, that's what they get for listening in on things not meant for their ears.
"Good to see that you all made it for story time." I murmured, letting static slightly mingle with my words to show that I was annoyed.
The two animatronics who inhabited Funtime Auditorium, respectfully backed away and climbed through the vent to give them some privacy. I supposed that they were surprised to find out why I acted so differently from themselves, I was an adult, not a child. I didn't find much pleasure at chasing after the night guards that came. Playing my music loud so they could easily avoid me, I only wanted to see if they were William. I would always wait for him.
Baby was staring at me intently with those green eyes that could almost talk a mother into giving her anything that she desired. But that wouldn't work with me, not anymore.
"Mommy?" The clown questioned quietly, the disbelief in her eyes looked unnatural compared to her overbearing personality.
"You were always daddy's little girl, his perfect little monster. I'm not your mother anymore Elizabeth, just like you're not my daughter. We may remember bits and pieces of our past lives, but that's not who we are now. No, I learned that from the first day we were open. I was awakened before all of you, you were all just robots who were ever so sentient.
You enticed my daughter with ice cream, but she never did get it did she? No, you scooped her up, and crushed her little body inside. I can't forget that, unhear that scream. Our programming pulls the reins here, and face it we are meant to capture children. Inside us. Stop pretending, you don't act like my daughter. I can't tell if it's her in there or only machine. Perhaps both like me?"
For once Baby was speechless, maybe hurt at my rejection. It was funny, watching her turn around and head back to her Circus Gallery. She always had something to say, always had to have the last word.
It couldn't really be Elizabeth, or she just really didn't want to allow herself to believe that. Looking down at my Minireenas staring up at me expectedly, I allowed myself to close my eyes. I preferred to keep them closed, it was very hard to see what we had become. What I had become. William had at least kept his promise, I could dance my heart out. I wouldn't accept this as real, it was only a very vivid nightmare and everyone wakes up from them eventually. Once the music stops, I'll be free. I'll see my family again as we were all those years ago. I will take my children and leave William, protect them like I should have.
That's what she told herself anyways, in the darkness that cocooned her from all sides.
"All right little ones, you've waited long enough. Get into your positions!"
The Minireenas surrounded Ballora as she started singing. A song that made her small babies giggle in delight. Of course they would never know the true meaning of this song, how could they?
"Why do you hide inside your walls, when there is music in my halls? All I see is an empty room, no more joy, an empty tomb. It's so good to sing all day, to dance, to spin, to fly away."
This story is my own AU and does not follow the actual FNaF storyline.