Ok, so now we go to the last scene with Mike (until the next book...don't worry, we'll be seeing a lot of her then) and we get to spend more time with the four spirits. Just to let you know, the beginning here starts just a few minutes after the kids' death and a lot of this happens at the same time. The last two parts of this chapter happen at the same time, but the last one goes on actually for four weeks total (you'll understand why when you read).

I own absolutely nothing except for the few OCs in here (the parents).

"Bold" is the Animatronics speech

"Normal" is human speech

Chapter 4

The four spirits looked at the tall, slender figure before them. Its long banded legs narrowed to tiny points on which it stood while its slender hands hung to below its waist from equally long arms. The most striking feature was the bone white face painted with red cheeks and purple 'tear-tracks' from a gaping smile and two equally black eyes.

"You're…you're that puppet thing," Robby started slowly, "The one that gave the bear to my sister,"

"It wasn't that I meant to scare her, child," the puppet replied with a slight tilt to its head, "She just was facing the wrong way and was separated from you. I thought it best to ease the tension by giving her a gift,"

"That's nice and all," Sam started, pushing up the bridge of his glasses higher on his nose before crossing his silver arms, "But what do you want, Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Creepy?"

"What my friend means," Matt corrected, shooting a glare at his friend, "Is what did you mean by 'I can help with that'?"

"You can call me Marionette. But as for what I meant…You four were most tragically ended," the Marionette started, "I can help you get back was taken,"

"Why would we want that? Why aren't we in heaven? I thought people go there when they died?" Amanda asked, peeking her head from her brother's shadow, then dodging back behind him as the Marionette turned it's blank gaze on her.

"Because that man will continue on killing…he won't rest until the fifth of your number is dead…the one that got away,"

"Mike…" Robby breathed, "That can't happen,"

"And since you were murdered so brutally, your souls are adrift, you are in between. Dead, but living, living but dead. Not until your task in complete will you be able to move on,"

"And that would be?" Robby asked.

"Follow me if you want to see," the Marionette told them, turning around and walking out.

"Should we trust him?" Matt asked, looking at Robby.

"Do we really have a choice?" came the eldest's reply.

The four spirits followed the Marionette, their forms became more like smoke as they ghosted along the halls, through twists and turns until Robby caught up with the puppet.

"How long have we been like this?" he asked.

"Only a few minutes by human times," the Marionette replied, "Your sister is recounting her tale to the adults. She seems quite distraught,"

"Well, no kidding," Robby growled under his breath, before looking towards the main room.

"I wouldn't," the Marionette warned, "The longer you stay without form, the harder it will be to move on. Find a form first, then you might be able to see her, Robert,"

"Robby,"

"That is what I said, isn't it?"

"My mother only calls me that when I'm in trouble," Robby said as the Marionette opened the door to the Parts and Services room.

The four children stopped just inside, seeing four lifeless animatronic forms lying brokenly on the floor.

"These are the older versions of the others. They're from the old location…the only one that normally gets to see time out in the open is Foxy…but he's been breaking down a lot lately," the Marionette said, gesturing at the four completely inert animatronics, "They're not much, but you can have them. And take back what was taken from you. Make sure that this doesn't happen again,"

Matt's silvery form dissipated and reformed next to the Freddy costume. He looked at the others before giving a slight smile and evaporating into smoke.

"Matt! NO!" Robby yelled, but it was too late.

The smoke streamed through the eyes, nose and mouth of the bear, making it twitch and jerk violently as if it was being shocked repeatedly. The black gaze suddenly flared to life, a sparkling, vivid electric blue as a low, but loud moan echoed through the air. Robby looked at the bear as it blinked once, twice…and sat up straight.

"Matt…?" Amanda asked softly, fading out and then reappearing next to the bear, "Is it you?"

"It's me," came the deep, rumbling voice from the animatronic, "Wow…I sound like Dad, Amanda!"

"I wanna try!" Amanda chirped, scanning over the animatronics, "Yay! I see Chica!"

She disappeared into mist and reformed next to the chicken, her own misty form streaming into the costume and making it twitch just like her brother's had. The eyes flickered to life, a much lighter shade of Amanda's blued violet.

"My turn!" Sam grinned, fading out and reappearing only to get sucked into the Bonnie costume.

Robby shook his head incredulously as both Chica and Bonnie's forms sat up.

"C'mon, Robby! There's one more left just for you!" Matt said.

"I don't wanna," Robby growled.

"Robby," Sam sighed, "It doesn't hurt, see?"

He moved Bonnie's arms up and down.

"Good, you made it move," Robby growled, "Now get out of the suits and let's just go!"

He didn't like this place, it made him nervous. And so did that Marionette.

"Please, Robby?" Amanda pleaded, "If you don't like it, then you can get out. We'll come with you,"

Robby closed his silver eyes and sighed.

"Fine," he grumbled, ghosting over to the final slumped form, Foxy.

"Figures, the last one is mine," he thought, "I was the last to die…and just like this one…"

He felt like he was falling, being absorbed into the metal of the creature…right as the Fox's black eyes flared brilliant gold. He held up his right hand.

"I don't have a right hand anymore either," he thought bitterly.

Suddenly, he froze.

"This is way too similar," he muttered.

He didn't have a right hand anymore, neither did Foxy. Sam played guitar extremely well, so did Bonnie. Amanda liked to bake with her mother's help, cupcakes were her specialty…and what did Chica always have? Matt was musically talented in his voice and Freddy was the one who was the lead singer.

Too many similarities to be a coincidence.

Robby focused, trying to get out…but he couldn't.

"Hey!" he yelled, "I want out! Lemme out of this furball!"

"Robby?" Amanda asked, "What's the matter?"

"I can't get out!" Robby wailed, silvery pearls running down his cheeks, "I want out!"

"I can't get out either!" Matt cried.

"Or me!" Sam howled.

"What did you do?" Amanda sobbed, all four children staring at the Marionette.

"I gave you new life," came the simple reply, "You were the ones who took the opportunity. You didn't ask if it was a one-way deal,"

"How long will we be stuck like this!?" Robby demanded, baring his now very sharp teeth.

"Until the Rescuer comes and you take revenge on the one that did this to you. As time passes, your power will grow…you may be able to walk outside your metal skins, at least, during the day," was the reply, "And I would advise you don't let anyone else know what you are. Safer that way,"

Amanda started sobbing, Matt came over and hugged his little sister, who buried her head into his fur.

"Look on the bright side," Sam tried, "We at least have something to look forwards to,"

"Why don't you all get some rest," the Marionette suggested, "Your spirits need to get settled into your new bodies…I don't know how long it'll take but still, you should rest,"

"I don't think I can refuse that," Amanda yawned, her knees buckling as she hit the ground.

Matt knelt down next to his sister and brought her feathered form closer to him, letting her snuggle into his soft fur before the both of them closed their eyes and went to sleep.

Sam looked at Robby as the latter returned it.

"You're not lyin' on me, Pirate Foxbeard," Sam teased, "Get your own pillow,"

"Gladly, Easter Bunny," Robby snarked back, his longer legs folding elegantly underneath him as he leaned his head back and fell into the sweet embrace of sleep.


"They asleep yet?" a man asked, walking up behind the Marionette.

"Of course, you doubt my abilities?"

"They're twitching," the man growled, glaring at the puppet.

"Their spirits are in the last stages of settling into their new bodies,"

"In other words…they're almost done possessing the shells,"

"If you want to put it that way, human," the Marionette sighed, "They're asleep…they won't feel a thing,"

"Good," the man hummed, walking forwards and putting a hand on Amanda's shoulder, "This shouldn't take long…these four can't come after us and this should help…"

"No guard at night to bother us," the Marionette hummed, "I am liking this idea more and more,"

The man tilted Amanda forwards and opened a hatch at the back of her neck, revealing the manual interface button in Chica's body. He fiddled around with the code, implanting a virus that would make the four spirits' sense of morality disappear, make them 'take care' of the night guards that would take his place.

Amanda twitched violently, eyes flicking on, a deep pitch black with white pupils, as she reached forwards, trying to grab the man.

"SLEEP!" the Marionette ordered…and Amanda's, Chica's, form slumped back to the ground, offline.

"Thanks for that," the man started, as he turned towards Matt and began the same process again, "Then again, we are partners,"

"Associates," the Marionette growled as Matt too shot up, eyes dark and wild only to go dormant under the Marionette's order, "I trust you as far as you could throw the bear,"

"And I do the same," the man snarked, dodging as Sam grabbed at him and similarly went down.

He turned to Robby only for the Marionette to grab his shoulder.

"What?" the man snarled.

"This one's different," the Marionette stated, "You humans can's see what I see…there's something about him…protecting him. Your little virus won't affect him as badly as the others,"

"Why not?"

"This one died for his sister," the Marionette told him, "Sacrificial love…it causes a sort of powerful shield over them both. The girl who got away…and the boy's spirit,"

The man's gaze slid to the last spirit, watching as its head twitched, repeatedly shaking 'no'.

"You," the man growled, clenching his hand, showcasing the faint white bite marks on it, "I should have known you'd be tricky. But it doesn't matter. Even if it doesn't work all the way…It'll still have some effect,"

The man closed the port on Robby's back…right as Robby jerked bolt upright, his hooked hand slashing out and carving a deep gash on the man's face. The man cursed bitterly as Robby's strangled snarl suddenly cut out and the boy crashed to the ground, inert.

"I ought to rip him to pieces," the man cursed bitterly, holding his cheek as blood welled up from the wound, "Little basta…"

"We are in a children's restaurant," the Marionette reminded him.

"You think I care about those snot-nosed brats?" the man hissed before shaking his head, "Forget it, I've got bigger things to worry about,"

He looked at the four still and silent figures.

"They won't wake up for a few weeks as the virus works its magic," he said, "And with luck…they won't remember anything of their past lives,"

"They will remember eventually," the Marionette stated, "And when they do…their power will grow. They will be able to project themselves outside their metal forms into their age-appropriate flesh and blood forms. If they are able to do so, they will be easy to nullify, not to worry,"

"Why does that still not reassure me?" the man snarked, before looking at his watch, "Look, it's nearly time for the night-shift. I need to get going unless you want to clean up after your friends are done with me,"

"I don't have friends, I have minions and thralls," the Marionette deadpanned, "They won't harm you, but all the same…the cameras are everywhere, the guard will see you,"

"True that," he nodded, "Until next time,"


Sleep didn't have much peace to it…just like death. Robby immediately found himself in a beautiful place, stained glass windows let streams of multi-colored light filter in. Robby smiled, he always loved those windows, but something was a little off…

And that's when he saw the five coffins sitting in front of a crowd.

Five pictures of five children: Matt, Amanda, Sam, himself, and Mike sat on the closed coffins' lids. But…that wasn't possible! The Marionette said that Mike survived!

He saw the three misty forms of his friends, who were all staring at the coffins and then at their mourning parents. Robby's form burst into smoke before reforming next to his mourning mother, the sunlight refracting off her red hair and making it look like it was on fire. His Aunt Cindy and Uncle Ed sat next to her along with a little blonde girl. The little girl's face was turned downwards, but Robby could see the little fox toy in her arms and he gave an involuntary gasp as the girl finally looked up, revealing amber eyes…the right one sporting a long, thin gash where a knife blade had skated over it. Mike survived! They were just hiding her from the killer!

"Mike…" he whispered, reaching for her…

Right as the scene exploded into smoke and light, reforming into a dark bedroom. Robby looked around, finally seeing his little sister's form lying on the bed. He ghosted over to her, putting a hand on her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he murmured softly, trying to brush away the hair across her face.

Mike's face screwed up in terror and she began to cry, shaking violently until she shot up, screaming.

"WOBBY!" she shrieked, tears streaming down her face, "NO! WOBBY NO!"

The hall light flicked on and Robby saw his mother, aunt and uncle racing into the room to comfort the six year old.

"It's ok," Aunt Cindy crooned as Anna rocked Mike back and forth.

"It's just a dream kiddo," Uncle Ed promised as Mike still cried.

"No…it not!" Mike sobbed, "Wobby dead! Purple Man kill him dead…I want my bwother! I want Wobby! I WANT MY WOBBY!"

"I'm here Mike!" Robby cried, trying to hold her hand but his misty fingers swiped through them, "Mike! IT'S ME! I'm here! Look at me!"

Robby kept yelling, trying to get her to look at him, to let her know he was here…but he was dead, there was no making her see him. And the boy fell to his knees, putting his head in his hands, weeping bitterly.

A gentle hand placed itself on his shoulder, making Robby's head snap up. A figure, glowing so bright a white that he couldn't make out any features, stood behind him.

"Robert Edward Schmidt, son of Anna Schmidt and brother of Mikayla Elizabeth Schmidt," the figure said, its voice warm and inviting, "I'm sorry to say that your time with your family is almost over. You will have to return to the shell that houses your spirit,"

"I don't want to," Robby growled, "I want to stay here!"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," the figure sighed, "You were tricked. You would have been able to move on without possessing the shells…but now that you have, you're bound to them. The one called the Marionette is working with the murderer,"

"Why are you telling me this?" Robby asked.

"Because you will cease to remember your complete life…you will know memories, know that you had a family, but not their names or what they looked like…at least, for a time,"

"But…I don't want to forget!"

"The one who took yours and your friends' lives installed something in your new forms…something that will cause you to do unspeakable acts even though you will not remember them,"

"My friends?" Robby asked, frightened, "Will they…"

"They will not remember anything," the voice said sadly, "You only remember because of your sacrifice for your sister,"

"Who are you?" Robby asked.

The figure smiled…or at least, Robby could sense it.

"I am the first," the figure replied, "You four were not the first to die…I was. But I moved on. I am going to protect you all the best I can. I will try to help you remember, for once you do, there is nothing that the Marionette will be able to do to keep your powers in check,"

"Powers…what powers?"

"You will see…in time," the first victim sighed, its voice dying to a whisper, "It is almost time, Robert! You will not remember this, in moments you will forget your name. The only thing you will remember is your character name and function. I wish you luck and I will be with you every step of the way!"

Everything went dark…and then Foxy, not Robby, slowly opened his eyes.

I kinda figured that Sam's snark would carry on into the afterlife...I figured Matt wouldn't care too much for it but Robby would fire right back at him. Expect more name-calling/teasing from those two!

From now on, those four will be known by the animatronic name unless stated otherwise (such as: when the kid's spirit resurfaces at times). I know it's a little strange...but trust me, it gets easier as we go. The first child is the one killed outside the restaurant, but the child didn't bind themself to anything and they moved on to the afterlife where they're sort of like a guardian angel. The child is trying to help its fellow spirits out, because once they remember their pasts...they'll be even stronger than before (This will happen in this book, but it's gradual *it'll start with one, then another, then another and then by the end they'll remember and discover this 'power' that everyone's been talking about). It's really showcased in the second book. Well, it's midnight here, so I'm going to bed. See ya next time!

I hope you guys liked it, if you did send in the reviews! (Along with ideas because I will need them eventually!) :)

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.