Warning: possible spoilers to the ending of Bioshock Infinite.
X.X
There was a sinister feeling in the air as soon as the Bathysphere containing Atlas and his family sank back into the water. She could hear static cackling behind her as she slowly turned to face the wrecked entrance. The corridor itself was only lit up by the light coming from outside. Giving the place a murky green color. She cautiously made her way through the rubble, passing by old slot machines and jukeboxes, before stopping when she heard the radio crackle.
"Ryan's handed the keys to Fort Frolic over to an artist named Sander Cohen. I've seen all kinds of cutthroats, freaks, and hard cases in my life...but Cohen, he's a real lunatic, as dyed in the wool psychopath." Fontaine drawled through the radio.
"What?" Brigid asked. Music and static started to suddenly play over Fontaine's voice until she eventually lost his signal. "Fontaine? Fontaine! Fuck!" Brigid cursed before shutting the radio off. "Sander Cohen, eh?" she said to herself, "Sounds like I've met the man before."
She soon passed an old store that was closed off by a fence. Lying amongst the rubble she spotted an Audio Diary labeled Pelageya.
"Kyle just offered to take me to the Christmas party next week. Oooh, I'm really nervous about asking Father. I know that this will be my only chance in having a proper dance with a man before... I'd rather not talk about it. Any way, I don't even know how to dance. *Sighs* hopefully Father will say yes. I better get back to violin practice before Cohen sees me."
Judging by the date, this audio log must've been made a year prior to the New Years incident. 1957, perhaps? Brigid dropped the Audio Diary and turned her attention over to the entrance to Hephaestus. According to Fontaine during her ride over here, he said that the sphere to Ryan would be in there. Without a word, she stepped through the doorway and made her way over to the Bathysphere.
Something can't be right, Brigid thought to herself as her eyes wandered around, It can't be this easy for me.
She spoke too soon. Without warning, the Bathysphere suddenly submerged itself under a spotlight and giant rabbit mask slowly rose up. "What the hell?" Brigid whispered to herself as giant curtains suddenly rolled out while plastered masks and Little Sisters bent in odd angles dangled from the ceiling in a pattern. Sparkles fell from them as the color changed to a violet color. What's more, music started playing in the background.
"Ah, that's better..." a silky voice sighed through the radio, "Fontaine, Ryan, Fontaine, Ryan, duh duh duh, duh duh dudg..." Cohen sang. "Time was you could get something decent on the radio. The artist has a duty to seduce the ear and delight the spirit...so say goodbye to that blowhard, Fontaine, and hello, to an evening with Sander Cohen!"
Brigid flicked some red glitter off her shoulder when some landed on her from the plastered Little Sisters dangling on the ceiling. She felt a sickening feeling in her stomach and wasn't hesitant to leave the Rapture Metro.
"Now. I haven't seen a sign of real life down here in months. Besides from Jackie here. Isn't that right, little moth?"
"Yes Mr. Cohen!" Jack giggled.
Jack! Brigid clutched her Shotgun tightly. So the boy was with Cohen. Cohen chuckled through the radio.
"Of course, little moth. Anyway, let's see if you're just another Johnny come lately...or maybe something more delicious." the mad artist purred.
Wicked laughter was heard from the ceiling. Brigid snapped her head up and spotted Spider Splicers coming her way. She injected some Incinerate plasmid into her system before snapping her fingers. The first splicer erupted into flames and fellow the floor in a charred mess.
"Nicely done." Cohen praised, "Where did you study?"
Brigid ignored his question and fired her Shotgun at two approaching splicers. She concentrated on the other splicers before snapping her fingers once more. Screams escaped the splicers as their bodies burned in devastating temperatures before dropping dead when Brigid shot down the remaining ones.
"Ohhh, I can smell the malt vinegar in this one, little moth. I've waited so long for something tasty to come to this little burg, but all that pass are yokels and rubes... Where are my manners? Come in! Come in! Sander Cohen and Jack Ryan awaits you...at the Fleet Hall!"
Brigid grimaced. She's definitely heard his voice from somewhere. Reloading her gun, she made her way over to the now open entrance. The large room was dark, save from the light coming from the ceiling and a spotlight. The whirring of generators suddenly replaced the silence from earlier and neon lights came flashing on from all over. Various signs leading to different stores flashed on as the room was filled with light.
"WELCOME- to- Fort- Frolic!" Cohen spoke through the P.A. now.
Brigid shuddered when she spotted two plastered splicers, standing in poses that made them look as though they were admiring something, stood in front of a curtained stage.
"No need to thank me for jamming the transmission of that boor Fontaine. Let him have his squabble with Ryan. The artist, yes, the artist knows there is richer earth to till... For example, I test you, little butterfly, but for a reason. I test all my disciples. Some shine like galaxies, and some...some burn like a moth at the flame! Come now...into my home."
Brigid cocked her Shotgun. She took the time to look around the lobby area for anything that might be useful. She managed to find a pistol lying on the floor with some shots beside it. She then made her way up the extravagant staircase that was present and entered the Fleet Hall Theatre. Personally, she wasn't one who would take the time to visit a theater just to see a movie or play. She just wasn't that type. She explored a bit before coming upon an elevator that led to the theater itself.
She stepped into the elevator and was able to pick up the faint melody of piano music above her. She pressed the button and the cage door closed. The higher she got the louder the music got as well.
"No! No! No!" she heard Cohen say frantically.
"Mr. Cohen, please..." a voice whimpered.
"SILENCE!" Cohen snapped, followed by Jack's soft giggles, "Allegro...Allegro!"
The elevator stopped with a ding before opening up. Brigid walked out of the elevator, down a few steps, and into the dimly lit theater itself. A few spotlights were shone one plastered figures sitting on the seats, but one was shining down on a young man who appeared to be plastered to the piano seat. Dynamite dangerously surrounded the piano itself.
"Da. Da. Da. Da Da DA. Presto... Presto!" Cohen sang, "NO! No!"
The man stopped playing the piano and turned to look up at the seats with both his hands held up. "I'm trying..." he wailed, "Please...!"
"Once again, young Fitzpatrick." Cohen sighed.
The man turned back to the piano, whimpering. His sore fingers frantically tapped down on the keys in hopes of finally pleasing his mentor. Brigid watched the young man silently and noticed the silhouettes of three plastered splicers posed behind a red curtain. She heard Cohen repeat what he did earlier, only to end with a dismayed no. Kyle was just about to stop playing and angrily confront his former mentor when a loud, blood curdling screech suddenly filled the room faintly.
"What the hell?" Kyle muttered to himself.
Even Cohen was surprised, even briefly forgetting about Kyle's previous failure as he looked around the room where he, Jack, and Pelageya were at. The same screech suddenly filled the theater again before dying out.
"Mr. Cohen? What is that?" Jack, who was sitting on his lap, asked.
"I actually don't, quite, know, little moth." the mad artist admitted. He then looked down at the small boy with an excited smile. "Let's have a look, shall we?"
Jack's eyes widened and he grinned. "Yeah!" he exclaimed happily before giggling. "Can Pelageya come along too?"
"Of course! Pelageya can always come."
The artist seemed to have forgotten about Brigid, who was still standing where she was.
"Now, young Fitzpatrick, don't stop playing! I expect you to get that piece right by the time we return." Cohen said before teleporting out of the room in a red haze.
Kyle sobbed and silently obeyed. Pressing his fingers against the scratched keys. Brigid slowly approached the young man with her gun aimed at him in case he did something.
"Young man?" she called out.
Kyle gasped in horror and frantically held his hands up. "P-please don't shoot! I'm n-not a splicer! I'm still human! I'm still human!" he cried frantically. Flipping his bird mask back to reveal a charming young face with not even a hint of plasmid abuse. Kyle had short reddish-brown hair that looked messy from months of neglect, along with very pale skin and dull brown eyes.
Brigid lowered her gun and gave him the friendliest smile he had seen in months. "A-are you real?" he whispered. He had fallen asleep playing the piano before. And the punishment wasn't always a good one.
"Real enough." Brigid said, gently touching his sunken cheek.
"A-are you here to s-save me?"
Brigid looked over to the dynamite and then his plastered legs. "I am now." she replied.
...
Jack's face and palms were pressed against the large glass window as he watched the Bathysphere becoming nothing but a speck in the dark ocean water.
"So it seems our friends already left." Cohen said as he watched as well. He heard a soft hiss coming from Pelageya and he shook his head. "That won't be necessary, my dear. They're gone, they're gone. But I still wonder what made those loud screeches, though."
They suddenly heard a faint explosion coming from the direction of Fort Frolic and Cohen smiled. "Sounds like young Fitzpatrick finally had enough of playing." he sighed in false sadness. "Oh well! Let's not keep our little butterfly waiting." Cohen scooped Jack up into his arms once more before teleporting back to Fort Frolic with Pelageya beside him. When they returned to the stage they were greeted by a burning piano.
"Where's Kyle?" Jack asked after Cohen placed him down.
Cohen took a few steps down the stairs and narrowed his eyes at the carnage silently. His blood started to boil as he clenched his hand into a tight fist. Pelageya immediately felt alarmed by this and picked up Jack before taking a few steps back from the artist. Like a volcano erupting after years of sleeping, Cohen screamed.
"THAT LITTLE BUTTERFLY STOLE ONE OF THE PIECES NECESSARY FOR MY MASTERPIECE!"
...
Kyle sobbed heavily against Brigid's chest as they sat against one of the walls. Brigid hushed him, stroking his hair soothingly in an attempt to comfort the traumatized man. She's seen people who have been traumatized after the war. But what Kyle must've gone through in Rapture must be the worst case she's ever seen. It had been tricky breaking the plaster that imprisoned him with his piano for months without triggering the dynamite. It was after she pulled him away that a piece suddenly hit the dynamite and everything went off.
It would only be a matter of time before Cohen returns from investigating the screeches from earlier. What made them? She's never heard anything like it.
"T-thank you." Kyle sobbed, "T-thank you so much."
"How did this happen to you?" Brigid asked softly.
Kyle sniffed. "I-it's a long story. A-a very long s-story." Kyle whispered before looking up at Brigid, "W-who are you?" he asked.
"Brigid." Brigid replied.
"Brigid..." Kyle mumbled before he weakly sat up on his knees, "You're name sounds familiar. Are you a resident of Rapture as well?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Brigid replied with a soft chuckle.
X.X
That's right! I made Kyle live. And there is no way in heck I'm gonna have be a splicer. If I'm gonna write a Bioshock fanfic with Kyle Fitzpatrick in it, he is NOT going to be a splicer. For this fic, I'm going to say he's 19 years old. Though he's probably older in the games.
Kudos if you found two Bioshock Infinite references! :D
Update: I changed the ending to help with the next chapter.