Vevina

Extra precautions were decided upon for Vevina, rather reluctantly in Foxy's case. He hadn't wanted her to feel like she was a prisoner, but Goldie had been pragmatic in her explanation. Unlike the others, her fragment was making her unwillingly violent and had to be guarded against. Foxy had relented, but he still didn't like it.

Given that she had already shown to like them in varying degrees, Foxy and Billy were paired for this task. Goldie had also placed this part of the mansion on lockdown, so metal shutters had sealed off the windows and doors. The only door they could open was the one into Vevina's mind. Goldie would be monitoring their room though, so she would open one of the shutters to release them if need be.

Foxy felt the entire thing was overkill. Even though he'd seen the way she acted when the fragment took over first hand, he knew she didn't want to hurt them. Certainly not little Billy. But if this was what it took to ensure the safety of the others, so be it. He could act to protect the boy too. But he wasn't going to leave Vevina to her misery.

Billy himself looked rather nervous. He was fiddling with the string of his balloon and was quietly murmuring under his breath. He jumped a little when Foxy placed a hand on his head and knelt down to his level.

"We'll be alright, lad. She won't hurt us, I know it."

He shook his head. "I'm not worried about that. I'm just worried about her. I don't want her to be angry forever, Foxy. I want to help but... I don't know if I can."

"Hey now, of course ya can," said Foxy. "I'm sure once she gets in here, Vevina is goin' ta be over the moon ta see ya."

"I hope so," he said quietly.

"Besides, yer a member-a me crew now," added Foxy. "In a pirate's crew, every single one counts and yer no different." That brought a little smile and Foxy ruffled his hair again. "Tell ye what. I'll test the waters first when she comes in while ye hide behind that chair there. When I give ya the signal, ya come out and we see what happens."

Billy nodded, looking silently grateful and did as was suggested. Foxy made sure he was hidden before picking up Vevina's key and unlocking her door. He stood back and waited.

A moment later, the door cracked open and a flinty, heavily lined yellow eye peered through the gap. Upon recognizing him, Vevina opened the door wider. Foxy quickly moved aside so she could enter the room. Though he'd taken care to ease the door shut behind them, Vevina still flinched at the slight click, leg muscles reflexively tightening. Her good eye darted around the room like a trapped bird searching for an open window.

"Don't worry lass, there's nothin' ta be afraid of," he said at once. "Yer with friends."

"Really? Because it looks more like I've just walked into a lockup," she growled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want it to be like this. But after the decent shiner ya gave me last time, well this is the result." He smiled, though without any joy in it.

"Loving the vote of confidence." She moved against the wall, trying to look like she was leaning on it, but more like she wanted to melt into it. "So, is this the part where you want me to talk about what I've been through and try to make amends? Well forget it."

"It's part of it," admitted Foxy. "But I also thought that ya might want ta speak with somebody else too. He's been quiet worried about ya."

He turned and beckoned. After a moment of stillness, Billy peered out from behind it. Vevina's eyes widened at the sight of him. Neither of them spoke and Foxy put himself back as far as possible so as not to intrude.

"Hi Vevvy," said Billy and beamed at her. "I've missed you. Are you okay?"

"I'm… alright," she said.

"Okay." Billy started to approach her slowly. "You look like you could use a balloon and a-"

"No!" she barked and he recoiled like she'd struck him. "Oh, oh Billy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I didn't. I just… I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't, Vevvy. I know you won't," he said. "I know that it's not you. It's something really mean inside your head and we want to help get it out."

She looked away. "It's not that simple."

"Never said it was, lass," Foxy chimed in and standing next to Billy. "But we're willin' ta try, if ye are. If ya want, we'll stay and have a seat over here. Ye can stay and make yerself comfortable there. If ya get another episode like before, I'll make sure no harm comes to the lad, I promise."

"Aye and what about you?" she asked quietly.

"I can take a few hits, Vev," he said. "Don't worry about me."

Foxy parked himself in a chair and Billy squeezed on next to him. Vevina hesitated, fidgeting heavily before she dragged a seat to her spot and did the same. Even when she did sit down, she didn't want to sit still. An uncomfortable silence settled until Foxy made an attempt to break it.

"Well, isn't this a funny lil' gatherin'? All of the oddballs and misfits, tagether in one room. I'd say we have the makings of a fine crew here," he said.

"Uh, yeah!" Billy agreed quickly. "Did you hear, Vevvy? Foxy made me a member of his pirate crew."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Oh did he now?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded proudly. "We're going to set sail and find treasure and fight sea monsters and everything. You can come along too, right Foxy?"

"Oh aye, it wouldn't be the same without ye," he said. "If yer willin', I can-"

"What is it?" she asked suddenly. "The thing that's in me head, that you want to get out. What is it?"

Foxy exchanged a look with Billy. Apprehension caused his smile to falter. Foxy remembered what Goldie had told them at the start. He knew there was no point in lying to her. He nodded at the boy and looked back at her.

"There's somethin' yer mind, lass. We call 'em fragments. It's bits and pieces of a mind that shouldn't be in there," he said.

"You know how sometimes I'd sound really sad and wouldn't remember saying it?" asked Billy.

She nodded."Aye, your Other. So I've got one, but instead of sounding sad, it makes me hit people instead?"

"That's the long and short of it," agreed Foxy. "We're lookin' ta try and get it out before it does anythin' else."

Vevina pursed her lips pensively. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"For now, it involves sittin' and talkin'. Don't worry, we know what we're doin'," he said.

"Oh really?" Her eyebrow shot up and her lip curled unpleasantly. "And how's that then?"

"They already got mine out," chirped Billy. "It feels a little funny, not having my Other there anymore. But it's a lot better than before since I'm not on my own anymore. Foxy and everybody else have been really nice to me."

"Have they now?" She fixed her eye on Foxy. "And what about me so-called friends? Do they all have these fragments in their heads too?"

"From what we can tell, aye," said Foxy. "But we've already dealt with them."

"I see. So I suppose the plan is to get all of these fragments out, then we all sit together and see how misunderstood we all really are and be one big happy family?" Her face twisted into an ugly grimace. "Do you really think I'm daft enough to believe that's going to happen?"

"Ya sayin' ya don't believe what ye've seen an experienced with yer own eyes?" challenged Foxy.

"Oh, that's not the bit I doubt. I know there's something messed up in our heads, not including what the lanky bast-" Her eye darted to Billy and she caught herself. "The lanky devil has already done. But it's not going to fix what's already happened."

"Nobody said that it would," agreed Foxy. "But ya can't let it keep festerin' in yer heart either. Believe me, I know. Sooner or later, ya need ta face up ta it."

"Who says I'm not?" She rose sharply from her chair. "I'm willing to have them in here right now. I'm going to tell them exactly what I think to each and every one of them, maybe deal a black eye or two if they've got it coming and then I never want to see any of them ever again."

"Vevvy, no!" cried Billy. "They're our friends, our family! You can't just do that."

She flinched, but only for a moment. "You know what they did. They left you too, Billy! They were always ignoring you and pushing you away. Did any of them do anything at all to comfort you or talk to you after what happened?"

"Well…" Billy shifted about, trying to think of something. "No, they didn't. But that doesn't mean-"

"That they don't care?" she finished bitterly. "I'd say that shows the exact opposite. They're not our friends, they never were. They'd just as soon leave us to rot than-"

She yelled and grasped at her head, her colour draining from her. Foxy was immediately in action and put Billy behind him. Just as Vevina started to charge, she slammed into a golden barrier that formed a circle around her. She snarled and pounded at the security field, but it held firm until it passed. The instant she returned to normal, it vanished.

Foxy mentally thanked Goldie as Vevina shook her head and got her bearings.

"That one felt worse," she murmured. "And you claim you can just pluck it out of my head, just like that? How exactly does sitting and talking do anything to help?!"

Foxy shook his head. "I can't say I fully understand it meself, Vev but it's not just about any random talk. It's talkin' about what happened ta ye, in regards ta the other synths."

"And so, the truth comes out." She barked a humourless laugh. "Well, since you seem to have missed it the first time, I'll say it again: I don't want anything else to do with those gutless, treacherous pieces of sh… of filth ever again!"

"Vevvy, please," begged Billy. "I know what they did was wrong, but they can change. They've already started to. Theodore actually said sorry for how he's been!"

"That sounds grand. But you tell me this, Billy: if that's the case, then why isn't he here? Or are you telling me they're hiding away behind one of these chairs too?" She actually went around to check. "No, don't see anybody else here. Either that or you're hiding them really well."

"We…" Foxy scratched his head, working out how to say this delicately. "We didn't think it was best ta have 'em here fer our talk."

"Aye, you're not wrong. Because if they were here, they know exactly what I'd do to them." She gripped the back of a couch as she glared between them. "I saw them, the way they reacted when they realised I was there. They're scared to face me."

"Are ya sure they're the ones who're afraid?" asked Foxy.

Vevina's eye zeroed on him in a laser-like glare. "Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I know, lass and before ya start dismissin' me, while the details may be different, it's the same story," he added. He closed his eyes, shuddering when he recalled the memories. "I didn't want ta face my friends after what I did either. I knew I deserved everythin' they felt towards me and I felt it'd be better ta let them have that than to try and change it."

She laughed again, devoid of mirth. "See, that's where you're wrong. Like I said, everything that happened to you was your own damn fault. Everything with me? That's all on them. They were supposed to have my back and they left me to rot. So you tell me why I should even consider doing anything other than give them what they deserve."

"Like you said," echoed Foxy, "it's not that simple." He opened his eyes again. "What about the Puppet? How were they supposed to fight against him?"

"They didn't even try!" she yelled. "They just kowtowed to him without even-" She was cut off by another episode. Foxy stood back, let it pass inside another security field. He tried to get a word in, but she went right back to what she was saying. "Without even putting up a fight! I could manage it, what was their excuse?!"

"Only just!" he retorted. "I saw ya in the forest, even ye were forced ta dance ta his tune in the end! He probably only let ya do what ya had planned just ta plant more seeds of distrust!"

"So what if he did? At least I tried to do something to change it! They just sat back and accepted it! Do I need to remind you that what I tried to do was rescue your sorry arses?" she said, jabbing a finger at Foxy. "You're saying what? I should have just given up and done nothing, left you all in there to let the same thing happen?"

"I'm not sayin' that, but-"

"So what are you saying, Foxy? You talk about helping me, but all I'm hearing is you offering a load of excuses for them while they can't even stand here and defend themselves to my face? And why?" She grabbed her head again and Foxy stepped back for more raging. This time, it went on for a little longer and it didn't fully subside when her colour returned. "For the same reason I wound up with my mind inside that twisted metal cage and they didn't: they were just too scared to risk their own skins!"

"Stop it!" cried Billy. "So what if they're scared? I get why they would be, because…" He trailed off, looking away guiltily. "Because you're scaring me, Vevvy."

"Billy…" She reached out for him, but he hid behind Foxy's legs. She took a few steps back. "Billy, I… I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he whispered, though he still hid behind Foxy. "You're mad. You should be. I was mad too. But then Foxy and his friends started to help us. It's not perfect and it's going to be hard, but we have to because if we don't… the Other inside you, it'll get worse."

"Worse?" Vevina tilted her head at him.

He nodded. "It's already started to. Even you noticed. All the bad stuff you're feeling, that's what it likes. It'll just keep getting bigger and bigger, then you won't be you anymore. You'll just be angry and sad forever."

"Aye," said Foxy. "Anger festers, lass. I've seen it before and all it did was make things worse." He locked his eyes with her single one. "Yer right, they need ta be here ta help settle yer hash as well. We can speak with 'em and make sure they do. But ya have ta be willin' ta talk ta them too. It's the only way."

"Yeah and then maybe things can be like they were before," said Billy. "You remember? The weird talks you and Clyde would have. Playing games with Hermy. Teasing Teddy for being a grump. Don't you want that?"

Vevina turned away, walked to the opposite end of the room. Billy tried to follow, but Foxy stopped him. She paced around on her side a few times, only occasionally glancing over. She stopped, staring down at the floor.

"It'll never be how it was," she murmured. "I'm sorry, Billy, but it won't be. I thought I knew them, I thought I could…" She clenched her fists. "But they showed their true colours. Nothing will change that."

"Yer not wrong," agreed Foxy. "It's hard to come back from something like that. But it's not impossible."

"Yeah? And how do I know that if push comes to shove again, they won't just do the same thing?" she asked. "How can I even begin to consider that things might get better, with this thing in my head and everything else? I thought things were already at their worst before it all happened, but what they did to me… just proved how wrong I was. I trusted them and they let me down."

"Vevvy, no, please." Billy was almost in tears. "Things will get better, they have to. You can do it, we can help, please believe me!"

Vevina gazed sadly at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but it turned into a cry of pain. Another golden barrier was erected around her and she started banging against its surface, determined to break through. This went on for even longer than the others had been, to the point where Foxy didn't think it would end. Vevina crumpled to her knees the minute the barrier faded away. She was still clutching her head in the wake of the last fit, breathing labored and unsteady. What little of her face could be seen was paler than usual and she looked about ready to collapse.

Billy carefully approached, ignoring Foxy's attempt to reach him. "Vevvy? Are you okay?"

Her head shot up at the sound of his voice, hands falling away from her face like a chrysalis from a newly formed butterfly. Though she was looking right at him, her gaze was unfocused and clouded by pain. The heavy eyeliner that once surrounded her good eye like a fortress was now reduced to a dried up river of inky black on her cheek.

"It hurts...so bad," she whispered in a voice that was years younger and suspiciously free of any hint of an accent. With some effort, she scooted closer to where Billy stood, reaching a shaking hand out to him. "But...don't worry...about me. I...couldn't...let them...take you from me...Shaun."

Billy froze in his tracks. "W-who's—"

Before he could finish, Foxy grabbed his hand and pulled him out of reach as Vevina's hand made contact with a barrier. At this, something had snapped. A hoarse, guttural scream ripped through the air as she thrashed against the barrier. Her knuckles were raw and bleeding from the relentless barrage of punches, but she was unfazed by the pain in her feverish rage.

"Oh no." Billy gazed in horror. "It's happening. No, no, no!"

"Goldie? Can't ya get rid of it?" Foxy yelled to the ceiling.

"No, no, it's no good!" Goldie exclaimed, her voice echoing around the room. "The fragment inside her, it's taken root. It's mingling and fusing with her emotions. I can't tell where she begins and it ends. Before long it'll... get away from her! Get away from her, now!"

"But Goldie-!"

"Don't argue with me, Foxy! She can't control what's happening to her and I can't stop it! You have to run!"

Before Foxy could respond, another cry came from Vevina. But it sounded like she was screaming with two voices mingled into one. She was curled in a ball on the ground, grasping the sides of her head and screaming herself hoarse.

"Vevvy!" Billy started towards her, but Foxy grabbed him and hauled him to the door. "No, no she needs help!"

"I know, lad. Trust me," he said. He led him to the shutter as it opened and led him past it.

Just as he heard the shutter start again, he swiftly turned around and darted back into the room, sliding under just as it closed.

"Foxy! What are you doing?!" Golden demanded, but Foxy ignored her.

"Vev! Vev lass, ya can't give in!" he shouted over the din. He slammed his hands against the barrier, trying to get her attention. "Ya can fight it, come on!"

She didn't respond, nothing except more screaming. Foxy opened his mouth, but before he could speak, something else happened. The colourlessness of her body seemed to be branching out, like little tufts of smoke from a small fire. He paused, wondering what fresh new oddity this might be.

Suddenly, one of those tufts sharpened to a point and lashed out at him, breaking through the security barrier in an instant and made to grab for him. He dived out of the way, the limb just grazing him. It had transfigured into a gigantic metal hand. Despite looking like it was made of grey smoke, it was oddly substantial. Other branches were appearing, forming into more shapes. Metal arms and legs and sharp pointed tentacles. A head, no, two heads, started to form as well. Vevina herself looked like she was being trapped inside a metal rib cage, still curled in a ball.

As it continued to grow and twist, Foxy knew where he had seen it before. The limbs being formed, they were exactly like an endoskeleton's. One of the heads was covered by a white fox mask, snarling and roaring as it started to scrape and claw at the walls and shutters.

But trapped inside with it, Foxy could only watched as the Mangle thrashed and howled in rage. Alarms blared inside the room, becoming a cacophony of sound.

"Foxy, hold on to something!" Goldie called. "I'm going to eject it from here!"

Foxy did as he was bade, ducking under thrashing limbs until he got hold of one of the fixed bookcases. The door to Vevina's mind swung open and it was accompanied by a powerful vacuum, pulling everything that wasn't nailed down into it. The Mangle was dragged across the floor, its many limbs trying to get a grip. But the force was unrelenting and Foxy was only just able to hang on.

The door increased in size to accommodate the increasing mass of the Mangle. It was dragged to the threshold, its grasping hands gripping onto the sides of the door. It shrieked its displeasure, but it was slowly being pulled in. Foxy hoped it would be in there soon, he was starting to lose his own grip. Just as he began to wish this, the Mangle was finally pulled inside, its hand still grasping…

That same hand suddenly shot towards him and grabbed his ankle. Foxy barely had time to react before he was pulled along with it and into Vevina's mind.

Chick: I'm happy to have provided that XD Though I must give credit to my valued beta reader for offering an alternative suggestion.

Arc of Carona: Welp, there you go XD