Ah, hello! Sorry about the late update guys! I was busy taking my final and packing for our road trip! One that I'm on currently! However, I wanted to update so here we are! I hope you all have had a good week! There have been reports of severe storms lately, I hope everyone is safe and well!
Onto reviews...
PK - SPRINGTRAP HUG MEH: Ah! I didn't even think of that, for some reason in my mind, nightmare=red eyes. That's my bad! Sorry about that! Thanks for the info though, I think I will keep them red, but perhaps if I edit this story later on I'll change it. And thank you! I'm glad you like it!
TU4U0I53T4IAN6L3: Okay, so it's a little bit of both, the incident with the the nightmares and C.C or in my au, Michael already happened. This series takes place with that in the past. And as for how it is hinting to his past, I was referring to the dream sequences like the one in the last chapter. And yes, the originals minds are within the nightmares, as for what's going on? Well, that's a spoiler, ;D. A for Leo's dream...well, I will say that his parents are awful. The children? Well, yes we shall see how they behave hm? And okay! I'll have to check it out! Thank you!
SILVERLEONE: Ah! No worries! I totally get it! Honestly, if I were starting this fic at this current time...Michael probably would be in the place of Acid but at the time of making it, I had heard some lore that left the older brother spot opened, so thus Acid was created. And yes, Leo is in a very unfortunate situation...and it will not be getting better. And yes! You;re right, it would be a interesting twist wouldn't it?
Fantom Knight: Your guess could be correct, we shall have to see hm?
SilentAmbiance: Hey! Welcome back! I hope you enjoy the chapters coming up! And those that have yet to be posted! I hope you are doing well! And no worries about being behind!
Thank you everyone who reviewed! You're support is so heartwarming!
Warning, this chapter may contain some things that can be sensitive topics to some.
Chapter 42
Sins of the Past
"Do you think it's safe to approach them?" Enix asked, arms crossed watching the animatronics.
"As if I know! You're the head guard now! Aren't you supposed to know these things?" Ashford countered, throwing up his hands. The taller man paused and frowned looking at him.
"I'm not the head guard. Leo is, I'm just keeping the seat warm for him." He said, and Ashford sighed gazing at him before rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Kid. Listen to me. I don't know what is going to happen to Leo, if he is even still alive." At that Enix opened his mouth looking uncomfortably panicked. But Ashford wasn't done. "Listen. It's something that has to be thought about. You want to stay with the kids? Fine. But the fact of the matter is, Leo was kidnapped by a serial killer." The shorter man turned to look at his taller compatriot. The height difference wasn't as extreme. But it was still there. "A serial killer who is now in a suit that makes him twice as strong as before. On my off time I'll look for them. But we can't leave this place either. You believe in your friend? Okay. But if so your mind needs to be here. Those children are frightened, and they are violent. I know you don't believe it, but there is still a high chance that they will attack us. I don't want to stay here. But I'm not going to leave you to deal with all of this on your own." He explained, and Enix gazed down at him before taking a breath and crossing his arms looking away.
"We can't just leave him with that guy." Then he looked up at the children on stage. "But we can't just...leave them here either..." then he groaned and ran his hands through his hair. "This is so messed up! Why couldn't he have just come to us sooner and told us about this guy!? This could've all been prevented! But he had to be a *******le and be all secretive! Now look where we are!" His shouting garnered the attention of all the animatronics. Ashford swallowed before waving them off dismissively and leading Enix away.
"Kid, take a breath. Could this all have been prevented? Probably, but we can't change what happened now can we? We deal with what we got. What we got right now is a dynamic in shambles. John called the police, okay? They will start looking for him once it hits the forty eight hour mark." That made Enix look up.
"What?! Why!? We literally saw him get taken!" But the auburn haired man just sighed and looked to the side.
"You know how the cops are here, if it has anything to do with this place they consider it taboo." At that Enix let out a frustrated breath crossing his arms and hunching his shoulders.
"I don't know what to do. I don't want to leave him to the mercy of that psychopath." He shifted and took a hard breath looking out the door. Ashford could see the look in his eye.
"Oh no! You are not leaving me here with them!" But Enix wasn't listening, he grabbed his jacket and helmet heading for the door.
"I have to go find him Ashford! He would do the same!" The older man cursed and followed after his younger companion.
"Would he tho? I mean do we really need him?" At the withering look he got Ashford looked to the side. "Right...my bad." But Enix kept going Ashford had to quickly keep up. How was it that this kid was so fast?
"Enix! How do you even know if you are going to find him!? He may not even want to be found! He was all buddy buddy with that guy!" He demanded catching his arm, Enix paused and took a hard breath not looking at Ashford but at the ground.
"I'm not leaving him to be another victim at that monster's hands. I don't care if I have to drag his whiny *** back here. I chose to believe that Leo did not know who Scott truly was." He looked up at Ashford finally, "he's my friend, and I'm going to find him." Without another word he went for the door.
"You're leaving?" The voice of the child within the fox made Enix pause at the doors and look back at the bots containing children.
"No! Well...yes, kinda, I have to go find Leo, and maybe I can even find the bots for you guys." He offered a smile, but they didn't offer one in return.
"How do we know he isn't going to run off with them as well!?" Gabriel demanded getting to his feet, Enix blinked frowning.
"Because that doesn't make any sense? Gabriel...look, Leo and I mean no har-"
"That stupid night-guard let him out! He was trapped! Sealed away! Now he is free because of him, yet you still defend him!?" The child within the bear demanded, Enix paused and gazed up at him.
"He didn't know he was the murderer." He stated slowly, but there was a scoff that made him look at Chica...or more accurately, Suzie.
"He isn't that stupid, I'm sure he figured it out. Idiot probably just didn't care." She snapped, and Enix sighed looking her over.
"Can you just chill? You guys didn't even know who the murderer was, and then you proceeded to continue to kill people even after you got rid of him!" Their eyes swiveled over to him, and Enix took a hard breath not sure how he felt with their glowing eyes upon him.
"...why should we listen to you?" Gabriel spoke up first, and Enix paused, feeling himself tense up.
"Because I want to help you all." He supplied, and the children looked at each other before back at him, eyes narrowing.
"...Kid..." Ashford muttered, and Enix swallowed, taking a step back as they got up to their feet.
"Guys, why don't we just calm down? We are all on the same side here! If we find Leo we find Scott!" He proposed, but they didn't seem to agree.
"What if you are like that stupid guard and decide to join him huh!? What then!?" Gabriel demanded, Enix was quickly figuring out that he might be the angriest of all the kids.
"I would never side with that psychopath! C'mon you've known us for months now!" He tried this time taking a step forward, he felt Ashford grab his arm.
"...but you've sided with him." A soft and unfamiliar voice made everyone freeze, they looked over, only to find Steven's eyes glowing. Enix felt Ashford tense up behind him.
"W...who do you mean S...Sophie? You're Sophie right?" The child just gave a slight nod to Enix's question.
"Him." She lifted her blue paw and pointed behind him. Enix frowned, and turned to look. Only to find Ashford trembling and gazing down. His hands, both clasping Enix's arm.
The blue haired man turned back to her, "Ashford? What are you talking about? He hasn't done anything!" He protested, but Sophie didn't seem to be fazed, she gazed at Ashford with almost a dead look in her eyes.
"...I wasn't sure at first. That's why I didn't say anything. But now I'm sure." She then turned to look at the bots behind her and the children on stage. "It's him. That's the man who kidnapped and killed a little girl at our location."
Leo was sitting downstairs on the bar stool watching Scott get fixed up by Joey and Acid. He had been extremely nervous to see them come in. They had been at the other location...what had the others said about him afterwards?
The question never escaped his lips, as fear of what he might hear held him back.
There were very minor repairs, but the time was quiet. Joey worked without a word, honestly looking kinda outta it. Scott was quiet as well just tapping his hand on his knee.
Leo wasn't sure what to do, so naturally his eyes fell into his arms gazing at the bite/non bite marks.
They were tender, like a bruise, but nothing more than that.
Last night was weird, he wasn't sure if he should bring it up to Scott. He certainly didn't want to sound pathetic.
Who has nightmares of their friends?
With a sigh, the man rubbed his face tiredly, ignoring the ache when his hand hit the wounds on his forehead.
The stress was getting to him. He should go and resolve things-
"Yeah! It's crazy I know, but that rabbit looked mad! I was afraid to even mention you or Leo!" At that the guard looked up but kept quiet, Acid was making exaggerated motions, trying to display Bonnie's height by hopping onto the counter and holding a stretched above his head.
Leo wasn't sure why, they had all seen Bonnie.
"When he got in front of me, he was huge! I thought he was gonna crush me like a bug! He looked down at me with red eyes!" The crazy man pointed to his own eyes for reference and Leo felt a growing pit settle itself into his stomach.
Red eyes...just like they had been before...Bonnie hit him.
The guard let out a hard breath and shook his head, he was being stupid, it's not like Bonnie hadn't hit him before. Things would be fine, he would explain himself, apologize...and they would too!
...right?
"I see, it's just as I had feared then." Scott's echoey voice made Leo look up again and take a shallow breath, "The influence of the children has become too much for their minds to handle. They are beginning to take on their hatred as well..." his eyes lifted and landed on Leo making the small man tense up. "And unfortunately, Leo seems to be the one they are targeting." The direct eye contact made Leo shift and look away quickly.
Maybe it was the lifeless plastic eyes, maybe it was the unnerving glow, maybe it was residual anger from dying in such a horrific way…
But regardless of what it was, Leo...hated making eye contact with Scott.
Sometimes...he felt like the animatronic man was sizing him up.
It was something stupid, Scott was his friend, it's just...sometimes...he would say or do things that would be...off. Unsettling. Leo would catch him staring at him, and when asked, the animatronic would only 'smile' and look away.
It was stupid, and Leo was just being...too sensitive right now.
He nearly let out a yelp as suddenly the animatronic man was before him, the guard jumped and looked up at him. How had he not heard Scott come over?
"Leo? Are you alright? You've been quiet since Joey and Acid arrived." His head was tilted, causing his ears to droop to the side a bit. Leo swallowed and pulled at the collar of his unfamiliar clothing.
Scott said that they were his that he had Acid bring over from a storage place or something...Leo had heard them talking on the phone earlier.
They were big on Leo, and the belt of the pants was on the last loop, but that wasn't unusual and Scott seemed quite amused by the size difference.
Leo had heard him mutter something about needing a tailor later on…
He wasn't sure if he should ask why.
"U...uh, yeah, just...tired. Er, the nightmare kept me restless and stuff. Heh..." he trailed looking around the house briefly.
"Nightmare?" Acid's voice made Leo look over to the man, he was eating a pickle coated in…
Wait, was that frosting?
"Oh yes, Leo had a nightmare, quite an intense one as well, he scratched himself up quite a bit." Scott proceeded to motion to Leo drawing the guard's attention back to him.
"Mmmm, interesting, did it have anything to do with what happened?" Acid pressed, before taking a large bite of his pickle and frosting combo.
Leo resisted the urge to pull a face of disgust.
"I uh...y...yeah, yeah...something like that." That was muttered as he gazed down at the hard wooden floors. They were old...years of use, foot traffic.
Probably from the family who lived here before...not to mention Scott's family.
...would he...the bots and Enix even...be considered family anymore?
He bit his lip and took a deep breath before lifting his gaze again, only to jump slightly as he caught Scott staring again. Then, without another word he reached up, and adjusted the collar of Leo's shirt.
The guard jumped again and furrowed his brow at the action, but as soon as he did it, was as soon as he was done.
Scott then turned back to Acid and took a breath, leaving Leo staring at him in confusion.
"So, do you believe it would be a good idea for Leo to return there?" He asked, and Acid thought while he chewed, before shaking his head as he swallowed.
"Mmm, nope, definitely not. Pretty sure they would try and kill you Leo." At that, Leo finally looked away from Scott and to the strange man on the counter, his mouth going dry.
"W...what?" Acid shrugged and took a breath at his question.
"Yeah. They aren't happy with you. You're just lucky they can't leave the pizza place." Then he turned to Joey and said something, to which she nodded, looking exhausted and outta it.
But Leo's mind was elsewhere. He swallowed and wet his lips before taking a deep breath.
"I...I'm sure after some time they will cool down, I'm sure that it will be fine." He forced a smile at them, and Acid gave a beaming one in return before shoving the rest of the pickle into his mouth.
A hand rested on his shoulder, and he looked up to Scott, he had his head dipped in his form of smiling.
"Yes, I'm sure things will work out perfectly. You will be back before you know it." He squeezed Leo's shoulder a bit, and the guard tried to ignore the instinct to pull away as Scott's eyes glowed a bit brighter. "We both will."
Leo smiled, but internally he swallowed.
Why was Scott so intimidating and acting weird all the sudden?
"Y...yeah! Definitely!" He said, before getting down to his feet as Scott lifted his hand. "I uh, where's the bathroom?" At his question Scott hummed, looked around and pointed back toward the laundry room.
"Just past that room on your left." Leo nodded at the instructions and smiled before heading over.
Once out of the room he took a deep breath and put a hand to his chest. He was still riled from the other night…
He was being stupid and paranoid.
Shaking his head, the guard headed to the bathroom, only for a flight of stairs to his right to catch his eye. Slowing to a stop, he gazed down the dark stair well.
Did this place have a basement?
Curious, he took a step closer, and gazed down the stairs, it was black, except for a lit outline of a door at the bottom. Tilting his head the guard took a step closer, putting a hand on the edge just before the wall turned the corner for the stairs.
"I'm afraid that's not the bathroom Leo."
The guard nearly jumped out of his skin and whipped around taking a deep breath hand to his chest.
His eyes lifted up, only to find Scott's glowing ones gazing down at him. Leo let out a nervous breath and looked behind him.
"Oh! It wasn't? Sorry...I thought you said right!" His eyes landed back on the animatronic.
Sometimes he forgot how tall Scott was…
Ugh, what was with him today? Scott was harmless!
"Ah, sorry, sometimes my voice can get quiet, and you know...ghostly. I'm sorry if you misheard." The animatronic man continued, and Leo's lip quirked up at the side.
"Ah, I'm sure it was my bad hearing, I was thinking it was odd for a bathroom to be in a basement anyways." He let out another laugh, and Scott gave a bit of one in return, before placing a hand on Leo's head. The guard went a bit cross eyed looking up at his hand as he bunched his shoulders a bit.
The tan bunny then ruffled his hair and removed his hand, the gesture was strange, but not bad.
"Yes. That would be strange indeed." He then turned half his body to reveal the door behind him. "There's the bathroom." Leo nodded and headed toward it, before letting out a breath and casting a glance and a raised eyebrow back at him.
"Any animatronics in the walls I should know about?" That earned a bit of a chuckle from the bunny.
"I don't believe so, no." Leo smiled in return, relaxing a bit, and reaching for the door knob. But then he paused, glanced back at the stairs and turned to Scott.
"What's down there?" The question slipped from his lips before he could stop it. For some reason, he got the sense that Scott didn't want him to go down there.
"Hm? Oh, probably just storage for the previous owners. Nothing important." He dismissed, even waved his hand a bit. Leo gazed at him a moment before pausing and shoving his hands into the too big pockets.
"Will it be a part of the house tour that I assume I'll eventually get?" He didn't know where these questions were coming from, or why they were escaping his mouth...but here he was.
"Probably not, I don't handle stairs well." Then he looked over his shoulder and back to Leo. "Well, I best go make sure Acid hasn't blown up my kitchen." He took his leave after the guard nodded.
For a moment Leo watched him go, but then turned his attention to the basement across from him.
Scott was probably right. Probably just storage for junk.
...yeah. That's what it was.
Shaking his head at his own paranoia, he went inside the bathroom.
"W...what? What are you talking about?" Enix asked, gazing at Sophie as she stared over his shoulder.
"Yeah...it's him, I can see it better now..." she continued, and Enix paused and turned to look at Ashford.
"Man...what the ***l is she talking about?" But Ashford was hugging himself and gazing at the ground.
"It's...it's not what it sounds like..." he whispered, and Enix paused, wetting his lips and taking a deep breath.
"Then tell me." At that Ashford looked up, and Enix took a breath, "I don't know the circumstances. But I don't want to assume. However, I need you to explain this to me, I'm tired of secrets." Enix said, his eyes on the guard. Ashford gazed at him before casting his glance to the animatronics and then to the ground.
"...you know I was the guard at the toy location. It was a job recommended to me by...a friend." He took a breath and swallowed as Enix waited. "...I...I lost my family...my kid...and wife. It...it was a car accident..." He inhaled, clenching his shaking fists before shoving them into his pockets. "Making kids happy...always made me happy, so my friend suggested working as a waiter at a Freddy location. It started out fine, I was working there...and it was making me happy...and then something happened to the night guard...so...I was promoted, to both night, and day guard. That's...when things started going downhill fast." He then hugged his arms and took a hard breath, "it was...very rough...n...none of the animatronics were kind...and they tormented me every night. Trying to kill me and stuff me in a suit..." he paused and took a breath, "there were a few times...that I wondered if it would just be better if they had..." At that Enix opened his mouth, but didn't have any words to say so he closed it and looked down.
"Well! We were doing our job! And it seems we were right to do so! Lucy didn't do anything to you-" Chia started but was cut off by Ashford.
"I didn't kill her!" He shouted, making Enix jump and look at him. Ashford took a hard breath and gripped his hair looking down. "I...I would never do that...yes...I took her...I hadn't taken my meds...and I was confused...I thought...I thought she was my daughter...I..." he swallowed wetting his lips, "I took her...to some warehouse or something...but the old bots...the originals..." he trailed off and shook his head, "anyways...I realized my mistake...I was going to get her back to her father..." then he looked up at Enix. "...but then...the man you call Acid came. At the time. He was a little teenage punk...but he came...and he took her." That made Enix frown, crossing his arms.
"Acid did? Why the ***l would he do that? Are you sure it was that lunatic?" He pressed, and Ashford sighed hard rubbing his upper arm.
"It was! He...said he needed her for something! Please...kid, you gotta believe me." The shorter man then looked him directly in the eye, "I would never hurt a kid."
Enix gazed back at him for a long moment, before taking a hard breath and looking away, "I don't know you that well Ash. I don't know if you are lying or not. But for right now...I choose to believe you."
"Of course you do." Gabriel's voice broke the brief silence an Ashford let out a relieved smile, however at the child's words...the smile disappeared quickly.
Enix turned to look at the kid and let out a breath, "Gabriel...we aren't your enemy here." He tried, but the child within the bear just laughed.
"Oh shut up already! I'm tired of you guards! Between you, that stupid midget, and this guy, you expect us to believe that you are all innocent!?" He stepped forward, but Enix gazed at him for a moment.
"You're scared...aren't you?" His question was quiet, but it drew all their attention.
"What?! Of course I'm not scared?! What could I possibly be scared of!?" He then motioned to himself, "I'm already dead!" At that Enix sighed and gazed at him quietly.
"You are scared, the man of your nightmares is out and about again, and you don't know what to do about it." He looked at the toys, Sophie had retreated and Steven looked dazed and confused. "...and whether you all say it or not. You are angry with Leo for letting him go." At that the toys avoided his gaze. With a breath the guard rubbed his face tiredly and rolled his shoulders before straightening his spine. "Okay. Since that is the case. I have a deal for you." They all glanced at him, and he quirked a bit of a smile gazing at them. "You are mad at Leo? Do you want revenge? Fine. Then I'm Leo." At that their brows furrowed, and he could feel Ashford's alarm growing behind him. "I am Leo here. So take your anger out on me. I don't know where he is, I don't know what Scott has done with him...and honestly, I'm not sure I can find him. But when...not if but when he comes back. He doesn't need to deal with this ***p. So you're angry?" He put his hands on his chest, "then be angry at me. Try your best and try your hardest to take me out." Then he points at them warningly, "I shall pay for my friend's sins, but if this happens. You do not touch the hair on his head." Then he points to Ashford behind him, "and you don't touch-"
"I'm i...in too." At that Enix paused and looked back at him with a frown.
"Ash, you don't have to do this. I know you are scared of them." He attempted, but the man shook his head taking a deep breath.
"No, I need to. I...can't keep running from my problems." He looked up at the animatronics. "I'm in too. You take your anger out on us. All of this has gone on long enough."
Enix gazed at him before taking a deep breath and turning to them all. "He's right. You guys are angry, very angry, you have been for a long time. This is your chance. No rules, take out your anger, burn through it. Consider this a last hoora, because when Leo gets back? This is over. We take out Scott as a team."
"...what if we don't want to? Do we have to go in the back like the originals did?" Steven asked suddenly, and Enix paused.
"Well...what about the kids in you?"
The toys looked at each other and then back at him.
"They aren't sure right now." Fred explained.
"Fine then. More chances for us." Gabriel said, Enix looked over and stiffened at the now reddish hue to his eye glow.
He absently wondered if he made a big mistake.
Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
What did you think of what Acid said? Or perhaps Scott's behavior? Do you think Leo's paranoia is unfounded? What of the children? And of course...about Ashford's past? In case it wasn't clear, Ashford has his own fic called the Flickering Light, that one updates really irregular, but I do plan on getting his story done. Also, do you think Enix and Ashford will be able to handle the wrath of the children? Do you think the toys will join in?
I'd love to hear what you think!