Hey all, here is Chapter 57!

It's nice to get a double upload out every once in a while.

Many thanks to Fer09 for their review, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the last chapter!

You are correct that despite the trauma and pain that the Possessed Prop Suits have endured over the decades, they are still human, deep beneath their agony. Plus, their shared history with both the Fazbears and Vincent Afton does rekindle that sense of right and wrong, even though in the world of FNAF the lines become heavily blurred. The Fazbears did hate Puppet for a long time because of how she had forced them into this world and you're right that things would have been different had she not done what she did, but she did have good reasons, which I intend to explore later down the line in more detail.

Granted Goldie's idea of setting Thomas free through forgiveness is no walk in the park given the obstacles that he faces (just look at Springtrap's experience in Limbo), but it is certainly one that Vincent didn't expect and though it solves the problem. . .things aren't always as simple as they appear to be, remember what Nightmare Fredbear told Springtrap back in Chapter 51.

As for Puppet's next move, you'll find out in this chapter. ;-)

Also a huge thank you to Cogitationibus for both following and favouriting this story. Great to know that you're enjoying it and there is much more story to come!

As long as FNAF continues, there will always be new material to use, be it in books or film, (hopefully the latter actually does happen, as we've been waiting so long for it).

There is no song in this chapter, but hopefully there'll be one in the next one.

Apologies for any lingering grammar mistakes and do enjoy!

Chapter 57.

Disassembling the Game.

"I recognise you, but I am not afraid of you. . .not anymore."

Puppet from Ultimate Custom Night.

Quickly, before anyone could do anything, Puppet raised one of her arms and out of her hand came a sole black puppet string, which with instant speed shot across and immediately wrapped itself around Vincent's waist like an octopus's tentacle.

Still before anyone else could react and using immense strength that was fuelled by her rage, Puppet pulled back sharply, and Vincent was pulled right off his feet, stumbling forward towards her.

She then leapt forward to meet him and delivered a solid punch to his stomach, knocking the wind right out of Vincent's lungs. Her punch had enough impact to throw him backwards and vic versa. She landed firmly on her own two feet, ready to continue, but then suddenly she wasn't.

Lighting struck her whole form, with it lashing against every part of her body like whips.

Immediately Goldie vanished, but in truth he had merely teleported, aiming to hit the origin of the lighting. . .Lefty.

And there was only one Nightmare who used lighting. . .Nightmare Freddy.

The black human animatronic impersonator had been able to catch Vincent whilst he was in mid-air by using his stomach claw and had just set the man back down when Goldie reappeared on his flank.

Delving into his newfound power of lucid dreaming, Goldie reached out and created a sword purely out of thin air, before proceeding to stab Lefty in the right shoulder, right into the junction between his shoulder and left arm, jamming the inner mechanisms.

Lefty immediately took notice, instantly ceasing his lighting attack on Puppet, giving her a much needed respite. Wisps of smoke rose from Puppet's body, but apart from looking a bit worn out, she looked relatively unharmed with there being no serious burn marks.

Quickly, Lefty swung round to face Goldie, the sudden movement ripped the sword out of Goldie's hands, leaving it sticking out of Lefty's shoulder.

Lefty lunged forward with his working right arm, punching Goldie right in the stomach.

Expect he didn't, as Goldie vanished once more and reappeared behind him, ready to strike again.

SMACK!

Suddenly, Goldie was knocked to the floor with a loud metallic clang, as he was forcefully struck in the back of the head.

"Hey, keep it down will ya?" a humoured male voice called out, belonging to the ominous Music Man, before he swiftly proceeded to hit Goldie again in the back with one of his massive bronze coloured cymbals, although it didn't knock Goldie unconscious.

"Now it is time for the sweet silence of your demise," Music Man giggled hideously, bearing down on the stunned Fazbear, towering over him like the tall foreboding trees of a pine forest.

He raised his other cymbal and. . .

CRASH!

BASH!

Music Man staggered about on his six legs, wobbling as Foxy crashed into him; literally latching onto the large animatronic's side and proceeding to rip and tear into him with his hook with the savagery of an attack dog. Foxy would have tried to create something useful out of thin air through lucid dreaming, but he didn't have enough time to conjure up any advantages before Music Man could lay waste to Goldie.

Reaching deep into the gaps between Music Man's various joints, Foxy's hook sought to tore away at the animatronic's inner mechanisms and wires.

He withstood Music Man's attempts to throw him off, even though he was repeatedly hit by the animatronic's other cymbal hand, although a particular hit to the face was hard enough to make Foxy bleed from the nose. Yet with his trusty hook, Foxy managed to grab hold of Music Man's right arm and kicked back off the animatronic's body.

The act succeeded in tearing the animatronic's right arm from his body, splitting various coloured wires and snapping the mechanical joint right off, with the arm hitting the tilled floor with a deafening metallic clang.

The attached cymbal created a clashing sound that rang throughout the entire room.

Foxy landed on his feet, looking energised by the effort.

Music Man steadily turned his gaze towards the broken coloured wires strands and the abruptly snapped metallic joints that stuck out of his right shoulder.

Then he looked back at Foxy with an unreadable expression.

To any outsider, Music Man's entire design just screamed danger, particularly with his black soulless eyes, his row of piano keys for teeth and his overall vacant expression.

Suddenly, his body started to shake all over, shuddering and twitching in a possessive manner.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha!" he chuckled in a somewhat playful manner.

"That's tickles!"

BASH!

He moved fast, despite his bulky form and smacked Foxy right in the face with his free cymbal hand and blood flew in all directions.

Foxy was knocked backwards, landing on his back and Music Man moved forward, ready to turn his attack into an onslaught.

As he towered above Foxy, his mouth which seemed to be permanently fixed as a blank gaze, now suddenly morphed in a wide sadistic grin that was terrifying to behold and made worse by the animatronic's black soulless eyes.

Foxy tried to move out of the way, but once again Music Man was too quick; swiftly pinning him down via his legs, putting two of them on his body. To Foxy it felt like an entire tower block was sitting onto top of him and pressing down hard.

Music Man instantly started to push down and Foxy could feel his ribs begin to creak, buckling the weight..

"Let's make sweet music together. . ." Music Man cooed sinisterly, steadily increasing the pressure.

BASH!

Suddenly Music Man backed off Foxy, wobbling as he did, with his legs being knock out from under him by something vicious.

It was Chica, savagely attacking Music Man with a hammer and shield that she had created through lucid dreaming, proceeding to try and bash all six of his legs in.

She succeeded in badly damaging two of them, the front ones, crushing the white and pink coloured metal and undermining the animatronic's ability to remain upright.

"AAAA!" Chica screamed, channelling all of her rage into her swings, forcing Music Man onto the defensive, as he used his only remaining cymbal arm as a shield.

Chica growled, her green eyes were narrowed, but filled with determination as she brought blow after blow against the bulky animatronic, focusing only on bringing him down and giving Foxy a respite.

He picked himself up, eyeing his targets, whilst feeling his bruised ribs.

Freddy was prepared to go up against Lefty and Vincent, whilst Chica's intervention had everyone else momentarily distracted. Suddenly, he felt a presence appear close to him out of nowhere and he turned to find that it was Goldie, who had seemingly recovered from Music Man's attack.

"Freddy," he began, his voice was low in order to not gain attention, but it held a calm and focused tone, immediately gaining Freddy's interest.

"You remember when you first encountered Nightmare Freddy back in that nightmare, on Mike's airship at least three days ago?" he asked.

That event felt like a lifetime ago to Freddy, but he remembered it well enough, the flickering lights, Nightmare Freddy's cackle and the way he forced himself into Freddy's mind.

"Yes, I remember it vividly," Freddy replied, in his mind's eye he could recall how Nightmare Freddy emerged out of the darkness.

"When you were able to enter Nightmare Freddy's mind, how did it happen exactly?" Goldie asked curiously, before continuing with.

"You described it as being instinctive, you were able to reverse what he did, but it just happened right?"

"I know that due to time constraints we were unable to fully explore it, but right now I need to know everything that you can recall about it quickly."

Freddy quickly nodded, understanding fully, before swiftly replying firmly back with.

"It did just happen, but I think that it was triggered by emotions, powerful ones I think, it was a highly charged moment, but it only happened after Nightmare Freddy had established the connection, I don't know if anyone of us can forge it ourselves."

Goldie nodded, seeming to understand Freddy's words, before turning to face Vincent and Lefty, who were both transfixed by Chica's attack on Music Man.

"Fair enough, if I can't hack into Vincent's mind and gain any insight into what his future plans are or any other valuable information about his past, then I can always try it with one of the Nightmares instead."

His dark red eyes narrowed.

"We have a golden opportunity to break Vincent, like he has done to us and in this place, he has no power."

"Puppet will go after Vincent the moment she sees an opening and I'm joining her, but I need you to distract Lefty; pin him down if you can, just make it long enough so I can get what I can out of Vincent."

Freddy nodded, smiling as he did, confident in his new found lucid dreaming skills to tackle Lefty.

"I understand, I'll have Bonnie join me in tearing that impostor apart, in fact I'll consider it a bonding exercise," he added gleefully.

Goldie smiled, equally determined to mess things up for the opposing team, but he felt humoured by Freddy's words, knowing that he still held feelings for Bonnie; even though he still hadn't found the time to express them properly, given the chaos of everything that crowded around them.

"Best of luck Freddy," Goldie remarked determinedly, before quickly turning to face Toy Chica.

"I need you to stay back and protect Balloon Boy, as Puppet will be going straight after Vincent, can you do that?" Goldie asked sincerely, but there was a firmness in his voice.

"Of course, I'll look after him," Toy Chica replied equally firmly, nodding as well, before then adding on seriously as she gripped Goldie's suit collar.

"But you better come back to me in one piece Goldie, or you won't hear the end of it."

"I will TC, I certainly will," Goldie replied, speaking reassuringly, whilst giving her a firm look of resolve before Toy Chica released him from her grip.

"Don't worry too much, I'll be fine, it's Vincent who should be worried," Goldie remarked determinedly, turning to gaze at the man in question.

His time of dictating the 'game' would becoming coming to an end. . .as all things do eventually.

Meanwhile Foxy had been glaring intensity at an array of threats that surrounded him from various animatronics to the Possessed Prop Suits; only the latter group weren't actually doing anything that would be deemed threatening.

They were stationary, completely motionless and staring forward, it was as though their minds were elsewhere.

Seeing that no one was advancing on him, Foxy turned to watch Chica continue to hammer away at Music Man. Her resolve was admirable, but it blinded her to her surroundings, as she didn't notice what should have been obvious and Foxy unfortunately couldn't intervene in time.

SMACK!

Suddenly, she was hit in the side of the head with a blunt object, and she staggered momentarily.

Turning to face her attacker, Chica was a little surprised to that it was Funtime Chica of all things, having just wacked her on the head with her cupcake plate which was in fact fused to her left hand.

"Don't get distracted," she remarked mischievously, much to Chica's annoyance.

The toothy smile from her cupcake companion wasn't helping either, as Funtime Chica's gaze harden, although she kept her smile. Under the colourful show lights, the smooth white faceplates of the animatronic gleamed, giving her an aura of unrivalled glamour.

"You looked stressed Chica, it is running your look, I can help you look gorgeous and pretty like me though."

Funtime Chica then held her free hand out, as though she was offering Chica something.

"Wouldn't you like that?" she asked softly, sounding very sincere, but Chica wasn't easily fooled.

Not what after either Nightmare Freddy or Vincent had put her through.

She swung her hammer hard at the animatronic's face, but Funtime Chica caught in with her arm, her strength was surprising, and her expression immediately darken, whilst Chica looked on in surprise.

Funtime Chica's shinny white face plates twitched, as she gazed hard at Chica with her purple eyes that now stirred a deep sense of unease within the Fazbear.

"You hold so much anger inside," Funtime Chica whispered, her tone was now cold and brittle.

"Looks like I'll have to cut it out of you instead."

Suddenly, her entire chest area opened up, revealing itself to be a series of skin plates like Lefty and out burst a series of long sharp knives. Some were straight, whilst others were curved and they all viciously slashed at Chica, one right after the other.

"Let me make you beautiful," Funtime Chica sang, only her sing song voice didn't go with her face.

Her eyes had suddenly rolled back, revealing unreadable whites and her faceplates kept twitching back and forth, exposing the endoskeleton face beneath and her jaw hung loose, giving her a rather demented look.

"I can make you pretty, stunning and magnificent for all the cameras to see!" she sneered, now rapidly advancing onto Chica, who backed off quickly, using her shield to block the many blows of the animatronic's slasher knives.

"Don't you want to be the star of the show Chica!" she shrieked, as her many knives sought to strike from many angles and keep Chica off balance.

Suddenly, Chica felt something grab hold of her from behind, wrapping itself tightly around her waist.

Chica immediately looked down and realised that it was a large mechanical claw.

Lefty's mechanical chest claw. . .

She knew it before it hit her, as lighting suddenly enveloped her completely; wrapping itself around her body and giving her quite the shock, as her whole form became entirely immobilised in sheer unimaginable pain. Then suddenly the lighting attack ended as quickly as it had begun, with Chica dropping to the floor, whilst also being released from the grip of Lefty's claw.

Thankfully with Lefty's lighting attack being so brief, it had not resulted in any serious damage for Chica, minus a few minor burn marks across her skin and smoke rising from her battered form.

The reason why Lefty had stopped his lighting attack on Chica was because he had to quickly turn to counter a new threat.

Freddy Fazbear. . .

The Fazbear in question had conjured up a pistol in one hand, whilst in the other he wielded a morning star, which was a medieval mace that was attached to a metal rod via a chain.

He knew enough about weapons to recognised which one would cause the most damage, as he swung the morning star straight at Lefty, aiming to smash the humanoid animatronic's face in. Bonnie would strike when she saw a golden opportunity to do so and catch Lefty unaware, ideally to deliver a fatal blow to the animatronic.

Once Lefty had been taken care off, if it was possible, then Freddy and Bonnie would join Goldie and Puppet in tackling Vincent Afton, who had so far remained at Lefty's side.

It ends today. . .the nightmare finally dies and it is buried along with the hatchet.

Lefty reacted quickly, immediately ceasing his attack on Chica and turning all of his attention towards Freddy.

Within the bowls of Lefty, Nightmare Freddy cursed himself for not removing Goldie's sword when he had the chance, seeing what type of weaponry Freddy was bringing to bear. Now he had to fight with just one workable arm, still, it wasn't like Freddy held all of the advantages.

Yet, Nightmare Freddy was both amazed and shocked by what he was seeing, with the Fazbears seeming to create their own means for challenging them. This wasn't meant to be happening though, this was meant to be their playground, with all the power that they naturally held within the dreamworld for being Nightmares. How could such an advantage be so easily ripped away from them?

"How can they wield such abilities?" Nightmare Freddy asked himself, glaring out of Lefty's single eye.

"Lucid dreaming isn't an easy skill to master."

Although it was only effective for as long as they could maintain their focus but given the look of sheer determination on Freddy's face, his focus was beyond unwavering.

"So, this isn't going to be the walkover that I originally thought it would be" Nightmare Freddy remarked to himself.

He then felt his three Freddy 'Heads' wiggle about inside his belly, slithering about amidst the frame of Lefty's endoskeleton and the adjoining wires.

They hissed simultaneously in an annoyed tone, they wanted to strike, having been held back for a long time. They just wanted to partake in the 'fun', but Nightmare Freddy wouldn't let them, not until he deemed it to be the most opportunistic moment to unleash them.

He knew that Nightmare Chica was withholding her cupcake companion for the exact same reason.

Used well, they could all be very deadly, despite their small size.

Lefty's eye narrowed, expressing Nightmare Freddy's deep seated determination to win.

"Well, a challenge is a challenge," he mentally commented, steeling he himself for what was to come.

"And who knows, this new development might be advantageous."

Briefly he turned to face Vincent, who had remained at his side, despite the rising confrontation.

"Go to Rockstar Bonnie immediately, Nightmare Chica will open the way back to the waking world for you," Lefty said quickly, before turning round to counter Freddy's impending attack. Although Rockstar Bonnie had been at the front alongside the others, he and the other Rockstars had now moved back towards the main stage, forming a reverse of sorts.

"Understood, just keep them all distracted for as long as possible," Vincent replied firmly, now quickly backing away and merging into the crowd of animatronics and stationary Possessed Prop Suits.

Seeing how tense the situation was getting Vincent didn't wish to stay any longer than he had to.

Within Lefty Nightmare Freddy sighed, he did ponder giving Vincent some form of protection, such as recreating the SpringBonnie suit animatronic to house him in. Yet in truth it shouldn't be needed anyway with Vincent quickly making his exit and the act alone required some considerable concentration that he couldn't currently spare right now.

Thankfully, the Fazbear Entertainment animatronics were just near empty vessels that he and the other Nightmares could mentally influence and in effect 'program'. Henry Emily's blueprints had been very detailed to say the least, that had given them a big boost in bringing them all to life.

"You may have gained impressive skills in lucid dreaming, but let's see how you are when going up against a master!" Nightmare Freddy thought viciously, as Freddy bore down on him with unbridled furry.

"A challenge is still a challenge. . ."

Vincent hit the floor hard as he swiftly made his way towards the Rockstars, he had said his piece, revealed his secrets, the impact of his word alone had clearly rattled the Fazbears. Maybe, it had even changed their perception of him, but Vincent had a hard time believing that.

Their hatred of him was far too engrained to ever allow a change in attitude and he never expected it.

As he had told Bonnie earlier, he wasn't here to gain their pity, but as the end now made its approach, he felt compelled to explain his motive. Although as always there was an ulterior reason for why he had done it.

One last tragedy that could haunt the Fazbears into their graves, especially Goldie's.

He had certainly given everyone a lot to think about and if they survived this encounter which he hoped that they did, then they would live long enough to see just how far he was truly prepared to complete his 'masterpiece'. He bypassed he cat humanoid animatronics Candy and Cindy, as well as several Possessed Prop Suits, who looked on with uncertainty as the situation unravelled around them.

"VINCENT!"

Vincent turned to look behind him and saw much to his surprise, Puppet leaping high above the developing fray via use of her puppet strings and using the overhanging light strands to get round. Her expression was a mixture of immense rage and determination. Like a blood hound she was on his trail, dodging whatever animatronic set their sights on her, but none of them could reach up to catch her. Puppet swiftly moved over the crowd, greatly aided by the inactivity of the Possessed Prop Suits, their lack of action genuinely surprised Vincent.

Why weren't they attacking the Fazbears, their chance for freedom lay right around them, they just needed to reach out and take it.

Suddenly, Vincent saw a flash of yellow to his left and he turned to see what it was.

It was Goldie, teleporting through the crowd of animatronics and Possessed Prop Suits. He was quickly making his way towards him and at his current speed he would reach Vincent before he could get to the Rockstars and in particular Rockstar Bonnie. In this world, Vincent knew that he had no means of fighting back, he definitively couldn't conjure up weapons out of thin air, for such an ability was beyond him.

On his own, he was truly defenceless, save for his wits.

He looked around, seeing once more that all the Possessed Prop Suits seemed to be motionless and unresponsive to the world around them. Why weren't they attacking the Fazbears, wasn't getting revenge for their untimely deaths their primary goal?

Suddenly, Goldie appeared right before him, completely blocking off his main escape route and forcing Vincent to skid to an abrupt halt. The Fazbear's dark red eyes looked intense with various emotions, anger, hatred, disapproval, determination and. . .sadness?

When Goldie spoke, he did so with a heavy tone, but there was a ruthless coldness to him that sent a shiver once more racing up Vincent's spine.

"You know Vincent, if you hadn't tried to keep chasing us, SpringBonnie and I may never had reunited, be it a rather tense reunion."

"He died, saving me from Nightmare Fredbear, he succeeded, but at a great cost to himself."

Vincent's eyes widen with genuine surprise.

"SpringBonnie is dead?" he asked, sounding more dumbfound then he would like to admit, although it did explain SpringBonnie's absence.

"Why would you care?" Goldie remarked harshly, returning the question, as he advanced on Vincent and latter remained stationary.

"You've never cared, you've said it yourself countless times."

Vincent now felt uneasy, not helped by the inactivity of the nearby Possessed Prop Suits.

Why weren't the former night guards ripping into the Fazbears, they particularly surrounded Goldie and yet they remained oblivious to what was going on.

Goldie kept on advancing, not caring for the fact he was surrounded by an army of vengeful souls that wanted him dead. All that mattered right now was making Vincent Afton pay for what he had done and gaining further information that might be helpful.

It was an opportunity that was too good to be missed and Goldie knew the ideal method to extracting it. . .literally.

"You just want to keep on taking from us until nothing is left and you took SpringBonnie from me; you denied me the chance to make things right between us, but he cared enough to try and save me," Goldie said, his voice rang with both pain and anger.

He smiled briefly, it was a small but sad smile, perhaps he was relishing a memory.

"SpringBonnie overcome his hatred towards me for what I did to him to all those years ago, he forgave me."

Then Goldie's smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared and his dark red eyes narrowed, as he now stared coldly at Vincent, with a look that was almost murderous.

"I will free Thomas from his demons, but unlike you I won't go to extreme lengths such as all of this to achieve it."

"I am not like you."

Vincent's eyes narrowed in response and replied with.

"But we both descended into the abyss Fredbear, there is blood on both our hands."

Suddenly, there was a sizeable thud from behind and Vincent knew who it was, he just knew.

Puppet. . .

"No, Vincent, you painted that blood on our hands, you pulled us into the abyss, and you want to stay there," Puppet said in a vengeful tone, Vincent could literally feel her anger radiating out from her like an energy wave.

Why weren't the Possessed Prop Suits intervening, hell, why weren't the animatronics coming to his aid, especially the Rockstars?

Couldn't any of the Nightmares see what was happening right now?

"Did you ever think that if you took everything from us Vincent, then it would leave us just like you?" Puppet asked, her voice was dripping with venom.

"Determined to utterly destroy you in return, now that we know that you do value something, or rather someone."

Vincent felt his unease grow, knowing full well that she was referring to Thomas, but knowing what he did about how the Nightmares guarded Tommy, Goldie's threat to reveal everything to him seemed hollow.

Yet it still scared him, because it might, it just might happen somehow, and he couldn't control that.

"Some good will come out of all of this chaos Vincent, I'll unearth everything, expose it all to everyone involved and heal the pain that you've caused," Goldie remarked, his voice was filled with unwavering determination and a harshness that heralded retribution.

"This nightmare needs to end."

Suddenly Goldie teleported, reappearing right before Vincent himself, the Fazbear's dark red eyes burned with ominous intentions.

"I promise you Vincent."

Vincent jumped back instinctively, scared by Goldie's teleportation, he could just feel his rage emitting out of him. In this singular moment Vincent knew that he had next to no means of defending himself. He felt very vulnerable, even though help was supposedly close by.

Why weren't the Possessed Prop Suits tearing into Goldie and Puppet?

Where were the God dam Rockstar animatronics, where the hell was Nightmare Chica!

Vincent cautiously backed away from Goldie, whilst desperately looking around for any avenue of exit, but he was blocked in on all sides by rows of motionless Possessed Prop Suits and neither Goldie or Puppet would make it easy for him to get away. Goldie easily picked up on Vincent's distress, maintaining the close distance and refusing to give Vincent any personal space, as the latter backed away further and further.

"You can't outrun what you've done Vincent," Goldie remarked coldly, yet his voice carried a degree of calmness to it that only made his words sound even more unsettling.

"Sooner or later your past actions will catch up with you and that moment has long been overdue."

Goldie glared at Vincent, with his dark red eyes boring deep into Vincent's anxious green.

"I won't harm Tommy I swear, but I won't spare you from the pain that you deserve to feel after what you've done to everyone here."

Then Vincent felt himself make physical contact, bumping into someone behind him.

It was Puppet, who instantly gripped his shoulders tightly, effectively pinning him in place.

Learning forward, she whispered into his ear in an icy tone.

"Seeing you powerless is like music to me."

Vincent was about to respond, but suddenly Puppet's strings wrapped themselves around his throat, clamping down on his windpipe and preventing him from speaking.

"No," Puppet remarked calmly, but there was a dark undertone to her words.

"You've spoken for far too long Vincent, dictated this 'game' for far too long as well, but now, it's finally our turn."

It took all of Vincent's willpower for him to repress his instinctive desire to panic; although he did try to fight back, but Puppet's grip was too strong. She was determined to prevent him from wiggling free.

He wouldn't be walking away free, not this time. . .

Goldie then leaned forward and whispered something into Puppet's ear, but despite being in between them both Vincent couldn't catch his words.

Whatever Goldie was telling Puppet was too quiet for him to pick up and it only further increased his worry.

And Goldie withdrew, Vincent's feeling of absolute dread was made all the worse by the delightful chuckle coming from Puppet, finding something humorous in Goldie's words.

"That sounds like a great idea Goldie, I'm sure that the Nightmares would actually be impressed by you trying their method."

What did that exactly mean, how were the Nightmares involved, what method?

Vincent wanted to know and yet, at the same time he really didn't.

Puppet smiled, Goldie's idea was perfect, being both extremely painful and beneficial in the hunt for more knowledge about Vincent's intentions. She felt the urge to strangle Vincent, given how she and her puppet strings were holding him firmly in place, but she supressed it. In fact, she was somewhat surpised that she was able to control herself, things would have gotten destructive had Charlie decided to possess her.

Speaking of Charlie, where was he?

Where were the other ghost children in fact, with Vincent being in such proximity they should have sensed his presence and reacted.

But they hadn't, not once during the whole time that he was here, and Puppet would have at least sensed Charlie's presence before he fully possessed her.

Where were they then?

They wouldn't want to miss this particular moment of all things.

Puppet internally sighed, she couldn't explain it, the children's' absence was a mystery.

"Charlie, if you can hear me, then this is for you and the other children whom you have carried in your arms for countless years," she mentally wished, hoping that somehow Charlie could hear her.

"Prepare for your happiest day."

She then pushed the thought to one side, currently, she had an awful lot to focus on. The number one priority being to make sure that Vincent doesn't break free of his bonds.

Yet given Vincent's current predicament that seemed to be highly unlikely, as Goldie seemed to tower over him, as though he was his judge, jury, and executioner. Although given their shared history, Goldie would happily occupy all three roles for Vincent and if not him, then undoubtedly Puppet would, in a heartbeat.

Goldie's gaze seemed to intensify, as though he was heavily focusing on just Vincent and blocking out everything else that surrounded them.

To Vincent, Goldie's expression was solely one of unrivalled resolve.

Vincent felt the strong urge to ask Goldie what he intended to do to him, though he technically couldn't thanks to Puppet's strings that felt like a steel chain around his voice box, but he was also deeply afraid of what the answer might be.

Once again Goldie seemed to sense his desire to know what he intended to do.

So, he took a leaf out of Vincent's verbal playbook by being vague and therefore keeping his opponent on edge.

"Don't worry Vincent," Goldie said plainly, and he almost sounded reassuring, but Vincent knew otherwise.

"As you told those poor children, right before you murdered them."

Goldie's eyes narrowed and raw anger now shone through.

"It'll only hurt for a moment. . ."

Funtime Chica grinned, seeing Chica distracted by Lefty's lighting attack, sensing a golden opportunity to deliver a nasty blow she advanced, with her chest knives reaching out ahead of her to grasp the unfocused Fazbear.

Slash!

There was a sudden blur of red that dashed across her vision as Funtime Chica felt an instant rush of pain rip across her side.

She looked down and saw much to her horror a sizable tear across her lower right side, exposing her inner machinery.

"Don't get distracted lassie," a male voice called out mockingly.

Funtime Chica turned in the voice's direction and saw to no surprise that it was Foxy, sporting a wide grin of satisfaction.

Funtime Chica narrowed her purple eyes and returned Foxy's smile with one of her own, although it was menacing and filled with ill intent.

"Likewise," she muttered coldly.

Suddenly, the top half of her body spun around in a clockwise motion, bringing two of her curved knives up round like whips, but Foxy was able to dodge them with considerable ease, as he quickly closed the distance. With his hook Foxy was able to tear another sizeable gash, this time it was against Funtime Chica's left face plate, being very close to her left eye. The mark ruined the smooth perfection of her face and she growled with visible anger.

"Beginners' luck!" she scowled, before increasing the frequency of her knife attacks.

"I can give you a brand new look Foxy, by completely skinning you!"

Knife after knife came up against Foxy, forcing him backwards and onto the defensive.

Foxy did have an idea that involved lucid dreaming to sufficiently remove Funtime Chica from the board, but he needed to be close enough to deploy his idea effectively.

"Dance fox dance!" Funtime Chica taunted, as Foxy jumped back to avoid a sudden strike from one of her knife whips, the sharp blade hit the tile floor with a clang before swiftly returning to its master.

Foxy briefly glanced over at where Chica was, seeing her standing more upright than before and she seemed to have got her breath back.

"Don't get distracted!" Funtime Chica called out in a venomous tone, as another knife just barely missed Foxy's face by mere inches, although it did give him a small cut on the cheek. Quickly, Foxy parleyed off another knife attack, before quickly moving around Funtime Chica, but she mirrored his movements, turning to face him with astonishing speed.

Funtime Chica's purple eyes were ablaze with rage, glaring deep into Foxy's cautious brown eyes. Yet he had her undivided attention, with it not being Chica, which Foxy very much preferred.

Anything to keep the heat off her was worth it in his eyes, he valued her deeply.

When all this chaos was over, he hoped, they could pick up where they left off.

So long as the surrounding Possessed Prop Suit didn't snap out of their seemingly catatonic state, then Foxy knew that he could keep up with Funtime Chica and the Nightmare that was directly possessing her.

Until he found an opening from which he could destroy her utterly from within. . .

From the side-lines, Chica watched the ongoing fight between Foxy and Funtime Chica. She could feel her body recover from effect of Lefty's lighting attack, thankfully the aftereffects weren't long lasting it seemed, although she certainly did feel dizzy and her whole body ached.

Suddenly, she felt a shadow fall over her, a heavy one.

Despite aching all over, she looked up and saw Music Man looming over her, sporting a particular sinister grin.

"Oh dear, are we all tired out now?" he sneered in a mocking playful manner.

"Not yet," Chica growled, defining his taunts.

"I have pretty of fight left for the mere likes of you,"

Music Man laughed joyfully, with a psychotic edge, before remarking further.

"Good, it'll be a shame to end the festivities so soon."

He then looked beyond Chica.

His black soulless eyes narrowed, seemingly intrigued by something, as he spoke.

"Although, you do have other playmates who can join the fun."

"And they're fresh!"

Suddenly, he crouched down, before leaping high into the air. The act of jumping up was enough to create a literal gush of wind as he jumped right over Chica and landed with an earth-shattering thud before Toys Freddy and Bonnie, the act sent shockwaves racing through the tile floor.

Quickly, Music Man raised his two battered front legs and punched the Toys hard in their respective stomachs. He was too fast for them to mount a defence of any kind, with the impact knocking them backwards by a considerable distance.

"What a knockout!" Music Man roared, giggling with sadistic laughter at the Toys' misfortunate.

Toy Freddy raised his head, only for a shadow to fall over him, but it wasn't Music Man, yet rather someone.

Chester. . .the monkey like animatronic dressed in green overalls, although upon a much closer examination he was clearly a chimpanzee, possessing olive green eyes that stared at Toy Freddy with an unreadable expression.

He wielded a bright red banjo, which at a distance had looked like a guitar. The animatronic quickly raised his banjo above his head like club, clearly with the intent to strike at Toy Freddy.

Then there came a buzzing noise that quickly grew in power and that's when Toy Freddy noticed what should have been initially obvious. At the end of Chester's banjo, dotted around the rim were several chainsaws which jutted outwards like craving knives, ready to rip and tear Toy Freddy apart.

Toy Freddy's blue eyes widen immediately with fear, recognising the danger.

Chester swung his banjo makeshift chainsaw down hard on Toy Freddy's head, but he successfully dogged it, rolling away to the side just in time.

Sparks flew when the chainsaw hit the tile floor with a loud crack.

Chester grunted in annoyance and continued his attack, now swinging his chainsaw to the side to try and catch Toy Freddy.

Yet Toy Freddy ducked, feeling the churning blades pass above his head, before rolling away.

He knew what he needed to do and he had to do it quickly. He reached out with his right hand, he thought of what could help him. Delving deep into his lucid dreaming ability Toy Freddy was able to create a metal shield, gripping in one hand as he blocked another of Chester's blows, parlaying it.

He had intended to create a shotgun in his other hand, so he could blast the wretched chimpanzee animatronic to pieces; but Chester's attacks suddenly reached a newfound sense of furry, as he became unrelating, repeatedly hitting away at Toy Freddy to no end, constantly keeping him off balance and denying him the chance to get up off the floor.

Sparks flew every time Chester's makeshift chainsaw contacted with Toy Freddy's metal shield and due to being so close, he could see the unbated rage building in Chester's eyes.

Ravenous, destructive anger that sought immediate satisfaction.

"Toy Freddy!" Toy Bonnie cried, quickly getting to her feet, having recovered from the blow that she had received from Music Man.

Noticing the overhanging lights that dotted the ceiling of the entire room, an idea came to her. Through lucid dreaming she might be able to bring them down on Chester and free Toy Freddy. Given what she had learnt from Goldie and the others, it should be a simple task to control the environment around her, especially without her own fears to distract her.

In that moment she thought of Mangle, remembering her failure to beat her inner demons.

"Given the stakes right now, we could really do with your company Mangle and your endoskeleton belt of all things," Toy Bonnie mentally commented, feeling a passing sense of sadness at the Toys' absence.

Then a large shadow fell over her, Toy Bonnie instantly knew who it was, but she turned in their direction anyway. Music Man, bore down on her with a murderous grin, made worse by his soulless black eyes. Despite only having one arm the animatronic in question was still quite intimidating to look at.

"Well, hello there sugarplum!" he commented in a cheerful tone, but even a blind man could sense the dark intent that lay behind his words.

"Are you feeling left out?" he asked, again with mock sympathy.

"No," Toy Bonnie answered back defiantly, she raised her hand up towards the ceiling, with the aim of bringing down several overhanging light struts on top of the brightly coloured animatronic.

Such an outcome would surely destroy, or if not then severely disable it at least.

Three of the light struts started to shake, their connection to the ceiling loosening. Meanwhile Music Man's eyes narrowed, as though he was intrigued.

"Well sugarplum," he began, his sweet voice was coated with double meaning.

"To make up for your lack of entertainment, how about you have some fun with me. . .inside."

Then suddenly his chest split wide open and out sprang two metal coils, with both wrapping themselves around Toy Bonnie's waist. The swift speed of his action caught her off guard and thus disrupted her focus on the overhanging lights stands, even though they swayed loosely from their holdings. The metal coils tighten their grip, as they steadily pulled Toy Bonnie towards Music Man's open chest cavity.

"I've got all sorts of surprises in here, just for you Bonbon," Music Man crackled, as his inner workings revealed themselves, whilst he pulled her further in.

It was like a cage lined with vicious spikes, very similar to that of an iron maiden which was ready to activate and impale its prisoner from every angle. Plus, weren't those revolving large sharp blades, like the ones that could easily severe peoples' bodies in half, as well as decapitate them with something like a guillotine?

Toy Bonnie prayed that what she was currently seeing wasn't true, but reality sadly didn't lie. Staring into the impenetrable blackness that was Music Man's eyes, Toy Bonnie only saw a hunger for pain.

"Ever seen a guillotine in action Sugarplum?" Music Man asked excitedly, with there being an air of curiosity about him.

"No," Toy Bonnie answered nervously, trying to fashion something through lucid dreaming, but her panic was making it quite hard to concentrate on summoning anything viable. Music Man's smile only grew more sinister, with his chest cavity further opening up like the jaws of death.

Toy Bonnie used all her willpower to not scream out in terror, as Music Man commented in a proud tone.

"Well, allow me to show you Sugarplum, up close and personal, it'll be quite the show!"

And with that, he pulled her in. . .

There was a good reason for why the Possessed Prop Suits had suddenly become inactive, motionless, or even catatonic, when going by some descriptions for how they currently looked.

They were conflicted, for what had once seemed so simple was now deeply complex and they hated that, even more so that they couldn't deny it.

Who was worst, who rightfully deserved to receive their collective wrath?

The Fazbears and the children, the ones who had literally been responsible for their untimely and gruesome demise; or Vincent Afton, the man who had murdered those same children and had created this never-ending nightmare?

The former night guards had retreated within themselves, mentally debating, although they were aware of what was occurring around them, as chaos started to reign. Yet none felt the tension more so than Phone Guy, feeling the eyes of all his comrades on him, waiting to see what choice he would make.

Despite being the last nightguard to die at the Fazbears' hands, his role as supervisor of the staff in the company had somehow landed him in the role of being the groups' leader and none of the others had really challenged him for it. They were a group, stuck together in death and whose bonds had been forged in both commonality and agony.

Yet these newfound revelations had shaken them right to their core and it was hard to tell which one had been the most profound. The fact that Vincent had watched their demise through the hacked security cameras and had done nothing to save, let alone warn them of the trap that surrounded them enraged them. They felt betrayed, more so by the fact that Vincent had murdered Henry Emily's son Sammy and destroyed his world and didn't seem to regret it at all, despite having been good friends with mister Emily.

Freddy's words from earlier echoed back at him.

"Don't you all see, he doesn't care, he would have taken your kids that day if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

His words swirled around Phone Guy's mind, cutting through.

"If he didn't care about Henry Emily, then why would he hesitate before destroying your lives as well?"

"If your children were there at the pizzeria that day, he would have killed them."

"You have to know that."

He did know that Vincent would have done so, anything to leave a mark. Thankfully though none of the children of his comrades were taken that day.

Then Toy Freddy's words came racing though, penetrating Phone Guy's mental haze.

"What we're feeling towards us, is what the children felt back in their darkest moments and we felt it too alongside our own feelings of torment."

They all shared that feeling and yet everyone was probably more alone than ever.

"Trust me, we know what you're going through and we want to put the children and yourselves to rest. . .the right way."

"We're sorry for unintentionally dragging you into this mess."

Sorry did not quite cover it, as far as Phone Guy was concerned. He was still trapped, as were his comrades, chained to these iron maidens by vengeful children who didn't care whoever fell into their grasp, just as long as they satisfied their demented bloodlust.

Still, why didn't they tried to track Vincent down earlier?

They had physical vessels, they had the means to try and find him, to bring about closure?

Despite his proven ability that covering his tracks, Vincent must have left some sort of trail behind. No one can completely hide their presence, it is impossible.

Something always gets left behind. . .

Phone Guy could not attempt to bring about closure for himself due to mostly being trapped in Limbo, disconnected from his rotting physical body and completely out of his depth to this new cold world that he had found himself thrown into it.

Yet if he had the opportunity to return to the physical realm and gain vengeance for himself, then he would have taken the chance in a heartbeat.

The ghost children had no such excuse, despite being bound to their Fazbears vessels they held more freedom than he currently had. They had many opportunities to hunt Vincent down, or even to receive additional help through gaining the pity of others.

Although given the manner of the Fazbears and the limited knowledge that Phone Guy possessed of the wider situation; it seems that the former had gained help from outsiders, seeing how they had made it this far without earning the attention of law enforcement.

Still, the children had in Phone Guy's eyes done little with their newly established freedom, wasting it on murdering others who had nothing to do with their deaths.

That one fact alone simply couldn't be forgotten, regardless of how much time had actually passed. The sheer pain of having his body sliced open, and brutally impaled all over echoed across Phone Guy's mind. The memories of being dragged to his death felt very real, as though it had only happened yesterday, despite having occurred well over twenty years ago.

Why hadn't the ghost children themselves apologised for their actions?

Further still, why hadn't they reached out to the nightguards to explain things, they were all spirits after all?

No. . .instead the ghost children had left them to suffer in Limbo, lost, unsure, isolated and it had allowed a ravenous bloodlust like madness to claim their souls.

Yet then there was the Fazbears' seemingly sincere promise to try and fix things. Their heartfelt apology for everything that had happened, even though technically speaking they weren't actually responsible for causing the night guards' deaths.

However, could they truly fix all of this, they said that they had previously promised to repair the damage by returning their bodies to their family and giving them compensation, but out of fear of exposure they had broken that promise.

Why should things be any different now?

No one was that willing to risk running themselves for the sake of others.

The Fazbears would always put their security first, for the conquences of exposing the truth was too much to bear.

That mindset had kept the truth about their 'disappearances' in the dark right until now.

So why expect anything to change. After all, their softly spoken words could just be a ploy to bring them to their side and once they were done with Vincent Afton, the one who held recordings their darkest secrets and the Nightmares, they could so easily abandon their 'promises' to the nightguard leave them to wallow away in the darkness for entirety, unable to force a change on the situation.

Yet there was the matter of Vincent Afton, how he had misled everyone, used them in effect, watching them suffer in his place at the hands of his victims. It was him he was the one responsible for this whole mess, as it dragged in more and more people, agony breeding agony.

First the children and now themselves, Vincent had set the precedent, all to fuel his twisted sense of vengeance. He couldn't entirely blame the children for feeling the way that they did, they didn't ask to die. It was Vincent, it was all Vincent, even though he hadn't directly killed the nightguards, he had laid the trap and allowed it to continue by not doing anything to stop it.

And he was still alive, that's what hurt Phone Guy the most, Vincent hadn't suffered any consequences for his actions.

Meanwhile, Phone Guy was imprisoned, both physically and spiritually, unable to escape his new mechanical death-trap of a body and escape from Limbo at his own free will, having to rely on outsiders to open the exit door for him.

Kama clearly didn't exist, where was the justice that he rightfully deserved.

Yet the question on who was worst still haunted Phone Guy; for each time a fact was raised about the evilness of Vincent Afton, one about the ghost children would immediately be pointed out as well, sharply conflicting with the former.

And the memories, those of his savage death and his experience as a nightguard in the nights leading up to it, vividly replayed in his mind's eyes. Only now they were recontextualised, knowing now that Vincent had been watching through the cameras, like a silent observer or a puppet master.

As the memories of pain replayed endless behind his mind's eye, Phone Guy remembered arguing Richard about this very matter shortly before joining the Nightmares in their current situation.

Flashback. . .

Limbo, about an hour earlier.

"YOU LET BALLOON BOY GO!" Phone Guy roared, his hands having already morphed into fists.

He was literally shaking, his anger barely contained, but that's all he was nowadays, a coiled spring ready to snap.

He was facing Richard, who had just revealed that he had spared BB when the moment of revenge came. Apparently, he had been convinced by both the Fazbear's and the ghost child's confession and their promise to 'fix the past'.

And according to the other night guards who had accompanied him, those being Henry, David, Lauren, Amy and Jessica, Richard mysteriously had been absence when they had finally concerned BB.

Before the Nightmares 'rescued' him from their clutches, later explaining that a much bountiful prize was in store for them later on and that they would receive it if they were patient for a little bit longer.

They had been patient for the last twenty five years at most, yet they reluctantly agreed to wait, accepting that the loss of Balloon Boy was passable if it got them what they wanted most of all.

All the Fazbears together for a grand 'reunion', but in a situation where it was like shooting fish in a barrel when it came to getting their overdue vengeance.

"HOW COULD LET HIM GO FREE, LET ALONE HIDE HIM FROM US, WE COULD HAVE STARTED OUR PATH TO FREEDOM!" Phone Guy yelled; his gaze was unflinching as it was intense and rageful.

He delivered another verbal bombardment at Richard and his small group of 'supporters'.

"HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THEY WERE LYING TO YOU, THINK ABOUT IT THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT OUR DEATHS FOR DECADES, WHY SUDDENLY DEAL WITH IT NOW?"

That was a good question, as from nearly everyone's perspective the Fazbears' inactivity meant that they didn't care about them and wanted to hide their crime.

The ghost children were bloodthirsty animals, given how far they have fallen, it wasn't too much of a stretch to assume that they used their status as children to gain the pity of others and thus avoid facing the conquences for their crimes. For the Fazbears was it the same mindset, using their plight at the hands of Vincent Afton to escape retribution.

"You've been misled Richard," Phone Guy began, speaking softer now, but his tone was still stern.

"Rachel and Balloon Boy only wanted to get you off their back and escape."

"Do you really think, knowing what they would be exposing themselves to if they 'tired' to do the right thing that they would actually do it, despite having countless opportunities to do so previously, really Richard?"

"You can't be that naïve to not account for the fact they could have been using you."

Here in their 'home' in Limbo, they could speak normally, in their original human forms, looking as though they were alive and without the restraint of the prop suits that they possessed in the physical plane or the dreamworld.

Although they didn't feel any physical pain from the damage that both the possessed Fazbears and the prop suits had delivered onto them, the emotional agony however been passed over when they died like trauma.

Enduring, growing, consuming them from the inside out and making them hollow.

Like a parasite it clung to them with a bond made of impregnable diamond.

Anger, rage, and frustration at having their lives stolen from them, unable to say goodbye to their loved ones and having done absolutely nothing to deserve such a cruel, painful and vindictive threat.

Sorrow, despair and anguish at being stuck in a endless sense of nothingness, no future and no hope that it would eventually end.

Hatred and a burning and ravenous desire to mercilessly mane, kill and destroy those whom they held responsible for their deaths and the lack of being able to impose their brutal form of 'justice' only further strengthen their lust for viciously spilling the blood of the 'guilty'.

The emotional pain was immeasurable and never-ending, only their interest in the current conversation kept the ongoing sensation of mental agony at the far corners of their minds.

Yet when some of them had entered the 'dreamworld' the physical pain in its fullest extent had returned to them. The constant stabbing sensation of the springlocks cutting and slicing into them, followed by the entirety of the endoskeleton brutally forcing itself into their organic bodies, as it viciously snapped back into place.

That's what Richard, Henry, David, Lauren, Amy and Jessica all reported at having experienced when they returned from their 'catch up' with Balloon Boy earlier on.

Yet in their pre-death forms and with the present conversation acting as a much needed distraction, all of the former night guards could pretend that everything was alright, and forget about the dire reality of their situation.

Well. . .all but 'one' of them could try to forget.

Yet 'she' seemed to be too far gone to try and play 'make believe', even if she really wanted to.

And it was truly ironic as it was tragic, as she hadn't gone out the same way that they all had, but somehow, she had ended up in an even worse state.

A distorted, primeval and vengeful state.

"I did think that they might be misleading me 'Stanley'" Richard remarked defensively, stressing Phone Guy's real name for deliberate effect to further gain his attention as he continued to speak.

"I consider the idea that it was all an act so that Rachel and Balloon Boy could both try and escape their deserved punishment."

"Yet when I heard Rachel talk about her experiences over the years, I only heard the sincereness in her voice, the deep held regret and the strong desire to attain forgiveness."

"She said that our deaths were all a case of mistaken identity."
He then gestured to everyone else around him.

"Don't you all remember what the Fazbears said to us as we died, about us being a 'purple man', how we deserved to die for what was done to them, they were all talking about Vincent Afton, their murderer."

"When they looked at us, they saw him and that's why they attacked us so viciously."

Some of the other nightguards looked at one another, perhaps wondering what the other thought as they mentally digested Richard's words.

Although when Phone Guy and Richard both briefly glanced at the likes of Amy, Lauren, Jessica, Henry and David, their faces were unreadable.

Richard then returned his attention to Phone Guy, tilting his head, as though he was studying the latter like a new specimen.

"They just want to be set free like we do, this twisted form of 'existing' only strips your soul from you," Richard said firmly.

"None of us wanted to be in this position, like us the children were thrown into the unknown, lost and afraid like us."

Although in truth, he did hold some anger towards Rachel and the other ghost children for not realising their error earlier.

Looking at the thirty something other former night guards, you would have thought that the ghost children would conclude that their attempts to kill 'Purple Guy' for good wasn't working and that they were missing something, forcing them to reflect.

But no. . .not when they were lost in the throes of their agony induced bloodlust.

And in doing so they had trapped all of their poor misfortune victims in this 'tomb', there was no better word which to describe it.

This place, what they were all forced to call it was in fact Freddy's pizzeria, but it embodied all of its worst aspects.

The building was decayed, its walls rotting or crumbling and yet they remained standing. The floors were covered with dirt and other things, whilst being cracked and loose.

There was very little power, just enough to barely keep the lights running, although they lit up their immediate surroundings, leaving most of the building in a permanent state of darkness. Everything else like the security blast doors in the office, any of the fans and all the applicates in the kitchen was inoperative and had been since first nightguard Jessica had arrived back in June 1990, following her gruesome death.

Although she was not the 'first' person to occupy this place, that distinction belonged to 'someone else'.

The entire 'pizzeria' if you could call it that, was next to completely dead, a lifeless husk.

And worst of all, no one couldn't leave this place of their own free will; for all the windows were indestructible, and both sets of doors were locked and unbreakable.

This was more akin to an actual prison, than it was to be a waiting room for the dead; with the Nightmares acting like their jailers, letting them out and roam be it under their supervision, like an attack dog sent after the Fazbears.

Although under that arrangement, both sides got what they wanted out of it.

"I think that we have the chance to gain salvation and not repeat the children's mistakes," Richard said, sounding somewhat hopeful.

"We don't have to cover our hands in blood, but instead what if we tried to make amends with the children and then depart for paradise," he then said suggestively, trying to propose an alternative route to the bloodstained path that they had sought for decades on end.

He gestured out of those night guards who surrounded him.

"What if we just let go of our anger, our agony and leave this wretched world behind?"

"We been trapped here for so long."

He then looked crested, appearing to reflect, thinking back, digging deep into his memories.

"My family, I can still remember their faces, their names, their voices, but how could I see them again, knowing what I have done to a child."

In truth Phone Guy knew where Richard was coming from, the hope that they could be reunited with their families and friends had kept them focused on their goal of breaking free of their chains, but it hadn't starved off the ever approaching madness, or the burning desire for blood and the sheer traumatic depression of their current situation.

In the end, all three aspects had merged, forming an animalistic urge to escape, marred with sorrow and insurmountable furry, it was like a volcano that never ceased erupting. Yet right now, when looking around at everyone else, Phone Guy could see the impact that Richard's words were having on the others, especially at the mention of his family. The sadness in peoples' eyes, no doubt they were thinking about their own loved ones.

Richard continued regardless, speaking firmly. He still held some doubts, he knew that he had heard the genuine feelings of remorse, regret from Rachel and the desires to reverse the harm that she and the other children had caused.

"In the end, we have a choice, try and make amends, not drag ourselves down to their level, they wouldn't have stained our souls and it would be much quicker than simply baying for their blood."

"Besides, how do we actually know that banishing the children and killing the Fazbears will get us into heaven, or was that just a presumption that fulfilling our desire for vengeance would allow us to rest?"

Phone Guy didn't answer, yet he was devising a well-crafted response to Richard's plea for reflection and change. It couldn't be that simple. . .actions must have consequences.

His wretched experience had shown him that to be true.

"We can all gain peace. . .even Helen, if she truly tried to forgive," Richard pleaded, ending his little speech.

Suddenly, there came the sounds of something or rather 'someone' moving or rather crawling around on the ceiling and they made their opinion known to all.

"THEREEEE CANNNN BEEEEE NOOOOO FORGIVENESSSSS!" a female voice screamed, sounding raspy and strained, with their words being stretched out, but the bitterness in their voice, the desire for blood could be well established.

"NOTTTT AFTEEER WHATTTT THATTTT BITCHHHH DIDDDD TOOOO MEEEEE!"

It was followed by sounds of crawling and scratching, with additional 'bodily' thuds echoing from above as 'Helen' made her presence known, dragging herself across the ceiling and everyone grimed.

"THEEEEEYYYYY DRAGGGGGEDDDDD USSSSSS INNNNTOOOO THISSSSSSSS WRETCHEDDDDDDDDD WORLDDDDDDDD, THEYYYYYYYY DESEREVEEEEEEEE THEEEEEEEE SAMEEEEEEE FATEEEEEE!" she cried out, her raspy and yet venom filled voice was being stretched as in her present form, she couldn't articulate words very well.

Whilst everyone else was in their normal 'predeath' form, 'Helen' had not been so lucky.

Even though 'Helen' had not suffered the same fate as her comrades, for some unknown reason, her emotional anger and rage at having her life tragically cut short prevented her from moving on. Her own willpower kept her firmly entrenched in Limbo, desiring to somehow come back and make up for the time that was 'stolen' from her.

Yet her anger had morphed into agony, pure undiluted agony, her feelings of pain and rage were so strong that it physically twisted her into something ominous.

Not one could look at her with a straight face, let alone in the eyes. To stare into the face of horror was too much even for her work colleges who held great anger within of themselves.

"They have to suffer Richard," Phone Guy said slowly, he sounded firm, yet there was a degree of compassion in his tone, he had now found his answer to Richard's alterative suggestion of gaining salvation.

"I know that in some ways, our situation shares a lot with that of the children and the Fazbears themselves, we are all lost."

Richard was about to speak, but Phone Guy held up his hand, stopping him cold.

"However, they treated us horribly, despite them confusing us for Vincent Afton, knowing that doesn't stop the constant pain I feel all over, the stabbing and twisting of my skin and organs, they left us in this state!"

Phone Guy's hands now slowly morphed into fists, as he continued to speak, with his tone becoming more and more rageful.

"They had a chance to fix things for twenty dam years and they did nothing, no one did because they are afraid of having to be held responsible for their actions!"

"If Rachel was as sorry back then as she 'apparently' is now, then why didn't she tried to help us out, instead of literally leaving us all in the dark!"

His eyes narrowed as he stared hard at Richard, the other man's expression was one of deep thinking, trying to come up with a counter argument. He had none, the lack of any support and therefore of true regret from their murderers was next to nonexistence up until now.

No one had tried to save them.

"I very much agree with Stanley," Lauren said, speaking from the side-lines. Her tone was bitter, and her eyes held a determined gaze to them.

"They forced us into this hell, laughing as they stuffed me into that mechanical death-trap, they deserve to feel what they've put us all through."

She then looked at Richard, giving him a brief compassionate look.

"I know what you mean Richard about being unable to face our families again with blood on our hands, but it is worth it, it's necessary and it is completely justified."

She held her hand to her head, winching as she remembered the sensation of her skull being cracked by the springlocks, even though it wasn't real and nothing was actually stabbing her, the emotional trauma had a habit of manifesting itself sometimes. It echoed across her mind, briefly overcoming her attempts to resuppress it, before she sufficiently crushed it and she managed to continue speaking.

"In truth, I just want to get out of here, it's been so long, and that warm world of light and life is far away, this unbearable cycle of waiting and pain is our lives now, that old world doesn't matter anymore."

"Let's just strangle the 'monsters' and move on."

"I don't care if we are being used by either Vincent and his Nightmare friends, or even the children and Fazbears, we know what we want," Henry remarked coldly, and his vengeful filled expression showed his determination.

"Richard, you asked about how we know that torturing the children or banishing them or even killing the Fazbears would set us free; well, isn't that what the children believed would happen if they killed Vincent?" he asked, but judging by his knowing smile, the answer was obvious.

"Ha, well said," Jessica laughed, equally expressing a burning desire for vengeance, as she patted Henry on the shoulder.

"They just haven't killed the right one yet, but the same logic works well for us!"

There were significant murmurs of agreement from everyone else, they were more or less in Phone Guy's camp. Actions have consequences intended or not, and the lure of paradise through shedding the blood of their murderers seem to be both the fastest and 'moral' path to take.

"YOUUUUU SEEEEEEE REVENGEEEEEE ISSSSSS THEEEEEE ONLYYYYYYYY WAYYYYYYY OUTTTTTT OFFFFFFF THISSSSSSS HELLLLLLLL!" 'Helen' hissed joyfully.

Suddenly, she dropped right down between Phone Guy and Richard, although in the dim light it was hard to fully came her out, but everyone averted their eyes.

She was dangling in fact, clinging to the ceiling with her feet through sheer will and strength as she manoeuvred herself round to face Phone Guy.

"OURRRRRR OLDDDDD LIVESSSSS NOOOOO LONGERRRRR MATTERRRRR, EVENNNNN THOUGHHHHH THEYYYYY PROVIDEEEEE USSSSSS WITHHHHH THEEEEE STRENGTHHHHHH TOOOOO CONTINUEEEEEE!" 'Helen' said, sounding very confident in her words, but as always there was an aura of rage around her.

"WEEEEEE WANTTTTT OUTTTTT!"

She then reached forward and gripped Phone Guy's face with her 'hands', if you could call them that. Phone Guy did his best not to look 'Helen' in the eyes, instead he looked to the side, avoiding her gaze.

She didn't mind it, in fact she seemed to be weirdly proud of her affliction somewhat, in that it was an expression of her right to gain revenge on Mangle for killing her. Even though she also hated it at times, a constant reminder that she couldn't gain peace until she had her vengeance, which was by now long overdue.

"IFFFFF THEEEEE THOSEEEE MURDEROUSSSSS SHITSSSS THINKKKK THATTTTT KILLINGGGGG THATTTTTT SICKKKKK FUCKKKKK VINCENTTTTTT AFTONNNNN THEIRRRRRRR MURDERERRRRRRR, THENNNNNNN WHYYYYYY CAN'TTTTTTT WEEEEEEE USEEEEE THEEEEEE SAMEEEEEE LOGICCCCCC?" she asked, staring at Phone Guy intensely, seeking his answer.

Yet she need not have tried so hard, as Phone Guy already agreed with her, as did the majority of everyone else.

"We can have our revenge Helen," Phone Guy replied determinedly, with a smile.

"We didn't ask for any of this, yet we have the right to seek revenge for what happened to us, we cannot leave until they have suffered for what they did to us."

He learned past 'Helen' to look at Richard, seeing the disappointed look on his face.

"An eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth, it's only fair."

"Plus, Richard, if you have 'forgiven' Rachel and the other children for what they have done to you, then why are you still here?" he asked curiously, but there was a degree of mockery to his words.

"Shouldn't you have moved on already?"

"I don't want to leave the rest of you guys behind, and nor have I completely forgiven Rachel, but if only you heard what I did. . .then you would understand why I believe there is another path to freedom," Richard replied, he sounded both crestfallen, but there was an undertone of seriousness to his voice.

Their unity although frayed had largely been forged in shared trauma, which despite their difference in opinion was hard to break. Then quite suddenly, 'Helen' completely let go of Phone Guy and turned round to face Richard, who backed away somewhat, surpised by the suddenness of her turn. His instinctive need to create some distance between him and 'Helen' was copied by his supporters, who equally backed away out of sheer caution.

No one wanted to get close to 'Helen', Phone Guy had tolerated her breaking into his personal space simply because they held the same view towards how to deal with the Fazbears.

"INNNNNN THISSSSSS WRETCHEDDDDDD WORLDDDDDDD, THEREEEEE ISSSSSS NOOOOO SUCHHHHHH THINGGGGGG ASSSSSSS INNOCENCEEEEEE!" 'Helen' remarked coldly, as always there was a furry to her voice, a rage that was near impossible to satisfy.

"WEEEEEEE DON'TTTTTTTTTTT DESIREEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOO HARMMMMMMMM ANYONEEEEEEE ELSEEEEEEEEEE, BUTTTTTTTT THOSEEEEEEE WHOOOOOOO WRONGEDDDDDD USSSSSSSS!"

'Helen's words reflected Phone Guy's exact thoughts towards the situation, the wrongdoers must suffer.

"THEREEEEE WILLLLLLLL BEEEEEEEE NOOOOOOO BLOODDDDDD ONNNNNN OURRRRRRR HANDSSSSS, OTHERRRRR THANNNNNN THATTTTTTT OFFFFFFF THEEEEEE GULITYYYYYYYY!" 'Helen' said, her words much very aligned with the majority of those present, their desire for blood was all ok if it only targeted the ones responsible.

"SOONNNNN WEEEEEE WILLLLL ALLLLLL BEEEEEE FREEEEEEEE!" 'Helen' remarked joyfully, clearly confident in her words.

KNOCK KNOCK!

KNOCK KNOCK!

Suddenly, there were several loud knocks coming from the pizzeria's main entrance, resulting in everyone turning to look in its direction. The large double doors, which had once seen better days open up fully, revealing nothing but the darkness of Limbo, the cold and uninviting void.

Well, apart from the figure with the glowing brown reddish eyes.

"Ah, I hope that I am not interrupting a 'family' discussion?" a male, humorous and craftly voice enquired with something approaching curiosity.

It was Nightmare Foxy, as his eyes swept across the entire group, reading their ravenous expressions.

"However, it is time for you lot to have a 'catch up' with the Fazbears, before the plunge," he added, no doubt feeding into their desire for revenge.

"We best be quick, so not to keep them waiting for the 'grand reunion'," he remarked humorously, evidently with a smile on his face, even though no one else could see it.

The Nightmare was met with an instant replay of acceptance from Phone Guy.

"Finally, we've been waiting long enough," he remarked, sounding frustrated with the long passage of time.

"Now it's time to fully turn the tables," Jessica said coldly, with a glint of bloodlust in her eyes.

"Let's become complete and be done with everything."

"It's gonna be one 'happy' reunion!" David laughed, itching at the chance to shed some blood and create chaos.

"Ah laddie, it very much will be, plus we have brought in some new 'friends' from Fazbear Entertainment, there are almost as many animatronics as there are of you lot," Nightmare Foxy said casually, but there was a sinister undertone, no doubt implying that the animatronics' purpose would be to simply cause more chaos.

He seemed to gesture for them to follow him.

"Come on laddies and lassies, let's not keep our guests waiting for any longer, I know that you have been dying to see this day," he said, urging them to quickly follow him.

Immediately, the vast majority of the night guards moved towards him like a stampede, their desires for freedom getting the better of them.

"YESSSSSS, FREEDOMMMMMM!" 'Helen' screamed joyfully, instantly leaping back onto the ceiling, creating all kinds of unsettling noises as she dragged, crawled, and pulled herself forward over the heads of her comrades.

Phone Guy held himself back from joining the rush, turning to look at Richard and his pitiful band of supporters.

"You see Richard, the children and the Fazbears have to suffer, they murdered us viciously and haven't tried to make amends since then, despite having numerous chances, why can't you accept that simple truth?" Phone Guy asked curiously, but he largely sounded tired, worn out by the discussion.

There was a small pause before Richard answered, speaking firmly, but with sincerity as well.

"I don't want to become a monster, just because everyone else has fallen into the abyss."

"We do have a choice, Stanley."

Yet Phone Guy merely reached out and lightly patted Richard on the shoulder, as though he sympathised with his idealism.

"In this world, there is no such choice," he remarked plainly, but there was a sad sense of understanding, as though it pained him somehow to accept that as reality.

"We are monsters be it born or made, as you yourself told Rachel earlier, but we won't be as monstrous as them or Vincent Afton and especially the Nightmares."

He then tinted his head and spoke determinedly, stressing a point.

"There, does that choice work for you, only going after those who truly deserve it, instead of being a rampaging beast and lashing out at everyone?"

"Think about it Richard, really do, it's better than the alternative. . ."

Then Richard stepped forward, gesturing toward him.

"But if we were to meet then, I could show you how sincere they were," he argued strongly.

"I think they really want to find closure for everyone, not just themselves."

"I don't want to be an apologist for them, but what if redemption is possible for both the children and the Fazbears?" he asked firmly.

Yet Phone Guy shook his head.

"No, redemption isn't possible for the children or the Fazbears, not full redemption anyway and that's only if I am being really honest," he remarked coldly, dismissing the idea entirely.

"Too much has happened to allow most of us to simply forgive them and then move on, closure cannot be that fast, not after the hell that we've been enduring."

"They don't deserve to be saved, they had their chance, and, in my eyes, they wasted it."

"Then at least let me show you the evidence, to hear what I heard, seeing is believing isn't it?" Richard asked, he stepped forward and his small group of supporters also moved, but Phone Guy quickly rose his arm, completely blocking their advance.

"No," he said firmly, with a strong disapproval expression.

"You'll all stay here; we can't have you guys try to ruin our chances at gaining salvation our way."

"You can all seek 'forgiveness' on your own accord, but not for us, we'll break free our way, the right way, repaid in the Fazbears' blood!"

The stern and vengeful look on Phone Guy's face prevented Richard from forcing the issue, a line was being drawn and he should not attempt to cross it.

"There is no other way really, Richard," Phone Guy muttered slowly, but the seriousness in his tone did not waver.

"Let's just be done with it, we've waited long enough, don't you think?"

And with that Phone Guy left Richard's side, leaving his question opened ended as he swiftly joining the rapidly depleting crowd of night guards as they surged through the open doorway, watched on by Nightmare Foxy.

Richard made no attempt to follow Phone Guy, remaining where he was, watching with a disheartened expression as most of his comrades left him behind, eager to gain salvation through vengeance. However, none were as eager as 'Helen', yet Nightmare Foxy wasn't letting her go through, regardless of her intention.

"No lassie, you stay here for now, you're too much of a loose cannon, a few things need to happen first before we can truly begin," the Nightmare said firmly, barring her way through, although 'Helen' wasn't having none of it.

"NOOOO, THATTTTTT MANGLEDDDDD BITCHHHHHH NEEDSSSSS TOOOOO FEELLLLLLL WHATTTTTTT IIIIIII FELTTTTTTT!" she screamed viciously.

"MYYYYYY TIMEEEEEE ISSSSSS NOWWWWW!"

"IIIIIII WON'TTTTTTT BEEEEEE DENIEDDDDDD!"

"Unfortunately, you have to be. . .for now," Nightmare Foxy replied coldly with narrowed eyes.

'Helen' responded by trying to attack him, hoping to force her way through, but the Nightmare easily blocked her attempts to grab and throw him to one side by grabbing both of her 'hands', if you could them 'hands'.

He then pulled down hard, causing her 'feet' to lose their grip on the ceiling and she fell to floor, landing on her back. She immediately reacted by flipping herself over, perhaps hopping to jump up and tackle Nightmare Foxy, but he was already two steps ahead of her.

He quickly grasped her by the neck, lifted her up into the air and then threw her backwards, aided by delivering a strong kick to her stomach, which propelled her across the room, landing with a heavy thud by Richard's feet.

"Just be patient lassie, you've waited for nearly thirty years, you can wait a little bit longer," Nightmare Foxy stated sternly.

He quickly reached out and grabbed hold of Phone Guy, pulling him forward to speed things up.

"Come on, let's go, the show is about to begin," Nightmare Foxy remarked determinedly, allowing Phone Guy to step through the doorway on his own accord.

He briefly paused to look back at Richard and his little group, having overheard some of their conversation and knowing that they had no intention of joining in the 'festivities'.

"As noble as they might think it is to seek forgiveness, it is a hard, tortuous and pointless path to take, the simplest and most effective route is always the better choice," Nightmare Foxy remarked passionately, although he said it with a grim undertone, as though the very idea of forgiveness sickened him.

"I will remember it," Phone Guy replied firmly, before stepping beyond the confines of his prison home for the first time.

Yet 'Helen' wasn't being denied her chance, as she quickly began to crawl, or at least the sounds she made in the near pitch blackness indicated that she was doing so at a rapid speed.

"NOOOOO, IIIIII WANTTTTTT OUTTTTTT!" she yelled furiously, immediately picking up the pace as she dragged and crawled herself forward, like a wolf on the hunt, swiftly nearing the main entrance and creating an array of unsettling bodily sounds in the process.

Yet Nightmare Foxy pay her no heed, stepping back through the doorway before closing it firmly shut, just as 'Helen' reached him.

The door locked itself, followed by a loud thud which was 'Helen' latching herself onto the doorframe from the other side.

"NOOOOOO!" she screamed, before ferociously hammering away at the door.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

"NOOO, NOOO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

"IIIII JUSTTTT WANTTTT TOOOO BEEEEE FREEEEE!" she roared, before proceeding to further pound away at the door like a caged predator desperate to escape.

"DON'TTTTTT LEAVEEEEE MEEEEEE HEREEEEE PLEASEEEEEEE!"

As Phone Guy felt himself slip away from this hellish place that he was forced to call home, accompanied by Nightmare Foxy, 'Helen's pained words followed him.

"PLEASEEEEEEE DON'TTTTTT LEAVEEEEE MEEEEEEEE!"

BANG!

BANG!

"IIIIII HAVEEEEE BEENNNN WAITTINGGGGGGGG FORRRRRR SOOOOOOOO LONGGGGGG!"

BANG!

BANG!

"IIIIIII JUSTTTTTTT WANTTTTTT TOOOOO GETTTTT OUTTTTTT!"

Flashback ends. . .

Get out, that is all they simply wanted, Phone Guy knew that to be the truth.

The Fazbears and the children were the key, so not just take it, particularly as chaos was erupting all around them. Then they could all leave and be done with this nightmare. Yet things weren't so simple anything more.

Vincent Afton, that monster, the Fazbears' sincereness, and their desire to attain forgiveness.

Had Richard been right, was there really another path?

Mentally Phone Guy shook his head, filling his rage surged throughout his soul like an unabating storm. No, they had been away from the waking world for too long to care about morals, the agony was too much.

Time doesn't heal all wounds.

Yet with the Fazbears being so honest about their failings, their fears, it was reasonable to believe (if Phone Guy wanted to) that they or the children hadn't murdered anyone else since his death back in 1993. They appeared to have 'changed', but then again, the Fazbears had admitted to not dealing with their bodies out of fear of being exposed for crimes which they had allegedly, no, actually committed.

The memory from Vincent's mind which Lefty had shown everyone only confirmed it, they were terrified of being discovered and held responsible. Meanwhile he and his fellow work colleges rotted away and wallowed about in Limbo for what felt like eternity.

Why would Freddy and co suddenly decide to try and fix the past now, if the end result was still the same?

Phone Guy was truly puzzled by that, it racked his mind as he tired to make sense of everything and there was a strong part of him that didn't want to understand, but simply try to escape through gaining revenge. How could he bring himself to trust the Fazbears, after everything that they had done?

They didn't deserve his trust.

Yet what about Vincent Afton, didn't he equally deserve to suffer for the horrors that he had unleashed, for murdering then innocent children, for betraying Henry Emily and his work colleges?

The anger and hatred that Phone Guy felt for the Fazbears now extended to Vincent. He had the chance, many in fact to save them from the jaws of death, but he simply watched them get brutally murdered from the side lines and remained alive.

The coward. . .

He was true cause for this mess, and he wasn't going to stop anytime soon it seemed.

The pain and rage that Phone Guy felt towards both parties rivalled eachother, rising to new heights. He could also feel the unseen eyes of all the other night guards on him, watching and wondering what he would do, as they were all impacted by these stunning revelations.

They were all as unsure as he was, but they needed to do something, they wanted to break free. Turning his head and surveying the chaos that surrounded them, Phone Guy found himself looking at Goldie, Puppet and Vincent, as the former two surrounded the latter.

Clearly, both Fazbears were going to harm Vincent, well it is what the bastard rightfully deserved. Rather fitting that he should lose his life in the most torturous manner possible. Given the vengeful look on the faces of Puppet and Goldie and the terrified look on Vincent's, it was exactly what he was going to get. Then again, why not try to kill the Fazbears and Vincent, take out two birds with one stone.

It'll free the children, perhaps even force them to move on and technically it might free the night guards themselves by default if the children weren't around anymore and the Fazbears were all dead.

Plus, if the Nightmares become free because of it, then almost everyone would get their wish and the pain would finally end. However, was this their fight, did they want to get involve, now that the opportunity presented itself?

Phone Guy mentally screamed in frustration, feeling both strongly determined and yet unsure simultaneously, as he felt himself being pulled in all directions. Yet he had to choose, right now it was now or never, they might never get another chance at freedom.

Especially if they ended up making the wrong choice.

As he stared hard at Goldie, Puppet and Vincent, Richard's words echo about in his mind, above the roaring hurricane of confusion and questions.

"I don't want to become a monster, just because everyone else has fallen into the abyss."

"We do have a choice, Stanley."

Then immediately afterwards came the cries of 'Helen'.

"IIIIII HAVEEEEE BEENNNN WAITTINGGGGGGGG FORRRRRR SOOOOOOOO LONGGGGGG!"

"IIIIIII JUSTTTTTTT WANTTTTTT TOOOOO GETTTTT OUTTTTTT!"

Phone Guy narrowed his eyes, pushing aside his confusion.

It was time.

"There is only one choice to be made Richard," he mentally remarked.

"Thankfully, despite our strong desires for blood, we aren't rampaging beasts like Helen, entirely consumed by their darker nature."

His hands steadily morphed into fists, as he now angrily stared at Goldie, Puppet and Vincent, those three individuals were all that he could currently see.

"We just want to be free and make those monsters who deserve to suffer get what they fully deserve!"

Then he took a small step towards the group.

"Actions have conquences."

He had made his choice. . .

What exactly is Phone Guy's choice, you'll find out eventually. ;-)

I enjoyed giving all of the animatronics their own sense of personality and abilities, I based Music Man off Funtime Freddy from Fazbears' Frights 'Count The Ways'. It avoids having all of them blend into the background and be seen as mere canon folder for the Nightmares.

As for what 'Helen' looks like, I had an initial idea, but a certain Fazbear Frights' book has greatly helped to further flesh out her design.

As I said previously Chapter 58 should be uploaded sometime in May, but I have it planned out already, so it's just a matter of writting it.

As before thanks for reading and please review, I appreciate your thoughts.