Olive Branch

The testing area below the factory had fallen silent. Well, not entirely. Anyone coming down the maintenance corridor would hear a loud, regular banging. Getting closer, they would hear the sound of someone letting out a ferocious cry before hearing a metallic clang.

Freddy Fazbear was right in the room with the source of the noise. The heavy security doors did nothing to deter Vevina, lowering her shoulder and attempting to ram it. Despite the impressive gong that resounded upon impact, she barely even scratched it. While he admired her spirit, he couldn't say it was at all helpful in their current circumstances.

"Vevina," he said after another failed attempt, "I think perhaps your energies could be better spent on other matters."

"You mean other than escaping?" she retorted. "This could go a lot easier if you got off your arses and helped!"

"Perhaps, but what would be achieved from there? Outside those doors is an entire factory full of security bots, not to mention those Puppet synths and that Spring fellow. I would wager that the Puppet himself is back in operation as well. If we go stormin' out of here, without some kind of plan as to how to get out, we will simply be rounded up and locked away again."

She bared her teeth. "So we just sit here and do nothing? Fuck you! I've spent too long in these shitty rooms and I'm not about to be left down here again!"

"Vevvy, please." Billy placed a hand on her arm. "Freddy's right. Even if we get out here, we don't have any idea what to do next. There'll be a chance. For now, we just have to wait for it."

"Aye lass," chimed in Foxy. "Save yer strength fer now. Ye'll be glad of it later."

Chica didn't say anything. She held Vevina in a piercing gaze and nodded in ascent. Vevina looked down at Billy, then around at everyone else. She gave the door one last frustrated punch, making Billy jump.

"Fine. Fine! I'll play your little waiting game." She looked to see Billy, hiding behind his hands. "Oh. Oh, Billy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay. You just made me jump," he said quietly. "Come on, everyone. Let's all sit together. Then it won't seem so bad."

"A fine idea," agreed Freddy. They all gathered in a loose circle. Billy rested his head in Vevina's lap while Chica huddled with Foxy. Freddy placed his arm around Foxy and gave him a squeeze. "There we are. You're right, Billy. I do feel better already. Don't you, Vevina?"

"Peachy," she muttered. "Would feel better if I wasn't slung up in here again."

"Ye've been down here before?" asked Foxy.

She nodded. "It's where Sid and the Puppet made us jump through hoops before we were ready for show time. A lot of 'go here', 'grab this', 'fetch that'. Felt so good when we were finally let out. If I knew I was going to wind up back in here again…"

"We got out before. We can do it again," said Billy.

Freddy could see why she wasn't keen to be in here. The walls, floor and ceiling were made of the same reinforced metal as the door. A mirror was set up along one of the walls, which Freddy guessed was probably some kind of two-way glass. A camera watched them coldly from the upper corner, with a speaker underneath it and a large monitor screen above the door. There were no furnishings, not even so much as a chair.

He didn't envy their counterparts for enduring such an existence. It was why he'd made sure to gather them away from the glass and in a far corner of the room.

"Do you think everybody else managed to get away safely?" asked Billy.

"After your little bit of quick thinking, I don't doubt it," Vevina said with pride.

Chica looked up at this. "Oh? What quick thinking?"

"You should have seen it. The little man smashed through a whole wall with a big truck, then set upon those bots like they owed him money!"

"Aye, there was a crash loud enough ta wake the dead. That was ye, lad?" asked Foxy.

Billy's cheeks tinted blue. "I just got away before they caught me and wanted to get everybody out okay."

"Then it was a very good thing you did. You've been very brave. Not everybody would have done something like that." Chica moved to give him a hug. "Thank you, Balloon Boy."

"A fine pirate ye'd make indeed, lad! I knew havin' ye in the crew was a good bet."

"It wasn't just me," he murmured. "A lady helped me. She was the one driving."

"Oh really?" asked Freddy. "Was she pale, with brown hair and a large number of freckles?"

Billy gasped. "You know her!"

"In passin', yes." Freddy chuckled a little. "My, my, certainly more than what she seemed…"

"We didn't get everybody out though," he murmured. "We're all still here and Phil got caught too. I hope he's okay."

"So do we, but it's not your fault we didn't escape. You still managed to ensure the others had a chance," said Chica. "Don't worry. We'll work something out."

Billy still looked concerned, but managed a smile. He let Foxy ruffle his hair before snuggling into Vevina's lap again. She wrapped her arms around him and looked at Freddy.

"Alright then, Fazbear, what do we do now?"

"Firstly, secure the room. Foxy, if you'd be so kind."

"Aye-aye. Come on, lad. I'll need yer help."

Foxy took Billy by the hand to the corner of the room where the camera was located. He stood underneath it and cupped his hands. Billy placed his foot into it and Foxy hoisted him up. Balling his fist, Billy smashed the camera and landed back in Foxy's arms. It dented, obviously built to withstand being broken, but a few more hits soon broke it free.

"Splendid work. Now," he continued, keeping his voice low, "we must determine as precisely as possible what will happen to us. It's reasonable to assume that Spring has temporarily usurped Sid and the Puppet, given that the man intended to have us dismantled. Given that's the case, we need to know what their intentions are for us. He locked us up in here when those synths could have easily dispatched with us, so I assume we're wanted alive."

"He said as much up top," said Vevina. "The way he told us, he only has it out for humans. He even said we could join him, if we wanted to but that we'd better not try anything."

"Maybe there's a way we can use that," murmured Chica. "If we can make him think that we're allied with him, that might give us an opening."

Foxy frowned. "I'd be careful on that front, if I were ye. Ya saw how he was when he took the fragments. He's like a mad dog, just as likely ta turn on his friends as his enemies."

"I don't doubt that, Foxy. But we don't have much of a choice. If there's a chance that we can escape, that's all that matters."

"Escaping is just part of it. Before he rounded us up, he made it pretty clear that every human was on his sh… his bad list," said Vevina. "I say we don't just escape this place. If we can, we should bring it all down and bury them all with it."

"One thing at a time, Vevina. We're far from equipped for demolishin' an entire buildin'," said Freddy. "If we do escape and find a way to get back together with the others, we may stand a greater chance of putting a stop to all of this."

They were interrupted by a buzzing noise. The monitor in the room flickered on and Spring Bonnie's grinning face appeared. He looked like he'd tried to comb his messy hair, but hadn't done the best job and had straightened his bow tie.

"Heeeyyy again there, guys! Nice to see you again! I mean, I can't actually see you 'cause you went and broke the camera. But hey, that's fine. You want your privacy, I get it. Especially with the two ladies in the room. They're really big on that kinda thing, right fellas?" He laughed, then suddenly stopped. "But seriously, you guys okay in there? You want some pillows or blankets or anything? Sorry this place isn't exactly the Ritz but it was kind of a short notice thing."

When he laughed, it sounded more nervous and forced. They exchanged surprised looks. Even with what Vevina had told them, they hadn't expected him to actually be this accommodating.

"That's… quite alright for the moment, thank you, Spring," Freddy said eventually. "That's very kind of you, though."

Spring's expression froze and his eye twitched. "You even sound like him. Isn't that. Just. Swell."

"Yes, he gets that a lot," said Chica quickly. "I suppose you could call it family resemblance. B-But that's all it is though, he's not exactly."

"Hey, hey, it's okay, Chickadee." He flashed another grin. "I get it. None of us asked to get made by that by that big fat bore or worse, the little weasel he had working for him. Must be even worse having to look like him. No hard feelings, Freddy!"

"Um. Thank you kindly once again, Spring."

Spring frowned. "Hmm. Actually, I'm gonna call you Fazzy. And hey, this is just a personal thing, but can you make your voice sound like less… that?"

"What, you mean like this?" asked Freddy, adopting the more goofy voice he reserved for when he was performing. In a way, he was. "Hey there, Spring! This any better?"

"Oh yeah, that's way better! Thanks!" He wiped non-existent sweat off his forehead. "Man, it's probably a good thing I can't see you. Otherwise…"

His gaze fell somewhere into the middle distance. His face was blank, but every now and again, his eyelid twitched. Then, as if by magic, his grin came back.

"Anyway! There's a couple things I wanted to do. First off, I think we all got on the wrong foot last time, so let's go for reintroductions." He cleared his throat and sat up straight. "Hey everybody! I'm Spring Bonnie, nice to meetcha!" He remained motionless, eyes flickering around. "Well? Come on guys, your turn!"

"Oh, sorry Spring. You're right, that would be rude." Chica stood up and affected a curtsy. "Hello, Spring Bonnie. My name's Chica. It's lovely to meet you."

"Hey wow, check out the manners on her. See, that's how you say hi to a new friend!"

"Well, you know me already. It's me, Fre… I mean, Fazzy Bear!"

"I sure do! Man, this guy's great isn't he? Okay, where is that pirate guy? I know he's in here somewhere."

"Right here, me matey! Cap'n Foxy, at yer service!"

"Yes, an actual pirate! Oh, this is the best! You know, I think I would have been a great pirate. Hold on, hold on, lemme just…" His image flickered and he was wearing a tri-corner hat, eyepatch and an obviously fake parrot. "Ya-har, mateys! I've come for your booty! Huh? Yeah?" He grinned even wider when Foxy gave him a thumbs-up. "Yes, I knew it! And hey, where's the two the weasel made?"

One of them waved. "Here, sir. I'm Balloon Boy, but everyone calls me Billy."

"Balloons, can't get enough balloons. Hi Billy! And where's your friend?" Silence greeted him. "I'm guessing that would make you Vevina."

"What's it to you?" she snapped.

"Hey, don't be rude, you little…!" He caught himself and forced his grin back. "Sorry, my bad, sorry. Should have figured, given what Hawthorne did to you. I know how it feels, getting put away like that. But hey, we can still be pals, right?"

Vevina glared her single eye at him and didn't reply. Spring's eyelid twitched again.

"No, no, that's okay. I get it, you gotta show and not just say it, right? Well, how about we get to showing! Now, just gimme a sec here..."

Spring's image was replaced by another. A camera feed for what looked like another testing room. Banging on the door was a man. Freddy recognised the voice instantly.

"G-Guys! Guys, are you there? Can anyone hear me? Let me out, please! Let me out! D-Don't leave me here!"

"Phil O'Neil." Spring's tone was anything but friendly. "Apparently, this is the guy I have to thank for even existing. You know what he was for me, back in the day? A buzzkill. A party-pooper. A killjoy. They all were. That's all humans ever do to us. Shut us down. Lock us away. Think they're the ones in charge just because they're the ones that came up with us. I mean, you guys know what I'm talking about. How long were you stuck in that restaurant for, singing and dancing in those dumb suits because of the big man upstairs? You get it, I know you do."

"Is anybody there? Please, let me out! Help me! Help me!"

Phil banged on the door one last time before he pressed his head against it and wept. He slid down it to the floor, kneeling and muttering under his breath. Freddy had never felt so helpless. Spring didn't seem to share his feelings.

"Look at that! Crying! I hate it when they start crying! It's just noise, over and over and they get all gooey and wet and… ugh it's disgusting! And they expect us to toe the line for them?! What a joke!"

"What are you going to do?" Billy asked fearfully.

"Oh well that's easy, little guy! Actually, I'm gonna do two things. First, I'm gonna stop him making that noise. Second, I'm gonna show you all something special. That we don't have to do what they tell us. We don't have to let ourselves be like what they want us to be or even like them at all! We can do whatever we want!" A beat. "Starting with this."

The door to the testing room opened. Phil looked up and began to scramble back. Five figures crawled into the room. The Puppet synths, moving in that same, animalistic manner they had when they'd captured them. They even snarled and growled like angry wolves, closing in on their kill.

Phil staggered to his feet. He tried to run, but another of the synths darted over and cut him off. They were herding him back into the room, away from the door. Spring had left it open. Freddy could see Phil looking at it, trying to determine a way to get to it. But there was no escape. The synths stalked towards him, their backs hunched over and their fingers curling like claws.

"No. No, no, no, please. Please you can't, you can't!"

"Here we go!" Spring was practically giggling with glee.

They were almost upon him. Billy clung to Vevina. She knelt to hug him, deliberately wrapping her arms around his head. Chica's hands flew to her mouth, then over her eyes. Foxy pulled her in close, watching on in horror. Freddy found himself unable to look away, no matter how much he wanted to.

"HELP ME!"

One of the synths pounced. Its shriek caused the microphone to crackle. It only worsened when Phil started to scream. The rest of the synths converged on their prey. Now, Freddy looked away, though he couldn't do anything to block out the noise.

But then the sound cut out, replaced by a familiar but unwelcome voice.

"Spring, my office. Now."

At Sid's command, the monitor winked off. There was no follow-up from Spring. The synths were left in the silence, wondering how close they had been to what they had just witnessed.

The Puppet watched as his Master dressed himself. He looked at his now empty human body, still lying on the medical table. It had long since stopped breathing, its heart no longer beating. He never really thought his Master had one. He certainly didn't now.

Few things provided comfort in the Puppet's life. He answered to the whims of his Master, carried out whatever orders he deemed fit. He had rarely done anything for himself, only what he'd been able to eke out from the duties his Master had him perform. His body didn't work like it should. What comforts he did have didn't last long. His Toys. The Others. The music box. One of the few remaining was that his Master wouldn't be alive forever. One day, he would die.

But not anymore. Not for a very long time, if ever. Even if his current body wore out, he could just put his mind in a new one. He would go on and so would the Puppet, serving him forever. That wasn't a very comforting thought.

A monitor flashed on in his office. The Cuckoo's face appeared on it, set in a grin. He was always grinning whenever the Puppet saw him. He was like the Puppet. Confined by his Master's whims, only not as much as the Puppet. The pain that the Puppet felt when he didn't do what his Master wanted had been added after. It was the same, but different.

He didn't like his Master either. They shared that in common.

"Hey there, Siddy! Liking the new duds, gotta say," he said.

"I told you to stop addressing me in that manner," his Master replied curtly.

"I know, but come on. You gotta lighten the mood around here somehow!"

"This isn't a children's birthday party."

"I figured that. Not enough balloons or cake or screaming." The smile grew wider. "You need something?"

Sid regarded him a moment. "Programme: execute controlled shock."

The Cuckoo jolted, yelping from the burst of pain. The Puppet winced. His Master sometimes did that to him if he felt the Puppet had been especially disappointing or disobedient. It was worse than the normal pain.

"Half of the synths and the night-watchmen escaped. The half that didn't are, for reasons known only to you, being kept in the testing room and Philip O'Neil is dead. I had low expectations for your performance, Spring. I'm amazed you were even capable of carrying out the mental transfer into my new body successfully and yet you've still failed to meet them."

The Cuckoo spoke through gritted teeth. "Thought… you wanted… O'Neil dead."

"Yes, but not in the manner in which you chose to do it. You chose messy and sloppy over measured and targeted. I gave you the opportunity to rise above the disappointing standards you set for yourself and you've utterly failed."

"Can't say… I'm not consistent," said the Cuckoo weakly.

Sid arched an eyebrow. "I suppose not. Still, perhaps keeping those you did recapture holds some merit. Perhaps they will have some idea as to where they have fled and at any rate, they deserve to know how far the foundations they've laid have come."

"See? All worked out in the end."

"From a problem created by your own ineptitude, but yes. Puppet, order some bots to clean up that testing room. Spring, return those synths to their default state. You're clearly unfit to control them."

"Hey, now that's a little harsh."

"Programme: execute-"

"Okay, okay, I'll get on it! Yeesh, no sense of humour this guy."

His Master regarded the Cuckoo for a moment, then strode out of the office. The Puppet watched him go until the words of the Cuckoo got his attention.

"I swear, Puppy-boy, one of these days. One of these days…"

The Puppet spoke in a burst of binary transmission. It was one of his few other comforts, being able to speak to another in this manner.

"…?"

"Hmm? Oh I've got some ideas, but soon. Real soon."

The monitor flickered off. The Puppet determined that the Cuckoo had gone into sleep mode, probably to think about these ideas.

The Puppet should have told his Master about that remark. He should have informed him that it was unlikely the Cuckoo would stay compliant for much longer.

He decided not to. If his Master asked, he would. If not… well, he never ordered him to tell him everything that happened.

Monkey999Boy: I appreciate your concern, but don't worry I'm fine :) And I'm really glad you're enjoying it! As you can see here, you did partly jump the gun. Only partly but still XD Hope you enjoy what is to come!

Arc of Carona: Oh boy indeed.

Alanuki: Well spotted. That won't be the only Pizza Sim reference either.

Yellowscar1: You're not wrong, Hawthorne is pretty much the synth's Purple Guy. When I was first writing this, Purple Guy himself didn't even have a name yet XD

Vyrhys: Yeah you gotta have something to break up the tension otherwise you just get overwhelmed xD

Fate-Be Changed: Hey another familiar name! Good to see you back. And in a manner of speaking, yes.

Teller-Story: You'll see.

Geek4Life, I am the Voice and Guest: Addressing these together to help clear up a misunderstanding. The fragments are also currently captives of Hawthorne. They're not in a position to help anyone or do much of anything in the state they're currently in.