Survive the Night

From below, they could hear what were evident sounds of a struggle. Thudding. Shattering. Yelling. And here Jeremy was, stuck beneath it and unable to do anything about it. At the very least, Goldie and Lidiya had been able to determine that the lockdown was triggered by an external force. An embedded worm in the Handy operating system that had been activated from the outside. If they could either eliminate the worm from inside the system or get outside to stop whatever had turned it on, they'd be sitting pretty.

The trouble was that both of those problems had the same end as their solution: getting out of the lab, which was where they were currently at. Lidiya was trying to give Goldie a wired connection to the Handy system to try and lift the lockdown while Bonnie alternated between pacing about and kicking the security door. Both tasks were progressing at about the same rate.

"No, don't put that in there!" Goldie snapped. "That'll fry my neural receptors completely!"

"Then why did you tell me to connect it?!"

"I said don't connect it! Good lord, you call yourself an engineer!"

"I do, it's I usually don't have the thing I'm working on yelling at me the entire time!"

"That's a shame, I'm sure they could offer some insight you're sorely lacking."

Jeremy let out a groan. "Okay, have you two made any actual progress?"

"It's difficult to say," replied Lidiya. "If you mean how close I'm progressing towards taking her and smashing her against the nearest wall, I'd say it's pretty up there. If you mean getting out of here, not so much."

Goldie scoffed. "I hardly think it's my fault, when general competence is at an all-time low."

"It isn't my fault! Both you and these systems are running tech that's less advanced than what I've been working with. I need time to properly get around it."

"Excuse me, who are you calling 'less advanced?'"

"Enough!" Lidiya grasped Goldie's head. "I get it, you're not my biggest fan. But how do you think I feel? I should be at home right now, with my boyfriend and playing some video games. Instead, I'm stuck in an underground lab, under attack from God-knows-what and getting lip from androids and a talking head who just won't give me a break! But that's not the issue right now. Something is happening up there and they're in danger, including the man you say is your best friend. Are you seriously going to let him die because you refuse to pull your head out of your non-existent ass and let me work? Because unless you suddenly grow yourself a pair of arms, you need me! So shut up, get off my back and let me do my job!"

She waited. Goldie offered no response.

"That's what I thought. Give me some time, I've got this," she said to Jeremy. "See if you can help Bonnie work on the door."

"It sounds like she's doing enough work herself," replied Jeremy. "You sure you're good?"

She nodded, smiling gratefully. He returned it and stepped out into the hall.

"Any headway on the door, Bon?" he asked.

"A little. This thing's pretty old, but still strong." She rapped it with her fist. "If had at least another synth down here, we could probably get it open but-"

"But all the others are upstairs and you've only got us weak and fleshy humans, right."

"You said it."

"So we just have to make do with what we have." Jeremy cast his gaze about. "There has to be something down here we can use."

He re-entered the lab, rooting around the pile of animatronic parts. All of it was disconnected and in bits. The only thing that looked complete was what looked like an animatronic endoskeleton but it had been hollowed out.

"Oh is that still here?" Lidiya had glanced up from her work. "Did you find the other one as well?"

"Other what? What is this?"

"Something else that's probably 'less advanced' than what you're used to," muttered Goldie.

"To an extent, yes, but still impressive," she said. "I examined it when I was here and determined that… Jeremy, put it on!"

He did a double take. "I'm sorry, did you say put it on?"

"Trust me, this could be just what we need." She left Goldie and hauled it up into a standing position. "If it still works, it could give us a way out of here!"

"If it still works?" Jeremy repeated.

She made a face. "Well, it was last time I was here. Sid didn't want us to consider it as a focus for development, wanted to keep things squarely on the synths but that just means we get to use it. If it doesn't work, we just focus on getting Goldie wired up like we are."

"More like you were or did you forget I'm missing a few vital components to do this myself?" said Goldie pointedly.

Lidiya returned to Goldie, giving her a little smack. "I'm not sure if you could, given you'd have to work your arms around that big head of yours."

Jeremy gave the thing the once over. He could see how he would fit into it, but the prospect of actually getting inside made him hesitate.

"So how do I use it?" he asked.

"Just step inside and have someone activate it from the outside by pushing that cylinder in at the back. Bonnie, give him a hand!" she called.

"Hand with what?" Bonnie came back in and saw what they were doing. "Okay, I guess we're doing this now."

"I guess we are. Alright then," said Jeremy. "But I'm telling you right now, if I put this thing on and a creepy doll shows up on the screen asking if I want to play a game, that's on you."

Clyde was back again. Back in the dark. He could no longer feel his limbs or move his jaw. There was nothing to see, nothing to hear. He could scream at the top of his lungs in this place and he wouldn't even know if he was doing it. And oh, how he wanted to scream.

In the beginning, he'd learned very quickly that fighting back against this control was futile. If the Puppet told them to jump, they'd have no choice but to ask how high. They could try to resist, but it only made things more painful. It was better to just give in. Easier that way. Vevina had almost convinced him otherwise. Almost. Then Freddy and the others had done it again. They'd actually made him think that things might get better, even though a part of him knew that could never happen.

He'd been right and for once, he hated that he was.

He'd tried. He really had. He'd gone along with everything, done his part, tried to make up for what he had done. Or hadn't done. But what had been the point? All the struggling, all the effort and this was the result? Back to being under the Puppet's thumb. Helpless. Trapped. Alone.

He didn't know what the Puppet was doing with his body, now he was back in control. But with Theodore and Hermana in the same situation and that thing he had with him, Clyde knew their chances were next to none. Mike had fled, but he'd be caught. They'd bust in downstairs, round up everyone else and take them back. Vevina and Billy would likely follow suit and he'd never let them go again.

Clyde slowly began to accept his fate. At least if he never woke up, he'd never know. At least it was quiet here. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad…

Something winked in front of his vision. Was… was that a light? It couldn't be. There was no light in this place. There wasn't anything in this place. But there it was again. It winked a little brighter this time. Like it was trying to talk to him.

"What… what are you?"

Clyde suddenly perked up. He'd heard that. He had spoken and he'd heard it. But that shouldn't have been possible.

The thing in front of him, whatever it was… it wasn't the Puppet. But it felt like another presence. It seemed oddly familiar to him, but he couldn't place it. But on some level, he knew that this whatever-it-was didn't mean him any harm. He squinted, trying to make out what it was.

It had a body. At least, it looked like it did. Two arms, two legs, a head. But it was so blurry and bright, he wasn't even sure of that. It was short too, only coming up to his waist. If he could actually feel his waist.

Wait, he could. He could see it! It was shrouded in dark, like everything else here, but he could. He could see the rest of him too. He couldn't move any of it, only his eyes but it was something.

The light was waning. He looked to see the presence was fading, the form becoming less and less distinct.

"Wait," he croaked. "Don't go. Don't leave me."

It either didn't hear him or couldn't stop. But moments later, it was gone and Clyde was alone again. Even worse was that he knew just how alone, how helpless.

Only he wasn't. Someone else was in the corner of his vision. With great effort, he was able to shift his head enough to get a good look. It was Hermana. She looked like she was partially suspended in the air, like somebody had stopped time while she was falling. Her arms, her head and her legs looked like they were being held in strings. Like a puppet, waiting for somebody to start moving it.

"Hermy?" His voice was still so weak, like he hadn't spoken in years. "Hermy, can you hear me?"

No answer. Nothing. Not even the slightest twitch of her head. Was she like he had been only moments before, suspended in the dark? Managing to twist his head the other way, he saw Theodore in a similar way. Was he the only one who could see them like this? Had the presence from before managed to wake him up somehow?

"Great," he muttered. "Like I needed a reminder of how screwed we are."

He almost believed his words. Yet here he was, able to see and be aware again. Was there a chance, even the slightest one? Or was this just some other cruel trick the Puppet was playing? Making him think he had a chance and then snatching it from him again. That would be just like him…

He thought of what Theodore and Hermana had said under his control. What they had called him. The truth was they were right. He was a coward. Always had been. It was other people's jobs to do all of the brave stuff. He'd only let them down. Never try, never fail. What else was there? They'd already tried and now here they were, back in the thick of it again. What was the point?

Images flashed in his mind. Hermana embracing Bonnie in the kitchen, the two of them laughing at how they'd messed up the beans. Theodore sat under that tree, actually trying not to be a jackass for once. Billy leading them all right into the charge and pulling them out of the fire in the factory, that little kid acting like it was nothing at all and smiling all the while. Vevina, no longer looking at him like she wanted to knock him flat. The hints of a smile playing on her face. Still angry, still bitter, but still trying.

He didn't even realise he was clenching his fists until he looked. He started moving his right arm. Something else pulled back, something that felt like it was digging into his wrist. He cried out from how much it stung and stopped, breathing heavily.

More images. Jeremy sat on that couch, pouring his heart out about his brother. Never blaming Clyde, never being angry with him for what happened and being okay with not being okay. But never letting that stop him. Lidiya, stuck with tie to her heartless boss, the black sheep in their midst but moving forward regardless. Mike and Bonnie, all of their friends captured but still not giving up.

He tried again, both arms this time. It still hurt, but it felt like it was distributed. He could manage it, but crap did it hurt!

They kept trying. It didn't matter how many times they messed up, how many times they failed. They kept trying. They didn't give up. They hadn't given up on him. Not like he had. Not like he had been about to.

He could feel the strings on his arms giving way. His feet touched the ground. He added his legs to the struggle, pulling with all his might. He felt like his throat was going to explode, like his body was going to be torn away from him. But it wasn't. It was his. His body, his mind, his thoughts. His!

"Not… this… time!" he yelled through gritted teeth.

The strings snapped and Clyde felt himself rushing back, leaving the darkness behind.

Mike pressed his hand over his mouth, trying to suppress the sound of his breaths. The feet of the nightmarish Bonnie stood motionless in front of the door. He could faintly hear the mechanical whirring of its neck, searching the room for him. Maybe it would see there was no sign of him and leave, check the other room.

The feet moved, further into the bedroom. Stepping towards the bed. Mike's breathing hitched. All it had to do was haul away the bed and see him. It was blocking the exit. Mike would have nowhere to go. It moved again. He shut his eyes, waiting for it to find him, corner him.

But then it turned. It was moving further into the room but away from the bed. It was going to check the closet! This was his chance!

Slowly, Mike edged out from under the bed. The monster had its back to him, getting closer to the closet. It was peering through the shutter folds. Had he timed this right? He couldn't hesitate now, had to keep going. He was half way out. It was reaching for the handles. He pulled out his other leg, his other arm, hand still gripping his flashlight. Almost there.

His foot collided with something. A toy phone with eyes. It made a small 'ding' when he hit it. Mike looked back. The monster was looking right at him. Its maw opened, a bellowing roar escaping its throat as it lumbered towards Mike.

His hand fumbled with the flashlight, turning it back on. The beam shone right into its eyes. It staggered backward, trying to use its hand to shield its face. Mike turned tail and ran back down the corridor, the heavy footsteps right behind him. He vaulted the landing onto the first set of stairs, making a mad dash for the front door.

An arm suddenly barred his exit, smacking into him and sending him sprawling. He only had enough time to acknowledge his ears were ringing before he was hoisted back up, arms locked behind his back. His vision cleared enough to show him Theodore, standing to one side with Clyde on the other. Hermana must be the one holding him in place.

A recorded cackling came from his right. He tried to crane his head, but the Puppet wasn't there. Another came from the left and he flinched when he saw it, its grinning mask leering right in his face. It stared right at Mike with its unblinking, shining eyes.

"O-Okay. Okay." He took a deep breath, trying to keep the shaking out of his voice. "You got me. S-So what now?"

"Got-you," the Puppet repeated in his own voice. "Now…"

The thudding. The growling. It was getting closer. Mike couldn't see it, but he knew it was coming. The nightmare. He didn't know if he wanted to close his eyes and wait or keep them open, see if there could still be hope that he could get away.

Something caught his eye. Clyde was no longer motionless, waiting for the Puppet's command. He was trembling, his face twitching slightly. His fingers too.

The Puppet seemed to notice as well. It turned its gaze to Clyde, tilting its head. It raised a finger. The trembling stopped. But then it started again, more noticeable than before. It was like Clyde was trying to move his limbs from invisible restraints. His teeth were gritted and his eyes seemed to alternate between their usual green and the Puppet's possessed light.

The Puppet's head tilted back upright, lowering as it stared. It seemed annoyed. It approached Clyde, extending the connectors from its fingers it had used on Goldie. They snaked around to the back of Clyde's head.

"No…" Clyde's voice was barely above a whisper, but his next declaration sounded clearly. "Not… this… time…!"

Clyde's hand shot out. It grasped the Puppet's wrist. The Puppet whipped its head down to look at it, alarmed. It tried to pull away, but Clyde's grip was too strong. He yanked it forward, his other hand going for its throat. Try as it might, the Puppet couldn't break free.

"Get the hell…" Clyde slowly looked up, eyes blazing with fury. "OUT OF MY HEAD!"

With all of his strength, he tossed the Puppet bodily through the window. Glass shattered, the chill night air rushing in as the Puppet tumbled out of sight. Theodore and Hermana suddenly seized up, gasped and collapsed to the floor. They didn't get back up.

Clyde was breathing heavily. He managed to catch Mike's eye. For a brief moment, he smiled. Then he was sent flying through the front door by a swipe from the monstrous Bonnie. It roared its displeasure and rounded on Mike, who managed to move his legs and run for the garage. But it was gaining fast, it would soon be on him.

The door burst open and somebody came sprinting through.

"DOWN!"

Mike recognised Bonnie's voice. He hit the ground while she sailed over his head, her foot smacking into her nightmarish counterpart.

"Hey Mike." A set of metal fingers came into his vision. "Need a hand?"

He looked up at the speaker. At first, he thought it was another bot. But it was much bulkier and less streamlined. It looked like a crude, metal version of an endoskeleton suit. It even had parts sprouting off the top that looked like rabbit ears. There were no details on its face, no smile or cartoony eyes, just a blank metal mask. The voice inside was echoed inside the metal depths, but he knew it instantly.

"Jeremy?"

Jeremy grinned under the suit as he hauled Mike to his feet. He'd been just as disbelieving when this suit had actually worked and he'd managed to get the door open with Bonnie, but he wasn't complaining.

"But… what is this? When did you-?"

"Tell you about it later," he said. "Right now, it's time to clean house."

He strode towards the fight. Bonnie had kicked her monstrous counterpart, sending it off-balance. Taking a running start, Jeremy tackled into its side and sent it crashing through the wall back outside. He was suddenly lifted off and thrown away, but stopped mid-crash.

"We've got you!"

Bonnie and Clyde had caught him, were already steadying him. Jeremy felt a little shaken, but that wasn't going to stop him. He stood between the two synths, slamming a fist into his palm while looking across at their opponents. The Puppet was stood next to his newest pet which flexed its claws and roared.

"Yeah, really scary, big guy," retorted Bonnie. "How about I come over there and give you something to be really mad about?"

"You're outnumbered!" added Clyde. "I don't care how big you are, we can take you!"

The Puppet raised its hand. Dozens of white eyes glinted. From behind trees or hidden in the shadows came bots, surrounding their position. At least twenty of them.

"Clyde…"

"I know, I know, my bad." He started hopping. "This couldn't just be easy, could it?"

"So let's make it easier." Jeremy took a few steps forward. "Tear these things apart!"

The hydraulics in the legs of his suit coiled and together, they sprang into the air. The monstrous Bonnie raised its hands to cover its head, but it was floored by the combined force of the three of them crashing into it. They moved out of the way of its angry swipes and engaged the other bots.

Jeremy rounded on one of them, laughing when he punched it and knocked it to the ground. This springlock suit was amazing! He couldn't believe that Sid had ditched this. Protection, increased strength and speed. All he needed was repulsor blasters and he was pretty much Iron Man. He took a knock to the face while he was caught up but quickly recovered, kicking the bot in the leg.

Being outside suited the two rabbit synths best. Unrestricted by ceilings or walls, they bounded and jumped in the air, keeping out of range of their attackers and striking from above. Jeremy couldn't leap as high, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. He tore into the bot and was about to engage another when the Puppet.

"Hey! Remember me?" he called to it. "You ready to move to my song and dance this time?"

The Puppet gave no response. He started towards it was barred by the monster Bonnie. It balled its fists to bring down on Jeremy but he moved to the side and kicked its side. It barely flinched and backhanded him. The follow-up strike was stopped when Bonnie struck it in the head. Jeremy went to help, but was cut off by a trio of bots and forced to engage.

"Okay, so we have to talk." She bounded away, dodging its strike. "I was willing to give Clyde some slack for taking my image." She skipped away from its furious swipes. "Take what's popular, I get it. But this? This is just lazy." She tried a sweep kick, but it didn't budge and had to roll away to avoid its strikes. "I mean, think about it. You've got Bonnie, Clyde or Toy Bonnie to your boss, now Nightmare Bonnie I guess? How many other Bonnies are you going to have?"

She sprang back to her feet, bounding into the air again. But the Nightmare was ready this time. It caught her leg, spun her around and threw her into a tree. She moved feebly as it bore down upon her.

Slapping away the last of his attackers, Jeremy ran and jumped onto the Nightmare's back. He clung to its shoulders, tried elbowing it while tried to shake him off. He might as well have tried flicking it for all the good it seemed to be doing. It reached around and tossed him off. He careened towards a tree, smacking into it head first.

Jeremy felt the impact crack his faceplate. A piece of jagged metal stopped inches from his right eye. He grabbed at it and tore away that section, breathing heavily. He started to get up but felt the Nightmare stand on his back, crushing him. The weight was pressing down, he could hear the suit starting to strain. He tried to push it off but it was too heavy.

"Hey freak!"

He heard something slam into the Nightmare, forcing it off him. The next thing he felt was Clyde helping him back up. He had some tears in his clothes and blue fluid eked out of a couple of cuts on his face.

"You look like shit," said Jeremy.

"Coming from you?" Clyde slapped him on the shoulder, then nodded. "What does it take to keep this thing down?"

The Nightmare was getting back up, other bots in various states of disrepair moving to back it up. Apart from a few new holes in its already frayed form, it looked like they hadn't even scratched it.

"Anyone get the number of that… thing…" Bonnie re-joined them, shaking her head. "Ow, that was rough."

"Okay, new plan," said Jeremy. "We form up, focus on the big guy and bring him down. I'll handle the bots, you two concentrate on him. Keep your distance and don't take stupid risks."

The two nodded. Bonnie leaped up while Clyde performed a running kick. The Nightmare smacked him aside but didn't catch Bonnie's strike in time and stumbled back. Clyde skidded on the ground, managing to get back to his feet and avoid attacking bots. Jeremy knocked one down that threatened to stop him and kicked the Nightmare in the side while it was distracted with Bonnie.

Bonnie had already disengaged after her kick, landed and sprang off again, landing it in the small of the Nightmare's back. The combined hit from Clyde caused it to fall and the two started kicking it while it was down, not letting up. But even then, she felt like she was kicking a boulder fixed to the ground. This thing just seemed to take whatever they could throw at it.

Meanwhile, Jeremy became aware of just how exposed he was without all of his faceplate protecting him. He had to shield the right side of his face, trying to fend off three or four at once. He punched a bot in the head, swiped away another but another returned the favour by hitting his face. It struck the protected side, but still caused it to buckle and he took some of the impact.

He tasted blood his mouth and spat it out, knocking away the offending bot. He could see the Puppet, watching from afar. A hairline crack was running down one side of its mask. Obviously the guy couldn't take a hit. He knew that and seemed happy to simply watch. If he could just get to him…

A loud roar made Jeremy turn. The Nightmare was back on its feet. It had Bonnie by her throat and Clyde's head in its other hand, squeezing while it snarled. Jeremy pushed away a bot and charged, tackling it again and forcing it to drop them. It wasn't knocked over however and kicked him in the chest before striding towards them.

Jeremy's arms were shaking as he tried to get back to his feet. There was no stopping it. But what else could they do? He vaguely acknowledged Clyde and Bonnie standing on shaky legs with him. Jeremy thought of his brother and raised his fists.

The lights in the house bloomed to life again. One of the bots threw its head back. When it looked around again, its eyes were glowing with golden light.

"Now I have to say, this is something of an upgrade from an endo body." Goldie looked down at her new fingers. "Much less stiff and clunky. Still could use some work though." Her eyes found the Puppet. "Hello. Miss me?"

There was movement from the hole in the wall. Hermana and Theodore were back on their feet, moving to stand with their friends.

The Puppet's was motionless. If Jeremy didn't know better, he'd have thought he looked afraid. A moment later, he flicked his wrist and fled back into the dark. Goldie went to pursue, but was grabbed by the Nightmare Bonnie and the robot was crushed in its hands. It snarled, then took off after its master.

"Well, that was just rude," came her voice from an intact bot. "Don't let him get away!"

The others were all caught up with other bots who swarmed them to prevent them pursuing. Jeremy managed to break away and run after the pair, relishing in the speed the suit granted him. They weren't going to escape him. He tore away the rest of his broken faceplate to clear his vision, keeping them in his sights.

The Nightmare suddenly turned, arms wide. Jeremy let out a war cry, lowering his shoulder to charge. The monster didn't move. It just stared. He pumped his legs, not planning on holding back.

A noise came from the creature's mouth. But it wasn't a mindless growl or an angry roar. More like it was trying to speak.

"Je…re…my…"

He froze just in front of it, only just skidding to a halt. Had it… just said his name?

The monster continued to stare. It didn't move. Then it let out a bellowing roar, clutching its head. Before Jeremy could react, he was knocked back by its swinging fist. His body collided with something hard and he heard someone else calling his name before everything went dark.

Arc of Carona: Is this better? XD

Yellowscar1: This is how XD