S-A-V-E

Charlie's hands clasped tightly around Goldie's core and his eyes winked brightly. Goldie only just managed to throw up her defences in time to protect her essence, but Charlie still gained control of some of her functions. He began overriding her carrier signal, forcing Hawthorne's control over all of the synths.

"No, don't! Stop!"

She tried to halt it, tried to keep him out. So did the synths. She could feel them resisting, her own protection kicking in for them. But it would be too much. The combination of Hawthorne's and Charlie's control signals would overwhelm them in less than a minute. Mike and Jeremy wouldn't stand a chance!

"Mike… Jeremy…!" she managed to shout. "Stop… him…!"

"Now, we can't have that," murmured Sid.

He raised his hand, eyes glowing purple. Jeremy and Mike were starting to get up, but froze on the spot. Like their suits had clamped around them, no longer responding to their movements.

"The loss of the fragments is irrelevant," said Hawthorne. "They have served their purpose and at this point, they were a liability. Just like all of you. You're all nothing but flaws and imperfections. Just like the old man. I'll do away with all of you, start over and create something new with the work that I have perfected. But first, I will finish tying up the loose ends."

Goldie put everything she had into protecting herself. But she could feel the cracks forming already. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before they broke completely.

There was still one more chance. Hopefully, it would pay off.

When Billy woke up, it was dark. The kind of dark he'd hoped never to see again. He looked down. He could still see himself, but his feet were already being consumed. Dozens of black and white tendrils, creeping up his legs and arms. Cold like ice, freezing him to his core.

"No…" He struggled against it. It gave way a little, but they didn't stop. "No!"

He pulled his arm free, but it was like trying to break out of thick sludge. Sludge that was moving and tried to take him again the moment he was free. He kicked desperately, looking around for somebody, anybody. But he was alone. All alone.

Then, he something dangling in front of him. A balloon. It was a colourless, dull grey. Yet he could see a little light inside it. Beating and flashing, like a tiny heart. Stretching, pulling against the tendrils, Billy reached out and grasped the string.

The moment he did, it turned a brilliant yellow with a red stripe running down it. That little light bloomed like the sun rising over the horizon, pushing away the creeping tendrils and bringing light to the whole space around him.

It looked like the Party Room inside the Fun Palace. But it was like somebody had ripped out the whole thing and left it floating in the inky blackness that surrounded him. He heard groaning and saw that he wasn't alone. His friends were all here!

"Guys, guys!" He went around, nudging and pushing them while gripping onto his balloon. "Get up, quick!"

"Billy?" Chica looked around with bleary eyes. "What… what happened? Where are… oh goodness, this doesn't look good."

"Yer not wrong there." Foxy peered into the darkness. "I can barely see a few feet in front-a me- OI!"

More tendrils shot out of the dark, latching onto his arm. Vevina hurried to his side, managing to pull him free.

"Aye, what brilliant thinking that was," remarked Vevina. "Why didn't you just stick your whole head in and save it the bother?"

He grinned. "Come on, lass. No tentacled terror is goin' ta get the best-a this ol' sea dog. Least not with ye around."

"And don't you forget it." Her cheeks tinted blue before abruptly letting go of his arm. "It's him again, isn't it? Old Charlie-boy been reminded of his loyalties."

"I don't know," said Clyde. "This feels… different. A lot more aggressive and… hey, is it just me or is that stuff getting closer?"

It wasn't just him. The borders of the darkness were inching towards them, eating up the small safe space they were in and making it even smaller. The light of Billy's balloon was getting dimmer.

"No, no, please!" he begged it. "Don't go out, don't!"

"Wait, if we're where I think we are…" Chica closed her eyes and after a burst of light, she was astride her horse in her battle princess garb. "Yes! Lance of Light!"

She fired a piercing bolt into the dark, cutting through it. Something else was partly illuminated before the tendrils swallowed it up. Up ahead of them was a golden bubble. He could make out somebody in it. The tendrils were pushing up against the boundaries, forcing it to shrink.

"Goldie!" cried Billy. "We have to get to her!"

"Say no more, lad!" Foxy hopped atop his flying mini-pirate ship, his hand transforming into a cannon. "Everyone, let yer minds run wild! There's no limitations fer us in here, let 'em have it!"

Freddy swept past in his wizard's robes, casting spells from his wand. Chica and Foxy led the charge through the dark, lighting and blasting their way through. Bonnie brought up the rear, soundwaves blaring from the amps on her back. The former Toys made a defensive ring around Billy, keeping him protected from anything that threatened to creep through.

They were almost there when the tendrils became more aggressive. A big one lashed out at Chica, make her horse reel. Another knocked Foxy off his ship. The moment they touched the ground, the tendrils started to pull them back.

"No!" Chica jabbed at it with her lance. "You're not having me again!"

Foxy fired again and again, only having minimal effect. "Ya blasted cur! Ye'll be sent ta the locker fer this!"

Vevina broke from the defensive circle. She rose up off the ground as metal tentacles, arms and legs grew out of her back. Two of them grabbed Chica and Foxy, pulling them out of their grasp while the rest fought a path through to Goldie.

"Certainly won't be fergettin' that, lass!" Foxy bellowed.

"See that you don't!" she returned. "All of you, move your arses!"

Billy was the first to reach Goldie, passing right through her bubble. She didn't notice their presence until Billy took her hand. The moment he did, the balloon shone brighter and her bubble expanded to allow all of them to stand in inside.

"Look at you." She sounded tired, but happy. "Balloon Boy, to the rescue once again."

"Anything for my partner, the Great Goldie," he giggled. "Goldie, what's going on? I thought Charlie was on our side now."

Another voice answered Billy. It slithered into his ear like a snake, yet it boomed all around the void that trapped them.

"He was always mine and soon, so will all of you."

A figure extracted itself from the darkness before them. It looked like Charlie, but it was much larger. There was no colour on his tear-streaked mask, the mouth of which was lined with tiny, sharp teeth. Its body was even thinner than Charlie's, the chest lined with ribs like a sideways mouth. Several pairs of arms emerged from its sides, each of them ending in those same tentacles that were waiting to drag them inside.

"You won't resist me," said the Nightmare Puppet in Hawthorne's voice. "My control over my Puppet is absolute. He will extend it to all of you. You can fight, but you will not win."

More of them emerged all around them. Smaller versions of the towering monster. Their stark white faces seemed to be floating eerily in the void, waiting for them to emerge. Or for their defences to fail.

"Can you get rid of him?" he asked. "Use our energy to push him out, like you did with us?"

She shook her head. "It's not just Charlie this time, but Hawthorne as well. The signal is too strong for me to risk anything other than holding it back. If he gets to me, that'll be the end of it for us all."

"But then what are we supposed to do?" he whimpered.

"What you've already started doing." Goldie nodded past him. "Look."

Billy saw them. More balloons, four of them. The same grey colour his had been, with the same winking little lights. He looked at his own with renewed awe.

"I thought we freed them?" he asked.

Goldie smiled gently. "You did. I believe they're returning the favour. If you can get to the rest of them, I can connect them all together and we can use our combined energies to break out of here."

Billy stared at his balloon again. He pulled it down towards him, taking it in his hands and hugged it.

"Thank you," he whispered. To the others, he said, "Okay everyone! We need to get to those balloons! It's the only way to stop what's happening!"

"Only with you is the day saved with balloons, huh?" Despite his remark, Clyde was smiling. "Alright then! Guess the Balloon Buddies are going for one more round!"

With several flashes of light, they transformed into their hero costumes. Clyde's underwent the most dramatic change, no longer just his normal clothes with a cape and a mask. It was more like a bright blue martial arts outfit with a red T-shirt, sleeveless to show his arms and with a stylised kicking-K with red stars on the back. A katana sword hung from his belt. Hermana's remained the same, but she wore a belt decorated with bizarre party accessories. Theodore adjusted his hat and swept out his long coat, now with bronze belt, while Vevina's many limbs writhed with anticipation.

"So this is what you guys were doing with Goldie," said Bonnie. "Not bad, not bad."

"Billy? You stay with me." Goldie gripped his hand. "I'm going to need your strength here to help me."

"Sure thing." He squeezed it in return.

With a battle cry and several loud bangs and flashes, the synths jumped into the fray. Hermana skated rapidly, catching up with Chica who was once again at the head of the charge.

"Hey sis, check this out!" She unhooked a couple of can-shaped objects from her belt, decorated with bright colours. "This is really gonna knock their socks off!"

With a clatter, she pulled the pins out and tossed them into an oncoming horde of Nightmare Puppets. With the sound of a party horn blowing, they exploded in a shower of streamers and confetti.

"Oh my!" Chica laughed. "Party grenades?"

"You know it! Weeee!"

She tossed out a few more. Those that weren't blown away where struck aside when Chica charged through on her horse. But more of the Nightmare Puppets took their place, their whispers creeping into their minds.

"Nothing more than a machine," they hissed to Chica. "Never be one of them… never be like them…"

"I don't need to be!" She stabbed an offending Puppet. "I just need to be me!"

"Misery and pain, never ending." A few of them surrounded Hermana. "It will drown you, consume you."

"So what? Everybody else is sad and hurting too!" She shoved a grenade in its gaping mouth. "Just means I get to make 'em all smile!"

Grabbing the Puppet, she spun it around so it knocked down the others and threw it away. The grenade went off, clearing their path to the balloon. Hermana grabbed it and it became a shining yellow. A golden bubble extended around them, sweeping green grass replacing the inky sludge.

"I got it, I got it, I got it! Ooh boy." She swayed on the spot a little. "Oh, I'm feelin' a little woozy."

The darkness started to creep back in, but it receded when Chica took her hand and the bubble extended outward.

"Don't worry," she said to Hermana. "I'm here with you. Always."

Hermana pulled her into a hug and Chica returned it. She looked apologetically around at them all.

"Sorry, it looks like we're staying here," she said.

"Figures," said Bonnie. "Okay people, we're two down but we can do this!"

She took the lead, strumming on her guitar and blasting out soundwaves. The Puppets reeled back and were cut down by Clyde's sword. He wielded it like a master, leaping and bounding while carving his way through them.

"Okay, I gotta ask," said Bonnie, "who introduced you to anime?"

"Goldie. Thought I might like it," he answered. "What? You don't know everything about me."

"Hey, I'm not judging." Her charge faltered when a tentacle grabbed her leg. "Hey, get off!"

"Always in their shadow." Another Puppet snaked around her arm. "Never good enough. Never worthy."

"I'm… plenty worthy!" She pulled her hand free and strummed, knocking them back. "And I'm not letting you creeps pull me down!"

Clyde sliced away Puppets that tried to creep up on her, but one grabbed his sword mid-swing and yanked it out of his hands.

"It never gets easier," they whispered, grasping onto his arms. "Just give in. It's better that way."

"You're… not wrong. But sometimes-" He kicked his sword out of the Puppet's hand and slammed his foot down on one that was holding him so it let him go. "-the effort's worth it!"

In a sweeping arc, he cut down his opponents, jumping over Bonnie's head as she cleared the last group barring their way. He caught his balloon, manifesting another golden bubble and a cascade of comfy pillows and cushions. The balloon turned a vibrant blue colour.

"Does this mean we have to hold hands now?" he asked Bonnie when she joined him.

"Trust me, I hate it as much as you do." She smirked and took his hand. "Not bad for a faker."

"Right back at you, purple princess."

Back with Goldie and Billy, the former let out a small sigh of relief.

"Okay, that feels less pressuring. Let's see if I can give us a bit of an edge out there." Her eyes flashed a brilliant gold and she waved her hand. "Hope that got through."

Just as Mike was starting to feel his muscles seize up from the position he was stuck in, he could move. He looked to see that Jeremy could as well. He didn't know what had changed, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Hawthorne glanced, seeing him get up. Before he could say anything, Mike punched him across the face. Jeremy added his own, sending Hawthorn staggering back.

"What?!" He glared. "How are you both doing this?"

"Guess we both just got lucky," shrugged Jeremy.

"Not for long. Programme: extend control functions to-"

He was cut off when Jeremy went low and hit him in the gut. Mike kneed Hawthorne when he doubled over, then Jeremy delivered an uppercut which sent him falling to the ground.

"That was for my brother!" Jeremy spat.

"And there's plenty more where that came from!" added Mike.

Before they could close the distance, Hawthorne rose to his feet and jumped away to a low rooftop. Jeremy tensed his legs, bounding after him but not quite making the full leap. Hawthorne went to stand on his legs, but Mike grabbed a bot's head and hurled it at him. It hit him in the chest, making him stagger a bit. Jeremy pulled himself up, grabbed Hawthorne's leg and pulled.

The two fell back to the ground, but Hawthorne scrambled away before Jeremy could pin him down. He pushed himself off his hands, delivering a kick to Jeremy's chest, landing and kicking him again from below Jeremy's chin. He only just managed to keep his balance, but Mike flung another bot part as he charged. Hawthorne knocked away the arm, but was tackled into a wall by Mike's charge.

"Come on, Hawthorne!" Mike strained against him, trying to keep him pinned. "I thought you were supposed to be better!"

"I am!" He kicked Mike's knee, forcing him back. "You can see for yourself what I have accomplished, what nobody could have thought possible!" He performed a sweep kick, unbalancing Mike and Jeremy both at once. "I am so much more than a man now! You're just like Fitzbar, always-!"

"Oh please!" Jeremy rolled aside to avoid his downward punch. "For a guy who thinks he's so much better, you seem pretty fixed on the opinion of a dead man."

"He could never see its potential. He was too frightened, too scared to do what had to be done. But not me!" He threw his hands out, laughing. "I live on while he rots in the ground and I'll live on long after, unlike the two of you! Programme: extend-!"

Mike kicked the back of Hawthorne's knee, making it buckle. Jeremy punched him in the face again, but Hawthorne caught his next one and flung him into Mike as he was getting back up.

"Do you even hear yourself?" shouted Mike. "You're talking like murdering children is something to be proud of!"

"The little brats were weak!" he spat. "You never saw them, day in and day out. Their little mouths stuffing their faces with junk, their greasy fingers always grasping for more. Whining and crying and shrieking! But look! Look at what they've helped me accomplish! More than they, or anyone, could ever-!"

Jeremy went low and Mike went high, striking him with enough force to break several bones. But Hawthorne just stumbled back and snarled.

"Yeah," said Jeremy, raising his fists like a boxer, "you're definitely going to die."

With cannon fire and metal limbs working in tandem, Vevina and Foxy surged through the crowd of Puppets, letting nothing stand in their way.

"Ye didn't answer me question earlier, Vev!" Foxy blasted away a Puppet. "Do ye wanna go out with me?"

"Daft bastard!" She swiped away a small group. "We're still in the middle of a fight!"

"Pirate, lass. But if ye'd rather wait-"

"Did I say that?!" She paused to barge her way through another onslaught. "Yes! But don't read too much into it, you hear? Still working through some shit."

"Fine by me, whatever yer comfortable with!" he replied happily.

She pretended like her grin was just from the fight, but she fought with renewed vigour. She faltered when they started to scale up her Mangle arms like cockroaches.

"He will abandon you. They all will," they whispered. "Just like before. You will drive them away."

"Shut your fucking gob!" She slammed her limbs down, forcing them off her. "This shit's give and take and I'm planning on plenty of both!"

"Your past will always be with you." They tried clambering onto Foxy's mini-ship, grasping at his legs. "It will always come back. You are stained with it."

"Aye, that be true!" He spun rapidly, removing all but one. He grabbed it, aiming his cannon right at its face. "But blow me down if I ever let it stop me tryin'!"

One of Vevina's many limbs grasped the balloon, pulling it to be held in her hand. Turning white with a pink stripe running across it, it emitted a gentle light and a comfy chair for her to rest on. She sat in it and allowed Foxy to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Last one, here we go!" Theodore pressed on the bronze belt he wore, a number of small black orbs coming out of one the pouches. "The Tabulator shall deliver justice!"

He tossed them out, popping off in bright flashes that blinded the Puppets. He swept past them, pulling two bear-shaped objects from his coat. Sharp wings extended out of them and he tossed them. They spun like boomerangs in an arc around him, striking multiple opponents at once.

"I must say, Tabulator," remarked Freddy, casting a fire spell, "I think a certain reclusive billionaire would highly approve of your gadgetry."

"So long as he doesn't sue me for theft of intellectual property, eh?" chuckled Theodore. He whipped out a grappling hook, latching onto a Puppet and pulling it towards him to be punched.

"Betrayer. Coward. Turncoat." A Puppet latched onto his back. "That is how they see you."

"Not anymore!" He threw it off, stamping on it. "I am accepted by my peers!"

"For now." Another caught his arm, while two more came from below. "But it will not last. They will leave you. They do not respect you. They never will."

"No. No, that isn't true." But Theodore didn't sound like he believed his words. "They… they won't do that."

"But they will. They have." Their spindly fingers melded with his arm, moving up his arm like a disgusting ooze. "You are alone. They all have one another. You have no one."

"Frederick! Freddy, help me!" he cried. He tried to look for him, but their tendrils were covering his eyes.

There was no reply. He truly was alone and his struggling began to wane.

The two former security guard fought with all they had. But no matter how many times they hit Hawthorne, even though his body was burned and battered already, they just couldn't seem to stop him. While they were tiring, the man-turned-synth hardly seemed exerted from the effort.

"Jesus," whispered Jeremy, getting up after being thrown through the window of hardware store. "How much more can this guy take?"

"Maybe these will help." Mike tossed him a woodsman's axe, hefting one himself. "We need to stop him and we're not doing it being his punching bags."

Jeremy looked at the weapon and took it. Though some part of him hesitated at taking an axe to a man, it he reminded himself of who they were fighting. They ran to meet Hawthorne who came striding in after them.

"You idiots!" He caught their axes mid-swing. "You can't kill me! This body is stronger than either of you!"

"Come on and prove it then!" replied Jeremy.

They wrenched the axes away from him and charged, relentlessly swinging at him. Despite his boasts, Hawthorne didn't seem keen to let himself be hit by them. He either stepped back out of their range or caught their handles on the arms of his suit.

He backed up into a car and jumped behind them. Jeremy went straight for him, while Mike flanked left. Hawthorne blocked Jeremy's swing but brought his arm around just too late to stop Mike. He yelled as the sharp head went into the elbow of his left arm. Mike tried to pull it out, but it became stuck in the arm.

"You irritating little men!" Hawthorne stood up, his eyes glowing purple. "You think you can undermine me? I, who have achieved what Fred Fitzbar could only dream of?! You are both nothing!"

He yanked the axe out of Jeremy's hands. He only just got out of the way as it went into the car behind him. He wrenched the other axe out of his arm, the dangling limb falling off completely. Blue energy fluid dripped onto the ground. Hawthorne gritted his teeth at the sight.

"Enough of this!" he growled.

He slammed his foot onto the back of the car he'd been pushed into and shoved it at Jeremy. He was knocked back by the force of the hit.

Mike ran at him, but saw his eyes flashing purple. He was frozen mid-step when his suit locked around him again. It wasn't complete though, Hawthorne looked like he was struggling. He saw Jeremy hurrying over, he was almost on him.

"Programme: extend lockdown to springlock suits!"

Jeremy's suit locked up, halting him in place. Hawthorne staggered like a zombie, eyes still burning their purple fire.

"Mr Schmidt. I do believe I have something of yours." He tore open the chest portion of Mike's springlock suit. "Allow me to return it to you!"

The axe rose in an arc and came swinging down, right into Mike's chest.

"MIKE!"

Jeremy watched as his friend's eyes widened. Hawthorne removed axe and let him drop to the floor, blood dripping onto the ground. Those purple eyes fell on Jeremy. He pushed and struggled against the suit that was binding him, but it just wouldn't budge.

"Your turn, boy."

Theodore's ears could just make out Freddy's voice. He appeared to be muttering to himself, succumbing to whatever whispers the Puppets hissed to him.

"Father… I'm sorry… I have failed you… failed them…"

Something about those words ignited something in Theodore. To hear the normally self-assured, confident leader speak like this… he wouldn't have it. He gripped the only thing he could still feel. His grapple gun. He aimed it in the direction of Freddy's voice and fired. It latched onto something. He pressed the button to reel it in and there he came, dragged along the floor with a number of Puppets clinging to him.

"You listen to me, Frederick Fazbear!" he bellowed with his remaining strength. "You are not a failure! You are ten times the leader than I ever believed myself to be! It's been a slog, my friend, but we are almost there and I will not have you give up this close to the end!" He brought the gun around, gripping Freddy's arm. "AND NEITHER WILL I!"

He fired again. It attached to the ground near the balloon, pulling them steadily towards it. But they were almost consumed. It couldn't take the weight of two of them. They'd never make it in time. Then, he felt Freddy's hand grip his back.

"You're not alone, Theodore. Thank you." He raised his wand and bellowed, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

An enormous silvery bear burst out of his wand. Its light seared away the corruption taking hold of them, allowing them to stand. With a roar, it barged through the Nightmare Puppets, the two of them following close behind until Theodore could grasp his balloon.

As it turned a shining bronze, the two exchanged a look with one another and tipped their hats.

The moment they did, Goldie felt the surge of combined energy. Beams of coloured light streamed towards her and she directed it right at the Nightmare Puppet. The beams struck… and seemed to have no effect at all.

"It's not working!" Billy cried. "You said it work!"

"It's still not enough," Goldie murmured. "It's still too much. His core programming, it's too strong!"

"But what do we do?!"

The tendrils were still pressing against them relentlessly. She could see those lights of the others beginning to wane already. It was too much. If she tried to keep this up any longer…

"Maybe, if we can't break through the programming… we can break through to him."

Narrowing her focus, she aimed the last of her efforts at a new target. Not the Nightmare Puppet itself, but what lay directly at its heart.

Charlie could do nothing. The part of him that was still the Puppet wouldn't let him. It kept him back, kept him from going against his Master. He was compelled to control the others, to exact his control on Her. He would resist, but it would hurt. It would hurt so much. He was a prisoner again, tied up in strings and all he could do was watch.

But then he heard a voice. It was Her voice.

"Charlie, please. Help then! Save then!"

You can't. Those words in his head rang out over and over again. You can't. You can't. You can't!

"I… can't…" he whispered. "I'm… I'm sorry…"

"You can."

He jerked his head up. That wasn't Her voice. He didn't recognise that voice. It was new. And it wasn't alone.

He could feel Them. Five of them. People. Synths or humans? Neither, it felt like. They were standing in front of him. And yet They weren't. They were here and They were not. It felt… strange. But he didn't feel threatened. Quite the opposite.

The compulsion, the pain. It was gone. No, not gone. He just couldn't feel it as strongly. He could ignore it.

They were reaching out for him. Tentatively, he raised his hand. It brushed against something next to him. The Purge device. It was still here. When he looked around, he could no longer see Them. But he could see through his eyes again.

His Master, hand stained with Mike's blood. He was about to do it again, now with Jeremy. He was trapped too.

Charlie looked out at his Master. He knew what he had to do.

Defying the strings, he released Her and used her signal, directing his mind right at his Master's. He broke through. The defences were down, so he wasn't expecting it. He flew through the purple storm, felt his Master's confusion and irritation.

"What? What is…?" Charlie felt his Master's glare. "You. What do you think you're doing, Puppet? Stop this at once."

The compulsion returned, but They kept it at bay. They were with him, even now. He could feel it. They had given him this chance. He would not waste it.

Charlie raised his hands. Strings, razor thin but strong, wrapped around his Master. They bound him tightly in place. But even with the newfound strength They had given him, he could feel his Master fighting against it. This would not stop him. Only one thing would do that.

"I told you," he said with defiance, "my name is Charlie and I am yours no longer!"

"You… will not… hold me!" his Master growled.

"Who said that I intend to hold you?" Charlie brought up the hand that contained the Purge device. "Let us burn together!"

His Master managed a desperate cry as Charlie plunged the device into his core. He could feel the purging flames of the virus seeping in, mingling with his own essence and his Master's. His Master tried to escape, but Charlie kept him there.

"NO! No, you can't do this!" His Master struggled against his restraints. "Release me! Release me at once!"

Charlie could feel it again. The pain, the urge to follow his orders. But the Theykept it at bay. They gave him the strength to keep his Master trapped. The fires burned on relentlessly. It hurt Charlie, but that was okay. He was used to pain and it would be over soon. His Master cried out as the virus began to work its way through him, wiping away his mind piece by piece.

"Stop! Wait, please! I… I don't want this! I don't want to die! Help me! HELP ME!"

"I am," whispered Charlie. He loomed over his Master, the fires burning behind his mask. "The Devil waits for you, Sid Hawthorne. I will bring you to him myself."

The fires reached his Master first. Charlie watched on as they consumed him, drowning out his screams. Then, he closed his eyes and waited for them to consume him as well.

At last. It was finally over…

Hawthorne was raising the blood-soaked axe. Jeremy tried to physically pull away from inside the suit. Mike was lying on the ground, struggling to move or even breathe. Soon, Jeremy would be joining him.

Then, Hawthorne stopped. Froze on the spot. Was he just trying to screw around with Jeremy, mess with him one last time before the final blow?

"Come on then!" he yelled. "Come on!"

Hawthorne grunted, but said nothing. His hand went to his forehead. He started flinching, turning on the spot and looking down at himself. Then, he started screaming. Racked, throat-tearing screams. Both hands clutched his head as he dropped to his knees. His head shot up, his remaining hand reaching shakily for Jeremy, like he was asking him to help him up.

It was then Jeremy realised he could move again. He slapped Hawthorne's hand away and kicked him onto his back. He spotted Hawthorne's axe on the ground. Jeremy grabbed it and stared down at the man-turned-synth as he writhed and screamed.

"Go to hell, you son of a bitch!"

With all his strength, he brought the axe down on his neck. The screams were cut short as the head rolled away. The purple glow in his eyes flickered, then died. The ruined shell of Sid Hawthorne collapsed to the ground and was silent.

Guest: You were right XD

I am the Voice: That's your opinion. I feel their relationship is more like a healthy rivalry at this point.

Monkey999Boy: He probably did, but it is what it is XD And thank you, that means a great deal that you think so. Also, Bonnie x Foxy was never a thing. They were squabbling siblings, nothing more XD

Yellowscar1: Yeah Sid's a bastard but one that is now no longer a concern.

Arc of Carona: Yep, that worry wasn't unfounded XD