Henry turns the Marionette back on to have a little chat.
End of Act I
Send me down to hell, I dare you.
He spent most of his last week in his basement where his computer was, checking every program, reading every line of code to see what had gone wrong. It was all for nothing though, as he had come up empty-handed. He had read and reread its systems a boatload of times and the only thing he had to show for it was an inkling of suspicion as to what had happened. He had even gone through the archived Data Log to see what calculations had led to the animatronic attacking his best friend and then to the memory files, which was how he had a vague idea as to what had turned the Puppet hostile.
After both of his children had left the Marionette alone for a minute or two, it had decided to leave the house and come seek him. Instead of going into the shed, however, it had waited outside, listening in to his and William's conversation. Afterwards, a notification had popped up informing the robot of a new memory file having been found. Mari had attempted to decrypt it as it was corrupted but was only partially successful. It viewed the Subfile and then its systems had gone through an overload. The Reaction Processing Algorithm and Response Development Program couldn't process what it had seen, causing a cascade of failures that stopped the Puppet from reacting, forcing it to shut down to not corrupt its own software.
The peculiar thing was that after he had turned it back on its Data Log had exploded in activity. Suddenly, operations and lines of code that he hadn't written were going off all at once, programs he hadn't made were running simultaneously and a ton of new subroutines had been created out of thin air, each one of them operating at a capacity higher than the Puppet's RAM allowed. Resources had been reallocated to boost its performance significantly and everything looked as though being completely revamped. It was as if viewing the memory file had made it go through a major software upgrade. Henry had done his best to study it in the one week the Marionette had spent in Maintenance Mode, but he had been unable to understand any of it. Whatever had gone on inside the Puppet was beyond him. What he could understand was that his creation now seemingly had a mind of its own, as unbelievable as it was.
Naturally, that made him morbidly curious as to what the memory file contained, of which the animatronic had only watched about two minutes. To his grave displeasure, the file could not be viewed for whatever reason. All other files worked fine, but that one wouldn't open no matter what he tried. One couldn't simply insert a memory into the Puppet unless it was in Maintenance Mode as it was currently, so he had no clue as to how the file had appeared in the first place. On top of it all, it didn't have a date. Even if the Marionette had made its own memory file, which he had not programmed it to do, it should have had a date of creation. Left with no other option and having checked all possible sources for glitches, the only thing left to do was to turn it on and ask it what had caused it to act so aggressively towards William.
Charlotte and Matthew were plenty anxious concerning Mari, so he wasn't going to make them wait any longer for their friend. He exited the Maintenance Mode and ended the application on his computer before unplugging the cable from the Puppet's lowest chest button. Pressing the top button thrice, he sat down on his desk's chair, rubbing his temples. It came online a moment later, rising from the table he had set it on, immediately noticing him.
"You've been asleep for about seven days if you were wondering. I took you offline to look through your systems to find what made you act the way you did." the Marionette nodded. "I couldn't risk you endangering my kids after you assaulted William so I deactivated you. I'm sorry, but it had to be done." the Puppet leaned back as if insulted at such a notion. It shook its head rapidly. "Well, I couldn't be certain, so I had to take the necessary precautions." the man reasoned, though it didn't seem to help. "Since I couldn't find anything wrong, I decided to power you back on and ask you directly why you went against your programming and attacked a human being." Mari crossed its arms, scoffing. Its lights trailed to the side then pointed a slender arm at the paper and pen on the adult's desk. "Here you go." he handed them to the Puppet. It began writing, fast enough to communicate what it wanted to say without caring much for the lack of words as long as it got its message across. It showed Henry the paper once it was finished. Messy, but not too difficult to make out.
"Afton's idea to upgrade Fredbear's jaw." it had explained. A tick from its chest speaker was heard followed by a brief hum of static and then a voice the man knew all too well. "The pistons, they're not strong enough to close it properly with the additional weight of both the fiberglass and the teeth. I propose we switch those pistons for bigger ones." the recording ended. "Can crush human skull. Saw it." he read.
"You saw that." it wasn't a question. Henry paused, unsure of what to think. "In the memory file?"
"Yes."
"Could you elaborate? What do you mean you saw it crush a human skull?"
"Saw it! Cannot replace pistons! Too dangerous for children. Remove side teeth if necessary." the man sighed. He was too mentally fatigued to start that debate all over again.
"And you decided to attack William because of that?"
"He is cause. Followed my directive. Protect children at all costs. Even at risk of self-termination." Henry stared into its glowing optics. Ice penetrated his heart at the cold glare, daring him to disagree with it.
"…Listen, you're going to be performing in a restaurant full of little kids. You can't do that if you're going to act that way." He could swear he saw the scowl on its ceramic face accentuate and its gaping maw of a grin twitch. The room had gotten warmer out of nowhere and he was beginning to sweat at the low sizzling that filled the basement. He would've backed away if he hadn't been seated.
"Would never hurt little ones." it wrote furiously.
"I know that now. It's not the children I'm worried about, it's the adults… I get that you don't like William" its music box chimed, laughing at the idea. "-you don't have to, but please, please understand that if you want to care for and play with kids and all that you need to learn to tolerate adults and not attack them just because you think they're dangerous. Just because you suspect someone's threatening or is up to something doesn't mean it's true. I've known William for years and trust me, he's my best friend and I can assure you that he's harmless." Mari gripped the metal table hard, denting it, making the material groan glaringly beneath its sharp fingers. Henry resisted the urge to wince. "Of course, that doesn't mean that everybody's innocent, so to speak, but you have to learn to trust others if you're going to be surrounded by humans almost all day, 7 days a week. Can you?" the animatronic's shining dots looked at the ground. The suffocating tension was gone as quickly as it had come. Henry breathed.
"Yes." the Marionette wrote hesitantly.
"That's all I wanted to hear." it snatched the paper back, continuing.
"But. Trust you. Do not trust Afton. He acts fake, his face is but a mask. He is deceiving you. A liar. You cannot trust him, creator."
"Sorry, but… No. William is the farthest thing from deceiving. He's the most honest, compassionate individual I've ever met." the glimmer of its eyes shifted. The piercing gaze had turned soft. His creation pitied him, he realized. "Again, I'm not asking you to like him, just don't do that ever again. Even if it goes against your programming of protecting children, do not attack anyone." it averted its gaze away from him. "Let's just agree to disagree, all right? Because that's the only way we're getting over this." Mari slumped his shoulders, refusing to face Henry. It nodded after a while of contemplating, knowing it had to accept the adult's proposal. "Great, okay. So… tell me more about that file, would you."
"Received notification after witnessing your conversation."
"What were you doing there anyway?"
"Was worried for your safety. Had to confirm." the man grimaced. He made a motion for the Puppet to go on. "File was extensive but corrupted. Could only restore small portion. Began watching and saw child's head get crushed in Fredbear's mouth. Springbonnie did nothing, neither did Fredbear. Then shut down due to overload. Why didn't my siblings react?" Henry had to do a doubletake as he read. He hadn't expected the Marionette to consider Fred and Bonnie its siblings, but then again, given how he made them around the same time and the level of intelligence the Puppet displayed, it wasn't totally surprising.
"Uh, well, those two won't be quite like you. They're going to be worn by employees and will be stuck to the stage when not in costume mode. You can go anywhere, but they can't." it processed his words before tilting its head. "But- okay- so you saw a child get bitten… Are you sure you didn't make up that memory?"
"Did not fabricate it. Wasn't first time it happened either. First time was at diner after you explained the prize counter."
"Wait, that wasn't the fir- at the diner?" it made sense if he thought about it. He had been so engrossed in observing its new software that he hadn't thought to check its memory files from the day they had gone to Fredbear's when it had behaved similarly, just without the violence. "What did you see then?"
"Five figures. To four I gave the gift of life. The fifth was alive by itself. Didn't understand, still don't. But, too complex to have made. Diner memory is real, just not now. Will be in future. So will new memory." most of what the Marionette had said went through one ear and out the other. He pursed his lips trying to hide his growing drowsiness.
"…And do you know when these memories will happen exactly?" he asked absentmindedly.
"Soon to tell. Not in near future."
"Right. Moving on, did your interface get updated after the first memory?" the Puppet took its time to consider the answer
"No. Matching word for my condition then would've been disturbed. Got upgrade when I deactivated. Can think better, clearer. More aware. Did not like what I viewed but am grateful for chance to evolve." Henry was doing very well, in his opinion, at not freaking out over the fact that his robot had gained sentience. What was meant to be a machine to guard and entertain children was now a being with its own feelings. A part of him believed this was all a dream or some nasty glitch that made the animatronic do things it wasn't supposed to. Another part desired to ignore that fact and move on as if nothing was amiss. What an appealing scenario that was, and so characteristic of his family. In truth, he hadn't the faintest as to how to deal will this, so he was probably going to do what Emilys do best in these instances and avoid thinking about it. Pretend like it doesn't exist, forget all about it and dodge the subject at any opportunity. Regardless, it wasn't anything new to the man, he had done so in the past.
"Yeah, I had a feeling that's what happened. I have to say that I hadn't anticipated this and I'm honestly left with more questions than answers but at least we've both learned something useful. Now, since we're done here, let's get you upstairs. Those two are dying to meet their friend again." Mari tinkled happily. He discarded the objects of communication it had found, jumping off from the table and following him inside the house, previous irritated mood shrugged off in an instant.
The little ones greeted it with open arms and the three cuddled enough for the past week. Ultimately, they had to pull apart, but did so reluctantly.
"It's been so boring without you, Mari. I'm glad you're back but please don't do that again, okay? I don't know what he did but uncle Will doesn't deserve to be attacked, so please don't hurt him again." the girl pleaded with the animatronic, her face a mix between disappointment and solace. The Puppet could only trill lowly in shame, sagging its shoulders.
"Why did you attack him, anyway?" questioned the boy, though unlike his sister, he didn't appear as saddened, more curious than anything. It did not want to keep secrets from them, but it wasn't its place to reveal the reason behind its arguably justified actions, that was for their parent to determine. It hung its head, unable to answer.
"Hey, don't look so depressed now. You've made a mistake, sure, one that was pretty bad, honestly, but everyone makes mistakes, as long as you learn from them, you're still a good person." Charlotte encouraged in her unwavering innocence, earning a jingle from the Marionette. "We forgive you and I'm sure that if you apologize so will uncle Will." It nodded loathly, being in no position to argue. Thankfully, the rest of the evening after that point had gone as it usually did. The two had caught Mari up on a new film named The Great Muppet Caper, movie with a fairly interesting plot, that surprisingly amused Matthew a great deal at practically every scene that featured Kermit the Frog. It was relieved they'd had a good time together without a hitch as if it had never gone offline, but its internal clock alerted it to the fact that it was getting past the little ones' bedtime, and they most definitely needed the rest if their dozy eyes were anything to go by.
Their father had stayed to watch the movie as well but when he too began to yawn the Marionette took that as its cue to scoop up the children in its arms and carry them to their respective rooms. Matthew made to protest but was shushed to keep Charlotte asleep, who already had her face buried in the ideal pillow that was the soft fabric of Mari's neck. The Puppet carefully tucked her in then moved on to do the same for the boy, going over to his bed and making him snug and safe by pulling the covers over while singing a lullaby.
"Don't tell Henry I said this but I'm kind of glad you attacked William. I mean, that guy is all sorts of bad news. He's seriously off like, he looks ready to snap and kill you at any moment. You shouldn't feel bad about what you did. Now, of course, I'm not encouraging it, but I wouldn't mind if you were to do that again to him." he said from under the cover. It hadn't expected that reaction from the boy but it couldn't blame him. It had seen just how uneasy the man made Matthew feel and it was glad he could recognize the danger Afton posed even if his sister and father didn't. Offering him a thumbs up, the Marionette brushed the messy hair out of his eyes. With that, it walked to the door intent on offering him a goodnight wave but was promptly stopped by his voice.
"Uh, hey, can you stay a little longer? I'd like to ask you something." he called after it as he pulled off his comforter. The Puppet turned around, closing the door. It walked back to the bed and sat down next to the boy with a creak of springs as the mattress curved under its weight, inclining its head to let him know it was listening. "Thanks. I've been thinking about this for a while and I figured now's the best time to ask. Um, this might sound pretty weird, but bear with me please." Matthew swallowed, looking into its soothing optics. "This question may be a little insensitive coming from me of all people- I don't mean to offend you or make you uncomfortable- and please don't freak out or ask me how I know, I can't really explain but, does the name Sammy mean anything to you?" it couldn't say that it did. Besides knowing every possible name in the English language there wasn't anything special about that specific name regarding itself. Its Memory Banks came up empty when it searched for it. The Puppet shook its head. "Huh. You sure? What about eh, Jake maybe?" the boy was met with the same response. "I mean, I'm shooting in the dark here but I thought… Okay, let me put it another way. Do you remember anything from before? What's the earliest thing you remember?" Mari searched his desk for something to write with as it did with Mr. Emily. It picked up an unused notebook and a pencil.
"I was in the basement being worked on by your father." the boy's mouth quivered. "The memory dates back to eight months ago." it wrote in complete sentences with thick letters to make it legible for Matthew.
"And nothing before that? At all?" his confusion unsettled the Marionette.
"No." the answer seemed dissatisfying to him. "I apologize but that is the earliest thing I can recall, little one."
"Nah, you're fine. Thank you." Matthew stared at the wall in front of him, his eyes darting from side to side in deep thought. He wanted to say something but decided against it, then changes his mind a moment later. "I… I don't know what you've been through, I can't imagine what it was like and I get why you might want to keep it hidden. I also get that if you were to open up to somebody about it, I'd be the last person you'd choose. I'm asking because I think I know who did it. You don't have a reason to trust me, that's fair, for all you know I might just tell Charlie or Henry about it, but I wouldn't make that choice for you, even if I don't necessarily agree with it being kept a secret. I'm the type of guy that believes that when you have a piece of information that can benefit others or offer them answers it's best to not beat around the bush in an attempt to protect them and just tell them. That makes me a hypocrite, considering what I know, but you'd at least have a chance to prove who you are, you know. I won't tell Charlie or Henry, I promise, that's for you to decide, but I need to know if you're Sammy, if you even remember that name or anything from your childhood like the fact that Charlie was your twin sister… I mean, the lack of photos throughout the house, nobody mentioning you even in passing. It's like you never existed." The boy closed his mouth, dreading a response. Mari despised the look on his face. He was expecting it to be angry with him. It wrote as fast as it could to reassure him.
"I did not know you and Charlotte had another sibling. I assumed my creator only had two children since a third one hadn't been mentioned, but I do not understand why you would think I am your brother Sammy." the little one's expression grew more bewildered at the statement.
"Uh… me and Charlie aren't siblings, Mari, and Henry isn't my father. I thought you knew that." He laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the ambiance. "I uh, well, Mr. Emily found me one night on a road while he was driving home and just kind of took me in. My… family is gone so he decided to adopt me but, ah, that's still up in the air. It's quite possible that I could be taken away to be put in an orphanage. Henry doesn't tell us much so I don't know what's more likely to happen but he didn't make it seem hopeless. It can still go either way though." It digested the new information in stiff silence.
Negative Value=2000
Saved. Its first instinct was to put an arm around the boy to pull him into a one-armed hug, but by the way he leaned sidewards a bit looking apprehensive Matthew made it clear he didn't want to be comforted and so the Puppet closed its outstretched hand, setting it between itself and the boy, chiming a sad note. He shook his head, sighing.
"It doesn't matter. I'm not related to Charlie and she doesn't have a twin, I asked if you were her brother because I thought you were… you know what, never mind. I was wrong. Just forget I said anything 'bout that. Sorry for confusing you." Matthew fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "I could've sworn… whatever. Guess I can cross that off…" he muttered to himself, although Mari's microphones regrettably picked it up. The Puppet was still confused as to what the boy meant, but seeing as how he didn't plan on elaborating further, it let it go, not wanting to stress him out.
"Was there anything else?" it opted to write instead.
"Nah, you've an- actually, um, yeah, yeah, there is something else I'd like to ask if it's not too much trouble. It concerns our purple-wearing friend." oh, that piqued the Marionette's interest. Would the boy perhaps ask to be guarded against that man, if that was the case he needn't ask as it would do it in a heartbeat. It would rather let itself be destroyed than allow that shallow animal to harm a child. The Marionette bowed its head in confirmation. "So, this is going to make me seem crazy, but there's a storm coming that'll leave a lot of bodies in its wake. Our friend is going to be directly involved. No one besides me knows about it and that's why I'm trying to stop it, or at worst to mitigate the damage as best I can." did he have similar experiences to its own? Had the boy before it witnessed what it had, or something close to it? Was that why he too seemed to suspect Afton of nefarious activities? The Puppet hated that thought being true, it didn't want a little one to experience the horror of tragedy, especially at such an early age when he had already gone through losing his family. Loss of that kind was detrimental to a child's mental development and this one had endured suffering to last a lifetime.
Negative Value=4500
Saved.
"But- although I hate to admit- I can't do it alone. I'll need help, so… what I'm asking you is if you'll help me when the time comes? I can't guarantee we'll succeed if you accept or that we'll make it. There's a fair chance we won't survive." the Puppet chimed consolingly, taking the boy's palm into its own, and patting it softly. "Ahem- because of that I want to give you an out now, 'cause there's no backing out once you agree. We'll have to see this through to the end, whatever it takes… So, what do you say? Can I count on you to help me save a few dozen lives in the future? Also, even if you decline, I hope this stays between us."
"You do not have to ask. The cross you carry is heavy enough for your shoulders to bear alone. You are still a small child, after all. I would be more than happy to share this burden with you. And yes, I shall keep this a secret." Matthew's lips tugged upwards into a broad smile of unfeigned delight as he read.
Positive Value=900
Saved.
"Want to shake hands to make it official?" he joked, to which the Puppet responded by holding up its right hand. The two of them shook not a moment later. "Thank you. Truly. But if we're doing this, don't call me a child when you've only been born for like a month. If you do that, I'm going to start calling you Stripes and I don't think it sounds as good as Mari, 'kay?" an amused jiggle vibrated from its chest. The Puppet ruffled the boy's hair fondly for a minute, making him blush.
It gave Matthew the notebook and rose from the bed, not wanting to keep him awake past his bedtime. The two waved at each other, not saying anything as Mari made to leave. With a final goodnight chime, it closed the door. Waiting for the Puppet to leave so he could jump out of bed to get rid of the evidence of their conversation, Matt listened closely for the sound of the Puppet's light footsteps. After he made sure his friend was gone, he got up and ripped out the page Mari had written on, throwing it into the trash bin below his desk before closing the notebook. He trusted Mari would keep their talk to itself, but he couldn't be too careful and forget the stuff for Charlie of Henry to find.
Talk about a turn of events. He was happy to have made his first and most likely only ally in this personal war of his- if he could be so dramatic. The difficulty of being on his own would come from not being able to keep tabs on multiple locations at once but with the Marionette's help, he'd have a better shot at stopping William. He hadn't expected to convince the animatronic so easily but he wasn't complaining. Mari seemed eager to help in fact. But the best part of it all was the fact that he now had someone to confide in, someone who wouldn't judge him and would listen to his troubles unconditionally.
It made Matthew feel giddy inside to know that he wasn't alone in that aspect. Mari didn't fully know it, but its acceptance meant the world to the boy. Who cared if the Puppet wasn't possessed as he had assumed, although he still had no idea as to what was going on with it in regards to attacking Afton and the intelligence it had, the Puppet was still his friend. Maybe Sammy didn't exist and he had been wrong to think he did despite the lack of proof, or maybe he died when he was really young and therefore no one talked about him.
He had presumed Sammy to be the one to haunt the Puppet because who else would've matched the role if Charlie was alive? Someone that had the potential to be William's first victim and a connection to the girl that would normally end up possessing the Marionette, Sammy just fit that description perfectly, what with him being kidnapped in the novels when he was three. Dropped plot point aside, he wouldn't rule out Sammy being in Mari and simply hiding it really well, but for a child that supposedly died young Mari hadn't had any difficulty controlling his emotions at the mention of that name, so it was likely that there really wasn't a soul in there and Henry had merely made a sentient robot or if there was a soul that person wasn't Sammy.
Either way, whether there was a soul in the Marionette or not, he found himself not caring. If the Puppet was possessed, he'd help the kid to the best of his ability just as Mari'd do for him and if there wasn't that wouldn't make the Marionette less valuable as a person in his eyes, just more authentic.
Matthew drifted off with a smile plastered on his visage.
He had awoken by a scraping sound on his bedroom door. Briefly startled as the Emilys didn't have pets, he tensed when the scrapping did not let up, having thought he might've imagined it. The Puppet did not wander at night as it sat in the living room where it would charge and Charlie was not the type to play pranks so neither could be the source of the noise. Slowly pulling the blanket away, he tiptoed out of bed and towards the door. Putting his ear close he listened for any other sounds that could give away what was making the scratching, but he couldn't make out anything over the noise. Opting to look through the keyhole, he knelt down and peeked out only to be met with darkness due to the hallway light being off. He cursed under his breath at the waste of time since he should've been able to figure that out without needing to check.
Someone or something had gotten inside the house to be making that sound. Either it was an animal that had found its way inside through an open window or the less probable alternative of a thief having broken in, but if that was the case the noise would've woken up Mari and it would've taken care of the problem. Maybe that had already happened and that was why there was no reaction from the animatronic, although Matt couldn't imagine anyone getting the upper hand against an incredibly smart robot meant to protect kids unless taking it by surprise.
For some reason the boy couldn't think straight. Formulating coherent thoughts was harder than it usually was. He couldn't focus properly on what he should do next. The sluggishness had yet to wash itself from his eyes. He rubbed them trying to wake up but noticed the scrapping had stopped. Heavy but subdued thuds walked away from his door down the corridor. So, there was an intruder after all. Anxiety gripped his heart, causing his breath to hitch. A chill ran down his spine at the thought of whoever this was getting bored with his room and deciding to try for Henry's and Charlie's.
Matt couldn't allow them to get hurt, but he didn't have many options available for dealing with this threat. Given that he couldn't call the police the best course of action would be to race downstairs, distracting the intruder and waking up Mari so he could have a form of protection until Henry would be woken up by the resulting commotion. He carefully opened the door, stepping outside in quiet steps. The boy squinted to see a tall figure at the end of the hall. Unfortunately, the darkness prevented him from spotting other details about it. Thankful the trespasser wasn't facing him, Matthew made his way to the stairs slowly, attempting to keep his body from shaking out of fear. He stopped dead in his track when the invader spoke.
"When you can't see, how fast can you flee?" a stuttering voice filled with static asked. His mind short-circuited for a moment, leaving him standing there like a statue in the opposite end of the hall. He recoiled when the figure turned around to look at him with glowing amber eyes. Effectively breaking out of his dazed state he bolted downstairs with the invader rushing after him.
To his horror, the Puppet was not in its usual place on the sofa where it would charge during the night. Starting to panic, he franticly searched for it for less than two seconds before he was met with the hulking form of the intruder sprinting down the stairs. He only registered putrid red fur, two rows of needlelike teeth and a large hook as his vision was engulfed by the jaws of the leaping monster.
At that point, Matthew's eyes had shot wide open. Instead of seeing the monster standing above him with raised claws he saw the familiar white porcelain of the Marionette's face. Jade lights stared at him in concern while the cemented grin had dropped into a crestfallen frown. The unnatural change in facial expression from the animatronic went unperceived by the boy as his gaze darted in every direction in order to make sense of his surroundings. Matthew gasped rapidly, feeling the living room's walls tighten around him to the point where he couldn't move.
He needed to get out. Remaining closed in would kill him. He couldn't breathe- he needed air or he'd die. He needed to…
Calm down, a slowed tempo portion of Swan Lake seemed to whisper to him. His body instantly relaxed at the melody, including his knees. With his legs giving out under him he fell forward only to be caught by a pair of supple limbs. Collapsing into the embrace of black fabric, he rested his head on the paced wavering chest of the Puppet as thin fingers caressed his back and hair. His eyes closed once again. The last thing he heard were two sets of footsteps, one lighter than the other, as well as an exclamation of distress.
o0o
He approached the ringing telephone and answered it, having a feeling who it was.
"Hello." he spoke into the receiver.
"Hi, William, it's me." the voice on the other end proved his suspicion right.
"Henry… Are you calling to inform me that you've repaired your little toy, maybe? Or did you need something else?" Afton kept his tone calm on purpose.
"Uh, that too, but… I mostly called to apologize. I'm so sorry for what happened. I- it's inexcusable and I take full responsibility for it but you have to trust me when I say that I never made the Puppet to hurt you or anyone." The man hummed, unconvinced.
"So then why was I attacked? An animatronic that acts aggressively for no reason seems like a liability to me, old sport. Do you have an explanation for it?" Afton asked coolly.
"I… yes. It might sound pretty out there but basically what happened was that he heard what we were talking about which triggered him to self-update his software. When I woke him up all of his systems had been improved, and with the increase in processing power the Puppet was able to think better. He didn't like that you suggested we replace the pistons in Fredbear's jaw because he was concerned for children's safety, so… he attacked you. That's it. I've checked countless times and there was no glitch or error in his code that made him be so hostile."
Taking me for a fool…
"How did you fix it, then, if there was nothing to fix?" there was a short pause on the other end.
"We talked. I convinced him that if he wanted to stay in Fredbear's he could under no circumstances attack anybody ever again." William was taken aback by the response, and rightfully so.
"You cannot talk to a machine, Henry. What on earth are you on about? Do you expect me to believe that your mime came to life after hearing a conversation?!"
"I know how it sounds. I'm having a hard time believing it myself but it's the truth. I don't know the how or why of it but when I started asking him questions, he picked up a piece of paper and wrote the answers and they were real, William. He explained himself. I wouldn't even know where to begin to program something so complex nor would I have the hardware to run the code on. I wasn't just talking to a computer, Will."
You've lost your mind.
"I'll have to see it with my own eyes, Henry. I can't take your word for it when you're suggesting something so"
"-Outlandish. Yeah." both men quieted down. William turned his gaze to see his youngest watching cartoons on the TV.
"How's it been with the kids? Is it safe to be around children? The last thing we need would be lawsuits from disgruntled parents." he finally asked.
"Nothing's changed there. He's as friendly and gentle as he was before."
"Alright. Well, I accept your apology and for what it's worth I'm sorry for calling you an imbecile. And for acting the way I did in front of your daughter. That was wrong of me."
I'd rather prefer she'd heard the whole thing.
"Um, Will, you had every right to be ang"
"-I didn't, let's leave it at that." he interrupted. "Anyhow, I hope you haven't changed your mind about the pistons." William quickly changed the subject.
"Yeah, no, I'm going to replace them."
I know you're lying, old sport.
"I'll have to do it in secret though. Definitely can't allow the Puppet in the shed if I want him to keep his word. He was really adamant about me removing Fred's teeth instead." the man mumbled into the phone, coughing awkwardly after.
"You do what you have to, Henry. If Fredbear's to be the mascot then he has to look his best."
"Yeah. Uh, is your throat feeling better? I get if you don't want to be in his presence after that…" his business partner trailed off.
It hurst to breathe, much less speak. All because of that stupid marionette. I don't want to see it ever again.
"It's sore is what it is. But it'll heal, eventually. As for your puppet, I'll have to come judge for myself if we can feature it or not. I'll be honest, you've intrigued me, so I hope it won't disappoint a second time, but enough about that. How are Matthew and Charlotte doing?"
"They're fine, well, Matthew not so much. He had a horrible nightmare last night. Poor kid sleepwalked all the way to the living room without falling down the stairs- thank goodness- then when he woke up had a panic attack and passed out. Woke up a second time and couldn't go to sleep for the rest of the night." from his tone alone it was plain to see that Henry was depressed about the whole ordeal.
"That's terrible. Did he say what the nightmare was about?"
"He said something about a red monster scratching at his door then chasing him out of his room. He was so out of it he just cuddled with Mari until morning. He was actually the one to wake him up the first time..."
Ah, yes, that's what the boy named that mime.
"I don't know how to help him, Will. I've never had anything this bad with Charlie. Whenever she had a nightmare, she'd come to sleep in my room but Matthew, he doesn't feel comfortable doing that and I don't know what to do. This isn't even the first time he's had nightmares; it just wasn't this bad up until now." Henry lamented disheartened.
I do not care. Figure it out and shut up!
"This isn't something you can solve by yourself, Emily. The best thing to do is get him to a therapist."
"They recommended that too…"
"Who?"
"The workers, they said it'd be a good idea to get him to see a therapist but I don't want to force him to talk to someone he doesn't want to." William contemplated what to say next for a few moments.
"It's not about what he wants, it's about what he needs to get better. His well being is more important than some momentary displeasure. And you know he won't be forced to open up, they'll take it slow and give him time."
"…I guess you're right. Thank you for the advice, William. I really needed to hear that."
Stop talking already.
"Anytime. I've enjoyed our little talk, but Elizabeth's been staring at me for a while now." He said as he only now noticed his little girl looking up at him with expectant eyes. "I have to go. We'll talk later. Goodbye."
"Bye William. And thank you again." he swiftly ended the call, having grown irritated with the other man's blabbering. He shook the annoyance out of him and smiled at his daughter.
"What is it, dear?"
"I want to show you something!" Elizabeth chirped. He offered her his hand which she took, leading him outside all the way to the edge of the woods. It must've been important if it warranted his attention. She pointed near some bushes to the side where a white rabbit was hopping nonchalantly, munching occasionally on some grass. The creature stopped when the two of them got closer, observing them with a careful eye.
"Look, daddy! Isn't he just the cutest? He's so tiny and fluffy! Can I have him as a pet? Please?" Lizzie's high-pitched voice did not spook the animal, unfortunately.
"I'm sorry, but you can't have this one, dear." the man continued before she could refute. "This is a wild rabbit; you can tell by the shape of his head. It's a little thinner and his eyes are narrower than those of a domesticated one. His ears are also upright as you can see, where a tamed rabbit's ears would be floppy. Not only will it run away the moment we get any closer, it wouldn't make for a good pet. We're lucky that we've got to see him at all. Bunnies are rarely found alone and almost never come near humans."
"But he's just so adorable! I want a bunny, dad! Can I at least take a picture of him? His white fur is really nice." William resisted the urge to sigh.
"Go ask your mother where the camera is if you wish to take a photo. And we can go to the pet store later if you're so insistent on having one, but you'll have to take care of it. Are we clear?"
"Yes! Thank you, dad!" she gave him a brief hug before going back to the house. Satisfied, William watched his daughter go then turned his head to the animal, kneeling slowly. This rabbit's fur was unique as most of the bunnies found within the country were light brown in color, the man noted. But he was not a fan of it. It reminded him of that thing. He observed the creature in silence, keeping it in place. Elizabeth returned a few minutes later, Polaroid Colorpack 80 in hand. The rabbit visibly tensed at her presence.
"Do you know how to use it?"
"Yep, mommy showed me!" not wasting time the girl took the photo. There was no need to use the flash due to the daylight, plus Elizabeth didn't want to scare the animal, as it was standing about 30 feet away from her and her father. She pulled the film out once she was done.
"Go inside and wait for it to develop. It should only take a couple of minutes. Make sure to peel the print slowly from the negative. You don't want to ruin it." he instructed her.
"I know, daddy, but aren't you coming with me?"
"I will in a second." his look left no room for argument.
"Okey dokey!" with that she was gone and William turned once again to face the little bunny. It hadn't moved by much, only a few small steps. As he stared at the animal, it could see the porcelain face staring back at him, dots glaring brightly as soft fingers wrapped around his throat and squeezed the life out of his lungs with unfair strength. He shuddered slightly at the memory, biting his lower lip. He hated how hopeless he had felt in those seconds as Henry's toy stood over him, determined to end his existence. He had felt its hate in its touch and he'd been infected with it.
If he would get the opportunity, he'd share his feelings with it. He'd show it how he had felt and watch the life drain from its body as he pulled it apart. Then he would move on to his partner. He'd make the other man feel the terror of his children being hurt, and then, when Henry would inevitably turn into a shell of his former self William would be there to comfort him only to snap his neck as well when he least expected it.
Afton grit his teeth so hard his jaws were hurting. The anger he had felt was resurfacing. Involuntarily, his arm reached out to grab a nearby pebble. With calculated movements, he raised his hand high above his head.
"Is this what you'll be putting in the prize corner?" the other man nodded.
"I figured it'd be cheaper than having a tired employee, you know. This way, the simple act of handing out gifts to kids will be made more exciting if a friendly face that can also entertain them is the one to do it. The whole experience will be more immersive." he explained passionately.
"How'd you come up with the idea to make this thing anyway?"
"Originally, I thought of building it as a gift for Charlie as just something she could play with, but now I think the role of guardian would be more suitable. Yeah, something to watch over children and keep them safe. Doesn't that sound appropriate?"
"Oh, it certainly does. I'm sure Charlotte will be very happy to see her new friend once it's done."
The rabbit made the mistake of turning its head away. The rock flew out faster than the creature could react, hitting it straight in the neck. Disoriented, it was unable to run as it was pulled up by its hind legs. Silver eyes stared into brown as fingers seized its fragile throat. The animal's eyes were replaced with those of an eight-year-old girl while its visage morphed into a white mask with rosy cheeks and lips. It squirmed in the steel grip, attempting to escape its inevitable end. It whimpered and squealed in rasped breath as its windpipe was being crushed.
Its struggling slowed down as every bone in its spine snapped under the pressure. He could feel the muscles being pushed together and the veins bursting. He saw the light fading away, making it impossible to keep his lips from shifting upwards as an exhilarating sensation washed over him, telling him to continue until there wasn't anything left. The force made his arms tremble and his knuckles turn pale. The sound of mangled flesh filled his vicinity. The movement had stopped a while ago, leaving him holding a cadaver of squished fur.
He dropped it on the ground where it belonged. In the cold dirt. He observed his work, taking in every detail, engraving it into his mind. It was beautiful, was the conclusion he reached. The way it made him feel…
It was new, but it felt so right, so at home flowing within him, like a missing piece that had found its place after a long time. It was as if every question he had ever asked himself had been answered. The boredom and disgust of the mundane was gone, and he felt something other than apathy. He felt happy. And nothing could compare to this. Nothing.
He exhaled once, twice, then a third time. He rose to his feet, brushing the grass off his knees, fixed his tie and leaned his head back, basking in the afterglow. He stayed like that, with his eyes closed and his mouth sightly agape for who knew how long. The warm sunlight accentuated the elation present in every fiber of his being. When he opened his eyes, he found the fog that had suppressed his mind all this time to have been lifted. Everything made sense.
He straightened his posture, letting out a content sigh. Raising his foot, he kicked the corpse somewhere in the tree line, out of view. He turned around, shoved his hands in his pockets and walked back to his house.
The mask that had been his face was now broken, and beneath it there was a calm expression. And why would it not be so?
Everything was wonderful.
And so the descent begins! I felt the tenth chapter needed to be special compared to the rest and this was the result. Clocking in at 8040 words, it's the longest one yet. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I poured my heart into this one so please let me know what you thought of it, I love reading your comments ^_^! Until next time!
Chapter title from "Send Me Down (To Hell)" by NightCove_theFox.
