-Night 4-
A loud yawn is heard throughout the void as Daniel wakes up. He rubs his eyes gingerly, trying to rid himself of sleep. He blinks a couple of times, then shoots up.
"Where am I?!" Daniel looks around in a panic before everything rushes back to him. Nightmarionne, Nightmare's odd attitude, the diner.
Daniel blinks a few times, then gets up slowly. His legs wobble slightly from non-use, but he is able to stand. He takes a few cautious steps, then makes his way to the door. Before he leaves though, he sees something strange.
In the far distance of the darkness, a faint five is seen. Daniel squints to try and get a better look, and is surprised to see the five having red and white coloring. Almost like a candy cane, or a circus big top.
He shakes his head though, finding no semblance in the object. Daniel turns back around to the door and opens it, starting the fourth night.
Daniel looks around cautiously, keeping an eye out for the animatronics. He decides that he has waited long enough and summons his fox parts. These will help quite a bit with hearing and seeing in the dark. He pats his cloak's pockets for reassurance in his tablet's and the flashlight presence.
Wasting no time, Daniel quickly goes over to the closest shelf. He puts the tablet down and looks at what needs to be done tonight. He raises an eyebrow though when he sees that the only thing he needs to do, is wake… the... Puppet.
Daniel stares in disbelief at what he has to do. He saw the puppet hanging from the ceiling before, but he didn't think anything of it. But now he knows without a doubt that something significant is going to happen with this puppet.
That's when he realizes another problem. How was he supposed to 'wake up' this puppet? The only thing he could think of was the lack of music, since that's what woke up Marion. But this place has no music.
Daniel keeps racking his brain for answers when he hears something. No clanking, no scratching, no banging. This was just... there. There wasn't any way to explain it. It seemed to be just outside Daniel's perception, just enough in range that he knows it's there.
Daniel looks around, wondering what he was hearing, if anything at all. He takes a few cautious steps forward, glad to find that the sound was becoming perceptible. He enters the dining hall when he registers the sound.
Ninety years without slumbering
His life seconds numbering
It stopped, short never to go again
When the old man died
There was no mistaking it. It was Marion's music box. Daniel strains his ears, trying to find where the music was coming from. After a few moments of just listening, he is able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from. He turns slightly to the left, eyeing the doorway he used the first night here to get in the office.
Daniel begins to make his way to the hallway, his ears straining for any foreign noise. He doesn't allow himself any relaxation, keeping his guard up at all times. He makes it the doorway when he sees the source of the sound.
The ghost Freddy was standing there, staring. But what caught his attention was what the ghost Freddy was holding. On top of one upraised paw was a music box, playing its soft music.
Daniel looks at the music box, then to ghost Freddy, then back again. He takes one step forward, then freezes when he sees the ghost twitch. That's when he remembers what the call said.
They say it just stands there, staring. Some even say if you get to close it'll screech.
Screeches, i.e. death. Daniel's been at Freddy's long enough to know what a screech really means. He glares at the Freddy, not liking this predicament. Knowing his has no choice though, Daniel decides to his safest tactic.
Using just the barest amount needed, Daniel summons up a single tendril of energy. He guides it forward slowly, cautious to keep the Freddy from reacting. He flinches slightly when he sees the ghost twitch again, but ultimately doesn't move.
After a few painstakingly slow moments, Daniel is able to get the music box from the ghost's hand. Daniel holds the music box close, finding some relief in the melody it plays. He looks up from the music box and his eyes widen when he finds the ghost gone.
He looks around for a few moments, wondering where the ghost went. When his search ends fruitlessly, he decides to continue on. He turns around and starts sneaking to the puppet.
Daniel turns the corner to the puppet. He glances back in worry, his mind working in high gear. He doesn't like how quiet it is right now. He knows something big is coming, and he doesn't like it.
Pushing the dark thoughts away, Daniel looks back to the puppet. Looking down at the music box, he begins wondering what to do now. As he begins thinking, he notices a pedestal next to the puppet. Deciding he has no better ideas, he puts the music box on the pedestal.
Only just a few seconds after setting the music box down, Daniel begins to hear gears. His ears swivel back and forth, each one locating the locations of the gears. That's when he notices the tracks on the ceiling. He follows them out to the dining hall, seeing them turn at the entrance to the dining hall.
He turns back, his curiosity somewhat sated, and nearly screams in surprise. The puppet had begun moving forward, and it was practically in Daniel's face when he turned around.
Daniel quickly scramble to the side, not wanting to get run over by the mechanical marionette. He watches as it is pulled along by the strings holding it up. A true puppet.
The puppet continues on the path Daniel saw previously before turning around the corner. Daniel quickly picks up his pace to keep up with it.
Daniel turns the corner himself and catches a glimpse of the puppet turning the corner he took to find the Freddy ghost. He jogs towards the corner, curiosity at its peak. He freezes though when a familiar feeling rushes past him. Cold air.
He shivers involuntarily as the air hits him. He knows what it means at this point and knows nothing good will come. He shivers again, more so for himself than warmth.
Daniel begins moving forwards more cautiously this time, not wanting to get caught off guard. He stops at the corner and peeks around the wall, trying to catch a glimpse of what was beyond the wall.
His eyebrows rise in surprise when he simply finds the exit door. Deciding to still be cautious, Daniel moves carefully. When nothing happens when he reaches the door, he drops his guard slightly. He looks up at the exit door, finding some odd comfort in the solitary word. He looks down again at the door knob, and turns.
The door opens without a hitch, leading back into the familiar blackness that Daniel has sadly become accompanied with. He steps back into the void, the door shutting softly behind him.
Daniel looks around, almost expecting something unexpected to happen. That night was simply too easy, too simple to be the end. When nothing happens though, he begins to have doubts.
"Kid."
Daniel jumps at the sudden intrusion of his thoughts "Don't do that! You scare me so badly when you do that!"
"No time for that. I have something important to tell you."
Daniel raises an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I heard your thoughts, and I agree. That was too easy. But I've seen this before. Nightmarionne is preparing something big. Be ready for the next night, it won't be pleasant."
Daniel smiles grimly. "When is it ever pleasant?"
Nightmare chuckles at that, much to Daniel's surprise. "You got that right. But, just be ready. I ain't about to lose another."
Daniel's surprise keeps rising, wondering what Nightmare is saying. He is about to ask when another blast of cold air hits Daniel. This time though, Daniel receives a clear message.
The end is coming, and you better be ready.