All the stories are true

by Dayfal

A fan of the "Five Nights at Freddy's" franchise is brought in a world where the events of his beloved video game series have yet to take place. Taken in by the Emilys, he slowly adjusts to his new life and tries to stop the murders and save those that would have originally died as well as stopping William Afton, all while he figures out the games' extensive lore from memory.

19. Chapter 19

William meets his guardian Devil after realizing he's slipped.

Dark0000: Eh, things are looking up, but I wouldn't quite call it "help". Henry's out of his playing field to know how to handle these types of feels. The reason why Mari hates him is because it doesn't consider him to be a proper parent. The Puppet thinks he's neglectful and incompetent, and in a way, it's right. And boy, you do not want to piss off the Puppet by hurting its little ones. Chapter twelve is pretty indicative of that 😆.

Michael is still too young to fully differentiate between what's right and wrong (he's perfectly fine with bullying Evan if his dad wishes it, although that has more to do with William's brainwashing), but yes, he does understand that he will only get into trouble if he hangs around with those assholes. Problem is, no one will take him, and he's too socially inept to make friends, despite the fact that he wants to. It's either he hangs with the bad crowd or he stays lonely, and like all kids his age, he wants to fit in, so he chooses what will get him "accepted".

Nowadays a lot of fics have Mike go back in time with knowledge of his father's true nature or take place in Michael's adulthood. It's rare to find a fanfic that has Mike as the jackass older brother he was in FNaF 4 and not be in a flashback, and while anyone can write whatever they want, I've personally found this use of the character to be oversaturated. Almost no one explores Mike when he was still an angsty teen, pun intended, and that's what I want to do with him here. I want to answer questions like what was Michael truly like with his siblings before it all went to hell and why is he the way he is. What he thought of his father and stuff like that. This fic is just as much a character study that attempts some new and "unique" things vaguely seen before as it is a story, through which I wish to expand and explore on some concepts that were forsaken in the games proper for reasons unknown to us fans.

About what he saw in the car, if there is a chance to take a bite out of someone's trauma, the Devil takes it with no hesitation. That said, the nightmares never left Matthew nor Cassidy. Matt's been dealing with them almost since day one, and he's only managing thanks to Mari keeping him company when he sleeps. Cassidy on the other hand, while she has already been sucked dry of her past/future pain, still has weird, albeit tame dreams with Matthew's clone in them, who btw is called Mirror Matt (yes, a play on GTLive that will become relevant later down the road). Evan's so-called nightmares are constant as well, but he'd been made the first Afton target a while ago. Mike's only now been hit because an opportunity had presented itself, but don't expect Liz to suffer from them. Some people are just off the table for things to work out in the Devil's favor, you see. It's funny how the Shadow knows of future events even though it isn't supposed to, don't you think ?

Regarding Matthew's lies, the meme thing will be cleared up next chapter, don't worry 8D! And I'm happy to say that you might be onto something with the Multiple Personality Disorder thing, but it's not really how you think it is. There are a total of six players at this table, and half of them have yet to reveal their hands, despite betting for the bigger picture. Nothing is as small scale as it seems.

Willy's experiments aren't gonna go in that direction just yet. This William isn't the mad scientist type, so he won't be pursuing that in the near future, or ever. It remains to be seen. The most he'll do is take a passive interest. Maybe... Anyway, I like to think a killer is more believable if their motivations are down to earth, you know? A big part of his character is the want to prove himself, and the control he desires to have over every little aspect of his life, including his children. He's an obsessive prick, and that plays an important role into why he kills. Everything makes sense to William because he's twisted everything into fitting his world view, so of course in his mind he can't be anything other than right.

I'm really happy to know you find my portrayal of him the most accurate you've read. That means more than you could know!

Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment and for the kind words! I'm hoping you'll like this chapter just as much as the last one! This one's gonna be huge! Enjoy!

Ellenad: Here it is, and thanks a bunch for reading and commenting. It really makes my day to know you're enjoying this story. Sorry for the wait, but this one went through a couple of revisions before I managed to finish it completely. In any case, I hope you'll like it!

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Listen clear, don't listen to that madman, he'll kill you from the inside. So before we take our bows please remember your own vows, that tonight we'll be crawling in your skin.

He stared at the cold liquid in his glass, observing how the light refracted at the bottom. Taking a sip, he looked back up at the telly, content with hearing the news anchor talk about the poverty in Africa and whatnot. It was one of those debate nights where "experts" were brought in to discuss the state of the world without actually acting upon the solutions they came up with. It was amusing, and pathetic, but it gave William some amount of enjoyment to watch as these people futilely fought against the current that was the corruption they lived in. He no longer had any pity for them, and he was happy to be separate from the things that made them weak.

His newfound clarity had made him accept that there was no place for one such as him among them, but he did not care to fit in. He'd carve his spot, and he'd focus on the important things in his life, forgetting all about the distractions surrounding him. William's family and business were what mattered to him. Ensuring they achieved their potential and grew into strong individuals was his top priority, the second one being to tend to his restaurant and make it flourish. Of course, he had his own needs to take care of, but there were plenty of sheep to go around, and if he was careful to choose someone that wouldn't be missed, he'd never get caught.

That was not him being overconfident, quite the opposite in fact. No, he had witnessed how little care an unimportant piece of filth received if they were to die, which was to say almost none at all. He could forget about getting sloppy and leaving behind incriminating evidence. No one minded it so long as the victim was unremarkable or below the middle class. Although, only killing those kinds of scum would not do well to satiate the itch. He would target wealthier folks too if he had the chance. They would have his upmost attention. He could afford to not be as cautious with the homeless, but with them he would offer his best performance. Ending lives was an art he was only now beginning to discover, and he'd give it his all to fully explore its intricacies. As it stood, he could not rush it, but he was so excited to try again, only this time using a more creative method.

He wanted to see for how long a person could go stabbed in the gut before they bled to death, or how long it took for someone to gasp underwater and begin drowning, or how much pain somebody could endure before they suffered a heart attack- although in that case it would depend on the person, he supposed. Still, he wanted to know exactly how simple it'd be to shatter another's hopes and make them end their own life, or talk them into murdering a loved one, or convincing them into giving in to their urges.

For William tapping into the hidden frustrations and desires of others was, quite frankly, child's play. He'd been doing it for all of his existence, which was how he'd gotten to where he was now, so he could not wait to try it out to a grander scale. Just how complicated would it be to get himself a puppet willing to follow his every direction? His children were good puppets, but he hadn't tried to push them in fear of making them realize their lack of autonomy. He was the one in control, and forcing them to snap out of it was out of the question.

It was better to build up his experience than to start urging his kids to follow in his footsteps so early on. Oh, he'd love nothing more than to have Lizzie or Michael or even Evan accompany him in his deeds. To turn it into a regular family activity… It might've seemed unrealistic, but William of all people knew that anything was possible if he invested enough time and effort into something. For now, he could only hope however, but he was a patient man when he wanted to be, and shaping his children into his image would be one of the hardest challenges of his entire life.

Most people were undeserving of life, and he was all too eager to take theirs. After all, where was the wrong in punishing and letting the lowly cry for their damned fates when they were not worthy of living? William would be doing the world a favor by getting rid of these vermin. He was not like those above that profited off the pain of others to enrich their empires, he would actually argue he'd be doing everyone a community service. Some might call him delusional for believing in such ideals, but then they did not understand like he did. They preferred to lie to themselves, but he refused. William would stay true to himself no matter the cost, unbothered by what was expected of him. Every person that had a problem with how he chose to run his family and life could kiss his ass- Afton answered to no one.

He found himself envious of the gentleman that took part in the war in Vietnam. Not because they got to watch those they held dear perish and being the only ones to come home, or because they were forced to commit unspeakable atrocities, but because they were able to kill as many as they wanted. Now, William was not downplaying their experiences- he respected the vets more than any other people- but had he been in their place he would've come out of the war the happiest, most fulfilled man possible. Friends he only had one, and it was an iffy relationship between them, not to mention that Henry would've been rejected from the military had he gotten drafted, and comraderies William wouldn't be able to form.

His loathing for all that moved and feeling of superiority was too high for Afton to care for his fellow soldiers, and so he wouldn't have batted and eye if they were to die. However, if he thought about it the one he was trying to kill fighting back did not appeal as much, so maybe it was better that he'd had the capital to stay home. The unpredictability of war could've very easily ended his own life, as invulnerable as William liked to think he was. Well, the past was the past, and he'd make time for himself to partake in his second passion now that he'd found it. In the comfort of his town no less, who could ask for more?

It was regrettable that it could not be turned into a profession for a middle-aged man like himself though, but he was fine with it remaining a hobby if he got to practice it every once in a while. Not all would go exactly as he wanted; he could admit that much. Anyhow. Things had changed a lot in the past month, and soon his name would be known throughout the whole country. He was certain of it. Everyone and their mother would hear of his restaurant and want to come pay it a visit.

Today was a big day as well, because the VHS for the Fredbear's Family Diner ad that would premiere in a few days during the afternoon on the local network had just come by mail, and William had invited Emily to his place so they and the kids could view it together and take note of any last-minute adjustments before the two men had to give the channel the go ahead to run it. The script for the show had been finished, the movements and voice lines of the animatronics calibrated, the decorations had been set up- they were waiting for the remaining merchandize to arrive, and the majority of the staff had been hired. It took a while to find who they were looking for, the most difficult positions being the chef and the technicians. Those were older men closer to his and Henry's age, and they'd also have the highest salaries given that their work was of greater significance.

The other employees- save for the janitors-; guards, waiters and so on were college students who were looking for a quick buck. Disposable if they messed up and not requiring too much money. They hadn't managed to find performers for the springlock suits however, which meant that he and Henry would have to substitute for a little while, at least until they could train somebody else to do it, but it was no big deal. It just meant that they could enjoy a small bonus before they had to raise a couple employees' salaries.

Henry had taken the time to talk and instruct the technicians they'd chosen on how to repair, program, assemble, disassemble, operate in testing, and maintain Fred and Bonnie. The full team consisted of six people that would be separated in groups of three and would each work on one animatronic. One head technician more experienced than the other two, an assistant technician that had experience but not to the same degree as the head and an intern, a younger employee that had just received their technical certificate from a vocational school and would have to complete their training on the job. As for the rest of the staff they had a total of seven people in the kitchen, four waiters/waitresses, one guy running the prize counter alongside the Puppet- blasted thing-, two guards and two janitors.

Being William's first venture into the restaurant business he couldn't exactly say if the staff was too large or too small for an establishment the size of Fredbear's, but he was expecting it to be a massive success. In a town as boring as Hurricane an attraction such as his Fredbear's was bound to garner a lot of attention, that he had no doubt of. Jr's, where William currently resided, was incredibly popular even though a lot of folks had to make at least a twelve-mile trip to reach it, to speak nothing of those that came from St. George. Besides hosting parties, Fredbear's would also allow people to come in and order whatever they wished from the menu. It was a family diner, not just an arcade or theater- bah, William felt old. In any case, if there was a show planned things would be a tad more expensive but generally for the regular customer everything was affordable.

For parties prices would come in packages ranging from 14.99 to 29.99 per child. Parents would have to pay for however many hours they wanted the party to be and then, depending on the package they choose, the number of children would add to the overall cost. They could also opt for extra activities featuring exclusive performances, bonuses and add-ons. Fred's was designed in such a way that once every brat got wind of it, they'd beg their parents to go there and get them the "Ultimate" package that included absolutely everything the diner had to offer from stage performances to aftershows, offstage interactions, unlimited access to the arcades and even toddler supervision in the form of the Puppet tending to the kids that were too young to play or enjoy the show, which was actually a terrific idea that Henry had suggested. The father away that thing was from William the better. He was one hundred percent onboard with it staying in the prize corner at all times.

He was expecting the starting months to be hectic as the population adjusted to the diner and afterward, once they would become popular enough, they'd be able to afford running the ads across the country and not just on the local news. People would come barging in begging for Afton and Henry to take their money so their children would stop whining to be taken to Fredbear's. It was true that William was anticipating his restaurant becoming a franchise despite how farfetched that dream had seemed a while ago, the reason for it being that the competitors they had observed were nowhere near as great as they presented themselves.

For one thing, they had no appreciation for quality and their mascots, besides being immobile and primitive in functionality, were also horrendous. He'd imagine Evan's reaction upon seeing one of the characters there as being worse than any tantrum the boy had ever thrown, and he couldn't blame his boy if such a situation came to pass, which was why he and Henry had spent the better part of a year coming up with designs that would not be repulsive for their main mascots. Both Fredbear and Springbonnie were friendly looking, and would be sure to inspire trust in kids. He had no doubt every child that would lay their eyes upon his creations would be immediately enthralled. Compare that to the repetitiveness of the shows at places such as ShowBiz Pizza Place and El Chip's Fiesta Buffet with their ugly characters that always had the same dialogue and you basically had lower quality versions of the animatronics that Walt Disney fellow had around his theme park, when the only thing going for those being the accurateness they kept to their cartoon counterparts.

William's position as a manager had opened the door for him to have plenty of connections, so he was not a mere rookie going in with big dreams but no clue as to how to achieve them like some of his competitors were. This market was an unexplored one, and Fredbear's would take it by storm while setting the bar for how these sorts of locations should look like and run. If Jr's set the standards for bars in Hurricane, then Fred's would do it for restaurant. But speaking of bars, the owner was looking troubled as he poured a shot to one of the men beside William, which was very much unlike Jerry, prompting Afton to motion for the man to get close so he could ask what was wrong.

"Another one?" asked the man, but William shook his head.

"No, I'm fine, thank you. I'll be off soon anyway because have to meet with Henry. But, tell me, is something the matter? You look a little downcast." the man paused in place, then gazed around to confirm that the two of them were not being paid any attention, before leaning in over the bar and whispering.

"So, uh…" he had to sigh before beginning. "A few days ago, I was taking out the trash like usual, you know, regular stuff, and when I round the corner, I find a guy slumped over. He doesn't notice me, doesn't even glance in my direction, he's just sitting there. I go to see what's up and then I see two joints on the ground near him and I'm like… shit, this guy's been smoking here in my back alley. So since he seems to be asleep, I try to wake him up to tell him to get lost so I won't call the cops on him but he won't respond." Jerry leaned back, rubbing his eyes. The band on stage did a good job of muffling out their conversation so even the customers on the other stools couldn't hear what the bartender was saying.

"And what did you do?" William asked it as more of a courtesy. If he hadn't been caught yet than it was clear what had happened.

"Well, I uh, I was starting to grow a little worried so I checked the guy's pulse, and… he was dead. Initially I think he might've OD'd but you'd have to smoke a lot to do so and he didn't smell like he'd smoked that much." the fact that the man was not all that bothered that he'd found a dead body, and spoke about it as if it was a normal occurrence, did not put William off, knowing the type misfortune Jerry had had to endure and the kinds of people that walked into his pub on a daily basis.

"My God… that's horrible. I'm sorry you had to see that." he made himself sound as sympathetic as he could despite being aware that the man did not really require his condolences. It showed that he cared if nothing else, and it was better to try and throw off suspicion even though he wasn't a suspect. If he was one, he would've been brought in for questioning by now.

"Thanks, but… it's alright. I'm just glad none of my kids saw him there… So obviously I call the police and they come, inspect the place, ask me a couple of questions and take him away. One of the boys that showed up was a friend of mine, Burke, he's a detective- he told me that apparently the guy I found had been killed. Said the forensics figured out that he'd been strangled to death.

"Someone was murdered right outside this place?!" William shouted silently, making his face go just the slightest bit pale. It took a considerable amount of effort not to shake with laughter.

"Yeah… After the autopsy Burke told me the guy was an addict. He was pumped up on a lot of shit before he died. Everything from meth to crack and acid... Son of a bitch was doing that for who knows how long here, but none of the regs ever said anything about him because they probably thought he was homeless or something, from how he was dressed... Uh, you can imagine that they made this a crime scene- that's why we only opened today- but they still don't know who did it. The fingerprints on his neck were long gone before the cops showed up. Burke said they only last up to fifteen minutes on skin which is…" the man shuddered. "It's just… someone killed that kid right outside my place, Bill. I mean, I know it's irrational and unlikely that it could happen again but the fact that it did means that everybody that comes through here is in danger if they ever decide to go for a smoke outside, and as long as they're here I'm responsible for crap like that, you know?" Afton inclined his head, nodding. He kept the silence between them for a moment before responding.

"You can't be certain that it's gonna happen again. To me it sounds like this was a one-off thing but… Maybe installing some security measures would prevent something like this from ever happening a second time?" he offered calmly. Placating the man seemed like the best idea, and it would've been out of character for William to act any other way since the two of them knew each other for years now.

"Yeah, I was thinking of calling a company and asking them to mount a couple of cameras around. I never did before because I didn't think this was possible and now some poor moron died because of it…" Will softened his expression, patting his "pal's" shoulder.

"Come now, sport, you can't blame yourself for something that was out of your hands. All you can do is make sure it doesn't repeat but besides that… Yes, it sucks that it happened but you can't let it put you down." since he hadn't killed Jonathan inside Jr's was in no danger of closing so he did not get what Jerry had suddenly grown so distressed over. A human had died, sure, but in the grand scheme of things that would not affect the man's business.

"I keep thinking what would Martha think of me if she saw that I allowed this in the- place of our dreams. Yeah, the guy was a junkie but he didn't deserve-" right, not everyone shared William's world view. While he did think the man above the herd, he was still under their influence.

"-I know for a fact that she would not want you to mull over an unfortunate death that you couldn't have prevented. She'd want you to move on with the promise that you will do better." he gave his advice in a charming tone of voice. It seemed to have its intended effect

"…I know… but… if I could just get my hands on the guy who did it… that he desecrated Martha's dream…" William downed his drink and then spoke.

"I'm sure the police will catch him. In a town this small it can't be that hard to catch a murderer."

"I hope so, anyway. Although Burke thinks this might've been planned, like a… hit on a gang member." that earned William's raising of one eyebrow. Oh, he had nothing to worry about if the police were this oblivious. Good to know.

"He does? What led him to that conclusion?"

"The same day I found the guy someone called in that there was this drug dealer around the Middle School in Hurricane. When they checked it out, they found who they'd been tipped off was selling drugs to minors. They brought the guy in and he spilled after a while. Tony was his name. Burke thought he and the dead dude were connected and when he showed him pictures of the body he confessed. Jonathan, the one that died, was one of his friends. Tony supposedly moved states because of some deals gone bad in California where he made a lot of enemies. He was afraid those he'd pissed off had come knocking and that's what Burke suspects… but he's still not really sure about it."

"Wow, I-… I think I heard some rumors about something like that going on but I didn't want to believe it. Michael never smelled so I thought it was just kids being kids, acting all cool or whatever. But, wait, I'm confused, what does your friend suspect if he's not sure about it being a hit?"

"The thing is… the person that tipped them off made the call around the same time Jonathan died, and in it they said they'd heard from their son that this Tony was dealing to kids at school, so unless whoever came from California knew about how he operated, which Tony himself said was impossible, then the killer is local." oh… well, that made everything much more enticing. William almost grinned. "I honestly don't know. Burke is fifty-fifty on this- `cause maybe the killer had an informant, like one of Tony's friends ratting on him."

"And what do you think is more likely?" he couldn't help but ask. It'd be beneficial to gauge the opinion of an involved individual. There was a lot for Afton to learn thanks to his first murder. While he hadn't expected this much attention to the simple death of a not-homeless person, it would seem that it was more important than he would've thought. He still wasn't worried however. Far from it in fact.

"Pfft… If you ask me- I'd say the local theory. Because for one, how the hell would anyone all the way from California know Jonathan hung around here? If Tony had no idea where Jonathan spent his free time then that would mean none of his buddies did either, so no one could've ratted. Like, it doesn't add up. I think that whoever made that phone call was telling the truth about hearing of the drugs from their son, and then they just stumbled upon the guy while he was outside and took the opportunity to murder him. And since it's pretty hard to find this place out of the blue if you don't know about it- I mean, me and Martha bought this piece of land `cause it was the one available at the time- it must've been one of the regulars here. Like, this is mostly reserved for vets and they don't tell the young folk to come here- it'd ruin the atmosphere, you know? Besides you, `cause you live here, no one just wanders on a random country road in the middle of the forest unless they know there's a bar there." Jerry sounded revolted, amusing Afton a great deal.

"Right, yeah, no, the road from the highway leads to my house and that's it." William confirmed, enjoying playing along. If he remained composed it would all be okay.

"Exactly, it- it's insane to think that any one of the men that come here could've done it. People that I know and see every day." his eyes scanned the occupied tables warily. "People my kids could've served. It's…" Jerry bowed his head in defeat. He looked up at William more discouraged than before. "And on top of all of that, get this…" the man leaned again across the counter. "The call was made from right here inside the phonebooth in the parking lot."

"What?" William's brain short-circuited for a moment. He stopped breathing in an instant, his palms becoming sweaty. He let himself be overcome be shock for no more than four seconds before he took in a couple hidden inhales, trying his best to not appear all that concerned, all the while a single thought was racing through his mind over and over again; how? How could they have known? The call hadn't been long enough to be traced, and the police had had no reason to even try to trace it at the time, so how the hell could they have known? He hadn't worn gloves that day- had they gotten his fingerprints from the telephone? If so, why hadn't they barged into his home to put him in cuffs yet? What were they waiting for? Was this a sting operation to make him indirectly admit to it with Jerry being just the pawn they set to get him to confess? Were they undercover among the patrons? Were-

-No, don't panic. Stay calm. He commanded himself. It's not like you to lose control- you can't. You're William Afton, you can do anything. Take back control of your body. You can't appear weak now. You can't afford to give yourself away. They haven't caught you yet so they mustn't suspect you, otherwise Jerry would not be telling you all of this. Afton rationalized, having a hard time comprehending the implications of getting caught so soon. That Burke would've told Jerry to not talk to you if you were a suspect, and Jerry is not stupid to forget that kind of order. No, everything is fine- they're not onto you. You haven't made a mistake, just relax. Deep, slow breaths. You're perfectly fine…

"Yeah, Burke had a hunch so the precinct contacted the service provider and wouldn't you know it, a call was made from the telephone box outside the exact moment they received theirs. Lasted just as long too." he blinked in response.

William did not understand. Even if someone else besides him had used it why hadn't any officer showed up to question him. Everyone that had their prints on that telephone should've been a suspect but he had been let go. Why? Were they really so incompetent? And what did this mean for him, if after such a lousy mistake he could've been found? What was he supposed to get from all of this- that he could lay the evidence for others to find and still ger away with murder? But that was absurd- why the hell was he not in a jailcell by now?

He simply did not understand. Did this mean that he could commit as many crimes as he wanted and no one would take notice- how could he be allowed to walk around if he'd been so idiotic as to leave his prints on the receiver? He was missing the logic in this.

"So then… how is the murderer not caught by this point? Weren't his fingerprints all over the telephone?" maybe Jerry could offer him an explanation that would make sense, because he for some reason could not get it. And no, he was not crazy, he should be caught, and yet he wasn't, so his confusion was perfectly legitimate.

"No. They found it wiped clean. Either he was wearing gloves or he took the time to clean it up before he left. They don't have any other leads." that was… relieving, but also…

Afton did not know how to feel about this. For the first time in a long while, he was stumped. Had he- no, no, he knew for a fact that he hadn't done anything like that when he'd made the call, so what had gotten rid of the evidence for him? Who knew what he'd done, and why had they helped him? He should've been caught but… Something was very wrong here, and he had no clue as to what he should do to start searching for answers.

He looked at the empty glass in his hands and exhaled, his features portraying clear apprehension for a man as collected as him.

"A killer is on the loose in Hurricane of all... Fuck." he exclaimed, though his exasperation was not what it seemed. He said it as some great realization, and thankfully Jerry bought it.

"You tell me. Unless he does it again and leaves behind some evidence, they're not gonna catch him, and there really isn't much I could tell Burke to help. Without any leads they're stuck. I just hope they find anything at all so the case doesn't go cold. There's no guarantee it won't happen again here and I can't stand the thought of any of my clients or my kids getting killed, by a person I know no less." the man sounded pretty desperate, making William nod understandingly.

It won't happen again. Not here anyway, that was only chance, Afton declared internally. He decided he heard enough for one night. William had to get out and clear his head since Henry would be coming over soon, lest he wanted to burst, and five kids in one place would surely raise his blood pressure. He got up from the stool, pulling out his wallet to pay for his drink.

"Here. I uh, if I notice anything I'll let you know. Thanks for telling me."

"Nah, it's alright, Bill. I had to get it off my chest. Besides my kids no one knew so… thank you for listening." he paused, then nodded once more and shook the man's hand before making his way out of the pub.

The cold winter air hit him in full when he exited through the door, but he'd grown used to it after living where he did for so long. He saw his car in the usual spot where he'd park it and went to enter it, but as his fingers brushed the handle the wind sent a shiver down his spine. As he froze in place the cold turned warmer without warning. His back especially felt the increase in temperature, as if there was a fire burning right behind him. William's breath hitched, and he could do nothing but watch his limbs tremble, unable to turn around and confront what was causing him this. There was a weight wrapped around his whole body, keeping him in the middle of that awkward position of opening a car to get in but seeming to struggle with it. He could feel his eyes growing heavy, and if not for the rumbling his ears picked up he would've passed out most likely.

He couldn't look, but he knew that he was being toyed with, the growling laughter made that apparent, and William could feel his rising anger, boiling under the surface. The itch was back too, triggered by the waves of venom that washed over him. It made the man want to go back into the bar, pick up a knife and just start stabbing everyone that dared to look him in the face. He wanted to shout, to express his bubbling rage, but the poison kept his mouth shut, expanding in power as something manifested behind him. Half his mind was fuming with confusion, but the other half was drowning in a feeling so indescribable, it made him want to puke and cry tears of joy at the same time.

It was vile, like nothing he had ever felt before, and toxic beyond belief. A detestation so pure that it was no wonder he was having this kind of reaction. He knew this was not normal- his mind was conscious enough to get that- but he did not understand what was happening to him. What was this, he could only hope to ask, but the void that grasped his very being laughed some more, a sickening sound to a lesser person, but William could not let himself be intimidated. The man was close to tearing, but he felt as though he should have a stronger response and desire to murder for this, and yet… he felt at home, feeling the shadows around him shift underneath his gaze, stuck in place as he was. Even the moon's light was being extinguished by the darkness that crept up his vision, and it all served to make him wonder…

What in the actual hell was going on?

He was not hallucinating- not even his father had had this powerful of episodes, and the man had never felt things. William was well aware how hallucinations were, and this wasn't it. He hadn't taken after his old man, that much he knew since he'd been a child, if the countless visits to "professionals" were to be trusted. He was also not going insane, because his thoughts, while agitated to the point he couldn't make sense of his surroundings, were relatively normal, consisting of questions he didn't have the time to consciously formulate with how his body felt like it was being dripped in acid, just without feeling the pain. For the life of him he could not fathom what he was going through, but he was not afraid. The dark was comforting in a way while simultaneously ripping him to shreds. The thousands of needles pricking his back, digging into his ribcage were hurting but alleviating as well, ridding him of exhaustion, the stress he'd just felt and also satiating the itch for death.

They searched within him- perhaps for his soul? When they found it, a splash of feebleness made his knees give beneath him, but he remained stationary. Then, like being awaken with water, it went away, leaving a tether connected to every fiber of his being. Momentarily he went through an overload during which he blacked out as every cell inside of him adjusted, but then he was back to normal, and every malicious sensation that had surrounded him left as quickly as it had appeared.

William just stood there, despite having regained control, his mind having trouble understanding. He shakily noted how his reflection in the car window was gone, or it might've been better to say that it had been altered. What he saw was not his face staring back at him. Mirroring his movements down to the most miniscule of details, an eyeless Springbonnie looked at William. With his mouth agape he slowly reached his hand up to his chin, and saw as his creation did the same. He could see it so clearly, the way the golden fur shined in the moonlight, how the breeze moved it to one side, how every minute jerk of his fingers was copied by the rabbit.

And those eyes… William found himself staring into them so intently that he was unable to do anything else. Where there should've been an uplifting emerald shine there was darkness, and it was calling to him as the animal held his gaze, but Afton did not blink. Instead, he maintained the abyss' piercing glare and answered it with feelings of unease to its very nature, watching in mixed terror how the rabbit he had built kept on mimicking him, as if it was trying to tell him of their resemblance. It was right as well, even as William tried to deny it. They both hid their true selves, putting on a lovely exterior to appease and earn trust, but they were liars. Identical ones, it could be said, because underneath both there rested an impurity so profound it had the potential to rot away all that it touched.

And that stirred a primal fear within William. It was like being exposed naked before the whole world, everybody being free to observe each and every one of his secrets. A million people were looking at him all at once, laughing, and William took a step back in cowardice. No amount of bravado would be enough to shield him from his own image. He had no privacy in the face of his mirror, despite the reflection appearing different. Whatever form it took did not matter, because the message would stay the same; he was so disgusting of a human being that he horrified himself. This was not just in his mind. It couldn't be. It was far too elaborate to be. The rabbit was real, and William could see himself behind those pits of nothing. He could see the silver glow of his eyes beneath that mask, and the familiarity with which they spoke of destruction. It took one to know one, and William recognized the caged desire for blood he had held and still did. The death.

He refused to admit to it. He refused to admit to this moment of limpidity - perhaps the only one he would ever get to experience, where there were no barriers, no smiles and no illusions set up to protect his self. The cards were laid out in front of him, but he did not look at them.

William backed away from the car, almost stumbling on his ass while forcing himself not to scream. He was not that- he might've been above the others but he was not this inhuman. He wasn't just a bloodthirsty animal- he denied its claims that he did not feel. He was human, he was a god but he was human- he was not apathetic towards his family- no! He loved and valued them all. He loved his children above all else- his angels- they were so important to him- he only wanted what was best for them. They weren't his pawns; they were so much more than that- all three of them. He just had to reaffirm that to himself and ignore what the rabbit was silently saying. If he reinforced what he believed and moved through the impaling thoughts he was invincible. William Afton was not afraid- because nothing could touch him, no pain he could ever cause would come back to haunt him- what he killed would stay dead.

It would, because only those that were like him got to decide who lived and who didn't- he was the master of the pack. He was a fucking God, and whoever he deemed unworthy would be crushed under his boots. It did not matter that he did not understand. He could not comprehend what this was, but it was ludicrous to treat it like it was the truth, because then he'd give it power over him, and he could not allow anyone to dominate his being. It would go away if he continued acting like himself, always avoiding to jump in the scorching lake of guilt. He wasn't. He had no remorse. He was proud of what he had done, and he couldn't wait to do it again, and again, and again until every single person that had ever looked at him the wrong way would have their souls be taken out of their mortal coils to feed his hunger for death- until his fingers wrapped around all of their little, so easily breakable necks and squeezed the life right out of their lungs.

But the rabbit did not disappear the further back he went, and he wished he could fathom why. Why was he being subjected to this- this torture?! Who had he wronged at any point!? He hadn't done anything to warrant this feeling of guilt that withered at his heart. Why couldn't he understand…? There was no reason for the man to feel like this- he had done a good thing that night- he had punished that undeserving dirt- he'd protected his own child and countless others! He was justified to rid the world of that parasite that fed off of the society they inhabited.

He just did not understand why… at least not until an invading voice spoke directly into his head, resounding all around him while originating from no visible source.

William, he heard it speak his name, its strength radiating through its tone alone.

His entire body recoiled upon hearing the noise, hitting the telephone booth with his back before falling to the ground on his knees. He whipped his head around in search of what had just spoken to him, but then his attention landed on the booth, or what burned inside of it, and his eyes simply widened. He wouldn't question his youngest son ever again. That boy was not schizophrenic like his grandfather.

It was an electrifying, energizing mass of pure hate that seemed to exist just so he could feel it through his veins, but the more he stared at it the more afraid he became. Made for him, but oh so destructive that even he would decay should he remain for much longer in its presence. How could something so horrifying stem from him, he of course did not know, but that did not stop him from crawling backwards while keeping a hand raised in an attempt to cover himself should it direct its pestilence towards him, although in no universe would such a pathetic gesture save Afton. Those pinpricks of light only amplified its shifting darkness, and William was ready to beg it to spare him. The way they shined at him, it was ten times worse than the rabbit in the window, because this was beyond personal. It was aimed at him, and it was hard to imagine how much more of this mental hell he could take before he shattered like glass.

Against his better judgement and instincts, William blinked, the next moment seeing it appeared in front of him out of thin air, towering over his shivering body like the monster it was. This was what the white bunny he'd murdered must've felt like that day, a distant, honest part of his mind thought. To face an unstoppable force, to despair at the ease with which it could end you, to know that no matter what you did you would still end up the same. It was wrenching to think that this was where he would die, and how the tiny lives he'd live behind would react. Because what else awaited him? He'd been reduced to a toy, and the puppeteer was soon to cut his strings and break him like he was worthless. William did not want to die- he wanted to live- to see his darling children grow and make a future for themselves, but he knew nothing he could do would change his fate, yet that did not reassure him in the slightest. If anything, it made the man even more frightened.

"Please…" his fear supplied the words. They came out barely audible, lower than a whisper, but somehow, they were still perceived by the figure standing above him. It was ironic, and pointless to ask, but what did he have to lose? He could only pray that his kids would not suffer what he was about to- Oh dear God, his kids! They'd-

Cease your incessant whining! the monster's booming voice commanded sternly, freezing the man on the ground. Suffice to say that he would only speak if given the permission. I have grown tired of your lack of identity, William Afton. You do not know who you are, the being was almost twice the man's height, and the aura it radiated seemed to boil the air around them. The tiny arcs of purple electricity that sparked close to its smoking body after each second spoke of the underlying power it had over him. He could taste the static.

William gulped as he struggled to process what it had said and how to answer it, too amazed by its existence that he'd gone mute. Quite literally everything he thought he knew had been thrown out the window, and he had an inkling of a suspicion that he was about to receive some recontextualization, that was, if he would not suffer a fate worse than death first.

You have started following the path of iniquity, but you are lost. You refuse to let go of the hope that you have in these… animals that you are forced to share the earth with. You keep on having these revelations about yourself, but you are going in circles, with no clear goal in mind… Have you gotten nothing from the time that you've been alive, however short it might've been?

His breathing was cut short. A feeling of humiliation overwhelmed him. Such an appalling sensation, as he if had been disowned by his parents- like he had brought shame to the Afton name, that tears welled up in his eyes. Tears. He was close to crying, and he did not know whether it was out of fear or mortification. He hadn't felt such a thing since he'd left home to come built a future for himself in the land of opportunity. If he went past the indignity he felt for a reason he couldn't perceive, the question of how came to mind. How this fiend knew about- how did it know him so well? Why were the layers he'd set up over time to cover his conscience so easily torn off? Just why?...

It was not relevant. He should assume that it knew everything there was to know about him, but that only made him even more scared, if his gasping was of any indication. A little more of this and he'd start to choke.

The monster was losing its patience at his silence. When the ground under its feet began to crack William knew he'd made a mistake, but he closed his eyes in fear too soon to see it reach for him with its massive hand that was the size of his torso. He only felt himself being lifted off the cold pavement by the shirt, and when he falteringly opened his eyes to look into the face of death, he saw its scowl. The image would remain glued into his brain for the rest of his days, if he dared to believe that there was even a flicker of hope to make it out alive. If he was to be realistic however, he knew that wouldn't be the case… But he thought the question had been rhetorical- he didn't mean to offend- he was sorry…!

Nothing? the devil's tone was littered with disbelief for his admission of sins, as if it couldn't accept him being just so weak.This is what you are? An annoying ant begging to not be stomped on? it didn't want to hear of his pitiful cries to justify himself, but even for that he apologized internally, which earned him another growl. Only its face contorted, but its jaw did not open when it spoke, and for that William was thankful, as he did not want to have to see inside that mouth that was undoubtedly filled with rows of needlelike teeth.

…The corners that the human mind goes to continue to astonish me… it tsked, shaking its head as its claws dug deeper into the man's shirt. William was held right in front of the dots of light that floated in the middle of its sockets, perhaps to make this more palpable. If that was the plan, then he had to admit that it was very effective. Your restless imagination has fused with your fear for the unknown, and now you wonder when you will be found guilty. If you keep up the slacking, Mr. Afton, very soon will you be discovered. In some way you already have been…

He… had? Then… How did he get away with it? Was this- had this- the Devil helped him? That must've been it. There was no other conclusion he could draw, so… did that mean he would be spared? Was that an actual possibility he could look up to if he promised on his very soul to do its bidding?!

"I… was I- did y- you help me then…?" his voice had lost its edge. Gone was the intensity that would cause his eldest to enter a frenzy at the thought of disappointment, or his youngest to burst into crying when faced with his shortcomings. He was a shadow of his former self in the presence of Satan.

You still haven't figured it out? he heard an exasperated sigh pierce his mind. Look around you, William, he was let go, the shadow putting its other claw on his back. Look out there, it pointed in the distance. William followed with his gaze in the direction that it outstretched its arm, coming upon a couple of lights shining from between the trees. Hurricane was in that direction. What is that, William? the monster's head tilted down at him. What do you see? What are they to you?

"I… I do not…" his heartrate was preventing him from thinking clearly, on top of every other thing that was going wrong. While he couldn't understand what it was that the demon was referring to, he did not want to upset it further, so he tried his hardest to rack his brain for an answer that would satisfy it, but he came up empty. He just didn't know, and he was too afraid to admit it. After all, what use did a worm have when it couldn't even answer a basic question?

Not the place, you imbecile. The people! What are they to you?! it repeated, making the man reel back in its grasp. The claws were close to stabbing his shoulder. The pressure around them had escalated, and a red glow was emanating out of the cracked asphalt beneath them. William thought he could hear at least a hundred voices, all wailing in agony. Say. It. I want to hear you admit it out loud.

"I…" like a lightbulb lighting up, Afton found his courage, at least for a short moment, and he spoke. "Vermin! They are worms that I want to- to…" his breathing was too ragged to expand on his opinion, but he clenched his fists before himself as if he was strangling an invisible person, and the Devil chuckled at his response, but… there was no malice behind it- it could even be called proud. This had been the right answer.

A small feeling of pride squeezed itself into William's mind through the dread, and he bit his lip to hide the tiny grin that wanted to appear on his lips, like he had just pleased his parent.

Yes. And you, my mortal friend, have the potential to end their miserable existences they call lives whenever you so please, a sharp-ended finger was placed on the center of the man's chest. Inside of you, Mr. Afton, is a wickedness that can give you the power to rule over them all. Use it. Use your God-given gift for destruction and pain to cut down those that are unworthy of life, this was… he was being given the permission to… by the Devil himself? William was at a loss for words. No, he was absolutely flabbergasted. He would not be slaughtered because he crossed a line but he was asked to inflict his suffering onto others- his worth was recognized by the incarnation of pain... It was mindboggling to wrap his head around, but he was just so happy he could cry. He was ready to sell his soul if it meant he could enjoy his second calling to his heart's content and would not suffer for it.

The man didn't think he'd ever felt this elated before. Not even killing that liar had made him feel like he did now. It was as if every desire, every prayer for appreciation, the hope to find someone with his mentality, had been answered. As if his struggles had been rewarded by the greatest gift a man like him could receive. He'd thought that no one could understand him, but… in his darkest hour he had found his light in the darkness, and it was beautiful.

All of your years you've been repressing the most potent part of yourself, angry at the world for being sick, but never trying to cure it. What are you afraid of? he did not know. Maybe it was the desire to fit in with those around, despite the hate he had for them. He supposed that at the end of the day he did not want to be alone, just like any other creature on this planet. He wanted to surround himself with people that thought like him, and in doing so he'd tried to conform to their ways of living, discarding his own valid wants in favor of not feeling lonely. There are no consequences for the strong, William. You know that better than most, the monster took hold of both his shoulders, forcing Afton to look into the pits of its eyes. You've realized the weakness in useless concepts such as morals, and… ideals, but you have denied to indulge in what is only natural and normal for someone that is on top of the food chain, in fear of what? What could possibly happen to you that would be worse than facing death? Nothing, William, of course…

…It was right. No torture would be worse than having all that made him who he was be taken away by the cold hands of time, or fate. He could be dragged through fire, but to lose his memories, his consciousness, and his thoughts in an instant… it was an intimidating concept. To exist one second, and the next to end. He wouldn't even be aware of it. Everything for William would stop, and the world would move on without him, forgetting who he'd been incredibly soon. The Devil was right.

While this sort of reflection was not his- he could feel the idea being introduced into his mind, the monster's work no doubt- he had meditated on it before, but only now did it start to get a rise out of him. The more he pondered his mortality, the more unnerved he got, and the fact that the clouds in the sky appeared to be accumulating and moving faster than they should have did not reassure him.

There are no barriers you cannot cross, and there is no rule to stop you once you choose to devote yourself to what is right. You are a shepherd among cattle. Blank slates with nothing unique to themselves, and nothing to offer, cinders were beginning to rise out of the cracks in the pavement as the air was filled with vapors, distorting it like a gas leak would. It was getting especially hard to breathe as the oxygen William inhaled burned his lungs with each breath, but he fought to not let it show. Their impact is minimal at best. Most are undeserving of the sweetness that is life, and you… my friend, will take that away from them. Because pigs are grown to be slaughtered… and when one starts squealing before its throat is cut… the butchers relish in the sound.

The sky was now filled with clouds, masking the moon in darkness. What awesome power this was, William couldn't help but marvel at the display. A thunder echoed from inside the clouds, followed by another one, and then another until a thunderstorm formed right above them, screaming into the night.

You have the blessing of Death to spread its touch to all that rejects it.

Afton lips curved upwards. He could not keep the smile from forming on his face. Those words were everything he could ever wish to hear.

A lightning bolt escaped the storm above, before arcing back up. The sound was more powerful than before, making William tremble as the freezing wind returned, chilling his bones. A second bolt fired off, this one ending before it reached the ground.

Let their remnants cry in fates infernal, and your name shall be forever, unbroken by time.

Oh, he would. He swore he would. Nothing would please him more.

Multiple firebolts exploded down upon them, forming what looked like tree roots only about a thousand meters above the ground, brightening the whole of southwestern Utah. Temporary wings sprouting from the demons back shined before they fizzled out, their shockwave traveling up to the mountains in the distance. Needless to say, that Afton had never been more amazed.

Do you… accept? To walk in the night's shadow and cure the animals of the pestilence that infects them? To be enlightened? The shadow leaned back, the glare on its brow having faded for a moment, holding its hand out for William to take. He looked into those dots of white that seemed to stare into his soul, reading what he was thinking. There was no point in asking him, besides maybe striking a deal between them, it knew what his answer would be. How could he refuse anyway? If he did so he'd be spitting in the face of a being that could've wiped him off the face of the earth but had so mercifully kept him alive. Because it saw worth in him. Because it had a plan for him, like any god did for its subjects. He wasn't a religious person- he chose to believe that only he could shape his destiny- but he also wasn't against those beliefs. He just did not care much for what would happen in the afterlife, if there was one to begin with. He would own up to his "mistakes" if he were to ever be judged, and if not then he would just... he would…

He'd make sure to leave an impact on the world before he died. And he was happy he'd get to do just that. He would even accept to be called a believer, because he had seen the proof with his own eyes. Eagerly, the man nodded, shaking its hand without a second though. He felt the energy brush around his skin, flowing into his veins. It invigorated him. Perhaps he had just sold his soul for something many would not consider to be of much value, but they did not understand. They did not understand that he wasn't looking for endless riches or fame- no, all William Afton wanted was for him to know that what he was and how he was had legitimacy. That he was not crazy for being the way he was. He didn't need to be promised power or any other equally unimaginative thing, and he hadn't been. All he wanted was to know if there was some truth to his feelings, and there was. He'd been blessed to pursue those feelings, and the fact that his name would be eternal- that could mean a multitude of things- was just a nice bonus on top. In many ways he was like a child, but he really couldn't be bothered to give a crap. Afton was in cloud nine as far as he was concerned.

William knew he hadn't been deceived. He could see it in those pinpricks of light that were drilling holes into the back of his head. Those eyes were like his, if only supernatural. They were eyes of mutual understanding, of finding a person you could see yourself into. He no longer felt fear for the demon that stood before him. Instead, respect had settled in his heart. To be blessed by Death… there was no higher honor a man like Afton could ask for. None.

This "partnership" will bestow you the knowledge of secrets most would offer their entire beings for, but I am not so absurd as to ask that of you. I do not need a slave, but rather a willing partner. I recognize the desire for enjoyment in a… hobby such as this, and so you will be free to go about this however you want, the demon hummed, turning to look in the spot where the junkie had died. As for my stake in this, choosing you for me to… look over is a long-term investment. Your efforts will help benefit a great many worlds, let's call them…

The wind whistled a threat, but it was too late to be heeded.

They are all true, you see.

It was in that exact moment that the storm had reached its climax. Lightning struck in a straight beam, this time reaching the ground. It hit a nearby tree, splitting it in two while also launching innumerable splinters in all directions throughout the parking lot. The tremor set off a few car alarms as well. While the shadow did not react, only glancing disinterested in the direction of the destroyed tree, William did feel his heart skip a beat at the sudden noise, which made him unable to protect his face from the incoming pieces of wood, one of them managing to cut across his left cheek, right under his eye. A couple were about to hit the shadow, but they turned to dust as they made contact with its mass.

Warm liquid ran down the side of Afton's face, and when he touched it, he saw his fingers colored red. It stung, being so close to the eye, but he'd been lucky it hadn't hit the actual organ. Frantic thoughts of why this had happened immediately plagued his mind. If this was a ritual thing where he had to offer his blood or what, he hadn't the faintest.

In the midst his panicking, he managed to notice how they were still alone outside the pub, which was weirdly out of the ordinary. By now someone from inside the bar should've come outside to check out where the lightning had struck, and if the cars had been damaged, but all the patrons remained inside to William's intrigue. Of course, the answer was stood right before him, but still, he was curious as to what its capabilities consisted of. Was it omnipotent?... Er, that didn't appear to be the case, but nonetheless, there was no reason to show all that it could do to a single human, was there? He was thankful for the powers he had gotten to see, but since it had shown so many so quickly, he'd have to witness them again to count them all accurately.

Meanwhile, the monster laughed as it looked up to the sky. When William did so too, he almost chocked on his saliva. He felt like an insect being near a giant that could squash him whenever it chose to. There, up in the clouds, for just a brief instance, the thunderbolts formed a face. A glowing, fiery face of white immersed in an aura of blue, devoid of any features, although Afton could still tell it was a face from its shape alone. It lasted for no more than a single second, but occupied most of the sky and lit it up to the point where one would think it was the middle of the day.

It hit William all at once. The storm hadn't been the shadow's doing. This was-

-Well, it would seem I've spoken a bit too much, he heard its voice in his mind again, overwhelming the car alarms that continued to blare around them, hilarity dripping into its tone. Afton tried to find some comfort in the fact that it was not distressed, but that was easier said than done. He'd went through a myriad of emotions in not even ten minutes, and from the way his fingers were trembling, he did not have long before he cracked under the pressure. This was too much for the man to handle in such a short span of time. It took every ounce of willpower he had to avoid breaking into a sprint towards his car and driving the hell away, but he did not want to picture what would await him should he decide to ditch the one that had spared him. He shouldn't even entertain the thought of running, because he knew he'd be safe if he remained by its side. It wanted him to live, did it not?

He was alright, and he would be safe. It would ensure it. All he had to do was keep his adrenaline under control and ignore the rapid beating of his heart, even when being below that furious glare of light. He had to stay above his base instincts in order to survive- it'd be an insult if he allowed himself to keep being scared shitless by anyone other than the Devil. He could attest that there was no greater fear than meeting "evil"- truth- incarnate, so to be fearful of anything less would be beyond blasphemous.

Hmm. To get the big man to step off of his pedestal of neutrality… I'd say our meeting has been worth it just for this little reaction. It takes quite a lot to get him to intervene. He doesn't want his playthings to know of what's out there. I'm almost tempted to push for strike three… It said while looking up to the now normal heavens. Then, without notice, it appeared only inches away from William, forcing the man to stumble back and once again fall to the ground. We were never supposed to meet, but your actions have forced me to reveal myself to you for a bit of course correction. There are things outside of your control that have influenced you, so the blame does not rest entirely on your shoulders, but… the monster grabbed the back of William's head and knelt down, reigniting the fear inside the man as the pain from the cut on his cheek spread over his whole face. I shall only warn you once; if you act this haphazardly in your practices ever again… It was as if all sounds around them had halted. In that one second there was nothing besides William and the shadow, with a spotlight gleaming down upon them.

You will watch your daughter be skinned alive and eaten from the inside out by rodents. Your name will be left to rot into the minds of others, and when your heart and body will be broken and you will think have nothing to lose, I won't let you find solace in the thought of immortality, because I will take away the last thing you'll truly have, and send your soul into oblivion. You, your lineage, your ambitions, and everything you ever were will be erased from history. Not even the dirt will remember your ashes...It paused, letting its jaw hang open, the glow of its dots intensifying. Everyone breaks sooner or later, and you have all the time in the world to crack... Do you understand?

William nodded as fast as he could, having no reaction to the pain he felt in his nape as the claws scratched at his skin.

Good, the demon rose, retracting its talons from behind the man's head and dissipating the shroud of darkness that had enveloped them. Do not be worried about dates, locations or witnesses. Focus on the harvesting of life and everything will go as you wish. But you need to avoid carelessness for that- I have forgiven you now, but remember that you will not be permitted this mercy a second time. Play with fire and you will get burned, so behave yourself and refrain from acting stupid. The minimal amount of effort required is not much to ask in exchange for your survival, don't you agree, Mr. Afton?

"I- I do. I understand... T- Thank you…" he was able to say through the molten air. It nodded slowly, its eyes narrowed, before letting out what should have been a sigh that instead came out as a low growl.

Do not expect us to meet again. You know what will happen if we do.

"…Yes."

Beware those you think the highest of. They're the ones you'd least expect to suspect you, but they are not what they seem. While it would be fun to inform you if their identity and them of what you've been up to so their morale would cripple… more pain can be caused by revealing it all at a later date. Unless pushed they do not pose much of a threat for you and you will know who they are in due time. Be on the lookout but avoid stressing over it. Their fate is already sealed… It said cryptically. He wasn't allowed time to ask for clarification as he was cut off the next second. Trust what your gut tells you, remove unnecessary distractions, smile, and…

Happy hunting.

With that final bidding of farewell, what he could only describe as a singularity materialized itself, widening to engulf the whole Devil, then proceeding to collapse in space, leaving no trace of the monster having been there just moments prior. The cracks closed as well, and the drowning atmosphere that had surrounded the parking lot evaporated.

William searched his pockets for the handkerchief that he always carried around with him and pressed it against his bleeding wound. The thunder continued high above, but it was more subdued now. If he focused, he could feel a pair of ethereal eyes staring down at him, but in all likelihood, he might've been imagining it. This was over. Even so…

He did not possess delusions of grandeur after the wakeup call he'd just gotten, but having learned his lesson, he was now essentially untouchable, and the joy that brought him… Oh, he would not take this for granted, but he would revel in it for a while. It was incredible to think of just how many doors this had opened for him to explore.

If whoever knew of his deed was not a danger to him and he'd be guarded by his "angel"… William had free reign. No opposition, so long as he was mindful when he killed… It did not even matter who it was that knew. While he was curious, he could not guess who that person was, and that was alright. It had said that the one he held in the highest regard would betray him, but his daughter would never let him down like that, so the man was puzzled for who else it could be hinting at. Henry's mime, maybe? That thing was the most likely to be wary of him, although his opinion concerning it was not a good one, or even a decent one, so that porcelain-faced robot couldn't be the culprit. Even so, he did not really care. He would be protected, and that was…

Afton laughed weakly at the thought. He, a mortal man, not of faith, had seen both God and the Devil in a single day, and neither was how he imagined them to be. One took the form of his third most prized creation while the other was a raging storm of light, but…

He had lived to tell the tale. He'd learned that there was something lying after this plane of existence. His father, Edward Afton, in one of his few moments of lucidity, had said that if man knew there was an afterlife, then every question humans had ever posed themselves would be answered, and all things one had to do would be clear. For William, that saying rang very true now that he had confirmation on the subject, and he could not wait to find out as much as he could about it. Perhaps he'd make this a side project. He would be very busy discovering what the human body can endure, but he'd make the time for this as well. If he were to take an interest in the paranormal, he was sure to find out very interesting things.

Yes, some very interesting things indeed…

o0o

It was strange, how the weather had changed so drastically in a matter of minutes. When they'd left home the sky was clear, but now as they were coming off the highway thunder roared in the background. Almost every second lightning struck somewhere and even with the radio blasting at full volume it was still muffled by the sound of the storm. Henry had initially been jumpy when it had started but now, he'd grown used to it. They were lucky it wasn't also raining, because with the force of the storm there would've been so much water just pouring onto the windshield that Henry would not have been able to see in front of him at all.

Charlie was scooted next to him to hug his arm, tracing tiny circles into his shoulder, being a little skittish with the loud noises. It wasn't that she was scared, but she happened to share her father's fidgety nature when things got heated, much like the weather outside the car. Matthew leaned his head on hers, stroking her arm occasionally. He wasn't too bothered by the storm- although it did remind him of the night he'd come here- but he would've liked to take a nap while on the road to the Aftons' place. Henry was not a speed demon by any means, so even a thirteen-mile drive could take some time.

Regrettably, the lightning made it impossible for Matt to sleep, even though his sister's grasp was so pleasant. It was one of the weird things the girl shared with the Puppet. Not weird in the sense that it wasn't normal- admittedly, he may just be associating the two because of who they were in "canon", but both the girl and Mari had this soothing presence to them. In the Marionette's case, it was definitely leaning more on the ghostly side of things, but for Charlie, she had this ability to ease the tension and make him feel safe.

Perhaps it had to do with how the games' lore was represented and followed in this world, and given how emotions could influence reality, or at least they did so in the books, that might've been it. Maybe Charlie's positive attitude could make him feel good because that was just something that was possible here. But if that was the case Matthew was not about to get into the mess that was stitchline games, or even assuming that any of the Frights stories were true here.

No, no, no, he refused to believe that Sea Bonnies, Faz-Goo, mpreg Springtrap and Eleanor could ever take place in this universe. He'd been here for enough time to be convinced that this world would not diverge into the dumpster fire that were the Frights stories. While the possibility of unexpected shit happening was still on the table, take Shadow Freddy for example, he'd gotten the confirmation needed to know this place was the relatively predictable, tame, innocent but cursed games timeline, or a recreation of it anyway.

The proof for this came by the fact that the greater Afton family was present, when in those books they all had stand-ins, Susie looked like her games counterpart and not how the Frights described her, and the fact that there was no sign of Andrew anywhere. If that guy was killed close to the MCI kids' deaths like some fans theorized, meaning he was around Cass and the gang's age, then Matthew should've at least heard of him, but he did not. There was no Andrew that matched the boy's description in the stingers attending Hurricane Elementary, and no one knew of such a kid.

A relief, really, because Matt would've been out of his depth if he had to deal with anything shown in those books where he was not as informed as he was about the games.

But enough about what wouldn't be happening. They were going to see the ad for Fredbear's, and the fanboy inside of him couldn't be happier. If only Scott had released something like that back home… He imagined it would be similar to the VHS series that had rekindled the fandom, just without the creepy aspects. What he was most exited for had to be the fact that this would be the first time he'd get to see the fully completed springlock animatronics in all of their glory. He'd tried to get Henry to spoil stuff about the ad since he and William had assisted in directing it, but the man wouldn't budge. And well… there was still a lot of awkwardness between the two of them.

Henry was attempting to be there, but… it was too forced. Matt appreciated that he was trying though, as he hadn't expected any form of, well, affection, since the man had already done so much. He'd had the worst time the day after Henry had come into his room to talk, because he'd chosen to watch the Matthew's every move for the foreseeable future. Like trying to account for all the times when he "hadn't been there", which was in no way, shape or form true. It wasn't.

Dinner the previous night had been awfully silent, and then the following day the boy had stayed away from really talking with the man. Henry's speech had left him shocked, and as a result, he hadn't been able to formulate much of a response, something he still felt guilty for, just leaving the man to worry about him like nothing had gone wrong. Matthew hadn't faked the reaction he'd had, he'd been genuinely stupefied upon hearing those words, but he couldn't handle them at the time.

They were so simple, just three words; I love you, but they'd rendered him useless, his mind overworking to process them. And in the end, he hadn't had the strength to return them. He just... he couldn't bring himself to reciprocate the sentiment, and he hated the fact that he'd made Henry feel the need to say them just so Matthew would be put at ease.

He respected and cared for the man, but the boy's feelings stopped there. With Charlie it was easier because he'd been an only child so there were no siblings for the girl to replace, but with her dad… Matthew would've liked to call the man his father, but he had one. A father that was alive and well as far as he knew. And ignoring that fact in favor of replacing him, even though he wouldn't see him anymore, felt like disloyalty. As if he were spitting in the image of his dad, like the man was no longer relevant just `cause he wasn't there with Matthew.

And so that was why he just couldn't return those three words. Because he'd feel ashamed of himself if he did. Again, with Charlie on the other hand, it was a completely different story. Because when she said them, they did not feel strained. She meant it, and while Matt found it hard to speak it back directly, he showed her that he felt the same in his own way. But he couldn't do that for Henry. He could only really behave to the best of his ability and hope that was enough to convey his gratitude... However, …

Any way Matt tried to twist it; the answer was clear. He'd played with the man's emotions and got him to feel so inadequate that he'd been forced to promise to Matthew that he'd be a "better" father, as if all that he had done thus far hadn't been plenty already. Whatever Matt had done to make him reach that conclusion must've been extremely bad, but besides acting ungrateful- Henry would dismiss that reasoning if he used it- he couldn't find what exactly he'd done wrong so he could at least say he was sorry. He wouldn't be able to make up for it, but Henry deserved an apology for being made to feel the way he did and blame himself when he'd been nothing but accommodating and understanding. Even Charlie had been affected, somehow. She would not say it, but something between her and Henry had happened, and Matt couldn't help but think that he was the cause of it.

His sister would give her father these side glares from time to time and frown whenever he tried to speak to her that the man just gave up and focused on Matthew instead. From the kind of loving relationship the two had to get so low…

It was painful to watch, and Matt was so sorry for ruining it for them. Because who else was the cause if not him? Since he'd come into their home Mari had developed this clear resentment for Henry- even though the Puppet had been a thing before Matthew had gotten here-, the man himself had been stressed to the moon and back for many months with the adoption and now his daughter was more distant than ever. It was obvious that Matthew was at fault, but what could he do? Bring it up only to see both his sister and her father reassure him that he wasn't the one to blame when he so blatantly was? No, that would create needless worry, and the two had enough on their plate. He'd rather they didn't dwell on his problems.

So he'd just kept quiet and pushed through the day-to-day interactions, having Henry constantly be over his shoulder, pretending, like always, that it was fine.

He was tired of lying to himself, tired of conforming to that cold norm of remaining oblivious to reality because you were to empty to live, but he did not want to make it worse for them. He was sick of the constant angst he felt, and how he ruined things for himself, and how it was his thoughts that brought these feelings of doubt forth, but he accepted the fact that he could not be any other way, at least not without professional help, which he wouldn't find here. That was how he was. Toxic and prone to spiraling, dragging everyone down with him, but he'd made these mistakes in the past, and he wouldn't bring down his second family.

Matthew wasn't okay, far from it, but he did not want a pity party. No one else would take care of his demons, he had to face them alone. And for them; for Charlie and Henry, for Mari, for the Afton kids, and for William's countless other victims, he would. Because the only thing standing between tens, potentially hundreds of lives and death, was him. So he wouldn't show his guilt. Matt would bear through Henry's newfound helicopter parenting, thank and strive to get over his sorrow and love the man back. He'd welcome Charlie's unending kindness and work to return it tenfold, because she was too sweet and young to cry over his misery when she should be enjoying life to the fullest. He'd learn to be a better friend for Mari and not just use the Puppet as his moral support, and treat it like the human being that it was, in spite of the fabric. He'd be better.

He'd screw the therapy and resolve his issues by himself, because tired did not even begin to describe how he felt about the misery he was in. Matthew would fucking focus on the little things and live in the moment. As dangerous of a world as this was thanks to good ole Willy, it was a fresh start for him, an opportunity to see would tomorrow would have in store, and he'd be a moron not to take advantage of that and try, do his absolute hardest to live and be better than he'd been. `Cause while he might not have originated here, there were in fact people that cared, and he knew they'd want the best for him. And for them, he was willing look past the glaring differences in times, opinions, technology and lifestyles to make the most out of the hand he'd been dealt. He'd lie until he'd believe he was fine- fake it till he'd make it, because the only way to really achieve anything worthwhile was to believe you could do it, even if you can't at the start. For them he would.

No one was waiting around for Matt to get his act together, and the boy refused to go anywhere other than up. Too much was at stake.

Maybe it was the storm instilling a rush within him, hearing its every thunder and seeing its flash in the night sky, but in that moment, he felt like there was someone watching his back other than the Puppet. Someone giving him the courage to hold his head high and face whatever would come his way.

Maybe he'd had some sort of revelation or something, like changing his mindset had lifted a weight off his chest, but in that fleeting second, it was as if he could handle anything. It was a sense of liberty that he did not think he'd ever experienced. To not be afraid. A part of him knew it wouldn't last, but he didn't care. The wave of… of energy that had come over him was there to raise his spirits, and act as a memory he could draw power from when he'd be at his lowest. The thoughts were too warm to be his, but they were just as impactful. He knew it. The meaning was whispered into his mind without words. It made him hold onto Charlie a little tighter.

It also compelled him to look out the window, and when he did, he saw a glowing figure in the sky. He understood then… that he was not truly alone, like he'd liked to believe. That something out there was watching him, and he felt privileged to know that. It was too mystifying for his teenage mind to understand, and the actual memory would not stick with him, but he'd remember the feeling, and he'd remember the fact that he'd just been blessed. Matthew had been shown the light shining in the darkness, the one at the end of the tunnel ahead of time. It was a door left open for him that diminished the doubt, the stress, the anxiety and the loathing.

They were still there, and they would return when faced with hardship, but all he had to do was remember to walk through the door whenever the shadows sunk their claws into his life, and he'd find the strength within himself to fight them off.

Matthew stopped breathing, blinked, and the figure vanished as the storm kept on raging.

Then it faded, the memory removing itself from his subconscious, but the sensation stuck with the boy, and he wasn't worried about William, or his murders or the pain that was a long ways away. He was focused on enjoying this little moment of celebration he'd have with his family, even in the presence of Afton. Not everything was about him. There were peaceful moments filled with joy beneath the fear for what the future held, Matt just had to search for them. This was one, and he'd make sure him and his family could enjoy it together.

"Alright guys, we're here. C'mon, let's see if anyone'll let us inside. Don't want you to catch a cold." Henry ushered them out of the car once they reached the Afton household, quick to lead his kids under the porch. Charlie did not spare him a glance as she moved to hold Matthew's hand. If only she would tell him what had happened, but like him, she wasn't the greatest at sharing the things that troubled her. Although, unlike Matt, when Charlie did it, it was out of a place of care. He hated having to see Henry squirm under his daughter's gaze, but at least he seemed to be getting used to it, so maybe they'd get back to normal pretty soon. It was hard to imagine them being anything other than the top father and daughter duo out there, but he trusted that they'd be able to come to an understanding by their own accord if neither would allow him to but in.

Matthew sighed, watching patiently as Henry rang the doorbell. A few seconds later the door opened, revealing a Michael that seemed to want to be anywhere but there.

"Oh, it you. Come in." he didn't sound too enthusiast to see them. Well, from what Matt had noticed thus far, Mike wasn't his or Charlie's biggest fan. As for Henry… they had what could be described as a challenged relationship.

"Sup dude."

"Hi, Michael"

"Hey, kiddo, how are you?" the boy looked away, shrugging as Henry shook his hand in an elderly sort of gesture. The kind done mostly by those "cool" relatives everyone had that would squeeze too hard, though if Michael thought of Henry as cool Matthew couldn't say. The man was a walking teddy bear anyway. He wasn't a prankster that told dad jokes and gave aggressive head pats, more of a quirky nerd that knew a lot of weird stuff.

"Ah, you know uncle Henry, doing fine. Um, father is waiting for you in the living room." he then turned his attention to Matthew as the three of them walked into the house, hiding a snort when he saw Charlie holding the younger boy's hand. Matt ignored him as he hung his jacket onto the coat rack.'

"Henry, welcome!" greeted that terrible British voice. The man behind the slaughter entered the hall, wearing that glass smile of his. Charlie finally departed from her brother's side, launching herself at William.

"And hello there as well, Charlotte." he said as he embraced her back. "Matthew." he nodded at the boy. Matt just copied his movement, opting to keep away from the man when he was not forced to come into direct contact with him. "You've made it just in time. I got it right here. Haven't even opened it." Afton let go of Charlie before he pulled an envelope out of his pocket, showing it to Henry.

"That's great- uh, wait, Will, are you okay? What happened to your cheek?" now that Henry had pointed it out, Matthew noticed the skin-colored plaster glued under the man's left eye. Someone had been busy, it seemed.

"Oh, it's nothing serious, rest assured. Just a little cut." he waved it off. "But the way I got it, let me tell you, it's on par with any war story you've ever heard. So, as I was walking to my car after leaving Jr's, a bloody lightning bolt struck a tree about twenty yards away from me."

"You're kidding." Henry deadpanned.

"Not at all. The whole thing burst and a splinter managed to scrape me. Honestly, I was lucky it didn't get my eye. I can show you the spot where it hit tomorrow or something if you don't believe me."

Lucky bastard. You should've been hit in the head. The whole world would've been done a favor that way, cursed Matthew inwardly.

"Wow, that's just… Yeah, thank goodness you weren't hit. I don't know what's up with the weather but this storm just came out of nowhere. I don't think I've ever seen it be this bad in like, eight years or so."

"Tell me about it. It's like someone up there woke up on the wrong side of the bed." the other man chuckled. William led them into the living room, with Michael trailing close behind. Evan was sitting in front of the TV, being too engrossed with the airing cartoon to see his guests. It was a very cute sight. "Evan, is this how you treat your guests? Say hello to uncle Henry." the boy's head snapped around, startled by his father's voice.

"O- Oh, uh, s- sorry. Hi there." he waved shyly. Without a word Charlie went over and scooped the little guy up. "W- Woah!" the girl giggled at her cousin's surprise. She was in a cuddly mood today, and Matt couldn't help but smile at the interaction

"Ev, buddy! I missed you!" she sat him down, smiling warmly at him.

"Heh, uh, me- me too. Um, Lizzie is upstairs if you wanna go see her."

"Actually, Charlotte and Matthew aren't here to play. We're about to watch the Fredbear's ad." William corrected as he went over to the stairs, calling for his daughter. "Elizabeth, come down here, sweetie! Your uncle's here. And bring your mother too!"

"`Kay!" the girl's voice chirped from what was probably her room. Michael took the opportunity in which his father was distracted to pop some gum into his mouth, leaving Matt to stare at him for a few seconds. When the older boy noticed; he shoved the packet into his pants behind his back.

"What? I'm not giving you any." Matthew rolled his eyes at his defensiveness. Michael was the worst person to ever attempt to start a conversation with.

"Wasn't asking for any." Afton turned around upon hearing that.

"If you're going to chew gum before dinner, at least offer them some as well, Michael. It's only polite." there was an underlying threat beneath that tone, and Matthew regretted bringing the man's attention onto his son.

"Yes, father." Mike said simply as he looked down before he pulled out the packet and offered it to Matthew. "Here." he was about to refuse as he hadn't wanted any to begin with and it wasn't a big deal but with how William's eyes bore into his son's, Matthew couldn't find it in himself to turn the other boy down. The way that asshole could turn even the briefest of exchanges in tense situations continued to amaze him to no end. Poor kids, having to live with this man under the same rooftop

"Thanks." he grabbed his piece then handed the box back to Michael, who turned to also offer Charlie some.

"Nah, I'm good. Thank you." sometimes he envied the fact that Charlie had bigger balls than him.

"So, how do you think-" a rabbit suddenly ran out in front of Henry from under the kitchen table, cutting him off. "-my God, that was a… Phew, I could've stomped that little guy. What's a rabbit doing…?" he looked toward his business partner expectantly.

"That is Snuggles, as Elizabeth calls him. They were just playing a game of hide and seek before you arrived. He's quite the sneaky creature. Liz lets him hop around the house when they're not in her room. She got him a couple months back. Didn't I tell you about it?"

"Bunny!" Charlie exclaimed, jumping in delight upon seeing the animal run past her.

"Uh, I must've forgotten, but that's nice. I hear rabbits are especially good pets to get kids." Henry grinned a little as he observed the fluffy animal hide between the bookshelf and the wall, out of his daughter's reach.

"He hasn't posed any problems thus far, and as long as she can take care of him, I don't mind her having a pet." the man nodded along at the response, facing the stairs when he heard rapid footsteps making their way down. "There she is. Where's your mum, dear?" Lizzie smirked when her father spoke to her, curling her finger in a loose strand of hair.

"She said she'll come down here in a second. Hi, uncle Henry! Hi Matt!"

"Hey." she did not pay him much mind as she saw his sister staring intently at the spot where the bookshelf almost touched the living room's wall.

"Charlie, what are you doing there?" the girl turned around to shake Elizabeth's shoulders, her face brimming with excitement. It was nice to see them act like normal kids. Over his time here he'd developed this expectation of believing every kid he'd meet would act robotically because of who they'd go on to become, but the more he lived with them the more he discovered just how real everybody was. These people were not just characters in a story, sprites with close to no lines of dialogue. They were breathing, thinking human beings just like him. People with their own hopes, dreams, wants and desires, flaws and strengths. They were far more than their video game depictions, and that fact only served to motivate Matthew further.

"You didn't tell me you had a pet bunny!" he shifted his gaze onto the two girls, grinning at their antics.

"Yes, I did, silly! You don't remember it! I told you like, right after the day I got him!"

"Nu uh, you didn't. But whatever, how do we get him out of there? I wanna hold him, just a bit. Can I? Please?"

"Sorry, it's not up to us. He won't come out of that spot with so many people around." Liz leaned to the side to look behind Charlie at Snuggles, who seemed perfectly comfortable sitting there in that crevice. The fact that he could fit at all was a true wonder. And though the quick change in Charlie's attitude was a bit off putting, Matthew was happy for her. For what it was worth, he was glad the problems with her dad were not shared with anybody else. Shaking his head with an endearing expression painted on his features, he went to sit down next to Evan, who had turned to watch his cartoon.

"Oh, is that Garfield?" Matt asked as he observed the orange cat wave its paw to the camera after being introduced by the narrator lady.

"Yeah! This is the first time he appeared in the show. It's one of those uh… um- what's it called- uh, reairs?" Matthew chuckled at that, although Mike couldn't go without correcting his brother, so he said "reruns", but went ignored by both younger boys. "But it's very cool! I like Garfield the best out of everybody. He's got like- he's just really funny." Evan said passionately as he kept his eyes locked on the TV screen.

"Yeah, Garfield's the best." statement that was not meant to placate the little man. Matthew genuinely liked that cartoony cat. He'd been introduced to it via his grandfather who had bought him the whole new animated series on DVD back when it came out. It was one of the first cartoons he'd ever seen, and it had stuck with him until now. "What's the show called?" he asked, unfamiliar with it. While he was a fan of the character, he did not know its full history, and he had a feeling Evan was more informed than him. It was interesting to see the roots, and what must've been the first animated appearance, of Garfield in person.

"The Fantastic Furr- Funnies. It has a bunch of those characters you see in the newspaper, and they each have their own episode. Sometimes they even combine and you'll see Dennis the Menace with Snoopy. Those episodes are my favorites!" Matthew had heard of those two, but was only familiar with the white dog for being ancient meme material. Currently on-screen Garfield was being barked at by a group of dogs, one of them being Snoopy, another one a Scooby rip-off, the third a grey dog and the last one a lazy looking basset. They all shut up when the obese cat screeched, crossing its eyes while showing its teeth and claws.

"So then, are you a cat person or a dog person?"

"Uh… I think I like cats better, but I'm a teddy person." d'aw, Evan was the cutest little bean out there. It was hard not to grow fond of him for being so innocent. How could anyone even think to bully him? Damn Michael for being a sulky brat,

"Teddy bears aren't pets, little man." the boy in question added unhelpfully from behind them. Just as Matthew was about to tell him off, William interrupted him.

"Sorry to cut your fun, boys, but we it's time we watch the tape." Ev pouted but did not face his father. "Don't look so sad, you've watched that episode a thousand times by now." Matthew rubbed the boy's back as his dad went around them to put the tape in the VHS player. Once done, he stepped back, grabbing the remote. Everyone settled down as the player booted to life, taking over the screen. Charlie sat to Evan's right, sandwiching the boy between her and Matthew while Elizabeth was to the left. William and Henry stood by the armchair, letting Michael to take his usual spot on it. Laura had also shown up, and was leaning against the wall behind all of them, not saying a word.

No one breathed as the play button was hit. The screen turned to static for a moment, hissing, then faded to black. It stood like that for a few second, leading Matthew to think something had gone wrong, but before he could comment on it, a catchy jingle started playing as a question mark appeared on a colorful background.

"Are you tired of having the same old boring birthday parties in your backyard every year?" a voice he recognized as Henry's came on. Had he been a door-to-door salesman at some point, was the first thought that came to Matthew's mind. While Henry looked friendly/inviting the boy hadn't imagined he could also play the part of someone trying to sell you a service or product. That seemed more like William's job, but here was Henry, oozing excitement and energy from his tone alone. It wasn't a bad thing whatsoever, as the man's passion could be felt and was genuine, but it left Matt a bit shocked that Henry himself had chosen to participate in the ad.

The image changed to that of a generic backyard filled with tables and balloons.

"Or just not having anywhere fun and exciting to go spend your time?" speak of the Devil, the next line was William's. He had toned down his accent to sound more American, but it was there, just not as obnoxious. Comparative to his partner, Afton had an almost too perfect of a voice, like he had done this song and dance a million times by now. "Well then, we've got just the place for you!" a hole in the shape of a star expanded onto the screen, transitioning to reveal the outside entrance of Fredbear's, red double doors standing dazzlingly beneath the sign of the main stars themselves.

Lizzie shook herself from the buzz of seeing the two mascots, but remained silent. So did her younger brother, although he'd stopped blinking when he saw Fred and Bonnie. The two characters were by each other's sides, with Fred on the left holding onto a microphone, an arm wrapped around Bonnie's shoulder, who held a guitar. They were illustrations of the animatronics, not actual pictures, but that added to the overall design of the logo, which was great. Both were smiling as they seemed to be in the middle of a song. Behind them on a wooden stage with purple curtains and hanging stars was a stave that had a bunch of musical notes written on. Four balloons on the left and four on the right of the image defined its borders and added a lot of vibrance into the mixture, while below, was the name of the restaurant written in silver on a curved, crimson carpet? It was some sort of big sticker with the name Fredbear's, and beneath it, at the tail end of the sign, was another sticker, an oval shape, with the words Family Diner written on.

Matthew quickly found that he had a big appreciation for the overly designed emblem, as the saturation of simplifying logos had been all too excessive back in his world. It was nice to see a live example of 80s brands keeping as many details as they could to make themselves as memorable as possible, whereas every company's symbol looked identical in 2022. He was fairly certain he'd seen a similar logo before, possibly in fanart, but it was one thing to witness fan interpretations versus the real deal, and this took the cake for the best restaurant sign he'd ever seen. It was not just the face of the brand's mascot plastered onto a black background with glowing letters, but an image that had been carefully crafted to appear welcoming despite how many things were going on in it. Somehow it managed to look good even though there were so many colors and objects to gawk at.

"Fredbear's Family Diner, a brand-new restaurant that promises fantasy and fun for people of all ages!" Henry's voice returned, cutting to William walking through the diner in between tables as he faced the camera. Dressed in his iconic purple suit, but wearing an orange tie, the man was all sunshine and smiles. To the uneducated, he would've appeared as an honest, kind individual with the dream of making kids' childhoods memorable and full of laughter, and for a second, he even had Matthew convinced. He actually looked like a passionate man ready to prove his worth to the world and help forge unforgettable memories with his business, and perhaps there was some truth to that. Maybe the face he wore wasn't one of deceit like usual, but sadly, at this point the boy couldn't tell what was what with William, so he just assumed the man was wearing his mask all the time.

Elizabeth whispered a "Look, that's daddy!" when she saw her father. Charlie, much like her younger cousin, was glued to the screen, her eyes taking in every detail of the now fixed establishment. The only thing Matthew regretted was not being able to see Michael's reaction to the commercial, but that was on him for settling for this spot in front of the TV.

"Opening January fourth on 112 W State Street, Fredbear's Diner will become the go-to restaurant for both kids and grownups alike." there was a sense of awe to stare at the finished interior that was no longer moldy and faded, but had now been brought back to vibrance. From the commercial alone Fredbear's looked like a fun place to spend your time in, and while Matthew did not know what the other's opinions were, but he could wholeheartedly say that he was sold, not even needing to see the animatronics in action. There was just… a nostalgic feeling he got upon seeing the checkered walls, party decorations and everything else, despite the fact that he hadn't ever visited a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in his life. He was compelled to go there just to spend most of his free time listening to the shows and playing at the arcades, as if a part of him knew he'd have a blast. Perhaps the fan inside of him realized this was the start of an era, and made him extra excited for the opening.

"With state-of-the-art animatronic mascots like never before, get ready to be blown away by the wonders Fred and Bonnie will make come to life." Henry came into view from the other side, dressed in an orange shirt and purple bowtie, joining William in the middle where the two stood right before the stage, the robots overlooking them both.

"But don't listen to us, let's hear it from the main man himself, Ferdinand the Golden Bear!" it was at that point that Matthew almost jumped off the carpet. He pumped his hands up then wrapped them around Evan and Liz, shaking both kids a little.

Yo! They actually listened! Dude! When he turned around to offer Henry his smile as a form of thanks the man nodded and winked, then signaled Matthew to look back at the TV. He did so without objection, letting his jaw drop when he saw the completed Fredbear with fur and all for the first time in full light.

Seeing 3D models of video game characters had dulled his senses towards animatronics, and what he once found intriguing he now saw as plain. But to see Fredbear in physical form, to see how his fur shined and limbs shifted, to have proof he was tangible and not just some 8bit sprite… it couldn't be described. That Fredbear was as real as it got, and Matthew's astonishment had been reignited. He felt as if he was seven again, back when he had discovered FNaF by watching Markiplier. The memories he'd formed over the years in the fandom seemed to build up to this moment, and for some reason he felt like he could cry. He did have to live in a world where Willy was also real, but that could matter less to the boy in this instant. He knew the feeling would not repeat in this context, but right now he was grateful. For the first time since March, as a fan, he was grateful he'd been brought here. To be able to witness, and actually be involved with this… it would've been any hardcore fan's dream, and yet he had been the one to be get to see it.

He couldn't be luckier.

Fredbear was tapping his chin in thought, looking up, before gesturing with his hand as if to imply what he was saying was a certainty.

"Why, yes, I believe no other place could compare in terms of fun. There are so many things for kids to do and enjoy I don't even know where to start." Evan gasped audibly once the bot started speaking. If there was one word that could describe Fred's voice, it would be Santa, and that was everything one had to know about it.

He moved with the general jerkiness of a robot, but he somehow retained a sort of fluidity that was unexpected of animatronics. His movements were fast, yes, but his limbs did not tremble once they came to a stop like those of less advanced robots. There was a precision that gave the bear life, and not the kind that would make him uncanny.

"You're getting old, pal. Here, I'm gonna do it for you." a second voice added as a hand rested on Fred's shoulder, the camera switching shots to one of Springbonnie leaning on his partner with his other hand on his hip. "Over twenty in the latest and hottest arcades, Skee-Ball, Air Hockey tables, a Claw Crane for a chance to win exclusive prizes-" each shot changed to show what Bonnie was talking about, panning over each of the different attractions. "-everything from a musical show to comedy and even offstage interactions, all unique every time thanks to our top-of-the-line programming, a prize corner for kids to cash in their tickets but also where the youngest ones will be looked after, and did I mention our all-Italian menu that uses fresh ingredients every day? Featuring every type of pizza you can imagine! Don't miss out on all the fun you can have! Once you come here, you'll never want to leave! Oh, and did I-"

"-I think they get it, Bon." Fredbear cut him off before he could continue his rant, taking over the next scene. Bonnie's voice was the ideal mix energetic and peppy. Not too fast to be annoying and not too high-pitched to hurt your ears. The fun thing about it however, was the fact that Matthew couldn't tell if it was a boy's or a girl's voice. It sat right in the middle where it could be taken for either one, and the fact that the gender ambiguity of Springbonnie had been kept here as it was in the games but a big smile on his face. "So, call today to make a reservation and receive dozens of discounts to all of our services for the opening day-" a number appeared onscreen as the characters got blurry. "-but don't worry if you just want to have a nice evening, our restaurant is open to all from Monday to Saturday. On January forth, the fun starts, over at Fredbear's Family Diner-" the logo appeared in the center, above it in the background a billboard stood tall, advertising the location. "-where fantasy meets fun!" the voices of William and Henry joined the animatronics.

"See you soon." Henry had been the one to start and he was also the one to end the commercial as it faded to black. It had been cheesy, cringy and very 80s, but Matthew had loved every second of it. He did not think he'd ever seen something as authentic as this little recording, and it had been enough to make him Fredbear's undisputed number one fan. Oh, the memories he'd make at that location would be unforgettable, he knew it. If he could allow himself to be old-school, this had been absolutely rad.

For a couple of moments after the tape finished it seemed like the world had stopped. Not even the lightest rustle could be heard. It was so quiet that Matthew feared to move, not wanting to be the one to break the ice. Charlie, Lizzie and her brother mirrored his reaction, refusing to speak or get up from the carpet. Someone behind him, probably Henry, coughed after about ten seconds, getting a bit nervous at their lack of feedback, although that was understandable. The man was most likely thinking that he and William hadn't done a good job and was wrecking himself to hear what they thought. Feeling bad for keeping the man on edge, Matt turned to offer his congratulations when Evan suddenly erupted from his sitting position, having grasped the magic he'd just viewed.

"That. Was. So. Awesome! I love them! I wanna go there when it opens! Can we go, dad? Please? I wanna make Fredbear and Springbonnie my friends!" he begged his father, holding onto the man's pants.

"Yeah, daddy! That was amazing! Fredbear's is gonna be the greatest place on earth! I wanna be the first to enter it when it opens!"

"A- Ah, well, sure, I- I'm glad you liked it so." he then looked at his son, trying to not appear so agitated at his children's cheeriness. Even Michael was nodding along to what his siblings were saying. "O- Of course we can go there, you're my son, aren't you? I'd be offended if you did not want to come."

"Nuh uh, I'll go every day, dad! I can't wait!" it brought Matthew a bubbling feeling of joy to see Evan so thrilled about this. There was no greater happiness than seeing a child smile, he'd heard once, and he could vouch for just how true that was.

"Me too! You and uncle Henry are incredible, father!"

"U- Um, we- we try our best, dear." replied Henry, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hear that? I think you two did just fine." Laura put her hands on both men's shoulders, assuring them they hadn't screwed up.

"I... I think you're correct, darling… What were we even worried about?" William asked his partner, both their cheeks a beet red. It was peculiar to see Afton blush, but at least that confirmed he was not putting on a façade for this occasion.

"Uh, honestly? Everything." he nodded, taking in a breath as he watched his children begin gushing over his establishment.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." William hid his hands in his pockets, staring at the turned off TV.

"Weren't they cool? Our dads are the best!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she held Charlie's hands, who grinned a little in response.

"Yeah. But you should've seen the diner when they bought the place, it was so old you could see the cracks in the ceiling, and now it looks so nice and comfy. And the robots… the way they talked and moved- I've never seen that before. That was my favorite part, and I think I'm gonna love it there!" Charlie began merrily, only for her younger cousin to take over the conversation.

"Oh, yeah, I really liked how they talked too! They-…" Evan got lost in his rambling that they all smiled as he listed off everything that had impressed him. It was sweet to know that the boy could talk for hours if given the chance to express what made him zealous, and the fact that the ad had gotten him to step out of his shell, even for only a bit, was truly precious.

As Matthew glanced away from the adorable scene, he happened to spot a familiar, ceramic mask peering through the window from outside. Those green dots focused on him before the figure froze, realizing it had been seen. He stood in place as well for a second, processing his friend's arrival and what that meant, before he rolled his eyes at his its mollycoddling. Chuckling to himself, he raised a hand after being sure no one was paying attention to him and waved. Three long fingers waved back. The darkness outside made it hard to notice, but he could feel the relief in the Puppet at the fact that its presence hadn't unsettled him.

It would appear that Mari was taking its job of guardian very seriously, and while that raised a few questions as to just how many times he'd been stalked, because that's what this was, no matter the intention, he wasn't mad. This was borderline possessiveness and not just it being protective, but he was fine with it. To someone else it might've been anxiety inducing, but given the man that he regularly came into contact with… yeah, no, he felt reassured to know that the Marionette was watching his back, even if its methods were a little… extreme, to say the least. Plus, he was in too good of a mood to be mad at it, despite the invasion of privacy.

He watched as the green glow dimmed, and the Puppet retracted into the dark, making itself unseen.

Well, he might've spoken to soon, but they would need to have a talk once he got home. Not really about the why of it, he knew just how much the Marionette worried after staying with him to ease the nightmares- and he was thankful for its care, but about the how much of it all. He was reminded of the not keeping secrets thing as he pondered how he'd bring it up, but having a "guardian angel" didn't really concern Afton, even if he was the threat Matt would be guarded from, so the boy could let this slide. Mari was intitled to its secrets so long as they didn't directly involve stopping Willy.

Ah, this is gonna be an interesting conversation, won't it? He couldn't help but grimace slightly at the thought of being spied on while in public. After all, Mari was almost always stuck at home, so getting bored combined with its want to keep him safe was a guaranteed way to drive it to stalk him. Well, this may make the Puppet flustered or something, so it'd even things out. If he had to be embarrassed because his friend had messed up and got caught then he could have a bit of fun too.

Heh… Yeah…

No.

o0o

They'd gone up to Evan's room after supper, the boy wanting to build Legos with Matthew. He'd agreed, having missed the last time they had played together, which had been some time ago. Matthew didn't really play of his own volition, he did it to fit in, so the toys Henry had bought him had gone ignored for the most part, but he'd always liked Legos, and even in his teens he'd every so often crack open his boxes and spill them onto the carpet of his room, curious to see what he'd make. He hadn't had a setup with sorted pieces by color like most builders he'd see online, that would've been too much work for him, and neither did Evan.

The boy wanted to build a flashlight of all things, but Matthew didn't complain. As reference they used Evan actual flashlight that he kept under his pillow, the one Mari had gifted him. He'd explained how whenever he had nightmares, he'd hold onto it and the fear would go away, or he'd find his resolve, one of the two. Matthew had asked Evan what he dreamt, thinking it was similar to his stuff, only to hear that Ev did not really sleep, but would rather wake up in the middle of the night due to all sorts of creepy noises. Everything from people walking around, crashing ceramic plates, scraping on his bedroom doors, breathing, sounds of bells, broken electronics to animals howling, roaring or barking outside of his home, all either muffled or echoed. Whenever he'd try to shine his light, there'd be nothing there. He could only go back to sleep when the noises would stop for good, because a lot of the times it'd be silent and then they'd start one by one.

As expected, only Evan heard them. After they'd end, he would either go to his parents' room or fall asleep clutching the flashlight. Another thing it could do was apparently make the darkness hide or something, as Ev had put it. The younger boy wasn't sure how to describe it, but he said that he had an easier time seeing in the dark as well as making the shadows go away when he turned on the light. Very peculiar indeed, but it made the object even more important.

Matt hadn't inquired about Shadow Freddy- even though he was certain it was responsible- remembering how last time he'd tried to offer his advice on the subject had gone. At least Evan was not subjected to disgusting imagery or torture, but why that was Matthew couldn't tell. It seemed that everyone who went through SF's nightmares would experience terrors unique to them, which in this case made Evan very lucky. The boy himself said they weren't so bad thanks to his torch, but that was not set in stone. While he would've liked to hope it wouldn't get worse, Matt knew it would. Most likely when they'd get closer to the events of the series if he had to bet. For now, however, he was thankful they all had some way of dealing with this; Matthew relying on Mari and Cassidy just tanking them head on like the menace she was, though hers were a bit tamer compared to his.

He stopped questioning the nightmares when he saw Ev becoming uncomfortable, and instead asked if he could hold the flashlight to test its effects. It was an odd feeling if he was being honest. Whatever the Puppet had done, the torch had the power to constantly keep Matthew's pulse low, allowing him to always remain calm. It was as if a wave of tranquility washed over him every second. He could see how the little item would come in handy. If one wielded it they would stay calm no matter what, which meant that they could always keep a rational mind and not panic. It was an incredibly useful ability to have if you were confronted with unspeakable horrors such as nightmarish animatronics that would try to get into your room. Matt didn't know how his striped friend had done it, but he had to admit the Marionette had been especially inspired that day to imbue this object with such a power.

"Well, you'd best hold on to this, you don't know when you might need it." he handed the torch back to Evan.

"…Yeah- w- wait, you felt it? Like, you believe me?" the boy's eyes stared up widened at Matthew, his mouth an o shape. As far as Matt was concerned, that thing was basically an item enchanted by a wizard.

"Mhm. Yeah, no, I felt it. It was like, floating in this uh… sea of calm, you know? I dunno, it kinda like, my heartbeat was slower and I could- I just wasn't afraid of anything for a moment." Evan stared quietly at Matthew before nodding his head, clutching the torch tightly in his small hands.

"…Thank you… for believing... Mikey always says I have nightmares `cause I'm so scared all the time and Lizzie thinks I do it to get mom and dad's attention. And I don't really tell them what happens when I go to sleep with them because uh… yeah…" he trailed off, and Matt put a hand on his shoulder. "It- It's nice to hear that you believe me. Besides father… no one ever says that. Other kids make fun of me."

"Don't sweat it, bud. Us nightmare riddled kids have to stick together. Course I believe you, I mean, I go through more of the same, although for me they happen when I'm asleep, unlike yours."

"You have bad dreams too?" he asked, his mind seeming to have been blown.

"Yup. Almost every night, just like you. I uh, I've gotten used to it, but… it still kinda bothers me. But I want you to know that you're not alone in dealing with this, Evan. Nightmares are normal, and you're not the only one having them." Matthew said, giving the boy an understanding smile.

"Mikey says big kids don't have bad dreams. You're a big kid…"

"No offence but your brother's an idiot." that managed to get the boy to giggle. "Don't listen to him when he says stuff like that. If he tries to convince you otherwise, just think of me. Like, I'm living proof what he says is wrong, you know." maybe that wasn't the most convincing argument, but it was what he came up with on a whim, so Matt was winging with it. "Just `cause he's older doesn't mean he's right all the time. I mean, Liz is older than you, so is she right when she blames you or Michael for the crap she does? I don't think so." that got Evan to pause and consider his words. He sagged his shoulders in defeat after a while of thinking.

"I… I guess that's true. I should've known. I uh… noticed the bags under your eyes. I have them too `cause I don't sleep too well. I just, Mike's been trying to not be mean, and that's nice of him, but I don't think he always knows what he's talking about, but if I said anything I'd make him mad and... I don't want that. But it's not like he's a liar. He does say helpful things…" so Michael wasn't a total jerk? That made him… redeemable, in Matt's eyes. A little bit. Kind of. But anyone that would pick on their younger brother, a sensitive one like Evan no less, to the extent Michael did was still a shit person.

"That's uh, yeah- it's nice of him, but older siblings are like- well, they can be reliable or they can be your worst enemies. You two I'd say are in the middle somewhere." Evan nodded, his fingers searching absentmindedly for a few Lego pieces. "You know what, I have a girl friend that also has nightmares like us. I could introduce you to her once Fredbear's opens if you want. I'm sure you two would get along really great." Evan raised a brow, his lips quirking into a tiny grin.

"You have a girlfriend?" Matthew crossed his arms, leaning backwards.

"Oh, don't be a tease, dude. It's not like that." Evan was fighting to keep in his laughter. He found the concept very amusing.

"You said it." he shrugged, still smiling.

"That's really low for you. Like, how could you insinuate-" wait, that was a big word. "-or, how can you think like that? You wound me, Ev. I thought we were friends."

"We are! You and Charlie are my best friends, and I wanna meet your girlfriend too! What's her name?" this kid would be the death of him.

"Cassidy, and… alright, you'll meet her, but only if you stop with the teasing." Evan looked towards his closet, struggling not to snort.

"Okay, sorry. I promise I'll stop." the grin had not faded.

"It's cool, just… A lot of people tease me about it at school, you know what I mean."

"Yeah… sorry… I get it. I don't like it either when kids at kindergarten do it…"

"They must've rubbed off on you. It's nothing though, don't worry, I was just messing with you."

"Right… sorry." poor kid, feeling the need to apologize for something so insignificant. "I um, I think I've heard her name before." his comment got Matthew to scratch his chin, staring at the boy.

"You do?" the surprise was clear as day in his tone. He was reminded of Cassidy's weird familiarity with the things he'd told her, and if Ev happened to know her name even though he hadn't met her yet…

"I- yeah. What does she look like?"

"Uh, long black hair, brown eyes, doesn't like to wear girl clothes, she wears a lot of yellow turtlenecks and jumpers/overalls- I dunno what they're called. That sound familiar?"

"I-" a knock on the right door interrupted Ev from answering him. A second later William entered the room, giving them both a wave. Matthew tried and failed to keep his face from falling. The man closed the door and smiled at the two, pulling up his shirt's sleeves.

"I'm sorry for disturbing your time together, but a certain thought occurred to me and I was wondering if you could help me with something, Matthew, if it's not too much trouble." William wanted Matt's help? With what? The hell was going on?

The older boy's mind started to race, forming multiple possibilities for what was about to happened, all ending with Afton wrapping his hands around his neck and squeezing. If he was onto Matt, then this might've been a scare tactic but what could Afton possibly want with him that he had to come upstairs when his son was alone with Matthew? Why couldn't he wait? Did he really suspect him so soon, with no evidence? What had he done to get found out? He couldn't imagine where he had slipped to make the man suspicious, he-

Stop it, the boy thought to himself. His face was growing redder as his temperature rose, and he could feel his palms getting sweaty. He couldn't allow Afton to see him intimidated by his mere presence. He recalled the feeling he'd gotten in the car on his way here, and almost immediately he was put at ease. William wasn't onto him. He couldn't be, because he'd been careful. He hadn't done anything wrong, and even if Afton knew, he wouldn't try to hurt him with Henry and his kids present. Mari was around too. Matthew was fine. There was no reason to get stressed or worry. This was probably just the man wanting to ask for a favor and nothing else. Matt shook his head once he realized a couple of seconds had gone by in which he'd been silent. Get a fucking grip, you moron!

"Um, uh- help you with what, Mr. Afton?" he wasn't agreeing to anything this guy wanted unless he knew exactly what he was getting himself into.

"It's only a question that I'd like for you to answer, trust me. I realize it may be somewhat strange, but this has come up and I just had to ask you. So, is that fine with you? No hard feelings if you refuse, but I would be very grateful if you were to accept." if William was so insistent on this then he'd simply ask another time… There was no real point in delaying the inevitable, Afton was a man of determination, he'd get his answers no matter what, that much Matthew could be certain of. His quest for immortality was a perfect example of William's curiosity gone wrong, so Matthew should stop worrying already, this was no biggie. If he did not answer he would appear suspicious, so it was better to get this over with now rather than later.

"Okay…? What's up?" he regretted agreeing the next moment as he watched the man's smile stretch his lips to a point that should've caused him a great deal of pain. And yet, he was fine. Goddamned monster was used to acting unsettling every single day of his life. Figures.

"Lovely." he cleared his throat. "So, my son here has been telling me that the… well, figure, or man, he's been seeing has also been spotted by you. Evan told me that you also saw what he sees the day you found him after he ran away, and I wanted to confirm it with you." Matt turned to look at Evan with a raised eyebrow, his expression frozen as he watched the boy hug his knees to his chest in silence, his head bowed to the side. "You see, Evan isn't always honest with what he tells us, and as his parent I've honestly gotten lost. I don't know what to believe and what to discard, so I would very much appreciate a second opinion." right in front of his son?! Matthew was having a hard time conceiving the words coming out of Afton's mouth. He was very close to seething with rage for the man that so proudly stood before him. How could anyone say that to another kid in front of their son? "You're the only one that has ever, supposedly, seen what he does, and I wish to know if that's true. So, did you ever happen to see a tall, shadowy figure stalking Evan when you found him that day."

Matthew bit his lower lip. He kept his face even, despite the fact that his teeth were gritted. William had played him. Of course, Matthew hadn't seen Shadow Freddy that day, but Evan seemed to think so, and he'd told his father, and now the man had gone and pushed him into a corner where Matt was forced to admit it, lest he betray Ev's trust. Afton had thought of this beforehand, clearly. He'd waited to get the two boys alone so he could ask. Why did he want to know, Matthew couldn't figure it out, but there was the chance that William was aware of… supernatural stuff, and this was his way of confirming it. Maybe he wanted to ask Matt because he didn't buy what Evan said and wanted to make sure he wasn't crazy. Maybe he'd seen Shadow Freddy himself, which meant that what Matthew was about to say would leave a big impact on the man.

He could answer truthfully, say that he didn't, lose Evan's trust but perhaps prevent William from pursuing the supernatural, or he could lie and tell the man he did see a figure that day to keep his son's faith but add fuel to the fire of immortality. The choice should've been obvious, right?

Expect it wasn't. There was no way of knowing just how much Afton was aware of. Matthew's response might not make a difference at all, and then he'd just wreck his friendship with a kid he was supposed to save. He had to earn the victims' trust, and if he were to tell the truth now then he'd make his job harder and push an already disturbed child away. A child that needed all the support and friends he could get.

William was dead set on getting an answer, but how greatly would it influence him? Would it push him down the path of eternal life or not? Matt knew the man was deranged, that was obvious- he could very easily start killing for the hell of it, but what guarantee did he have? If Matthew's idea of the timeline was correct, then Afton would build the kidnapping Funtimes before he actually murdered anyone, and the boy saying yes wouldn't matter because the man would've been pursuing the secret of eternal youth with no outside confirmation for his beliefs.

Was Matt willing to risk saving Evan for something that he had no control over? A set of decisions that he couldn't possibly influence? Because the man's mind had been made from the start?... Maybe William wanted to know if Matthew had also seen SF and no more. No other hidden motive. Was that it?

The boy had no idea. So he spared Evan a last glance and just went with his heart.

"Yes. Yes, I did. I thought I saw someone tall and dressed in black peeking around a corner staring at us, but I didn't pay them much attention. I was focused on Evan and I just thought it was some random person that happened to spot us. I didn't think much of it, but I would've said something if I knew Ev was being stalked. I'm sorry I didn't." he would not be letting down his friend. He'd done that enough in the past. Out of the corner of his vision he could see the tears welling up in Ev's eyes and his cheeks flush, but Matthew maintained William's gaze, making himself appear as apologetic as he could.

William was the one to break contact, looking up at the ceiling as he let out a short laugh- more of a chest tremor- that shook his shoulders. His smile hadn't been lost, unfortunately. He looked back down at Matthew, his eyes lighting up, and gave his hair a good ruffle.

Matt fought the urge to squirm under those cursed fingers, remaining perfectly still until Afton was done with whatever this was.

"Thank you, Matthew." the man held his chin in thought, one arm resting on the other. "There are secrets that lie beyond this plain…" he looked to his left as he spoke. "And I'm glad you've just assured your continued future. It would've been a waste of potential otherwise."

Another voice joined William as he began chuckling. A deep baritone that sent shivers all the way to the marrow of his bones, but it was chuckling for another reason. Matthew could hear it in its voice. So did Evan, from the way he froze.

You have my regards.

---

Thus, with this chapter we mark the completion if William's arc into a murderer. He got a taste of killing and discovered his passion for it, then he got to kill his first human victim and now he's received the blessing of what he calls The Devil to keep going. And the cameo from the man behind the curtain, ohh~, Willy has seen enough to last him a lifetime.

Most of the first half in this one was writing myself out of a hole, the chapter, but I had fun giving Shadow Freddy some much needed characterization. He's an interesting fellow with some odd quirks for a manifestation of evil to have, and I loved expanding his character from just an emotional vampire, as he's been due to get some exposure for a while now. He needs to be made into a believable threat, after all, and I'd like to think I managed to accomplish that, but I'm curious to see your thoughts. The hints towards his motivation were definitely the most exciting to write however. It's safe to say that it isn't quite so pedestrian as one might've first thought, but I'll let you guys figure it out ^_^.

The next chapters I'm gonna try to make more lighthearted because a lot of them up to this point have been pretty depressing and filled with angst, so I think everyone can use a little break from that. But also because the next chapter will feature the long-awaited opening of Fredbear's! It's finally here and a lot of characters are gonna meet and interact to form some pretty interesting dynamics, so stay tuned!

PS; I realized I might have excluded my Tumblr from this site, so here it is! You can find me over at dayfalwastaken, where I have and will continue to post art for this story from time to time. Check it out if you wish to ask me anything or just chat, I'm on Tumblr pretty often so I try to reply as soon as I can!

I really hope you guys enjoyed this one and I wish y'all a great day! See ya next time👋!

Chapter title from "Unfixable" by DAGames.