A/N: Depression's starting to hit real hard these days. Sometimes I wonder why I do anything at all.

I don't even know why! One moment I'm fine, then my mood craters for a few hours, then I'm back again. Its rather annoying; like I'm a prisoner in my own mind sometimes. Sure, what's one more mental problem on the pile. Not like I don't have enough, what with already being this old. Feels like every day is a battle sometimes.

*siiiigh* Don't mind the rambling of this geezer.

We've made some tweaks for the Ruin DLC. Fits better this way.

SPOILERS FOR RUIN. I said I'd wait for the DLC and I did. It was quite surprising. Sadly, my computer is just about broken, but its still good for typing...for now.

With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.

And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.

Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.

So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. None! They're tributes to legends far greater than I.

I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.

Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.

In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!

Once more, this is an AU...of a sort.

Chapter title is a joke, of sorts.

Ready? Set? Go!

"...what's your name, kid?"

~?

N.O.P.E

"NOPE!"

Roxanne bolted around the corner at speed, hollering at the top of her lungs.

.

..

...she felt there was a joke to be made there, given she technically didn't possess said lungs, but she couldn't think of one at the moment. Nor could she quite explain the sudden surge of absolute dread she had felt when Chica lunged; but she wasn't about to fight her, not with that girl on her shoulders. Heck, she didn't even think about fighting back, not with the kid around.

"Roxyyyyy, wait!" Her passenger yelped, voice muffled in her hair as they clung onto her back for dear life. "Slow down! I can't hold on!"

Not happening. Not with that berserk birdie on their tail. "She who fights and runs away lives to fight another day~!"

Had all the other animatronics lost their minds?! They were meant to protect the kids, play with them, brighten their day! Not this! No! Never this!

A security bot barred their path. She ran it down, heedless of the wailing alarm it left in her wave.

And then it happened.

Chica squawked behind them, a sharp piercing noise that shook Roxanne's circuits and blurred her vision in the same instant. One, she could've accounted for. Together they were enough to make her miss a step and send her sprawling to the floor in a heap. Damn voicebox! She'd forgotten about that stupid thing...!

A pale hand grabbed at her hair, no at the kid on her back. "No! Stop! Lemme go!"

"I am only trying to help~!"

Her sickly sweet voice was utterly at odds with what came next.

The kid screamed.

Chica recoiled like she'd been slapped.

The sound went against every fiber of Roxanne's programming.

Do not upset the Children. Never harm the Children. Never, EVER make the Children cry.

She didn't hate Chica; far from it; she was usually alright. Usually.

But right here. Right now. She was hurting the Kid.

And...just like that...something inside...

...snapped.

Roxanne rounded on Chica with a snarl.

In that instant she didn't see a friend standing over her, child in hand.

She saw only a monster that needed to be stopped. With that, any thought or semblance of restraint flew out the window.

Or maybe that was just her fist, smashing up into Chica's beak to stun her. Was she stunned? Awfully hard to tell with that red haze hanging over her vision. Something cracked in her arm. Roxanne didn't care. Nor did she stop. She became a whirlwind of steel; kicking out the brash bird's legs, catching the child as she fell. Snatching them up by the scruff of their neck she whirled and slung them backward, leaving them to land on a rickety bench. A quick glance to make sure she was alright cost her dearly.

Chica crashed into her and they went down in a heap, whaling on one another.

Her old friend was heavier, maybe even a little faster, but she was stronger. Seizing one wrist she threw her off and pounced, bearing her down to the ground. No thoughts, no words, no noise. Only rage. A hand scrabbled at her face. She bit it off at the wrist and spat it out, spraying sparks Linked her hands above her head and brought the smashing down. One. Twice. Thrice, now.

It was enough.

Dazed eyes rolled up in Chica's head as her body drooped. "I...smell...Piiiiiiizzzaaaa...

Just like that, she deactivated. No more noise, no more struggling.

Nothing at all.

A whimper behind her broke her out of her stupor. "I think you broke her...

Belatedly, Roxy realized had; she'd cracked her beak and ruined one of her arms.

Oh jeez. She hadn't meant to do that; to go quite that far. She'd lost herself in her anger.

All your fault...

Not her fault. she grit her teeth as he voices surged in, drowning her in a sea of self doubt. Not her fault. She felt bad enough; looking only made it worse. She woulda killed the kid! She didn't have a choice. No choice at all. Had to be done. She did what she had to do. Chica was still alive. Vanessa would find her, take her to parts an' services and she'd be fixed, eventually. Oh god, were the others like this? What if they were? How was she going to keep this kid alive for five nights?!

.

..

...think on that later.

Plodding over to the dazed Kid, she snatched them up and slung them onto her back once more. "You alright, runt?"

"M'sorry...she got me."

"Don't be sorry. You did good getting outta the way. She mighta stunned me, but you stunned her right back."

A tiny little smile bloomed on the kid's dirty face. "Really?"

Roxanne pretended not to see it and started walking.

Precious child. Protect. Absolutely must protect at all costs. Think about that stuff later. Get her to safety first. She wandered aimlessly, skirting the cameras and security bots as best she could. Where to take her? Maybe under the raceway? No way was she bringing her to Monty Golf or Bonnie Bowl. Not a chance. Maybe Freddy...? Was he even in his room? She should bring the kid to hers? Was it even safe? What if he was like the others?

There had to be some safe place should stash the Kid. Daycare? Sun was usually alright, long as the lights were on. Maybe things would be safe there...

Damn little spider-monkey squirmed on her back. "Thanks again, Roxy...you're the best...

She shrugged one shoulder. "Sure thing, kid."

"Cassie."

A blink. "Eh?"

The girl laid her chin on her shoulder. "My name is Cassie."

She kept walking. "Huh, neat. Pretty weird name for a boy."

"I'm a girl, silly."

Really? Color her surprised.

"Ohhh. Well, that makes a lot more sense."

"Waitaminute. You actually thought I was a boy?!

...no?"

"You did, didn't you?!"

Roxanne started whistling...loudly. Far too loudly.

Little fists beat against her back.

"Roxyyyyy!"

A/N: You thought it was Gregory, but it was really Cassie!

Aaaaand there we are.

As such, the Embers Rule Persists; if folks don't like this tale, then I'll not continue it. I work two jobs these days, with only four hours to write a day. As such, I can't bear to write something folks don't like. By all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!

Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write.

So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

(Previews)

"Bonnie...?


"You are malfunctioning. Clearly you need to be reprogrammed.


...why is that human in a rabbit suit?

R&R~!