FNAF Security Breach: Whistleblower

by FrostByterFang

Sequel to Ruination. Takes place 2 years after the fall and collapse of the mega PizzaPlex. Luis' free runs into the supply depot finally catches up to him in the worst way possible: Bringing about a series of consequences that could bring trouble to the bots and the rest of the family. Vanessa meanwhile decides to orchestrate a rescue operation to save him. Full summary inside.

14. Love That Holds Us Hostage

~Sunday morning, same day~

LUIS

The visit had gone very well, if he do say so himself!

Luis and the others waved off the Wilsons'; encouraging them to come back Christmas day for another feast and a round of gifts. Jacob had been so excited that he nearly passed out from it, asking if he could spend the night at some point. After all, he actually did pass out here during the visit from a food coma. All three kids had, actually. And while the adults would've left them be, they had to get home before the snow got worse and they wouldn't be able to leave at ALL. So they were woken up from their nap after dinner, and parted ways from there.

Now it was the next day at around 8 AM, and Luis was bent over the tablet that had fed him Freddy's status during his exchange with John, Jacob's father. The man couldn't help but shake his head at what it was telling him; that Freddy nearly had a similar episode as Bonnie did but came out of it rather fast. His mind briefly went black; as in, stopped working or stopped working properly. It had been scary to see when he tried to amicably talk to John about his work with Vanessa and what he did for the bots; just for him to get an emergency message right in the middle of an otherwise pleasant convo. Luis saw the emergency ping show up on the screen and almost panicked- but Mex informed him to stay seated and Bonnie had it covered.

John meanwhile noticed his worried expression and asked what was going on, but Luis allayed his nerves by saying M.X.E.S was giving a 'demonstration' of what an emergency should look like; and it wasn't anything really worth noting. Luis hated lying, especially in a way that sounded way too much like his actual former employers, but he didn't want the family to zip out the door that fast when the kids struggled with making friends as it is. They didn't need to know the bots here (or at least just the two of them) had a couple interesting and paranormal problems. Literally, every other bot here hadn't had an emergency like that in quite some time, if at all. Only Bonnie really suffered from anything unusual- until recently.

As to what Luis was doing, he was mulling over M.X.E.S' footage with his girlfriend beside him; Vanessa nibbling on her nails as she reviewed the recording of Mex talking with the buck and boar. Freddy seemed alright with a little time; and hadn't fully experienced anything like what Bonnie dealt with a couple days ago- but the readings on the tablet still concerned the two humans. Luis was tapping fingers on the desk, another hand propped up under his chin as he scanned the screen.

Vanessa told him something else: Apparently, she'd listened in to Bonnie and Chica's conversation after dinner. Bonnie's hidden disquiet in regards to his perverted existence disturbed him far more greatly than he let on. She told Luis of his claims of 'tasting ash in his mouth' and constantly feeling cold in ways that shouldn't exist. Luis and her looked up more on paranormal activity throughout the night after hearing that; and found that 'cold' typically wasn't abnormal in cases involving restless spirits- but they already knew that much. As for better details on the matter, that eluded them. There was simply too little understood in the topic of remnant and anything paranormal that could yield anything conclusive.

I can't imagine Freddy and how its gonna treat him the further this goes, he couldn't help thinking. We may have front row seats to watching his usually blithe and chipper demeanor actually wilt away. That will be hard for the others to see.

Luis yawned; having been awake the whole night after the Wilsons left. He'd been studying this with Vanessa pretty much from dusk until dawn. The two were plenty tired, and Vanessa's nail nibbling needed to stop before she bit off her index completely. It was already cut to the quick.

At that, Luis reached over and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her in; briefly destabilizing her posture as she'd been looming over the desk. The poor woman hadn't sat down this whole time; too jumpy to do so. Vanessa grumbled at him then, no doubt not wanting to be touched when she felt so volatile; but she wouldn't have the time to argue when the man said, "We need to pack it in and rest our heads. We ain't making heads or tails of nada if we don't try to get a nap, mi Corazón. We've already scanned that ichor from Bonnie and this... it just looks like Freddy had a small fit is all."

Vanessa groaned, "I dunno... His read-outs were still unusual in fact that even if this was 'small'-" She air-quoted that with her fingers. "-It still read more like when Bonnie had that spell a couple days ago- but it just didn't slip all the way there! His mind went somewhere, and its like he got trapped in his head in a few ways that feel like- How to put this?"

Suddenly, M.X.E.S showed up on the screen to interrupt their viewing of the bear's brain signal. "User Luis is correct however, creator Vanessa. Your current status reads exhausted and you've already missed that there is someone wanting to come in here wishing to use my services next."

"Freddy maybe?" She turned her head, having ignored Luis' sign of affection. The man sighed there, releasing her as she turned to look at the doorway. No one was there however, prompting Luis to raise a brow next.

"No. User DJ wishes to scan some files with me today in regards to his tenure inside the PizzaPlex," continued the program. "He has been most patient however, but he does wish to bring to your respective attentions that it could be of some dire importance. He did not wish to interrupt anything in regards to Freddy's readings though."

Luis frowned and raised a brow, "What could be so important that he feels like he has to be in here and can't just scan it in his reading chair? Now I'm curious too! You guys hadn't mentioned this."

Vanessa folded her arms there, raising a blonde brow.

"His data had been corrupted by Vanny before... so he did not wish to scan this in such a relaxed environment. No telling how dangerous the files are," M.X.E.S went on to say. "He wishes to use the armature's features to be directly plugged into my terminal so we can work on this together. And if anything happened, he said he'd like the security of the shackles too."

"Hn, good call then," Vanessa agreed. "Oh... alright. Guess we'll hit the sack. Ain't like this code is speaking to me anymore clearly than I can read Sumi."

"But, you can't read Sumi," Luis smirked.

"Exactly." she smirked, "Hell, I still can't understand Spanish and we've been dating for how long?"

"Give or take a couple years."

Vanessa snorted, "Yeah... Pretty much. Its embarrassing really."

"If you'd sit down with me long enough, I can teach you," He smiled. "Too bad you're keen on dithering about like a headless-" He cut off when he almost said chicken. It'd offend Chica so he just chuckled, "You know what I mean!"

Vanessa shoved him there, "I wish I can say I had the patience!"

"Says the woman whose apparently patient enough to code an entirely new A.I interface and maintain both it and a small army of intelligent multi-hundred thousand dollar animatronics," He gestured at M.X.E.S and then at the door to indicate the other bots.

"Shut up."

The man only smirked and stood up, stretching one arm over his head and feeling his back pop in a satisfying way. His eyes remained on the computer the entire time he did this, unable to let go of the feeling that something was up. He eventually folded his arms and asked the security program, "By chance, Mex... I know Bonnie's been wanting to return to the depot. He say anything in regards to this and simply asked you to keep it secret from us?" He narrowed his eyes, "I don't want to hear that he's been asking you to keep more dirty secrets, seeing as his last ones tended to... well, you know."

"Bonnie has been true to his word and retained no real issues to be addressed," the program went on to say. "He wishes to get a party together to head back to the depot starting this WEEK however- but even he does not seem certain as to when and what time would be proper. After all, Christmas is in a few days."

Vanessa planted her hands on her hips, frowning at a thought, "If he tries that, he ain't planning on taking everyone, right? Like-" She gestured to herself and Luis, "I still haven't forgotten about being attacked by a fucking Foxy on our way home from a DATE!"

M.X.E.S' pixelated visage shifted- not something Luis commonly saw. It was another sign of his shift towards a higher intelligence; and being in Bonnie's body for some periods has no doubt left him with interesting views. "It is exactly why he had not went yet: Because he did not wish to leave the family unguarded even though he promised the majority of us shall go. I am curious as to know what he is pondering in regards to this dilemma but it does not seem like he's wanted to broach it- not with his mind on user Frederick's wellbeing."

"Might hafta talk with him on that," Vanessa said aloud. "He's probably overthinking it. Can you tell me what he's doing now? How he's feeling?" Her expression slanted into concern there, no doubt lingering on the last thing she caught. "Is his vitals alright? Or is he being cheeky and hiding those from you too?"

"His signs read he is currently in rest mode. No unusual anomaly to be reported," M.X.E.S promptly responded. "I have been observing him carefully throughout the night. His signature also reads normal and all bodily functions are nominal. He is on the couch and resting near user Montgomery."

"Good... good." Vanessa threaded a hand through her hair. "And he isn't like, deeply asleep, like he was then, right? Just to be sure-"

"Rest assured, creator Vanessa. He is well. Just resting- and it is recommended it remains that way," The program said. "If I have seen something unusual, you would be the first to know."

"Alrighty. Thanks Mex," She nodded, hands falling to her sides again. "You're the best!"

"I watch over all of you. Of course I am- I have to be."

She and Luis blinked there, passing each other bemused looks. Luis then cackled outright, belly-laughing as he said, "God damn! You'd been in Bonnie's head too long! You sound way too much like he does when he starts preening himself!"

"...This unit will be sure to run diagnostics then. Perhaps I have been using his body too much."

Both humans cackled like hyenas as they left the garage, being sure to silence themselves as they proceeded into the living room. Vanessa however didn't seem utterly convinced and was witnessed floating over to the rabbit; leaning over the couch's head rest to peer into his face. Luis passed her a shrug but she waved him off. With that said, Luis came over to visually inspect the scene too.

Bonnie was indeed sleeping very restfully on the couch for once; no weird blood trails to be found. In fact, he didn't look like a corpse this time. He was breathing, for one; and his arm was thrown over his face like he was blocking out light from the kitchen. He honestly looked like he passed-out drunk with one leg hanging off the couch and the other thrown over its arm rest. He jerked once, making them both startle. His earring-studded ear also twitched at the tip.

Vanessa sighed in what Luis noticed was visible relief, pulling away quietly and motioning towards the other rooms. Luis nodded and watched her move over to DJ, who was sitting in the arm chair placidly with his head lowered like he was dozing. Behind DJ's chair, Sun was sleeping on the floor too; hiding in his fort with a plush unicorn under his head to support it and another in his arms to hug on. Recently, he discovered the magic of unicorns and has taken to loving them. The pillow under his head was a sizeable stuffie that bore his head's weight reasonably well and kept him wonderfully supported off the floor. Luis made a note to get him more things like it the next time he went shopping (he planned on some last minute Christmas shopping for a couple of the bots).

Vanessa was sure to remember Monty; stepping over him as well and finally making it to DJ. The music man jerked up then, indicating that he hadn't truly been asleep. He turned his humanoid face towards her, lowering his shades and nodding upward in silent greeting.

"You can have the room now," she murmured quietly. "We're sorry about taking it for so long! You coulda just come in at anytime though."

He waved her off, no doubt in a show of ease. He went to sign but stopped, recalling that she would not get it. Luis assumed he was just saying it was no pressure and no rush.

Vanessa apparently got the idea too and patted his shoulder. "Go on, then. And be careful as you mull over that info, okay?" She gently said. "Don't be afraid to ask us for anything if you need it."

He raised a thumb's up and slowly went to rise. Servos whirred as he did; bringing himself to his full and imposing stature of 7 feet, 6 inches- making him taller than everyone else in the whole house minus Bonnie with his ears fully erect. He almost grazed the ceiling; but had just enough clearance to avoid it as he stalked by her. He nodded to Luis too as he passed, smiling softly and disappearing into the garage.

"I like him. I think if I had to have a favorite," Luis told Vanessa as she walked back up to his side. "It might be him!"

"You serious?"

He shrugged, "Yeah! I dunno, I think his way of communicating is very interesting and meaningful. And he can appeal to a deaf audience even despite being a music man! He's got spectacle, style, and size. He's just impressive all around in my books."

Vanessa nodded, as if in 'can't argue with that.' She grabbed his hand then, pulling him towards the stairs next.

As they passed the kitchen, they saw no Chica. She hadn't passed out on the floor this time after working herself half to death. The kitchen was also immaculate despite the mess the prior day; and the furniture had been placed back into proper order too. The slow cooker was out though and sitting on the counter with the dial turned to 'on'; and a bag of potatoes, carrots, and a couple pieces of fresh celery out beside it. No doubt Chica had roast or a briscuit in the pot right now. It was starting to smell good; already prompting for a knot of hunger to roil in Luis' gut.

Luis recalled that the hen has nodded off standing up in here sometimes. It was odd, and at times some of them had to nudge her awake to encourage her to go sleep somewhere else. She'd sometimes just slip to the floor like she'd been forcefully powered off; too tired to budge after a point. He once found her on the floor with her hugging her knees like she'd been crying- but she'd merely fallen asleep like that. If she had been upset about something, she'd hidden it well.

Her obsession with the kitchen was... really strange. She hates food, but she also loves it. And yet she'd sleep in here if she could. Something here didn't sit right, and Luis had, on and off, wondered what it could be about her that was so inconsistent. She wasn't actualized- and yet her emotions and tendencies were as erratic as Bonnie's or Freddy's recently acquired ones. She's proven to be suspectable to certain emotional changes too, and was dynamically shifting into a more complex being with her having grown an earnest affection for Bonnie. In fact, the mere concept of an A.I having a romantic attachment was baffling and world-shaking; proving she was more than what most would figure. Still, with all this considered, Luis was glad she was seeing therapy; she needed it. Chica was not stable by means; even despite living in an healthy environment now.

Speaking of which- he'd find Chica upstairs. He'd followed Vanessa to the office, just to see if the room Vanessa had been encouraging the hen to use was present. Chica was on the roll-out futon in there; the creaky bed thankfully silent for the moment as the hen lie on her side, her back to the door. She didn't budge minus a subtle twitch and curl of her toe talons. Her breathing and faint whir of compressor indicated a slower channeling of air to her motor; further indicating that her processes had slowed or shut down. Definitely in rest mode, then. Seeing as its eight in the morning, she'll be awake soon. She was usually up at dawn unless her kitchen work had kept her up late.

Luis noticed the car battery beside her on the little side table, and she didn't have her feather pelt on. Her stomach hatch was likely open; not that he can tell from where he stood. The wires were being fed into her torso and right into her motor directly. Her pelt meanwhile was sitting at the end of the futon, waiting to be donned whenever she rose next. Her metal chassis shone a recently buffed white in the low light of the hallway's glow, her elegant, longer-than-usual neck curled rather close to her body and somewhat protecting her head from view.

They closed the door and left her be; heading to their own room next. Luis sat down on the end of the mattress and put a hand to his faintly stubbled chin, frowning at a region beyond him as Vanessa began to put on her pink night gown. She hadn't planned on going anywhere today, so its likely she was just going to keep it on throughout the day.

"What's up? You look lost," She eventually broached, having put on her Chica-themed dress and settling in beside him. One arm went around his waist, her head on his shoulder. The smell of her conditioner floated to his nostrils; cupcakes and strawberry sunshine flavored from her last shower.

Luis huffed, sinking into her as well. His impassive gaze was resting on the side-table now, with their phones both charging on it now full. He reached for his device and flipped it on; checking his messages from his clients and seeing nothing. He kept watching it though as he said, "Chica and Freddy... I mean like, something's off here. I know Bonnie's recent bout was... terrifying-" He winced there. "But somehow, I don't feel super worried about it? After all, Bonnie gets along with the soul of the person trapped within him. He came out of it okay... and its been two years and he's used to sharing his body now. This feels like it won't be an isolated incident, but I also feel alright with him since he and Cassie's father are actually friends and tend to make things work as best they can. If it happened again with him, I cannot help but feel Bonnie will try to get it under control and he may succeed. Freddy meanwhile-"

His hand lowered and he sighed, "We don't know whose inside him... And if they're even nice. If they're anything like Mr. Cromwell or any other Fazbear employee, then we may be in trouble." He placed a worried hand to his face, "If he ends up having an episode like Bonnie... he'll kill everyone here in a fit of unstoppable madness. Bonnie has the benefit of Cassie's father being inside him and he's unwilling to do harm so wantonly- but this person- whoever it could be-" He felt sweat build up on his temples and Vanessa tightened her hold on his waist, "I worry about us. Freddy may be a ticking time bomb- and he's so STRONG too! He's picked up our vans with ease to get us out of traffic! If he came after everyone, I don't think we'd be able to stop him before he causes so much damage. One of us will likely be worse than hurt trying to stop him-"

"Luis," she said, her tone fatigued but no less sharp. "Don't say that! It won't come to that. I think... maybe Bonnie was right. Maybe them going back to the depot for answers is good then, so we can prevent this. You know? I wager that polar bot knows how to stop it."

"You reckon?"

"I'd like to think so," she shrugged. Now she was frowning, "Did you mention this concern to Mex?"

"He already knows to take the right precautions. He's your creation, after all."

Vanessa bobbed a shoulder, her own gaze now on a foreign point beyond her. "Mex has the command prompt for an emergency shut-down but... Bonnie ignored it that day. We'll have to figure something else out..."

Luis hummed at a thought, "Well... since it doesn't seem able to shut down the body... why not cut signal to the limbs? Or disable their strength temporarily until they are back to normal? Or an emergency override command that can actually lock up the limbs or eject them from the body so that the dangerous bot cannot move-? Or- Mmf!"

Vanessa suddenly kissed him full-on; the heady aroma of fresh baked goods and candy saturating his taste buds. Luis savored it back; breathing her in before she pulled back and smirked vibrantly, "That could work! Tell Mex that right now, from your phone. We can tell Freddy and the others the idea after they get up. I wager they won't say no!"

"Oh, I bet not," Luis agreed. He went to the app with M.X.E.S' face and typed a command for him to scrutinize. The program immediately replied back with an affirmative. After which, Luis set his phone down and pulled his glasses off to set them next to the device. He then heaved himself fully into the bed with his girlfriend. Vanessa put an arm over his chest and he held it.

"Yunno," she began again. "I knew there was a reason why I kept you around."

"Because I'm incredibly smart?"

"But of course. And good looking. And great with the kids and robo-kids I have."

"You have too many kids!" He chortled. "Its way too much to be doing alone."

Vanessa shrugged, "Eh... some of them aren't kids so much as something else. At least Freddy acts like a parent. If it wasn't for him, I'd be in trouble and probably in need of more therapy! He truly does feel like he belongs here as a sort of stabilizing element- and I admit I think I'd struggle with Gregory more if it wasn't for him. Freddy's no robo-kid; he's truly like a partner too, you know. He's... how to put it...?" She smirked, then teased him with, "Well, if he were a man and not some robo-bear and you weren't around, I'd be dating him."

"Oh, how reassuring," Luis snarked. He admitted though, "Well at least he's a decent fella and I'd know he'd be good to you."

Vanessa leaned over and kissed him again, "You're too sweet. Kinda a no-brainer why you two get along."

Luis said for her, "Eh, he is the ACTUAL smart one though, so... yeah. As the lead singer and their organizer, it kinda makes sense why Freddy's the one with the brightest head on his shoulders. Him balancing Bonnie's bravado, Roxy's volatile nature, Chica's eccentricities, and Monty's... er, charms, so you can kinda see it's needed."

She shrugged, then frowned at an evasive thought. Her hold on Luis tightened, "So he's kinda like THEIR dad too."

"A bit, yeah."

She chuckled. And then, "Yunno... I can't wait to get us a bigger house. There's so much I wanna do. And there's so much more I know we can ALL do. And-" She blinked, her freckled face coloring even in the gloom of their now shared bedroom. "Well, there's some things I wanted to do with you when we had more privacy."

Luis raised a suggestive brow, feeling a smirk creep on, "Care to elaborate, mi amor?"

She harrumphed, suddenly bashful and pushing off him. "I-I think that's a topic for another time, you know? Like um... way later. Way way later."

"Don't be shy! Seriously. Come on now-"

"No no no no no- Hehehe... shouldn't have said anything," She mumbled, suddenly pulling a pillow over her head as if to hide it from him.

Luis rolled over and tried to pull it off, but she refused to budge. He instead laid heavily atop her, forcing the air from her and prompting an annoyed glance from beneath her flimsy shield.

"You're heavy for a skinny guy."

"And you aren't normally coy. Coy ain't your thing," He smirked while trying to pilfer her pillow from her.

Vanessa batted him with it. He 'oofed!' in surprise; unable to react on time no thanks to the fact his eye sight was dull and blurry without his glasses. She kept batting him but he eventually got a hold of her wrist and stopped the assault. He climbed up her body to kiss her again, but she pretended to hate it and complained.

"Get off," She bemoaned.

"You want me too."

She blinked rapidly, the motion he can almost see in the darkness. "Was that a... an innuendo?"

"A double entendre, I suppose..."

She proceeded to bat him again. "Oh my god I am so glad Bonnie's asleep right now. God forbid he heard that!"

"Well he ain't MY dad! Not like he can ground me for playing around with my girlfriend."

"Freddy would ground us both. Don't get that misconstrued," She raised a brow.

"...He could do that?"

"He'd try," She chortled but eventually she gave up the pillow. Her arms wound up around his shoulders and she tolerated his assault on her face and neck.

They wouldn't keep it up for long; as after all, the bots are likely getting up. Luis froze once he heard Chica next door going to rise and her futon squeaked. She was heard bumping the corner of her bed once on accident and squawking a "Ba-BAWK!" in surprise and pain. There was another savory swear that followed; forcing the two to fight their chortles as Chica's start to her routine had her unfiltered mouth free-flowing like rain water since the kids couldn't hear her. She was heard clunking by a few moments later, likely heading to the kitchen again.

"...Now why does she do that," Luis mumbled after she had gone.

"The kitchen?"

"Yeah... I don't get that mentality. She hates food- or she loves it so much that she hates it-?" He tried reasoning. "Her behavior... I just can't wrap my head around it."

Vanessa shrugged against him, pulling him closer and sighing into his neck. Both of them just sat like that for a pensive moment, the man enjoying the feel of her fingers on the back of his neck and scratching at it.

She eventually said, "Programming issue, I think- I've tried fixing it but she just can't seem to help it. She was always in her bakery at the PizzaPlex back when it didn't have a roach problem. She made food with Freddy too, finding comfort in cooking with him even then. Its cute they still do so now- guess its a comfort thing too." Her face contorted, not that Luis can properly make it out. "I remember watching her from the cameras one night... during my shift? She was... it feels like she was shouldering a lot of problems on her own... not unlike Bonnie did, actually. She had her own secrets. She's very sensitive, and a lot of people tended to underestimate that in her."

"Secrets... of her own," he parroted.

"She stress ate a lot. It wasn't so bad before Bonnie vanished," Vanessa sighed. "I think, with love and time, she'd would've even stopped. But then she started bugging out and couldn't control herself. One time-" Vanessa's mouth paused and her expression deepened. "I remember watching her slip into the kitchen. She actually passed right by a whole pizza even though it was just lying out in the open. I could swear she was gonna go for it-" She shook her head and huffed against him, fingers gently caressing his neck. "She didn't grab a slice. She just... stood there. For an hour... staring at something. I couldn't figure it! Its like she wandered in there just to space out."

She paused to muss over the story better, then continued with, "She twitched funny, which suggested it was just a bug but... it felt odd somehow. If Vanny was controlling her... well, it wasn't that night. I had my mind to myself. Vanny was being quiet for once! So anyways, this meant Chica was acting weird all on her own. Something was clearly up with her- she didn't move until Freddy came looking for her. Only then did she realize there was a pizza there and she ate it." Her green eyes almost seemed to flicker in the ambient darkness. "This was after Bonnie vanished. I can only assume she was just floating around trying to cope with her slowly degrading mind and by habit had wandered to the kitchen. And then, another time-"

Luis shifted his weight so Vanessa can breathe, the woman continuing with, "I watched her steal some pots and pans. I thought she was gonna cook herself something to eat instead of stealing from the garbage again- but nope. She literally took the pans to her room and just... banged on them. This was after the bowling alley was cleaned out of all of Bonnie's likenesses. She screamed half that night and cried the other half- god, I thought she was murdering someone or getting murdered herself! It was so-" Her breath sharpened again, as if to suggest the semblance of tears, "-I'm never gonna forget it... the raw, wailing rasp of it. She did not take his disappearance well. If I didn't know better, I woulda thought she liked him, even then. She was so lost without him. Freddy was the only person she'd respond to anymore after a point... but even then it wasn't reliable. Freddy just lost touch with her eventually-"

Vanessa stopped rubbing at him and covered her face with the same hand she's been using on her boyfriend. "She started locking him out... crying, screaming, throwing tantrums. She shook so bad during some rehearsals; can't keep a stable grip on her guitar. And her eating got so TERRIBLE- like she wanted to bug out and forget how to think! She didn't want Freddy around her after a point... she locked her room up and would shred on her guitar for hours and hours- I think she was trying to cope as well as practice- but no." Vanessa's voice grew especially brittle as she added slowly, "It'd take me some time to realize that some of the songs she played were the ones that was removed from the stage disks and jukeboxes... 'Rockin' Rabbit Rumble'? That piece was history. Mr. Morris removed all songs with Bonnie's touch in them. But at night, Chica would play some of these older pieces on her guitar and shred until morning came. She kept playing all their older songs in the isolation of her self-imposed cage."

There was an awful silence in the room after that. Vanessa heaved again at length, "Yeah... besides taking his disappearance poorly, I digress. I feel bad for her... she needs something else to do. Its why I've been teaching her sewing so we can make summer pelts and clothes. She tends to stew on what upsets her, and it may even contribute to a different kind of depression. Maybe its why she floats to the kitchen? Its just a poor extension of her depression." She licked her lips as if to moisten them back up, considering she's been talking for quite a bit, "Freddy's just as bad... I mean, cutting himself off from the bowling alley like that? That was him running away from the source of his sadness. He made his entire world so much smaller by doing that; removing any sign of Bonnie from his routine as if to completely bury it and not have to be faced with it- he and Chica both are... Christ. They need the help!"

How human, Luis couldn't help thinking.

While yes, Luis saw them as something human already, sometimes the level of depth he got from stories like this only continued to surprise him. Other times, he couldn't help wondering why more people hadn't noticed just how advanced and extraordinary these bots truly were.

Although he had to admit... Chica's behaviors were off-putting in a different way. The complexities of her disposition almost gave the suggestion of actualization; even though that couldn't be possible. She showed no SIGN of this beyond the level of scope of her emotions; feeling with much more color and vibrancy than the others. Not to mention her amity for the rabbit- Luis didn't know why, but truly, something about Chica threw him in for a loop. He just can't help the feeling that there's something more to it, but its not like he can parse it out.

Luis frowned at something else, lifting himself off of Vanessa somewhat to look at her as best he could despite his deplorable vision. He settled back on his side, grabbing her hand and simply tracing it, "You wager... eh, I dunno... you'd think she'd improve more if she actually like- man this is so strange to talk about!"

"You think she'd be better if she pursued this thing of hers with Bonnie, right?"

"Maybe-? Er-" He blinked. "I mean... Bonnie himself is not in a healthy place mentally. But maybe if he had something that wasn't just Cassie to focus on, he'll be better for it too? Well, I certainly know whenever I look at you- or, just think about you," He grabbed her face then, thumbing her freckled cheek carefully. "I know I feel more than just warmth there. I feel dizzy with a heat that feels like heaven and earth are falling into each other. Like the entire universe is collapsing in on itself just to be remade anew in a huge, explosive welling of conflagration and eternal fire."

"You're so cheesy," She chortled.

"Well, its how you like your pizza too! Extra cheesy," He sneered. "But its the truth. I always feel my best when I'm with you. I know its just a common thing for humans in general too but... I don't heckin' know how that can work for robots with more than just a few emotional issues. Bonnie said he feels better when he thinks about his friends though, right? And... you notice how he's always quick to close gaps physically and hug on the others? And once he focuses on somebody, its like, hyperfocus. And while that can be bad-" Luis mashed his lips around, "It can be good too if you consider that sort of passion can help him better forget whatever pain he feels that's relative to his current predicament. The less he channels 'Cassie's dad', the more he can channel 'Bonnie Bunny'. You know?"

Vanessa hummed.

"I think it could work. And Chica's seeing Miss Howler now too so... I think we can help them figure this out-" Luis confidently added. "Ain't like we were much better when we started off, but we both feel better for it now, don't we? I just can't unsee that being us once. Doncha think?"

Vanessa nodded, no doubt recalling the time she'd been in a worse place mentally but she went out on a limb and finally took him up on his offer of a date. "Yeah," she breathed. "Maybe that could work-? I don't wanna jinx it though-"

"Well sure, yeah," Luis proceeded with. "I mean, you still believe in giving them a chance to focus on something that isn't causing them anymore unneeded pain though, right? Why else did you goad Bonnie into dancing yesterday?"

"Yeah- you got me there."

Luis gesticulated to her, as if he's made his point. And he has.

Vanessa heaved, then once again leaned over to kiss him. Luis shut his eyes and savored it back; the pressure of her and the heady scent of sweets assailing his nose like he stepped into a candy shop bombarded his senses with a type of euphoria that always left him curling his toes. At length (and a long one at that), she parted and tucked herself against him; one arm thrown over his side and her other curled between them to hold his hand. Her hair tickled his nose with the passionate fragrance of blooming strawberry cream and Chica-flavored cupcake shampoo.

"I don't see the harm in helping them out," she said. Her tone took on a slightly cracked quality as she breathed, "God knows Bonnie doesn't need to be thinking of destroying himself in the most violent way possible. That- I didn't- I wasn't prepared for that. To hear him say he wanted death so badly! HIM, out of all of us here. The loud, annoying, egotistical one whose constantly smirking at Cassie like she's the only thing that matters-" Her breath hitched there, "Maybe him being so wrapped up with her wellness is what's making him feel less like himself and more like her dad- like you said. If he took a step back from her, maybe he'll feel more like himself again. Maybe he can separate his mind better from the other person inside. God... he's... I don't want to say suicidal but- oh god I can't believe I'm saying that."

She trailed off, her head burying itself against his neck. Luis sighed against her too, the arm thrown around her waist trailing circles around her hip and back.

"Make him go to therapy next time or something... he can't keep existing like this," Luis eventually said. "And yeah, maybe have him step away from Cassie a bit too. That's honestly and probably recommended at that point. With him pretty much taking over raising her in some part, its probably made his mental wellness uh... well... it's probably contributed to his loss of identity between one person or the other. And now that I think about it-" His expression deepened especially here. "I cannot help but wonder if this should be mentioned to Cassie at all-"

"We can't do that! That'll DESTROY her-"

Luis passed her a pragmatic look, "I don't think Cassie would disagree though if she thinks them having a little space would help him. If she knew he was feeling that way, you can BET she'd tell him to back off and give himself some self-love- as he's so fond of saying. You know that she'd agree!"

"Yeah but telling her this- Christ!" Vanessa slapped a hand to her forehead there.

Luis said nothing there, leaving the two pondering if something should be said to her sooner rather than later- or at ALL. They only continued passing touches for the moment as they weighed on that.

Eventually, she said, "His mind... It took me off guard. It'll eventually drag everyone else down and he doesn't seem to understand that mentality of his will wind up being contagious. He's been hiding it super well though... to his credit." She grumbled, "-At least, up until he bluntly told Chica about it. But from where I was standing, it felt like he couldn't keep it in anymore..."

"I think him admitting it was a way for him to try and make peace with it," Luis shrugged. "Its the first step. Could be a good sign!"

"Hm, maybe. That or he's just too tired to keep trying to hide it."

"Either way, its something," he continued to urge.

Vanessa only hummed again in response, falling silent again thereafter.

They'd simply hold each other after that, no doubt pondering their next steps forward. They would both eventually fall asleep with time; with the sound of the house beyond them livening up with the activities of the bots and children. All the while, Luis focused on both his own ideas moving forward, and the sound of Vanessa's breath against his heart.

---

ROXANNE WOLF

Her eyes may be her sharpest feature, but her other senses were what's busy today.

She'd finished Freddy's pelt- it took entirely too long to clean, but it had to be done. Literally, it took her about half the night and she had to dry it out in the wardrobe room. She spot-treated it and then gently used Vanessa's hair drier to dry the spots that were still soaked. But before even doing THAT, she'd made sure to smell if all the blood had been removed. She didn't want to be smelling old blood the next time she went hugging on him or brushing his fur.

Now that it was officially done, she hulled the heavy fleece over her shoulder and left the room; passing Vanessa's bedroom on her way by. The sounds within suggested both their caretakers and 'managers' were asleep now. Roxy had been able to somewhat hear them up until a little bit ago- seems Luis and Vanessa tended to forget just how good Roxy's hearing got after she'd been relying on it for so long at the PizzaPlex. She couldn't help it; but she caught quite a lot of... interesting portents regarding their resident chicken and rabbit. Not to mention their talk of Freddy being a potential time bomb.

Yeah. Totally reassuring.

She got downstairs and noticed Cassie and Gregory were bent over a card-game this morning with Sun. Good, old-fashioned Uno at its best. They were playing in the kitchen, Chica bent over their breakfast and humming softly to herself. Roxy frowned at the sight of the hen however, certainly recalling Luis' concerned observation of her seemingly frenetic desire to keep putting herself where she'd be uncomfortable while somehow magically acting like everything was fine. It made no sense to her! Why DID she want to keep doing that to herself?

Chica fluffed her neck and shook; rather realistically of an actual hen. Her whole head and upper body shivered and fluffed; having briefly stepped away from the stove to do so. She shook out the jitteriness in her hands- something she'd been concealing from the kids behind her, but Roxy's amazing eyes never missed. She went back to making their eggs and toast; at least the food she was making was simple and easy to make- no sugar involved.

But why keep doing that to yourself? Roxy pondered. Why lock yourself up like that? Its no good. You're caging yourself on purpose after a point.

She stepped by, still needing to find Freddy. Chica will have to come later.

She'd locate the orange ursine in short order too; seeing he was sitting in the living room arm chair DJ usually occupied. He was reading, very placidly finding something relaxing to do and gently thumbing a huge tome that covered their planet as a whole. It was pretty much an expensive geography book; one Vanessa got them so the bots can educate themselves as would a human. No need to let them lie in ignorance, she'd figure. It's one of the things Roxy especially appreciated being able to do; teach herself and learn about their world as would any human SHOULD.

The bear meanwhile was no doubt pondering what places he'd want to see and was currently stuck on a page with cherry blossom trees in it. Roxy hovered over and leaned over him, a little bit interested herself and cocking her head. She smiled at the contents of the page, quite liking what she was seeing. Freddy hummed once or twice, glancing at her in passing and not at minding the weight of her against his side or the arm of the seat.

"Fascinating, is it not?" He queried to her eventually. He held up the book to her, letting her see more clearly. "I did not know there was cherry trees here in the United States as well- I wish I could see them! But I do not think they grow out west..."

"I thought they only grew in Japan?"

"Perhaps a different species. I would like a book on botany and more plants," Freddy said, gently closing the book so he can focus on her. "Making some nice, home-made herbal remedies would be an interesting way to pass the time while also being beneficial to the children- should they be hurt at any point. Cheaper than a doctor's appointment, at least!" He made a face, "Still remembering Cassie's last cold... poor thing. It kept her bedridden far too long!"

The wolf harrumphed, "Yeah... maybe. Yeah- I think botany is something Eclipse would enjoy too? He likes helping Vanessa with the garden out back." She rapped one set of talons on her thighs, looking at the book again. "Yunno, I thought the trees with the giant pinecones were pretty cool. The redwood or something? Or the one that's apparently so poisonous that if you stand under it during a rainstorm, it will make your skin blister? That's hard-core!" She grinned especially widely there. "The 'little apple of death!' God, even the nick-name is METAL," she even produced the corresponding sign, her pinky and index ascending and her middle finger curling to its thumb.

"...What tree is THAT?" Freddy blinked. "Exactly, what species?"

"Manchineel, I think it was."

He blinked rapidly and instantly opened the book back up. "...What page was that? And seriously, you're not talking about a tree on another planet, right? Not from one of Gregory's space voyager movies?"

"Nope! It grows on earth. And its a real thing."

"...Where does it grow so we can avoid it?"

Roxy chortled, then made him lower it. She set the pelt on top of it, "Saw it in a documentary, and it grows in the tropics. Don't grow here, so you don't need to worry about it. In the meantime, put this on and keep your core warm. You'd been running nude long enough."

"But I'm always nude, technically-" He clenched his jaw there, looking a little lacking in repentance. The observation made Roxy actually LAUGH there.

"You're SO weird! You give a damn if we're bundled up tight enough, meanwhile you'd go streaking in less than your damn shell if you could! Just put your damn fur on you freakin' nudist."

Freddy shrugged a bit too casually for her; which only prompted another hilarious bout of snorting on her end. In fact, behind her, Monty was heard doing the same thing.

"I wear more clothes than he does- and that's just plain sad," the gator grinned.

"No shit! Pfft. If it wasn't for Bonnie making him match their outfits, he'd probably-"

"Okay. Okay, Enough of that," Freddy interrupted them, though smiling himself as he carefully toed his foot into the leg of his coat. He pulled it up like one would pants; Roxy helping him with it the rest of the way by situating it straight across his chassis while making sure it didn't bunch up against where the metal of his body bent or ended. It got tighter the more it stretched; making it trickier to don and it took another bot to help stretch up over the shoulders of their companion.

The head piece was the last section to put on. Roxy had to help with that so it sat straight on his scalp and the skin didn't obscure his eye sockets and optics; nor get caught on their brows and ears whenever they moved. She gingerly combed and brushed the hair down as well, having it cover wherever the suit was segmented and effectively covering all signs of stitching. Her claws grazed sensitive areas; prompting Freddy to hum once in contentment. She put his hat back on too; the magnet in it so powerful it can still adhere to his metal chassis even through the layer of fur. It still had a grip on his body, and it helped in a way; it kept the skin on his head stable so it didn't move too much during larger ear movements.

Roxy smirked. She knew her claws actually felt nice, when she was being gentle. Cassie always said she liked the feeling of it on her scalp whenever she gently combed the girl's hair, and Bonnie would damn near fall asleep whenever she touched the region between his ears. She laughed once when his leg gave an involuntary thump (he never lived that down). Chica fluffed up like she wanted to nod off; and even Gregory, scrappy and messy-headed that he is, would hold still for her whenever she went to straighten out his mop for picture day. She'd even comb his hair some days to help the otherwise uptight kid relax.

Freddy shut his eyes and smirked in the meantime; standing perfectly still as she fussed with his appearance in that OCD manner of hers. She made sure everything sat right on his body; making him lift an arm and pulling the sleeve of the pelt on his bicep so it looked more natural like loose muscle (the thickness of the fur gave it that interesting illusion). She migrated to his back and checked his tail too- something most people tended to forget exists on his person. While Glamrock Freddy had never been built with a tail, his fur coat was made with a fake one. Bears had tails- Roxy only learned that after she left the PizzaPlex. She always wondered why they were small- but apparently the tail on a bear just wasn't useful, so it was never included on his metallic, shiny Glamrock model. Kids would likely pull on his tail anyway if he'd been built with one. Roxy knew sometimes she had hers yanked, and tots loved climbing Monty's. Hell, its bad enough kids yanked on Bonnie's ears and they were on his HEAD. If you had an interesting appendage, its never safe.

"And apparently, bears are meaner than rattlesnake spit," Vanessa had told her once. "They tend to rip each other apart if they even glimpse each other. Before they went extinct, its not unusual to see a bear missing ears, a chunk of the nose, or missing toes... and their already small tails rendered to just exposed bone above their asses. One bear was documented to be so scarred up he was literally named for it, 'Scarface'. They aren't afraid to rip each other limb from limb. I wouldn't be surprised if they finished driving themselves to extinction, on that note."

And sure enough, Roxy had seen a documentary on them-

Yeah. Bears aren't nice. Who would've thought Freddy was such a freak then? Roxy was honestly glad Freddy wasn't programmed to be more like a REAL bear; he'd be as bad as Monty, herself, and Chica (if you consider her old eating habits) COMBINED in terms of gross and temperamental behavior. He would've been the reason the PizzaPlex fell apart; not Gregory! How cosmic, she wondered. Even Gregory acted more like a bear than Freddy did!

She scanned him again; immaculate pelt, clean chin, and fluffy and irresistibly huggable belly (the kids loved throwing him random hugs whenever he wore this pelt). He also smelled normal: Like citrus and some sort of earthiness she couldn't place. He had no scary scars to account for; no missing appendages like a real ursine whose seen battle (even though Freddy has indeed seen enough fights, grossly enough). Her jade claws grazed his fuzzy face in a gentle, scratchy manner; seizing his chin and forcing him to look up so she can eye his neck and where the head piece connected to it and 2-inch thick ruff. It made Freddy appear more than 20 pounds heavier because of the amount of fur on his shoulders and upper body; but it wasn't a bad thing. It honestly gave him an organically cuddly look, if the kids have anything to say about it. In fact, this ruff made coverage of any sections separating his head from neck pieces easy to blanket, and had the illusion of being the excess skin rolls naturally found on bears.

Roxy blinked rapidly when he hummed again; talons still caught on his bronzed jawline and neck. The throaty quality of it had her taken off-guard; different then what she usually heard from him before. It was longer, deeper, and... huh. Her jaw slipped once up and down on her visage, watching the bear's face carefully. He hadn't opened his eyes, his nose to the ceiling and posture relaxed. He looked like he was dreaming and was perfectly content standing there while she continued her inspection. Its almost as if he'd fallen asleep. His breathing even deepened, talons on his paw flexing like he was clenching something but not quite gripping it.

That was weird, she thought, before she decided to move passed it and took his paws. Freddy lowered his head there and finally watched her, letting her fuss with his digits and fixing the way the fur sat on his limbs. His breathing was a loud thing too; purely due to his size, frame and current proximity to her. Roxy once again was taken aback by the lack of actual behavioral similarities he had to a real bear- but his chuffing and breathing was realistic as hell. Gusty, belly-deep, and resonates in his barrel-shaped chest like a god's war-drum. His compressor was decently loud too, but not so much so recently. He'd been maintained; so the sound now was just his normal rate of breath cooling his huge and heavily wrapped body.

The fur on their paws was a curious aspect. Freddy needed the tips cut off on his index so he can still use the lighter in his finger, but the synthetic hair also had to be fire-retardant to some extent. The material was courser, but not unpleasantly so. His paw pads used to be creamy too; but his artificial coat bestowed blacker pads like real paws; complete with the texture. They weren't bad looking, she had to admit. His blue talons looked a bit odd against his brown fur and bronze belly, chin, eyebrow spots and ears- but Freddy loved blue. It was his favorite color and it was out of habit he chose to keep applying the paint to his talons. His Glamrock chassis beneath the pelt however retained its old painted look; and he didn't intend on changing it anytime soon.

"You're done," She clipped as she stepped back. "Anything bunching uncomfortably?"

"Hmf. Nope, all good," he assured as he turned around and stretched out as best he could without touching ceiling. He cracked his neck too; craning his head back and bending as far as his spine permitted before his own top-heavy nature kept him from going further. He shook out his feet and stepped; watching the fur on his thighs and ankles settle neatly as well. He nodded, smiling at her warmly. The expression always had Roxy feel funny- not that she can figure it. She supposed it was a programming behavioral response to make her feel better since the techs had wanted them to respond positively to whatever Freddy did (it helped with their rehearsals too). His smiles always left her, Bonnie, and Chica feeling immensely better from just a glance, and tended to help them feel better prepped for larger shows.

"Don't make a mess in that thing again, will you? It's a pain to clean up," She added gently.

He gritted his teeth as he straightened up. Ears sagged at being chastised, "I-I apologize. I will be more wary of... ah, I uh- you know what I mean." He scratched uncertainly at his head. "I am... not used to this. This is just so strange for me."

Yeah. Bleeding like you're made of actual flesh blood must be weird, huh?

She didn't say that aloud, feeling bad but not saying so. She knew he couldn't control it, and this was SUPER new to him. Bonnie had learned to be more aware of the times he's doing it, and he could prevent spotting in his fleece to an extent. Freddy meanwhile will have a harder time, as he was always a little more emotional than the rest of them.

She huffed, glanced quickly between him and the floor, then butted her nose to the underside of his large jaw. He 'oofed' slightly at the force of it, but it didn't hurt; merely take him by surprise. She folded her arms again and stepped away quickly, body still sheepishly closed off despite the bold gesture. It was her way of letting him know she didn't mind as much as he figured.

Freddy took the hint, by the looks of it. His next smile was more feathery and lighter than froth on a buttery, holiday drink and produced a universal warmth that always makes one feel braver. "Thank you, Roxy," He said, watching her especially intensely here. He blinked a few times, considered something, then averted his gaze. A submissive habit she caught. "I appreciate what you do. And thank you for coming to check on me last night... I've forgotten to say something until now-"

"Don't sweat it," She waved off casually. "Just get good at realizing when you're- well, whatever. Not like we can get another one of those damn furs if something happens to THIS one."

"I wouldn't wear it so often if it wasn't for the weather," Freddy admitted. "Its too dang cold to go without!"

"I don't disagree... but I also kinda like it-" She gazed out the window, smiling pleasantly at the beautiful sight of a tidy neighborhood with Christmassy decor everywhere and with only light snow today. The children were outside in the streets, and animals were coming back to life to briefly graze or bask in the paltry light. There was a series of bold sun beams cutting through the copious cloud cover; god rays that dappled the world around them in natural spotlights. The image of it was beautiful, making her and the bear smile more. It literally looked like a holiday card and it was making her feel silly, warm and utterly content despite the last few days.

Freddy followed her gaze and rubbed his paws together, "Oh! We should sit outside for a bit! That sounds relaxing!" He blithely turned on his heel, looking rather excited by the idea of lazing outside in what looked like an ideal festive painting. "Oh boy! It looks to be a great day today! Join me?"

"Sure."

He took the lead out, but Roxy ended up pausing to catch Monty's look after the bear left. She raised a double arched brow. "What? Do I have something on my face or am I just that pretty?"

The gator rolled his optics, "I swear he's got less guts than an actual fuggin' rabbit- and we have one sittin' right there."

He flicked his head towards Bonnie, who was still asleep on the couch. In fact, as if in acknowledgement of being addressed, he turned over and fluffed his tail. It wiggled super fast and cutely, then flattened down like a balloon being deflated. His nose twitched in his sleep, whiskers dancing and his mouth falling open. Honestly, he looked like a slob and if he could produce drool, he'd be a running gutter right now. His voice box crackled- with Roxy flinching when she realized it emulated snoring. When did he start doing that? she couldn't help wondering.

"I swear that bear... he's somethin' else," he continued on to say. "I feel like he wanted to say somethin', but then he just craps out halfway! No guts, I tell ya. For a sec there, I thought he was gonna say somethin' to ya but he looked like he got too damn timid."

Roxy folded her arms primly, "I never understood your dislike of Freddy. The hell's up with that anyways? Whatcha got against him?" She found her tone defensive, not that she's sorry for it.

"Nuthin'! Well, nuthin' anymore," he admitted casually. "I just never liked his nice guy shtick. He feels TOO nice. Lets himself get stepped on a lot. Kinda just... floats around like he's lost all the dang time- I almost feel bad." He then levelled Roxy an especially interested look. "And then the way he let that kid tell him what to do that night?" He jerked a claw in the direction of the kitchen to indicate Gregory. "Freddy's got less spine in 'em than a shark does."

"Sharks don't have true spines- oh," She blinked at him and squinted- though the motion was in mild irritation. "Fuck you. You're still an ass."

"Ass or not, at least I'm not an ass kisser," He grunted. He then went on to say, "I don't do anything around here except watch you guys. But that's all I get to do: Watch you. And I see some shit. Been learning some shit too. I put money on it that the bear's ALREADY balancing a lotta shit in that hat rack noggin of his... things he shouldn't be ponderin'. Things we shouldn't be seein' or feelin' thanks to our existence bein' what it is." His optics narrowed as he especially eyed Roxanne, "And, I mean more in specifics towards his comrades and not so much his position- although the latter would be of naturally greater concern."

Roxy's frown deepened. "The hell you mean? Speak plainly," She groused. No way he heard Luis and Vanessa talking... he doesn't mean anything like that, right?

Monty meanwhile only shrugged, tucking both arms under his head and appearing the picture of comfort as he laid back. He wouldn't elaborate, sadly, "Look, Rox. I'm just sayin': Doesn't take a genius to notice that bear ain't doin' too well already! You got good eyes, surely you noticed he was just holding something back just now?"

She defensively bared her teeth and snapped them in irritation; producing the customary click click. She then folded her arms tightly across her breast and turned away. "Whatever! You better not try any fucking funny shit with him! You start any fights with Freddy, you'll be damn sorry."

Monty only teased a wave at her. He stopped however when a dull WHUMP was heard. Both wolf and gator froze when they looked at Bonnie- who had ingloriously fallen off the couch and landed flat on his face and upper body. Both his legs were in the air above him, forcing his spine to bend as far back as it could. His arms were crooked like they haven't decided they wanted to help him stay on the couch or fall with their owner to the floor. A couple talons were caught on the upholstery, tearing it somewhat. His tail flicked once, ears lying flat across his head in the vague shape of an airplane's wings. He groaned piteously.

Roxy shook her head. Monty took a picture with his camera eyes. "Nice pose," he jeered at the slowly waking rabbit. "Could be better though if yer tryna to be the new Playboy bunny mascot. I rate that a 4 out of 10. Lots of leg, but not enough crotch. HAHAHA!"

Bonnie very slowly lifted one lazy arm, and very dramatically curled it before him in slow, agonizing motion as it to telegraph it. The languid quality drew in their eyes, and kept it as the former showman kindly flipped the gator off. Monty snorted at it. Bonnie barely held the gesture however, his arm shivering once as it flopped with a pronounced thump back onto the floor in front of him. He groaned again, blinking out of sync; his left eye was noticeably 2.5 seconds behind the cue of the right one.

"Kill me," he muttered. "Somebody please kill me. God I feel GRROOSSS."

Roxy winced at the words, not sure if they were a joke or something more sinister. Once again, her mind went back to Vanessa's words about him.

Monty too was raising a brow. "Er- you okay there?" At least he was trying to sound courteous. The reptile was sitting up now, working his jaws uncertainly.

"No. I feel like a bison took a diarrhea shit in my mouth and I'm chewing on that or its cud. Or both."

"Ew. Way too much info," Roxy winced. "And that was oddly specific."

Bonnie moaned and finished flopping to the floor in a body pose that definitely shouldn't be normal for bots; no flexibility to account for. Arms crossed beneath his body and above; his legs' heavy weight catching up to him when they forced him all the way to floor and one caught itself on the cushion on the way down. He stared at the ceiling and groaned again, mouth flapping a couple times like a gaping fish-out-of-water whose struggling to breathe.

Roxy went over to him and bent down; smelling him carefully. He looked awful, as if he could lose color from his fleece- had he any blood flow under there. She grabbed his chin and gave him a shake, "Hey... you in there this morning? Do I need to drag you to the garage?"

"...N-Ne-No. No. Gimme a minute," he pushed her paw off and grunted; the sound dragging noticeably.

"You don't hafta move, yunno," Monty said to him. "Geez! Just sit on the floor for fuck's sake. No one's making you budge!"

"I ain't gonna turn into you," He bit, the tone a bit more like himself, thank god. His words slurred, "If I sit down 'ere long 'nuff, I'll turn inta a reptilian piece o' shit with a brain-eating disorder."

"Fuck you you little cotton-tailed ass-hat! God forbid I'm actually concerned about you for once!"

"Eat me, Alligator-Dundee. Try it. I want you too," He bit back, still looking out of it lying on his back and looking at Monty upside-down.

"You'd want me too, you fuggin' fruit tart!"

"Bitch, I'm a delicious fruit tart. I'm a damn treat and you're just jealous."

"I ain't jealous of being a bottom bitch."

"Fuck you."

"Fuck you back."

Roxy felt a brow twitch. Nope, Bonnie was just being dramatic this morning. He's fine. Thank the gods, and at the same time, fuck the gods. He was feeling like trouble today; mouthy, mean and his mood flipping worse than a pregnant woman's. He was choosing violence today and whoever stood in his way was about to have it.

Just then, Bonnie's eye twitched- in annoyance or something else, she couldn't tell. But then, his face slithered into something utterly diabolical. His teeth showed, and while still keeping his ridiculous position on the floor, he informed the gator, "Oh boy. Don't I have something especially nice planned for you, compadre. By the way, I love the doodle of the bass on my crotch- can't quite scrub that out by the way."

Monty sneered at him.

Bonnie then asked sweetly, "So! You take some cute dick picks? You closet perv."

The gray-green gator flipped over onto his belly and crawled over just so he can look the rabbit right in the matching maroon eyes, "Glad you did. And I fuckin' triple dog dare you to try it."

"Challenge accepted, you talking woman's hand-bag."

"That's DESIGNER women's hand-bag to ya, you cheap trinket pawn shop prop. 'Lucky rabbit's foot' my TAIL."

"Hey hillbilly, Florida just called and wants their resident redneck Football mascot back."

Roxy rolled her eyes and started to walk out, "And here I thought I actually had a reason to be concerned! You two can go fuck yourselves jointly."

"He wishes!" They said in unison.

To that, Roxy only snarled. Suddenly, joining Freddy outside sounded like a wonderful idea. With that said, she didn't waste any further words on the children lying on the floor like they were both pieces of said excreta; craving some sort of intellectual company as she headed outside to join the bear on one of the outdoor lawn chairs.

She still couldn't all the way tell if Bonnie was feeling himself or was actually serious when he said he tasted something awful- but she supposed so long as he had his pissing contest with the gator, he'll be okay. Maybe. After all, if it helped him to feel more himself- trouble maker or not, no one was gonna complain! If he could be more Bonnie by channeling an inner Gregory, funnily enough, let 'em.

Just as she was about to open the door to the front yard, Bonnie said after her, "Heya, Rox. Can ya come with me to town?"

She blinked and turned around. "What for?"

Bonnie was slowly picking himself up off the floor now, ears still lying flat like a table-top across his head. He shook; and they finally perked up. Monty was ignoring him nearby, having turned on his side and watching the fire in peace. The rabbit meanwhile finally got to his full height and dusted himself off, still blinking out of sync- odd.

"I needta grab ah- ah... er."

"Take your time, carrot-breath. Maybe lie back down before you hurt yourself," she taunted.

"Shut it. I wanted someone to go with me so I can-" He stopped, stared at Monty, clicked his teeth, and smirked, "-Peruse the art collection. Yeah. That's what it is."

"I hate the way you said that and I definitely don't trust you today. I can tell you woke up on the asshole side of the couch."

"Daw, come on! Come with me!"

"Nope, get Sun to do it. He's bored enough!" Roxy harrumphed.

"Man... You're no fun anymore," he grumped. "I liked it better when you tried biting my face off or chased me around with a chair, screaming about how ungodly annoying I am. Chica's got more balls than you do-"

"Fuck you," She flipped him off herself.

"You want to!" He goaded, tone especially cheeky.

Imp. Can't tell whose worse; him or Vanny! He's like a damn drunk man whose fighting to not sober up!

The wolf ignored him, hopping outside to join the bear on the front porch. Nope, she was not going to be a part of whatever nasty little prank that nappy-headed Easter reject was pondering. She didn't have the gumption, nor the care. And frankly, she was in no mood for his 'charms' either.

Settling by Freddy was already helping her 'nerves', pulling up the heavy-duty rocking chair that sat on the porch and putting her tail gently through its back and aligning it so she didn't roll onto it by accident. She kicked up a leg over the other, smiling out into the street like an old woman whose content with her lot in life.

Freddy sighed beside her, passing her a dopey smirk, "I'm guessing Bonnie is feeling alright?"

"He woke up channeling his inner gremlin. He's gonna make Monty especially miserable today," She told him. "If I were you, I'd avoid him. You may get caught in the crossfire."

"I always liked seeing him try some pranks..." Freddy put a paw to his chin, "It helps me to know he's feeling himself again. I always feel uneasy if he isn't trying to give someone a hard time!"

Roxy found herself agreeing, but she didn't say as much. She only contented herself with watching the children down the street; trying to build a snowman down the ways. The wolf found herself humming at a thought.

"Yunno, people here have seen us by now. Wonder why they've been avoiding us?" She asked Freddy beside her. "And I wager the right parent or two here we can maybe set a party up for."

"Perhaps... but its possible they may be intimidated by us and our... eccentricities," he tried. "Not like Fazbear Entertainment has done anything to warrant good words to be spread amongst the public. And seeing as these people can see our party buses and us walking around in broad daylight, it may be likely they simply do not like us."

"Yeah... maybe."

Freddy tapped a talon on his chin, leaning forward in his heavy-duty chair and watching the street. "Hm. I think we have a way we can fix this... cannot believe I have not thought about it until now!"

"Lay it on me," Roxy encouraged.

"Next time it snows heavily... maybe we can help clean it in the other yards? We're strong enough, and a lot of people tend to get trapped in their houses-" Freddy frowned. "I know we have been told that we should leave them be because we are admittedly... well, intimidating sometimes, but maybe we can establish better relations if we try shoveling snow from the front of their houses? It'd give us something us to do."

"You're turning into a regular fairy godmother there," She chortled. Her tail flicked, then she nodded, "But I ain't gonna disagree. Could maybe net us some possible business..."

"Business, and maybe better friendships," Freddy added, his paws tenting together and talons tapping.

"Did somebody say money?" Bonnie smirked, poking his head out the front door.

Roxy jumped, then tossed the rabbit an annoyed look as he sauntered out. His paws were on his waist; a show of ease. Good, said a voice in the wolf's head. He's definitely feeling okay for the moment. He didn't smell odd earlier either.

"I was saying 'friendships', not money," Freddy chuckled.

"Same difference in our line of work," Bonnie scratched at his chin in a character-cued tic. He eyed the streets, having no-doubt heard the ursine's suggestions. "Yeah... I can see that. Yeah. As long as I ain't performing... we could try some good old fashioned neighborhood work. Maybe picking up trash during the summer too?"

"Given we are not moving by then, yes!" Freddy nodded.

Bonnie tapped a claw, and then, "I like it! That'll do. Yeah. Nice and simple. Good old fashioned character-building work. AND!" He grinned there, waggling a couple talons in excited circles, "Could make Gregory do it too!"

"Bonnie!" Freddy chastised.

"Now hear me out-" The rabbit smirked, "Gregory's like, hate to say, but he's kinda intimidating himself. If he's seen doing a couple tiny little favors around the street though, it could make him seem less intense- easier to approach to others. Not to mention, do something for his moral fiber. I hate to be 'that guy', but I think it'd be good for him! Especially given he was grounded for somethin'- he's been complaining about the lack of use of his computer when he got grounded last time! And I can't figure a better punishment than good, old-fashioned yard work!"

Roxy raised a brow and glanced at Freddy, who couldn't argue there.

"I don't hear a 'no'," Bonnie chortled.

"I... I shall weigh on that," the bear shrugged.

"That's what I thought!"

Freddy produced a scoff. "Get out here with that! Go on," He playfully dismissed.

Bonnie passed another evil smirk and headed back inside.

"Told ya he's feelin' some type of way," Roxy told him. "He's already making plans of having Gregory do prison work."

"You weren't kidding. Biscuits! I cannot imagine what he's going to do to Monty-"

Roxy only shrugged, putting both paws behind her head and reclining minimally in the chair. "Guess we'll find out shortly," she told him.

And to that, he could only snort.

Roxy settled in again, content to stay only by Freddy today and keep to herself beyond that. She passed him another pensive look, noticing the bear was indeed doing his best to take it easy. Freddy had shut his eyes at some point and leaned back, sighing heavily and tenting his paws over his lap. He was the picture of serene relaxation; smile subtle but strong and breath easy as it clouded thickly around his muzzle. Despite his scare yesterday, he was finding a moment to be himself.

The image made her appreciate and respect him more- not that she'd admit that aloud. Bonnie was right about one thing; and its the fact the group would be lost without him. Freddy was their pillar and rock; and it was only because of him that they even remotely behaved back at the PizzaPlex. Had he vanished instead, it wouldn't be long until they started to spiral out of control.

The wolf sighed as well, even moving her chair slightly closer to his own and slouching into it. She also shut her eyes too, getting a heavy bout of the 'lazies' even though it wasn't inherent to her. She folded her arms on one side of her chair and laid her head on them; tail curling atop of the chair's leg and back up over her ankles. At some point, she even felt Freddy's paw find her head and rest there; talons tracing lovely circles at the base of one ear. She had her turn to make a sound; producing a grunt that was more like a whuff and a sigh at the same time. A smile slowly crept up one side of her face, the wolf finding that moment to nearly slip into rest mode.

And then he was saying beside her, his paw still on her ear, "I love you, dear Roxanne."

...Dear Roxanne. Huh. Funny, I think I can get used to hearing that. So strange he's added the endearment too-?

Her smirk widened marginally, deciding not to question it as she weighed the carefully chosen token. "I love you too, Fatbear," she slightly chortled, borrowing Monty's favored insult.

"...Be honest. Am I really fat?"

And its there she'd laugh it off. "No, Freddy... the fur actually just makes you look huge. Like a real bear? It gives the illusion of you actually being that size and weight. But even if you were that big-" She snagged his paw and held it, "-You'd still make it look good. Betcha you can rock the dad bod if you really wanted to and still make it stylish. And I think its fair to say you look good like this too, being super cuddly 'n all."

Freddy could only chortle there, his paw clenching hers tightly.

They'd stay that way too for a little while, watching the world beyond them move by with a festive cheer that would also bring Gregory and Cassie outside. Sun was with them, the three tumbling out of the doors like they were younger than what they really are and romping in the snow like playful puppies discovering it for the first time. Roxy didn't need her eyes open to see them (thanks to her ridiculous oculars). She watched them in her own way, simply savoring the pseudo-nap she was taking and the feel of the ursine's talons in her own.

This was her entire world, and it was a world she will never let go. Roxanne had seen documentaries on real wolves too; and how the alpha females fight for their land and children and how they'd hunt to feed them. To sit and tolerate their tail pulling and ear tugging. To sing with them, to feast together. To go to war together. Its something they do here almost every day.

It was beautiful. THEY were beautiful. She was beautiful. She was so confident in that now, and couldn't be more gladdened of her model and appearance, and how much better Cassie and the others have made her to be. And, if ever pushed to it, she would gladly fight for everyone here, even if assholes like Bonnie and Monty pissed her off. A wolf will growl, but they wouldn't ever seriously hurt their kin. Even if she got smashed to pieces again, she knew she'd be beautiful anyways. They made her beautiful at the end of the day.

And that was an absolute.

---

~Sunday morning, same day~

POLAR FREDDY

True cold. The real, powerful and most imposing form of nature's worst and most hideous breath; the sickly release of death's own rattling sigh as it permeated the atmosphere around the colorless ursine like a shroud of shadows.

That trudge back in the slow, cold, naked night snapped vicious lashes across his spine more akin to the damning crack of a nitrogen-dipped whip on bare skin. The wrap of the reaper's own chilling vice upon very center of his being clenched with the trembling impatience of one whose been cheated at what they've earned and lost. The world beyond the living always called to those whose long expired but cannot deign to join them; imparting a primordial longing that forcibly dragged at one's sanity and even stoutest of minds.

The words of the rabbit; the ultimate cheater of death now twice over: The master of his own fate- and yet even he could not control the very thing he's conquered. It tears at him every day, it sews into him its seeds of wrath; and into his perverted metal flesh they've set root and spread. Even he, the one whose escaped death's permeance twice, was being ruthlessly savaged by its toxic influence every damn day- a sentiment the ghastly white specter also understood all too well.

Polar Freddy hugged himself as he found himself back at the building; although the walk back had taken him all night and well into the morning of the next day. The distance covered was still swift, seeing as he was long of stride and tall of frame; but he still walked that distance in begrudging, biting cold and fought knee-high snow, slippery ice roads and sidewalks in the thick of night. He'd hesitate coming in too; not wishing to have to deal with Arctic Foxy and Mr. Morris.

He never fully understood that- why they kept infusing remnant into bots. If the people who did it understood just how painful that existence was, he figured they'd stop there- but no. That is a foolish notion and an optimistic thought. Even Polar Freddy knew they'd proceed out of spite and for the sake of 'progress'. To gift bots with the ultimate form of understanding; to have them embrace true organic mentality- they figured it was a blessing and the ultimate sign of actualized consciousness-

But one can also argue they are playing at God.

Polar Freddy did not think that though; at least, not until yesterday evening. Not until he's listened to Bonnie explain the throes of his routine to the one who seems to adore him most. He told that to Chica and not to his Freddy- that was... unusual within itself. He's been telling his friends everything that's bothered him except that. And then, he pressed Chica up against the door like he wanted to cage her in in a way to simulate a metaphor as well- to press home how trapped he felt as well as suggest something else... and its nuance wasn't entirely lost on the polar bot.

Desire.

Bonnie 'remembered' man's worst vice of them all; desire. He felt for one instant, for just that ONE moment, what that truly was. It was an alien thing to bots; and honestly, a disgusting and sobering sentiment. It wasn't anything they can understand properly or control due to its compulsiveness and ugly grip. It also, admittedly, wasn't commonly seen in any remnant-infused bots; seeing as its a trait found in adults and not the young. Children were commonly used in bots for a reason; as adults were... Well. Again, there's a reason why adults simply weren't used a lot and it tended to get messy.

The adults have complex emotions that are most realized and understood; some mindsets that remain adamantly inflexible even unto death. It scarily influenced the nature of the bot as well; and it made using any adult-related remnant a risk that threatened incomprehensible madness. Children have lesser sound minds; but are still more malleable and easier to control- and the less remnant there was used, the less of that person remains when applied to a bot.

The Glamrocks were all infused with remnant when they were first made. However, they only got a trace of it; never the whole package. Never the whole soul. And in recent times and from what Polar Freddy's observed, the Glamrocks all had parts replaced and given entirely new forms- so some inevitably do not have it anymore. Monty apparently was constructed from an under-developed endo and assembled with only the basic frame of his old body; never his motor, core, and by extension, whatever angry remnant he had as an example. He wasn't as complex as the others, to put it simply, and no longer had his source.

Roxy seemed to have her remnant... Polar Freddy had smelled it in passing. It was faint, but there. And her personality was far more complex now because of her experiences and its presence in her; as well as the influence of Cassie and her wolf-based programming, funnily enough. The wolf was a very sentimental creature; and one whose nastily compelled to bond strongly to family. Traces of that creature's actual behaviors made Roxy very interesting to observe, and she was the pinnacle of perfection that married the supernatural and inorganic in a seamless manner. Not to mention being the Prototype Roxanne- she was just generally desirable as a creation, and Fazbear Entertainment will certainly want her back simply because she's been perfected.

DJ had no remnant... he wasn't complex like Bonnie or Freddy, but he wasn't lacking in understanding thanks to whatever Vanny has done to him and his programming. His own experiences back at the PizzaPlex had some pull on his reserved personality too, but Polar Freddy would have to see first-hand what that had left him with.

The daycare attendant... that will require more observation too. Its likely he had remnant in him too- but his personalities made gleaning anything conclusive especially difficult. He also hadn't come around the polar bot long enough for him to smell it. However, considering how interesting his alter Eclipse was and the nuance of his mindsets, its likely he was as elaborate in design and melding as Roxanne. Also a desirable target to acquire.

Chica... she was probably the more interesting of the bunch in Polar Freddy's opinion. He couldn't smell much on her that was overtly present- as Bonnie's presence made capturing anything conclusive on her evasive. If she had remnant, he simply couldn't tell. He also doubted it- seeing as her whole body had been replaced and her old one had apparently been left behind at the PizzaPlex. Her old body would've had a piece with remnant in it- and Vanessa wouldn't have known to get it for the new form.

Still... Chica's emotions were extraordinarily complex and far more developed than they should be. She had the mentality of someone whose infused with nearly an entire soul. Her endo also had parts replaced with time- so its possible that the endo itself was being made into a character but the techs at the PizzaPlex never finished it. And because of that, Vanessa could've very well grabbed an endo with remnant in it unintentionally. Polar Freddy will have to give Chica a closer smell inspection in order to get conclusive data; or borrow a tracer from headquarters since he was here.

Her 'affection'... That was ultimately his only way of knowing she may have any remnant in her. She apparently 'desired' in a way herself; and seemed the most in-touch with her pain and anguish. That too was also a sign of her remnant, possibly; seeing as agony was commonly found in it. Either that or she 'remembered' what having remnant in her felt like from her old body. The influence of remnant was unforgettable once you've felt it; even though its source would be taken away, the bot will remember the feelings even after its gone. So if Chica had remnant before (which was likely), its corrosive touch on her mind was forever.

Now with all this said, he had to tell Mr. Morris of what he's seen. He felt bad about it- but he was promised some kind of reward if he abided by mission parameters. He wasn't sure if his Bonnie would yet be available, but a tiny part of him couldn't help but hope for it. After all, there was nothing else in this world that truly mattered to the white bear.

Nothing.

The Fazbear employees around him didn't look up from their cubicals; they weren't alarmed to see him. He also didn't care if he looked imposing to them; and he wouldn't apologize to these dullards even if they begged for it. They were figuring ways to keep their evils under wraps; why apologize for such a thing?

Once he found his way to the Animatronics testing floors several stories up, he would find his way to the isolation room. It would be there he'd find Foxy and Mr. Morris too. The isolation floor was a very nondescript chamber; plain gray walls, reinforced steel girders bracing cement and cinderblock in place like a prison cell. There was no windows, and only one way in or out; just one door with another door beyond that to serve as a decontamination and security checkpoint; 3 inches of solid steel and a electromagnetic pulse on both doors that can be generated to stun whatever bot could be banging on it. This room can be locked down in an instant; should the remnant infused bot go mad.

Foxy was standing in here whole and hale; with a couple of workers moving cautiously around him armed with tasers and clipboards, penning things down as they questioned him. There was a repair armature above his head too; its numerous limbs spinning around and ready for a command to either hold the fox down or fix him. It hummed quietly and whirred as cylinders along its length spun; the fox growling in annoyance of the sound.

His hearing was as sharp as Glamrock Bonnie's; so no doubt even the hammering hearts of the humans around him bugged him too. Arctic Foxy's ears were larger than normal Foxies as well: The panels were half Glamrock Bonnie's length; half a foot of solid sensors and made with more updated ones. He no doubt can hear as well as the rabbit, or better. His appendages were constantly busy; swiveling at every tic tic of the servos inside Freddy himself or the armature above. The humans' breathing was also definitely being clocked by him; as well as their pulse and the goings-on of whatever lie outside this room.

His bushy tail flicked a few times realistically; like a normal fox on the prowl. His burning coals for eyes turned to size up the bear near him; his lip-line lifting to reveal uneven teeth and metallic tongue. The skin around his complex muzzle was latex; it could move like real skin and gave the hideous impression of unveiling his painted gums and bone-colored metal shards for fangs. The base of his teeth were painted yellower than the tips; perhaps not unlike real teeth in a sense. The tiny detail was very interesting for his makers to have done, but some of their creators here took great pride in their work. After all, each bot was a piece of art in a perverted way; and much went into the creature's creation each time.

His coal-colored talons clinked contemplatively; indicating an impatience of wanting to be out of here. He snarled at Freddy too, no doubt having not forgiven him for forcibly uprooting him from that fight some days ago. His optics narrowed, lip-line trembling with the presence of a thundering growl.

"Well then," Mr. Morris said as he eyed the workers and bots. "Since you are here, Freddy, I believe Mr. Foxy here can finally go!"

"Fuckin' finally!" He snapped, whipping around and jabbing a black claw at the fat man's small nose. His oddly foreign and thickly accented timbre rattled as he blustered, "Fuck ye with somefink 'ard and pointy!"

Mr. Morris only smiled quaintly, but the hardness of his expression couldn't be deniable. "Go on now. Get out," he almost spat. "I'm tired of looking at you as much as you are of me!"

The fox made the motion of emulating spitting at his feet; not that he could. But, the gesture was inspired and he turned to brusquely stomp out-

"Oh and Foxy! Make sure to stay put until Mr. Frederick here is done. We have something to talk about, but it will only take a sec. And then, you can be on your way," The assistant to the CEO lazily said.

The Arctic variant merely swore in response and flipped him off.

"My my... what a nasty temper he has," Mr. Morris sighed. "I never understood that... We fix him up but he stubbornly retains that horrid disposition! It has to be his programming as a Foxy at this point and a character-cued trait... We definitely have to do something about that."

The polar bear version of Freddy Fazbear said nothing, only waiting to be addressed properly.

Mr. Morris smiled at him, "Look at you! Polite as ever and not nosing in with a smart response or even smarter question. I always loved the Freddy model myself; always better company than that foul-mouthed fox and rough-around-the-edges gator!" He shrugged and gestured to the armature, "Well, go ahead and plug yourself in. Upload your data from your observations, then come with me. I wish to show you something!"

"Yes sir. Of course," The bear robotically reciprocated.

Polar Freddy walked up to where Foxy had been standing; waiting as the armature lowered itself down and spun out a limb. A needle-like port emerged; with the polar bot standing perfectly still as it proceed to remove his right optic and insert itself into the tiny port behind the eye. It connected right into his brain and took his recordings and several days worth of footage; then it retracted and gave him back his eye. Once it pulled back, Polar Freddy stepped away from it and waited for further command from Morris.

"We'll review the footage throughout the day. Thank you very much for your hard work," he was sure to say. "Now then! I have something I want to show you that you may be very well interested in-"

"Yes sir."

He followed loyally behind the assistant and dutifully kept his head ducked, feeling that wrongness within him unsettle at what he just did. He felt like he just betrayed a best friend, but he knew he shouldn't feel this way; after all, it wasn't like the Glamrocks were family or any close associates. He kept the guilt from his face though; his visage completely impassive and the epitome of neutral as he shadowed the middle-aged man out of the isolation room.

They wouldn't be going too far; as the room down the hall here led into assembly. This particular room was special however; as the 'assembly' would be work done on a single bot and not a bunch of others at once like the rest of facility tended to do. The bot being made here was the center of focus and dedication. Polar Freddy couldn't help but feel something small and fragile cautiously peek its head from some cavernous crevice within his mechanical heart as he was led to the also reinforced room.

"I bet you can guess what's waiting for you, huh!" Mr. Morris smiled.

"I'd like to not get my hopes up, sir. With all due respect... Keeping your expectations low means you cannot be disappointed as easily," The white bear levelly informed him.

Mr. Morris raised a brow. "I am... a little surprised at you. I could have sworn Freddies tended to be optimistic and hopeful? To shoot for the stars more. I did not expect such a pragmatic and strangely lukewarm outlook from you."

"I apologize then," The polar bot dipped his head. "But I am afraid I have been disappointed a few too many times to retain such a perspective. It has sadly come as a result of my work and my tenure at the depot."

Mr. Morris had the graces to look sympathetic, not that the bear believed it genuine. "Well, you'll be happy to know that we will not betray you here as they did there! Go on now-" he moved out of the way of the door. "Go on in! But I will say, we are not done. So do not expect any recognition from him."

The choice of words and Morris' cautionary advice had the bear both uneasy and hopeful in equal measure; unable to fight the haste that unveiled itself in his stride as he walked into the assembly room-

The assembly room was also very plain, not unlike the isolation room in terms of 'decor'. It too had an armature, but its functions were different from the other one. There was also a flat table in its center; and it had manacles and shackles meant to bind the bot, should it decide to become volatile in the midst of testing. There was no employees in here at the moment; just a single familiar face sitting in an otherwise lonely and windowless room with naught but a single light blinking above him-

Sentinel Bonnie.

The white bear felt something in his chest constrict and release; a torrent that spilled forth from a shattering dam that threatened to sweep away an entire town. He rushed to the prone bot; unable to prevent himself from reaching out and wrapping arms around him just to see if he was real.

Incredible- he was indeed in mostly one piece! He had almost everything; minus the majority of his motor and some choice parts for his limbs. Hie must not have some pieces for his head either though, because he didn't react upon being touched or even seeing the bear enter the room. His stomach hatch was closed, but Freddy knew from making him sit up that he felt suspiciously light. He didn't have enough pieces yet to be whole or to function properly.

The bot blinked his optics open as Freddy pulled him into an embrace; but there was no other reaction or even words that came from him. There was no personality there; nothing. He simply reacted; not proacted. His ears moved, as if figuring themselves out and trying to understand the ugly sobbing the bear was doing. His compressor whirred faintly as he slowly turned on and attempted to process the only bit of stimuli he's likely had recently.

Polar Freddy couldn't help it; but he wailed. It was an unholy, ugly sound from him; his buttery baritone crackling and gasping like he couldn't get enough wind in him and his voice box struggled to properly convey the noise. He kept his jaws open; gulping down draughts of cold air and struggling to aptly function as his arms tightened around the white rabbit's shoulders. He even brushed his head against the otherwise limp bot; the sides of his head staying glued to the rabbit's own. He settled his great weight fully onto the assembly table; sweeping as much of his old buddy into his hold as he could.

Behind him, he could hear Mr. Morris enter. The man said nothing for a time, only watched as the bear attempted to process his current shift in his world. Moments passed like this; with the white bear unable to muster any words as he viciously tried to reign in control of his flooding euphoria.

Finally, Mr. Morris said, "As you can tell... he's not all... 'there'. Not yet. He needs a lot of work. We had his shell, pelt, some motor to account for... limb parts were available too, but the processor in his mind and body are unfortunately a rare commodity. Only another Bonnie will have the rest of what he needs-" he said. "The capacitors and what-not inside of Glamrock Bonnie may be the only things we can use for him now. When all Bonnie models were disabled, anything we could've used for him was thrown away... so vital components are in rare supply. Any remaining components outside of those were either dumped or stolen by Mr. Cabrera-" Morris walked over with his hands behind his back, looking rather neutral himself as he eyed the listless bot. "Glamrock Bonnie may truly be the only bot left in this whole world who could finish your friend here."

"How come- h-how-" Polar Freddy sniffled and wiped his bloody nose; having at some point started running like a broken fountain as he sobbed on his bestie. He swallowed a breath, and then said, "I t-thought we had more?"

"Not as much as I thought-" Mr. Morris sighed, gray brows knotting. "I'm surprised we even had THIS much to make! I got a hold of the workers who dissembled your friend originally... they threw away a lot. His memory was... it was stored in the personality data network, but not all of it."

"What do you- how bad is-"

Mr. Morris raised a placating hand, "I assure you, we can finish work on that. His chip is still being configured in another room, and we're scratching up the data we had for him at the depot and whatever was stored here. Like I said, there's still a lot of work to be done. Glamrock Bonnie likely even has your friend's pieces from Mr. Luis taking it from the depot. After all, your friend was taken apart at the depot too- and some of the pieces had been in the rooms Mr. Cabrera has visited." The older man shrugged. "We were able to even get this much made because he was still made to the specs of a typical Bonnie. But anything else that truly sets him apart from the others- things that make a Bonnie a BONNIE, all of it is in that damned Glamrock. Its why we emphasize his capture."

The polar bot nodded his head rapidly.

"Now then, we will review the footage you've brought, and then when you think you can catch the rabbit alone, go ahead and bring him in. But remember-" Mr. Morris held up a single hand, "He must be alone. And you must do this out of public eye. You understand?"

"Yes sir. Absolutely," He nodded, suddenly more sure than ever of what he must do.

They both turned to look at the dazed looking lagomorph, the bot not even blinking as he stared at his lap lifelessly. He truly looked like a zombie; unable to truly 'wake up' even though his maroon optics were wide open. He didn't move either; only sat and stared off into space like some glass-eyed doll.

This Bonnie was different from all others from just a glance; and Polar Freddy loved him for it: He wasn't just some token rabbit; he was built like a hare. He wasn't really, but he LOOKED the part. He wasn't as 'full' in body as the Glamrock variant; not as barrel-chested or 'muscular' looking. He was lankier, taller, and he had a wider and larger set of eyes in his black sockets. His model was somewhat plus-sized like Polar Freddy was; being marginally taller than normal Bonnies (or other bots in general) and longer limbed. He stood at an impressive 8 feet, minus his ears; which topped him off at a ridiculous 9 feet and 2 inches. He had to keep his ears flat to his head in order to walk around some areas and not clip doorways or ceiling. Ducking was also common.

His 4-inch long claws were a glossy stone grey that transitioned to black at the tips, with a pink base simulating a quick; a very interesting and realistic nuance. His body was also all-white; but he had the interesting pattern of black, sooty spots on his ribs and back in a wavy pattern; less like a rabbit and more like a male snowy owl's pattern on its wings and shoulders. He had black eye-liner marking under his eyes like Glamrock Bonnie; but they went further back than his did and very much exaggerated his longer face and more realistically proportioned visage. This 'hare' also had black tips on both of his pointed ears and gray 'shoes' on his feet where paw pads should be. He had a curious gray spot on his chin too; almost like facial hair but not quite. The hair on his chin had always been curiously long, like it wanted to be a goatee.

All things considered, he had the odd, long limbered body like if one hybridized the body of a male Glamrock and the daycare attendant; being skinny, lithe, and extraordinarily flexible. He could move in ways other bots cannot, and his legs were curiously shorter; but, his feet being longer and LARGER made up for it. He stood on his toes at all times, and they held his incredibly modest 400 pounds. He honestly shouldn't be that light for a bot his size, but it goes to show his marked differences from other Bonnies. His legs were also interesting because despite being bipedal, they were shaped like real hare's legs but stretched out in a way to suit his two-legged gait better. They had springs in them and were capable of feats of athletics that can rival Monty and Glamrock Bonnie.

Polar Freddy brushed his paw up and down the snowshoe bot's back, glad to see his pelt was on him too to keep him warm in an otherwise chilly room. The sooty owl spots were always magnificent; and his dark points on his limbs made him very handsome in his eyes. The hare/rabbit hybrid still didn't react much, but the rubbing had his head lifting up like he was struggling to compute something. Nothing came though, and he continued to stare off into space and kept his pink and black-tipped claws in his lap. His gangly appearance looked awkward trying to fit itself on the otherwise smaller operating table. He looked like a teenager trying to grow into his huge body. His adorable, boopable pink nose moved slowly, likely taking in the polar bear's neutral smell.

"I am... happy, I suppose, in seeing him at all," Polar Freddy admitted, moving a gentle paw to the bot's head. The true lagomorph moved an ear in response to the touch. It seemed he had all his touch receptors and understood contact was being made. He just felt nothing emotionally. "I figured you were lying to me? I apologize for that conclusion."

Mr. Morris waved him off, "I did not expect you'd believe us, so I told my workers to get to work on putting him back together anyways with what we had. I wanted to show that we mean well, and to prove we had his parts on hand! To earn your good faith! And besides, your friend there-" Mr. Morris hummed appreciatively and walked around him. "He's quite interesting! Very, very good-looking. Its almost a shame other Bonnies do not look like him! I wanted to 'meet him' myself!"

Polar Freddy kept fixing his gaze at the white rabbit, attempting to meet his red eyes. The lanky bot didn't try to do the same thing back; not even reacting to other stimulus beyond touch or smell. Seeing as touch was the only thing he can get out of him, the polar bear leaned against him and grazed claws on his back and between where his shoulder blades should be. The lagomorphic bot's ears twitched on occasion.

"I will leave you to it then," Mr. Morris eventually said, realizing he wasn't going to get much from Freddy. "Sit with him as long as you wish, but be sure to leave soon and take Foxy with you. Your friend will be here all the while. He cannot leave the facility until his faculties are all restored; he cannot defend himself in this state, and he isn't capable of staying active yet for longer than a short while. Once he inevitably shuts down in a little bit, let him rest. His motor isn't advanced enough to keep him running yet." He passed the bot an odd look, "He's so huge... his heart needs to be more powerful in order to support him. Again, another reason why we need that Bonnie back- he has a more advanced motor, I hear tell?"

"He does, yes."

"Perfect. Glamrock Bonnie's parts will more than suffice then. So, you get what you must do?"

"Yes sir, indeed," the polar bot nodded. "I will leave post-haste and make sure to grab the Glamrock when I can. But if I may inquire-" He frowned at a thought. "The remnant in Glamrock Bonnie... what if the parts we need from him are covered in that too? His disposition when I recorded it... he was... concerning."

Mr. Morris raised a hand, "Be rest assured, Frederick. The parts we'd require from the Glamrock would not be enough to override your friend's personality there. If anything, he'll only get the 'traces' of it. It'll help actualize his emotions and stabilize him better too! So long as its not too many parts, that is."

The bear frowned. He turned towards Morris, "The Glamrock is possessed entirely and wholly... wouldn't separating the parts from him hurt the soul?"

"No... it will probably make it less aware of itself. Perhaps, in a way, it'll be better for it," Morris smirked. although the expression looked rather unwelcoming in Polar Freddy's opinion. "It won't hurt, if that's what you're asking."

An ear moved on the hare, the whir of a servo working briefly to ensnare the bear's attention. He did nothing else however, maroon optics still arrested on the table like he was trying to find his soul in it. The polar bot huffed at that, realizing grimly that remnant may indeed be the only answer he can get in order to get his friend back fully.

"And... his personality chip... you say its almost done?"

"Almost!"

The bear frowned. "If enough of him is in it then... why would he need the remnant? I'd be happy to just... I do not know but... I want him and not 'a mix of him and someone else'. You know?"

"You know as well as I do that remnant was why he even behaved the way he did, once," Morris heaved. "He had a lot of parts soaked in the stuff before he was taken apart and the parts repurposed for other bots... no, if you want your full friend back, he needs remnant and quite a lot of it. It goes hand-in-hand with the chip, and its another reason why the Glamrock is required. Giving him pre-programmed tics isn't quite enough, and it will upset you if that stays the case. After all, Freddy-" He waved at himself, "You are only as advanced as you are because of it. You know that!"

Polar Freddy did not argue further, but he couldn't deny the fact that taking apart not just Bonnie, but this Cassie's father didn't seem quite right for this. He gazed at his lifeless friend, who was no more alive than a golem at the moment. He still hadn't blinked either; pink nose flaring on occasion.

"Anyways, talk to him, if you must. Perhaps if you do so, it could help him anchor a bit better to reality-" Morris waved off. He turned to leave. "He is recording our conversation and learning again. His basic stand-in processor understands enough; just not enough for full sentience yet. That's what we need the Glamrock for. Understand? He's the only bot carrying what your friend needs right now."

"Yes sir. I understand," Polar Freddy neutrally reciprocated.

"Be safe out there, Frederick. I look forward to more of your findings," The pudgy man smiled.

Polar Freddy watched him leave, frowning when he realized he'd been wanting to talk to Morris, but he'd forgotten what about. Still, he was also too dazed to be focusing on such sensitive portents and right where his friend can hear it. The fact sentinel Bonnie was recording them was interesting. He was in a 'learning phase' right now that was especially critical of a young endo. It made sense to put him in an sensory-deprived environment like this until he can learn to rationalize it better. Not completely segregate him, but just stay out of trouble so he doesn't learn bad behavior.

On that note, Polar Freddy figured he can talk to him for a bit. This was a dream come true, even though it wasn't fully realized yet. He'd been craving this for years. Why not take the chance while he can?

"My friend, please. Do not worry or fuss," He told the fellow bot. He grabbed his paw and thumbed it, gazing lovingly at his white face and trying to make out whatever intelligence was there in his blank gaze. "I do not intend on causing harm. I do not wish to do so... I know you've always hated it when I had to do my job... You always hid in your 'happy hole' when you could... but someday soon, this will no longer be the case! I have been able to see the outside world-"

He gestured behind him, "We could only glimpse it from that little skylight at the depot, once. We've both dreamt of worlds beyond; wondering what lie outside those plain walls. I have felt snow under my feet and smelled the feathers of birds as they landed upon my shoulders! They are quite dusty actually!" He chortled there, "Oh, there is so much we can perhaps do together once you are well! It will be soon too; and perhaps we can walk the streets together too!"

Nope. Still no reaction. Still no blinking, nothing. Polar Freddy gave him a gentle nudge, but he didn't do anything beyond twitch his nose. Well, at least that was different.

"I miss you. I only missed you," Polar Freddy told him in a whisper. "You are my world entire, and that has never changed. I may have seen more, but all I can rest on is the thought of us being together again. I do not care if I had to be sealed inside another prison to be with you again- I just want to be with you. You know?" He leaned forward and touched his head with Bonnie's; nose-to-nose with him now. Whiskers twitched in reaction, and finally the bot snuffled in- surprise? Seems his touch was more than exceptional; perhaps almost as sharp as his hearing. He blinked, nose twitching more rapidly there. It was the most complex reaction Polar Freddy got out of him yet.

"I'm sorry. I have forgotten how sensitive your muzzle was, " he said to the bot. "You hate having your face touched. And... oh! When I return, how about we do something together? Maybe find a sticker book? I know you love stickers and glitter glue!"

Polar Freddy was constantly disappointed to see nothing resembling familiarity in his bestie; the lifeless bot was just that; lifeless. Inanimate minus the occasional movement. In fact, as if to further sadden him, his friend shut his eyes and gently laid back down flat on his back. He powered down; the sound noticeable as he whirred into a perfectly supine position and rested both paws over his fluffy, narrow breast. He breathed; but that was only until he cooled down. He'd stop moving entirely after that; perfectly still and as silent as the grave. He had the odd resemblance of sleeping beauty waiting to be given life again.

The bear forced down an ugly sob that wanted to choke out of him; getting off the too-small table and kneeling beside the sentinel Bonnie variant. He touched his head with the rabbit's; gently cupping his head and fitting his paw to the bot's face and scalp and rubbing it.

"Dream the sweetest of dreams, my friend... My greatest love. I will return soon," he told him in a reverent murmur.

He drew himself back up, and left- Not daring to look back in case he fell to his knees in tears again.