(In Molten Freddy's voice)"KNOCK KNOCK. . .I'M HEREEEE!" :-)
Well I'm back after a super long unexpected wait.
Firstly a huge apologises for the wait, I did not forsee myself being preoccupied for so long back in December last year with other things, but I simply could not avoid them.
Anyway, here is the next chapter, it is pretty big, but I suppose that is now expected with this story.
Anyway, I thank you all for your patience, truly I did not expect to be away for so long.
Yet I am back, and so is FNAF with VR Help Wanted just around the corner and many other FNAF related things.
You can never have enough Five Nights At Freddy's. ;-)
A huge thank you to Jack Darby The Son of Superboy, CharlieFreemantheJumperch and Dragon of the Ecplising Moon for following or favouriting this story.
A massive thanks to May07, Disasterteen13, Hello and Guest for your reviews, they are greatly appreciated. :-)
To answer your question Guest, here are the ages of the characters:
The Originals and Toys are in their early to mid twenties.
Puppet and Balloon Boy are fourteen and thirteen.
Mike and Jeremy are in their early to mid forties, yet I always imagine them to be younger whenever I write them.
The Nightmares are also in their early to mid twenties, as they are the mirror images of the Fazbears.
Vincent is actually in his sixties, but I always imagine him to be in his thirties whenever I write him.
There is a sing along song in this one and it's Parasite by DaGames, it's quite fast though.
I apologise for any grammar errors that I missed.
Enjoy :-)
Chapter 38.
Incomplete Souls.
"Shhhhhh."
"Come spend eternity inside. . .with me."
Lefty from Ultimate Custom Night.
Darkness greeted Balloon Boy within the cramped confines of Lefty, surrounded by his endoskeleton and various wires.
The space that he occupied was deliberately made to be small, but just big enough to house someone his size. His breathing was tense, his heart was racing, beating against his ribcage like that of a massive drum. He felt dizzy as when he fell in, he did so face first and thus ended up smacking his face against Lefty's endoskeleton.
The impact made his nose bleed. . .again.
He had to turn over as the mechanical machinery begin to close in, crushing and pinning him in place to the point where he couldn't move most of his body without hurting himself.
He knew that Nightmare Freddy was just outside and although he hadn't not seen him, he could tell by the voice who it was, with it sounding so close to Freddy's.
Youthful, proud, confident and in control of the situation, yet it lacked Freddy's warmth, kindness, love, devotion and determination.
It was the very definition of an alter ego.
His baby blue eyes darted about in the blackness, unable to see anything and all he could hear was that of his own tense breathing. The silence felt like it was strangling him with its tension, as his nerves were alit like a forest fire, blazing bright and sending his fear induced mind further over the edge. Lefty's internal machinery pressed against him, being cold to the touch, whilst also being sharp and smooth at the same time.
It was a constant presence as he tired to figure things out, but only one truth stood out.
He was screwed. . .
His immobility was not helping to repress his fear either, scared that if he moved, he might set the whole thing off. An endoskeleton was like a booby trap rigged to active with the slightest motion, that's how the former nightguards met their gruesome fate.
Having Lefty's mechanical innards cut into him kept the possibility of the whole endoskeleton crushing into him centre stage in his mind and further paralysed him. He couldn't move, was too afraid to speak and all that he could do was listen.
Listen for the steady footsteps of Nightmare Freddy, circling him like a shark outside. Everything else was silent, just those heavy footfalls on the polished floor.
Then a voice called out, softly from somewhere behind BB.
"Shh, be still and quiet, it's for your own good."
Hearing the Nightmare's voice properly for the first time unnerved BB. He felt his heart beat race, the terrible reality of his position continued to hit home like a slap in the face. Nightmare Freddy continued to talk, circling the dominant Lefty, like a wolf taunting a wounded deer before going in for the kill.
"Admittedly, we've kidnapped you BB."
The footsteps continued, the echo made worse by being inside a suit, amplifying the sound.
"Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you."
That was a bullshit line and BB knew it, sure they might not kill him, but it was in their nature to be cruel.
"We only intend to keep you for a little while."
How long is a 'little while' in Nightmare terms.
Then Nightmare Freddy lightly tapped Lefty's side, the echo it created only further unnerved BB.
"Try not to wiggle though, you're inside something we designed, admittedly though this was not its intended purpose."
Then his tone changed, sounding distinct and reflective, an odd tone for a monster such as himself.
"Lefty was never made and thus never used, well at least, not the way he was meant to be used."
"He is ours now, our creation, with a few special features added for our entertainment."
"As you can see, he is just big enough for one person to fit inside, but just. . .barely."
Then his tone went to being stern, dropping any trace of being reflective.
"I'd recommend that you keep very still in order to keep those springlocks wound up."
"Your breathing and heartbeat are causing them to come loose and you don't want them to get too loose, trust me."
And then his voice changed to smug delight, sounding like someone who knew a dark secret about someone else.
"You've seen it too often to know what the outcome is, haven't you?"
Balloon Boy knew the answer, although he wouldn't say anything, largely because he didn't wish to set the springlocks off by accident.
"Still, are you feeling comfortable BB?" Nightmare Freddy asked, now sounding humoured, being the one in control.
Having Lefty's mechanical 'organs' poke and press against his skin had frozen most of BB's mind with fear. The ever present presence of death by spring locks kept him on edge and unable to think straight.
Obviously though, he would say no given his position.
Having not given Nightmare Freddy an answer to his question, the Nightmare again lightly tapped the side of the dormant Lefty. The sound created a hollow echo inside, further putting Balloon Boy on edge as he eyed the mechanical joints, although he couldn't fully see them.
"I can understand your silence BB, afraid of those spring locks, you are very wise to remain perfectly still."
The Nightmare's tone dropped to a more serious tone as he made his way round to Lefty's front.
"The slightest motion can set them off, they were never made for human use, thankfully."
"Well, apart for the new version of SpringBonnie, Springtrap's replacement, is his name still Springtrap after all these years?"
It then dawned on Balloon Boy that Nightmare Freddy didn't know that Springtrap was dead, his use of the present plural rather than the past spurred his thoughts.
Yet he kept his mouth shut.
"Such a brutal creation, you can imagine how much pain those things can cause when used by the wrong hands," Nightmare Freddy muttered casually, leaning against the deactivated Lefty.
Then in a soft almost innocent whisper, he said.
"You know what they can do BB, you used them yourself with the others, all those years ago. . .and you loved it."
He then chuckled, his amused laughter echoing around Lefty's insides, making BB even more paranoid at the risk of the springlocks being set off.
"Yet I'll take a guess that it has been such a long while since you've seen them in action, so allow me to refresh your memory."
"I'll tell you now BB, that despite everything that I have seen over the years which is an awful lot, death by springlocks is the worst way to go."
He leaned in closer, enough to whisper into the dark recesses of Lefty's inwards where Balloon Boy was being held captive.
Now his voice took on a harsh and cruel tone that fitted his inner nature.
"If you trigger those springlocks, two things will happen: first the locks themselves will snap right into you, making deep cuts all over your body."
His voice spared no detail as he lay out the reality before BB, knowing what his chosen words would do to the poor boy's mind.
"A split second later, all the animatronic parts, all that sharp steel and hard plastic will instantly be driven into your body."
BB's eyes instantly darted around, just making out the faint outline of what were springlocks, the only things holding back the iron maiden.
Nightmare Freddy continued, giving life to BB's worst fears.
"You will die, but it will be slow, you will feel your organs punctured, the suit will grow wet with your blood and you will know you're dying for long, long minutes."
Then there came a reddish light from one of gaps in Lefty's suit which immediately got Balloon Boy's attention. He knew that it was an eye and that it belonged to Nightmare Freddy, although he couldn't read his expression.
Baby blue stared back into dark red, with one watching the other.
Nightmare Freddy continued, his voice was soft, but always cold.
"You'll try to scream, but you will be unable to, your vocal cords will be severed, and your lungs will fill with your own blood until you drown in it."
He then lightly tapped Lefty's chest with his fingers, the sound echoed inside.
There was a slight mechanical groan, only a small one, but it was more than enough to make BB's heart skip a beat and his blood go cold.
"So, I would sit tight, if I were you and listen. . .ok?"
BB didn't say anything, staring back at the Nightmare, he was too scared to open his mouth. Now that the glow from Nightmare Freddy's eye had died down, he could see it more clearly.
The dark red pupil expressed a powerful feeling of control.
Then Nightmare Freddy sighed slightly, before muttering.
"I'll accept your silence as confirmation, you're smart enough to understand the dire state of your situation."
Then he stepped back, with his eye disappearing from the hole, leaving BB in the dark once more, surrounded by a metallic death trap.
Nightmare Freddy clapped his hands, seeming to shout with his voice echoing around the room.
"COME OUT, COME OUT, WHERE EVER YOU GUYS ARE!"
The sudden noise nearly jumped BB out of his skin, but he was just able to restrain himself, knowing what any sudden movement would result in.
Then Nightmare Freddy's voice dropped to a more causal tone
"BB is going nowhere."
Balloon Boy listened; his ears primed for any sound of movement.
At first there was nothing, but a tense silence of anticipation, washing over him like a wave and threatening to drown him.
He wanted to move, to get out of this animatronic and escape.
Lefty's metallic innards surrounded him like a cage, poking and crushing him into a tight spot. He could feel the rough pointy spine of Lefty's endoskeleton crushing into his back, with his ribcage pushing into his chest like a weight. His arms were also trapped by Lefty's ribcage, giving him limited space to move them and his legs were hemmed in by Lefty's knees, pressing against his skin.
He couldn't escape this prison without risking imminent death, only the Nightmares could release him, and he strongly doubted that they would let him run free.
Soon multiple sounds filled the air, fully grabbing BB's attention, all of which forewarned of bad things.
The first was the sound of several animatronics powering up, joints flexing, gears grinding and motors turning.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Footsteps and heavy ones, hitting the polished floor with an impact that carried across the floor, getting louder as they drew nearer.
Each one, set BB's nerves alight and yet somewhat he was able to keep himself still, but just. . .barely.
"Is the show over so soon?" a voice asked, it was clearly female, cheerful and sweet, almost bubbly even.
The footsteps continued, getting ever closer.
"Pity, this whole facade was too easy for my liking."
Now it sounded disappointed.
"It worked didn't it?" Nightmare Freddy answered back causally yet seeming to question the person's reason for disliking the event.
"Didn't you enjoy the whole hide and seek part with the old night guards?"
The footsteps got heavy with each passing second, until they seem to stop right in front of Lefty.
"Yes, that part was fun, and yes, the whole scheme did work out, Balloon Boy is smarter than I give him credit for, but now we have him. . .in one place, just for us."
So the whole hide and seek game was worthless, it was all just a poly to get him here. That reveal greatly annoyed Balloon Boy, although not that there was much he could about it anyway. Besides, where was Rachel, she had just stopped talking, maybe she was still knocked out from being nearly strangled to death.
He wanted to get in contact with her, but right now he had other priorities like getting out of this hell alive.
He could try to talk to her later on, one thing at a time.
Nightmare Freddy's modest reply to the animatronic snapped BB out of his thoughts.
"It would have ended sooner had he simply said yes to our demands for being a messenger, but instead he said no and. . .here with we are," he had paused briefly perhaps to hold his arms out and gesture to everything around him to make his point.
"It is his fault really, but now we can truly begin," the other voice replied, still sounding all sweet and calm.
Then they sighed, with the sound of their joints being lowered.
"Just let me get out of this Chica wannabe first," they groaned, followed by the sound of the animatronic powering down, going lifeless.
Then there came the sound of something hard landing on the floor with a sizeable thud, steadying itself and the voice spoke again, only now it sounded very different.
"It feels strange being outside after having possessed that thing for a while."
"It is like you are wearing an extra pair of clothes, although strangely enough it doesn't weigh you down."
The voice sounded so like that of Chica's, being sweet, warm, sarcastic and with her usual rough edge, but it held a dark undertone of sadistic delight and an animalist sense of cruelty.
Nightmare Chica. . .
After appearing to have lifted herself off the floor came the sound of her footsteps heading towards BB's location.
"Now we have him, I admire his persistence to have made it this far, but the game ends here."
That last part was said rather sharply, sending a chill down Balloon Boy's spine, he physically shivered despite trying to hold himself still as Nightmare Chica now laughed humorously.
There was a slight thud that echoed inside the suit, implying that she was touching Lefty's outer shell.
"I know what you think of me Balloon Boy," she began, seeming to lean in close as her voice grew steadily louder.
"I am a monster in the flesh, a walking apparition of horror with the full capability to tear you apart both physically and psychologically, I am the full definition of a nightmare."
Her voice was one of control and yet there was something else present in her tone, which BB couldn't quite figure out, although his mind's ability to think straight was being compounded by his justified sense of fear.
Through the thin gaps in Lefty's outer shell in which small rays of light shone, he could make out something of a shadow outside.
That was her, only separated from BB by two layers, one of a well-tailored suit and the other being a hard plastic shell. Neither one could provide strong protection against Nightmare Chica if she so dared to try and break inside.
Suddenly Lefty's chest area began to rattle and shake uncontrollably.
Then a shaft of light appeared from a small emerging crack, as Lefty's chest plates started to open like two small doors.
She was trying to get in!
Lefty's chest plates continued to shake as they were slowly pried open like a safe.
Very soon he would become face to face with Nightmare Chica herself and his imagination quickly filled in what would happen next. He wanted to lean forward and reach out to pull the chest plates back, but he didn't out of the fear of setting the springlocks off. His heart beat was going at the speed of a race car, thumping against his ribcage like a massive war drum.
His breathing was quick and intense, even though Nightmare Freddy had told him not to breath so quickly to avoid turning on those cursed springlocks.
And with each passing second, his fear rose as Lefty's chest plates continued to open, whilst also increasing his worry about acting out instinctively to protect himself, only to then active the deadly springlocks.
It was ironic, his fear and worry about such things could very well end up being what gets him killed. In the end, he remained where he was as there nothing he could do, but merely sit there in the dark and wait for his fate.
He had no control over this situation, just like most of his life, dictated by events beyond his control and yet he and the other Fazbears often ended up suffering in the aftermath. He could hear several slight creaks that were the springlocks twitching, properly moving back and forth in small movements as he wasn't exerting enough force to make them snap. Yet it did nothing to help sooth his paranoia.
Then Nightmare Chica spoke, her now soft tone catching him off guard as he had understandably been focused on other things which were much closer to home.
"I am a monster in the night, hiding inside your closet or under your bed, I was quite literally born in the dark, my sadistic and bloodthirsty nature is a part of me, the feel of someone's blood and inwards running through my fingers is accelerating and the chase gets my blood pumping."
She continued to speak, her tone was still soft, yet it carried a stern edge to it.
"It feels natural to me and it is all that I know, well. . .it once was. . ."
That last bit barely caught BB's attention as he was still deeply concerned about the springlocks being set off and him meeting a rather grisly end.
Lefty's chest pales continued to be pulled apart, letting more light in, enough for BB to see several thin claw like fingers strongly gripping the edges of Lefty's plastic layer.
"I am everything you fear, and I can just so easily reach in and tear you to pieces or make the springlocks active and then watch the show unfold."
"It is so easy to kill someone BB, and it is an urge that I have been given by the child in his interpretation of one of the children who bullied him harshly, a messed up mind can produce the most exaggerated of beings, aka me."
In the emerging gap were light shone through, two orangey yellow eyes appeared, glowing bright like headlights as they stared back at BB.
They expressed a strong sense of control, which Nightmare Chica's voice carried, but there was something else in them, it was stern, but also like her voice there was something beneath that expression and BB couldn't properly figure out what that deeper meaning was.
"I am his creation, not that he wanted to create me of course, but his subconscious was in overdrive and I was the end result."
"But I am not an animal, despite my conduct and appearance, I am very much alive and free thinking, I evolved in other words."
"And thus I make my choice. . ."
Then suddenly Lefty's chest plates were slammed shut, the light vanished in an instant and the darkness returned.
"I will not harm you Balloon Boy, for I can rise above my animalistic urges and be more than what I was originally, a mindless beast roaming the hallways of a dark house, hunting for an innocent boy."
"Savage, beastly, a hunter prowling in the pursuit of prey, I am still all those things, but then I became sentient, self-aware and at first it was heaven everlasting, to think, talk and see the big picture."
Then her voice suddenly took on a sad tone, coming across as sullen with a sense of loss which was unexpected from a monster like her.
"But when I saw the big picture, I quickly realised the sad state affairs that we found ourselves in."
She seemed to be reflecting, her voice carried the sense that she was casting her mind back.
"We were free to think, but not completely free and I soon learnt that the greatest prison that can be built is to know that you are alive, but can't go anywhere, and it eats away at you over time."
"Perhaps it is sometimes better to be a mindless beast and not be weighed down by knowing your situation, it does not matter because you cannot see it."
She then sighed heavily.
"Now I know why they say ignorance is bliss."
Her words confused BB, he didn't know why she was telling him this, although he could grasp what she trying to say.
"I am a villain, it is who I am, but regardless of my origins, not all villains are simplistic shall we say."
As she said it, BB then realised what the other expression in her eyes had been, the one that lay beneath the expression of control.
Humanity. . .
To put that word with a Nightmare made him feel sick to his stomach.
They weren't meant to have any humanity, how could they, after all that they had done?
How could they seek to desire something else than blood and violence?
And if that was true which he really wanted to doubt, then was she telling him all this?
"You are probably wondering why I am telling you this, I could answer that question," Nightmare Chica whispered, her voice still being soft with a slight tone of dispassionate. "Yet I think that you are smart enough to figure it out."
"Everyone is complicated in their own way."
Suddenly there was a mechanical noise of gears shifting and motors grinding from somewhere across the room. Immediately heavy footsteps followed, echoing off the polished floor each time they made contact.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
"And yet N-Chica, some are more complex than others," a voice rang out, being both loud and clear.
It was confident in its tone, yet also understanding, carrying a certain level of softness. Overall the voice itself didn't match anyone that BB knew, it was unrecognisable, but it was clearly that of a male.
"Everyone has issues," the voice stated coolly, seeming to stride across the room as judged by the swift frequency of its heavy footsteps.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
BB could feel Lefty's inwards shake ever so slightly as the vibrations of the stomps travelled through the floor.
Suddenly the new voice took on a playful and sinister tone.
"And issues are weakness that can be exploited, if you know where to find them."
It almost sounded as if it was chuckling to itself.
"I prefer to keep mine close to my chest."
The heavy sound of its footsteps continued to echo as it made its way through the horde of now lifeless animatronics.
"What a waste of effort these things were, never has the phrase of years to build and seconds to destroy been better suited than to the aspirations of Fazbear Entrainment."
As the new voice neared, BB was thankful that the springlocks were not twitching, giving him the time to make a mental note of the voice's words. It was a Nightmare, although he didn't know which one, but the fact that it knew of the company's sharp decline indicated that it must have read up about it somewhere.
Information that must have been private, because he certainly didn't know about all of this, all of these animatronics that were meant to be his replacements and neither did any of the other Fazbears
And there is only one person in mind with the capability to have gained access to such knowledge.
Vincent Afton. . .
He could gain access to anything and turn it into something beneficial for his schemes.
He always does. . .
Each time he came back into their lives, he would always do so with a brand new twist
He always comes back. . .
He always does. . .
"Anyway, lets get the formalities over and done with," the new voice muttered, keen to get to the heart of the matter as it reached the Nightmares.
"I agree," Nightmare Freddy stated almost in a statesman like manner.
He then seemed to turn round, indicated by the sound of his feet.
"N-BONNIE WHERE ARE YOU!"
"WE DO NOT HAVE ALL NIGHT!"
Slowly from somewhere far off to Balloon Boy's left came the sound of another animatronic powering up.
It's gears grinded, its joints creaked, its wheels began to spin and the cheerful sound of flashing neo lights started to play.
And then a voice called out, but it sounded lifeless, dry and old without any effort to form an emotion behind the words.
"Let me tell you a story," it began, before starting to drone on whilst making its way over to BB and the Nightmares.
"Once upon a time, there was a man who had lost all he held dear, removing all colour from his life and turning everything into an unbearable grey, unable to face reality and wishing to escape it he created a false one."
The turning of the wheels grew louder as the voice drew nearer, its plain robotic voice getting steadily louder.
"He poured all that he held dear into this new version, to desperately claw back what had been lost."
The other Nightmares had gone almost completely silent, allowing the voice to echo freely without interruption. Even the other animatronic that also housed another Nightmare, now obviously being Nightmare Foxy had gone silent too.
"He attempted to love this false reality, conniving himself that it was real and that nothing had been truly lost."
"In the end he did love them, spiritually and symbolically they had returned to him, yet no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, the physical imperfects still remain."
"In the end he couldn't avoid the mistakes, what had been minor details was now all he could see in them."
The sound of its body creaking made it come across as having a bulky frame.
Its limbs seemed to groan in protest as they were forced to move along with the rest of the body with its wheels pulling it across the polished floor.
"He hated it, seeing reality slowly creeping into the world that he had worked so hard to create and no matter how much he tired, he just couldn't push them away any further."
"Yet he still loved them, or rather loved what they represented, and he couldn't bring himself to depose them, despite the pain they now brought him."
Then the wheels suddenly stopped as did everything else, save for its voice and the faint sound of flashing neo lights.
"So, to keep them safe, he locked them away, hiding them very well."
"He wouldn't let them be tainted, not by anyone, let to succumb to darkness and dust in utter silence, a purity that would never be corrupted, but never see the sunlight. . ."
Suddenly the whole animatronic powered down, briefly making noises as its gears clicked and its joints groaned slightly before going completely lifeless with its voice dragging itself out to the point of being an unrecognised sound before going completely dead. Then came the sound of something hard hitting the polished floor with a sizable thud with a few groans being muttered before pushing itself up straight.
"And the rest of the story is for another day. . ."
Nightmare Bonnie. . .
Her voice sounded an awful lot like Bonnie herself, soft like Chica's, but with a confident and serious undertone.
BB knew that Bonnie had been a bit cold back in her earlier days, yet she always had a kind heart, but the Missing Children's' Incident had brought out the coldness in her to a large degree and she certainly did not take any nonsense from anyone.
Yet Nightmare Bonnie's coldness carried a sinister undertone while Bonnie's coldness very rarely did.
"Aren't you coming out to join the fun N-Foxy?" she asked playfully, followed by the sounds of her footsteps, echoing whenever they made contact with the hard polish floor.
"Of course, I was just waiting to make my entrance," the sole remaining active animatronic retorted eagerly. Although BB knew that the Nightmare was merely speaking through the animatronic's voice box. Suddenly it powered down like the others, with its limbs groaning as they slowed and its other joints creaking as they let gravity pull them to their final position before the whole animatronic went completely dead.
Again, came the sound of something landing on the floor, although it didn't sound as hard as Nightmares Chica and Bonnie had been, probably because Nightmare Foxy had been able to land on all fours.
He chuckled as he rose upright,
"Good thing I watched you tired to get out of that thing and fail before I had a go, it gave me something to work on," he stated humorously, earning him a light laugh from Nightmares Freddy and Chica.
Nightmare Foxy. . .
His voice was one of absolute confidence, sounding a lot like Foxy himself, but he didn't have the original's charm, plus there was some sadism in his tone that rightfully unsettled BB.
Nightmare Bonnie's response to Nightmare Foxy's attempt at humour was merely a small growl, displaying her dislike of the Nightmare's remark towards her failure.
"It was easier getting into them," she replied coldly, and for a moment BB could swear that it was Bonnie that had said it, but his mind, the parts of it that were not consumed by the fear of the ever present springlocks sharply reminded him of the reality of his situation.
He was not talking to Bonnie. . .
Then the Nightmare's focus changed and not to Balloon Boy's benefit.
"Anyway, we have to deal with our guest, who has been patiently listening all this time," she stated sharply, now sounding all serious.
"Do not move BB, do not move a single muscle," she ordered, her voice was one of complete command.
"You will not live to regret it if you do," she remarked sternly with an undertone of coldness to it that sent a chill up Balloon Boy's spine.
Not even Bonnie could be this cold with him, not even on her bad days.
Nightmare Bonnie then clapped her hands twice, the sharp echo carrying out across the near silent room. Then suddenly and rather unexpectedly, Lefty activated, powering himself up with his eyes opening, although they only revealed one pupil. Balloon Boy's mind was immediately drowned in a tidal wave of fear and blind panic as he felt his surroundings shake and jostle as Lefty moved himself into an upright position.
"Lefty," Nightmare Bonnie called out, easily getting the animatronic's attention as BB could hear the joints in his neck creaking as his head turned in the Nightmare's direction.
"Yes, child would you like to sing a song with me?" he asked playfully, clearly not expressing any recognition of what was really going on.
But then of course he wouldn't, he wasn't sentient or possessed, he didn't know anything other than what had been programmed into him.
"No, but can you come closer I have a secret to share with you," Nightmare Bonnie ordered, dismissing the animatronic's question.
Lefty didn't seem to think twice about her request as he began to march forward towards her.
Immediately Lefty's insides shook with BB trying very hard to not been shaken about by all the motion. He was also trying extremely hard not to scream out in fear as he could hear the various springlocks creak, whilst the rest of Lefty's endoskeleton groaned all about him in the pitch darkness of the animatronic's stomach.
Lefty himself continued to walk forward until he had reached Nightmare Bonnie, who immediately held her hand up.
"Stop," she commanded confidently, and Lefty did so, with the motion of suddenly stopping nearly pushing BB forward had he not prepared himself for that eventuality.
"Open up chest plates," Nightmare Bonnie ordered, pointing at Lefty's stomach.
Instantly there was a wiring noise, followed by a few clicking sounds and shifting gears. Then Lefty's chest plates opened up with a mechanical groan, swinging wide open.
Light flooded in, while it was a fairly dim light, but it was more than enough to distorted BB's vision after being in the dark for so long.
As his eyes struggle to adjust to the brightness, BB heard Nightmare Bonnie issue one more command to Lefty.
"Lefty, switch off."
Lefty did so instantly, powering down, allowing his entire body to fall silent with all internal sounds ceasing.
Eventually BB's eyes adapted to the surrounding brightness and could see everything clearly from inside Lefty's stomach.
It still was pretty dark inside, but it was no longer an issue, but now he had much bigger problems.
Multiple footsteps could be heard, approaching his position and it was obvious who they belonged to. Then two heads appeared before the widen opening, peering inside, with their eyes glowing a bright colour.
One pair was a light bluish purple, whilst the other was a deep reddish brown.
The latter was the first to speak, with BB instantly recognising the voice belonging to Nightmare Foxy.
"Ahh, he is still alive, you have more courage than I anticipated laddie," he chuckled in amusement.
"You have earned my respect, although that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."
Was that meant to be a good thing?
From what BB could make out, the Nightmare's face bore a strong resemblance to the real Foxy, particularly with his jaw, nose and fox ears that stuck out of the top of his head.
However, his eyes were noticeably different and then of course there was his set of razor sharp teeth and his snake like tongue.
His hair was a fine deep red, closely matching Foxy's, despite the latter's hair being lighter in tone. Balloon Boy could now very easily see why Toy Chica had mistaken him and others for being the Originals, the resemblance was hauntingly similarly.
"Regardless, he will do what we tell him, it isn't a difficult task," the second voice was obviously Nightmare Bonnie's.
Her bluish purple eyes having now found him, stared intensely at the frighten boy. She did look an awful like the real Bonnie, especially with her cheek bones, nose, jawline and then there was her bunny ears that jutted out of the top of her head.
Although they were probably more withered than the actual Bonnie's.
Her hair colour was slightly different, being a purplish blue, instead of being full blown purple like Bonnie's.
"Mmmm, this setting takes me back," she muttered, seeing to reflect backwards as she stared at BB.
"Ahh, yes, the fear in his eyes reminds me very much of what you mean," Nightmare Foxy remarked, seeming to agree with her perspective.
That sparked BB's mind, making him think, whilst also leading him to recall a particular moment for his recent past.
When everyone was gathered around Jeremy's kitchen table and listening to Goldie painfully recount his tale of the traumatic bite of 1983.
He remembered how Goldie said that the Nightmares were based off the boy's wrapped mental interpretations of his bullies, who had worn face masks of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy. All of which had terrified the hell out of the poor kid and had effectively hounded him until his tragic death which they caused.
Then in the afterlife, the boy was unable to move on it appeared and his messed up mind gave birth to the Nightmares, leading them to chasing him in an endless torture cycle.
And his facial expression of pure horror had properly reminded the Nightmares of that poor boy.
Hesitantly with great difficulty he asked a question, even though he was scarred of their reaction.
Actually, it was a double question.
"Why are you chasing us?"
"And why can't the boy who Goldie accidently bit move on?"
Both were bold questions, especially the last one, but he wanted to hear it from them. Yet his questions had clearly startled the two Nightmares, as their eyes widen in surprise, before glancing at eachother.
They weren't expecting that. . .
Nightmare Bonnie reacted first, cocking her head slightly to one side, her eyes narrowed like a predator as she studied his, seeming to be contemplating her answer.
However, she finally answered.
"You like to be direct don't you, well if it soothes your curiosity, I see no harm in answering your questions."
Her voice was smooth and controlled, speaking with pure clarity.
"Or although I am surpised that N-Chica's words have not resonated with you, I thought it was rather obvious what she was saying."
She did have a point, as BB had at least registered that Nightmare Chica's story of her past, effectively implied that she and the other Nightmares actually despised their current situation and that things were not as they would have liked.
It was a feeling that he knew all too well, but he despised the idea that he shared it with them of all people.
They didn't deserve let alone earn his pity.
Then Nightmare Foxy spoke, having remained quiet so far.
"You ask some interesting questions BB, but first you must promise to do something for us."
His voice was calm with an undertone of sternness to it, whilst his reddish brown eyes stared back at the boy, lighting up their surroundings.
"Do you understand, a deal is a deal?"
"Yes," Balloon Boy answered, surpised that they were going to answer his questions and also warry of any tricks that they might play.
Then again, a deal was a deal and he had no capability to refuse if he wished to escape this literal nightmare. Suddenly, another pair of eyes appeared in the gap between the two Nightmares, dark red. . .Nightmare Freddy.
"Here's the message that I want you to pass on, we want to meet the Originals at three PM tomorrow, and we will know if they don't show up."
His eyes narrowed sharply with a cold stare and that was more enough to get his point across to Balloon Boy.
He would not be killed by them here and now, but if he so pushed the thinly veiled boundaries then there would be conquences and there was no doubt that they would be severe.
Balloon Boy nodded to show that he understood Nightmare Freddy's demand, only to then ask another question.
"How do you intend to meet them?"
In light of things, it was a fair point to make.
Nightmare Freddy's eyes unnarrowed, going back to a more relaxed expression.
"In the dreamworld of course, we will meet them in their dreams. . .or nightmares."
That last part he had said with an amused tone.
"We will be expecting them, be sure to pass that on," he demanded, to which BB nodded in agreement. He did want to ask why they wanted to speak to the Originals and not the Toys, but he felt that he would be pushing his luck if he asked too many questions, so he mentally kept his curiosity in check.
"I promise that I will tell them," he said, saying the words quite boldly, hoping that it would speed the conversation up and in particular make them answer his questions.
Nightmare Freddy smiled, seeming to be satisfied with BB's answer, whereas Nightmare Foxy presented an expression of suspicion, eyeing the boy with a sense of mistrust. Seeing her companion's expression, Nightmare Bonnie leaned forward, putting her face, neck and shoulders inside Lefty's stomach which was a tight space already with BB being held inside it.
She continued to lean forward until her face was right in front of Balloon Boy's, staring at him intently.
"I know that you think that we have no reason to suspect you into deceiving us and that you are well aware of the conquences of failing to do what we ask."
Her voice was softly spoken, further amplified by the limited space that surrounded them.
"You are smart Balloon Boy, but not smart enough to take the easy path when we presented it to you earlier."
Her words threw Balloon Boy's mind back to their conversation via the array of TV screens in the security office, he mentally tossed her insult to one side, he could deal with that later.
"Yet you know when your life is on the line, so I trust that you will deliver our request in the ideal manner."
Her voice was quiet, small, with all he could see being her bluish purple eyes staring back at him with an expression of seriousness.
Balloon Boy could feel his heart banging against his ribcage like a mighty war drum, with his back being pressed further against Lefty's endoskeleton spine in his instinctive attempts to back away from the Nightmare.
"However, this is a taste of I will do to you, should they not turn up."
Her eyes narrowed and all traces of softness left her voice, replaced by a sudden coldness.
"And I will not hold back because you are a child."
BB's eyes widen in terror, his blood went ice blood as several long bluish strings slithered out of Nightmare Bonnie's eyes. They spiralled in the air like branches of a tree or the tentacles of an octopus in the ocean, they almost looked pretty, but that didn't diminish BB's fear of them. He was shaking, although he knew that he shouldn't less he wished to set the springlocks off and he could already hear them.
Creaking and clicking sounds filled the air around him as he tired to force himself to remain still, but his instincts were screaming at him to get away and he couldn't.
Yet Nightmare Bonnie remained perfectly still as her strings approached BB, aiming straight for his eyes.
"Your mind will become my playground; nothing will be left uncovered and I already know your fears."
Then her expression softened, although she didn't stop her strings.
"At worst I can do to you what N-Freddy did to Chica, you saw what that was like, but it's quite another thing to actually experience it."
The mental image that her words created frighten Balloon Boy to his core. The strings were almost upon him, bearing downward, aiming to penetrate his eyes and tear it asunder. He couldn't move, his body was frozen with fear and yet he kept on shaking, causing more springlocks to start creaking as they shifted in and out of their original position.
Nightmare Bonnie's strings were all he could see now, bright blue strings shaped like veins, filling his entire vision. . .so close.
"But you are a good boy, so you will do the right thing to survive."
Suddenly the blue strings immediately retracted and within an instant they were gone, having been pulled back inside Nightmare Bonnie's eyes. Then she retreated backwards, completely pulling herself out of Lefty's stomach, leaving BB alone.
"He will do it," she said, to which Nightmare Foxy relaxed his expression, dropping his suspicious gaze of BB.
"And now it's our turn to answer your questions, you've been more than patience," Nightmare Chica remarked playfully now appearing before the opening with a smile dancing on her lips.
Then Nightmare Foxy smirked, seeming to move away from the opening so only Nightmare Chica remained.
She then clapped her hands and just like before Lefty turned on, powering himself up.
"Lefty, open up fully," Nightmare Chica commanded.
Lefty did so, seeming to lean backwards, before stretching himself and opening his chest plates to their widest extent.
In doing so, his internal mechanical organs moved away from BB, giving him much more room to move in.
More light from outside poured in, allowing BB to see his surroundings more clearly. Nightmare Chica positioned herself in front of the opening, still beaming a playful smile, although that didn't mean that there wasn't anything sinister underneath it.
It was particularly a given with her kind.
"Ok Balloon Boy hold your breath and remain perfectly still," she said, her tone was serious, despite her smile.
"This will only take a moment."
BB compelled with her demands and slowly Nightmare Chica's claws reached in, firmly grabbed BB's waist and gently pulled him out.
The procedure was made a lot easier with the extra space granted by Lefty's now stretched endoskeleton.
Bright light greeted BB's eyes and although it died down in its intensity, it was enough to make him close his eyes.
Once his vision had settled, he opened them, feeling his feet coming into contract with the polished floor. Upon opening his eyes, he came face to face with Nightmare Chica, whose facial features bore a striking resemblance to Chica herself, now that he could see her more clearly. Although she carried noticeable differences from Chica herself, the most obvious being the Nightmare's oversized jaw which carried three rows of sharp teeth.
Even the cupcake that was sat on her right shoulder bore down at BB with a sinister set of fangs and a suspecting gaze in its yellowy eyes.
Then Nightmare Foxy called out.
"Lefty, switch off."
As expected, Lefty proceeded to power down, effectively freezing himself in a stretched out pose like an ice statue that was forever frozen in place. Nightmare Chica meanwhile stared down at him, her yellowy orange eyes bore into his, expressing a sense of amusement.
"The questions you asked are actually entwined, interestingly enough."
Then other Nightmares began to gather round, although BB kept his focus on Nightmare Chica, but he was on edge with them being so close to him.
His breathing had clamed as he assumed that they would not harm, considering what had just passed between them, but that didn't mean they would not try to scare him. His heart however would often jump whenever one of them moved slightly on the edge of his field of vision.
However, when Nightmare Chica started to speak, BB's attention was fully directed at her every word.
"The boy was killed in a tragic incident, having his head pierced by Fredbear's teeth and then being unconscious for a week before finally slipping away," her voice was slow and soft, seeming to hold no sinister undertone.
"Yet he found himself in Limbo, taking us and the whole house with him, an infinite dark realm."
She sighed; the upward direction of her eyes indicated that she was thinking back.
"Time stands still there, everything is lifeless and grey, nothing happens, just a bored and drawn out existence."
Then her gaze shifted down to BB, she smiled a little, although if it was genuine then it didn't match her nightmarish features.
"You do know what limbo means?" she asked curiously.
BB nodded; he knew that it was a place where the souls of people who could not pass on resided until they were able to find peace. Nightmare Chica's smile widen slightly, probably glad that she could skip that part. Her cupcake however stared at BB suspiciously from its perch on the Nightmare's shoulder, for what reasons BB couldn't understand.
Nightmare Chica continued to speak.
"We were beasts at first, chasing him down, trying to break into his bedroom and kill him, although we never got to do so."
"He feared his bullies so much that he always assumed the worst whenever they were able to corner him, and he passed that fear onto us."
Her tone was still soft, yet there was now an underlying sense of coldness to it, stating her words as hard facts.
"Over time we achieved sentience, becoming self aware and learning how to speak much to his horror."
Nightmare Foxy who was standing right behind BB let out an assumed chuckle, most likely recalling a moment from that time when he was still hunting the boy.
Then Nightmare Chica's voice changed to one of annoyance and thinly veiled anger.
"However, our happiness was brief as we discovered that we couldn't actually leave the house, there was a barrier around it, keeping us inside."
Although he wasn't looking at them, BB could sense a growing sense of frustration from the other Nightmares.
"No matter how hard we tired, we couldn't not break through, each attempt was painfully, and any further risk could warrant death."
"It's a pity that you didn't continue to try," BB mentally muttered sarcastically.
"Then we realised, or rather Nightmare Fredbear did, that while we were all separate individuals, we were still tied to the child somehow," Nightmare Chica continued.
"We were not fully formed souls, incomplete, and whatever happened to him would affect us."
Then her eyes narrowed, and her smile vanished, her expression now matched that of her cupcake, glaring down at BB.
"We need him, for without him we cannot exist, we are still his creations," she muttered coldly, clearly expressing her immense dislike of being in that position.
"Yet we desire freedom, to experience life to its fullest, otherwise what is the point in being self aware if you can never be free."
"We will break the chains, we will escape our prison, just like you Balloon Boy, we want to be free."
Her words had opened a door in Balloon Boy's mind that contained a thousand questions, yet he didn't know which one to ask.
How exactly were they tied to the child?
Does having the child around mean that they are effectively immortal?
How does one travel from Limbo to here?
In fact, how did they break out of Limbo, he had some idea as to how based largely on what Goldie had told him and the others, but he was sure that there was more to that. He needed to speak to Goldie, he needed to let the others know. However, Nightmare Chica's words had given him some answers.
They needed the child to survive, they could not exist without him, it would be their death sentence if he was able to move on. Therefore, they could not get through to the real world without a vessel, a body.
Is that why they sided with Vincent, because they needed his help?
That question instantly brought up another one.
With Vincent helping them break out and giving them bodies to use, then what did he want in return?
Each answer he got only seem to give birth to another question, it mentally frustrated him. However, Nightmare Chica's admission that they had a weakness filled with him a triumphant joy of sorts. He could easily imagine that for all their confidence, aggression and power, the very thought that they possessed a fatal weakness terrified them to their cores.
Just a little bit. . .
And there was only one place where bad souls go to suffer for all eternity.
He mentally smiled at the thought, after all the shit that they had done to him and his family, it was the very least they deserved. He could see it now in his mind's eye, the moment when they discovered that fatal hole in their collective armour. . .
(Begin the song here if you wish.)
We see Tommy exploring one of the darken rooms of the FNAF 4 house with a flashlight.
We then see the light from the flashlight fall upon four life sized plushies of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy, all resting against the far wall.
Tommy stares at them curiously, unsure of what to make of them.
Then suddenly the plushies start pulsating, twitching and jerking rapidly in all directions, like there is something alive inside of them, trying to escape.
Their bodies burst wide open with cotton stuffing flying everywhere as several figures fall to the floor.
Tommy's eyes go wide with fear, he trembles as the figures pick themselves up, recognising them as nightmarish versions of his plushies.
The Foxy lookalike instantly spots him, his eyes filling with bloodlust.
The other three nightmares also notice him, instantly adopting an aggressive stance.
"And so, it begins. . ."
Footsteps hit the floor as Tommy runs.
"Here we are, in this dark reminder."
"If you were wise, you'd step away."
The Nightmares give chase.
"As I would like to begin my ascension!"
Tommy's interpretations of his bullies have been infused into their very beings.
"Relive the dark times, living your mind in decline."
Surely this is hell. . .
"For every part that's missing, you will surely be mine."
"What can we use?"
"There is nothing to lose."
He dived through the bedroom door.
"But when the timer starts ticking, you won't survive, bring me to life!"
He slams the door shut before the Nightmares can reach it.
They encircle his bedroom, their frustration growing as they bash against the doors.
"Let me out, let me out of here."
"I'M GOING IN CIRCLES!"
"Don't you wanna be free?"
They know only their instincts.
"Don't you wanna be hook, line, and sinkered?"
Anger and hatred dominate their thinking.
"Listen to the voices, telling you your choices."
There is no such thing as freedom.
"I'm telling you that running ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
Their eyes express a deep seated bloodlust.
"Look beneath and you'll find my demeanour."
Trapped in a house with endless nights.
"Swallowed by a monster, trapped within a blunder."
"I'm telling you that hiding ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
As the nights progress, they get smarter and quicker.
"Beware of the wires, can't be helped."
Shows the house decaying.
"I'm falling apart."
Yet it becomes darker and more traitorous.
"A whole infestation awaits."
Giving birth to new terrors.
"I witnessed more than you in this corruption!"
Tommy barely escapes an attack by Nightmare Bonnie, slamming one of the doors shut.
"So if you're late, I would hate to parade your mistake."
"If you react a little slower, death will be higher made!"
"We were devoured by a suit from hell."
We see a life size plushie of Fredbear twitching uncontrollably.
"And if you know what's good for you, then you'll comply as you bring me to life!"
The plushie explodes as Nightmare Fredbear bursts forth.
His scarlet red eyes express a desire for freedom.
"Let me out, let me out of here."
"I'M GOING IN CIRCLES!"
"Don't you wanna be free?"
He starts to see the big picture.
"Don't you wanna be hook, line, and sinkered?"
This reality is not permanent.
"Listen to the voices telling you your choices."
He realises a terrible truth.
"I'm telling you that running ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
His eyes express a newly found fear.
"Look beneath and you'll find my demeanour."
If Tommy is able to move on.
"Swallowed by a monster, trapped within a blunder."
Then they will all cease to exist.
"I'm telling you that hiding ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
Nightmare Freddy cowers in terror.
"I CAN'T BREATHE!"
They are not truly free.
"Hold on, hold on, never hold on!"
Nightmare Bonnie screams in frustration.
"I CAN'T SEE!"
Their collective outlook grows.
"Darkness is born, terror evolves!"
Nightmare Chica covers her eyes in denial.
"TAKE OUT HER EYES!"
Their hands are tied.
"Your freedom awaits, you're tied up in chains!"
Nightmare Foxy howls in fear.
"THERE'S NO MORE TIME!"
They fear the fires of hell.
"You'll be burned alive, just like old times!"
They could lose everything.
"No more nights, you're full of fright!"
"YOUR BLOOD IS THEIRS, AND THEY ARE YOU!"
We see plushies of the Nightmares chained to a plushie of Tommy.
"Can you hear me now?"
"You've just been hook, line, and sinkered."
There is no way out.
"Listen to the voices, hovering our corpses."
They are trapped.
"We won't make it out!"
"Don't you wanna be free?"
We see Vincent powering up a certain machine.
"Don't you wanna be hook, line, and sinkered?"
He looks exhausted.
"Listen to the voices telling you your choices."
Yet he must do this.
"I'm telling you that running ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
He grips a handle.
"Look beneath and you'll find my demeanour."
He briefly hesitates.
"Swallowed by a monster, trapped within a blunder."
Before sharply pulling it down.
"I'm telling you that hiding ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
He must help set them free.
The machine actives, letting the Nightmares into the world.
"For a cold, dead parasite!"
Unholy screams fill the air as the unwilling hosts are completely possessed by the Nightmares' spirits with their bodies, painfully transforming to match their forms.
Four pairs of eyes slowly open and wearily gaze around.
"Don't you wanna be free?"
"Listen to the voices, telling you your choices."
Is this freedom?
"Don't you wanna be free?"
"Running ain't a choice for a cold, dead parasite!"
Can they break their bonds with Tommy?
"Don't you wanna be free?"
"Swallowed by a monster, trapped within a blunder."
Their fates are tied to his. . .for now.
(The song fades out.)
It made sense in the end; the Nightmares wanted freedom because they hated the idea of being bound to someone to the point where the disappearance of the source of that bound would be fatal.
He had to laugh, mentally of course, but these monsters had proceeded to pretty much kill everyone they came across and laugh at it like it was just a game.
They had tortured Freddy, Puppet, Chica, Goldie and countless others with a smile, loving the pain that they created.
It was ironic, they loved to inflict death, but feared having it inflicted on them.
If karma was a thing, then it was obvious what kind of fate should befall them if it ever did.
Suddenly Nightmare Freddy appeared right before BB, coming out of the edge of his field of vision, starling the boy out of his thought bubble.
"I know what your thinking Balloon Boy, you've found a weakness that can be exploited, and you think that it is only right that we suffer, given everything we've done to you."
He literally spoke BB's mind and he was unable to stop himself from going wide eyed, which only made the Nightmare smile in satisfaction at being right.
His dark red eyes shone with delight.
"Do you really think that we will allow you to have a chance at beating us, because this is where your other question comes into play."
His smile grew at the expense of BB's confidence.
"And you will regret asking it."
BB looked about him to see the Nightmares smiling coldly at him, they knew the answer.
The feeling of immense dread exploded into being inside of him, his nerves were alight again, making him fear the worse.
He felt sick to his stomach.
Judging by their facial expressions which were borderline sinister, the answer became obvious to him.
Even before Nightmare Freddy opened his mouth to speak, his conscious clicked into gear and said it instead.
'You. . . you have to die.'
'Them, the other Fazbears have to die.'
The Fazbears had to die for the boy to move on, if he or rather the part of him that judged Goldie to be the one responsible for his death, then he had to die.
Of course, Balloon Boy himself and the others wouldn't let that happen, so they had to go too, everything had to be wiped off the board if it was to be final and stand any chance of success.
Slowly he turned to look at Nightmare Freddy, staring longingly into his dark red eyes.
The Nightmare's eyes widen slightly upon seeing Balloon Boy's expression.
"You understand don't you, how the game is played?" he said slowly, his tone now being plain and detached.
"For the child to find peace, we must carry out what he lacks the will to do, Fredbear and everyone connected to him must die."
He slowly walked towards BB who stood still, trying to deal with his horror at what must be done.
"There is no way in which this game ends with everyone getting a happy ending."
He reached with one hand and placed on BB's head, feeling the boy tremble under his touch.
"You know this, the ghost children searched for a way out with killing the night guards and they in return hunt you in their attempt to find salvation."
He gently stroked the brown curls of Balloon Boy's hair, the Nightmare's voice carried no feeling of confidence or sadism, only a sense of understanding which seemed odd for a creature of his nature.
"You and your family want Vincent dead for the pain and devastation that he had inflicted on you and we want to kill you to gain our freedom and in doing so we will free the soul of a traumatised child."
Raw emotion that had been bubbling away inside BB burst forth in the expression of tears and quiet sobs that steadily grew louder with each passing second.
"That's. . .that's not fair," BB cried unable to control himself as the horrifying realisation swept across him like a dark cloud.
Nightmare Freddy's expression did not harden as expected, instead he merely spoke in a soft tone.
"Who said that life is fair. . ."
Balloon Boy knew his words to be true given everything that had happened over the years.
He briefly glanced around, seeing the expressions of the other Nightmares and although the light was dim, he could still them clear enough.
Nightmare Bonnie's was plain, but her bluish purple eyes almost expressed a sombre expression, there was no sign of confidence in them.
Nightmare Foxy looked cold, but even his eyes shown a sense of understanding to BB's dilemma.
After all he did said that BB had earned his respect for surviving their game, but then again, he did also say that he wouldn't go easy on him.
Turning over to Nightmare Chica, BB could see that her expression held the most sorrow or was that pity?
After all BB had seen the humanity in her eyes before, although the idea of her having any still made him feel sick to his stomach.
Nightmare and humanity, they didn't go together, given how they were 'born' so to put it.
After everything they had done, how could they feel or express pity, sorrow and understanding, they should lack the capability to do so.
Unless, they had somehow learnt to feel it.
Nightmare Freddy continued to speak.
"Death is merely a process to me, I can make it long or short, painful and or painless if I choose to, but you know how I like to inflict it."
"I am a monster, it is infused into me and I cannot help it, but even a monster can learn to feel things that go against its inner nature. . .even a monster like Vincent Afton."
"But we will break free of our chains."
He then learned down and whispered softly, but also sternly into Balloon Boy's ear.
"So, don't hold it against us. . ."
Balloon Boy trembled even more at the Nightmare's words, but he understood the reasoning behind them as he himself had expressed it in the past. . .during those dark days in the nineteen nineties.
Then Nightmare Freddy withdrew completely, stepping away from Balloon Boy.
BB's head was swimming with thoughts and questions, just what had he gone through in the past few minutes?
A part of him couldn't believe the idea the Nightmares could feel anything other than their own wants and desires, it just didn't make sense, it all had to be a lie.
Yet he could sense no underlying tone in Nightmare Freddy's voice, although he withheld his suspicions.
However, the words from 'David' earlier on, spoke through his degraded voice box came rushing back.
"I would say the same thing about the Nightmares, trying to force an outcome, wanting to break their own chains."
The death of himself and his entire family were the forced outcome that he had been referring to. Although Nightmare Freddy hadn't specified how it would all work, but right now his shock and horror were overpowering his ability to think clearly.
Seeing the boy's apparent distress, the four Nightmares passed several nods of understanding between eachother, seeming to speak silently.
Then Nightmare Bonnie turned in Lefty's direction and clapped her hands, but the loud sound didn't make BB jump, he was too lost in his own thoughts to react.
Not even the mechanical creaks and groans of Lefty powering himself up and retracting his chest plates had startled him.
"Lefty take our guest to the front doors, it's closing time," Nightmare Bonnie ordered to which the animatronic immediately proceeded to carry out.
She then turned to Balloon Boy, speaking in a soft, but stern tone.
"You have earned our respect BB, truly you have, so we might be merciful to you, as for the others I cannot say."
The sound of Lefty's heavy footsteps hitting the polished floor didn't jolt BB out of his thoughts, the boy was too lost in them to realise what was happening.
He only came out of his thought bubble when Lefty grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up off the floor.
Lefty then proceeded to carry BB across the room towards the front entrance, passing by rows upon rows of dormant animatronics.
Even though the feel of being in Lefty's hold had startled him, BB was still consumed by his inner turmoil, still struggling to make sense of what he had just been told.
He didn't even look at the lifeless animatronics, who all stood silent as Lefty merely passed them by with the Nightmares following on behind.
He heard an audible snap of fingers, probably from one of the Nightmares and soon he saw why.
The front doors of the pizzeria swung open wide, revealing an entranceway that glowed bright white, so bright that nothing could be seen beyond it.
Yet BB knew it to be the exit, the way out from this nightmare.
Lefty upon reaching the doorway stopped before it, although he didn't let go of BB, keeping him in mid air. He could feel the humming sounds of Lefty's internal machinery rumbling through his suit.
Being so close the brightness forced BB to close his eyes as its intensity was so high that it stung his pupils.
The hard fall of footsteps beside him heralded the Nightmares' arrival, he opened his eyes.
"In the end BB, this is a game with deadly conquences for the loser, you just didn't know that you were playing," Nightmare Foxy muttered, his tone was direct with a sense of coldness to it.
"Now that you know what's at stake Balloon Boy, we expect a challenge," Nightmare Chica remarked plainly, although there was a glint of delight in her eyes at the prospect.
"I hope that we answered your questions BB," said Nightmare Bonnie, giving the boy a small smile of amusement.
"Did you like the answers though?"
Balloon Boy didn't answer, he was just too lost for words.
"I can see your shock laddie," Nightmare Foxy chuckled.
"I'm sure the others will have a hard time believing it too."
Then lastly Nightmare Freddy turned to face him.
His expression was a mixture of determination, coldness, confidence and what one could describe as understanding.
"You can kill us as many times as you like BB, but we will always come back."
His dark red eyes narrowed, and his ruthlessness returned.
"You however can only die once."
Then he smiled sinisterly, the monster within him had returned, that previous flicker of humanity was gone, swept away like the tide.
"Game over. . ."
He then clicked his fingers and Lefty instantly without warning threw BB forward into the glowing doorway.
The whiteness gave away to nothing, but an infinite black void as he fell forward into utter darkness.
The sensation of falling into nothingness filled him with dread as various voices repeatedly echoed around him.
"WE WILL FIND YOU!"
"Let me tell you a story."
"You have to die."
"You can only die once."
"Game over. . ."
"But we will break free of our chains."
"Even a monster can learn to feel things that go against its inner nature. . .even a monster like Vincent Afton."
"So, don't hold it against us. . ."
The voices got louder and louder, until they were all screaming at him nonstop.
In the end he couldn't take it, the sensation of falling to nowhere, the screaming voices and the horrifying realisation of what the Nightmares were truly after overcame him.
He screamed in fear and pain as he fell into the void, he cried to make the voices stop, to drown them out with his own as he dived into the unknown.
He didn't know if they had stopped or not, so he kept on screaming as the feeling of pure terror washed over his body.
He couldn't stop even if he wanted to and he simply wouldn't.
Hence why he woke up screaming and awoke the whole house in the process. . .
Even monsters can feel things that are contrary to their nature.
I picked the song Parasite as I felt that it best symbolised the Nightmares' feeling of being trapped inside something that they can't escape from.
They are parasites, unable to survive without latching onto something, greatly limiting what they can do, hence why they are incomplete souls.
I did initially intend to split this in half given the word count, but I decided that it would be better to wrap it up as it would feel odd if I left it hanging in the next chapter.
So what do you think about the Nightmares' explanation for why they are hunting the Fazbears?
Please Review, your feedback is appreciated.