//------------------------------// // Maternal Issues // Story: Five Nights at Pinkie's // by Hazel_Hester777 //------------------------------// The rest of the night was a change in tides. This time, the animatronics only went up to the office regularly to check on the group. They didn’t even need to wind the music box or put on masks whenever they went up to see them. Both original and Toy Chicashy regularly went up bringing either cupcakes, slices of cake or pizza in case the group got hungry while waiting for the sun to come up and the shift to be done. Hester and Bunster came along with Hazel to the office for some time to spend with the gang. Still, half the group had to come along to help Hester find the board to go on completing the course. “One thing I don’t get though, Bunster” Hazel asked, they were currently searching in the Prize Room to see any signs of the board they were looking for. “Hmm?” “Why is it that your presence is known whenever the music box begins to play on its own?” “I love the songs, and I guess it just plays because it knows I love the music” Hazel smiled before patting the orange OC’s head. “You’re very cute, Bunster” The little one giggled. “Thanks, Mom” Hazel smiled at her and Hester’s OC. She knew that she would have to find a way to break the news to the other three when they get home. Home. Hazel then thought about that. “Bunster?” “Yes, Mom?” “What’s gonna happen to you once this is all over?” Bunster looked like she was about to answer with no doubt, but then she stopped and began to think. “I never thought of that” “What do you mean?” “All I cared about here was helping Chicashy with the kitchen and helping Mother to set us all free. I don’t really know what would happen to me once it’s done. I’m only made from Mother’s imaginative power and parts from the old pizzeria” Hazel was taken aback by that. Bunster had no idea what the future held for when things were done here. She was only made from that OC spell that Hester used, and a little pink ribbon! But, lacking a soul, that would mean only one thing…no. “Well, you two have any luck?” Hester called out as she came inside the room. “None here, Mother” Bunster replied. “Okay, Hazel?” she turned to her Partner. “Um, Hest, can I have a word with you, alone?” she emphasized ‘alone’ to prove her point. The young Familiar nodded. “Bunster, wait here. Mother and Mom have to have a talk” The little animatronic nodded before she went off to try and check in Rarionette’s box. The Partner-Familiar duo went out of the room and into the other room. “What do you want to talk about?” Hester asked. Hazel faced her Familiar. “She doesn’t know, does she?” “Hmm?” “Bunster! She has no idea what’s gonna happen to her once this is over! How could you lie to her?” Hester bit her lip. “I was planning on breaking it to her when it was right; I didn’t want to ruin her demeanor” “Yeah? Well, goodluck with that!” “Well what do you expect me to tell her? ‘Oh, hello, Bunster, I just came by to tell you that when this is over and your friends are set free, you’re gonna die’?” They were interrupted when they heard something crash behind them. Both turned their heads to see something that they wished they hadn’t. Bunster was in the doorway, having dropped a tray of cupcakes that were made by toy Chicashy and now were all over the floor. Her eyes displayed a look of fear and shock. Hester nearly dropped her jaw when she saw her face. “Bunster, how long have you been there?” “I’m gonna die?” tears seemed to start formation in her eyes. Hester floated over to her. “Sweetie, I…” “No! Tell me the truth!” her voice seemed to crack. Hester bit her lip. Now she had to break the news to her. “Bunster, sweetie, I didn’t want to upset you, but…” The orange animatronic pulled away when her Mother tried to give her a pat. Tears began to stream down her face as she began to sob. She was gonna die, and there was no way around it. Turning her head around, she ran on all fours down the hallway and out of the room. Hester just stood there, frozen at her actions. Hazel bit her lip before she moved to pick up the tray and clean up the mess on the floor. She already started thinking about how to tell Toy Chicashy how her cupcakes ended up on the floor. “Hazel, can you go talk to her?” Hester asked her Partner. Hazel didn’t say a word. She only cleaned up the small mess, picked up the tray, and took to the door. She only had one thing to say before leaving, “She loved you as her Mom, Hester. But did you return her love?” The door closed. Hester was alone in the room now. She stood there, frozen at her actions. What would she have to do now? Later that night… Hester was wondering around in the Carousel Room as she pondered on about the events. Half of her was searching for the board, the other half was thinking about the events of her actions. She didn’t even know any more if she was in the wrong or the right. She knew about Bunster’s fate when this was done, but she was afraid to tell her that. All those times she spent with Bunster at night to find the things needed and she never really thought about her really as her own Daughter. She knew what Hazel’s mother Deceptive Beauty would say right now is she was with her, “I’m so proud of you” That made her think. Since they had Bunita, she promised to Hazel that for every OC they had, she would not let the same fate happen to them. In lying about Bunster’s fate, she had utterly failed in that goal. She wasn’t becoming the Mother she promised to be, only the mother that she and Hazel were raised under. She pondered on and on and she felt some strange sensation she hadn’t felt since they day that Brazy and Bunochius were born. It was that of a mother’s instincts. She once referred to Bunster as ‘sweetie’ and even talked to her as though she were her own child. When Bunster ran away, she felt that it was on that point that made her realize that she did love her as her OC Child. This was even the first, if not, the only OC that she managed to make without Hazel’s help. Bunita was mostly and almost purely Hazel’s creation, and Brazy and Bunochius were made from equal work by the two. But, Bunster, she was only made by Hester. There was regret in her as she realized that she could never take her home. She could never introduce her to her Sisters. She could never let her be around to see the rest of Wonderland with her own eyes. Hester sat on the carousel, just above her OC Child’s post. “Oh, Bunster, what have I done?” Meanwhile… They finally found the young animatronic crying in the closet of the Storage Room. Bunster cried into Hazel’s chest as she thought about what would happen to her once everything was over. Chicashy came in to help by singing her favorite song to her. Still, despite the presence of her Mom and her closest friend, the young animatronic still kept on thinking about her fate. Finally, she calmed down and stopped crying as she pulled herself out of the hug. “Feeling better now?” Hazel asked. Bunster slowly nodded before wiping a tear and letting out a sniffle. “Would you like me to get you something?” Chicashy asked, worry in her tone. Bunster politely shook her head. “I think I’ll be fine. Thank you, Chishy” “I’m sorry about Hester” “It’s fine. I needed to know” Chicashy then looked up at Hazel. “I’ll give you both some time alone” Hazel nodded when Chicashy left the room. She started to stroke Bunster’s head to her back to soothe. Before long, the young OC peered up at her. “Mom?” “Yes, sweetie?” “You think of me as your OC Child, right?” Hazel gave a motherly smile and nodded. “Of course I do” “Does Mother love me?” Hazel paused for a bit, but gave an answer. “I think she does” Bunster nodded before speaking up again. “Mom, can you get me a glass of water? And I think I need a cupcake” “Of course. Wait right here” Hazel set the little one down and went to go get what her Daughter asked for. Bunster waited until she knew that she was alone in the room and her Mom was out of hearing range. With a newfound realization, she began to question her own existence as an OC. Would she even be remembered at all by her Sisters? Does Hester even love her as her Daughter? What am I? What would I become? Am I really her Child, or just an OC? What am I? Where do I belong? You know I thought I could have a life once You see   What am I now that my mind’s opened? It showed me what I didn’t know I was fated What am I, now that I know what’s at stake? I didn’t know wouldn’t see that light of day   Still, I have today I have to make What best I can from it ‘Cause my past dream is dead and gone And me along with it   I want to start again So I’ll look within remember what I wanted then? ‘Cause I don’t know what I’ll become But I shall trust in it I shall trust in it   What am I to spend my life in dark? Never to see the sun, just the stars What am I, now to accept my fate? To make the most of it is not too late   I want to start again So I’ll look within remember what I wanted then? ‘Cause I don’t know what I’ll become But I shall trust in it I shall trust in it   But right now, I have to make What best I can from it ‘Cause the past dream, is dead and gone And me along with it I want to start again Bunster let out a sigh before lifting herself up to her feet. Hazel still hadn’t returned yet so she decided to take a look around to see any signs of the board. She checked the wall, she checked the masks. She then checked the secret passage. That was when she found it: a white board with party markings on the sides. A smile crept on her face when she realized what it was. “Sorry I took a while, I…” she then realized what Bunster was holding. “Is that…?” The orange animatronic nodded. “I found the board!”