Celestia and Luna woke up in a dark room. It was so dark they couldn't even see an inch in front of them. At least the two of them were alive and they could sense each other's presence.
"Luna, are you okay?" Celestia asked.
"I... I think so. Where are we?" Luna asked in reply.
"I'm not sure myself. Let me try to light up the room," Celestia said.
No magic light came from Celestia's horn. She could channel her magic at all. It felt like it was being heavily suppressed somehow. Celestia could tell that Luna was trying to use her own magic, but there nothing to be seen at all.
"Well, if we can't use our magic, we should try to get out of here," Luna said.
They tried to stand up, but their bodies would not move. They finally realized that their bodies were stuck inside something, something with various metal components precariously pressing against their flesh and held their limbs in place. The two Princesses tried to see what they were trapped in, but the darkness of the room prevented it. Just as they were about to question their current circumstances, the door to the room opened and Roxanne Wolf entered the room. Celestia and Luna were not happy to see Roxy again.
"What have you done to us?" Celestia asked.
"Me and my friends have taken to our home, soon to be your tomb," Roxy said. "Mister Springtrap has been looking forward to meeting you as well as us. After all, you two failed us as well as him."
Celestia and Luna looked to each other in confusion. Luna asked the tentative question.
"How have we failed you?" Luna asked.
"I'm not surprised you wouldn't know about us," Roxy replied. "We're the kids you never found. The kids who never got to rest because of your handling of the case. Now that Springtrap's around, we may finally get the justice we deserve!"
This information sent waves of surprise washing over the bound Princesses. They were kidnapped by the children that went missing thirty years ago and are now working for their own victim Springtrap for the sake of revenge. Celestia tried to speak her peace to Roxy.
"Please! What happened thirty years ago, we're sorry!" Celestia said.
"There was a lot going on with the case, and we weren't able to find any bodies. We're trying to find your killer now!" Luna said. "We'll do everything we can to bring that lunatic to justice!"
Roxy looked displeased with their words. She crossed her arms and looked at them with narrowed eyes. Her words were laced with more venom than a snake's fangs.
"Do you two know how long we've been unable to move on? Thirty years!" Roxy said. "Me and my friends have been stuck here in the place where we were murdered while our killer got to walk away scot-free! At least Mister Springtrap is actually doing something to help us now!"
"Wait, where is Springtrap?" Celestia asked.
"Oh, thanks for reminding me," Roxy said with a hand rubbing the back of her head. "I'm here to take you to him. He's been looking forward to this."
Roxy and a robotic bear walked into the room and wheeled the Princesses out of the room on what looked like hospital gurneys, but that wasn't the weirdest part. The weirdest thing was that they were wearing brightly-colored suits of some kind with segments meant for moving around. Celestia's was a creamy white and she could see a foxlike tail dangling down one side. Luna's was a blue lizard of some kind, wearing a dark green blouse but that was it.
They were wheeled into the main room of what looked like the same abandoned pizzeria they saw when they were first looking into the Kid Killer case. They were joined by two other animatronic beings, the alligator Monty they saw before and a robotic chicken. They all glared at the Princesses as they were wheeled into the room.
"Great, it's the Royal Blunders, finally here to do something good!" Monty said.
"You like those black crystals we taped to your horns?" Roxy asked. "They keep you from using your magic, so you wont be going anywhere."
"Mister Springtrap is going to love this!" Chica said.
"Okay, okay. Relax. The boss will deal with them soon, and then we can find our true killer," Roxy said.
"I wonder why he dressed them up like this, though?" Freddy asked.
"You'll soon see, my friends!" a distorted voice said.
The Princesses and the animatronics turned to see a shadowy figure stomping towards them, a figure with glowing silver eyes. He came into the low neon lights of the room and stood to his full height, glaring down at the Princesses with a combo of hatred and sadistic satisfaction on his face. There was no doubt in the minds of the Princesses, this was their innocent victim. This was Springtrap.
"Remember me?" Springtrap asked. "Well you should. Murderers should remember all of their victims, after all."
"Of course we remember you. It's been thirty years, but we remember you vividly," Luna replied. "I'm actually glad we've met again. We wanted to talk to you."
"Really? Well, what did you want to talk to me about? Could it be about this?" Springtrap asked, holding up a newspaper.
It was the newspaper about the Kid Killer case being reopened. Springtrap gave a quick glance before speaking to them again.
"This little thing says that you finally realized my pleas to you that night were true," Springtrap said. "Sadly for you, though, it's thirty years too late for that!"
Springtrap walked to them and put a gentle hand on Celestia's suit, giving it a few gentle pats. As he did, the sound of metal straining filled the room and Celestia could feel something slightly poking her ribs. Springtrap chuckled menacingly.
"Do you remember how you killed me the night we met?" Springtrap asked. "The suit I'm cursed to wearing is something called a 'springlock suit'. These suits were designed to function as both animatronics and costumes. The suit itself contains springlocks to hold the endoskeleton in place. The endoskeleton could be removed and someone could wear the suit with the springlocks wound up so that they could use it safely. But the problem is that these springlocks can be a bit... sensitive. You should know as well as I that a springlock failure can be... painful!"
Springtrap stepped back and pointed to the two of them. "And I built these springlock suits especially for the two of you! You will finally understand the same hell you put me in!"
"Wait! Let Nightstick go!" Luna begged. "You have us now and you said you'd let him go!"
The mangled rabbit looked up slightly in thought. "You're right. Let it never be said that I'm not a man of my word. I'll let him go... after I'm finished with you!"
Springtrap turned to the other animatronics and spoke in a gentler tone. "I need you all to keep a lookout at the doors and windows. I want to make absolutely certain none of you were followed here."
"Consider it done, boss," Freddy said.
"No one will get past me!" Roxy said. "I'm the best guard, after all."
"I'll make sure no one gets in here," Chica said.
"If anyone gets in, I'll chomp 'em good!" Monty said.
Once the animatronics left, Springtrap was left alone with the two Princesses. He turned to them and his eyes fixed on them like an owl looking at mice.
"Now, then. Where were we?" Springtrap asked menacingly.
*****
Canterlot Palace
Starlight joined the Elements in the library after she woke up. Thanks to Luna's ritual, she slept like a foal and was eager to thank her for that. When she got there, Twilight and the others were looking back over the files on the Kid Killer.
"How are things going, Twilight?" Starlight asked.
"Things are proceeding slowly but surely, Starlight," Twilight said. "What about you? How did you handle Luna's ritual?"
"It was quite pleasant. I felt like a baby again," Starlight replied with a smile. "Where are the Princesses?"
"They went to walk in the Palace Gardens to think. They need to think after receiving that letter," Rarity replied.
"What letter?" Starlight asked.
"This one," Rainbow replied, handing Starlight said letter. "It's from the guy they killed thirty years ago, a guy named 'Springtrap'."
Starlight looked over the letter and saw the bloody teeth and police badge on the table. She set the letter down and looked to friends in a worried state.
"Wait, how do we know the Princesses aren't heading to the meeting spot right now?!" Starlight asked.
"The servants and guards watch them at all times, and they've confirmed the Princesses going to the Gardens," Twilight replied. "Besides, it's not midnight yet."
The doors to the library opened and Chancellor Neighsay entered the room with a stack of papers in his horn's aura. He walked up to the table and set the paper stacks down on the table. Twilight spoke to him.
"What are these papers for?" Twilight asked.
"These are letters from concerned parents wondering if school is going to be cancelled," Neghsay replied. "I wanted the Princesses to help us go over these and to assuage the public."
"Why would they want schools cancelled?" Applejack asked.
"They're afraid, of course. The Kid Killer case being reopened and the revelation that the madman is still out there has the citizens terrified," Neighsay replied. "They're asking if school can be cancelled until the real killer is caught. They need someone to soothe their fears."
"I'm sure that Celestia and Luna can help you with that, Neighsay, but we have to focus on both the Kid Killer and Springtrap at the moment," Twilight said.
"Who is this 'Springtrap' you just mentioned?" Neighsay asked.
"He's the one they thought was the Kid Killer and... killed," Fluttershy replied. "It would seem that he's come back from the dead."
"And he wants to exact his revenge on them because he's an angry spirit!" Pinkie said with a ghost face on her face.
"Then where are the Princesses right now?" Neighsay asked.
A guard ran into the library and made a beeline for Twilight. "Your Highness, Princesses Celestia and Luna are both gone!"
"What?!" the Elements and Neighsay shouted.
"Did you check the Gardens?!" Rainbow asked.
"We've looked and the only sign we found was two sets of footprints," the guard said. "They looked like they belonged to large bipedal animals."
It didn't take the Elements long to figure out just who could've been behind this, a realization they voiced all at once.
"Springtrap!" they said.
"He must've kidnapped them!" Rarity said.
"I thought he wanted them to meet him at some street corner at midnight!" Pinkie said. "Why would he kidnap them if he wanted them to come to him?"
"It's obvious. He wanted to make absolutely certain that they wouldn't be followed or try to pull anything so he decided to take the initiative to ambush them," Twilight said.
"Okay, well if he kidnapped them, then where did he take them?" Applejack asked. "Not a lot of places for someone to hide in this city, especially for someone who looks like Springtrap."
Starlight was thinking about it for a bit before she looked on the table and saw the picture of the abandoned pizzeria from her nightmare. Looking closely at the picture, an idea came into her mind.
"He took them to Hoover's Happy Pizza Palace. It's the only place where he could take them and hide out without arousing suspicion," Starlight said.
"And how do you know that?" Neighsay asked.
"I just... have a feeling that that's where they are," Starlight replied. "Please... just trust me on this."
Twilight walked over and placed a hoof on Starlight's shoulder. "We do trust you, Starlight, and we know that you have more insight on this than any of us. If you say that they're hiding out at that old pizza place, then we'll look into it."
"Yeah, let's go save the Princesses and stop Springtrap!" Rainbow said.
"We have to go and try to talk to Springtrap and make him let the Princesses go," Starlight said.
"I'm coming with you!" Neighsay said.
"You are? Why?" Fluttershy asked.
"The more you have, the better the result. You never know if a fight's going to break out," he replied. "And if Springtrap is indeed a vengeful revenant, then you'll need all the help you can get. I'll muster a squadron and meet you at the palace gates."
"Alright, team! Looks like we're going after the Princesses and Springtrap!" Twilight said. "Let's go!"
*****
With Springtrap and the Princesses
Springtrap had disappeared for a while before returning to the main room dragging a chair behind him. He spun the chair around in front of the Princesses and revealed that Nightstick was indeed alive, but he was in a miserable state.
The old police chief's face was swollen, bruised, and bloody from multiple beatings. His uniform was torn and various bruises painted his chest and abdomen. Nightstick opened his left eye since the right one was swollen shut and saw that the Princesses were in a dangerous situation along with him.
"Yo Madesees!" he exclaimed through swollen lips and missing teeth. Springtrap turned back to the Princesses with a sadistic gleam in his eyes.
"You know, I was worried I would have to snatch you two one at a time. But by using him as bait, this turned out perfect!" Springtrap said. "First, you murdered me, and now I kill you both! Symmetry, my dears."
"Are you planning to let him go, or are going to kill him after you're done with us?" Celestia asked.
"I'll let him go. I just wanted him to watch the show beforehand," Springtrap replied. "He knows what'll happen if he tries to come after me."
Springtrap left Nightstick's side and seemed to prepare himself for what was to come. As he did, he spoke to them in a voice that held both hate and pain.
"Do you know what it's like to be the victim of a springlock failure? What it feels like to come back from death in the state I'm in?" Springtrap asked. "Well, I'll tell you. You'll scream at first, but the metal will pierce your windpipe. Your body will be pierced and crushed from all sides by metal and sharp bits of plastic, and you'll feel every second of it as your organs are reduced to pudding and your bones are crushed to shrapnel. Your blood and organs will spill out and your lungs will fill up with blood until you drown in it."
His description and their memories of that night made both Celestia and Luna shiver in fear at what he was going to do to them. Springtrap continued his rave.
"Now, imagine living with that fresh pain constantly all. Of. The time," Springtrap said. "There is no relief from this pain. All you can do is learn to ignore it as best you can, but it's always there flaring up when you move. You can't sleep or eat, all you can do is stew in your own anger and despair. You find yourself rehearsing what happened and replaying the memories over and over again. All I could think about was you and the kind of revenge I'd exact on you if I ever got my hands on you. And now, you will finally pay for what you did! You will finally know how I felt!"
Springtrap went behind one of the old arcade games, rummaging for something. He stood back up and held two masks in his hands. One was that of an Arctic wolf and the other one was that of a dark blue lizard. He walked towards them and prepared to put the masks on them.
"Let's get you two fully dressed for the main event!" Springtrap said gleefully.
Before Springtrap could put the masks on them, Chica ran into the room. Springtrap turned around and looked at Chica with a glare.
"What is it? I'm in the middle of something!" Springtrap asked.
"There's a group of ponies surrounding this place!" Chica replied.
Springtrap's eyes went wide. "What?! I thought you said that none of you were followed!"
"We weren't! I don't know how they found out we were here!" Chica defended.
"Oh, never mind. Good thing I planned ahead for this kind of scenario," Springtrap said. "They'll have a few surprises in store once they come in."
"Then what do we do?" Chica asked.
"Have some... fun with them," Springtrap replied. "I'll take the Princesses down into the maintenance tunnels, just make sure they stay away until I'm done."
"I will, Mister Springtrap," Chica said. "I know the others will be eager to help!"
Chica left to alert the others and get the ready for what was sure to be a fight. Springtrap sighed in irritation and glared down at the Princesses.
"Looks like we'll have to have our little costume party in the underground," Springtrap said. "What better place to bury you?"