Holy freaking Fazbear. I’ve been in here for who knows how long, and I haven’t found jack!
Freddy clenched his fist around nothing and caught himself, struggling to remain calm. This wasn’t so bad, was it?
I guess I was expecting something worse. Like blades or something in that horribly irritating area.
Then he fell.
A moment later, he crashed through a tight bundle of wires. Several snapped in two. It was not the best situation. He didn't want to touch anything important and get a negative reaction from the Nightmare. But it seems like that notion was already rendered useless. Freddy pushed himself up, rubbing his head. Hissing sounded from all sides. His eyes widened.
“Uh, nice wire things?” Freddy laughed weakly, putting his hands up. The cut wires slithered around like snakes, sparks shooting at random intervals from their broken ends.
This definitely betrays the fact that I'm not in a regular place!
One of the wires lashed out. Freddy yelped and leaned backwards. It narrowly missed him. The several other wires hissed low threats as their fellow creature backed up into their midst. Freddy smiled pathetically at them, but prepared for another attack. He'd wanted this to be a relatively easy trip, but that was no longer an option, it seemed.
One of the snakes struck again. Freddy leaped to the side, but one of the wires had wrapped around his foot, constricting and making him fall sideways. The first wire’s fiery bite went past the animatronic’s hip, but one of the silvery filaments that was frayed, sticking out of the mouth, just barely grazed him. A blast of electricity shot through his body. Freddy yowled in pain as he landed on his back. There was no time to inspect the damage; the wires hissed and slithered forward mockingly. He desperately wished he had his microphone as a weapon—but nooooo, stupid freakin’ luck—
A wire grabbed harshly onto Freddy’s foot. Huge amounts of energy blazed through his endoskeleton. His vision switched between black and barely able to see. Freddy lashed out blindly with his feet, desperately trying to kick the wires back. Something thin was batted away and he pushed himself to his feet shakily, then stumbled away in a run. Hissing chased after him for a brief time before becoming softer. The only sound was his own in a matter of minutes, yet he continued running. His circuits buzzed irritatingly, and threatened to shut down on him. Freddy blinked away dizziness and soon found himself leaning against a control panel for support.
Alright, get it together, Fazbear. You've got a mission to complete. No time for going offline now.
Freddy braced himself and regained his balance. He took a few shaky steps, then steeled his resolve and padded onward. He knew in his mind that another hit like that and he would've been down for the count.
Okay, don't cut wires. His whole body jerked in a spasm from the electricity. Got it.
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo dragged themselves onto the shore, looking quite bedraggled and miserable. They all exchanged glances and shook themselves off like dogs.
“I can't believe we let Freddy down,” Sweetie Belle said sadly. She pushed some sodden strands of hair out of her emerald eyes.
“I didn't expect Nightfox to be able to use magic,” Scootaloo added, using the name they’d made up. “He hadn't shown he could use it before.”
“Ah’m afraid Ah didn't think of it either. Couldn't he have just destroyed Ponyville with a flick of the wrist then, and saved himself the trouble?” Apple Bloom questioned, knowing that her friends wouldn't have any more answers than her.
“That's stupid! He totally cheated!” the orange pegasus growled, throwing her helmet at the grass. “And now Freddy is eaten!”
“Look,” Sweetie began, “maybe he's still in there, tracking down the Elements?”
“Or what if he's been crushed into a million-zillion little itty-bitty pieces?” Scootaloo retorted in a mild tone.
“Whatever the case,” AB stated, “we’ve got to keep an eye out for him. If he escapes, he's gonna need an extraction team.” The three girls smiled, hopes renewed.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Animatronic Savers, YAY!”
Fluttershy stared in the direction of her cottage, biting her lip. She'd been doing this for well over five minutes now.
“What's the matter, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, coming up behind her friend.
“Oh, when we left to get together, I said for Mike to stay there, and that I'd be back soon. He's all alone at my cottage now. I'm worried about him,” the creamy coated pegasus replied, tapping the tips of her fore-hooves together.
Dash shrugged. “I'm sure he's fine. I don't think the Nightmare’ll get out there if it hasn't even rained down destruction on Applejack’s farm.”
“What'd Ah just hear ‘bout mah farm?” came the southern voice.
“Uh, nothing!” Rainbow called back. “Anyways, I wouldn't be worried.”
Fluttershy frowned. “I still don't know. Maybe I should go check on him . . .”
“And risk getting caught by the Nightmare? No way.” The brash pegasus looped an arm around Fluttershy’s shoulders. “I care about you way too much to do that—not that I couldn't totally protect you from it, but I don't think the princesses would approve anyhow.”
“I guess you're right . . .”
“Of course I am!”
Freddy had to be nearly at the bottom of the Nightmare’s elongated torso. He'd been traveling downwards for what definitely seemed like ages, and he was even scouring for the case that contained the Elements.
The animatronic slid down a tilted panel, keeping his arms out to keep his balance. At the bottom, he practically tightrope walked across a bundle of wires that reminded him of a bridge since it was suspended high above the next layer of circuits. After that, he clambered up the endoskeleton to an enclosed section. Once again, nothing. Freddy was having a hard time believing the Elements were even in there anymore. And, once again, he was proved wrong.
Freddy tripped over something. It'd been lodged somewhat under a mess of wires, nestled between panels. He turned around, keeping his legs under him. Something shone dully from in the crevice. He reached forward and dislodged it.
It was a golden chest decorated with gems and jewels. It was warm to the touch, as if it contained within its hold a fire. Freddy’s eyes reflected the small glow it gave off, and he slid a hand over its surface. A few moments later, he moved a finger down and pressed the button in the center, undoing the clasp. The case sprang open, revealing its sacred treasures. The six Elements of Harmony gave off their own natural glow, the gems as clear as water and as smooth as glass. He realized the warmth and glow of the case was from the jewelry inside.
Freddy was in awe. So these were the Elements of Harmony? He didn't think he'd ever seen something so . . . majestic. They were the most beautiful things he'd ever laid his blue eyes upon. No wonder they could defeat evil.
Gently, he took one in hand. Its gem was red and shaped like a bolt of lightning. It hummed like electricity in his palm, though felt friendlier. He carefully put it back and closed the case after admiring them a few more moments.
I need to get out of here.
Freddy stood up, clutching the chest in both hands. His eyes shot back and forth, and their initial plan came back to his head. You know, the one before everything went south. But then the large panel that each animatronic had that allowed the repair man to gain access to their circuitry passed over that idea. If the Nightmare still had that, then Freddy could force it open, and if the ponies were watching, they could teleport him back as soon as they saw him. It was somewhat risky, but no more than their original plan . . . right? It would save time, at least.
Freddy made his wary way to the back of the Nightmare’s body. He scrutinized the metal, eyes searching for the small lines that would tell him where the door was located. A few moments later, he found the edges of it. He ran a hand along it to try and determine if he could possibly push it open. To do so, it would be a simple amount of exerted force, and it should pop right open.
Carefully. I can’t risk him knowing before I have a chance to escape.
Freddy deduced that with the right amount of force, he could definitely open the door. He made sure the golden case was secure in his other arm before letting the claws on his hand come out. He was quite interested to find that after arriving in Equestria he’d had a pair. Deciding not to waste another minute, he slashed at a bundle of wires, slicing them into ribbons. A foot came up and smashed into the panel. It sprang open. Red lights were flashing above his head—hissing sounded behind him as well—and he didn't think about anything as he leaped out the open door. The Nightmare was roaring and the world swayed back and forth.
It all happened so fast. The ponies watched as the Nightmare suddenly roared, legs buckling. White eyes flashed angrily. The control panel on the back of it swung open. A small shape fell from the air. Celestia’s sharp eyes caught the movement and her horn flashed an instant later.
Freddy was still up in the sky and continued falling as if he’d never been moved. Thankfully, Luna caught him before he hit the ground. The chest containing the Elements—which he’d dropped—was suspended in her sister’s golden aura.
“Freddy! You did it!” Chica cried with a smile. The bear glanced up at her, a frown on his face. Before he could give a sharp retort, the princess was addressing the mares.
“Ponies! Quick! We have the Elements! Go and defeat the Nightmare!” Celestia exclaimed. The case containing the Elements popped open and they soared to their owners, clicking themselves into place on their necks, and the crown settled itself right atop Twilight’s head.
“We won't let you down! Come on, girls!” Twilight responded with determination in her voice. She reared up on her hind legs as the other girls gave shouts of victory. They vanished in a flash of magenta magic.
The six mares raced forward in the destruction of Ponyville. They dodged fires and beams of ruined buildings. None of them addressed the damages to their home, but stared ahead with steel in their eyes.
The Nightmare was struggling to stand after having the important wires slashed. Its eyes turned to face the ponies; one of its hands glowed with dark energy.
“Formation!” Twilight exclaimed, eyes bright. She could sense the other Elements getting into position, and her horn sparkled with magic.
“No! You can't do this to me again!” the Nightmare snarled. It pushed itself to its feet, but then fell back onto its knees, the sound of broken machinery downplayed by the Elements’ hum.
“You are a horrible entity, Nightmare. You've given us no choice,” Twilight’s strong voice echoed out, her tone enhanced by the powerful and harmonious magic coursing through her. Her eyes glowed white. She was holding back the magic for a few moments longer.
A sudden grin split its face. “I may be an evil creature, but this time, I came prepared! You won't get Foxy back after this at all!” The Nightmare looked at the ponies, letting loose a quick cackle. “I can assure you that!”
A flash of anger shot through Twilight. “That's a lie!”
“No, it's the truth! Your little Elements can't control what I do now!”
Twilight realized that by holding back, she might be dooming their friend. The rainbow torrent rushed out, flooding the land with harmony. The Nightmare laughed as it was destroyed.
“What happened?”
Fluttershy was the first to ask as they gazed at the place their robotic friend was supposed to be. The six mares had been standing, still in the same place from where they'd used the Elements, for a good while now.
“I—I don't know,” Twilight responded, eyes wide. She finally padded forward, limbs stiff. Shouldn’t they be happy about defeating the Nightmare? They’d saved the day once again. But . . . Foxy was nowhere to be seen.
Multiple pairs of footsteps sounded behind them.
“Yay! You beat it!” Chica exclaimed.
“That was amazing!” Bonnie echoed. The two animatronics were both grinning. A weary Freddy followed a short distance behind them.
“Congratulations, my faithful student,” Celestia praised, giving the violet unicorn a swift nuzzle.
“I commend you on your remarkable save,” Luna added.
“But princess . . . where did Foxy go?” Twilight asked with worry in her voice. Instantly, the two alicorns frowned.
“He isn’t here?” the sun goddess asked, blinking. Her violet eyes searched the area, as did Luna’s own teal.
“No. The Nightmare said something about never seeing Foxy again, and . . .”
“Now he’s gone,” Fluttershy finished. Her shoulders slumped sadly. The two princesses exchanged saddened glances.
“. . . I'm afraid we don't know where he is,” Celestia said after a moment.
“If the Nightmare rid itself of Foxy moments before the Elements struck, then there's no telling where he went,” Luna explained. She hesitated. “He may be lost for eternity.”
“B-but how do you know that?” Fluttershy stammered. “You can’t say that for sure.”
Celestia hesitated briefly. “I guess we’re saying . . . the Nightmare might have subjected Foxy to the full wrath of the Elements’ blast. Because of his background . . .”
“He was most likely destroyed by the Elements of Harmony,” Luna finished softly. The atmosphere froze. All eyes were on the princesses. There was silence.
“But—but he wasn’t bad! Foxy was good!” Fluttershy cried.
“I’m afraid the Nightmare may have tainted the views of the Elements,” Celestia said, draping a wing over the distraught pegasus.
“The Elements are able to distinguish between good and evil!” Twilight exclaimed. “That’s why they returned Princess Luna to herself, isn’t it?” Her voice was borderline hysterical.
Luna’s frown deepened. “It is possible the Nightmare would have grown in strength from then to now.”
“No!” Fluttershy squeaked, “I won’t believe it! We have to try and get him back—from wherever he may be!”
We can’t have failed him! We can’t have! . . .
“I’m sorry, my little ponies. If the Nightmare sent Foxy somewhere, we don’t know where it’d be,” Princess Celestia’s voice broke Fluttershy out of her thoughts. The six mares and three animatronics were silent.
After a moment, Fluttershy spoke again. “We failed him.”
Applejack glanced over at her, “What do ya mean, sugar cube?”
“Foxy came here for a second chance, and we let this happen.”
“Now, Fluttershy, none of us knew he was possessed by the Nightmare,” Rarity pointed out.
“But we could’ve done something! Instead, we just . . . ignored everything that was wrong with him. We could’ve seen the signs.” Fluttershy dropped her head. She felt her eyes begin to water. She sniffed, looking back up into the eyes of everyone that was watching her. “A-and now it’s our fault he’s gone!” The pegasus couldn’t contain her tears anymore and she wailed, racing off through the renewed town. She took off a few moments later, hair swinging and covering her face.
Twilight prepped herself to run after her, but Rainbow Dash stuck out a hoof to stop her. When given a questioning glance by the unicorn, she said, “Just let her go. I’ve learned, in situations like this, we should let her be.”
Fluttershy sobbed into her pillow. Her shoulders shook violently as her muffled bawling increased in strength. Mike stood at the door—looking slightly scruffy—and peeked his head in. After being pretty horrified at the giant-as-balls Foxy decimating Ponyville, seeing Fluttershy crying about it was not something he was prepared for.
“Uh, Fluttershy?” Mike asked weakly, tapping on the door.
The pegasus lifted her head up jerkily. “M-Mike?” she stammered with a sniff. “I'm s-sorry I left you h-here.” She wiped her nose with an arm. “But I d-didn't know it'd be so difficult to defeat the Nightmare.”
Mike shrugged. “No worries. The only bad thing that happened to me was getting ran over by your animals spazzing out.” He neglected to mention he’d hidden under her bed with the bunnies and a number of other small critters, and instead waved his arms in a gesture much like Jazz Hands. This got a small smile out of her, but it quickly vanished as the memory of Foxy imitating a manticore came to mind. Her head tilted up and she began to bawl again, then her face was shoved back into her pillow. Mike’s face fell.
“What’s the matter?” the former security guard asked, taking a seat on the bed. “I saw the magic and stuff. In fact, it passed right through me—I felt it.”
Fluttershy picked her head up, rubbing at an eye with her fore-hoof. “I-I know I should be h-happy, but—oh, Mike—something t-terrible has happened!”
Mike tilted his head at her. “What do you mean?” He felt a feeling of suspense fall over him.
“The Nightmare made it so we’d never see F-Foxy again!” she cried. “The princesses say that he was p-probably destroyed b-by the Elements!” With a long, drawn-out wail, she pressed her face into Mike’s side for comfort. The man stared down at her, surprised—not exactly about Foxy being gone (that animatronic was his least favorite, given how many times he’d try to kill him—and not to mention had gotten him into this whole mess—literally), but at the sorrow emanating from the yellow pony. She must’ve cared an awful lot. To be honest, Mike had never thought much about that. After Foxy had been taken, he’d done his best to avoid the wrath of the others. Though, since his fourth day back at work, none of them had attempted to slaughter him by stuffing him into a suit.
“Uh, it’ll be okay . . . ?” Mike dragged, unsure as he gently pet her mane like he would a cat. Fluttershy’s wailing only increased. He could feel a damp spot through his shirt.
“N-no it won’t! I failed Foxy, and he died beaten!” Fluttershy sobbed, voice high with grief. Mike blinked, a large and uncertain frown spreading across his face.
The group of ponies—minus Fluttershy and the princesses, as they had left to assure the ponies in Canterlot—were still situated in the square where they’d taken down the Nightmare. As of now, they were mostly milling about, the Elements bearers consoling random ponies everything was alright now.
Bonnie watched as Freddy sat down on a nearby bench. His face was downturned and his shoulders were slumped. Chica padded forward to stand beside the bunny.
“What’s the matter with Freddy?” Chica asked.
“Do you think he misses Foxy? And he’s actually showing it?” Bonnie replied.
Chica sighed. “I miss him, too. He never forgave us, and we made him turn into . . . into that monster.” She grabbed Bonnie’s hand for a bit of comfort. “Now he’s gone. I don’t even know how to feel.”
“We—we didn’t make him like that, did we?”
Before she could respond, Freddy jumped to his feet, one hand on each of their shoulders. His teeth were bared in snarl, eyes burning . . . but not just with anger.
“We? Are you asking if we did it!?” Freddy snapped, getting right into their faces. The two other animatronics flinched as he yelled at them, unsure of what they’d done.
“F-Freddy, why are you yelling?” Chica stammered.
“It wasn’t you! Or you!” Freddy’s angry exterior changed dramatically to one of hysterical proportions as he looked at his companions. “I-it’s all my fault!”
“But Freddy—” Bonnie was quickly cut off.
Freddy’s eyes glowed in sadness. “I made him feel that way! If I hadn’t”—he choked on his words—“I didn’t . . . I caused him to turn into that monster! So don’t you blame it on yourselves!” he continued. By now, he’d released them from his grip. The mares had also started taking notice of his outburst.
“Freddy, you need to calm down,” Bonnie managed to say, trying to grab his boss. But Freddy was in a rush now.
“I ruined him! You would know that! I know what you both think of me!” Freddy shouted. He grabbed Bonnie’s arms, nearly pinning them to his sides. “I’m bad, Bonnie, and if I hadn’t done that, we’d be all happy and dandy back at the pizzeria-!”
“Freddy, please,” Chica pleaded, desperately attempting to console him.
“Notice how none of you are saying it wasn’t my fault!?” Freddy roared. “Go ahead! Just say it already! No use denying it!”
Bonnie and Chica’s eyes gazed back at him with regret. Freddy grimaced, falling onto his knees as if he’d been struck from behind. There, he sat hunched over in grief with his hands covering his face. His companions stooped down to his level.
“Freddy?” Twilight began, finally speaking. All she got was a head shake from Bonnie. “But what’s happening?”
“Please, don’t make it worse,” Chica begged, frowning up at the unicorn. “Just leave us alone.”
“Foxy, I’m sorry!” Freddy shouted suddenly, voice cracking and glitching several times.
Twilight frowned and exchanged glances with her friends.