Twilight sparkle finds a small colt, whom says to be an undead child given a chance to redeem his and five other lives. Is he really telling the truth?
Twilight awoke one day to a normal coffee break with her daily errands. Until she ran into a small colt... A weird colt, claiming that he`s dead. And he sure looked it, too.
What will Twilight do with the poor depressed thing? Why does the foal seem so concealed on his past?
"Spike?" Twilight asked as she dragged her body down the crystal stairs that lined her large shining castle. Well, one of the stairs.
"Yeah?" He answered almost immediately, making Twilight jump as he entered her field of vision too closely.
"Ah, yes. I need some coffee. And strong, too" she replied, sluggishly making her way over to a small crystal table, it was lined with various unrottable foods, like magical fruit, golden apples, enchanted golden apples, horse apples...
"Here`s your coffee, Twilight!" Spike called out as he rushed to her, two cups in his claws.
"That was... Fast" the purple alicorn princess stared in awe at her finely made strong drink.
"Yeah well, I started a bit before you got up. More errands than i`ve seen in a LONG time!" Spike answered, before adding, "I`m going to go rest somewhere, maybe take a nap now..." he paced away slowly.
"You deserve the rest" Twilight stated softly, before turning to a small paper with various dashes and words.
"But i`ve got a long day ahead of me...."
The black and white colt awoke to nothingness.
His eyes were completely black, save for a white dot for the pupil. It was the only thing that glowed in the blank setting he fell in.
Fell, yes.
He was falling.
But his mane wasn`t flailing. No air whipped in his ears.
He was posed for falling, little hooves in front of him.
Wait, hooves?
Why did he have hooves?
Yesterday, he was waiting in his little present box with claws, like a human. What was going on?
Why was he thinking so clearly now?
But most importantly, Why was he breathing?
"Alright, check number five off, now to go get that delivery for Rarity!" Twilight smiled, but it soon faded into a long sigh.
"And then I have exactly twenty three more things, one of which includes scheduling my free unscheduled time!".
Her pace quickened as she began to hurry up.
Scheduling free time was always a long endeavor, especially when she had to plan something unplanned!
After a bit of thinking, and, trotting, she noticed a colt in the distance.
She shrugged it off at first, but began to study the far away pony. It laid limp on the dirt path, a white head and neck, but a black torso. It`s legs were black and white, like painted socks with stripes.
Twilight began to gallop to the colt.
And within moments, reached him.
He flinched a little, as if in a dream. His cutie mark was a puppet`s string holder.
"Hey, colt?" Twilight asked, concern filling her head. She dropped her note book.
The colt laid still.
"Hey, wake up!" She yelled.
He moved a little bit, and finally, his eyes began to peer open a little.
"Are you okay?" Twilight as soon as he began to get up. The colt looked at his hooves in confusion.
"Hey, little one" Twilight waved a hoof near his face, gaining his attention.
The filly stared for a second, before asking something in a small male voice.
"Why do I have hooves?".
The colt fell, passed out.
"Is he okay, Twilight?" A rough female voice asked.
"I don`t know, I think so..." Twilight answered, her voice softer but teenage like.
The colt stirred a little bit, causing both mares to perk up. The colt opened his eyes slowly.
They were fully black, to both ponies horror.
Only a small white dot glowed as his pupils.
"Um... Is he okay?" Rainbow Dash repeated, nudging Twilight with her right wing.
"Hey, colt..." Twilight began, but stopped. What would she say?
The only response last time was as to his species, and she didn`t want to risk another black out.
"W-where am I?" The colt choked. He slowly sat up to find himself in a comfy pale blue bed.
"In my home" Twilight answered then added, " What`s your name?".
"My name? Um... I think it was Jacob or something... But not now" he sighed, cringing. Twilight pressed on lightly.
"What do you mean? What you like us to call you now?".
"Well.... I guess Marionette. Or Puppet, I guess" the colt fit that name, but it seemed that those words saddened him. Twilight pitched in a name.
"Why don`t I just call you Purple?".
"NO!!!" The colt shouted, "Not that! Anything but that!!!".
Twilight stared at Rainbow Dash.
"Um, what about... String play?".
"Hm? Oh, I, uh, I guess" He sniffled away tears, trying to calm down.
"Good, good. So String Play, what about that question you asked earlier".
"Hooves? Yeah, why in the world do I have cartoonic hooves?".
"Um, cause your a pony?" Rainbow Dash replied like it was nothing. The colt widened his eyes.
'Don`t black out, don`t black out' Twilight prayed.
"A p-pony? What the..." The colt stared in awe.
"Um, what do you mean? Were you something before hoof?".
"Before HAND, that is. I was a human, er... Yeah, human. A boy".
"Okay then... Um... WAIT. Did you say, 'human'?!" Twilight shot up.
"Yeah? You know about that, right?" The colt asked.
"Yes, YES I DO" Twilight grinned widely.
"Then you know of Freddy Fazbears Pizza, right?" The colt continued, but cringed at those words.
"Yeah... I do, but there`s one right here in Ponyville" Twilight contemplated.
"Really? Well, stay away form it" String play snapped.
"Why?".
"I.... You won`t believe me, and I won`t talk about it. Let`s just say it deals with my, untidy features" Twilight was surprised by the vocabulary of String Play, but then not as much as the purple tears that streaked his face, or the rose colored dots that served as cheeks.
"Well, um, any questions?" Twilight asked, moving the subject.
"Yeah. What years is it?".
"1987, why?".
" That`s.... That`s w-when I was killed..." Sting Play mumbled something, but Twilight caught on.
"Let`s send a letter to princess Celestia. She may know how to get through and help you" Twilight stated before trotting off to order spike to a letter.
"Princess? Ugh! My head..." String Play grasped his head.
Twilight rushed in quickly.
"Are you okay? I`ve already got spike writing something to Celestia, does your head hurt?" The purple alicorn headed to the colt`s moans.
She patched a healing spell onto this head through a small magic link, and then proceeded to play a certain melody.
String Play knew the melody immediately.
He began to hum it softly, even with the dark memories it brung to his head.
"You know it?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah, it`s basically my lament, really, to those nights".
"Those nights? What do you mean?".
"I don`t wanna talk about it. Plus, i`m... Tired" String Play stated firmly as he settled into the bed.
"Okay then. We`ll discuss more tomorrow. Goodnight" Twilight kissed the forehead of String Play, before leaving him to sleep.
It was night time anyways, so Twilight went to bed herself.
Though she did make sure to leave the music box playing, even if it would mean a little fatigue in the morning.
"You okay?" Twilight asked, for what seemed like the thousandth time.
"I guess..." String Play looked out nearby window.
"What`s bothering you?" Twilight walked over to him.
The filly thought for a second.
"I still don`t get why i`m breathing".
Twilight was took back by this. Breathing? he was a pony, of course he was breathing! She decided to keep her cool, and a false smile began plastering on her face.
"W-what do you mean?" she asked.
"I should`nt be alive" the filly stated, tears in his eyes.
"Don`t say that" Twilight hugged the small form.
"But it`s true" String Play sighed.
Twilight thought for a moment, her hoof placed to her chin. Celestia had sent her back a letter. That would be a good subject change.
"Look, were gonna be busy today, so, you sure your not hungry?" Twilight asked one last time.
"Yeah, i`m sure".
"Okay then, Celestia gave me a reply last night".
"What did she say?".
"That it would be best if we went to Freddy Fazbears Pizza. Since you remember it, I suppose it couldn`t hurt to check it out, right?" Twilight suggested.
"No. That`s a terrible idea!" String protested, his hooves in the air.
"Please, only so we can see why your, um, here?" She sheepishly asked.
"But... I, well, I guess" String gave in. It wasn`t like they`d be killed if a unicorn was there.
"Great! we should go right away!"Twilight skipped to the giant front doors.
"I suppose..." String Play carried after her, but he stopped as soon as he saw the sun. It gleamed brightly, and, even though it hurt his eyes to look at it, he stared into it.
"The sun... I haven`t seen it in years..." he sighed, but caught up with Twilight. A cold shiver shook his tiny spine, but he paid it no heed. This pony, um...
"What`s your name?" String Play asked, realizing he never got it.
"Twilight Sparkle" She smiled.
"Okay. Thank you", right. Twilight would protect him. From that man, er pony.
"Here we are! You ready?" Twilight asked, clearly excited.
"I guess. Why are you so happy?" String Play asked.
"I`ve loved this place since I was foal!" she yipped.
"Great... Just, be aware, okay? I`d rather not die again" Twilight was still overly confused about the filly`s attitude about dying, but continued inside the Pizzeria.
"Let me look around a bit first, I may know remember where I was killed..." String Play began to walk around the Pizzeria, noting every detail and crack, every.... Smell, and filly.
String Play began to aimlessly walk towards a small sign that said 'coming tomorrow!'. A large banner hung above it reading 'Prize Corner'.
"This is where I spent all those nights" String sighed.
"What are those nights?" Twilight asked. Was he a home-less filly?
"You really wanna know? Come here, i`ll show you" String motioned her with one hoof. Twilight walked over to a large present box that was about her size. The filly opened the box with a small button, revealing something that devastated Twilight.
A puppet, much like the filly himself. The only difference was the puppet had longer legs, and an indefinite smile. It looked older too.
"Th-that`s you?!" Twilight Sparkle gasped.
"Hush! They`ll hear you" String Play snapped, but then thought for a second, "What`s the date?!".
"The, um... It`s the 5th".
"Of...?"
"Oh! June". String Play`s eyes were widened in surprise. He mumbled something to himself, but repeated again.
"I`m still alive".
"Um, excuse me?" Twilight asked, perking an ear towards String Play.
"This must be the same Pizzeria we were all killed in!" String Play shot up, joy and fury both on his face at once.
"EXCUSE ME?!" Twilight lowly shouted.
"Oh, right. Um... You know the puppet now. I`m him, well i`m not but I am. Another version of me is still alive. He`s due to die in two days" String Play became serious again.
"And in order to save him, he need watch me- him- every day. Meaning, yes. I have to come back every day" He sighed.
"Um, i`m confused... There`s two of you? I would have heard about that by now-" Twilight was cut off.
"He doesn`t look like me! I don`t what he would look like but I know he`s somewhere around here right now..." String Play said as he began to trot around. Surprisingly, he had only fallen once since learning how to walk like a pony.
"I was hanging around every day because this boy named Trevor was supposed to have a birthday party", String continued, "But you see, he was almost killed on his birthday. His brothers took him up to Fredbear, and then the animatronic bit his head".
Twilight cringed, but String Play seemed to have to emotions about it.
"He`s not here, I know that for sure. The thing is, he HATES Freddy Fazbears Pizza. HATES it. This place is gonna close down soon, so the employees are gonna bring FredBear out on that day, to celebrate the last birthday party of Freddy`s. My puppet won`t even be out for a week before the place gets closed down. Heh" String Play chuckled a little bit.
"So, you really know the future, huh?" Twilight commented.
"Yeah, I do".
String Play made his way over to a small group of fillies.
"H-hello?" he asked.
They looked at him, most scared, but a smaller crimson one stepped forth. He wore a fake eye patch.
"Hey`a there, matey!" the filly impersonated Foxy terribly.
"Hi... Crimson fox?".
"Yeah, how`d you know my name?!" Crimson was took back.
"I, um, heard it earlier, I thought you looked cool?".
A small yellow filly giggled.
"Cool, wanna join us?!" she grabbed String`s hoof.
"Sure!" String smiled. A taller brown filly continued his discussion, something about a game he made up. Twilight waited, while listening to the animatronic`s songs and such. She hummed a few in memory.
But the thought came too her too strongly.
Was String Play really an undead filly?
"Okay, Crimson, hide in front of the Play cove. Cake flower, in front of Toy Chica`s stand, you, Music ruff, bonnie`s. And you? hmm... Where do we put String Play?" The brown filly asked.
"Ooh! I know! What about Balloon boy`s stand!" Cake Flower chipped in.
"No no... He looks nothin` like Balloon Boy!" the male filly retorted.
"I can go to the prize corner if that`s alright, Cocoa song" String Play answered.
"We don`t even know which character`ll play there though" Cocoa, the brown filly, replied.
"Oh, I do. He looks much like me".
"Yeah, and it`s a good starting place too! Let`s go!" Music ruff cried. A small golden male filly walked up to them.
"Um, can I play?" he asked softly. Cocoa laughed, ruffling the fragile filly`s hair.
"`course you can, little bro! Why don`t you start with me, near Toy Freddy?" the small golden filly brightened up within moments.
"Thank you!" He yipped.
"Cool, we got a security guard in the office, no pony cared when he walked back there!" Cocoa cried happily. String Play paused.
"Where`s Mangle?!" he asked hurriedly.
"Mangle? In the Play Cove, why?" Cake Flower asked.
"I`ll be in the game in a sec! Just wait please!" String bound off towards the lit up room. Once he entered, he made sure no fillies were around. And none were, because a large party was being held in the party room.
He made his way towards the pull apart put together mare. She was a white robot, with a pink bow and remnants of a heart on her chest.
Though pretty did NOT describe her. She was missing an eye, had an extra limb where her back would have been, which stretched out like an arm and held a small circle with her missing eye on it. She had one back leg, with a cracked thigh circle. It held onto loose flammable wires that hinged to a broken hoof.
"I`m sorry, Mangle" he sighed. Sudden emotion met his eyes.
"i`m sorry... Petal Rose" He placed a hoof to Mangle. She made a small jerk, and began to recite regular voice box coding, including Ten-1. String Play ignored it though, and proceeded to take the plastic eye ball from the sphere.
He placed it in the left socket that lined Mangle`s eyes, clicking it in place.
"That`s the least I can do for you..." String sighed. Mangle looked around, even though her power was supposed be off, as if testing her second eye out. She smiled slightly.
"Th-Thank you..." she mumbled before turning off again. String Play just stood there for a moment, relaxed at finally being able to help her out.
"Hey, String Play!" Music Ruff yelled from around the corner.
"Uh, coming!" he shouted back, before giving one last look at poor Petal`s form. With a sagged gallop, he rushed to his spot.
"Ready!" he called out.
"Good! Now go!!!" Cocoa shouted as all the fillies began to slowly make their way to the office. They had to act real, so String Play thought he`d play JUST like the puppet.
"A note to you, dear guard! keep that purple box wound up, alright?!" he cried, making sure that poor filly heard him.
"O-okay?" He responded, though String Play could barely hear him.
"Good, it`ll keep me away! Don`t forget though, because if the music stops, i`ll get you!".
"Okay... I th-think" he stammered.
Cocoa had already begun making his way slowly, but loudly, over to the security filly, whom flashed a small light on him. Cocoa rushed away, but then again that made room for Music ruff to climb the right vent. A musty sulfur smell filled the metal pipe though. Once he was caught with the light, he rushed away, while yelling something.
"Don`t go in the vents! They stink!!!". No pony payed heed to his comment of course.
The filly wound up my box every so often. But then, as I thought he`d of... He forgot. Being busy with Music ruff and Cake Flower, I snuck into left vent. It smelled too, but I had to ignore that.
In a high, creepy voice, String Play sung a small tune, " Swing around the Rosy, Pockets full of posy..." He crept out of the left vent and into the main hallway, where he proceeded to come closer to the filly, blending with the shadows as he did.
"... And we all, " he prepared a jump, "Fell..." He rose his head.
"DOWN!!!" he cried as he lunged onto a small blue filly. The filly screamed like a mare, and as soon as they hit the floor, String Play got off.
"Got yeah" he smiled.
The male filly gasped for air, but soon got up and began to laugh, a tiny high pitched laugh. The rest of the 'characters' showed up, and they all joined in with a bit of chatter.
"Cake Flower! It`s time to go!" A light purple mare called out from the front door.
"Will we see you tomorrow?" she asked String Play, whom nodded.
"Most definitely" he replied.
"Good" She answered, before running off to the front door.
"That means me and Goldy here should go too then" Cocoa sighed, "we need to get home!". His brother, Goldy, the small golden colt, shrugged as they began to walk off with Music Ruff.
"See you guys tomorrow!" String Play yelled.
Crimson Fur remained, but there wasn`t really anything to do. They rough played a little, and talked about Foxy, the old animatronic, but really besides that, they just hung out.
"I should get home" Crimson finally stated.
"Me too" String Play sighed.
"... See you tomorrow though!" the small red colt brightened up.
"Yeah! Bye!" String Play yipped, before heading over to Twilight. She nodded when he came up beside her, and they walked outside together.
"I`m surprised you let me play that long" String commented.
"You seemed to know them somehow. I decided it`d be best for you to stay. After all, you proved that you look like an animatronic, why not give you the treat?" Twilight nudged him, her voice happy, but a little cracked. String Play took notice of it, too.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I`ll tell you about it later. Hey, um, who were they anyways? They didn`t know you, but you SURE knew them!".
"Them?... Their the five children that are going to be murdered in four days" he sighed.
"Hey, Twilight!" String Play cried, as he galloped into the kitchen for breakfast.
"Yeah?" She asked, while levitating a small biscuit onto a plastic plate.
"You never told me what you were uneasy about last night" he looked at her. She made a long sigh, but sat near him, to tell the reason why she seemed so... Off.
"It was Bonnie... I don`t mean toy Bonnie either. I mean the withered, old, dumb looking one".
"WHAT?!" String Play gasped.
"Yes, it was old Bonnie. I saw him, peering around the corner to the hallway. He was... watching you and your friends" Twilight`s voice cracked.
"Wow... Um, d-did he move?" String asked.
"Yes, actually. He eyed me for a moment, I think, before disappearing behind the corner".
"... Thanks for fueling my nightmares!" he sarcastically nudged her, but also added something disturbing to their conversation.
"The vents... Some pony died in them. I smelt it" he said more soft, as if to not catch attention. Twilight only gasped, horrified.
"I don`t know about it, but there`s something more important to notice right now" String Play said very lowly, almost whispering.
"W-what?" Twilight found herself catching on to the low voice.
"Bonnie`s right behind you" he whispered, his head down. Twilight tried to keep a calm poster, but she suddenly felt a breath on her neck. A cold, sulfur smelling breath.
Slowly, she turned her head to face a rotten, torn up animatronic. It was large, and bore red eyes, a plastic purple bow tie, and dozens of rows of teeth.
"S-String Play?" She asked in a air dead tone.
"Stay still, Twilight. Just stay still". She did as he said, Bonnie glaring straight at her. But then it seemed to go through her.
Until, it vanished.
Twilight gasped for breath, her sides heaving uncontrollably.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" she screamed.
"That, dear Twilight, was Nightmare Bonnie" String Play answered.
"A being of fear. I never thought it`d show it`s face again, well, before that poor colt" he sighed.
"What colt?" Twilight asked, finally calmed down.
"I won`t say. Just that, he saw those same things. Miss, you can`t let them get to you!" String Play said, concern filling his voice.
"How d-did it, 'get' to me?" she stammered.
"When you saw it. You must`ve been scared beyond heights to have him show up" String commented.
"How could you see him too then?" she pressed her hoof to his shoulder, on the sighing little colt.
"I`m dead, remember? I can see this kind of stuff" he said flatly, like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.
"Right. Well, besides undead fun, um, let`s get over to Fazbears. That`s the only thing fun- I mean telling us anything around here about you".
String Play held in a small laugh, but continued to walk with her down the stairs towards the castle doors. He forgot about his breakfast. He was alive, but he didn`t need to eat. So he was dead, but alive. But dead.
But, alive.
A small headache formed in his head as he shook off the impossible question. Who cared, anyways? Tomorrow, he`d make sure that he was never killed. But now, it was time to see the puppet.
And the looks on his friends faces when they realized why he hid there.
"Alright, String Play. Have fun!" Twilight called out as the colt rushed over to his friends. They were playing with another colt today too, it seemed.
"Hey`a guys!" String Play said as they all rushed over to him to say 'hi'.
"Who`s this?" he asked.
"His name`s Present gift. He`s a little shy, but really, really fun!" Cake flower smiled, her braces and shiny gold hair flowing. String Play continued to meet a small brown filly.
They shook hooves, the same size, and stared at each other. Besides their looks, they were the same. From their hoof size to their body height.
"Um, you seem familiar..." String Play commented.
Crimson Fur chuckled.
"You look EXACTLY the same. Well, save for your features, of course". The other four ponies glared at him.
"Hey, guess what?!" Music Ruff chirped.
"What?" Cocoa asked.
"The puppet`s out!" he cheered. Every pony joined in, but String Play`s was lower. Meeting your tomb wasn`t a very fun thing to do after all...
"Let`s go!" Crimson fur led the six ponies over to a small room that read 'Prize Corner'.
"Here it is! the puppet!" Cake Flower cried happily. They trotted up to a the four legged pony, whom had no robotic parts or wires. Except for it`s voice box. A thick string connected to each leg, holding the puppet in place, but it`s head, for some reason, didn`t sag or anything.
"Wait..." Cake Flower looked at the puppet, and then at String Play. She mouthed out the words, 'are you?'. she nudged Cocoa song, whom quickly made the connection to what she meant.
"Woah. String Play, you look JUST like the puppet!" Crimson Fur stated, as he grabbed the poor colt. String Play only managed to smile and laugh a little.
String Play looked to Goldy, who seemed unfazed by all this.
"You okay?" String Play asked.
"You and me know what`s gonna happen tomorrow" he eyed String Play. The black and white filly stepped back. Did he mean his murdering? But how could he know that?!
"Um, okay. I,uh, sorry" String Play stammered.
The puppet near them perked up suddenly. It proceeded in interacting with children.
"Hey`a kids! Want a present!" the puppet asked with a goofy touch to it`s voice.
"Yeah!" Cake Flower cheered, he voice bright.
"I guess" String Play sighed as he accepted a gift from the creepy thing. Most of the ponies had opened their gift, which was different for each one.
Cake Flower had obtained an item oddly close to representing herself. It was a flower, a small pink one that seemed to brim with energy.
Cocoa got a small fake microphone.
Music Ruff was given a small plastic model of a guitar, maybe a few inches or so high.
Goldy was given a small gold seed. He stared at it blankly. Probably wondering why he got a seed...
Present Gift got a small un-openable present box. He spent his time attempting to open it.
Crimson Fur, was on the other hoof happy wearing his. It was a small wearable claw, much like the hook Foxy had, but for ponies who weren`t missing half limbs.
String Play was given a small puppet plush. A humanoid one. It was just like the one he had been, with the three claws, and the weird creepy masked faced...
He shivered. Why would he have gotten THAT?! A pony version would have been weird, but still! Better than an almost unknown creature... A human at that.
"Hey, String Play, what`d you get?" Present Gift came up to him, and studied the doll carefully. Neither smiled at it.
"I got some stupid box, it won`t open!" He complained.
"Well, hey, do you think we should play that game from yesterday?" Cocoa asked.
"yeah, sure!" String Play yipped.
They all joined in, String Play having had voted to helping Present Gift.
"Yeah? So, I just get to him, but I can`t cheat like go when the lights on, then I have to run" Present summed it up.
"Y-yeah. Just, um, be careful will you? The vents smell REALLY bad, and watch your back" String Play stood in his place. Present Gift stood beside him.
"Hey`a guys! Wanna Gift?" the puppet asked.
"No" they both said in unison.
"Are you sure? I have plenty of gifts to give out!" The puppet smiled.
"Ready? Go!!!" Cocoa cried out, and in seconds we set off for the same pony from yesterday.
"You got the box, right?!" I yelled. A tiny cry came back.
"yeah!".
"Alright, Present gift, can you act like balloon boy? Just... Creep the guard out, alright?" String Play softly ordered Present Gift.
"S-sure! Seems easy enough" Present started off toward a vent.
String Play waited, and waited. He was aware of the music box for a long time. And then, it clicked. he had a toy one now, the small colt. It made it a little hard to determine the music from either rooms though, considering the puppet had one that played on a loop. During the day, that is.
Maybe the two colts could meet each other this time.
Slowly, and quietly, String Play snuck out of the Prize corner, and towards the door to the Play Cove. He glanced inside, seeing fillies and colts playing and taking apart poor Mangle. Her eyes were still in place though, to String`s relief. Mangle looked straight at String Play.
And she smiled.
He returned the smile, but then nodded a goodbye. He swiftly made his way to the vent. He stopped short.
What would the others think if he got the guard again?
He slinked back out of the vent, and into the hallway, watching from the shadows. Cocoa almost got the colt, but was shined by a flashlight. Then Cake, but she was too scared to try.
A sudden breathe escaped onto String Plays fur, parting it slightly. He turned around with a jolt to see a patch of red fur in his eyes. Scary, until he saw the round green eyes staring at him.
"Crimson! You scared me!" String whispered.
"Good, huh? I`ve always like sneaking around and such" they both smiled.
"Imma get him, alright?" Crimson confirmed his actions when String Play nodded.
The crimson colored colt snuck into the entrance to the office. His steps were just muted air beneath him. The security colt was too late as Crimson lunged at him. The red colt growled, wagging his long tail like a dog.
Foxy.
That was definitely gonna be Foxy.
"Ugh!!! again!" the lighter brown colt sighed.
"It`s okay, Badge gleam! I`m sure you`ll do better next time, mate!" Crimson Fur nudged the downed colt. Eventually the others came and, again, they shared their fun with tackling and playing with each other.
String Play came up to Badge Gleam.
"So, Badge, you wanna be a security guard for this place someday?" he asked sheepishly.
"Yep! Maybe if they make a scary one!" His eyes gleamed.
"Hm, you`d better practice then! Especially if Crimson scared you!" the small colt jumped on String Play and they tussled a bit, before Crimson stopped dead.
He stared down the hallway, his eyes widened, fear spread across his face.
"What is it Crimson?" Badge Gleam asked. He couldn`t see anything.
Foxy had rips and tears in it`s chest, but it`s hook was... In good condition. It stared blankly, and almost as if shrugging it off, turned around and trotted back to the parts and service room.
Cake Flower almost vomited.
"That was... Weird..." Crimson Fur sighed. He hadn`t noticed the creepy tear and wear of the animatronic.
"It was like, he was checking up on me or something!" he added, a smile growing on his face.
"Um, Crimson?" String Play asked.
"I... I need to see him!" he yipped, but stood where he was.
"Wait, that`s not safe. What if they malfunction?!" Cake Flower reasoned. String Play stayed out of it, but still had a twinge of worry. Crimson wouldn`t die yet, but what about Present? He wasn`t an animatronical child, or well, one of the soon to be ones. What would happen to him?
"Hey, um, Crimson, if you go, I go" Cocoa grinned.
"But wouldn`t we get into trouble?" Goldy asked, though he seemed laid back.
"Nah, not if we don`t tell mom!" Cocoa said, as if that would be the only bad thing that could happen.
"I suppose...".
"But, it`s unsafe!" Cake retorted.
"So? It`s fun! And my favorite animatronic`s in there! Bonnie!" Music Ruff cheered.
"Present? What do you think?" String Play asked.
"I don`t know... I never had a favorite..." he seemed uneasy.
"Well, let`s find you one!" Cocoa yelled.
"I , um... Guess" and with that, Present Gift was dragged off towards the parts and service room.
Cake Flower still revolted. "No, don`t go in there! There might be workers or something!".
"Really? Or are you just a chicken, Cake?" Music teased.
"Hey, just Cause my favorite`s Chica doesn`t mean-" she was cut off by clocking noises from Crimson, whom she then tackled.
"Fine. Fine. I`ll go, but if i`m caught, your the one who made me" she sighed. String Play followed the group, but stayed back with Goldy.
In a low, but firm tone, the black and white colt mentioned the 'conversation' from the other day.
"You said you know, do you mean, about my... You know?" String Play asked.
"Yes. Your death. I know, and you can`t stop it" Goldy frowned. He attempted to walk away, but String stayed at his pace.
"How do you know?!" he demanded.
"I just do. Call it sixth sense or something. Now leave me alone" Goldy growled at him before running ahead to the others. String Play decided to stay behind, and so as he passed the party rooms, noticed how blank they all seemed. Why wasn`t any pony having a party?
Not one room was occupied.
He shrugged it off, and ran ahead to join his friends. They were already standing at the open door to the parts room, looking to String Play. He paused.
"Um, we going in?" he asked.
"Yeah, your going first too!" Cocoa declared. Present Gift shrunk back from the small crowd.
"I`m um... Gonna wait in the party room" he said before backing up towards the larger room where Toy Chica was handing out pizza
"K, we`ll pick you up when were done, mate!" Crimson called out.
"O-okay..." he left for the prize corner.
String Play padded up too the open door. It was dark inside, almost pitch black to tell the truth. He quietly put one hoof in. The floor was cold and damp, to his uncertain horror. But no red eyes appeared through the shadows thankfully.
"Okay" he finally whispered, "come in". Slowly, Cocoa, then Crimson, and then the rest of the fillies flooded the room.
Goldy stood at the door, sighing to himself. 'Idiots' was his expression.
"Wow. It`s so dark!" Crimson Fur stated, as he searched for a light switch.
"I found a bulb, let me, turn it... On, " Cake Flower stated through the small room, " Got it. There!". The room suddenly fluttered with a flickering light.
The ponies stared in awe and horror at what they saw. Cake Flower again almost vomited.
Crimson Fur slowly padded up to his favorite Fox animatronic, which laid limp. It`s right ear was torn, and tears spread through it`s torso, showing off the endoskeleton beneath.
He seemed to have torn legs, but thankfully it was just to the point of showing metal.
"Foxy..." he teared up. String Play guessed it was just the love of that animatronic, but it did seem... saddening.
"Dear Celestia!" Music Ruff shouted, "Bonnie! Your face!". He galloped up to the purple robot pony. It`s eyes were blank, non lit grey circles showing through the wires and frames of an endoskeleton.
It was torn as well, but was also missing an arm.
Cake Flower just sat by her animatronic. Chica was... Off, to say the least. Her jaw hung open, and then again her eyes were a duller red. She was missing her front hooves, but they still seemed to have part of the endoskeleton attached.
"Wow..." was Cocoa could say. his animatronic wasn`t the worst, and was really only a bit worn and torn. It had a few scratches and dents. It`s eyes were dull and dead like.
They all sat near their animatronics, mourning the neglect given to the robots.
"We need to go" Goldy perked up, his ears twitching.
"Why?" Crimson asked. Unknowing to every pony but String Play, small bits of magic resonated from the children and their animatronics.
"I hear hoofsteps" he replied.
It was true, a pattern of hoofsteps was heading near their direction.
"Get out!" String Play demanded. The fillies and colts all exited the room. String Play left last, making sure they were all out.
The hoof steps grew closer. He left the room, running over to his friends quietly.
A stallion wearing purple walked up to String Play, a fake smile on his face. The colt eyed him suspiciously. The stallion nodded, and then simply walked away. String Play watched him leave the Pizzeria.
"Okay then.." he sighed. Goldy glared at String Play.
In the parts and service room, unbeknownst to the children, each animatronic`s eyes flickered on, and their frowning mouths turned into small light smiles.
"hey, where`s Present Gift supposed to be?" Cocoa asked.
"At the party room, let`s go get him!" Cake Flower ran, forgetting the parts and service room as best she could.
"I`m coming!" Music Ruff followed.
The group ran to the party room, searching for Present Gift. They checked the prize corner, the Play cove, and even the corners of the present box.
"I can`t find him. Any luck?" Cake Flower asked.
"Nope" Cocoa stated. Goldy looked out a window.
"me neither. Did he just... Go home?" Music Ruff asked.
"I don`t think so, mate" Crimson frowned. Present Gift wouldn`t have just left, right?
"Wait-" String Play stated. He looked out the same window as Goldy, and then the door. Through glass door.
He saw the purple stallion. And he saw the stallion leaning over a poor colt, a knife in his mouth.
He saw Present Gift.
He saw himself.
Instinct took over, and with out a word to the others, he rushed towards the door. 'Just let me get to him...' He thought quickly.
He closed his eyes just before the door, and jumped.
String Play heard a crashing sound, and felt something hard hit his front chest. He opened his eyes to see himself falling on top of the purple stallion, whom attempted to buck and kicked away, but was brought down.
"Get a-away from Present Gift!" String Play growled.
The stallion shook String Play off, and gave him a spine chilling smile.
"Too late" he said, before galloping away, blood splattered on his hooves, along with above String`s left eye. Scratches lined his neck and dotted his muzzle and cheek, but other than that no glass stuck to in his skin.
"Present Gift?" String Play asked, before he turned around to check the colt. His eyes widened, and his heart seemed to stop.
In front of him, his body laid limp. Present`s brown fur was splattered with blood, and his eyes were shrunk, but open. They stuck to the top of his lids, as if he was about to be possessed.
His mouth hung open slightly, blood spilling out and onto the cobble ground.
"Present Gift?!" he cried. Ponies began to gather around the two, their faces filled with worry and concern. String Play watched as blood oozed out of the chest of Present Gift. A knife with a black hilt stuck out of the small body.
Twilight Sparkle rushed out, and even she was washed into the crowd of faces.
"St-String Play?" the high pitched voice of Cake Flower fluttered his ears. She wiggled through and padded over to him. String Play sat down, his ears pulled back. She sat beside him, her head on his shoulder.
"I`m sorry" she sighed.
"It`s not your fault" he whispered. The rest of the gang followed after, making a circle around Present Gift. They sat down and mourned the body, while most ponies left with their children.
"Cocoa? Cocoa!!!" A mare shouted above the crowd, her voice a stern metal against many sobs.
"Co... I-I..." the chocolate mare choked on her words. She allowed the six children to go along with their mourning.
Even Goldy sat with them, despite what he had said earlier. His eyes were clouded with sadness, and to a degree, guilt. String Play began to hum a soft tune, something he had remembered by memory. It soothed the children some, thankfully.
Over the hour they stayed, ponies came and went, eventually leaving the crime scene.
Twilight silently waited for String Play to come. He got up, and whispered something to Cake Flower.
"I understand" she sighed, before getting up herself. The group slowly left. One by one, they said goodbye to each other, and to Present Gift. Finally, String padded over to Twilight.
They slowly left for her house, almost completely silent along the way. Except for one thing.
"Who was that colt?" Twilight asked.
String Play paused, resistant to answer her. But he gave out a small sigh in defeat.
The children met up the next day outside of Freddy`s.
They all had sad look son their faces, and clouded eyes. But they had come to play, and sadly, String Play knew this would be their last 'fun' day. Unless he could prevent their deaths. But how could he prevent theirs if he couldn`t even protect his own?
"So... Um, what game are we gonna play now?" Crimson Fur asked, though his light voice was cracked.
"I don`t know..." Chica sighed. She thought for a moment, then suddenly perked up.
"Music Ruff? Remember that game we were making last week? Before we scrapped it for this one?" she asked.
"Yeah..." he sighed.
"Let`s play that. It can clear our minds a little" her smile was light, like chica`s had been yesterday. Music Ruff`s frown stayed for a bit, but soon it became a slowly gaining smile. He nudged the downed brown pony besides him. Cocoa looked up, a little annoyed.
They shared whispers, until a smile came to Cocoa`s face too.
"So, what`s this game?" String Play asked.
"Allow me to explain" Music Ruff stepped forth.
"It`s where one pony is a customer, another is a guard, and the rest are nightmares" he explained.
"It sounds cool, so, you have to catch the customer and guard?" String Play guessed.
"Yes, you do. Put it this way" Music continued, " The guard has a light and a box. When it plays he can`t be tagged. He has the same powers as the regular night guard from our last game, really. Now the customer can`t be caught if their looking at you. So you have to sneak upon them" he ended.
"Sounds nice, I bet Present Gift would have been the customer..." Badge Gleam sighed. Crimson Fur looked down.
"Well, i`m the guard, duh" Badge stated.
"Um... I guess I could be the customer..." Goldy suggested. Right. It wasn`t like he would actually even had chased anyone anyways.
"Sure. Um, i`m just gonna go back where I was before, yell when your ready" Cocoa paced away. Crimson Fur began to leave, but String Play decided he didn`t want to be alone. Not with the puppet...
"Hey, Crimson! Can I, uh, join you please?" he asked.
"Sure. Were going to the Play Cove" he stated flatly. They passed the Puppet on the way, which was smiling. But not with it`s regular smile. It`s grin was more... Evil.
"Okay. READY!!!" They both shouted as they entered the room. String Play gave a saddening look at Mangle. Her eye was missing again.
"Okay... Were all Ready! Let`s go!" Cocoa shouted in the distance. Crimson stayed and waited for String Play.
"Oh, um, you go ahead. I can hear the music, it`ll still keep me in place" the puppet pony said quickly.
"K, but your missing out. Bye" he trotted off. As soon as his tail left String`s sight, String Play looked backed to Mangle, whom was vacant of fillies and colts. She stared off in the distance, over at the stage where the toy animatronics sat.
A saddening frown was plastered across her face. He walked up to her, looking for her eye. It was nowhere in sight.
"Petal?" String Play asked. Her eyes flickered open, and she stared straight at String.
"J-Jacob..." she sighed. So that was his name.
"Yeah, it`s me... Petal Rose" she brightened up by that name.
"You g-got another chance then?" Her voice was cracked, and it was hard to tell she was female. String Play fell to his knees.
"Yes... But I failed" he said, tearing up.
"Failed?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry.
"Yes. I was killed, again. I don`t think i`ll be able to save the others...".
"You will. You`ll save them from dying. Believe me, you will" she said as firmly as possible.
"Maybe but... How would I ever save you?" he asked.
"Don`t worry about me, my time will come. I`ll have my chance one day". String Play was about to go on, until his ears suddenly picked up a new sound. Or loss of one. His music.
He had the urge to leave, to attack the colt on sight this instant. He wanted to kill the colt and- He shook his head.
"What the...?" his voice carried into a wordless face of worry.
"What is it, Jacob?" Mangle asked.
"I-I... I need to go" he said, before nuzzling Mangle and leaving. He stopped at the carousel in the party room, taking time to breathe.
What was happening to him? He had never felt the urge to kill when the music stopped. Except when he was the puppet...
"No. No, please" he cried softly. Goldy was nearby, but didn`t seem to notice String Play.
He eyed the golden colt. Goldy knew what was going on. And he needed answers. NOW. Preparing a long pounce, String Play lowered onto his back haunches, his sides heaving with anger. For a colt, he had a strong jump, as he flailed through the air and onto Goldy.
They tumbled a ways, and most ponies` shrugged it off as playing around. When they finally stopped, String Play was on top of Goldy, snarling like a wild dog. The golden colt stared in surprise as he was trapped by four hooves around him.
"What`s going on?!" String Play yelled, thankfully though the two had rolled into the prize corner. No pony would hear them hear, hopefully. Not over the loud voice of Toy Freddy and Bonnie, along with the high pitched one of Chica.
"What ever do you mean?" Goldy asked.
"You know what I mean. Why is it getting to me?!" String Play pressed a hoof to Goldy`s chest. The yellow colt just smiled.
"Right, well. Your just becoming what you really are" Goldy`s smooth voice became an evil snarl, but his smile stayed.
"WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?!" String Play cried.
Goldy closed his eyes and laughed. It was a soft laugh, almost silky, but held some evil intent in it. He looked straight in String Play`s eyes.
"Why, your becoming the puppet" he snarled. String Play`s eyes widened. He stepped off of Goldy, whom got up with his chance.
"See you, there`s a game were playing" he said as if nothing had happened.
String just stood there. He was really becoming the puppet? Really?
'No' he thought. 'That`s impossible!'.
"But it`s not..." he mumbled against his will. It was true. He stayed out of the rest of the game, waiting for them to come find him. He wouldn`t play with his fate, not now. Not when the time was coming so close. So close to when he needed to save his friends.
"Can you stay over please?" Cake Flower asked. String Play stared at her, thinking. Stay at her house? Why? His thoughts moved to his mouth.
"Why?" he cocked his head a little at her.
"Were having a sleep over, silly! All of us!" she cried in his ear. He flinched back a little.
Twilight Sparkle was currently waiting yet again for him. They had finished the game, with Foxy getting Badge Gleam, and Chica pouncing Goldy to the ground. Tomorrow he needed to save these children, and there supposed to be some sort of party if he recalled.
"Hey, you there?" she nudged him.
"Y-yeah, just lost in thought`s all" he replied.
"So... Can you?".
"I don`t know, let me ask Twilight Sparkle real quick" he padded away on the checkered floor. Twilight sat at a small booth, which had a red back cushion, and a spruce wood table.
"Hey, Twilight" he waved.
"Oh, Spring Play. What do you need?" She asked, but her voice was a little... Low. She seemed off.
"I need advice" he stated, jumping onto the seat in front of her. She nodded for him to continue.
"Tomorrow I have to prevent my friends from.... Dying. Cake asked me to spend the night at her house, because their having a sleep over. But I don`t know if I should do that or-" he was cut off.
"Yeah, I think you should go. Besides, it`ll be fun! And maybe you can avenge your own death while your at it" she stated confidently. He looked up at her hopefully.
And then, slowly, it turned into a frown. His eyes began to widen.
"What is it?" Twilight ask worriedly.
A shadow towered above her. It was crimson, and tattered. Tears cut through it from it`s head to it`s tail. sulfur smelling breaths came from it, wetting Twilight`s neck with the dead breaths. She had already confirmed the nightmare, but to some knowledge, she knew it wasn`t Bonnie.
"Twilight, I just want you to know, this problem works differently. He can sense you already. Alright?" String Play said cautiously.
"O-okay..." Twilight replied. Suddenly, she felt something metal on her neck. It was long, and it pinched her fur when the lines in the metal clamped down from moving.
"Wh-what is that?" she asked.
"That`s a tongue" he replied crossly. Twilight`s spine shivered, which made the creature behind her stop, a low growl emitting from it`s mouth. She slowly turned around. No other pony noticed this monstrosity, keeping in the fact it was a nightmare.
In front of her face, a tall rotted crimson animatronic stood, glaring at her. It`s eyes were tiny yellow dot glowing in a copper robotic eye ball. It`s legs were rotted and shown the metal beneath them, along with a lot of wires. It mouth was free of any fur, allowing the metal in it`s muzzle to rust past recovery. A hooked hoof stood on it`s front right hoof, still intact somehow.
Twilight brought her gaze to it`s metal.... Tongue. The things slithered in it`s mouth, unable to put all of it in there. She almost vomited, gagging on the smell that this nightmare breathed.
It snarled, but then of course no pony else heard it. Twilight Sparkle whispered something dryly, her mouth missing it`s wetness.
"What do I do?".
"Well, if it gets any closer... Run" String Play answered her. Twilight whimpered, ruffling one of her wing feathers. The nightmare, or nightmare Foxy, sniffed Twilight, before crouching into a pouncing position.
"Um, Twilight? Get ready" String stated. Twilight nodded, her back thighs trembling with anticipation. The fox pirate`s eye patch was gone. She had just noticed that.
But before she could really describe the creature in her mind, it lunged. She jumped out of the way, gaining the attention of a few fillies and colts. Twilight Sparkle and String Play ran over and through the hallway. They passed the bathroom, and turned left into the larger hallway that led to the office. Behind them, Foxy nipped and snapped at their tails, missing but only growing closer.
Cake Flower had jumped out of their way just in time as the two came through. Her eyes widened. What was Foxy doing out? And why was he so scary?!
Twilight Sparkle noticed the filly`s expression.
"She can`t see this thing, right?" Twilight asked.
"She shouldn`t be able too, I only came back through magic. Considering of right now-" String Play was cut off as they doubled back through the hallway, barely missing the wild Foxy animatronic.
Crimson Fur took notice of the two running ponies, and then of Foxy. His favorite character. And it was chasing his friend, with a clearly evil intent. Crimson Fur growled, and began a sneaky chase at Foxy.
Cake Flower ran over to Music Ruff, whom saw the nightmare with his own eyes. They gathered with Cocoa, scared. That thing, they could sense, was made of a pure evil. Even for earth ponies, they noticed it.
"Look, we need to find a place it can`t get into!" String Play shouted, though most ponies ignored him. To them, they were just playing a game.
"And where would that be?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"... I don`t know" he shivered as he ran as fast as he could, although he began to lag behind. Foxy almost bit into the back leg of String Play, but stopped as soon as he heard something come from the main hallway.
"Stop it, Foxy!" A male colt yelled at the nightmare. It turned around, and glared at the colt. In one swift lap, it ran at the small crimson pony, ready to snap it`s neck in two. Crimson Fur stood still, his legs free of the slightest tremble.
"Your just a nightmare" he stated coldly. Foxy kept coming.
"Your just a plush" he repeated.
Foxy had almost lunged onto Crimson Fur, and just as he came down on the colt- he disappeared. Cake Flower rushed over, along with the rest.
Twilight Sparkle gaped at he colt`s bravery. She strode up to him, String Play at her side. He went ahead to his friends, which reveled in Crimson`s action.
"Your a brave colt, you know that?" Twilight said happily.
"Oh! Princess, I, um, thank you!" Crimson Fur replied shakily.
"Your sure shy for a brave one" Music Ruff elbowed the crimson Pirate colt.
"Well, it was only a nightmare. Foxy doesn`t look that bad!" Crimson complained. Twilight nudged Sting Play forward. He took the attention suddenly, like it was a meeting and he had become the salesman.
"Um, I can go to the sleep over" he said, " and, those nightmares are dangerous. We already ran into Bonnie before" he sighed.
"Bonnie? Did he have his face?!" Music rushed onto String Play.
"Yes, yes. He had his face. Though it was creepy and torn..." String Play looked around. What if more came?
"That aside" String continued, " How did you guys see that? the only living pony I know that can see those is Twilight..." String Play left his sentence to rest from the empty, odd stares he got from that.
"Well, your- I mean you are, but... Let`s play that game from earlier, K?" String moved the subject.
"Yeah!" they all cheered in unison.
Luckily, the day went by with out any 'puppet' come backs for String Play.
That was until the fillies and colts made it to Cake Flower`s house. Twilight Sparkle had stayed at her castle. She said if she made her friends stay with her, she`d be fine.
"So, what do we do while were here?" String Play asked.
"Anything! Play, run, my parents don`t mind. They said they`d be out tonight, so long as we clean up our mess!" Cake Flower smiled.
Cocoa was playing with Crimson Fur, Goldy was just laying down waiting- for something-, Cake Flower was currently eating Pizza, and Music Ruff was practicing Guitar. A tiny electric guitar hung at his hooves as he strummed it softly.
String Play wandered over to where Cake Flower sat.
He had noticed Badge Gleam to be nowhere in sight.
"Where`s Badge Gleam?" he asked, looking around.
"Oh, he said he couldn`t come. Won`t be able to for a while, sadly" Cake said with a mouthful of Pizza.
"oh. Okay then" he sat in front of her, and grabbed a cracker off of a small plastic plate. It was buttery, to his distaste. Crimson Fur had appeared next to him, with a mouthful of the stuff.
"Wanna *munch* go play wif us?" he asked, the mouthful he held to big for talking. String Play nodded, walking over to Cocoa.
"What`s the game?" he asked.
"Simple. Tag" Cocoa replied with a smirk. String Play looked confused for a second, until he was lept on by Crimson Fur. They went crashing into the carpet floor.
"TAG!!!" the crimson colt yelled.
They shared a laugh, until String Play growled playfully.
"I`m coming!" He yelled as he allowed the other two to get out of sight. It was a normal game of tag, really. And I don`t want to write about the boring parts, so allow me to skip that.
The ponies had all settled into bed when String Play felt it. The urge to kill... It must have been 12:00, it had to have been. He knew it.
Squirming under his blanket, the whole night, String Play cried. It was painful, wanting to kill your friends.
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Cake Flower shook String Play back from his dream world. Somehow he must`ve fallen asleep last night.
"I`m up. What`d you wake me up for?" he complained.
"The birthday party, silly! We didn`t tell you so you`d be surprised!" she cheered.
"Who`s?" String asked.
"Cocoa`s of course!" she nudged String Play onto his hooves. He stared for a moment. So that`s why the party had ended that day. Er, well, today.
But no, it would go on today. Cocoa would have his party, and the cake, and it all would be well. Whenever they did that, String Play would be at peace. Finally.
"Hey, Crimson! Every Pony! Breakfast!" Cake Flower called out from the dining room. They all gathered around a large oak table, polished and smooth. On the wooden top, plates of pancakes and eggs, and even a little Pizza wafted their smells into the noses of the colts and fillies.
One Cake announced, "DIG IN!!!" String swore he saw Crimson Fur stick his whole head in a lemon pie. They had a good breakfast. String Play was glad, too, since this would be his last.
"Maybe the puppet`s been possessed already" he sighed, thinking of Present Gift. The poor colt, he couldn`t even save himself...
The whole walk/trot to the Pizzeria was filled with playful chatter, along with silent whispers. String Play just thought to himself about the puppet. Why was he becoming it again?
Was it because Present Gift had possessed it?
Technically, he was Present Gift. So that could make sense. String didn`t have much time to think though, as Music Ruff announced the Pizzeria to them.
"WERE HERE!!!" They all cried. Even Goldy seemed upbeat, despite his normally evil, cunning attitude.
Inside, they traveled through the main hallway, and entered the last room to the left, where one of the vents laid. There really should`ve been a grill on there.
Party hats and balloon printed plates adorned the tables, while the chairs were covered in purple fabric. (presumably used from the pirate cove). They all sat down, Cocoa where he could see the door. After a bit of sitting, the parents (including Twilight Sparkle) came to the ever so boring party.
"What`s taking so long?" Cake Flower complained.
And, well, as of by magic, an employee walked in. He grinned apologetically. His uniform was purple, like most, too. Though he seemed so familiar.
"Sorry, fillies and colts. We`ve had a delay with our services today" he sighed, " Please give us a little while. Um, it`d be best to stay here, since we could be done anywhere from ten seconds to five minutes from now". The adults all nodded, though Twilight and String Play eyed him suspiciously.
"I swear, I know that stallion" String growled. Was it-? no, it couldn`t be. Not him. Not Vincent.
The employee came back about five minutes later, a serious face across his muzzle.
"Um, we need help. A few colts and fillies in the party room are trying to get to the animatronics. All our employees are working on the electrical problem in the parts room, can you please help us? I need to get back there real quick" he sighed.
"Yeah, I can" a creamy mare said firmly. Her husband, String Play guesses, stepped up too, his chocolate coat dotted with yellow.
"Thank you" the employee smiled. Surprisingly, he didn`t have a badge on, even though his uniform was for the security guards.
"Yeah, I suppose i`d be a help" Twilight smiled, but her fur was bristled. The rest of the adults came forth, though there were only two.
"Great. This way" he turned and galloped back towards the party room, where the children had gone haywire. Mostly because of the candy that got thrown on the stage.
The stallion pointed his muzzle to the children, and then turned back towards the parts and service area. String Play noticed him enter the exact room, but a sinister smile danced across his face. Maybe it was him after all.
"...Um, M-Music Ruff?" Cake Flower broke the silence with her high pitched voice, which shook and trembled.
"Yeah?" the purple colt replied.
"I think Bonnie wants to say 'hi'" she pointed a hoof over to the vent behind Goldy. The faceless Bonnie laid their, staring straight at Music Ruff.
They shared a glazed stare for a while, until Bonnie made an attempt to speak. His voice box must`ve been messed up, cause most of it came out as static.
"You-----T-----Away---om-he--. He--s--com--g, ---cent" the purple creature slunk back into the vents after that. The group just stared blankly at one another. Even String Play shared their confused faces. Was it a warning?
"Children!" That purple employee walked into the room, a true smile on his face. To String Play`s discomfort, the employee himself was also purple, just adding to the awkwardness of his no badge uniform.
"Yay! Finally!" Crimson Fur shouted.
"Toy Freddy is busy right now, i`m afraid" 'Purple', as String Play called him, shook his head. All the ponies let out exasperated sighs. The employee laughed softly.
"It`s all right. Cause I have a back up plan!" he cheered. Crimson Fur looked up, his eyes beginning to brighten.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It`s called tag. I`m sure you know how to play it". The employee rubbed a hoof on his other leg.
"Well, duh" Cake Flower smiled.
"I`ve never really played it with a grown up" Crimson thought.
"Well, I assure you. I`m very fun to play with, especially when it comes to tag" his smile became wider, and his eyes narrowed a bit.
"Of course we`ll play! Right, String Play?" Cocoa asked. The puppet pony nodded, but whispered something to himself. The purple employee must`ve heard it, because his fur bristled slightly. But it smoothed out again within a second.
"Ready?" he asked.
The six ponies in front of him nodded, which in turn made Purple smile. He pulled out a black hilted blade.
The six ponies stared at Purple in awe. Slowly, Purple grew closer.
String Play was the first to break his gaze, as he growled at the stallion.
"Vincent".
The employee stopped in his tracks as he became alert to the name. He smoothed his posture again, placing a hoof to his chest. A laugh emitted from him.
"That`s me. But of course, no pony`s ever gonna know that" Vincent then proceeded to get closer, the knife in his mouth. The children all got up from their seats and began to back away.
"Well, your getting smart, it seems. The last colt? Stupid" he sighed. String Play snarled.
"Hey! I wasn`t stupid! Your just a tricky idiot!!!" all the attention got drove to him suddenly. Vincent stared confusingly, as did Cake Flower and the other colts.
String Play attempted to ignore them, and instead barked an order as Vincent got closer.
"RUN!!!" five ponies scattered. Most slipped by Vincent, but String Play and Music took to the vents. Cocoa stood still, frozen.
"So, it`s the birthday colt first then? Splendid" Vincent growled as he moved closer to the brown colt. In turn, the small pony stepped back, curling around to suddenly face a wall. He backed up again, but was then met by the soft yet rough fur of Vincent.
String Play was long gone, thinking every pony got away, but Music Ruff had stayed in the vents. He was going to help Cocoa, but the words to save him stuck in his throat.
"No... Please" Cocoa stammered. He hit the wall as he was pushed down to the floor with a firm purple hoof. Vincent stood above him, a muffled laugh escaping him.
He rose his head, the lighting dramatically raising the shadows to his head, making Cocoa struggle to get away. But he was stuck. In one sudden moment, Vincent lunged his head down on the colt`s neck. The blade stuck into and cut open the trachea. Cocoa shook as his body reached for non existent air, and as he sucked in, it brought a terrible sting to his throat.
Not long now, and he would drown in his own blood.
"NO!!!" Music Ruff cried. Vincent glared over at him, and began to get closer and closer. Music Ruff slunk back into the vents, and began to rush over to the other side of it. Vincent snuck around the corner, waiting for the colt to come into the office.
Music placed a hoof on the tile floor, and in one quick motion, began his rush across the floor. Vincent dove for him, but missed by a foot, crashing into the spruce table Badge Gleam had stayed at before. He quickly got onto his hooves, and noticed the purple colt rushing into the other vent.
"Idiot" he grunted.
Music Ruff climbed out of right vent and into the party room opposite of their original one. He saw Cocoa, whom was slowly dying, his body having small spasms from drowning.
"Little colt" a smooth cunning voice came from the entrance to the party room. Music Ruff glanced at a corner of the room,which was occupied by a purple earth pony.
"No..." Music Ruff stepped back, though he was too frozen to make another move.
"Well, you`ll be easy prey" Vincent smiled as he padded across the room, a bloody knife in his hooves.
"Where`s Cocoa!?" Crimson Fur exclaimed. String Play glanced around.
"I don`t see him... Or Music Ruff!" he began to dart back to the hallway, but stopped. No pony else could be hurt.
"EVERY PONY!!!" String Play yelled. They were currently in the dining party room. Many fillies and colts perked up at the white eyed colt.
"THERE`S A MURDERER IN HERE!!! GET OUT!!!" He cried. A couple of Adults got their kids and left, but the majority stayed.
"PLEASE! He`s telling the truth!" Crimson Fur pleaded, his eyes watery. A bit more left, but not close to half of the original amount. This wouldn`t work.
"Gah! You stupid colt!" Vincent yelled through gritted teeth. That small sneaky colt had managed to cut him with his own knife. The stallion gripped his front leg, but continued towards the room the colt had hid in. Apparently he thought that the next room was a better decision for living.
"Oh colt?" Vincent asked as he entered the room. Music Ruff was under a table, his eyes closed. The stallion took this chance, and limped silently forward.
He ducked his head under the table, and whispered one word:
"boo".
Music Ruff attempted to run, but as he got up and lept out of the table, his back hoof slammed against a sharp point. He screamed in pain his hoof digging into a- knife. With a sharp tug, he got it free, but he was forced to limp/run past Vincent, whom grabbed his bloody knife and ran after the colt.
Music Ruff turned the corner out of the hallway and had almost made it past to the party room, when he stopped short. Cake Flower sat in front of him, her sides heaving. A cut dug through her right side.
"C-Cake Flower?!" Music cried as he ran up to her.
"I`m c-cut..." she stammered, "W-when I got a-away, the blade got m-me" she sighed. Her fur was bristled, sticking up like a cat`s.
"Music Ruff!" she suddenly cried.
"W-what?!" he asked, whimpering.
"Run?" a deep voice cut off any sound from the two. Music Ruff turned around, and saw Vincent smile at him. A bloodied purple hoof came down on Music`s right side. It slammed into him, and he was thrown into the wall farthest from Cake Flower.
Ponies started taking notice, along with Twilight Sparkle.
"Well, Cake Flower. I must say, that` one bad cut" Vincent smiled again. He limped towards Cake Flower. She did her best to back up, but the pain in her sides practically froze her joints.
"No..." she cried softly.
String Play yelled aloud, "GET OUTTA HERE!!!". This time the ponies did as he said.
Music Ruff stared off at Cake Flower. He winced as he got up, shaky with his cut hoof. He whispered something, a sorry to his mother. In one swift dash he lept forward.
Once String Play had seen that every pony was evacuated. He turned around to go help Cake Flower, until horror met his eyes.
Music Ruff jumped, his eyes closed. He didn`t know exactly where, but he had a pretty good idea of it. A sharp pain resonated from the higher point of his stomach. He dropped to the floor, in which Cake Flower managed to jump out of the way as he fell.
"Music Ruff!" she cried.
"G-go..." He winced. With a glance at the laughing murderer, she nodded and galloped away, even with her bleeding sides. By now, every pony was evacuating. String Play and Crimson Fur couldn`t leave yet, not now.
Music Ruff breathed heavily, but had a planted smile on his face. It wasn`t a forced one, either. He laughed softly. Cake Flower was safe. At least, for now.
Vincent allowed Music Ruff to die his dumbly sought for death, as he pursued the yellow filly. String Play`s fur bristled as he noticed Goldy, whom was hiding under a table. Did he not care for his friends?!
"Goldy!! Help us!" he cried. Goldy eyed him, but made no move. Vincent slowly closed in on Cake Flower. Crimson Fur made a run at him, but String Play gripped his hair in his mouth.
"No, Let me. You help make sure every ponies safe" String Play sighed before galloping off towards Vincent. He was currently about to drop his knife to Cake`s heart.
"Vincent! Stop it!" String Play cried. The purple stallion stood up for a second, but then bent back towards Cake.
"Say goodbye" he growled happily. Slash
String Play stopped dead in his tracks. In the reflection of the blacks of his eye, you could see a crouching yellow filly, blood covering and painting her body, beginning with the chest. Blood began to drip from her mouth onto her hooves, and then the floor.
"Cake Flower!" String Play shouted. She was now limp, either close to death, or already there. Vincent turned to String Play, a small line of blood across his neck.
"You next?" he asked, coming closer. String Play backed up, but growled at Vincent non the less.
He was hurting his friends. His only friends. He killed Cake Flower. Music Ruff killed himself for her. Cocoa was probably dead!
String Play snapped at Vincent, ready to lunge onto him. The puppet`s power was returning to him, and he- for once- let it come. Slowly, the power and anger flowed into him. Vincent had gotten a bit close for comfort by then.
String Play launched himself through the air, his eyes gleaming creepily. He landed on Vincent, and bit into his flesh, receiving a harsh scream from the purple murderer. He felt relieved to have hurt this stallion, until he realized his stupidity from rage.
A sharp point stuck into his back, causing him to fall off. String luckily was able to land on his front hooves, and swiveled around to face Vincent. The knife was stuck in his back.
"Well, little colt. Your creepy form`s just a costume, ain`t it?" Vincent cooed. String Play growled and took the knife out of his back, blood oozing out.
He threw it at Vincent, whom caught the hilt with one swift motion. String snarled, and glanced over to Goldy, whom had gotten out and was ever so slowly walking to the front exit.
He needed a chance to get Vincent by surprise, and why not use the betraying brat? String Play made an action of seriousness, of course an act, and called out to Goldy.
"Goldy! Help Crimson!" He pleaded.
Vincent looked over to the golden colt, whom stopped in his tracks. He looked back at String Play, and then the purple stallion whom had begun to turn towards the crimson colt. String Play motioned to Crimson Fur, and they nodded to each other.
Vincent lunged at Crimson, but the small swift colt just rolled out under him. He began to make his way near Goldy. Of course, the plan String Play had didn`t work.
"Hey Vincent! You going for the weak prey? I`m right here, CHICA!!!" String Play teased. Vincent kept going to the two colts. Crimson Fur grasped Goldy`s hair in his mouth, and then turned to drag him over to String Play.
"Good. Good. Just, distract him" String Play mumbled to himself. Goldy would follow, and be forced to help them, right?
But Goldy stopped. Crimson was dragged back, his neck cracked and tingling. and Vincent took his chance to slow down his pace towards the stunned colt.
Every Pony outside watched, horrified. Twilight Sparkle made an attempt to help, but she couldn`t get in. It was like some dark magic had concealed the place shut from magic. The door wouldn`t budge, either.
The two colts were currently at the prize corner... Cornered by Vincent. Crimson Fur`s back neck stung furiously from the sudden tug by Goldy, but he managed to get on his hooves.
"Ah, your cornered now" Vincent stated smoothly. Crimson glared at him, but Goldy only stepped forward towards the killer.
"There`s no escape, but then who would want to leave?" Goldy asked, puzzling Vincent. But the stallion shrugged it off. Just a smart colt, whom understood his fate, apparently.
Goldy stepped closer to Vincent.
The purple stallion bent down towards the golden colt, and whispered in his ear.
"You know your about to die, right?" he asked. Goldy nodded.
"Yeah, but I must say one thing afterwards" he relied back, wincing but keeping a smile as the blade of Vincent`s knife dug into his chest.
"And what would that be?" Vincent asked.
"Meet you in your nightmares" Goldy whispered. He fell to the floor, dead, but smiling. Smiling in the face of death.
Crimson Fur had took this time to get away, and so he and String Play were now running towards the front door. They made it there, but some force caused String Play to be pushed back. Twilight nudged her way through the crowd of ponies and cops, and stood at the door.
Her face was full of worry. String Play sighed, and nodded a goodbye. He and Crimson turned and ran for the nearest area, unfortunately, where the last child had died.
They galloped to the stage. Toy Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie were turned off for some reason, even though the lights were on... String Play hid behind a wall that enclosed the Stage from the party room, a tiny slit of wood only large enough for a filly.
Crimson Fur hid on the other side. And the only they could do now was hope Vincent was in the right position for surprising. The purple stallion walked up to the stage.
He grinned widely.
"Your little plan won`t work, little colt" he eyed String Play. The purple stallion was about to make a move towards him, until he froze. He turned around and looked straight at Crimson Fur.
"Well, well, a little fox. Your really a pain, you know that?" Vincent stated as he stretched his neck, popping it and loosening it from earlier. Crimson Fur curled up. There was nowhere for him to go.
String Play sifted through his thoughts. He couldn`t surprise Vincent now.... He needed to get him some other way. A glance at Toy Freddy told him what he needed to know. He slunk over behind the animatronic bear, and then the bunny. Small scraping noises could be heard, but Vincent was ignoring that.
"So" he smiled.
"I`m going to get away with not one murder, but five?!" He laughed.
"N-no your not! Foxy`ll save me!" Crimson Fur snarled. Vincent paused.
"That heap of metal couldn`t harm a fly" he growled.
String Play finally found the panel that controlled the AI levels of the older animatronics. With a few wire tugs, he managed to flip the switch for one up some.
"I really hope this works" he sighed.
He lept down behind Vincent.
"Hey, slug breath! I got something for ye!" String Play grinned. Vincent perked up.
"Ye? what are you, a puppet pirate now?" he laughed. String Play kept his grin.
"Nope- " he checked the hallway, and smiled even further- "this is a pirate".
A growl and what seemed to be panting came from the hallway. Paw steps were heard coming from the hallway, and soon emerged a fox. It was pony like, of course, but also had an eyepatch.
"Foxy!" Crimson Fur cheered. The fox smiled at him, and then turned his gaze to Vincent. String Play had tossed the control panel away, it would run out of power soon anyways.
Now it was up to Crimson Fur.
"Foxy, please help me" Crimson pleaded. Foxy nodded.
"Anything for ye, Crimson" he replied, surprising both Crimson and Vincent. It ran at Vincent, whom dodged and galloped out towards the party room. Sadly the spell block he`d set up couldn`t be undone until he deactivated it, and with a fox on his tail, it meant no escape until this thing was TRUE scrap metal.
Vincent turned his body around to face the fox robot. It charged at him, and so did Vincent.
Crimson Fur had gotten up and walked over to watch the whole play, as did String Play. They fought and dodged each other. Vincent kept it up, even of he knew it was almost impossible to beat metal. He kept glazing the surface of the robot with his knife, maybe leaving a dent, but that would be it.
"Erg! You dumb hunk of metal! Just die already!" he cried as he dunked his head form a claw swipe.
Crimson couldn`t help but smile. Until Vincent did it.
He managed to stick his knife in the chest of Foxy, damaging his wires. The fox clawed Vincent`s eye, before beginning to malfunction. It shook violently. Foxy stared over at Crimson Fur, his mouth pulled into an apologetic frown.
"S-sorry Crim-Crim-Crimson... Fur-fur-fur-fur" he stammered through his cracked voice box. Crimson couldn`t help himself. He ran forward.
"Foxy!!!" He cried. Vincent shook his head, smiling. He took out the knife, and waited for Crimson Fur get to Foxy.
The small red colt limped down beside the fallen fox pirate. It still spasmed a bit, but was ever so softly dying down.
"Hah. you dumb colt. Don`t you realize what you`ve just got yourself into?" Vincent snarled happily, much like Goldy had before.
"Yes" Crimson Fur stated.
String Play had silently thanked him for his endeavor, as he crept up behind Vincent. Maybe he could save Crimson, at least, at least Crimson. He heard a slice. Crimson smiled.
"NO!!!" String Play cried. He snarled evilly. Crimson was dead.
Blood spilled out on the tiled floor, causing String Play to go into a panic. His breaths became heavy, and his dotted white eyes became smaller than normal. The puppet engulfed his body.
"You just killed my only friend" he whispered in a hushed tone. Vincent looked behind himself and smiled.
"Why yes, I did" he laughed.
"Your gonna pay, Vincent" String Play snarled.
"And who would you be, cosplay pony?" Vincent asked, bored at their conversation.
String Play laughed. He looked straight at Vincent.
"Me? I`m the puppet".
A large concentration of whispers exploded from around the room, invading both the minds of String Play and Vincent. Vincent looked around, worry beginning to spread across his face.
"W-what`s that?" he stammered. String Play didn`t reply.
"It`s me".
Vincent backed up, almost tripping over Crimson Fur`s body. He noticed the smiling colt in front of him. A shadow stood behind, smiling as he did. It had a fearsome smile, sharp white teeth, and small white dots like the colt`s. It bore a few gray stripes on it`s legs, and on the face.
Vincent backed up even further. His face was full of fear, which made a low cackle emit from the shadow being. String Play asked lightly, "Wanna play?".
Vincent turned his tail and ran for the parts and service room. He dropped his knife on the way.
String Play calmed down.
He had managed to refrain from attacking Vincent, that was to be held later. String Play sighed, and leaned next to Crimson Fur`s body.
"The last gift I can give" he whispered. He knew he had to do it.
"The gift of life". A small white pulse emitted from Crimson Fur`s body, engulfing his fur, making it look like a pale orange. The glow on his body began on the others, too, from Cake Flower to Cocoa.
And slowly it faded, the children`s bodies slowly vanished, fading away from sight.
The only being in front of String Play now, was Foxy. The pony fox seemed to be just as it was, laying down in a sleeping position. Until, slowly, it became more... Real. Fur bristled out and felt realer, now softer. It`s ears seemed more flexible.
And slowly, a pair of yellow eyes slowly opened from behind the lids. They blinked a few times, bright and full of life.
Foxy slowly began to move his tail and ears. He raised his head, and looked around. The fox was surprised when he heard metallic sounds as he moved.
"S-String Play?" he asked. His voice was pirate-like now, rough, yet has that pitch that children couldn`t even try to pose for.
"Crimson" String Play replied.
"Why am I...?" Crimson stopped. He remembered, he had died. Vincent killed him.
"I had to. I gave you life again" String Play sighed. Tears fell down his eyes.
"So, I`m... Foxy?" Crimson Fur choked on the words. String Play nodded so very slowly.
"Wait. Are the rest of `em dead too now?" Foxy asked. He slowly got up, and turned out to be much taller than String Play now.
"Yes. All of you. I failed" String cried. Foxy bent down to the crying colt.
"No, lad. You saved us" he smiled. String Play looked up, a smile slowly growing on his damp face.
"But, er, I can`t stand havi`n to talk like t`is now. It`s.... Annoyin" Foxy complained. String Play laughed a tiny bit, but soon got serious again.
"He`s still alive" String Play retorted. Foxy almost asked whom, but he knew.
"We need ta get `em" he stated.
"Yes, we do. And now, while every pony can`t intervene" String sighed. Foxy looked to him, confused.
"I need to revert you into a spirit form. Cake Flower and the rest can`t help unless we do that".
"Why not?".
"Well, their physical bodies now lay in the parts and service room" Sting Play contemplated. Foxy nodded.
"Then do it, lad".
String Play closed his eyes, and allowed the fighting spirit of the puppet to flood him. The power, talked to him, you could say. It told him to kill.
His mind was drowned in the puppet`s strings, but he fought for one goal. His mind focused on the dead children`s wandering spirits. They slowly appeared in front of him, Hovering on the tiled floor.
Foxy fell limp, and a small white half pony floated out. It wore an eye patch, and was tinted red. As soon as String Play could sense all five spirits there, he stopped the link of dark magic that flowed in him.
Goldy floated in front of him, a wild smirk on his toothed face. He wore a small top hat.
"The murderer`s in the parts room" Cake Flower seemingly whispered.
"I know. We need to stop him" String Play replied, his body now outlined with black ethereal wisps. The seven children made their way to the service room. Every Pony outside watched as they did this, too.
The parents were crying, their hooves on the magic barrier.
Inside the parts room, Vincent breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to get out of here. He was going to get away with five whole murders. Or maybe six, if you counted that shadow brat.
"Heh. All I need to do is unhook this wire..." His tongue stuck out as he messed around with a few boxes that connected to a small iron box. He pressed a few buttons, and was about to flick the final switch when he heard something of most disturbance.
"He know" a small whisper filled his mind.
"What?" he looked up and around. Nothing. He shrugged it off.
"You`ll pay" another whisper, more high pitched came around to his right ear.
"What the- Who`s there?!" Vincent shouted to the air around him. A cold touch on his right shoulder confirmed one horror. Or more of, five.
The ghostly figures stared at him, their bodies only consisting of a head, neck, and then torso. They all slowly shifted closer.
"W-What are you?!" the purple stallion cried.
"Killer..." one whispered. They had only white eyes with black dots, and mouths of glowing teeth only.
"Wait, I-I, I killed you!! This can`t be real!" Vincent growled at the children. A small male voice came from the doorway.
"Maybe, but you never tagged me, did you?" the small black and white colt glared at Vincent. He stepped back.
"Y-you demonic colt! What are you doing!" He cried. His eyes glanced this way and that. A way to get out... A way to get out... String Play and the ghosts got closer. The live colt was resonating a black aura, and his teeth seems unfriendly. They were sharp and carnivorous.
"... What are you?" he asked. String Play only stopped to laugh.
"Like I said, I`m the puppet".
Dark magic in the forms of the nightmare and shadow animatronics appeared behind the children`s ghosts. The forms all snarled at Vincent.
He found himself against a wall, his tail between his legs.
"Think, think!" Vincent grunted. He couldn`t bypass that brat. If he could get to the Freddy suit... No, it was right behind that colt.
Chica and Bonnie laid close to him. It was his only chance to get in a suit, but they were too torn. Their wires and bars weren`t made for ponies anyways. Foxy had slipped into the parts room, but was limp, and torn up the most (besides Bonnie`s.... Untidy face). If only...
A golden glint caught Vincent`s eyes. He turned to see that, to his right, a golden Bonnie-like suit laid, limp. It wasn`t too torn, nor was it truly in good condition though, either.
The purple stallion sprinted for the it. He hastily threw on the head. It suited him tightly, but he didn`t hesitate as he ducked his legs into the hoof holders, and fit his chest into the main part. A few wire ends poked him. With a final click, he was hooked up to the suit, from head to tail.
"Hah! You can`t get me now!" Vincent laughed from behind the tattered suit.
The children just stared. String Play walked up to the front of them, confused. It was true. The children had more... Hallucinatory minds now. They wouldn`t attack a suit.
"I`m safe now!" Vincent laughed, not a care in the world for the unsafe spring locks. The children conversed through tiny whispers, looking around..
String Play turned to them.
"He`s in there. We can`t do anything now" String Play sighed, "We must leave now". Slowly, the children all nodded in agreement. String Play lowered his head, as they all began to vanish.
The children all twitched their ears as they heard a soft scream escape from the rotted gold suit.
"W-what`s... Happening?" Vincent choked as he grabbed his lower torso section with a hoof. blood dripped out of one of the many tears in his suit. The children began whispering again.
"He`s dying".
"Revenge".
Vincent`s torso had been lashed open by one of the spring locks. Slowly, each of the twenty spring locks in his suit began to pop.
"AGH!!!" Vincent cried. Blood began to drip from his mouth, and scarlet puddles formed around his hooves. String Play was content with this, too. It was bloody and gross, maybe. But it seemed... Right.
Vincent cried in pain again, his eyes dripping with tears. He was crouched on one side.
"H-help me..." Vincent whimpered. His hooves splashed in a puddle of his own scarlet blood. String Play stepped forward, his eyes narrowed.
"No, you did this. To yourself" he growled. Vincent whimpered more, as the fifth spring broke and dug into his flesh. By now, his ribs were probably broken, he knew that much.
"H-hurts..." he snarled under his breath. Another spring lock popped.
And another.
Slowly, the children began to smile. Cake Flower`s white n black pupil eyes widened at the sight.
"Ngh..." Vincent moaned. His sides were gashed, and blood only continued to ooze out of the small gapes between his flesh and the spring locks.
"I`m g-going to d-die, aren`t I" he stated half to himself.
A simple nod from String Play confirmed it. Vincent winced as another lock broke and dug into his right flank. It stuck right through the middle of his badge shaped cutie mark.
Another lock broke.
"C-can`t... Breathe..." Vincent gaped. He fell to the floor, his eyes drowning in their own tears.
The children smiled. It may have been gruesome, but just like with String Play, it fit.
Vincent laid there gaping for air. He gulped, trying to talk with his small amount of air left.
"I guess it`s only fitting, dying with my victims" he laughed cunningly. But it became a choke.
Seven-teen springs had broke by now, most in his torso, flank, and legs. Even through the bloody gore, he smiled. Vincent smiled. He should`ve known, anyways.
Another spring lock broke, cutting into his right lung.
"GAH!!!" He shouted, and scarlet began to spurt from a large hole in the suit. He almost fell limp, his pupils wide, but lids slowly closing.
"It`s almost over..." Crimson Fur stated.
Vincent nodded slowly, actually happy about that statement. Blood was dripping from his mouth, and he just took to laying his head in the puddle of red. His eyes were half closed. He laid in his blood, shallow raises on his side becoming even lighter.
Another Spring Lock broke. Only one more remained.
"I suppose... I should say g-goodbye..." Vincent whispered. The last lock broke, slashing right into his throat. He winced, but couldn`t find any words. His vocal cords were cut now.
And slowly, he began to drift away, into the spirit realm...
"It`s done" Cake Flower stated lightly.
"No. not yet it isn`t" String Play looked down at the dead spring locked stallion.
The device that blocked any physical or magical content had been broken. The fillies and colts all now stood in the party room, smiling.
And of course, the parents rushed in, uncaring for the bloody tiles. The leaned down to their children.
"Goldy! Cocoa!" A creamy coated mare and brown stallion cried in unison.
"Oh, Music Ruff..." A purple mare sighed, her hoof placed on an ethereal purple colt.
"C-Cake Flower..." a golden mare teared up, her mouth pulled into a S shape.
Crimson Fur waited. By now, the children`s ghost forms had become whole, so they had all of their legs now. He sat on his flank, his tail bushy and like a fox. It didn`t wag with any excitement of his parents. Because no pony came to him.
He let out a long sigh, his head held low... String Play noticed the absent Fox pony`s sigh.
He began to pad over to him, but was suddenly wrapped in a tight hug.
"String Play! Your alive!" Twilight Sparkle cried happily. Tears dotted her eyes. She didn`t know?
"Y-yeah..." String Play returned the hug, but let out a silent sigh. He had to tell her.
"Am I... Dead?" Vincent asked. Earlier, he could feel his soul lifting, but a sudden tug had kept him between the feelings of sleep and alertness. It was as if he was in a dream.
He looked around. He stood in a dark gray landscape, and lighter gray squares seemed to float about. He felt no pain, but in that matter, didn`t really feel anything at all.
He couldn`t breathe. But it didn`t hurt.
He couldn`t blink. But his eyes didn`t burn.
Vincent got off of his purple haunches. He had no blood on him... And that death trap suit wasn`t around him either. He began to walk aimlessly, since everywhere around him seemed... More or less the same. He did notice his dark purple mane was tattered and bed-head like. His bright gold eyes were duller.
"So then... I`m dead" he deadpanned. A sudden tug in his lungs told him something was coming. Or appearing...
Crimson Fur watched as Cake Flower hugged her mom, and Cocoa embrace his dad. Music Ruff hugged his mom, and she kissed his forehead.
"Guess i`m all alone t`en..." he sighed in his new pirate accent.
String Play pulled away from Twilight Sparkle. She almost grabbed for him, but decided it was best to let him do whatever he needed.
"Crimson Fur!" String Play said as he came up to the young red colt.
"Aye? er, h-hi?" Crimson replied, trying to keep the accent down. String Play chuckled. But he gained a serious face again.
"Where are your parents?" he asked.
"I, er, my dad left a while back, a`ter he killed Crimson Grace..." Crimson Fur sighed. String Play guessed that was his mom, and decided to let the rest of the background be untold. He hugged Crimson Fur tightly.
"It`s alright. I don`t have any parents either. Or ones that care, anyways" String Play said, as Crimson returned the hug.
"Thank ye, lad" Crimson said softly. For his accent, the pitch was still lighter, considering the colt form of his body. Twilight Sparkle took notice and began to trot over to them.
"Hey`a Crimson Fur!" Twilight smiled, but it faded, "W-where`s your parents?". The red colt looked down.
"Tis gone" he mumbled. Twilight shared a glance at String Play. Crimson Fur perked up for a second, and looked to Twilight Sparkle.
"Oh, i`m sorry about that" Twilight Sparkle sighed. The other ponies themselves were caught in their own greetings and hugs, but Crimson was just... Alone.
"No, tis `k. Wasn`t yer fault" Crimson Fur looked down. Twilight Sparkle thought for a moment, and then looked to String Play.
"Hey, just hang out with us!" the purple alicorn nudged Crimson. He twisted his head up in a flash.
"R-really?" he stammered. String Play nodded with Twilight.
The gold outline around Vincent only grew brighter, and more solid.
He tried to get it off, but it wouldn`t budge. A sharp pain stuck into his sides again.
And more of them.
The golden glow soon curved and ridged at some points, and became almost opaque by now. The pain of whatever was seemingly stabbing him only continued.
"W-what`s happening?!" He cried. He had a good idea of it, in truth, but the concept seemed so... Unreal. More dagger like things shot through his flesh.
It was the spring locks. Like it was happening all over again. No blood came out of him, though.
He collapsed as the locks broke quickly, adding to what would have been a bloody disaster. And eventually, everything faded from his sight, and the black and gray landscape just became a mirror image to him.
Slowly, he possessed the suit.
"It`s almost time" String Play looked out the window. It was odd, but the outside ponies had given them space, but it wouldn`t last long. Every pony knew that much.
"I know" Crimson sighed. Cake Flower stepped back from her mom. Music Ruff gave a last whisper in his mom`s ear before walking back a few feet.
Goldy had shared one hug, but in the end just stepped back, not even saying goodbye to his mom and dad. Cocoa gave them both one last tight hug.
[And yes, even as spirits, in their full form they are able to be physically interacted with.]
"Goodbye" the children all whispered, and even Crimson did too. He gave a final hug to his new purple friend, and stepped back with String Play.
String Play began to use his flowing dark magic.
"Are we goi`n back to t`e animatronics?" Crimson asked.
"Yes" was the only reply from String Play. A small white circle like dome encased the seven foals. It grew brighter. The fillies all looked to their parents, whom gave small smiles back. Music Ruff`s mom was sobbing, unable to look at the glowing group.
String Play turned to Twilight Sparkle. She looked at him in confusion. He was alive now, right?
"S-String Play?" Twilight stammered, words caught in her throat. She lifted a hoof towards him. String Play shook his head, which was held low. He stared at her teary face.
No sounds could be heard, except the last few, "I love you".
The spirits vanished from sight, and the dome was no longer existent. They were just... Gone. Twilight put down her hoof. Tears escaped her resistant eyes.
They were gone... String Play was gone... Forever.
A golden suit, dripping with blood, spasmed on the bloody tile floor. It shook desperately, as if something was awakening from death. Well, it was.
The black eyes that filled the parts and service room began to glow, small white dots on the animatronics longingly blank eyes. It shook more, and almost as if nothing had happened, it stopped.
Rushed, shallow breaths came from the mouth. A rough and quick movement came from the mouth. The now soon to rot body of Vincent laid inside. He raised a hoof to the head of the suit that had killed him.
But even with a sharp tug, it didn`t even budge.
"W-why... Is it stuck?" He asked, but soon regretted talking, as blood oozed out of his mouth and a dreadful burn filled his throat.
He put a hoof to his mouth, but of course, he couldn`t reach it. Not because of this stupid gold suit. He slumped against a wall. What else could he do? He was in too much pain to really even move right now...
"I can`t believe that happened..." Music Ruff`s mom sighed. She continued sobbing. Twilight Sparkle wanted to help, but what could she even do?
So, she left them to themselves and decided to walk around. Yep. Just mourn to herself.
In front of her, String Play stood looking to her.
"Twilight Sparkle?" he asked. The purple alicorn walked away, towards the kid`s cove. String Play followed.
Could she see him?
"Hey, Twilight!" he shouted, and jumped in front of the cove. Twilight Sparkle then did the unthinkable. She passed through his air-born body.
"Twi- AH!!" He fell to the ground in a mess. The alicorn stopped at Mangle, as she hummed the puppet`s tune.
"I thought I would have possessed the Puppet, but..." String Play sighed. That was for Present Gift. And then whomever came when he had his chance.
"It`s just a chain reaction" String looked up to Twilight Sparkle. Then to Mangle. He cocked his head in confusion. Was she looking at him?
"P-Petal Rose?" he stammered. Mangle`s jaw moved, but no sound came out. String Play came closer, and Mangle`s eyes followed him as he did. His face lit up brightly.
"You can see me!!!" he yipped. Mangle tried to nod. The small dead colt walked up to her, and placed a hoof on her head.
"It`s okay" he smiled. Twilight began walking away. They talked once she was out of the room.
"I`m s-s-s-s-sorry Jacob..." Mangle whimpered. 10-1 kept buzzing on her scanners, but no pony could really hear it.
"I`m alright. The murderer payed" String Play looked to where Twilight was leaving for the main hallway. Mangle smiled.
"Go, follow her. I know she meant a l-l-l-lot to you". String Play smiled and left, galloping towards the purple alicorn. He found her passing near the parts room. Would she check?
Twilight Sparkle stopped at the door. She looked at it, thinking about either to go in or not. But in the end, she looked away, and continued down the party room hallway. String Play sighed one of relief.
He padded up to door.
"M-Maybe... I`ll just check" he mumbled to himself. A firm thought boggled his mind.
What if the murderer was alive?
It was fairly possible, considering he died inside of an important item, but he would more than likely need the colts help to come back. He took a deep (fake) breath, and walked through the door. Inside, he saw the old robots, along with the bloody puddles that led to the spot where Vincent had died. The pony laid in his suit, in a more-than-likely uncomfortable position.
A small moan came from the suit. The colt jumped back. 'Just my imagination' String Play shrugged it off.
Until another sound came. It almost sounded like a voice. String Play listened out for another sound.
"Y-you... Little, b-brat..." A scratchy voice sounded from the suit. Slowly, white eyes seemed to blink open. String Play stared at the open eyed murderer.
"Your alive?!" he cried in shock.
"I`m pretty sure, idiot" Vincent spat. String Play walked closer to the stallion.
"How are you alive?!" The colt snapped. Vincent laughed.
"Heh, how s-should I kn-know?" Vincent smiled.
"But... You must have caught a fragment of my magic..." String Play sighed, "i`m so stupid!".
"So, now i`m j-just in an... Infinite prison?" the undead stallion asked. String Play smiled lightly.
"Well, yes".
"Great..." Vincent let his head bang on the wall behind him. String Play began to walk away.
"Hey, brat. W-wait one sec, Will y-ya?" Vincent asked. His black ringed eyes seemed to almost look through String Play. The colt stopped, ticking an ear towards the used-to-be murderer.
"I`m not Vincent anymore. My n-name is... Springtrap".
]