Hester accepted the Night Guard job, not knowing what she got herself into. Now, with several lives trapped within the walls of the mysterious Pizzeria, she and Hazel must now find a way to save all lives. But can they do that before whatever is inside finds them first?
“Mothers, we’re home!” Bunny cried out as she entered her house with her Sisters, Brazy and Bunochius. All three had just come back from yet another day in their separate Verses and lives. Bunny was in the Original world with Fluttershy all day. Brazy was in the Alternate world doing her job as Huntress again. Bunochius was in the Pony Freak verse with Fluttershout. By order of age in creation, their sequence was Bunny, Brazy, and Bunochius. Bunny was mostly made by Hazel, while her younger Sisters were made by the teamwork of both Hazel and Hester.
“Nita, Braze, Chius! Welcome home!” Hester greeted her Creation-Children, each giving them a kiss on the forehead in greeting.
“Where’s Mom?” Bunny asked, looking around for her. No doubt, she seemed to be attached to the one who made her mostly.
“She’s in the kitchen, making us dinner” Hester replied as the Original Version type made her way into the kitchen. “Don’t disturb her so much, Bunny”
“She just adores Mom” Brazy said as she turned on the TV and lied on her side of the couch smugly. Bunochius immediately hopped on her elder Sister and tried to snatch the remote from her.
“No, Chi! I was here first!” she tried avoiding her Sister’s grasps.
“No fighting over the remote” Hester reprimanded them as she pulled it out of their reach.
“Sorry, Mother” the duo apologized.
“Mom!” Bunny cried out as Hazel turned around and looked down. She smiled when she saw who it was.
“Oh, my little sunshine, how are you today?” Hazel lifted her Daughter up for a kiss on the forehead. She climbed on top of her head afterwards.
“Great! I just got to learn how to use a Cloning Spell! You should’ve seen Spike’s face when he saw two of me!”
Hazel giggled at the thought. “Oh you”
“What’s for dinner?”
“For me and your Mother, I’m making fried fish with vegetables. For your younger Sister Brazy, I’m getting her some Salisbury steak. For Bunochius, it’s a grilled cheese sandwich and some carrot sticks. And for you, my firstborn, your favorite blueberry-strawberry salad”
“Yay!”
Hazel then pulled Bunny off her head and lifted her up to her face. “Now, go sit down with your Sisters, okay?”
Bunny nodded before floating gracefully away.
Hester finally got Brazy and Bunochius to settle on the News for the moment. Brazy sat on her right while Bunochius was on her left. After nearly an hour of using levitation to pull them apart and make them stop, she finally tired them out enough to listen to her.
“I don’t get why you always want the Gore readings” Bunochius stared at her Sister.
“Why do you like the Horror and Dark ones?” Brazy talked back.
“Despite being Twins, you almost never get along” Hester mumbled.
“Heya!” Bunny said as she floated in like a swan. She sat herself on Brazy’s side, trying to cheer her up. No doubt, those two are like Pinkie and Maud Pie.
“Breaking News! Another murder was found today in Pinkie Fazpie’s Pizzeria!” the TV’s screen suddenly changed to an urgent form showing pictures of a familiar place, Pinkie Fazpie’s Pizzeria. The building looked like a typical pizzeria, with the greeting billboard showing three of its mascots.
Every Brony or Pegasister who knew about this place knew that the pizzeria was made as tribute to those who loved the characters of the MLP Canon world. The area had the usual look for any type of pizzeria, including a room where the nighttime security guards would keep watch over the place at night to make sure nothing gets stolen, broken, or catches fire. The mascots themselves looked very much like the Mane Six.
First there was the ringleader, Pinkie Fazpie. She looked like an animatronic form of Pinkie. She wore a black top hat and a black bowtie. In her hoof was a microphone. She was on the center stage, always greeting and announcing schedules and events. One could never get tired of her giddy and cheery demeanor.
There was Bonlight, the guitarist and one who resembled Twilight Sparkle. She had a red bowtie on her neck and she always had her red guitar. She would be found at the right side of Pinkie on the Main Stage. People just loved her music.
Third was Chicashy, who made nearly a perfect clone of Fluttershy. Instead of wearing a bowtie, she wore a bib with the words, “Let’s Party!” on it. She always had a pink cupcake with eyes and a candle held in one of her hooves. She was on the left side of Pinkie. Everyone just loved her cooking and timid personality.
The fourth was Foxow Dash, a near complete clone of Rainbow Dash. She had one of her eyes covered with an eyepatch while the other visible one had no iris. One of her hooves had a hook to complete her pirate look. She wasn’t on the Main Stage with the other three, but on a separate platform. This was for a good reason. There was a tragic event that involved a foal getting their head bitten off by her; this came to be known as ‘The Bite of 2012’. But before and after that, she was very good in the pirate act and they would just love her stories.
Everything seemed rather well for a long time. Then, these incidents happened. One day, the Mane Six themselves went down to the pizzeria for a party. They never came back, and police suspected that they were missing. Search parties spread far and wide within the area, but not a trace was found. It would’ve been a miracle of Pinkie herself left pieces of confetti lying on the floor.
As if that wasn’t enough, the security guard was killed that night. They found his body mangled beyond repair, almost as though somepony tried to push him into the spare Pinkie suit. There were no traces of how this happened. The cameras couldn’t keep record of what happened at night or day, so they had no idea or clue. So many security guards died already, and the Mane Six are still missing.
The sight of the new mangled body was enough to make Bunny feel uneasy before she turned into her Summon Form and perched on Hester’s hat.
Brazy took a photo of the body with a camera, and had it put into her album of ‘Dead Bodies from the Pizzeria’. She had been collecting pictures due to her fondness of Murders and Mysteries. Due to being a Huntress, she would keep those photos as reminders of what may be put to justice.
Later that night, Hazel tucked their Children in bed. The three all slept in one room, on separate beds. One thing that as peculiar, despite how Hazel and Hester have been trying to get them to sleep on a normal bed like everyone else, they still held up the beds they slept in when they were in their respective Verses.
Bunny’s bed was a giant flower bud that would fold open at day and close at night when she slept; she said that sleeping in it made her feel rejuvenated when she woke up. Brazy’s bed was mostly made of fur. She sleeps inside of taxidermy of a bear’s body; her explanation: it keeps her warm even on the coldest nights. Bunochius’ bed was a mini-cave she made herself; there were leaves and twigs that she used to build a nest in there. How they slept like babies in such weird beddings their Mothers will never know.
Hazel and Hester themselves made their way into their room. Due to their bond of Partner and Familiar, it was natural that they would share the same bed so as to stay with one another. Makes sense, is one tries to separate a Familiar from its Partner, the process would be very traumatic for both. It even leads to extreme pain. Hester curled up on Hazel’s chest as they did every night when it was time to sleep.
“Hazel?”
“Yes, Hest?” her Partner asked.
“Do you think the Mane Six are still alive now?”
“I believe so”
Hester nodded before lying her head down again. By the time they slept, it was right on time; it was time for their real-world counterparts to awake.
I walked alongside Hazel that day. We passed by Pinkie Fazpie’s Pizzeria. We just stood there behind the yellow police tape, as though trying to analyze from afar. There were police cars everywhere. There was a single ambulance that began to load up the latest corpse. Policemen just abound around, trying to find any trace. For the past few days, they have found traces of blood on the coats of the animatronic, and they slightly reeked of the foul odor. They were cleaned up after by the staff.
Hazel and I took a newspaper like we did every day in our lives here at this Wonderland. I have been sometimes leaching off Hazel’s cash here. It’s quite easy for her when she earns because of how she was able to sell clay molding that she learned to do by our mentor, Eifos. I had to find a way to make my own money so I checked for ideas in the ads of the newspaper. I then spotted something on the ads today while Hazel was working on Bunny’s adjusting. There, on the Classified ads, written in black ink, were the words…
PINKIE FAZPIE’S PIZZA
HELP WANTED: Security guard
I thought it over and over, should I do it? I know about the risks it would pose. I could end up dead like those others before me. And it wouldn’t be pretty to leave Hazel alone to take care of three OCs from different Verses. Plus, it’s a pain to be away from a Partner, literally.
Then again, I could just use that little locket that allows Familiars to be as far away from their Partners as they please. I know what my life here at Wonderland would be like. Hazel will be at daytime while I’ll be at night, oh well.
As for the risks of death, Familiars have more tactics up their sleeve than Partners so I may have an easier chance to survive. Makes sense, all those previous guards were Partners.
Well, last night, I got Hazel to agree with me on this. She said it may not be that hard considering that she gets help from one of our friends, Karmatic Note in these situations. I’ll admit: I’m gonna miss being with the Children, but I also have to do my part. I’m currently in Pinkie’s Pizzeria now. It’s almost midnight, and I’m listening to the Phone Guy’s instructions. Hopefully, I make it through this.
But then, as I entered the halls earlier, I couldn’t help but feel watched. The eyes of those mascots on stage, I felt like they were watching me. As I entered the room where I will stay to monitor the rooms, I couldn’t help but feel something going on. It felt like…sadness.
Familiars could feel emotions that are trapped in places and I was able to feel sadness. It felt like somepony was calling for help, but nobody came. There was also a bit of anger, like some unfinished business. I couldn’t help but think: were these the emotions those security guards felt? I then tried to listen to the Phone Guy to try and take my mind off it.
That scared me. The animatronics move at night? Boy, now my job is gonna be tough. And I mean by also keeping my life. Though, I can’t help but feel, most of the anger in this place was radiating from the animatronics. Could they? No, impossible. Nonetheless I began to write my entry in my journal just in case.
7/8/14
I’m on my first night of the job here. I know the rumors about this place. Many folks say it’s haunted, but by what? Yes, I heard about the deaths of many who entered before me, but I have to do this. I know Hazel is feeling down at the moment. Hopefully, Karmatic Note is distracting her while helping her with our Creation-Children.
As I walked past the halls into my office, I felt something off here. There was a hint of sadness, followed by anger. Truth be told, I came here not just for a job, but to try and solve this mystery of dying security guards and hopefully find the Mane Six. For two years, I have been keeping my curiosity and determination a secret, until now. I know the risks here. But I have to find them.
My entry done and written as I hid my journal away, I started flipping through the cameras and checking the doors. I kept watch over the power percentage to ensure of my chances of survival. I then looked at a photograph that I kept with me.
In it were me, Hazel, and others who were huge fans of Fluttershy with the yellow mare herself. Fluttershy was one of my favorites in the Canon world. I missed her a lot. Bunny does too. No matter what, I promised myself I would find them here, one way or another.
The halls of the Pizzeria echoed of silence. Not a voice was uttered. The sound there was, was from the office Hester Hide was in. Back in the Main Party Room, four certain animatronics stood on their areas on the stages, eyes closed due to being shut down. But then, a faint giggle broke the dead silence of the room. As the clock tolled 1 AM, Pinkie Fazpie activated. Her eyes shone with anger as her normally small, cute teeth became razor-sharp. Her voice became like the real Pinkie’s, but robotic as she began to sing a strange tune.
We’re waiting every night
Bonlight then activated as she dropped her guitar and began to sing as well.
To finally roam and invite
Chicashy then woke up, putting down her cupcake and dropping her timidity.
Newcomers to play with us
Foxow Dash then awoke as she hid in the curtains for her chance.
For many years, we’ve been alone
Pinkie and the others had already laid out their plan: stalk the killer. Their plan was that one the first two nights, only Bonlight and Chicashy would move. Foxow was only a surprise one and she would only come out once she knew that it was a long time before she was checked on again. Pinkie would start moving on the third night. Except now, Pinkie decided to be out on a walk as Bonlight began to make her way to the office.
Pinkie was thinking about how they got down here in the first place. It started out as a great party, just them going about as happy as can be, then something bad happened. They went into a room with the promise of cake, but then, all they saw next was darkness. Now, they were cursed to roam these halls, trapped in the suits their remains were stuffed in. For a long time, they called for help in those suits; hoping somepony would hear and help them. But no one came. Left to their own devices, their hearts darkened with revenge. Still, they couldn’t find their killer, all they found were just innocent guards.
Pinkie was so lost in thought that she sang softly,
We’re forced to be still and play
The same songs we’ve known since that day
An imposter took our lives away
Now we’re starting to decay
Unfortunately, she failed to notice that she was infront of the office that time. Hester reacted with fear immediately when she saw her. Fear was pretty much what the previous guards had greeted them with before, and they reacted with violence due to the programming. But this was different, Pinkie didn’t feel hostility. She felt hope. She began to try and reason with Hester as she ran to stop the door from closing.
Please let us get in!
Don’t lock us away!
We’re not like what you’re thinking!
But Hester had the door closed right before Pinkie can stop her. She sighed in relief. But then, she heard somepony on the other side of the office. She looked to see that it was Chicashy. Fear was her initial reaction. But then, she saw something else. It felt like…sadness. There was regret and sadness radiating off from her. She felt something else: it felt like that was really Fluttershy! The animatronic herself began to sing.
We’re poor little souls
Who have lost all control
And we’re forced in here to take that role
Hester began to wonder, what that really her? But if that’s the case, that would mean…No. It couldn’t! But then Bonlight appeared right beside Pinkie. The expression in her eyes was the same emotion. The rage from before was replaced with regret and sadness. She gave her song of reason as well.
We’ve been all alone
Stuck in our little zone
Since 2010
2010, that was the year that the Mane Six disappeared! But, that means…she found them. She found them, but they’re already dead. She came all this way to find them and save them before anything bad could happen, but it was all a waste. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t avenge them and put the killer to justice! There was one thing she had to do to know how this happened: she had to trust them enough to let them in.
Join us, be our friend
Or just be stuck and defend
Afterall, you’ve only got
Hester swore she heard a fourth voice in that verse. Nonetheless, she made her way to the door’s button to open it. Her paw was shaking from fear. To the animatronics, it was a game to see which was stronger: Trust or fear. The young familiar made a sign of the cross before she finally pressed the button. The doors slowly lifted up, before…
5 Nights at Pinkie’s!
Foxow Dash surprised her, tackling her down and making her scream from fright. Hester thought it was over as the robo-Pegasus got ready to bite her head off. But then, Pinkie stopped her. Bonlight lifted her back up to her feet while Chicashy checked if she got hurt. Luckily, she was intact.
Is this where you’d wanna be?
Pinkie glared down at Foxow, making her cringe while smiling nervously.
I just don’t get it
Hester let out a line; she wanted to know how this happened. Chicashy then looked at her, giving her a questioning look.
Why do you want to stay?
Bonlight then gave her a look.
5 Nights at Pinkie’s
Pinkie and the others took a while to explain how all this had happened to them. Hester felt herself cry when she learned about it. They only came here for the party, but it leads into one that killed them. They gained new bodies, the ones of the animatronics here. No one came to save them. Left on their won, they killed many security guards under the delusion that they were the killer.
Pinkie added that there was a way to help them out, but it would mean something is to be done. They would have to go down into the Storage Room, and build an animatronic for Hester to hide in at night as she helped them find the killer. Believe it or not, the psycho still came every night to admire his work.
The young Familiar hesitated about it. But then she realized that it wasn’t fair to them. They died violently and everypony just thought they had gone missing. The killer is still at large, and she has to stop them. Taking a deep breath, she agreed to do what was needed.
Pinkie then lead the way as the other three followed form behind. Hester went through those halls again. She kept her eyes on the path they lead. Her eyes darted around as she scanned the area. She saw something rather peculiar though. There was a poster on the wall, of Goldenjack. She looked back at the front, but then she saw something that scared her.
Goldenjack was sitting on the floor. She didn’t move. She didn’t speak. She looked pretty dead, really. Her mouth hung open as she sat lifelessly on the floor. How she got there, she didn’t know.
Before Hester could react, the animatronic’s eyes glowed and it lunged at her.
Later…
Next time you lunge, you have to wait for my approval!
Sorry
It would be a miracle right now if she woke up tonight!
I’m sorry
She was on our side! She was gonna help us!
Hester awoke to the sound of somepony yelling while another was apologizing. She held her head as her vision came into focus. Her eyes started darting around to see the entire scene. Infront of her was Pinkie yelling at Goldenjack as the yellow mare cringed in fear. Bonlight was close, just watching the spectacle as Chicashy held her head in her lap. Foxow Dash was watching the clock and cameras.
It was then that Chicashy noticed that she was awake by now. She peered down at her and looked upon her with worry.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
No matter what happens, she’s still our Fluttershy, Hester thought to herself. “Yeah, I’m fine. What happened?” she sat herself up.
“You got lunged at by Goldenjack, and she knocked you out unconscious. You were lucky we were nearby” Bonlight explained.
“I’m really sorry about her” Pinkie approached her. “She gets this way when she thinks the killer sees her poster”
“I’m sorry” Goldenjack apologized, hanging her head low.
“You’re still gonna help us, right?” Foxow Dash asked as she came back to the group.
Hester nodded. “Of course. Now, let’s find that Storage Room”
We’re really quite surprised
We get to see you another night
Pinkie sang as they approached the Storage Room. Hester went ahead on her cue to start trying to unlock the door. Hester began to think to herself, out of fear.
You should’ve looked for another job
You should’ve said to this place goodbye
Chicashy then began to sing as she watched the Familiar fiddle with the locks in opening the door. She managed to regain a memory, but it was faint and blurry. She managed to recall that she met Hester before while they were still alive.
It’s like there’s so much more
As Hester worked through the lock, she accidentally dropped a photograph. Chicashy moved over to pick it up and she saw it. She gave a smile from looking at it. How she missed those days.
Maybe you’ve been in this place before
We remember a face like yours
Bonlight noticed that the door was about to be opened.
You seem acquainted with those doors
The door dropped open as they entered the Storage room. Funky smells adorned the air; even Foxow Dash had to cover her nose! It smelled like moisture and blood mixed together. Made sense; no one had been down here since 2010, and this is pretty much where six mares were slaughtered.
Please let us get in!
Don’t lock us away!
We’re not like what you’re thinking!
Hester’s ears darted when she heard something nearby. They heard something coming out from one of the boxes. They looked to see a giant white box with a magenta ribbon started to move. It was like whatever was inside was trying to find a way out. Taking a step forward, Hester pulled the lid off, and a sixth face appeared.
It was Rarity, or rather, Rarionette.
We’re poor little souls
Who have lost all control
And we’re forced in here to take that role
Hester wiped away a tear that was on her face before the puppet-like animatronic joined the group.
We’ve been all alone
Stuck in our little zone
Since 2010
They then kept looking around until they found the spare parts.
Join us, be our friend
Or just be stuck and defend
Afterall, you’ve only got
Pinkie handed over the box for Hester to choose what to use to build what they needed.
5 Nights at Pinkie’s!
Is this where you’d wanna be?
I just don’t get it
Why do you want to stay?
5 Nights at Pinkie’s
Hester had help from the animatronics to build what they needed. It wasn’t that hard. It was just like creating an OC, just skipping the Pregnancy part. Just as well too; Hazel would faint if she found out that her Familiar was OC Pregnant again and they would have a fourth bundle of energy to deal with.
Is this where you’d wanna be?
I just don’t get it
Why do you want to stay?
5 Nights at Pinkie’s
Hester finally finished the new animatronic, and her and Hazel’s fourth OC, as well as the first OC she created on her own. She looked very much like Bunny, but she was more of an animatronic. A noticeable detail of her was what was tied on her neck: a pink ribbon. Her Summon Form was a pink ribbon. Her name was Bunster.
The plan with her was that when it’s daytime, or before the night shift, Hester would use the Summon Form and put Bunster on as a suit. At night, she would help them by separating from Bunster so that she can help them solve the puzzles while Bunster could go and help track down the killer.
As dawn approached and the time to awake came near, they all nodded.
Hester called Bunster back into her Summon Form before putting her hat back on. “I’ll see you all again when the sun’s gone”
Hester was given a USB that contained a copy of the memories the Mane six had from that night that everything happened. It was near nightfall, so she decided to see the content. Hopefully, she can get a few clues about it. Clicking on the file that read, “That Night” she watched the main events.
It was supposed to be a good day. They just came down there to have a little fun. They were enjoying the fact that the mascots really looked like them. The original versions just kept laughing about and playing with their robotic counterparts. Pinkie Pie kept on laughing and playing with her robo counterpart. Rainbow and Applejack were listening to Foxow Dash talk about pirates. Rarity was a little bit of a distance off, wondering where they kept her counterpart. Twilight and Fluttershy were enjoying the music and food made by Bonlight and Chicashy.
Suddenly, Applejack’s counterpart, Goldenjack made her appearance. She looked like her original, but her color was all yellow. The only part that wasn’t was her cutie mark, which was a perfect replica of AJ’s own. She was calling forth everypony because she was about to cut the cake in the Storage Room.
“Yay! Cake!” Pinkie cried out as she went and followed the animatronic.
“Race you there, AJ!” Rainbow challenged as she ran from the orange mare. The earth pony adjusted her hat before running off to catch up with her competitor.
“Come on, Fluttershy! Let’s go!” Twilight tried to get the yellow mare to tag along, but she was scared for some strange reason.
“I don’t know, Twilight. Something’s not right”
“What could be? It’s just a party. Loosen up!”
“But…” she cut off by a kiss on the lips. She couldn’t fight it off as Twilight began to ravenously attack her with her tongue. She was so cut of guard that the lavender mare found it as an opportunity to use affection. When Twilight pulled away, she was blushing madly and dazed.
“Come on, Shy”
This time, the yellow Pegasus didn’t fight back as she was dragged by the Alicorn. Twilight giggled at her behavior.
Everypony had gathered in the Storage Room. The only one missing was Rarity. But as everypony got excited for the hand-out, that was when the party was over. The doors closed in one all of them, causing fear and panic to come upon them. They looked back at Goldenjack, who took off her costume to reveal who was inside.
A purple pony in security guard attire revealed himself. His eyes had no pupil; their design was like that of Creepigie. The cutie mark was unknown due to it being covered by the uniform. He withdrew a knife and drove it right through their hearts.
The five screamed for their lives, hoping somepony was outside and would hear them. But help never came. They screamed until it got caught in their throats. The last thing they saw was the demented stare of their killer.
A few minutes had gone by before somepony opened her eyes to see what had happened. All she remembered was looking for her counterpart and the next thing she knew, all she saw was darkness, and cold metal going through her body. She looked down at her hooves to see that they were no longer flesh and bone, but thread and metal. It was Rarity. She realized that she had become her animatronic counterpart, literally. Looking into a nearby mirror, she saw her appearance now.
Her body was black with white buttons going down until her waistline. Her arms were thin and were covered in black and white stripes. Her eyes were gone, just empty holes remained where they were. A faint blush adorned her cheeks.
She looked around in her new body and found the rest of her friends…or rather, what’s left of them. They were all dead. All of them were pale and cold to the touch. She couldn’t believe this. Who would do this to them? She couldn’t bear to see this. These were her friends. She had to find a way to get them back. She had to find a way to help get revenge for this.
She looked around for anything that could help and she found masks of the four main mascots of the pizzeria. If it worked on her, maybe it can do the same for them. Taking a mask, she began to put them each on her friends. She gave the mask of each of their counterparts. The next thing she knew, the masks took hold of their bodies, literally turning them into their counterparts.
Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twilight, and Rainbow were shocked at what had happened to them. They couldn’t believe it. They were dead, and now trapped inside a body not their own. Looking around, they found somepony else had not gotten a body to occupy yet.
“Applejack!” Rainbow cried as she held the dead body of the orange mare. It hung limp in her robotic hooves. “No! AJ, stay with me! Applejack!” she sobbed openly on her marefriend’s dead body.
Rarity put a hoof on her friend as she looked at the body with everypony else. “I’m sorry, Rainbow. She’s dead”
Rainbow couldn’t help but sob over the loss of her marefriend. Where were they to find a new body for her now? They already took up the others. Rarity called Pinkie forth to help her carry the body to find a way for her to live on as well. Fluttershy and Twilight stayed with Rainbow to comfort her.
About an hour had gone by. There was still no sign of the three. The others were getting worried and anxious about their return. Rainbow’s eyes were bloodshot from crying so hard. And just before she was about to burst in tears again, the door opened.
“Applejack?”
Her marefriend was now inside her counterpart’s body. The eyes were empty. Still, the emotion is them was sadness and sorrow. “Dashie”
Rainbow couldn’t take it anymore as she hugged her marefriend tightly. Applejack just returned it. Any times before, they could feel the warmth from each other’s embrace. Now, all they felt was cloth on metal. Twilight and Fluttershy tried the same, but it was the same thing as well. They couldn’t feel warmth from one another anymore.
Pinkie sighed as Rarity felt the depression come in again. They were all dead, killed in cold blood by somepony they have yet to know. They called for help, but no one came. Their sorrow began to turn into anger as they felt the need for revenge. No waiting for somepony to help them. They were on their own. Allowing the anger to seep through them, they took up their new names and started on a new mission.
That mission was to find the killer, and kill them
Hester felt sorry when she saw it all. This was more graphic and detailed than just hearing the story. Now that she thought about it, the purple killer did seem a little familiar. Looking at the clock, she realized it was time to go. She waved Hazel goodbye and left to the job.
I had woken up again in my Wonderland counterpart to see that Hester is still sleeping on my chest from her workload at night. I didn’t blame her; she has a job now and she really wants to be able to give her best at it. I carefully got her off me and tried so much as to not wake her up. Still, I’m aware that no matter what happens now, she’ll sleep. Even if I put a bag of cold ice on her stomach, she won’t wake. Her counterpart’s consciousness is set at nighttime and she’s in the pizzeria.
The kids miss her, but they have been going funny by using make-up and mocking her in that sleep state. Just yesterday, I had to stop Bunny when she dressed up in a tooth fairy outfit and danced in her room, I had to give Brazy a target practice so she would stop farting on her, and I had to let Bunochius go watch Mandopony’s Concerts just to stop her from scribbling all over her. I swear; these kids are too mischievous for their own good.
As much as I know she needs this, I can’t help but miss Hester. She’s always been there for me, now it’s separation in Wonderland. I’m trapped in daytime, and she’s in night. With my stressful life in reality, it has been rough, in Wonderland, she’s not even here. I’m having a hard time just coping with this. And my Bipolar is a little crazed now, if weren’t for those pills.
“Hazel?” Shadow Kirby called my name, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?”
Shadow and I had been talking to keep my mind of missing my Familiar. He’s aware of my situation, and he’s always been here to help. He understands my issues and I can even talk to him about it. We meet up in the Private Conversations Room. He’s been very helpful with this.
“I’m sorry. It’s just, I know this is for the best but…” I bit my lip and paused a bit.
He approached me and put a hoof on my shoulder. He lifted my face up so we were eye-to-eye. I can tell in the look in his eyes were pity and worry. “Tell me”
“Ever since she took that job, I’ve been feeling lonely and empty. The kids miss her too. I know I can talk to her in daytime in reality, but…”
Shadow didn’t need any more waiting to pull me in for a hug. I couldn’t help but start crying. I tried to hold them back, but why did I have to be such a crybaby? I began to sob on his shoulder as he started stroking my hair.
“I…miss…her” I choked through the sobs.
“There, there” he whispered to me. “You’ll be alright”
“Hello fillies and colts! I’m Pinkie Fazpie!” Pinkie greeted everypony present on stage. “You’re a wonderful crowd tonight! We’re ya’ll from?” she then pointed the microphone over to a filly who was infront of her.
“Oh, um…Fillydelphia?” the filly was shy.
“Fillydelphia! I love that place!” Pinkie giggled as the filly seemed to smile.
“I know a song!” Bonlight’s voice rang as she started playing her guitar.
“Can I have a cupcake?” a colt asked as Chicashy came to the table.
“Of course you can!” the yellow animatronic smiled warmly as she placed a cupcake infront of the colt. He thanked her before beginning to enjoy his treat. Chicashy just watched him assault it happily as she headed back into the kitchen to make more treats.
“How would you like I tell me story of how I, Captain Foxow Dash, captured the treasure of Pirate Island?” Foxow greeted as she came out of the curtain.
“Pinkie?” Chicashy called from the kitchen.
“Yes, Chicashy?”
“I could use some help here in the kitchen! Can you call…” she paused for a dramatic effect on the guests. “…our new friend?”
“New friend?” one of the fillies asked her mother while she nibbled on a piece of cake.
The mare thought for a bit before answering her daughter. “Well, I did hear that they may have added a new mascot here in Pinkie Fazpie’s”
“Really?”
“Fillies and colts, may I have your attention please?” Pinkie called to everyone present. Immediately all turned their attention to her. Even Foxow Dash paused on her story while Bonlight paused her guitar playing.
“Good. Now, I have an important announcement to make. As some of you may have known, we have gotten a little more work than usual lately and it’s starting to tire Chicashy out a little”
The yellow mare nodded as she started decorating another cupcake. No doubt, she was getting stressed out.
“So, to help her not get hurt and for you to enjoy her treats and she can still look happy and healthy, we have called forth a new friend to the Pizzeria!”
All the foals cheered. A new animatronic? This seemed too good to be true.
Right then, all the lights in the room turned off, only the lights on the Main Stage still lit. If one paid attention, they could see as a small shadow made its way until it was beside the Stage. Pinkie smiled when she saw it.
“Fillies and colts, may we introduce you to the newest addition of the Fazgang…” she didn’t speak her statement until the light shown on the new animatronic. “…Bunster!”
The entire crowd gaped in awe when they saw her. This one was juggling on a colorful ball while giving a smile to the audience. They seemed to enjoy her trick. Some even wondered how does one juggle and balance on a ball at the same time. Was she from the circus?
Right then, she stopped juggling and jumped off the ball and onto the floor. “Hello there, everypony! I’m Bunster! Very nice to meet you today!”
All stared at her before the entire crowd cooed. “CUUUUUTIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”
Bunster kept her smile and tried to hide a faint blush on her cheeks. Pinkie noticed. “Okay, everypony, Bunster will be seen juggling here on stage and assisting Chicashy to hand you all treats! Now, as we’d all say…”
“LET’S CELEBRATE!” all animatronics cried out.
“Um, Rosette?” Daylight Shine tapped on her friend’s shoulder.
“Yes?”
“Don’t you think that Hazel’s acting a little…unwell?”
The pink girl looked over to see her old friend. They noticed that was staring to look a little sick lately. Her skin had turned to sickly pale again as her eyes showed that she had been crying lately. No doubt, she was in that state again.
Rosette nodded. “It’s the separation again”
Right then, Hazel’s look turned from a blank stare to one with a shocked look. Both the other girls noticed that. The sick girl slowly stood up from her chair and began to walk in one direction. The other two followed her before she made a turn to a corner, and they lost sight of her.
Rosette’s eyes widened. “Where did she go?”
Meanwhile…
“Chicashy, we need more cupcakes, and we’re out of pizza!” Bunster called as she entered the kitchen.
“I’m on it!” she said as she began to frost the cupcakes and put the pizza into the oven. “Can you pass me the frosting bags?”
Bunster nodded before going at the tables nearby and giving the yellow animatronic what she needed. She then heard something coming from down the hallways. Excusing herself from the kitchen for a second, she went to find it. She silently made her way to the East hallway, before she finally found it.
There, just a few feet away, circling around in the air, was a gust of hazel-colored wind. It kept circling itself in one corner, as though waiting for her. That was when Hester took off her Bunster attire, allowing her OC to move and see herself.
“Mother, what’s that?” Bunster asked her maker. Her tone was as innocent as a child.
“It’s your other Mom, Bunster” Hester said before she went up to the gust and it went into her.
“Mother?”
“Yes, Bunster?”
“Will we really be set free from here?”
Hester smiled as she pat her Daughter’s head. “Of course. I promise”
It had been years since that job was taken by Hester, but now she hasn’t been seen in a long time. Hazel had been acting sick due to separation. She has been at the asylum more regularly nowadays, not just for her meds, but to cry alone in her room and sleep off the pain; she only goes to her house when it’s time for going back to the real world. Their Creation-Children have been a little depressed with missing their other maker, but they don’t show it when they’re at work.
Then the pizzeria where the Familiar used to work shut down altogether. A new one was built soon after, with remakes of the old animatronics. According to rumors, the old animatronics from the previous pizzeria were kept in the new one for spare parts. Still, despite being new, the pizzeria was still haunted with the deaths of the next security guards.
“Remind me again, why are we going here?” Crystal Rose asked as they approached the asylum with Rosette Thorn, Daylight Shine, Karmatic Note, and Serene Breeze.
“We’re going to visit Hazel” Rosette sternly answered her cousin.
“In the asylum?! I know she’s depressed and all, but why would she…”
“Traumatic experiences and this also were she goes to sulk”
“Why do you know this?” Serene Breeze asked.
“Dude, what kind of best friend would she be if she didn’t know where she would go to hide?” Karmatic Note smirked.
“Right, and you go here too” Daylight Shine crossed her forelegs.
“I have crippling depression!”
“Enough! Let’s just find Hazel and get her to speak up!” Rosette firmly shushed her friends before knocking on the door.
The door was opened by Nurse Redheart. Though she worked full-time a nurse in a hospital, here she worked part-time hospital and part-time asylum. The patients just adored her.
“Oh! Welcome to Wonderland Asylum! How may I help you?”
“Uh, hi there! We were hoping you could help us” Crystal began.
The group followed Nurse Redheart around and stayed close for out of fear that one of the members may be able to escape and they could be a victim. They passed by the staff every now and then as they wheeled meds and bottle around in different rooms. There were also other rooms that kept the truly unstable isolated to prevent damage. Finally, they made it to the room with the sign, “Main Room”
“You’re just in time, we just gave the patients their meds so they should be rather approachable and docile for now” Nurse Redheart added when they looked around.
Much to their comfort, the room was not that filled with patients. Some had gone into their rooms to sleep off their meds. The few who were present were just sitting around all docile. Some even slept on the tables. The girls scanned the area with their eyes but they couldn’t spot the girl they were looking for.
“You might find her sleeping in her room. The meds make her tired at times” Nurse Redheart said as she walked to the rooms nearby. “She’s in Room G-17”
“Thank you”
After a while of searching for the room, they finally found the room labeled G-17. Rosette went up ahead to knock. At first she hesitated. She never really saw Hazel when she was in this asylum. But she had to know how she was and talk to her. She knocked, but the door didn’t open. Instead, it only creaked open.
“Hazel? It’s me, Rosette” the girl called to her.
No answer. She peered in through the small opening to see any sign that she may be there. All they saw was darkness. Faint light from the binds of a curtain at a window was all they had to get a glimpse of what was inside. Finally, she focused hard enough and saw the silhouette of her friend on the bed.
“Hazel, it’s Rosette” the girl tried again.
Still no answer. The girl she was calling to just lie still on her bed. She didn’t even move.
“Bruh? Are you okay?” Karmatic Note called to her.
“Well, we wasted a trip. Let’s go” Crystal said as she turned to leave. She didn’t want to be in this asylum anymore.
She was stopped by Daylight.
Rosette tilted her head to the side. Something didn’t seem right. Hazel wasn’t really a heavy sleeper, and she learned that on an educational tour when they had to share a room with Angelic Song. She slowly moved close to where her friend was. She was lying on her side, facing away from the window in case of light. Looking down, she saw something was started to stain the covers. It looked like it was still spilling.
“Turn on the lights!”
Serene nodded and turned on the lights. Rosette screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw the state her friend was in. All the others screamed as well when they got a clear view of the situation. Hazel’s arms, they had cuts on her wrists.
“I’LL GET THE NURSE!” Serene cried out before running off to go find the nurse. As soon as she left, Crystal fainted and Daylight had to catch her.
Rosette felt tears stream into her eyes as she held the cut arms. They were cold and pale, as her skin was a pale as the asylum gown she wore. She could hear breathing and feel a pulse, but it was faint.
“Hazel, stay with us!”
Hazel soon reopened her eyes to a bright light. Her vision was blurry at first, but eventually cleared up as she soon was able to see again. The first thing she saw when she could see was that her room was bright again. Who turned on the lights? As her vision swam into focus, she able to see that she was surrounded by her friends.
Rosette Thorn had her head on her left bedside, as though she were crying her eyes out. Karmatic Note had closed her eyes while lying her head on the other side of the bed; the song she was listening to was a sad one. In a corner, on two seats, were Daylight Shine and Crystal Rose. Daylight was reading a book she brought with her while Crystal was still unconscious. Serene Breeze was talking to the nurse about how this happened.
“So, it wasn’t suicide?” Serene asked to make sure.
“No, somepony cut her. Don’t worry; we’re taking care of it”
Right, she now remembered what happened. She took her meds and was heading to her room when somepony hit her and knocked her out unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she saw that it was another one of the unstable clones of Twilight Sparkle. She cut her wrists and she was losing blood. The next thing she saw was darkness and silence. Why did one of the clones have to be insane?
She tried moving her arm, but it would barely move from the amount of blood loss. She managed to move her eyes enough to see that the cuts on her wrists were all patched up. Hopefully, there would be no permanent scars. She also noticed that one of her arms was attached to a blood bag nearby, practically to give her back the blood she lost.
“Guys…” she whispered my voice a bit raspy.
The Nurse, Serene, Daylight, and Rosette noticed.
“Good, she’s wake. I’ll give you some time alone” the Nurse said before going out of the room. Serene nodded before waking up Karmatic Note while Daylight woke up Crystal.
“Hazel!” Rosette was happy to see her friend was up. She immediately pulled her in for a hug. “Oh, I thought we were gonna lose you”
“Bruh never lock yourself in your room to kill yourself again!” Karmatic yelled to the girl. No doubt, she was in hysterics again.
“It was another patient” Serene assured her.
“Oh”
“Dude, we were so worried!” Rosette made Hazel face her before pulling her back into a hug again.
“Crystal fainted” Daylight pointed out.
“It was from utter shock and nothing else!” the blue-skinned girl talked back.
“I’m sorry, it’s just…” Hazel coughed a bit.
“Don’t you dare apologize! When I get my hands on whoever did this to you, I’ll…” she began to squeeze her friend tightly.
“Rosette…”
“Yes?”
Daylight tapped her shoulder. “She can’t breathe”
“And…my head…aches” Hazel choked out.
“Oh, sorry, Hazel!” she let go, allowing the girl to breathe.
“It’s alright” the girl began to catch her breath. “I’m thankful that you were able to come here just in time. A few more minutes and I would be dead for the rest of the night”
Everypony knew that in this Wonderland, if you died or got killed, you will come back to life the next day. The only way it’s truly permanent is as if you were Executed at the hands of the Rulers. If one does get Executed, their real-world counterparts won’t be able to go back to Wonderland until they gain a new account in any of the MLP websites. Thank goodness for our system here.
“By the way, what are you guys doing here?”
“We wanted to come and check on you, and help you. We knew you came down here to cry at times” Rosette replied.
“It’s about Hester, isn’t it?”
All nodded.
“I’m sorry; I just miss her so much that it hurts quite literally”
“We know, but I think we have a way to find her” Crystal spoke up.
“Really?”
She nodded. “They’re hiring security guards at night, but this time, for extra precautions, they allow groups to make sure there are higher chances of survival”
“If we take the job, we’ll take shifts and find Hester soon”
“Okay, let’s go!” Hazel tried to get up, but her head began to ache again.
“We’ll go when you’re all better” Rosette said as she pushed Hazel back into bed.
The night had finally arrived for them. Hazel managed to heal within a few days, and was rather lucky that her wounds would have no permanent scars; she didn’t even want any more of them as her childhood ones were worse enough. The asylum still provided her meds so she didn’t have to worry. Since they were gonna be around for the night shift, she had to pack a couple of bottles to take along. The one who hired them for the shift was confused at how young they were, but he decided to let them take the job anyway.
They already laid out a plan for their nights there. Two of the group would stay awake for two hours while the rest went to sleep, and then they rotate. They brought along sleeping bags so they could sleep on the floor behind the desk. For the first shift, Crystal and Daylight took charge. Second shift, Hazel and Rosette. Third and last, Karmatic and Serene.
The first night and things were already weird. First the Phone Guy tells them that if animatronic enters the room, they have to wear a mask until they leave so as to avoid being killed. Seems that, like the previous pizzeria, the animatronics have a Free-Roaming Mode at night and if they see a human, they think it’s an endoskeleton not in costume and stuff them in a spare Pinkie suit.
There were many new animatronics that appeared here, and some highly resembled some of the other ones who entered the pizzeria to find their friends. Yep, you read that right, some ponies entered the pizzeria to try and find the Mane Six. Like the ones they went down there for, they went missing. The place is a Bermuda Triangle. These were some of the new animatronics.
Pinkie’s replacement was a ‘cuter’ version of her. This one had a faint blush on her cheeks and wore a collar neck in addition to her bowtie. Like her previous version, she had a black top hat but this one had a small ribbon attached to it. She also had small little buttons going down her chest. Her name was Toy Pinkie.
In Bonlight’s place was Toy Bonlight. She looked very different. Like Toy Pinkie, she had a blush on her cheeks. Her coat color was light blue rather than lavender. She wore a red bowtie and also had a guitar similar to the original Bonlight.
Then there was Toy Chicashy, who highly resembled her original. She had also had a faint blush on her cheeks and also wore a bib. The only difference was that her bib had the words, “LET’S EAT!” rather than “LET’S PARTY!”
There was also an extra animatronic named Sploon Boy, who highly Spike. He was wearing a pair of circus pants and a copper-blade hat. He mostly hands out balloons.
There were two other animatronics, but they were rarely ever seen at night. The first one was yellow and only appeared at a certain time. The second one was unknown due to the fact that it moved so fast and sneakily that it’s rare for a security guard to catch a glimpse of it. For some strange reason, its presence can be heard when the music box starts playing on its own.
As many have heard, they did try to remake Foxow Dash, but that was a total bust. Those foals couldn’t keep their hooves to themselves and started tearing up the animatronic apart. No one really knew if she were like the others because she was much mangled. She had two heads now, one that looks like the original Foxow Dash, and one that was an endoskeleton’s. Because of the many repairs, the staff decided to just leave her in the “Do It Yourself” stuff. Many refer to her as ‘Mangled Foxow’
They also had to regularly wind up a music box while directing it to the Prize Room to avoid the attack of an extra animatronic. According to the Phone Guy, there was an animatronic kept in there that resembled a puppet. Even if you wear the mask, it won’t be fooled.
Then you also have your flashlight with limited power. If flashed on certain animatronics, they immediately leave the room.
Then, there were also the older animatronics from the previous place. They were kept in Storage for Spare Parts. The guy on the phone also advised them that despite the fact that their power sources have been removed, they have been able to roam at night as well. It was a horror to see what has been done to them.
Pinkie was lying in the corner; her eyes were black as though they had pulled them out. A part of her left foreleg was scraped off, revealing an endoskeleton. Her coat was all dirtied up.
Bonlight had her face removed, revealing her endoskeleton inside. Her right foreleg was gone. If one could see hard enough, those red lights still seemed to be glowing.
Chicashy had her lower jaw loosened, revealing her sharper teeth. Her mane was all messy from the neglect.
“Be sure to keep that box wound up, Crystal” Daylight reminded her.
“I know, I know” the girl groaned while winding up the box. “Shift to the Prize Room”
Daylight obliged by shifting the cameras to the said room as Daylight started playing the music. As the last note came out, they began to shift again through the cameras. Sploon was still at his post. The old animatronics are still on the floor in their room. The Main Stage has Toy Pinkie, Chicashy, and…
“Where’s Bonlight?” Crystal got scared immediately as she wound up the music box again.
All of the sudden, they heard thumping coming from the vents. Daylight shifted the cameras to see that Toy Bonlight had started crawling her way up into the vents. Both girls immediately put on a mask each to avoid getting caught by the animatronic. Their sleeping friends didn’t have to worry about the danger; their sleeping bags covered them pretty well. The robotic Alicorn eventually found her way up to them.
They waited for her to leave. It felt creepy to look at an animatronic stare at you like that. She looked like she was investigating. It was like she was looking through your soul. Eventually she was convinced it was another one of her buddies and left by the other vent. When they were sure she was gone, both girls took off their masks.
“Well, that was…creepy” Crystal shuddered; Toy Bonlight’s face was still fresh in her mind.
“It’s like she was staring into my soul”
“How are you faring with the music box, Hazel?” Rosette called her friend as she checked around the cameras to make sure there were no animatronic nearby.
“Hazel?” she called to her again when she didn’t get an answer.
“Mm, yeah, I got it. Show me…Rarionette” the black-haired girl mumbled. Her eyes were half-lidded.
Rosette showed the Prize Room and Hazel started to allow the music to play. Despite how it was very off-note, she still felt tired. Separation has made her ill and tired. She had a hard time staying awake, even under the influence of an energy drink. No matter what they tried, she couldn’t act like her old self. At one point, they forced coffee down in her, and that only made her throw up, and also sick.
“How are you holding up?” Rosette was worried.
“Coffee is evil” the sick girl mumbled.
“I’m sorry about that”
“I know, and for the hundredth time, it’s okay”
“The sooner we find Hester, the sooner you’ll be all better”
Hazel nodded before Rosette shifted to the cameras to check the animatronics. Sploon was at his post. Toy Bonlight was in the Second Party Room. The old robots are in their room. Toy Pinkie was at her post at the Main Stage.
“And Chicashy’s missing” Rosette started flipping through the cameras in a desperate attempt to find her.
“Hester loved Shy a lot…she adored her cuteness…” Hazel mumbled sleepily as she took a seat beside one of the vents.
“And it’s probably the best you’re not fully awake now because that may destroy your image of your favorite” Rosette groaned in her head. “Why did I think of bringing you?”
If she noticed, Hazel let out a groan. “Hest…”
“For goodness sake, where are you?!” Rosette growled in annoyance at the computer before she heard what sounded like thumping just beside her.
“Hazel?” she called to her friend.
When she got no response, she turned to see where her friend was at. She was just hoping it was just Hazel, fallen face down near the vent and trying to get up, but she was wrong. It was Toy Chicashy at the vent’s mouth. Her baring sharp teeth took away her cuteness. The awake girl screamed and it was enough to wake Hazel up.
“What is it, Rose…” she stopped talking when she was face-to-face with the yellow animatronic. A scream escaped her mouth. The others also woke up. Hazel was too fear-stricken to even move. She was sure she was done now.
But then, something else happened. Instead of lunging at her, Chicashy stopped glaring at her. She stopped baring her teeth. She then looked at Hazel with utter shock. Before the little girl could actually scream again, the yellow animatronic offered her a hoof to get up. She was surprised at first, Chicashy was helping her? She didn’t want to seem hostile so she took the hoof. The robo-pegasus helped her up to her feet, then left by the other vent.
As soon as she was gone, Rosette checked on her friend. “Hazel, are you okay?”
She gave a blank stare before nodding. “Why did she help me up?”
Karmatic Note let the music box play as Serene showed her the Prize Room. It was just an hour to go before they could celebrate their surviving the first night. So far, they had to flash a flashlight at Sploon Boy and the older animatronics. They had to put on a mask to be safe from Toy Chicashy again. Luckily, they had nothing to fear.
Thump
Both girls tilted their head when they heard thumping. Serene shifted to the cameras to check, but there were no animatronics in either of the vents. They even checked the mouths of the vents, but no one was there. Oddly enough, it sounded like the sounds weren’t even coming from the vents at all.
Thump
Serene got up from her seat while Karmatic Note took charge of the cameras temporarily. She went to go and check on their friends behind them and saw that Crystal had just woken up.
“Crystal, what’s going on? What is that sound?” Serene asked.
“It’s Hazel, she’s sleepwalking”
Serene followed Crystal up to where the sounds came from. Finally, they found Hazel. Her eyes were closed as she slept. Her head was banging on the wall that lead right out to the hallway. She was banging her head constantly, no stopping.
“I haven’t seen her do this before” Crystal added.
Serene went over to the sleepwalking child before putting a hand on her head to lessen the impact from the wall. Hazel still banged her head, but now the impact was dulled.
“You said if she does this, we shouldn’t wake her up”
“No, we just have to put her back to bed” Serene then managed to finally get her sleeping girl to stop hitting her head.
“Shh, Hazel, it’s okay” she whispered to the sleeping girl. “Let’s get you back to bed”
As if in a trance, the child moved away from the wall and Serene guided her back to her sleeping bag. If one listened hard enough, they would be able to hear a few notes of music playing faintly and then stop.
Mangled Foxow had disabled the camera in the Game Archives, even the audio was out. She couldn’t risk the security guards knowing about Hester’s presence in the room. The young Familiar was trying to get everything ready to break the spell that was keeping her pony friends trapped here.
There were a lot of things to go through. She had to first complete all the games of the archives in one night. She then had to start finding the sequential photos of the pizzeria that were scattered in different areas. The later step was to find the murderer and let Pinkie and her friends kill them. Once that was done, Sploon Boy’s balloons would come in handy and they could all leave.
Hester had just finished the last game when she heard Bunster coming near.
“Mother” she called to her maker.
“Yes, Bunster?”
“I saw Mom”
Hester was surprised, her Partner was here? “Was she alone?”
“No, there were five other girls with her”
Hester sighed in relief. Foxow then looked at her as did the old Pinkie. “My Partner is here with her friends. Just scare them, but don’t hurt them, please. Unless one of them hurts her”
Pinkie nodded.
Hester then turned back to her OC. “Good girl, Bunster. Keep an eye for both Mother and Mom, okay?” she pat her head.
“Okay!” the young animatronic said before skipping off happily.
Hester began to feel something about her OC Bunster. It was like the connection between Hazel and Bunita. She shouldn’t feel it because that wouldn’t last long, right? But then, it made her wonder, when all this was over, will she still have Bunster with her?
The group had gathered about an hour early than their time to arrive. Karmatic had an idea about trying to find what was going on within the pizzeria. Since they couldn’t get any records from the cameras that were installed in the pizzeria, Karmatic decided to find her own cameras to help them record everything that happened.
Karmatic set up small, mini-cameras around the pizzeria in all the rooms and angles to catch a glimpse of everything. These cameras were very small so the mascots shouldn’t be able to see them, and they only trigger to take photos when they get something out-of-the-ordinary. Due to how they thought animatronics were aware at daytime, Karmatic switched to being in her Pony Form, making her fast and able to install all cameras with a speed that would’ve made Rainbow Dash jealous.
When they got to their office to get ready thirty minutes early, and to wait for Rosette to come back with Hazel from the Asylum, Karmatic pulled out another object from her bag. It looked a lot like a scanner used by police, but it had a blue glow instead.
“It’s a thermo-scanner” she said.
“What do we need that for?” Crystal asked.
“Remember what when you said that Hazel was sleepwalking last night and it she looked like she was going out to the hallway but was stopped by the wall?”
Crystal nodded.
“Right. Well, I believe she was being lured by something, or someone, out of the office”
“Who would do that?”
“I don’t know, but then again, Chicashy had her in a vulnerable position but she didn’t even glare at her, and she wasn’t even wearing a mask!”
“True” Daylight agreed.
“So I’m guessing that they must be trying to get at her for some reason. I think they were trying to last night by making her sleepwalk, but like you said, she was stopped by the wall”
“Come to think about it, it is strange to see one do something like bang their head repeatedly on a wall when they sleepwalk. Did she not get a headache?”
“That’s not the point! Anyway, if they try to lure her out again, and if they do succeed, then this thermo-scanner will come in handy for us to find her”
“How?”
“Switch off the light here”
The others were confused, but Serene did so right away. The room was dim now, but they could still see each other. Karmatic then turned on the scanner, and placed her hand on the desk. She lifted it, and hovered the scanner right above it, revealing her handprints. The other awed in wonder as Serene turned the lights back on.
“The device uses the body heat of others to reveal prints that are visible to the human eye. The more recent the print, the clearer it will be seen when hovered on” Karmatic explained.
“Sorry about the wait, but we’re here!” Rosette called out as she and Hazel peeked in from the doorway. Actually, Rosette stood by the door way, Hazel was hiding her left side by peeking with her right eye.
“Well, come in, what took you guys so long?” Daylight groaned in annoyance.
“Sorry, we decided to get something that should help keep me awake during the shift” Hazel apologized, not showing her left eye.
“Really? What is it?” Serene asked.
“Actually, she’s a little scared to show you what it is” Rosette explained.
“Oh come on! We’ve seen worse! Show us!” Serene was getting excited.
Hazel sighed before she walked to show what was on her left eye. The rest of the group, excluding Rosette, gasped at what they were seeing. Hazel was wearing a device that had clamps attaching to her left eye to force it open and keep her awake. There was a bit of a red lens on her eye, disguising her hazel nut-colored pupil.
The shy child finally spoke up. “I know, I know; it’s weird and scary. But this was from the Asylum; things were free, but they look very medieval”
“Bruh, seriously? That looks something straight out of a horror movie!” Karmatic’s eyes were agape.
“How is your eye even gonna stay moist if it’s forced open like that? You can’t blink!” Serene tugged on her hair from disbelief.
“This red lens here is keeping my eye moist so I don’t need to worry that I can’t blink right now”
“Dude, how are you feeling from wearing that now?” Daylight asked, her curiosity go the better of her.
“I can’t really blink my eye, but I can still see with it. It feels like water pouring on it. There’s no pain, however” Hazel demonstrated by moving her left eye around while closing her right one. She then noticed Crystal’s expression. “Um, Crystal? Are you okay?”
They didn’t get an answer as the blue girl fainted and Daylight had to catch her again.
“Boy, Crystal just fades like a flower” Serene giggled at the memory.
“Good thing for her she has Daylight to catch her” Karmatic smirked as she kept an eye on the animatronics.
“Don’t you think they’d make a cute couple?”
Karmatic stared at her friend. “Bruh, no. Just no”
“Why?”
“Bruh” the staring girl made a gesture with her hands. “Crystal’s a drama queen who’s straight and Daylight is a bit like Maud Pie at times”
Serene nodded as she thought about it. “Drama queen with too much life and Maud-like girl with barely any emotion. I see you mean”
Karmatic nodded. “Now wind that music box to Rarionette”
Serene obliged and they were both relieved that the original Foxow Dash was in her room along with her buddies. Karmatic then heard something coming from the vents. She and Serene checked the cameras to see that Toy Bonlight was in there. Both then put on a mask each to disguise themselves. Bonlight stared at them for a good few minutes before she was convinced and left by the other vent. The two then took off their masks each as soon as she was gone.
“That smile haunts me” Serene shivered at the image of Toy Bonlight still fresh in her mind.
“I don’t know about you, but now I’m thinking about Yoosung” Karmatic sighed happily at the memory of her boyfriend.
“Don’t faint like that, it’s so annoying” Daylight groaned at Crystal.
“Sorry, but you have to admit: That thing was so creepy” the blue girl shivered.
“And I’m the only one here who cares enough to catch you when you faint like that, so deal with it!”
Crystal winded the music box to Rarionette again before she stole a glance at the sleeping Hazel. “She’s even wearing it while she sleeps. How could she even sleep with that thing on her?”
“Maybe the nurse installed something ion there that allows it to close before she sleeps”
“Rosette has some level of tolerance with her” the blue girl shook her head.
“Put on your mask” Daylight said.
“What?”
“Put on your mask! Toy Chicashy’s on her way!”
Crystal didn’t need to be told twice anymore as she grabbed her mask and put it on to evade from the yellow animatronic.
Right then, the duo heard thumping coming from the vent. That was when Toy Chicashy showed up. She flashed a tooth grin at them and her sharp teeth were enough to make everyone think that she lost her cuteness. She stared at them for a bit, keeping an eye on them. She then just let out a giggle before leaving by the other vent. When she was finally gone, the two awake girls took off their masks, both wide-eyed from the experience.
“I think you take back what you said about Toy Bonlight from the last shift” Daylight mused at Crystal’s shocked face. “Both she and Toy Chicashy were scary all the same, right, Crystal?”
At that, the blue girl just fainted again in her chair before Daylight facepalmed.
“I’m sorry about scaring her a while ago” Hazel apologized to Rosette as the two skimmed around to keep an eye on the animatronics.
“Meh, it’s fine. My cousin’s a total drama queen anyway” Rosette assured her as they found that the Toy Bonlight and Toy Chicashy were in the kitchen.
Hazel checked her wristwatch. “Hey, it’s time to wind the box to Rarionette now”
“Oh, right” Rosette then witched the cameras to the Prize Room. She then allowed for Hazel to wind up the box to keep the puppet-like animatronic inside her box. After that was taken care of, they went back to check on the rest of the mascots.
“You seem more awake now with that thing on you” Rosette remarked.
“Yeah, the objects used at the Asylum are a bit weird, but they can prove to be very effective”
Rosette nodded. “How do you sleep if that thing’s on you?”
“I can’t really remove it, but the nurse can. There a button over here that allows me to make the clamps loosen up so I can sleep” she pointed to the button nearby where the device attaches the clamps and lens together.
“Phew! I thought you wouldn’t be able to sleep”
“How else was I asleep for about the past two shifts?” Hazel seemed to wink with her right eye.
Rosette smiled while skimming around. “Can’t find the original Bonlight and Chicashy”
Hazel’s ears perked up. “Don’t have to”
Rosette then heard what she meant. Both put on a mask each as original Bonlight and Chicashy went into the office. Hazel then shone the flashlight on the two, prompting them to leave. When they figured they were safe, the two removed their masks.
“Phew! That was close!” Rosette sighed in relief.
“Yeah” Hazel checked on her eye-opening device. “By the way, did you notice that both the original and new Bonlight and Chicashy seemed to always travel in pairs?”
Rosette smirked at Hazel’s noticing. “Maybe they’re dating”
The two shared a hearty giggle. Rosette then checked around for the animatronics to make sure they were far from the office. That was when she noticed it: Mangled Foxow was disrupting the camera in the Prize Room. Hazel tried to wind the music box for Rarionette, but with the broken animatronic blocking the sounds, the puppet-like one had already popped her head out of the box.
“Uh oh” Rosette cringed.
“We’re dead?” Hazel dreaded the answer.
Her friend nodded. “Say your prayers, Haze”
Right then, the duo heard giggling. That was when they saw him as well, Sploon Boy, standing infront of them with a grin and pointing to the doorway. He never really attacked and was only a distraction, but if he’s around like that, it meant that something was about to pounce. The masks don’t work on Foxow Dash, the original Foxow, and Rarionette.
That was when the puppet-like animatronic came in and screamed like a banshee before lunging at them. Hazel and Rosette screamed as they shut their eyes for their fate, but it never came. Rosette heard whimpering like Hazel’s so she opened one eye and saw what was going on.
Rarionette was with Hazel. She was holding her face with one of her cloth hooves while the other was inspecting on her eye-opener device. The look on the animatronic seemed to show worry as Hazel whimpered from fear. Then, the puppet seemed to start fondling with the device. Hazel didn’t know what she was doing until finally, she felt her left eye relax and began to blink. Rarionette then held the eye-opener device in her hoof, showing she removed it from Hazel. Hazel seemed confused as the puppet put it on the desk, and then left, right as the clock stroke six.
When she was sure it was safe, Rosette went to check on her friend. “Hazel, are you alright?”
“Yes”
“I don’t understand what just happened”
“I thought the puppet was always planning something like the Phone Guy said she would, but why did she only remove my eye-opener and gave me a comforting look?”
Rosette and her friend looked at the hallway. “I have no idea”
“So you removed that device on her?” Hester asked as she was looking around for the rest of the photos.
“Yes, darling. I believe someone strapped it on her to hurt her or something that that. Couldn’t leave the poor dear with it, could I?” Rarionette answered from her box.
Hester nodded. “She’s had enough pain from our days as children. Thank you, Rare”
“My pleasure, darling”
“Found it!” Bunster called as she came back with one of the photos.
“Good job, Bunster. That’s the last one we need!”
The young animatronic giggled as she hid it in her ribbon. “Mother, I think they were trying to hurt Mom”
“I know, sweetie” Hester pulled her OC in for a hug. “But Rarionette saved her”
“Yay!”
The Familiar stole a giggle from her OC’s behavior. Wait, did she just call her sweetie?
By Night 3, things were already going well for the group. They managed to get a hang of the pattern to check on everything on going in the pizzeria. What they did was to check on all animatronics to make sure they were in their areas, check the vents, wind the music box for Rarionette, and keep an ear out for the tell-tale sign of the music box playing on its own.
So far, so good. They already saw the yellow animatronic, who some refer to her as Goldenjack, but they only saw her once and she didn’t appear since. Still no sign of the other one, which was a big relief. Still, last night, at Daylight’s shift, after Crystal fainted, Hazel was caught sleepwalking again. This time she was nearer to the doorway’s exit, but the awake one lead her back to her sleeping bag.
Karmatic substituted her cameras with another set she had. She managed to open her camera’s files to see the photos that were caught. So far, there was nothing so suspicious. The only things that were seen were snapshots of the animatronics moving at night. Okay, and there were a few funny pictures of Toy Bonlight and Toy Chicashy in the kitchen, and the original Bonlight who looked like she was comforting the crying original Chicashy. The only thing that seemed out-of-the-ordinary, apart from night of the living animatronics, was that there was a yellow blur in the rooms nearly every hour. Karmatic also installed some sound recorders so that they could hear what went on in the rooms as well, just in case there were things like conversations going on.
The nurse had a bit of time to put the device back on Hazel, but it was worth it. She had to admit, they gave her a bit of an anesthetic to make her not feel pain for a bit of a while due to the process of the clamps being put on. It wore off just in time when they got to the pizzeria when she checked by pinching. Despite how she was wide-awake, she still kept thinking about Hester, unaware of her Familiar’s actions while hidden in the pizzeria.
“Okay, hopefully, we don’t get any surprises for tonight like Rarionette coming up and removing your eye-opener again. How long did it take for the nurse to put it back on you?” Rosette asked while Hazel winded the music box to the said puppet.
“I don’t know, I removed my wristwatch and kept it in my pocket so I didn’t know how long” the hazel-nut eyed girl replied as she checked on her wristwatch.
“Were you waiting for me by the time you were ready to leave, or was I just in time?”
“You came just in time”
Rosette nodded. “Don’t worry, though. We’ll find Hester, one way or another”
Hazel nodded as she checked the vents for any signs of the animatronics.
Rosette then heard something. “Haze, grab the flashlight; one of the originals are here”
The black-haired girl didn’t need to be told twice as she shone the flashlight on Foxow Dash. It was enough to make her go away.
“Flight’s cancelled, Foxow” she mused with a smirk.
Rosette chuckled when she heard that. Since her friend was wide-awake now, she seemed to have regained some of her playful personality. It was great to see that she was alright for now.
Hazel seemed to notice her bestie smiling. “Well, you’re finally giving a smile. Good to see that, Rose”
Rosette then turned her attention back to the monitor and let her friend wind the music box again to Rarionette. That taken care of, she flipped through the cameras to check on what happened at the other rooms. Luckily, most of the animatronics were in a place away from the vents or near the office.
“You’re not traumatized from Toy Chicashy because of what happened two nights ago, right?”
“Nah” she then picked up a thumping sound coming from the vents again.
Rosette flipped the cameras to the vent to see a familiar face. “Speak of the devil”
“More like angel with a devil-like grin”
The two didn’t waste any more time as they put on their masks as Toy Chicashy entered the room. She seemed to smile when she saw them and even waved hello. She then just left the room by the opposite vent with a smile.
“No regrets?” Rosette asked as they took off their masks.
Hazel shook her head with a smile. “Still too cute!” she winked, her eye with the device seemed to show glee.
“How are things with you and that killer?” Serene asked after winding the box to Rarionette.
“Yoosung? Oh, he’s so dreamy. Just today, he took me from the house and even drove me here. Then before he left, he gave me this sweet rose” Karmatic felt at the red rose that her boyfriend attached to her head.
“I thought I picked up a trace that it was a red rose dipped in blood” Serene covered her nose.
“Grab the flashlight, Mangled Foxow is here”
Serene nodded before flashing the flashlight down the hallway to make the animatronic leave. Karmatic then began to flip through the cameras to keep an eye on activity in the pizzeria.
“Was there anything weird that your cameras picked up on?”
“Just animatronics moving about, and the only thing that seemed unusual apart from that was some yellow blur caught in one of the photos”
“Do you think we’ll be able to find Hester? I mean, it’s bad enough to see Hazel so upset, but the fact that she has to wear an eye-opener from the Asylum just to stay awake? I mean, bruh, she really needs help!”
“Yeah, I mean, for all we know, Hester could be down here playing with the animatronics at night, and I guess that would explain their behavior towards Hazel”
“Hopefully, not the case. Now wind that music box to that puppet thing” Karmatic commanded.
“Denied!” Crystal smirked as she flashed the light on Sploon Boy. It was enough to make the dragon animatronic leave the room by the vent he came in.
“Well, you seem in a good mood” Daylight mused as she flipped through the cameras to check on the activity.
“No, I’m just happy that I’m not looking at that eye-opener thing on Hazel. It’s creepy” she shivered at the thought.
“Do you ever give her consideration?” Daylight turned her attention away from the monitor.
“What’s there to consider?”
“She’s had a rough past, she’s got a disorder, her Familiar’s missing, and she can’t even stay awake without wanting to cry!”
“It’s not my fault that she has to wear an eye-opener! I can’t believe people don’t stare and think she’s weird because of what she’s wearing!”
“No wonder you and Rosette keep fighting each other!” Daylight began to growl as she confronted the blue girl.
“What’s it to you about my relationship with my cousin?!”
Both gave the other a death glare as they growled for who wins. One was trying to defend a lonely girl while the other was trying to get at her nerves. They looked like they were about to fight in the office as their fangs began to sharpen. Then something snapped them out of their angry state.
The music box…it was playing on its own!
“Oh no…” Crystal began to turn pale as she felt she was about to faint again.
“Not that…” Daylight stopped Crystal from fainting as they both stared at the music box.
Right then, the lights in the office began to flicker off and on as the cameras began to go static. Then, the screen began to change to the Prize Room. Rarionette was peeking out of her box as an orange blur began to roam about in there with her. Giggling then was heard around the office when the blur was gone. Crystal grabbed the flashlight while she and Daylight put on a mask each, hoping it would fool the other one.
Rarionette then appeared infront of them, making them scream loud enough to wake the others up. The puppet then let out a shriek, as though calling for someone. An orange blur then went in and out of the office, snatching the masks off Daylight and Crystal. The others tried to come and help, but the puppet animatronic levitated them all in the air. They thought it was all over for them, but then, they were dropped to the floor as the two animatronics left when the lights flickered off and on one last time.
“Ow, my head” Crystal groaned as she sat herself up.
“Can anyone explain what just happened?” Karmatic got up, dusting herself.
“Hang on, where’s Hazel?” Rosette looked around for the shy girl.
A flash from one of Karmatic’s cameras set off.
That did it; Rosette didn’t waste any more time as she dashed to the doorway to find her friend. “Hazel!”
“Rosette, wait!” the others sighed before running after the violet girl.
They ran down after Rosette. Finally, they caught up with her when they were in the hall that led to the Storage Room. They found Rosette kept on the floor by Rarionette as Hazel passed by. From the looks of her closed eyes and no fear to how she was moving, they knew she was sleepwalking. Her eye-opener was on the floor beside Rosette, allowing them to see that the wearer had her eyes both closed naturally. She was barefooted as she didn’t have her shoes and her black dress flowed as she walked. Karmatic’s cameras began to set off as Hazel passed by them. Finally, Rarionette let go off Rosette on the floor as she headed back into her room.
“Guys, we’re getting something!” Serene pointed to one of the cameras that just triggered when Hazel passed by it.
Rosette was about to go when Daylight stopped her. “Wait, we need this”
Another flash
“It’s just Hazel, why would it…”
“She didn’t trigger it”
Another flash
“What do you mean she didn’t trigger it?”
Daylight whispered. “Someone’s with her”
Another flash
“Who?”
They didn’t get an answer as the door closed behind Hazel. The sleepwalking child had gone inside of the Storage Room.
Karmatic dashed off to the office to get to the sound incase to hear what was going on inside the room. Rosette followed her. The others began to start banging on the door as they tried to break it open. They began to cry out as they tried to get Hazel to wake up or stop whatever was going on in there.
“Hazel, wake up!”
“Let her go!”
Karmatic sat at the desk and she noticed that the cameras of the pizzeria had gone static completely. She put on her device with the sound recorders on. She put on the headset and began to zoom in on the sounds coming from the Storage Room. At first there was nothing but doors banging and her friends crying out, but then…
“Over here! This way!” a small voice whispered, as though directed to Hazel.
“There’s somepony else with her!”
“WHAT?!” Rosette put on a headset.
“Someone’s in there with her. Listen”
Karmatic zoomed in on the sounds for both her and Rosette to hear. It was just constant door banging and then the voice began to whisper again.
“Hurry! This way! This is where I hide”
Rosette’s eyes widened at those sounds. Somepony was there with Hazel, as though leading her to somewhere. Rosette ran off to help the others as Karmatic put the device back in her bag. She had to find out who was in there with Hazel, and what they wanted with her. Rosette ran so fast from the office to the Storage Room that the others noticed she was charging at the door and backed away to avoid getting hit. When she made impact with the door, she busted it open. Luckily, she stopped herself just before she hit her head on the wall by the other side.
Everyone looked around to find where the missing girl had gone off to. They couldn’t see anything inside that gave a clue. All that was around were tools for repairing animatronics, and the blueprints of each of them. There was also a closet, but all that was in there were small masks.
“Guys, turn off the lights” Karmatic commanded as she took out the thermo-scanner. Serene nodded and Karmatic turned on the scanner as she started tracing prints from the door. She followed the prints until it lead to the closet. She opened it and pushed the hanging masks aside and found a pair of handprints on the wall. Curious, she knocked on the wall to reveal that it made a hollow sound.
“Turn them back on!”
The lights were back on as Karmatic pushed the wall to the side, revealing that it had a secret passage. She peeked in by the head and found that it was a wide and open area inside. And, just a few feet away, a mist surrounding her as she stood still, was Hazel.
“Found her”
She and the others wasted no time as they went inside one by one. They were surprised to see the position that Hazel was in. They tried going to her, but something was keeping them from going to her. It felt like an invisible wall. They tried calling out to her by her name, but she wasn’t listening. The mist then went infront of Hazel and took a small form infront of her. Before anyone could react, the sleeping girl turned into a swarm of brownbutterflies and pink mist right before their own eyes.
Rosette screamed at a last resort. “HAZEL!”
The swarm of butterflies and mist that used to be her best friend didn’t listen as it followed the shadow figure away from the scene. Only when they were completely out of sight did the barrier drop and allow them to run. But they stopped in place because one of them fell to her knees and began to cry.
“Hazel…” Rosette sobbed into her hands. As if taking her friend’s Familiar wasn’t enough, they had to also take away her friend herself?
That night, their shift was over, but now one of them was missing. The nurse at the asylum turned a bit worried when she heard about Hazel disappearing. They didn’t tell the whole story, but only that she was taken by the animatronics while they were all trapped. Shadow Kirby was worried when he heard the news about his friend. He couldn’t believe that those animatronics would take away a shy and lonely girl and her unpredictable Familiar. Rosette was upset that they didn’t make it back with her friend. She was worried about what they wanted with her. Why did they take her? Who was that shadow?
Karmatic opened her camera’s photos to see the footage in the Storage Room. All it had were photos of a mist surrounding Hazel as it guided her to open the door and go through it. The sounds on her recorded only had the voice talking to Hazel to come with her, whom they presumed came from the shadow.
They decided to switch tactics that night. Now, when they got into the office, they would all go to the Storage Room, go through the secret passage, and find Hazel. They came armed with weaponry and flashlights just in case that they needed it. Crystal had a feeling that if they find an animatronic and shine the flashlight at them, then it would give a clue to find Hazel.
When they got inside the passage, they all kept an eye out for one another to try and find where they took their friend. The passage didn’t have much to show for, it only lead to one single door. They opened it to find that they were in the Carousel Room where Sploon Boy would be found. They looked around, keeping their flashlights with them. Strangely enough, not even Sploon was in there.
“Come on, where are they?” Daylight whispered while looking around.
Everyone kept looking around to try and find anyone else in the room with them. All they saw were mostly party supplies and games. Serene began to back up and she bumped into something. She nearly screamed when she looked up. There was an animatronic just standing up there, at the top point of the carousel. Crystal didn’t waste a second as she shone the light on the animatronic.
It seemed that it was only sleeping before and now they woke it up. It wasn’t any of the other animatronics that they had previously encountered, so they guessed that it was that orange blur that kept running and out and about and sounding off the music box on its own. Strangely enough, it looked like a robot version of Hazel’s OC Bunny, with a ribbon.
When it opened its eyes, it displayed a look of anger and grabbed at some strings that surrounded the carousel. The girls hid themselves behind a nearby game as the animatronic’s eyes turned on to be a substitute for lights. The strings that it held in its paws were attached to small puppets that highly resembled the other robots of the pizzeria. They came to life as she used them to help her find out who woke her up.
“I thought if we shone the light, then…” Daylight growled.
“Then that means that we found the found the other animatronic” Serene whispered.
“Well, who is that?” Karmatic kept her voice down.
“Well, if she’s controlling those puppets, and she resembles Bunny, then that must mean that she’s Hazel”
“No, that can’t be” Crystal shook her head.
“If it is, then it means we’re too late” Rosette whimpered.
“Shh”
They stopped talking to see the animatronic working. She then put down her puppets as she let out a yawn.
“Bunster, get in here! We need your help!” a voice rang out.
“Coming!” the orange animatronic replied. Her puppets went back into their state in which they were lifeless and she tied herself to a balloon as she floated to the door. She closed it behind her as she went.
“Bunster?” Karmatic wondered as they got out of their hiding place.
“Maybe that’s her name” Crystal dusted herself.
“Great! They gave each other names now!” Daylight yelled, annoyed.
Suddenly, the lights in the room all turned on. The group huddled together in fear. They then saw that all the animatronics had them right where they wanted. There was no way out. The winged ones even were patrolling the air so they couldn’t turn into their Pony Forms to escape. All animatronics showed a grimace each.
“Nice going, Daylight” Crystal groaned.
Just when they thought it was over, the animatronics began to charge at them, but then were stopped.
“STOP!” a voice rang out.
Even the animatronics froze in place from that. To Rosette and the others, it sounded so familiar. It sounded a bit like a certain cryptic rhymer. Toy and original Bonlight separated to reveal the same shadow from last night behind them. The group was surprised to see who it was.
“Rosette, Daylight, Crystal, Karmatic, Serene, what’s up?” Hester asked, a smug face on her.
“HESTER?!” they all cried out together.
“Hey, it’s okay, Pinkie; I know these guys” Hester said to the original ringleader of the animatronics.
“Friends of yours?” the pink animatronic spoke.
Hester nodded. “They’re cool”
“If you say so, Hester. Catch you later, ‘sister” Pinkie shared a brohoof with the young Familiar before she called to her friends. The rest of the robots just followed Pinkie as they left the room. Hester waved bye before she turned to the others. They were surprised to see how she was in a healthy state as her fur was not in its sickly tone whenever she and Hazel were separated.
“Hester, please tell me that’s you” Karmatic asked as she approached the smug Familiar.
“It all depends what you mean by that; how many Familiars do you know with this type of hat?” the Familiar used a rhyme.
Karmatic was so happy to have one of her friends back. It was a great comfort to see one of her fellow half-crazies were still alive. She couldn’t resist as she hugged the young Familiar, much to her surprise.
“Whoa, Karmatic, are you on your happy pills again?” Hester asked before the girl who was hugging her put her back on the floor.
“You’re alive” Crystal gaped.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
Rosette kneeled down to be in eye contact with Hester. “But, where’s…”
“Hazel? You’re just in time for asking her; she just came in the room” Hester then turned around before calling out to her Partner. “Hazel, they’re here!”
At first, there was no one there, but then a certain swarm of brown butterflies and pink mist came out of the shadows. It went beside Hester before it took up a certain shy girl’s form.
“Hey gang” Hazel gave a small smile.
“Hazel!” Rosette couldn’t stop herself anymore as she held her friend close in a hug. She was happy to see that she was alright. Hazel returned the hug before they faced each other. Rosette then noticed that Hazel was in her well form again. The brownish tinge in her hair was back and she no longer looked tired, even without the eye-opener. Her skin had regained its healthy tone.
“You’re alright, and you’re back to normal” Rosette said as she checked Hazel.
“Of course I am. Did you miss me, Rosy?” Hazel winked. Yup, her cheery demeanor was back.
“But, what exactly happened? We were so worried when you turned into butterflies and left!”
“You should’ve seen her” Crystal chuckled. “She was crying a box of tissues on the way here”
“How’s Shadow Kirby? And the nurse?”
“They were worried that you were missing”
“I can’t wait to meet with the nurse again. I think I really need to refill on my meds” Hester chimed in as she perched on Hazel’s shoulder.
“Aren’t you guys supposed to be at the office?” Hazel asked.
“We left to go find you” Crystal replied.
“But what about those animatronics? They were talking to you, and you were talking to them”
“I think it’s time they get a better view at Pinkie” Hester leaned to Hazel.
Her Partner nodded. “This way; the Party Room is where we’ll explain everything”
They gathered in the Party Room due to how Mangled Foxow disabled the cameras in there, even the audio. The group took a seat on one of the tables as some animatronics stayed in the room with them to either watch or play. Some other animatronics left to go to either the Prize Room or kitchen.
Hester laid out the whole thing that had happened. She explained what she had been doing behind cameras with Mangled Foxow’s help. She told them about her work to set the Mane Six and Spike free. She told them how she used Bunster to help out. She even explained how her OC was doing her part by partaking in the scaring of the security guards, helping in times of need, and checking around to see if it’s the killer so they don’t have to risk hurting innocents. She added about the reason behind the animatronics’ behavior towards Hazel was that she told them about her and they agreed not to harm her. She also added that yesterday when the group left, she and Hazel were reunited and explained the whole thing.
“I’m still not over the fact that you created another OC. I mean, Hest, come on!” Hazel whined. “As if handling three OCs from different Verses and each with a different personality from the other, now there’s a fourth? Do have any idea how the Kids are doing? It’s even worse you’re not in the house to help me with them!”
“Sorry, Hazy!” Hester folded her ears down, giving her Partner a puppy face like she always did whenever she tried to get her to forgive her.
“Don’t you ‘Hazy’ me or try that!”
“I have three elder Sisters?” Bunster chirped with excitement.
Hazel knew what that meant. “I guess that also makes me…”
“Mommy!” Bunster just jumped in and hugged her Mom by the stomach, her mechanical furry arms wrapped around Hazel’s black dress. Hazel just sighed as she hugged her and Hester’s fourth OC and Daughter to accept her as her own and pondering on about how to tell Bunita, Brazy, and Bunochius that they now have a new Sister.
“Sadly, I can’t really take Bunster home with me due to the way I made her. She’s stuck here with the pizzeria until we set the others free. They feel awful about it too, poor little souls” Hester looked down sadly before she beamed again to add something. “Fortunately, they won’t hurt us as long as I help them, so they treat us as though we’re family. They’re still wary about the killer though”
As she spoke in the last sentence, Toy Pinkie, Goldenjack, and Toy Bonlight came in to give all of them a cupcake with a cherry drink.
Crystal couldn’t help but notice how Toy Bonlight smiled to her before leaving. She shuddered as she went to the kitchen. “That smile still haunts me”
“Crystal!” Daylight reprimanded her friend. “Don’t be rude!”
Rosette took a nibble at her cupcake before her eyes widened when she tasted it. “Not bad!”
Right then, they managed to see that original Chicashy, all fixed up, came in with two cupcakes on a plate. One had blueberries and blue frosting while the other had strawberries and pink frosting.
“Can I please have some more of those cupcakes? They’re so delicious!” Serene asked, her mouth still covered in specks of her devoured treat.
Chicashy beamed. “Of course. And, Hester and Hazel, you like blueberries and strawberries, respectively, right?” she asked the duo while putting the plate infront of them.
“Thank you, Chicashy!” Hazel thanked the yellow original before taking a bite out of the treat.
“This one here is Chicashy, the original one from the first pizzeria” Hester introduced the mare as she gave a small smile and tried to hide form her shyness. “Shy, these are Rosette Thorn, Crystal Rose, Daylight Glow, Karmatic Note, and Serene Breeze”
Each girl waved as her name was called up. Crystal was gaping when she saw Chicashy enter the room.
“Is there something wrong, Crystal? You haven’t touched your cupcake” Hazel pointed as she gave half of her cupcake to Bunster for her to enjoy.
“Just…how did…A while back, you were all…” the blue girl stammered. Just a while ago, this animatronic was broken, mangled, and lost part of her leg, and now less than an later she’s all fixed up, good as new, and is working at full capacity. Not to mention, her leg looked like it had never been detached from her. Her mane, it was back to its neatly combed form.
“Broken?” Bunster piped up while chewing into her half-cupcake. “Rarionette fixed her up. She had been preparing to do this for quite some time now, and it finally pulled off!”
Chicashy nodded. “She’s currently fixing Pinkie, Foxow, and Bonlight right now” the last name made her turn a bright red.
“Oh! Love is in the air! Sweet, sweet love, everypony!” Bunster cheered, throwing her mechanical paws in the air as her statement only made Chicashy blush harder and hide behind her mane.
Hazel took up her position as Mom. “Bunster, don’t do that! You’re making her uncomfortable!”
“Only one day when you realized you have a fourth Daughter and already, you take up your position” Hester chuckled as she finished into her last piece of the cupcake.
Hazel stole a small smile as she wiped Bunster’s mouth clean with a handkerchief she kept in one of her dress’ pockets. The orange animatronic couldn’t help but giggle as her Mom cleaned her. Rosette and the others just thought it was a cute little Maker-Creation/Mother-Daughter moment.
“Anyway, what exactly do you need to do now at the moment to set them free?” Rosette asked.
“Well, I finished the games hidden in the Arcade Room. Then Bunster helped me to collect the chronological photos of each main event in this pizzeria. Now, I have to find the board where to put them, attach them in their order of events, help the Mane Six and Spike find the killer and let them have their vengeance, and then we escape the building by burning it down and use Sploon’s balloons to get out” Hester laid out the rest of the work.
“So, you really can’t leave the place? You know you’re not bound here like they are” Crystal dodged Daylight’s punch again.
Hester looked down before she heard the door open. The original Bonlight, Pinkie Fazpie, and Foxow Dash, as well as Mangled Foxow came inside the room. They were fixed up, good as new. Mangled Foxow looked like her original, save for the make-up and wearing a red bowtie and lacking an eyepatch.
Foxow Dash was happy to be in one piece again as she went to meet with Goldenjack. She planned on surprising her marefriend, but the yellow animatronic beat her to it.
Bonlight was tackled into a hug by Chicashy before they seemed a little sad about how they made contact with each other. They raised a hoof to each other and tried to feel the same warmth from when they were alive, but it was just not there. They loved each other no matter what, but their robo-body prison made it just not feel the same when they touched.
Chicashy let out a sigh. She missed how it felt to be hugged by her marefriend in a warm hug; her fur would brush with hers. Now, she had to feel a barrier between them. That barrier was a prison they were trapped in.
“I know, it bothers me too” Bonlight lifted her face up to hers.
Chicashy nodded before burying her face into Bonlight’s chest. “Alive, ghost, or dead completely, I still love you”
The lavender animatronic hugged the yellow one in her hooves. “And I’ll always love you too”
Hester sighed as she watched them. She knew they were miserable to be trapped in this prison. She could leave, but they couldn’t. Their families have been missing them terribly. She had to get them out of here. She had to make this suffering end.
“I have to; they’ve been through enough” Hester declared.
The rest of the night was a change in tides. This time, the animatronics only went up to the office regularly to check on the group. They didn’t even need to wind the music box or put on masks whenever they went up to see them. Both original and Toy Chicashy regularly went up bringing either cupcakes, slices of cake or pizza in case the group got hungry while waiting for the sun to come up and the shift to be done. Hester and Bunster came along with Hazel to the office for some time to spend with the gang. Still, half the group had to come along to help Hester find the board to go on completing the course.
“One thing I don’t get though, Bunster” Hazel asked, they were currently searching in the Prize Room to see any signs of the board they were looking for.
“Hmm?”
“Why is it that your presence is known whenever the music box begins to play on its own?”
“I love the songs, and I guess it just plays because it knows I love the music”
Hazel smiled before patting the orange OC’s head. “You’re very cute, Bunster”
The little one giggled. “Thanks, Mom”
Hazel smiled at her and Hester’s OC. She knew that she would have to find a way to break the news to the other three when they get home. Home. Hazel then thought about that.
“Bunster?”
“Yes, Mom?”
“What’s gonna happen to you once this is all over?”
Bunster looked like she was about to answer with no doubt, but then she stopped and began to think. “I never thought of that”
“What do you mean?”
“All I cared about here was helping Chicashy with the kitchen and helping Mother to set us all free. I don’t really know what would happen to me once it’s done. I’m only made from Mother’s imaginative power and parts from the old pizzeria”
Hazel was taken aback by that. Bunster had no idea what the future held for when things were done here. She was only made from that OC spell that Hester used, and a little pink ribbon! But, lacking a soul, that would mean only one thing…no.
“Well, you two have any luck?” Hester called out as she came inside the room.
“None here, Mother” Bunster replied.
“Okay, Hazel?” she turned to her Partner.
“Um, Hest, can I have a word with you, alone?” she emphasized ‘alone’ to prove her point.
The young Familiar nodded. “Bunster, wait here. Mother and Mom have to have a talk”
The little animatronic nodded before she went off to try and check in Rarionette’s box. The Partner-Familiar duo went out of the room and into the other room.
“What do you want to talk about?” Hester asked.
Hazel faced her Familiar. “She doesn’t know, does she?”
“Hmm?”
“Bunster! She has no idea what’s gonna happen to her once this is over! How could you lie to her?”
Hester bit her lip. “I was planning on breaking it to her when it was right; I didn’t want to ruin her demeanor”
“Yeah? Well, goodluck with that!”
“Well what do you expect me to tell her? ‘Oh, hello, Bunster, I just came by to tell you that when this is over and your friends are set free, you’re gonna die’?”
They were interrupted when they heard something crash behind them. Both turned their heads to see something that they wished they hadn’t. Bunster was in the doorway, having dropped a tray of cupcakes that were made by toy Chicashy and now were all over the floor. Her eyes displayed a look of fear and shock.
Hester nearly dropped her jaw when she saw her face. “Bunster, how long have you been there?”
“I’m gonna die?” tears seemed to start formation in her eyes.
Hester floated over to her. “Sweetie, I…”
“No! Tell me the truth!” her voice seemed to crack.
Hester bit her lip. Now she had to break the news to her. “Bunster, sweetie, I didn’t want to upset you, but…”
The orange animatronic pulled away when her Mother tried to give her a pat. Tears began to stream down her face as she began to sob. She was gonna die, and there was no way around it. Turning her head around, she ran on all fours down the hallway and out of the room. Hester just stood there, frozen at her actions. Hazel bit her lip before she moved to pick up the tray and clean up the mess on the floor. She already started thinking about how to tell Toy Chicashy how her cupcakes ended up on the floor.
“Hazel, can you go talk to her?” Hester asked her Partner.
Hazel didn’t say a word. She only cleaned up the small mess, picked up the tray, and took to the door. She only had one thing to say before leaving, “She loved you as her Mom, Hester. But did you return her love?”
The door closed. Hester was alone in the room now. She stood there, frozen at her actions. What would she have to do now?
Later that night…
Hester was wondering around in the Carousel Room as she pondered on about the events. Half of her was searching for the board, the other half was thinking about the events of her actions. She didn’t even know any more if she was in the wrong or the right.
She knew about Bunster’s fate when this was done, but she was afraid to tell her that. All those times she spent with Bunster at night to find the things needed and she never really thought about her really as her own Daughter. She knew what Hazel’s mother Deceptive Beauty would say right now is she was with her, “I’m so proud of you”
That made her think. Since they had Bunita, she promised to Hazel that for every OC they had, she would not let the same fate happen to them. In lying about Bunster’s fate, she had utterly failed in that goal. She wasn’t becoming the Mother she promised to be, only the mother that she and Hazel were raised under.
She pondered on and on and she felt some strange sensation she hadn’t felt since they day that Brazy and Bunochius were born. It was that of a mother’s instincts. She once referred to Bunster as ‘sweetie’ and even talked to her as though she were her own child. When Bunster ran away, she felt that it was on that point that made her realize that she did love her as her OC Child. This was even the first, if not, the only OC that she managed to make without Hazel’s help. Bunita was mostly and almost purely Hazel’s creation, and Brazy and Bunochius were made from equal work by the two. But, Bunster, she was only made by Hester.
There was regret in her as she realized that she could never take her home. She could never introduce her to her Sisters. She could never let her be around to see the rest of Wonderland with her own eyes.
Hester sat on the carousel, just above her OC Child’s post. “Oh, Bunster, what have I done?”
Meanwhile…
They finally found the young animatronic crying in the closet of the Storage Room. Bunster cried into Hazel’s chest as she thought about what would happen to her once everything was over. Chicashy came in to help by singing her favorite song to her. Still, despite the presence of her Mom and her closest friend, the young animatronic still kept on thinking about her fate. Finally, she calmed down and stopped crying as she pulled herself out of the hug.
“Feeling better now?” Hazel asked.
Bunster slowly nodded before wiping a tear and letting out a sniffle.
“Would you like me to get you something?” Chicashy asked, worry in her tone.
Bunster politely shook her head. “I think I’ll be fine. Thank you, Chishy”
“I’m sorry about Hester”
“It’s fine. I needed to know”
Chicashy then looked up at Hazel. “I’ll give you both some time alone”
Hazel nodded when Chicashy left the room. She started to stroke Bunster’s head to her back to soothe. Before long, the young OC peered up at her. “Mom?”
“Yes, sweetie?”
“You think of me as your OC Child, right?”
Hazel gave a motherly smile and nodded. “Of course I do”
“Does Mother love me?”
Hazel paused for a bit, but gave an answer. “I think she does”
Bunster nodded before speaking up again. “Mom, can you get me a glass of water? And I think I need a cupcake”
“Of course. Wait right here” Hazel set the little one down and went to go get what her Daughter asked for.
Bunster waited until she knew that she was alone in the room and her Mom was out of hearing range. With a newfound realization, she began to question her own existence as an OC. Would she even be remembered at all by her Sisters? Does Hester even love her as her Daughter?
What am I?
What would I become?
Am I really her Child, or just an OC?
What am I?
Where do I belong?
You know I thought I could have a life once
You see
What am I now that my mind’s opened?
It showed me what I didn’t know I was fated
What am I, now that I know what’s at stake?
I didn’t know wouldn’t see that light of day
Still, I have today
I have to make
What best I can from it
‘Cause my past dream is dead and gone
And me along with it
I want to start again
So I’ll look within remember what I wanted then?
‘Cause I don’t know what I’ll become
But I shall trust in it
I shall trust in it
What am I to spend my life in dark?
Never to see the sun, just the stars
What am I, now to accept my fate?
To make the most of it is not too late
I want to start again
So I’ll look within remember what I wanted then?
‘Cause I don’t know what I’ll become
But I shall trust in it
I shall trust in it
But right now, I have to make
What best I can from it
‘Cause the past dream, is dead and gone
And me along with it
I want to start again
Bunster let out a sigh before lifting herself up to her feet. Hazel still hadn’t returned yet so she decided to take a look around to see any signs of the board. She checked the wall, she checked the masks. She then checked the secret passage. That was when she found it: a white board with party markings on the sides. A smile crept on her face when she realized what it was.
“Sorry I took a while, I…” she then realized what Bunster was holding. “Is that…?”
The orange animatronic nodded. “I found the board!”
Things went a little worse when a new pizzeria opened up, called “Fazpie’s Fright”. The second pizzeria had closed down and everything that could have been useable or was still intact or still had been visible was transferred to the new pizzeria. Of course, with the transfer of the animatronics also came Hester and Bunster’s transfer there as well. Hazel also came along by going into Hester’s body for easier transfer. The rest of the group wanted to come and help, but the new area already had a security guard so they couldn’t come along.
Hazel felt a twinge of anger just looking at him. Not that she couldn’t freely go in the pizzeria at night and now had to be Hester all the time to avoid getting caught, but there was something else about this security guard. She felt something wrong about him. Hester seemed to hide a whimper as she hid behind her Partner. The shy girl only hoped that Hester was not afraid of the color purple, because that was what this man was wearing: a purple security guard uniform. And that smile that the man was giving them and the rest of the group, it sent a shiver down her spine.
It wasn’t long until they found out why. But when they found out the reason, it was very macabre and even shown to them in the worst way possible.
It was on the first night of the week that the pizzeria opened up. The security guard came inside by the door and headed to the office. Hazel went along with Hester into her body by using a secret passage that was made the same way in the old pizzeria. It was no trouble with Bunster; she could turn into her Summon Form and hide in Hester’s hat. The rest of the group couldn’t come along so they could only watch from the sidelines and hope for the best.
Hester had entered the pizzeria that night and did her best to avoid being seen by the security cameras. She went through the area with stealthy moves to assure being careful. She had to momentarily disable one of the cameras in the room so she could let Hazel and Bunster out.
The swarm of butterflies and mist stayed in the air for a moment before taking the form of a certain girl. “So this is where all the remains of the Pinkie Fazpie’s pizzerias come to rest” she spoke when she looked around.
Bunster’s bow stayed in the air before taking up her form. “Where’s Chishy?”
“That’s why you’re both out of the places I’m carrying you around. Hazel, I need you to go to the office and tell me about what the security guard is up to”
“On it” Hazel turned into a single brown butterfly with mist again before she went to do her task in that form.
“Bunster, go look around and find them”
The orange animatronic nodded before starting her search.
Throughout the hallways, a certain brown butterfly fluttered effortlessly to make her way to the office, leaving a trail of pink mist as she went. Hazel could turn herself into a butterfly now since that night in the passage of the Storage Room. Why she left a trail of pink mist she didn’t know. Still, it felt nice to be able to fly for a bit. She couldn’t turn into her Pony Pegasus form anymore since that incident as Hysteria. Her only consolation was to be a butterfly.
Finally, she spotted the office and flew there as fast as her little wings could carry her. She took perch on the window and looked through the glass to see the security guard. She was glad that he was just lying smugly in his chair with a smile. Heck, the camera screen showed that he left it at the doorway.
Hazel facepalmed with one of her little insect legs. What kind of security guard was he? If he did that, any robber could get in through the backdoor! Hester went in through the floor; a robber could just break the glass! Her antennae then focused on the sounds inside the room. What she heard from him made her shudder from fright.
He seemed to cackle as he went on. “Those little freak shows don’t even know what hit them! And everyone just thinks they’ve gone missing or on holiday! I can only imagine the look on the faces of those people once they see what remains of them, and my voice will echo to give a point. I’m not surprised they still haven’t gotten the point about it yet. They’ve been ‘missing’ for nearly ten years! The boss will be pleased to hear about my work!”
Hazel nearly let out a whimper before she flew away from the office to find Hester. The killer, he’s here!
“You’re joking” Hester spoke as they looked around for Bunster since she hadn’t returned yet, temporarily disabling cameras as they left each room. “You’re joking, right?”
Hazel shook her head. “I’m telling you. I saw him. I heard him. He did all this!”
“How do we know you’re not drowsy from the meds again?”
Hazel facepalmed. “Because, my dear Hester, two reasons; One: I haven’t been drowsy since that day we met dad and told us about the non-sleepy ones. Two: My ears never deceive me!” she pointed to that part of her body to prove her point. Truth be told, her ears nearly never did deceive her. When focused hard enough, she could make out a whisper-conversation. One time, they were able to translate languages for her, although it was with another patient.
“I thought he looked familiar” Hester whispered to herself.
“How?” Yep, she used that hearing again.
“How do you even do that?!” she then went back to the topic at hand. “Anyway, I saw that face before, in one of the games. And the pictures, they showed his silhouette. They all had that thing in common: a purple stallion or man in purple security guard suit”
“So that’s why you whimpered a while ago when we saw him”
Hester nodded. “By the way, not that I’m angry or anything but, can you try using your hearing to find where Bunster is? We’ve been searching for hours and it would easier if you used that gift to help”
Hazel chuckled. “Be quiet so I can concentrate”
Taking a deep breath, the brunette-black-haired girl closed her eyes and began to start listening for sounds. At first, it was only in the things in the room, which were her and Hester’s breathing. Then, it began to follow around, hearing the cameras move around. It passed by the proud laughter of the killer in the office who now sounded like he just drank a whole barrel of hard cider. Finally, it settled on a familiar sound: the faint moving of Bunster’s robotic blinking.
“This way” she said before opening her eyes and leading the way.
The Familiar followed her Partner as they went to where Bunster was. She disabled the cameras along the way as Hazel closed in on the sounds. Finally, they spotted her. Bunster was standing in place, seemingly frozen infront of a dark room. The duo immediately went to their little OC.
“Bunster, are you okay?” Hester asked as Hazel bent down to check on her for any signs of hurt. The young animatronic said nothing; she just kept staring at what was infront of her.
“Bunster, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Hazel asked, her tone worried.
Finally, the little one moved. Her mouth hung open as her paw pointed at what was infront of her. The look in her eyes was a mix of sadness and shock. Both Makers looked infront before Hester turned the lights in the room on. All nearly dropped their jaws and stifled tears when they saw why Bunster was so scared.
Right infront of them, scattered across the room, were mangled and destroyed bodies of the animatronics. Or, atleast what was left of them. It was just a horrible sight to see.
Pinkie’s eyes were gouged right out. Her chest had been severely hacked at, as though somepony had used an axe and mercilessly hit her until she was done. Her arms were broken right off. Her hat was a bit of a distance off from her remains.
Bonlight fared no better. She was bisected and her face was gone again. Her circuits and parts were scattered on the floor. The worst part: she only had one leg left on her upper half of the body. The three others were a distance away.
Chicashy’s state would be enough to make one cry. From the looks of her, she was beheaded. Her eyes were gone. A distance away was the rest of her body, severely hacked at. Two of her legs were separated from her body.
Foxow didn’t make a better look. Her wings were detached and one could even see the wiring. Her only good eye was gone. All four of her legs were removed from her body. One could nearly see right through her back.
The only thing they found of Rarionette what her head, they couldn’t find the rest of her body. All they could of Goldenjack was her hat, and one of her eyes. Sploon, all that they found of him was his voicebox.
Hester shook her head in disbelief when she saw it all. Tears began to stream into her eyes as she looked at the scene infront of her. Now she knew why the killer took the job, he wanted to make sure no one would find them. He wanted to watch them suffer. He wanted to finish them off and make sure they never even see the light of day.
Hester approached Pinkie’s body. She couldn’t believe that the killer would do something like this to her. She never did anything wrong. The young Familiar picked up the animatronic’s hat and pulled it close to her in an embrace as she began to cry. She was too late. She promised to get them out, but she failed them. She began to cry at how this happened.
Bunster was pulled into a comforting hug by Hazel as they both began to break down. To Bunster, that pile of parts scattered across the floor used to be her best friend. To Hazel, although she only knew them for a short time, she still knew that she just lost friends.
“I’m…sorry…” Hester spoke through the sobs. “I’m sorry…Pinkie…”
“Hester…”
The young Familiar’s eyes shot open when she heard that. She looked down to the pink head infront of her. No sign of life, she was starting to think the shortage on her meds was making her go crazy again and her Schizophrenia kicked in.
“Hester…”
She looked again. This time, she saw something that gave her hope. Pinkie’s soul was out of the robot, floating right infront of Hester and they were looking at her with worry. She looked like her former self when she was still Pinkie Pie.
“Pinkie?”
The hurt animatronic gave a weak smile. “Come here, you. Give me back my hat and give me a hug”
Hester sighed happily before she put Pinkie’s hat back on her head and hugged the pink spirit. The said pink one returned the hug with her see-through forelegs.
Hazel and Bunster saw the scene. If she were alive, then that would mean…
“Oh, come on, Bunster and Hazel, don’t cry on us now” Chicashy’s voice rang out.
“Chicashy?”
The Maker-Creation/Mother-Daughter duo looked up to see the spirit of a familiar face. Chicashy was floating right infront of them. She was also freed from her animatronic body.
“It’s Fluttershy, actually” she spoke in her soft voice.
All around, they were able to see spirits of their friends all set free form the bodies of the animatronics. They were still bound to them, but they could now come out temporarily and float around. They all looked like their old selves before this whole thing began. Even Spike was out of his robotic prison.
“What happened here?” Hazel asked after a hug from Fluttershy.
“The security guard” Twilight spoke up.
“We knew it was him” Rainbow continued.
“Pinkie tried to catch him” Rarity spoke up.
“But the next thing we heard…” Applejack went on.
“…were her screams” Spike ended.
Hester looked around. She was determined to make him pay. She will make him pay for all that freak done. She had already finished the task with the board, now was their revenge. She turned back to Pinkie,
“Pinkie, do you remember where that malfunctioning suit was?”
The Purple Man had taken up his pony form, the Purple Pony. He knew he would have his fun with those ponies. He had been planning it for so long. And when that pizzeria with mascots opened up, he took the chance. He had been taking great care in making sure that they would be hurt in the worst ways possible. He decided to have a final hurrah by taking an axe and starting to tear them apart. Now he was preparing for another way to make them feel infinite pain.
Thump
He shot up from his seat when he heard that. Could an animatronic be there? No, they couldn’t have; he made sure they couldn’t even move anymore.
Thump
Now he was sure someone was there. He picked up the axe he used on Pinkie and the others and started to peek in through the door by the doorway. He looked around for any sings of anything that caused the sound. He saw something out of the corner of the eye. It looked like a yellow creature was looking at him. He tried to reach out to it, but it ran off. He tried to follow it, but there was another strange sound behind him. He looked around to see something that was just horrifying.
It was Foxow’s spirit. It had been damaged severely and was very dull blue. Her eyes were demented. Her right leg was missing and her hook was crooked. He gave an evil grin before she let out a shriek and pounced to him.
Purple Pony ducked for the impact, but it never came. Foxow disappeared after the lunge and snarl. He retreated back into the room to hide. How did that happen? Their souls were trapped in those broken bodies.
Hester caught her breath as she disabled a camera and hid in one of the rooms a distance away from the office. She wanted to see if Hazel was telling the truth, and she did. Just looking at the killer made her blood run cold.
“I…saw him” she panted as she caught her breath.
“Well? Do you believe me now, Hest?” Hazel asked.
The young Familiar nodded.
Right then, Rainbow entered the room in her insane form. She was laughing her flank off. She wiped a tear from laughter and changed back into her peaceful form before trying to speak.
“Did you see his face?” she laughed. “I was screaming and lunging at him and he didn’t even get it that I was just messing with him!”
Right then, Twilight and Fluttershy entered the room by the floor. “Very funny, Rainbow”
“So, what’s the plan with this guy? We gotta get him out of that room and to where the suit is” Rainbow asked when she regained herself.
“I say we have some fun with him first” Pinkie raised a hoof.
“I agree, after all that he did to us all those years, I would say a bit of terror is in order. Just look at what he had done to my mane!” Rarity quivered at the memory of what became of her mane.
“Ah agree” Applejack nodded.
Twilight nodded. “Shy?”
“Don’t tell Angel”
Hester nodded. “Okay, let’s scare him out”
Purple Pony had never been horrified out of his life. Through the time from midnight to five, he had been lunged and screamed at by the ghosts of the mangled animatronics. They kept getting at him. Even Chicashy was no longer adorable with her look. He thought he had enough and just when he thought it was near over, there something behind him. There was a tap on his shoulder, and when he looked around, there was an orange animatronic that screamed at him and made him fall.
He knew this wasn’t one of the animatronics seen at the previous pizzerias but how did it get here? This one resembled an orange rabbit with stripes. Her ears had been sprung out of place. A ribbon was on her neck, but it seemed to have been unruly and even burnt on a side. Eyes were demented and blood seemed to crying right out of them. She opened her jaws to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth all coated in blood.
He couldn’t take it anymore as he ran out of the room for his life. All the while, shrieks of the creature were sounded off. He thought he was finally rid of her in the Storage Room where he hacked at the animatronics, but he was in for something worse. The creature busted through the door as a trail of mist and butterflies before turning back into its form.
The creature then stomped on the floor below, causing spirits of the mares and dragon to appear out of thin air. They each looked like how they were when they were alive. They all gave him the stink eye as the orange one grinned.
“No! No!” he exclaimed. “I killed you!”
He began to scream in fright as the spirits began to approach him. He threw the axe at Pinkie, but it went right through her. He had to get away, somehow, but how? He then saw it: In the far corner was an empty suit that highly resembled Sunset Shimmer, called Sunspring Shimmertrap. The only difference was a red bowtie on the neck.
He went into the suit and put it on. He laughed when it looked like they couldn’t find him. Just then, his laughter got caught up in his throat. There were springs form the suit that began to close in on him. They then pierces right through his skin and began to crush his bones. He tried to get out, but he couldn’t’ and struggling only made it worse. The last thing he saw before dying was the smiles of the ghosts and the grin of the mystery animatronic with them.
Hazel and Hester had witnessed the whole thing while hiding inside of Bunster. They decided to make her scary by giving her a frightening nightmare look. It worked pretty well. The part with the mist and butterflies was Hazel’s help. The scary look was Hester’s work. When the Purple Pony was dead, they got out of the OC and she returned to her cute form. Right then, the ghosts of the mare and dragon went back into their bodies and the robotic bodies were fixed up to normal.
“He’s dead” Pinkie let out a happy tear.
“We’re free” Fluttershy/Chicashy beamed.
“Then let’s get out of this prison!” the dragon with them exclaimed as he prepared balloons for their escape.
Each nodded as they each grabbed a balloon and tied it to their waists. Well, in Hazel and Hester’s case, Hazel tied theirs to her waist as Hester perched on her shoulder. Right then, they noticed that they had no time to spare as it was only a while before dawn. Bunster already lined the entire building, top to bottom, with gasoline and locked every entrance and exit. Hester, with Hazel’s strength, teleported them all to the rooftop. As dawn came near, each animatronic breathed a deep breath as they returned to being alive ponies and their animatronic counterparts went into the balloon.
This spell was used to bring the Mane Six and Spike back to life. The balloons had a special spell that could carry them to safety without a fear of anypony falling.
“Yay! We’re alive again!” Pinkie exclaimed happily as she nearly lost her footing on the building to fly to the air ahead.
Twilight and Fluttershy were so happy to finally be able to feel the same feeling they had never had in a long time. Rainbow and Applejack nearly made-out infront of everypony.
“Okay, guys, we need to move!” Bunster proclaimed.
Everyone got ready as they approached the ledge of the rooftop, before all let go. They floated effortlessly into the air by their single balloons. Bunster only went along after she dropped a burning match and it set the whole building on fire. Everyone was happy now that it was finally over. Now the Mane Six and Spike can go back to their lives. The animatronics can pass on. And Bunster, she can…
Hester sighed; she knew what it meant now. As soon as they got to safe ground and let go of the balloons, she would never see her OC again. Hazel noticed her sad look, and lifted her face up to meet with hers. She knew she had to accept it.
Finally, the balloons approached the Town Square of Canon Ponyville. Everypony had detached themselves form their balloons when they were on the ground. Now, they each shared their farewells to their animatronic friends. Hazel also detached herself from Bunster’s balloon as they young OC smiled at her. She would miss her too. Bunster was about to leave when Hazel let go but then, Hester reached out to her.
“Wait!” she grasped at the string, making Bunster turn to face her. The look in her eyes showed the look of a mother about to let their child go off into the world. “I made a promise”
Bunster smiled warmly. “You’ve kept your promise; you set us free” she then used the string to place something into Hester’s paws. The Familiar looked up in confusion. “Now we can do the same for you”
Hester nodded tearfully. With regret, she let go of the string and Bunster flew off with the rest of the balloons, not looking back. Hazel noticed her Familiar’s look and picked her up, hiding her sadness as well. The others with them waved goodbye to their animatronic counterparts. The balloons looked back at them one last time and waved goodbye with their strings before a bright light opened in the sky. Then, one by one, they disappeared into the great beyond. With each fading, they felt they were all put to rest. Bunster was the last as she waved goodbye to her Mother and Mom. Finally, she faded away and was no more.
Hester shed a tear at her loss. Her first OC done purely on her own was now gone. Hazel knew it was a disappointment. As much as how she knew it would be hard with a fourth OC in the house, she still would miss her. She then glanced down at Hester’s still clasped together paws.
“What did she give you?” she asked her Familiar.
Hester looked down into her paws. She was surprised to see what it was. In her paws was a small, pink ribbon like the one of Bunster’s Summon Form. How did it get there? Before she could react, the ribbon floated from her paws, and went to her hat along with Bunita’s, Brazy’s, and Bunochius’. She understood what that meant. Bunster gave her something to remember her by. A way to assure her that she would always be with her.