The events of the convention, Volume Two

Chapter Four - Thursday

Wake up, JJ.

What in the-

If his arms could move, JJ would have rubbed his head. What the hell happened? He couldn't see nearly anything, couldn't budge a muscle.

Shh, be still and quiet. You've been sleeping for quite awhile. I think they noticed that you never left the building last night. The cameras were searching for you, but they couldn't find you. I have you hidden too well. I kidnapped you, JJ.

Baby? What? Why? He shook whatever he was in a bit.

I wouldn't move too much if I were you. That suit's an early prototype, almost seventy years old. One of the only ones to survive the fire at the original convention. They brought it here intending to clean it up a bit, but it never did work properly. So now it's in here, the scooping room.

The scooping room? Why's it called-

Baby cut him off. Because, dummy, this is the room where they keep the scooper. I thought that would be obvious... isn't that a fun name for something? The scooper. It sounds like something you would use for ice cream, or custard, or sprinkles. It sounds like something you would want at your birthday party to ensure that you get a heaping portion of every. Good. Thing. But it makes you wonder, if you were a pint of freshly opened ice cream, how you would feel about something with that name.

JJ felt his blood run cold. His limbs began shaking, causing the tiny mechanisms in the suit to click.

Cut that out. You don't want to be crushed, do you?

Well that's- I'm- Why does it matter? Why the fuck am I here? Why did you kidnap me?

We need you for something tomorrow, and he wanted to make sure that you didn't go running off someplace. Not that you would have anywhere to go, am I correct?

He wiggled again. Why me? What- I haven't done anything to you! I trusted you!

That was your mistake. Stop moving. Do you know what happens if you let those locks click too much?

WHY WOULD I-

Shh. I'll tell you then, since you're evidently ignorant about these things. First, the locks will snap - Baby snapped her fingers, and JJ flinched - and drive themselves into you, slashing deep cuts all over your body. Then, a second later, all the parts they're holding back will collapse inwards, looking for an endoskeleton to bond to. Your lungs will be punctured, and be filled with your own blood until you drown in it. That a good enough explanation for you?

JJ had never sat so still in his life. He was in a ticking time bomb, and any movement at all would light the fuse. Then again, she could be lying, but if she wasn't... he didn't want to find out.

You know what I figured out?

Shut up.

When you're living in a hellscape like this for so long, there's a very important thing to know. You must learn how to pretend. That's the truth of it, otherwise... She giggled insanely. We'd completely lose our minds.

Ballora never learned.

A door opened, followed by the quiet rattling of a conveyor belt. Ballora was standing on a platform, something blue and glowing on her neck. She looked... human. Very pale, absolutely dressed like a ballerina, her blue hair perfectly done on the top of her head. Like someone in a theater. A human. Her eerie singing filled the room.

All I see is an empty room...

JJ peered around the suit, the flashing red lights in the room briefly illuminating his prison. There was a rip down the front. Maybe...