The Life Behind an Animatronic IV- Solace

Chapter 8 - Springtrap's Lament

I was shocked. The Nightmarionne? Who was this? How could they bring me dreams?

I felt my core drop to my feet as he said these words. Nightmare saw me quivering and tightened his grip on my shoulders, not in a mean way, but in a more reassuring way.

"You have a good reason to be afraid and confused. But do not worry. The Nightmarionne cannot track you through these dreams, but he can break you and manipulate you. Do NOT, in any situation, accept any deals or crumble under any threats. These are hollow, and he cannot do you harm if he does not know where you are." Nightmare explained. I could feel my fear ease a little, but then I saw a familiar face rise behind him.

Golden Freddy had shown up. He was silent as he stood behind the massive animatronic, but the black bear immediately seemed to feel his presence. He took his hands off of me, stood up straight, and faced him. Nightmare easily towered over the smaller bear, but Golden Freddy did not seem intimidated at all.

"I heard your conversation. The Nightmarionne has focused on him?" He asked coldly. Nightmare huffed through his nose.

"We've all been a target of some kind of onslaught, Golden Freddy. Ennard needs to go through his own challenges." He muttered. Golden Freddy's eyes narrowed and he glanced to me. His head moved as well, swiveling sharply as if he had just realized I was here. If I had to be honest, it scared me terribly. I took a few steps back, trying to show I wasn't a threat.

"Yeah..." He began, a sour tone already rising. "But what will we do when the Nightmarionne's lackey shows up and discovers him?"

Nightmare, visibly annoyed, flicked his ear. He stood at the yellow bear with unrelenting contempt.

"He is talented in ways of hiding and disguise. He will be useful. He will be safe." He retorted in slow, deliberate enunciations. Golden Freddy's face went from stern to a condescending glare.

"Ah, I see. So we have a robot who is talented at being a coward." He said. Those words stung harder than they should have. Was it because it was true? I was told that if something hurt, it was true all the time by my Sister Location kin...

Nightmare rose his head in an almost regal manner.

"You're falling down a dark hole, Golden Freddy. One you cannot climb out of if you don't find help or stop now." He said grimly. Golden Freddy seemed to mull over these words, but he turned to Spring Bonnie.

"C'mon. I need help checking on...Him." He said. Spring Bonnie suddenly perked up at the mention of his name, insinuating he was very lost in thought or was surprised that the topic had changed so quickly. And who was "Him"? Another animatronic?

Spring Bonnie cleared his throat and began to rub his wrists.

"Golden Freddy, I don't think he wants to be-" He began.

"He needs to be punished whether he's braced for it or not." The bear snapped back. Spring Bonnie swallowed the rest of his sentence and followed the ethereal golden animatronic.

We all watched them go, Spring Bonnie taking fearful, small steps outside as if he had never walked in snow before. I watched them go and turned away, trying to mull over a lot of information and also recover from Golden Freddy's harsh words again. Nightmare had two fingers on his brow, his eyes closed and he was shaking his head. He then turned to me.

"Come with me." He said. I looked up at him as if he had just grown wings. What? Go with him where?

"Um...what?" I asked quietly. Nightmare seemed quite adamant that I go with him.

"Just come." He said. I quickly nodded and began to follow him. We went outside into the snow, and Nightmare gazed at the footprints that Golden Freddy and Spring Bonnie left behind. He then looked up and at the direction I guess we had to take. His form melded in with the darkness, but his harsh, red eyes gave off a sinister glow on the falling snow.