Storyization 3: The Old and the New

(Made by Saber.)

## What is Storyization?

It's my term for taking a vague concept and turning it into a detailed, fun, and (hopefully) entertaining story to share with the world. And I don't care what autocorrect says; it's a word, I swear. This whole wiki was made on the random idea to pool the concepts from a Roleplay between a friend and myself into one area, to keep track and stay consistent with our storytelling. That storytelling is the banter between us, using multiple characters, antagonists, story arcs, and settings. *I* thought it might be fun to put it all together into detail through my (as unbiased as possible) perception of the events, to give the story some care and structure you don't usually have time for when texting a friend. If you're starting here, I wouldn't advise it. The pages are numbered for a reason, y'know. **Warning: uncensored swearing.**

## The Old and the New

"Ah, good. You're here," Angelo and Bonnie faded into view, tall prairie grass surrounding the three of them. "Welcome to the Playground." He gestured behind him, and Saber suddenly noticed a small group of children playing a little ways away.

"Who are they?" She asked.

"They were the…victims of my rampage, shortly after the death of my humane existence," Angelo explained somberly. "I'd made this place to bend to their liking, so they'll live here in happiness, but…I still regret killing them."

Saber looked on at the group, scanning for a familiar face. "She isn't here, either…" She murmured absentmindedly, forgetting for a moment that others were beside her. Quickly she blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," She apologized hastily. "I promised I wouldn't bring this up." A sudden tug on her sleeve caught the girl's attention, turning to one of the spirits that had approached her.

It was a young boy, no older than 8 or 9, flimsily dressed as a pirate.

"Arr!" He cried. "I be King of these here seas, and I command you to surrender!"

Saber chuckled at the innocence of the game. "Of course, captain." She replied, curtsying awkwardly at the small boy. He smiled and nodded, grabbing her arm and tugging her away. Saber waved to the other two and followed the new playmate back to the group. Angelo watched them wander away with a regretful smile.

"Brother, don't let the actions of the past weigh you down," Bonnie put a reassuring hand on Angelo's shoulder, standing beside him. "Think of now. Look around you, brother. Look at the good you've created out of a little mistake."

"Yeah," A puzzled expression crossed the spirit's face, suddenly. "Although, the human's sister…Arion, I believe was her name. I could've sworn I'd seen a child here that looked like her sibling. Nevertheless, I will find her. It's the best repay I have." Angelo stood silent for a moment, then, "Bonnie, do you know why I chose children instead of adults?"

"Enlighten me," Bonnie said, watching Saber duel with the other pirates. "I think we have a while before we need to leave."

"I chose children because they were innocent. They had yet to commit sins that the afterlife would punish them for, so they could live happily-"

"Bon Bon!" A small figure suddenly leaped onto Bonnie from behind, hugging him tightly and knocking him over. Angelo turned at the commotion and laughed, entertained as his siblings collected themselves off the ground.

"Nice to see you too, sis," Bonnie tipped the top hat back off of his sister's face. She giggled and pulled it down again.

"Fweddy?" Goldie turned to her older brother with puppy dog eyes, as if asking an unspoken question.

"Alright, your turn," Angelo waved his hand, transforming the costume into a young, glowing girl with long blonde hair. "Now, shoo."

"Weee!" Goldie darted off into the tall grass with her arms outstretched, aiming for the other children. Both brothers looked on at their youngest third wheel, and Angelo sighed in relief.

"I can sleep peacefully at night, knowing I don't cause her any more pain," He murmured. "I'm glad the human forgave me. It's a miracle to live free of the bonds of your sins."

"I never did understand that about her," Bonnie chuckled. "No matter what the circumstance, Saber would always pull through for me, or for you, or for the good of any other beyond herself. She's experienced grief almost akin to our own, lacking the sins of the afterlife, and still here she is, out of no will but her own." A thought occurred in Bonnie's mind. "Brother, do you remember when we were humans like her?"

"Vaguely. The clearest part I do remember is our Mother…granted, she does haunt me, quite literally. This is the only place she can't just appear and rant on about her murder. All that's left of her is anger…do you think it's possible that could happen to me?"

"If you're the one responsible for this place, I seriously doubt it." Bonnie grinned widely and hugged his brother's shoulders.

"Arr, ye scurvy dogs!" Saber's voice suddenly rang out across the field. "Ye be standin' in clear shot of our cannon, lest ye be joinin' our crew." She had a simple eyepatch and sword like the other children, a red scarf tied around her neck. Goldie stood beside her, wearing a giant captain's hat with a feathery plume that slid sideways on her head. Bonnie chuckled at the sight and glanced at Angelo.

"Well?" He asked.

"Let's do this." Instantly Angelo changed in a flash of light, his dress the overdone attire of the first pirates. "Yargh, I be cap'n Angelo," He shouted back, "and I wish 'ta join ye hearty crew!" He glanced back as Bonnie, as if to say, *Your turn.*

With a snap of his own fingers, Bonnie melded into a renaissance commander, speaking in the best English accent he could muster.

"Hah! I'd never stoop to the likes of pirates! I am Captain Edward, leader of Her Majesty's fleet! And you, sir, I have deemed my enemy!" A couple dozen clones of British Navy soldiers took over the area behind the spirit, each holding a bayonet.

"Forward, soldiers!" Bonnie cried as the clones sped past him like flowing water. As expected, the children rushed at the clones blindly, swiping away with their swords and cutting through the images like scissors to paper. A sudden attack from his right caught his attention, and quickly Bonnie parred with his opponent.

"Yaaargh, me hearties!" Angelo cried. "We'll be showin' ya what bein' a pirate be all about!" Within the fray, Angelo and Bonnie fought carelessly, both remembering the young memories of playing pirates at children themselves. As the crowd thinned, the opponents slowed, holding the other's sword in a stale mate.

"I shan't be crushed by a captain of a dishonest crew!" Bonnie threatened. "The pirate empire shall be crushed under my own boots!"

"Yarharharhar! Not on me watch, scaliwag!" Just as Angelo was about to push Bonnie into surrender, his face suddenly slackened into cold fear.

Angelo muttered, "Did anyone else just feel a chill…" before he quickly sunk to the ground, a knife lodged deeply into his back. The world froze and stared on in horror, the deadly silence striking for a mere moment.

"Angelo!" Bonnie knelt beside his brother instantly, tearing out the knife and tossing it aside. "Brother, can you hear me?"

Saber stood and watched in shock, before she saw the knife float upwards and raise to strike Bonnie in the back as well. "Look out!" She screeched, firing her revolver at the spot. The knife clattered harmlessly to the ground, it's possessor beginning a wild laugh.

"Guess who's back, motherfuckas!" Fritz popped into view, grinning at the sight of his work.

"No…" Angelo managed to sit up and stare back in icy disbelief. "I locked you away…to the blackest-" Angelo hacked for a moment, blood spurting to the ground. "The blackest pit in hell."

"Oh, did you *really* think I'd stay for long?" Fritz spun in the air, staring at Angelo upside-down. "The fine gentleman who ran that part of the Under Realm owed me a few favors, and naturally I had to call them in." His head suddenly turned to Saber, who was standing in front of the children protectively. "Now, to finish what I started." He landed on the ground, the knife whirling into his outstretched hand as he tread slowly closer, the blade dripping with a think black liquid. "Remember me, kids?" He sneered.

"Don't you dare touch them!" Saber threatened, lifting the revolver to the demon's head. Goldie held her shirt in fear, hiding directly behind the girl. Fritz glanced at the golden child and laughed again.

"Is this one yours, Fred?" He asked. "Well then, what a treat we have today. I get to kill the human, the children, and the brothers, *and* the little sister as a free bonus. Four for the price of one!" He laughed again at his own joke, stepping ever closer.

"No…" Angelo struggled into a stand, leaning heavily on Bonnie. It hurt to much to try and fight back. "Don't do this…"

"S.A.V.E.T.H.E.M." A rusted voice echoed from nowhere. Fritz froze and looked around, as did the others. Slowly, from the edges of the field, he could make out the shape of one of the old animatronics; the purple one, with the missing face. But he'd had them decommissioned years ago…

"What the fuck *is* that thing?" Fritz demanded, stepping away slightly.

As the figure drew closer, the chant intensified. "S.A.V.E.T.H.E.M.SAVE.THEM.SAVETHEM!" Eventually the animatronic stopped, a few meters away from Fritz. The arm raised and pointed at the demon.

"K.I.L.L.Y.O.U." It said. Fritz scowled and donned violet armor, his knife ready.

"Not a fuckin' chance, Bugs," He snarled. The arm lowered and repointed to Bonnie, turning it's head slightly.

"H.E.L.P.M.E." It spoke. "S.H.A.R.E.P.O.W.E.R." Bonnie remained still, refusing to leave his brother behind.

"Bonnie, help her." Saber commanded, her eyes never leaving Fritz.

"But-"

"Angelo is going to be fine, and that's a promise. But right now we need to get Fritz away from the children as fast as possible."

Bonnie sighed and slowly left Angelo to stand on his own, dissipating into smoke and sinking into the animatronic. "KILL YOU NOW." The robot muttered, it's movements no longer sluggish.

Fritz suddenly broke into a insane grin, the armor disappearing. "Couldn't beat ya then, Bon, can't beat ya now. But…" His eyes flitted over to Saber, who was still aiming the gun, "…perhaps the human is willing to come to an agreement?"

A young girl's voice suddenly screamed, echoing across the air. "SABER, HELP ME!" It cried. Saber shot up in alert, whirling around.

"Arion?! Arion, I'm here!" She turned to glare at Fritz coldly. "Where is she?!" She demanded. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY SISTER?!"

"I might have her alive, I might not…" Fritz suggested, enjoying the obvious agony. "Who's to say but me? For the sake of it, let's say I've had her for a while–gotta hear some fresh screams every once in a while, ya know?–but I don't need her any more. Just call off the Easter Bunny over here and stay outta my way, and she's yours. No questions, no caches."

Saber couldn't believe her ears. Her sister, after years of mystery, could be alive and given to her without any consequences on her own. Slowly she began to holster the gun.

"Saber, don't listen to him!" Bonnie warned. "You know he's lying!"

"If she's alive, then show me," Saber finally replied, ignoring Bonnie. "I want to see her."

"Saber, this isn't you!" Bonnie glared at Fritz, leaping towards him in attack. "Keep your mind games away from her!" He shouted.

"Hah!" Fritz ducked, easily allowing the attacker to fly harmlessly over his head. "You want to see her? Ask your dying friend, he'll know where my domain is!" In a blur of shadows, Fritz left the area instantly, retracting to his home.

"No. No, No NO! COME BACK HERE, COWARD!" Saber demanded, looking wildly about the area. "COME BACK!" Her voice cracked, and her cries faded into whispered sobs. "Come back…" Her head snapped up suddenly, glaring at Angelo with rage.

"WHERE IS HE?!" She demanded, her body fading into darker hues. "WHERE IS HE HOLDING MY SISTER?!"

"Saber, calm down!" Bonnie evaporated out of the figure and grabbed her arms, shaking her. "She'll be fine, I promise! He isn't going to do anything to her now; Fritz is smarter than that." The color returned into the girl as she calmed down, wiping away the tears.

"Saber…" Angelo tried to step forward, quickly tumbling down in excruciating pain.

"Angelo!" Both helped him sit up as Saber looked at the wound.

"Ugh…" Angelo held his head, trying to shake off the dizziness. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. It's Fritz you want to worry about. My best guess is he's at one of my other pocket dimensions, a recreation of the Pizzeria from 1987. At the time, it was a comforting place, but I haven't been there in years."

"Y.O.U.R.E.H.U.R.T." The figure had joined Bonnie and Saber silently, startling them, and Angelo looked up in surprise.

"Caren?" He asked. "What are you doing here? I thought you took to loneliness." The figure replied with a low buzz of garbled static, and Saber whispered to Bonnie.

"Isn't that the name of the girl? From the Bite Incident?" She asked. Bonnie nodded as Caren finished her…sentence, and gestured to the children.

"Ah, so it *was* the kids," Angelo tried a chuckle, quickly resulting in a coughing fit. "Ogh, okay, maybe I'm not as fine as I say. Anyone have a way to heal?"

"Fweddy?" Goldie finally stepped out from within the group of children, a mask of worry on her face as she scampered to beside her sibling.

"Hey, kiddo," Angelo managed a smile. "Big bro's not feeing too good right now."

"I wanna help," Goldie put her hands on Angelo's back, mending what she could on the injury, cleaning the surface. Saber watched on with awe, before she noticed Bonnie looking at her strangely.

"What?" She asked.

"You're…flickering." Bonnie said. "I think you're waking up."

"What?" She glanced at her hands, which were slowly becoming transparent. "Oh, well that's *perfect* timing, isn't it?" She groaned. Already the area around her began to fade to black.

"Saber," Angelo muttered. "Meet us in the Pizzeria. There's something there that might help us."

"I'll wake up as fast as the drugs will allow me," She promised, backing out into consciousness.

"Saber! Boss, wake up!" Slowly the girl pulled herself into reality, the anesthetic unwilling to wear out. Eventually Jeremy's face faded into view, shaking Saber.

"Ugh," Saber sat up slowly, her head spinning drowsily. "I hate using those things. Feels like a hangover." She looked at her relieved employee with an annoyed smirk. "You have perfect timing, you know that?"

"What happened?" Jeremy asked. "Where's Fritz and the others?"

"Long story, Jeremy," Saber replied, ignoring him to type in a code under the desk. "Check's on the table."

"What?" Jeremy said. "But-"

"I can see the blood on your arm from here," Saber said. "Demon or not, that injury should've healed by now. You're hurt badly, and I don't need another death on my conscious."

"…Fine." Jeremy stood and exited the room silently, unspoken anger hiding behind his teeth. Saber glanced at him leaving, feeling guilty, as the soft slide of a metal door echoed behind her. Quickly she disappeared down the hidden passageway, returning to the hidden scrapyard of the restaurant's animatronics.

"Hey, guys," She muttered with a self-chastising smirk. She probably sounded half-insane, talking to hoarded robots, but that was pretty dull compared to what'd she's just witnessed. As she expected, Angelo, Bonnie, and Caren appeared around the room as well.

"Where's Foxy?" Angelo began sifting through the statues, glancing around. "He's got the key to ending that bastard."

"Back here," Saber called from the back of the room, pulling aside a tattered violet curtain hiding an alcove in the wall. Almost menacingly, the old Pirate Fox stared forward, stuck with his hooked arm raised and his jaw slack. Saber grinned with sudden reminisce at the pose.

"Foxy was always Arion's favorite," She said, stepping behind the body. "You need me to turn it on?"

"It would help with the process," Angelo explained briefly. With a shrug, Saber began to tinker with the wiring, grateful to the knowledge her real job required.

"Why the sudden hype about the old scrap, Fred?" Bonnie questioned as Saber worked. "They're not going to be useful to us in battle, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, this just happens to tie into a promise I'd made a long time back," Angelo motioned to Caren, who was examining the other animatronics with the awe of a small child. "She came to me back in '87, a short while after her death in the hospital. Poor thing; her soul had been ripped practically in two, the other half clinging to the animatronic that had bitten out her head. I'd trained her and promised her we'd find her other half someday, and she'd be one of the best Protectors ever. It was a bit over-exaggerated at the time, but she's surprised me time and again."

"Then why shouldn't we be digging Mangle out?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, technically the Toys parts were used to rebuild the originals after the second restaurant's closing, so the soul most likely transferred with it. Either way, if we can get her back together, we've at least got the upper hand."

Saber yelped suddenly, leaping back from the animatronic as it sparked to life.

"Ya-Ya-Yarrgh-gh me he-hear-heartie-ies!" It said. "Welcom-Wel-Welcome to the Pira-Pirate's co-cocococococococococococve!"

"Yeesh, what happened to it's voice box?" Angelo shuddered. "No matter. We're here on other pretenses. Brother," He turned to the sibling. "would you do the honors?"

"I'll give it a shot." Bonnie slowly put his hands on the shoulders of the animatronic, allowing it to jerk and twitch through his fingers. As he focused, Foxy began to sing a song, his voice jumping in speed and pitch like a broken record.

 "Oh, what d-d-do ya do with a drunk-nk-nken s-s-sailor, what do ya-ya-ya-ya ya do with a drunken sailor-r-r…" Foxy's jaw snapped faster and faster, out of sync with his voice, as if trying to attack something.

"Bonnie, be careful," Saber cautioned, getting out from behind the animatronic to avoid being crushed against the wall.

"Almost…got it…" Bonnie strained to talk, as if whatever he was grasping wouldn't let go. As the song ended it's course, Foxy's voice box began to slow, it's hook arm lifting as if to strike.

"Bonnie, get back!" Angelo pushed his sibling out of the way as Foxy swung, narrowly missing the both of them. Quickly Saber leaped up and shut off the battery.

"You guys okay?" She asked, resetting the robot into it's standstill position.

"Yeah," Bonnie sat up slowly, a child-like figure held in his arm. Caren's ears perked up, and stepped forward at the sight of the child.

"Well well, looks like it did work," Angelo collected himself off the ground as well, a grin on his face. "Alright, Caren, take your pick."

The spirit nodded and dissipated into the Bonnie animatronic nearby, it's face still missing after the few years of negligence. Bonnie let the child go as well, and it drifted towards it's other half, awakening the old robot. Two bulbs on the front of the skeleton flickered red, then white, left as nothing but the lights that would illuminate the original eye globes. Nonetheless, the robot looked around in slow realization.

"I…I can't believe it," It spoke with a young girl's voice, overlapped with a monotonous echo, looking at it's arms and body with awe. "I can't believe I'm finally back together." The joints curled and released, and Caren tried to take a shaky step forward. The rusted leg nearly collapsed, unused to supporting the metal skeleton, and Bonnie and Angelo held it up with some effort.

"I guess they *could* be in better condition," Saber said apologetically with a sheepish grin. "Probably best if you don't use it now, but I'll be happy to fix it for you in the future."

"It'd be nice to see these old things up and running again," Angelo suddenly fell on his knees, clutching his chest. "Agh, that damn knife wound is giving me troubles again." He stated between gritted teeth.

"Hold steady, soldier," Saber crouched beside the spirit. "Let me see it." As she examined the injury, the bleeding had started up again, refusing to scab over. A thick black liquid rimmed the puncture, fizzing like acid against the blood.

"Eionute poison," Angelo muttered when Saber mentioned this. "It was designed ages ago by satanists as a deterrent against spirits; it's rare, but I happened to have some hidden around. Fritz must've gotten ahold of it." He groaned again. "Nonetheless, the wound should've scabbed at least with Goldie's spell."

"Wait, where's the bullet I gave you?" Saber's thoughts suddenly went to the creature from the night before, remembering something he'd taunted her with during the possession.

"Here," Angelo's palm opened, revealing the glowing prison like a quarter in a magic trick. "Don't know why you need it."

"Just trust me," Saber reached for the bullet bare-handed, and Bonnie grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" He demanded. "You know he can still get to you if you touch it."

Saber smirked, pulling her arm out of his grasp. "That's the idea." She replied simply, grabbing the bullet firmly with both hands before anyone else could interfere. Her body twitched and shook for a moment as the host was replaced, the eyes fading to a navy blue. Eventually the body stood, staring at the others with disinterest.

"What do you want?" Misery asked coldly.

"Our friend has been hit with Eionute poison," Bonnie explained, tense around his previous master, "and unfortunately for the both of us, you're one of few spirits capable of healing it."

Misery glanced over at the curled creature on the floor, uninterested. "And what do I get out of this?" He asked, hardly budging to assist.

"I know positions in the Underworld Judgment," Angelo managed to say. "I can't get you out of a guilty sentence, but I can lower it from death. So riddle me this, Chuckles," Angelo lifted his head to stare back. "Do you value your life?"

Misery laughed, oddly amused. "You're so full of yourself," He smirked. "I could easily stand her and watch you die with a front row seat, before the eyes of everyone. Maybe I'd even steal this human's body as a host, and leave you to your own devices." He stood silent for a moment, letting his threat sink in. Bonnie stepped forward to grab the bullet out of Saber's hand, but Misery lifted his own for closure.

"But I won't." He crouched again beside Angelo, holding the bullet just above the wound. Like a magnet, the poison began to drip backwards onto the ammunition. "Believe it or not, Fritz is a threat to my range of employment, and I'd sooner have him dealt with then see your satisfactory demise." The last of the liquid absorbed itself into the bullet, and the wound finally closed. Misery stood with a sneer.

"This in no regard makes us allies," He stated. "So I hope you hold up your end of the deal, Teddy." The body twitched again as Misery fell back into his prison, and both Saber and the bullet clattered to the ground.

"Ugh," The real Saber grabbed her forehead, propped up on one arm off the ground. "That was painful." She looked at the bullet, and then at Angelo and the healed wound, relief on her face.

"That was pretty dumb," Bonnie scolded.

"Yeah, but it worked," Saber retorted, wandering off to another storage crate. Angelo righted himself and picked up the stray ball of metal.

"Don't worry, Smiley, I'm not the kind to take promises lightly." He clenched his fist, allowing the bullet to disappear. "You guys head on without me. I need to get Misery back to the Court. Caren knows the way." He handed Bonnie a dark key and blipped out of the room. Caren turned to the spirit in question.

"Shall we?" She asked.

"Hold on a sec," Saber called, still rummaging through the crates. "Come on, I know they're here somewhere…" Piles of bits and parts of spare wires and metal surrounded her, and continued to grow until she eventually unveiled a pair of thick leather forearm cuffs and a folded puzzle of sharp metal at the bottom of the crate.

"Had these a while back from a costume contest," Saber snickered to herself. "All I won was a free trip out the door, so I'd say they do their job." Quickly she pulled on the cuffs and strapped the metal pile onto her back like a backpack, fitting a thin wire around her neck. She took a step back from the group and stiffened her arms. Instantly two long, thin knives protruded from the inside of the forearm cuffs, passing just longer than her fingertips. The metal across her back snapped into place, exploding out like a steel umbrella to form a winged shape of sharp blades. A satisfied grin spread across the girl's face as the blades retracted as quickly as they'd appeared, her muscles twitching in command.

"God, I missed these," She said, internally chuckling at the shocked faces of the others. "So, you said you know where the dimension is?"

Caren shook off the initial surprise and nodded. She held out both of her hands for Bonnie and Saber to take hold, and with some strain whisked them into the dimension she'd called a home.

"We're here," Caren landed on the edge of the dimension, just outside of the building. "Careful not to back up too far; it's the edge of the world, quite literally."

In curiosity Saber turned around and peered over the cliff, facing inky blackness below.

*Why do I have the sudden impression to fall crying the Wilhelm scream?* She thought with an inward smirk, turning around again to look at the decrepit fortress. At the least, Angelo had nailed the outward appearance, and Saber felt a flash of nostalgia cross her mind.

"Brings back old memories," She sighed. "How about you, Bon?"

The rabbit didn't reply, his eyes forward at the door, as if trying to look through them.

"He's here," He snarled. "They both are."

As if on cue, the sudden screech of metal and animal exploded from the building, followed by the cries of a young girl. Fritz's laugh of grim pleasure overrode it all, drilling into Saber's ears.

"ARION!" She shouted, slicing away the door and racing inside before her friends could stop her. The rooms passed by in a blur, finally coming to a halt at the stage room. Like an announcer for a game show, Fritz towered smugly above the girl, a microphone in hand.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show," He sneered. "I presume you're here to discuss your girly?" He gestured to the left of the stage, where Arion was entering with a stiff walk, turning and standing obediently.

"Saber…" The child muttered, "help me…"

"Fritz, let her go this instant!" Saber tried to leap at the demon, swords extended, when her arms were pulled backwards by an arriving Bonnie and Caren. Fritz laughed at the apparent suffering, letting it sink in.

"Saber, stop it!" Bonnie reasoned, struggling with the furious child. "He'll kill you!"

"I don't care!" She shouted back, writhing to escape the spirits grasp. "He's going to hell for what he did!"

"Hah! I've been to hell and back, baby!" Fritz teased. "Ain't nothing you can pull off to scare me! Now, you want the girl, you'd better start negotiating. I personally want a different slave if you're taking mine away."

Eventually Saber shook off her captors, staring up at Fritz coldly. "Fine," She snarled. "I can play the bounty hunter. Who do you want?"

"Saber, think about this-" Bonnie said.

"I frankly don't give a damn at this point, Bonnie," Saber snapped. "If another kid suffers because of me, I can live with it. All I want is my sister, and nothing's going to stop me when I'm this close. So," She turned back to Fritz, her weapons gleaming, "what's the request, purple boy?"

"Oh, any soul will do," Fritz leaned back on his heels in thought. "Preferably one that hasn't suffered much, but-"

"STOP YOU FOUL DEMON!" A booming voice echoed through the room, and in a quick flash Angelo had appeared between Saber and Fritz, eyes flaring in anger.

"Angelo, what are you doing here?" Saber demanded. "I thought you were taking care of Misery."

"I did," Angelo replied briefly, keeping his rage focused on his other half. "I see through your lies, you monster," He snarled, pulling his cutlass, "and I'm better than letting this human suffer!" He slashed forward at the girl, full force. As expected, the soul didn't flinch, the sword passing harmlessly through her torso.

"You see that?" Angelo shouted, pointing the tip of his sword at the image. "Nothing but a fake! YOU LYING PIECE OF-" His voice cut off into odd gibberish, and although unrecognizable to Saber, she saw Bonnie and Caren snicker beside her at the negative tone. That too quickly tuned out of the slow realization of what had transpired.

*I knew it,* She thought to herself, examining her blades. *I knew she wasn't truly alive. God dammit, wake up, Saber! Your sister is dead, thanks to you! There's no going back on a "mistake" like that….* As her ears finally returned to the real world, Angelo had finished his rant, his body twitching angrily whilst staring back at an unamused Fritz.

"You," She spoke in the momental silence, "like all the others, have toyed with my emotions. I'm nothing but a doll to you, a pet to gain comfort, like all humans are. What's your pleasure from it? Is there something satisfying from controlling underlings, prodding at each variable to see what it does? Do you need me to uphold some illusion that you're greater than you are?" She chuckled, an odd grin across her face. "You know, I don't know why I bother. If your heart is going to be tugged at like a puppet on a string, then why have one? Heh, it's as simple as that. Just *stop caring.*" Her knives retracted for a moment, only to quickly sprout out once again painted in the black Eionute poison. The smile on Saber's face widened, glancing about the room expectantly. Her eyes had faded to a dull grey, peering intently at the figures onstage.

"That's all I ever was," She murmured sweetly, contrasting the sudden dark hues of her body. "A rat in a cage, scurrying at every bit of food I could find to sustain my hunger to find her. I thought I'd come so close, when I was in turn farther away than ever before, driven only by blind emotion that some so easily took advantage of."' The black pupils flicked to Fritz accusingly, and he smirked.

"You think killing me's gonna do something, human?" He asked. "My existence is eternal. Even if this form dies, another will soon take it's place. I cannot be eradicated." He held his arms wide, exposing his chest. A smug grin masked his face. "But, if you'd like a stab at it-"

Fritz stuttered mid-sentence, his throat filling with thick blood. Silently Saber stood beside him, her metal wing buried neatly into his ribcage, just missing the bone and spine. With a flick the wing snapped back into position, hurling Fritz across the room and into the far wall with a sickening crack. The girl now looked at Angelo, ignoring the bits of flesh caught between the blades of her right appendage.

"S-Saber, let's talk about this," Angelo took a step back apprehensively, his cutlass lifted to shield. "Please, if there's a shred of humanity left in you-"

"That's the problem with that word," She interrupted, strolling casually closer. "Humanity. It refers to being the good girl, the child inside you that posses a weakness, and yet, the very context of it is *human.* You cannot be one without it. I'm not a demon, nor even a spirit. I am still a *human,* stuck to the form of flesh and blood, and weighed down by emotional restraints. I can't be of any more use than a tool to higher power such as yourself." She struck forward with one of her poisoned knives, aiming for the leg, but Angelo leaped aside, rolling to the dining area below. Saber kept eyes with him for a moment, daring to flick away long enough to point his attention to the two remaining witnesses.

"Bonnie…" She cooed, locking eyes. "You never really cared, did you? All you wanted from me was a new host, to rid yourself of the possessor that caused you grief…He's gone now. You don't have to hold back." She leapt at the spirit with an animalistic screech, and just as she predicted Angelo rushed over to guard his sibling.

"Two men, one shield," She stated with a satisfied grin, her feet landing against Angelo's blade and pushing away, aiming for Caren. The momentous force shoved both of them against the wall, pinning Caren behind Saber's wings.

"Your move, Teddy," Saber said, hardly struggling to keep Caren in custody, a single blade raised to press against her neck. "And I assure you, this one's no fake."

"Saber," Angelo spoke softly, "if you need me to say it directly, you're *not* a weakling. You're the strongest of your kind, undeniably. Even with the bare contact we had before this, I could tell something was odd about you…I never believed you were lesser than us."

Saber's mouth twitched, but controlled it quickly. "A little late for that announcement, isn't it?" She smirked in response, the blade inching closer to it's victim.

"What about your sister?" Angelo continued calmly, stalling for time. "You still want to find her, don't you? Just let Caren go, and I have one more place to look."

This time the effect was obvious. Saber's mouth twisted into a snarl, her greyed eyes gaining a red shine.

"What event would provoke me to believe you, Shadow Freddy?" She growled, using the title she knew had yet to be truly discarded. "What would tell me to trust you, after what you did to me, to find the one soul *I* had killed?" She pointed to the image of her sister, staring back blankly, as the wrist knife ejected from the sheath and rocketed through the air, striking the illusion through the chest and triggering it's disappearance. Her arm lowered, a new knife jutting out and taking place of the old.

"I'm not unfamiliar with death, Angelo,"  Saber snarled. "And I'll happily eradicate *any* obstacle."  Angelo stood silent for a moment, thinking to himself.

*She's truly lost it…Agh! I hate to do this….* He glanced at Fritz, who was finally recovering off the ground, and he replied with a swift, grim nod; even the demon knew what the priority was. In unspoken sync, both figures lifted their palms and shot two thick beams of energy at the girl. She flinched and lifted her wings to shield herself, releasing Caren and knocking her back down the room. Her body tumbled like a rag doll, finally skidding to a halt on her back.

"Owwww," She groaned, rubbing her shoulder. Her eyes flickered, the iris switching from grey to brown like a broken television. Angelo drew his cutlass as the girl rose, the merciless smile returned to her face.

"About time you stopped chickening out," Saber said, her eyes now a pale copper. Angelo narrowed his own eyes and lunged at the girl, striking her against the outstretched wrist. A pained cry escaped them both, but Angelo was the first to retreat.

"Can't hurt innocents like this…" He muttered, gripping his own hand as if he'd injured himself. As both recovered from the attacks, Fritz felt an odd sensation hit him.

*Is this what I am?* He wondered, staring almost in awe at the disheveled human before him. *Nothing but madness incarnate? Is that truly my purpose in existence?* His mind wandered back to the real world as Saber approached her opponent once more.

"Typical," She said, readjusting her glove. "You can't even attack me because I'm so *innocent.* Didn't you hear what I said?" She darted forward again, this time landing a cut across the angel's arm. The poison hissed and popped like acid against the wound, quickly circulating through it's victim's body. Saber turned around to strike him again, barely winded.

Smoke as fast and as thick as swirling dust suddenly surrounded Angelo's appearance, deflecting the oncoming stab. The room began to fill with deep screams, digging into the ears of the witnesses, finally pierced by a threatening laugh. The smoke cleared, revealing a horrid, misshapen creature hovering where the angel once was. His appearance flickered with spots of black and white, only defined by two blood-red eyes that peered around like an animal.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to give in to confusion and let *me* out to play," His voice rattled like a broken radio, turning to tower over the girl nearby. "You pathetic human, thinking your poison could affect a creature like myself. And quit your whining. You're nowhere near earning credit for *my* work."

"Angelo?" Caren took a step back; this couldn't possibly be her mentor.

"Not anymore," The beast now turned its head towards the victim, grinning. "The Angelo you know is gone. Without knowing, he relinquished control to me, the Balancer between light and shadow. And *I* have no qualms about killing off the weak. So, Saber Fazbatch," He turned back, "Prepare to meet your-"

The girl suddenly burst into laughter, interrupting the demon. "That…" She said between snickers, gasping for breath. "That is the…most ridiculous-looking form I've seen in a long time! And boy, I've seen some shit. Come on. At least *I've* got cool-looking metal wings. You're just a Yin-Yang ripoff."

Balancer snarled and knocked her aside with his hand like a doll, sending Saber flying across the room. Her wings sparked as they scraped against the floor, her head and body crashing into the far wall with a loud, thick thud. Her eyes swam around her as she struggled to return to her feet, glaring at the now-cackling opponent.

"AHAHA! Oh, this is *rich!*" He bellowed, his voice shaking the walls. "You think you're something special, don't you? You think you're greater than your species just because you killed your own blood? Well let me set your record straight: you never did anything. *I* was responsible for the cold-blood murder of every person you've EVER LOVED! I AM A GOD COMPARED TO MORTAL FILTH LIKE YOU, AND YOU WILL HEEL TO YOUR MASTER!" His arm swung again, sharp like an axe as it whizzed through the air.

"NO!" Caren leapt between the two, deflecting the attack as best she could with her arms. A wave of electricity, like the surface of water, spread out from the impact along an invisible plane, shaking off the momentum. A thin collection of cracks formed against the defender's forearms, deepening to a blue-black wound. Saber watched this with awe and anger, her mind silently processing the message she'd been given. Caren turned and knelt beside her, trying to shake the girl out of her trance.

"Saber, wake up!" She shouted. "You've got to help us! We can kill Balancer, I know it, but you have to snap out of it! We can avenge your sister together!"

"GAH!" Balancer held his wrist as if he'd burned it, turning back to the spirits with wildfire in his eyes. "Rrrrgh, how dare you interfere-"

A loud crack like a lightning strike suddenly set the room ablaze with smoke, cutting off the demon's rant once more, shadowing the room in black clouds. A grin formed within the fog as it piled and writhed, condensing into a thin, white-eyed figure with a smiling, rosy-cheeked mask.

"Hmph," Misery muttered, the mask moving in perfect sync. "I thought I'd arrive to Fritz in such a situation, not the Judge."

The appearance of the masked figure seemed to finally bring Saber to her senses, her eyes washing over with their normal luminous brown. She stumbled forward into Caren, smirking oddly at Misery.

"So now you show up," She said, rubbing her disjointed neck. Misery turned at the voice and replied with a stern glare.

"You were wise to call me, human," He said. "But do not forget our deal." Saber nodded in acknowledgement, too tired to properly respond. Slowly she sat back against the wall, carefully letting her bones slide back into place as Caren did her best to treat the cuts.

"Misery?" Bonnie and Balancer asked almost simultaneously, as Bonnie finally brought his mind to the reality of what occurred. "What might a possessor such as yourself be doing here?"

"I've come to hold up my end of…a rather unrefutable bargain," Misery's grin only widened as he responded, his hands growing into claws nearly the length of himself, dripping in the same, black acid. "That, of course, entails eradicating you."

"Ha! Don't flatter yourself." Balancer lifted his own axe-hand in a threatening stance. "I've seen your tricks. You think a hand in the making of that Eionute wouldn't be prone to protection? I'm immune to your trump card, Possessor."

"But you're not immune to injury." Quickly Misery dissipated into smoke once more, blinding the room in shadow. The whir of something thin, sharp, and fast echoed through the clouds, overlapped with grunts of pain from the beast and the wind in their ears. In the darkness, Saber felt something grab her hand.

"Hold onto me and don't let go," Bonnie's voice was close by her head. "I need an anchor for this." His eyes flashed briefly in the swirling matter, the grip on Saber's hand tightening as it faded.

"Bonnie?" Saber called out frantically. The attack faded before her friend responded, Misery standing content a little ways away, the claws retracted. Looking at Balancer, his body was covered in violet gashes, each bubbling with the toxic liquid.

"Eheh…aha…aAHAHAHAHAAA!" Balancer turned with a smug grin, the wounds lacing themselves shut and away. "Forget it, Misery. You don't have the *rage* to beat me."

"*He* might not." Bonnie suddenly appeared beside Saber, a dark, writhing object in his hand. "But I've got an old trick up my sleeve." He smirked, tossing the mass at the ground.

*Sorry about this, Angelo.* He thought. *Hope you don't mind getting the blunt of this.*

As expected, the object exploded in size upon impact, melding into a large, goblin-like creature. Long, jagged claws hung from it's withered hands, and a spaded tail protruded lazily from behind. Clumps of stringy material gathered on it's head, a poor excuse for hair, and it's face, although human, seethed with Rage.

"YOU!" It snarled, it's mouth clacking with shattered teeth, staring hatefully at Balancer. "The FAILED Balance Keeper! YOU were supposed to be the one that would ENFORCE balance, not SHATTER IT!"

The beast she addressed grimaced, clutching his head. "AAGH!" He whined. "This demon's rant is like nails on a board. What is it?"

"Not it. She." Bonnie replied smugly. "Balancer, meet my mother; an entity devolved to pure rage, last I recall…"

"Nooo…grrraahhh…" Balancer moaned, collapsing. Bonnie grinned.

"Caren, now!" He shouted. The girl nodded in response, a large ball of Light energy forming between her hands. Slowly the demon turned to face her, it's face slack with terror.

"Sorry, Angelo," She said with slight hesitation. "I'll try and be nice." She thrust her palms forward, launching the ball.

"AAAAAAAH-" The scream cuts out, drowned in a deafening explosion of black and white. Saber screamed and clutched her ears, unable to see or hear, and squeezed her eyes shut.

––––––––

"…ber? Saaberrr…SABER!"

"Gah!" The human in question sat upright, colliding forehead first with her guardian. "Ow!" She rubbed the sore spot. "Jeez, wake-up call much?"

"Yep, she's awake," Caren stood nearby and grinned, helping Saber to her feet as Bonnie fell back to nurse his own recent wound. "The explosion threw us all for a loop."

"Balancer…" Saber shook her head; everything was too fuzzy. "Angelo, is he-"

"It's over. I'm me again." The bear grinned, elbows leaning on the rise of the stage. "Gets a bit hard to handle, heh."

"Mmm…" Saber almost heard her neck pop, she looked up so fast, and whirled around. "Fritz. Where's-"

"Over here…" The voice was meek, much less boisterous than what Saber had originally heard. She turned in demand, remembering why she'd come here in the first place, but he beat her to words.

"I…I don't know a good way to say this, but…seeing the human go insane really put my existence into perspective. I really don't know what I am anymore. I used to think I was simply a being of evil, but…if that's true, then why was the human's sanity loss humorous to me or something? I-" His voice stopped, his throat clenching shut as though he were about to cry, before continuing. "I don't know anymore…"

There was a long, silent, shocked pause. Saber kept her mouth shut; anything she would say, especially what she had to say, would only ruin what she secretly prayed was true. Bonnie stepped in before her.

"None of us have a say in your existence, Fritz," He explained as best he could. "By all logical terms, you shouldn't even be coming to your own conclusions. I can put it as best I can: You're an entity designed to take pleasure from the pain of others. The children, Saber; they were suffering, and to see the results of your actions brought you your own happiness. When she snapped, you took it as a humorous endeavor. That's your perception of joy; it's not evil, but…misguided."

Fritz hadn't said anything, biting his lip to keep from blubbering like a fool in front of the others. His eyes sparkled with tears, and Saber felt something tug at her chest. Somehow, she was feeling *sorry* for him. After all he'd done, after all he'd proved to show he was a heartless killer, here he stood, on the brink of tears, lamenting his actions as though he'd been scolded.

A high, jeering voice broke the moment. "Look, I *hate* to break this revelation, but there's still something here you promised me." Misery stood apart from the group, arms crossed, and stared at Saber like a master expecting his pet. She already knew what to expect, and didn't argue.

"…Coming." She tread towards him, stiff and silent, avoiding eye contact with the others.

"Saber, what are you doing?" Caren exclaimed, as Bonnie tried to grab his friend, presuming she was under a spell. "Get away from that thing!"

Saber dodged, leaping away and landing beside Misery, her face quivering as she tried to die her fear. "I'm sorry, guys," She murmured, "but this was the only way he would help us. Please, just let it happen."

"Of course they will, Saber," Misery sneered beside her as she straightened and turned obediently. "They know the consequences if my end of the agreement isn't appeased." His right hand, opposite Saber, dripped with his infamous poison as a subtle threat, and grinned in victory.

"Why you- Rrrrrrgh…" Angelo snarled in rage. "Misery, for a second there I thought you'd *earned* freedom, but instead you're just being another demon out there, acting like just another bottom feeder, writhing in the lowest of the low among your fellow maggots."

"You flatter me," Misery spat back, and Bonnie clenched his fists, willing to swing. "But a deal is a deal-"

"No." The owner of the voice caused Misery to turn in bewilderment, staring at his violet creation. "This human is not yours. No matter what they said, no matter what they did or did not do, no matter the promise… *Saber is not for YOU.*"

"Fritz!" Angelo chastised him, as Saber was starstruck by the sudden use of her name. "The fuck are you up to? You know deals like these can't be broken except by the ones who did it!"

"Then it's a good thing I don't play by the rules!" He leaped forward and lunged at Misery, knife outstretched.

Saber panicked. "Fritz, don't-"

"Fool." His poisoned arm quickly lifted into a blade, erect and positioned so that Fritz could not stop mid-air. Without even a sound beyond his startled gasp, Fritz fell forward onto the point, the tip protruding through to his back. Now deathly close, Misery hissed smugly into his ear, "And here I thought you'd be smarter than that, Fritz. Perhaps it *was* a mistake to make you." Still in shock, Fritz felt himself careen sideways as Misery snapped his arm aside, flinging him off the blade, the blood still crusting his returned fingertips. "I've had enough of this game." His voice was loud and bitter. "I've held my end of the deal, and she'll do the same." Roughly he snatched his prize and faded back into nothing.

"NO! FRI-" Saber was cut off as she was dragged away by her master in a haze of smoke. Bonnie pulled himself together at the last second, trying to grab her, but all he could gather was a vague wisp of inky black. He collapsed, pounding his fists into the ground in frustration.

"GODDAMMIT, MISERY!" He shrieked, "Why do you torture me like this?!" His brother stood beside him, a comforting hand on his shoulder in silence.

"…Fritz…?" Caren's attention, though troubled, turned to the Purple Man. "Friiitz…?" She moved over and knelt beside him. She, too, felt sorry for him, and realized he was trying to change, and so she held out her hand over his chest cavity. A mild white glow emanated between them as the flesh and bone mended itself together, the poison nowhere to be seen.

"No…" The recovery was rapid as Fritz pushed Caren away, standing on his own and healing the rest himself. "No. I *won't* let this happen! This human does NOT belong to Misery, and neither do I! There will be no more pain caused by me *or* my creator!" He shook himself off, a snarl trapped on his face. "There's a trail left with every teleport, and it's always traceable. Misery, I'm coming for you…" He vanishes as quickly as Misery had, blipping out of view as though he'd been deleted off a screen.

"Fritz, wait!" Angelo reacted too late, and just barely missed grabbing him "…Crap. NO!"

"This, is not good…" Caren murmured, worried now that she'd just signed Fritz up for worse than he'd experienced. "What do we do?"

"Follow him, I guess," Angelo muttered in exasperation.

"You do it, then," Bonnie finally stood, brushing himself off. "I've still got to get Mom back, heh." *Shoot, where did she run off to…?*

"Good luck with that," Angelo focused, searching for the energy remains of Fritz, and quickly honed in on it's path. He glanced at Caren. "You ready?"

"Nope." She offered a nervous smile and grabbed his hand as both pulled forward into the abyss.

Although she felt solid ground, it didn't seem to change the empty atmosphere. Caren turned to Angelo questioningly. "Are you…sure we're in the right place?"

Angelo didn't say anything to her; he merely pointed forward at the two figures across the black limbo. One, tall and black, arms smugly crossed and staring down at the second, bright purple and eyes fuming. Caren recognized immediately what was happening, and backed into the shadows with her mentor.

"Come to make a bargain, pet?" Misery asked. "I assure you, you've nothing that interests me."

Fritz just smiled at his creator with a hint of his signature malice. "Oh, but I do. For example: immunity to poison. Check! The deep hunger for blood of those who oppose me: Check again! Oh, and a new one I happened to snatch: A sense of justice. Making deals with demons like you, there IS no justice. You would stab even this one in the back, quite possibly literally. So even if I can't outright kill you, I can Make. You. *Suffer.* Let the girl go and I'll make our session quick and I may let you crawl back to the maggots you call family. But if you don't let Saber Fazbatch go *right now* then you're gonna feel the rage of your own creation." His pulls his knife from his belt and wields it forward. "Remember? No remorse, no ability to care, and no desire but for blood in combat? All those things you've given to me. Now…now you're going to *regret it.*"

The reply took Fritz aback. "Fair enough," Misery countered, "But who ever said *she* wanted to leave?" On cue, he motioned to his side, and his new assistant appeared beside him, wings and all.

"Fritz, don't worry about me," Saber talked without speaking, staring at him blankly. "I'm perfectly fine; he isn't going to hurt me. This can't be injustice if I'm happy."

Fritz laughed at the sight. "Dunno what you've done to her, but I know that's not the real human talking. If it's brainwashing, I applaud the skill, but I'm still gonna kill you. If it's illusions…then you're just ripping me off." His blade lifts, and he crouches into a fighting stance. "Now prepare to die." Angelo and Caren, still hidden in the dark, allow the energy around them to drift towards the purple figure, aiding his strength.

Misery just looks at him with that permanent masked smile. "Oh, please, your guessing is *hardly* accurate. I haven't done anything to my host." He turned to the "host" with a kindly but demanding air. "Saber, would you please escort your friends out of here?"

Angelo froze at the plural. Misery knew they were there. But, then, why hadn't he acknowledged them yet? He listened further, playing it safe in the shadows.

"No problem." Saber stepped forward, her iron wings glittering on her back, dotted with the Eionute she'd learned to rely on. "Round one, purple boy, no interferences. I'll go easy on you."

Fritz snarled in annoyance. "Saber, I know this can't be you, but this is not how you end. Not yet, anyways." He turned back to his creator. "What's the matter, Misery?" He taunted. "Afraid to take on your own creation? I mean, IF there was a weakness I had, you would know…"

Misery merely chuckled. "No. I just have *better* things to waste my time with." At that instant, he turns and locks eyes with Angelo, daring him to show his face. "Besides, I'm sure *she's* been *dying* to try out her…employment bonus."

Saber grinned at the mention of herself, and raised her wings. "What? Too scared to hit a lady?…How's about I start?" She dashed at Fritz, wings extended. He leapt away in moments, but her wing streched out as she passed him, slicing his side. With a small grunt, Fritz held his free hand over his wound, the indigo liquid slipping through his fingers. Saber stopped and turned back with a questioning glance.

"There. Now it's your turn. Or are even simple fights too much for your synthetic mind to handle?"

Fritz turned back and glared at her with malice. "Whatever he promised you is not worth it." He brandished the knife. "Time to get bloody!" Fritz leapt forward at the girl, who was much slower than he, but missed and slashed wildly in his flail, landing a deep cut on her left arm. "Urf…outta practice!"

Saber shouted in a pained reply, using her wing to whack Fritz across the back, sending him flying into a slide across the ground. Silently she clutched her own wound, staring at Fritz with hate.

"Caren…" Angelo whispered to his friend urgently. "Is it ready"

"Yep. Just cover your eyes." Angelo nodded and sent the same warning to Fritz though telepathy, before putting a hand over his eyes.

Instantly, the room flashed like a giant camera, blinding Saber and Misery. The girl stumbled back, her wings now wrapped around her to ward off the sudden attack from Fritz, merely knocking her to the ground. She rolled as he stabbed again, and tripped him before running blindly in another direction. She tripped, and as her vision returned she heard Fritz behind her and swung her wing, knocking him away again.

Misery, in the meantime, had turned his attention to the figures in the back. He glared at them with unamusement, arms crossed. "I assume you're here for the girl as well." He grunted. "I'd expected you to be smarter than that, Angelo. You *are* aware of the contracts such as I can enact, and the consequences that follow betrayal from either side."

"Yes. But she was suffering from a concussion or worse at the time," Angelo retorted, stepping out into view. "I refuse to let a deal where she was virtually *drugged* to continue."

"I'm an honest creature, Angelo," Misery promised, though his voice oozed with sly deals. "I'd done what we agreed to, if you recall. I'd healed you, and followed you willingly to the Underworld Court. I helped you devolved from the monster your own folly had created, on request of her own, and in return the girl submitted to me. And now, you approach me as if *I'd* done the wrong, when you should be really chastising your own human pet."

"Pet, huh? That reminds me of a story." Angelo grinned. "Once upon a time, there was a demon. It was truly pathetic and had nothing on MY personal pet in the shadow realm. The end." He chuckled mildly at his own joke. "How about a trade, Smiley? I propose you let the girl go if I give you my old pet. Matter of fact, I'll get him now." Holding two fingers to his mouth, Angelo whistled, loud and low, and waited for the arriving sound.

"Wait, Angelo, you don't mean-" Caren's protests were quickly drowned out in a loud, ludicrous roar. In a blurred wave of movement, a huge, grotesque wall of bubbling pink-red flesh sloshed forward from the shadows. Two large, bulbous eyes sat atop the mass, peering intently at the area around it, while a large mouth near the bottom growled in distrust. At the sight of it's master, however, the creature lifted itself and growled happily, slithering obediently behind him. Misery, as well as nearly everyone else, stared on with disbelief. Angelo turned to Misery with a smirk.

"So, demon, what'll it be? My pet for yours. AND she needs to be returned EXACTLY as I met her, before your deal took place. In return I will-"

"Excuse me?" Misery halted the offer, finally unshaken enough to form words. "That pile of rotting organs? I think you're forgetting the idea that the deal should be acceptable for *both* ends, thank you."

At the insult, the creature growled, but Angelo lifted a hand to stop him. "Fleshy? Stay." He commanded, and the creature whined. Angelo turned and grinned. "Who's a good wall? Who's a good wall?" Fleshy roared and jiggled, excited at the sudden attention. "That's right, YOU'RE a good wall!" Angelo laughed, before his face fell into a sudden, cold seriousness. "Fleshy…sic' em."

With a cacophony of a screech, Fleshy's mouth opened wide, revealing multiple rows of sharp teeth. Like a giant carpet, a massive tongue rolled out of the cavernous opening, snaking towards Misery at unmatchable speeds and grabbing his leg.

"What?! NO!" Misery began to slide back, and clawed desperately on the ground. "NOOOOOOO-" The desperate cry was quickly cut off as Misery was dragged to his doom, swallowed by the gaping jaw. With a loud "GULP!" and a muffled gurgle, the demon was eradicated.

"Well, that should give him a stomachache in the morning," Caren joked as Angelo continued to pet his monster.

"Ugh…" Saber lifted herself from where she'd been knocked aside, rubbing her head. "What…" She opened her eyes, seeing the strange creature before her, and stood up on wobbly knees. "O-kay, who slipped me the Ecstasy?"

"Nobody. Misery was just screwing with you. Again." Angelo tossed the reply over his shoulder, keeping his attention on the squirming creature before him. "Who's a good wall? Who's a good Fleshy? You are!"

Saber shook her head again. "Uh, huh…" Her wings slowly folded to her back, and her wrist blades disappeared. "Well, unexplained demons aside, I'm sorry about all of this…Thought I could handle it. Besides, Misery *did* grant me a rather nice upgrade in power." She spread her legs, arms raised, and felt a black trail of smoke dart across her body, healing her wounds. "Hopefully this means I won't snap again, though. Heh."

"Let's try to keep our sanity here. And careful on the shadow powers. You saw what they did to me. Be sure to NEVER link them to any grudges you have, in any way." Angelo turned to Fleshy again. "Alright, Fleshy, time to go home."

The creature whined, but didn't revolt against it's orders, and promptly sunk back into the shadows. Caren approached Angelo again with concern.

"So, what now?" She asked.

"I have no idea…Guess we bring Saber back and-"

"Hey, what about me?" Fritz's voice was meek, standing alone, his body and clothes torn and bruised. Angelo raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"What *about* you?" He asked.

"What do I do with my existence from here?" Fritz sheathed his knife, and looked at each individually. "I've betrayed the one thing I was supposed to do; causing pain. Now that I'm…more than repulsed at the thought, what do I do?"

The area was silent, each lost in thought to a solution. Surprisingly, Fritz was the first to answer his own question, turning to Saber.

"You know what I *want* to do?" He asked rhetorically. "See kids smile in my presence as opposed to scream. Could I…buy those old animatronics? I'll fix 'em up, start a new Freddy Fazbear's wing…"

Saber paused before replying; this was *Fritz Smith* she was talking to; the infamous violet character who'd put her father's company in jeopardy so many times…yet…she sighed.

"I suppose I need some help running the place," She admitted, tossing him a knowing smirk. "Perhaps some employment…?"

"Saber, are you sure you trust him?" Angelo stepped in quickly, believing she wasn't thinking this though. "Around *children,* no less? What if he slips back into madness, or worse, what if this is just another trick?"

Fritz heard this and scowled at his counterpart. "I should have known I wouldn't be trusted by *you*, Angelo." He snarled.

"Both of you, back off," Saber glared at Angelo when she said this, but knew Fritz was thinking similar thoughts. "Both Bonnie and I will have an eye on him, and you and Caren are still in close range. If he proves he's completely changed, *then* I'll let you have the old animatronics. If not, then you can happily deal with him, Angelo." Her shoulders dropped, and she sighed in exhaustion. "I'm just…tired of fighting, okay?"

Angelo snorted. "Fine. But I've got my eye on you, Fritz." He snapped. The man just stuck his tongue out and gave a victorious grin. He takes Saber by the arm and teleports them away, back to the Pizzeria.

"Well…I've got…stuff…to do. Yeah…" Angelo quickly vanished after them, leaving Caren alone.

"Huh…" She muttered to herself. "That was…strange…"

–

"Saber!" Bonnie ran into the office, hugging the girl tightly. "You're back! I knew-" He froze when he realized the second character in the room, and spun around, his hand raised and formed into a sleek revolver. Saber panicked and pulled his arm down.

"Bonnie, wait!" She said. "I can explain!"

"…This had better be a good one." He huffed, giving Fritz a dirty glare as his hand returned to normal. The man just gave an awkward smile, waving timidly.

"Look, Saber and I came to an agreement," He stated. "I'll be…working here for a while."

"'Scuse me, he'll be WHAT?!" He whirled on Saber now. "You AGREED to that?!"

"Bonnie, please, just give him a chance," Saber pleaded, trying to keep him calm. "He saved my existence; that should count for something."

Bonnie growled again, then sighed in defeat. "*Fiiinnnnee…*" He whined, then looked at Fritz again. "But if you pull something behind my back-"

Fritz put his hands up in surrender. "No, sir. My hands will be clean. Violence disgusts me now."

"So…you think you've changed?"

"I don't think. I know. And I promise, my murdering days have ended."

…

…

…

*Then why do you still carry a knife…?*