Day 5xTower-3F - The Commander

"Why aren't you listening to me!"

3F

You hoped the worst was behind you.

While the first floor had been abuzz with activity, the second floor had been quiet with monsters lurking in the shadows. As for the third floor, it wasn't quiet, but there weren't any endos around at least. You spot a few security bots rolling around, patrolling.

The arcade machines here were alive, an assortment of colours emerging from the screens. The ceiling lights here helped illuminate everything better.

It helped this floor wasn't as big as 1F and 2F. As you reached the peak, the tower grew smaller.

The techno music had become dissonant and distorted, likely a result of the DJ's ongoing war against the endos. You hoped the DJ would be able to hold them off. Though you were interested on fixing up the DJ, that time would come later.

Unsurprisingly the maintenance bots were corrupted, evil showing on their faces.

"I haven't been here in a while." Bonnie remarked.

Like the other floors this one had arcade machines lining some of the walls. In addition to the machines and resting area there were also several karaoke rooms, you guess. They had white soundproof walls, a big screen in them and a microphone.

And among those rooms was the security hub.

It was finally within sight!

Detecting you almost instantly, two bots charge at you, wielding a joystick and a microphone stand. A cakewalk to what you've been up against so far you make quick work of them.

You take the liberty of doing a trick shot, charging up your tazer to the club and hitting at the robots wheels like a golfer would line up his shot with the tee.

With the combined force your swing plus the electric charge from the tazer plus battery it sends the bot flying in the opposite direction, flying diagonally upwards before hitting the ceiling and falling off the floor.

You wonder now that if you had gotten this weapon when dealing with Monty, how things would have turned out. He wouldn't have stood a chance.

Bonnie choose not to use so much style and instead jumps upon the bot, it easily crumpling under his weight. He winks at you. You two clearly had the hang of things.

You notice that among the karaoke rooms one had its lights off. Through the lights outside you could make out some sort of movement inside. Probably another bot.

You look at it for a second, trying to discern what lurked within. And then you see it.

Two large red glowing eyes with black iris' look back at you. The being's form was concealed by the shadows but by the shape of the eyes you knew it not to be an endo, let alone a bot.

It moves fast, throwing something out of the pitch black room.

You move aside, tumbling to the ground. A kitchen knife blazes past your face, stabbing directly into one of the arcade machines. It sparks briefly before shutting down.

"What the?" Bonnie asks, noticing the knife now sticking out of the Balloon World cabinet.

Bonnie helps you up, now too staring at the blackened room.

Within a blur two more knives are thrown out, full force, this time aimed at Bonnie. He dodges in time, knocking the first one out of the air while the second one hits.

"Aaah! Where did that come from?" Bonnie shouted, starting to panic.

The knife lands in between under his shoulder, stabbing where the arm connects to. It severs a wire, causing his arm to go limp. "A-ah!" Bonnie shouted in, pain resounding in his voice. He rips the knife out quickly, tossing it aside.

Whatever was there was not a bot. And the shape of its eyes, it couldn't be an animatronic.

Bonnie focuses on the dark room, scanning for what could have thrown that knife. He tries to scan inside, only to detect nothing.

It was just an empty room.

Instead of more knives something emerges out of the room.

Something emerges from the black room.

A bunny costume.

The music started to pick up.

Now playing...

Artist: Coldcoldworld

Song: I Have This Theory But You Won't Believe Me

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rJBdi98lZU

It was clearly someone wearing a bunny costume. Judging by the crude design it had, covered in stitches and tartan's it had to have been handmade. The costume was in rough shape, it looking like it had seen better days. From afar you could see patches of dirt on it. It was like someone had dug it up from whatever crevice it was buried in.

Even the head, stylized as a bunny was handmade, the eyes red as crimson, two large floppy ears...wait a minute. You make the connection that this must have been the 'bunny' Monty kept mentioning. At least, that's what you think.

Her hands with full, carrying several knives at once. By the amount she was holding, she must've raided a kitchen or two.

Though you weren't one to judge, you estimated by the person's definition they were a woman.

There was no doubt in your mind who it was. This was Vanessa, no. Gregory said it wasn't 'her'. This was Vanny. The real Vanessa was nowhere to be found.

Image: https://www.deviantart.com/odaocer/art/There-Are-Two-Rabbits-in-the-Plex-918894086

"Are you having fun yet?" She spoke, mouth not moving. Her voice was distorted, it echoing around.

"Who was that?! That was..." Bonnie said, pausing as he made a realization. "Hey! That's my voicebox!" He shouted, looking around at the source of Vanny.

You take a step back. While she was just human, she was just as dangerous with that many knives. You needed a plan of attack. There were still a few staff bots around too.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asked finally. He was unsure of your sudden change in attitude.

"What do you mean? Don't you see her?"

"See who?" Bonnie paused as he looked in the direction of Vanny. Then he looked away, unsure.

"There's nobody there. You mean the bots?"

Camouflage? Some sort of signal interference? Were you losing it? No, that was impossible. That knife was real. Bonnie couldn't see her. But he could hear her!

She throws another knife, aimed at you. You jump out of the way, catching yourself this time. Bonnie flinches now seeing the knife.

"W-where are they coming from?" He starts to worry.

Vanny starts skipping towards you, playfully.

You needed distance and cover. If she was that accurate from afar you didn't want to know her in close quarters. You make a break for it to the other end of the floor.

"Bonnie! Follow me!"

"Don't run. We're having fun!" She coos.

"Who is that?" Bonnie asked. He was half worried about the knives being flung around but also irate that whoever it was, stole his old voicebox.

"I'll explain later!"

Between the knives being tossed from nowhere and you panicking about someone he couldn't see, Bonnie knew there had to be something there.

"Bonnie is the catalyst and you are the conduit." Vanny announced from behind you. You weren't sure what she meant but it couldn't be good.

Perfect! There was cover in the rest area.

"Give me a hand!" You shout to Bonnie. The both of you flip a few chairs and couches over, providing a wall of cover.

While flipping the furniture over you fail to notice another knife flying by. You had your back turned to Vanny.

The knife narrowly missing your arm but scratches it. It tears through your jacket, cutting a small wound.

It flies off the floor, landing somewhere below.

"Enjoying yourself?"

You hardly even notice the now bleeding cut. There were more important things going on.

How was she throwing them so fast? And so precise too?

You and Bonnie duck behind the couches. It did little to conceal your position, Bonnie's ears were sticking right over the couch.

You needed a plan. She was just human, right? All it would take is one hit from the tazer, or a good strike from the club and she'd be out. Unless the costume was plated.

You peer over the couch. A knife heads your way, aiming directly for your head. You duck, it flying off into the abyss below.

If she was trying to catch you she was doing a terrible job at it.

You check yourself, no ranged weapons. The lazer blaster would have been really good here. You briefly consider using the reboot sequence but you were shaking too much to do it.

Wait a minute! The cans! You check your pocket. Thankfully there was one still left. You quickly jolt up and throw the can at her. She was mid throw and sent a knife towards Bonnie's ear.

Even though she was in the middle of something, with little effort she dodges the can, returning fire with another knife.

The knife bounces off Bonnie's ear, forcing it to twitch slightly.

"W-what do we do?"

With how agile she was you rule out the possibility of the armour being plated. You could take her if she wasn't carrying a chef's collection of knives.

But it didn't make any sense? Why try and kill you now? Haven't literally all of the bots tried to catch you? Yeah! She mentioned you were the 'conduit'. She couldn't risk killing you.

You consider grandstanding her and making a charge. But you don't, deciding the risk is too great. She wasn't thinking straight. If whoever wanted you alive why would the robots have been wielding weapons?

Based on what Gregory had said earlier you deduce that while they did want you, circumstances had changed too much for the 'plan' to be working properly.

You reach for the wrench. You move up and get ready toss it, only to find Vanny gone.

"(Y-Y/N)?" Bonnie asked worried. You hadn't answered him. You were too focused on where Vanny had gone.

"Huh?" You face Bonnie. "What is going on?" He asks, worried.

Something taps you on the shoulder.

You look back, Vanny standing behind you, behind the couch.

"Got you." She whispered playfully.

Her eyes lock onto yours.

You stare back, astounded. All the animatronics' eyes you'd seen had something about them, something that drew you in. Vanny's were different somehow. They were more enticing. You couldn't stop staring at the large glowing red eyes, black iris in the centre. Even if you wanted to stop, you didn't want to.

"It will be alright. Just breathe." Vanny said calmly. Her wide smile and red eyes were all you could see.

All you think. All that there was. All that you needed to know.

You started to get up. To get a closer look.

Meanwhile, Bonnie was freaking out. Who was talking? And why did they sound like the old him?

There had to be something there. The knives, the talking. He could tell where people where at least.

He couldn't see her but he knew she was there. He could imagine where she was standing, what she looked like and who she was. She was doing something to you and Bonnie didn't know what. He didn't want to know what. But he knew it was bad.

The red light reflected off your face as you looked at Vanny, dumbfounded.

Wait! That light! That was his eyes. That was his ability! That thief stole it! Bonnie knew he had to do something.

Without thinking he moved back and kicked the couch forward, sending Vanny back, knocking all her knives to the ground in the process. The couch fell on her too. Vanny's line of sight broke with you and you fell to the ground.

Mind blank.

"Meddling..." She whispered as she crawled from under the couch.

Bonnie picked you up, carrying you on his shoulders. Though he couldn't see her, he could hear her and judge roughly where she was.

And whatever this person was scared him.

He made a break for it, running towards the karaoke rooms.

Vanny held out a hand to Bonnie. "Stop Bonnie. Give me the conduit." She commanded. Bonnie simply ignored the request, continuing his trip to the karaoke rooms.

"Huh? How?" She asked, confused at Bonnie's inaction. Annoyed that Bonnie had not obeyed she started collecting her knives again.

"Why aren't you listening to me."

In the karaoke room he laid you down and started shaking you.

Now Playing...

Artist: Coldcoldworld

Song: The Suffering Gene

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak3Yw1DIcBU

"C'mon (Y/N). C'mon...Get up!" He shouted. No use. Your mind was a swirl of red and black. You could see standing at the edge was one of the animatronics. It looked strange, like a more cartoon version of Bonnie. He was yellow and had a huge smile on his face. It was like a glitch, the way it distorted slowly.

He motioned you to come closer.

You complied.

Bonnie had to do something. Shaking and shouting at you was no use. That creature would be here any second, or maybe she already was! He couldn't tell!

"Awww, no. What do I do!? What do I do?!" Bonnie was full on panicking. He couldn't lose you. He didn't know the reset sequence, didn't even know if it worked on people.

He needed some kind of reset.

Wait! The shock-thingy! He'd seen you use against the bots. It reset them right? He pulled it out of your pocket, ripping the wires off the battery in the process. He fiddled with it, trying to turn it on.

Sure enough the prongs lit, a blue glow emanating from them.

"Yes. That's it. Join in with me." The rabbit spread his arms open for a hug.

It was cold, and he looked so warm. You step forward.

"I'm sorry (Y/N)." Bonnie said as he closed his eyes. There was no other way.

"AAAAHAHHHH!" You eyes flash back to reality as you feel the volts surging through you. Like being stabbed all over all at once you convulse screaming.

Bonnie flinched too, dropping the tazer on the ground. You're left panting heavily on the ground. Though it wasn't pulsating anymore the aftershock was all you could feel.

It felt as if your heart was about to explode.

"(Y/N)! You're alive!" Bonnie shouted, relieved.

He picked you up and pulled you into a tight hug. It took a second for everything to come back into perspective but between that 'dream' and the tazer you realize what Bonnie had done.

He was a smart bunny, you think. Even disconnected the wires so as not to kill you.

You now had a throbbing headache. At least you weren't tired anymore.

You look around. You were in one of the karaoke rooms. The walls were white in a grid pattern. They jutted out of the wall slightly. They were the same kind of material you'd seen in recording studios before. Soundproof. There was a huge video screen behind you. It was playing a looped video of the 4 band members.

As much as you wanted to look, you notice a bigger problem. Vanny was standing right in the doorway, smile as wide as ever. Her arms were full kitchen knives.

"Nowhere to go." She said playfully.

As much as you didn't want to hurt Vanessa there was no other way. Plus, the whole hypnotizing you pissed you off.

You get off Bonnie and stand up, wobbling slightly. The hypnosis and electrolysis had done a number on your balance. You hold your bleeding arm, the pain finally becoming noticeable.

Bonnie gets up too, staring at the empty entrance you were focused on.

While the knives would've killed you they wouldn't have done anything to the metal monster beside you.

Your only hope was that he wouldn't crush her.

"Bonnie. Get her." You command.

"I-I can't see her though."

"So? It's not like she's not there. She's standing in the door." You say, pointing towards the entry.

"And grab her."

"Aye, aye!" Bonnie gets on all fours, ready to lunge.

Vanny realizes what you had done and steps back. There's not enough time as Bonnie jumps forward knocking her off her feet, the both of them landing outside.

In the lunge Bonnie had knocked something loose on Vanny's person. He blinked as she came into view. Someone dressed in an uncouth bunny costume was struggling beneath the real bunny of the plex.

Bonnie gasped. "It's you! You stole my look and voice! How dare you!"

You get up and follow after, clutching your chest carefully. "Don't hurt her."

Bonnie pinned her, taking extra care not to crush her.

She tried to stare at him, emitting some kind of signal to Bonnie but he refused it. He knew exactly what she was capable of with the parts she stole from him. He wasn't going to fall for it.

"WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ME?"

"I don't know?" Bonnie said unsure.

You get out of the karaoke room to see Bonnie pinning Vanny by her arms and legs. She was unable to move and struggling. The knives had been scattered across the floor.

"Don't look into her eyes! It does weird stuff." You say to Bonnie.

"Oh I know. I can do it too!" He said as he held Vanny down. She was powerless against the animatronic.

You sigh finally catching a break.

"Alright pick her up and let's get this-" You freeze, seeing what was waiting for you at the stairwell.

Now Playing...

Artist: Axionic

Song: Insane Wasp

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRjc6iET82U

Covered in soot and dust were 3 more endos. They were in rough shape, arms dislodged and standing awkwardly. You had no idea if they were the same ones that fought the DJ earlier.

"DAMMIT COME ON!" You shout in anger. All you had left was the tazer. You and Bonnie were in no shape for another fight.

You make a run for the security room, shouting at Bonnie to bring Vanny too.

Though they make chase you and Bonnie make it to security room relatively unscathed.

It must be all the adrenaline and fear still pumping through your veins. Using your adrenaline-based strength you push over an arcade cabinet beside the door, blocking it.

Just for safe measure you jam the screwdriver in the handle.

The endos bang on the door, trying to force their way in. Vanny is angry, struggling in Bonnie's arms.

"Let me go!" Vanny shouted. "WHY AREN'T YOU OBEYING ME!" She shouted, angry that she couldn't control Bonnie.

There was no time to observe the room. You dash to the console. You find the announcing microphone and get ready to play the sequence but stop.

Though you fully don't know what you were doing hitting the broadcast button seemed to work, your panting echo-ing across the plex.

You just needed to play the sequence now. Though you had the notes you weren't entirely sure of your ability to play them.

The original note mentioned that there would be tapes to play that would trigger the reset. With Vanny subdued and the door holding against the endo onslaught you look around for them.

They weren't hidden at all, instead resting in a cardboard box next to the console. Flipping through them you find a tape labelled:

"RESET SEQUENCE. USE IN EMERGENCY." Scrawled in black marker.

You thank the heavens at the show of some good luck and jam the tape in. One shout to Bonnie to shut his hearing off and you smash the play button.

The banging gets louder as the sequence begins to play. Vanny struggles harder, desperately trying not to hear it. She even starts shouting obscenities at you and how you were ruining the plan.

At the end of the sequence the banging stops. Surprisingly Vanny keeps on struggling, still shouting angrily at you.

Peering over the console through the window you see the first floor's horde immediately cease all movement, rebooting seconds later.

While it worked there was still the matter of Vanny. Why hadn't it worked?

You look to Bonnie, unsure of how to proceed. Wait, the helmet! You estimate that between the hypnosis and increased accuracy that the cloth head must have had some sort of machinery in it. Maybe that was controlling her.

"Bonnie, can you take her mask off?" Upon hearing those words she immediately begins struggling harder, anxious to break free.

"No! No!" She starts shouting. Bonnie looks back at you, uncertain.

"Just be careful." You motion to him to proceed.

He removes the helmet, Vanny letting out one last scream before going completely silent and slumping over in Bonnie's arm. Underneath the facemask was Vanessa, hair draped over her shoulders, the pony tail having lost its shape.

She was unconscious but still slightly breathing. For you, the main thing was that she was alive.

You approach and take the helmet. An invasive thought appears, telling you to put it on. You shake your head. Its best to do so in a controlled environment.

You slump down on a chair, relieved that it was all over.

The next chapter will be called Half-Moon Mornings.

The notes have been updated.

VANNY: DEAFEATED

DJMM: SHATTERED(?)