Chapter Text
If there was one thing that was worse than dying itself, it was the isolation of being in a limbo of one's own making.
An infinite void without a vessel, object or place to cling one's soul to so that they could be anchored in the reality they had known all of their life. The living world had many things that could be used as that anchor and yet.. He had none left to hang onto.
He knew he'd lose that old thing eventually.
An old animatronic suit, modeled after the Fredbear animatronic from that family diner he remembered as a kid.
Golden Freddy.
It was a favorite of his and always had been, so much so that he committed terrible things with it. That, after getting the justice that was smote upon him in the form of being put on death row, he clung onto that suit to haunt it even as it was put into some cheesy horror attraction.
But it wore away eventually. The fabric peeling and rotting away, the mechanical joints rusting, falling apart until it was no longer able to hold itself together. Even with the power he had as a paranormal entity, he couldn't fix the decay the suit and parts went through over time.
And now, the man behind the slaughter of six innocent children, had only a limbo to make residence in.
It may have been an exaggeration to call a closed down horror attraction that would simply lay still and rot to be an infinite void, yet that's what it felt like.
No more light, or people, or even a presence to keep him company as he would forever waste away in the old thing.
The fire of one building of the horror attraction chain, put the rest out to be closed down and be cut off from the grid. Make them less of a hazard until the company that set them up could figure out what to do with them, that would be the most obvious guess.
And now, he was stuck there. Until he either faded away or the unlikely event that some fool would walk in and he could use them to leave that forsaken building.
But it had been a long while, years perhaps and he didn't have any real hope that someone would break in or finally do something with this forgotten corpse to let him do anything about his circumstances.
Though, that was his own fault, wasn't it?
His own fault that he's in this predicament. Since he was a kid he always had a morbid fascination with harming others, with seeing what they'd do or how they'd react to the things he'd do to them. Starting out as just not having any real concern about harming someone else if they tried to first, then it evolved into doing it because he liked how they'd fear him or how'd they try to fight back.
Even when he was the reason his parents got so sick they could've died, he didn't feel any concern or sympathy despite how he loved them as his parents.
Even with the therapy they put him in to deal with his thoughts, to correct his actions, there was always that.. small urge that encouraged such risky behavior. That pushed on the especially hard days, where he couldn't ignore it like he used to. Where he'd have to indulge in other behavior to distract from it.
The best he could do was turn it into something else for a time as he grew up.
To be charismatic. To be flirty and charming with others if he could. To turn to other behaviors that didn't involve harming someone like binge eating, drinking or perhaps finding people he could sleep with to put the energy into something else.
Even when he fell for Mahogany, when they started dating and had a kid. His then, girlfriend could punch, kick, slap or rock his shit and that would satisfy the thoughts to some extent and he'd get some kind of satisfaction out of it.
Yet, when he put one kid out of his misery from a fate of being homeless with no way to navigate life while blind, that was what satisfied those unwanted thoughts and urges.
What gave him all the more reason to indulge himself in his old fascination to harm and maim.
He once aimed to be more risky with this, to kill while others were nearby.
Freddy's made it easier to do such things. He only got such satisfaction and interest in the chase and kill of a victim, and a party was a perfect opportunity.
At least, it was at the time. With how he once thought.
Both the bite of 87 and the murders were furthest he ever got with such risky moves. The bite failed. The murders didn't go as planned. He had only meant to personally kill four but that turned into five.
He had no clue his own daughter had attended the party as well, never knew the victims were her friend's specifically, never thought to check she would be there and yet, when she came across him having murdered her friends..
He panicked. He tried talking to her, tried to calm her, tried getting her to understand but he couldn't and he didn't want anyone finding out so soon.
She became another one.
All he could do was kill her painlessly and quietly.
To say it didn't bother him would be a lie. He loved her. He adored his daughter and he still killed her when he didn't see any other way to keep things quiet.
He wanted no sympathies for the actions he took consciously, even he knew that murder was something evil that people did. He was just like any other murderer. No amount of his mental struggles and years of coping with morbid thoughts and urges could excuse anything he had ended up doing.
So he'd simply shut down any conversation about it, he became cagey about anything regarding his daughter by keeping answers to any questions short.
Her passing even took a toll on his and Mahogany’s relationship. Unable to keep it going and he let it go. It wasn't easy by any means, he was in love with her and it plagued him for a while, months even.
The actions he took over his life resulted in this outcome, it was his own fault and yet he wanted out of it. He got his death, his years of haunting some suit he had attachment to and now he had nothing.
Nothing to do. Nothing to hold dear. Nothing to be present for and yet he was still in this dump that could burn for all he cared.
It was giving him way too much time to think and stew in his own thoughts, hating every single second of it that he was conscious for. Having to force himself to sleep on occasion just so he didn't have to think anymore than he already did.
Somehow, this day, he had ended up just.. staring at an old head of foxy that was hung on the wall. Barely able to make out the features of the head itself. Where the darkness was more pure within it, he could just about make out the eye sockets, just barely see the old teeth that had a thin coating of dirt and grime.
All he could think of was that it was his daughter's favorite, the old pirate fox being a huge interest for her before he made her a part of him.
It could've been forever had Scott not found footage of what he did. An old camera in the room that wasn't properly connected to the office system and recorded independently. He had deleted everything from every other camera but that one he didn't account for.
It took years for Scott or him to know about it and it was what doomed him here.
“Vincent.”
The sudden voice made him jolt in his place, whipping his head to face it and immediately grimacing upon seeing the soul of one victim of his.
Here he thought that they had all moved on, yet.. this one hadn't yet.
Why?
“What do you want? Thought you'd have already moved on by now, you kids got your justice and how I'm damned as it should be”
Vincent could only call this an annoyance, he'd take the isolation over this. He didn't need some spiel from her about his circumstances or that he deserved this when he knew that already.
“I want to make you an offer.. The others would probably say you don't deserve one but.. I think it could be a better way”
With an eyebrow raised, Vincent tilted his head in curious thought as he crossed his arms and made proper eye contact.
“I'm listening, Faith..”
“I want to offer you a second chance at life, I believe everyone deserves a second chance.”
“You want to give me a second chance? This has to be a joke.”
“It's not! I.. can give you it, but I have a condition that I want to set that you would have to agree to”
He stopped. Slipping his gaze away from Faith as he thought to himself. Faith was offering him a second chance to be alive again, she wouldn't offer if she didn't have that sort of power especially when kids were way too blunt with their actions and intentions.
“What's the condition you have for me?” Vincent finally asked, turning his attention back to Faith who seemed to smile with the only indication of it being the teeth that made up her mouth now.
“I will give you this chance IF you can prove to be a better person, that you'll improve yourself and be someone that Violet once thought you were”
The mention of his daughter in the condition felt like he was just stabbed, the idea that his little girl once thought of him as someone good was both painful and laughable to think about.
Yet, it was really making him think about this offer.
“I.. Also want to be able to forgive you.. If you can prove that you'll change and that you do change..” Faith spoke after the moment of silence when Vincent didn't answer. “And.. I think Violet would like to do that too, even when she was mad at you.. She would still call you her dad and speak of the good times you both had” she added, looking up at Vincent as he once again turned his gaze from her.
This would not only be his chance to be alive again but also not be stuck in this isolating limbo forever. It couldn't be that hard right? He'd just have to play nice and he's done that before, he could be better easily!
He could do that.. For her..
“I.. Accept the conditions to this offer of yours, I'll.. learn to be better”
Vincent stepped to Faith, kneeling down to get to her height, his more terrifying features as a spirit retracting just as he settled on one knee.
“Do you promise? You can't take it back if you do” Faith held her hand right out for Vincent to take as she spoke, holding her pinkie out.
What a loose way to settle this deal.
“Fine, I promise”
As Vincent took her pinkie in his and gave a small shake to it, accepting the deal. He was out like a light. Like he just suddenly went limp and fainted.
Instantaneously put to sleep by some kid he just made a deal with.
What did he just agree to…?
…
The jarring sound of an alarm clock going off made Vincent almost launch up in bed, immediately slamming his hand down on the button on top to turn it off. Shaken by the sudden noise, he settled himself back against the headboard of the bed he had found himself in. Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling right after, his heart racing from the scare.
Upon gaining his composure, he took one quick look around the room he had now found himself in. A wave of confusion coming over him as his gaze went to every detail of the bedroom.
The bed was.. Soft and comfortable, donning a cotton duvet cover that was a deep purple, accented with lines of gold that looked vaguely like flowers and other patterns that complimented each other.
The room itself wasn't as colorful but it was more than cozy looking. Simple bedside tables, a wardrobe and dresser off to the side and out of the way, then at the opposite end was a tv stand with a tv that was.. Much different than he was used to, more flat and less bulky looking.
Turning to the alarm he had just turned off, he looked to see it was only seven in the morning.
Why was he up so early?
Better yet, how did that deal ACTUALLY work?
It damn well wasn't some vivid dream that felt like another life, everything here was different to anything he remembered or used to own. The tv, the decor, the alarm clock and even the phone that sat next to it was all different.
Even then, Faith had actually kept her end of the deal, only that he was revived in whatever time he was currently in.
Picking up the strange phone from the bedside table, he furrowed his brow as he looked it over, trying to figure out how to turn it on before he pressed a button that made the screen light up.
That was one mystery solved.
The lockscreen seemed to be of an old poster of Fredbear’s, Fredbear and Spring Bonnie as the center of attention, mid performance to their old duo act.
An old memory but strange one that would end up as a main image for this device.
He quickly figured out how to open it, swiping a pass into it by seemingly muscle memory that he had no clue that he had. It was somewhat freaking him out yet he carried on to explore what the phone held.
There wasn't much on it really.
It was like it was brand new. There was a couple of pictures but it seemed to be of.. a schedule and an old ‘help wanted’ sign for some place he couldn't quite make out.
There were even a few messages, a back and forth with someone but it seemed like it was talking about a job he had gotten.
A night shift.
At least that would be something that was familiar.
Vincent took quick notice of an address and a starting time and immediately made a mental note of it, it seemed like it was going to be his first day at whatever place he was going to.
Though it seemed like they were going to give him a tour and a run down of everything from what he could gather off the messages.
With one glance at the time, he gave a quick sigh before shuffling out of the bed. Shoving the phone in the pocket of the shorts he had woken up in. Deciding to quickly explore his new home.
It was decent. Nothing fancy, a bit on the small side with it only being one floor but it was a big enough space for him.
It was like everything was brand new, like he had just moved in.
It really was starting to feel like he was being given a second chance to start over and be a better person.
It was certainly better than being trapped in that god forsaken horror attraction.
As he got to the kitchen, he immediately went for the bread, taking out a couple of pieces and popping them into the toaster nearby. Letting them toast while he took in the surrounding kitchen.
It was white and grey from the fake marble tops with the draws and cupboards being a off black accented with gold colored handles, the wallpaper being a soft blue just to make it pop a bit.
It was much nicer than his old home was, he certainly couldn't complain with what he was being given. It was more than enough, it was.. too kind of a thing for him to get yet he couldn't see how any of this could have been faked.
Faith couldn't have had that much hope in him to change right? Would she even have this kind of influence other than pushing to have him revived?
Too many questions that didn't make sense made his head hurt, all the change was already too much for him and thinking this much would cause him a migraine at the rate he was going.
The sound of the toaster popping brought him back out from his thoughts and back to reality, taking the toast pieces from the toaster. After buttering them, he bit into one slice, devouring it soon enough.
Taste was something he had forgotten about after the years of being dead, it was both delightful and overwhelming.
The years of not needing to eat or taste or smell had him all messed up now that he was alive again.
This second chance was going to be a long one.
Checking the time on his new phone, Vincent decided to get himself into gear and get dressed. Check out his new workplace and what he was putting up with in this new wind of life he was given.
The uniform was found in the wardrobe of his bedroom, it was a white long sleeve shirt, with a black and white security symbol on the chest.. But no tie, that was a pro at least.
The dress pants were an off black with purple tones to it. How fitting for him.
It didn’t take him very long to get changed as well as llooking himself in the mirror. An expression of uncertainty taking hold on his face as he looked over his appearance. He was still the same, thank god, but the white uniform.. It didn't feel like it was working for him- it wasn't like he had much of a choice anyway.
The smallest bit of poking around allowed him to find a security cap, likely for his job, and car keys. He couldn't be happier to still have a car..
It wasn't long until he was out the door, taking a quick look at the neighbourhood he seemed to live in now before focusing on getting into his car, getting it started and finding where he needed to go.
Even the cars were all different now.
A feeling of being in the deep end was apparent, like everything he knew was all upside down or at the very least just needed relearning, just today felt like it was going to be a long one.
The thing he could be thankful for was the drive there was somewhat short, though the moment he was parked and out of the car looking at the place.
A sense of irony haunted him as he read the massive sign of the building.
‘Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex’
“You have got to be fucking kidding me..”