July 1st 2022
Ciaran put down his mug of tea with a soft thud. As he turned to her with a tale-tell look of guilt in his eyes, Dysis knew break time was over. It was time to continue their conversation and, in the process, go back to having her mind broken.
"I know I've already given you a lot to think about but… I'm afraid there's something else massive I need to discuss on this visit."
"Oh, what new bombshell do you have for me this time?" Dysis said with a bitter laugh. Her emotions had been pushed to the point of numbness and she was struck by the dark humour of her situation.
Ciaran had the politeness to look apologetic. "I know. Sorry. I can't imagine how overwhelming this must be. You should be proud of how you're coping."
"If you say so," Dysis said tiredly, "Carry on."
Ciaran frowned at her comment but obliged anyway.
"Ok so, there's no easy way to say this but…" he trailed off hesitantly before shooting her a look. "Putting it bluntly, Fazbear Entertainment doesn't want news of their human experiments to get out there."
It only took a few seconds for the gravity of the comment to hit Dysis. She immediately clutched her forehead, a shiver of fear coursing through her.
"Ah, so there is very real danger involved here then," she said, shaking her head. "And not just from our family either."
"Unfortunately," Ciaran said bluntly.
"How bad is it?" Dysis said, pressing her lips into a hard line.
This was a very important question. Dysis knew from her fascination with journalism and mass media just how far some companies would go to cover up the truth. The act of 'spinning the story' - where a story is manipulated or facts omitted to present a party in a good light - was almost a given by this point. That wasn't what she was worried about, though. It could be much more personal and potentially deadly. She shivered, recalling the documented horror stories of whistleblowers facing the worst kind of backlash for publishing hidden materials. Distressingly, Ciaran's next comment did nothing to soothe her fears.
"This is not what you want to hear but here it is: they'll go to the worst extremes to keep people quiet," Ciaran admitted gravely. "All this time, they've been blackmailing people and using the Russian technique of kompromat to stop people speaking out. It's why we have to tread carefully. Take it from me, we don't want to get on their bad side."
"That's… concerning," Dysis said.
"And that is exactly why we're using this ARG as a vehicle to reveal the truth," Ciaran said, his eyes blazing with determination. "Throughout the experience, we can guide you to the truth about Fazbear Entertainment without telling it to you directly. For you, everything you learn will be purely theoretical in nature. All of your perspectives and opinions will come from analysing the games, after all. You'll be searching for facts in the fiction, working backwards to envision the true events that inspired it. You won't 'know' a thing - you'll just be guessing. And that's entirely by design. We constructed this plan the way we did for a reason - it keeps everyone safe. It's also why we need you specifically for this - someone with no prior knowledge of what has been happening. This ARG wouldn't work if whomever was doing it knew the real truth from the beginning."
Despite her misgivings, Dysis found herself impressed.
"Huh," Dysis said thoughtfully. "That's actually super clever. I'm beginning to see how this plan fits together. Concerning that it's needed, of course, but that's a good way to work around things."
Ciaran nodded, "We put a lot of thought and planning into it. All in an effort to make sure you are always totally safe. We have other safeguards planned too - I'll go into them in depth when we meet with you and Ben but needless to say, we have a lot of people helping us."
"Wow," Dysis said, blown away. "Given the circumstances, I'm glad and grateful. Even if I never asked for any of this."
Ciaran flinched slightly, shame glinting in his eyes.
"Ah, I wouldn't thank me yet," he said hurriedly, "I'm not sure you'll like what is involved in the plan to ensure your safety. You'll have to make some sacrifices of your own."
Dysis screwed up her face. "I don't like the sound of that. Like what?"
Ciaran frowned, wilting beneath her gaze.
"The other biggest measure is getting others to think you're having a mental health episode," Ciaran admitted.
Dysis breath caught in the back of her throat.
"Wait, what?" Dysis said, feeling a new sinking feeling. "The plan is to make others think I'm insane?"
"Being blunt, yes. It's baked into the ARG, both thematically and for practical reasons," Ciaran said ominously. "Do you remember the 'cancelled' FNAF game, Into Madness? Well, you're going to be playing it. And it's going to be true to its name. You'll be the only one to play ever. We couldn't get away with doing it to anyone else, it wouldn't be legal. But you're family, so we can just about get away with it. With your consent, anyway."
"Why, though?" Dysis said, aghast. "If I'm deemed mentally ill, no one will take anything I say seriously. And I'll ruin my reputation. I don't want that!"
"I can imagine," Ciaran said levelly. "And I'm sorry. However, this isn't personal - its purely a safety measure. If we convince people that you're having a psychotic episode, those powerful people won't see you as a threat. They'll leave you alone. It will work as protection for you as you dig around for the truth. Plus, you'll also be in touch with social services, giving you an extra level of support and safety."
"It still seems like a lot to ask," Dysis bit back, a touch offended by her brother's casual manner. "It's almost like I'll be personally punished for being stuck inside this mind game."
"Well, I'll personally see to it that you won't be in the long term," Ciaran said adamantly. "We'll be briefing all the support services in your area so they know what is going on. They will know the truth - that you aren't really mentally ill but that you are in danger and being victimised. They'll act like they think you are but that way you'll have a proper safety net. You won't be the first to fake an illness or be mistaken as mentally ill either - lots of others have gamed the system to avoid political persecution before. You gain freedom at the cost of your credibility. The diagnosis might be a double-edged sword but in this case it will work in your behaviour. In the short term, anyway. Long term you'll be proven correct and the diagnosis will prove irrelevant."
Her brother's outpouring of information stopped Dysis in her tracks. She hated that this was beginning to make sense. However, the increasingly complicated plan left her feeling overwhelmed. The personal cost appeared weighty, even if it was supposedly just temporary. It left her with the impression that perhaps this ARG wasn't worth it after all.
"Ciaran, I have to admit that I don't like the sound of this."
"I know it's a lot to ask but think about it," Ciaran pressed unperturbed. "Think about how unbelievable everything I have told you sounds. No matter how reasonable you are in explaining it, people will find it very hard to believe. Chances are, you'll look like you have a screw loose anyway. Plus, if you're considered mentally ill, you'll be free to act however you want."
Dysis let out a groan. Instinctually, she was revolted by the plan and her knee jerk reaction was to reject it outright but Ciaran cut in before she could respond.
"It'll also help us to catch out the person that wants to harm you," Ciaran said, "The story doesn't match up so we know someone must be lying or hiding something from us, whether that is Ben, Mum or Dad. Having more people involved - in addition to our surveillance of you - will stop them from finding any opportunity to potentially harm you. We'll be able to see how well their alibis stand up to scrutiny, uncovering their plans and scaring them away. Two birds, one stone."
The words made Dysis heart lurch. The memory that someone close to her wished her ill was like a thorn to the heart. However, once she'd recovered from her initial surge of emotion, she was surprised to find herself seeing logic in Ciaran's plan. If there really were people out there who didn't want her around anymore, having more backup sounded very sensible - perhaps even necessary, though she loathed to admit it.
"I'm not saying it won't be hard," Ciaran said gently, putting his hand on hers. "It will be. It'll likely push you to your limits. However, there is no alternative. Your job will be to speak the truth, no matter how much it goes against the common consensus. It'll be up to you to stand firm in your beliefs. You can't expect anyone to believe you straight away so you'll experience a lot of people mocking your convictions. However, remember what you are doing it for. You have the unique potential to help save those kids and reveal that this tech exists. And to speak from personal experience about how neural implants can be abused. After all, they're about to start commercial human trials - your perspective really could warn people of the pitfalls."
Dysis felt a new shiver of disgust. Not for the first time, she cursed her luck for placing her in this situation. She wanted nothing more than to escape but she was annoyed to admit that she could see where her brother was coming from. If the plan was to work, it had to be her. She was 'an Afton' and a prototype. There was no one else quite like her.
"It's the classic trolley problem, isn't it?" she said quietly. "Sacrifice one person for the greater good. One life given for many future lives. My life for the good of future humanity."
"Unfortunately, yeah," Ciaran said with a frown. "And I wish that wasn't the case but… it won't all be bad. You'll have strong fuel to become a content creator, with this story falling into your lap. You could even make your career being a game theorist, just like you said you might. There's lots of ways to capitalise on the situation, as unfortunate as it is. You might look a bit crazy to start out but that'll change. Once Ruin comes out, people will likely realise you were right all along. After all, that game will be based on your experiences of the ARG. Every moment of drama will be fictionalised and will become part of the Freddy's canon."
"Seriously?!" Dysis exclaimed, blinking in surprise.
"Oh yeah," Ciaran said, looking caught out. "You remember how I said we'd welcome you in to help us write the next game? Well, that was a bit of a white lie. You won't be writing it, you'll be living it. And then we'll write and mould the game to fit your experiences."
"... the frick?" Dysis said, flabbergasted.
"Yep," Ciaran confirmed, "The kid protagonist will be exploring the wreckage of the Pizzaplex - a metaphor for your journey piecing together the lore and our family's secret past. The DLC will blend the boundaries between real and not real - with the main character wearing the original Help Wanted Vanny mask to enter augmented reality. Again, symbolic of the experience you'll go through."
Dysis' breath caught. Despite everything, the creative inside of her found the idea alluring. There weren't many fans who wouldn't find the concept of becoming the inspiration for a game in one of their favourite franchises invigorating. If she hadn't heard about the costs, she would have thought it was a dream come true.
"Ok, I have to admit that is kinda cool," Dysis admitted.
"It is and it isn't," Ciaran said plainly, letting out another sigh. "Having your living nightmare translated into an entertainment product is… well, speaking from experience, it's not the easiest thing to handle. Be prepared to be conflicted. After all, it is quite literally commodifying your trauma. I thought I'd be fine with it but… well, it's rough."
"True," Dysis mumbled. Suddenly the prospect didn't feel quite so appealing. "It sounds emotionally complicated."
One look at Ciaran's eyes showed that to be true. While he was trying his best to hide it, pain shone from them. He clearly had a lot of feelings he wasn't sharing.
"But on the flipside, it is definitely a unique experience," he continued, trying and failing to sound enthusiastic. "Becoming a video game isn't something many people get to experience and that is cool. And that's just the start. Once people understand what happened to you, other blessings will come your way. At very least you'll have a following for your creative output and lots of new friends. Professional opportunities too, most likely, in addition to working on FNAF. You'll make sacrifices as part of this process, sure, but you will be given a lot in return too. I can attest to that."
Ciaran's words made Dysis pause. She could definitely see the benefits but it didn't trump her reluctance.
"It still seems like a lot to put on someone," Dysis said hesitantly, "A psychological diagnosis might impact me for the rest of my days. Are you sure that Dad hasn't come up with all this to damage my life? Maybe he gets a kick out of the idea of making me sound crazy to protect himself from repercussions for his past actions? Or he's actually working for Fazbear Entertainment's interests still and double crossing you?"
A look of genuine concern crossed Ciaran's face. It was only there for a moment before he hid it again.
"A valid point. I don't think so but… well, we'll check," he said, shaking his head. "Whatever the truth is, though, I promise we will physically protect you. You'll be safe for the whole ARG - the only shocks you'll get are controlled ones. It'll be like a theme park - scary but with guard rails and harnesses. And besides, whatever the truth is, from your perspective, it will appear Dad is against you regardless."
"Huh," Dysis said, surprised. "How come?"
"It's all part of the plan," Ciaran said confidently, "Publicly, Dad'll have to act as if he hates you and wants rid of you. But he says it will all be acting just so Fazbear Entertainment doesn't catch on. Really, he'll be rooting for you every step of the way."
"I'm surprised," Dysis said, the cogs turning in her brain. "It doesn't seem like a situation that benefits Dad at all. In fact, if I do tell the story of the ARG as you suggested, it'll reflect pretty badly on him, whether I make him out to be a good guy or not. I'd have thought he'd find another way rather than losing face like that."
"Honestly, I thought the same at first," Ciaran admitted. "But actually, Dad is more than content to play the villain. You know what he's like, he's a showman. What's the point of pursuing a secret plan for nine years if it's never fully revealed? It would be a waste. No, he planned for this to happen at the outset, even back from the days of the first game. It's why Mike was the one to face off against his father in FNAF 3 - it symbolised your coming after him and burning him down for his sins.
He knew you would ultimately be the one to take him down. After all, you're perfect foils. He's the narcissist grand planner, you're the do-good empath who never willingly hurts anyone. You were always the one who saw through his tricks - why not make a grand spectacle out of your final battle? Go full Luke vs Darth Vader. Give the fans a true, high-stakes finale. And in the process, reveal his creative genius to the world."
Trigger warnings: Gore, needles, insects
Dysis let out a sigh before chuckling. "How very theatrical. I should have known that would be his mentality. He does like to show everyone how clever he is."
Ciaran shot her a withering look and Dysis immediately knew that he felt the same.
"Don't get me wrong, though," Ciaran continued, "He also wants the glory of 'doing the right thing'. He wants to be someone who empowers you to save the world. To be the father of the hero with a reputation to match. He realises now how important to humanity it is that the public know the dangers of neural implants and Fazbear Entertainment's other crimes. If we don't stop them, the entire country - world - even is at risk. The rabbit hole goes deep. Consequently, Dad will do what he must to get the word out. He can't do it himself because like I said, kompromat, but he can empower you. It's why Michael was named what he was. You are Dad's 'mike', his microphone and voice. He wants you to share your values and the truth."
Dysis frowned. She was far from convinced by the explanation based on her experiences of her father. However, she had to admit it was persuasive. Her father was putting his grudge aside for humanity, despite his personal misgivings. Perhaps he was indeed trying to be a force for good in the world, even if he had been a flawed father. She could definitely understand that a person could be negative for one person and a hero to another. However, that logic was still not enough to win her over.
"I'm still suspicious," Dysis sighed. "This all seems very convenient excuse to get revenge on me for all the perceived wrongs I've done to him."
"I know it looks that way but I believe Dad really has changed," Ciaran said gently. "He told me that part of the reason that he's doing this is to help you protect yourself. Your unique abilities will make you a target for the rest of your life and he won't be around to protect you like he has in the past. He's already got the authorities off your back multiple times, after all. To survive, you're going to need to learn how to either blend into the scenery or make yourself too visible to be a target anymore. This ARG is designed to do the latter - to make you so well known, you'll have lots of people looking out for you. Just the same way he embraced surveillance technology to keep safe, this process will teach you to embrace the same."
"Heh," Dysis said thoughtfully, "So he's claiming that - by taking forceful control over my life - he is protecting me? That's some strange logic there. I'm not sure about that. However, I'll admit that there is at least some truth in what you said. If this neural implant thing is true and he has been secretly protecting me all this time, he's right that I need to learn how to do so for myself."
Ciaran nodded sagely, guilt once again creeping into his eyes.
"I know it's extreme but… as you can see, this isn't a normal situation," he said gently. "And you're right, you will need to protect yourself but don't stress, we'll help you."
"How so?" Dysis said with a frown.
"We'll be watching your apartment," Ciaran admitted, "Surveillance tech gets a lot of backlash for invading privacy but it can and does help people stay safe too. I know it isn't anyone's first choice but it's the only option. For this ARG to work, you'll have to embrace the fact that the tech is both intrusive but protective."
Dysis nodded, "I guess that figures. I suppose I'll also be a social commentary on surveillance culture too then."
"Totally," Ciaran nodded enthusiastically, "It'll be an ideal way to discuss the morally grey practice. In fact, the ARG was also designed for that. After all, the win condition will require you to put your trust in the hands of others by leaving your front door unlocked overnight."
Dysis spluttered loudly as a laugh erupted from her throat.
"Ok, I was with you until… You must be joking," she said incredulously. "That seems like a sure-fire way to get murdered."
"You'll be under surveillance, though," Ciaran said. "We'd prevent anyone unsafe from reaching you."
"I don't care," Dysis bit back, "I'm not leaving my home unsecured like that. That'd be crazy. So you'll have to change that win condition because I'm not doing it. You're already asking a lot of me."
"Message received. I'm sorry," Ciaran said, putting his hands up in a genuine appeasement gesture "Sincerely. You're right, of course. I'll chat to Dad about it. The last thing I want to do is put you in a harmful, hurtful situation. Both with regards to this specifically and the ARG broadly. I love you, you're one of the people I value most in this world. Trust me, if there was another way, we wouldn't be doing this. There isn't just your life at stake here - there's been a lot of people involved in FNAF over the years."
Dysis let out a sigh. Every instinct told her that this was a blatant insult to her boundaries and that she should play no part in it.
"What if I say no?"
Ciaran's frown deepened and he let out a sigh.
"If you don't do it, I'll have to do it myself," he said, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "There's too much at stake not to. We have people counting on us."
"But you've already done your own ARG!" Dysis exclaimed. "That doesn't seem very fair. And besides, you already know all about the lore! You can't exactly discover it all again. So how would that even work?"
Ciaran looked caught out for a moment. However, he quickly regained his composure.
"I have my ways," he said cryptically, "We'll have to do it one way or another. I will warn you though, whatever you decide, we will still have to share information about your life. Mike's story is the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle. The key to understanding the story of FNAF."
"So even if I don't participate, everything will be put out there anyway?" Dysis said, aghast.
"I feel awful for admitting this but… yeah," Ciaran frowned. "The games were a message to you, there's nothing we can do to change that. It's why it would be so much better if you tell your own story. At least then you can choose how you tell it."
"Well crap," Dysis said, disconcerted. "You aren't giving me much of a choice here."
"You always have a choice," Ciaran said unconvincingly, "but I know those words sound pretty empty right now. And I hope you believe me when I say that everyone involved feels guilty about it. We've knowingly manoeuvred you into this position and it's not fair to you. Not at all. You're well within your rights to resent and hate us for it. I just hope you will be able to forgive me someday."
Dysis exhaled slowly, unable to find any words to convey how she felt. Despite her unconditional love for her brother, she couldn't help but feel angry at him. Perhaps ultimately the ARG would be a worthwhile and rewarding experience but she begrudged her family for putting her on a path she didn't choose.
"Please think about it, anyway," Ciaran said, "You don't have to decide now. On my next visit, I'll speak to both you and Ben on what is involved in full so you can go in with your eyes open."
Dysis sighed, "Ok."
"I'll be briefing you like it's our first talk on the topic, just to warn," Ciaran added, "I'll pretend we haven't spoken about it before to keep Ben unsuspecting. So it'll be important that you play along and you act normal in the meantime."
Dysis felt a shiver go down her spine. She had forgotten about this not-so-little fact.
"I don't know how I can act natural after everything you've said," she said, shaking her head. "How am I meant to sleep next to him knowing all this?"
"It's ok," Ciaran said soothingly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'll just block your memories again."
"Is that wise?" Dysis said, shocked at her brother's flippant tone.
"You'll be safe until you sign the will," Ciaran said confidently. "He will gain nothing by murdering you until you do, so… just don't. And in case that's not enough, we'll be watching to make sure he isn't doing anything sinister. We will protect you, I promise."
Dysis frowned, feeling as if she was being smothered by all her woes.
"Ok. I don't like it but I suppose I'll have to trust you."
Following Ciaran's departure, Dysis took the initiative. Fully expecting yet another overnight mind wipe, she pushed away her tough emotions and used the remainder of her day to do some research on Five Nights at Freddy's 'fan content'. While the ARG hadn't technically started yet, she figured it wouldn't hurt to get ahead… especially if she really did forget about the ARG again.
Fascinated in a haunted kind of way, she opened Youtube and clicked on the first FNAF songs and animations (known as SFM or C4D after the animation medium) that came up.
She was astonished to find herself blown away by the creative works in front of her. Far from the basic amateur music and animation content she was expecting, she was awed to find real talent and artistry among the community. The music was incredible, combining heavy beats and beautifully-crafted lyrics. Some were haunting, others terrifying, many were earworms that stuck in her head. The animation standard was just as high, with some pieces rivalling Pixar in quality and craft.
Dysis was fascinated. Ciaran had been vocal about the creative brilliance of the FNAF fandom but it was still quite something to see it herself. She felt a wave of respect for the creators, which only served to make her feel more conflicted. From an artistic point of view, she loved what she was seeing. Even disregarding the personal links, the artist in her found it invigorating and inspiring to see people making such stunning works. It immediately brought back some of Ciaran's words.
FNAF is more than just the games or the books. It's more than Scott Cawthorn. It's owned and shaped by the community. Don't forget to value that. The community has its flaws but all in all, it's incredible. And we need to take care of it and their feelings too throughout all this.
Dysis now understood perfectly what he meant. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as an overwhelming sense of pressure hit her. She couldn't believe how much influence she might have over so many lives. FNAF had a big reach with numerous fans, both young and old. There were even content creators for whom FNAF played a big hand in their growth and audience.
Anything she did to disrupt the status quo was likely to leave a mark. Especially if others began to look at her and her words to solve the series lore. It once again struck her how much responsibility and care she had to make sure her personal drama did not negatively impact the community that had grown organically around the animatronic characters. How would she do that? She didn't know. However, she endeavoured to do her best to find a balance between telling her story and honouring the fandom.
In addition to a crushing sense of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the explorations also proved educational. She didn't understand everything she saw in the animations yet but she was even astonished to pick up on a discrepancy with meaningful implications within a few videos.
You know that camera in your eye? Ciaran's words echoed in her mind. Sometimes it's represented in the fan animations. It's shown as a white-ringed black eye with a red dot in the centre.
It didn't take long to find an example of this, causing a 'huh' to escape her lips. There it was, a Foxy with a camera eye!
However, just as soon as she'd noted this down as evidence, she saw something in the next animation that blew that theory to pieces.
Tw: Gore
In a more recent animation of the same song, not only did Foxy have the eye but Bonnie and Chica did too!
This posed a conundrum. If that eye design was the secret marker indicating the character's real world counterpart had an implant, why on earth would the two band members have it? They didn't have a neural implant, did they? Surely not. But why weren't any of the other characters - Freddy included- sporting one? Bemused, she paused the video and searched her mind for an explanation. She didn't find one but the discrepancy brought something else to mind.
Her brother had claimed that she was a prototype for the neural implant. Consequently, she was unique and important. However, if that was the case, why had he also implied that others had the psychic skills in their first briefing session? She distinctly remembered him suggesting the ability ran in families and that her mum had it too. That suggested that the skill was organic and hereditary, not the result of her supposedly unique implant. That didn't fit well in Ciaran's story at all.
Dysis felt a pang of satisfaction. She wasn't sure what the truth was but knowing she'd already managed to find a hole in Ciaran's narrative brought her comfort. Perhaps myth busting her own life story would be simpler than she'd dreaded? She sincerely hoped so.
While she wouldn't have admitted it to anyone else, she was also secretly relieved to find some evidence that suggested the neural implant plot element wasn't true. She hoped that continued - to say her life would be better for it being false was a wild understatement.
Letting out a satisfied yawn, Dysis shut her laptop lid. Her mind was so full of FNAF she was certain there was no way she could possibly forget about it now. She'd continue her research tomorrow.
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