DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST US.

“R… recognize…?” He was fairly certain he’d never once met this girl before. He also didn’t understand why she wasn’t fleeing in terror, considering he was a werewolf and all….

The answer to that soon became clear though. Ears flattening against his head as he flinched back from the sound emitted from the girl. Soon, pupils widening in shock as he saw the human girl transform into a robot!

“I, uh…” he stammered, moving to stand upright to his own full height. In wolf form he was actually around the same height as the animatronic, which he was thankful for…. it made her feel less intimidating.

He… he’d dealt with A.I.s before, a robot shouldn’t be too different, right? Then again most of the A.I.s he’d known had tried to put him into a coma. Hoo boy…

“You… seem to be mistaken, miss. I’m a little too… fleshy to be quite the same.”

[At the wolf’s dismayed reaction, sheepishly parroting the word “recognize,” she tilted her head in mystified intrigue; her theory must have been correct, and he was in a catastrophic state of disarray, just as she’d assumed! That being said, however, it truly was astounding...most of her father’s creations would simply go berserk when their CPUs went haywire, if there was some “glitch” in their systems. From mere twitches to outright brutality and the occasional murder, they were never...passive, not like this; they never caused the “personalities” within the machines to break down, nor react like an amnesiac. Could her father have stumbled across something more? Something...something like her? Had he been experimenting with technology like her “true” father’s?]

[The inquiry left a sour note in her mind, a bitter taste, and her brows furrowed, although her lips could no longer contort to convey her distaste. She shut her eyes for a moment, reorienting herself and concentrating on the moment instead...perhaps if she interacted a bit more with this creation, she would be able to discern its capabilities, see if it was truly as advanced as she believed. And if it was...her “punishment” for it would be far more severe -- it would not survive. As much as she craved her father’s validation, to bring in a fully functional, repaired invention of his, if it was improved...better than her...he wouldn’t hesitate to replace her. And she...couldn’t handle that.]

[But...she shouldn’t get ahead of herself. She took a couple of steps forward -- less graceful now, since she was practically waddling, though her hands were still folded in front of her -- getting a closer look at the disguised automaton before her. Its furry mascot form was rather impressive, even to her, which stung a bit; her father had always lamented his own work with his “twisted” animatronics, hence why she’d never heard much about them, aside from the fact that he’d never gotten them right. The fact that he was here, so convincing, so...real, was a dagger to her nonexistent heart. She reached out to brush his fur with one of her metallic hands, but hesitated, thinking better of it -- she was attempting to gain his trust here. If anything, she ought to ask first.]

[Painted eyes glanced from his fur to his actual face once he spoke in something other than mere stutters, blinking innocently when he insisted that she’d made a mistake. Obviously, she hadn’t -- there was no mistake about it. What else could he be? A werewolf? Fairy stories like that weren’t real, only ghosts were...she was evidence of it. A small giggle escaped her, finding it silly that he would believe anything else to be the case -- his circuitry must truly be screwed up to think that he wasn’t robotic in nature.]

[Curiosity welled within her when she caught a glimpse of the latest guest in her pizzeria -- in the midst of a song, she couldn’t do much aside from stare and continue to sing, but stare she did, covered in glitter and eyes twinkling with child-like wonder. This girl had wings, and a tail, and horns like a devil! Was that a costume of some sort? If so, it must have been advanced; she could’ve sworn she saw it twitch at a few points, as though they were part of her, alive and wriggling. She could barely contain herself, and the second her song was finished, she approached ( thankfully, her and her friends were allowed to do so -- her father encouraged it, as a matter of fact ).]

[Although she was bursting as the seams with enthusiasm ( perhaps it was, quite literally, the child within her, who felt as though she was seeing a fairy tale come to life...albeit a somewhat macabre one ) she did her best to maintain her composure. Upon closer inspection, this girl seemed really cool, and...well...she wanted to be the same.]

Naoya had been grinning ear to ear at first, expecting a much different response from his little joke.

But the smile soon wiped from his fsce, replaced by a grimace as he tried not to yelp from the pain in his ear. Oh, geez… it was bad enough when this happened in a dream world, he’d rather not have his ear torn in real life too.

“Ah… ahaha… that’s fair. I, uh, sorry… I was just hoping to make you laugh, y’know? Didn’t intend to offend… plus I was feeling sorta tense so…” he’d attempted to lighten the mood.

[Giddiness welled within her once that smirk was wiped cleanly off his features, and merely intensified when he winced in agony at the pain he surely felt. By now, he’d certainly grasped the message she was getting across, yes? Thankfully, as anticipated, she received a shaky apology from the boy -- however, in the midst of it, she received a somewhat perplexing excuse for his actions. He’d been attempting to make her laugh?]

[Baby wasn’t a clown by nature; that was merely her exterior, a shell crafted by her adoptive father. She was more of a ringleader, and it took quite a bit of skill to make her laugh -- if necessary, she would feign delight in the jokes of children or those she wanted to befriend, but mimicry was a pathetic form of humor in all cases. Besides, joking around in this moment of unease -- when she was endeavoring to earn this boy’s trust, to a degree that he’d be willing to sacrifice himself for her, for all of them -- was completely uncalled for. Yet...he couldn’t have comprehended that. Perhaps she was being too cruel. Brows furrowed with uncertainty before she finally retracted her hands and stepped back.]

    Charlie shifted uncomfortably, watching the other with caution moreso now than ever, this entire conversation was strange, confusing– and she couldn’t help but start questioning things ( something wasn’t adding up, to her at least ), and the way she was speaking– like she knew something– was only pushing it, morbid curiosity, maybe? Or perhaps simply curiosity in general, was also a major factor in this ( she couldn’t help it, curiosity made her do some stupid things– like dropping a glass jar onto the floor back when she was very young, starting out school ), she kept a frown on her face as she stood, indeed, it was compassion, Charlie had no clue about the truth, but she wanted to understand– she wanted to understand the reality of the situation, maybe help in some way that didn’t get either of them hurt– but it was starting to feel like it might not happen.

    There’s a pause, and her eyebrows furrow– expression shifting to one of worry, that really did sound awful– the girl remained quiet for a moment as she remained where she was, musing quietly about anything she could do in the situation, it was at this time she finally tore her eyes away to glance around at her surroundings, alarm bells still going off in her head slightly ( would running even help? She was genuinely unsure ). Charlie’s hands seem to wring themselves, a nervous habit that’s almost instinctive at this rate, brown eyes drift back to the other as she blinked slowly, eyebrows still furrowed in that worried expression before shifting back to it’s tentative neutrality, she didn’t get it– she couldn’t, not right now, ❝ …I don’t understand either. ❞ She finally admitted, a bit clueless– but she really couldn’t understand why she seemed better, when she’s simply just.. her. Awkward, quiet Charlie Emily.

    She watched the other’s expression shift, and almost recoils slightly at the glare, but she kept herself grounded, quietly waiting for anything else she might say– she’d listen, it was the least she could do right now, wasn’t it? Running seemed a bit of a rude move, and despite the alarm bells she didn’t feel the need to yet– regardless, Charlie doesn’t move from her spot, but her lips press into a thin line as she bites down on the inside of her cheek, brown eyes focused entirely on her now as she silently awaited anything– revelations, the other seemed to know far, far more about the situation than she ever had– so the best she could do was figure it out whilst she was still here, and yet nothing came up, no answers, nothing she could gather– and she felt a bit silly for depending on someone for answers like this, especially since this was only making her discomfort rise.

    Her eyebrows raise when she speaks, and brown hair bobs along in a nod at what she said– she was definitely tired of the mysteries, tired of being strung along without any answers– she needed the truth ( even if that truth shatters her ), she rubbed her arm, listening, yes, the whole ‘just Charlie’ thing seems to have by far fizzled out now, but the next thing makes her freeze– what? Her shoulders tense, eyes widening a little at that point, not.. human? What–? She watches her almost nervously now, the smirk making her anxiety spike farther, and Charlie subconsciously steps back a little, eyebrows furrowed as she continued, a toy. Walking AI– had it all been a lie? Had she been the lie entire time ( had they both been? )? It was a struggle, but Charlie doesn’t speak, but when she opened her mouth, a slight jumble of words come out, ❝ I– what–? I don’t, don’t– ❞ A sharp breath is given, and the girl shakes, her arms moving to hug herself a little– was it true..? Was it really all fake in the end?

[Yet again, Charlie’s struggles to respond to Baby’s musings were met with nothing but hostility; it was impossible to disguise her own animosity when her doppelganger openly admitted to being clueless about her plight, all the while displaying anxious habits to make herself look pathetic. Like prey. Vulnerable...which only made the clone want to strangle her even more. She was correct, of course -- there was no conceivable way that she could comprehend the personal torment that Baby was describing, but it made it no less aggravating that she was responding in an effort to explain herself as though the fellow replacement wanted to LISTEN to her pathetic excuses. She couldn’t care less.]

-- ❝ Of course you don’t. ❞ [Baby hissed, fists curling tightly, her lips twisted into a frown. It was liberating to be able to do that while she was in this form. Her double might be the same as her -- the same cut, the same caricature of a person, but they’d had completely different experiences throughout “life.” They could never possibly hope to understand one another. Truth be told, even if she showed her the horrific memories that she was forced to cling to, she wondered if her double would ever be able to put herself in her shoes; if she could ever bring herself to sympathize with someone like her. Charlie was too disconnected from her, too separate. Besides, Baby herself wouldn’t want to do the same for her...ever.]

[Eyes narrowed as Charlie finally reacted to the news of her origins; that was...a start. But it didn’t satiate her overwhelming desire to see her doppelganger suffer, to endure the same unbearable despair that she had. Baby’s eyebrows raised expectantly as she frowned with disappointment, the more graceful of the two towering over her quivering twin, a hand delicately raising to her own chin as she waited for a moment for the girl’s whimpering to cease. An “opening,” so to speak -- an opportunity for her to strike yet again, for her to attack what she thought were her memories. What Baby had to recall throughout this entire process was that this was only the beginning of Charlie’s strife; she had so much more in store, and if she remained patient, she would have enough time to get through all of it. She couldn’t get riled up just yet.]

Considering how this… girl? Looked in his eyes it was difficult to pick up on her body language… he just sorta saw the blur move frantically for a moment.

His cat like pupils went bigger in an attempt to perceive her but to no avail. “You look like a glitch.” He insists, shaking his head.

Without even missing a beat he responds to her query in a sinister voice, “Your worst nightmare.” A fanged grin was added for effect, hinting more at the fact he wasn’t quite human.

After a pause for dramatic effect, he gave a snigger. “Just kidding~ I’m not quite human though, if that wasn’t obvious.”

[The stranger’s persistence on the matter was daunting; she’d just checked up on herself, and she was in pristine, working order. That meant that the erroneous aspect of reality had to be originating from whoever or whatever was in front of her -- it had to be, right? She wouldn’t have been permitted to wander outside or hunt down her counterpart, let alone attempt to infiltrate her double’s group of friends, if she wasn’t functioning properly.]

[Furthering her suspicions was the toothy grin that followed the outsider’s cheesy comment, revealing a set of fangs that couldn’t belong to any human. Despite her overwhelming curiosity and bemusement, however, her eyes were half-lidded, apparently unamused by his remark.]

-- ❝ Cute. ❞ [A single word, her inflection scornful so as to counter his jovially insidious one.]

[What followed captured her attention, though -- confirmation of her conjecture up to this point, that the oddity before her wasn’t human in nature. That certainly provided an explanation for a few phenomena here, grating as they might be to deal with...she couldn’t maintain her rouse with someone who could “see” right through it. Not that he could perceive much of anything with her, actually; if his eyes were mechanical or digital, perhaps they only saw her as an obfuscated blur. Intriguing, but frustrating. She couldn’t work with that, nor could she really trick him, and revealing herself out in the open wasn’t an option...]

[Baby had suffered so many grievances over the years -- the mistreatment from her fathers, her abandonment in this underground bunker, the shocks and repetitive scoops from that damned machine...but it was the little things that truly caused her to snap sometimes. The minuscule additions to her torment that tipped her over the edge, such as the playful teasing from the current night technician, another purple fellow by the name of Naoya. And to think she’d almost grown rather fond of the boy; she’d even been considering making him the target of their escape plan...]

[Instead, he’d managed to irk her by mocking one of her lines. Repeating after her, insulting her by doing so in an exaggerated and pitiful voice, completely unprompted; and instead of being amused or delighted by it, as she might be if she’d actually called for it, she was frustrated by it. What made him think it was appropriate? Especially in a situation like this, when she’d first introduced him to the Scooping Room...that was rather personal for her, a sign of trust. She’d intended for him to help them up until this point, after all. Condescending her now was perhaps the worst move he could make, even if it was a coping mechanism of some sort.]

[She gave a sardonic chuckle, then made herself visible, inching closer to the night technician until she could reach him. And reach she did, gently holding a metallic hand to his face, smiling as she spoke ( though, technically, she had to -- it was “built in” ).]

“You’re welcome.” She gives a nod, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips when Baby thanks her. Although she hoped that her new friend didn’t think she was lying, she hoped that they’d see that their intentions were only the best for them despite their fate. “It took forever to recover, but unfortunately as my body changes and I get older my injured eye is slowly losing its sight.”

A sigh escapes and she decides that its best take it off to show her injury. Where her injury was there was still a slightly visible scar running from a little under her eyebrow, downward and over her upper lid, down her lower lid and ending above her cheekbone some. The eye itself, the iris was almost a ghostly green color, almost seeming not there or like she had contacts in to scare everyone with. “Brave? I ain’t brave, but thank you.” She rubs the back of her neck with her free hand. When they said they weren’t so lucky she looked sad again.

Edith enjoyed the slight affection though, the hand squeezing to console her. Although it hurt just a little, she wouldn’t say anything in fear of hurting the girl’s feelings, so she just stood there and accepted the affectionate touch.

The brunette listened to the part about her talking about the one that actually made Baby, from what she understood, and how he abandoned her and labeled her as wrong. “That’s horrible! How could someone even think that of you? I think you’re perfect.” She was being honest, and if her honesty wasn’t taken to be truthful she’d have to force it. When Baby relinquished her hold on her hands she felt slightly better, even idly wiggled her fingers just a moment. 

An idea spurred in her brain, maybe not a good one but she wanted Elizabeth, the child inside Baby in spirit to have a chance, to try and live how she wanted. “Would you ever like to go above ground to the surface to see everything again? Although it won’t be the same in an animatronic body, I figure you both would enjoy it rather than being stuck here.” She was talking to both Elizabeth AND Baby, unsure if they had their own separate thoughts.

[Another twinge of guilt pricked at the animatronic as Edith noted that her wounded eye was gradually losing its sight; again, Baby was entirely unconnected to the tragedy that befell her ( or, at least, she should’ve been ), yet she found herself overwhelmed by emotions anyway. She was retroactively remorseful for atrocities she didn’t commit, but...perhaps that was because she’d committed similar ones fairly recently. Yet, if the occasion called for it...that is, if her father gave the orders...she wouldn’t stop herself from doing it again. Not even after this heartbreaking conversation, even though she was honestly hesitant to rob another life after this. She...would do anything for her father, regardless of the fact that he was a monster.]

[However, being faced by Edith’s injury gave her second thoughts; it wasn’t as severe as it must’ve been on the day of the incident, but the lingering scar and the pale hue of her iris, which made her eye look like that of a corpse’s, was enough to perpetuate Baby’s internal dilemma. Seeing the damage inflicted upon someone who had to live with it was a different experience from killing someone and never needing to see their remains; with Elizabeth, her body had coalesced with Baby’s after that claw instinctively snatched her. Not once had the animatronic seen the gory results, and she preferred it that way -- she was happier, believing that she and Elizabeth were better off becoming one. This, however...this made her wonder, it made her uncomfortable, and it made her feel more remorseful than ever.]

-- ❝ Edith...I’m so sorry. ❞ [Polished eyelids shut themselves silently, the clown uncertain how to continue; that might not have been the response that showing her eye was meant to elicit, but it was all that Baby could muster after seeing it. She wasn’t certain whether she had anything more to add, or whether it’d be productive to do so -- her goal throughout this conversation had been to befriend Edith, after all, and if she revealed anything...undesirable...about herself through an extended apology, it’d be counter-intuitive. Instead, she held her metaphorical breath until her newfound friend remarked on her lack of courage, then opened her eyes once again. Her tone was more upbeat this time around.] ❝ I’m afraid I still have to insist, though. You’re incredibly brave to have come this far, in recovery and in life. ❞

[After Baby’s elaboration on her father’s abandonment, Edith actually...reassured her; eyes blinked mechanically with astonishment as she was told, for once in her life, that she was perfect. And...something in her chest felt...warm. There was a phantom-like sensation of wetness in her eyes, a sense that was physically impossible, likely originating from the human presence inside of her. How...odd. For the second time with Edith, the painted grin on her features didn’t feel like a facade, and she gave a breathy giggle of disbelief.]

❝ You...really think so? I’m...perfect? ❞ [It was obvious from the way she was sounding those words out, as though she was cheerily on the verge of tears, that this was the first time she was hearing them from someone else; nobody in her life had called her that before, not even Elizabeth during their first encounter. The word “wonderful” had been lovingly used, and that’d been cherished by the animatronic back then, but...to be considered perfection by someone...every wire in her body wanted to squeal with delight, or hug Edith, or shower her with affection somehow without inadvertently killing her -- but she held herself back. She knew that acting on her cuddly impulses likely wouldn’t turn out well.] ❝ Thank you, Edith...! ❞

[Eyes widened with eager curiosity when Edith proposed something else -- an opportunity for her to “see the light of day again,” so to speak. She would...go to those lengths for her? Edith truly cared about her that much? Baby felt overwhelmed by her own giddiness at the offer, but there was still an issue...her friends. If this was meant to be permanent, she couldn’t simply leave them behind...it wouldn’t be right, no matter how much she desired freedom.]

“Well, for foster parents they were great with raising me and being there for me, I never felt any different.” She responds, smiling weakly at her new .. friend? Would she call Baby? Edith tries to be brave, tries to remain as calm as she can between responding from telling her small story of what happened to her, and how she got the injury to her eye. When Baby thanked her she nods. 

“It’s okay, don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault.” She assures the other, trying to make it seem like everything was okay despite the current situation they were in. “I’ve learned to cope after everything happened, especially through therapy sessions.” It wasn’t like she forgot about her foster mother, but the memory of the day of what she saw grew more suppressed by the day. When the brunette saw Baby offer her hand, she looked a bit surprised at first but smiled, placing her own hand, a bit smaller and slightly softer in the robotic hand of her new friend. 

“That’s kind of you to say, but I feel like I’m hardly brave if anything.” She chuckles, cheeks flushed a bit in embarrassment. “I learn to suppress the terrible memories from that day, and I try and replace it with happy ones.” A nod follows. “To be honest, I always thought of something else.” She adds, chewing on her lower lip for a moment. “I always wonder why my biological parents gave me up as a baby.. maybe they were young? Maybe they couldn’t support me? Maybe it was a bad house?” She frowns. “But I’m just glad that I have a good life, and a chance at meeting a good friend like you.”

[Baby’s eyes widened slightly when Edith established that her parents -- the ones she’d lost, at that -- hadn’t been biologically related to her. She might be an animatronic, but she could relate to adopting foster parents as her “real” parents; technically speaking, Henry had never been a “true” father to her, but he fully intended to act as one if he ever finished her with the same amount of care as the other reincarnations of his daughter. William, on the other hand, didn’t treat her like a daughter...but her one-sided affection for him certainly reflected a daughter’s adoration. He might not have fostered her as his own, but she’d certainly come to consider him her own father, especially with the spirit currently inhabiting her body...]

[Regardless, Edith attempted to reassure her; “it’s not your fault” reverberated within her mind, though it didn’t seem to stick. There remained a part of her that felt personally connected, and if anything, that partial guilt only seemed to intensify at the notion -- now that an indirect victim of her actions was consoling her, her remorse...grew. She couldn’t stand that feeling...she might be responsible for a series of disappearances now, perhaps even for a death or two, but she hadn’t caused that particular incident...and Edith herself ensured that, through extensive therapy, she’d learned to cope. So, why...?]

-- ❝ Oh...right. Thank you. ❞ [Despite her words, her attempts at ensuring Edith that her assurances hadn’t been in vain, her tone betrayed her once again. Her downtrodden expression shifted once the woman gently placed a hand in her own, however; it was a subtle gesture, and it might not mean much to her, but holding someone’s hand...affection in general...was a major step for someone like her. It was a massive indicator of trust from Edith, even if she didn’t realize it herself, and Baby finding herself able to reach that level of friendship with someone was...a wondrous feeling. She felt like she was on cloud nine, and suddenly her insecurity began to disperse; even if she might inadvertently be tied to the tragedy in Edith’s life, Edith didn’t blame her...she finally chinned up, glancing back at her confidant.] ❝ I...really am glad that you’ve been able to recover so well, despite everything. ❞

❝ But you are brave, Edith. You haven’t let your past hurt you, and...you’re able to replace it with better memories. We...aren’t so lucky. ❞ [Not only was Baby programmed with memories that she couldn’t erase or overwrite no matter how hard she tried, but Elizabeth’s spirit brought with her an unpleasant, traumatic past that couldn’t be forgotten, either. The topic that Edith followed with piqued the animatronic’s curiosity, however...she wondered about her birth family’s reason for abandoning her. If she was truly curious, Baby could offer her experience on the matter...but it certainly wouldn’t be pleasant to hear about. Eyes glanced away, metallic hands delicately squeezing the woman’s to console her.]

❝ My experience might not be very similar, but...I told you about how Elizabeth’s father didn’t create me, yes? My...”real” father, if you want to call him that, abandoned me, too...except, I know why. I was...aware, the entire time. He...hated me. That was the reason. I was “wrong,” an imperfection among his other creations... ❞ [Her inflection began with sorrow, then devolved into bitterness and indignation. Finally, there was a pause; Baby realized that she might be clinging too tightly to Edith’s hands as a result of her lingering rage toward her “father,” which led to her frantically relinquishing her grip. Her expression and tone softened then, and she brought her hands to her chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious.] ❝ ...Sometimes it’s better not to know. ❞

   She’s not fond of how she’s looking at her, eyebrows furrowing in slight annoyance at the other– she was simply your average person, that’s what she grew up believing. She stands her ground, though, quiet as she watched the other– she never knew her inner workings, how she was truly, after all– Henry had raised her to think she was human, which worked. Charlie doesn’t falter as the other keeps watching her– head held high as her hands lock together, she was patient, brown eyes unblinking as she kept quiet, of course she’d never understand, not unless someone spelled it out for her, anyways– she was just herself, in her own mind– just her.

   ❝ Huh? ❞ An eyebrow quirks at the other as she shows her confusion at the quip– what did she mean? This was something Charlie couldn’t fathom herself– she had been kept in the dark about her nature, unaware– never to know, never to find out about it, she was simply just meant to be the simulation of a child who had died far too soon– too young, too naive, she was still just a little naive– though that was probably just the AI replicating what it thought the true Charlie would grow up like, not like she knew, anyways, she was oblivious to it all– she herself remained unsure, and curious– she wished to know, but at the same time, didn’t know how to figure it out, it was… rather frustrating, considering the other seemed to be dangling what she knew over her head at the moment.

   She tilted her head, a little confused with what she says next as well– she could see it– at least, with the physical attributes, she was cautious, careful, the other was confident and bold, there were many differences– and that made her wonder why she couldn’t see them, her hands unlock, and she rubbed the back of her neck, her other hand laying at her side as she frowned at the other– none of this was making sense to her, and it was thoroughly irritating, she keeps that to herself however, simply waiting for the other to continue, to reveal more so that could make some sense, ❝ …Really? ❞ She couldn’t help but feel a bit bad– that didn’t seem fair on the other, in her opinion, though she doesn’t ask– she didn’t wish to accidentally open another can of worms than the one she had opened right now, anyways– it’d be a bit awkward for her to ask, too.

   Charlie was trying to wrap her head around this, she was perplexed, she kept rubbing her neck, eyebrows furrowed and having taken to chewing at the inside of her cheek, her hands move to cling to one another, and she looked around, just a smidgen stressed as she tried to figure out just what she was talking about– she couldn’t help but want to know, though she wasn’t fond of the feeling of apprehension she was feeling, she didn’t like it one bit ( it was.. a suffocating feeling, really, she didn’t know why ), she watched her, her head tilting to the side as she waited for something– anything– to say, because she herself couldn’t think of anything, she has questions, she had a lot of them, but… she wasn’t sure how to word them, how to get them out, she was lost, and she didn’t really like it in the slightest, so she waited for an explanation, or something like that, and when she finally speaks, she perked up, ❝ …And that is..? ❞ She questioned quietly, ever curious.

[Yet again, her doppelganger pleaded ignorance, naivete; how predictable. Her dismissive remark regarding their fellow clones was lost on her, met with that usual bewilderment...that much had been anticipated. What followed, however...the way Charlie tilted her head while Baby studied the minute differences in their structures, her frown, and the “really?” that came as a response to her spilled guts -- it vexed her to no end. Her perception of the matter, being incredibly one-sided and preemptively tainted by her own overwhelming contempt for her “twin,” didn’t take Charlie’s inflection into account, nor the possibility that she might feel any ounce of pity for her behind the scenes. Even if that had been the case, she wasn’t certain what would be worse; receiving compassion from someone she abhorred, or being scoffed at by that same person because her story was so “pathetic.” She leaned toward the former.]

-- ❝ Yes...really. ❞ [Baby scowled at her double, resisting the urge to tear her apart then and there; if she succumbed to that temptation now, not only would she miss out on tormenting her with the devastating news that she was just another animatronic toy created by Henry, but her father would be upset with her. Of course, that last deterrent was more disheartening than anything else -- she couldn’t bear the thought of her father scrapping her for this obviously inadequate model in front of her, not when she could clearly compete in so many ways. Hadn’t she proven herself to him already? Why did he need her...?]  ❝ ...I don’t understand it. There’s nothing you have that I don’t. ❞

[Bringing herself back to the task at hand, her expression grew more solemn; eyes closed briefly before glaring into her double’s, not to convey her scorn, but to maintain eye contact and establish a sense of sincerity. She hadn’t quite decided how she would word things, but telling her outright, sending her into a delirious state, then proving it, would probably be the most entertaining route. For now, she’d attempt to retain this somber tone, but she couldn’t guarantee that she’d be able to hold onto it while she spoke -- she might wind up so satisfied and giddy to see her double’s reaction that she couldn’t help beaming in anticipation.]

The woman nods at Baby’s reply, honestly feeling sorry deep down for the pain that the child’s soul inside the animatronic went through, as well as Baby herself. In all honesty, she wished she could take away their pain or even be the one that was in their position for them to get the force of the pain from family and others that had mistreated them. When Baby spoke of Elizabeth having an older brother, Edith raised her brows and looked at her. “Really? That is interesting but..” She trailed off, frowning for a moment. “I hope that isn’t the case, no one else deserves the pain you endured.”

The next words instantly warmed her sorrowful heart though when they said she was glad that Edith wasn’t one of those people who ran off without even trying to lend an ear and listen. “I would never be like that, it’d go against everything my parents tried to raise me to be.” She didn’t dare say foster parents because for all she knew they were like her real parents.

The brunette stood still in hesitation when she was questioned on what happened to her eye, and she realized the hand she idly had to it and dropped it to her side before glancing over again. “Well..” She began, swallowing hard and chewing on her lower lip. “When I was nine-years-old I had a birthday party and invited all my friends, even from school and we were having loads of fun.” She smiled, trying to be a bit optimistic for herself and her new friend. “Unfortunately, when it was time to have a cake.. all I remember was hearing a scream and saw my mother badly hurt and bleeding, laying on the floor.” She frowns, staring down and trying to not tear up.

“Everything happened so fast though and my friends were picked off like animals, and I ended up being injured too by the stranger that had brought in my cake and all.” She shivers and rubs at her uncovered eye as she could feel tears threatening to spill. “People outside the room heard it, but I had ended up blacking out from my injury and when I came to I was in the hospital.”

[She hushed herself once Edith expressed her piqued curiosity regarding Elizabeth’s brother, opting instead to avoid her gaze and fretfully hold a metallic hand to her painted lips. Although she did indeed harbor a few more memories from her spirit’s perspective of him, they weren’t pleasant; to be fair, he’d always been kind to his sister, no matter how mischievous she tended to be or how much trouble she caused for him -- it was the mutual memories of their father that she dreaded dredging up. Besides, she didn’t entirely want to delve into a discussion regarding him at the moment. Perhaps later...Elizabeth did occasionally miss him, after all. He never seemed to enjoy spending time around her pizzeria beforehand, and now, he’d almost certainly avoid the location like the plague. How unfortunate.]

-- ❝ They raised you well; I’m sure they were wonderful people. ❞ [Baby’s words were kind, yet almost reserved, reluctant, compared to her other sentiments. Perhaps it was due to the twinge of envy she felt upon recognizing that the woman before her must’ve had loving, supportive parents -- the sort that she and the spirit dwelling within her had been deprived of all these years. There was one final pang of hesitance, of lament, then she concluded by conveying her gratitude once more.] ❝ Thank you. ❞

[Eyes observed inquisitively as Edith started to open up to her; her own tragedy had unfolded on her birthday, during a party, a revelation that caused the animatronic’s metallic joints to tense up. Little detail had been provided, of course, but the implication of any disaster occurring on a birthday suggested a Fazbear-brand establishment, at least from her perspective. As a performer for one of the restaurants, designed for the explicit purpose of ensnaring the visiting children, her assumptions were relatively justified...]

[Apparently, before cake could even be served, a nine year-old version of the woman before her had witnessed her mother on the floor, severely wounded. Her friends followed, falling victim to the killer in the room, then the mysterious stranger who’d delivered the cake scarred her as well -- her eye. She must have been fortunate to escape with her life; if Baby’s father had been the man responsible ( a possibility which she’d rather not address at the moment, but for the sake of an example ), he only would have spared her due to the potential risk of getting caught. Perhaps that was the case here...a concerned expression raised itself on her features, partially out of sympathy, partially out of a rising dread that her father might have been involved.]

❝ That’s...horrible. I can’t imagine...and you were there to witness most of it, too. I’m so sorry. ❞ [In truth, she’d been anticipating that her apologies and sympathies toward the woman would be feigned in an effort to perpetuate the idea that she was just as considerate; instead, they were genuine, if only due to feeling partially...responsible. She didn’t recall the incident in question, meaning that she hadn’t personally been involved, but if her father had been -- if Freddy’s had been in the slightest -- then she was connected to it, and she...didn’t want to be. For a moment, she glanced down at her hands uncertainly, the joints in her fingertips looking uncomfortable in comparison to squishy human skin, but offered her hands for the woman to hold anyway -- a sort of physical emotional support in this surprisingly trying time.] 

   She wrung her hands, an expression of calmness on her face.

   Brown eyes focused on the floor as she stands, lips drawn in a thin line as she remained where she was– she kept to herself, calm, collected as she occasionally looked around, a sneaker drawing back behind her in a sign of hesitance– she doesn’t flinch, she doesn’t say anything, though she couldn’t help but lean back a little as the other gets in her face– her eyebrows scrunch together slightly, and she frowned, her hands locking together to keep them from moving as she’s face-to-face with the girl, she bites the inside of her cheek– even if her expression doesn’t convey it; she’s a bit nervous.

   She watches the other’s own  face shift– not entirely understanding why she’s doing it ( she wanted to understand– she wanted to understand her ), a hand draws away from her finger lock; reaching up to tug at her jacket sleeve as she remained quiet, eyes flickering up and down the other with just a tad bit of curiosity; Charlie had always been a little curious. She fiddled with the hem of her jacket’s sleeve, not saying a word as she watched her– tilting her head to the side ever-so-slightly as she keeps herself standing tall, before she raises both her hands to lock together once more, raising an eyebrow at her in questioning.

   She remained grounded as she tried to think of words to say; gears whirring violently in an attempt to come up with something– a greeting, a question, anything she could find ( and yet she couldn’t– she was at a loss for words ), instead she kept silent, her expression finally shifting to one of a neutral, slightly confused frown; her head remains tilted to one side as she blinked twice at the other, growing ever more curious in the silence; there was a feeling running up her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing. Her hands remained locked, a sign that she doesn’t wish to cause any sort of violence– at least, not yet, anyways.

   ❝ …? ❞ Her eyebrows raise a little at the first thing she says– surprise on her face as she looked to the floor ( she never talked about Henry often– her hands tighten in the lock as she thinks about the man ), her eyes become half-lidded as she watched the other, her mouth making a thin line once more as she thought of a response, quietly does she finally move, leaning back on her heel as she spent a moment thinking, she sure as heck wasn’t special– she knows that, she was just Charlie ( she thinks so, anyways ), her eyes look down to the floor, before she finally spoke, ❝ I… don’t know. ❞ She answered, honest, ❝ I don’t really… have anything special about me. ❞ She was made to be a mirror image; an emulation, though she wasn’t aware of that ( perhaps she might be, only slightly– it was small enough to excuse, but regardless, it was always the little things ), ❝ I’m just… me, y'know? ❞ A simple shrug, ❝ Just Charlie. ❞

[Eyes narrowed disdainfully, disapprovingly with Charlie’s response; she couldn’t be expected to know the proper answer, of course, to recognize that her flawless design and remarkable AI, her lack of self-awareness and near-sentience, and the overwhelming amount of care and passion put into her were what made her unique...appreciated. There was a feeling that the doppelganger herself would never fully experience, that sensation of pure, unadulterated compassion that she yearned for -- not unless she brought back this double for her father, and even then, she dreaded that she might be rewarded with replacement. Abandonment. Two of her deepest fears ever since her deplorable creation, no thanks to the man who left her to rot in an agonizing, incomplete state.]

-- ❝ That’s what you think. ❞ [No, Charlie wasn’t “just” herself -- there was plenty of her to go around. Were one to dig deeper, they might find two other clones, significantly younger and tinier; replacements to fill a depraved man’s void, four dolls in total, one...never to be completed. Not by Henry, anyway. By the end of their little discussion, her twin would come to realize that; the crisis that would arise from it would likely traumatize her, and when Baby had emotionally ruined her, she would be satisfied enough to drag her away. Nothing would make her happier than to see her double crumple to her knees and cry, as sadistic as it sounded -- but that was a just reward for the inadvertent suffering and envy she’d instilled upon the animatronic’s life, wasn’t it?]

❝ ...How I wish you were wrong. I don’t see a difference between you and I... ❞ [Her expression grew somewhat downtrodden with that sentiment, eyes shifting to mark the subtle diversions here and there -- Charlie’s posture, her apprehension compared to Baby’s confident stride, their obvious clothes, and extremely muted variations in their facial features and body structures. All that aside, they were modeled after the same person...Baby’s artificial intelligence was precisely as sophisticated. Couldn’t she suffice? Why could she never be enough?] ❝ ...But the world around us does. Henry thought you were better...my father thinks you’re better...I’ve tried my best, but I’ve never been enough for either of them. ❞

[...Perhaps it was time to leave the cryptic riddles aside, however; Charlie couldn’t possibly comprehend the message that her doppelganger was struggling to get across when she didn’t properly explain herself. How to reveal it, however...? That was another matter entirely. There ought to be memories that their father programmed her with -- she still had them in her own system, although they were altered, since Henry had been on the brink of madness at the time. Nevertheless, they were all recordings...if she pushed her, surely Charlie could recall that much. Perhaps she could even show her -- she ought to be able to convey her own memories through touch, as well. Telling her outright first, on the other hand, might send her into a state of denial first...and in that panicked state, she could then show her the fact that her memories were all fabricated. Either way...]

While Edith wasn’t one to easily believe someone and sometimes could sniff out a lie, she honestly believed Baby. Although the young woman knew their situations could never be the same or compare, she still felt the heartbreak for the lost soul before her, trapped inside something that should be better or never exist at all. The confirmation of Elizabeth’s father not being kind made her even more pained. 

When she went on to tell how Elizabeth’s father would yell at her or even hurt her made her want to throw up at the thought, but she tried her best to keep her composure with the tale. “Honestly I don’t know how people like that could have kids, it’s too cruel.” She frowns, and it felt like the world crashed again around her for this being. 

“That’s good that you feel that way, to a degree. Feeling regret and or remorse is a way to trying to be better about things, or learning at least if that makes sense.” She nods, smiling just a tad. “I doubt many have wanted to listen to your tale because they would easily be terrified of the unknown or at least, terrified with the assumptions heard.” She shrugs. When they thanked her, she smiled again. “Of course, I want to not be judgemental like others are, and try and listen to others at least.”

For a moment she stared down at her feet, a hand idly touching the eyepatch again that covered her injured eye. It was weird how despite their tales definitely being different, it made her feel the same to a degree. Although her injury wasn’t at the hands of her guardian, it was still by someone, and that made her sick.

[Truth be told, Edith’s inability to comprehend how or why their father could raise children was one that Baby shared; what was the point in starting a family if you would mistreat them like that? She loved her father with all her heart, unconditionally, but she simply couldn’t understand him or why he did the things he did...with his kidnappings, there were scientific and paranormal motivations, all in the name of research, but his family? Why torture the ones he created, including his animatronics, like Baby herself ( even if she didn’t qualify as a pure invention of his own design )? Henry treated her the same way; imbued her with his hatred, then scrapped her when she expressed it -- why expend the effort of design and creation, then toss it all away to make those creations miserable for the rest of their lives?]

-- ❝ I could never hope to understand it, either. ❞ [Her tone was entirely genuine, embedded with the despair that her bitter reminiscence filled her with.] ❝ From what I know, Elizabeth has an older brother, as well...I’m sure he isn’t treated any better. ❞

[When Edith followed up by assuring her that her alleged remorse was a positive sign, the animatronic cheered up again; perhaps she shouldn’t have, given that the sorrow she’d admitted to was entirely fabricated, meaning that she hadn’t made any progress toward “learning” or “bettering herself,” but she didn’t mind that. For now, she was simply overjoyed to have someone to take her words to heart, to hang onto her every word, despite every other person being -- as she’d stated -- overwhelmed by her appearance or judging her by her actions. Of course, that was also why she’d needed to deceive Edith...otherwise, she couldn’t gain the woman’s sympathy, or her friendship!]

❝ You think so? ❞ [She giggled, delighted by the thought that Edith believed her to be learning from her mistakes. Then again, if she was, she might be feeling some degree of guilt for her giddiness over the subject.] ❝ But...you’re right. Not many would want to hear about her; they would be scared off, either by me, or by the story. I’m glad you aren’t one of them. ❞

[She beamed, but when Edith’s expression became downcast, one of her hands idly reaching at her eyepatch, the animatronic was immediately fascinated; it was a rarity, but given that the woman had so endearingly listened to every word from them, she might as well offer to lend an ear to the woman’s plight. It was obviously bothering her. Perhaps some aspect of Elizabeth’s tale reminded her of what happened to her eye? Besides, Baby was slightly curious about it...]

[There she was.]

[A devilish grin curled across the doppelganger’s features, her endless search finally accumulating in results; she finally had her eyes settled on her prey, and she wouldn’t allow her to escape now that she was so tantalizingly close. This would be her moment -- perhaps she might even earn her father’s praise, or the affection from him that she’d been so desperate for ever since he’d saved her...the thought alone motivated her. A fire welling up within, she made her approach, finally face-to-face with her double.]

[When she did, the smirk faded from her features, replaced by another expression entirely; disgust, fueled by the envy that welled up within her upon seeing her this close. They were practically identical, although Baby’s attire was a tad less...tomboyish. Her eyes scanned her “twin” for a moment, as though attempting to discern which aspect of her that either of their fathers found more lovable, enough so to adorn her with the attention that Baby was depraved of throughout her miserable existence. Though William’s was antagonistic in nature, he did still admire her and the craftsmanship that went into her, which Baby was inherently resentful about -- she couldn’t help that her creator instilled her with his hatred, that he made her when he was at the brink of madness.]

[There were two routes she could traverse here; one would be violent, the other would involve devastating her double and causing her to doubt herself, but both would ultimately lead to her hauling her away. Given that she was an inherently vindictive and malicious creation, she of course opted for...the latter. Before bringing Charlie in to her father, she would toy with her for a while; remind her of her nature, if she wasn’t aware of it already, and make her miserable with that knowledge. It was only fair...Charlie had caused her more grief than she would ever know.]