The first thing Lucas noticed when he opened his eyes was the overwhelming brightness. The hospital room was unnervingly clean, a stark contrast to the last thing he remembered: the sound of screeching tires and the unbearable pain of impact.
He tried to move, but his body felt small, fragile. The voices around him—cheerful and full of relief—were unfamiliar.
"He's awake," a woman said, her voice warm but unfamiliar. "Our baby boy is awake."
Lucas wanted to speak, to ask what was going on, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a wail. A high-pitched, infantile cry.
It didn't take long for the truth to sink in: he'd been reborn.
---
The next four years were oddly peaceful. Lucas grew up in a modest household, with loving parents who had no idea their son's soul was far older than they realized. Life in this new world was strange, with quirks—a term he quickly learned referred to the superpowers nearly everyone had. His own quirk hadn't manifested yet, and part of him hoped it never would.
But fate had other plans.
---
At four years old, Lucas was enrolled in an early education program. Today was special; a visiting pro hero was helping teach the kids. The hero was Lumina, a woman with a glowing, radiant quirk that dazzled the children. She was guiding them through an exercise meant to help them imagine what their quirks might be like when they awakened.
"Remember, kids," Lumina said with a cheerful smile, "quirks are a part of who you are. They can be scary or strange, but they're yours to control. Never forget that."
Lucas shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His classmates were excitedly talking about what quirks they hoped to have, but he stayed quiet. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if something was about to go horribly wrong.
"Lucas," Lumina said, kneeling beside him. "What about you? What do you think your quirk will be?"
"I don't know," he mumbled, avoiding her gaze.
Then it happened.
A sharp, tearing pain shot through his body, and his vision blurred. His heart raced as a foreign sensation overtook him, something primal and horrifying. He fell from his chair, convulsing.
"Lucas!" Lumina's voice was panicked now, the children screaming around them.
Lucas's body twisted unnaturally, and in a matter of moments, he transformed. His skin turned metallic, jagged teeth protruded from his mouth, and his eyes glowed a menacing red. Claws formed at the ends of his hands, and his body swelled into the towering, nightmarish form of Nightmare Bonnie.
The room erupted into chaos.
Children cried, scrambling away from him, and even Lumina took a step back, her radiant glow dimming as fear took hold.
"Stay back, everyone!" she commanded, summoning a shield of light around the children.
Lucas could barely think. His mind was a haze of panic and instinct, his monstrous body responding to his emotions rather than reason. He roared, the sound rattling the walls.
"Lucas!" Lumina shouted. "You need to calm down! You're not a monster!"
He wasn't sure how long it lasted, but eventually, the transformation subsided. His body shrank back to its original form, and he collapsed onto the floor, trembling and exhausted. The room was silent, save for the sound of his ragged breathing.
Lumina approached cautiously, kneeling beside him. Her face was soft, concerned, but there was still a flicker of fear in her eyes.
"That was your quirk, wasn't it?" she said gently. "It's... powerful. But you're going to need help learning to control it."
Lucas couldn't bring himself to respond. He felt the weight of the children's stares, the terror in their eyes.
---
That night, Lucas couldn't sleep. His parents, though loving, were clearly shaken, unsure how to handle what had happened. Alone in his room, Lucas stared at the ceiling, his mind racing.
"You're scared," a voice said suddenly, deep and calm.
Lucas bolted upright, his eyes darting around the room. A figure stood at the foot of his bed, translucent and glowing faintly. He was a tall man in a purple suit, his face weathered but strangely kind.
"Who... who are you?" Lucas stammered.
The man gave a small, almost apologetic smile. "You can call me William. William Afton."
The name sent a chill down Lucas's spine. He recognized it immediately. The William Afton? The infamous murderer from the Five Nights at Freddy's games?
But this William seemed different. There was no malice in his eyes, only regret.
"I know what you're thinking," William said. "And you're right to be wary. I've done... horrible things. Things I can never undo." He hesitated, his gaze softening. "But I've changed. Cassidy saw to that."
"Why are you here?" Lucas asked, his voice shaking.
"Because you're like me," William said simply. "You've been given a second chance, and it's not going to be easy. People will fear you, hate you, just like they did me. But it doesn't have to end the same way."
Lucas frowned. "You're saying you want to help me? Why should I trust you?"
"Because I understand what it means to be a nightmare," William said, his tone firm. "And I can teach you how to control yours."
The room fell silent as Lucas processed his words. He didn't trust William, not entirely. But if he was going to survive in this world—if he was going to prove he wasn't the monster everyone thought he was—he needed help.
"Fine," Lucas said finally. "But if I get even the slightest hint that you're trying to manipulate me..."
William chuckled softly. "Fair enough. Now, let's get to work."
And so began Lucas's journey—not just to master his quirk, but to prove that even a nightmare could become a hero.