Five Night's With Foxy (With Mira-Charma13)

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Foxy watched and listened intently as the human pointed out different shapes in the sky. As Mike suspected, he was particularly interested in the constellation Argo Navis, which resembled a ship. "Ain' as impressive as th' Red Fox, o' course," he was quick to add after the human finished explaining it, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. At least half of his beloved, but run-down Cove was occupied by a massive fake pirate ship, with a nameplate that read 'The Red Fox.' It was huge, stretching all the way up to the ceiling! It was where Foxy spent most of his time when he was still doing shows, swinging from the fake rigging and spinning the captain's wheel while he loudly blared sea shanties for the amusement of the children.

His large ears bounced at the mere mention of Polaris. "I be knowin' abou' that star," he admitted, curling his toes somewhat as he stared up into the sparkling sky. "Any pirate worth 'is salt knows abou' th' North Star. It be used ta find yer way when yer out a' sea. Didn' know 'bout the others, though." Being a pirate was all Foxy knew how to do. It was what his programming urged him to do, and how it demanded that he acted. He didn't even know how to speak without that thick piratical accent. At the same time...he wasn't a true pirate, and deep down he knew it. He'd never laid eyes upon the ocean. He'd never set foot on a real pirate ship.

...But he wanted to. Oh, he wanted to! Much unlike the other animatronics, Foxy always had this undying urge to leave the safety of his home. Perhaps permanently. This intense urge only increased tenfold after he was decommissioned and confined to Pirate Cove. Stripped of his duties. Unable to do the one thing he enjoyed the most--entertaining children. This was when his friendship with Freddy truly began to deteriorate. After all, the three rules that Freddy was the fondest of were 'The adults cannot know that we are fully sentient beings,' 'We must hunt and pursue the night guard no matter what,' and 'We are forbidden from setting foot outside of our home of our own volition.' It would mean nothing but trouble for all of them if Foxy was caught red-handed outside on his own. Concerns would inevitably be raised. "What if that thing breaks into someone's house?" "It could wander into the road and cause a fatal accident!" "It could damage city property!" "What if it attacks someone? That thing's done it before, hasn't it?" "What if it kills someone?!"

Foxy suddenly grunted, lifting his head a bit to warily scan the area. "...Let's make a point a' keepin' this little adventure a secret, aye?" he muttered, sounding uneasy at best. "Ain' supposed ta go outside. Tha' big brown stick in th' mud forbids it." Freddy was the boss. In that building, Freddy's word was law, and anyone who defied it would be severely punished. It had to be driving Freddy nuts right now that he couldn't just snatch the night guard up and shove him into a suit like he wanted to. If he did that, what would become of Foxy? As much as the two of them violently argued and exchanged blows, Foxy was still a part of his family, and his responsibility to boot. He couldn't just leave him hanging out to dry like that.

The red animatronic settled back down on his blanket just as Mike started speaking again. He squinted one eye, looking mildly thoughtful. "...Wouldn' know what yer feelin'," was what he finally said, pointedly avoiding eye contact. "We can't die, see. We ain' allowed the luxury." For a brief moment, just a split second, Foxy's luminous optics darkened to that insidious pitch black before rapidly snapping back to their original golden hue.
 
The title "The Red Fox" joggled Mike's memory and he vaguely remembered seeing Foxy swinging away at the fake pirate ship that took up the majority of the cove. A jolt of sadness ran through the man as he realized that while Foxy was programmed to be a pirate, he hadn't ever seen the sea or even stepped foot onto a ship. Mike glanced at the animatronic out of the corner of his eyes and vowed that one day, he would take Foxy to see the ocean no matter what. He didn't know what to do about the pirate ship but maybe he could find something that was a close second. As Mike stared back up at the night sky, shifted again as one of his hands came to rest up by his right ear. "I won't utter a word to the others." Mike promised. As Foxy responded to Mike's comment about loved ones becoming stars, he glanced over at the fox. He knew there was something about them that made them sentient beings. Could...Could there be a soul trapped in that metal shell? Mike looked away, brain whirling and trying to process this revelation. He then noticed the sky was lighting, the stars beginning to fade.

Mike climbed to his feet and stretched, wincing at how cold and uncomfortable the ground had been on his fragile body. As his arms dropped down to his sides, the sun peeked over the horizon and bathed Mike in a golden light. His pale skin stood in stark contrast to his bright blue eyes which were sparkling. His brown locks, ruffled by the wind, were streaked with golden rays. Mike stood still as the sun rose up before turning to face Foxy. "We better go back inside." He stooped down and collected his blanket then when the fox stood as well, collected the second blanket. He tucked them in his arms and lead the way back down the emergency staircase and into his apartment.

He deposited the blankets onto the couch then headed to the kitchen. He heated up the rest of the soup up for himself then heated up Chica's pizza for Foxy. He placed some pizza on a plate and set it at his small table next to the kitchen for the fox then took his bowl and sat on the couch to give fox space at the table. Mike sipped at his soup, feeling better than he had earlier and so he should be fine to go to work. After he finished his soup Mike got up and washed the bowl before putting it away. He then wandered into the bedroom to catch some sleep before work.

He woke some hours later and got up. He then puttered around the apartment collecting things he might need for work. He pulled his sketchpad down from the shelf where he had placed it before they had gone to star gaze and packed it into a satchel. A light bulb then went off over his head and he then hurried into the kitchen. He searched the kitchen, finally finding what he was looking for up high in a shelf. He grabbed a step stool but even then had trouble getting to it. He managed though, successfully stepping back onto the ground without injury. He took what he had been looking for and slid it into the bag with his sketchpad. He then spent the next few hours cleaning up his bedroom and the bathroom. When it was time for work he changed into his uniform and headed to the car with Foxy.

He repeated the process from the first night he had taken Foxy to work with him, going in first so the camera's caught him there on time before going back out to the van to get the pirate once the clock struck midnight. Remembering what had happened the last time, Mike quickly vacated the area around Foxy and headed over to Chica. He reached into his satchel and pulled out two cook books. A blush tinted his cheeks as he shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I-I wanted to thank you for the pizza you made me. I don't really use these anymore so you can have them. If you need any ingredients or help just let me know." With that, Mike gave a nod to the other animatronics and fled to the office where he plopped down into his swivel seat and resisted the urge to hide his burning face.
 
Foxy's reaction the lightening sky was a far cry from the human's. He scowled as the stray bits of sunlight began streaking their way across the sky, blotting out the enchanting starlight. When it became obvious that the encroaching sunlight wasn't going to halt or even so much as slow down for his sake, the huffy red fox jolted forward into a sitting position, shoulders slumped and irritated gaze fixed on the rising sun. He remained this way until the sun rose higher and higher, higher than it was around the time he left with the night guard and came back to this apartment complex, that was. All of a sudden, the aging pirate was perking up, ears standing high and head tilting somewhat to the right. A few long seconds passed...

...And then Foxy's eyes slowly closed. He shimmied around and turned his body so that the vast majority of his metal body would capture the sun's bright rays. A familiar cat-like purring sound rumbled from deep within his endoskeleton. It was the same exact sound he sporadically made while the night repaired his jaw and removed those bits of curtain from his shoulder joints. Apparently, even though he didn't enjoy the sight of the sky in the daytime nearly as much as he reveled in the sight at nighttime...the unprecedented warmth of the sunlight was enough to soothe the angry beast. In this brighter light, his poor condition stood out even more starkly than before. For anyone who held on to memories of the Foxy of the past, he was truly a shocking sight. That once-vibrant and pristine fire red fur had dulled to a paler clay red and was dotted with holes, rips, and tears of various shapes and sizes. There were spots on his exposed hand and legs where his endoskeleton was beginning to rust all the way through. His sharp hook, upon closer inspection, was a little bit rusty as well.

He was a true relic from the past. Suspiciously enough, it looked like no one, let alone a mechanic, had laid a hand on Foxy in more than a decade.

The old fox grunted when the human suggested they return to the apartment. Unwillingly, he rose to his feet--his old endoskeleton creaked ominously as he did so. He flicked his sorry excuse for a tail to rid it of any dust or unwelcome tagalongs he might have picked up when he sat down, and that ancient thing squeaked like a terrified mouse when it moved. He trailed behind Mike at a considerable distance, rubbing absently at his eyes like a tired child. It was a disturbingly human gesture, and deep down, Foxy hoped the night guard missed it completely so that he wouldn't have to answer any uncomfortable questions.

This time around, Foxy didn't make a beeline for the closet. He instead took to exploring the rest of the apartment while the human bustled about the kitchen. Thankfully, the normally mischievous pirate must have been worn out from their little expedition to see the stars, and he didn't bother tearing things up or knocking stuff over in his wake. He only stepped away from his exploration when a familiar scent reached his nostrils. His ears and tail shot straight up and he swiveled his head on his shoulders, spying a couple pieces of pizza sitting at the table. A pleased hum escaped him. He clanked his way over, bypassing Mike, and plopped himself right down in the chair. He tore into the pizza slices with his huge razor-sharp teeth, tail squeaking as it swished back and forth contently. He even made noises of contentment. He could taste the pizza. But how was that possible?

The human finished his bowl of soup before Foxy gobbled up the last bits of his pizza. Curious as ever, the animatronic's golden optics tracked Mike as he ventured into the kitchen and deposited his bowl in the sink. He waited until the night guard left before rising from his seat, plate clutched in his hand. He copied Mike, placing it into the sink. A few seconds later, the bedroom door creaked open, but quickly snapped shut again. Another soft shunk indicated that the fox was safely back inside of the closet again. He was exhausted, and all he wanted to do was rest.

Foxy was so out of it that he didn't even stir until he heard the human making an awful racket in the bathroom as he cleaned it. He grumbled, but said nothing as he rose to his feet, popping his aching joints. He didn't address the night guard as he passed him. Instead, he disappeared into the main room. The old pirate must have been impatient to get back to the pizzeria, because he was waiting for Mike at the door, leaning casually against the wall. He made a genuine effort to be quiet in the stairwell. Of course, Foxy had his face pressed up against the window again as the van rolled out of the parking lot and onto the road. More squeaking sounds from his wagging tail broke the silence in the vehicle when the pizzeria came into view. This time, he showed not an ounce of impatience as he waited for Mike to return...but this time he didn't bother waiting for the human to lead him inside. He shot out of the van like a bat out of hell, barreling straight into the pizzeria. Some gleeful whirs, clicks, and mechanical squeals gave away the position of the two troublemakers long before they came into view--Bonnie and Foxy were sitting on the band's stage together, flipping through what looked like a children's picture book.

Chica was lingering by the mouth of the left hallway, which was unusual considering that was the hallway she rarely ventured into. She wasn't expecting Mike to approach her--in fact, she jumped a bit before whirling around, looking surprised. "Oh! Night guard! Sorry, I..." The chicken peeked over her shoulder. "I'm just waiting for Freddy to come back." She also wasn't expecting the human to bestow a gift upon her, either. She was speechless as she accepted the book, pink eyes as wide as they could go. She was flipping it over to read the back when the night guard bolted off in another direction. A few seconds later, she giggled loudly. "Thank you very much! I'm going to go read this right away!" Loud thumping footsteps echoed from the mouth of the left hallway.

...Three animatronics were accounted for. But Freddy was nowhere to be seen.
 
Mike soon calmed down from embarrassing himself in front of the other animatronics, he just hoped Chica would like the cook books seeing as he hadn't stuck around long enough to hear what she thought of them. He just hoped he hadn't offended her in some way. He couldn't think of anything but then again he hadn't thought he had offended at Foxy at the time. Could she take him giving her the cook books as a way of saying her cooking needed improving. Oh dear. He hadn't thought of that. He straightened and flicked through the camera's, seeing Bonnie and Foxy on the stage and Chica was probably in the kitchen. His brow then furrowed. Where was Freddy? He flicked through the accessible camera's but couldn't find the bear. That's odd. Mike considered going to look for him then decided he would if the bear was still missing by the end of his shift, the animatronic could be somewhere reading and wanting to be alone.

Mike set the monitor to the main camera and pulled his sketch pad out of his bag, flipping to the drawing he had been working on yesterday. What had Foxy said he needed? A figure head? He vaguely remembered from movies that the figure head was a carving, normally a woman, on the prow of the ship. Mike studied the drawing. A woman just didn't seem to fit. He let his hand doodle on the prow before he blinked at the fox he realized he had drawn. It was draw to portray the animal in a leaping motion, as if jumping from off the prow and into the sea. He titled his head before he began shading in the fur. He worked on it for a few more minutes before he had it just right. There, that looked much better! He now grabbed his colored pencils and began coloring in the sunset first, tongue peeking out slightly from between his teeth and his brow furrowed in concentration as he attempted to blend the colors of the sky just right.

He looked up as he gave his hand a break and realized with a start that there was a note sitting by the monitor. How had he missed that before? He reached over and brought the note closer so he could read it.

Mike, the right speaker by the stage keeps cutting out and making a static sound. Check it out while on your shift. Tool box is in the spare parts room.
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Mike sighed before packing away his drawing supplies and standing from his chair. He set his satchel down by the chair and exited the room, heading for the door located off the stage that lead to the spare parts room as well as the basement. He gave a small nod to Foxy and Bonnie as he passed them and stepped inside. He tensed a little at the darkness before he managed to find the light switch and flicked the light on. A small chill crept down his spine at the empty masks staring at him and he looked around frantically for the tool box. The sooner he got it, the faster he could leave the unsettling room.

He finally found the tool box and escaped out of the room with it. He breathed a small breath of relief when he closed the door and lugged the box over to the stage. Luckily, the speaker he would be working on was well enough from the duo on the stage so he wouldn't impede on their space. He set the box on the stage then climbed up, reaching for the speaker sitting on its stand next to the edge. The weight of the speaker surprised him and he almost toppled from the stage but he somehow kept his balance and set the speaker gently onto the stage.

He sat down cross-legged next to it and got to work. Digging around in the tool box for the right tool, Mike carefully and meticulously took the speaker apart. His brow was furrowed slightly as he work and he quickly forgot about the two animatronics sitting on the stage with him. He worked in perfect silence, the only noise was the soft clicking of the tools. He swiftly deduced what the problem was with the speaker and fixed it before reassembling the device once more. He placed the tools back in the tool box and closed the lid before standing and hefting the heavy speaker up. Getting the speaker down had been a challenge and so Mike was having placing the speaker back on its stand considering the stand towered over his head even though he was standing on the stage.​
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On the camera feed from the main stage, the fox and rabbit could clearly be seen propped up against the back wall, paging curiously through the book. It was obviously a children's book, based on the size alone. "Some careless kid left it here today." The audio from the stage camera was much better than the audio from the Pirate Cove camera. "We should add it to that collection," Bonnie chimed, turning the page curiously. "The one they put in near your Cove?" Aside of the curtains that closed Pirate Cove off from the rest of the pizzeria was a small reading nook with several shelves of children's books. After all, there was an entire seating area there. It would have been a waste to just close it all off. So the management installed a reading nook and a pitifully small and outdated arcade all the way in the back. They weren't impressive by any means...but the kids seemed to like them at the very least.

"Th' lads n' lasses'll like this one," Foxy agreed, ears bouncing with interest. "'S one this ol' fox hasn' seen 'afore." He and Bonnie were cuddled up like they were the closest of friends...perhaps, disturbingly enough, even closer than that. Without Mike's presence soiling the moment for him, Bonnie actually seemed...happy. Calm. Content. To boot, he also wasn't behaving like the jerk he normally was. Somehow, some way, Foxy was able to soothe the raging beast with just his presence. If Mike had any intention of getting on Bonnie's good side, he would have to do so through Foxy.

"Yeah, it's more...recent," the bunny murmured, turning it over in his hands. "Y'know, as much as I hate adults, I wish more of them would come around and leave their stuff behind. It gets old reading stuff meant for kids over and over again." Foxy chuckled, quickly turning his head in a different direction in an attempt to muffle it. "Tha' nigh' guard's got a collection 'o books, ye know. Most of 'em are them romance scrolls Chica likes so much." "Seriously?!" Bonnie's entire face lit up with mirth. He looked as if he'd just stumbled onto the juiciest bit of gossip. "You're sure he's actually a he, right?" the purple animatronic added after a moment, a mischievous smirk stretching across his face. "I mean, didja check?" Foxy made faux gagging noises, though the effect was ruined by occasional snickers breaking through. "Why would I do that?!"

If the night guard was paying attention the cameras, and paying attention now, the difference in Bonnie once an outsider interrupted his time with his best friend was startlingly obvious. The rabbit rolled his shoulders, magenta optics flashing with irritation. He turned so that his back was facing the human, making a point of ignoring him. The fact that the night guard was the only thing standing in the way of the management permanently scrapping his very best friend was the only reason Bonnie wasn't on the warpath right now. Bad things happened to night guards who left the office during their shift. It was supposed to be against the rules, after all. But Mike was an unfortunate exception. He was also a mechanic. That gave him some unprecedented leeway.

The two of them took to whispering and, when they had to talk louder, speaking in that mysterious language of clicks, static, beeps, and whirs. They both glanced at Mike when he initially started having trouble with the heavy speaker, but neither of them stepped up to help. Moving it to the stage wasn't that difficult. The day staff moved the speakers around sometimes before the doors opened to readjust their positions, and they never seemed to run into trouble. The two animatronics kept to themselves. Foxy did bolt off of the stage at one point and clank his way down the right hallway, where he poked his head into the kitchen and spoke to Chica in a pleasant tone. He returned a few moments later with a bag of white cheddar popcorn, which he happily shared with Bonnie. The two of them munched and crunched away as they pored over the book and quietly conversed.

Both Foxy and Bonnie's optics darted to rest on Mike when the sounds of a struggle broke out. For a few moments, the two of them just stared. Bonnie huffed, turning his nose up and folding his arms across his chest. Foxy grunted, clearly annoyed with him, and then jumped to his feet. As he clanged his way toward the night guard, Bonnie watched him incredulously, one eye widened and one eye squinting. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, folding one leg over the other. "Freddy said not to help him." Foxy ignored him totally, to his indignation, and instead took up a position beside Mike. Compared to the other three animatronics, he wasn't nearly as powerful physically, but he was much stronger than a human. As a result, the speaker jumped up and slid easily into place with the red animatronic's assistance. He rubbed his hands together to rid them of any lingering dust, turning without a word and heading back to a surly Bonnie.

"Foxy..."

The pirate scoffed as he sat down, not even acknowledging the sudden reappearance of their leader. Freddy peeked out from the left hallway, ears standing up high. "Let the night guard do his job next time. That is what he's paid for, yes?" Foxy waved his hook offhandedly in his direction, hackles raising. "Fixin' some speaker ain' worth bein' crushed," he muttered, turning his back on Freddy. The bear hummed, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. A dark and unpleasant expression crept its way onto his face...but he said nothing. Instead, he disappeared slowly back into the darkness, and summarily out of sight.
 
As Mike struggled to lift the speaker back onto it's stand and not get crushed in the process, he missed the tell-tale sound of Foxy clanking his way over to the human as well as Bonnie questioning the fox's sanity. Therefore he was thoroughly surprised when the speaker was suddenly lifted out of his hands. He made his strange yelp/squeak noise he always made when startled and whipped his head away. When his brain registered Foxy standing closer to the night guard than the animatronic has ever been, Mike's body locked up and he froze. He watched in shock as the fox hefted the speaker back into place as easily as lifting a box of feathers. His were parted in shock, blue eyes wide as Foxy turned as if nothing had transpired and headed back over to a fuming Bonnie.

Mike stared after the fox, brain struggling to process what just happened. Had...Had Foxy just helped him? Mike, the night guard they all despised? Why in the world had he done that? The fox has shown nothing else but the desire to rip him into itty-bitty shreds and would have done it by now too if Mike wasn't the pirates only chance in having a second chance at the diner. Mike jumped slightly when Freddy appeared out of nowhere and scolded Foxy for helping the human, an action with Foxy waved off, actually going as far as to defend why he helped Mike. He wouldn't have been crushed by that speaker though, would he? Mike has never seen one fall onto a human being before and wasn't positive of the outcome if that were to happen. Mike then realized that if he was hurt and unable to drive then Foxy wouldn't be able to come to the pizzeria at night. That must be why he helped. Foxy wouldn't willing come within a foot radius of Mike, never mind get close enough to touch him.

"Thank you Foxy." Mike said in a soft voice as he climbed down from the stage and picked up the tool box. He placed the box back into the parts room and was on his way past the stage when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Confused and a little curious as to who could be calling him so early in the morning, Mike pulled the device from his pocket and glanced at the screen. Upon seeing that the number was unknown, Mike hit answer and placed the device next to his ear as he began to slowly walk back towards the office.

"Hello?"

"Michael...?"

Mike hadn't even gotten a few feet from the stage when the voice echoed in his ear. He froze, one foot in the air as memories rushed through him. Him cowering down as a woman shrieked at him and slapped him, the same woman locking him in his bedroom without dinner. Mike felt ice rush through his veins and he could barely stop the tears that rushed down his face. His body trembling, Mike immediately hung up then proceeded to block the number from ever being able to contact him again. He resisted the urge to chunk his phone across the room and stood with his head bowed, body trembling lightly. He stood there for a few moments before he slowly took a staggering step forward and made his way haltingly towards the office. Once there he sunk down into his chair and promptly buried his face in his hands, hiding the tears as they spilled down his face.

How dare that woman call him! How did she even get his number?! First the letter and now this. He ran away to escape them, why can't they just let him be?!
 
Oddly enough, Bonnie was the first of the duo to notice the night guard's sudden stop. Foxy still had his back to the last place he glimpsed Freddy, and that was in the direction of the security office Mike was apparently heading back to. Bonnie, however, was still facing that way. His ears shot straight up into the air and he peeked around Foxy, curious magenta optics honing in on the trembling night guard. "What's the matter with you, now?" he demanded, head tilting to the side. "You malfunctioning or something? Got a few screws loose? You're shaking pretty badly."

Foxy's ears bounced and he swiveled his head, fixing his golden gaze on the shivering human. "Humans don' malfunction like we do, Bon," Foxy amended, watching him carefully just in case he needed to jump up and help him. All of them had basic first aid programming just in case there was an emergency. Foxy himself once patched up the badly-broken leg of a young girl who fell off of his ship many, many years ago. Bonnie stretched his arms up and behind his head, closing one eye. "Well, if he's got some kind of sickness or something, he needs to stay far away from me. I'm not gonna get blamed for making kids sick because his stinking germs found their way onto me."

The human trudged away mere moments after Bonnie finished speaking. The two animatronics watched him curiously as he departed, most likely making his way back to that cramped office. "...Wonderin' if that phone call mighta had something ta do with it," Foxy muttered, grabbing another handful of popcorn and proceeding to munch on his mouthful as loudly as possible. "Eh. Who knows?" Bonnie didn't seem to care much, but that was to be expected. He too grabbed more popcorn and chewed it up just as obnoxiously as Foxy. "Adults do weird stuff. And that phone call lasted for...what, three seconds? Two, even? How is that enough time for something to go wrong?" Foxy shrugged his shoulders and scratched at that cumbersome bundle of wires with his hook again, confusion dotting his expression.

Just a few short seconds after Mike sat down in the office, Freddy walked through the left hallway. As was typical of Freddy, the hulking brown animatronic made very little noise as he shuffled by. For such a massive metal monster, Freddy was certainly sneaky. He paused near the window beside the door, studying the human in his chair for a brief moment...but then he simply moved on, making a beeline for the main dining hall. Until, or unless, the night guard could convince the owner and the manager to give Foxy another chance, Mike was untouchable.

None of the four resident animatronics came to visit him. Bonnie and Freddy because they simply didn't care, Foxy because he was awkward with possibly emotional situations, and Chica because she was very much distracted with poring over the cook books the night guard gave her. Several minutes passed in silence--the only interruption was a bit of laughter from Foxy and Bonnie that filtered down both hallways.

Gradually, ominously, the floor and part of the wall in front of the human began to darken...until the area was pitch black. But it wasn't a problem with the lighting or anything like that.

It was a shadow.

"Hello there, night guard." The voice was deep, but not nearly as deep as Freddy's. It was also heavily marred by static and what sounded like radio interference. Looming over the seated human was a disturbing and frightening animatronic bear. He resembled Freddy. He was the same height, and he even wore a similar top hat. But his fur was a startling faded golden hue, and upon first glance he had no eyes...but two small, bright white lights seemed to serve as pupils. He was in bad shape, perhaps even worse than Foxy...

And he was floating.
 
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Mike sat down in the chair for several minutes, tears trailing down his cheeks as he struggled to keep his breathing under control. Fear and anger were making a swirling ball in his chest and he had the urge to throw something. He was not a violent person and this surprised him. Though given the circumstances it could be seen as understandable. The tears eventually dried up and he swiped at his cheeks, angry at himself for this display of weakness. He hated crying, especially in front of people that wanted nothing to do with him. He had heard Bonnie speaking to him earlier but hadn't been able to understand the animatronics' words over the roaring in his ears. Though knowing Bonnie it was probably insults or barbs thrown at him. It didn't matter. Bonnie could think what he wanted.

Mike let out a loud exhale of air, feeling his shoulders relax as he managed to calm down. He couldn't believe they tried to contact him. What in the world made them believe he would ever give them money? They had never tried to contact him before now so what had changed? He let out a soft snort. His lovely father had probably spent all their money and so now they had resorted to begging. Well, they could rot in hell for all he cared. They weren't his parents, not now and not ever. They stopped being his parents ever since the accident, when they became different people. His entire childhood had been nothing but horrible and he would be damned if he helped them. But he was worried. They clearly knew where he had lived so what was to stop them from coming themselves?

Fear skittered down his spine at the thought and he took a moment to calm down once more. He needed to stop thinking about this. He reached for his sketch pad and soon the rhythmic feeling of drawing sent his mind into a calm. His worries soon faded away, absent but not completely gone. As his hands and body stopped shaking, Mike took a deep breath. Seeing as he was looking down, he failed to notice the darkness bleeding over the wall in front of him. If he had seen it, he would have fled the room as fast as he could. Alas he did not and as such he nearly had a heart attack when a deep voice echoed through the room.

He fell out of the chair in surprise, wide eyes gazing at the figure in front of him. "F-Freddy...?" He stammered before his brain corrected him. No...That wasn't Freddy! At a glance he could very well be Freddy's twin but as Mike looked closer he noticed subtle differences. The color of the fur was more golden than it was brown and this animatronic didn't have any eyes! There was also the fact that he was floating! Mike scrambled up and away, eyes darting towards the door as he calculated his chances of escaping. Maybe he should just scream for help? While they didn't like him, they would at least come and investigate what all the commotion was about right? At least...he hoped so...

Mike swallowed, mouth feeling dry as he looked back at the figure in front of him. "W-Who are you?" He questioned, pressing against the wall behind him.
 
The floating golden bear seemed almost as surprised as the night guard did when he went and toppled right out of his chair with fright. For a few moments he said nothing, watching intently as the human scrambled to his feet and scuttled backward as quickly as he could. Those abysmally dark eyes trailed his every movement, the white pinpricks of light being the only sign of life coming from him. And then...

"...Hehe. Hehehehehe!"

The terrifying animatronic doubled over in the air, arms wound tightly around his abdomen, and began to giggle like a delighted little schoolgirl. His ancient endoskeleton rattled loudly as he trembled with mirth, laughter escaping him in peals. "My, my!" Amusement danced on his every word. "Even after all of this time, I still haven't lost my touch!" The dilapidated bear straightened back up to his full height, thick arms folded across his chest. "I must admit, though..." He had to pause to snort loudly and then snicker again before continuing on. "It's been some time since I've made one of your kind topple right out of their chair. Thanks a bunch for the show, night guard!" He tipped his hat to Mike like a proper gentleman. "I haven't laughed like that in years!"

The golden bear jerked back all of a sudden, as if he'd been struck. "Ah, yes...where are my manners?" Slowly, and with a few choice creaking sounds, the ancient animatronic extended a hand to the human. "You may call me Golden. I am the oldest animatronic in the building. Many decades ago, I was the star of the show. Of course, this was before..." He tilted his head to the left, frowning at nothing in particular. "...The incident." He twiddled his fingers together anxiously. "To make a long story short, a child was harmed and I was unable to prevent it from happening. And so I was punished for it. Locked away." Golden spared a glance downward at his limp legs, his expression mournful at best. "I've gotten on in years. The legs of my endoskeleton are no longer functional. So I float around like some sort of specter in the night."

He drifted backwards a bit to give the human some much-needed space. "Just in case you were wondering where Freddy wandered off to earlier on in the night...he was with me. Spinning all manner of tall tales about you." Those dark eyes flashed with interest. "He doesn't like you very much. Are you aware of that?" Of course, that wasn't a big surprise. There was little that Freddy despised more than adults. "I, on the other hand..." Golden's ears twitched excitedly. "I can see the potential here. And so, if you're willing to listen...I'll let you in on a few little secrets. Things that will make it much easier for you to get on his good side...and the good side of the others, as well."

For a brief moment, his expression darkened. "But you will not say a word about our meeting. Especially to Freddy."
 
Mike was fairly surprised when the animatronic burst into a fit of laughter as if Mike was the most hilarious person on earth. Was him falling out of his chair really that funny? He didn't think so and neither did his bottom which was still smarting from the unexpected fall. When the bear continued to laugh at Mike's expense, he crossed his arms over his chest lightly. How about the bear take a tumble from an office chair to the cold, unforgiving ground! Then they would see who would be laughing at who! He wasn't hear for these robots entertainment though some of them thought otherwise. He can't help it that he spooks easily!

He thought the bear was going to laugh at him all night but Mike flinched when the robot suddenly jerked before extending a hand out to the human. Mike looked at the animatronic hesitantly before reaching out with a hand of his own and gingerly shaking the bear's. "My name is Mike Schmidt. It's nice to meet you." He said, regarding the bear warily. Was he like the others just more polite about the whole "hating Mike" deal? Mike honestly wasn't sure and therefore was on guard as he listened to Golden talk. He was slightly surprised but at the same time not to learn that Golden was the oldest. He certainly looked the part and Mike felt a small pang of sadness like he did whenever he thought of the animatronics dilapidated state. He wished he could do something to help them but taking into account their attitude with him, he felt the only way he could help them was not being a burden. He was fairly sure they all wanted to rend him apart limb by limb.

He continued to listen to Golden's explanation of why he was in disrepair and was quiet for a few moments afterwards. He could only imagine what Freddy has told Golden about the human. Lord, should he be expected to be accused of kidnap or something equally worse? "I'm fairly sure all of them despise me. I just wish I knew why. I...I don't know if my very existence is what makes them hate me or...Did I do something to offend them when I first came here? I...I..." Mike sighed as he tried to keep his pent up frustrations from spilling over. "I just wish I knew what I did so I can make amends for it." He wasn't completely sure what potential Golden saw in him but if the bear was willing to impart some tips onto him so can better understand and work with the other animatronics then Mike is more than willing to listen.

He straightened his over-turned chair and sat down. "If you are willing to spend your time telling me then I will be more than happy to listen. And I swear our meeting will not be found out by the others." It was then that Mike remembered his manners. "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like a seat?" Sure, the bear was floating but Mike felt that it would be rude if he didn't at least offer...unless the bear become offended over the fact that Mike offered him a chair. Oh dear. What if Mike offering Golden a chair reminded the robot about his lack of functioning legs? New worries began popping up in his mind and Mike began to worry his bottom lip with his top teeth.
 
"The pleasure is all mine." Golden seemed to have no problem whatsoever being touched by a human being. He didn't even so much as flinch when Mike reached out and touched him of his own volition, which was starkly different from the reaction Chica had upon being touched by him. He seemed to be just as polite as Freddy...but at the same time, he wasn't nearly as formal as his brown-furred doppelganger. Even though he clearly wasn't frightened of or intimidated by Mike's presence, he made a point of keeping a respectable distance between himself and the uneasy night guard.

Was he afraid? No way in hell. Suspicious? Definitely.

"Freddy and Bonnie despise you," the ancient animatronic confirmed, idly readjusting his moth-eaten bow tie. "Foxy's opinion of you doesn't warrant a word as powerful as hatred. I believe he simply mistrusts you. As for Chica..." Golden shrugged his shoulders. "She mistrusts you as well. But she is also terrified of you. Did you know that?" Though Golden didn't hesitate while clarifying how the other four animatronics truly felt about the night guard, the old bear did just that when the topic of why they all despised him so popped up. He spent a few tense moments just floating there, his arms folded neatly across his oil-stained chest and his unblinking abysmal gaze fixed on the human before him. When he spoke at last, his voice was suspiciously chipper.

"Sorry, human. That's classified." Golden broke eye contact with the night guard, stretching his arms up and over his head and opening his mouth in a casual yawn. "Can't really tell you that. Number one..." His voice dropped an octave. "You are not worthy." Just like that, his scratchy voice was back to normal again. "Number two...it's not my place to tell you that. I may be the oldest animatronic in the building, night guard, but I'm just a small fish. Freddy is in charge around here. Freddy is like God within these walls.. He'll decide when you're ready to hear the truth. But I will say this..."

Golden shrugged his massive shoulders. "It has nothing to do with you personally, little night guard. It has more to do with what you are."

The floating specter watched with mild interest as the human righted his swivel chair and took a seat. He sputtered with laughter when he was offered a seat--so much so that his creaky old endoskeleton rattled with the movement. "I appreciate the offer," he chuckled merrily, "but I'm good here. Why sit when you can float, after all? Floating is much more fun." Golden's dark eyes flashed with a glint of mischief. "And it's useful, as well. You know, for sneaking up on unsuspecting victims and all that." Golden was fond of tricking and playing pranks on his fellow animatronics--especially Freddy. Foxy and Bonnie were both infamous for this as well! Poor Freddy and Chica were often the targets of these pranks!

"Well..." Golden cleared his throat rather dramatically and straightened up in the air. "I suppose we ought to get this show on the road, hmm? Here goes nothing!" The aging bear raised one hand, closed his eyes, and pulled a ridiculously serious face. "Chica will be the simplest to win over. Just be sweet. And don't touch her without her permission. She enjoys cooking, so offering to help her in the kitchen or bringing her cooking books or ingredients will earn you brownie points." He opened one eye, an impish smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Foxy's trust needs to be won. He's been through a lot, and he doesn't trust humans easily. Fortunately, though, he seems to have taken a shine to you. Otherwise...he wouldn't have helped you with that speaker." Golden was eerily omniscient. "Treat him with the utmost respect--he is the Captain, after all. Don't touch him without his permission. Indulge his infectious curiosity. And...if he gives you permission, you ought to try repairing some of his worst problems."

Golden floated idly backward until his back bumped against the desk. "Bonnie will be a tough nut to crack. Bonnie isn't exactly the poster child for kind-hearted behavior. He's always had a bit of an attitude problem. He respects Freddy and Foxy, and he listens to Freddy, but that's about it. But Bonnie does have a few weakness you can chip away at. For instance..." The golden animatronic angled an ear in the direction of the right door. The last thing he wanted was one of the others sneaking up on them and hearing this conversation--particularly Freddy. "Foxy. Get on Foxy's good side, do some repairs, and be painstakingly polite and that'll earn you points with that Negative Nancy. Bonnie's also a big music buff. Anything to do with music is sure to garner his attention. Do not touch him, even if he gives you permission. He may use that as an excuse to rip you in half."

Golden cleared his throat again. "...Freddy may be difficult for you to get a read on. He's polite to a fault, even to those he outright despises. He's also somewhat passive-aggressive. He enjoys playing mind games with those he doesn't care for. He'll be even harder to appeal to than Bonnie, to be perfectly honest. It's going to take some serious time. For now..." He scratched casually at an exposed bundle of wires jutting out of his side. "I suggest learning and following all of the rules. Freddy is a stickler for the rules. You may want to ask him about these rules and then write them down for future reference. Don't touch him under any circumstances--he loathes being touched by humans. Always be polite around him, and make sure to say please and thank you. As well...Freddy loves to read. Books of any shape, size, and subject matter. Bring him books and you may earn some respect."

The ancient bear nodded solemnly. "That should be good enough for you to start, hmm? I gave you more than I should have, honestly."
 
Well Golden was certainly more polite than the other animatronics though he wasn't as formal as Freddy would be. To be frank, Mike didn't know what to make of the golden bear. He couldn't understand why Golden wanted to help him by giving him suggestions and helpful tips as to how get on the good side of the other robots. Though the animatronic didn't carry the same unease air around him, Mike could definitely sense that the robot was suspicious or wary of him. He just couldn't understand why. Why did they all mistrust him or were scared of him? He couldn't hurt a fly! Or a spider. Though...He was slightly scared of spiders so he couldn't even go close to one in order to hurt it but that was besides the point! He couldn't remember ever doing anything to offend them. His answer to his question only to lead to more questions. Okay, so it wasn't him per say but what he was. But what did that mean? What he was? Human? A man? A night-guard? What about what he was, was so bad that it made Freddy and Bonnie hate his very existence, cause Foxy to mistrust him, and Chica to be terrified of him?

Not to mention, that while everyone went around with a grudge or something against him, he wasn't allowed to know why they held a grudge against him in the first place. Granted, he knew the reason must be personal enough to not warrant his knowledge of it but why be mad at him? He couldn't help what he was, whatever it was they were mad at him for being. If they were made at him for being a human or a man then there was just nothing he could do about that, thank you very much. If it was about him being a night-guard, then, well, he honestly didn't know how that could be helped either. Did they hate night-guards in general? That would certainly explain why none of the others before Mike could seem to keep the job. But did him being a night-guard really warrant trying to kill him those first few nights?

Freddy being referred to as a God worried Mike. Especially since if that were true then Mike was in his domain from Midnight to six in the morning and that was a troubling thought to be sure. It also meant that whatever Freddy said was law and there was nothing to stop him from ripping Mike apart if he felt so inclined to do so. Mike also didn't like the fact that Freddy made the decisions about whether Mike was to be kept in the dark and by examining the current relationship he had with the bear, Mike felt that the truth was on a very far horizon.

His cheeks colored pink when Golden seemed highly amused by his offer but hey, at least the bear wasn't becoming offended and ripping Mike's arms off. If all the bear was going to do was poke a little fun at Mike then he would sit there and gladly take it. He liked all his limbs attached and accounted for. When Golden explained the uses of being able to float, Mike resolved to watch his back in case the animatronic decided to try and give him a heart attack by sneaking up onto the unsuspecting human.

Ah. Now it seemed Golden had warmed up to his main act. Mike straightened in his seat and gave the bear his undivided attention. He much resembled a student in class, eyes never leaving the being in front of him and ears strained so he wouldn't miss a single word. He felt he should be taking notes but as this meeting was to be kept secret, Mike didn't one any of the others to find his notes and come asking questions. And so Mike carefully filed away each bit Golden told him. He knew he couldn't act on all of it at once, the other robots would definitely become suspicious but maybe he could take it in steps. The ocean wasn't crossed nor the Roman Empire built in one day.

When Golden finally stopped spewing out information, Mike felt his head spin at just how much there had been. "Right, okay. Be nice to Chica and bring her cook books or ingredients and offer help in the kitchen. Don't touch either her or Foxy without permission. Treat them with respect. Indulge Foxy's curiosity and repair some of his worst parts with his permission. For Bonnie, I need to get on Foxy's good side, bring him music related items, and be polite. Do not touch him or Freddy under any circumstances. Learn and follow all of the rules. Always be polite, say please and thank you. Bring Freddy some books."

He took a deep breath, having repeated everything he heard to make sure he would remember it all. He really wished he could have written it all down be he resolved to remember it all. "Thank you for this. I don't know your reasons for aiding me but I won't let you down. I swear I will try my best." He said with a serious expression as he looked at the bear, meaning every word. Mike wanted Golden to understand how much he appreciated this boost Golden has given him and that he won't let it go to waste.
 
"You're very welcome." Golden twiddled his fingers together in front of him, ears swiveling this way and that. Oh, he was well aware that he didn't have much time left. Freddy would come calling any moment now, and if he were to find his aging doppelganger in such treacherous forbidden territory...he would blow his top. Being discovered by Foxy or Bonnie wouldn't be quite so bad...but if he knew Chica well enough, that girl would go straight to Freddy and tell him all about this impromptu meeting. Chica's faith in Freddy was just as blind as it was absolute--she was under the impression that he could do no wrong.

"That's right. You don't know my reasons. And I've got no intention of telling you what they are, either." The ancient bear's voice sounded oddly chipper once again. "So...don't bother asking! You mind your business and I will mind mine. Okey-dokey? I mean..." He rolled his shoulders with a loud grinding sound. "It wouldn't be any fun if I just laid out my master plan for you right here and now, would it? A magician's gotta have some secrets, you know?" Golden was quite an eccentric creature. He was just as childlike as Foxy, perhaps even more so! It was amusing, quite honestly. He was like a polar opposite to Freddy. The brown bear was calm, soft-spoken, painstakingly formal, and a bit uptight. Golden was hyperactive, a bit too loud for his own good, casual, and rather mischievous.

All of a sudden, the playful expression drained itself from Golden's features. His left ear swiveled rapidly on his head, angling itself toward the right doorway. The decrepit animatronic rapidly tipped his tattered hat to the night guard, his way of silently bidding him farewell...and he disappeared. He vanished noiselessly into thin air, gone without a trace! He was more like a ghost than anything else--though Freddy also possessed some supernatural abilities, he couldn't so much as hold a candle to Golden's power.

Less than two seconds after Golden vanished from view, Freddy's large brown head poked itself into the office from the right door. Boy, was he prompt! Golden aside, he was by far the sneakiest animatronic in the building. He didn't even make a single sound as he made his way through the right hallway, whereas Bonnie and Chica's footsteps were very much audible whenever they opted to move around. His soothing ocean blue optics swiveled this way and that, attentively scouring each and every corner of the cramped security office.

"Who is it you are speaking to, night guard?" Though he made a point of sounding as polite as he possibly could, suspicion still found itself laced into his rumbling voice. "I see no one. Unless they have already vacated the area." Freddy straightened himself up a bit, meeting the human's gaze evenly and without a single hint of fear. "Were you speaking to someone on the phone, perhaps? Or maybe...talking to yourself?"

Very little escaped Freddy's notice. He didn't have the same powers as Golden did, and yet he still managed to see everything somehow.

"That aside..." Freddy's small round ears bounced with interest. "I want to know if your offer to repair Foxy was a genuine offer. I know he may not allow you to touch him, not for some time...but when he does, I want to know if you plan on fixing him entirely. If you do...we must have a frank discussion about finances. And the sheer rarity of the parts Foxy requires."

There was a very good reason why so many mechanics balked and refused to even try to repair Foxy after sitting down with the owner and the manager and discussing the matter.
 
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