Hello! This is an Oc centered story. Please stand by as I update at a snails pace. ( ´ ▽ ` )ノ
"Hey, whatcha doing?" The tall being looked up, meeting a face only minutely different from his own. He smiled, patting next to him.
"I'm just working on something," He said, focusing back on the paper in front of him. The smaller form sat next to him, cross-legged; Mismatched eyes focused on what the other did and smiled.
"It's really good. I wanna draw like that!" The exclamation had him swelling with guilt and pride. Guilt for what the elder had said, and pride for having caused the younger to not grow like him. He scratched his cheek, shaking his head in amusement.
"I... I hope you aren't still upset with me... for yesterday?" The other looked startled before looking down and away.
The smaller shook his head, pulling his knees to his chin. "I-I just wish you'd all believe me... They aren't... They aren't exoskeletons. They're the same as the people who come in and out of here on a daily basis..." The other frowned, brow dipping down to express his anger at the subject. Turning to him, he fixed his white gaze on him.
"Not this again, Nettle. Those people are never here after dark, so how could it be one of them?" Nettle stood, moving away from the other quickly. The taller's expression softened at the sight, going to a somewhat sad expression. He reached out, opening his mouth to apologize.
Nettle shook his head, hands clenched in front of him. "I-I'm sorry Marion, I'm already gone!" And with that scampered from the prize corner. Marion stood slowly, going to chase him but stopping. He shouldn't have snapped at Nettle the other day. Endo had razzed him and both Freddy's had joined in, then came after him to try and find out what the youngers deal was. Marion could only say he would speak to the miniature marionette, hoping it would appease them enough to leave the other alone.
It had evolved into a screaming match and eventually him insulting Nettle and his friends; Nettle hadn't taken to kindly to that and had ended up trying to hit or maim him.
Marion had trapped him in his box beside his, and the next day, Nettle had proceeded to stay as far from the prize corner as possible. It seemed it would only get worse from here on out.
The scream from one of the rooms had the animatrons staring. There was no nightwatch, and the shriek was familiar. It was Marion who's identified it first.
"Nettle?" He practically froze.
"NETTLE!" Panic mounted as the behemoth animatronic made towards the back rooms.
They followed, Mangle, T.B., and Billy on his heels, and everyone after. It was the supply room, a large, dark stain leading in through the open door. Marion ventured in first, cautious. If it was a burglar, they were as good as dead; but for Nettle to cry out like that... Marion shuddered, thinking of what could have made the other make such a noise. His foot hit something and he went crashing down. Looking back, he had hoped it was a spare part, but scrambled back. One of the smaller animatron's legs was lying there, still sparking at some of the ends of the wires. The illuminated enough for them to see what was left of the other leg, mangled and twisted at an odd angle. The other's stared at it in shock before Billy had come to help hurry the search. They found the other's arms, as ruined and dented as the legs, and the feared what else they could find of the smaller.
What they found in the half hour until opening was what was a breaking point for the older Marionette. The top and bottom half of the small puppet had been ripped apart, and the top of his head had a hideous crack, pieces missing and eyes dark. Large puddles of fluid, oil and others, were built up all around it.
Marion could only wish he'd never have to see that sight in the rest of his time, and he sat there, unmoving even as everyone else left, returning to their spots. The owner and a few workers came in and saw the mess, taking the pieces of the destroyed smaller animatron and calling someone, a company, perhaps, and Marion was moved back to his box.
It seemed fitting that the bite happened that day, when they were all rather bleak. Or that the murders happened shortly afterwards. Or that the old place got shut down and they were all packed up and put in storage.
It hurt.
It hurt because Marion could never tell the being he called brother he was sorry.
It hurt because Marion would probably never see him again.
It hurt because Marion knew he was dead.
The newest restaurant opening had a buzz of excitement about it, Mike had to think, even though it wasn't open to the public yet. Mike Schmidt, age twenty-one, had worked at Freddy's since he had left high school three years ago. And now, as the senior Night Watch, he had to say he enjoyed the job. It had a rhythm, and it had him on his toes at all time, but there were other's as well. It was odd, being called in on a day off, but he wasn't complaining. His fellow guards were arriving at almost the same time as him. Jeremy and their youngest, a day guard missing three ribs, Azra, had flocked to him from watching some trucks pull in and burly men in white shirts hauling large boxes out.
"Mr. Schmidt! We get some old animatrons added back, ain't that cool?" Azra seemed enamored by the boxes, but Mike raised an eyebrow. The sixteen year old probably just wanted to mess with the circuitry. He'd caused things in the kitchen to blow up before, so they'd need Scott to hold him back. Speaking of Scott, the man was coming towards them now. As it had snowed earlier, they were all bundled up against the cold. Scott stopped beside them and could already tell the brewing chaos in Azra's mind and sighed, putting his only hand on the younger's shoulder.
"Don't even think of it, Azra." Mike had to stifle a chuckle as the younger pouted and looked ready to whine. In age, he was one of the youngest. Scott was pushing forty-seven, he'd been at the old place where Jeremy had worked in '87. Jeremy was about thirty-eight, Mike was, as said before, twenty-one, and Azra was sixteen and the baby of them all. He had been nightshift, but after puncturing a lung and losing those three ribs, his brother almost sued and the boss had moved him to day shift with Scott. Scott had lost his arm one night and got out with only a minute until his shift was over. He was day shift and had been glad to have Azra with him.
Jeremy and Mike, though, were still night shift. They all joked about the animatronics, and Azra's crushing failure a few weeks ago at making them less mobile; he'd crossed the wrong wires and ended up blowing up Freddy. Of course Mr. Fazbear was rather upset with that, almost to the point of firing him, if he hadn't decided to pay for reparations and promise not to pull out wires. It still didn't stop him from opening the panels to cause mayhem.
Scott still left them messages every now and then, so it wasn't too monotonous or too strenuous without another friendly voice. Jeremy seemed happy that the other called still and Mike had to admit the other had a calming effect.
Scott rubbed his stump, sneezing slightly, "S-so, uh, shall we head inside. Mr. Fazbear's going to want us in there to help out."
"Ah, yeah, that's why we were here." Mike frowned, looking as the last box was brought in and (most likely) opened. Jeremy looked jittery to the bone, but he seemed calmer since it was daytime. Azra was already tugging Scott through the open door, Jeremy close behind. Mike smiled slightly. No matter what, they all fit in here, old or new.
Seeing the old Animatronics all remodeled and reassembled (Freddy especially, those scorch marks were probably hard to get off). The toy versions had new paint jobs and rhinestones in some places, Balloon Boy looked less freaky, Scott had said in relief. Mangle was in one piece, not a bunch of scraps, Jeremy said. The originals had new paint jobs/ refitted for new fur coverings/ feathers, the works. Endo had been refurbished and shone like new. The Marionette and his box were redone, the thing being taller than any of the humans working there and intimidated and horrified Scott and Jeremy. Azra just wanted to open the paneling and mess around with the wires.
"Ah-HAH! They fixed him perfectly!" Mr. Fazbear's voice had Mike going over to see what the man was talking about. In his arms was what looked to be miniature version of the Marionette Scott and Jeremy seemed so horrified of. It's collar was high enough to cover the chin of it's mask. A red sash was wrapped about it's waist and it was limp against the older man's chest. He sat it on a chair, Azra now coming over to see what they were looking at.
"Azra, help me start him up." the boy leapt at the chance, swinging around the back of the chair and opening the panel. He found the start up settings and switched it on. Closing the panel, he came back around and stood next to Mike as the fingers twitched then the head raised. A white star and heart flickered to life. The flickered briefly before the eyes closed and the head tilted and a smile donned the white mask it wore.
"Hello, welcome to Freddy Fazbear's!" It's voice echoed behind it but the childish note and tone had them jumping back a bit. IT was lifelike, and the only one who seemed to like it was Mr. Fazbear himself.
"He sounds just like he used to! We can reinstate him with his old job-"
"Old job?"
"He used to watch and guide any children who had gotten lost or separated from their parents-"
"No way, Nettle?!" Jeremy had come over and the Animatron looked over at him. Something seemed to click, as the eyes morphed into exclamation points briefly before swapping back to how they had been.
"Mr. Fitzgerald!" The man caught him as he tried to stand up, accepting the hug the small animatron gave him. "Mr. Fitzgerald you're alright!"
"Ahh he still remembers things from before!" The animatron looked over at the owner, and smiled.
"Hello Mr. Fazbear!"
It had eventually evolved into everyone greeting, getting greeted by, and/or getting a hug from the small animatron (Scott especially, the puppet played favorites with them apparently). In the distraction, another activated briefly, eyes blank before flickering white and back to black.
"Nettle...is alive?"
