Notice: I am well aware that I haven't put a chapter out for this story for over a year now, so I just wanted to assure everyone who have been following this that I have not abandoned it. However, upon looking back at this story, I couldn't help but feel like its quality was outdated. So, I've rewritten this entire chapter completely, and the second chapter will soon follow.
Now before we get started I would like to address a couple things:
-This is loosely based off of Rekindling of Passion so not everything is the same. This story is neither a prequel or sequel. It is an alternate take on the original story.
-The setting is the first game, but Foxy isn't in a state of disrepair (so Pirate's Cove is open).
-All credit for the artwork goes to xnirox!
With those out of the way, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 1
~A Sorrowful Renunion~
Mike gave out a relaxed sigh as he leaned back into the office chair in relief. Just then, the building's generator turned on, causing the darkened pizzeria to light up. Both doors then swung open as they entered into day mode, revealing the now two empty hallways. To the guard's luck, not a single blood-thirsty animatronic could be seen.
"Finally, I'm done with this hell hole." Mike thought.
He rested the small security tablet out on the desk in front of him. Once his sweaty hands were free from the electronic device, the guard leaned further back into his chair and took in a deep breath. After a second of holding it in, Mike exhaled loudly, calming his nerves down. He did this several more times, each one relaxing his mind and body just a little bit more.
After a few minutes, Mike eventually brought his hand up to his neckline. He reached out from under his collar, feeling around his smooth skin, before feeling the tip of his fingers tug onto something thin and small. The man angled his hand underneath the string and carefully pulled the necklace out from underneath his shirt. A silver necklace was pulled out from his shirt, which had the carving of an animal dangling down at the very bottom of it.
Slowly, Mike felt a triumphant smile grow across his face. "I did it, Abigail. I made it through the week. I may not have worked here as long as you, but I made it through just for you."
The necklace carving sat idly in the palm of his hand, staring back at him with its inanimate eyes. The white carving was shaped like that of an arctic fox, with its two adorably small ears and long smooth tail. The necklace may give off the impression that it was worth something of value, but, upon closer inspection, it holds no monetary value, only emotional. It was a gift to him from someone special to him; someone who he longed to see again.
A tear began to form on the edge of his eyes, and his smile soon dropped into a somber frown. Memories of his lost girlfriend soon began to resurface, and slowly the man started to feel his inner guilt rise up from the depths of his mind.
"I don't need to work here anymore. This restaurant... these animatronics... they can all go to hell," the guard thought as he closed his eyes, trying to shake away the tear. "The only reason I came is that I wanted to find out what happened to Abigail, and now I know. She's gone."
Mike opened his blue eyes towards the poster that hanged up against the wall. Four smiling animatronics stared right back at him: Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy. Mike felt as if they were taunting him through the poster, that all four of them could see the misery he was in. They were mocking him.
The man, however, turned his eyes away so that he could look back down at his carving. He gazed down at its smooth surface, and he gently reached out with his other hand to stroke the object, as if it was an actual fox.
"I'm sorry Abigail," Mike whispered solemnly. "I'm sorry... If I had known this was going to happen, then I wouldn't have left you..."
Mike's hands soon wrapped around the small fox, and he closed his eyes again.
"I did this to you... I killed you. All because I was too selfish to stay with you."
The man then felt both of his eyes water up underneath his closed eyelids as he desperately tried to hold back his sob. A sob broke through, and soon both his eyes began to pour out in tears.
Finally, Mike begged out in a trembling voice, "Please... Please! I... I just want to see her again; I just want to see Abigail one more time. Just enough to show her how sorry I am... Just enough so that I could tell her one last time that I love her..."
The grown man then started to cry, clutching the small carving until his hand turned pale white.
...
The sound of Mike's sobbing could be heard all throughout the quiet restaurant. The three main animatronics stood still, listening to his crying. It went on and on, and the animatronics eventually turned to one another, silently gazing at each other.
Meanwhile, a red paw pulled the cove's curtains just a tad. From within the safety of his stage, Foxy too listened to the man's echoing sobs. The animatronic gazed outwardly towards the sound, thinking internally. Several more minutes went by, and it became harder for the fox to hear Mike's crying. Once he could no longer hear it, the animatronic closed the curtains again.
Time ebbed on inside the pizzeria. Everything was silent as minutes went by, but it was eventually broken when the sound of the front door being unlocked could be heard throughout the building. All of the animatronics snapped into their positions when they heard it. Soon enough, an older man opened the door and walked inside. The three animatronics on the main stage could just barely see the restaurant's owner in the corner of their eyes. The animatronics then heard a new sound echo from the security office: footsteps.
Off to the furthermost right of Pirate's Cove, the curtain was pulled back slightly by a new, white paw. The curtain blocked off the very little light coming from the main dining hall, shadowing over everything inside except for two golden eyes shining from the opened corner. They peered out, following the night guard intently as he approached the older man. The eyes furrowed when they heard the owner speak.
"Well good morning Mr. Schmidt! I'm glad to see your still *ahem* well, I presume."
The two eyes watched as the younger man hesitated for a moment before responding back.
"Hm? Oh... Ah... Yeah. Yeah... I'm good."
The old man gave the guard a smile; a heartless smile in which the hidden figure knew all too well. The old man was planning on something rotten.
"Well Mr. Schmidt," Mr. Fazbear then said with his arms raised up, "-congrats on making it through your first week. As promised in your contract, here is your first paycheck."
The guard scuffed when he heard the word "first", but his face did cheer up a bit when he saw the pink slip inside the owner's wrinkled hands. The golden eyes stared as Mike was handed his check, and it watched in sorrow as the man's face changed from excitement to anger.
"What the hell is this? 120 bucks? For what?! Working in this god damn slaughterhouse!" Mike yelled in frustration.
Mr. Fazbear gave the man a smug grin, and he shrugged innocently. "Why, Mr. Schmidt, I don't see any problem. It was clearly stated in your contract that you'll be paid $120.50 for working a 6-hour shift for five days."
"You low life, cheap ass son of a... I almost died here!"
"Dying of what? Boredom? These animatronics are harmless, boy. Just look at them!" Mr. Fazbear then waved towards the main stage, where all of the animatronics just stood. "They haven't done anything wrong."
"You know damn well that you are full of shit!" Mike spat back in the man's face.
"I'd hold your tongue if I were you," the owner said as he emphasized the last word heavily, seemingly unfazed by the guard's vulgarity, "if you want to keep your job."
"Screw this job!" Mike practically screamed in the man's face. "It isn't even worth working for this place with the salary you're giving me! I quit!"
The younger man shoved past the old man, walking straight for the exit. The two golden eyes watching him widened in horror. A shaky voice whispered from behind the curtain, too far for either person to able to hear.
"Michael, please... don't leave."
Mr. Fazbear turned back towards Mike Schmidt, wearing a cocky grin. "If you work one more night for me, I will triple your paycheck."
Michael paused in his footsteps, both hands clenched into fists.
The old man continued, "Tomorrow is Christmas, Mr. Schmidt. I've come to understand that you are experiencing some rough times, and you that need an extra bit of money. So, since it is the holidays, why don't you work for me for one more night, tonight more specifically. If you do, I will triple your payment to $361.50. After that, you can be on your merry way. How does that sound to you, Mr. Schmidt? Hm? Does that sound reasonable?"
The unknown figure peered its head closer to the opening, just barely revealing a white snout. It watched the man staring out at the building's doorway in solemn silence, sensing the guard's deep thought. It listened intently as the man made a huff, and it watched as he turned around, revealing a remorseful frown.
"I'll do it," the guard begrudgingly said, his body drooping over in defeat.
The old man's smug smile widened as he then snatched away pink check from Mike's hand. "I always knew you were a sensible person, Mr. Schmidt. Well, you best be heading off then so that you can get ready for your next shift."
"Woah, wait a second. Why can't I have that check? I need my money by the end of tomorrow for my rent."
"Don't you worry Mr. Schmidt. I'll have your money by the end of tonight's shift. Now you best head out now because you got to rest up for tonight."
The guard grumbled something underneath his breath, but he reluctantly obeyed. The man turned back around with Mr. Fazbear, and the two walked over towards the exit. The old man was the first to leave the building, moving at a hastened pace. Mike, on the other hand, took his time as he approached the doorway. When he got up to it, the man stopped and turned his head.
The figure quickly pulled her head back from the curtain, but the curtain shuddered a bit because of it. The guard, upon noticing the curtain shudder, deepened his frown.
"I know you heard that," said the man out loud, shifting his eyes between the animatronic band and Pirate's Cove.
The three animatronics that were on stage had their heads facing towards him, giving a demonic stare. Mike didn't flinch, nor did he yelp in fear. He simply stared back at them, defiantly.
"Abigail Fitzgerald." The guard finally said. "That was her name. The name of the woman who you murdered." Mike paused for a moment, allowing his hands tighten into fists. "I'm not coming back for the money. I'm coming back for her. I want to show her, wherever she is, that I'm sorry... and that I still love her."
With that being said, the man exited the building, slamming the glass door behind him before locking it up. There was an uneasy stillness in the air as the animatronics listened to the muffled sounds of a car engine turning on. After a few moments, they could hear the engine roll away from the parking lot, making them the only living individuals left in the building.
Finally, Foxy's red snout poked out from behind cove's curtains. "Cocky little lad, ain't he?" Foxy said in an accented voice as he pulled aside the rest of the curtains. The fox hopped down from the stage. He then shot over at Bonnie a mischievous grin, "He sorta reminds me of ye, Bon."
Bonnie glanced over at the pirate with a playful smile while the rest of his face conveyed an expression of disbelief. "Excuse me? He acts nothing like me."
"Ehhhh... I wouldn't be too sure 'bout that Bon," Chica then chimed in, leaning her head forward enough to get a glance at the rabbit. "I mean, ya'll do have a lot of similarities. You're both stubborn, you're both careless, and you're both dumb."
The purple rabbit rolled his mechanical eyes before replying in a sarcastic tone, "Oh yeah. You're really funny Chica. It's no wonder so many kids laugh at your jokes."
Chica gave a huff. "Hey, it's not my fault I have to say so many blessed puns that have something to do with pizza or Freddy. If I was given just five minutes to write some new jokes, lord knows they would be a hundred times better than the ones I'm forced to say."
"Uh huh. Sure." Bonnie said sarcastically.
Freddy glared at both of the bickering animatronics, "Can the two of you not argue with each other for just one day? It's almost Christmas."
Chica beamed a cheerful smile when she heard the word "Christmas". She glanced over at the bear and said enthusiastically, "You'd think I'd forget something as special as that? Nuh uh. Not a chance. Tomorrow is one of the few breaks we ever get, and I can't think of any better way to celebrate than with ya'll!"
"Couldn't agree more with ye, lass!" Foxy happily agreed as he walked across the room to meet up with the gang.
"Now hold on for a minute," Bonnie then interrupted, "don't forget who is coming back tomorrow."
Almost instantaneously, everyone's cheerful demeanor evaporated when they heard Bonnie say that. Chica's eyes furrowed somberly as Foxy gave an uneasy pause.
"That man... What does she see in him? After everything, he did to her..." Chica stated in puzzlement.
"Please..." a depressed voice suddenly said, causing all of the other animatronics to perk their heads, "Don't talk about him like that."
All four of them turned their attention towards the cove, where a fifth animatronic stood. The animatronic was a tall, snow white vixen; there were only four spots on her body that were bright pink: her snout, her stomach, the very end of her tail, and her cheeks. The vixen had two doll-like blushes on her cheeks, which gave off a child-friendly impression. She had two warm pink ribbons tied around her body: one at the base of her neck and the other towards the end of her tail.
The vixen stared at them with her two golden eyes, "You don't know what he's been through."
"That may be true," rebutted Foxy, "but we know what he's done. He left ye, Maggie. We were here with ye when it happened."
Maggie rebuked, "It wasn't that simple Foxy, and you know it. Things were complicated back then. There was a lot happening to me during that time, and Michael was there for me for a good majority of it."
"That still doesn't excuse what he did to you, Maggie," Bonnie stated. "He left you when you needed him most. He had ignored you for the last couple months, and then he suddenly left you, on Christmas Eve of all days! Don't you remember?"
The vixen frowned at all of the animatronics, "That was over seven years ago, Bonnie. A lot can change in that kind of time. Didn't you hear him at all this week, at the end of each shift?" Maggie glanced around at each of them individually, waiting for one of them to answer her. When none of them did, the vixen gave them all a disappointed look before answering it herself. "He cried... He cried because he was alone. Why can't any of you see that?"
"We can lass," Foxy interjected, "it's just-."
"Just what? Just because of what he did? Foxy, look at what those years did to him. He isn't the same man anymore; he's changed." Maggie then hopped down from the cove, and she slowly started to approach the gang with a tearful gaze. "He's coming back because of me, guys. You all saw it yourselves. He could've taken that check and left. He didn't have to take Fazbear's offer, but he did... because of me." the vixen said with a stream of oily tears falling from her eyes.
Everyone, aside from Freddy, glanced over at each other guiltily. They knew she had a point, but none of them wanted to admit it. Unlike the gang though, Freddy kept his silent gaze on the white animatronic, watching as her tears fell. The bear cleared his throat, and everyone turned their attention towards him in response.
With the gang's eyes on him, Freddy finally spoke, "Listen, Maggie, we love you. Regardless of what you did in the past, we still love you, and we want only whats best for you. The reason we have our doubts about this guy is how he abandoned you. You were in a time of crisis, and you had no one but him to turn to. He may have listened and done his best to comfort you, but it's clear he got tired of it over time. When he was too overwhelmed with your stress, he just straight up abandoned you because he couldn't take it anymore. We can tell he still cares about you, but how do you know he won't abandon you again, especially now after what has happened with you?"
Maggie was about to open her mouth to reply back, but she paused hesitantly. Freddy waited patiently as she tried to form an answer, but the vixen couldn't do it.
Knowing that he got his point across, the brown bear straightened his back. "We want you to realize the gravity of this decision. If you truly think he is a changed man, then we will catch him tonight."
Maggie was silent, for Freddy's words resonated deeply inside her. She could see why her family was concerned about the man, and she couldn't blame them for it. He offered his shoulder to her whenever she needed to cry; he stayed by her side whenever she needed someone to vent to; he did everything he could to make her happy, but it was never enough. She had buried herself so deep into depression that Mike couldn't take it anymore, and he left her because of it.
The animatronic glanced at herself, eyeing over her body; all she saw was an animatronic. If that was all she saw of herself, then how will it be any different for Mike? Maggie shook her head sorrowfully as she thought to herself, "Will you even understand why I chose this, Michael? Will you even accept me?"
For a while, the vixen had convinced herself that Freddy was right, that Mike hadn't changed. She had already begun to open her mouth to speak, and she was just about to reply back when she stopped herself. Keeping her somber expression, the animatronic glanced over to where she last saw the man, and she recalled what he had said.
"I'm not coming back for the money. I'm coming back for her. I want to show her, wherever she is, that I'm sorry... and that I still love her."
There was a small twinkle in Maggie's eyes when she stared off into the distance, and she felt a new sense of confidence. "Yes," the vixen finally said without shifting her eyes away from the entrance, "he is a changed man."
Freddy nodded his head, "Then so be it. By tomorrow morning, he will be a member of our family."
The remaining three animatronics said no objections. They all simply nodded their heads in understanding.
Chica turned her attention back towards Maggie, giving a small smile to lighten the mood, but she noticed that the vixen hadn't looked away from the pizzeria's entrance. The chicken gave a bit of a concerned expression, "What's wrong dear? Is something bothering you?"
Maggie held her eyes towards the building's doorway for a moment, silently staring out into the outside world. She eventually turned her head back towards the gang, and she gave them a mournful sigh. "Do you mind if I talk to him, Freddy?"
Freddy and the others quickly joined in with Chica as they all glanced over at the animatronic, looking a bit surprised.
"Are ye referring to Mike, lass?" Foxy asked for confirmation, to which he was responded with a nod.
"Yes... I'd like to talk to him alone for a bit... It's been so many years since I've last talked to him, and I'd appreciate it if I could just... just... talk with him."
Freddy's expression softened as he walked up to Maggie. "Of course you can," he said soothingly, his arms wrapped around her into a gentle hug. "Do what you need to do, alright?"
"T-Thank you," the vixen whispered, trying desperately to not break out into more tears. When she couldn't hold it in anymore, the animatronic sobbed.
The bear responded by gently patting her back as he held their embrace, and the rest of the animatronics watched in sorrow. Foxy, in particular, focused on the vixen's open mouth, where a reddish stain coated over a majority of her sharpened teeth. The pirate gave a solemn sigh when he recalled the tragic memory, and then he shook his head sorrowfully.
Eventually, though, Maggie started to quiet down a tad, and her tearful sobs slowly transformed into wistful sniffles. Freddy finally released his grip around the animatronic, allowing her to take a step back from vixen did so, as expected. Her teeth were still partially showing though, so when she realized her mouth was still slightly open, the animatronic closed it shut in haste. A deep, overwhelming sense of shame and guilt overcame the vixen once she hid her teeth away, and the gang noticed this.
Chica, however, quickly stepped up to the vixen's side and placed a gentle hand on her side. "Hey, everything's going to be ok. We're here for you every step of the way."
"I know, and you have no idea how thankful I am. It's just... I can't help but feel like a burden."
Chica looked flabbergasted, "What? Never! You are never a burden to us! You're part of our family, and we'll love you always!" The yellow animatronic shifted her eyes towards the rest of the gang, "Right guys?"
Bonnie and Freddy replied back in unison, "Absolutely."
Foxy, sharing the same spirit as the other two, said, "Ye ain't my first mate for no reason, lass."
Maggie gave a tearful sigh of relief, and she managed to give everyone a thankful smile. "I-I can't express h-how thankful I am. Even after what I've done, you still care about me."
"Well of course! We're a family, and nothing will change that." Chica stated with a joyful grin. Suddenly, the chicken's face brightened even more, "Which reminds me, we need to get ready for Christmas! It's Christmas Eve, and we haven't even put up the tree!"
Bonnie stepped forward, "I'll go grab it from storage. Freddy, do you mind if you help me pull it out?"
"It would be my pleasure," the bear said with a relaxed smile. Bonnie gave an appreciative nod towards Freddy, and the two set off towards the storage room.
In the meantime, Foxy glanced over Maggie and extended his one paw towards her. "While those two scalawags are doing that, why don't we retrieve the ornaments? I could use an extra set of hands on deck."
At first, Maggie simply glanced down at the paw. After a second, she gave the pirate a smile. Something inside her voice box clicked, and her once gentle voice became that of a hearty pirate. "Aye Cap'n! Yer first mate is reporting for duty!"
Foxy gave the vixen a toothy grin as she took his hand, and he gave out a hearty laugh, "There's me first mate!"
...
Mike silently drove through the snowy night. His car engine hummed with power as he steered the car through the empty streets, no soul could be seen in sight; everyone had already gone to their homes, tucked in comfortably as the snowfall drifted gently down to the ground. Mike was the only one awake at this hour with the intention of going to work.
Playing on his radio was soothing tune "Silent Night". The man appeared expressionless. His mind was in a tranquil state while he bobbed his head to the song's rhythm. Deep down, Mike knew this was quite possibly the last time he'd ever see the world again, but he suppressed such thoughts so that he could enjoy the calm moment.
Eventually, after driving through the empty streets of the city, Mike spotted a familiar building. The Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria was in sight, with its hulking structure and color billboard. All four animatronics were displayed on the sign in a cartoonish fashion: Freddy was tipping his top hat, Bonnie was waving his right hand while holding his guitar in the other, Chica was leaning forward a bit with both her arms behind her back, and Foxy held his hook up beside his head. Each of the characters had a smile on their face.
Mike felt his gut twist uncomfortably as he pulled into the empty parking lot. The battered down vehicle drove up and parked into one of the furthermost spots from the building. The reason? So that the man could appreciate the beautiful weather.
The driver seat door opened up, and soon Mike, dressed in his purple uniform, stepped out onto the snowy asphalt. A light crunch emitted from underneath his shoes as his feet came in contact with the soft snow. The guard placed his other foot outside, and he heard the soft crunch again. Mike closed his eyes. He drew in a long, deep breath. The night was quiet. Mike then exhaled. He opened his eyes again, gazing up towards the night sky. Despite it snowing, Mike had been blessed with one final view with the moon and stars.
"This is it," Mike said with a sigh. He glanced down at his watch and saw it was only "11:39" pm, so he still had a bit of time to get to his office.
However, when his eyes fell upon the towering building, a deep sense of dread gnawed in the back of his mind. His vision became dizzy, and he could see the pizzeria's entrance drift further away from him. Mike tried to take a step towards the building, but his heart was pounding up against his chest. It was as if his own body was trying to tell him not to go in.
Eventually, the guard started to control himself, and he slowly began to walk. The faint crunching of the snow being crushed under his feet was the only thing he heard as he approached the glass doorways.
*Crunch*
*Crunch*
*Crunch*
He stopped in front of the doorway, his keys in hand. The man's arm was trembling as he raised it up, shaking profusely. Mike shook his head, trying to compose himself as he felt the key insert into the lock.
"This is for Abigail... This is for Abigail... This... is... for... Abigail."
Mike turned the key, and the locked clicked. He then placed his hands on the door handle, and, reluctantly, he pushed. The entrance opened as the man let himself in. The room was eerily silent, and Michael could see nothing but darkness inside. Nonetheless, he continued forward. The door shut itself behind him, sealing the guard inside the building.
The soft pattering sound of the guard's footsteps echoed throughout the building as Mike made his way through the darkened room. He could barely see anything in front of him, but the man walked forward, hoping to get to the safety of his office before the shift started.
Then, from out of nowhere, a bright blinding light lit up the room, causing Mike to flinch from the sudden brightness. The man covered his face from the source of the bright light, but his eyes quickly adjusted to it. Hesitantly, Mike lowered his hand, and soon he saw something that caught him off-guard. There was a Christmas tree in the very center of the room.
Mike quickly looked around, and he noticed that all the tables and chairs had either been pushed to the sides of the room or were stacked up in a corner of the room; the only thing taking up space in the dining hall was the tree. The guard was puzzled because he knew the restaurant was closed for the day. He saw his boss leave with him this morning, and he had locked the building before leaving his shift. So, if no one could come in to set up the tree, then who did?
The man then nervously shifted his gaze towards the main stage. It was empty. The guard quickly shot his gaze towards Pirate's Cove, and he saw that its curtain was open and that nothing stood inside. There were no animatronics to be seen.
Mike peered around the room some more, waiting to see them jump out of nowhere and scare him. However, after anxious looking, he saw none of them show up. Mike felt even more confused, for he had just survived the past five days from those blood-thirsty machines; he was completely vulnerable, yet they hadn't come.
"What the heck is going on?" Mike thought, choosing to approach the tree rather than head to his office; if the animatronics were not on their stages, then they would most definitely be waiting for him inside the office.
The man slowly approached the tree, examining its every branch and stem. If he had just taken another glance behind him, to where the bathroom hallway is located, then Mike would have seen a pair of golden eyes stare at him.
When Mike drew closer to the tree, he then noticed that there were ornaments dangling all around it. Some of the ornaments looked like they were just some cheesy ones that anyone could buy at a drugstore, but then he started to notice others that had handwriting on them. Mike stopped just a foot away from the tree, peering over to the closest ornament that had writing on it.
The ornament was a small, cute little bunny that wore a Santa hat. The rabbit had a broad, toothy smile while it held a sign up against its chest that read "Bonnie's First Christmas 1967."
Michael furrowed his eyes as he glanced over towards another ornament that appeared to have some more writing on it. This time, unlike a rabbit, it was a little chick. It wore a Santa hat just like the rabbit's, and it had a sign that read "Chica's First Christmas 1971."
The guard turned away from the ornament, only to spot another one. It was a red fox this time. When he got up close enough to read, his suspicions were correct and the writing on the ornament read "Foxy's First Christmas 1973."
Mike was so confused. He remembered seeing ornaments similar to these, though not the exact same. There were his own childhood ornaments that his parents got him to bookmark a special occasion. Seeing ornaments like that was normal because it was a thing family did for one another, but the same could not be said for a bunch of murderous animatronics in a local pizzeria.
"What the hell is this place?" Mike questioned out loud as he glanced at the tree again, trying to see if he could find anything else out of the ordinary. That was when he spotted it: a small, white fox. The man's heart pounded against his chest as he leaned closer to the ornament, trying to make out what the writing said. The ornament read "Maggie's First Christmas 1984."
Mike's eyes hardened when he read the year. "It can't be... That- year... That was the Christmas where..." The man couldn't even finish his thought when he heard something walk up behind him. It sounded mechanical like a machine or an...
The guard froze where he stood. He listened as the footsteps eventually stopped short from where he stood by a couple meters; far enough it seems to give him some breathing room, but it was still close enough to warrant danger. Mike was afraid of turning his head because he knew he was going to see the face of his murderer. He was afraid of seeing which of the four animatronics it was that finally caught him, so he closed his eyes and tensed up his body for the incoming grasp of an animatronic's hand.
Seconds pass, and nothing happened. A low mechanical whirr could still be heard, indicating that the animatronic is still present, but that was it. Neither man nor machine moved, the two just stood silently. A few seconds passed, and Mike started to reluctantly open his eyes. He didn't understand why nothing has happened yet, despite having to survive nearly an entire week from a bunch of murderous machines. Part of his brain was telling him to run, whereas the other half was curious as to why he hasn't been caught yet.
Eventually, his curiosity won out over logic, and slowly the guard turned his head to see who it was behind him. He was surprised though when he found that it wasn't any of the four animatronics he had come to dread so much in the last week.
It was an animatronic, whose fur was as white as snow. He hadn't seen this animatronic before though, neither had he been informed about it. It appeared to be a feminine version of Foxy, only without a hook and eyepatch. Along with that, the animatronic seemed to have a small pink ribbon tied around its slightly exposed, metal neck. Every time the vixen blinked, its eyelids gave off the same "click" sound that the other animatronics made whenever they blinked. The one major difference that set this animatronic off from all the rest was its look; rather than giving the man a menacing glare with eyes wide open in anger, the vixen frowned, its eyes half-open in somberness.
Regardless though, Mike wasn't going to just stand and let this animatronic take him. Without saying a word, the guard took a step backwards, hoping to get away from the white fox.
When the vixen saw this though, its expression saddened even more and it tried to reach out to him with a hand. The guard visibly flinched when he saw the animatronic's hand move towards him, and he quickly took another step back. Upon seeing this, the animatronic stopped its approach, and, to the guard's surprise, it spoke.
"P-Please... Mike... don't be afraid. I-It's ok..."
The guard's heart froze, and his eyes widened in disbelief. His mind had completely blanked out. The animatronic's voice consumed his thoughts, for it sounded like someone he knew... Someone that he thought was gone...
The vixen took a step forward, but this time Mike didn't move. He stood in place, trying to decide if what he heard was true. Then, he heard the animatronic speak once more.
"It's ok... You don't have to be afraid..."
Mike shook his head slowly, unable to believe his ears. "I-It can't be," the man thought to himself as he took a step forward, raising his left hand slightly. "A-Abigail," he muttered in disbelief.
The animatronic gave a small smile when she heard her name, and she nodded her head. "It's me, Mikey."
Michael was speechless as he stared into her golden eyes. Hypnotized by them, he took the second step towards her, then another. Soon enough, the guard was only a couple feet away from the vixen. For all these years, Mike wanted to find Abigail. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, place his head on her shoulder, and cry into it; he wanted to cry away the heavy burden that was his guilt. He longed for this day, and now it was finally here.
However, when he turned his focus away from her eyes and towards her body, Mike slowed his movement to a complete stop. His tearful, joyous expression slowly changed into sorrowful horror. A choked voice came out of his mouth.
"Abigail... Oh god, Abigail... W-What happened to you?"
A pair of black, oily tears fell from Abigail's mechanical eyes and at the same time, her animatronic ears flopped to the side like a real fox. She hid her gaze from him with a tear already falling from one of her golden eyes.
"I... I... I don't know what to tell you. I thought I'd never see you again."
Michael shook his head, his eyes too tearing up. He took a half step forward, now at a loss of words. He was trying so hard not to collapse onto the floor and cry. "My god... Abigail... I-I thought you were..."
"Dead." the animatronic said in sorrow as she turned back to face him. "I was... but then... they..." Maggie paused hesitantly, "It's complicated, Mike."
"They?" Mike uttered in confusion. "Who is they?" The man stared at the animatronic for a short while, waiting for her to answer. When she shook her head though, trying to hide away her tears, the guard's heart dropped. "You don't mean them, do you...? The others... The animatronics... They did this to you...?"
"I'm sorry Mikey," the vixen muttered, shaking her head slowly in shame.
Mike lost his voice as he gazed upon the animatronic. He took a half step forward, stumbling a little from the shock of the situation. The man tried to raise his hands up, but he struggled as they were trembling.
Maggie stared at him dolefully, trying desperately to keep her composure. "I-I-I heard everything... I heard your crying. I heard your begging. I... I heard it all Michael. I thought you didn't love me," she stated tearfully, her voice box crackling a little from the amount of stress.
Michael found his voice again, and, after taking another step forward, he said simply, "Abigail..." The man then fell down onto his knees, his back straight up, as he stared into her golden eyes. "I-I was young... and stupid. I thought I could go on without you, that I could just forget all the times we had been together." Mike shook his head as his eyes dripped in tears, "I couldn't have been more wrong." With a shaky hand, the man managed to reach up to his neckline and pulled a small object out from under his shirt.
Maggie covered her mouth with a paw. Her voice choked, "I-Is that-?"
"I've kept it on me ever since you disappeared," Mike said in a tearful tone. "For seven years, I prayed that you were still somewhere out there, that you weren't dead. I held onto this because it gave me hope. Hope that I'd see you again and tell you how sorry I am." The man dropped the necklace back down onto his chest.
"I'm sorry I left you, Abby... I-I'm sorry I-I-I let this happen to you... I-," Mike paused in between sobs, "I'm so sorry..."
"Mikey," the animatronic tearfully said, "I forgive you."
For a moment, Mike said nothing; he simply sat where he was. The man's heart had frozen inside his chest, and his tears stopped. Mike kept his eyes on the animatronic's, staring into the golden pair of eyes that was his lost girlfriend. In the end, it wasn't the years of grieving that broke him, nor was it the five days working at hell. Those three, simple, words were what broke the man.
Without a second thought, Michael lunged forward. He wrapped his arms around the vixen's neck, who stood at the same height as him, and he wept his heart out.
A deep sense of guilt built up inside Maggie as she embraced the man. It wasn't because of what she had done, but rather because of what she was about to do. Her eyes gazed out past the guard's shoulder, towards the purple animatronic that stood right behind the guard. With a heavy heart, Maggie closed her eyes and felt the man's body jerk away from her.
By the time Mike realized what was going on, it was too late. Bonnie's iron grip had already latched itself onto his right shoulder blade, and he screamed in pain as the animatronic crushed his shoulder while thrusting him backwards. The man was violently pulled off from the vixen, and his mind entered into panic mode.
"Let go of me!" the guard cried out. "Please, let go of me!"
"Sorry pal, can't let that happen," Bonnie replied back grimly before turning his gaze over towards Freddy and nodding.
The bear nodded back towards him and motioned for Chica to grab onto the guard. The chicken didn't say a word as she approached the man's legs and grabbed onto them with the same iron grip as Bonnie's. Though she didn't squeeze it as painfully as the rabbit, Chica's grip was firm.
Foxy, in the meantime, stepped up closer to Maggie, who watched in somber silence. The pirate rested his one paw onto her left shoulder, but the vixen didn't register his touch; she was too busy listening to Mike's begging.
"Please! Let me go! I don't want to die! Please!"
The animatronics paid no heed to his words though, for they had a job to do. Simultaneously, Bonnie lifted the man by the one arm while Chica lifted up both of the guard's legs. With Freddy leading them, the three animatronics started to make their way to the backstage room.
Mike watched in dismay as he was carried further and further away from Maggie. In a final act of desperation, he reached his free hand out towards the vixen and yelled, "Abigail! ABIGAIL! Please, don't let them do this! PLEASE!"
Maggie only shook her head. "I'm sorry Mikey, but this has to happen," the vixen said tearfully. "I promise it will be quick. You won't feel a thing."
Michael stared at the animatronic, horrified at what he just heard. She was going to let him die. After everything that he had been through, after suffering so many years of remorse and guilt, he had finally reunited with her just so that he could die. It had been a trap all along.
The man watched the vixen in silence as he was carried away. Though he still had tears streaming down his cheeks, he was no longer crying. He only gazed towards the animatronic with a dead, emotionless stare. The guard heard the backstage door open behind his head, but he didn't turn away; he kept his eyes on the teary-eyed animatronic.
Then, right before he disappeared into the darkened room, Mike used his one free hand to grab hold of his necklace. Without averting his eyes, Michael yanked hard on the necklace's chain. The chain snapped against the back of his neck before breaking completely off. With the chain now broken, the man stared daggers into Maggie as he chucked the broken necklace across the room.
Maggie watched in horror as the necklace struck the floor. With Foxy standing to the side, the vixen rushed forward and scooped up the necklace. She looked towards Michael's direction once it was in her hands, but at that point, he had already disappeared into the room. Maggie glanced back down onto the necklace, and that was when she saw a small crack line run through the carving's body.
"Mikey..."
I apologize for not updating this story and making it seem like I've abandoned it. I assure you that I haven't, and I hope that this revised chapter will show that.
If you liked what I've done with this story or want to share your views on it, please feel free to leave a review (I love reading other people's views, especially I got nothing better to do at the moment) and as always I'll see you next time.