Like Clockwork
A Steampunk-Esque AU Five Nights at Freddy's Story
Chapter One: Welcome to the Manor
Michael took a deep breath as he adjusted his tie as he stood outside the manor of the eccentric toy-maker, Fazbear. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to his friends back at the academy, but he could joke that he managed to get out of there before them and escaped the horrible cooking. He chuckled to himself before the large wooden doors opened.
"Come in," An older voice weakly said, most likely the owner of the manor. Michael stepped forward and had to bite back a gasp of sheer awe; it was covered with a variety of handmade toys, steam powered machines and many things that Michael himself had only read about in the academy.
"Wow..." He managed out breathlessly and the older voice chuckled as a much older man stepped out of the shadows. While it was obvious that he was much older than any man Michael had ever know, he was well put together, dressed in a deep purple silk suit.
"You must be the man the academy sent." Michael's face flushed momentarily before he quickly stood at attention.
"Yes sir. Michael Vincent Schmidt reporting for duty, sir!" The man chuckled and waved his hand.
"At ease, boy, you're not at the academy; I'm not that rigid for no reason." Michael relaxed as the man studied him for a moment, muttering something under his breath, but shook his head. "Alright, Michael, follow me, and I will show you where you be." The young man followed the man into another part of the manor, the young man looking at everything in awe, much to the older man's bemusement. "Enjoying what you are seeing?"
"Ah, yes sir..." Michael said. "I-It is amazing to see of all of this..." The man hid a smirk as he entered a room.
"Well, thank you." He said. "Now, you stand here and under no circumstances, do not move." He pointed to an area and Michael stood there at attention, though mildly confused. The man, as if he could read his mind, chuckled. "It's part of what I want you to do, boy. Just stay there and don't move, understood?"
"Yes sir." Michael stood at attention in the spot and watched the man take his jacket off and grab a large book. The man began to read off from the page and Michael's eyes widened as colored smoke began to appear out of nowhere, swirling around the man and racing to his side. Michael seriously wanted to run for his life, but he was under orders to stay there, and the academy rammed into his heads that you never, never, never defy orders. He stayed at attention as the smoke swirled around him. Michael held his breath, hoping that might help him survive as the older man's voice began louder and deeper before there was a searing pain along Michael's body. He struggled to keep at attention as it felt like his very being was ripped to shreds before the pain suddenly stopped and everything went black.
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"F-Freddy, is it time yet?" The robotic bear turned to face the robotic chicken, his gears making small ticking sounds as he moved.
"No, Ms. Chica." He said softly. "Father said he would come in and let us know when it is time." The bird sighed, the pipes used to create her voice making a chime like noise as her sigh. "Don't worry...we can play soon..." The bird nodded simply before the door opened, getting the attention of the robots as a limp body was dumped in before the door shut again. Chica clutched at her pinafore, looking at Freddy worriedly. The bear slowly stepped closer to the young man, dressed in what seemed to be a nice school uniform, the emblem on the coat almost familiar to Freddy, but he wasn't sure from where; Father had created him after all. The bear slowly poked the body, when emitted a soft groan, surprising the two robots.
"F-Freddy! It's moving! What is it?!"
"It is a human." The two turned in surprise and looked at the puppet sitting in the rafters of the room, the purple streaks clashing with the painted smile on its mask. "Like Father."
"R-Really?" Chica asked innocently and the puppet nodded before hopping off the rafter and landing with a quiet tap sound. The two animatronics watched as the doll-like puppet walked over to them and looked over the body, looking in the coat pocket and pulled out a folded letter.
"Hmm?"
"What's that?" Freddy asked as the puppet opened the letter and slowly began to read the words silently. The two animatronics looked at each other nervously before looking at the puppet.
"This is interesting..."
"What is it?!"
"I seems that this human, I assume," The puppet said slowly. "Was sent here to aid Father..."
"Oh!" The bird clapped her hand cheerfully. "It's been so long since people came to visit Father~!" She frowned, pausing. "Wait...then what happened to him?" The puppet looked at the body and crossed his arms.
"I...do not know..." He looked at the robotic bear. "Do you think that we could use that spare bed? Provided that Bonnie doesn't break it again?" Chica had to hide a smile behind her feathered hands as Freddy nodded slowly.
"Yes, I'm sure..." He looked at Chica. "Ms. Chica, go prepare the bed." Chica bowed and quickly hurried down the hall. The puppet watched, mildly amused at the unladylike words Chica yelled as she cleared the bed from under Bonnie's bed, before looking at Freddy's face, and frowned.
"What's wrong, Freddy?" Freddy blinked a few times before shaking his head.
"I-It's nothing..." He said, the gears and parts in him whirring and clicking. "We should get him to the bed..." The puppet didn't look convinced but nodded. Freddy and the puppet carefully picked up the young man and slowly carried him to the spare bed, though Freddy couldn't shake the feeling that he should know that uniform that the body was wearing.
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"You hear the stories about this old coot?" The redhead in his royal guard uniform sighed, for what seemed the 87th time, as he and one of the academy's older students stood outside the manor.
"I know. You have told me." The student shrugged.
"Sorry, I just can't handle the quiet; I prefer moving at all time...having stuff to do, conversation...things like that..." He sighed and fiddled with his tie. "That might explain why the headmaster wanted me to come along; I'm an accident waiting to happen..." The redhead smiled softly.
"Well, I appreciate the company." He said simply before the doors opened.
"Please, come in, sirs." The two briskly entered the manor, the red head looking at the older man. "How may I help one of our Majesty's finest?"
"We are investigating several rumors that the locals are insistent that are true." The redhead said simply, clearly unfazed by the compliment. The older man looked merely annoyed as the student was distracted by the toys and animatronics. "They claim to see people, especially children running the halls and as the law-"
"I know what the law states." The older man snapped, though keeping his tone civil. "There are many spirits here, many are spirits of the older owner's children; this is an older house after all." The redhead didn't have a reaction and the man sighed. "If it would placate Her Majesty, then please feel free to explore my home for yourself." The guard nodded and after getting the student's attention, the two headed down a hallway, unaware of the malicious smirk on the older man's face as a yellow colored bear poked his head out of the library.
"F-Father...who were those men?" The bear asked timidly and the man turned to the bear, a warm smile on his face.
"Do not worry, those men will be taken care of..." The bear nodded slowly. "Is something wrong, child?"
"Well..." The bear looked away sheepishly. "I-It is very lonely here...I-I mean I do enjoy your company a-and his as well..." The man chuckled at the childlike antics of the larger bear.
"Do not worry..." He said. "You will have some new friends soon." The bear lit up.
"R-Really Father?" The man nodded.
"Yes, I promise...now please go see if your sister needs help in the kitchen." The yellow bear beamed and after thanking his 'father', he closed the door. The man smirked before looking at where the two men had gone down. He slowly walked after them, picking up a round object off the shelf, chuckling to himself.
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Five Nights at Freddy's Belong to Scott Cawthon
This AU Belongs to Me, Gears112