Thank you to everyone who added this story to their favorites and/or subscribed. I wrote this entirely on a whim but I'm having far too much fun to stop now! If you do enjoy it, please leave a comment, even a one worded 'awesome!' totally makes my day and feeds my muse 3
Winslow'sPhoenix- Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter one! I love the relationship between Luce and Golden Freddy, and that's going to be a reoccurring theme throughout this story. I wanted to do something very different than the norm and I've got a lot of interesting twists planned/ This story is far from being over and I hope you continue to enjoy it!
Fingers splayed out against the hard cool metal, the ominous creak filled the air and the figure froze, silent and still. Teeth sunk into her bottom lip and then slowly she moved forward, avoiding that low spot of noise but she knew she was already screwed. She managed another few feet before the vent into the kitchen was torn off and Bonnie's large hands swarmed her vision, grabbing hold of her and dragging her out. Luce squealed and fast the sound dissolved into laughter as Bonnie swung her around and set off into a joyous trot with prize in hand. Luce clung to his back and pressed a hard kiss to Bonnie's right cheek. She was still small but she wasn't a budding child anymore. Days became weeks, became months, became years... a missing persons report was filed on both her and her uncle but no one got involved too deeply. She'd been an unknown orphan to begin with and they'd assumed they'd either skipped town or were dead somewhere. No one ever bothered to check the condemned pizzeria and Luce never left...except to forage for food. Usually she stole products from the Farmer's Market the city held every Thursday. Small amounts that no one really noticed and from random vendors. Goldie also brought her things and Chica was programmed to cook.
"You know that vent creaks, we'll catch you everytime!" Bonnie teased and peered over his shoulder, rumbling content at her gentle kiss. As she got a little older, she'd been hellbent and determined to hear everyone speak. She asked Foxy to open his mouth wide so she could see what his voicebox looked like and then matched the rest to it as best she could. It took some trial and error and Goldie's voice was still a bit jumpy and covered in just the barest hint of static but everyone could actually speak. They'd been grateful, remarkably so and had chatted almost non-stop for a week, it had been a very long time since they could talk to one another and they were obviously making up for it, much to Luce's delight. Washing them had been an entirely different adventure but for the most part, the animatronics themselves were now in pretty good shape, she oiled and cleaned out their joints every other week and as they encountered problems or glitches she used the others endoskeltons to figure out how to fix it. It wasn't something they asked of her, she would just drag out the tools and would start calling them over one by one and who was gonna turn down a free tune-up? "Maybe I just want to be caught!" Luce giggled her voice exuberant and happy against Bonnie's neck. "I love you ya know." Bonnie's head turned, peering at her from the corners of his eyes. She said things like that all the time and he was pretty sure that powerful emotion had slowly been hard-wired into all of them. They'd spent years raising and playing with her and she was in their systems now, they'd grown to love her back. During one of her trips into the city she'd been attacked and they'd been so...furious. It was Goldie who devised the plan. He calmly directed her through how to alter their programming to allow them to leave the premiss and together they'd gone and... ended the man. Luce was one of them now. They protected each other and they protected her. Period.
She'd saved them, breathed life back into them, she kept them maintained and selflessly she loved them. She was the only one who did and that was a debt they'd never forget. The sound of quiet but quick footsteps echoed down the hall and a moment later Luce was ripped from Bonnie's grasp and the rabbit growled, his eyes glowing a vehement red as Foxy snagged her and spun her in circles. She was eleven now and her baby fat was largely gone, replaced by long and lanky limbs. "Aye! But ya love Foxy better though right lassie?" Foxy's voice rumbled knowing it would infuriate the rabbit and sure enough Bonnie huffed and moved to lunge but Foxy just grinned and shot off down the hallway. "I'll never tell!" Luce's laughter filled the pizzeria as Foxy raced. He was by far the fastest and most agile of the animatronics and nine times out of ten he was the one who succeeded in catching her. It was a fact he consistently bragged about. Foxy lapped the building a few times just to hear her laugh before he came to a screeching halt in the party room and set her down on one of the tables just in time for Bonnie to barrel right into him. The grind of metal against metal and whirling parts as they went down in a brawl drew an eye roll from Luce, she'd long since learned that sometimes they just needed things out of their systems and it was kind of fun how they fought over her sometimes.
A shadow fell over her and Luce turned, smiling up at Chica as she sat beside her on the table. Chica sighed as she watched Bonnie and Foxy tangle in a mess of mechanical parts but chirped happily as Luce weaseled her way under one of her arms and squished herself into her side. Luce snuggled as close as she could get and the bird cooed and hugged her close. "Can you show me how to make those apple bars again? Goldie got us some more flour to play with and I got apples last week. They were really good!" Luce babbled and grinned and Chica nodded her head enthusiastically, she'd been so thrilled by the prospect of returning to the kitchen, especially now that she had an avid helper. "Sure! I still have to teach you how to make pizza! If we can just get all the ingredients together at once..." Chica's voice was springy, light and very pleasing to the ears. "Yes you do! I'll see if I can't snag some tomatoes next time I go into town and... what kind of cheese again?" Luce peered up and Chica clicked her beak. "Parmesan. I'll can ask Goldie, he's got a knack for finding that kind of thing." She nuzzled Luce's hair affectionately, and the girl squirmed a bit, giggling softly into Chica's side. They might not be the most friendly in design or appearance but that had never phased Luce. She'd never shown even the smallest inkling of fear and she'd never shied away from any of them.
Luce turned her attention back to the brawl just in time to see Foxy's hook get stuck on the joint of Bonnie's shoulder and as he pulled the entire right arm came off. Bonnie screamed in pain and Luce's eyes widened as the room went dead silent save for Bonnie's pained whimpers as he backed up, cradling the joint where his arm used to be. Foxy looked remorseful and bounded forward silently. "Bonnie lad I'm sorry." The fox murmured and Luce was already moving, she wriggled out from under Chica's arm and darted over to Bonnie, bounding straight into his lap, and hugging him tight. "Don't cry Bonnie it'll be ok! We can fix it!" Beneath her, Bonnie trembled, his mechanical parts and pieces rattling together as he shook. Foxy crouched down next to them. "I want to help lassie, this be my fault. I'm sorry Bon, forgive an ole pirate?" Foxy's voice was low and quiet, it sounded almost sad. "You can be brave Bonnie right? It'll be like that one time you and Freddy helped bandage my knee when I fell in the kitchen remember?" Bonnie stopped shaking and while his eyes still looked fearful and nervous, slowly he nodded his head. "Yes... trust you L-Luceeee" Bonnie frowned at the static crackle and the harsh way the voice came.
"The pull must have loosened some of Bonnie's wires." The deep rumbling voice made Foxy and Luce jump as Freddy came down off the stage. "Think you can fix him again Luce?" Freddy gazed at the steadily growing child and she beamed, nodding her head. "I can try! That blue wire may have popped out again, Bonnie's was looser than the rest of yours. Can you help? I need one of you to hold up Bonnie's arm, one of you to bend it into place and Chica can I see your arm so I can see where all the wires go?" Luce questioned and Freddy smiled, a low content rumble bubbling up from his voice box as he patted her head, he'd been the most skeptical in the beginning but she'd done nothing but help them and give life back to an otherwise lifeless diner. After she'd washed and restored even Golden Freddy... Freddy was sold. The animatronics moved and got into place and Bonnie started trembling again. Luce leaned forward to place another kiss to his chin. "Be brave for me Bonnie. Be my hero today?" Bonnie stopped, paused and tilted his head to the side as though considering before he leaned forward and licked her from the bottom of her chin, across her cheek and to her hairline. It was dry and kind of rough but definitely a tongue. "You guys have tongues?" The rather dumbfounded words brought a muted chuckle from the group. "Course we do! Whoever built us gave us a voicebox but we make the words ourselves! It isn't just prerecorded messages you know!" Chica giggled. "But how? Who built you?" Luce murmured looking at them more in wonder and awe than anything else. Foxy shrugged. "We don't know lassie, know of us can remember, but we've always been like this." Foxy smiled slightly, seeming to feel a bit better after hurting Bonnie. "But if you guys can think and talk and Bonnie cried out in pain... that means you guys can feel things too right? Like fear, sadness, anger, pain..." She looked over at Bonnie as she spoke that last one and gave another encouraging smile. "That means we can always be together like one big family because you won't ever forget me right? I don't ever have to leave even when I'm all grown up?" She seemed exuberant with that knowledge, glancing between the animatronics with nervous anticipation.
"One of us." The crackled static-sounding voice reverberated through the air and Luce jumped and turned only to watch Golden Freddy crouching down behind her. Luce beamed and weaseled her way close, burying her face in his chest and hugging him tight. "Never leave, always welcome, always stay." A low rumble echoed through the rest of the animatronics, a confirmation of Goldie's statements. Luce beamed and drew back enough to peer up at him. "Hi papa." She'd taken to calling him the sweet endearment and never stopped. Goldie would never admit it but something inside of him melted every time she did. "You guys want me to stay forever?" She couldn't of course, eventually her body would get old and she'd age, but she didn't have to think about those things right now. The whirl of mechanical parts and a murmur of noise and excitement shot through the group, even Bonnie who was malfunctioning, managed to curl his ears into a heart shape. "Do you want to stay with us that long Luce?" The excited rumble quieted as Freddy's voice broke through the silence and Luce gnawed her bottom lip. "You guys are my family. You might be made from metal and wires but I believe each one of you has a soul and a heart. When we snuggle or play games or just talk that's your souls touching mine and it makes me feel all warm inside. I'd never had a real family before and if you guys will have me, I'll stay forever." A pause. "Plus... I love you, all of you and so long as you guys want me here... I never want to leave." She murmured quietly, glancing around nervously at all the faces she'd come to recognize as her family.
It was Freddy that grinned and spoke first. "Well then... welcome to Freddy Fazbear's pizza." Luce giggled and beamed darting over to him and laughing as he scooped her up and settled her on his shoulder. Excited babble broke out amongst everyone again and Luce could barely keep up until somebody brushed against Bonnie's damaged shoulder and Bonnie let out a cry of pain. Immediately Luce began to squirm, tapping on Freddy until he set her down. "Sorry Bonnie, I'm gonna be as gentle as I can ok? " The purple rabbit nodded sadly, twitching a bit in nervousness as Freddy and Foxy held the arm in place and Chica moved over to bend her arm so Luce could see how all the wires and attachments worked. It took a long while and by the time they'd finished, the sun had already dipped low below the horizon. Once his arm was black in place, Luce had to use flashlights to adjust Bonnie's voicebox but finally, Bonnie was all back up to par. Bonnie used the arm a few times, bending and manipulating all the joints, spoke a few random words and tested a few different sounds and then paused, grinned and hoisted Luce right up and over his shoulder.
"Mine!" Came the gleeful shout from Bonniet before he tore down the hallway. Shouts and cries echoed behind him and an epic game of chase began. They played for nearly an hour, even Goldie partaking in the childish game until Freddy was deemed the winner for the evening. Shortly after Luce had settled in with them they'd pulled several curtains out of the backroom and off the stages to make a mock bed and once Freddy announced it was time to settle for the evening, Luce laid down and Foxy curled behind her, his tail coiling around her thigh. Bonnie claimed the front of her until Luce was snuggled between the two nestled, comfortable and warm. They all took turns sleeping next to her with Golden Freddy getting more rights than most. His word was law and she'd more or less chosen him as her Papa. "Goodnight everyone, see you all in the morning!" Luce yawned and closed her eyes, feeling the answering rumble from the two animatronics coiled around her before her world swirled to black.
She was awakened by the desperate whirl of animatronics and the hum of machinery... familiar noises that no longer startled her but now made a thrill of anxiety slither down her spine. They'd told her once that they'd changed and adapted their sleep modes to mirror hers and they rarely awakened before her. A quick glance towards one of the windows told her it was still night... and the glare of headlights shining through the windows and the sound of multiple voices talking outside told her why the animatronics were awake. The animatronics were a blur of noises, communicating through the crackled static of sound. "Enough!" Freddy's powerful voice silenced the room. While Golden Freddy called the shots, Freddy was just a step down. "Did anybody see who this is?" Deep, powerful and commanding attention, Luce slunk backwards to stand against Chica... the closest animatronic too her. Foxy tore off, doing a bolt past the window and returned, his own eyes widening with apprehension and fear. "The truck... is the pizzeria owner's mate." Foxy rumbled, his voice deep as he glanced over at Luce. "There's ten, maybe more humans climbing out of it." Foxy muttered. Too many for them to... just make disappear. Freddy frowned. "They haven't been here in almost twenty years." Freddy rumbled and glanced towards the window as the sound of car doors being shut was dully noted. "What do they want?" Bonnie chimed in and they all glanced between each other, one just as lost as the nest. Luce grabbed Chica's hand but Freddy shook his head. "No Luce, we have to get in our places. We can't make anything seem suspicious." Freddy rumbled and crouched down "I need you to crawl up into the vents and don't make any noise at all alright? They'll take you away from us if they find you and we won't be able to stop them."
Tears slid down the tiny girls cheeks and she trembled, shaking and afraid. Freddy hoisted her up into the air and turned...right into Golden Freddy. The two bears faced each other for a moment and then Freddy inclined his head once and passed her off. Luce slid easily into Goldie's arms and turned back around. "You promise you'll all be ok?" She was trembling and shaking, she was afraid for them, that she'd never see them again and so much more. Foxy grinned, putting on a brave face for her. "We'll be fine Lassie! I'll be chasing you around in no time just you wait." Luce glanced between them and then held her arms out in that universal gesture for a hug. They gathered quickly, offering her quick hugs and gentle nuzzles before Foxy headed back for his respective place as did Chica, Bonnie and Freddy. Luce took one last look before Golden Freddy turned and walked away.
"What's gonna happen Papa? I'm scared. Are they gonna take you all away?" She whimpered quietly and Goldie rumbled, his dark eyes flickering to the supply closet. He ducked inside, hoisted her up into the vent and closed the grate. "I don't know, the last time they came they talked about opening a new pizzeria. We'll be fine, don't worry about us. No matter what happens we'll find a way to get back to you... you have to stay safe, no matter what they do stay quiet, don't cry and trust me Luce." Goldie spoke quiet and while Luce was still crying, she wriggled a hand through the vent and pressed it to Goldie's cheek. "I love you papa. I won't ever forget, I'll stay safe. I'll find you. You don't ever leave family." The bear rumbled, closed his eyes and kissed her palm before he vanished only to return to his slumped position near the kitchen. Luce scrambled, scaling through the vents and peering in through the main party room grate... her heart nearly beating out of her chest as fear and apprehension snagged her tight.
They poured in like vultures, a dozen or more men swarming the place. A few crouched down next to Foxy and the rest all went to the other animatronics. Luce slapped a hand over her mouth so she wouldn't make any noises as they started rough handling them, moving around parts and pieces, testing the functions and how well they still moved. "Looks like someone's been taking care of em. Well oiled, functional... a bit out of date but the parts are all still working. Hell the smells are even gone." One man's voice drifted up from the crowd. "Smells?" "Ya several people complained they smelled like mold or rot or somethin' I don't remember, it all seemed like a load of crap to me at the time." The man snorted and folded his arms across his chest. "What do you wanna do with them boss? They seem pretty salvageable maybe we can update em a bit and-" One of the engineers began but the boss snorted. "No... we're gonna use em for scrap pieces at the new facility. I don't want these things to bring up old rumors and investigations. The new pizzeria will be shut down before we can even open. The New Freddy Fazbear's will be... lighter more happy and friendly." Luce trembled, shaking in the vent, she wasn't old enough to understand everything they were saying but she understood enough to know her family was in danger, but what could she do? They'd subdue her in seconds and then take her to another bad place.
"Load em up boys, I want them at the new location by seven." Roughly the men began grabbing and hauling off the animatronics one by one and Luce got angrier and angrier. How dare they treat her family that way, how dare they hurt her friends! They spoke like... like they were just scrap metal! They had feelings and hearts, worries and cares! She was gonna get her family back and maybe they'd even teach those jerks a lesson while doing it! She was only eleven, there was nothing she could actually do right now, but she wouldn't let them be torn apart. No more crying. They were gone in less than an hour and the pizzeria just felt... big...empty without the presence of her family. Possession crashed over the tiny girl and she nearly growled. She was theirs and they were hers and no one was gonna take them away from her. She waited until she heard the crunching of the tires fade away before she scrambled out of the vents and hopped down. She had to figure out where they were going and how to get to them. She was smart, she could figure it out.
Goldie wouldn't have to come get her...because she was going to find a way to get to them.
