So I've recieved quite a few interesting ideas that I think I might use for the future, I love how creative they are. Also, why on earth is this getting so much attention? I nearly fell out of bed when I saw the insane amount of reviews, favs etc I recieved in just a few hours of posting the chapter. But since you all seem to be loving this so far, here's another one! Enjoy!
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"Sorry champ. No can do. Foxy'll just have to stay retired."
Mike inwardly groaned. He was currently sitting across from Nathan. They were both in a very small and cramped office. The sounds of children, music and just noise in general could be heard coming from the dining area. The office itself was near the stage area, Mike guessed that Nathan liked to be near the animatronics, they were his moneymakers after all.
The first stage to getting Foxy fixed and getting Pirate's Cove back in business was to clear it with his boss. After all, they couldn't just go repairing animatronics without any permission. All he needed was a little coaxing. Of course, this was easier said than done.
"Please, sir. The kids will love him and he'll probably make you a bucket load of cash." He said, trying to persuade the man.
"Which I'll have to pay to Mr Fitzgerald. Not to mention the cost of repairing that dingy cove." Nathan said, scrunching up his nose a bit.
Mike narrowed his eyes. If his boss had even bothered to go behind the curtains then he would see that the cove was actually pretty clean. All this guy cared about was money and profits...
"Plus, isn't that thing dangerous? It bit a kid, remember?" Nathan frowned. "I can't afford to have something like that happen again. The manager back then had to pay the family compensation, and quite frankly, I don't want to follow in his footsteps."
Mike did hear something about that. Apparently a child got his frontal lobe torn out by one of the animatronics. It was never really clear which one did it though. It was at another restaurant. One that Mike had never been to.
"So how do you know it was Foxy who done it?" Mike asked, hoping to catch the man off guard.
He shrugged. "We don't. He's the one with the sharp teeth and giant hook, so we assumed it was him. Besides, he's a danger to the kids anyway."
Mike stood up and slammed his hands on the desk, making Nathan jump in his chair slightly.
"Foxy is not dangerous. In fact, he's the complete opposite! He's kind, gentle and wouldn't even hurt a fly! He loves kids!" Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"First of all, I would ask that you refrain from speaking to me in that tone. I may be a nice guy, but I'm still your boss. Secondly, how would you know? You only work here during the night."
This made Mike immediately sit down, trying to fumble around for an answer.
"W-well...whenever I came here as a kid myself, I always made a beeline for Pirate's Cove. I spent a lot of time there, with Foxy. That's how I know." This seemed to catch Nathan's attention.
"Oh really now? You came here when you were younger?"
Mike smiled. This was his chance. "Oh yeah, my parents couldn't keep me away. Foxy was always my favourite. In fact, quite a few kids loved him. He always told stories and played with us and all that good stuff. I guess that's why I'm trying to bring him back." He looked down. "It's a real shame to think of him rusting up in there, completely alone..."
He looked back up to see Nathan on the verge of tears.
"Oh no, that poor thing! I know he's just a robot but he must be so lonely! However..." Nathan's face went serious again. "How can you guarantee that this won't be a complete bomb? The business world is harsh, son. Gotta keep that cash flowing. What if the kids think he's too scary or something? Not to mention the parents."
Mike racked his brains for ideas before finally coming up with something. "Well...how about we start off with a Meet and Greet? The children
can meet Foxy and take their pictures with him, for a small fee of course." Mike added, hoping to gain Nathan's favour. "If it all goes well, he can become a permanent attraction again. It's uh...testing the waters, in a way." Mike suggested.
"I suppose that's plausible, but what if he's faulty and starts glitching up?" Nathan asked, arms crossed. Now it was his turn to try and catch Mike off guard. However, the guard was prepared with an answer.
"Jeremy can fix him. He did a great job with those guys." He said, pointing his thumb at the window, where there was a clear view of the band playing. Their joints and voice boxes were completely fixed now and their performance seemed to be flowing smoothly without a problem. Nathan sighed.
"Yes, he most certainly did..." Nathan drummed his fingers on the wooden table, looking deep in thought. Mike looked around, feeling a little uncomfortable due to the sudden silence. Thankfully, it didn't last long.
"Y'know what? I like your moxie. We'll do it. Get Jeremy to fix that old fox up and we'll get the cleaning staff to tidy up that little cove. If this actually works then it means more cash for you and me! But..."
Nathan straightened out a few papers in a nonchalant manner.
"If this little plan of yours goes down the toilet then...I'm afraid I'll have to deduct your pay to cover the costs. It's your idea, after all. You sure you wanna go through with it? " Nathan asked, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. Mike looked down.
He really wanted to see Foxy shine on the stage again and make kids happy, like he was originally built to do. The poor fox was rusting away while the others were fixed up and performing again. Plus he reacted the worst when he found out that he had been killing people instead of fixing endoskeletons like he thought he was doing. Ever since then, he had tended to stay behind the curtains and rarely talked to the guard, probably worried in case he'd try to hurt him again. Mike needed to do this for him. Foxy was the one who trusted him first, he was the one who convinced the others to trust him, now was the time to return the favour and get him back to what the fox was supposed to be doing, what he loved doing. Entertaining children. Even if it meant risking his payment. Mike's decision was already made.
Mike nodded. "I'm sure."
Nathan smirked slightly. "Taking chances, huh? Good! I like your style, kid." He held out his hand and Mike shook it.
"Now, tell Mr Fitzgerald to get working on Foxy as soon as he can. He doesn't need to worry about payment. After that, we'll spruce the place up a bit, eh? It's probably filled with cobwebs." Nathan said, shuddering slightly while Mike resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Of course, sir. I'll let him know." Mike said, standing up.
"Pleasure doing business with ya, kid." Nathan went back to the pile of paperwork on his desk while Mike opened the door and walked out. Being a manager must have been pretty tough work...
Closing the door behind him, he went to the exit, giving a small wave to the band as he walked past them. He couldn't help but smile when Chica grinned and and subtly waved back, pretending it was part of the routine. None of the kids or parents seemed to notice. He chuckled and made his way out. Now it was time for the second stage.
Convincing Jeremy.
xxxxx
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me!" Jeremy exclaimed, throwing his arms up in frustration.
It was 11:30pm. Mike had called Jeremy over to discuss the issue of fixing up Foxy. Both men were now standing outside the restaurant, under the dim light of the street lamp. So far, it wasn't going particularly well. Mike knew that Jeremy was going to be a little harder to persuade than Nathan, but he hadn't predicted...this.
"You want me to repair that fox asshole? Nope. Not happening. Sorry." Mike crossed his arms and sighed.
"Why not? You'll be getting more pay, besides, Nathan wants it to happen, he wants Pirate's Cove to be up and running again. You can't exactly go against his orders." Jeremy laughed.
"I don't give a flying fuck about what he wants. That bloody fox is bad enough with running around when he's damaged but if he's fixed up? Well, we can kiss our asses goodbye. Cuz there'll be no stopping him."
"But...he's not even hunting us. In fact, he feels terrible about it. So you shouldn't even really be worrying about that."
Jeremy shrugged. "Well, you can't exactly blame me, can you? Fucker used to charge and pounce at me like he was a bloody cheetah or something." Jeremy looked off to the side and pushed up his glasses, sighing. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm being an ass about this but I'm still a little bit jittery after last time..."
That's right. The Marionette and that Golden Freddy...what was it's name again? Fredbear or something? They had both appeared to them, locking them in the office. Even though nothing really bad happened, it was still pretty nerve-wracking. The way these animatronic ghosts acted was...a little extreme. However, Mike was still curious as to what kind of connection the fifth child had with Jeremy, he wanted to ask the mechanic, but he never really had the chance yet. That, and he was a little afraid to ask. That man had a short temper.
"Besides, Foxy was never really a favourite of mine anyway." Jeremy said, looking back at Mike.
"Why's that? I thought your problem was with Bonnie." The guard asked, tilting his head.
"It's just...my little br-" Jeremy suddenly looked uncomfortable. "No reason. I just don't like him." Mike raised an eyebrow.
"You have a younger brother?" Jeremy cringed and glared daggers at the ground.
"Had."
Mike's eyes widened slightly before he gave the mechanic a sympathetic look. So his brother was dead then. Mike knew how he felt, he had felt that same pain when his parents perished.
"I'm so sorry, Jeremy..." He said, looking down slightly. The mechanic just sighed.
"Don't be. Wasn't your fault. It was mine." Mike looked back up.
"What do you mea-" Jeremy grabbed his arm and dragged him to the door.
"The big boss wants the fox fixed, right? Better get started. Besides, you can't be late for your shift."
Mike frowned slightly. The mechanic was avoiding the subject on purpose. What could have happened? He needed to find out. They were going to have to work together if they wanted to free the children's souls. Mike had to make sure there were no secrets, especially if it had anything to do with those spirits. But he had to be tactful about it, Jeremy wasn't an easy man to read, he would need to be patient and not push the the mechanic. He would find out eventually. Just not now.
"Right, let me just open the door..." The guard mumbled, getting out his keys.
'Soon.' He thought to himself as he unlocked the door.
xxxxx
"Foxy? You in here bud?" Mike called out in a hushed voice, looking behind the curtains. He saw the fox on the stage, sitting on the large wooden treasure chest, hunched over slightly. His mechanical ears pricked up to the guard's voice and he lifted his head to look at him.
"Oh...Ahoy there, Mike..." He said, waving his hook in a halfhearted manner.
"You alright?" The guard asked, walking over. The fox looked back down.
"Aye, I just be...thinkin'." Mike gave him a sympathetic look.
"You know that wasn't your fault. You shouldn't be torturing yourself like this." He said, sitting next to the animatronic, who shifted over slightly.
"But...the way those lubbers screamed...I should 'ave known.." The guard gave the fox's arm a sympathetic pat. Although the fur was thin it was still pretty matted, he had no idea how Jeremy would fix that.
"Look. It's in the past. You should try and move on, yeah?" Foxy gave the man a small grin, his sharp teeth reflecting the light of the surrounding lamps.
"Thank ye Mike...I know yer tryin' yer best to make me feel better but...I jus' be feelin' a wee bit low. Don' you worry though. Ol' Foxy'll be back to normal in no time." Mike grinned.
'Oh, you have no idea.' Mike thought as he stood up.
"Well, I have some news that might cheer you up." Foxy tilted his head.
"Oh aye? What would tha' be, lad?"
"Well, I talked to my boss and he agreed to the idea of fixing you up. Jeremy's waiting out there for you." The guard said, pointing his thumb to the curtains. The fox seemed to perk up at this.
"So ye talked to him then?" Mike nodded.
"Yup. I never go back on my word. He said it was totally fine." Foxy got up and rubbed his chin with his hook, seemingly in thought.
"Maybe tha' ol' land lubber ain't so bad after all. Thank ye again, Mike. I really do appreciate it." Mike smiled as they both walked out of the cove. Foxy held up the curtains while Mike ducked. Jeremy was standing nearby with his arms crossed, a bored look on his face. He rolled his eyes when the guard and fox came up to him.
"Jesus. Finally. How long does it take to get a fucking robot off it's ass?" Foxy gave the mechanic an unamused look.
"S'cuse me matey but I'm not a robot. I be a pirate." He said, placing his hook to his chest in a proud manner.
"You're a fucking tin can." Jeremy bluntly said while Foxy narrowed his eyes, looking insulted.
Mike chuckled. "Sorry, but we had to clear something up." He turned to Foxy. "You go with Jeremy to get fixed up. I need to talk to the others about something." Foxy frowned slightly.
"Ya mean I'm stuck with this ol' bilge rat?" He asked, pointing to Jeremy, who scowled.
"Fuck you. Now hurry up. I've got better things to be doing with my time." Jeremy mumbled, walking off to the spare parts room, Foxy following behind. Mike took this opportunity to run over to the stage. It was time for the third stage; Getting the cove ready.
He would need a little extra help with this.
xxxxx
"So...Foxy gets to perform with us again?" Chica asked, bouncing lightly on her feet, her hands clasped.
"Yeah, and I want to tell him tonight. Which is why I need you guys to help me." Mike said.
They were in the middle of the dining room. All three animatronics were surprised to hear that Foxy was going to perform again, but they were happy for the fox, especially Freddy. The bear hated seeing his poor friend cooped up in that dark space all the time. Interacting with the children again would do him some good.
"What would you have us do, Mr Schmidt?" Freddy asked, stepping forward. Mike looked at him.
"So you'll help me?" The bear rolled his eyes.
"Of course. Foxy is an important part of the band. We would love nothing more than for him to join us again, isn't that right?" He asked, turning his head to Bonnie and Chica, who both nodded.
"Yeah! It'll be so much more fun with Foxy!" Chica said, smiling.
"Besides, it's about time he pulled his weight around here. All he does is mope around. It'll be good for all of us." Bonnie added, a small smirk on his features. Freddy nodded and turned back to Mike.
"Then it's decided. Just tell us what do, and we'll get it done." The bear said.
Mike had to admit, it was still a little weird, Freddy being friendly to him. Only a few nights ago, he was threatening to kill him. Now the bear was willing to help him, not to mention the way he apologised last night. He had been so...kind to the guard. Mike had never felt that reassured by words in a long time. Foxy, Bonnie and Chica were wonderful too, they made him feel like he was part of a family again. A strange family, but a family nonetheless. He knew it was stupid to feel like this, but he didn't care.
"Well, Nathan was going to get the cleaning staff to get the cove ready but...I thought it would mean more if we done it. Jeremy's repairing Foxy right now so we got plenty of time to do it. I know he's been feeling bad about...y'know.." He trailed off.
Both Bonnie and Chica visibly deflated while Freddy kept a calm look and nodded. Mike continued.
"So I thought this would really lift up his mood if we fixed up his cove and make it really special for him. What do you think?" Mike asked. Freddy smiled.
"You just keep on surprising us, Mr Schmidt. I think it's a wonderful idea."
"Not bad at all. I think we can get behind that." Bonnie said.
Chica grabbed Mike and gave him a bone-crushing hug.
"I love it!" She exclaimed. Mike tried to push himself off as his ribs started to groan.
"Great...my ribs...oxygen...please let go..." He wheezed out. She immediately let him go, making him nearly fall to the ground. Thankfully Bonnie managed to grab him and hold him upright while he gasped for breath.
"Damn, girl...you really need to give me a small warning before you do that..." Mike said, holding his diaphragm. Chica gave him a sheepish look as Bonnie let him go.
"Sorry..." She mumbled. Mike let out a small chuckle. "It's alright. Now come on, we should probably get started. Jeremy can work pretty fast."
All of the animatronics nodded and followed Mike to Pirate's Cove.
xxxxx
"There...all done.." Mike stood back to admire their work.
The curtains were wide open to reveal a beautiful pirate themed room and stage. The carpets were hoovered, bringing out the golden colour of the sand and the bright blue of the sea. The wooden model of the ship and had been polished, making it appear brand new. The treasure chest on the stage had also been dusted off and cleaned up. The whole room just seemed...brighter and more colourful than before. The lamps were still the only light source since they couldn't turn on the stage lights, the power still needed to be conserved after all. It had taken a few hours, but it was worth it. Mike just hoped Foxy would be pleased with it.
He instantly tensed when he felt a heavy paw on his shoulder and looked up to see Freddy.
"Not bad, huh?" The bear asked. He took a breath and calmed down.
"It's great. Thanks for your help. I couldn't have done it without you guys." He said.
"No argument there." Bonnie said, walking over with Chica. "You humans are so frail, it's no wonder you break so easily." Mike gave the bunny a deadpan look.
"Gee. Thanks." Chica nudged his arm.
"Do you think Foxy will like it?" The guard gave her a smile.
"I'm sure he'll love it." He said.
"Alright you titanium piece of shit, get back to your bloody cove. I think Mike said something about a surprise or some crap like that."
They all turned to the sound of Jeremy's voice. He must have been finished.
"A surprise? Fer wee ol' Foxy? Ah, he shouldn't 'ave." Foxy's voice sounded out from the spare parts room. The animatronics took their places while Mike walked towards the noise. He found Jeremy and Foxy standing right outside the room.
"Damn right he shouldn't have..." Jeremy looked over to Mike as he made his way over. "Speak of the devil". Foxy turned and greeted him.
"Ahoy there Mike!" The fox cheerily said. Mike blinked in surprise.
Foxy looked completely brand new. The holes were patched up and his endoskeleton legs were now covered up with the rest of the suit, which appeared to be brown. His thin, matted fur now looked sleek and smooth. The colour of the fur was also a much brighter shade of red, making it much more aesthetically pleasing.
"Damn. You're looking pretty good." Mike said, looking him over. He turned to Jeremy.
"You've really outdone yourself." The mechanic gave him a tired nod.
"I know, my hands are killing me. Asshole wouldn't stop moving about." Foxy shot him a look.
"I said I be sorry." Jeremy shut the door behind him and slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Whatever. I'm going home to get some fucking rest. Have fun with the thing. Whatever it is." He mumbled, walking off. Leaving only Mike and Foxy.
"So what be the surprise?" The fox asked, excitement in his voice. Mike gave him a sly smile.
"Just follow me and you'll see." He said, walking off. The fox right on his heel.
"But you gotta cover your eyes." Foxy gave him a skeptical look.
"Why?" Mike smirked.
"Because it's a surprise." The animatronic shrugged but done it away, using his good hand to cover his eye, his other one was covered with the patch. Mike took his arm and led him to Pirate's Cove. The others were standing in front of the cove. They all smiled when they saw the guard and fox come into view.
He let go of Foxy's arm and ran over to stand next to Bonnie.
"Ok, you ready?" Mike asked. Foxy nodded.
"Open 'em!" The fox put his arm down and opened his eye. His patch also flipped up as both his eyes seemed to widen.
"Welcome to the new and improved Pirate's Cove!" Chica said, gesturing to the room. Freddy, Bonnie and Mike stepped to the side, allowing Foxy to walk in.
"Me cove...ye done up me cove..." He whispered, still staring. He didn't seem to be showing much emotion. Mike's smile faded slightly. Was...was he mad? Freddy also seemed to notice this and walked over to the stunned fox.
"Mr Schmidt thought it would be nice if we cleaned the place up a little. After all, the room needs to be spotless for the children." Foxy quickly turned his head to the guard.
"Children...?" Mike smiled.
"That's right. It took some doing, but I managed to convince Nathan to get you back in business again. It's nothing too big, just a meet and greet with the kids to get them used to you. If that goes well then...yeah, you're gonna be part of the show again." He said.
Foxy looked down. "Ye...ye done all tha' fer me...?"
Mike frowned slightly. "Of course. You've already done so much for me so I thought I'd return the favour." The fox didn't respond.
"Do you...like it?" The guard asked, taking a tentative step towards the animatronic. He was surprised when the fox pulled him in with his good arm for a gentle embrace.
"I do. Ye've given me a purpose again. Thank ye so much, Mikey..." He whispered, tightening his hold slightly. Mike returned the hug.
"You're welcome, Foxy."
"Group hug!" Chica grabbed them both. Foxy gave a gruff chuckle while Mike's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
"Chica...warning.." Bonnie joined in, hugging them in a much gentler way.
"Calm down Mike, she won't kill you." The bunny said with a smirk.
"You don't know that..." The guard grumbled. Freddy watched them all with a small grin. Foxy held out his hooked arm.
"C'mon bear boss. You too." The bear rolled his eyes.
"Very well, if you insist." He said, coming over to join them. "But do not breathe a word of this to anyone. I still have a reputation to uphold."
Bonnie gave him a deadpan look.
"Who would we tell?"
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Was that too fluffy? I dunno, I kinda wanted a family vibe to this chapter. If it was then fear not! The story is going to start progressing now, which means more drama, and more ghosts *Wink, wink*. But until then. Peace out!