Mike walked down the empty West Hall in the pizzeria, surrounded by darkness. The power was out at the pizzeria, at least that's what was apparent, and Mike's phone was dead, leaving him alone to face the lack of light prompted him to be extra cautious, as to not injure himself. The silence surrounding the security guard was only broken by his faint breathing, as he tried to listen out into the emptiness around him for another sign of life. Without any other option other than to turn back to the security office, he proceeded forward down the dark hall. The backstage was his target, the basement access was located there, holding the generator reset within.

Upon reaching the entrance to the dining area, Mike was immediately met with a wall rather than a doorway. A single poster of Freddy Fazbear was tacked to it, leaving it noticeably less cluttered than the walls he was used to, covered in children's drawings, wires, and other party-themed decorations. A closer examination of the poster led Mike to notice the lack of text on the poster. Most character posters around the pizzeria were thinly veiled advertisements for the restaurant and its titular characters, but this one only featured the bear himself, looking ominous back at whoever took notice.

After spending a moment longer to check any potential hole or crack in the wall that might allow him to pass through to the dining area towards his destination, Mike gave up and decided to try the other hallways that led from the security office to the dining area. Rather than a return path, Mike was blocked off by another wall, as solid as the one now behind him. Just like its partner wall it only had a Freddy poster on it, his gaze piercing into the security guard.

Mike began to panic, and whipped around to face the first wall, only to see that the poster had changed to that of Golden Freddy. The golden bear's empty eyes dug even deeper into his own, with one paw reaching out as if it could pull the security guard into the picture with him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, as Mike heard shuffling behind him, prompting him to turn around once again. The second wall, along with the Freddy Fazbear poster that previously haunted him. Instead something much worse took its place, Golden Freddy himself sat on the floor, empty eyes and all. His jaw was slumped down, as if he was grinning back at Mike. He heard a garbled, deep voice emanate from the golden bear animatronic, without any movement of his mouth.

"...zzzzzzzzz's… ...zzzzz… ...eeeee…"

Mike shook his head as he stepped backward, struggling to keep his balance as his body shook with fear. He felt himself walk into the wall, trapping himself with Golden Freddy blocking his only escape route. The static garble began to clear up a bit, allowing Mike to understand what it was saying.

"zzzzzzz...It's…. Me… zzzzzzzzzzz…"

The bear continued to be immobile as the static continued to play, with the same message being repeated. Mike slid down the wall as he felt his strength drain away.

"It's me… zzzzzzz… It's me… zzz…. It's me…"

Golden Freddy began to shake and vibrate, as the message began to garble once again, playing at a faster rate. Mike shuffled into the corner, and pulled his knees close for protection.

"It's me. It's me. It's me. It's me."

Mike tried to cover his ears, shoving his face into his knees as he tried to block out what the bear was saying to him. Through the crack between his legs he could see Golden Freddy stand up, shaking sporadically and uncontrollably, as if it was possessed. Mike desperately tried to shuffle further into the corner, trying his hardest to ignore the bear, as it began to slowly walk towards the security guard.

Two cold paws grabbed Mike's legs and spread them apart, causing him to wince in pain, as they were pushed in an awkward angle. He had little time to check if his legs were alright, as the golden bear bent down and looked him right in his eyes. Mike's aqua green eyes met Golden Freddy's empty eye sockets. His ears began to ring loudly as Golden Freddy let out the loudest scream he had ever heard, a mix of a mechanical buzz and the growl of a bear. Mike struggled to break free, attempting to punch and push, but the golden bear held him firmly in place, with his own face near centimeters from the bear's.

Suddenly Golden Freddy was flung to the side, hitting the wall next to Mike, who began to violently punch and kick the bear as he struggled to sit back up. The world around him began to light up, and Mike began to feel very disoriented as his vision blurred. As it cleared up Mike found himself in his bed, his large yellow pillow was thrown across the room, his quilt and bed sheets in disary. Reality sat in as Mike took a moment to calm himself down, his heart rate had yet to catch up with the changing reality around him. That was just a dream?

Mike heard his bedroom door open, his sister Anna popped her head in. She had a concerned look on her face, which only grew worse as she scanned his bedroom, taking note of the pillow opposite of where it should be and the state of Mike's bed. Thankfully he was wearing pajamas, as the weather was colder than usual for the time of year, otherwise his sister would have seen something she would rather not.

"Is everything alright, Mike? You almost gave me a heart attack, I forgot you were home."

"I'm fine, I just had a bad dream."Mike rubbed his temples as he attempted to force the remaining drowsiness out of his body. "Are mom and dad home?"

"No, they're out buying groceries." The concerned look didn't leave his sister, as she stepped into the room and sat at the end of Mike's bed. "I thought you stopped having nightmares, ever since work became more… relaxed?"

Mike frowned as he couldn't maintain eye contact with his sister. Mike knew for sure that the four animatronics weren't hostile to him, aside from Freddy they were all very friendly to him. The only wild card was Golden Freddy, whether he was a fifth animatronic, a ghost, or whatever else he could be eluded Mike.

Still, he wasn't sure if he should tell his sister. Anna was very concerned with her brother's safety when he was under the impression that the animatronics were out for his blood, to the point that she had been losing sleep and made an effort to keep in contact with Mike as best she could during his shift. Once again, he had more questions than answers, and bringing Anna into the equation would only add more variables, but in the end it was probably best to confide in at least one person.

"I had a nightmare that I was attacked by a fifth animatronic from the pizzeria. Not Freddy, Bonnie or Chica, not even Foxy, but one called Golden Freddy. He looks just like Freddy Fazbear, but he's all golden, and doesn't have any eyes? In the dream, I was alone in the pizzeria with the lights out, and he trapped me at the end of a hall and just kept saying "it's me," and then he just attacked me." His sister's face shifted from concerned to confused during her brother's rant.

"Another animatronic? Have you seen it anywhere in the pizzeria?" Mike shook his head. While he hadn't been able to finely comb the entirety of the pizzeria, he was fairly sure that there wasn't a fifth animatronic around. Tony had informed him earlier in the week that Golden Freddy was kept somewhere in the pizzeria, but he yet spot him. One of the others would have mentioned it by now, and the manager probably would have as well. Then again the manager wasn't the most competent of individuals. His manager was another wild card, Mike hadn't even taken the time to consider what he might know, about the animatronics and their past. Anna broke up his thoughts as she spoke up again. "You should ask Freddy, he would likely know. From what you said he's the brains of the group."

Mike didn't respond immediately, as he had not informed her of Freddy's new rule. He didn't exactly have the time, while his classes were at the start of the week, her's were at the end, and they had been preoccupied by their parent's and their concerns and questions. Regardless he still agreed that he should try to be more diplomatic with the bear. "Yeah, I guess I should. Wouldn't hurt to ask."

"Right, and even better, I bet we can do some research on this golden bear furry guy. I'm sure there's something online about him." Mike smiled at his sister, she had a knack for research and digging up the truth. If anyone can find anything on Golden Freddy, it's her.

Mike was about to speak when he was interrupted by his phone ringing. It was from an unknown number, but the area code matched their location, so he answered. His sister left the room to allow him to focus on the call, while a somewhat familiar voice greeted him at the other end.

"Hello, hello, is this Mike? This is Jeremey from the pizzeria, uh, from the pizzeria? Hello? Is this thing working?"

Mike snorted as he listened to his coworker ramble on the other end. "Yeah, this is Mike, what can I do for you Jeremy?"

"Hey, Bruce wanted me to ask you if you could come in earlier tonight, at 11:00 or something." Mike glanced at his clock, it was just after 5:00pm. It wouldn't hurt him to go in early, for whatever reason he needed for.

"I don't see why not, does he need me for something?"

"He said he needed to talk to you about something. He didn't tell me what it was about, and I'm not sure if he's going to pay you for it, though." That didn't matter too much to Mike, it wasn't like there was much for him to do at home, since his parents usually were getting ready for bed at that time, and Anna usually went out with her friends very late on Friday nights. Not being paid for the hour wouldn't hurt him much, but he might be able to get something out of it regardless. "Hey, hello? Hello? Are you still there, Mike?"

Mike's attention returned to his coworker at the other end of the phone. "Yeah, I can make it, sorry."

"Great! Talk to you later, goodnight." Mike was going to say goodbye to Jeremy, but he hung up the phone before he could say another word. What a strange man, he has an odd way of talking. Mike didn't know much about Jeremy, or any other staff members other than Tony, for that matter. It probably wouldn't hurt him to get to know them better, they might be able to offer some insight on the animatronics, or the pizzeria in general as well.

Anna reentered the room, focusing on her phone as she stopped at the end of Mike's bed. "I'm going out with Terry and his friends tonight, are you going to get out of bed today or what?" She said playfully.

"Yeah, I guess I can't take my bed to work." Mike stretched as he stood up out his bed. "Besides, Bruce my manager asked me to come in early tonight to talk to me about something."

Anna looked up from her phone towards her brother. "Nothing bad, I hope?"

Mike shook his head. "I doubt it, I haven't done anything wrong. Shouldn't you be leaving soon? Normally you would have left by now to spend time with your friends, or in this case, Terrence."

She gave Mike a cocky smile. "You can call him Terry, Mike, it's alright."

"As long as he doesn't call me Mikey," he said has they laughed together.

"Mom wanted me to make sure you were awake before I left, but it seemed you woke yourself up," she answered as she made her way back towards the door. "I'll do some research when I get home, tomorrow we can talk about it."

Mike smiled at his sister as he collected some clothes for himself to wear before his shift. "That sounds like a deal, see you later alligator."

"After a while, crocodile," she responded as she left down the hall. As Mike made his way to the bathroom to shower, he heard the front door shut, signalling the departure of his sister. He was glad that he was so close with his sibling, and that they would be able to do some detective work together, like they had as children for fun. On top of that they could finally talk about something other than the pizzeria or his parents, which had occupied their free time for most the past couple weeks.

Mike wasn't particularly fond of the attention his family had towards him at the moment, normally his sister received more attention. She deserved it, she had a great future in store for her, she was going to work at the law firm with her father. While Mike was studying to become a doctor, he was beginning to question his future in the field of medicine. Of course, it would be a rewarding, well-paying and stable career that would last him until his retirement, but at the same time, it would mean leaving the pizzeria, where he had made numerous friends. It isn't going to be an easy decision to pick between the two, but at the very least it wasn't a concern for now.

Tonight he would ask Freddy about Golden Freddy, even though the bear had told him to stay in the office, he needed to get some solid answers for once. He could also see if Bruce had anything to add, the meeting likely wouldn't take up the full hour before his shift formally began at midnight. Still, Mike had a feeling that perhaps he was getting a bit too deep. The pizzeria had a complex past, there was no denying that. But he was in too deep now, sooner or later Mike would find the truths, for better or for worse.


It was the beginning of Mike's fifth night of his third week at the pizzeria. He had arrived around 10:50pm, as he had to meet with his manager before his shift could begin. Mike shivered at the cold, despite it being the middle of Spring the weather had yet to warm up, and the security uniforms weren't made from anything cooler than 10 degrees.

Despite Freddy forbidding him from speaking to the animatronics and restricting him to his office, Mike was excited to see what the night would entail. He doubted that Freddy would refuse to answer his questions, but he didn't know the bear well enough to be sure. He had probably the worst response possible to Mike inquiring about the true nature of the animatronics, but questions about Golden Freddy and the history of the pizzeria were far less harmful. Then again, how is a question about the reality of the animatronics a harmful question? One thing was for sure, tonight he would at least learn something from Bruce, and his role with the animatronics and the history of the pizzeria.

Bruce wasn't Mike's favourite manager, he wasn't the most competent at his job. He had an entitled personality, where it seemed like he was always the most important person in the room, and could not do a thing wrong, despite the fact that the pizzeria wasn't doing so well as it has in the past. All around the pizzeria was dirty and in need of in-depth maintenance, the animatronics had to pick up the slack and spend their free time cleaning their home. Bruce was the type of manager to deny any wrong-doing and shrug-off responsibility, so Mike wasn't sure how he made it to where he was.

Mike made his way into the manager's office, located at the end of the East Hall, opposite to the security office. The door was left open and the lights were on, a sight that Mike was not used to. Bruce was seated in his desk, surrounded by filing cabinets and shelves full of various books and papers in the rather spacious office space. Bruce spoke up as Mike entered, clearing his throat and organizing the papers in front of him dramatically.

"Hello there Mike, thank you for coming in early tonight." With a toothy smile, Bruce held his hand out, which the security guard shook awkwardly. "You know, you've worked for me longer than any night guard has in years, so I appreciate that. Take a seat."

I wonder why. Mike sat down in the chair in front of the desk, which was a simple plastic chair with worn out wheels, while Bruce sat in a cushy leather office chair, also with wheels. "I like to think of myself of a loyal and reliable guy," Mike said, humouring his manager. "So what is this meeting for?"

Bruce withdrew a paper from the stack on his desk, glancing at it now and then as he spoke. "I wanted to discuss an inconvenience that seemed to have developed during this week. It seems that you've been a bit too touchy with the animatronics, and haven't been spending all your time in the security office. I don't pay you to socialize or cook, I pay you to watch this place. You understand, right?"

Mike responded with a confused look. How did he know that I talked to the animatronics? Mike remembered his training, where Bruce had specifically stated the cameras did record audio and video, but it could only be rewatched up to 24 hours after. Was he lying, or did he find out another way? Regardless, Mike decided to play dumb, he already had been chastised by Freddy, and didn't want to lose his job on top of that.

"I don't understand, I have spoken to them in little bits now and then, but I stay within the office," Mike replied, attempting to justify himself.

Bruce seemed to be prepared for this, as he withdrew several photographs from his desk, placing this in front of Mike for him to see. They were of him and the animatronics talking in the dining area and the security office, leaving no room for debate. "How do you explain these then?"

Mike paled, he couldn't counter this. "It was just small talk, nothing more… besides, Freddy has already asked me to stay within the office and focus on the cameras, which I have been doing since."

"Yes, I've been told. But if you look at this photo…" Bruce pointed to one particular photo, which showed Bonnie speaking to Mike, clearly breaking the rules. "...It was taken last night, which tells me that you need to be told a second time."

"Right…" Mike wasn't sure how to respond. He had clearly been caught, and didn't have a way out. While he could throw Bonnie under the bus, as the bunny was the one to approach Mike and initiate a conversation, Mike didn't feel as though that was fair. After all, he could have refused to speak to Bonnie, but chose not to. Oddly Mike noticed that the picture was taken from the West Hall, in a position where there was not a camera. The same was true for most of the other photos as well, upon closer examination"I'm sorry, you're right."

A cheeky smile spread on Bruce's face. "I accept your apology. Since I'm in a good mood, I'll allow you to keep your job. However, your pay will be reduced back down to minimum wage. I need to make sure you learn your lesson, after all."

Mike was not happy to hear that, his guilt shifted to frustration. He only made 20 cents above minimum wage, which he had earned after completing his first week. It was part of his contract that his pay would increase, and while it was only 20 cents, it was better than nothing. To have it taken away was an insult to the security guard, and only cemented his manager as a cheapskate to Mike. "I understand."

"That's excellent. Now do you have any more questions? I would like to head home now." Mike initially was planning on asking Bruce some of the questions he'd had about the pizzeria and its animatronics, but decided that it was better to save them for Freddy. Judging by his manager's actions and tone, he's going to have to be more careful from here on out. I'm not painting a larger target on my back for this jerk.

After his manager left, Mike made his way into the security office. Both Freddy and his manager were becoming hostile with him. To make things even worse, it was becoming apparent to Mike that someone was watching him, as the pictures that were used as damning evidence had to have been taken by a camera or phone, rather than the security cameras, due to the position they were taken from.

Mike slumped down in his chair. It was going to be a slow night, while he did bring his Nintendo Switch with him, he doubted it would entertain him tonight. Bonnie wouldn't come by to chat, and Chica likely wouldn't be allowed to prepare a meal for him. Not that Mike expected her to, it was a nice gesture that the chicken was more than happy to do. Of course Mike also wanted to get to know Foxy more, but the fox hadn't come by his office yet, and obviously Freddy wasn't going to break his own rule.

Without a doubt Mike wasn't going to learn anything more about Golden Freddy, or have any of his other questions he so desperately wanted answered. Freddy and Bruce are probably talking behind the scenes. How else would Bruce have known, Freddy must have taken those pictures! Mike didn't want to believe that Freddy would stoop that low, but it was the best answer he could come up with.

Pulling out his Nintendo Switch, Mike saw that it wasn't even 11:30pm.

Whoop-de-doo...


Freddy sat with the others in the lounge. He was in the armchair to the side, a chair that only he sat in, while Bonnie and Chica were snuggled together under a quilt, Foxy sat close by. They were watching another of the movie's Mike had given them, this one was about a princess who lived in the ocean, and was a fish. There was a word for it, but the bear couldn't remember, as his mind was occupied.

Ever since they opened up to Mike, the others were happier than they've been in years. Bonnie and Chica had immediately taken a liking to him, as they were always friendly to new people. It was great during the day when they used to be allowed to greet and hug the children who visited the pizzeria, ever since the bite they were stuck on the stage, despite it happening over 30 years ago. The only time they were able to move around and stretch was at night, which they took full advantage of.

Foxy took a bit longer to accept Mike, but after receiving a touching gift from him, he quickly changed his mind. Ever since the bite Foxy had been the most upset of them all, being close to the one who carried it out, it was hard for him to accept, which led him to develop a sort of depression. It led to him being unwilling to perform now and then, with the current closure being far longer than usual. When Foxy received the book from Mike, it was as if new life was brought into him. Pirate Cove was reopened the next day, and drew in large crowds of children, and even some adults with his new stories, which he told with enthusiasm that he had not seen from the fox in a long time.

Unfortunately Freddy barring him and the others from speaking to Mike had dampened his mood once again. Foxy was eager to share his stories of the day with the security guard, and had not taken it well when Fredddy informed him of the rule change.

Seeing his family in much better spirits than they have been in a long time made Freddy happy himself, from hearing them talk about Mike to enjoying the movies he had brought, he felt bad that he had listened to Golden Freddy. Mike was a good kid, and didn't deserve to be treated so poorly.

Freddy was beginning to doubt his decision. Everyone, including himself liked Mike, and he knew that he would find out about their true nature eventually, either through one of them telling him, or by putting the puzzle pieces together. He was a smart kid, he had to have made it this far. Three weeks was far longer than anyone had expected.

Freddy felt a fifth presence in the room, he glanced to the rest of the room behind the others, and spotted Golden Freddy lurking in the shadows. He was watching Freddy with a knowing look, gesturing towards the door, before he teleported away. I hate it when he does that.

As far as the others knew, Golden Freddy was dead, as they did not know of his existence, other than the fact that he and Spring Bonnie were at the original store before all of them came into this pizzeria. Golden Freddy only made himself known to Freddy, aiding in his decision making. As much as Freddy desired to be a strong independent leader, he struggled a lot, which led him to accept the golden bear's advice, for better or for worse. He didn't know why Golden Freddy was still around, why he could teleport or what his purpose was, but he had a feeling that he was up to nothing good.

Freddy stood up out of his chair, catching the other's attention. "I'll be right back."

They didn't question him, and returned to the movie. Freddy made his way into the backstage where Golden Freddy was sitting on the table in the center of the room, his arms crossed with a disapproving look. "I see that Mike isn't listening to your rules. And here I thought that you were able to put your foot down, Freddy Fazbear."

Freddy frowned back at his golden counterpart. "What do you mean? He listened to what I asked."

A smirk spread across Golden Freddy's face, as he held up a photo of Mike and Bonnie talking, and another of him and Chica doing the same. "These were taken last night."

Freddy looked at the pictures miserably. Why, Mike? Why did you have to speak to them? As much as he didn't like putting in the new rule, it was better for Mike to just listen, instead of fighting back. "I'm sorry, I guess the others really wanted to speak with him. I'll have another word with them, but are you sure this is all worth it? Mike is a good kid."

"If he was a good kid, he'd listen. And the same goes for you," Golden Freddy said sternly. "If you want to go against my advice, then go right ahead. But don't be surprised if it comes back to bite you."

Golden Freddy stood up, and made his way to the door. Freddy watched him grab the doorknob, before turning back to face the brown bear.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, Golden Freddy disappeared, teleporting away instead of using the door. Freddy leaned his back against one of the shelves, as he needed to process what just happened. Goldie's been taking pictures of Mike… but why? What does he get out of that? It didn't make any sense to Freddy, since he hadn't seen Golden Freddy go so far with his schemes. Sure, he had made Freddy do some dirty work for him, such as working with the golden bear to get the previous manager fired, but this was going low, as if he had a personal vendetta against Mike.

Freddy was beginning to doubt that Golden Freddy was right, he was taking things too far. He thought back to what he had said, perhaps the most notable part of the exchange they had. If you want to go against my advice, then go right ahead. Golden Freddy did warn that there would be consequences for disobeying him, but he doubted that there was much he could do. The golden bear could teleport, but aside from that Freddy wasn't aware of any other tricks he could pull. Not that he knew much about him, but he felt as though it was time to pull his own weight around. I'm supposed to be a leader, and now it's time to prove it.

Freddy fixed his bow tie and top hat, as he made his way towards the dining area. He was going to make things right.


Around 2:00am, Mike began to feel hunger set in. He hadn't eaten since he had his lunch, around 6:00pm, with his parents after they came home from shopping. His mother had put together a dinner for him made from leftovers, but it needed a microwave, of which Mike had not seen. Freddy had made it clear that Mike wasn't allowed to leave the office, but he had to in order to use the washroom, which was across the building, and he also needed to use the microwave. Cold soup was not something Mike could stomach.

Mike was bored out of his mind, he hadn't seen the animatronics on the security cameras, aside from when they all funneled into the lounge through the backstage. Without anyone to talk to or any chance of doing so, Mike was beginning to lose his mind in the small security office. Going for a short walk would probably help me last, Mike thought to himself as he put away his Nintendo Switch

Before he left, Mike checked the security cameras one last time, again finding the restaurant as lifeless as he felt. He made his way through the pizzeria quietly, even though he doubted that Freddy would object to his basic needs. After using the restroom Mike made his way towards the kitchen, only to find the door locked. Frustrated, Mike tried looking through the small windows to see if anyone was inside, despite the lack of any lights.

"What do you need in there?" A voice behind him caused Mike to jump. He spun around, finding Freddy Fazbear towering over him, not looking pleased.

"I need a microwave, to heat up my dinner," he replied, holding up the glass container full of soup.

Freddy narrowed his eyes at the security guard and crossed his arms, clearly not pleased with that answer. "You're supposed to stay inside of the security office, Mike." Despite the lack of room for debate in Freddy's tone, Mike decided to shoot his shot.

"I need to eventually, Freddy… what if I need to use the washroom?"

Freddy remained stoic, not taking his displeased eyes off of Mike. "Use a water bottle."

Mike opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't think of any way to reply the bear's answer. He can't be serious, can he? Trying to find words, Mike noticed the corners of Freddy's frown tremble, before he gave away. The bear burst into laughter, which Mike quickly joined in. Freddy had to put a hand up to the wall next to Mike, to stop himself from falling.

"You… you thought I was serious? I can't believe it!" Freddy said as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"I can't believe I fell for that, you're ridiculous!" Mike replied as his laughter died down.

Freddy let out a sigh as he regained his composure. He stepped away from the door, giving Mike more room. "I'm sorry Mike. I haven't been fair to you. You probably think I hate you, don't you?"

Mike gave the bear a pity smile. While he was less than impressed with Freddy for barring him from seeing the others, it would be a stretch to say that Mike hated him. "I may not like being forced to spend the nights alone in the office, but I don't hate you for it. It is my job after all."

"I'm sorry that it has to be this way. I miss talking with you as much as the others, I'll admit, but I'm sure you understand why I made this decision," Freddy added, with a sympathetic smile. He looked as though he was about to say something else, but looked away from the security guard.

Mike decided he would capitalize on Freddy's good mood. "Freddy, was Bruce the one who asked you to tell me to stay in the office and not speak to you guys?"

Freddy gave Mike a confused look. "No, I don't speak to the manager unless it's important. Why, did he speak to you about us?"

"Yeah, he said the same thing you said. He even had pictures of us talking from before you made the rule, and used them as evidence." Mike chose to leave out the chat he had with Bonnie after the rule was made. "What was weird was that they weren't taken from the security cameras, because they aren't from where they are located. Someone was taking pictures of us."

Freddy's face went from confused to concerned. "Are these pictures still in the manager's office?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah, it's locked, do you have a key?"

The bear smiled and removed his top hat, and pulled a set of keys out from it. Mike wasn't sure if he should be surprised or not, the bear had many secrets that he was learning over time. The two made their way to the office, where the pictures were still scattered on Bruce's desk. Mike picked up one that showed all four animatronics with Mike. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Freddy was in some of them. Oops. "I thought you had taken the pictures, but you're in some of them, so I guess not."

Freddy shook his head. "No, I didn't. I can promise you that."

Mike placed the photos back on the desk and Freddy gestured for him to leave the office, locking it back up behind them. "Who took them, then?"

It took Freddy some time to respond, his face was a mix of emotions, from frustration to sadness. Finally he responded. "I know who, but I can't tell you. I know that isn't the answer you want, but I just can't. I'm sorry Mike."

Mike was annoyed at the lack of a solid answer, but Freddy appeared to be telling the truth. He didn't have a reason to believe otherwise, as while they weren't on the best of terms, the bear had only been honest to him. Regardless, Mike had a feeling that he knew who could have taken them, and worked with Bruce, as there was a fifth animatronic he had yet to formally meet. "It's fine, I understand."

"Thank you." Freddy still had an upset look on his face, but it eased as they spoke again. "There's a microwave in the lounge, you can use that one to heat up your dinner, that way you can say hi to the others tonight."

"Really? You're ok with that, Freddy?"

"Yeah, I don't see why not," Freddy added as he gestured for Mike to follow him, which the security guard gladly accepted.

"Alright, I won't complain." Mike was surprised to hear this change of heart from the bear. "But what if I get in trouble again?"

Freddy was prepared for this question. "The manager can't bar you from eating, You don't even get a formal break, so refusing you the privilege of using a microwave would be ridiculous." He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Mike. A chill went down his spine, as Freddy's eyes were glazed over black. "And he does try to get rid of you, he'll have to get through me first."

Without another word Freddy resumed his pace towards the backstage and lounge. Even though he knew that Freddy and the others were harmless, they could still scare Mike easily. The image of Freddy staring into the East Hall Corner camera with glossy black eyes was forever burned into his memory after working at the pizzeria for two weeks. But regardless, it seemed that Freddy was beginning to have a change of heart, by allowing him to at least say hello to the others. Maybe he's going to revoke the rule? Mike thought to himself, feeling hopeful.

When the two arrived at the lounge door, Freddy opened it for Mike, allowing him to step into the room first. Bonnie, Chica and Foxy were all seated on the couch, a blanket over the first two who sat closer. Their faces lit as their attention was turned to the door, as they all scurried over to greet the security guard.

"Mike! We missed you!"

"Aye, I forgot how quiet it be without ye, Mike."

Mike let out a laugh at their enthusiasm, as Freddy joined him in the room. "He's here to use the microwave, so feel free to chat with him for now, but after its food is warmed he has to return to the security office."

The other's drooped down as they heard the bear's command, but they didn't argue. Mike decided to keep their spirits up despite the short visit he was granted. "It's better than nothing! I've missed you guys."

Chica clapped her hands together, as Bonnie held up the recipe book he had given the chicken earlier in the week., "Chica and I are going to make you lasagna tomorrow!"

Mike raised an eyebrow at them. "You're going to help her, Bonnie?"

Bonnie smiled as he hugged the book to his body. "Yeah, I had to explain to her what lasagna was. She thought it was a cake, so I'm going to make sure she doesn't mess it up."

The others broke into laughter as Chica's face went red, quickly defending herself. "Come on, it looks like cake in those black and white pictures!"

Bonnie turned his attention to Freddy, who was watching them with an amused grin. "Can we please deliver to Mike? We promise not to talk to him, we'll place it on his desk…"

Freddy's smile disappeared as his face turned more serious. He looked towards Mike, who seemed to understand the bear's inner debate. What if Bruce finds out? The bear sighed, he had give the others an answer, it was too difficult to leave them in the dark.

"I'm going to have to say no. You're more than welcome to make it, but only I can deliver it. His manager has strictly told him to stay within the office and to not speak with any of us, under threat of termination." Bonnie, Chica and Foxy gasped, as they were not aware of this development.

Foxy raised his hook at the bear, his shock was replaced with anger. "Aye, ye' told Bruce to enforce yer' rule, didn't ye' captain? What did Mike do to ye to deserve all this?" Bonnie and Chica didn't look too pleased with Freddy either.

Freddy raised his hands in defence of himself. "I didn't tell Bruce about the rule, nor was I aware of it. Mike came in early today to speak with him, where Bruce revealed pictures of us talking, in order to prove Mike's guilt. I'm sorry, I know it's hard to believe, but I wouldn't be that cruel. I like Mike as much as you all do."

The others seemed to believe Freddy, lowered their anger, as Mike decided to support the bear. "Yeah, I showed Freddy the pictures. Someone else must be working behind the scenes to get rid of me, and I'm sure it isn't Freddy."

Foxy lowered his hook, a remorseful look replaced his anger. "Blimey, I'm sorry captain, I can't argue against that. If Mike says yer' innocent, then it must be true."

Freddy gave Mike a thankful look, but the calmed mood didn't last as Bonnie spoke up. "Hold on, if you aren't a part of this plan to get rid of Mike, then who is?

"Bruce isn't the… most intelligent of people who've worked here, I doubt he put it together himself." Chica added.

"None of us took the pictures since we're all in them, nor are they from the cameras, and we would have heard Bruce enter the pizzeria, so who could it be?" Mike had an idea of who it was, but decided to ask the others. They all shook their heads, but eventually the eyes turned to Freddy.

"Did someone ask ye' to introduce yer' rule? Who was it?" Foxy asked, beginning to put the pieces together.

Freddy's face paled, he was in the spotlight, everyone was expecting an answer from him. He hung his head low. Mike couldn't help but feel bad for him, as he was beginning to believe that Freddy was being pressured into acting the way he did. Freddy opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as another voice spoke up.

"It's me," Golden Freddy said, everyone quickly turning to face the golden bear. Mike felt his blood freeze, the face that had haunted him returned. Turning to the others, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy were all shocked, while Freddy looked more fearful. Golden Freddy stepped forward, his black eyes staring into Mike's soul.

"It seems we have some rule breakers here that need to be taught a lesson."