Mable: Here we are! Enjoy!
Almost Feels Like Home
Chapter Ninety-Six
The ride back into Hurricane was deceptively lighthearted. Charlie and Jessica talked like the old friends they were now that they weren't in danger. Jessica wanted to know everything about Charlie's new life, and she was more than willing to tell her. It didn't seem like too much of a risk when she already knew so much, and it was clear that out of all their friends she was the one closest with Charlie. Mike didn't see much risk.
In fact, he didn't see any of the humans as a risk in this situation. Not with Burke's mental decline and with everyone's closeness to Charlie. The real risk was the questions they hadn't answered yet, and he tried not to think about them while he was driving. He already had one silent meltdown in the car, he didn't want a second while he was trying to look like the sane one.
He looked over to the passenger's seat where Marionette was slid down and wrapped in his jacket. He was clearly listening in on the women in the backseat and had an almost relieved smile. Just so happy that this was able to work in their favor, in Charlie's favor, that he was able to briefly push aside any negative thoughts. Mike wished he could do that too. He almost did; seeing Marionette happy always eased his mind.
They dropped Jessica off at the Hurricane hospital so she could catch up with the others. During which Mike and she exchanged numbers and she agreed to give them an update on Clayton's condition whenever she found out what was going on. She gave Charlie one last, lingering hug before drawing back and heading inside. She almost seemed reluctant to leave, looking back again.
"I hope she doesn't worry about me too much," Charlie spoke up as she slid down in the backseat. "It feels so good talking to her again and trying to pick up where we left off. It feels like its been years! ...I guess it almost has been."
"She's going to worry, but I'm sure she feels a lot better now knowing what she does," Marionette said as he looked around to make sure the parking lot was empty before peeking out at her again. He tried not to get too excited by the thought of Charlie's friends warming up to him, but the idea of humans around his own age who weren't frightened of him intrigued him. He wanted friendship; he craved it. While he was sliding back into his seat, he noticed Mike's quietness. "Mike, everything alright?"
"…Yeah, I'm good. Course I'm good, I'm not in jail or dead," Mike vaguely answered as he started the car again. "And this time my trip to the hospital didn't cost me a couple grand."
It was becoming clear that he was still bothered by today, but Marionette decided not to pry. He just reached over and rubbed the security guard's arm with a soothing trill. Mike got a touch of a smile.
"I'll be fine. I'll be a lot better once we're home free. Then we might get at least one night of peace before disaster strikes twice," he joked. Except it wasn't exactly a joke. He expected by morning to have a call from someone about Burke and then they would go from there.
It didn't take them long to get home from the hospital and it was a relief to find the house in the same condition as when they left. It didn't like anybody had come by and Moppet eagerly greeted them at the door. Immediately Mike stepped aside to call Jeremy and Fritz. He hesitated at the house phone and then decided it was better to avoid the risk of being recorded and instead used his cell to make the call.
Charlie collapsed on the couch and went so limp that she barely moved when Moppet jumped up onto her chest. Eventually the cat settled, and she managed to lift an arm long enough to scratch the back of its neck.
"I think I'm going to turn in early tonight. It feels like a night where I'm going to need twelve hours or more," the Security Puppet exhaustedly admitted. Marionette leaned over the back of the couch to smile at her.
"How ironic! I don't think I will sleep tonight, if ever again!" he said with a chime. He then dropped against the back of the couch limply with a sigh. "Foxy will never believe this."
"That we lost Burke or that I'm not in jail?" Mike asked as he dialed Jeremy's cell.
"Both!" Marionette chirped tiredly, his body not showing the enthusiasm his voice tried to.
After a few rings, Jeremy answered the phone. "Hel- Oh, umm- Foxy's Pirate's Cove?" he said awkwardly.
"Glad to hear you made it over there alright. We're back home and everything's been taken care of." He didn't life the way it felt saying that but decided to ignore it. Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness! But how? You found something over there?"he asked. "Or did you talk to Burke?"
"Turns out Burke was off his rocker, the whole thing was a scam, and there was no warrant… It's a long story. I'll bring you up to speed whenever you get home," Mike explained. He really didn't want to try discussing his suspicions or their ordeal over the phone. "The main thing is that we're in the clear and as of right now, nobody's at risk of being arrested. So, it's as safe as it's going to get."
"That's great!... I, uh, can tell there's more of a story there, but you can tell me then… I'm guessing it didn't go too well." Jeremy, always the perceptive one. "…Wait, did you mean Burke lied?!"
"The short answer is yes. The long answer is also yes," Mike said with the same reluctance to retell on the phone. He did notice something though as he heard Jeremy talking. "How are you holding up? You sound a lot better than when you left."
"Better. Especially since you told me we're not going to jail. Or back to jail,"Jeremy said playfully. "To be honest, I actually took a little of that non-drowsy cold medicine so I'm pretty wired. No coughing though!"
"Maybe I was jumping to conclusions about us being like Burke. We could've just been sick," Mike thought. That made him a little less nervous but didn't take away that gnawing suspicion in the back of his head. "At least there's some good news to come home to. When do you think you'll get back?"
"We're probably going to wait out here for a few more hours. Just to make sure that nothing pops up, and I'd rather not move everyone out in broad daylight. But we'll be fine. We've been playing games and distracting ourselves over here so we can handle a little longer. Unless you need me there?"
"No, that's fine. I'm just going to call Fritz and check in on Scott, then maybe try to chill out for the next couple of hours. You take care and tell Foxy that Mari will get back to him later. He's going to have to break all this to him in person."
"No problem, he'll understand," Jeremy said. Foxy, who was currently looming over his shoulder, gave a discontent hum but didn't barge in. The blond frowned a little as his friend fell back into silence on the line. "Are you sure you don't need me to come back now? I can make it work."
"Don't worry about it. I'll leave the spare key out and you get home when you can… You're sure you're fine, right? You're not just covering?"
"I'm really feeling better, Mike. I'm okay." Jeremy sent a concerned and questioning look towards Foxy who gave a half shrug. The man returned a lop-sided smile. "Whatever you say, Mike. Get some rest and I'll be home later. Don't worry, I'm staying put here," Jeremy encouraged and soon he hung up. "Something more must've happened over there. Mike doesn't sound right. He seems… Wired."
"Maybe Burke died," Foxy said casually. Jeremy gave him a baffled look, mostly at his bluntness, and the fox shrugged. "Ain't no bones off me flag. Landlubber ain't good fer business."
"I think Mike would've said if he died. He just said…" Jeremy trailed off as he remembered what Mike said, he needed to tell him in person and Marionette would break the news to Foxy. "…Okay, he might be dead," Jeremy conceded. "But we don't know that yet! So… Let's just try to keep this between us. I'll get the rest of the scoop from him when we get home."
While Foxy wanted to call up Mike immediately and pry for answers, he was on duty. Having Jeremy's little animatronics was just like having a pizzeria full of children, he needed to entertain and distract them. So, he gave a nod and kept his patience.
"Daddy, it turned off!" one of the Bidybabs called from the riding rocket she, her twin, and the Minireenas were sitting in. It didn't help that the other rocket, which Balloon Boy and Plushtrap were in, was still riding like normal. Balloon Boy just looked to the less fortunate dolls and waved almost mockingly. Which triggered Forget-Me-Not to hiss and leap over, trying to climb over to fuss at him. "Turn it on, please?"
"I'm coming, guys!" Jeremy called back with a smile. It felt good to talk without needing to cough. He gave a more uncomfortable smile towards Foxy. "Shouldn't be too hard keeping them busy."
Foxy chuckled and rested a hand on his back to guide him across the dining room. It felt good to have him here. Not even bad news about Burke could ruin this for him.
Ennard was remarkably stubborn when it came to self-repair, especially when it meant removing his mask to do it. The clown had insisted that he could repair the eye himself, determined not to swop it out because he wanted to keep his blue one, but all attempts had ended in failure. It simply hurt too much, and Ennard was too stubborn to outright expel the eye.
That wasn't the only thing he was stubborn on either. He had offered for Scott to try and help, but it became apparent quickly that Scott couldn't do the repairs he needed. The pain was too severe for Ennard to talk him through it fully and the eye was damaged enough that the man knew it wouldn't be as simple as a typical animatronic eye repair. He needed a technician, but their options were limited.
Fritz was still out of town. Even if he wasn't, Scott didn't expect Ennard to let him work on him. Chance was definitely a no-go. There was only one option and, thankfully, Ennard was a little more open to it. He still pleaded to have until nighttime to try and repair himself, to try and avoid embarrassment while waiting for the cover of darkness, and Scott gave him that. Expectedly, he still could not repair the eye.
That was how they found themselves in the warehouse. Baby had come too but was now slowly rolling in a circle like she was pacing as her mind caught up with her.
"This is going to change everything, you know. They will want to be around her all the time. They will just see her as a spectacle, an object, a… Paranormal enigma. Like the mascot for their little gang," Baby fussed as she began rolling faster. "And that one girl had the nerve to stay behind. Did you see her? The one that was so overdressed."
"She didn't seem that bad to me," Ennard casually said. He was currently laying out on a tarp on the floor, staring upwards as he was being repaired. He lightly snickered.
"What?" Baby questioned as she abruptly stopped.
"It's just- I didn't think you'd get your wires in a knot over a little competition! You're not going to lose your girlfriend to a couple of old friends, Lottie's crazy about you!"
"I'm not upset. I'm just shaken," Baby defended. She rested her claw and hand on her skirt, like on her hips. "And stop calling her my girlfriend. It sounds wrong when you say it."
Ennard chuckled before suddenly choking and flinching as a shot of pain echoed through his skull. Apparently, his eye must've twitched at the wrong time and he felt it everywhere and regretted it instantly.
"Stay still. I'm almost finished," Springtrap muttered. He was crouched down over him, working on Ennard's propped up head, somehow maneuvering delicate tools to try and remove the damaged material without causing more of an injury in the process. Ennard went as stiff as a board and his eyes went completely still so that the technician could work.
Scott was kneeling on the other side of him and holding his hand. He gave it a comforting squeeze and smiled down at him. "You're doing great. Just a little longer, Enn. He's almost done."
Springtrap's eyes glanced up at the Phone Guy but then nodded in agreement and continued to work. Baby returned to rolling in circles as the surgery continued. Finally, the broken eye was removed entirely, and the rabbit showed it to both Ennard and Scott. It was entirely busted, and the clown hissed as he took it.
"Wow, that got me good… There goes my best eye," he mumbled, and Scott patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Didja at least find the bullet?" To which Springtrap immediately held out a pair of long tweezers to reveal a damaged bullet clutched at the tip. "Hey, you did! That's amazing! That's, wow, that's a lot smaller than it felt bouncing around in there."
"You are very lucky," Springtrap said in almost a borderline scolding tone. "Whether or not it felt like it, this is a small bullet. Any larger and it could've gone straight through your skull and damaged your servos. We would've been looking at a much more extensive surgery… If your body would survive, that is. Don't go up against something you can't handle."
"It's not like I chose to go up against Burke! The guy literally blindsided me!" Ennard defended before looking to Scott. The man was now looking at the bullet with a worried frown and shifting uncomfortably on his legs. The crouch was probably bothering him. "You wanna go stretch your legs, Scottie? Hard part's over. We're gonna fix the eye on the outside."
"I'm alright for a little longer," Scott assured with a smile. Then he prepared to continue, looking towards Springtrap, but was cut off by him.
"I don't think you realize how damaged this eye is. Even if I have the parts to fix it- which I would need another eyeball entirely- it would involve precision and effort that I simple can't get done in one night. Unless you want that socket open, you're going to have to choose a replacement," Springtrap explained. Ennard was clearly disappointed by this. "Even if on a temporary basis."
"…Alright, yeah, gotcha," the clown reluctantly agreed. Almost like he knew he was right but had been in denial. "Can you at least try to get that iris out of there? I'd like to keep a matching pair."
"I'll work on it," Springtrap agreed.
With a discontent, breathy hum, Ennard's good eye rolled downwards to "close" so he could focus. While Ennard had joked about using his other eyes, Scott hadn't ever seen him do it. So, he leaned forward curiously, ignoring the discomfort in his knee from the angle of his prosthetic, and watched the other eyes begin to move. The one on his arm started first and rolled around and focused on both the onlookers. Then one by one every eye got a chance to look. Soon it came down to two eyes- the one on his chest and the one on his arm- and he switched between them repeatedly before deciding.
"This one," Ennard said, pointing to the yellow one on his arm. "The other one's got a foggy spot. Probably from being rubbed on by the wires."
"Funny. You would think the one on the arm would get the most damage," Springtrap remarked as he looked at it. "Yes, I think this one will work perfectly." The wires started to shift, but he stopped them with a hand on his arm. "Let me take it out and place it in the socket. I don't want any of my work getting tampered with until I'm sure it can handle it."
"You're acting like it's a miracle I haven't fallen apart already," Ennard teased lightly. "But hey, you're the boss!"
He chuckled a little and looked towards Scott. One look at him and the clown was much less amused. "Alright, you've had enough. Get up and walk around." The man looked almost offended and Ennard made the motion like raising a brow, which didn't work when he was missing an eye. "I can see you clenching your teeth. Just get up and stretch out. No reason both of us should suffer."
Scott got a half-smile. "Okay, you're right. I'm getting up now," he agreed and stood. It immediately took the pressure off his leg and he stretched a little. Now with a moment of silence, as Springtrap was preparing to remove the eye, he decided it was time to break the more cryptic news. Even though he didn't really want to stress Ennard out, he knew he had to say something. "This is probably not a good time to bring this up… But Mike thinks Detective Burke is possessed."
Springtrap made a noise like a scoff before continuing to work. He almost looked like he was dismissing it right off the bat, but then still asked, "What makes him believe that?"
"Well, uh… I don't know if you've ever met Glenn, the owner of Chipper's, but there was this incident where I think he tried to trap Fritz with animatronics programmed to attack and then afterwards he got ill unexpectedly. I didn't know this, but apparently this is a lot like what happened to Dave Miller. You remember Dave, from the Magictime Incident? Same thing. Now Burke set up this… Unbelievable… I don't know, trap? This entire facility full of traps and had that same sickness. Though to be fair, it could've been his heart…"
The rabbit hummed thoughtfully before murmuring a quick, "Hold very still," and smoothly popping the eye out of socket. Ennard twitched at the motion but didn't seem to be in pain. The eye and the main wires connected to it started to slide free, with the clown slowly releasing them from his body.
"I won't deny that Dave Miller's death was very suspicious, but even still I would more likely believe his death was an elaborate cover-up by the police force. It wouldn't be their first time covering up something questionable," he muttered under his breath. It was clear that he wasn't as convinced and, honestly, Scott wasn't sure if he was too. He just found it hard to believe in possession.
Or, at least, he really didn't want to believe possession was possible. He sighed, "I guess you're right. Kind of crazy, isn't it?"
"But he could not choose."
The sudden echo-y voice caught everyone off-guard. Scott jumped, Baby looked over, and Springtrap twisted his upper body to look back abruptly. The warehouse was darker in the back and allowed a pale rainbow glow to be more visible. Springtrap hummed in discontent.
"Candy Cadet again… He's been doing this all day, waking up long enough to mumble before going back to sleep." He turned back and began to set Ennard's eye inside, nudging the wires gently in with the tweezers.
"Does he do this a lot?" Scott asked hesitantly. The colors were still flashing, and he was certain they hadn't been earlier.
"You would be surprised, though typically he's more lucid," Springtrap sighed. "Unless it's raining."
"It is raining," Baby corrected.
"Then that explains it."
"Hunger cannot be satisfied. Kittens. Could not. Could not. Could not choose."
"Oh geez, I can't hear that kitten story again. Not when I got a hot poker in my eye," Ennard muttered in disturbance. He reached out blindly and patted Scott's leg. "Hey Scott, mind going over there and dropping a quarter in him to snap him out of this? Maybe get us some candy?"
"Uh…" Scott slowly looked back at Baby. She tilted her head at him, apparently confused by his apprehension. "Uh, sure. I think I have some quarters on me…" He got out his wallet as he walked around the animatronics and headed towards the flashing colors. "I'll be right back…"
"Thanks, Scott! I'm gonna owe you big when we get home!" the clown chirped. Upon getting a look from Springtrap he added in, "Don't give me that look. You don't know what I meant by that."
Scott got a slightly amused smile as he continued back to the Candy Cadet. He found it settled in behind some stacked boxes, shaking like it was malfunctioning, and still flashing lights. The man pulled out a quarter and approached slowly, still mustering a smile. He wasn't afraid of Candy Cadet of all animatronics, but his nerves were so fried that anything would set them off.
"Hey there, Candy Cadet. Think I could get candy or a story? Or both, I've got enough quarters," he offered as he stuck the coin in. He turned the crank and it clunked inside. Instantly the lights on the animatronic died and it went still. "…Candy Cadet?" Scott asked in confusion. Immediately he began to inwardly panic. "I hope I didn't just break him. One coin couldn't have broken it, right?" He started to look over the front. "Is there a reset or coin release?"
Right when he was about to reach for the crank again, Candy Cadet began to slowly straighten up. Scott did the same, cautiously pulling his hand back, staring at the silent and dimmed bot. Then, suddenly, the lights came on. Instead of flashing they glowed static but even the rainbow of light was little comfort. It had no eyes, but he could feel it staring at him. "Are… You okay, Candy Cadet?"
He couldn't even tell if the animatronic was sentient. So, when it finally began to speak it almost caught him off-guard. "Now I will tell you a story…" it said, followed by a long pause.
"Okay…?" Scott asked cautiously. There was another uncomfortable hesitation, no flashing, no stuttering.
"Once upon a time, there was a snake who was never satisfied," Candy Cadet began. "He ate eggs, and frogs, and birds, and kittens, but he was never full."
Scott guessed this was the kitten story that Ennard mentioned. Something about it was very unsettling, especially with how out of character the cadet was acting, reciting slower, voice lower.
"He wanted to have a bigger meal. He wanted to eat a man, but the snake couldn't get close without the man stomping his feet and scaring him off," it explained. "He needed to get closer… So, he climbed into the phone cord and crawled all the way to the man's phone, and then he waited."
Scott looked back towards the others. Baby was still watching him and he got a nervous smile. "This is quite a story, Candy Cadet, but I sort of-."
"No." Sudden, firm, relentless. It startled Scott who looked at the bot in disbelief. "When the man made his next call, the snake bit him. The man was filled with poison and the snake was happy because it knew it was only a matter of time."
The story ended abruptly and the bot stared with its eyeless face. As uneasy as Scott still felt, heart racing from anxiety, he was listening fully. He swallowed and coaxed, "Until what?"
"Until it moved to the next one. And the next one. And the next one." Candy Cadet's voice began to grow deeper and slower with each repeat. "And the next one. And the next one. And the next one…"
"Wh-What are you saying?" Scott asked in a whisper. His eyes were wide in growing dread. "Is this about Clay? About what we were talking about, about him being possessed?"
The cadet's lights died once more and for a second he thought the animatronic had shut down. He was just about to press more when an eerie voice echoed out of the depths of the suit.
"Can't you hear it, Scott? The snake is still in the lines. He's here. He's un..der..nea…th..."
To which the Candy Cadet finally fell silent and refused to speak. Scott stared at him aghast for a long moment, but somehow he understood what it said. It was a confirmation; Burke was possessed.
"What do you mean? What's the snake?!" Scott exclaimed as he grabbed the cadet by the arms. He boldly shook it to try to rouse them. "It's in the phone lines?! Candy Cadet, you- you have to be clearer! I can't- I don't- how do I do something if you won't tell me?!" But the animatronics seemed to be completely out and he wasn't waking for anything. "For God's sake, if we're all going to get possessed-!..."
But to no avail. Still no response and slowly Scott dropped his arms. He was still riled as he took a shaken step back and looked towards the animatronics. They were all staring at him and he had no doubt they heard the whole thing. It was their disturbed silence- and Springtrap's raised eyelids, showing emotion usually vacant from his face- that made Scott realize they wouldn't be dismissing this warning.
He stared back for that pause, tried to swallow with a much-too-dry mouth, and then said in a shaken voice, "I need to call Mike."
Scott turned away and scrambled to get out his cellphone. He hastily typed in the numbers to Mike's cellphone before waiting for a response. It rang but there was no answer, so he tried the house phone instead. There was only a single ring before it was suddenly cut off by static. He blamed his cellphone service believing the warehouse was getting in the way of any signal. He walked speedily past the three animatronics and down towards the office. The three watched him speed to a frantic jog before disappearing inside.
In only a matter of moments he dialed Mike's phone numbers again. The results were the same; nobody picked up the cell phone and the house phone had that eerie static. That out of place static that now sent a wave of dread through Scott as he remembered the warning of the snake in the phone lines. He hung up and didn't try to call again, instead hurrying back out of the office and nearly running into Ennard.
"Didja get through?" Ennard asked. Now with his yellow eye in place, both it and the blue were focused on Scott and his tone was completely serious. Scott shook his head wordlessly. "What's the plan?"
"I've got to drive over and warn Mike. If Candy Cadet was right and he was right, then he's in danger- we're all in danger. We've got to go warn him, a-and Mari and Charlie… It could be after all of us!" Scott tried to stay calm, but he was devolving fast. "I have to go over there."
"I'm coming with you," Ennard affirmed. Scott didn't even attempt to argue and simply passed by him, nearly running into Baby.
"I'm coming too," she said. Scott nodded and skirted by, passing Springtrap as well.
"As am I," the rabbit announced. Scott paused in mid-step, looked back in confusion, but then just ignored his questions and continued down the shelves towards the door.
"O-Okay, so… We get everyone in the van, we drive over, I knock on the door and best-case scenario: Mike answers and gets the warning… Worst-case scenario… He doesn't answer." Scott took a deep breath as he considered the fact that the cellphone call didn't get through either. "If… If we get there and somehow Mike was right and he's… Acting like Burke was…"
"I get it. We barge in and pile on top of him," Ennard finished for him. Scott looked back to see if he was joking, which he wasn't.
"…On second thought, maybe you guys should wait here…"
"We can control ourselves," Springtrap affirmed. This seemed to convince Scott enough and he continued to the door.
"Why are you even coming?" Baby asked. Springtrap wasn't entirely surprised by her questioning. More he was surprised how quietly she did it, as though not wanting to announce it to Scott and Ennard. That wasn't what he expected and he turned to her suddenly. Baby took this as confusion and continued, "You didn't believe it earlier. You said yourself that you were ignoring that cadet thing when it was going off."
"He wasn't saying any of this then or I would've listened. Mike may be mistaken, Detective Burke isn't to be trusted, but Candy Cadet knows too much, and he never lies," Springtrap insisted. Scott bit his lip sharply and stepped out to get the van in order and closer to the doors. Ennard watched him do so but his attention was on the conversation.
"Never lies? So that kitten story was true?" he asked with slight disgust. Springtrap gave a nod.
"To some extent. All his stories hide double meanings from what I've heard. Why he does this I can only assume is to be as difficult as possible."
"That still doesn't explain why you must come. We can deal with this alone," Baby said as she rolled over beside of Ennard and looked at Springtrap like he was the outsider. Springtrap didn't answer at first, instead looking to Ennard who continued looking outside with no comment of his own. "You will only get underfoot. You would do best to stay here and wait for a call," Baby suggested.
Ironically enough, it was the first time that Springtrap saw Elizabeth through Baby. He narrowed his gaze into an irritated look.
"I'm just being honest. We already had to babysit five adult-sized children today," Baby finished. She turned herself to face the door, expecting that to be the final word. He wouldn't give her that victory.
"Then allow me to share some honesty of my own: if you stay this possessive of her, you will lose her. Regardless of what Ben says," Springtrap bluntly said. He left nothing up to illusion; she knew exactly what he meant, if her turning to him suddenly was any indication. Now he gave her the brush-off, passing behind the clowns to go grab another tarp to shield themselves with from the rain.
Baby wanted to say something spiteful back, but she couldn't, and she couldn't pretend that it was because she was taken off-guard. She reluctantly knew that he was right. Especially when she looked to Ennard for reassurance and he was still staring outside, clearly trying to avoid any questioning, clearly uncomfortable from how his wires were tightening. She knew that he probably agreed with Springtrap.
"It's not my fault. I don't mean to be possessive; I just don't want to lose her. She's my only friend," Baby told herself.
But maybe her concern was aimed at the wrong targets, she considered as the van backed up to the door and allowed them to climb inside. After all, they were currently rushing over to make sure everything was alright. If there was something bigger at play, then maybe there was more to worry about then just being replaced and forgotten.
Baby was so tired of losing people. Maybe they did need all the help they could get.
Mike hated the constantly warring thought that echoed his head whenever it was too quiet. Usually he didn't have a problem blocking out intrusive thoughts but after the events earlier today he couldn't stop thinking about it. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to sleep like this. Currently he was laying out on the bed atop the comforter, changed into comfortable clothes, and waiting for Marionette to come to bed. He could still hear him and Charlie talking through the wall.
Unsurprisingly, Marionette was on edge tonight and wanted to make everything was fine before he could wind down. Thankfully Charlie was doing better than expected, if not just exhausted from the day. Finally, they said their goodnights before Mike heard her shutting her bedroom door. Shortly afterwards, Marionette let himself into the bedroom, shutting the door to only a few inches.
"Oh, you're still awake! I thought you'd be asleep by now," the puppet teased as he floated to the other side of the bed and sat down. He stretched his arms over his head and arched his back with a chime. He twisted his head enough to look back at Mike who was watching him. "Then again, I never thought we'd be sleeping in our own bed tonight."
"I still won't be shocked if I wake up in a ditch," Mike joked tiredly. Though not as tired anymore. Something about watching Marionette stretch, accentuating his striped limbs and slender, dark form, silenced those prodding thoughts for better ones. Marionette noticed his interested look and smiled wider.
"See something you like?" he asked teasingly. A trill rang through his chest as he lowered his arms and sat there like he was waiting patiently for the other to make a move. Which he did, Mike sitting upright and sliding over behind him before laying his arms on his shoulders.
"Always do," he retorted as he began to knead into the fabric. It was warm and inviting with just enough softness to be comfortable and just enough firmness to resist his fingertips. The puppet warbled so lowly in his chest that it trembled along his back, Mike able to feel it just underneath that fabric as he pressed his thumbs in.
"I thought you were tired," Marionette reminded in a hushed tone. This got a smirk from the security guard.
"I can sleep in the ditch. When else am I going to get a chance like this?" He slid in closer, wrapping his arms around the puppet's slender middle and kissing along his neck. Marionette was practically melting in his lap, especially once he had turned his head just enough that Mike could reach the edge of his mask, tracing it with his lips. Almost instantly the striped one began to melt in his arms.
Marionette stretched back against him further and turned his head enough that his porcelain lips met Mike's. Just as smooth, just as responsive, with a touch of coolness that only made him more aware of the warmth from everything else. One of Marionette's hands snaked up behind his head and laced its fingers through his dark locks to hold him in place. Neither wanted them to separate.
Because when Mike was kissing he wasn't thinking and when Marionette was warbling he wasn't ticking.
And right when they were getting lost in it, there was a thumping noise from somewhere in the house. Marionette tensed for a moment and turned his head to listen, and Mike took this opportunity to return to kissing along his neck. It certainly didn't help him hear when he was soon straining to listen past his own warbles and trills.
Another thumping from something, maybe a door, maybe in the kitchen. At this point Mike finally drew back to listen and after a moment gave a weary sigh. "Bet that's Jeremy letting himself in." He let Marionette slide forward onto the bed and started to scoot back to free himself. "Guess that means it's time to go break the news."
He was cut off-guard when Marionette twisted around, a giddy smile still on his mask, and pounced on him. He pinned his human companion to the bed and smiled down at him with his eyes aglow.
"There's no need to rush off. Jeremy doesn't even know you're still awake. Just let him get the others settled in and you and I can continue our fun," Marionette suggested. Mike was awfully tempted, especially with the puppet leaning down to press their heads together, playfully tapping his fingers over his shoulders. He could ignore the noises and hope nobody knocked on the door.
Except that something else got knocked over, or that's what it sounded like when there was a loud thump from down the hall. Marionette looked over at the wall with a little more concern and Mike reluctantly knew he had to go lend a hand.
"Sounds like he got Max in without too much damage… Let me go talk to him and quickly sort this out, then I'll come back, and we'll pick up from where we left off. How's that sound?" Mike asked. Marionette seemed a little disappointed but willingly let the man get up.
"Don't keep me waiting or I might fall asleep without you,~" he trilled as he watched Mike get up and head to the door, propping his head up with one arm and watching him with that lingering smile.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Mike answered with a wink before stepping out. Definitely was looking to be a better night now. He walked down the short distance between the master bedroom and Charlie's room and stepped around the corner into the hallway. He looked up and towards the end of the hallway to try and see what was making the noise.
It wasn't Jeremy.
What stood at the end of the hallway was so large that it took up the entire space. It was just a looming shadow in the darkness of the hallway until it stalked closer and its true form was revealed to him.
It was an animatronic bulkier than any of the twisted ones from the facility, and much more disturbing to look at it. Its dirty mustard colored fabric was littered with tears and holes that looked to be worn away by age. The dark holes almost made it look hollow, but this was disproven once it got close enough that Mike could see where the fabric seemed almost purposefully torn back to reveal glints of metal teeth.
Its head was massive. Glowing, red eyes stared down the hallway without illuminating anything else, leaving them dots in the darkness. Beneath them was a wide maw of teeth, but like the ones on its belly they were much more threatening that the ones the twisted ones sported. Their jaws didn't even look fit to open; this one looked like it was made to bite.
In a way it still looked like the twisted ones they had seen in the facility, except it looked much more dangerous, and it was in their house. Not a twisted animatronic, but a living nightmare embodiment of a bear. Not Freddy, something bulkier and drenched in that faded gold coloring. Almost like Golden Freddy. Almost light a nightmare version of Fredbear.
One that was currently walking down the hall straight towards him.
Mike spun on heel and ran back to the master bedroom, having no weapons or even appropriate clothes to even consider anything else. He slammed the bedroom door behind him and locked it before looking to Marionette, eyes wide and looking frantic. Marionette could tell something was wrong and pushed himself up from the bed.
"Mike, what is it? Did something happen?" he asked. He could hear the faint sound of footsteps and while they were surprisingly human, he recognized that they weren't human. "What's out there?"
"I think it's Fredbear," Mike choked.
"…What?!"
"I don't know," Mike whispered. He made a hand motion for the puppet to quiet himself and listened against the door. Marionette was quick to come over and join him as the security guard continued to try and hear the bear. The bumping had stopped nearby, and he took a guess that it was now standing outside of Charlie's room. It was completely silent, and he whispered, "It looked like the ones earlier, except it looks older and bigger. I don't know where it came from."
"Did it break in?!" Marionette whispered back in horror.
"I don't know. I didn't hear anything that loud…" And now he wasn't hearing anything at all. "I think it's standing outside Charlie's door." Marionette got a look of growing horror as he thought about the bear from her dreams, like it had been some sort of terrible prophecy. Mike was starting to get his nerve back and grabbed for his spare flashlight off the dresser beside them before listening to the door again. Silence.
Mike laid his hand on the doorknob before Marionette reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop him. The man looked to him questioningly and the puppet simply nudged him back and took his place. He pressed his mask against the door and listened closer to make sure he didn't hear anything that the human couldn't. To his confusion it sounded almost completely silent out in the hall.
"I can't hear it… But I don't think it would've left so easily," Marionette whispered as he looked back to Mike. "…Unless it's trying to get into Charlie's room."
Mike didn't say anything, he just gently nudged him aside and retook his place at the door. He licked his lips and steadied his grip on the doorknob as he raised the flashlight. Then he began to inch open the door until it was open a sliver. It wasn't enough to let much light out to see, but it was enough to hear anything that could be roaming around. Marionette started to move in closer to see but Mike kept him back before discreetly pointing his flashlight through the crack and clicking it on.
Nightmare Fredbear was standing no more than two feet in front of him, looming over him, teeth sharp and figure towering, and eyes dimmed to hide itself.
Mike pulled the door shut in a heartbeat and relocked it without any consideration. There was a moment where he just stood there and began collecting sweat on the back of his neck. He turned to Marionette.
"Still out there."
BANG.
The door was nearly knocked off its hinges by the heavy blow. If it wasn't for the door being in such good condition, Fredbear would've gotten it right then, but he didn't. This gave time for Marionette to pull Mike back away from the door and beside the bed. Both were panicked as a second blow landed on the door.
"We've got to get out of here!" Mike whispered. Marionette looked around before turning back towards the window. Escape was the only option, hiding wouldn't be enough, so he tugged his arm to get his attention. Mike caught on quickly and followed to the window. He didn't even have time to grab a weapon before there was a loud cracking at the door.
It continued to somehow hold against Fredbear until the window was open and Mike was halfway out. Marionette was already out and quickly yanked Mike through the rest of the way, causing him to fall out the window and directly into a puddle. It was only then that the Puppet look to see what it was in their house and he was taken aback at the hideous form. Not because it looked like Fredbear or because it was another twisted animatronic, but because he swore he had seen this animatronic before, somewhere. He just couldn't remember where.
Mike leapt up and grabbed Marionette's arm to pull him along. "Come on, we need to get Charlie and get out of here!" he said. He didn't know where they were going to go or what they would do once they got there, but it felt like their only option. He hustled to Charlie's window and looked inside.
There was just enough light in the room to see Charlie's form in the bed. She had slept right through the events transpiring only a bedroom over. Mike tried to open the window only to find it locked, to little surprise. He knocked on the window to try and rouse the Security Puppet, but she didn't hear him and failed to stir.
"Mari, you're going to have to go in and unlock the window," Mike said. Marionette had still been staring back towards their bedroom window, but his head snapped forwards and he nodded. Then he was gone.
In an instant he was inside the bedroom and quickly unlocked and opened the window. He then turned and leaned over the bed, shaking Charlie gently.
"Charlie, you have to get up. There's something in the house," Marionette whispered. There was no response and he shook her more firmly. He expected her to wake with a start, but she remained limp even when he lifted her off the bed. It was only once her head lolled back weakly that he realized something was terribly wrong. "Charlie?!" He shook her more firmly, desperately. "Charlie!"
"She's not waking up?!" Mike asked in shock. Marionette looked to him wordlessly before looking back to Charlie. Taking that as his answer, along with what he was seeing, Mike climbed in the window after him and came over to the bed. Now he could better see how hard the puppet was trying to wake her, to no avail. "I don't understand. That thing couldn't have gotten in here. Was she okay before she laid down?"
"She was fine! She was just tired. I didn't think anything was wrong…" Marionette whispered. Unsure of what else to do, he started lightly shaking her again.
A low creak interrupted them, and both turned to see the bedroom door slowly starting to open. Even though it was so much more passive, it was Nightmare Fredbear's face pressed into the gap.
Marionette sprung off the bed and slammed into the back of the door fast enough to take Fredbear off-guard and slam it shut once again. He just locked the door when the bear struck it. The wood trembled underneath its strength and the puppet was barely able to help hold back. He could hear its sharp claws scraping down the wood on the other side.
"Mike, help me move the dresser!" Marionette exclaimed.
Mike raced around the bed and nearly stepped on Moppet who suddenly darted out from under the bed and into the closet. He spared her only a glance before continuing to the wall and starting to push the dresser in front of the door. Once he got it partially over the crack, Marionette circled to the other side to help him push it the rest of the way. They both held the dresser in place until the short bangs unexpectedly stopped.
This didn't mean the bear had left. A low moan came through the door before elevating into what was either slow laughter or labored sobbing. They couldn't tell which, but it was still haunting.
Marionette kept his back pressed into the dresser as he turned himself around. A mixture of ticking and partial music was low in his chest that he continuously tried to suppress. "Mike, we're going to have to- Mike! The window!" Mike looked back from the door and his eyes fell on what Marionette's had.
There, staring through the window, was the large head of a rabbit animatronic. It was slightly smaller than Fredbear, thinner with less bulk, but it had the same row of teeth and grotesquely golden fabric. One of its arms was already reaching into the window, revealing its sharp claws and hole-filled fabric, and trying to pull itself inside. Because of its golden coloring and shape, it was clearly not a normal Bonnie. Instead some nightmarish version of Fredbear's counterpart, Springbonnie.
In an instant Mike ran over and forcibly wrestled the rabbit's arm out. Thankfully, as much as it tried to fight him, it was too big to fight through the window and he got it out before slamming the window shut. He proceeded to lock it and closed the curtains for good measure. He could hear knocking and sliding on the window, but Nightmare Springbonnie didn't yet seem determined enough to break the window to get in. Maybe he wasn't strong enough to do so, since Fredbear couldn't even break through the dresser.
"Well, there goes our escape plan! Where the hell do these things keep coming from?!" Mike vented. Not that Marionette had much of an answer for him. The man patted down his nightclothes out of reflex only to find nothing. "And I don't even have my phone, I don't even have my taser, what are we going to do?!"
"Keep them out… Until morning, maybe. That's the only thing we can do," Marionette said. He seemed just as shellshocked as Mike, but he looked at Charlie with fear. "And try to wake up Charlie."
Even with all the noise she hadn't moved, and now it was clear that she wouldn't be waking up on her own. Whatever it was that haunted them today had followed them home and was now holding them hostage. They would have to hold out as long as they could and hope someone would find them before something got inside.
The scratching and sobbing at the door droned on.