Like Clockwork

A Steampunk-Esque AU Five Nights at Freddy's Story

Chapter Three: Michael Wakes Up

Several Hours Later

Michael opened his eyes and groaned softly. His head was pounding and his chest was in pain, like he had been trample by some of the younger students running to catch their lessons; no teacher was kind to students who late, especially the new recruits. He slowly took a deep breath as he tried to collect his thoughts as he pushed himself up.

"Please be careful, Michael, you might get hurt!" Michael blinked, not recognizing the voice as one of the ladies or automatons from the infirmary. He turned and nearly toppled out of the bed as he saw a large robotic bird looking at him.

"W-What-Who-Huh?!" He stammered out, managing to keep himself on the bed as he scrambled back, hitting the headboard. The bird hid a childish giggle behind her feathers as she watched the man.

"You are very funny, sir..." She said, giggling. "But please be careful I don't want you to hurt yourself..." Michael blinked a few times and realized that he was still in the room from earlier.

"W...Where am I?"

"You are in Bonnie and Freddy's room." She explained. "We put you in here when you were tossed in here..." Michael frowned as he tried to remember what happened but his head felt foggy and still pounded.

"Ugh...I'm trying to remember what happened...but it's all fuzzy..." The bird, Chica, frowned softly before looking at the puppet-like doll, who shrugged, equally confused.

"Well, the letter you had said you were here to help Father." The puppet said, before adding quickly as the man looked for the piece of paper on his person. "We gave it to him while you were sleeping...and he took it with him..."

"O-Oh..." Michael said slowly. "I-I see..."

"Father said that an academy sent you," Chica asked. "What is that like?" She looked at him expectantly and clearly excited about hearing about the academy. Michael smiled slightly, confused, but it reminded him of an energetic child.

"Well...um..." He paused as he tried to think of the best way to explain the academy. "Well, we are taught many different things...but the main focus is to properly prepared to protect and serve Her Majesty in whichever way she deems fit."

"What do you do?"

"I...um...well as one of the older students there, I have to wait till the Engagement before the queen will decide my path...so that my family's lineage can continue and such things..."

"En-cage-mat?" The puppet asked and Chica mouthed the word, equally confused.

"What does that mean?" Michael blushed.

"Um...It's called the 'Engagement'..." He said. "It is a type of ball where the students from the academy and the female students from the finishing school are introduced to each other in hopes that courtships can be made...S-So that marriages can be arranged later on..."

"Oh...?" Chica asked. "What is a ball?" Michael blinked, though grateful she wasn't asking about the arranged marriages and the idea of courtships.

"A ball is like a grand celebration, with dancing-"

"You can dance?!" Chica exclaimed, leaning into the young man's face. He blinked slowly.

"Uh, y-Yes...it is a requirement for us to learn..." Chica leaned back and clapped her hands.

"That's wonderful!" She exclaimed. "Could you please teach me and my brothers? Well, after you work with Father, of course! Oh I've wanted to be able to dance to the music that I've heard playing!" Michael blinked a few times and looked at the puppet, who shrugged, before seeing the faint outline of a child next to the puppet, seeming to chuckle at the bird. Michael blinked a few times and shook his head before rubbing his eyes, much to the confusion of the duo. "Are you alright?" Michael looked over back at the puppet and still saw the child before shaking his head.

"Yes...I am fine..."

"Why were you shaking your head so hard?" The puppet asked and Michael sighed.

"I doubt you would believe me..."

"We will!" Chica said before gasping. "Wait! I should check on the tea! I will be right back!" The bird got up and rushed out of the room. The puppet frowned and sighed.

"She is always like that...very flighty.." Michael smiled. "Anyways...what were you going to say?"

"Well...I thought I saw a spirit near you." Michael watched the puppet, trying to assess the reaction; he hardly told anyone about this 'talent' as the head instructor put it when Michael first found out about it when he first arrived at the academy. He usually tried to ignore or pretend he didn't see anything, much to those spirits' annoyances.

"Spirit?" The puppet asked before looking at where the spirit was before looking back at Michael. "You can see him?"

"You can see me?" The spirit asked and Michael blinked, slightly surprised that spirits could speak.

"Y-Yes...I can..." He managed out slowly, and the spirit's eyes widened.

"Really?! That's wonderful, you can help my father go back to how he was!" The puppet looked at the spirit, confused.

"Y-Your father? But my Father is the only human in the entire manor..." The puppet frowned. "Wait...who is your father?"

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And Ending it there cause next time's gonna get a bit more strange :D

Foxy: When is the Steampunky me goin' to get hang out with the Steampunky Mikey? I wanna be an actual pirate in this story..

Maybe. And soon, I've just got to figure if it should be sooner or later. And I admittedly through stuff against the wall to see what sticks with the whole 'world building' thing. ^ ^;

Chica: Will there be a dancing scene? Or at that party!?

Well...I suppose maybe...I'll figure it out for later...

Either way leave a CONSTRUCTIVE Review and Enjoy~!