Spring: *stares awkwardly at me* um... you alright?
*groans* too much homework... and I do not feel like doing it...
Spring: oh, explains why you are here instead.
*groans again* can you please start this? I need to do my homework.
Spring: eh sure *walks off* let me find Rena and we can get this started.
After Spring has told her about the situation with the Toys, Rena understands why the kids of the animatronics need time to recover and although it will remove a somewhat important part of the Halloween show, she is more than happy to do it in trade for the spirits residing inside each robot to recover faster. "I will remove it right away." She tells Spring and calls for Mike, thinking it's best to have him near since he has a weird calming effect on them. "I need your help with Theo, Chiara and BonBon." She explains when Mike walks over to her.
Mike blinks a bit confused but does nod and leaves Soren and Hope to Chica's care. He follows her downstairs, down there, Rena explains the Toys about the program and how she needs to access their mainframe in order to remove it. "Otherwise you might suddenly start singing and moving as I programmed your bodies."
The Toys eye one another, creeped a bit out by this fact that they suddenly don't have control over their bodies again. They all remember how uncomfortable that was back at their former home but this time they have the chance to get rid of it and are more than happy to let Rena tinker with their mainframe, a place they on an instinctual level wants to protect.
Only Goldie is aware of why they have this great urge to keep that place safe. The mainframe is not only the core to their very mind but also where the seal that keeps their spirits attached resides. Even if people cannot destroy it, the animatronics still feels a deep need to protect what is practically the brain and source that keeps them alive.
Rena is somewhat aware of this, so before she starts messing around their mainframe, she asks Mike to turn them off. It goes well enough with Chiara and BonBon, both trusts and looks up to Mike, but when going over to delete the show from Theo, the young bear does not stay calm as the two others. Mike has to spend almost ten minutes just to calm Theo enough in order to be able to turn him off. Rena hurries to connect her laptop with Theo's mainframe. She right away takes notice that the data she is getting from his mind is not good. She waves Mike over and shows him the images that keep glitching over the screen of a laptop from what is down Theo's very core of his computer mind. "Something is really bothering him." Rena tells Mike in a low voice so the two other kids won't hear and she eyes the very disturbing flashes of what looks like blood, some creepy guy and dead people. "I think... I think he's having PTSD." Which does confuse her somewhat. She knows spirits are controlling their very thoughts but it's still weird that a spirit can make a computer display trauma like a human brain would.
"Yeah, and I think I know why..." Mike muses of what these images are showing him. Theo is the only one of the Toys who hasn't imprinted on him and from the flashes of a creepy person: the mistreatment Vincent did to Theo has left this child with a permanent scar. One Mike does not think he can ever heal… Theodore will never imprint on a human ever again…
Rena eyes him questioned but he does not think he should explain her about this when they share the room with BonBon who– like Spring and Bonnie– has a sharp hearing and does not have the mentality to handle what Theo is dealing with. "I tell you later."
Rena nods and after have put the nightmare images away, she removes the Halloween song and program. When sure she got it all, she unplugs and Mike turns Theo back up. He wants to comfort the young bear but from what the images had shown, Theo does not know who he can trust anymore and leaves from Mike's move to hug him. Watching the young bear, Mike feels deeply sorry and dreads that Theo will have trouble to see people other than something that wants to use him as Vincent did. Fortunately, there is someone that Theo knows won't hurt him. "Molly should be around here somewhere." He tells Theo and as hoped, that brightens the kid's day and Theo starts searching for the cat he considers his pet. He found Molly under the bed and from how the cat reacts on Theo, allowing him to pull her out, something Molly wouldn't have allowed Mike without a lot of complaining.
"Wow, you have gotten really big!" Theo laughs with the loudly purring cat in his arms, he hugs Molly before letting her up on his shoulders where the cat cuddle up against his face.
Mike has a feeling that cat considers Theo her owner as well, Molly just has another behavior around the young bear, something she only shows around Theo. It's nice to see, of course, Theo needs such a companion after what he has been through. Turning to Rena who also smiles at the sweet scene between bear and cat. "We better get upstairs." Rena nods and they leave Theo to attend his cat and brother and sister building a cave near the shelf.
When out from their hearing range, Mike tells Rena what he is certain those images they saw from Theo meant and his conclusion: "I don't think he will let a person that near him again after what Vincent did to him."
Rena is very troubled by this, for like him, she knows that a child needs a parental figure. "We can't leave him on his own like this." And Mike wholeheartedly agrees, but: "You saw when I tried: he didn't want me near. I hate to say this, but all our work and his improvement seem to have been ruined thanks to Vincent… Theo has lost faith in people from what Vincent did to him." Mike glances with sad eyes back to the door "…He is afraid to get hurt again."
"I'm sure you talk from personal experience there…" Rena remarks softly.
Mike nods slowly, yes, he too lost faith in people when his own parents didn't give him the comfort he desperately needed and that made him afraid to reach out. Theo is at that state, just… worse as he got hurt more than just one way by someone he trusted. Theo had trouble with it before but now, well he really will have problems in knowing the difference from genuine care from one wishing to control him. And sadly, Mike doubts Theo will allow him or any human near enough to help him. "I want to be there for the kid, but…" Might sighs. "I don't think he wants my help..." He admits to Rena and eyes the older animatronics doing a friendly spat with one another. "I think…our friends have to help him now."
As much as Rena hates to say it… she guesses Mike has a point they have to leave it to the others… "Doesn't feel right though… it feels like we are abandoning him..." Mike quietly nods in agreement and looks really bad about it as well. But he has a point; for how can they help someone who does not want it?
The start of the show snaps Rena out from her gloomy thoughts and she watches the other animatronics doing the show. She has to bite her lip and remind herself that the robots now have thoughts and are forced to do the programming, still hard though from how much they are screwing up the movements.
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The moment the restaurant is not filled with too many guests, Freddy waves over his sister, he wants to leave but the programming forces him to stay on the stage. Much to his and the annoyance of the others and he can recall from faint memories that unless they get that fixed; this annoyance can turn into anger. Something no one should deal with if they can avoid it. With his sister close, Freddy tells her. "After the show, you need to remove this programming." Rena nods and asks. "Are you affected by it?"
"Yes, we can't leave the stage or decide the movements during the show." Freddy explains her, stay on the stage he can deal but been forced to do movements so different from how he would've done it, that is straight out frustrating.
ohh, that explains the weird movements they have been doing all day. "That explains why you have been doing some weird quirky moves." Rena remarks and is a bit embarrassed to say but, "I guess I didn't do what you would've done the show, huh?"
Her brother smirks. "Considering you had to do a show with robots that couldn't walk around, then I say you did a good job." Right, and now there's no longer need for the programming. "I will remove it the moment we closes the doors for tonight. You have to deal until them."
"of course. I can deal with this, but-" Freddy turns to Bonnie, smirking on how the rabbit tries to keep up a happy smile but it's clear he is struggling from how annoyed he is by the programming. "You might have to endure Bonnie's ranting." Freddy eyes his sister, explaining. "He's never liked being programmed to do stuff."
"I can understand why." Rena voices, she looks as if she wants to say more but the programming kicks in and forces Freddy and the others to do the show once again. Yeah, although he can deal, Freddy does looks forward to getting rid of his robot body doing something where he's not in control.
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After the staff has left, Rena goes straight to work by removing the programming from the older animatronics, much to Bonnie's relief. "Finally I can move again!" He cries out exaggerated with hands up in the air.
Freddy sends him a deadpan look. "Hard to believe you once dealt with this every day in the past." And rolls his eyes as the rabbit makes a face at him "And you're supposed to be the oldest…" Hard to believe really.
Anyway, now that they no longer have that program, they need to practice their own take of the song still stuck in their heads. "We should spend the night on both coming up with a new take of the show and practice it before the doors open tomorrow." Comes in handy having a robot brain, does makes the rehearsal time very short thanks to be able to store the whole thing.
"Should be easy enough." Chica says and turns away from Hope who is making a drawing of her, very sweet of the girl really. Waving her wing towards Freddy. "Unless you have some idea, Freddy."
The bear smirks, yup he has some new ideas to the show.
"Here we go again." Foxy grins up to Bonnie who also has a grin of zeal to what Freddy has in mind for the show.
Before he will tell the others though, Freddy chases the humans out. "I want this to be a surprise." and does not care if three of them lives here, the only two allowed to stay are Scott— who Freddy has plans with. So before their adoptive father leaves, Freddy grabs him by the neck of the jacket. "Except you, father. Going to need you in the show."
Scott laughs weakly as if Freddy has just signed his death warrant. And before Jeremy leaves, Freddy stops Thomas, telling the young man. "And I would need your mechanic hands as well."
Thomas blinks but does, fortunately, agrees by giving him a thumbs up. Jeremy does look miffed but he is smart enough to know that Freddy's decision is not up for debate.
Mike is a bit annoyed to be thrown out like this but the anticipation for a surprise eases his annoyance. "This better be a good one." He tells his friends and leaves along with the others.
Freddy is very sure it will, now they are able to move around, they have someone who can add extra to the show and they now are able to control the lights. With the rest out, Freddy turns to the animatronics and two remaining humans. "Alright, here is what I have in mind."
okay, before I leave you for the week. I will once again ask you guys for side plots of what you want to see in this story. I only have the main plot in mind but does not feel like it's time for that at the moment. so if you want some slice of life or character development, now is the time.
until next time