Chapter Text
"You sure your ankle is okay." Cassie asked as he led them into the warehouse, trying to forget about the spooky looking playground.
Decker stopped, jiggling his ankle a little, making it look like it doesn't bend at the joint. "I'm fine. Let's just get this over with. Remember; they can turn on at any moment, so we have to be careful."
The two of them nodded at him.
Decker looks around the area one more time. His eyes pause on the playground, having to shake his head to stop him from lingering. He let out a hard sigh, turning back to Gregory. He moved to put his hand on the doorknob. Cassie stopped to Gregory's left while Decker took the right. Each one paused to make sure they were safe. To make sure there was no thumping sounds of footfalls on the concrete flooring. Nothing, perfect. They were safe for now. Or until those animatronics decided to power on and start chasing them like cat and mouse. Gregory turns to make eye contact with the other two then turns to the door.
Gregory takes a deep breathe, looking back at the two. "Ready?"
"Ready." They both confirmed.
Gregory turned the knob, creaking the metal as he pushed open the door to the lobby area. The kids split off to look around as Decker waited by the door to the factory that was still forced open from whatever busted it. Gregory had rounded the secretary desk to look there, eyes darting along the surface where a computer once stood. He watched Gregory's fingers slide across the countertop, looked at the dirt and dust, grimacing at the look of it too. He glanced at Decker who quirked an eyebrow at him. He shook his head at him indicating how he shouldn't mention how dirty it was. Decker smiled.
"It's not how I would think a factory should be." Cassie commented, looking at the lobby area with keen eyes. "Looks more like some sort of office."
Gregory picked up an old beat-up computer tower. "Could be transformed into an office...or it's both at once."
Decker crossed his arms as he waited.
"Think that it's weird that there is a playground outside?" Cassie peeked out a broken window towards the playground.
"A bit, but who knows why." Gregory said, coming to peek out as well. "Could have been just for a neighboring building that got taken down for a number of reasons."
"True...." She glanced at the two of them. "What are we, some old senior citizens? Debating what went wrong in our neighborhood."
Decker's lips quirked up in a faint soft smile. "I'll rather debate the price of a pack of gum back in my day."
That got the two to laugh.
"Nice one." Cassie grinned at him.
"We have been together too long." Gregory groans. "You two are going to start wearing matching outfits and doing the hula next I know."
"Actually, that sounds nice." Decker defended.
Cassie laughed. "I want to do that too."
Gregory left Cassie's side to investigate the waiting area with the two chairs. He kicked one of the chairs to move it along so he could look under it. Cassie chose to look at the window again, observing the playground. Her eyes seemed to be thinking through something on her mind that she couldn't say out loud for some reason. Maybe she just needed a moment. Maybe she didn't have all the evidence to form a single real thought. She might just be trying to understand herself in many of the same ways. Decker could not tell you exactly what was going on in her head, but it must have weighed heavily as her eyes were distant and her body tense. When she finally turned away from the playground, there was a bit of tears in her eyes. Perhaps it had been a small, sad memory that plagued her thoughts with so much strength.
Decker looks at the playground too, a little further back, but he could see it. It was as if it was pulsing. Trying to drag him to it. Urging him to remember. Some of his past memories are fragmented and broken, due to stress or trauma, who knows, but it was. That playground though...was begging, calling. He felt like he was in some horror movie. That place was sending out some weird vibes to distract him or make him do what it wanted. What it wanted was up to debate. Decker still felt like he needed to do something.... something he forgot. A pull that was yanking at his insides to force him where it wanted. It wasn't the same feeling he got yesterday with the animatronic that they hid from. This one was different. Lighter in a sense. This feeling wasn't filling up his mind, but his body. It was like it was sticking it's cold, clammy hands into his body and shaking him. REMEMBER! Then it would let go, pat his head gently, and send him on his way. Then would repeat it. The other feeling was like an urge. DO IT. GO. IT would repeat it over and over again until he was distracted enough to look away from his friends, to stop his progress. What little he had.
That playground represents something.
"All right. This is clear. Let's go to the factory portion." He placed the small end table that he was looking at on the ground again. "Come on."
The boy shakes his head and looks at the two.
Decker leads them onto the catwalks that overlook the factory. He once again looks around the area, but this time he was looking for signs that the robots were charged and updated. Moving around to seek out the humans have entered their building, their town, their existence. He couldn't blame them as much either. He wouldn't want so many people in his house if he could. He'll take being safe than sorry in this situation though. He has to make sure everyone is safe. Gregory also had that train of thought, as he seems to glance at the dark factory below. He nodded to them before starting down the creaking metal stairs. They were being extra careful not to make too much sound so what could have gotten them down in a few seconds took minutes.
Cassie giggled nervously. "You think that we'll be used to this already having dealt with that old pizzeria thing before, but nope. This is still scary."
"Agreed." Gregory made it to the bottom and turned to make sure that Cassie and Decker did as well before splitting off to explore more. "It is full to the brim with parts.1`
Decker went straight to the laptop still filled with code scrolling across its screen, trying to figure out what the hell binary code it was trying to enact. 00011 001 010111 00011 110 01, then it extended on to the next line with 10001 1010 1010000 1 1 1010001. Blinking his eyes, he took it all in. Trying to see if he can make it out. He glanced down at the small ball joint spare part that had been kicked in his direction from where Gregory had accidentally kicked it at him. Gregory grinned sheepishly as he looked at Decker. Decker rolled his eyes and going back to inspecting the code. It was intriguing to see it. It must be to do something either help or hinder them in whatever way the creator of the code thought would be good.
Seemingly for robots, it wouldn't be good. At least, he hoped he was reading it right. Still, what did this mean? Was it something they should be fearing? If this was written by the robots or someone working for SpringTrap, why was it trying to change it? This whole animatronic apocalypse seems to be going over very well. Seems unproductive to change it up now. Then again, humans were simple creatures who needed new things every once and a while, so they don't get bored. Hence why animatronics was even made in the first place. And at this point, if not careful enough, those animatronics could just be the only "living" things on this planet. Probably even go after the animals next when humans are done with.
Cassie had stopped at a makeshift table to look at the papers scattered across its surface. She had this concentration type of look about her that Decker assumed meant she was trying to understand the information on the sheet. Whatever it was, he doesn't think she was winning in that department. She had eventually put down the paper and looked around. Gregory started looking through the robotic parts as if that could tell him who's it was or if Michael had been there. He was head deep into the pile too. Cassie stuck her tongue out at his back then froze, tongue still out, when she connected eyes with Decker over the laptop. Her tongue slowly reentered her mouth before she slowly shrugged. He playfully rolled his eyes before glancing back down.
Creak.
Everyone froze.
Decker looked around before settling on the door that the two animatronics were supposedly updating in. The other two quickly follow his gaze to the door as well. They were waiting to see if it opens. If it creaks. If a monster is on the other side wanting to catch them and kill them for no reason other than being different. The light flickered for a second before steadying out. Decker squinted his eyes as if that could give him some sort of X-ray vision, and he'll be able to see through the door. The eerily silent atmosphere contrasted the deep beating of their hearts that pounded behind their ears in anticipation of what was to come. Of what may be lingering in the stagnant shadows, reaching out their hands to grasp at them and bring them to their demise.
All turned around at the sound of a metal pail hitting the floor. Up on top of the windowsill was a huge rat that must have been fed good. It stared at the three, unafraid. Used to humans probably, or someone living here. It's whiskers twitch as it took all three in before jumping down and scuttering away into a random hole in the wall. It's home most likely. Decker looked back at the door just to make sure it didn't open or at least seemed like it did. Thankfully, still closed. Then he let his eyes glance at Cassie and Gregory. Just to be safe. They were all just nervous and slightly too scared for any sudden movement.
"Rats...am I right?" Gregory joked, looking at the others with a tense smile.
Cassie shook her head, "Idiot." going back to looking around her area, coming closer to Decker and the computer.
Gregory shrugged his shoulder, glancing at Decker. He goes to his pile he was digging into.
Decker nods before going to his computer screen, eyes trying to find a new place to start. The code was fast scrolling as he tried to keep up. He felt Cassie come up behind him. Her eyes connecting to the screen as well. He glanced a look to see where she was looking. Cassie's face held pure confusion and pure nervous anxiety. As if not knowing what the code meant was the worst thing a person could do. Forget killing another person, not being able to figure out code made by someone far older and wiser was worse. Decker let his eyes drift back to the screen, just to see. He squinted as he got just a bit closer.
"What you got there?" Cassie asked, looking over his shoulder to see exactly where he was looking.
Decker tilted his head, "I think it's trying to rewrite current code...through.... a network? Something like that."
"Rewrite what?" Gregory asked, abandoning his pile of parts and moving to a pile of papers instead.
Decker stared harder as if that made it easier to read. "I'm not really sure, but I think it's trying to override the current code in animatronics to make them do the opposite."
"Meaning?" Cassie asked, looking at his face.
"Meaning, that if this is coded correctly... if an animatronic was originally told to kill humans, it'll then save humans."
Gregory looked up at him, "You mean, someone is trying to defeat them...in a sense?" He threw down the papers and came closer.
"How can you tell?" Cassie's face scrunched up as she read the confusing, nonsense mess of lines.
"I, honestly, don't know. It's something I feel when I look at the coding." Decker is still reading the scrolling lines.
Cassie sighed, "Well, it's better than nothing. Even if it's not real." False hope is better, some of the time, than nothing at all.
"So, someone who knows code had to have written this right? That's only a few people nowadays." Gregory stopped at a nearby table, going through those papers and spare parts.
"So, Michael could have written this code? Makes sense. He did say he wanted to change things in the war."
Decker nodded up at her.
"Decker," Gregory picked up a metal joint and waved it around. "This all depends on if you are right...but what's the opposite?"
He flicked his eyes up to the boy then back down at the fast-writing 1's and 0's. "Well, let's say it's not rewriting code. Then this could be just an animatronic hideout that is used to repair them when they break down. Though, I highly doubt that because most of them that I have seen either break where they are or head back to SpringTrap so he repairs them. Honestly, this feels like someone is hiding out here. A person."
"So, then how?" Cassie straightened up to be able to look at both boys at once. "How can one person, like Michael, defeat the robots by himself? That doesn't make sense. He's one person."
"Maybe he has a device....something that pauses their programming?" Gregory added. "I mean, we've seen bigger devices that turn animatronics evil right? Maybe he built a small, handheld one. Or it could fix them."
"Like the Faz-wrench!" Cassie shouted, then looked at the door. She looked scared.
Nothing moved inside.
Decker glanced back at the girl. "Faz-wrench...that device you were telling me about? Sounds like hopeful wishing."
"It is not. I repaired a few animatronics that were broken in the Pizzaplex I was trapped in."
"You've said so," Decker looked up at her. "Just doesn't seem as easy as a twist of a small device. Feels more like you were just injecting code into them."
"I was not!" She whispered-yelled this time. "I was honestly helping them...because someone left them in-"
Decker watched her pause, turn to Gregory, then glare at him with narrowed brown eyes. "You destroyed those animatronics, didn't you?"
"They tried killing me! I had no choice."
"Oh, they tried killing me too! I repaired them."
"Repaired?" Decker asked, already knowing the answer so continuing anyways. "You said that you had repaired this Daycare Animatronic right? Made a new one....?"
She nodded.
"A Sun and Moon one?"
Again, nodded.
Decker stands up and glares at the door. "That's what's in there...and they are not together anymore."
"What?" Cassie joined him. "Wow, you think I really did not help them?"
"Could be anything, really. I was just saying...seems rather optimistic to assume you helped them on your own. True, you blended Sun and Moon together, and you put a voice box in Chica, but did you really do anything. Even I can put in a metal join properly in a hurry. A few screws here and there." Decker crossed his arms over his chest. "Then again, ignore me, what do I know about repairing animatronics."
He sits back down at the chair and looks at the numbers, begging him to continue staring. Take them in, understand them.
BAHNG!
All three froze again.
Decker slowly glanced at Cassie whose eyes were wide and looked about ready to bolt right out of there this time. That was no rat messing with their heads this time. He drags his eyes over to Gregory to see his reaction. He was hunched over at a smaller desk with a flashlight aimed at some papers. Gregory was looking back at him and Cassie. Silently, he raised the light to shine on them, motioning that they come to him since he was closer to exit. Decker started pushing Cassie towards Gregory with his hand, stepping quietly as he could just to keep them both safe. Gregory took her hand and that seemed to spark some life back into Cassie as they both took off in a full run up the catwalks and out of the door. He rushed after them, stopping to look back at the door at the top of the railing. The handle started to twist. That was his cue to follow his friends out the door.
They ran past the front desk, slamming the heavy door open and raced into the bright sun, showing that they needed to head back to the forest. Their feet pounded on the broken asphalt. Gregory led the way through the same abandoned city and towards the known way out. It was better than getting lost trying to find their way out of the labyrinth that is the city they were in. Gregory seemed to remember the way they took to get to the entrance of the city, leading their way with panic racing and stomping footsteps. Decker follows in the back just to make sure that the other two got to safety first. He didn't want to say he was right, but he was fucking right! The two animatronics did wake up and were after them.
Just as they were rounding a corner to get to the town entrance, figure appeared in the shadows of the wooded area, causing the three of them to duck into the closest alleyway to hide behind rusty trash bins. Staticky breath left his mouth as he watched the figures approached the town, coming into full view of the three kids who were still hiding. All of them were animatronics! Each and every one of them were heavy footed robots that were lumbering straight into the town. Decker counted four of them. They looked much like the two celestial robots that had just woken up so they could be made around the same time.
The first one, who was walking just a step farther in front of the others, was a dirtied tan and orange metal bear looking animatronic. It had blue lines across his eyes and down his chin that turned into a lightning bolt on his chest with red lines outlining the blue. There was a ripped black hat, or what used to be a top hat on the bear's head. He had one red earring that looped his left ear. A dirtied bow tie on his chest. There was red shoulder pads and leg warmer like casting covered his shins. The shoulder pads were broken at the tips as if it were shouldered against one too many times. Black studded cuffs were on his forearms giving the bear an edgy look to him. His paws and fingertips were tan and ended with blue claws. A few of the claws were missing or broken. There were a few holes and dents into the castings of the metal that clearly showed what it was in this world.
Standing on the left side of the bear, closer than he should have been, was an alligator robotic animatronic. He, for some reason, had a bright red mohawk that was chipped and fainted in its paint on his reptilian like scaled head. Just like the bear, he was dirtied and broken in places. Dark purple spots littered his arms and face. Yellow framed star sunglasses with broken lens sat on his snout, broken and bent. Just like the bear, he had purple shoulder pads that had pieces missing and broken bits. A yellow stomach that had a huge set of claw marks trailing down its length. He also had black studded arm bands on his wrists and purple fingerless glove like casting on his hands. He noticed that one of the black straps were missing a chunk of it as well. A black studded belt separated his upper half from his lower one. Scale like pants in the form of exoskeleton covering had faded and smudged coloring. His feet were purple with huge black claws. The alligator's tail was broken in half and the tip missing, wires and metals sticking out from the casting. He had more of a rockstar look than the bear did.
On the other side of the bear were two female animatronics (or at least made to look like females. The first one was a white chicken animatronic that had a frame girls would die for. On top of her head was three tuffs of what he assumed was supposed to be feathers had been tied up with a pink bow. Somehow, probably magnetic, triangle green earrings were attached to her head despite not having ears or anyplace to put them on. She had two pink lines on each cheek thinning out to her beak. Even her beak had pink lip shaped lipstick painted on it. One shoulder had a pink shoulder pad while the other had a place for it, but it somehow gotten broken off. Just like the males, she had black studded bracelets on her wrists. Her hands were green fingerless gloves. She wore a faded and dirtied pink body suit that was a part of her animatronic frame. One leg had a green with black leopard spots leg warmer while the other was a pink with black tiger strips leg warmer. Her feet were that of a replica of traditional chicken feet. Out of all of them, this one had less dents and breakage on her casting but there was still a few scattered across her frame.
Lastly, next to the chicken, there was a grey wolf robot. Her pointed grey ears had one loop and one stud earring on each that stuck out of her hair. Now, that was long. The wolf' hair reach nearly her tail base with bouncy locks. There was one green cowlick type of hair that rested in front of her eyes. Purple eyeshadow covered her eyelids as she blinked and purple lipstick on her snout in the same lips shape as the chicken's. Purple-black lines framed her cheeks as well. She sported a red crop top and red shorts that fit her lean figure, or at least the frame that the creator of hers made. Black pointy shapes filled her clothing like frames. Purple tiger striped arm and leg warmers adorned her arms and legs. She had green fingernail like claws on her fingers, but purple claws on her feet. Barely noticeable in this light were light grey markings on the inside of her ears and on her paw pads when she used them to brush back her hair. Just like the other animatronics she had spiked bracelets and belt. She had the most damage to her arms and legs than the others like she used them to do most of the work.
These were the famous Glamrocks from Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Plex.
Decker glanced over at the two kids beside him, leaning over to whisper, "What should we do now?"
Gregory shrugged his shoulders.
Cassie shakes her head.
"Hello~!" The two models from the warehouse skipped-the Sun one skipped- over to the new animatronics as they all met back up. "Welcome friends!"
"Wow! You two look almost as good as new! He did a great job upgrading you two." The bird animatronic, Glamrock Chica, gushed as she clapped her hands together in excitement and lifting one leg in the air as she talked to them.
The sun animatronic spun around, "Thank you! He did do a great job. I'm me! Mr. Sun!"
"It feels...weird." The moon character rubbed his hands along his arms. "To always...be in control."
Glamrock Freddy nods. "Though, I am glad to have you two back with us."
Roxy puts her hands on the moon model, "You'll get used to it, Moon. Though, you won't be as good as I am because I am the best. Kids love....me." Her words started to fade from the conviction she once held as she remembered the truth surrounding her.
"You good, Cher?" Monty asked the wolf animatronic.
"Yes. I will be when this is all over."
The kids shuffling closer caught Decker's attention away from the reuniting robots.
"Let's go around the corner and escape while we can." Greogry motioned for them to follow.
Chica clapped her hands. "Oh, I just can't wait until this is all over."
"Like how is that supposed to happen?" Monty growled back, crossing his claws over his chest showing that some of them were broken now.
"Monty." That was Freddy's warning tone that interjected. "We will try our hardest."
Decker watched as the Moon character flex his fingers in front of him like they were something new. "I've been in control of the body before, but this feels...different."
"Well!" Sun smiled brightly at him. "I was always on the corner of your programming, so it wasn't technically just yours. But this? We aren't together anymore."
"Oh, chickadee, you'll get used to it." Chica pats his shoulder.
Moon shrugged off the hand. "...thanks..."
Sun visibly hugged Moon tightly, squeezing him as if he'll disappear if he didn't. "I love it like this! I can hug you all I want."
"I don't like it." His deep voice growled out. "The hug."
"Awwww! You love it!" Sun started rocking the two of them.
"Moon does like it." Chica giggled, lifting up one leg. "You can tell by how his scowl isn't as big."
Roxy cocked her hip, "Of course, he does. He's a daycare attendant. He's programmed to like hugs."
"Nuh-uh!" Sun's rays twirled around. "Hugging is not part of our programming. I just love it because it makes people happy."
"Only you." Moon sighed. "I like darkness. It's so...bright out now."
Monty snarled, "Right, Moon's only ever been out when the lights go out, typically at night. Feels different in the daylight huh?" He slapped Moon's back.
Moon glared, his faceplate ticking to the right just a bit. "Bright...I just..." He groaned.
"It's alright." Sun started nuzzles his counterpart's faceplate, shrinking in the rays on that side.
"You two." Freddy had a soft tone to his voice.
The kids started moving, or rather the boys did.
"Wait!" Cassie whispered-yelled, stopping them. "Something just doesn't feel right."
Roxy flipped her head, "Anyways we have found items that should be useful."
Decker was looking between them until he realized that they were looking at him. "Don't bring me into this. I'm just here to help either way."
They turned back to the group of animatronics who were now talking about something different. It was odd of them to be just...talking. To stand around like humans and chat. No robot under the Glitchtrap Virus takes it easy and has fun. They always go around in search of humans and nothing else. Nothing to stop them from doing only that too. Outposts were really only there for recharging, waiting for orders to come over the network, or basic maintenance like the two updating. Decker wondered why these ones were not interested in going out and hunting down humans as much as the others they have met seem to do. Was it something in their code that made them different? They seemed almost friendly, more advanced than some of the others they met in their travels.
"Just metals and attachments....we totally didn't take after dismantling a few animatronics." Chica put her hands in front of her beak as she spoke, giggling at her own words.
Monty flexed his claws. "Didn't take much though."
"Of course! I was there." Roxy puffed out her chest. "I'm simply the best. None of those puny animatronics could out do me."
"This isn't a racetrack, Cher." Monty smiled at her, snout coming closer to her in mockery.
"Is there anything wrong with either of you? Both of you are in working condition?" Freddy asked, looking the robots over, changing the subject.
Moon shook his head to the side a few times, "Honestly, feels a bit tight."
"I'm just fine!" Sun shouted, with a cheerful chirp in his voice.
"What should we do?" Decker glanced at them then back at the robots again, finally going to look at the two kids.
As if the universe was listening, "Michael should be back any minute now." came from Chica's mouth, catching all three kids' attention.
"Michael!" Cassie shouted before the others could shush her. Both boys scrambling to cover her mouth as they peeked out at the robots to see what was happening.
"Did you guys hear that?" Monty asked, turning to look in their direction but not seeing the three kids.
The sun model's raspy voice answered, "It sounded like a child! Oh dear, I hope everything is okay. Little child! Come on out!"
"Do you think that a human will come out to animatronics these days, Sun?" The darker, more raspy voice grumbled from the moon character.
Decker watched as Gregory started whipping his head around the area they were crouched in, eyes dragging across the dirtied pavement in search of something. Then he noticed the boy perk up at the sight of some loose bricks. Gregory picked a couple up as carefully as he could without making too much noise. Gregory had been looking around for something to protect themselves with, which should have been Decker's first thought too. He held the brick in his hand, weight of it not too heavy, looking down at it. It would have to do for now. They needed something to use just in case. Who knew what the animatronics had planned for them if they ever did get a hold of them. Decker peeks out to see what the robots were doing. They were just looking around the area as if they only heard a whisper of a shout, a phantom noise instead of a real child.
They were all ready for whatever that the animatronics had in mind, abandoning the original plan the second they hid where they were.
Then Decker looked back at the kids. A feeling crept up his spine and forced his eyes to flick back over to the animatronics. It was as if he was seeing a white flag above their heads saying, 'They are good!'. He looked back at the kids before settling his gaze on the group of robots as the Sun character continued to beg them to come out and Chica started joining in with him. A part of him knew that they were not going to harm them, didn't really understand why he knew that, but another part of him still wanted to run. Run far away from them, dragging the kids behind him as he did. To not test on killing himself, and the kids, that way, couldn't let himself kill them that way. He tried to stay calm and quiet. Whatever was telling him all this information had never steered him wrong before, but he was still worried. It did get him there, got him to befriend Cassie and Gregory, got him to be himself. So, he motioned for his friends to be calm.
Decker shakes his head, "Something feels off about this. I just don't know what? Or what to do about it." He whispered to them, leaning close as to keep as quiet as he could.
"But what if..." Cassie lowered her weapon. "What if we are wrong? We could...die."
Gregory looked at them with apprehension.
"I could go. See what is going on." Decker didn't want to go, couldn't really force himself to be that brave. But he could try. "See if they are bad?"
"No. If we go at all, it'll be as a team." Gregory closed his eyes in thought. "But...they don't seem that bad...right?"
"Oh! We aren't!" The high pitch raspy sound startled everyone into action.
Gregory threw his brick at the Sun animatronic, hitting him in the face as Decker threw his over his shoulder in the general direction just in case. He was more concerned with following Cassie as they sprinted off further down the alleyway. Gregory followed shortly after. There was screaming from the kids, and Decker couldn't shake the feeling that his were also involved in the high-pitched yelling. Though, he'll deny any of that later on if asked. Decker followed Cassie around another corner only taking a single glance backwards to catch if Gregory was still following close behind. He also noted that they were alone. No one was following them. He didn't realize that caused him to slow down just a bit. Maybe he wanted to see if he could feel the heavy metal footfalls of the big animatronics. Or the creaking of rusty metal rubbing on rusty metal. Or even the schling of metal working. Though, he also had to remember that the Sun robot had caught up to them without making a single bit of noise.
Gregory paused with him as he too looked back at where they had just come to see nothing there coming for them.
"Guys!" Cassie yelled from further ahead of the boys. "Come on!" Her eyes flicked around the area.
"Come on, Decker. Let's get out of here." Gregory started pulling him away from the alleyway and into the open corner stop.
Cassie was further on, waiting on them to catch up. Her head was on a swivel to take in all that was around them, eyes darting to each and every shadow even if it didn't move. She waved them closer when they got within three feet of her. Trying to get them to move faster and to safety. When the two of them passed the girl, they came to a stop. Cassie had stopped moving. Her eyes were still searching where they had come from. No one was coming; they were alone. Decker twirled around, trying to take in everything that was there. The ruined buildings. The dirtied streets littered with old trash and grime. A single trash bin that laid in the middle of the path. But not a single animatronic was following them, or at least, not where the three kids could see them. They could be waiting to ambush them as they left town or tried to follow them to see if there were more humans waiting somewhere else.
"Cassie!?!" Gregory's accusing tone of voice surprised Decker out of whatever he was logging into his mind about the situation. "Do you still have the brick? That you could have thrown as well!"
She slowly looks down at her hand where the brick was still grasped tightly. "...maybe..."
Gregory breathed deeply at her.
Decker watched them for a second. Taking in the seething mess that was Gregory and the sheepishly smiling Cassie. He burst out in a fit of laughter. Soft and not too loud, just in case. The whole situation was laughable, that was for sure. Here they were, three kids, in the belly of the beast, so to speak, and the animatronics did not seem to really want to hurt them or anything like that. In fact, they even stopped chasing them when they understood that the kids were scared of them, staying back. Or at least, that is how it appeared to be. Gregory smiled and Cassie joined along with Decker in his laughter. It felt good to enjoy some of life again. He had been running away from his problems for so long that he forgot what life really meant. Being with others that can make you laugh and smile.
"So," Decker took a deep breath in to calm down his giggles. "What do you two want to do now?"
Gregory cracks his knuckles as he spoke. "Well, I want to try talking with them. We'll keep a safe distance and see why they...don't want to kill us."
"Okay."
Cassie nodded. "Agreed."
"Good. Let's come up with a plan." Gregory put a hand on his chin. "We first need to be careful on how we handle this. One wrong move could get all of us caught and held hostage...if we are lucky."
Decker agreed. "I think we should keep Cassie as a runner. She's the fastest. If we get cornered, she'll be the best option to be able to get away."
Gregory quirked an eyebrow at him then sighed, "Correct. She is also the only girl. Cassie, that okay with you?"
"I guess." She shrugged her shoulders, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can understand why. But am I just supposed to stand there?"
Decker just flicked his eyes over to Gregory.
"I guess not. What do you want to do?"
"Maybe I can be on the lookout for Michael. Check the sidelines and stay out of sight. You know," She let her arms drop down and her stance becomes defensive."
"I'll run offense. If they try anything, I'll jump in and try to lead them away."
Gregory made a face as if he didn't agree with that. "Fine...but don't get caught on purpose. While you are doing that, I guess, all that is left is for me to be the leader and talk to them."
"We should ask what they know. How they know Michael." Decker explained. "Try to see what exactly is going on."
"And why they are different." Cassie nodded.
Decker shook his head yes at that.
"Good. We have an idea of where we are going." Gregory let out a puff of air.
Decker let his eyes drag across the area, suddenly aware that they haven't been keeping track of their area. He didn't see any evidence of the animatronics coming to attack them. Nothing. Thankfully. The calmness filling the air in the spaces between the worry, between the fear that something wasn't quite right in this place. A calm wind lightly cooled down their heated faces as they all waited. To their credit, both kids joined him in the glancing through the dark alleyways and across brightly lit roads. The falling sun telling them that they had to decide quicker than they hoped just to be able to. They were just children after all, having not even started their teen years, and expected to be legends, expected to make decisions that adults need time to think over.
Sighing once again, running a hand through his hair, Decker glanced up at the sky. "First, I want to know why this place in general...you know?"
"What do you mean?" Cassie asked, glancing around only once, before stopping on her friend.
"If Michael, the same one we are looking for that is, did choose this as a base, why?" Decker folded his arms over his chest. "Why is this place so important to him that he needed to come here for it?"
"That is a suspicious thing." Gregory agreed.
Cassie gave them a look. "Does it matter? This could just be the farthest from any known animatronic base, or just simply had the best chances of survival in."
"True." Gregory nodded his head at him.
Something just doesn't sit right.
Decker went back to sweeping his eyes over the broken road and endless struggles. "Right. Still...I just feel like...like...well, I can't describe what this feels like, but I know things are changing. Changing...for something."
"That doesn't make sense." Cassie groaned.
"She's right. What do you mean? Something has changed in what? The world? This place in general? The robots?"
"I don't..." He pulled slightly at his hair. "I don't know."
"Fair." Gregory moved out of the middle of the street.
Cassie rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You say that, but it feels like you don't want to find Michael."
"Cassie? That's rather...out of character for you." Gregory came back to stand between the two others. "What's going on?"
"It just..." She blew out a frustrated puff of air. "I want to find him and get this over with. It just not fair that we take two steps forward just to be kicked back twenty!"
Gregory hummed in thought at her words. "But how is that Decker's fault? He's been nothing but supportive...he doesn't even have to be here. He knows nothing about Michael and still came to find him. Cassie, we will find him."
"But it FEELS like we won't!" She countered. "It's one thing after the other. Robots, falling, rocks, a broken ankle, running. It's just never ending."
"Cassie," Gregory started.
"No. I don't care the plan or why Michael chose this spot. I want to find him...I need to find him." Cassie started sniffling, not yet crying but on the verge. "It's just too much."
Decker, who couldn't look at them, finally spoke up. "It is too much. The weight of the world settling on our shoulders. Running from enemies that everyone has, yet no one else. It's like you are staring straight into the face of death and telling it to back up. It's not fair that no one else seems to see the goal like you do, like it's all you can see."
Cassie wiped at her eyes, staring at him fully now.
"It's like it's you versus the threat. But, at the same time, what do you know? You're the dumb one of the group, not even knowing how to survive on your own. A child in comparison...a real child actually. Still hoping that mommy comes back to hug you in her arms, telling those sweet nothings that once calmed you down." He swallowed. "Despite all that, despite knowing that you can't make a difference, you are trying while others still pretend they are happy living the way they do. And that...that is hard. It makes it even worse that you are just a child. A child having to be an adult while still living as a child."
Gregory looked down.
"Cassie, you are allowed to be frustrated. You are allowed to be sad and upset. Cassie, please, know that you can take a break from being our glue to need that glue too....if that makes sense." She pitied chuckled for him. "Gregory, and I, both just want you happy. Just like we told Gregory, you're family. And family sticks together no matter way. If you need support, you have to speak up. We can't help you if you don't let us know."
"I know." Cassie rubbed at her neck. "I just...feel really lonely. Like, what if Michael isn't the right Michael? What if he's dead? What if?"
"There's no point in thinking of the future at this particular moment." Gregory side hugs her. "You can on some things and in other circumstances. Just right now, you can't. We have no chance to believe that anything, but good things are going to happen. Otherwise, there is no point in being here."
"You're right. Sorry, I was just feeling overwhelmed. Just wanted this to be easy for once." Cassie hugged Gregory back. "Thanks, you two for being my friend."
Decker shook his head. "No. We're family."
"Family." She repeated.
"Now." Decker rubbed the back of his neck. "Cassie, is there anything you want to talk about?"
Gregory smiled encouragingly at her.
Cassie nodded. "Yeah. First off, I'm sorry, really sorry, for snapping at you."
"I know...you were always forgiven."
"Second, I just wanted this to go well. Michael to walk across that entrance to town," She gestured there and everyone did look. Maybe it was just to see if a miracle would happen or just to see if there was anything there. Nothing. "That he'll be there and take us home."
Gregory sighed, "I get it. I've had my parents on my mind for a while."
Decker glanced between them, still hugging each other.
"But I remember when I was feeling down, a certain girl came to me. She put her arms around my shoulders and told me that everything will work out...if we let it." Gregory pulled back just a bit. "So, I'm telling her, everything will work out if you let it."
Cassie sighed. "I know. It will work out. And to make that, we have to work hard."
Decker nods.
"Good. Now, I think we still have a lot of planning to do." Gregory stepped back a bit, "Though I don't think it will go how we think it will."
"When does it ever?" Cassie wiped at her eyes one last time.
"Cassie? Can I clarify why I am asking those questions about Michael?"
Cassie nodded, suddenly looking more like she did when they had first met.
He could still remember the day. It was the hottest time of the day, sun beating down on him. Decker heard the screams of the kids from far away, farther than should be possible, before he could make out their forms. He wasn't close to them. Actually, he was up on top of this cliff top overlooking a cavern. Robot Scouts thudded behind them as they gained ground. Arms reaching out to grab at the kids. The two barely able to dodge before their demise. From above, he had the best vantage point on the situation. Decker's eyes saw that there was this boulder not too far from him nor too heavy looking to be pushed down. It would have to do.
With the help of his helpful nature, Decker waited until the kids past him to roll the rock down and smash the robots down below. The boy glanced over to where Gregory looked impressed and Cassie looked small. She dragged her eyes across the smashed pieces of metal, through the slowly fading dust cloud, and up the rock wall to Decker who was looking down at them. He saw her purse her lips then look at Gregory, sharing a look that Decker couldn't identify. Not back them. Now? He knew. It was suspicion. Now, he understood that they were worried that he wasn't as nice as he seemed to be. Which was understood. He was warily of them as well, for different reasons.
Decker climbed down the rock wall, a little too easily if they were paying attention, before he joined them at the bottom. His foot kicked a stray metal bit away as he waited. He wanted to give them a bit of a breather, to sus him out. To figure out if he was friend or foe. No one could be safe with someone they just met. The three did that thing that all people do when they meet someone knew. Their eyes dragged up and down the body, checking them out in a sense. Boy needed protein. Girl needed weights. Decker? Decker needed to see them better. Cassie wasn't the outgoing person he knows now. She was quiet and observant. Her eyes catching things about him that even he would never get to know about himself.
She asked what he was doing by himself out in this destroyed world.
His answer was surviving. It was true. This was a couple months after Liam. And that was still very raw with him even now. Back then, it felt more like a bleeding type of pain that was a slow leak. That pain filled up the container faster than thought, squeezing and squelching to wring it dry. Liam had been his first real friend. Not one that was forced onto him, but one that liked him despite all his flaws. Liam didn't deserve what had happened to him nor did those two deserve the pressure of being the heroes. The protagonists. If Decker could take it away from all of them, he would. He, himself, never felt that main character vibe. If anything, he wanted to be the happy character on the sideline that got to smile through everything.
True, most of those characters are the saddest, loneliest, and most troubled one's ever. But it just felt right, the label smacking onto his frame before he could stop it. He was the happy character, logical despite that, yet still smiling calmly through the climax of the story. The problem was that this particular story wasn't over yet. The hardest part hadn't hit them. The battle with not only the main antagonist but with your inner self hadn't come to the light yet.
Decker was still standing beside a Gregory who was much different than the first one and a Cassie who was similar. She was more reserved. She didn't speak out of turn yet. Honestly, Decker preferred the Cassie she became after meeting him. The one that always had to fight tooth and nail to try to be level with the boys yet forgetting that she was better than them because of it. Cassie was a natural helper while Gregory destroys almost everything he touched. He was always stumbling and tripping, breaking and bending things that didn't need it. Then there was Decker, trying to find in between. He reached out to help, but only found he broke the things he was meant to care for. Likewise, the things he was supposed to break, always ended up being healed.
'We are nothing alike....you helped me...that's it.'
Words spoken as a cruel hit, spitting like venom full of hatred poison. Decker didn't know why HE hated him so much. They were always together until one day, they weren't. HE spat out while glaring down at him. The boy never understood why they couldn't get along. They were connected in this world and yet, they were so far apart. He was violent and angry. His hands pounded their lessons into any living behind near him. Decker avoided it as much as he could. HE was the smart one after all, the one to know it all, the one to lead them. All Decker ever did was follow, learn, and adapt. That's all he ever had to know until this point. He dictated everything else the two of them ever did. Go that way. Stop here. Wait. Play. Ice Cream. Everything was not him, but at the same time, he never said a word about it. Part of it was that he liked it, liked not having to control.
Finally, he smiled at Cassie. The one now. "I was only saying it's out that this place was a base for any of them. It's so far away from any other animatronic outpost. Is that why he chooses this place? If he is the one here?"
"I see." Gregory nodded. "You're asking if Michael is smart enough to plan that part out in decision to be here. Michael is an engineer. He's smart enough to figure out where he needs to be."
"Yeah." Cassie agreed. "Michael is intelligent beyond our thoughts. He is amazing."
"I like that you think so highly of him. I wonder what he's like." Decker chuckled. "He must be amazing for you two to have such a person."
Gregory smiled at him. "I think you'll like him. He's caring, kind, a little...out there. He tends to have a one-track mind when it came to tasks, but he'll like you too."
"Oh, he'll definitely like him." Cassie giggled too. "He seems to take in strays."
The three of them giggled together for another minute.
"Looks like they truly aren't after us." Decker points out, scanning the area once again.
Gregory hums in thought. "Right, but what does that even mean? Does that mean something is different about them?"
"Didn't you say Michael was an animatronic engineer? And didn't they say Michael separated those two?" He waited for the corresponding nods. "Then...could he have found a way to reverse whatever is controlling the animatronics?"
"Is something controlling them? I just thought they were built that way." Cassie muttered.
"No." Gregory shook his head. "I remember seeing the Glamrocks before...when they were good.... or really just machines."
"But were they good? Or was that code hidden inside?" Cassie countered, rolling her eyes.
The sun was threatening to start sinking now if they didn't make a decision fast.
Decker sighed, "It's time to decide. Do we or do we not go confront the animatronics?"
Cassie narrowed her eyes at them. "Let's make a pros and cons list."
"Pro... if they do know Michael, they can take us to him." Gregory offered.
"But con is that they could be lying. " Decker looked between the two of them.
"Pro, they seem nice." Cassie noted.
"Con... well, what else can I say except everything that the robots have done." Gregory grimaced.
"So," Decker groaned. "Nothing given us one way or the other."
The kids glance around at each other.
Finally, Gregory answered. "We go. We confront them and demand answers. We need to see if our Michaels are the same and what their plan is. Remember, Cassie, you are the backup. You make sure we are safe and secure. You alert us to whatever."
"Got it." She saluted.
"Decker, you and I are going to be the muscle. We'll go in and talk them down. Or really, I'll do the talking while you make sure everything is going well. You are better at pointing out hidden details anyways."
Decker nodded.
"Okay. Ready?" Everyone nodded. "Let's do this."