Question of Freedom {Freedom AU} [Book One]

Chapter Sixteen

  "So you mean to tell me it was all in my head?" Dale Jenson asked his employee, who was sitting on the other side of his desk. Jacob gave a short, hesitant nod. At that, Jenson slowly began to laugh. As though he'd been told a funny joke. Jacob began to laugh, though nervously, in a confused response. "Jacob, do you value your job at all?"
"What-?" The employee blinked. "Well, I mean, yeah. Yeah, sure I do." He answered, a little off-put by the question. Jenson's laughter suddenly ceased. "Then if you want to keep this job," He began, putting out his cigarette bud on a small tray. "I expect better from what I ask of you!"

"But sir, that puppet thing isn't telekinetic!" Jacob reiterated once again. "Listen here," Jenson refuted him, pointing a finger to the other man. "I know what I saw!" He said angrily. "Now, if I send you back down there, are you going to get that stupid thing working again, or not?!" Jacob's gaze shifted to a spot on the wall behind his boss. "... No."

"GET OUT!" The employee blinked. "W-What?" Dale gestured to his office door. "You heard me, you're FIRED!" Jacob scowled a little, got up, and stormed out of his boss's office—now headed for the unemployment office.

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In a moment of spontaneity, and also group-wide boredom, almost everyone in the Pizzeria were engaged in a large game of hide and seek. The first round had already begun, with Toy sat on the sole table in Kids Cove counting to sixty, while everyone else ran off to hide anywhere subtle they could slip in to.

Foxy and Vixen had decided to stay together, as they hastily made their way down the hallways. "I know just the place to hide!" Vix whispered to him, as she led him over to one of the party rooms. Foxy went into the room, but paused when Mangle seemed to suddenly stop in her tracks. "Lass?"

"... Look!" Peering out of the party room's doorway, Foxy glanced over to the security office. There was an employee sat at the desk, going about his duties as the night guard. Mangle's eyes narrowed. "That's him!" She quietly exclaimed. "The guy who hurt the Marionette!"

"That landlubber do look familiar..." Foxy commented, trying to think of where he'd seen the guy before. "Aye! He be the same landlubber who hurt me and me crew!" He told, features twisting in anger. "I think he aught to be taught a lesson...!" Mangle said, to which Foxy nodded in agreement. "Aye!"

"Fifty-Nine... Sixty!" Toy exclaimed, hopping off the party table. "Ready or not, here I come-!" The chicken was interrupted by the sound of a man yelling. "What the...?!" Running out of Kids Cove, she caught sight of the night guard running to the building's exit. Puppet was watching in confusion, too.

"And don't ye come back, ye bilge rat!" Foxy yelled, as he and Mangle stood in the doorway leading to the hallways. They watched as the man fumbled with his keys for a minute, before unlocked the door and bolting out to the parking lot. The foxes both gave a nod, happy to see the human gone. The Marionette approached the duo, Toy following after him. "Guys, what are you doing?"

"That was him, Puppet!" Mangle told, figuring he'd know who she meant. Puppet gave her a puzzled look. "That's the guy who sewed the plush to your arms!" Foxy then added, "And who tried ta tear us apart!" Puppet blinked, crossing his arms. "And you thought that chasing him off would do any good?"

"Well- I mean, he hurt you!" Mangle tried to reason. "You guys are going to set yourselves up badly if you keep this up!" Puppet reprimanded them. "I..." Vixen and Foxy exchanged glances. "I'm... sorry."

"Look," The Marionette continued, tone softening a little. "I know the company doesn't treat us well, I can't pretend like they do. But, taking to terrorizing the employees will only make things worse." Both foxes' heads were hung low. "It won't... happen again." Mangle said.

"Do you guys um... want me to count longer?" Toy then offered. Foxy shook his head 'no'. "Nah, go 'n find the ot'ers, we'll be sittin' out." With that, he and Mangle walked off. Toy sighed, before continuing on with the game.

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The front doors of the building were now unlocked, as the employee was in too much of a hurry to leave to remember to lock the doors. The golden bear noticed this, while looking for somewhere quiet to sit alone, by himself. Stepping outside, he noticed a bench by the sidewalk in front of the building. He hummed, walking over to sit on it.

Gold stared forward, taking in a breath. He needed to clear his head, maybe the fresh air would help. He looked up to the dark blue sky. He could make out a few clouds slowly floating along freely, though the stars were seemingly invisible. That was probably due to the light pollution. Either way, it didn't matter to Gold. For someone who rarely went outside, it was nice to get out at all.

Seeing the vast expense above him made the bear realize just how big the world was. And yet, with how big it was, he and those he cared about had ended up with quite possibly the worst lot. Being stuck to be controlled by humans, forced to bend over and do as they're told. No choice, no freedom.

But, had it always been like this? Reaching into the inside of his vest's pocket, Gold pulled out his half photograph. He looked down to the younger versions of himself and his brother. It always pain him to see the abounding hope in their younger selves' expressions.

One could tell the obvious child-like bliss in their expressions. It was obvious that the two children had hopes of a wonderful life with a bright future. So much innocence was captured in that one photo. Innocence that Gold had lost since their arrival to the family diner, and that his brother lost when the diner closed.

He missed the days when his brother had no care in the world and was full of hope. Even though Gold did have days where hope seemed bleak, his brother would always be able to build him up again. Gold sighed, knowing he'd probably never see his little brother like that again.

Closing his eyes, the bear tried his hardest to remember anything before the opening of the diner. It didn't matter what, so long as he could remember it.

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"... Look! She's happy to see you two!"

"... Very good, son!"

"... proud of you... both..."

"... This truck... go..."

"... Watch it...!"

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Gold was pulled from his vague memories when he heard a sudden, and loud gust of wind. He hummed to himself, and standing up, he found it odd that he didn't feel any breeze. Though, that wind was probably a sign of the weather changing. With that, he turned around and went back inside the building.