Hours had passed since DJ had foregone the storage unit and with every moment that passed, he couldn't help but worry he'd made a mistake. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, streets busy with passing cars as the day was fully in motion, their only hope at staying out of sight being the thick forestry he'd been lucky enough to stumble into thanks to the help of the dozens of minis on his back. Most alternating their attention between keeping the sleeping and damaged bots on his back as he moved and scanning through the canopy for any semblance of shelter.
On occasion he would take pity on the smaller bots, pausing to lay on the forest floor just long enough to allow them to readjust the grip of their suction-cupped feet against his back or even completely move one of the larger bots into one of his open palms so they could have a quick break from trying to balance them all. This gave him plenty of time to glance over their conditions as well.
The main Glamrocks were peppered with cracks and scratches that the minis were quick to cover in band-aids and stickers. There was, of course, more extensive damage that they didn't have the material to properly cover such as Roxy's eyes, Chica's beak, and Monty's... everything really. But it seemed like they would all still be functional at the least.
The Daycare Attendant was in far better shape, most of their damage being the result of their aversion to routine maintenance rather than from the fire itself. Their arm was held up with a makeshift sling made from the ribbons they usually wore on their wrists and- 'ah,' DJ thought to himself as he saw the strips of wax paper trailing from their wrists, smaller stickers that wouldn't have been able to cover a crack or hole properly still dotting the remains of the rolls, 'so that's where the stickers came from'
The last bot that had been handed to him was one DJ was, admittedly, surprised to see. Fingers posed as if he were still holding onto his missing bass, he laid in DJ's hands in a relaxed position, head tilted forward slightly and long purple ears drooping down as if he were taking a nap. His burgundy and tan jacket had been replaced with a similarly styled bowling shirt and the face paint making up the stars on his face was smudged and faded, but despite the clear aging, his casing was free of cracks. He did, however, have multiple precisely cut sections missing from his casing. The unconnected wiring and missing circuitry exposed for all to see.
The minis allowed DJ to hold him a little longer than the others, and he was unsure if it was because they wanted him to see what had happened to his old co-worker or if the thought of trying to not only stitch his casing back together but also clean the rust and grime from his exposed joints was that daunting of a task. Nevertheless, DJ continued with the purple rabbit in his palm.
The superstitions of rabbits and their luck must've been true because not hours after he first lifted the bunny, they came across what looked to be a mall of sorts that'd be reclaimed by nature. Immediately, DJ was turned towards it, worn gloves tearing as he pushed past shrubbery and tripped over roots. Without a moment of hesitance, DJ climbed through a missing chunk of the wall. The shade bringing instant relief to the burning he didn't even know he'd been feeling and both he and his minis let out simultaneous sighs of relief. His long legs groaning as steam escaped from beneath his casing as he used what felt like the last of his strength to gently lower himself rather than simply allowing himself to collapse.
The moment he was fully on the ground the minis were on their feet, gently lowering the injured from his back. Bonnie was the last to be removed from his hold and DJ tiredly pulled himself together to take in the shelter they'd found. With the hundreds of chairs and tables scattered across the floor, DJ could safely assume they were in the remains of a food court, a familiar "El Chip's" sign still clinging to the wall confirming the thought. Vines grew up the walls and flowers and saplings sprouted between the cracked tiling, all cast in an otherworldly golden glow from the last rays of daylight. Looking up there was another floor above them connected by giant sturdy pillars that nearly dwarfed DJ himself. The banisters were all rusted and chipped, but DJ could imagine adults and children alike clinging to it tightly as they stared down at the people below. The glass ceiling above was shattered, framing all that was left as the first few stars twinkled overhead.
It was magical, a kind of beauty DJ had never seen before from his place in the Western Arcade, but as the dark closed in the shadows began to move. Flittering between the trees outside and into the mall with them as the sky grew darker and darker.
Sun made a pained noise somewhere close by and DJ pulled a few glowsticks out from under his hat, cracking them all with a flex of his fingers before turning his attention to his friend. They were mid-transformation when the light reached them, and they went limp as it activated their sensors. DJ couldn't help but find it odd, though, as they shifted back to Sun. Unwarned and rapid switches were known to be painful for them, but the fading light should've allowed for a smooth swap between the two's AIs, the only exception being if one of them fought the switch but that was rare... or at least, it had been the last time he'd seen them.
DJ frowned the best he could with his stiff face plating as he stared down at the jester-like bot, just how much had he missed in their absence?
YOU ARE READING
Left Behind
FanfictionGregory and Freddy made it out of the fire after the ratty old suit that had been hunting them was taken by something far more threatening, but what about those who were left in the Pizzaplex? Wonder what they'll get up to when left in the aftermath...
