Come to me, Sweet Child

Chapter 4: Sibling Bonding

"Michael."

The voice sounds so far away to the rotting man, yet he knows she's right there, within in it- intertwined with it.

"Michael?"

A few wires pour out of his open hip wound to coil around his waist.

"Elizabeth."

The animatronic tries to stand, only to find that chains have been looped around its legs and body. (Guess Henry did care for Michael's safety a little bit.)

Michael goes stiff, unable to do much as emotions flood him. More wires make their way out of the gaping injury, joining the other few coiling around Michael's torso. It's a lame, yet slightly helpful attempt at comforting himself. Although now was not the time to be losing himself to the past, he couldn't help but feel emotional. Gosh, how long has it even been since he last heard her voice...since he last saw her?

"...How've you been Lizzy?"

Michael smiles softly. If he could cry, now would definitely be the time he'd choose to do so.

The animatronic is quiet, only the loud whirs and clicks of the gears within them can be heard.

"Are you taking after father?"

The light flickers.

Michael's smile fades, leaving as quickly as it came.

"What, no."

Michael crosses his arms, needing to do something with them.

"Then, why are you setting up another one of these places?"

Michael shifts slightly, his sister's green eyes piercing his own.

"Damn, not even a I'm doing just peachy Mikey thanks for asking!"

"You're just like father."

"Oh fuck off Lizzy," Michael rolls his eyes and uncrosses his arms. "I'm like father??? You're the one who literally allowed those freaks turned savage to wear me as a skin suit!"

"I'm possessing an animatronic Michael, there is only so much I can do."

"Oh that makes it even better! You got a front row seat to my demise!"

Michael sighs heavily as he closes his eyes and sits back, massaging him temples.

"Are you going to answer my question, about this place, why you're opening it?"

"Why not?"

With a shrug, Michael continues, "Might as well continue the family friendly business. What else do you expect me to do looking like this, enter the circus?"

The animatronic does not move, staying perfectly still as if it had powered down. Yet, the gaze of those broken green eyes seem grow heavier by the second. Of course, Michael expects nothing good to come after what he just said, but that was the best thing he could've come up with right on the spot. It's not like he can just blurt out the entire plan of what Henry and him were going to do, that would be a dumb move.

"Do you not remember what the others and I were built for, Michael?"

'Ah so they switched.' Michael takes mental note of this. 'Baby is talking now.'

"Do you not remember what I helped you to do, to accomplish? I kept you alive, for the sake of Elizabeth, Mr.Afton."

Michael stands abruptly, the wires within him quickly heating up.

"Bullshit."

He points an accusing finger at the animatronic.

"Bull, fucking, shit- You wanna know why? Because in the end I got the short end of the stick! You could have just killed me, let me die...like I was supposed to."

Purple eyes glow bright with a range of emotions.

"You and your friends didn't help me, you all used me, literally! If I had it my way, I would have burned that place to the ground- freeing my sister's soul from you once and for all."

The animatronic stands slightly, its body letting out ear piercing noises as the rusted metal grinds against the metal chains straining to hold her in place. Michael cautiously watches, slowly backing up towards the door in case he needed to bolt.

"You don't know how many nights I spent, listening, unable to do anything, as Elizabeth cried to me about everything...I've heard your story, Mr.Afton. I know what you've done. Although you are not the man who started it all, the resemblance in looks and actions is almost undeniable. I had thought it fair you got some of the same treatment as your little brother, because in the end, we were going to use you whether you helped or not. Two birds with one stone, wouldn't you agree?"

"Do you always do that- make decisions for situations in which you really have no say? Cause if so I'm guessing that's the reason the rest of your crew doesn't seem to be here."

A large sharp silver claw lunges towards Michael, just barely missing his neck.

"You're lucky my range isn't that far, otherwise I'd take your head and present it to your father as I take his life."

Michael steps forward unamused.

"Oh please, spare me the threats. That man couldn't give half a rat's ass about me. Also what happened to 'doing this for Elizabeth's sake.' Maybe you should try to commit to your actions before you try to fulfill things out of your reach- UGH!"

The sharp metal claw comes across Michael's mouth brutally tearing the stitches within his cheeks as his head is forced to the right. He stumbles, falling against the door.

Michael closes his eyes and groans, as the dull sensation of pain begins to flood his senses. He gives himself a good minute to recover as he places a hand on his jaw to hold it back in place. Slowly, Michael moves his head back to where it was so that he could keep his eyes on the animatronic. Baby was leaning awkwardly over the table, claw back at her side. She stayed still for a moment, before sitting back down in the chair, allowing her claw to slide off the table.

"Michael,"

It's Elizabeth again.

"I cannot keep her from doing what she deems necessary to get back at father, neither do I want to stop her. So please, do not get in the way. You will become our target as well if you do."

Michael holds eye contact with the animatronic. He tightly grips the door knob with his free hand as he breathes steadily. A playful glint appears in his eyes. Despite his broken jaw, Michael manages to get one last sentence out,

"A lil' compe'htion 'ever hur' e." (A little competition never hurt me)

With that Michael leaves the room, making sure to lock it behind him. He stares absentmindedly at the floor, before guiding his gaze down the hall to the main party area.

'Now to go throw out all those boxes and go home so I can take care of these stitches... I hope no teeth were knocked out.' Michael thinks as he makes his way to the front.

Upon arriving in the main party area, Michael takes note of the lack of boxes.

'Ah Henry must've taken them out for me.'

After doing one last final check of the place, Michael is sure that everything looks great and ready to go for the next day. So, he leaves the restaurant and goes home.

~~~~~~~~~~

Once inside his home, Michael sighs and leans back against the front door. The wires that had never left from their wrapped position around his torso finally loosen and go limp.

'Ugh...maybe the stitching can wait.' Michael thinks as he makes his way upstairs to his bedroom. He collapses on the plush covers, not even bothering to get under.

'Who needs blankets when you've got weird mechanical wires to heat you up.'