As Michael Afton gathered all his self-control and moxie, he braced for what lay ahead and ducked into the auditorium belonging to Funtime Foxy. Hand-unit had explained that this Foxy was motion activated and had to be kept in the dark so she wouldn't activate and generously gave him a small flash beacon to light his way with.
That was a load of bull, and they knew it.
The real reason behind it was to keep Michael and anyone else daft enough to work here blind, the animatronics could function perfectly well in any light -or in this case- lack thereof. He moved forward wincing at every step he took, maybe with any luck his friend had taken out that metal monster and he didn't have to worry about anything. With that in mind he raised the flash beacon and flashed, the light briefly lighting his way.
It was clear.
Michael let out a mute, tense sigh and took a few steps forward, his footfalls echoing too loudly amongst the quiet. He flashed again and nearly had a heart attack.
Something was in his way.
Something big and clearly not human.
All his moxie flew out the figurative window and glacial panic crept up on him.
NO! He couldn't have attracted that damn fox's attention yet! But then again, these things worked fast.
Just look what had happened to his dear, little sister.
His hands shook harshly as he raised the flash beacon once more, this'll more than likely kill him if he's wrong. The way lit up once more and the thing was still there! But it was much, much closer than before and Michael's stomach dropped fully.
NO! NO! NO! NO!
Not yet! He still had so much to live for!
His two gorgeous children and his stunning wife shot through his mind, how would they feel? He couldn't leave them! Nor the Toons that had stayed by his side nearly his whole life! And Springy! That nut would drag him back from the flipside only to personally murder him himself!
"You shouldn't hesitate in here."
The words sliced through Michael's fear induced panic, the familiar subdued voice he'd been hankering to hear grounding him instantaneously.
"G-Goldie? That you?" Michael whispered, not daring to raise his voice above that of the large fans murmuring in the background. He lifted his head up slowly till it was meeting the softly glowing eyes of the 7'7ft creeping jesus.
Goldie's eyes never seemed to fail at leaving Michael mesmerized, whomever painted them must have spent years on them. They had dueling colours of the icy-est blue he'd ever seen and the rarest diamond red he'd never known, yet despite the contrast the two complemented each other amusingly. The red created an outer ring and the blue filled the centre, both circling bright and ever-changing 'mood moons' – as Michael dubbed them.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home reading a bedtime story?" The 'and being safe' was unsaid by the machine but Michael knew Goldie better than anyone. After all, the human used in Goldie's creation raised him, his little brother, Fredbear, Spring Bonnie and most of the animal-themed Toons long before Springy and Drew came into their lives.
Even created Bendy and Boris, but that was a sore spot, as was the Ravenscroft kids.
"My job, you ass. Why didn't you say you were in front of me?" Michael couldn't help the sudden irritation seeping through his voice, he'd really thought his kids would grow up fatherless. He cursed the creeping jesus in front of him as he saw those 'mood moons' live up to their name and change from the usual snow white to mirth filled hot-pink. "I really thought you were that fox!"
The hot-pink dulled a bit as Goldie gave him an conflicted flat look. "You don't have to worry any-more about that fox, I've taken care of it and it's trapped spirits. It's the animatronic hive-mind you need to keep an eye out for."
Good old Goldie, coming through were Springy and Drew couldn't. Now all he needed to do was.....
Wait what??
"The WHAT?" His voice cracked. A hive-mind? Here? This has to be Goldie's way at getting him back after all those controlled shocks he'd unintentionally gave him, right? Right?
"A hive-mind." Goldie repeated, lowering his tone to a hushed whisper. "As far as I can tell it's a robot that Circus Baby and the others redesigned with parts of themselves, It's clever and sneaky, and very good at evading me. Please, just....let me take you home."
Goldie wasn't joking. His 'mood moons' giving away his stress and worry by changing to a dark orange.
Okay, Michael couldn't muck up here.
His life and the emotional livelihoods of those back home rested on his sane and logical decision.
"I'll finish up here, then I'll stay home with the girls." Genius!
Goldie's flat look and now brownish yellow 'mood moons' suggested two things, one- Michael was an eejit and two- that wasn't the correct answer.
The two stared off for sometime in silence, until the sudden realization that Hand-Unit hadn't spoken in a while. Ever since he'd ducked into the room, the Unit had remained quiet. Goldie seemed to have read his mind as he spoke up on the matter.
"He's been disabled, he's been playing you and anyone else that's been unfortunate enough to follow him." Michael's eyes widened in shock, he knew the Hand-Unit had been trying to kill him by giving him the wrong advice when dealing with Ballora but he'd been correct with the others that he'd been deemed trustworthy.
"Not just him. He's just playing his part set for him. So is Circus Baby."
Michael looked puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean 'playing his part'?"
Goldie moved and picked him up earning a surprised squeak from the man before moving in the direction of the Parts and Services room, much to Michael's surprise.
"Exactly what I mean. The hive-mind has given everyone here a part, so let's get your shift over with and let me deal with this." Goldie said, mild irritation coming through. But then again, Goldie's emotional range – at least in the physical and spoken departments – went from monotone to mild.
If you really wanted to know how he felt and how strongly it was, just look at his eyes. Or the 'mood moons' to be exact, like now they were the brightest brown he'd ever seen, that colour only appeared when family and friends were in mortal danger. Perhaps he should just let Goldie take him home.
"Take me home." Goldie slowed at Michael's sudden request, "Goldie, take me home. I'll get Springy and Drew to place me under house arrest till everything's sorted."
"You better." Goldie said, 'mood moons' changing to bluish green in his relief.
"If I'd known about the hive-mind first, I don't think I'd still be here." Michael said, if this whole place was run by a sly mastermind of the mechanical kind from behind the scenes, then he and anyone daft enough to stay after day one shouldn't come within fifty-foot of this place. "And have you seen that Scooper-thing? It's horrible!"
Goldie had now completely stopped and shifted Michael into a position were their eyes met. Michael watched as his metal friend searched his green eyes for something, satisfied Goldie made a move to teleport both of them to the elevator but a sudden heavy strike to Goldie's side made him lose his grip on the young man and Michael crashed to the cold tiled floor. Head and shoulder connecting first and as the world slowly muffled him into unconsciousness, the sound of a scrimmage fading with him.
-------
It was the ache in his head and shoulder that brought Michael back to consciousness, that and the annoying flashing red light was irritating him.
