Work Text:
There was a sense of uneasiness as Michael drove to Freddy’s for the night. It hadn't even been a week but Michael was already used to the dangers of the place but he knew he had to go there. Especially after what happened last night.
Several hours after his shift Michael still couldn't believe that he was somehow able to get out of the place alive but before he left the building for the day he looked over camera footage only to see the one that was responsible for keeping him alive. It was the oldest robot that Freddy’s had yet it seemed to be the one that had the least amount of problems compared to the other ones.
That robot being The Marionette.
Michael could vivdly remember when he was little, before the amount of death that the chain of restaurants his father had created, the creation of the robot. He would often run into his father's workshop where his father and his partner Henry Emily would be working to see how the process was coming along.
Of course this was back when Michael was amazed by his father which seemed funny thinking about it now but that wasn't the point. No the point being was that the only good robot was one of the first creations this chain had made. It took Henry and his father months to perfect the thing. It was their most complex design compared to something like Fredbear yet it was the one that had managed to stand the test of time.
For twenty years The Marionette in service and it didn't seem like that was going to change.
As Michael was getting closer and closer towards Freddy's he could feel his heart begin to pump faster and faster. He knew that he would be expected to work the night shift but that was okay. He just needed to know what was up with the place and the first thing to solve that mystery was The Marionette.
Michael carried on driving with memories he had of The Marionette carrying on flooding his mind. Most of them involved an old friend. Someone that Michael would have loved to spend the rest of his life with.
That person being Charlotte (or as everyone called her Charlie) Emily. Charlie was Michael's closest friend when he was younger but like everything in his life that happiness of being with Charlie was snatched away from him when he was 12. Thinking about her was always painful. As he would remember the final words he said to her before her life would be cut short.
'Stop thinking about her Michael.' He thought to himself trying his hardest to block out when he found her dead body. 'She's dead and you're with Marla now. So stop thinking about her.'
Thankfully he stopped thinking about his past friend as he arrived at the pizzeria. Stepping out of the car Michael took a deep breath before stepping inside the place. As he opened the entrance door he could hear someone talking.
"Unfortunately I guess we are out of time my dear friend." A masculine voice said. "But I think we would have lots to talk about tomorrow."
Michael heard the man's footsteps get closer and closer only for the man to be revealed.
"Oh Michael it's you." The man said his face beaming with joy.
The man was the manager of the location William Afton or to Michael his father.
"Is that much of a surprise?" Michael replied his tone was bitter contrasting his father's joyful nature.
"I think it is." William answered back. "I didn't think you would be the person who would like to do overtime that's all."
Michael scoffed. "Anyway you can leave now since I'm here."
"I know that." William said. "Anyway I hope you come what you are looking for."
Before Michael could register William's words he had left the building leaving Michael alone.
"Fucking freak." Michael muttered to himself before he went into the main dining room and towards the music box where The Marionette was placed.
Unclipping the locks to the box the robot sprung out as if it was waiting to be freed. Michael couldn't help but chuckle at the robot's movements but that quickly changed. Grabbing a chair Michael sat down and took another deep breath before asking his first question.
"Why did you help me?"
Silence.
"I know you can talk." Michael said. "I heard you talking last night to Freddy hell you talked to me back in the last location so answer my question."
Michael saw a slight reaction from the puppet but it still didn't reply.
"Look I know something is up around here and I'm trying to stop it before this place shuts down for good." Michael continued. "So just please answer my question."
There was another long pause before finally The Marionette spoke up.
"I was programmed to protect." The robotic voice coldly replied. "And I knew that I had to protect you."
Michael felt himself tense up. "You were programmed to protect kids not adults or security guards."
"I was programmed to help you Michael in any cases." The robot replied again. "Something I haven't been able to do in the past."
Questions immediately began flooding Michael’s mind.
"Do you mean the missing children’s incident?" Michael quickly asked.
The Marionette went silent.
"Oh don't go silent now answer me." Michael angrily shouted. "Tell me what you mean by this."
The Marionette looked right into Michael's eyes.
"Everything." It croaked out. "I couldn't stop the bite, I couldn't stop both missing kids, I couldn't protect the night guards, I couldn't even protect your brother."
Michael felt his stomach turn into knots at the mention of his brother.
"Why does that matter?" Michael asked again. "Why do you protect me when all the others try to kill me?"
"The others are like animals." The Marionette said its robotic filter going haywire as it carried on. "But I'm very aware."
"Aware how?"
"You might want to get to the office now." The Marionette said. "The others will be even more angry tonight."
The two sat in a painful awakard silence before Michael sighed and got up from his chair and began walking towards the office. Once he was there Michael couldn't help but allow even more questions flow into his head. Though as he was busy stuck in his own head he didn't pay attention to the lonely weeps coming from The Marionette.