January 8, 1992
“And I said, ‘That’s my muffin and I want it back!” Bonnie said.
“Errr… I don’ be a’gettin’ it,” Foxy admitted.
“You need to work on your sense of humor. Hey, Freddy!”
The bear walked up, a worried expression on his face. “Have either of you seen Fluttershy?” he asked.
The two animatronics shared a look. “I thought that she was with you,” Bonnie replied.
“Ye two a’be a pair o’ worrywarts,” Foxy cut in. “The Lil’ Matey probably a’be with Chica.”
As if summoned by her name, the animatronic chicken bustled out of the kitchen. “There you guys are!” she chirped. “Have you seen Fluttershy? I just had an idea for a cake and…” Realizing that she wasn’t being shouted down made her stop and look at the other animatronics. “Is something wrong?”
“Nobody has seen Flutterhy, Chica,” Freddy said. “Where did you last see her?”
“Last time I saw her, she was with Toy Freddy…”
Just then, Toy Freddy walked out into the stage area. Upon seeing the Fazbear Gang looking his way with various faces of anger, worry and concern, he sighed and asked, “What did I do this time?”
Foxy leapt at the Toy animatronic and slammed the plastic bear against the wall. “Where did Fluttershy go!?!” Foxy growled, shaking the Toy animatronic.
“I-I-I don’t know!” Toy Freddy chattered. “She had to go to the bathroom and I haven’t seen her since!”
“Liar!!!” snarled the animatronic fox “Where is she!?!”
“She went out the door,” the cupcake sitting on the table said.
All five animatronics turned to stare at the pink cupcake. “You can talk?” Bonnie asked.
“Yep. Name’s Carl.”
“Since when could you talk?” Freddy added.
“Since always.”
“Why haven’t you spoken up until now?” Bonnie asked.
“Never felt the need to before.”
“Never mind that!” Foxy growled. “Where did Fluttershy go, you preposterous pastry!”
“I thought you knew, you were outside, snaggletooth.”
Foxy blinked. “But I nevah left the quarters!”
“Uh…” Everyone turned to Toy Freddy. “Back where … the place I escaped from… there were… they were making… larger versions of you guys. But these things… they were big… and they had too much teeth.”
The larger animatronics stared at him.
“I honestly thought that you were them for a moment.”
“And ye didn’t think to tell us about this?” Foxy growled.
“Not now, Foxy,” Freddy rebuked the fox.
“Think, think, think,” Bonnie said, tapping his head. Then he perked up. “Toy Freddy, how did you find your way here?”
“I dunno,” Toy Freddy said, shrugging his shoulders. “I just followed the roads.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do!” Freddy said. “Let’s go gang!” he said, as he ran out the doors. He was soon followed by the others, Foxy dragging a complaining Toy Freddy by the ear.
“Oh, go ahead,” Carl said. “Just leave me here. It’s not like I don’t have legs or anything.”
“How are we going to catch up with them?” Chica asked once they were outside the restaurant. “Who knows how far away they are?”
“We’re going to need a ship to catch up,” Foxy said, looking towards the scruffy truck parked in front of the restaurant.
“How are we gonna use that?” Bonnie asked.
Five minutes later…
“Why do I have to drive?” Toy Freddy asked as he got into the driver’s seat.
“’Cause ye be de only landlubber that can fit behind da wheel!” Foxy said as he got in the passenger seat.
“I still think this is a bad idea, just so you know,” Toy Freddy said again. “How do you start this thing?”
Foxy poked the dashboard, and the engine roared to life. “What are ye awaitin’ for?” he snarled. “A map? Cast off!”
Back at the pizzeria, Carl the cupcake shuffled until it faced a dark corner. “Still don’t understand why you didn’t tell them yourself.”
The slumped suit in the corner didn’t answer.
“Just saying, it might go better if you talked to them.”
What might have been a glimmer echoed in the empty eye sockets.
“Just so you know, I don’t understand silent protagonist.”
The head lifted. I don’t deserve to talk to them.
“Don’t or won’t?”
They hate me. I am the one responsible for their fates.
“I don’t think they would hate you for what you did.”
The head tilted downward. But they might.
“Are you sure you can’t reveal yourself to them?”
The darkened golden fur grew even darker. I cannot. Not according to my deal.
“You see, this is why you don’t make deals with things in funny hats.”
Carl blinked and the suit was gone.
“What a weirdo.”
He watched as the four souls and the partial one left the parking lot, nearly hitting a streetlamp. The giver stood by his side as she was wont to. She turned to him. “Can we help?” she asked.
He leaned forward. “We can help them as we can from the shadows. We cannot risk revealing ourselves just yet.”
He paused. “But first, we have to catch them.”