Pulling the Strings || Book 2 || Golix - SEQUEL TO "OPEN MINDS" [Slow Updates]

Chapter 4

Phoenix's POV

  The six of us have been talking and just making stupid jokes in the dark while we wait for the night shift to begin.  About...I think two weeks ago, Goldie showed himself to Mike and Jeremy.  We have no clue who's doing the nightshift tonight, so we're a bit nervous.  Especially me.  I'm the one that has to show myself to the guards tonight, and I'm not sure how that's gonna go.  I really hope I don't pass out.

  Anyway, we hear the bell ring, and I sit up straight, even though my ribs are killing me.  It's time to get this over with. 

  I transform into the animatronic form I've managed to create with my magicks, and walk to the door.  I know the cameras are watching me, but I have to get to the office as quickly as possible. 

I walk out of the Parts and Service room, and down the hall.  I squint against the flashlight that keeps being flashed in my face when I started walking down the main hall, and hear two different voices.  Neither is Jeremy or Mike.  That should leave either Vincent, Scott or Fritz  as the nightguards, but I'm not sure. 

I get to the office, and I can finally make out the voices.  Vince and Scott.  I put a paw in front of my face to shield my eyes from the light, and hiss softly. 

"C-could you-you stop t-trying to bl-ind me?" I ask, the robotic voicebox I have glitching.  The light disappears and I sigh in relief.  "Th-thank you."

I look at them, and see Scott doesn't have his phone mask on, and Vince has his hair down for once.  Scott backs up slightly, and Vincent looks at me, wary.

"Okay, who are you?" my cousin asks, obviously kind of frightened.  I tilt my head.

"Y-you do-don't remember me?  It's me, Ph-Phoenix," I say, fighting against my glitchy voice box.  Vincent and Scott pale as soon as I say it.

"You were shoved into a suit?!"

"N-no, this is m-my magicks.  It's c-cloaking who I am s-so I can s-st-stay with my friends until w-we're healed enough t-to leave," I explain.  Vincent seems worried.

"How badly are you hurt?  Or were hurt?  Because there was a lot of blood, and they said almost half of it was yours," he explains, voice shaking.  I tilt my head the other way, and frown, though they can't see me doing it.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I'm...half blind in one eye.  I got stabbed a decent amount of times, I had a concussion, and a few broken bones.  Nothing different from what I've experienced before, with the exception of my eye," I mutter, shrugging.  Scott now seems worried about me.

"Broken bones?  Were they set?  Because they would have healed incorrectly," he says, and I laugh. 

"My broken bones haven't been set since I was four.  I manage to heal just fine every time.  Just keep me away from a hospital and no one will ever know how many times my bones have been broken."

Scott looks more concerned, and Vince looks like he wants to friggen punch someone.  Probably my dad. 

"Phoenix, he broke your bones?!  How many times?!  How often?!  Why the Hell didn't you ever say anything?" Vincent fires off, his voice sounding desperate.  I lock my eyes onto my purple haired cousin.

"I lost count how many times it happened.  Every three months or so, never bad enough that I couldn't move.  In case you don't remember, I wasn't really the favorite child in the family.  Hell, you and Mike hated me until...a few months before we were sealed in the room, I think." I say, my voice not glitching.  Maybe...maybe I can turn human long enough for them to see I'm okay.  I close my eyes and concentrate on shifting back.  After a minute of concentration I feel the wave of pain hit me, and I stumble, my eyes shooting open and quickly grab onto the desk for support.

This was probably a bad idea.  The pain intensifies and I hold back a groan.  Yep, bad idea.

Vincent's POV

I watch in shock as my cousin appears in place of the animatronic, quickly latching onto the desk in order to stay standing.  I get up quickly and rush to her side, carefully guiding her to the seat I was just in. 

Judging by her ragged breathing pattern, she's likely for cracked or broken ribs.  But for her appearance...her eyes seem sunken in, the bags under her eyes darker than the last time I saw her.  Her right eye has a bandage over it.  Her arms are thinner than what I remember, her cheekbones more prominent.  Then the cuts and bloodstains.

"Phoenix, we need to-"

"If you say get me to the hospital, the only one going to the ER is you!"

I back away, hands raised in mock surrender. 

"Geeze, okay! Sorry! But I'm not kidding, you need medical attention!"

"I'm not either.  Vincent, I can't leave yet.  If I suddenly leave, my friends will think I've abandoned them again.  I'm not going to do that- CHIRP GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE BEFORE I MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A WITHERED!" Phoenix suddenly cuts herself off her shouting, and turning her head to look down the hall.  Sure enough, Toy Chica is down there.  But surprisingly, the plastic bitch turns around and walks away. 

Phoenix doubles over, wincing, and I look at her.  "Are you sure-"

"Yes!  For the last time, yes I'm sure!  My ribs may be healing incorrectly but once I can stand for long periods of time on my own again, I'll go find Jeremy or something to heal me!"

Scott comes over to us and gives Phoenix a small smile.  "I could use my magicks to heal you."

"Thanks, but no thanks.  I have a plan that needs to be set in motion soon, and I can't be healed before it.  Sorry."

The bell suddenly rings, and Phoenix stands up, turning back into that animatronic form she had earlier.  She waves at us before walking down the hall, back to the parts and service room.  Scott turns to me, worried.

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

"...no, I don't think she'll be okay.  She'll pull through, because she always does...but I doubt she'll be okay after everything."