Chapter Text
There it was, Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizza Plex, the place looking just as bright and gaudy as the mouthful of a name suggested. Despite the fact that under normal circumstances, you would never step foot into such a place, it was home. The closest thing you’d had to a home in quite some time, in fact. And these were not normal circumstances, this was a return to a place so near and dear to your heart that it had physically hurt being torn away.
But the reason for your transfer was no longer an issue, thankfully, or else you more than likely never would have been allowed back, no matter how good you were at your job. No more ‘Mr. Red Tape.’ No more breathing down your neck. No more remarks about how “someone smart would do it like this!” Turns out that no matter how high up in the company your mom is, big business doesn’t like embezzlement.
You’d easily chosen the best time of day to come back, at least, noting that the crowds were finally thinning as it neared closing time, so you wouldn’t need to crowdsurf through exhausted parents dragging their far too caffeinated children away with loud whines of protest. Even if the volume of these shouts made your ears hurt a bit, it was simply nice to finally be home.
Although, out of everything, you didn’t really miss the smell. An acrid mix of old pizza, Lisol, and oily children permeated every corner of the place, the main lobby included. How it made for a good first impression on guests, you were never sure, but it was hardly a first impression for you.
But besides that, everything was just the same as you’d left it, if a bit older. From the neon lights, to the mirror-polished floors, even the giant Freddy statue still stood proudly, if a bit more tarnished from time. Everything including-
“Take a map.” A monotonous voice called out, shoving a folded piece of paper under your nose.
“Hey, buddy.” You replied, taking the accursed thing even if you didn’t really need it. There was no way things had changed that much while you were away. “Good to see you again, too.”
After a short pat on the head, Map Bot turned around, wheeling their way back over to the front doors and standing to the side so an exasperated father could carry his screaming son out, farmer style.
It was nice to see that they’d stopped trying to give maps to those that were currently leaving, at least.
But now that you’d officially made your return, and set foot back in the Plex, you were getting cold feet. What if your friends didn’t know you were forced to leave and were upset? What if they’d been completely reset and didn’t remember you anymore?
That thought hurt worse than the first one.
Well… you wouldn’t know until you finally sucked it up and talked to them.
So with a renewed vigor, you marched your way to Rockstar Row at the opposite end of the Plex, and retained that enthusiasm until you saw the four faces pasted over the large windows to each room. Noting in the back of your mind that they’d gone through with their decision to replace Bonnie in the band with Monty. Hopefully he was doing alright with that situation.
But then, as you stood there looking at the windows, each with their curtain’s drawn, you paused again. Who would you approach first? Did it matter? Would the others be upset at your choice of who to see first? Why did all of this matter so much all of a sudden? When would-
At that point you were increadibly greatful that it was near closing time as you let out the most undignified squack when two large arms wrapped around your waist and picked you up, holding you in the air and rocking you back and forth. After about three seconds of half-hearted struggling, you realized just who had picked you up.
“It’s true! It’s really and for actually true! You’re back! You’re back!” Screeched your favorite, overly enthusiastic chicken.
“And front, I’m all here!” You laughed at your own joke, hanging in her arms limply.
“Har, har.” She replied monotonously, rolling her eyes. “But for reals, I can’t believe you’re finally back! We have to tell the others! Come on!”
The way she said this would have implied that she bothered to set you down before running down the hall to Freddy’s door, leaving loud thunks to echo across the place and letting anyone that had yet to leave that one of the band members was rapidly approaching. But alas, your feet would long for the ground a bit longer.
Once she purposefully planted two feet in front of the bear’s door, a series of three knocks would ring out, interspersed with his name.
“Freddy.” Knock, knock, knock. “Freddy.” Knock, knock, knock. “Freddy.” Knock, knock, knock. “Freddy.” Knock, knock, knock. “Fred-”
When the door finally slid open, she paused, before smiling innocently and knocking on his check three more times.
“Look what I found!” She squealed, holding you out at arms length, each hand sitting under your armpit like a misbehaving cat.
His expression remained unreadable as he looked down at you, so you took it upon yourself to give him a small wave.
“Hey, Fre-DDY” What little air had been in your lungs for that statement was promptly crushed out by the second man-handling of the day. You know what they say about bear hugs and whatnot.
“So it WAS true! I did not dare hope. I do not think I could take it if it had been a lie.” That stung a little. It wasn’t your fault you’d been forced out, but you couldn’t help but feel like you should/could have done something to stay.
“I missed you too, big guy, but I still have lungs that need air.” you wheezed, trying to be nonchalant. The ground met your feet once again in a torrid love affair, having thought they would never be reunited. There were some soft “sorry”s but you could tell he was still bursting with excitement, barely standing still. Neither of them were. The expressions of emotion you’d had come to miss with your absence. You looped your arms as far around them as you could get, hugging them as hard as you could. “I mean it, I really missed you guys. I’m glad to be back.” They squished you back.
“You HAVE to tell us what you were up to while you were gone! We can have a sleep over! We’ll do nails, and hair, and gossip over movies and popcorn!” Chica said, flapping her hands in barely contained excitement. “Oh and the boys can come too, I guess.” There was only playfulness in her voice.
“That sounds amazing, but there’s still two more that haven’t gotten on the welcome wagon.” The two animatronics exchanged quick glances, hoping you hadn’t noticed. But you did, and were about to say something when the loveliest wolf broke the makeshift circle.
“What’s with the shouting?” Roxanne snapped, pushing the two aside. When she finally looked down to you, her expression didn’t change but her tail began wagging faster than you’d ever seen it. “No way, you really are back, huh?” She leaned back, crossing her arms and trying her damnedest to contain her joy. As per usual.
“Yeahhh, gonna have to get used to me runnin’ around and bugging you all again.” You said with a smirk, you knew this game and liked to think you played it well. She huffed in response, tail still betraying her cool girl attitude.
“Great. Just what we need.” The sarcasm was dripping but there was a genuineness to her words that always shown through. “Nice to have you back, I guess.” Now it was her turn to smirk.
“Good to see you too, Roxy. Now we’ve almost got the whole band back, now where’s Bonnie?” It was like a light turned off. The mirth on their faces gone with the simple utterance of a name. None of them looked at you, trying to find both a spot on the wall they liked and the words to tell you the bad news.
“Maybe we should take this to my room. Let you sit down first.” Freddy finally said, gently guiding you through the door. You really didn’t like where this was going.
Still, you could to nothing but sit on his couch wordlessly, looking from one animatronic to the next but none would meet your gaze. The three stood around, obviously trying to find the words to smooth over the news. But there was no good way to say it.
“He’s gone isn’t he?” You couldn’t help the way your voice choked up. The worst thing you had thought to happen in your absence was them being reset, and not remembering you, you times together, or even themselves. This was much worse.
Freddy nodded, finally looking at you while the girls took to leaning against the walls, avoiding your gaze.
“Freddy, I’m so sorry. I know how much he meant to you.” You got up to give him a hug, he met you halfway. You could tell he was shaking, trying to remain strong in spite of it all. There were so many questions going through your head, it was making the room spin. Freddy took the lead and sat down with you. “Can I ask what happened?”
“Yes, but I am afraid we can not tell you an answer. They wont let us speak of it, only that he is gone and that Monty has taken his place in the band.”
“I kinda figured, what with his sign hanging over Bonnie’s old room. I just hoped that they’d gone with the plan to have Bonnie as the main mascot for his bowling rink.”
You knew the alligator in passing. It wasn’t that you hadn't wanted to get to know him, it was more that he’d been released for audiences about two months before you had been exiled. You remembered the months, almost a year, it had taken for Gator Golf to be completed. There had been payment, material, personnel, and quite a few other issues that had spread the construction time from two months to ten. When it had finally be completed, you got a very surly “I don’t care how ready it is, we’re putting it on the floor now.”
So it was that the day of completion, Monty was revealed to the world. He had been quite static at first, as all the animatronics are upon release. Generic and gruff but affectionate replies to guests, photo signings, and putt putt tournaments. A ‘bad boy’ attitude had been programmed into his personality to appeal to some of the more rambunctious kids. You had guessed it to take a few months for him to ‘wake up.’ Even DJ Music Man had gotten in on the bet with the band on how long it would take. Not a single one of you were even close.
See, along with the swamp theme to his are, they had added water features. Yes, there were guard rails to keep kids from falling in, but those rails weren’t up to snuff when a quarter ton robot bumps in to it. It was a week solid of work to get him working again. That water had been disgusting and it took about half an hour for staff bots to fish him out.
By the time he rebooted, he was different. The same, but off. He didn’t immediately hit the downward spiral of existentialism like you feared. But he knew he was different now, and had no clue what to do about it. He hadn’t really wanted to talk to you about it, and you hadn’t blamed him. There was now a fear of being shut down he didn’t know what to do with. You’d directed him to the band with a subtle ‘they might understand better.’
After that the two of you shared, maybe, a handful of encounters beyond a nod. The band assured that he was handling things well and they’d help him as much as they could. So you’d taken you hands off the reigns. In reference to all of this, there was one specific conversion that had made you shocked about his new status.
He didn’t want to be in the band. Not when you had discussed it anyways. You’d jokingly asked it he was upset he wasn’t in the band, and the second the words left your mouth you wanted to take them back. But to your surprise, he just shook his head softly and said:
“Nah, I’m actually pretty happy where I am. I- don’t do well with too many people. The stage, the lights, the pressure to perform? I don’t think I’d fit in very well.” You’d assured him the gang liked having him around, but he said it wasn’t about that. Then he’d walked off. That was the last time you’d ever really talked to him.
It made sense for them to force him into the band after Bonnie’s… passing. You didn’t have to like it on principal though. “So, how have things been around here? Despite it all…” Apparently you’d been quiet for some time because the three jumped slightly upon your question.
“Not too bad.” Freddy chimed in, but his expression said otherwise.
“You don’t have to lie around me.” You replied, a little hurt that he wouldn’t confide in you. But that wasn’t the case, as his eyes went from you to the camera in the corner you hadn’t caught on your way in. With a wave of your hand disguised as resting your arm over the top of the sofa, the room filled with a fizzle and pop, the camera pointing down in its now off state. “When did they put those in?”
“Not too long after you had to leave, I am afraid. With you no longer around to stand up for us, they began doing whatever they pleased.” Freddy lamented. Rage boiled within you for no more than a second, it only died down because you no longer had to deal with that.
“Well, things are going to be different around here, and for the better. It may take some time, but just bear,” Chica giggled, “with me, yeah?” You piped in, looking at all the figures in the room. All four of them. Wait.
It seems Monty had barged in to join the hub bub not long after the camera was gone. He looked shocked, but more annoyed.
“So no one bothers to tell me when the party starts now, I get it.” The gator said, huffing playfully. You understood the mischievous undertones but someone didn’t.
“We did not mean it like that, Monty. You were at a birthday party the last we heard.” Freddy had gotten up to look him in the eyes, but the gator just shook his head and chuckled.
“Ain’t like that, was just messin’ with ya.” He patted the bear on the shoulder, and looked at you. “So. Movie time?”
The room relaxed and for the first time in over a year, you remembered what peace felt like.