Mike Schmidt glanced around at the dining area of the Freddy's Pizzaria. It seemed like a nice enough place, if a bit messy. However, Mike had been here earlier, and there were a lot of families eating out, so the mess could only be attributed to lazy cleaners.
He'd arrived a little earlier than his job required - he was a night guard, and would be on duty from midnight to six in the morning - because there was someone who wanted to talk to him about exactly what he had to do. Mike couldn't think what would be so important that he had to arrive early, though; he'd been a night guard at other places before, and all a night guard had to do was make sure no burglars could get in. Although, Mike would be surprised if anyone tried to rob a restaurant designed around children, even if it was a popular one.
Mike jumped when he heard a door squeaking open and shut, and spun around only to see a mildly amused man stood a few feet behind him.
"That paranoia might just come in useful," Lucius Yates remarked. Lucius was the other night guard, who worked from seven to midnight, though he initially worked Mike's hours.
"I can't think why," Mike replied. "Who would want to rob Freddy's Pizzaria?" Lucius' expression became more serious.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. It's not keeping people out that you need to worry about..." Mike cocked his brow. "It's keeping people in."
"I don't understand."
"You've met the Suits, haven't you?" Mike nodded.
The Suits was a nickname given to the workers whose jobs were to entertain the children, and they did so while dressed in animal suits. The namesake of the restaurant, Freddy Fazbear, was a bear suit, and inside was Frederick Kingsley, a tall, muscular man with brown eyes, tanned skin and shaggy brunette hair. The part of Bonnie, a rabbit suit, was played by Benjamin Winters. Benjamin was of average height with a lithe build. His naturally black hair was dyed lilac, and was mostly shaven apart from a thick tuft running along the middle of his skull. His eyes were naturally blood red, supposedly a mutation of albinism that also accounted for his pale skin. Chica, a chick suit, was played by rosy-skinned aryan Charlie Pierce, who had a short and slightly chubby build. His hair was styled in a very neat bob that reached his jaw, and his eyes were both bright and icy. Foxy was available only to those who paid for special seats, and was played by Raphael McQueen, who was tall, somewhere between lithe and athletic, and had fair skin, long auburn hair, and emerald green eyes.
"I already know that they live here," Mike began. "So, I'm keeping an eye on them?"
"Well..." Lucius looked hesitant. "The Suits have known each other since they were kids, and something happened to them some years ago that gave them the same problem. They're all a little mentally ill, and it manifests as sleep-walking, except it can get worse if they encounter someone other than each other."
"Um."
"I know, I know, it would've been nice if someone had told you when you signed up," Lucius chuckled, but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"So what do you mean by 'worse'?" Mike asked with uncertainty.
"They don't interact with each other, but, at night, they get a little... feral, for lack of a better word. They're motivated by their most basic desires, even if they were sated when they were conscious."
"Don't beat around the bush, just tell me what they do."
"If you let them overpower you - and, let me tell you, they're stronger than they look, even Charlie - they might force themselves on you, or even..." Lucius gulped before continuing. "If they're hungry, then they might eat you alive." Mike's mouth fell open. "It's only happened twice, so you'll probably be lucky! If they do force themselves on you, then they're more likely to just strangle you, and that's only happened three times." Mike stared at Lucius in bewilderment. "They're not in mental facilities because there's nothing anyone can do, and the children love them, so the boss decided to just keep them here, where they won't hurt anyone, as long as the night guards are careful and don't let them wander outside."
"Is there anything else I should know?" Mike huffed.
"Well, yes. You can see where they are on the cameras - although the one in the kitchen is broken - so if you can't see them anywhere then that means it's probably a good idea to close the doors. But you have limited power because the area's been having electricity problems, so you can't keep the doors closed. If the power goes out, the doors go up, and Frederick moves around the most when it's completely dark, so that means you're pretty much screwed. I've heard that Fred's the worst, so you should really try to conserve power. There are two cameras you need to check frequently: the one in Pirate Cove, because Raphael sleeps there, and won't move around if the camera's on him, and the one in the hallway to your left, because that's the only warning you'll have if Frederick's coming to get you. If Benjamin or Charlie are coming for you, and you can't see them, use the lights for the doorways. If they're there, shut the doors until they go away."
"And that's everything I need to know." Lucius paused before replying.
"Yeah, yes, that's all. That's all I need to survive, at least." Mike sighed, knowing that he now had to stay because he'd already accepted the job and there was no one else to do it.
"Okay. Thanks, I guess. And wish me luck, seeing as it's nearly midnight."
"Good luck," Lucius smiled, trying to be comforting. "The office is through there." Lucius pointed to a door, and Mike thanked him again before going to get settled in.
This was going to be a long night.