Friday, July 13, 1973
Several excited children anxiously filed inside the new restaurant. For weeks, they watched the ads on TV and saw the posters and colored billboards pop up in town to advertise the grand opening of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The smiling bear in the top hat and his accompanying friends already made their impression. They drummed up excitement as the kids counted down to the end of the school year and part-way into summer vacation to see the grand opening.
And now, in the middle of the summer, they stood in line with their parents as each family made their way inside. The ones up front tried to peek in through the windows where Freddy and his friends waited inside.
Mike Schmidt lingered near his parents, keeping as far as he could from the rest of the crowd. He gripped his father's hand and nervously watched the doors as they got closer. Like the other children, he begged and pleaded to come here since he first saw the colorful posters around town, only to be told, "we'll think about it." His parents surprised him by bringing him here, much to his delight, but one thing Mike hadn't considered was the crowd.
Johan clutched his son's hand, ran his thumb over the back of it.
"We're almost there, sport," he said, with the usual strange enunciation of the nickname.
His mother, Charlotte, patted his shoulder. Of the two of them, with her long black hair and clear blue eyes, it was easy to tell which parent Mike better resembled.
"Just think," she said. "If you like this place, then we'll have your party here when you turn six next year."
"I don't want this many people," Mike mumbled.
That got both of his parents to chuckle a bit. Charlotte glanced down at him.
"We'll make it a small party," she promised.
As soon as they entered, Mike got his first glimpse of the tables and video game cabinets inside. One small stage covered with a purple curtain stood in the back, with silver stars dotting the thick fabric. A bigger one over to the right barely stood in sight, with the same purple fabric hiding another surprise behind it. Crisp, clean scents mingled with the warm, mouthwatering smell of fresh pizza as they got closer, and the sounds of jingling tokens, music, and video games filled the entire restaurant. Already, children were running around and exploring.
Mike held his parents' hands tighter, suddenly feeling very small and overwhelmed.
"You've got a tight grip there, sport," Johan said.
"It'll be okay, sweetie," Charlotte added. "Look, they have games here! Won't that be fun?"
Her son gave a meek nod as he watched the crowd. Many of the kids looked like they were having fun already, and a few families sat at some of the booths, with some staff taking orders and bringing over their sodas as they waited for pizza. A few curious guests approached the stages, where a tall, blond man gently directed them away. It wasn't time just yet.
A woman stamped their hands, then ushered them in so she could tend to the next family. Mike stuck close to his parents as they entered the dining room.
The glimpses from the foyer hardly did it any justice. Upon passing the hostess stand, everything almost immediately looked brighter and more exciting. Several small tables littered the checkered dining room floor, with game cabinets lining nearly every wall. A small prize corner sat in the far side of the room, with a glass counter showcasing small toys to be won. Bigger prizes sat on the shelves behind it, most of them plush dolls of the characters seen on the posters around town. Beside the counter stood a large present box that a few other curious children surrounded.
Mike eased a bit and let go of his parents' hands. He dared to explore a little more. His parents went to one of the vacant tables to claim it, while Mike wandered to the prize counter, making sure to stay in their sight. Fewer children lingered here, and those around the present box began to wander off in search of something else to do. Somewhat alone, Mike felt even more at ease as he looked up at the prize shelves and got a better glimpse at the reason why he wanted to come to begin with: the friendly-looking characters.
There was Freddy, in his top hat and bow tie, and even holding a plush microphone. The row of teddy bears made him smile. Mike then examined Freddy's friends, whom he had yet to learn their names. The Freddy toys shared some space with a purple bunny, one ear flopped over. Like Freddy, this one wore a bowtie, a red one to match its eyes. On the next shelf were a row of what he assumed to be ducks. Mike focused on the shirt it wore and smiled that the two words were easy to read: "LET'S EAT!" The duck held a pink cupcake that smiled too, and for that alone, he wanted that toy. The last one was a red fox with an eyepatch and hook. Mike hadn't seen that one on the posters, but its pirate theme intrigued him.
He turned around to glance at the stages. The silver stars shone brightly against the purple fabric, and he noticed similar stars hung from the ceiling. They made the whole place seem...almost magical. For a moment, Mike didn't notice the noise or the other children. Only the stages, and the excitement of his own curiosity.
At the table, he saw his parents finish taking an order, and accept a small cup of...something. Mike came back and took his own seat between his parents almost immediately. He eyed the cup - bearing Freddy's face, of course - and noted the gold coins inside. He nervously looked over at the games, and scooted his chair closer to his mother.
"Not going to go play, sport?" Johan asked.
He nudged the small cup of shiny tokens in Mike's direction. Mike sat quietly as he observed some of the other children at the game cabinets. Most of them looked bigger and older, and truthfully, they intimidated him. He shook his head, and his mother put an arm around him.
"It's all right, Mikey," Charlotte said.
She pushed some of her dark hair over her shoulder.
"We'll just get our lunch and get more used to the atmosphere," she suggested. "There's plenty of time to play, and the waitress said the first show's going to start in a few."
Mike perked up at that.
"Will we see Freddy?"
"And all of his friends," Charlotte promised.
That satisfied Mike enough. He patiently sat in his seat, his eyes glued to the larger stage. A few more of the waitresses went around the room, informing guests of the show, and avoiding more running children. The lights dimmed a bit, and many children quieted, eager to see what hid behind the curtains.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," an announcement came from the speakers. "Introducing Freddy Fazbear, and the Freddy Fazbear band!"
The curtains parted, and many of the children cheered. Mike, however, froze in his seat. Freddy and his band looked bigger than he expected. Even being many tables from the stage, he knew he would barely reach their waists, if that. And those jaws...they could probably bite his head off if they wanted!
Other children shared his thoughts as the crowd suddenly grew quiet. Freddy looked over the crowd, his movements endearingly lifelike. The subtle gestures in his face and blue eyes gave him a warm, welcoming presence. His animatronic mouth moved up and down, but the synced words flowed naturally.
"Hello there, boys and girls!" he greeted the crowd, lifting a hand up in a wave.
Freddy's voice held a deep, almost commanding tone, while simultaneously bearing a softness that brought to mind a boisterous, but caring uncle just bursting to play with his nieces and nephews. To his left, the purple rabbit adjusted and re-adjusted his shiny red guitar in his paws, giving the impression of nervousness. At his right, the yellow duck gently lifted her cupcake.
Many of the children suddenly eased, and a few even cheered.
"I'm Freddy Fazbear," Freddy continued, "and these are my friends, Bonnie the Bunny-"
The rabbit's red eyes looked over the crowd. His ears perked up when Freddy introduced him, and he hesitantly lifted one paw in a small wave.
"H-hey there, kids!" Bonnie said, one toe gently nudging at the stage.
His voice held a soft tenor to contrast Freddy's bass, and was notably quieter.
Mike liked Bonnie already. He gave him an equally small, hesitant wave as a few more children cheered. Freddy then finished his introduction.
"-And Chica the Chicken."
Chica's free hand swung rapidly over her head in an overly enthusiastic wave, practically on her toes with excitement. She then leaned down to look over the kids.
"Oh my!" she said, her voice bubbling over with joy. "There's so many smiling faces today! Thank you all for coming to see us!"
She smiled as much as her beak would allow and held up her cupcake. Mike recognized it from the plush doll he eyed at the prize counter. So she wasn't a duck like he initially thought, but he liked her anyway. He smiled a little, better accepting the trio as he watched them move and speak. Chica turned the cupcake in her hand.
"Don't you agree, Dulcie?"
The cupcake made a delighted chirp that earned a few laughs.
"That's cute," Charlotte said, smiling.
Mike relaxed more in his seat as he watched the show.
"Now that we've all been introduced," Freddy said, "why don't we start a song?"
"Great idea, Freddy!" Chica said, followed by a chirp of agreement from Dulcie.
"I-I'm ready to rock," Bonnie said, bravely, then turned to the audience. "How about you, boys and girls?"
Excited cheers filled the room, and on cue, Bonnie started a song on his guitar. Before long, music played on the stage speakers. All three of them sang a welcoming ditty, to the curiosity and excitement of their young audience.
Mike calmed down a bit more as he watched the show. Now that the characters onstage spoke, laughed, and sang, all his residual fears disappeared. Despite their large size, the characters seemed friendly and fun. Mike found himself bouncing in his seat as they sang, and between the songs, he smiled as the animatronics spoke to the crowd - and they seemed to speak directly to the kids up front!
A few times, Mike looked up at his parents in a debate to ask their permission to go up closer. Each time, he shrunk back in his seat and just turned back to the show. Getting closer meant sitting with kids he didn't know. Besides, he had a good spot here. His chair gave him some height to see above the heads of the kids sitting in front of the stage.
At some point, a waitress brought them their pizza, but Mike barely paid her any notice, more engrossed in the current song. Charlotte nudged him to eat. She watched her son reluctantly obey and make a small mess as he kept his focus on the show. Her napkin found its way to his cheeks to wipe the pizza sauce from his face when he finished.
The band finished their third or fourth song to the applause of the children and some of the parents playing along.
"Thank you very much, everybody!" Freddy said cheerfully.
"We hope you've had fun!" Bonnie added.
"And lots of delicious pizza!" Chica cheerfully chimed in.
"Now it's time to introduce a very special friend of ours," Freddy said. "But first, we need to call him. Can you help us? His name is Foxy. Just say, 'Oh, Foxy'!" Mike remembered the other plush on the counter, and smiled. A spotlight shone on the other set of curtains, the silver stars glittering against the purple fabric. Again, the children called for Foxy, and this time, they got a response.
Mike turned towards the new voice. The curtain on the smaller stage parted, to reveal a new animatronic. Unlike with the others, Mike shuddered as the pirate fox spoke. His eyes fixated on the sharp teeth and hook more than anything. Compared to the plush toy, Foxy looked scary! He tried not to imagine it biting him, or spearing him with that hook.
While many of the other children cheered, Mike scooted his chair closer to Charlotte and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I-I don't like him!" he cried.
Charlotte put an arm around him, now concerned at how her son, only a moment before excited and enjoying himself, now clung to her in fear. Johan frowned and moved his own chair closer.
"It is all right, sport," he said, trying to coax his son out of his mother's arms. "He will not hurt you. He is just putting on a show. Listen - you hear that, Michael? He is going to tell a story."
"I. Don't. Like. Him!" Mike said again, clinging tighter. "He'll bite!"
"Michael, he will not. He will stay on that stage."
"Johan..." Charlotte said. She gently shook her head as she ran a hand through Mike's hair in an attempt to calm him. Johan sighed, but nodded in agreement. He reached over to pick up the token cup. Some more of the games were open now as some of the older children either ate or curiously came over by Foxy's stage as he began to tell a pirate tale.
"How about you and your mother go play, Michael?" he asked. He set the cup down in front of his son in hopes it would distract him. "I will stay here and keep that fox back."
Mike considered it for a moment, then looked up at Charlotte. She ran a hand down his back to calm him.
"We'll protect you," she promised. She gave her son an encouraging smile. "Besides, we're here to have fun, right?"
Mike quietly nodded. After a moment of hesitation, he let go of his mother to slip from his seat. Charlotte stood, straightened her skirt, and lead him to the games furthest away from Foxy.
There was a small alcove by the bathrooms, just beyond the main stage. Fewer kids were here, with most either at the show, or playing games closer to Foxy so they could still glance at him. Charlotte breathed a small sigh of relief and lead him over."How about this one?" she suggested, pointing to the middle cabinet that from the art on top, looked like it starred Bonnie. It only took one look at the smiling rabbit's face to convince Mike to try it. After a quick rundown of the buttons and controls, and helping him with the first level, Charlotte found herself watching her son enjoy himself. He lead Bonnie around a maze to try to collect carrots while avoiding obstacles. Once Mike got engaged, he forgot all about Foxy as he concentrated on the game to safely collect the carrots and get Bonnie to the little house at the end of the maze.
Every now and again, Charlotte stepped just beyond the alcove to catch part of Foxy's story about how he and his crew took down a rogue band of pirates to take their treasure. While the story itself kept its young audience in mind, she found herself engaged by the excitement of swords clashing and battles at sea.
Mike, however, kept playing the game. Like many others in this corner, its simple design allowed even the smallest visitors an experience they could accomplish on their own, and when he completed the maze, he was rewarded with fireworks and a "GOOD JOB!" flashing on the screen. The machine hummed. Mike leaned down to put another token in and noticed four pieces of paper sticking from the machine.
"Mommy, what are these?"
Charlotte broke away from the pirate tale to see what her son pointed to.
"They're tickets," she answered. "You can trade them for prizes."
Mike immediately thought about the plush toys he saw earlier.
"Can we get some?"
"Why don't you try to earn some more tickets first?" Charlotte said, sweetly. Mike nodded, and pushed the button to start the maze again. He reached a few higher levels, with the occasional help from Charlotte. After a few more attempts, Mike decided he was done.
"Can we try a different game?" he asked. Charlotte smiled, glad that her son was better getting into exploring and trying some of the new things this place had to offer. She gently detached the tickets and held them for her son, and for a long while, helped him with some of the other games available. By the time they finished, they had a few handfuls of tickets. Mike practically dragged Charlotte to the prize counter to see what they could get. The nice lady behind the counter counted them, then handed them back. Sixty-six tickets. Mike eyed the plush toys on the counter. Charlotte looked at the prices and shook her head. 1,500 tickets for one of the plush toys. She watched his face fall with disappointment. Charlotte smiled, knowing just how to lift his mood again. She looked in time to see the curtains close at Pirate Cove. The animatronics on the main stage came to life again. Her son grabbed her hand. Charlotte laughed as Mike pulled her back to the table, where Johan waited. Johan smiled, then watched his son pull himself back in his seat. Charlotte grabbed one of the three remaining slices of pizza to munch on as Freddy got his young audience's attention. Dulcie chirped, and Chica laughed. Freddy nodded. He moved his microphone close to his mouth to speak again. He gestured with his empty hand to a spot in front of the stage. Over at the edge of the stage, a blond man in a green polo and black slacks walked right to the spot where Freddy gestured. The embroidered Freddy head above the polo pocket and the name tag just above it marked him as an employee. He held a clipboard in his hand, and carefully looked between the crowd of children and the animatronics. The children sitting on the floor got up to go take their seats at the tables. The blond employee nodded his approval.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," he said, "I want to show you what makes Freddy Fazbear's Pizza truly magical. Please, remain in your seats and prepare to be amazed at what you're about to see."
Mike perked a bit more, eager to see what awaited when Foxy's curtain opened again. He shuddered and ducked down. Charlotte put a hand on his back, assuring him it was fine.
"Now," the man announced, knowing he had the curious children's attention, "Freddy and his friends would like to say hello - in person!"
As if on cue, Bonnie gently set his guitar on a nearby stand. Freddy reached up and tipped his hat, then gave a small bow before he looked over the crowd. Carefully, the animatronic lifted one large, brown leg and stepped forward. Some children looked wary, while others stared in awe. Freddy took another step, then another, He carefully calculated his way down the three large steps in front of the stage until he stood beside the employee. Chica followed next, staying to Freddy's stage left, then Bonnie to his right. Mike rose from his seat. He stood on his chair, his hands pressed against the table, his eyes bugging at the sight. He didn't notice the wary looks in his parents' faces, only that this felt like magic!
From the side, Foxy moved from Pirate Cove to stand beside Bonnie - a sight that got Mike and a few other children to duck down and move closer to a parent. The employee with the clipboard seemed to take note of it, and pulled a device from his pocket. He tapped a few buttons.
The band began to move, their gaits jerky and clearly robotic, but balanced and careful. Freddy moved to a table up front, where an African-American family sat. He bent down to the child's level and tipped his hat to them.
"Good afternoon, folks," he said. "It's very good to see you!"
The little girl sitting at the table giggled. Her thick braids swayed as she laughed, while her parents tried not to look too uncomfortable.
"Hi, Freddy!" the girl said cheerfully.
"Hello!" Freddy replied. "And what's your name?"
"Kamili! And this is my mommy and daddy!"
"How nice to meet you all!" Freddy replied. "Are you all having fun?"
"Yes!" Kamili answered before her parents had the chance to get a word out.
Both of them awkwardly nodded in agreement. Her mother finally found her voice.
"This is...strange! You can walk?"
Freddy laughed, then stood up straight again.
"And sing," he replied, "and play. I'm happy you came to see me and my friends today!"
A lot of the children in the crowd chattered excitedly, while many parents tried to decide between wariness and unease at the large animatronics, and amazement at what they could do. The more Freddy spoke with Kamili's family, the more the tension in the room lowered.
Freddy offered a paw to shake, which Kamili's father hesitantly took. He relaxed the moment he realized how gentle the bot's grip was. That gesture and his smile did the trick to reassure other parents in the room. Freddy politely bid them goodbye to see other families.
The ice broken, the other animatronics began to walk around the room too, going to the tables to talk with the families. A few children slipped from their seats to get a closer look. One little boy ran up to hug Freddy's leg, a motion that once again concerned parents, mostly out of fear that the robot might accidentally trample him. To their surprise (and relief), Freddy immediately stopped walking, looked down, and gently reached a paw to pat the boy's head.
Better assured that the designer of the animatronics kept such things in mind, the new tension in the room disappeared as quickly as the tension before it.
Mike tried to patiently wait his turn, though anytime Foxy seemed to get too close, Charlotte quickly pulled him closer to her to block the pirate fox from his sight. She and Johan both noticed that he skipped tables where children, like Mike, didn't take very kindly to him.
"H-hello there!" came a soft, shy tenor. "Did you enjoy the show?"
Mike perked up from Charlotte's arms. He looked up with wide eyes at the large animatronic rabbit in front of him. Bonnie crouched down to his level, his paws held in front of him like a real bunny waiting to hop. His ears twitched, the most lifelike part of him.
Mike gave a hurried nod, and shyly moved closer to Charlotte, who assured him it was all right. Johan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Bonnie seemed to pick up on it. He lowered his ears a little and took a small step back.
"I-it's okay if you don't want to talk," he said, wringing his paws a little. "I'm...kind of shy too."
"-Mike!" Mike said, suddenly.
He pulled away from Charlotte and slipped from his seat. He'd waited for this, and he didn't want the opportunity to pass.
"I'm Mike!"
Bonnie's ears straightened, and his posture became more delighted as Mike stood before him.
"N-nice to meet you, Mike! And your mommy and daddy."
Charlotte played along, though her posture remained a little tense.
"And you too...Bonnie, right?"
Bonnie nodded, and carefully offered his paw to her. Charlotte accepted it and eased with how soft the rabbit's plush was. Johan returned the gesture when Bonnie offered his paw to him too. Like his wife, he noted the gentle, almost hesitant grip that fit the animatronic's programmed personality.
Johan smiled, then looked down to his son.
"How about you tell Mr. Bunny about the game you played?" he asked.
"Oh!" Mike suddenly grew excited, now that he had something to talk about. "I helped you find carrots! And got away from that big rock and then I got tickets!"
Bonnie tilted his head in a way that made his permanent grin appear to widen.
"Th-thanks for getting m-me home," he replied, softly. "D-do you know what you'll get with your tickets?"
"Not yet," Mike said, then remembered what Charlotte told him. "But if I don't, then that means I can come back see you guys again, right?"
Bonnie nodded. His ears straightened with delight again.
"R-right!" he agreed. "We'd love to see you again. We like making n-new friends!"
Mike found himself smiling more.
"I do too!"
"And sp-speaking of new friends," Bonnie said, straightening up a bit, "there's more to make! I'll s-see you later, Mike...okay?"
Mike nodded, happy enough to have gotten to talk to him. He waved enthusiastically.
"Okay, bye!"
Bonnie gave the Schmidt family a small wave, then wandered off to find another table. The moment he left, Johan shook his head, then moved to finish the rest of his pizza slice.
"...Why did they give him a girl's name?"
"Oh, shush," Charlotte said, then looked down to Mike. "Did you enjoy that, sweetie?"
Mike nodded enthusiastically.
"I wanna talk to Freddy too!"
Charlotte looked over the crowd. Freddy had since stopped visiting tables due the to many children surrounding him. The animatronic currently spoke to them one at a time. He quickly answered a question or returned a greeting before moving onto another child.
"It looks like Freddy's busy at the moment," Charlotte said. "Why don't we play some more games while we wait?"
Mike considered it for a moment. He took his mother's hand and headed back to the alcove...
