Mike yawned as he walked through his front door. It was a surprise it only happened once he got home, after all…
Just witnessing Bonnie and Spring-Bonnie's arcade binge was tiring…
He had to remember that they aren't human so there was no need for them to take a break from the nonstop stimulation and flashing lights. But knowing that just made it even more shocking that such intense gaming has yet to render the arcade machines inoperable.
"Things did slow down once they started an activity almost everyone could get into though… Still, the damage is done."
Perhaps it was the constant string of nights that would not be inappropriate to call "high-octane" physically and emotionally that brought him to this point.
As such, there was absolutely no need to convince himself to drag his feet forward and head for his bed. He let gravity do the rest and guide him the comforting softness.
"The Faz-towels really are softer…" Mike lethargically muttered.
He buried his head into his pillow, his eyelids shutting tight as he tried to find some part that's comparable to the softness he felt before.
I wonder… is this really what my life is going to be like from now on?
I'm a night guard at an establishment for essentially all ages. I have absolutely no qualifications, but I took it because I desperately needed the money. I figured who would really want to break into a place like that, though after talking to Bonnie, I imagine James Bond-esque villains looking for secrets.
Point is, I took the job and now I find myself in a position where I watch over highly advanced robotic anime girls.
13 nights into this job and I still find it uncanny. Perhaps it's because of their abnormal strengths and feats, ones I know must be scratching the surface of what they can do.
It's honestly easy to be scared of that, but I find it hard to because of how kind everyone is. But does that make me too relaxed around them?
For as kind as they are, I can't ignore the fact that I have had more than a few close calls in regard to my health. Which in turn, according to Henry through Spring-Bonnie, is part of the reason why the pay rate is so high. Apparently, it considers hazards pay.
Which leads me to wonder: How long can I stay at this job?
When I first decided to stay, I told myself that I needed to make it through a few more nights. That was to help steel myself for the strange world I entered that day. What I'm involved in is strange, but… also nice.
Question is, can I physically keep up with the demands of the job? Even if the girls don't accidently hurt me, keeping up with them can be physically draining. I'm only human; there's only so much I can exert.
If I were to leave, would they worry about me spreading the truth about that establishment? I wouldn't do that to them, plus it's naturally the other reason why the pay is so good; who would want to ruin such a good thing going for them?
Who would want ruin a position where you guard cute animatronic anime girls who are so nice to you upon first meeting? It's truly a dream job, right? Even with the potential hazards, it's still a job anyone would kill for, correct? Who would want to ever leave something like this other than to escape this fantasy and return to reality?
But it is reality and it's because it's reality that I have to ask again: How long can I stay at this job?
Even ignoring the physical demands, this is such a nice thing to have right? Because it's nice, can I keep? Will I finally be allowed to keep something that's good for me? Or will I just lose it like the rest?
Something will have to ruin it… Eventually… It's too good to be true and too good to last…
So, I have to remind myself… How long can I stay at this job? Because… There's no way it will last.
I have to remember that.
Those were the last words on Mike's mind before he drifted off to sleep.
Zzz…
Zzzzzzzz….
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
"Nothing lasts…"
Those haunting words caused Mike to jolt up with half lidded eyes. His heart was racing as he stumbled out of bed and looked around.
What was that…? That voice…
Taking deep breathes, Mike's thoughts were soon interrupted by his phone's alarm. Once he caught a glimpse of the time, his gaze immediately shifted to his window. It was a bit alarming to find the sky to be much darker than before.
It was time for him to depart once again.
…
"Nidoran! Use Scratch!"
The light blue Pokémon lunged towards Pidgey and dug its claws into the wild opponent.
"Pidgey fainted! Nidoran earned 126 exp! Money… Who cares…?"
Nidoran rushed back to her trainer and happily jumped into their arms.
"I love you too, Nidoran, but…" Spring-Bonnie sighed as she checked her Pokémon's level. "This is so boring! I don't care if this is more like the Indigo League, this is so boring!"
She sighed again until she got an idea. The golden bunny girl quickly reached into her bag and pulled out her binoculars.
"Let's see how she's doing."
Spring-Bonnie brought the binoculars to her eyes and turned towards the direction of Hoenn. What she saw was horrifying.
"Foxy's already at Mauville City?!" she exclaimed.
As if on cue, the pirate fox turned towards Spring-Bonnie's direction and waved.
"Ugh… So far behind…" the golden rabbit lamented.
She was already bored and felt somewhat bad regarding her current predicament but seeing that made her feel worse than before.
However, that didn't compare to how she felt when she heard a very notable theme begin to play. It was an epic and legendary piece of music that only played at a specific part of the story.
"Bonnie…" Spring-Bonnie turned around and met eyes with her blue successor. "Are you already trying to capture Reshiram already!?"
"Ehe… I've kinda binged on the game whenever I could today…" Bonnie admitted with red cheeks.
"That's just wrong…" Spring-Bonnie mumbled. "I'm happy for you but… that's not fair…"
"This is why I suggested you not play Pokémon Yellow, Spring-Bonnie. You can still switch if you want," Freddy offered.
"No, I want to play the definitive Gen I experience, like how Foxy's playing the definitive Gen III experience with Pokémon Emerald. But if I can't set off the sprinklers like Ash did in the anime, then why limit me so hard in the beginning?" Spring-Bonnie complained. "It's just not fun stopping everything to train another Pokémon from scratch so early."
She laid spread across the floor and moaned.
"Can I just have a bunch of Rare Candies, or an experience booster or something good happen to make up for the hours lost so far?"
"So, you're training a Nidoran after all, Spring-Bonnie."
Following the direction of that sudden, familiar voice, Spring-Bonnie found Mike curiously looking down at the screen of her GameBoy Color.
Their eyes soon met. They stared at each other for what seems like forever before Spring-Bonnie slowly and silently sat up and turned away from Mike.
It was a shock; despite being familiar with that kind of response, he didn't expect it to come from her.
"Don't mind her, I think she's just a little embarrassed that she still has to grind for Pewter City's Gym," Charlie whispered to Mike.
"I'm not embarrassed…" Spring-Bonnie muttered.
"And understandably bitter like anyone would be." Charlie quietly sympathized.
"I see…"
Mike watched Spring-Bonnie's ears twitch. It was clear that they were reacting to her frustration, but what was also notable was how unnaturally they twitched as they did so. It was almost as if they were struggling to react along with her.
"…I understand completely Spring-Bonnie," he said.
Spring-Bonnie turned around with a curious look on her face. "You do?"
"Yes. Once upon a time, I was stuck at Pewter City. Everyone gets stuck there when playing Pokémon Yellow."
"I know… Still, I bet you had an easier time training other Pokémon than I am right now."
Mike shook his head. "No, I conquered the gym with Pikachu only."
"WHA-?!"
Mike's body locked up. He didn't expect such an extreme reaction from almost everyone in the room. Even the ones who didn't scream appeared absolutely stunned.
"Wait-!" BB frantically jumped in front of Mike. "Pikachu?"
"Yes."
"Yellow mouse that uses electric type attacks that are completely useless against rock type Pokémon?"
"Yes."
"No way…" BB murmured in disbelief, collapsing on the floor.
The moment she hit the floor, Mike looked back up only to find Foxy standing in front of him. She was so close that her nose was touching his own.
"But how, Night Guard?" Foxy asked as she leaned closer. "Did you use a cheating device?"
Mike briefly looked down at their noses pressing against each other before looking back into her pleading eyes.
"I didn't even know what those were back then," he answered.
"So, you really beat Brock with just Pikachu?" Freddy marveled.
"Yes."
"But how?" Bonnie questioned. "How'd you do it without cheating?"
"I grinded."
"But even if you grinded, the only attack that could do anything that early on is Quick Attack, and it's not that damaging."
"I know, so I grinded until it was."
"But that's…"
Bonnie struggled to find the words to describe how she felt about what she just heard. Fortunately for her, there was someone who could.
A tuff of white hair passed by Mike, directing his attention to its owner. Marionette was currently suspended in the air, upside down right beside him.
"To do that, you would have needed to grind for a very long time, right?" Marionette concluded.
"Yes." Mike confirmed.
"But it would take forever to grind, Nidorans and Pidgeys," Bonnie sputtered.
"I know, that's why after a certain point, I grinded experience points by defeating Geodude."
"Eh?!"
"Once Pikachu was strong enough, I used Quick Attack to defeat Geodude and immediately lost to Onyx. I would repeat the process until I was able to defeat Onyx through attrition and that was how I gained my first gym badge."
"You…" Charlie shook her head. "You seriously kept playing until Pikachu was strong enough to beat Onyx with Quick Attack only…?"
"I now know the quicker method, but yes."
"That's… So amazing, Night Guard!" Bonnie gushed. "I can't believe you were so determined to beat the gym with Pikachu that you would spend so much time training like that."
"It was actually because I didn't think of any other solutions and I didn't want any Pokemon outside of Ash's at the time… Still, it was much harder than winning my first gym badge with Torchic in Ruby."
"You took on Roxanne with just Torchic!?" Foxy cried, shoving her face further into Mike's.
"Yes?"
One more strong reaction from Foxy and Mike knew that he would be sent careening to the floor. As he thought this, a large grin spread across Foxy's face.
"Night Guard, you're a really gutsy Pokémon Trainer, ain't ye?" Foxy complimented.
"It was really the same reason as the first… just with another protagonist," Mike quietly explained.
"It can be both," Charlie pointed out. "Anyway, walk me out Pokémon Master?"
"Sure."
Mike followed Charlie out of the room. The moment the doors shut behind them, he immediately began stretching.
I don't' think I could have remained like that for long… And she was just transferring her strength with her nose…
"You know, Foxy may have called you a gutsy Pokemon Trainer, but she really meant that you're gutsy overall," Charlie suddenly explained.
"What would give her that impression?" he questioned.
"Well… For one, you actually faced her in a sword fight even after you saw her effortlessly demolish a table."
"I ran when I saw that."
"You still took her on when she caught up."
"Haven't you engaged Foxy in a sword fight before?"
A dark look hung over Charlie's face. Her body was trembling and she slowly shook her head.
"That's different, Mike. I had an idea of what I was up against. That wasn't gutsy, that was stupid and something I will never do again," she bluntly replied. "My point is that, you know, Foxy has a clear positive opinion of you. She likes those with guts and you showed her you have guts."
"And Pokémon Yellow?" Mike brought up.
"You have to admit, that was a clear determination to push through the way you wanted to."
"I guess."
"Anyway, I say that to segue into the point that you really seem to be connecting with the others here."
"I see…"
That was the last thing said as the continued their trek. Mike expected her to say something more, but Charlie was unexpectedly quiet. Once they reached the front, they said their and she reached for the front door.
"Charlie, am I supposed to connect with them in any way?" Mike suddenly asked.
She looked back at Mike, an expected look hanging on her face.
"Well, I can't really give you a clear answer to that," she answered. "Remember when I interviewed you and asked you whether or not you were devoid of empathy, understanding and the possibility of opening up your mind to new possibilities?"
"You wanted to make sure that the new night guard would treat the girls well while on duty."
"Exactly. Never did I say or imply that you were hired just to be their friend, I just wanted to make sure whoever I hired didn't treat them badly."
Mike didn't understand those questions when he was first interviewed considering how he was the only one who would be around at night, or so he thought then.
"Of course, there's nothing wrong if you do connect to them in anyway, but it's not a requirement of your job," Charlie explained. "Your job is to guard the establishment which involves them and as you learned when you had a surprise guest, there's a reason why we need a human face around and why we would take the risk of bringing someone else into the fold.
After all, if it was a simple case of worrying about breaking and entering, the girls can clearly handle themselves, evidenced by the constant broken furniture and BB shaped print in your office."
"I see."
"So, don't feel like you need to do one or the other since no one likes any kind of relationship or denial of one due to obligation, 'kay?"
"Okay."
"Great. So, have a nice shift."
Mike nodded his head and watched Charlie leave.
No obligation, huh? I wonder if that's what I-
For a split second, the floor beneath him shook. Accompanying that was a sound not to dissimilar to a cartoonish impact.
Mike cautiously turned around. Lying face flat on the floor was Spring-Bonnie.
Slowly approaching her, he could make out some words muffled by the concrete ground. "I don't think BB put all the covers back on right…"
He kneeled beside her and asked, "Are you alright, Spring-Bonnie?"
There was no response from the downed animatronic girl. It wasn't until a full minute passed that she slowly sat up.
Surprisingly, she had a bright smile on her face. "Hey, Night Guard. Finally done talking to Charlie, huh?"
"…How much did you hear?" Mike questioned.
"Eep…! C'mon, don't say that like I was purposely eavesdropping or something."
Mike didn't say a word and his face was deprived of any emotion.
"Okay, I overheard everything," Spring-Bonnie admitted. "But only because I was headed this way anyway."
Mike still didn't utter a response.
"Okay, I was coming your way to see what you were up to! Please stop giving me the 'eyes that stare into your soul' look," she pleaded.
"I wasn't trying to do that at all, Spring-Bonnie; I was just thinking."
"Oh," her golden cheeks immediately grew red. "So just forget everything I just said."
"Hm."
They both stood up.
"So… I bet you're wondering why I'm not back there with the others?" Spring-Bonnie asked, dusting herself off.
"You're tired of grinding for the Pewter City Gym?"
"Exactly! It's so tiring and Bonnie's pretty much at post game in her generation so what's the point of racing anymore? So, with everyone still stuck on that and other things… I don't know, I just felt like getting out of there and finding something else to do."
"I see."
"Still, everyone else is busy and Fredbear is well… Fredbear, so…"
Suddenly, Spring-Bonnie's eyes sparkled with clarity.
"Everyone's busy…"
Her eyes narrowed as a familiar smile crossed her face.
"Everyone's busy."
Mike could tell where she was going, it was clear by how she was looking at him.
"Which means… Wait."
Her gaze drifted for a moment before returning to Mike.
"Promise me you won't move?" she requested.
"Promise?"
"Please."
That was the first time Mike had heard that in this context. It was strange. "…Okay."
Spring-Bonnie looked around the surrounding area. She checked the corners, knocked on the walls and effortlessly jumped up and poked her head around the vents above them.
"Wow… Everyone really is busy." She marveled.
She dropped back down then happily hopped in front of Mike.
"Which means…" Spring-Bonnie's arms gently wrapped around his waist and she pulled him closer. "It's just you and me, Night Guard."
"Ah…"
"So… What're we doing?"
"Well… I have to go to my office and check the cameras."
At that moment, Spring-Bonnie's arms retracted back to her side and dangled lifelessly. She hung her head forward, resting it on Mike's chest.
"Oh right… That is part of your job, isn't it…?" she lamented.
As she sighed, Mike couldn't help but think about how that was the same thing Bonnie had said to him before. He also couldn't help but note how his neck was exactly in between Spring-Bonnie's ears.
Most importantly, he wondered what he should do in a position like this. She had previously comforted him when he expressed his displeasure regarding past events before, so it was only right to do the same.
Would this be a good time for a hug or maybe patting her head? Would patting her in the head comfort her or be an insult?
Actually, I think I know what the proper solution to this would be.
…
"So boring…" Spring-Bonnie yawned.
Mike looked up from his computer screen and asked, "Is it?"
"You don't find this boring, Night Guard?"
"I've only had one full night doing this all night. Still, I don't really look at this as whether it's entertaining or not. Just making sure no one is looking to cause an issue."
"Well, if something does happen, we have a night guard to protect us like he did before."
"I suppose."
Mike continued sifting through the camera feeds until he felt a single finger press itself against the back of his seat. With a small flick of the wrist, Spring-Bonnie sent Mike spiraling towards a wall.
The back of the seat hitting the wall, Mike was left wondering whether he should be stunned by this display of strength or the fact there was no signs that he would have crashed into the wall face first.
Suddenly, the animatronic girl rolled in front of him.
"Don't look so surprised, Night Guard, I wouldn't have done that if I thought you would get hurt. Hurting you is the last thing on my mind," she assured him.
"I see…"
"That's it?" Spring-Bonnie tilted her head in confusion. "No snap back like 'Well, you almost snapped me like a twig without trying to.'"
"I know you weren't trying to hurt me then," Mike explained. "Besides, I already insulted you with my insensitive remark regarding your golden hue so I'm not sure if I'm in a position to complain."
"Oh that? That was nothing. It pretty fair to assume that I'm green or whatever."
"Still, I apologize again for that."
Spring-Bonnie was silent for a moment. Did his apology bring back past feelings or perhaps there was something else bothering her?
Suddenly, she hopped on top of Mike's lap. The closeness of their bodies brought on from her sudden embrace caused his cheeks to faintly glow red.
"You can't be saying things like that, Night Guard," she said with a concupiscent smile.
"I was only…"
"I know but you know I have a weakness for cute guys and then you being nice and thoughtful for the last two weeks…"
Spring-Bonnie ran her fingers through Mike's hair.
"…and I'm just so super affectionate."
"S-Spring-Bonnie… Ah…"
Mike's head was filled so many conflicting thoughts and his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. Something was about to happen, and he didn't know what to do or say.
As he sat there frozen, Mike noticed something strange. There was a noticeable change in Spring-Bonnie's eyes. At first there was interest as always, but that slowly changed into curiosity, then surprise.
Without any notice, Spring-Bonnie threw herself back into her chair and slowly rolled back to Mike's desk.
"Spring-Bonnie?"
She was being unexpectedly quiet again. Suddenly letting him go and the melachonic expression floating on her face reminded him of what happened on his third night.
"I'm… I'm weak against cute guys and I'm super affectionate. But… You really don't like it when I'm like that around you, huh?" Spring-Bonnie confirmed. "I kinda convinced myself that you were just shy and emotionally guarded but I just saw Mangle's expression on your face."
"…I see."
"I'm probably the reason you'd want to get out of here as soon as possible, huh?"
"You're referring to my questioning what I was hired for."
Mike wasn't surprised that Spring-Bonnie was able to catch the possible implications behind his question. It was nowhere near subtle and the way he asked made it understandable that was what anyone would take from it.
"I don't want to guilt you and I know what Charlie said is true but…"
Mike shook his head and rolled closer. "Spring-Bonnie… I'm not good at connecting with others, but I wasn't trying to imply that I would hate the idea, nor do I have a problem with you in particular."
"You don't?" Spring-Bonnie marveled.
"You seem to think my aversion to your physical flirtations means that I have a low opinion of you, but I don't," Mike assured her.
"…You don't?"
Mike nodded his head.
"Despite a rough first meeting and past aversions, you showed that that wasn't all you cared about. You've asked me whether or not I was okay, you restrained yourself when you saw I was afraid, you led me to Marionette when I was feeling down and even tried to net me an even higher salary.
Really, how could I find one of the people that's showed me such kindness annoying to the point of wanting nothing to do with them?
It's also unfair to compare yourself to the men who traumatized Mangle. It's a bit more complex than a mere double standard as you've treated me more than just an objective and have shown me genuine affection and care, something I can't say for them. Not to mention, that you've stopped when you realized how uncomfortable I was with it.
As for my own aversions, I think I'm just not comfortable with someone I haven't know for long throwing themselves at me like that. I may just be old-fashioned there.
And for my thoughts of connecting to everyone and leaving… Just between you and me, it may be easier on everyone if I left as soon as I could, but despite that, I have no intentions of actually abandoning you and the others and force another potentially lengthy wait for someone else that fits the qualifications Charlie had laid out.
Do you understand?"
Spring-Bonnie didn't give a response, verbal or physical. She jus stared at him.
"Spring-Bonnie?"
"…I see," she finally said. "I get it."
A bright smile crossed her face.
"I get it, Night Guard."
It was a relief that she understood what he meant and responded positively to it.
"Hey… I know you're uncomfortable with me being super affectionate, but I can still give you a friendly hug, right?" Spring-Bonnie requested.
"…Of course."
Bearing no hesitation, Mike allowed Spring-Bonnie to gently pull him in a soft embrace.
"Yeah, this is just as nice."
"Hm."
"You know what would also be nice?"
"What?"
"If you would help me level up my Pikachu."
"I'm not doing that again," Mike stated as flatly as possible.
"Ugh…" Spring-Bonnie once again let Mike go and rested her head on his left shoulder. "I can't blame you. Could I at least stay here for moral support?"
"If you would like to."
Many hours of constant grinding and losses later…
"Haha! Beat Onyx with a little HP left to spare!" Spring-Bonnie cheered. "Somehow makes all the fainting worth. Good thing you told me to buy everything I needed beforehand."
"And because of your level, Mt. Moon should not be much of an issue," Mike added.
"Alright! Now I don't feel bad about being so far behind everyone; I got a braggable achievement."
Mike glanced down at his phone. His shift was almost over.
Rather quiet for the most part.
Letting his mind wander for a bit, Mike soon noticed something peculiar protruding from the right doorway. It was a white fox tail.
"Mangle?" Mike called.
The tail disappeared from sight before Mangle slowly walked in.
"Hey, Mangle," Spring-Bonnie excitedly greeted. "Guess who's the second person here to beat Onyx with Pikachu only?"
Genuine curiosity filled Mangle's face as she asked, "You did? But how?"
"The same thing Night Guard did, grind until I beat 'em with Quick Attack. And like him, I'm never doing that again."
"Wow. That had to take a long time."
"Exactly why we're not doing it again…"
Mental fatigue was beginning to supersede the excitement Spring-Bonnie gained from her achievement. What if it was just a flash in the pan victory?
Shaking her head, she soon caught a glimpse of something in between Mangle's hands. It was something meticulously wrapped up like a gift.
"What's that in your hand?" Spring-Bonnie asked.
"This? Um…" Magnle's tail quickly wagged from side to side as she timidly shifted her gaze to Mike. "It's for you."
"Me?"
"Mm-hmm. Um…"
Mangle looked down at the package then back at Mike.
"Um…" She looked down again then back at Mike. Without saying a word, she approached his desk and delicately sat it down. "Here."
What could this be? That question made it nearly impossible to resist opening it right away.
"This is…"
What lied inside was a security guard uniform. The very thing he learned that he really did need was finally in front of him.
"Sorry, it took so long to get to you," Mangle apologized. "I wanted to make sure that it was good enough."
"You made this, Mangle?"
"Mm-hmm. Arts and crafts are something I did a lot with others in my cove. It wasn't much to make a uniform."
Perhaps it wasn't much to her, but what he held in his hands looked well made. He could even call it higher quality than most made from an actual manufacturer. "I see… Thank you, Mangle."
"Well, aren't you going to try it on?" Spring-Bonnie urged. You still have some time before you have to leave."
"Right… Excuse me."
Mike walked out of the room, prompting Spring-Bonnie to hang her head and sigh.
"What's wrong, Spring-Bonnie?" Mangle asked. "You look disappointed."
"I thought I'd be able to see the real-life version of your drawing just now…" the golden rabbit explained with another sigh.
Mike entered the closest bathroom and stepped into the first empty stall.
It was strange. Despite what he mused about last morning, he was putting on a guard uniform. Completely unqualified for any security position and wondering about his future, and yet he had no reservations about putting it on at all.
Was it because it was a gift, or was it something else? It wasn't like he understood himself that well sometimes.
Mike buttoned up his shirt and neatly placed his accompanying cap on his head. He then stepped out of the stall and stared at the reflective image that greeted.
It was as if he was looking at a stranger and yet, it didn't really bother him.
"Mike Schmidt: Security Guard at Freddy Fazbear's."
Nodding his head, Mike walked out of the bathroom to find everyone in the hallway. They were eyeing him from head to toe.
"Wow… You did a great job as usual, Mangle," BB complimented.
"You think?"
"Don't be so humble, Mangy," Foxy said, playfully ruffling Mangle's hair. "It's great!"
Another strange sight happened before Mike's eyes. He'd realize that he had never seen Mangle laughing or acting so lively before.
It was a nice sight to see.
"What's going on here?"
The sound of jingling keys drew everyone's attention to Charlie.
"Hey, the uniform's finished," she noted.
"Yes," Mike said.
"Does it feel a bit ironic to get it at the end of your shift?"
"A little."
Though it was ironic, perhaps it was good to receive it now.
"Alright, I'll be taking my leave now."
As he began to leave, Mike could hear everyone saying their goodbyes. It always was strange to receive such cheerful partings with implications regarding an eagerness to see him again soon.
It was something he hadn't heard in a very long time. But there was something that bothered him this time, something that caused him to stop his departure.
He felt something inside of him urging him to give him a specific response.
A response to their goodbyes to "Night Guard".
He looked back and met eyes with everyone.
"Mike," he introduced himself. "Please call me Mike from now on."
