"Freddy!" Gregory runs up the moment after Vanessa opens the doors the following morning. She follows suit at a normal pace, chuckling at how Gregory is a pint-size blueberry compared to Freddy's rather tall statue. She also notes the lack of enthusiasm behind that smile as the animatronic greets them. He thinks I'm here to decommission Chica. Time to change that.
"We got something for you," she hands him some papers. They watch as he glances over the documents, an expression of confusion displayed. "I do not understand. This looks like a confirmation receipt for a purchase."
"Yes, but not just any purchase; it's costly equipment." Vanessa answers. Gregory babbles away, updating Freddy on what had occurred. She sees the animatronics' expression go from confused to listening to displaying remnants of hope as the one-sided conversation continues. Considering that she spent the entire check-in two minutes, it will be worth it. Luckily, they had discounts for first-time visitors. Unluckily, the shipping & handling costs were astronomical and ate away at the remainder of the money.
"Chatter-boy's right Freddy," Vanessa adds once Gregory finishes. She couldn't stop smiling herself, feeling a win. "We get the software and equipment, and we can update and restore Chica. She will be back to herself in no time."
"That is great news!"
"What news?" Monty inquiries alongside Roxy and Sun, riding on Roxy's shoulders (to the wolf's dismay). Gregory was out of breath from his excitement, leaving Vanessa to explain to them. Based on the motions, Sun seemed happy as he clapped his hands, hopped off Roxy, and did a dance. "My, my. That is great news!"
Monty and Roxy, on the other hand, had reservations. "Ya kidding me? After she nearly destroyed all of us the other night, we want to give her a chance? Just dump the duck."
"Yeah, I'm with Monty, for once. This isn't going to work."
"Chica was not herself, and we are getting a system update to prove otherwise. How would you like it if you got destroyed over something you could not control? Like your anger issues Monty? Or perhaps we should replace Roxy since she cannot stop doubting herself? Heaven forbid these quirks could affect our fans."
"Hey!"
"You take that back!" Monty and Roxy sneer at Freddy, maintaining his composure and head shakes. "Just as I thought. We are doing this for Chica. It is only fair we give her a chance before we reconsider."
"You can give cheek beaks a chance. I ain't a part of this." Monty stormed off.
"Yeah, I'm out too. Good luck with whatever fantasy you guys want to dabble in."
"We plan too." Freddy retorts, although the two are no longer in the area. He lets out a sigh. "Perhaps it is the best for Chica's sake. She does not need anyone outside a strong support group." Freddy states. Vanessa and Gregory exchanged quiet, surprised looks during the argument. They never heard the determination and firmness in Freddy's voice.
Sun, on the other hand, chuckles at their disbelief. "You two need to live here 24/7! It is quite the comedy, and this is why Freddy's the leader and mascot." He explains, clapping his hands. "But you can count me in. I will help out wherever I can!"
"Thanks, Sun," Vanessa sighs. "Okay, step one is achieved. Now we just wait for Chica to wake up and go from there."
Recalibrating... 26%... Recalibrating... 68%...
Recalibrating... 79%... 92%...
100%. Recalibration Complete. Chica online.
Back in the charging station again? Chica doesn't remember returning here. And what time was it? Her settings seemed off. She is sure that it's 2030 and not 4 a.m. on a Thursday in October 1987. After a while of getting her data up to date, she felt her circuits were extra light; she had to be here long enough to feel overcharged. Chica steps out of the charging pod, leaving the backroom and into Rockstar Row. It was quiet. She looks for Freddy, followed by Roxy and Monty in their green rooms, only to find them unoccupied.
"Maybe everyone's getting ready for the birthday performance tonight." She assures herself before her eyes widen, letting out a squawk. "The party! I've got to get to Parts and Services!" She reenters her greenroom, through the back room, and into the elevator. Afterward, she dashes down the chamber into Parts and Services. "Freddy?!" She calls. "Vanessa? Gregory? Anyone here?" She looks from room to room. No responses from any of her friends.
"Where is everyone?" She leaves Parts and Services, navigating through the underground utility tunnels. She reaches the Atrium, horrified at the sight of a red substance being scrubbed by cleaning bots with brushes. Please tell me that is not blood. She takes in the broken tables and chairs in a dumpster on wheels. She approaches the bots when they skitter away from her. The more she tried to approach them, the more they moved away. She takes one step, and they take three like they were scared of her. "What happened here?"
"Chica!" She sees Vanessa on the other side of the Atrium, gesturing her over. She rumbles across the area, ignoring the bots avoiding her and in front of the woman. "Ness, what's going on? What happened?"
"Just follow me." She says. Chica obliges, following her to the end of the hall and inside one of the bright conference rooms Chica had only been in once or twice. She didn't know what to expect, walking in to see Freddy, Gregory, and Sun smiling at her. Or when she had been ushered into the room, the door closed behind Vanessa, she felt like she was being led to having her head chopped off. What? It happens to the real-life chickens she was based on.
"Uh? What's going on here?" she starts with a nervous chuckle. "Are we having a guillotine ceremony?"
"Cheeks," Vanessa starts. "Nothing's wrong. We just want to have a chat."
That doesn't sound promising. "You guys are freaking me out. Why are you being so weird –" she pauses before she gasps. "Oh! You're kicking me out!?"
"What?"
"Is this because I missed the party?" Chica frantically asks. "I swear I didn't mean to; I thought I was... In my head, I was there."
"Oh no, friend, you were there. Quite the life of the party, I must add." Sun mumbles, and Gregory nudges him.
"Please don't kick me out!"
"We are not kicking you out, Chica," Freddy grabs ahold of her shoulder to settle her. "We wanted to speak with you about your," Freddy pauses to say the right words. "Programming encounter."
"Okay?"
"Chica, do you remember when you said you haven't felt like yourself these last few weeks?" Vanessa inquiries, making the animatronic scratch her head, trying to recall past conversations with no effect.
"No. Actually, yes, I had... have? Maybe not. No, I'm sure I did. Didn't? Wait, why does that matter? What is it with these questions?"
"There have been some issues with your programming that made you, not you," Vanessa says firmly.
"That's ridiculous, Vanessa! Who else could be me but me?" She points to herself. Her friends look at each other, and she scoffs. "Where are you guys going with this?"
"Chica, you need to see this." Gregory prompts her attention to the screen – the replay from last night. Sun covers his eyes, stating that he could not rewatch. Chica thought he was being dramatic. She'd thought it would be an embarrassing video of herself making a fool, like a drunken person out of touch with reality. Then she watched the tape. Three seconds in, Chica went from being annoyed to shock by how she saw herself. Up until Vanessa's USB shut down her system, inches away from the girl's face.
Silence endures throughout the room for a while.
"Oh God," Chica whispered, her legs shaking. "Oh God, I did that? I don't remember that. I swear I-" she looks around. "How come I can't remember that?"
"I did a system overhaul, restoring your memories and settings to your last auto-update," Vanessa explains. "It wasn't the best option to put your memories back that long, which reminds me to make a note to update all of your memories more often."
"I couldn't have done that. That can't be me. That – what happened to me?"
"That's what we are trying to figure out."
"You mean, you don't know? You're Vanessa! You've been here for years, and you don't know?!"
"All I know is that the technology we have currently sucks and needs to be brought to the 21st century. The equipment's on its way, and we'll have you back to yourself in no time. Gabe gave us two weeks before he wants you decommissioned. The earlier we start, the better. So, what do you say?"
It was a lot for her to take in. The aftermath of that night continues to haunt her. How she was throwing people everywhere, disabling her friends, and even flipping Monty, who was three times her weight, how she had tossed him like a grain of salt. It scared her, knowing that that monstrous version was her, lurking around for the next attack. That next attack may very well be someone's last. She didn't want it to happen. She wasn't going to let it happen. She wouldn't give that monster a chance to attack her friends or anyone ever again.
Everyone's waiting on a verbal confirmation; she doesn't have the chance to respond. The door opens and enters Gabe. "What are you doing here?" Vanessa asks.
"I come in peace and bearing good news. Follow me to the Atrium." He commands.
In the Atrium, Chica shivers, knowing that this place will never feel the same to her. She takes a glimpse at the cleaning bots finishing their tasks. At least I know that is not blood they are cleaning up. Monty and Roxy were on stage, goofing around in an unlike manner. While Chica wonders why they weren't a part of her 'intervention', something else caught her attention.
Standing between the alligator and the wolf is a tiger. A female tiger. Busty with white and grey skin and black tiger stripes, light bluish-green eyes, an ice blue star designed around her left eye, platinum-blonde hair in a Jheri curl style with dark-colored rainbow tips. She wore a black leather jacket with fringes coming off and the pauldrons, a black retro high-waist bikini bottom, and a spikey belt that exposed her stomach. Chica could already tell that Monty had a crush on her, acting like a mindless idiot with Roxy soaking in every moment (possible for blackmail material later on), but who is she?
With a gleaming smile, Gabe announces. "Everyone, I would like for you to meet Tessa. Fazbear Entertainment's newest guitarist for the PizzaPlex."
