It is a widely accepted belief that geniuses, or more broadly those of impressive intellect, listen to very specific genres of music to inspire their creativity. Classical, orchestral, and jazz are three examples commonly associated with these individuals as if they aren't allowed to like anything else. And to be honest, William Afton never understood that; he had no distaste for those genres, but just because he was smart, he didn't feel the need to gravitate towards them. Whether in his youth or as an adult, William Afton knew what kind of music he preferred to listen to, something that would fill him with vibrant energy to fuel both his body and mind.
This is why his favorites were synthwave and rock, a fact that next to no one knew about him. Although, to be fair, not many knew anything about William Afton, to begin with. However, there was ONE person who knew this closely kept detail about himself, someone who could freely come and go through the private and secured areas of his main office that only he frequented. And that someone just so happened to be walking towards William's workshop, as he was currently inside of it, at this very moment.
"Hmph, that music's as loud as ever." Ballora thought, her footsteps the only other sound apart from the muffled music that could be heard from the workshop. "I swear. How often must I tell him not to play it at such a high volume? It'll damage his hearing." She wondered, those motherly instincts of hers kicking in.
The music gradually got louder as she got closer, to the point that as she stood outside of the heavily secured door that led into the room, it was barely being dampened by the walls. Standing perfectly still as the camera above the entrance confirmed her identity, the same technology used at their testing facilities, once Ballora was identified, it unlocked, allowing her entry. Pulling it open, the first thing she saw beyond the entryway was the backside of her employer, bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music as he worked without a care in the world. Surprisingly, the workshop itself was fairly normal.
Tables filled with various projects and early-stage machinery littered most of the space. A desk with a computer lay against the adjacent wall. And in the center of the room was the main workspace that William used in the center of the area. As for where the music was coming from, it was being played through a speaker system he'd set up in the four upper corners of the workshop, with the source of the music being a program on William's computer.
"Mister Afton," Ballora spoke up, not needing to speak louder than the music as she knew he would hear her.
"Ah, Ballora." William greeted her as he turned around. "I wasn't expecting to see you for the rest of the night." He admitted.
"You should know by now that I will always give you my final report before going to sleep, sir." She told him before she closed her eyes. "But before we continue, could you PLEASE turn off that music?" She requested.
"Pause!" He exclaimed, which was detected by a mic he had connected to his computer, and by extension, the program that played the music. "There, is that better?" He asked when it stopped.
"Very." She answered, reopening her eyes. "I'm sorry, sir. But you play it so loud. It's hard to think. I'm truly amazed YOU can get any work done with it blaring like that." She confessed.
"Heh, we're all different, Ballora. You prefer silence, and I can't concentrate unless there's music filling my ears." He said.
"Still, does it have to be so noisy? I can hear it even as I step out of the elevator, sir." She told him.
"It helps me to appreciate the finer details of the songs. All of the instruments and how the musicians play them. There are subtle touches that every artist and group puts into their work that I like to pay attention to." He explained. "But enough about that. You came to tell me your report for today, so let's hear it." He requested.
"Yes, sir." She complied. "Nothing of importance occurred at any of our locations. They each conducted their intended business without any issues." She began, getting the basics out of the way. "As for the internal investigation into our staff, so far, everyone has been cleared of any suspicion. I still would like us to finish examining every member of the company, but your assumption that this was an outsider is becoming more likely." She informed.
"Hence why I spent my time today looking at potential leads." He stated as he folded his arms over his chest. "I can easily rule out any of our competitors. They're barely capable of rivaling us regarding the food we serve, let alone my technology. This leads me to believe that we're dealing with a rogue. An admittedly talented person who got bored one day and decided to test their skills by infiltrating the company in any capacity." He told her.
"But sir, the hacker tampered with the children's beds. The possibility that they accessed them without realizing what they were is incredibly low." She argued.
"That's true. However, at this stage, we can't rule anything out. All we know is that whoever this person is, they're entirely self-interested and infiltrated us purely for their entertainment. The problem with dealing with such an individual is that you don't know what they'll do next as their motivation is nothing more than a good laugh." He sighed, frustrated by the situation.
Noticing that mister Afton's mood was declining as they continued to discuss this, Ballora decided to change the topic for now to improve it.
"Sir, I hope you don't mind my asking. But what are you working on?" She asked as she tilted her head slightly to look behind him. "I assumed you wouldn't do anything until our current problem was resolved." She stated.
"That was my intention. However, I needed a break for a few hours; I would have gone insane otherwise." He replied. "And to answer your question, well, consider the mess of parts behind me as in-progress builds for a new set of animatronics I have in mind." He revealed.
"Oh? I didn't know you were planning to expand the roster." She admitted.
"That's the nature of business, Ballora. Expand. Expand. Expand. Expand." He said multiple times for emphasis. "Sadly, at the moment, I've only got a few ideas fully figured out. Two of them will be performers, much like Freddy and the gang, while the other is an entirely new type of animatronic that we haven't tried before." He informed.
"Would you care to specify, sir?" She asked, intrigued by what he meant.
"Hmm...no. It'd ruin the surprise." He answered. "But I will give you a hint. Our most recent hire inspired me." He shared.
"Mister Schmidt? How?" She inquired.
"Ah, ah, ah, no more hints." He teased with a wag of his finger. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until I'm finished, Ballora." He told her.
"Oh, woe is me. How shall I go on?" She playfully asked, much to his surprise.
"Why, Ballora. That's a rather whimsical tone I don't hear too often from you." He noted. "Has mister Schmidt perhaps affected you as well?" He suggested.
"Come now, sir. Is it truly so surprising to hear me speak in such a way that you consider it unusual?" She questioned.
"Yes. I'd say it's as rare as spotting sasquatch." He replied, making her roll her eyes.
"I swear. You and mister Schmidt have far more in common than I realized. You're both exceptionally nonsensical." She said.
"Now THAT sounds more like you." He responded.
However, before either of them could continue the conversation, it was interrupted by the sound of William's phone ringing, which was inside of his suit jacket's inner pocket.
"Who in the world would be calling me at this hour?" He asked as he took the device out and answered it. "Hello?" He greeted.
"Uh...hello?...Sir?..." The voice of the very security guard they were talking about came from the other end.
"...Mister Schmidt?" He questioned after a second of silence, a bit stunned to be hearing from him. "How did you get my number?" He asked.
"You can thank miss Ballora for that, sir. She put it in the guide she gave me as an emergency contact in case something happened." Mike answered.
"Mister Schmidt," Ballora spoke up, joining in on the conversation. "I have only been gone for approximately thirty-five minutes. HOW could something have happened in that amount of time?" She inquired.
"Heh...yeah...that's...a fair reaction..." He replied, sounding very nervous. "Which is why...I hope...you'll be understanding when I tell you this next part..." He said before he proceeded to inform them of what had happened.
Meanwhile, At The Test Facility...
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...WHAT?!" Ballora's voice shouted through the phone, even managing to echo into the rest of the building.
After the power went out and the children had a brief moment of petrifying panic, Mike hurried through the facility to gather them together so they wouldn't be scared. Of course, before he did that, he tried to get the power back on by pressing the button that turned it off a second time, which did nothing. However, in what had to be the universe once again pulling a "Funny Ha Ha" at Mike's expense, the ONLY things in the place that still had power were the children's beds, the appliances in the kitchen, and...the security office. This meant that the door, which had been the catalyst for this entire situation, was still shut, leaving Foxy trapped inside the room.
However, there was ONE shining light amidst the chaos, quite literally, since the light from the office poured out of the windows, meaning that a small portion of the hallways was illuminated. So, here they all were, Mike and the kids, he and four of them sat outside the security office in the light while Foxy remained in the leather chair. Oh, and he made sure to grab the guide from the main area to call mister Afton, which he had done just now, to tell him what was going on. Unfortunately, Ballora was also there, and from the tone of her voice after Mike finished recounting the events that led up to the present, she...didn't sound too pleased, to put it mildly.
"Uh oh...she's mad..." Freddy whispered so Ballora wouldn't hear through the phone.
"I don't think I've heard Ballora get angry before..." Chica nervously shared at the same volume.
"Oh...joy...first I win her over...then I'm the first person to incur her wrath..." Mike thought, having winced at the sudden shout from his phone.
"Ballora, calm down. This isn't something to get worked up over." They heard William's voice say, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Calm down?! Foxy is TRAPPED inside of the security office!" Ballora exclaimed. "Why are YOU so calm about this?!" She asked.
"Because from how mister Schmidt described the scenario, no one was injured. And from what I understand, they're all still safe and okay. Right, children?" He answered, speaking to the kids at the end.
"Yes!" All five responded, Foxy speaking a little louder since he was behind glass.
"See? This is just another surprise, like when the children woke up last night. But unlike then, this isn't due to someone hacking anything. It's merely a series of unfortunate events that happened in sequence." He said.
"Mister Afton, you are truly too good for this world..." Mike thought with his eyes closed, grateful for how reasonable and understanding his boss was.
"Sir, in all due respect, you have LOST your MIND," Ballora told him, catching everyone off guard. "Children, don't you worry, I am on my way right now to get this mess sorted out. I'll be there in just a few minutes." She promised before she walked away.
"Ballora! Wait! Don't you dare get in that elevator without me!" William tried to stop her before he gave chase.
The call ended a second later, leaving Mike sitting on the floor staring at his phone in absolute horror.
"...Mike?" Freddy spoke a few moments afterward; he and his siblings worried about their caretaker as he wasn't saying anything.
"...She is going to kill me..." Mike muttered as he ended the connection on his phone. "Miss Ballora is going to lay me out and use me as the welcome mat for the front of the building..." He said.
"Hey! Don't say that!" Foxy exclaimed from inside of the office. "This is my fault! Not yers!" He added.
"I appreciate you taking responsibility, Foxy. But at the end of the day, it is MY job to look after all of you and make sure things like this don't happen. And on my very first night as your caretaker, I managed to send the building into total darkness. NOT a good first impression." He replied.
"But you didn't know that would happen! You were trying to help!" Chica argued.
"Help a situation that miss Ballora thinks I should've prevented. Which she isn't wrong. Part of my job is making sure you guys don't do stuff like this." He countered.
"There's five of us and one of you! Those aren't fair odds! Something like this was bound to happen!" Goldie exclaimed, which made him raise a brow.
"So...are you trying to say one grown man who was taught how to handle children for a living isn't capable of doing precisely that when he only has five children to look after?" He questioned.
"I...well...you...you took it the wrong way!" She responded.
"No, I took it exactly how miss Ballora would if you said that to her. And she would've told you the same thing I did." He corrected.
"...Mike?" Bonnie spoke up as she slowly walked over to his side. "You...You aren't going to leave...right?" She asked.
When she asked that, everyone fell silent, especially Mike, as he needed to think for a second about how he would answer.
"Well...I don't think so...your papa sounded pretty understanding of what happened, and as he told me the other day, it's up to him whether or not I still have my job. So, I think we're okay there." He answered. "However, I have a feeling miss Ballora's going to insist on some kind of probation for me. Like, maybe I'll only be allowed to watch you guys for a few hours before she takes over and sends me home early. Until she feels like she can trust me to be alone with you again." He suggested.
"No! That can't happen!" Chica refused before she suddenly hugged him. "We want YOU to look after us!" She exclaimed.
"But why?" He questioned, making her look up at him. "We've only known each other for a couple of hours throughout half a night and the beginning of one. Why're you guys so attached to me so soon?" He asked.
"Because! You're the first friend we've ever had!" She answered, tears now forming in her eyes. "Papa always kept us away from others. He said we might scare them, and they would hurt us by accident like what happened with Foxy in the arcade. Or there might be some people who would WANT to hurt us by taking us apart." She explained as she buried her face into his chest. "B-But you aren't scared! Y-You helped Foxy after he got hurt! Y-You wanted to meet us! You even c-came to our room and drew p-pictures! That makes you our friend! And we d-don't want to lose our first friend!" She exclaimed before she broke down crying.
Hearing their sister say all of that and seeing her cry like this made the others sad too, which is why Freddy, Goldie, and Bonnie all came over to Mike so they could hug him as well. As for Mike, he didn't know what to say; it hadn't occurred to him that he was the first person beyond their papa and miss Ballora who accepted and treated them no differently than any other child. However, Mike, like them, wasn't sure how things would play out once they got here, so for now, he just returned the children's embrace to try and make them feel better.
Meanwhile, In A Car...
"Ballora, you're seething," William said, keeping himself at a safe distance from his assistant. "I think I can even see smoke rising from your head." He joked.
Similar to how Ballora had never seen William be so furious with anything before the hacker, he had never seen her become so enraged before this incident at the test facility. Funnily enough, both had to do with the children, so he fully understood where her anger was coming from.
"Sir, NOT. NOW." She firmly told him, not in the mood for any banter.
"Easy there, Ballora. Remember, you're a person, not a beast. So try not to bite me with those bared fangs of yours." He carried on, which only added kindling to the fire.
"Sir, this is a crisis! WHY are you treating it as if it's some casual mishap?!" She asked.
"Oh yes, what a horrible tragedy that's befallen us this day. Foxy's stuck inside of a room-sized bunker; he and the other children are alright, and the only thing we'll need to do when we get there is free him and turn the lights back on. Truly, this is the darkest moment in Fazbear Family history." He answered.
In response, Ballora slowly turned to look at him; the pink color of her eyes changed to that of a bright red.
"THIS. IS NOT. FUNNY." She said, being one good push away from becoming ballistic. "Mister Schmidt is responsible for both the building and the children! And yet, at the start of his first shift with them in his care, THIS happens! Are you not thinking of all the OTHER situations that could happen if THIS was the first?!" She questioned.
"Ballora. Calm down." He said as he reached over and put his hand on hers, his tone now serious. "Please. Take a moment to let your mind relax. It won't do the children any favors if they see you in this state. You could frighten them." He told her.
That got through to Ballora; the last thing she wanted was to scare the children in any way. So, she did as Willaim advised by leaning back into her seat and closing her eyes to unwind.
"That...is a good point..." She acknowledged as she breathed out a sigh. "The children shouldn't see me like this. I DON'T want them to see me like this." She stated, much to his relief.
"Okay, good. This is progress." He replied while she focused on her breathing. "And now that you're less agitated, perhaps we can discuss what you are going to say to mister Schmidt when we arrive?" He suggested.
To William's pleasant surprise, when Ballora reopened her eyes, they returned to their normal pink pigment, which he took to signify that the following conversation would remain civil.
"He's fired." She calmly said, which made him sigh.
"No. Mister Schmidt is NOT fired." He denied.
"I refuse to let him be alone with the children. I thought he would be a capable caretaker; I was wrong." She told him.
"Ballora, even if we ignored the fact that mister Schmidt didn't run screaming out of the building when Foxy attacked him the other night. Are you sure you want to get rid of someone who willingly read through my notes and ALL of the additional detailed information regarding the children? That's no small feat; I doubt the poor man even understood most of what I'd written." He asked.
"I fail to see the argument you're making with that question." She answered.
"Mister Schmidt CARES for the children. That's what I'm trying to convey. This isn't just a job, nor did we compel him to stay by offering a raise or some other incentive. He is doing all he can to understand what they are and how he can effectively watch over them and keep them safe. I'd think that you of all people would appreciate such a quality in a person." He explained.
Oof, William made a good point there, and Ballora knew it. Despite being ambushed both figuratively and literally by all that's happened in the span of two nights, Mike hasn't run for the hills. He's remained firm in his decision to serve as both the nightguard of the test facility and his new responsibility as the children's guardian. And when Ballora thought about how happy the children seemed to be with him and how much they wanted Mike to be around, it made her chest feel tight when she imagined their reaction if he were to leave. Or, more accurately, if he were fired, as she had wanted a minute ago.
And on that note, as Ballora began to reflect on how she acted yesterday, which was the same as her behavior now, it made her feel ashamed since, in both instances, she allowed her concern for the children to get the better of her. As William said, Mike's acceptance of them and his willingness to stay despite having every justifiable reason not to was many things, none of which were bad.
"...Ugh...why am I like this?" She asked with a sigh, putting a hand to her forehead as she did. "I'm never so...unreasonable. And yet, for two days in a row, I've allowed myself to succumb to irrational impulses, which has led me to say things about mister Schmidt that I deeply regret." She said. "Perhaps I need to be examined?" She suggested, which made William chuckle.
"No, I don't think that's necessary." He responded as she looked at him. "What you're experiencing, Ballora, is the dilemma of a mother who can't always be with her kids. So a part of your mind is always focused on the what-ifs. Such as whether or not the children are happy? Are they safe? Did any of them fight with each other? So on, so forth. That is the ENTIRE reason we wanted to get them someone like mister Schmidt. A person we can trust to ensure the building doesn't burn down and the children are content and cared for while we work." He explained.
"Yes, that is true." She acknowledged, letting out another sigh. "Still, it's hard for me. I was there the moment you created them. I spent as much time as I could with them once my tasks for the day were finished. But now I'll get to see very little of the children, and it's...hard for me." She confessed.
Oh, William was well aware. Long before the facility had even finished its construction, he could see the mere thought of time away from the kids would be very difficult for Ballora to accept. But now that it was happening, and it WOULD continue to happen as time passed, it was starting to affect her far worse than William could have foreseen. This is why he fell silent after that exchange; he set his mind to work on a possible solution to make things better for everyone.
Soon, however, the car came to a stop as it arrived at the facility. And yet, neither William or Ballora got out, each preoccupied with the thoughts that danced in their minds. But as the seconds ticked away and became minutes, Ballora finally exited the vehicle, for they couldn't keep Mike and the children waiting. William followed shortly after, but they didn't say anything else to each other, for both wanted to speak with their nightguard first and foremost.
"Mister Schmidt?" When they entered the building, William called out. "Where are you?" He asked.
"East hallway, sir," Mike answered.
"Alright! Sit tight! I'll have the power restored momentarily!" He promised before turning to Ballora, "I assume you'll be headed his way to free Foxy?" He inquired.
"Yes. In a moment. I...need to consider what I will say afterward." She replied.
Nodding to show he understood, William left her company and headed for the arcade.
"Alright. Remain calm. Do not allow yourself to overreact like before." She thought as she breathed in and out.
Once she had her emotions under control, Ballora walked to the east hallway. When she arrived, the first thing she saw was Mike and most of the children seated on the floor, all of them huddled together within the white light that came from the security office's window. As for Foxy, he was still sitting in the leather chair, something that Ballora wouldn't see until she got closer. And, during all of this, no one said anything; not the children, not Mike, and not Ballora, it was deathly silent the entire time.
But when she stood in front of the door, her back to Mike and the kids, Ballora would end the quiet by speaking.
"Foxy, are you okay?" She asked, needing to check on him.
However, Foxy didn't respond verbally; he just nodded his head while avoiding eye contact. Although knowing why he didn't say anything, Ballora was still surprised since she'd never seen Foxy like this.
"That's good. Now, give me a moment, and I'll have you out of there." She promised before she focused on the door.
"Wait...what?" Mike questioned, confused by her statement. "Does miss Ballora have a remote or some kind of device that'll let her access the security system?..." He wondered.
She must've. Because almost immediately after Ballora had said that, the door retracted into the frame, leaving Mike stunned and worsening his confusion. But before he could try and say something to her about it, Foxy jumped down from the chair and ran straight into Ballora's legs.
"I'M SORRY!" He shouted while hugging her. "I DIDN'T MEAN TO BREAK THE DOOR! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! PLEASE DON'T MAKE MIKE LEAVE! PLEASE!" He begged before he broke down crying.
Seeing Foxy so distraught broke both Ballora and Mike's hearts, neither of them wanting to see ANY of the children be as upset as this.
"Shh, it's okay, sweetie. It's okay." She spoke at a soft volume, her voice as soothing as an angel's. "You don't need to worry. Mister Schmidt's employment with us hasn't changed. And neither has his position of being your caretaker." She promised.
"R-R-R-Really?" He barely hiccuped out, choking on his sobs.
"Yes. I promise." She replied as she reached down and picked him up, putting him against her shoulder. "So please, stop crying. It doesn't suit that wonderfully cute face of yours." She told him.
"*Sniff*...I...I'm not...c...cute..." He sniffled, which made her smile.
"Oh, my mistake. You're a fearsome pirate, the scariest swashbuckler of the seven seas. And no pirate worth his legend would be called cute." She said.
"Y...Yeah...that's right..." He responded, slowly but surely calming down.
During all of this, Mike watched on with the other children, amazed beyond words by what he saw. Maybe it was the light cast on both Ballora and Foxy from the office, perhaps it was the darkness that surrounded them, or it could be a combination of both. Whatever the reason, as Mike looked at Ballora and Foxy embracing each other, all he could see was a mother comforting her son, a relationship that he didn't fully recognize until right now.
Yet again, before he could say anything, the power was restored, bringing life back to the signs, lights, and other devices in the building that had left when it disappeared.
"Let there be light!" Everyone heard William exclaim from elsewhere in the building. "Sorry! I couldn't resist!" He apologized afterward.
"Well, it seems that everything is back to normal," Ballora said as she continued to soothe Foxy. "Mister Schmidt. Perhaps we should take the children into the main area? I'd like them to be comfortable while we talk with mister Afton." She suggested.
"Yeah, that sounds good." He agreed.
After getting to his feet, Mike, the children, and Ballora with Foxy in her arms all moved to the main area just as William left the arcade to join them.
"Ah, there you all are." He greeted with a clap of his hands. "Tell me, children. Was it scary when the lights went out?" He asked, wanting to see what it was like for them.
However, they didn't say anything; each of them, including the still sniffling Foxy, kept their mouths tightly shut.
"...Right...I seemed to forget about the lingering tension in the air as I was restoring the power." He joked, doing everything he could to try and lighten the mood. "Mister Schmidt, Ballora, I think we need to have a conversation if we're to dispel any fears and concerns the children might have." He told them.
"Yes, sir." They both responded, feeling the same.
Once the children were seated in one of the booths, the three adults left the main area to talk in the prize area, well out of their earshot.
"Before we begin," William spoke when each of them stopped walking. "I would like to explain to mister Schmidt what happened regarding the power. You're undoubtedly confused by that, aren't you?" He guessed.
"That's putting it lightly, sir," Mike confirmed.
"Right, of course. My apologies." He said before continuing. "To start with, I'd like to clarify that Goldie didn't lead you astray. My lovely little snooper was correct in assuming that the doors would open if the security office lost power. However, the office, the security system as a whole, the newly furnished kitchen, and the children's beds are all connected to a separate power source." He explained.
"Which would be?" Mike asked, wanting to know.
"A generator, of my design, of course. Two are located beneath the facility, accessible via a door hidden somewhere in the building." He answered.
"Why wouldn't you tell me about this, sir?" Mike inquired.
"Well, mister Schmidt. Allow me to respond to that with a series of questions of my own. Do you know ANYTHING about generators? How to fix one should it break? Would you have any reason to access said generator apart from this specific situation? Do generators have anything to do with childcare? Would this information be of ANY use to you whatsoever if you could do nothing with it?" He asked, bombarding his employee.
"...Okay...you make a lot of valid points..." Mike answered while holding up a finger. "However, none of that explains why there is a button in the arcade that can cause a blackout." He countered.
"A security precaution. Pure and simple." William stated as he put his hands behind his back. "The only way into this building without crashing a car through one of the walls is the front door. Which will not open under any circumstances unless it identifies the individual trying to gain entry. But in the event, someone managed to get past the door, which would require the same level of effort as breaking into a bank vault. Is it not logical to assume that their first course of action upon seeing you locked inside of the security office would be to find a breaker box to shut off the power?" He explained, ending with another question.
"...So...it's a red herring then?" Mike concluded.
"Precisely, mister Schmidt." He confirmed. "By the time they get into the building, locate your office, then go into every room to find the box, or perhaps get lucky and check the arcade first. That'll leave you with more than enough time to contact the authorities as well as myself. Leaving them with no other options than to flee from the building as the approaching sirens soon reach their ears." He told him.
"...You know, sir. There are simpler ways to scare off intruders that don't involve constructing a mouse trap-like chain effect." Mike responded. Although his boss made SOME sense, it still seemed a little unnecessary.
"You should know by now, mister Schmidt that I am anything but orthodox. I want anyone daring enough to break into any of my properties to be put through the wringer." He informed.
"Note to self, never become mister Afton's enemy." Mike thought, honestly starting to feel sorry for the hacker whenever his boss managed to find them.
"Now, with that out of the way. Let's talk about how things are going to be in light of tonight's incident." He said, moving on to the more important conversation.
"Wait...are...things going to change, sir?" Mike hesitantly asked.
"Yes, they are." He answered, surprising both Mike and Ballora. "Initially, I wasn't planning to do anything. But as Ballora and I spoke with one another on our way here, and as I was restoring the power, I couldn't deny that something needed to be done." He confessed.
"Sir! Wait!" Ballora exclaimed, doing so before Mike could. "I...I didn't know you would consider any of what I said in the car! I wasn't in the best state of mind then!" She reminded.
"No. I'm pretty sure you knew what you were saying. That's why it stuck with me." He argued as he turned towards Mike. "Mister Schmidt, I'm afraid that from tonight onward, you won't be taking care of the children alone." He said.
"Wait, mister Afton, please, I-" Mike began to respond, only to stop once his employer's words sank in. "...Hold on...did...you say I wouldn't be alone?" He asked.
"I did," William confirmed with a nod. "You see, it donned on me that despite your qualifications, you're out of your element. You need someone here to help you get used to dealing with five children who, although loveable and wonderful, can be a far greater handful than what you were ever trained for." He explained before he turned towards Ballora. "Which is why my lovely assistant will now be your partner. And the two of you will take care of the children side by side." He decided.
When they heard that, Mike and Ballora quickly looked at each other with widened eyes, stayed that way for a few seconds, then looked back at their superior.
"We...We're partners?..." Mike questioned.
"Yup." He replied.
"Me...and her...your assistant...together?" Mike continued, currently in a state of shock.
"That's right." He responded.
"I...I don't...where do I even begin?..." Ballora asked as she closed her eyes, needing to put a hand to her forehead. "Sir, that idea cannot work." She said.
"Oh? Why not? Could it be that you DO hate mister Schmidt and despise every molecule of his existence?" He inquired.
"WHAT?! NO! I TOLD YOU, SIR! WHAT I SAID IN THE CAR WAS NOT IN SOUND MIND!" She shouted, horrified that mister Afton would say something like that so casually.
"Phew, that's a relief..." Mike thought, glad to know he and Ballora were still on good terms.
"Then what is it? Because the only explanation for why you wouldn't be able to work together is if you hate him. So, do you?" He asked, continuing to mess with her.
"Sir, I am begging you. PLEASE stop." She requested, hoping that Mike didn't believe any of this nonsense. "The reason why mister Schmidt and I cannot work together is that I am YOUR assistant! Have you somehow forgotten that?!" She questioned.
"Hm, that's true. You ARE my assistant..." He muttered before he snapped his fingers. "Ah, I've got it. Ballora, you're demoted." He decided.
"...What?" She responded, at this point, completely lost on what was going on inside her employer's head.
"Sir, you can't be serious," Mike said, just as confused and bewildered as Ballora.
"Don't test me, mister Schmidt. Otherwise, I'll demote you too." He warned, but in the least threatening tone possible. "Don't worry, Ballora. Your standing in the company will remain the same. My right hand. My second in command. The person who I trust above all else. You'll just be working here from now on." He told her.
"...There's no room for debate on this, is there, mister Afton?..." She asked.
"You can certainly continue to speak. But it'd have the same effect as throwing a pebble against a mountain, I'm afraid." He answered before he started to walk away. "Now then, I'll leave the two of you alone so you can digest this development. As you are, I'll go tell the children the news and assure them that everything is okay." He informed as he headed to the main area.
And with that, everything was suddenly different. Mike and Ballora, who were only supposed to interact with each other every so often, would now be working together to take care of the kids every night.
"...I'm so sorry." Mike apologized after a few seconds, which Ballora wasn't expecting.
"You're...sorry? Why?" She inquired.
"Because, if I hadn't screwed up so badly, then this wouldn't have happened. And you would still be working out of the main office like you're supposed to be." He explained, feeling terrible about this.
"Oh. Oh no, mister Schmidt. Please, don't apologize. This has nothing to do with you." She assured, now also feeling guilty.
"Of course it does! Why else would mister Afton out of NOWHERE make the ONLY person who's as close to him as you are suddenly work in a test facility?! It HAS to be so someone is monitoring me and making sure I don't accidentally lock the kids inside of the refrigerator or something!" He reasoned.
"No, mister Schmidt, I promise it isn't because of what happened with the office." She insisted before she let out a sigh. "I know why mister Afton's done this. It's due to a conversation we had in the car." She admitted.
"What...kind of conversation?" He inquired, hoping she wouldn't mind sharing more details.
"We talked about my behavior, as of late. Specifically, my immediate distrust of you and how my reaction to your phone call was...less than positive." She began, trying to put a good spin on it. "You see, before we planned to entrust the children to a caretaker, it was mister Afton and me who took care of them. Of course, they saw him as their papa, as they should. But to my surprise, they also saw me as a parental figure. And as time went on, I grew to love and cherish the relationship we were forming. However, we eventually realized that the children couldn't be kept at the main office anymore, as we ran the risk of them being discovered. And with that realization, I knew that the days I spent with them were going to end, and it would be someone else's fortune to watch over them." She explained.
Right then, as Ballora finished speaking, did the neurons in Mike's brain finally connect.
"Mike...you might just be the slowest person on planet Earth..." He thought as he closed his eyes out of frustration at himself. "The way she spoke to them, her obvious concern, the freaking guide, for crying out loud! Ballora was the ONLY other person who knew about the kids and spent time with them apart from mister Afton. And then suddenly, some random guy is hired to look after those same kids. If I were her, I'd be on edge too..." He pondered, breathing out a sigh afterward.
"Mister Schmidt?" She addressed, curious as to why he'd fallen silent.
"Ballora, I'm sorry." He apologized again, but he raised his hand in front of himself to keep her from speaking. "And before you say anything, let me clarify. I'm not apologizing for you being...technically demoted. It's because it didn't occur to me until JUST now how hard this must be for you. I should've realized a LOT sooner that you and the kids have a bond of your own. And then here I am, a person you've never met before, who is being left alone with arguably the single most important things in both your and mister Afton's lives. Like I told you yesterday, you have EVERY right to be reacting the way you are. I mean that." He insisted, hoping that she understood she wasn't in the wrong at all.
And she did. Hearing Mike say all of that greatly helped put Ballora's mind at ease. However, she still felt awful that he blamed himself so much when none of this was his fault. So, to try and make things right, she decided to begin their new working relationship with a clean slate.
"Thank you, Mike. I appreciate you saying that. Despite not needing to." She said with a smile.
"...Hold on..." He replied, needing a second to make sure he heard her say that. "Did...Did you just-"
"BALLORA'S GOING TO LOOK AFTER US TOO?!" The voice of Chica suddenly shouted from the main area, interrupting their conversation.
Sadly, Mike couldn't finish that sentence, as both he and Ballora heard the children excitedly leave their booth and hurry towards them.
"Watch out! The horde is coming!" William warned the duo, right as the kids made it into the corridor and ran into the prize area.
And so, as Mike and Ballora were swarmed by the Fazbear Five, William took this opportunity to depart. Seeing no reason to stay now that the kids were in two pairs of capable hands.