A big shout out to Shayonix from Discord, I'm not sure if he has any socials but do feel free to search for a YouTube channel or something, I'll have to ask him for any links which I could paste in here to give him some credit. He helped me out big time with a little issue I had.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

{3:38 AM}

His peace was interrupted by the muffled sound of Bonnie's voice;

"Hey, night-guard~. Would you please open the door for me? We can have so much fun together if you let me in~'

He turned on the light only to stumble back as he saw Bonnie pressing herself against the glass, her tits flattening due to being essentially sandwiched. They weren't as impressive as Freida's since most of the fat went to her ass, but their size was still more than average.

He ripped away his gaze from her tits and instead directed it to her face, then spoke.

"I'm not opening the door, I know what you're trying to do. Listen, can we just talk? Please"

Bonnie was visibly confused and surprised, but her face turned seductive again as she replied in a sensual tone.

"Oh, but what is there to talk about when you could grab my ass and rail it~? Come on, think about it. Just me and you alone in that office having loads of fun throughout the whole night, screaming in ecstasy~"

Colin gulped. The thought did sound appealing, but he had a mission.

"No, Bonnie. I told you, I'm not doing that. Just stop acting and let's talk like respectable adults. We both know what's really going on here and we both know you won't get anywhere if you keep that up. I'll admit, that idea sounds amazing, and don't get me wrong, you look great. More than great even. But I am here for a different reason, that reason being watching over this place and keeping it safe. And if possible, maybe I'll become friends with you and the others"

Now Bonnie was completely and utterly shocked. She didn't even bother hiding it.

She and the other girls had been mascots for years. They had seen and heard everything, and there was little that could surprise them at this point. And they did try. Really, they did. But seeing the good in people became steadily harder as time passed and it was clear that the male adults never changed. And expecting them to do so was more of a joke between the girls, a wishful thought which died and was forgotten long ago.

Which meant that this was the first time that a night-guard tried this. All the other ones either excitedly let them inside the office or begged for mercy by the end. But this… this was new. And Bonnie just couldn't figure out whether he was serious or whether he was trying to make a bad joke. And while he did look interested in her offer, he didn't entertain the thought much -if at all-, unlike the many others before him.

She didn't know what to do. What to say, how to act. What to think. But she knew one person that could immediately recognize a liar. Freida. If Freida said that he could be trusted, then Bonnie had no reason to think otherwise.

She turned around and left, too lost within her thoughts to notice Colin's confused expression. The metallic, sharp sound of the door being raised echoed down the hall, making her ears twitch.

When she got to the dining room, she first came up to Chica to speak with her. Chica was still lying on the table, her hand inside her panties, looking at the camera and obviously waiting for the light to turn red again. It of course didn't.

"Hey there. You can stop doing that now, I don't need to get the night-guard anymore. Actually, we need to gather everyone as soon as possible. We need to talk… We can't do it right now, obviously. Can't have him knowing about the others…" she trailed off, lost within her thoughts again.

Chica stood up and put on her clothes properly. She frowned at the sight of Bonnie looking at seemingly nothing, and being absent-minded. Bonnie had always been very confident. Not as much as some of the others, but still incredibly confident. But now, she seemed lost and confused. She didn't like seeing her like this. Whatever just happened near that office… it affected Bonnie a lot.

"Alright. We'll talk after the night-guard leaves. We'll have about 1 hour until the employees start coming in. That's about as much as The Janitor usually takes, so the day crew will be taking a while, so we'll have some to talk. We don't have to worry about The Janitor however. He won't bother us since we didn't make a mess for once"

"Right… ok, let's tell Freida about this… you know how she gets when she is not informed about big things immediately. Besides, I did come here to talk with her" Bonnie's voice sounded hesitant, sort of absent.

They wordlessly walked to the stage and resumed their positions.

"That was fast. Too fast, actually. You didn't even get anything on you, Bonnie. What happened back there?" asked Freida when the two were silent for a while.

"I… didn't do it…" came the voice of the bunny.

"That's fine, you know we can try again next night. And if by some miracle he survives that we can keep trying. Tough, we still have some time left for tonight, so I don't understand why you didn't make another attempt"

"It's… because I didn't want to"

Chica and Freida looked at her in confusion and concern.

"He… he didn't do anything to you, did he?" Freida voiced her concern.

"That's what I was thinking as well. Did he take advantage of you, Bonnie? Because if he did we'll deal with that fucking pervert in no time. God knows Foxy would jump at the occasion faster than you'd blink. You know how protective she gets"

Bonnie only shook her head 'no'. After a few seconds she spoke.

"I actually wanted to gather everyone to have a talk about him. Something's… different about this one. He's an unusual one"

The three locked their joints and looked forward, appearing deactivated.

"Different how?" Chica asked without opening her mouth.

"He wasn't interested in my offer"

A silence fell like a blanket upon the three for a few moments.

"Y-. You're joking, right?" came the voice of the chicken.

"It must have been some sort of trick. Every night-guard is interested in that offer. Always" spoke the bear.

"True… unless they aren't interested in women, but he didn't strike me as that sort of person. No, he was actually really respectful about it. He told me he only wanted to talk. Not just that, but also become my friend. Your friend too… Do you understand now why I want to gather everyone? This never happened before"

Freida nodded, lost in thought.

"Well, what do you think of him?" asked Chica.

Bonnie was silent for a moment then replied, though she was clearly unsure of her answer.

"Again, he's definitely… different. I don't trust him yet, no way. I want to say that he wants to befriend us so he'll have his way with us, but the thought of him having such intentions feels kind of wrong. Like, it doesn't totally fit him. I could see it being the case, but he just doesn't seem like the others. I don't want to give myself hopes only to have them shattered though, so I'll be careful not to trust him too much and I recommend you girls do the same"

"That's what I was about to say, Bonnie" responded Freida, seemingly having come to a conclusion if you looked at the expression on her face hard enough.

"I have no reason to doubt you, so if you say that this new night-guard might be better than the others then you must have a good reason to think that way. However, please remember how many other night-guards swore to be different only to turn out to be shameless perverts in the end. If you want to give him a chance then I can't stop you, but I can warn you, and that's exactly what I'm doing right now. Just don't get too attached to him like Mangle did with the other guy" she continued.

"I know. Thank you for having my back, Freida"

"Always. And you know what? I might pay this guy a visit. If he'll survive the next night that is. I doubt he'll come back, but if he will then he'll have to deal with Foxy and Mangle and we all know how those 2 are. How about you, Chica?"

"Well, I'll admit. When I was putting on a show like I usually do, he wasn't looking at the cameras that much, even less so at the camera I was on"

"Huh. Now that's… interesting. But he was curious, wasn't he?"

"Without a doubt. Every time I do it, that little red light stays on for more than it should and this time it was no exception. Most guys keep watching and watching until… well, we all know what happens then. But he didn't. He either shut off the tablet or moved to a different camera because I know for a fact that the little red light turned off 2 separate times, and for a considerable period as well. He was clearly interested, but actually focused on surviving compared to the others"

"Well now you've convinced me. I absolutely will pay him a visit if possible"

"Speaking of which, I think I might meet him in a moment. I'm curious about him"

"Understandable. Be careful though, that's all I'm going to say"

"Sure! I'll be quick, don't worry"

"Good. This place will open soon, so I trust you to make it back in time"

Chica unlocked her joints then climbed down the stage, then made her way towards the office.

Bonnie and Freida watched her disappear from their view.

{3:55 AM}

"So. Are you ready to deal with The Predecessors?" asked the bunny.

"Ugh. I honestly don't know. Don't get me wrong, I respect them a lot. And I also understand their circumstances. God knows I'd never be able to deal with what they faced, poor girls. But they can be such a headache…" the bear responded in light frustration.

"I totally understand. Hell, even I get annoyed. We can only hope they won't go too crazy this time…"

Freida shuddered at that statement.

"Indeed…"

"...hey Freida?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you ever… get tired of this? Of doing the same thing over and over? It's madness. I am just… tired. So, so tired. I have to admit, just looking at men fills me with such a rage that I feel like I might burst. But when it gets dark… when the convention shuts down and only we and the night-guards remain… I can't help but dream of a reality in which we aren't seen as lewd machines built for pleasure. A reality in which we aren't so hateful. A reality in which we are l-loved" her voice cracked at the last word. These were not new questions. They sometimes had this same discussion when it got particularly difficult.

Freida gave an uncharacteristic, long sigh.

"I feel the same way Bonnie. Really, I do. But we both know that letting those guys leave those doors and see the light of day will only hurt so many other people. It will break the hearts of so many other girls. Besides, God knows I wouldn't be able to perform properly without releasing all that hate beforehand"

"You're right… but what I mean is that I am sort of tired of feeling so hateful all the time. I can't help it, I just get so angry with… well, all of this. And if it's this bad for me then I don't want to know what it's like for The Foxes. And that's not all. I don't want to just stop doing the same thing night after night, but I guess even having this job doesn't have its charm anymore. I am utterly bored of singing those same stupid songs, performing for no particular reason… At first we had the kids, but now it's only perverted men ogling us. It's not the same. This place is slowly falling apart, becoming less relevant. I'm sure you can see it as well"

"I can. And you're right about everything. I suppose this business was doomed from the start. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that we have it better than our predecessors did. Far better… But we cannot lose hope, Bonnie. We can only dream of things becoming better. Because what else is there to do?"

They both finished talking as Chica came back. She settled on the stage then locked her joints.

"How was it?"

"Better than expected. You were right, Bonnie, he's different. He tried so hard to not stare at my shapes, it was so cute. I can confirm that he only wants to be friends with us. Which is… very unusual, it feels out of place, but it also feels kind of nice. It's a positive change. I'm not 100% sure of him, but he seems nice overall"

"What did you tell him?" asked Freida in genuine curiosity.

"About what?"

"About him wanting to be our friend. What did you tell him about that?"

"I told him I'll think about it and that I'll speak with you girls. I want to give him a chance but not raise his hopes or mine too much"

"Then I believe that was the wisest course of action you could have taken. I'm glad you like him. What's he like?"

"Ooooh, interested in the new guy, are you Freida? Did he already charm you?"

"Oh, please. You know I just want to form an opinion of him"

"I know, I'm only teasing you. Hmmm, let's see… he is very young, has short black hair. I'm not sure what color his eyes are, they're like a mix between green and blue. He is of average height and build. He is quite calm, not too confident but not too shy either. I didn't get to know him much though, I had to hurry back here since we're opening soon. But, I did get his name. Colin"

"Colin, hmm? I see. He sounds like a decent guy. Oh well. We shall see what will happen tomorrow night. If he'll survive and even change the opinions of the fox sisters, then I'm convinced"

The other 2 nodded.

Silence fell upon the small group as they waited for the sunrays to grace the seemingly devoid building and for the day crew to arrive.

{6:00 AM}

After a few hours the front door opened and in came a middle aged man. Most of his hair was gray and he leaned forward as he walked inside. His shoulders were sagged and he had a forever tired expression on his face.

He passed the stage, looking up at the animatronics which to his surprise were as clean as they could be.

'Could it have been Foxy again? No, she only becomes active on the second night. Mangle behaves the same as well'

He was very perplexed by the sight. 'Maybe the poor kid ran away in fear. No, he doesn't seem like the type to do that. Could it be… that he actually survived? Hmmm. That's a nice thought'

The girls nodded at him in a sort of greeting and show of respect. As much as they acted hostile towards him, it was clear that they also held some form of respect for him, and it only made sense. Without him, the company would have crumbled long ago.

"Did he…?" the man left the question unfinished as he knew they would understand anyway. All three nodded, then Bonnie's left ear twitched in the direction of the office as the sound of footsteps slowly echoed. Freida only flicked her eyes in the same direction to prompt the man to turn around and look.

Walter turned around ever so slowly and gave a sigh of relief upon seeing Colin alive and well, now changed back into the clothes he came in with.

"Son of a gun Colin, you fucking made it. I hope my instructions helped you survive the night"

"You were a huge help, Walter. I just know the outcome would have been different if you wouldn't have called. Though I have to admit, the girls were not as bad as you made them out to be. Chica for example visited me to get to know me better. Hasn't made one attempt at murdering me"

Walter raised an eyebrow and after a second gave a surprised 'huh'. He turned around and looked at Chica then spoke.

"Is that right? Well that's definitely a first. Though, for the life of me I can't figure out why you didn't bother. You certainly weren't as friendly to anyone else"

Chica hesitated for a moment then replied.

"Let's just say… that Colin is a surprising man. He's… different. I think. I'm willing to give him a chance, however befriending him is a whole different story as I already told him. The possibility is there, but that doesn't mean we'll become friends overnight"

She then moved her eyes towards Colin and stopped, her gaze on him so fixed it looked unnatural.

"However. I think it would be a good idea for him to remember that attempting anything funny would obviously lead to a terrible demise. Just one more stain on my t-shirt wouldn't be that big of a problem. After all, that's why we have you, right Walter?" she asked as her gaze suddenly snapped at the aforementioned man.

The janitor slowly nodded then gave a flat "right".

"Don't worry, Chica. It won't be necessary to come to that. I'm only hoping to do my job and earn some money. And while I do that, I'm also hoping to become everyone's friend. You have my word"

"Many gave their word"

"But did they also have something to back up their claims? Perhaps actions? Because I do"

"I… have noticed that. If your further choices will align with what you stated, then I think you won't have to worry about a thing. Just remember that"

"Actions do speak louder than words after all" suddenly spoke Freida. "So far, your actions have impressed me. I really hope that will continue to be the case from now on. Perhaps… you really aren't like the others. But that's only a hypothesis. If things continue well, we might become your friends. But as soon as you'll slip… the word 'bloodshed' would be an understatement for what will await you"

Colin involuntarily shivered.

"Very well then. I'll… keep that in mind. Thank you for giving me a chance, girls"

The animatronics stood silent, stiff as a board and looking straight at the entrance. It was almost as if they never even had a conversation only a second ago.

"Welp, I uh… better go. See you tonight. Thank you as well, Walter. Take care"

"Will do. I'll call you tonight as well. See you tomorrow, kid"

Walter watched as the young man traversed the dining area then opened the doors to the exit. He took in a deep breath while looking at the emerging sun, then disappeared from view as he walked away.

Walter ripped his gaze away then looked around the convention.

"So… what do I do now? It's not often that I don't have to clean up"

"Go home" came the monotone voice of Freida. "Rest. I'm not sure if Colin will survive the next night given the foxes will be active, so it's better if you prepare yourself for a mess"

"You're unfortunately right. I just hope that won't be the case. I'm starting to like the kid. Well, see you girls tonight"

{6:08 AM}

The animatronics stood silent as their gaze followed the man until he too left. With that, they nodded in unison and moved towards the backstage area.

Freida went in first, followed by Bonnie and then Chica.

The sound of a gentle and relaxing music box suddenly came to a stop, and a silence that somehow didn't feel right enveloped the room. And then a new music started playing, this time it was a faster one and it gave the animatronics slight shivers even though they were very familiar with it by now.

The lid of a strangely big present box slowly opened and 2 hands grabbed the edge. A female figure arose, getting steadily taller until it towered over the girls. It looked somehow more humanoid than any of the animatronics and it was very slender.

It raised one of its long legs and stepped out, then did the same with the other leg. It merely held its hands behind its back and looked in what seemed like expectation.

Freida cleared her throat and then took the initiative to speak.

"Good morning, Mary. Bonnie requested a meeting, so I just wanted to ask if you could grab the other 2 while we get the fox sisters?"

The woman was silent for a moment then spoke in a calm tone.

"I can do that. And I am hoping the same thing as you, Bonnie. How could I not? Just wanted to let you know that I understand your position"

"H-how did you know about that?"

"Oh, please dear. You know I hear everything. Now hurry up girls, we have to make this quick. I know that one hour seems like a lot, but it is really not"

The 3 nodded then turned around and left, shutting the door behind them and plunging the room in darkness.

Mary teleported to the Parts and Service room and went around the wall where she found 2 golden relics of the past sitting deactivated on a metallic bench.

She clapped her hands to wake the decayed machines. A short high-pitched beep came from the bunny and her eyes glowed before she seemed to vibrate and then suddenly straightened up.

She seemed confused for a moment then spotted Mary. At this, she opened her muzzle in a sort of smile and her eyes opened wide.

"MARY! I'm so happy to see you! How are you doing, what happened while I was sleeping, what are you doing here?" she asked in a quick succession.

Mary only frowned when she noticed that the bear was not awake yet.

"Hold on Springy, I just have to wake up Goldy because she needs to hear this as well"

The marionette floated towards the bear and then tapped her head softly. This was fortunately successful, as Goldy began her activation sequence.

"Ah, Mary. I'm pleased to see you. It's usually good news when you come here. Oh, let me guess. A new night-guard came in to play? What, did Foxy not get him?"

"Foxy and Mangle have yet to find out about him. No, we are simply having a meeting"

"A meeting you say… it has been… a while since we last had one. This is very interesting. Ooooh, I can't WAIT to have a new plaything~. We'll have fun again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and-"

"Yes, you will. But first, we will need to have a talk. Bonnie wanted to inform us of something. We better hurry up"

"Oh… yes, you're right. Yes… ok, Springy. Grab my hand"

"Wait, hold on, we have a new night-guard!? Eeeeeeeeeeeeee, no way!" she squealed. "Someone to keep me company, I'm so happy! I wonder what he's like. What color are his eyes? What does he like to wear? What are his favorite activities? Is he cute? I bet he is! What is his favorite food? What about-"

"I'm sure you'll have enough time to ask him all of those questions after the meeting. We have to go now though"

"Ok, but you have to tell me more after this"

The Marionette only nodded. The bunny grabbed onto Goldy's hand.

And with that, Mary teleported outside the room, Goldy doing the same with Springy.

Meanwhile, the band was walking towards Pirate's Cove.

"Do you really think Foxy will listen to us?"

"I'm not sure, Chica" came the voice of Freida. "Maybe she will, maybe she won't. She's sort of a wild card"

"I'm hoping that she will"

"Me as well, Chica"

The girls walked inside the dark room, activating their night vision. They finally reached the charging stations of Foxy and Mangle and looked at the sleeping sisters.

Bonnie cleared her throat.

"Foxy, Mangle? Could you please wake up? This is important, I promise"

While Mangle slowly opened her eyes and sat up, Foxy snapped her eyes open and was instantly up on her feet, looking around wildly.

"YARR! WHO'S ENOUGH O' A FOOL T' SO RUDELY AWAKE ME FROM ME SLUMBER 'N BARGE IN HERE LIKE THE WEE SHIT THEY BE? I'LL TIE YE UP 'N THROW YE T' THE SHARKS, 'N NAUGHT BUT BONES WILL REMAIN O' YE, AM I CLEAR!?"

"Christ Almighty, Foxy, calm the fuck down! I have a good reason for waking you up"

"Well ye better do, or ye won't get t' see the light o' day, got it ye scurvy? I've dealt wit' more assholes than I can count throughout me time sailin' the 7 seas, 'n I won't hesitate t' put ye in yer galleon if ye'll pull this shit off again. 'n trust me, thar wasn't one scallywag that escaped me hook"

"There won't be a reason for you to resort to that, I can assure you. I actually wanted to gather everyone for a meeting"

"I see. Well, if I we be ye I'd pray that me reason would be good enough t' require a meetin'. Oh 'n also, where be that pox-faced bear? Let me guess, she didn' bother comin' 'cause she jus' had better things t' do, didn' she? I would expect naught less o' her"

"I'm right here, Foxy. I suppose your eye-sight has been getting worse?"

"Wha' do ye reckon? 'n who would be t' blame, I wonder. Hmmm?"

"Whatever. Just come with us already. You as well, Mangle"

"Me sister will come if she wants t', savvy? Ye can nah force her t' do anythin'. Otherwise, ye'll 'ave t' deal wit' me"

"Foxy, please. This is important"

"Mighty well, then. Take the lead"

Freida turned around with a sigh and headed towards the dining area, the band and the fox sisters in tow. Mary and The Predecessors were waiting at one of the tables in the middle. Mary made a few chairs float and land around the table where they all sat.

And with that, all eyes turned to Bonnie.