THIS CHAPTER IS A REMASTER, THE PLOT HAS NOT CHANGED, ONLY THE READING EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY.
Small talk was exchanged between the two before the question of Cooper's next move was brought up.
"Alright Freddy. Hate to cut this short since it was great talking with you, but, uh... I gotta go introduce myself to everyone else."
"It's okay, I understand. Any ideas on who you are visiting first?" An animatronic eyebrow was raised.
"Gee, umm... Well I guess I was just going to see whoever was closest, unless you have a recommendation?"
"Might I suggest Roxanne? I recall that she is your favourite. And she is always in need of a friend." Freddy's eyes darted for a moment as a glimpse of what he felt for her was shown. He felt bad. He wanted her to be happy. Perhaps this was the beginning of something good.
"I suppose. Couldn't hurt. It'll be great to see her again anyways." He reasoned with himself in front of Freddy.
"Just one more thing..."
Freddy's attention had drifted knowing that the new guard was to be going soon, but this brought him back.
"Yes?" An eyebrow raised.
"The daycare has an animatronic doesn't it? How's he?" Cooper queried.
"Oh, the daycare attendant. The daycare attendant is... The daycare attendant. His, or more it's personality is so unique you could say he's... On a different wavelength shall we say."
"Care to elaborate?" Cooper was both confused and worried, as evident from his face.
"Well, manic would be the best word to use. And maybe unhinged. You see, he actually has 2 personalities. One is for when the lights are on, and I've for when they are off. The former is called Sundrop. It is like his regular personality that the children there are accustomed to. The latter is Moondrop. Moondrop is less aggressive than Sundrop, but far more creepy. I really don't know why Fazbear Entertainment insist on keeping him around. Moondrop is also the mascot in charge of putting the children to sleep."
Cooper had never watched over the daycare. The Pizza Plex was so large that only one day guard would never have been able to manage. The daycare had a separate guard solely looking after the children and the attendant, making sure everything was okay.
This guard didn't have a balcony office, instead having their office inside the actual daycare to ensure that if anything were to happen, the guard could respond quickly.
It was no wonder Cooper was quite creeped out at the discovery that the daycare attendant, the one who looked after the children, was mentally unhinged.
Professionalism? What a joke FE.
Returning to the present from his ponderings, he knew what his destination was.
"Alright, thanks for giving me the scoop Freddy. I look forward to hanging out with you and getting to know you!" He called out as he began walking. Looking over his shoulder, Cooper gave a passing wave.
Finding himself in the centre of the atrium, he oriented himself to where he thought the wolf would be. Roxy Raceway.
Mesmerized by the beautiful neon lights, the artifacts, the statues, and just everything around him, he moved forward. On his night shift orientation, he wasn't allowed to meet the animatronics for whatever reason. But every time he stayed at the Pizza Plex overnight, he had the same thoughts over and over again. this place is magical.
The new night guard abruptly noticed the AC kick into action. the cool breeze consuming his face and limbs made him feel like he was on a beautiful, neon 80's themed beach at sunset. he began to venture onwards towards Roxy Raceway.
Reaching the entrance hallway to the Raceway from the atrium, the memories of construction came back, and with it the realisation of the mess that now surrounded him.
Sheets, barriers, miscellaneous props, boxes, witch's hats, cones, staff bots, trash, pipes, power tools, construction machinery everywhere. Just, a mess.
When he reached the end of the hallway there was a trophy case just out in the open that contained all of Roxy's trophies for beating her challengers. There were lots. Some larger than others and some smaller than others.
Certainly likes to flex. The guard thought to himself. He continued through a large, garage-like door that brought him into the starred attraction.
Having been hit with a sudden, warm wave of air he looked around. The place was huge. from the balcony the door opened up into, you could see the whole attraction. It was beautiful. The breath was ripped straight out of him at the sight.
He could see the racetrack that was under maintenance, a huge clip art figure of Roxanne Wolf holding 2 checkered flags at the back of the room just below a brightly lit neon sign that was almost yelling at you, Roxy Raceway. There was even a salon, although currently inaccessible.
Cooper was impressed, but no sign of the real reason he actually came to the attraction. He would've expected Roxy to be racing around on her own specially modified and customized go-kart, if the track wasn't under maintenance, even then just doing some housekeeping chores.
Come to think of it, maybe that's why she's won so many races, I'm not doubting her skill, but... Cooper thought to himself. Suspicious to say the least.
The night guard took a wide, panoramic view of his favourite PizzaPlex segment, and found nothing moving other than staff bots, animations of the gang in go-karts and the occasional piece of trash being blown around by the ac.
A little disappointing. He thought to himself as he walked back from the raceway into the hallway leading to the atrium. His nerves settled at the anticlimactic conclusion. Cooper returned to the atrium through the door he came in through.
There was no way he was going to search through the entire attraction for 1 bandmate he wanted to meet up with, even if she was his favourite when it was already almost 1 am.
He corrected his course and set it for the only place he thought Roxy would be; her green room. He started walking through the left hallway that lead to the famous, Rockstar Row.
Rockstar Row was a long, wide hallway, featuring memorabilia from long forgotten eras of Freddy Fazbear's legacy. It was far more linear and enclosed compared to the rest of the mammoth building. The air was colder, and thicker due to the poorer ventilation. Relaxing, almost jazz like music played overhead and set the tone. The lights twinkled as Cooper walked forward and properly indulged in the attraction.
Freddy's green room was the first to pass by, with the star himself most likely inside due to the curtains being drawn.
He kept walking and eventually neared the second green room; Roxy's green room. He could hear something muffled coming through the walls, he wasn't sure what it was though until he got closer.
Now within earshot, he could make out the wolf herself, talking, yet still unable to make out what she was saying. He ventured closer still, as close as he could get without intruding. He put his ear up to the cold, metallic door.
"Your performance was perfect tonight! Thank you. your hair is beautiful, your tail is beautiful. everyone was watching you. everyone loves you. everyone wants to be you. you are the BEST! Thank you. I am the best. I am the BEST!" Her voice had raised with the last two sentences. A moment of silence passed, before something unexpected happened.
Like a well-oiled machine suddenly coming apart at the seams, Roxy entered a dishevelled state as she dramatically broke down into ferocious, and voluminous tears.
Cooper's ear recoiled from the door slightly, as he was taken aback by shock.
What happened?
He pressed his ear back to the same spot, the temperature having increased.
"Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?" Roxanne exclaimed through her moist, tear filled eyes. It was almost as if she was snapped out of a trance. She moaned and wailed, as if experiencing a painful turmoil.
The night guard; at this point both sympathetic and confused to the max had two options.
1) Go in and comfort her, or
2) Ignore her, ignore this and try again tomorrow.
There was much hesitation and uncertainty as Roxy's cries became louder, but there was no way he could just leave her like this. Cooper wanted to help her, so he knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocks sent a freezing chill up Roxy's endoskeleton, and she quickly swept away her tears as her sadness turned to anger, now knowing someone had been spying on her, and had seen her at her worst.
The muffled sobbing stopped after a short while, replaced with a hostile, and accusatorial puncture of a sentence.
"Who is it?" She snarled. One of Roxy's pet peeves was when her bandmates didn't respect her privacy, and interrupted her senselessly. And besides, who likes to be spied on and interrupted?
"Uhh... H-Hi Roxanne, It's the new night guard. I heard you crying so I figured I'd stop by and see what was wrong... If that's OK with you?" He tried to be calm. Truth was, he was slightly terrified yet didn't know why.
Roxy had been aware they were bound to get a new night guard, but she had no idea they were going to get one this soon. Needless to say, she was not ready for this kind of confrontation.
I could usher him away... Say I'm busy... I could just stay quiet until he gets the message... That would be so rude though... I'm not ready for this though... This can't be how we meet!
"Just a minute!" She spoke before thinking. Then soon after slapped herself. How embarrassing! She attempted to salvage the situation she found herself in by wiping away her remaining tears, quickly attempting to fix her makeup and reapplying her perfume. She looked at herself in the mirror one final time before she got off her chair to the door. Approaching, she tried to soothe herself by fidgeting with her fingers as she worryingly got closer.
Cooper heard large, deep footsteps hit the carpet right before the door slid open with a futuristic, mechanical grind to it.
Here the night guard stood. Face to face with the beautiful, yet intimidating, Roxanne Wolf.
Roxy seemed almost as nervous as him.
"H-Hi.." He both blankly and nervously said. He was sweating bullets.
"Hi. Please, come in."
Roxy invited him in and told him to take a seat on the couch. Said couch was covered in fur and fluff, but Cooper didn't mind.
"I'm s-sorry you caught me at a t-time like this." Roxy said apologetically whilst taking a seat on her stool facing him. "I knew w-we were getting a new night guard but I had no idea when. If I had known I would've..." She then paused for a moment. She realised it would've made no difference if she knew.
"I-It's fine, really. Don't sweat it. We all have to show our emotions, from time to time..." Cooper reasoned with her, nerves still present and butterflies still floating.
Roxy replied with a quiet "Yeah," whilst looking away from him, ashamed to admit how often her 'time to time was.' Too often.
"Any-W-Ways... Uhh..." She stammered as she tried to retake control of the conversation. Her eyes blitzed around the room, looking at everything and anything but her subject.
"W-What's your name, new night guard?" Her eyes finally rested on Cooper.
"Oh, it's Cooper. I'd ask your name... But you know. Rockstar, famous and all, heh, heh." He nervously chuckled as the question was answered.
Roxy felt flattered at the comment. "Cooper huh? That's a nice name. We d-don't get many kids called Cooper in the PizzaPlex." She sniffed as she wiped her nose and eyes.
"I'm glad you like it. I know it's not the most common name. So, uhh... What's wrong? Everything alright?" The slightly flirtatious nature returned to the consoling, caring one.
"I would tell you... But I don't know what's wrong!" She barely finished the sentence before starting to cry again. Her sobbing was uncontrollable.
Cooper felt awful. Poor thing... He tried to talk to her, to no avail.
"Roxy! Hey!" Cooper preached. She ceased her sobbing, yet still slightly continued. Cooper got up from the sofa and placed a hand on the poor wolf's shoulder pad. She seemed to have been comforted by the gesture. "It's OK. You're alright." He squatted down to her head level to seem approachable.
"I'm sorry, I'm just... a mess right now." Roxy said whilst wiping away her tears.
"No you're not." Cooper said whilst gently rubbing her shoulder. "You're beautiful, and no one can tell you otherwise."
"...Thank you..." She sniffed, and her mouth quivered.
"Can I tell you something?" Cooper mysteriously queried.
"Y-Yeah..?" Her breathing stuttered.
"You're my favorite. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I was so nervous coming here... Because I look up to you and thought you'd judge me." Cooper confessed.
"I-I am?" She stammered. "I'm your favourite? You look up to me?"
"Yeah." A slight chuckle came out.
She felt much more comfortable, and enjoyed being praised and loved. This night guard was the polar opposite of Vanessa.
She hadn't wanted the night guard to see this soft part of her. She was supposed to be known for her beautiful looks, her unmatched skill and amazingness, her sick riffs, and her 'too cool to care', heart of stone attitude. But she guessed him seeing her cry and break down kind of ruined that tough attitude. More like a heart of marshmallow.
"O-oh that's nice." Roxy tried to act casual at that comment, but Cooper knew she took it to heart.
"Hey uhh... If you don't want to that's fine... but, do you want a hug? Feel like you could definitely use one."
Roxy was slightly taken aback. She never liked being touched by anyone. Kids and grownups alike, even her bandmates. She wanted to say no and leave the room and forget any of this had ever happened. "Yes." she said.
The two exchanged arms as their chests came close, and their heads lay parallel. Cooper's heartbeat's quickening pace echoing inside of Roxanne, her feeling every thump. She felt warm. His body heat reanimated her statue like temperature and state.
The hug was lengthy. Roxy needed it.
"Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah." She said quietly, eyes once again darting.
"Thank you. I needed this." She confessed to the man beside her. Her seductive eyes glanced at him, and her eyelashes fluttered.
Roxy's tears had halted completely after their hug. She didn't realise that an action as simple as someone wrapping their arms around someone else could have such a big impact. But here she was.
They sat in solitude, the night guard having retreated to the sofa.
"D-Do you know my... relations, with the previous night guard?"
"Yes, I think I do. And I'm so sorry for the way she treated you." Cooper replied with sympathy.
"I can see you are nothing like her. I hope we can get along well in your time working here." She smiled at him.
"Thanks. I hope so too." He smiled back.
He checked his watch. 2:30.
"Umm... If..." She stuttered and stammered.
"If you ever want to... hug, me again... feel free... I guess." Her eyes once again dodged the night guard like Roxy's life depended on it. She held onto her stool's armrests and looked at the ground whilst still facing Cooper.
Roxy wasn't begging, but she definitely needed those hugs. So Cooper got up hugged her again. She didn't resist. At all, which would've been very out of character for her.
"I hope you know I won't forget this." Roxy shyly looked at him.
"Neither."