CASSIE
She couldn't help the constant shivering.
She and Gregory have been waiting for quite a bit; perhaps a half hour now for their ride. No matter what, NONE of the bots or their guardian and adoptive parent ever forgot about them. Cassie and Gregory jointly couldn't help but wonder what the heck was going on; this tardiness was unusual and it couldn't possibly bode well.
She was leaning against Gregory again, his arm around her and her head against his shoulder. The pair of them was fighting cold together; both worrying about this unusual circumstance. Cassie couldn't help but frown when she glanced back over her shoulder though; having noticed that Marvin had stopped by to watch them for a bit before his mother came and picked him up. He hadn't said anything to them; which, she supposed, beat the shit he'd been spouting on Friday. She'd found his silence and odd, reflective glance today also very startling; but she wasn't going to complain!
Thankfully, their ride was coming now; one of the party buses driving up the loop and into the front of the school. Cassie breathed a sigh of relief, pulling away from Gregory and feeling something within her settle as she watched it. Freddy was at the wheel, by the looks of things. She couldn't tell who else could be in the back until they actually got in.
It came to a perfect rest in front of them; the brown bear leaning over and using his extended reach to his advantage to open it for them. He was giving a very apologetic glance, head low and ears a little sunken on the sides of his usually cheery face. From behind his seat, curiously, DJ was with him instead and no one else. Cassie found this transition especially strange but didn't unwelcome it; seeing as DJ was getting a chance to see more of the world beyond.
Gregory was the first to ask, "Did something happen? What's with that look?"
Cassie pulled the door shut, Freddy locking it and putting it into drive before saying, "We... ran into a... a ah... a bit of a... problem-" He pinched his blue talons together and rested them back onto the wheel. He was taking his time in giving anything else however; a bad sign within itself.
Gregory narrowed his eyes; all the while Cassie felt worry gnaw at her gut.
The bronze-flecked bear finally continued with a heavy sigh, "We ran into a new bot today. Not a nice way to put it but... Luis and Vanessa were attacked while they were-" The kids were already exclaiming LOUDLY before he could continue, but Freddy quickly hushed them with, "Its alright! They are okay. Bruised, but okay! I think the only ones who was really hurt was Roxy and Bonnie-"
"That's not much better!" Cassie thundered. "Who hurt them? What the heck happened!? AND WHERE DID THIS THING ATTACK FROM?"
DJ leaned over the seat and rested a placating hand on her shoulder, bracing it once with a sure grip and silent nod. He kept the grip too as Freddy went on to say, "It was a FOXY- A white Foxy who attacked them in broad daylight in the backwoods near our HOUSE! I never would have thought-" He shook his head and gave them a bereaved stare, "I apologize, children. But you will not be taking anymore excursions outside without a chaperone or... two, on that note. This Foxy was... it took both Roxy and Bonnie to fight him off. We don't know what he was doing or planning... we are still trying to parse it out... but he seemed interested in taking Vanessa and Luis with him for some reason?" The bear frowned and shook his head. "Not that we know why."
"What- huh?" Gregory blinked there. "You're joking? A FOXY? Just- out of the blue, attacks us, and RIGHT near our house, and tries abducting our family? I don't- how and WHY?"
Another shrug, "Nobody knows. But as it is, this white Foxy tried taking off with them and Roxy and Bonnie stopped him. They had him on the ropes- but then, he smashed in Roxy's knee and gnawed on Bonnie's face a good bit. They are getting repaired as we speak- and I personally told Bonnie off for getting hurt again!" He chuffed there, indignantly. "I swear, Chica was right: he would get hurt at the drop of a hat if he could. Goodness."
Cassie huffed and shook her head, "Just so we're perfectly clear, they're still okay, you said?"
"Of course. The injuries on Bonnie are superficial. Roxy's is demanding of more attention, but easily fixable." He passed them an odd look, "Now as to the scuffle, you will not believe this, but then that other Freddy shows up! He shows up, just like that, and rips off Foxy's head! He disabled him, apologizes, and he leaves- he does not really say much else beyond expressing an interest for us to come visit the depot? And he said something else-" The former lead singer frowned especially deeply there, "He said, 'that was not our directive'. Cryptic, but I'm under the impression someone ordered them to do something-?"
Gregory balled up a fist smashed it on the dash, "I bet its Fazbear Entertainment! They probably learned about you guys thanks to the white Freddy! It'd explain why Foxy was so near the house!"
Freddy finally looked at Gregory there, his brows slanting over his cerulean optics in a piteous glance that betrayed some level of his apprehension. "You... you think so?"
"Dude, I'm willing to put money on it," Gregory grumbled dangerously. "I bet they're up to something- probably to watch you or... make more bots, seeing as they got this Foxy up and running. But then... I still wonder why they'd try to take Luis and our mom?"
"Polar Freddy was also very clearly maintenanced," The brown bot continued with. "So its safe to assume that perhaps your hunch is not too far from the mark, as loathe as I am to say this. I do not know how it ties together but, its best we try to lie low-"
"I don't think it matters," Gregory shook his head, tone dejected and worn. "I bet they have more than enough info. We just need to tread more carefully, I think."
"Mayhaps..."
They said nothing else for the rest of the ride; with Cassie grabbing DJ's hand and clenching it anew. She was suddenly very glad he was here; as he was more help that they may need in the end.
They got home and the first thing Cassie did was run into the garage.
She found Roxy and Bonnie in there; with Chica bent over them and HISSING like she was a different species entirely. The hen was angrily clacking her beak and flapping obscenities in various clucks, grumbles and gakels. She was very clearly swearing her head off, slapping Bonnie in the face- even though it clearly hurt- repeatedly. It looks like she was at the tail end of lecturing him; as he looked worn out just from all the talking!
The damage she saw was superficial at least- true to Freddy's word. His artificial epidermis had to be repaired, but he thankfully had a secondary one for his face (it was thanks to the whole bloody tears thing he had a spare, and lucky Luis found one at the depot a while back). His chassis, from what Cassie can see, didn't seem to be too badly damaged as he was fitting the skin over it. There was some deep scratches though, and one or two areas around his left eye had holes in it that had been welded shut by the repair module.
Roxy was worse off. She was in the chair itself and having her leg fixed by M.X.E.S and the artificial intelligence that already existed within the armature's own circuit board. She was swearing back at Chica, but gave up and just resigned herself to the hen's doting. At Cassie's presence though, she was sitting up despite the repair arm and smiling like she was a godsend.
"Cassie," She gingerly greeted, her alto a warm, almost maternal nuance that compelled the girl to float over automatically.
Chica turned her head and slapped her hands to her beak in shock, "Oh cornflakes! You're SOAKED and cold! Oh oh oh- hold on! I'll get a warm blanket-" She bustled past the girl and ruffled her bandanna a bit on the way by.
Cassie stopped between the wolf and rabbit; Bonnie's own expression something that certainly and not surprisingly reminded her of her late biological father. As Cassie stood beside the armature, Bonnie scooted his chair up and wrapped an arm around her to entrap her in his affection; with Roxy reaching over and grabbing her hand as icing on the cake. Cassie didn't see it so much as feel it, but Bonnie's fluffy head was resting against her back now too.
"Marvin didn't pick on you, did he?" Roxy asked first, leaning towards her as much as she could to give the girl her attention.
"No... he left me alone today. I think he was just interested in seeing what's up... now that he knows you guys aren't just a bunch of cosplayers," Cassie shrugged. She frowned deeply, clenching Roxy's hand with renewed vigor, "Are you alright? Freddy told me you were attacked and... I don't understand. What happened, exactly?"
Roxy's ears lowered, "I wish I knew. I'm sorry... I really wish I knew. I was confused by the whole situation about as well as you are- and I was there to SEE it!"
Bonnie sighed behind her; his breath comfortably warm against her chilled body. In fact, it occurred to Cassie he was just trying to help her warm up. The heat of his motor against his metal chassis and warming his skin on the surface gave him (and therefore any furred bots) the odd illusion of generating actual body heat in a mammalian way. Needless to say, Cassie found it comfortable and leaned back against him.
He supplied next, his tenor calculated and pensive, "Been thinking on that with Mex. Looks like the Faz-head bigwigs are fixing up Polar Fredbear and want him for something- and this Foxy... I dunno. I'm hoping I'm wrong but... I think they know of what Luis has been doing for the past couple years."
Cassie felt her gut sink there, her complexion going pale as she passed the floor beneath her a wane stare.
Roxy's talons tightened comfortably around her small palm; Cassie never at all being concerned for harm as they flexed. The wolf couldn't move until the armature was done, but she craned her head over and said, "I wouldn't worry too much, Cassie. Looks like Fazbear Entertainment can't do anything where the public can see it. We're safe, ironically, if we make ourselves more public."
"Wha- You're... you're joking, right?"
The wolf shook her head, "Polar Freddy was quick to tell Foxy off about trying the stunt he did where people can see it... I wager if we play our cards right and move as a group, we can stay safe until we move away. This idea of Chica's-" She grinned there, "It may actually help us! Its putting us out into public eye... and in this case, that can be a good thing."
"Maybe... but it still poses its own risks-" Bonnie steadily supplied from behind Cassie. His head lifted and his chin settled on her shoulder; a comfortable weight that grounded her. An ear twitched once overhead, one maroon optic focusing on Cassie's own honey-colored pair, "I still worry about Luis and Vanessa... We would and SHOULD keep a bot here for them at all times."
"Good thing we woke up DJ," Roxy sing-songed.
Cassie felt better having such a formidable bot able-bodied too. Suddenly, she was smiling, "Guess he can play bouncer for real! Who knows, maybe we can have him watch a karate movie for a bit of inspiration?"
There was a couple bouts of laughter there, the image of DJ in a karate Gi already being formulated in their minds.
Just then, Chica bustled back in. The hen had a spare set of dry clothes for Cassie, as well as a hot towel. "Get out of those soaking things, hun! Go on! And put this on so you don't catch a cold again," the literal hen groused. "Your last one was awful! I already gave Gregory some fresh clothes too- its why I took so long. Sorry about that."
Bonnie released her, with Cassie taking the items with Chica's insistence. "I know, and its okay. Thank you, Chica," She nodded, ushering the hen down so she can kiss her cheek. Chica giggled sweetly and burred at her as she went to do that. Cassie changed in the washroom adjacent to the garage, throwing her snow-covered clothes into the basket and very quickly replaced them with the tumble-warmed set she had. The hot towel was unexpected but lovely; and Cassie was smiling like a dope as she waddled back into the garage with it across her shoulders.
The armature was done by now; with Roxy practically leaping out of it as a sign of her impatience. She was quick to seize Cassie before the girl thought to dodge; not that she would.
"Ahhh! Nothing like a hug from my favorite, number one star," Roxy crooned as she pulled the girl into her arms with the intention to carry her. She leered at the girl's face, then gently rested her head onto Cassie's own and turned to look at Bonnie and Chica, "Sitting by the fire sounds nice after fumbling around in that awful snow. Wouldn't mind hearing a song from someone?"
Bonnie clapped his hands together and rose. "I can grab my bass? Or, if miss Chic-a-Rita would allow it-" He pronounced the nick-name with a Spanish inflection, "I can borrow her guitar?"
Chica frowned at him, but huffed in the end, "Fine... Just don't get carried away!"
"You're the best, cheeks!"
"Call me that again, and I'll make you regret your every life decision."
Bonnie wilted, but he maintained that smile as he oozed his way out the door like he was afraid Chica would grow bat wings and spines and transform into a fire-breathing dragon. Cassie couldn't help but giggle at the sight.
Chica huffed eventually after he left, "I swear, I love and hate that idiot. But gosh darn if he doesn't give me grey feathers!"
"You beat on him like he's more of a nuisance than Monty," Roxy teased. "You know, you used to not do that. What's up with that anyways? You and him used to be like-" Now the wolf was frowning, likely thinking back on their days at the PizzaPlex. "Honestly, YOU were the annoying one and he was the one trying to dote over you! I can't tell you how many times I've seen him dig your half-eaten carcass out of the garbage in the kitchens, and sit with you whenever you cried in your room! And he was the one picking pizza out of your chest cavity, given it wasn't Freddy..."
The hen bristled and narrowed her lavender optics; neck feathers fluffing in a show of annoyance at the no-doubt touchy subject. "At least I LEARNED my lesson! Even though it took me actually dying to get it in the end..." She added in an exasperated undertone; expression briefly pained as she quickly added on, "Bonnie however, he LITERALLY dies and he still hasn't learned from it. He goes out of his way to get his face hammered in now! And the only way he seems to learn-" Chica retorted, arms now folded primly. "-Is the hard way. So, I'm going to try to drag his idiot bunny butt out of that hole he likes digging himself further into."
"You'll have your work cut out for you," Roxy sneered. "Rabbits love digging, as you know."
"Don't I know it..." Chica rolled her eyes.
Roxy guffawed there, gently ushering the hen to follow, "Come on, sit with us. Don't hide in the kitchen this time! Freddy can do the cooking this time around."
Chica coughed a little; her voice box crackling uncertainly as she followed the wolf and girl into the living area. Monty was in one corner of it, talking with DJ and still watching that dang lava lamp. Cassie couldn't help but smirk at the sight. She turned to Roxy and said, "They seem to be gettin' on, huh?"
"Yeah... actually, I think Monty will be useful for watching and protecting Luis and Vanessa," Roxy thought aloud. "He's been itchin' for a fight and belly-achin' over not being more help beyond the flips we do. The rest of us tend to do the house work and have everything covered... meanwhile, while he lies around a lot, I can't personally fault him for it when we don't leave him much to do as is. Having him shadow Vanessa or Luis will be good for him. Hell, I bet he'd LOVE being a burly body-guard. It'd probably stroke his ego."
Cassie nodded, curling up against the wolf on the couch in front of the hearth. She tightened the towel too; feeling already quite sleepy-eyed as she watched the roiling flames. Chica settled beside her; with Bonnie eventually creeping back into the room with the hen's guitar and settling himself onto the floor and leaning up against the couch in front of the girls. Cassie reached over and stroked the curious mop of soft fuzz on his head, forcibly reminded of the hair-do on a Watership Down character she knew of. She couldn't help but smirk at the recollection; as Bonnie had gotten into the book and read it within a day at some point (needless to say, he found it interesting and adored it).
He plucked curiously at the strings, performing a brief, warming finger exercise with it as one ear pivoted towards the direction of the upstairs. Cassie heard it too not a moment later; the sound of Gregory coming down in a fresh set of clothes and Vanessa right beside him. Luis wasn't anywhere to be seen; with Cassie assuming he was likely at the computer again doing some of his online work. And seeing as Vanessa looked alright, she felt herself calm somewhat as the woman and her adopted brother found a chair near them and settled in.
DJ signed nearby, with Roxy translating to Cassie, "He says, 'this is some vibe you guys got goin'. I'm quite enjoying myself already.'"
"That's good!" Gregory smirked at him. "Good to know you're settling in okay. You find anything you like doing? Maybe a hobby?"
He shrugged, then gestured over to the basic acoustic guitar they had sitting in its case nearby in the corner. He continued signing, his expression easy-going.
Chica said this time, "-'I found a pleasure in playing that. Its different from my synthesizer set. I've also had the pleasure of trying Bonnie's bass and finding your books. There is enough to do around here for me to keep busy, if I look.' Aw! I'm glad for it!" She smiled at the larger framed bot, her expression warmer than the fire itself.
DJ nodded again, and crossed one set of arms behind his head and puffed; compressor a soft whir while his secondary set of arms folded over his abdomen and tented there. He and Monty looked like a match made in heaven when the gator laid right on top of the spider bot's legs and they both shut their eyes. Monty already had a tendency to just pancake everywhere; but now he couldn't look more like a gator sitting on top of DJ like he's a log or any other random object with the intention to sun-bathe.
Cassie shut her eyes as Bonnie played; throwing in a few lyrics into the song. His gentle tenor warmed like honey and brown sugar; a saccharine pleasantness that already worked in assuaging her prior reservations. If he wanted Cassie to temporarily forget about their problems, he was doing a very good job of it this time around.
Cassie heard a sigh next to her; raising one eye and watching Chica finally take the time to sink into the couch and crooning. She even purred; producing the occasional burble or two in-between throaty noises. Her chicken speak was always something she found both endearing and quirky; and it still remained a mystery why Chica was ironically the most vocal in terms of animal-like noises. No one complained though; as frankly, Cassie knew from looking into actual chicken behavior that some of the noises Chica used was just for chicks. Truly like a real life hen tending her brood.
Chica also puffed up; likely sending an electronic signal that creates a static charge that stands her artificial fluff up. It tends to tickle the first time it brushes others, but after the initial contact, the fluff being what it is became very pleasant to lay into and be swaddled by. Cassie slid more easily between the wolf and hen and found herself burying her head underneath Chica's arm; her now cool towel gently removed by the chicken bot and replaced by the removable feathery arm warmer that embraced the limb.
She couldn't have felt more confident in their little world. Fragile as it was, she knew the people around her would continue to fight for it. And while Cassie and Gregory were still quite young, who said they wouldn't try to fight as well? And yes, while Cassie would also settle for being a pacifist (and she WOULD be one if it wasn't for Marvin pissing her off about her deceased father), she'd resolved to help fight to keep this comfortable image in place. It wasn't forever, but she intended to make it last as long as possible.
It was her only wish at this point.
GLAMROCK FREDDY
He took a picture. Yes, he literally took a picture.
Freddy had been both watching and listening, smiling warmly at the room full of friends/family. Yes, they were both these things. Yes, he couldn't have adored the sight more. And yes, he even pestered Luis into coming down from the office and joining the room so he can not only join the warm vibe floating around, but just because he wanted this picture. And also yes; he found Sun and shoved him into the stuffed room so he can be sure he included everybody into the image.
Everyone he's ever loved was sitting in this one room; near their imposing 9 foot Christmas tree with a warm fire cracking away like a smoky undercurrent to Bonnie's lazy lullaby. Cassie had nodded off; and Gregory looked very much like he was in the process of doing the same. Hilariously enough, Vanessa had beaten him to it and was softly snoring away in her arm chair with her blonde locks a tangled curtain around her. Luis had pulled up one of the kitchen chairs and leaned against her own seat; shutting his eyes but not falling asleep as the others had. He was laying partially on her too; even though the position couldn't have been that comfortable.
He won't lie; Freddy was worried. He inwardly fretted about what they saw today and he knew Bonnie felt the same. The rabbit had passed him a couple odd glances, and meaningful ones. No doubt he was as stressed as Freddy was about Fazbear Entertainment coming for them.
But he won't let them.
Freddy was not a violent creature, but he will damn well rip into anyone who threatened to break this. And the fact that he inwardly swore to commit to violence to protect this picture worried him. He knew was changed somehow- thanks to this... other inside him.
He didn't know who it was. He had no idea where to point talons, nor could he possibly eliminate the candidates that emotionally attached themselves to him. Freddy knew he meant a lot to a certain number of people, but he also had no idea if he's always had this remnant in him and it just wasn't noticeable until it 'manifested'. Maybe that was just a bunch of hooey! He had no idea how this worked.
He and Bonnie already talked about the bear. The other Freddy. They both resolved to return to the depot this week... not that the others knew yet. No, no need to bring this up until a later time was broached. He had no intention of breaking this picture. But yes, he intended very much to get his answers.
These new feelings in him... he needed an answer. Even Bonnie couldn't give him a satisfactory one sometimes. His emotions are wilder, fiercer, louder. His tendencies to coast into darker areas of his psyche worried him. And his own tempers? He hadn't realized he HAD one until now:
Correction: He's never did have one until recently.
He knew, when incentivized, he would be about as reckless in abandon as Bonnie and Roxy combined. He's tasted this same fury 2 years before; when he fought DJ when Vanny controlled him. He's felt this burning, roiling stress curl into frustration; then unleash itself like a fevered Armageddon. Seeing Gregory get hurt the way he had- stabbed very nearly in the heart, and Cassie, helpless under Vanny's throes- he supposed at the time that his rage was warranted. After all, it saved them, and he was able to gather the strength to save DJ's personality chip so he can be here now.
But this.
How can he explain feeling anger and trapped right now when there was no fathomable reason for it? He can only attribute this anomaly to the other inside him. That was all he can say.
I am not me. Not always... But I have no intention of letting someone else take my body from me when this life is my own.
For now, Freddy tried to brush this under the rug and went to join his comrades in the crowded living room. He settled onto the rug in front of the hearth; pretty much at Bonnie's feet. He laid onto his belly and folded his arms under his chin; shutting his eyes so to focus on the song the rabbit strummed. He listened to everyone's breathing and the faint whir of compressors indicating that his comrades were in functioning order. He listened to the crackle of their fire in their own home; savoring that noise and once again appreciating the sound of a controlled flame in a well-used brick bed.
This was home.
He remembered the PizzaPlex a lot- perhaps too much. He never realized how little it meant as a home until he's started living here. How every night, he would be confined to his room and left with nothing to do but stare at his reflection or his single arcade cabinet he had to himself. He'd fuss with his stuffed likenesses; placed them in random spots in that room hoping to find symmetry. He'd pace his room like a trapped animal or lay on his couch or inside his charging station; and he waited to be called out into the rest of facility ay his manager's whim. He'd try different colored makeup to replace the electric blue mask he wore- only to give up when he realized he loved the blue as is. It reminded him of Bonnie, in the wake of his passing. The color, the earring, the bowling ball- it was all he had left of him once.
He remembered one of those nights in particular was particularly rough. How much he realized how lonely and in how much pain he'd been in at the time. And the day they came to clean the bowling alley out? Well, you can't say Chica had been the only one throwing a fit that day.
~During the PizzaPlex's 'prime'. The night after Bonnie's disappearance, a few years ago~
He got the memo.
Freddy was sitting there, slack-jawed, as he reread that awful message over and over. He was having a hard time processing it. He could SWEAR maybe he was getting a system error, or that the execs were making a mistake. But Freddy can read binary code and plain English in equal measures of skill. There was no mistaking the message flickering in his Hud.
They were taking all the Glamrock Bonnie paraphernalia out of the alley today- and Chica was actively impeding it. She was also making it one hell of an effort for the workers- and Freddy, reviewing this message, stood up from his stiff and uncomfortable single chair. He'd been ordered to come to the bowling alley, even though he already told himself he wasn't going to return after he was told off for looking for Bonnie.
The bear huffed, suddenly feeing a rush akin to a burning livewire lance through him as he pounded out of Rockstar Row. He'd make his way to the atrium, then he'd find his way up the escalator to the second floor balcony. He'd glance up at Glamrock Bonnie's face- and blinked when he realized it wasn't there anymore in front of the attraction. Already, they've removed it and replaced it with the face of classic Bonnie. The sight made something within him stir- something baser, almost animal in origin.
He quickly stomped it out as he entered the attraction. He found a lot of human workers and S.T.A.F.F bots around- raising a brow at the scurrying activity. He was horrified to see bins with Bonnie's merchandise in them lining the lobby walls; all his plushies, shirts, ANYTHING. Nothing was spared- not even the Bonnie-themed garbage cans themselves. They were literally ripping up EVERYTHING that had a Glamrock's face on it and replacing it with classic Bonnie. He actually paused in front of the bins, feeling a compulsive desire to try and preserve something of them. He ended up grabbing a plush and stored it in his chest cavity; he didn't know why he just outright stole it, but take it he did.
Freddy heard the commotion long before he saw it; in fact, he had to freeze and winced when he heard Chica screeching her bloody head off somewhere in the attraction proper. Her soprano couldn't have been higher and more strident; screeching in censored swears and clucking her rebellion in a way that was more open than Freddy's own internal disquiet. He felt the same as her, make no mistake, but he also wasn't as liable to outbursts. He was more controlled than that. When her voice was temporarily lower, he braved the once full lanes and found his jaws falling open at the quiet chaos within:
It was so EMPTY. Everything that used to have his likeness being ripped out aside, even some of the older advertisements were gone. The images on the numerous monitors and score boards were dark; no doubt being edited to remove his face from them. The ice cream menu was also being revised; and the freezer? He can see S.T.A.F.F bots have been in it but were slumping over and twitching after being caught in range of Chica's yowling.
The hen caught sight of him in short order, flagging him over and fighting to modulate her tone as she half-hollered, "Freddy, for fu-BAWK'S sakes! GET OVER HERE AND TELL THEM TO STOP!"
He was hurrying alright... but now his alarmed blue eyes were arrested on the person she was yelling at-
The CEO's own personal assistant, Mr. Morris.
Something in his motor skipped in rigid fear at the sight of the usually placid and normal looking older man. Freddy fought to pick his jaw up from the floor as he slowly stopped beside them and tried articulating his words in some form of query- but he was left ingloriously flabbergasted at the sight of the older man and the fact that Chica was dumb enough to yell at him.
Freddy immediately wove his talons together, blue tips clicking thoughtfully as he mumbled, "S-sir? W-what are you doing here? What do w-we owe to this visitation?"
Mr. Morris, needless to say, terrified Freddy. He knew what this man was capable of, and the amount of power he had. At the snap of his fingers, he could have Chica dismantled for her BIG MOUTH. It was a miracle she wasn't already being dragged off by the techs. Freddy however suspected that the man wasn't too far from making the decision to have the hen hastily erased from the records as Bonnie was being made in the process of; and already the lead singer was frantically clawing at his mind for ways to defuse this bomb.
"Mr. Freddy! A sublime pleasure- finally, someone sensible joins us today," He smiled, his rounded, friendly visage somehow a lot more terrifying than anything else Freddy could've ever seen. "By chance, you busy?"
"N-no..."
"Good! Could you be a pal and talk to your bereaved friend here? As you can see, we're in the process of renovating-" He waved around. "The re-theme isn't... seamless, I must admit, but the CEO himself needed something done, as one would figure. Who would've thought? Our illustrious boss getting involved in personal decisions like this!"
The tidbit had been deliberately doled out as a very polite way of warning Freddy against any further resistance. Doing so was deliberately impeding the decision of their OWNER. At the drop of a hat, Freddy would be scrapped on a whim simply because he annoyed the assistant here with something petty. Why the hell was Chica being so dang loud NOW?
He nodded shakily, his compressor feeling oddly tight and fighting to properly pump breath into him. His eyes dolefully went to the ground, aware of the disapproval of the hen before him and the weirdly snide smirk on the fat man's face.
"C-Could I ask something, perhaps, sir?" Freddy gently questioned.
"Hm?"
"W-What will happen to all the Bonnie stuff?"
"Oh... probably thrown in a landfill somewhere... given its not brought to a storage house elsewhere," Mr. Morris waved off. "Everything with his face on it will be extracted. Its for legal reasons."
"W-why?" He was squeaking now.
Mr. Morris' smirk felt a lot like a forced curtesy as he blithely said, "Oh... surely you saw the cleaners in Rockstar Row? They had to clean poor Mr. Cromwell out of Bonnie's own personal recharge station!"
"What?"
"We have reason to believe Bonnie killed your manager in cold blood. It looks like he hacked system software so no one can catch it though-" Mr. Morris put a small hand to his chin. "But, considering the markings on his body... erg... kind of a grim outlook. Mr. Cromwell's family is rightly disturbed, yunno. We're fielding that lawsuit as we speak. So, we have to legally remove Bonnie's influence from the PizzaPlex in light of this."
"He wouldn't though!" Chica almost shouted- remembering Freddy's proximity in the nick of time before her glitchy voice box put him into a hard system restart. "Bonnie's not- he's not like that! You said yourself there's no proof of it!"
"I'm sorry, Chica, but he was in Bonnie's personal recharge station and ominously covered in claw marks," Mr. Morris chastised politely. "And Christ! The man had his own entrails wrapped around his NECK! And then, after he does this, Bonnie disappears? Just like that? Its bad enough I've been sent reports by Mr. Cromwell in the weeks before this incident saying that Bonnie's behavior has been... off. He's been refusing maintenance-"
Chica was gakeling loudly and pointedly; her lavender optics narrowing and her fists balled at her sides.
"I don't know what else to tell you, Chica. But I think even from that, vague as it is, its enough to suggest and implicate Bonnie to an extent," Mr. Morris went on to say. "Its bad enough we have PROOF he's been the one damaging the other bots and our property in the last few days! Vanessa was the one who submitted the video feed for that- You know DJ? We're still trying to repair him because of what BONNIE did! He was caught leaving the DJ's area after a certain hour a few days ago! And Monty? The night before that, he'd been damaged by Bonnie personally! We caught proof of that too! I can't help wondering if that was because of Mr. Cromwell's decision to bump Monty up into the band?"
Chica looked like she was going to eat him if Freddy didn't do something- but as it were, the confirmation of a DEATH was startling enough; let alone actual video footage of the other weird happenings across the PizzaPlex. Freddy had indeed seen the cleaners, but he'd been forcibly locked up in his room and not allowed to come back out until they were all finished. He had no idea they've been pulling Mr. Cromwell's cold body from the rabbit's own digs.
"Bonnie wouldn't-" even Freddy shook his head, "He- he couldn't- He's not dangerous! He just COULDN'T!"
"Oh boy..." Mr. Morris face-palmed. "Freddy, come on: You and I BOTH know Bonnie's been acting out of sorts. And YOU were the one present for this descension as well! At this point, you and the hen here just are in denial!"
Freddy was shaking his head, as if to further prove Mr. Morris' point. However, even the ursine was remiss to acknowledge the oddity of the situation.
"Look... just, I had the techs call you in here because I need miss Chica out of here. Please, I don't wish to have to tell your engineers to take you back to the padded rooms for... well, a reboot," He raised a bushy, gray brow there.
Freddy felt a left optic twitch, then he immediately grabbed Chica's arms. The hen bit at him, "What are you doing? Lemme go! I ain't done here!"
"Chica- Chica, please," Freddy hissed. "Please, let's just-"
"No CLUCKING way! He can't do this!"
"Chica, I do not know about you, but I am not keen on forgetting about Bonnie- Do you not know? That's what a reboot is!" Freddy hissed at her, "Please, please just- please. Do you wish to forget him?"
She inhaled shakily, then turned her vehement, mutinous stare onto the fat old man leering at them. Her chest moved rapidly, as if she was going to shout- but nothing else came. She wrenched her arms free of Freddy's tender grip and snarled, "Cluck you. Go CLUCK yourself until you CLUCKING drop dead you bloated, fat, money-hugging piece of bu-BAWK!"
"Chica, oh my circuits-"
The hen stomped out; correction, she RAN out and started wailing. No doubt she was going to lock herself up in her room.
"Well then! That was something. Wish I thought of that sooner," Mr. Morris huffed. He smiled at Freddy, "Thank you for the intervention though! Oh, and by the way, I think the workers are done cleaning your room out by now so... you should be cleared to head back?"
"...What?"
"Oh, right," Mr. Morris smirked. "In the time it took for you to come here to talk to the chicken, there was some staff that have gone into your room to make sure everything Bonnie-related was removed. It is... sadly, part of the legal discussion we had," he tried to look apologetic, but Freddy was no fool. It couldn't have been more fake.
The bear suddenly felt something horribly violent thunderously ripple inside him; fighting the tooth-grinding that threatened to come. He turned on the ball of his heel and hadn't bothered to give Mr. Morris a parting or polite word. No, he had no words left to spare. He raced back to his room- and sure enough, he found the last of the human personnel and a couple S.T.A.F.F bots leaving his private quarters with whatever of Bonnie's things he had. A blatant violation of his privacy, and literally done when his back was turned to help a grieving friend.
Freddy couldn't stop them as they wheeled off the garbage can full of the stuffed rabbit replicas. He couldn't speak up when the bowling ball he had with the rabbit's face was being carried off. He couldn't find his tongue when he found all his autographed posters of them together were being crumpled like typical waste and thrown away. He still couldn't say a word when even the little golden statue likeness he had was also thrown carelessly into the bin and taken with them.
No- all he did was find his way numbly into his room; and he found no signs of any of his Bonnie merchandise. Nothing of his best friend was spared. Not a smidgen of his blue face or adorable ears can be seen. All traces, all signs-
All gone.
Like a bad nightmare someone wanted to purge from memory.
Freddy wound up meandering ambiently to his bedroom door, locked it tight, and pulled out the one plush he had pulled on a whim from one of the bins in the bowling alley. He tucked it to his breast plate-
And then he fell to his knees, and cried.
~Present Time~
That night, Freddy wound up pulling blankets from the closet and dispersing them accordingly.
He toed around as quietly as he could; gently laying them down across his friends, Vanessa and Luis, and a couple onto the floor itself. He laid them flat, smoothed out the wrinkles, and hummed gently all the while. He smiled over at his family, going on to grab Gregory from the sleeping Vanessa and gently bring the boy to the spot on the floor. Gregory mumbled, smiled up at him, and let himself be pulled from the moaning parent into the ursine's arms. Freddy pulled one of the spare blankets off his shoulder and wrapped it around Gregory; laying him in front of the hearth. Cassie would soon join him there, as well as a couple of pillows Freddy had pulled from their rooms. Thereafter, Freddy lie beside them and offered one of his fuzzy arms; the kids curling up against him and balled fists across his breast.
Still lying against the couch, propped up casually and having finished singing the room to sleep, Bonnie smirked at the sight of them and gently put the guitar aside. He crawled over on all fours next, coming to rest on the other side of Cassie and doing something Freddy found particularly adorable and was treated very rarely to seeing: the rabbit sploot. He'd stretch out his long legs far behind him, pulled his arms to his chest not unlike a cat trying to do a loaf, and lay on his fuzzy belly. His head sank into the stone blue fur line of his neck; ears laying flat against his back and teeth grinding contentedly.
So. Cute.
Freddy smirked at him, having never seen such behavior back at the PizzaPlex. Apparently, this was a rabbit's ultimate sign of comfort and relaxation; just pancaking out onto the floor not too unlike Monty nearby. The teeth gnawing was thankfully not overtly loud. He also controlled it so it wasn't annoying. Still, it showed that he couldn't be more comfortable and it also just looked hilarious when a creature 20 times the size of a normal rabbit tried it.
Freddy partially rolled onto his side, Gregory curling closer and Cassie grumbling on the boy's other side. Bonnie scooched closer to the girl in some part to also make up for the fact she was on the end, but then closed his maroon optics and just... he literally nodded off within a minute. Took him no time to do it.
Freddy took another picture. This one's a keeper. Probably good fridge material.
He took tons of pictures all the time. He'd log them into his private data banks, and lock them away into encrypted folders that needed to be unzipped in order to access them. He even asked M.X.E.S to protect them and back them up onto one of the spare custom-built terminals in the house. This terminal was regularly updated at the end of every day and stored back-ups of the bots' files and their learnings should it ever be needed. If their personality chips melted down one horrible day, they could be restored. Freddy didn't much care for the idea of having a copy of himself lying around, but he felt safer for it too. And after Bonnie had the foresight to do this a couple years ago, he couldn't exactly argue with its usefulness. He didn't want to leave Gregory and Cassie and the others for anything. He could only hope those files wouldn't be needed- ever.
He reached over with his other arm that wasn't currently being used by the kids as a pillow; gently grazing the back of his knuckles lovingly across Bonnie's face. The rabbit sniffled, but didn't move or open his eyes. His teeth grinding gently ceased with time; even looking more hilarious as he sank further into his own fluff and flattened into a blue heap onto the floor like he was living rug. His triangular (not cotton shaped), deer-like tail twitched once.
Freddy found the sight of him both a pleasure and a mixture of strange things. He still never forgot about Mr. Morris' words regarding his willingness to take a life. And Bonnie's violent side? Yeah, you would not think a rabbit capable of the same feats of violence as a wolf or gator could do. Still, Freddy understood now. He understood that fierce desire to protect his friends and family to whatever end.
He couldn't deny it. He may not go to the SAME exact extremes, but he doubted he'd be a far cry from them. He was a sinner in his own right; a guilty man (bear?) whose never seen the same amount of lime light. And frankly, Freddy knew himself well enough to know that, if the roles were reversed, he most likely would've done the same things as Bonnie- not that he'd be AS willing to do them. Perhaps hesitate more, but he would do them.
Killing Mr. Cromwell though... that was perhaps where the line was drawn. If their manager planned on doing something horrible to them however... Freddy figured perhaps he would quietly (and not as gruesomely) dispatch him if it meant to protect his best friend and family. Did he want to admit this? No. Not at ALL. And not so long ago, he would've said that he'd NEVER hurt a person. Even now, he wanted to immediately take this back and bury the thought.
But he couldn't.
They were ALL far too changed for that.
He shut his eyes and slowly breathed; his inhalation long and exhalation even more so. His paw found itself covering the kids next; his mind restless but finally finding its peace when he thought of all the things he's been able to do with his friends- And he still had many more dreams to realize. The ocean! The desert! The WORLD to see more of!
Love was powerful enough, he figured, to warrant a break in his once entirely friendly and utterly docile demeanor. Did that make it wrong though? He'd rather not have the answer to that, he also quickly surmised. He'd live every day as a sinner if he had to in order to keep this.
And he found an odd lack of regret in that observation.
~A couple days later. The start of winter break. Wednesday~
"Flipping day! Everybody up up UP!" Vanessa clapped.
It was the last day of school for the kids before emptying out into winter break. Gregory and Cassie got up in record time; eager to get the day over with and get home for the two weeks they'll have. After all, they only had half the school day to worry about. Already, the smell of breakfast was coasting along the house; with Chica's singing being the most chiefly loudest thing in the whole home.
The bots were sprawled everywhere like a mess across the home too; with Sun even draping across the head rest of the couch like a cat finding its perch. His tangle of terribly long limbs were all over the place; and he looked like someone shot and killed him and was trying to messily load him up into a truck but gave up half-way. At Vanessa's command however, he was UP and sprinting everywhere in a flurry of activity; over-long limbs flying like he was in the midst of an emergency.
Bonnie and Roxy were in front of the fireplace on the floor in some kind of near literal dog pile; the wolf lying on her back with her limbs in the air, twitching in her doze. Bonnie was draped across her nearly white belly and jerked violently at the clap; ears crooked across his mop top. Roxy snarled at the noise but got up; whilst Bonnie rapidly shook his head to straighten his flopping appendages. He even yawned; revealing buck teeth and literally rolling off of Roxy as she carelessly moved to rise.
Meanwhile, DJ was already up and minding himself over a new joy; a simple book he pulled from the shelf and glancing up. He clapped the tome shut in finality and gently pushed Monty off his feet and limbered up. The gator got up and soon joined him; the two looking quite hilariously happy doing their stretches and checking how lubricated their limbs were.
Freddy had been helping Chica with breakfast; having got up to help Luis rise a short bit ago. Luis was locked up in the office again already; working on his new at-home job designing websites for small businesses and providing marketing aid over some phone calls. Everyone had to be quiet whenever that happened; not that a call was expected today.
Indeed, Freddy had been restlessly busying himself helping his favorite hen with all the help she'd need. He found a pleasure and delight in the recreational act of cooking and its experimentation; even sampling some of the food sometimes whenever asked. Chica never ate that much herself; a sight that saddened Freddy somewhat. And, it seemed to show when she didn't even want to sample her own cooking. The observation wasn't lost on the others, but no one commented.
Her unwillingness to eat worried Freddy sometimes. He felt it a core aspect of being a Chica; although now he supposed he can see why Chica intended on seeing this therapist with Vanessa. Perhaps she wanted to be less afraid of doing completely organic things like this? Luckily, the appointment was this Thursday; literally tomorrow. He couldn't wait to see how it went for her! He'd love to share a proper feast with her without her buckling and fleeing the kitchen like hell itself was on her tail feathers.
"Sing for me?" She'd ask at length.
He passed her a warm look; getting his turn to perform for her since she had, at his urging, wove him a song. She always commented on she adored his buttery baritone and how it'd make Elvis look away in shame. He would do so then; dipping up everyone's plates and serving the humans first and his bot brethren after. His heart felt full and airy; coasting and lilting like fragile birdsong in spring. While his thoughts the last few days have lingered more or less on darkness, he'd felt better recently.
"Hey Freddy! Freddy! Freddy~" Gregory pulled on him.
"Hm? Yes, cub?"
"Can we go to park later on?" He bluntly queried, face bright and hazel gaze like warmed candlewax glowing in the hazy glare of a rolling flame. "Given you're not too busy today, but tomorrow?
"Sure! But-" Freddy jabbed a blue talon at his nose, "Make sure to not fight with any of the kids, or else we won't go at all! Understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Good boy. Now, make sure to behave, stay warm and don't forget your muffs as well!" Freddy sternly told his retreating back.
"I won't!"
And before long, the family was out the door; and they were sure to remember the buddy system. No human went without a bot; and the bots themselves stayed paired up too. With this said, Vanessa was taking an entire party bus full of them; bringing along Monty and Roxy for the drop-off at school. Once they returned home, Vanessa would fly up the stairs to her office and lock herself up with Luis for a short bit; likely to discuss the house. Before long, she was coming back down and sizing up the group.
With a squint, she counted everyone that was present and said, "Okay. We're gonna make this flip fast. I decided we're bringing EVERYONE today."
"Really-? Is that needed?" Roxy folded her arms.
"Everyone. We got money to make and guess what-" She waggled a finger, "The kids tell me that there's peers at school that may be interested in a meet-and-greet! They're gonna scope it out today while they're at school and see if they can arrange any parties. Chica, you and them will have to get together on that and reel them in!"
"Bu-bawk!"
Vanessa turned to Bonnie and frowned at him. He was picking his ear like he was trying to dig something out of it, "Bonnie, you and Monty get your wrecking claws installed in the repair room before we go. I don't want any of your cute crap nor any your fuzzy lip today either! Get your cottontail in motion and help Monty with the deconstruction of the house; and be FAST. I know you and him are the best bruisers thanks to those claws! DJ and Freddy will help hull out trash. Freddy, you will drive the trash we drag out of the house to the dump!"
"Yes ma'am," He smiled.
"SUN! Front and center," She pointed at the floor.
He zipped right there; saluting and standing far taller than any would figure.
"Since Luis is gonna insist on doing work in the house today- as we need the extra money, I'm putting you, Moon, Chica and M.X.E.S in charge of watching his scrawny butt and picking up the kids when it comes time. You'll be driving Luis' car, since we'll be needing both party buses today. Chica will have to install her other voice box in case of defense. Keep a medical kit on you at all times, and this-" She pulled something out from her belt and gave it to him, "I know you won't like it, but its an animatronic taser. Yes, don't look at me like that. You know very well how they work. Keep this, and I'll give this one to Luis. Its to help you get some advantage in range since Moon tends to have to get too close in combat. We don't need to be giving that other Freddy and Foxy any reason to grab you."
"Yes ma'am!"
"ALSO, Luis will be putting in a requisition order of all the things we'll need for the house. Help him organize it and check inventory. You're great at that, being the weird little neat-freak you are," she teased. "You'll be coming with me to the house the next time to help me with assembly and take the helm of our repair operations."
"Ma'am!"
She glanced at the others, "Discuss amongst yourselves whose staying or going at whatever times are needed or getting buddied up at any other interval. We clear?"
There was various sounds of agreement.
"Good! Now Get out there and rip that house apart!" she ordered in a sergeant's militant bellow. "Move move move!"
GLAMROCK CHICA
The day was as busy as one would think.
Chica was pleased to see everyone managed to get that house properly prepped for new furniture, walls, and wiring within the day and return home boasting about its quick work. It had been incredible from what she hears; they literally had to work from that early morning until twilight to do it- but in the end, thanks to the extra and literal hands of the music man now-turned-contractor, as well as everyone else finding a certain symmetry to it, they were able to get back home in short order and in time for dinner!
Too bad the hen couldn't stop shaking.
She wasn't going to lie. She's been having a hard time today while her friends had been out with Vanessa. She's caught Cassie's attention a couple times after she and Greg came home from school; in which the girl had surprised her with a hug on and off to help her out. The hugs helped, but only so much can be done with just a few touches.
She couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow. She was going with Vanessa out into town to meet Miss Howler; the therapist. The idea of it for some reason spooked her. She didn't know why, and had no basis in it- until she pondered her life until now. Her life at the PizzaPlex had far too much hold of her, and she knew this.
Chica had been studiously checking the warning labels on the boxes of their food (like the cornbread mix she was using right now) and could not help but hesitate with making certain things sometimes. Freddy helped whenever she struggled with a particular dish. It wasn't that Chica couldn't cook, but rather, she was afraid of just gobbling it down immediately or finding 'recycled pizza' on the boxes and its turned her into an ANXIOUS WRECK. Turns out, normal food wasn't made with recycled pizza. Who would've thought? And for the last 2 years, she's found out that REAL food didn't include pizza or sugar. Whenever she's seen Vanessa tell off Gregory for snagging an extra can of soda, she couldn't figure out why at the time. Hadn't soda been good for you?
No. Apparently not. Her whole life had been a LITERAL lie up until this point. Everything she's ever consumed, touched, or advertised inside the PizzaPlex had pizza or essence of it within its warning label. Or a metric boat-load of heart stopping calories and a diabetic nightmare in one mouthful. And now that she lived outside the PizzaPlex and looked up what real food was and how to make it (she'd spend hours on Vanessa's computer looking up various foods and their ingredients), she was adamant in making anything and everything for their meals the correct way and not have it drop her human family dead from how sugary or acidic it was. She cooked healthy 90% of the time- unless she was making desserts like cake or pie for certain occasions.
She couldn't believe that more people DIDN'T die at the PizzaPlex just because of the food! Vanny hadn't even been needed to put skeletons in some closets, if you consider it. But then, she remembered that some of the candy bars and their consumption was a legally binding contract within itself. When accidents happened, the 'medics' on standby would shove candy at the ailing person. So apparently that wasn't correct either.
Her life was just one, giant, gross mess. And the thought that Cassie's dad died as a result of their gross negligence, disgusting malpractices and blunt refusal to see a hospital until it was way too late to save him had bothered EVERYONE in the house as a result. And its because of this that Bonnie had to share his body with not just M.X.E.S, but Cassie's father. And he didn't even complain. He was shouldering as many weird personalities in his body as the jester did. Small wonder he was sane.
Chica had been so engrossed into her thoughts that her jittery hands fumbled the bowl of cornbread mix; nearly dropping it on the floor. She caught it in time, and didn't spill anything! The joys of having instantaneous computing and not glitching out and stalling like she used too. She sighed, glad the food was alright and kept whisking it.
Monty's Mystery Mix. The food she ate- it KILLED her. Chica literally was a victim of all that awful food and the fact her technicians hadn't bothered to clean her after a point. And the high acids of their own products? Well, that literally soaked and burned through her wires after a point and turned her into a literal food zombie that couldn't think of anything else but what she'd been programmed to forcibly stuff down her own throat pipe. To think, fizzy faz could eat through a solid metal bot with enhanced durability! She'd been helpless to the thrall of that horrifying food nightmare; unable to wake up and return to who she used to be because of negligence and terrible eating habits. She couldn't stop herself from picking up garbage and moldy pieces of food; even though she consciously knew it wasn't any good-
It killed her.
It literally killed her.
She couldn't stop thinking about it sometimes; and she was morbidly afraid of some of the stuff she even made half the time. Freddy was dutiful in taking over when she felt overwhelmed and had to step away. Sun and Eclipse too have been very good about noticing her the times she was in the kitchen. In fact, a lot of the desserts she made was with Eclipse's help; as he was immeasurably calm and calculated in a way she found anchoring. She didn't want to be afraid of the food anymore; she wanted this therapy to work. She wanted to enjoy eating again without fear. To share a proper cake with her friends or not literally run away from the sight of a pizza slice.
Her composter was the cleanest in all the house. She barely ever had to pull out her artificial gut to clean it. She only wore her gut anyways thanks to the hard work Vanessa, Luis and Bonnie put into making it. Not to mention, she wore it because she felt better about having it in case she flew into another food frenzy and did herself an injustice (not that such a thing has happened ever since she started living here). She will tentatively sample her own food rarely; and she'd eat certain kinds of meals with the others if goaded enough, but she never voluntarily ate a full meal ever since she left the PizzaPlex.
She refused.
She blinked rapidly when she caught Cassie talking to Vanessa and directing her attention to the jittery hen. The sweaty woman frowned and caught the hen's eye. She clicked her tongue and already she was making her way over. She was quick to take the bowl of cornbread from her.
"I think its whisked enough," She gently began.
"Ah... oh. Snicker-doodles, I'm doing it again, aren't I?" Chica mumbled.
Vanessa nodded gently, her cold hands over Chica's own briefly so to encourage she let go of the bowl. The hen complied, then watched as the other set it on the counter and turn to face her. Chica had been spacing out and shaking long enough now that some of the others noticed. That was so embarrassing!
"You wanna talk?" Vanessa bluntly inquired. "Sun can take over in here. You know he enjoys it."
Chica kept chasing him out of the kitchen today; having wanted some of her space to herself while the house had been largely empty. She nodded now, accepting of the change and went to remove her apron. Vanessa took it from her and took her hand; fingers rubbing gently along the top of it. As Sun passed them along their way out, Vanessa gave the apron to him. Sun also caught her eye there, giving her a sympathetic look. Chica felt terrible; he'd been trying to help but she'd been ignoring it.
"I'm sorry," She mumbled to him.
He shook his disk-shaped head, his over-long fingers gently seizing her free hand to give it a gentle pat. He didn't say anything; which was rare considering the overly frenetic mess he was some of the time and he was compulsive in vocalizing how he felt. He had the wisdom to not say anything here though.
Chica passed some of her other friends; and could not help avoiding Bonnie's maroon optics as she floated past him. The rabbit was giving her that look- that particular one every time he'd caught her in something back at the PizzaPlex and it was a sad expression that warred with something else she couldn't identify. Pity? She prayed it wasn't. She never fully understood that expression and a nasty part of her didn't want to.
Vanessa pulled Chica into her bedroom; not the office. Ah, this was going to be especially personal, wasn't it?
"Talk to me," the woman said, her hand having never left hers this entire time.
Chica blinked too many times, inhaling and hating how loud her compressor sounded in the bated silence between them. Her eyes stayed on their hands; unable to find the courage to capture her gaze as per usual. She slowly said, "I'm sorry... I'm just ah, I'm nervous about tomorrow."
Vanessa passed her a raised brow. By now, Chica identified the unintended quirk as a visual indicator of her disbelief or surprise; not that Vanessa herself ever seemed to catch herself doing it. Likely an unconscious response she never schooled.
So the hen elaborated with, "I don't... I don't want her to be mad at me. Or... to chase me out, o-or... say I'm hopeless." She found her beak suddenly too heavy to move, but move it did, "Everyone at the PizzaPlex always treated me like I'm the biggest nuisance; shooed me away, laughed at me, or- I dunno. I mean, I know I was a nuisance then... I can't deny that-" her eyes narrowed in the approximation of budding tears, her soprano taking a lilting note as she shakily supplied, "A-and after a while, our own engineers didn't even bother cleaning me out cuz of all the stuff I ate, and... every time they had t-too, they'd be super loud and complain about how annoying I was-"
Chica sniffed now, her voice warbling far too much as she recalled, "T-they made it a point to let me know how disliked I was. They thought I messed myself up on purpose, to spite them! A-and they treated me different after a point. After a particularly b-bad night where I ate out the kitchen, they REFUSED to work with me again! I was stinking until morning a-and the only ones who'd bother with me are Freddy and Bonnie-" She gritted her teeth and shakily added, "I just don't want to annoy Miss Howler like that... I-I don't want to see anymore of that disapproval anymore."
"Chica, have any of us here have done that? At all?" Vanessa blinked.
"N-no... not any of you."
Vanessa patted her hand again, then leaned forward and put her free hand on the back of Chica's feathery head so to tilt her forward. She leaned against the hen, gently shaking her head, "Miss Howler won't do that. Besides it literally being her job, she'd never treat someone like they're an inconvenience. Never. I thought I felt like one when I first started talking to her-" She tapped a hand to her chest briefly, "-But she made me feel totally welcome after we talked. I promise, she won't treat you like that."
Chica sniffed, blinking rapidly again and feeling rather heavy as she sank on the bed, "But I'm also a thing. I have no idea if she'd see me as some lost PizzaPlex property a-and I can't help being afraid that maybe she'd report us or-"
"No. No no- no. Hush, I swear on my own mother's grave that she wouldn't think of it. If she thought so, she would've already done so," Vanessa immediately vouched. "She's expressed so many concerns about seeing you ALL and had kept encouraging me to ask one of you to come. Every time we went, she'd sit me down and learn as much about you as she could; going on to show how much she wanted to meet you. I wish I could've shown you how happy she was when I said you were coming-" The hand that had been on her chest now moved to Chica's own, as if to rest on her heart, "I swear, nothing will please her more. And even if somehow, magically she actually thought you were a thing, I bet after one conversation with you, you'd make her a believer of the adverse."
Chica sniffled again, fighting the shuddering that wanted to wrack her body. She gave a flimsy nod, but then her hands went to pulling on her feathers and fingers again.
Vanessa insisted, "I understand being too nervous to come. She'd understood too, if you wanted to sit this out- its actually not as unusual as you think for some people to be afraid of therapists or the process of it, funny as that sounds." She shrugged, "You can't help being anxious, and that's normal. But I cannot emphasize enough that you should take the chance while you can to see her. You couldn't do worse! And frankly, you'd feel a whole lot worse if you didn't take the chance while you can, yunno?"
The hen nodded again. Vanessa stayed leaning on her; waiting patiently for the chicken to continue. At length, Chica finally said, "I hate this. I hate being afraid of freaking pizza for Pete's sake! I hate looking at sugary food like its going to sprout fangs and bite my throat out."
"You make it a lot though..."
"Its cuz you guys like it! And Roxy and Bonnie? Oh, how much they love carrot cake! And at least carrot cake is bearable since it actually has a BIT of healthy food in it-" Chica shook her head. "But I don't like desserts that much... I love the smell, the creativity of them, and how happy they make you all when I finish them; and how they make the house feel better somehow too- but, I hate them. I hate all of that sugary crap-" She waved a weak arm around. "I can't stand even looking at it half the time. And don't get me started on pizza!"
Vanessa peered into her face, "I can't believe I haven't known this for 2 whole years. I feel like an idiot."
Chica shook her head, "I enjoy the creativity of it as much as I hate it. I just... kinda bury it in my work."
"No foolin'... I wager Bonnie would NEVER ask you for carrot cake again if he knew!"
"That's exactly it-" Chica shrugged. "I don't want to NOT make these things for you! I just said they make you happy! And seeing you happy makes me feel better too!" She dragged a white hand across her face; emulating the approximation of tears being removed. Her feathers were thoroughly ruffled by now, and she knew she must look unsightly. "I like doing it... I just hate looking at it. But I tell myself I don't need to eat them so... it works, until it doesn't..."
Vanessa had moved a hand to the hen's back at some point, rubbing along the feathers more gently. The faint tugging felt pleasant and actually helped soothe her somewhat; tactile sensors feeding the data to her processor and helping her to relax a bit more. The sensation of her feathers being pulled wasn't always pleasant, but the motion of flattening them and neatening them out relaxed her immeasurably.
"Well, I promise this much-" Vanessa went on to say. "Miss Howler will do everything she can to help you feel more comfortable in your own skin, and she'd never throw you out her office like you're some nuisance. She'd want to hear everything you just told me; and I swear, she'll give you better advice than whatever dumb shit I spout." The woman gave a weak chortle, "And if you want me too, I can sit with you for the first session?"
"Really?"
"Mm-hm. I promise. But keep in mind, the sessions are meant to be private after a point; doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. You can literally tell her whatever you can't say here. Yunno?"
Chica nodded again, then finally stopped pulling on her fingers. She tried to breathe. "Vanessa... you and the others, I know you don't see us a things but... sometimes, I can't help but think about the fact that nobody came to help us back there-" Her tone warbled and broke; the hen unable to keep her words straight as she half-sobbed, "-How everyone else said we were their superstars, but they never came back for us. They left us to DIE in that horrible place-"
Vanessa's arms both had found their way around her now; with Chica's narrow frame being just small enough to allow it despite Vanessa herself being an average-sized woman with limited reach. Chica felt those shudders she'd been fighting break free; her head falling low and both hands over her eyes. She couldn't stop the shaky inhalations and gulping sounds that emerged; the sounds that made up for her lack of ability to properly cry.
She knew crying helped people; it helped them release some kind of chemical to make them feel better after after a cry. Not for the first time, Chica severely wished she could reap the same benefit.
"I just want this to work," she eventually wept, at length.
"I swear to god, Chica, if it somehow doesn't, I'll try my damnest to make it work for you. I just wish I knew sooner."
Chica huffed, then bumped Vanessa gently with an elbow, "You already try. We're too much to maintain, but you 'n Greg 'n Cassie do it anyways. I think you guys are literally the only ones whose ever seen as something human."
"You are, you know. Not physically maybe, but you are human," She asserted. "Those fucking technicians at Fazbear Entertainment in general... fuck them."
"...Fuck them," Chica echoed, uncensoring herself there. "Fuck them with something hard, pointy, and spiked. And covered in acid and some kind of rare, incurable disease that makes them choke on their own spit and drown in their own shit after catching sepsis."
"Fuck them with all that, plus railroad spikes," Vanessa smirked. "And, they choke on a dick while they're at it."
"Amen to that."
The two would sit for a brief time there, Chica's mind once again hovering back to the PizzaPlex and hating every second of it. Her mind went to all the times Freddy and Bonnie had taken care of her; when she's heard employees talk ill of her and dismiss her needs as 'too much'. She's gotten her innards soaked in a lot of garbage throughout the years, but only Freddy and Bonnie had ever bothered to clean her out to the extent they do. And now, she had them, plus Vanessa and the kids to do so.
"You know, Chica," Vanessa eventually said. "I can't help wondering how much of that eating you did was actually emotional and not just a programming bug. You know?"
"Probably more of it than I care to admit," The hen sighed. "I didn't do it as much when Bonnie was still around. I was actually pretty good about now eating so much when I knew I wanted to be better for him and Freddy. But after he... when Monty took his place, I stopped letting Freddy help me clean up. He tried so hard to talk to me- to get me to come to him, but I shut him out completely after a point... I still feel terrible about it," She garbled.
"You let him help now, doncha?"
"I do... him and whoever else offers. But still, I feel so damn bad about pushing Freddy away to the extent that I did," Chica shakily admitted. "I know he was taking it just as hard as me in his own way- but he never complains or vocalizes how upset he is. He never tells anyone if he's suffering or hurt. He'd talk to me through the door if I locked him out, and he'd make eye contact with me every time we go out on stage. He'd pick me up when Bonnie used to; like he wanted to show me off to the crowd like I'm someone he can be proud of and get them to stop laughing at the stupid, brain-addled hen who just yells 'PIZZA'! every damn day. He let me know he wasn't ashamed of me all the time and he'd-"
She couldn't keep going beyond there; suddenly being struck by tears again as she forcibly remembered it.
"I need to go hug him," She breathlessly said, suddenly getting to her feet. "Please excuse me."
"No- I, no trouble!" Vanessa moved out of her way, "Feel free to come back anytime. If you need my bed for a while, you're free to it. I can hang with Luis out in the spare bed in the office, at worst. No big deal!"
"Thank you, bestie," She half-whimpered, unable to say anything else before shoving herself out.
Chica couldn't stop crying like a fool the whole way down. She found control of her compressor difficult. Her hands flexed a lot; as if they couldn't decide to stay clenched or not as she walked downstairs and went to find the bear.
She passed Bonnie on the way by- and he had a guilty look on his face. He said nothing though; his expression heavy and his teeth showing. Had he heard? She wouldn't deny it, considering what she was looking at. Bonnie's ears caught way too much without him trying to. He was also naturally nosy; a trait he sadly never kicked no thanks to the hearing he has and what Vanny's influence had endowed. One of his other vices, one can say.
Chica caught his shameful glance away, but she wasn't mad. She said nothing to him, but smiled weakly to let him know she'd be alright. Apparently, she also had her suspicions answered when Bonnie pointed to the living room. Yup, he knew she was looking for him.
Chica hovered over to him and hugged him too; sniffling once into his stony colored ruff and feeling something ease when arms found her waist and clenched with a vice that would bruise a human's ribs. The bitter-sweet and tart aroma of pulverized blueberries greeted her olfactory sensors every time she neared him; no shoe polish, no distracting secondary aroma, nothing. Just straight Bonnie.
Something she never dreamt she'd had again.
The sensation of downy fur and the sweet smell of a healthy food was a balm to her frayed 'nerves'. It was a side-ways tangent, but whomever designed his artificial epidermis to actually feel like real rabbit fur did good. He felt like an over-sized cloud; the warmth of his motor making him feel realistically warm to the touch like a human- or was that somehow a weird extension of the soul in his body? Hell if she knew, not that she believed the latter thought had basis in it. She found herself calming down the longer they stood there though; his whiskers ticking the side of her head and sensation of him conforming to her a reassuring and strangely overly welcomed feeling she couldn't help loving.
Maybe Vanessa right. Maybe she really did like him? She didn't want to think of their already close relationship as anything else above it, but the invasive sense she had as she held him was making her feel self-conscious and embarrassed again now for a now entirely different and annoying reason. So at length, she let go- suddenly glad she had no blood in her body to give way how embarrassed she felt.
He passed her a soft look as she quietly and gently swept by him; Chica finding it suddenly very difficult to catch his eye again as she went to find their resident ursine. As it were, Freddy was in the living room watching DJ try Roxy's keyboard; with the wolf grinning at the sight herself and encouraging the bot to keep going. Gregory and Cassie were clapping along; DJ bobbing his head with a grin on his face as he tried the various settings on her device. Freddy himself was merrily smacking his paws together in a frenetic show of enthusiasm and grinning widely enough to show all his pearly and well-maintained teeth. His cerulean optics were shining.
Chica didn't want to interrupt it, but Freddy caught her eye immediately and noticed her somber expression. He was up quicker than she'd expect; already hovering over and gently reaching out a paw to take her hand.
"Chica, are you-"
He couldn't finish. She was already hugging him before he can get out another word. She gulped down any horrible noises that threatened to spill free from her; not wanting to break her friends' mojo. She was failing; embarrassing to say the least, but she held in the rest of her sobs as she strangled the brown bear with every hug she's ever denied him back at the PizzaPlex.
Cassie was looking up with some sort of odd intelligence or understanding in her youthful visage; something Chica found curious but said nothing of. DJ had paused, raising pink brows and lifting his shades to give a rare view of his matching lavender optics. Roxy's mouth worked but nothing came out; while Gregory seemed like he wanted to get up to join them. He wisely didn't.
These hugs were all just for Freddy; and no one else was invited.
Freddy had scooped her up; literally lifted her off the floor just to hug her. And by now, Chica can say with true experience and no bias mixed into it (okay, maybe a little bias) that he gave the BEST hugs. His fluff and long-limbed frame aside; she was completely devoured by his embrace as a whole. He swept her from side-to-side; like he was shielding her from something trying to reach her. His own body felt like a fur shield from all harm that threatened to sweep her back out to sea. He leaned into the crook of her feathery neck; as if to perfectly fit himself there and shut out any gaps that could possibly exist to put a rift between them and drive them apart ever again.
For sure, only the bear can give actual bear hugs, she inwardly mused. And only Freddy, she also figured, could make her tears cease instantaneously. She could breathe again; then wound up crooning as a result of the embrace.
She let him carry her to his prior spot on the floor; letting her sit in his lap as he returned to DJ's side and resumed being his audience. His blue talons found ways past her feathers and ghosted; comfortable regions that dragged pleasantly. The smell of oranges and... huh, that was new. Cinnamon? Chica could swear she smelled something fragrant and new with him. No, that wasn't cinnamon- but hell if she can't put a claw on it. It only reminded her of an autumn harvest; and while cinnamon was a smell primarily associated with it, she couldn't help but figure there's something else he was sporting that was new and felt very comforting to have. Pumpkin? Maybe.
She wasn't a small individual, but she was the smallest bot besides the jester in the house. Because of this, she stayed in Freddy's lap as DJ played and Roxy cheered. The kids clapped again, and Freddy's heavy head rested atop her in a way like he was cuddling on the children instead. Like he was protectively caging them in; and never in a way that felt too constraining. The solidarity of it was bracing; and once again, Chica appreciated having him here.
All the times she's ever pushed him away she's regretted. And while she's had 2 years thus far to make up for it, she still felt like there wasn't enough hugs given that could replace the hurt she's inflicted upon him. Vanny had never been needed to do that, she was shamed to say.
Freddy chortled above her; the sound like a wonderful reminder of all the feelings of home they both now had. And while they've both been free of the PizzaPlex for so long, Chica could not help but strongly wish to be completely free of its memory. She wondered inwardly if Freddy struggled with the idea of its tangibility in their present sometimes. She didn't doubt it, in some part.
From hence, she made a new vow to hug him every day. Maybe if they were lucky, that could be enough when all else failed to chase their coat-tailing shadows away.