Friday, February 11, 1994
After researching the rules and guidelines for the International Science and Engineering Fair, Evan planned things out to ensure that he would be able to create Mangle's new body so that it could be an eligible entry to the contest. While the rules stipulated that the project had to be the result of no more than twelve months of research and development, it allowed for the inclusion of previous work as long as the main focus of the project was something new and substantial. As such, Evan decided to spend the next one and a half years developing the various subsystems for Mangle's new body—chiefly the biofuel system, as well as the tactile sensor and the chemosensory systems—so that he could focus on creating the endoskeleton and casing as his science project once he was ready. Of course, none of this would've been possible had his father not been so willing to provide all of the materials and resources that he needed.
As time passed, Evan grew from a boy to a young man. He was now almost as tall as his father and brother, and towered over Mangle, who was now eight inches shorter than him. While the more awkward parts of adolescence had now passed, there were more than a few aspects of growing older that bothered him. For one, having to shave was tedious, but having facial hair was worse. But worst of all were all of the social expectations foisted upon him. In addition to pestering him about making friends, Michael began to ask him if there was anyone he 'fancied'. His father also started to ask him the same type of questions. But Evan's classmates took it to a whole other level, gossiping about his sexual orientation behind his back. Timmy and his friends even started bullying him for supposedly being gay, when Evan simply didn't have any interest in those kinds of relationships whatsoever.
Of course, becoming a young man also had its benefits. He grew taller and stronger, and in addition to accumulating more knowledge and experience, Evan's mind kept developing until it became as sharp as a razor. The only one who could rival his intellect was his father, but even then Evan surpassed him in many respects. However, he also came to develop a respect and appreciation for Mr. Rivera—despite being a high school science teacher, he did possess a very keen mind and had a very interesting way of approaching things. As a result, Evan found himself enjoying discussing and tossing around ideas with him.
Although Mangle began to learn about world history, this ended up sparking a greater fascination with the world and its many cultures and peoples. As such, most of the literature that she would consume would consist mostly of travelogs and guide books, which only strengthened her desire to see the outside world. However, she also surprised Evan at one point by asking him to borrow a book on economics. As it turned out, she wanted it so that she could better understand the mechanics in one of her games. At this point, Evan couldn't help but feel impressed at how good Mangle had gotten at strategy and simulation games.
It was the beginning of February when Evan finally felt like he was ready to start his science project. After a long discussion, his father agreed to provide him with whatever he needed. Next, he asked Mr. Rivera to act as his adult sponsor and designated supervisor for the project, which he was all too happy to do. Finally, Evan filled out and submitted all of the necessary forms to officially partake in the local affiliated International Science and Engineering Fair.
With that done, Evan set to work designing the endoskeleton and casing for Mangle's new body, spending the vast majority of his free time on it. Mangle would also spend much of her time watching him work and providing helpful input when needed.
It was late at night and Mangle looked on in wonder as Evan worked on the blueprints for her new endoskeleton. It was far more advanced than her current one, and despite not being as technologically adept as the fifteen-year-old, she could tell that it would give her much greater mobility.
Evan put his pen aside and let out a contented sigh as he leaned back in his chair. "There, finally done."
"I can't believe we're finally doing this," Mangle said as her tail began to wag. "In less than a year I'm finally going to look the way I've always dreamed of."
The fifteen-year-old grimaced slightly. "I'm afraid I might have some bad news regarding that."
Mangle looked a little worried. "What?"
"Despite doing extensive research on various types of silicone and fake fur, I've been unable to find a combination that will work with the tactile sensors I've developed," Evan explained. "Which means that your sense of touch will be significantly dampened on any part of your body that's covered with fur."
She lowered her ears. "So… does that mean that I won't be able to have any fur at all?"
"That's up to you," Evan replied. "If you're alright with having a dampened sense of touch, then I can cover your new body with fur if you wish. Alternatively, we can limit the fur to just your tail, as well as your head in the form of eyebrows and hair, thus keeping the rest of your body hairless to allow the sensors to function without any issue."
Mangle thought for a moment and then asked, "What does the silicone look like?"
"It looks like hard, glossy plastic," the fifteen-year-old replied. "But it's easy to dye and has several useful properties—it's soft and flesh-like, resistant to tearing, and can easily be repaired."
The animatronic fox considered her options carefully. "In that case, I think I'd rather just have hair, eyebrows, and a furry tail."
Evan nodded. "Understood."
Mangle lowered her gaze to the blueprints and once again stared at them in wonder. "Even if it's not exactly what I wanted, I'm going to be so beautiful with this new body."
Evan regarded her with a sympathetic smile and then said, "You're already beautiful, Mangle."
Feeling as though she was overheating, Mangle looked away as her cooling fans as well as her wagging tail sped up. "R-really?"
"Really," Evan replied with a tired chuckle. He then yawned and stretched his arms before he checked his wristwatch. "My goodness, it's almost 2 AM!"
"Yeah, we should probably go to bed," Mangle replied with a giggle.
"But before that, I have to use the bathroom and brush my teeth," Evan noted and yawned once more. "Could you turn off all of the lights in the meantime?"
"Of course!" Mangle replied.
"Thanks, Mangle. You're the best," Evan said with a smile as he got out of his seat.
The animatronic fox watched the fifteen-year-old leave the barn as she switched off all of the lights in the workshop area.
Once that was done, she went to admire the many photos that decorated one of the walls. Looking through them felt almost like traveling through time—from the first year of their friendship to now, she could see Evan grow from a little boy to a young man and herself go from a mess of parts to a fully repaired animatronic with a more feminine casing. She reminisced about all of the hours they had spent playing and dancing; of him teaching her to read and spell, and count; and being shown so many wondrous things about the world. And then there were the many photos of Evan studying, tinkering, and experimenting. He had invested so much time and effort into fulfilling her dream, moving heaven and earth to make her feel like a real girl.
Mangle thought back to the moment just before, when Evan had called her beautiful. She couldn't help but to let out a giggle of delight. Just thinking about it made her feel so warm and fuzzy, to the point where her cooling fans audibly sped up and her tail wagged like crazy! She could hardly wait to get her new body—not only would it make her more like a real girl, but it would also allow her to finally perceive Evan the same way humans do—to smell and taste him, and to truly feel his touch!
The animatronic fox was suddenly brought back to the here and now when she heard the barn door open. She quickly turned to look in its direction and saw Evan entering, closing the door behind him.
"Alright Mangle, time for bed," he said as he walked over to his clothes trunk.
"R-right!" Mangle stammered out in response. "Sorry, I just got lost in thought."
She proceeded to switch off the rest of the lights, save for the one right next to their bed. Then, without really thinking, she glanced in Evan's direction and saw him undress. However, she quickly came to her senses and looked away. Instead, she went over to the bed and laid down, pulling the blanket over herself.
Before long, Evan came to bed with his typical pajamas on. Laying down beside her, he turned to her and said, "Goodnight, Mangle."
"Goodnight, Evan," she replied and nuzzled into his side as he switched off the bedside lamp.
Silence fell as they both began to drift off to sleep.
However, Mangle then spoke up. "H-hey, Evan?"
Already half-asleep, Evan simply hummed in response.
The animatronic fox opened and closed her mouth, desperately trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to say.
"What is it, Mangle?" He mumbled.
"G-good luck tomorrow!" She finally said, even though it wasn't what she actually wanted to say.
"Thanks." Evan replied with a chuckle. "Speaking of which, don't forget to hide when you hear me and Mr. Rivera coming."
"I won't."
Before long, Evan fell asleep, and upon hearing his slow and steady breaths, Mangle turned to look at him as if he was the most precious thing in the whole world.
Finally, she nuzzled into his side and drifted off to sleep.
The following morning, Evan woke up feeling so groggy that he almost regretted having gone to bed as late as he did. Nevertheless, he powered through it, went through his morning routine, and then rode his bike to school.
His day at school was pretty much the same as any other—he attended his classes, studied by himself, was occasionally bullied by Timmy and his friends, and read in the library while eating lunch. But as the end of the school day approached, Evan couldn't help but feel nervous. The rules and guidelines of the International Science and Engineering Fair stipulated that Mr. Rivera, his project supervisor, had to inspect and approve of his workspace, and then check in with him regularly. This, of course, meant that Mangle would have to hide during these visits, at least until Evan was ready to transfer her components to the new body. Thankfully, he had enough foresight to install a curtain that he could use to hide both her and the photo wall, so everything should be fine.
After finishing his last class, Evan walked down the hallway towards his locker. On his way, he spotted two upperclassmen making out in a corner and he couldn't help but to wrinkle his nose in disgust. He hated that the humans around him were so driven by their animal instincts and were so incessantly obsessed with sex and romance. He quickly averted his eyes as he comforted himself with the knowledge that he was above such irrational feelings thanks to his intellect.
Once he had gathered his things from his locker, Evan met up with Mr. Rivera at the school parking lot.
"Hello, Mister Rivera!" Evan greeted his teacher as he approached him. "Apologies if I kept you waiting."
"No worries, Evan, I only just came here," Mr. Rivera chuckled in response. "Do you have everything ready?"
Evan nodded. "Almost. I just have to fetch my bike."
Thankfully, the fifteen-year-old had parked his bicycle next to the parking lot, so it only took him a couple of minutes to fetch it. Mr. Rivera then helped him load it onto the bike rack on the back of his car. With that done, they both got into the vehicle.
"You know, I'm actually really excited about this," Mr. Rivera said as he turned on the ignition. "After hearing about all of the things you've been working on, I can't help but to imagine that barn of yours looking like the twentieth-century-equivalent of Da Vinci's workshop."
Feeling more than a little flattered, Evan couldn't help but to smirk. "I wouldn't go that far. My designs and inventions may be cutting-edge, but they're certainly not centuries ahead of their time. Besides, unlike Da Vinci's inventions, mine are a lot more… functional."
"Well then, let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is," Mr. Rivera laughed as he drove his car out of the parking lot.
The drive to the Afton residence was brief, and once they had parked, Evan asked his teacher to wait outside while he got things ready.
Entering the barn, the fifteen-year-old saw that Mangle had already pulled the curtain over the wall and herself.
"Are you ready?" Evan whispered. "I'm about to bring him inside."
"Don't worry, I'm ready," Mangle replied from behind the curtain.
Smiling to himself, Evan then opened the barn door and waved Mr. Rivera inside. "Alright, you can come in now!"
As the teacher stepped inside, his attention was immediately drawn to the bright pink walls that were covered with decals and stickers of butterflies, hearts, flowers, and stars.
Noticing the incredulous look on the teacher's face, Evan asked, "Is something the matter, Mister Rivera?"
"N-no," he replied. "I just… didn't expect your workshop to look so… pink."
Evan's eyes went wide as it only now occurred to him that the inside of the barn looked a whole lot like a teenage girl's bedroom. "L-let's not get distracted! Come, let me show you my workspace!"
"... Okay," Mr. Rivera replied, not sounding entirely convinced.
The fifteen-year-old then brought his teacher to the blueprints for Mangle's new body. "Here are the designs for my robot."
"My God!" Mr. Rivera exclaimed in astonishment as he looked through the blueprints. "Evan, did you make these on your own?"
The fifteen-year-old smirked. "I did. As a matter of fact, I finished them up last night."
"Every aspect of this design is so intricate! Are you sure you're able to actually build this within the span of a year?" Mr. Rivera asked.
"Absolutely," Evan replied with utmost confidence.
"Where would you even get all of the specialized materials and parts from?" Mr. Rivera asked.
"My father is the owner of Afton Robotics and as such has the facilities to produce most of the materials needed, as well as contacts who can help me procure anything else," Evan explained.
"Ah, yes. That would definitely help," Mr. Rivera replied with some amusement. "Even so, if you can manage to actually build this, you'll go down in history as one of the greatest scientific prodigies the world has ever seen!"
Evan smirked to himself, but before he had a chance to say anything in response, he heard the very familiar sound of Mangle's servos approaching from behind them. He turned around and, much to his dismay, saw Mangle walking towards them. Her eyes were fixed on Mr. Rivera and they burned with anger in a way that Evan had never seen before.
"You!" She hissed at the teacher.
Mr. Rivera turned around and let out a loud gasp, looking as if he was seeing a ghost.
"You tried to decommission me! To kill me!" Mangle growled at him.
Looking absolutely horrified, Mr. Rivera backed up until he almost fell over the desk behind him. "O-oh God…"
Confused, worried, and more than a little scared, Evan stepped between Mangle and his teacher. "Whoa! Mangle, what are you doing?!"
"What am I doing? I'm confronting the man who tried to kill me!" She growled in response.
Evan furrowed his brow. "Explain."
Mangle sobbed and looked away. "Do you remember when I bit Timmy?"
Evan frowned as the memory came back to him—Ned and Timmy were trying to destroy her, and in her terrified state she almost tore the latter's arm off in an attempt to defend herself, which caused all hell to break loose in the restaurant. "Yeah, I remember."
Mangle pointed at Mr. Rivera. "He was the technician who tried to decommission me after that happened!" She glared at the teacher. "He tried to corner me like an animal!"
Evan's expression softened as he finally understood the reasons behind her anger. He gave her a look of sympathy and then turned to face his teacher. "Is this true?"
Mr. Rivera just kept shifting his gaze between Evan and Mangle. "I-I-I-I…"
"Answer me, Mister Rivera!" Evan demanded.
"Y-y-yes!" The teacher finally admitted. "But I… I didn't think…"
"You didn't think what?! That I could think and feel?!" Mangle growled. "How could you not see how terrified I was?!"
Mr. Rivera stared at her in disbelief. "I… I thought you were just a machine that was malfunctioning. You… You're telling me that you can actually think and feel?"
"Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you!" Mangle yelled. "Why is that so hard to understand?!"
"Then why didn't you say anything all those years ago?" Mr. Rivera asked.
Mangle shut her eyes and lowered her ears. "Because you had a killer among you. Someone who would hurt us."
Mr. Rivera furrowed his brow. "You're telling me that this killer was part of the staff?"
Mangle nodded.
"But you don't know who?"
Mangle shook her head. "No. I just know that he was one of you."
Mr. Rivera frowned, but his expression then twisted into one of despair. "Oh my God… Oh my God…! This explains so much! But the implications… All this time I thought that you were just machines with corrupted code, when in reality you… somehow became sentient and acted out because you thought that we were hurting the kids." He rubbed his forehead and let out a mournful sigh. "Somehow… we accidentally created truly sentient AI… and then we snuffed them all out…" He looked apologetically at Mangle. "... all of them but you."
Mangle lowered her ears upon hearing that the other Toy animatronics truly were gone.
"Mangle, I am so sorry," Mr. Rivera sobbed. "Had I known, I would've done everything in my power to help you and the others."
Evan then spoke up. "You can still help her. By keeping quiet and continuing your support for my project."
Mr. Rivera sniffled. "Of course I will. I know better than anyone what those bastards over at Fazbear Entertainment will do if they ever get their grubby little hands on her." He then regarded Mangle for a moment before he turned his gaze to Evan. "Just tell me one thing—how did she end up here?"
Evan thought back, and then replied, "When I first met Mangle back in the summer of '87, I quickly grew very fond of her, and following the incident with that security guard, I broke into Freddy's and snuck her home with me to prevent her from being decommissioned."
"When I was at my lowest and thought that I was going to die, Evan saved me," Mangle added. Her tail then began to slowly wag as she regarded the fifteen-year-old with great fondness. "I got to go home with him, and he showed me such kindness. He took care of me, rebuilt me, and upgraded me. He treated me like a real girl rather than a mindless machine."
Evan smiled back at Mangle. "We grew up together, and as my mind developed and matured, so did hers. When I learned of her desire to become more human-like, I devoted a great deal of my time and efforts to study and experiment until I finally accumulated the knowledge necessary to build her the body of her dreams."
With a smile, Mr. Rivera took in the sight of the pink walls and decals once more, then looked down at the blueprints Evan had shown him before. "This definitely explains a lot." He returned his gaze to Evan and Mangle. "So… are we good?"
Evan looked to Mangle, who nodded in assent, before he turned back to Mr. Rivera. "That we are."
"In that case, Evan, why don't you continue to show me your work and your plans for your project?" Mr. Rivera suggested, doing his best to regain his composure. "And after that, maybe I could get to know you two better while we wait for your father to come home?"
While Mr. Rivera had already expressed a great interest in Evan's project, he gained a much greater enthusiasm and appreciation for the teen's science project after his reunion with Mangle. And while they waited for William to arrive, Mr. Rivera was shown the many photos Evan and Mangle had taken together as they regaled him with the stories behind them. Time flew by, and it wasn't until the buzzer on the wall lit up that they realized that they had all been too distracted to hear William's car pull up on the driveway.
Mr. Rivera bade Mangle farewell, and Evan then led him out of the barn and towards the house.
"I never would have thought that I'd run into Mangle again," Mr. Rivera said. "Let alone find out that she was sentient."
"While I hadn't planned for it, I'm relieved that things turned out the way they did," Evan admitted. "And I greatly appreciate that you're willing to keep her a secret."
"Of course! It's the least I can do after the way we treated her and the other Toy animatronics," Mr. Rivera replied. "But I have to ask, does your father know about her?"
Evan nodded. "He does. As a matter of fact, it was his idea to keep her in the barn since he was afraid that she might attack him."
"Understandable. I probably would've done the same." Having reached the front door, Mr. Rivera stopped and turned to the fifteen-year-old with a very sincere look on his face. "Evan, I want you to know that if you or Mangle ever need anything, anything at all, I'd be happy to help."
Evan smiled at him. "Much appreciated, Mister Rivera. But I have to ask, why are you so eager to help us despite the harm Mangle inflicted all those years ago?"
"Because I understand why she did what she did," Mr. Rivera replied. "I saw the footage of that kid trying to tear out her circuits, and knowing what I know now, her response was understandable, especially given how hellish her life must've been at the time. As for Jeremy… as unfortunate as that was, I can see that Mangle was just trying to protect the kids at the restaurant."
Evan's smile widened. He was definitely starting to respect Mr. Rivera much more. He opened the door and gestured for him to enter. "Come, let's not keep Father waiting."
As they entered the house, William was in the kitchen, smiling to himself as he prepared a coffee tray. Upon hearing Mr. Rivera's voice, William furrowed his brow as he realized that he recognized it from somewhere. His eyes then went wide as he finally remembered who the voice belonged to.
William turned around and looked down the living room hallway to see a familiar face.
Mr. Rivera looked equally surprised. "... Dave?"
Evan looked confusedly at his teacher. "Dave? That's my father, William."
As Mr. Rivera turned to look at Evan, William glanced at the knife stand. With a look of disbelief, Mr. Rivera returned his gaze to William.
As if a switch had been flipped, whatever surprised expression William had on his face was suddenly replaced with one of utmost confidence. He smirked and said, "Hello, Ramón. I did not expect to see you here." He then turned to his son. "Evan, why don't you go work on your project while your teacher and I speak in private?"
Evan furrowed his brow. "Why?"
"Just do as I say, sport," William replied sternly.
Still confused, Evan looked at his teacher, but then left without another word.
Mr. Rivera stared at William, and once Evan closed the door on his way out, he asked, "What the hell is going on here?"
"It seems you have caught me at a disadvantage," William replied with a slight smile. "I never expected to see you again, let alone in my own home."
Still in disbelief, Mr. Rivera continued to stare at William as his mind raced. "You worked at Freddy's under a fake identity."
"That I did, and I'd be more than happy to lay all of my cards on the table if you would only give me a chance," William admitted with a smile.
For a moment it seemed as if Mr. Rivera was having an internal debate on whether to accept William's offer or not. Finally, he said, "Sure…"
"Excellent. But first, how about you take off your jacket?" He suggested.
Mr. Rivera eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"
"Because it's a bit rude to be wearing outerwear when you're having coffee at someone's house," William replied and then gestured towards the entrance. "There's a coat rack right next to the door."
However, Mr. Rivera didn't seem to be buying it.
William gave him a warm and sincere smile. "Please, I insist."
"Fine," the teacher relented.
The moment Mr. Rivera turned his back on him, William quickly stepped over to the knife stand and with practiced ease grabbed one of the knives and slipped it under his belt behind his back. Then he took the coffee tray and carried it towards the living room, where he was joined by Mr. Rivera, who had taken off his jacket as requested.
William placed the tray onto the coffee table, making sure that he kept facing Mr. Rivera. He gestured to the sofa and said, "Please, take a seat."
The teacher did as he asked, while William poured him a cup of coffee.
Next, William poured some coffee into his own cup and sat down in a chair that was adjacent to the sofa. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
"Uh, yeah. For one, what the hell were you doing at Freddy's with a fake identity?" Mr. Rivera asked.
"Corporate espionage," William replied nonchalantly as he added milk and sugar to his coffee.
Mr. Rivera stared at him with an absolutely bewildered look on his face.
"You see, Henry Emily, the founder of Fazbear Entertainment, used to be my business partner. We founded and ran Fredbear's Diner together. I was a mechanical genius while he was an absolutely brilliant programmer, and together we created wonders the likes of which the world had never seen," William recalled with great fondness. "Together we were unstoppable, capable of achieving anything we set our minds to. Anything…"
William went quiet as if a great sadness had overcome him. "In the late seventies, I came up with a revolutionary new endoskeleton design—one that would allow animatronics to walk around on two legs and interact with guests autonomously. However, Henry and I had some creative differences. He wanted our animatronic characters to have a simplistic design—one that even the smallest child could draw from memory with ease—as he thought that would make them more memorable and marketable. I, on the other hand, yearned for something more bold and extravagant." William frowned. "We often argued about it, and every time I was the one who had to relent. Eventually, it came to a head and we went our separate ways to build our own companies. Of course, since both of us were fond of the basic concepts of our characters, we signed an agreement allowing us to borrow character ideas from each other—that's why, for example, Mangle resembled my Funtime Foxy."
Staring into his cup with his eyes full of bitterness and regret, William continued, "When we split up, I took my new endoskeleton design with me, and my plan was to use it to outdo Henry. To prove to him that he needed me and was wrong to dismiss my ideas. I would've driven Fazbear Entertainment to bankruptcy and then bought it up so that we could be together again. Him and I. Just like old times." William's frown deepened. "But instead, Henry—ever the businessman—betrayed me and stole my endoskeleton design, and he did it without breaking the law."
William swallowed. "Before everything turned sour, I delighted in sharing my ideas with him and showing him my designs. He was the only one who could truly appreciate me and my work, and I craved his admiration." With a wistful smile, he huffed a laugh. "He was my muse."
William's expression then turned bitter once again. "But in my desire to gain his admiration, I failed to see that he took advantage of me. When I showed him my endoskeleton design—my magnum opus—he memorized it in great detail, and when we went our separate ways, he recreated it and claimed it for himself. It has since been used for all of Fazbear Entertainment's animatronics, and is the root of their success."
William's gaze finally returned to Mr. Rivera. "When I learned of the revolutionary AI of the Toy animatronics and Freddy's new, innovative computer network, I decided to infiltrate the restaurant under a false identity so that I could study them up close. After all, it's only fair that I steal from Henry after what he did to me."
At this point, Mr. Rivera had almost finished half his cup of coffee. "That's one hell of a story. However, that does make you look even more suspicious."
William huffed a rueful laugh. "You still believe that I killed those children, don't you?"
"It does seem like you have the perfect motive for it," Mr. Rivera pointed out. "What better way to get back at Henry than to kill a bunch of kids in his restaurant? You have to admit that it's awfully suspicious that you were there working under a fake identity while a member of staff was killing kids."
William was surprised, just how did Mr. Rivera know that an employee was responsible for the murders? Nevertheless, he managed to keep his cool.
Channeling all of the pain and grief he had experienced from the death of his wife and daughter, William replied, "Ramón, I know this looks really bad, but I had nothing to do with those murders. I mean, think about it—I'm a single father of two and an inventor who brings joy to children. More importantly…" His voice broke and his eyes welled up in tears as he continued. "... I know what it feels like to lose a child. I lost my own daughter when she was only six years old. I could never bring myself to hurt a child, let alone inflict that kind of loss on any parent."
Mr. Rivera searched his face and then let out a long sigh. "Alright… I believe you," he relented. "But you have to admit that it's one hell of a coincidence that you happened to be there when the killings took place."
"Oh, I agree," William replied. "But in all fairness, coincidences happen all the time. In fact, mathematics shows us that even the most unlikely of coincidences are bound to occur."
"True," Mr. Rivera agreed.
"Of course, not everyone would see it that way," William said. "And that is why I hope that we can keep all of this just between the two of us. Especially given that I did conduct corporate espionage."
Mr. Rivera nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, I have no interest in telling anyone. I have no love for Fazbear Entertainment after the way they treated me. Besides, you going to jail could seriously jeopardize Evan's future, and I can't let that happen."
William blinked in surprise, but then gave Mr. Rivera a genuine smile. "You care about my son that much?"
"Yeah, I do," Mr. Rivera replied without hesitation. "He's the most brilliant mind I've ever met—like a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci or Archimedes—and I'm convinced that he's going to achieve many great things in his life!"
A little taken aback, William huffed a laugh as he regarded Mr. Rivera. "I couldn't agree more." He gave him a warm smile. "I'm glad my son has a teacher who can truly appreciate his genius and cares as much as you do about his future." He tapped his fingers against his thighs as he considered his next course of action. "Anyway, with that out of the way, I believe you have some forms for me to sign?"
"Just one form, actually," Mr. Rivera replied and then got up from the sofa. "Hold on, let me get it for you."
William watched as Mr. Rivera went over to the coat rack and retrieved a couple of paper sheets along with a pencil from his jacket. He then returned to the sofa, sat down, and placed the sheets and the pencil in front of William.
Pointing at the sheet of paper at the top, Mr. Rivera said, "This is the research plan for Evan's project. All you have to do is read through it and then sign the approval form under it."
William leaned forward and briefly read through the research plan before handing it back to Mr. Rivera. William then signed the approval form and returned it and the pencil.
"Alright, now that that's done I should probably be on my way," Mr. Rivera said.
William held out his hand to him. "It was nice seeing you again, Ramón."
Mr. Rivera took his hand and shook it. "Likewise, Mister Afton."
The teacher got up from the sofa and began to head towards the entrance when William spoke up again. "Hey, Ramón. Just one more thing."
"Hmm?" Mr. Rivera turned to look at William.
"If Evan asks you why you called me Dave, please tell him that you mistook me for someone else."
Mr. Rivera nodded. "Will do."
And with that, the teacher grabbed his jacket and left the house, leaving William to his thoughts. William pulled out the kitchen knife that he had hidden behind his back and regarded it with a thoughtful expression on his face. He wondered if he had done the right thing, letting Mr. Rivera go. It had been a difficult decision, of course, given that every option available to him carried with it a substantial amount of risk and potential complications.
Huffing a laugh, William got out of his seat and brought the knife to the kitchen, placing it in the dishwasher.
Having left Mr. Rivera and his father to talk amongst themselves, Evan returned to the barn. There he found Mangle looking at the photos on the wall. She was so deep in thought that she didn't seem to notice him.
"Are you alright, Mangle?" Evan asked as he approached her.
"Hmm?" She turned to look at him, and her tail began to wag ever so slightly when her gaze met his. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Glad to hear it," he replied with a warm smile. "To be honest, I was a bit worried when I realized that Mister Rivera was a former Freddy's employee."
Mangle's tail stopped wagging and she lowered her ears. "Because you thought I would hurt him?"
"You did seem pretty aggressive there at first."
"I was just angry," Mangle replied. "My time at Freddy's was the darkest part of my life. I was either neglected or hurt day-in and day-out." She gazed upon him as if he was the most precious thing in the whole world. "The only good thing I had that made all of it bearable was you."
Evan regarded her with great fondness. "I could say the same thing about you."
Hearing that caused Mangle's tail to wag faster.
"You know, something occurred to me," Evan said. "Given your lack of compulsion to hurt Mister Rivera, it would seem that whatever made you so dangerous to Fazbear employees no longer affects you," he noted. "Which by extension means that you might no longer pose any danger to my father."
"Which means that I could come into the house!" Mangle realized.
"Precisely!" Evan replied with a chuckle. "Mind you, I still have to check with my father, but I'm sure he'll agree."
Mangle let out an excited squeal. "That means I could finally become a real part of your family and get to know your father and your… your brother! I can take part in family activities, birthdays, and holidays! Ooh, it's going to be so much fun!"
Evan couldn't help but to share in her excitement. As cozy as the barn was, he never liked the idea that Mangle had to be relegated to it. And he felt certain that if Mangle could bring at least a fraction of the joy to the Afton household that she had brought to his own life, it would make his family so much happier.
That evening, Evan, his brother, and his father sat down at the dinner table to eat pizza.
Not wanting to waste any time, Evan spoke up. "Father?"
"Yes, sport?" William replied as he grabbed his first slice.
"It occurred to me that since Mangle could interact with Mister Rivera without any issues, despite him being a former employee at Freddy's, she should no longer be affected by the facial recognition bug that caused her to attack staff members," Evan asserted. "Meaning that she should no longer pose any danger to you."
William let out a frustrated sigh. "What are you getting at?"
"That there's no longer any reason for her to stay away from you and stay out of the house," Evan pointed out.
Upon hearing that, Michael's eyes immediately went wide.
"I disagree," William replied and then took a bite out of his pizza slice.
Evan furrowed his brow. "Why? Mister Rivera was in no danger when he was with her, so why would you?"
"Because I was a security guard, whereas Ramón was a technician," William replied. "Need I remind you that the guy your little friend almost killed all those years ago was also a security guard?"
"The reason why she attacked him was because they were all trying to get him for six nights in a row just before the incident," Evan said. "And as you mentioned, it happened several years ago. Not only has Mangle's mind evolved and matured since then, but your time at Freddy's would be nothing but a distant memory by now."
"I'm not willing to take that risk!" William said back with a raised voice.
Michael then piped up. "Yeah, and if that thing starts hanging around the house, I'm moving out."
Evan stared at his father in disbelief. "Why are you being so unreasonable, Father? I can guarantee your safety."
"The answer is no, Evan," William replied sternly.
"Please, Father! It would mean so much to me and Mangle!" Evan pleaded. "And I'm sure both you and Michael would come to like Mangle once you get to—"
"Enough!" William shouted as he slammed his fist into the table. "The only reason why I let you keep her in the first place was because you agreed to keep her out of the house and prevent her from ever seeing my face, and If you won't keep up with your end of that agreement, then I won't hesitate to scrap her! Is that clear!?"
Completely appalled by his father's reaction, Evan just stared at him, feeling his eyes well up with tears. The only thing he could get out was a dejected, "... Yeah."
The fifteen-year-old then got up and left the table without eating so much of a bite of his dinner. He strode down the living room hallway, opening and slamming the front door shut as he made his exit.
Upon returning to the barn, Evan was met by a very excited-looking Mangle. Her tail wagging behind her, she ran up to him and asked, "What did he say?"
However, she then noticed the utterly dejected look on his face. Her tail stopped wagging and she lowered her ears as she realized the most likely answer to her question—that she had to stay in the barn.
Evan's head hung low. "He… He still refuses to let you inside of the house, or to even see him… and he threatened to scrap you if you ever do."
Mangle shook her head in disbelief, then covered her eyes and began to sob.
Feeling tears now trickling down his cheeks, Evan wrapped his arms around Mangle, doing his best to comfort her.
"I-I-I-I thought he liked me," Mangle sobbed as she leaned into the hug. "I-I-I thought I could become part of the family."
"So did I, Mangle. So did I," Evan whimpered.
Mangle broke down completely. "I just want to feel like a real girl! Like I belong!"
"I know, Mangle. I know," Evan comforted her. "But we can build our own life once I start college. One where you'll always belong and be a part of everything—every holiday and every birthday."
Mangle whimpered. "R-really? But what about your father and your brother?"
"If they won't accept you, then I'll have no problem with cutting them out of my life," Evan sobbed. "You're what's most important to me."