Chapter 16: Trying Too Hard?
Benji was looking at himself in his bathroom mirror with damp hair from the shower. Dark circles were deep around his eyes, and he just felt tired. He was starting to miss the days before these stupid Toys became part of their lives.
Night three is tonight. Let's just get this fucking over with. Benji sighed heavily to himself as he left the bathroom.
The night guard unwrapped the towel from his body. He got dressed into a red half-zip sweater, a white soft-touch polo underneath it, and a pair of light grey pants for today. Benji trudged down the stairs of his house, phone in hand and bag over his shoulders. As he left the house, the crisp evening air hit him, waking him up a little more. He stuffed his phone into his pocket and adjusted the strap of his bag, setting off toward the pizzeria. The streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement, and the world around him felt quiet, almost too quiet. It was the kind of quiet that made him hyperaware of every sound—his footsteps, the rustle of leaves, the distant hum of traffic. Maybe he just needed some coffee, for the third time this week.
Benji arrived at the coffee shop where his best friend, Aaliyah, was the store manager. She was the only one working today by the looks of it. When the bells alerted her, she gave Benji a look of concern. Aaliyah quickly looked around the coffee shop, luckily nobody else was there. She locked the shop's door quickly in a mad dash, then ran back around the counter to get Benji's order.
"Hey, what?!" Benji's tiredness disappeared for a bit, replaced with confusion and alertness.
"You're going to tell me everything. I don't care how weird it is", Aaliyah paused making the coffee, and crossed her arms.
I knew one day this would happen, let's just get this fucking out of the way. Benji groaned in his head.
"You know those animatronics at the pizzeria where I work? The ones you made costumes and clothes for?" Benji began warily.
Aaliyah looked at Benji with a bit of confusion, "Yeah, I loved doing that for them".
"Well, they're sentient. They can be human-like, they just pretend to be normal robots to ease the guests", Benji explained to the barista.
"No way! For real?" Aaliyah's face lit up with excitement and curiosity.
"Yeah, they're really nice and fun to be around", Benji smiled softly.
"That's good though, I should meet them some time", Aaliyah smiled as she set his coffee on the counter. She began working on a second one for him.
"Yeah they would love that, however, in the beginning, they weren't like that", Benji looked down at the ground.
"What do you mean?" The barista raised an eyebrow with a bit of concern.
"I...I had to play their twisted game of survival for five nights. However, in the end, it all was just a misunderstanding. They couldn't trust night guards or even adults after The Missing Children Incident. I wouldn't blame them." Benji looked back up at Aaliyah, giving her a soft smile with a glint of tears in his eyes.
"I totally understand. Is that why you looked like you were so exhausted that one week?" Aaliyah asked him.
"Yeah. Now they brought back the Toy versions of the Originals, The Puppet, and that god-awful Balloon Boy for a new addition to the pizzeria. They're still in the mindset of that game. I'm on night three tonight. I feel like I'm just trying too hard", Benji felt so exhausted.
Aaliyah walked around the counter and placed the second coffee in front of Benji. She sat down on a stool across from him, resting her chin in her hands. "Benji," she said softly, "you're not trying too hard. You're surviving. And honestly? It sounds like you're doing an amazing job handling all of this."
Benji let out a humorless laugh and sipped his coffee. "If amazing means barely keeping my head above water, then sure, I'm a rockstar."
"I'm serious," Aaliyah said, her tone firm. "You're dealing with sentient animatronics who still think they're in some messed-up survival mode, and on top of that, you're working night shifts. I'd like to see anyone else handle this without falling apart."
Benji smiled faintly, appreciating her support even though the weight of the situation didn't feel any lighter. "Thanks, but… it's not just that. The Toys are different from the Originals. They're smaller, sure, but they're faster. Creepier. And the way they smile at me—it's like they're enjoying this."
Aaliyah's expression hardened. "Then why are you still doing this? I mean, Scott might be paying you well, but is it worth your sanity?"
Benji looked at her, eyes hollow. "I don't know. Maybe it's guilt. I feel like if I quit, I'm abandoning the Originals. They've been through so much, and now they're stuck with the Toys, trying to keep them from causing chaos. I can't just walk away and leave them to deal with it."
Aaliyah reached out and placed a hand on Benji's arm. "That's not guilt—that's loyalty. You care about them, even though this whole situation is insane."
"Yeah, well," Benji muttered, staring into his coffee, "insane is starting to feel like my new normal."
The shop was silent for a moment, save for the faint hum of the espresso machine in the background. Aaliyah studied Benji, her brow furrowed. "So, what's the plan tonight? Are you going in with a strategy, or just hoping for the best?"
Benji smirked faintly. "Strategy? Not really. I just sit in the office, watch the cameras, and pray I don't let the music box run out before 6 AM."
"That's not a plan; that's a death wish," Aaliyah shot back. "Come on, Benji, you're smarter than that. If these Toys are as fast and creepy as you say, you need to outthink them, not just outlast them."
Benji leaned back in his chair, considering her words. "Outthink them, huh? Easier said than done. They're practically kids—they don't play by any rules."
Aaliyah tilted her head, a sly grin forming on her lips. "Exactly. You're playing their game, right? So maybe it's time to turn the tables and make them play yours."
Benji raised an eyebrow. "And how do I do that?"
"I don't know yet," Aaliyah admitted, "but I do know you're not going to figure it out alone."
Benji stared at her, surprised. "You'd really do that?"
"Of course," Aaliyah said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You're my best friend, Benji. I've got your back, no matter how weird things get."
A small, genuine smile crept across Benji's face. For the first time in days, he felt a flicker of hope. "Thanks, Aaliyah. I don't deserve you."
"Damn right, you don't," she teased, standing up and grabbing his empty cup. "Now get to work before Scott blows up your phone." She unlocked the door to the coffee shop again.
Benji chuckled as he grabbed his bag and the second coffee. As he stepped out into the cool evening air, he felt a little less tired, a little more ready to face the night. Maybe he didn't have a plan yet, but he had something just as valuable: someone in his corner.
The Toys might have their twisted game, but Benji was determined to come up with one of his own.
12 AM
Benji didn't have enough time to talk to the Originals since he was having a deep conversation with Aaliyah. However, Golden Freddy did follow him to the expansion's security office. When Benji was about to sit down, he looked up and saw Golden Freddy. He smiled at the golden bear animatronic and walked up to him.
"Hey Goldie", Benji hugged him happily.
"Hey Benji", Golden Freddy chuckled at the night guard being adorable.
"I don't have a lot of time before the night starts, unfortunately", Benji frowned as he released from the embrace.
"That's okay, I do have to tell you some things about tonight though. My friends, in their withered forms, will be more active than the Toys", Golden Freddy explained to the night guard.
"Oh, okay", Benji felt a bit unsure.
"Don't worry, my friends said that they will stall the Toys, so it would be easier for you", Golden Freddy gave Benji a reassuring smile, "You got this, I know you do".
"Okay, I trust you", Benji smiled softly.
Golden Freddy disappeared as soon as the phone in the office rang. Benji answered the phone.
Uh, hello hello! See, I told you you wouldn't have any problems!
"Ha, there were problems though", Benji muttered with a chuckle.
Did, uh, Foxy ever appear in the hallway? Probably not, I was just curious. Like I said, he was always my favorite.
Hmm, I wonder if he liked Foxy that much. Benji thought to himself.
They tried to remake Foxy, ya know? Uh, they thought the first one was too scary, so they redesigned him to be more kid-friendly and put him in Kid's Cove. To keep the toddlers entertained, you know. But kids these days just can't keep their hands to themselves. The staff literally has to put Foxy back together after every shift. So eventually they stopped trying and left him as some "take apart and put back together" attraction. Now he's just a mess of parts. I think the employees refer to him as just "The Mangle."
"I wish they didn't let the kids do that!" Benji became a bit frustrated and hurt. He knew that Vixen had gone through so much.
Uh… oh hey! Before I go, uh, I wanted to ease your mind about any rumors you might have heard lately. You know how these local stories come and go and seldom mean anything. I can personally assure you, that whatever is going on out there, however tragic it may be, has nothing to do with our establishment. It's just all rumor and speculation, People trying to make a buck, you know. Uh, our guard during the day has reported nothing unusual, and he's on watch from opening 'til close.
"Wait, what rumors?" Benji became very confused.
Okay, well anyway, hang in there and I'll talk with you tomorrow.
"Wai-!" Benji fumbled to say before the phone clicked. He let out a heavy sigh.
The night guard picked up the tablet to see that everyone but Toy Freddy, The Puppet, and Mangle were already out and about.
"HI! HELLO!" Benji heard that annoying small animatronic from across the pizzeria.
He let out another heavy sigh, "Here we go".
2 AM
Benji shone the flashlight at Foxy for the third time this night. The withered animatronic fox stalked away from the hallway. Benji adjusted his hat and leaned back in the rickety office chair, the tablet propped up on his lap. The flickering screen showed the usual chaos: Bonnie lingering near Parts & Services, Chica lurking in Party Room 4, and Foxy, ever determined, retreating once again down the hallway.
"Third time's the charm, huh, buddy?" Benji muttered, shaking his head as he set the tablet down.
The distant hum of the pizzeria's machinery filled the silence, broken only by the occasional static from the cameras. He checked the time on the monitor. 2:15 AM. Still, four more hours to go.
The sound of scuttling claws made Benji's stomach drop. He instinctively shone his flashlight toward the vent on the right.
Nothing.
Then, a soft, metallic giggle echoed through the room.
"Benji... I'm watching you," a distorted voice cooed, sending a shiver down his spine.
He turned sharply toward the vent again, the beam of the flashlight now catching a glimpse of her. Mangle, her twisted body clinging to the vent, stared down at him with her mismatched eyes.
"Back off, spider-lady," Benji growled playfully, quickly pulling up the spare Freddy head.
Mangle fake screeched in frustration, retreating into the ductwork as an act she put on. Benji exhaled, his heart racing.
"Why does it feel like they're getting smarter?" he mumbled, rubbing his temples.
The silence didn't last long.
"HI! HELLO!"
That shrill, high-pitched voice again. Benji's eye twitched as he turned to the left vent and caught a flash of yellow.
"Of course," he muttered, putting the spare Freddy head onto his own head as Balloon Boy crawled out.
"You can't hide forever!" Balloon Boy sang, his laughter fading as he shuffled away.
Benji took off the head cautiously, only to be greeted by Foxy peeking around the corner again.
"For crying out loud, Foxy, don't you ever take a break?" he muttered, shining the flashlight directly at the pirate animatronic. Foxy growled low, shielding his face before slinking back into the shadows.
The sound of soft music caught Benji's attention, pulling his focus back to the cameras.
The Prize Corner!
His chest tightened as he saw the familiar shape of the Puppet's box swaying slightly.
"No, no, no…" he whispered, fumbling with the tablet as the music slowed. His fingers brushed over the screen, winding the music box just in time before the melody faded entirely.
The Puppet's box went still. For now.
Benji leaned back in his chair, his pulse racing. "Why do I keep doing this job again?" he muttered to himself.
The clock on the monitor blinked over to 3:00 AM.
4 AM
"Shit!" Benji cursed under his breath as he was winding the music box back up again, while he heard Balloon Boy crawl out of the left vent again.
Benji threw the tablet down onto the desk once he was done, and quickly pulled the spare head over his head.
"Not again!" Balloon Boy whined as he walked out of the security office.
As soon as Benji took off the head, he heard footsteps not from just one, but two animatronics walking towards the office from the hallway. The night guard shone his flashlight down the hallway. It was the withered forms of both the Original Freddy and Foxy! Benji flickered the flashlight, and Foxy instantly retreated back into the dark. However, Freddy stayed there with a menacing stare. Benji felt a bit off-putting by it, but he knew Freddy wouldn't actually hurt him. Freddy's eyes gleamed in the flashlight's beam, unblinking and unnervingly focused. Benji adjusted his hat again, trying to steady his nerves as he spoke.
"Alright, big guy, we both know you're just here to intimidate me. Not buying it," he muttered, though his grip on the flashlight tightened.
Freddy remained still, his hulking frame casting a looming shadow that seemed to stretch into the office. Benji flicked the flashlight again, hoping Freddy would take the hint like Foxy.
But Freddy didn't budge.
Benji sighed and leaned back in his chair, lifting the Freddy head once more.
"Fine. You win. I'll just sit here and pretend I'm one of you, happy?" he grumbled, pulling the head down over his face.
Through the narrow eyeholes, he watched Freddy tilt his head, his servos clicking with each slow, deliberate movement. Then, after what felt like an eternity, Freddy turned and walked away, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall.
Benji exhaled sharply and took off the head.
5:50 AM
It was 5:52 AM. he office was a cacophony of chaos. Benji flickered the flashlight at Withered Foxy one last time, watching as the pirate animatronic slunk back into the shadows with a guttural growl.
"Stay down this time, Foxy," he muttered under his breath, grabbing the tablet to check the music box.
The familiar, haunting melody had nearly wound down, the box swaying precariously. He scrambled to wind it up again, his fingers trembling as he swiped across the screen.
The music resumed, steady for now. But the tension in the air didn't ease.
A metallic scuttling sound to his left made his heart drop.
Balloon Boy. "HI! HELLO!"
Benji shone the flashlight toward the left vent, catching a glimpse of the small, grinning animatronic crawling closer.
"Not now, BB," Benji hissed, reaching for the Freddy head.
Before he could pull it on, the cameras crackled with static, and a bright flash on the monitor showed Toy Bonnie creeping through the right vent.
"Oh, come on!" Benji snapped, turning to the other side.
The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed from the hallway, making his blood run cold.
Withered Freddy.
Benji glanced from the left vent to the right and then to the hallway, his mind racing. Balloon Boy's cheerful giggles grew louder, Toy Bonnie's glowing eyes pierced through the darkness, and Withered Freddy's hulking frame loomed closer, his movements slow but deliberate.
"I am so screwed," Benji muttered, fumbling to pull the Freddy head over his face.
The animatronics moved in sync, closing in from all sides. Balloon Boy's hand reached through the vent, Toy Bonnie's glowing eyes locked on his target, and Withered Freddy's massive hand extended toward Benji.
He yanked the Freddy head down just as the clock began to chime.
6 AM
The shrill, cheerful chime cut through the air like a lifeline. The animatronics froze mid-action.
Balloon Boy slumped backward into the vent with a disappointed laugh. "Aww, no fun!" he whined as he retreated.
Toy Bonnie's glowing eyes dimmed, his painted smile fading as he crawled back into the ductwork.
Withered Freddy straightened, his eyes flickering as he stepped back into the shadows of the hallway.
Benji stayed still, breathing hard beneath the Freddy mask, until he heard the familiar hum of the pizzeria's lights powering up for the day. He cautiously lifted the head and slumped back into the chair, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Made it. Barely," he whispered, staring at the clock as the glowing "6:00 AM" mocked him.
The pizzeria's usual ambiance returned—quiet, almost peaceful. But Benji knew better. This peace would only last until the next shift. He stood shakily, gathering his things, and headed for the main doors of the original pizzeria. As soon as Benji had arrived to the original dining room, Golden Freddy appeared next to the night guard.
Benji yelped a bit before realizing it was just Goldie. "Oh my gosh, don't do that!" Benji looked upset.
Golden Freddy immediately pulled the night guard into an embrace, "I'm sorry Benji, I didn't mean to scare you. Hey, just let it all out, I'm right here". The golden bear animatronic heard sobs coming from his fuzzy chest. He rubbed Benji's back gently.
After a couple of minutes of calming down, Benji looked up at Golden Freddy's face. There were tear streaks on Benji's face and he had red, puffy eyes. It kind of made Golden Freddy upset to see that his favorite night guard, his favorite person was upset, scared, or even stressed. He wanted to protect him.
"I-I'm sorry. I-I feel like I'm just trying too hard to prove to them that I can be their friend", Benji stuttered while trying to dry his tears.
"You're doing an amazing job so far. I'm so proud that you're trying your best. You have two more nights left, I think you can do this", Golden Freddy softly smiled down at Benji and planted a gentle kiss on his head.
Benji giggled softly and nuzzled his face into Golden Freddy's soft, fuzzy chest. "Thank you, Goldie. For believing in me".
"You're very welcome", Golden Freddy chuckled softly.
Benji yawned and stretched his arms. He let go of the golden bear to do so.
"It sounds like you need to go home and rest", Golden Freddy chuckled softly some more.
"But I want to stay here!" Benji tiredly protested.
"I know, but there's nowhere to sleep, silly", Golden Freddy laughed and shook his head. He pulled out a Golden Freddy plushie from behind his back, "This is for you when I'm not around."
"Aww! Thank you, Goldie", Benji tiredly cooed. "I'll keep him safe".
Benji then tiredly trudged out of the pizzeria with the plushie in his hands. When he got into the car, Benji buckled the Golden Freddy plushie into the passenger's seat.
"A promise is a promise", Benji tiredly chuckled to himself.
When he was ready to go, the night guard pulled out of the pizzeria parking lot as the sun was starting to shine over the city of St. George once again.
Meanwhile...
"GODDAMMIT!" Damien yelled very angrily as he smashed the mirror in the room he was in. He had thrown a book and it fell off the wall, shattering it.
Damien was looking at an image being virtually shown of multiple different Earths from several different universes. He was specifically looking at the third planet in the first row.
"You have to be fucking kidding me?! He's still alive?!" Damien screamed at the red blinking dot on the screen. He huffed and stormed out of the room.