A Pirate's Side of Things
Mando tried to keep his breathing controlled. When Foxy turned around to face him, the musician had to clench his mandolin for comfort. Foxy was a different make of animatronic than the others, consisting of an endoskeleton covered in a torn animal suit and tattered clothes. Looking at the beaten animatronic made Mando skitterish, especially after Foxy jumped him earlier that night.
“I can understand yer fear, matey,” Foxy said, his voice tinny and his accent somewhat piratey. “I am not an easy one to look upon. That’s why I spend my days here, in the back room of Freddy Fazbear’s.”
Foxy walked around the table in the room, tracing his hook along the dusty surface. “It weren’t always like this, MandoPony. Things used to be better for us all, animatronics and ponies alike.”
Mando was confused. What was Foxy talking about? He decided to pursue. “Wh-why did you call me in for, Foxy?” he asked, trying to keep a calm voice.
The animatronic lifted his eyepatch, revealing an empty eyehole. Despite it bearing no resemblance to the full sensory orb on the other side of Foxy’s face, Mando felt as though something were still staring out through that black socket. “To give ye the truth, as you deserve.”
“Truth? Do you mean the missing foals? You know what happened to them?”
Foxy made a buzzing noise, like a sigh. “I know only so much of that. I was always inspired by ponies who stood for what was right, even though I myself was portrayed as a criminal.” He gave a robotic grin, revealing two sets of teeth.
“Heh heh, yeah,” Mando agreed nervously.
“You ponies. You’re all so different. For some of you, accepting the ways things are is easy. Yet for others it’s like trying to move after your servos freeze up.”
“Servos freezing up?” Mando slammed his hoof against his forehead. “That’s what happened to Bonnie and the others! They were all standing around for so long while we talked and played, they stopped wandering and all their joints stuck.”
“You got all the facts straight, Mando.” Foxy stopped beside a shelf holding extra animatronic heads. “We can’t afford to sit still during the night hours. It costs Freddy’s Pizza valuable time. And the pizzeria can’t really to waste any time on problems like freezing servos with the missing foals’ business going on.”
Mando looked at Foxy curiously. He still felt the question was left unanswered. “Do you know what happened to them?”
Foxy slowly turned his head; his full-and-blank sockets gave Mando equal chilly feelings. “I truly wish I had the answer, MandoPony. I’m afraid I’ve been kept in the dark on the matter just as much as I am literally.” He spread his decapitated arms, gesturing to the dusty room.
“Oh.”
“Though, before we go anywhere else, I must sincerely apologize for the fright I caused ye earlier.”
He’s apologizing for almost gutting me? Truly puzzled now, Mando asked, “Why did you do it?”
“I… I'm really not sure.” The fox ran his hook over his chin. “It feels like an urge, y’know, something ya gotta do. I feel pained, like I was bein’ bothered and plagued, and I gotta just lash out.” He gestured menacingly at the walls. “I'm not sure why, though. It’s like some pony put it into me in bitterness.”
Very very strange, Mando decided. Mindbogglingly unheard of. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I forgive you.”
Foxy’s jawline curled upwards into an unmistakable smile. “Thanks, matey. It does indeed.” He held out his costume-stripped hand.
Mando reached out cautiously, almost pulling back at the last second but continued trustingly, putting his hoof in Foxy’s hand. The metal fingers closed over Mando’s hoof and shook it powerfully but gently. “So…. now that the past is water under the bridge, I have to ask you something, Foxy.”
“Anythin’, matey.”
“The old animatronics were all shipped away, all except you. Why are you still here?”
Foxy rapped his mechanical chest. “I be used as spare parts for the others, though it don’t happen very often.” He raised his hand, displaying a missing joint on one finger. “But, Mando, I be thinkin' there's somethin' more to it, and sometimes I think old Marcolt regrets the decision.”
“What decision?”
“To get rid of us old models. Word got around that the old Freddy Fazbear crew were scary and foals had trouble falling asleep after a pizza dinner, so a vote was put forth and the majority voted us out. Some time after that, Marcolt would come inta here durin’ opening hours and talk, pretending I was a conversation partner.”
“Yet all that time, you could hear and understand what he was saying,” Mando mused.
“Every word. Despite the rest of the company's decision, Marcolt managed to hold onta me. Says he convinced the other heads to lemme stay, so I could supply the new animatronics if needs be. But little time past since the sending away of the old models before Marcolt started tellin’ me how he disliked the new animatronics, how he felt weird chills around them.”
He seemed pretty happy about them when he introduced me to Bonnie and the others on my first night. Was it all a trick? Is it just their programming, or is Marcolt honestly unhappy with the new faces of the pizzeria?
While Mando worked through these thoughts, Foxy continued to pace the room. “Bonnie and the gang need to be fixed. But few know how to rework their servos back into gear, and none of them are around.”
“The programmers and the designers.”
“That be right. If’n ya don’t get em fixed before yer shift is over, ye could be blamed for the frozen servos and, frankly, we can’t have any o’ that.”
Mando leaned against the table, the weight of the situation coming down on him. “What do we do, Foxy? Neither of us knows how to rework the servos and that puppet thing is in the pizzeria.”
Foxy’s eye whirled in its socket, opening as wide as the metal pieces would allow. “Did you say ‘puppet’?”
“Er, yes.”
In a stunning gear switch, Foxy turned sharply, caught Mando with an outstretched arm and wheeled him to the door. Slowly, he pushed it open and the both of them peered out. Mando could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing.
The animatronics were all there, standing stiff and unmoving as before. But among them drifted the puppet, prying its six long fingers into their joints and wiggling them. Its mask of a face remained the same open-mouthed empty-eyed beam as before, yet the towering being gave off an aura of melancholy as though it felt horrible about its actions.
“What’s it doing?” Mando whispered to Foxy, keeping his voice as low as he felt necessary.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
No. Mando looked back at the puppet, trying to glean some understanding. Then it hit him. It’s fixing their servos! Somehow, the puppet knows what to do to make them work again!
This proved to be more than true, for as the puppet retracted its fingers from Chica’s shoulders, the yellow animatronic began to twitch. The others soon followed suit, flexing their fingers and blinking their eyes like foals in the morning.
Amazing.
Its work done, the puppet stepped back toward the Prize Corner, slowly raising its blank gaze until Mando and Foxy were in its sight. In one swift motion, the puppet swept up over the counter and into the gift box, the lid closing behind it.
“Hey, wait!” All fear of the unstrung marionette deserting him, Mando galloped down the hall and passed the waking animatronics. He knocked on the side of the gift box and called out, “Puppet, are you in there?”
No answer came, just the gentle tinkling sound of the music box. Mando stood up and flipped the lid. The puppet lay inside, all folded up with the mask on top. It didn’t take a genius to know that there was no point in pursuing it now.
“Thank you,” Mando said. The black and white outfit just sat there. As it should.
“Hey, Mando.”
The musician turned around to a welcoming sight. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Mangle and Balloon Boy were all standing up, making careful motions like a pony with a broken limb testing his movement. Mando felt a strange feeling well up inside him, one he never thought he’d have toward machines.
But they’re so much more than just machines. And I’m going to find out why.
“Man, being frozen is the worst,” Chica piped up, stretching her arms behind her back. “I can’t even remember the last time it happened to us.”
“Just goes to show how little you pay attention when you’re having fun,” Mangle retorted. “Most fun we’ve had in weeks, I gotta say.”
“Too right.” Noticing the highly emotional look on Mando's face, Bonnie walked with him back to the stage. “We don’t blame you for anything that happened tonight, Mando. Keep that in mind and don’t go beating yourself up about it later.”
Mando wiped a hoof under his eyes. “Are you sure?” he asked. “It really is my fault you guys weren’t wandering as you should have.”
“Everyone needs a break from the norm,” Freddy declared. “Even us. We’re grateful for what you gave us tonight, MandoPony. You reminded us of the reason we enjoy what we do, the reason we follow our program.”
Balloon Boy leapt up with surprising agility and hung onto Freddy’s shoulders. “Heh, you say that as though we’ve got a choice on the matter. We barely have any say in this. Only Foxy has any real moves under his belt.”
“Arr, who be sayin’ me name now?”
Everyone in the room turned to the Main Hall entrance where stood Foxy, his arms crossed and his mechanical expression smug. “The only thing under me belt is fur and metal.”
“Never any offense meant, Foxy,” BB promised, bouncing his balloon in front of the pirate animatronic. “Just respect for the exotic.”
Foxy buzzed. “Hardly exotic, little matey,” he replied, patting Balloon Boy’s propeller hat-covered head. “Someone has to make sure the restaurant retains its former glory as much as possible. Though I daresay, each and every one of us knows what makes up the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.”
“Music.”
“Animatronic technology.”
“The best pizza in Equestria.”
“New blood.”
“Arcade games?”
“Parties!”
Mando listened to the animatronics call out the things that made Freddy Fazbear’s what it was, the things that made it special. He felt immensly proud to be witnessing it all happen. They really are more than just machines. It's like they're living creatures with personalities and souls. Oh, how I wish I knew why it's all so.
Freddy looked up at the clock on the wall. “Six AM nears,” he interrupted. “We’d best get things back in place, including ourselves.”
The pony and the animatronics all nodded. Together they went to work, making sure the restaurant was just as it was when Mando came to work six hours ago. Shifted tables were pushed back, party hats were replaced and the cooking utensils were washed.
Foxy slipped back into the Parts and Service room. “I be seeing you soon, hopefully,” he said to Mando, inclining his head.
“Maybe tomorrow night, you won’t start things off with a scare.”
“Har har har!” Foxy let loose with a piratey laugh. “Oh, ye be a sharp one, MandoPony. A good friend to anypony who knows it.”
“If you say so.” Mando gave a modest smile.
“Have a great day, matey.”
Leaving Foxy to shut the door behind him, Mando made his way to the stage room just in time to see Mangle scurry back to Kid’s Cove. Balloon Boy took his place by the merry go-round. Freddy, Chica and Bonnie mounted the stage and took their places.
“Tonight has been a night to remember,” Bonnie sighed, kneeling down toward Mando. “Never in my short life has there been a night quite like this.”
Mando nodded. “It’s been a first for me too, Bon.
The mechanical bunny smiled, her plastic animalistic face sliding around to accommodate the curve. “We’ll see you real soon, Mando,” she said, holding his hooves in her large hands.
“Tonight, at twelve AM.”
“Yes.”
Freddy grunted. “Ten seconds to six, Bonnie. Come on up here.”
“Coming!” Bonnie gave MandoPony one last smile, then retrieved her guitar and climbed up beside Freddy. Chica gripped her cupcake and began to stop in place, as did the others all throughout the restaurant.
Ding ding ding dong. Bing bing bing bong.
The six o’clock bell went off and echoed through the pizzeria. Mando returned to the Office, grabbing his cap and badge. He picked up the monitor and checked the rooms, just as a joke, while he waited for Marcolt to come and open the place.
Doh, this is just silly, Mando chuckled to himself, as Foxy waved one last time from the dark Parts and Service room. There’s nopony else here besides me, and all the guys are cutting their jaunts. Why would I even—
IT'S ME
Mando’s smile vanished. He remembered that voice; that creepy, unnatural, deep and sinister voice. Quickly, Mando flipped through all the camera feeds, coming up with nothing but still animatronics going back into their day mode.
“There’s no one else here,” Mando said aloud, in an attempt to reassure himself. He invigorated himself with thoughts of Bonnie and Foxy and all the other mysterious and friendly animatronics. This calmed Mando down and brought a stern expression to his face. Something was going on and he didn’t like it.
“Where are you?”
THE GAME IS OVER
This time, the voice was more pronounced and clear. It was almost as though the speaker was standing right behind Mando. Mando turned around, just to be sure, and found himself facing an empty Office wall. “This is getting ridiculous,” he decided, grabbing his mandolin and getting up from the office chair. “I am definitely in need of some sl-AAHH!”
A grinning purple face, ringed in a yellowish-gold background, flashed in front of Mando as he stepped into the hall. In a single blink, the face had disappeared, but the sight of the deep violet shade, the huge unnerving grin and the eyes, those horrible seeing eyes, had left Mando shaking.
What the Faust?! Mando’s heart was running like an Appleoosan engine. The place where the head had appeared seemed like a dark vacuum after having hosted such an apparition. Tensely strumming his mandolin in a soothing manner, MandoPony checked the four Party Rooms in person, reasoning that whoever had made that frightful face had ducked into one of them, but as with most of the mysteries he’d been met with at Freddy’s, he found nothing.
For MandoPony, that was the last hay fry.
That’s it. No more tricks. Whatever game the voice was talking about, this game of the unknown is indeed over. I’m going to solve all the enigmas: I’m going to find the missing foals, figure out how the animatronics have personalities and mobility beyond their programming, find out what that Puppet really is and, above all else, I’m going to find you.
Standing at the far end of the office hall, Mando felt a great deal of pride in his decision. He always knew the general reason for his taking the Fazbear night shift, but that it had expanded to far more than his original understanding only encouraged him to increase his efforts. In that moment, he knew that he would solve the mysteries, no matter how arduous it proved to be.
Knock knock knock
Mando’s ears pricked at the latest sound on the Freddy Fazbear scene. He recognized them instantly as the front door. The jangling of keys soon followed. Well, my shift is over. He hurried to the restaurant entrance and peered through the doors, instantly recognizing Marcolt, the pegasus Cheese Pie and Truffles the unicorn.
“Morning, Mando!” Cheese greeted loudly as soon as Marcolt had opened the doors. The pizza pegasus wooshed passed Mando, making a beeline for the kitchen.
“And to you, Cheese!” he called after him.
Marcolt walked through the doorway. “Helloo, MandoPony,” he said in a loud, bellowing voice. “How went tonight’s shift?”
“Well….” Mando did a great deal of head-bobbing, trying his best to innocently look away from Marcolt and at Truffles, who was making her way to the show stage where she set about examining the animatronics. For a moment, he thought he saw Bonnie’s right eye turn to him and wink. Mando smiled in a discreet reply.
“Surprisingly pleasant, Marcolt. It felt like a lot longer than six hours, more so than last night’s shift even.”
“Time flies when you’re working at the scene of the crime,” Marcolt muttered, momentarily looking sullen. “I hope it was as you say, MandoPony. Faust knows how Freddy Fazbear’s needs pleasantries these days.”
Mando nodded and slowly walked into the next room. Marcolt followed him, almost curiously, and together they turned to face the Show Stage. Truffles was currently running a beam of magic over Chica’s still frame.
“These three are all working great, Marcolt,” she announced. “They followed their night settings perfectly.”
Marcolt’s face flashed with annoyance, returning to his solemn demeanor a second later. “That’s…. good. What of the others?”
“Foxy’s AOK, Marc!” Cheese Pie called out from the kitchen. Then he shouted, “There are a ton of spots in the dust, though! You been in the room, Mando?”
“Yep,” Mando said, giving his answer to Marcolt. “I had some time before and after my shift and thought I’d have a look at the extra bits and pieces we’ve got in there.”
“Oh.” Marcolt’s expression changed back and forth again, the new face almost fearful. “I’m glad you’re okay and that your shift was… pleasant.”
“You know, that’s the first time a guard ever described the night shift like that,” Truffles remarked, returning from Kid’s Cove from her inspection of Mangle. “Marcolt, all the animatronics are fine. Another flawless night for them.”
“That’s a relief.”
Cheese Pie came in with the day’s first pizza, humming as he bustled along. “There we are, Mando,” he said, laying the pizza before the musician. “The Morning Meal, just for you and your mare.”
Mando blushed. How does he know about Sibsy? He hurriedly laid the pizza over his back with his mandolin. “So I’ll be seeing you all this evening?” Mando asked, turning toward the door.
“I certainly hope so, unless you have a previous engagement.” Marcolt followed Mando to the door while Truffles and Cheese cantered into the kitchen. “If that happens, we’ll have to pull one of our other staffponies in for the night and, with you already having two successful nights under your belt, I’d rather not put somepony else in it and ruin your streak.”
Odd way to put it, but I can’t really argue with that, Mando thought. However, there is something I must inquire of him.
“Marcolt.”
“Yes?”
“What’s the matter?”
Marcolt gave a sigh and looked sadly at his flank, upon which sat a pink mustache over an eight note. “I always knew my skill lay in entertainment, MandoPony. I worked at it until I found myself in one of the top entertainment companies of Equestria. Now….” Marcolt’s voice weakened and his ears flopped. “Now I fear my life’s work will be all for naught. All that I’ve worked for is disappearing and I’m powerless to prevent it.”
Mando listened to the other pony’s sad words. He understood everything Marcolt was worrying about, even having an idea of how to put it to rest, so to speak. “We can’t give up, Marcolt,” Mando said, his own voice strong and confident. “We must have hope. Hope that these troubles will come to pass and that we shall continue our craft and profession, bringing joy to the hearts of ponies, both young and old. It is our mission in life and we cannot fail it, no matter what obstacles are hurled in our path.”
The musician’s words seemed to reassure Marcolt and his shoulders relaxed. “You’re right, MandoPony. We can’t give up. We won’t.” He put a hoof on Mando’s back. “Thank you, for everything.”
“It was my pleasure.” Mando flipped his security cap around and stepped out, the morning sun bright on his face. “Good luck today at the pizzeria.”
Marcolt beamed from the doorway. “Have a nice day yourself, and good luck with your own mare.”
“I will,” Mando replied instantaneously, before realizing what he had said. Marcolt must know about Wildfire. She helped design the animatronics.
As soon as Mando disappeared around the block, Marcolt retreated back into the pizzeria. Already a few customers had shown up, ponies who still had faith in Freddy Fazbear’s, despite the rumors. Ponies who still had hope.
“I wish I could live up to the things I’ve said, MandoPony,” Marcolt muttered under his breath as he walked into the next room, where some younger ponies were riding the merry-go-round, free of the worries and concerns of reality. “I wish things were going as well for me as they are for you.”
With a heavy heart, Marcolt Plier turned and looked up at the tall animatronic lagomorph, bending its way through its daily programming of music and song, all for entertaining the Freddy Fazbear customers.
“I’m sorry, Bonnie. I’m so, so sorry.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.02 seconds
Total duration
747 users online
1,162,809 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
YES.
Oh my gosh you made a Markiplier character that is flipping awesome
6803692 He was there since the beginning
WHO SAID NEW BLOOD??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
6808086 As in New animatronics being moved to the restaurant, not murder! I hope...
6812832 WERE DOOMED!
6814327 6812832
Actually, in a way, you're all right
How..
Why didn't it say this story updated!!!
Such good...
Such mystery...
Such wow...
Woooo!!!!! Awesome story man keep up the awesome work!!! And plz update soon!!!!
Not to be pushy but...
...i.is...is it dead?
6946919 No. Just suffering from heavy overdose of W. block.
All my work is being affected (except for a small project and a really long one that practically builds itself)