//------------------------------//
// Meeting with Friends 
// Story: Rainbow Dash's Five Nights at Freddy's 
// by PrometheusX 
//------------------------------//

Morning, 11:00AM (Baltimare)

"...Dear Luna and Celestia..."

Griff Schmidt was not the type of stallion who broke down easily. Yes, he would occasionally drink himself into submission to forget all the bad, and he was as vulnerable to emotion as any other pony. However, he had long ago learned, as a necessary requirement of owning an establishment with magic dolls that killed ponies after hours if they caught them, that one had to learn to suppress those emotions. Grieve, yes. Regret, unquestionably. Hate, without a shadow of a doubt. But those weren't things he could just come out and show anyone. He had to bottle them up to the public, only revealing them when in private. It wasn't fair to his hardworking employees who had stayed with him through thick or to the foals who didn't realize the truth, to take it out on them.

He sometimes wondered if this was how the two princesses felt sometimes, especially Celestia when her sister was absent from rule.

However, there were times when that iron facade cracked, allowing his true feelings to spread out. The greatest cracks had occurred on that second day when Rainbow Dash came to him for answers. To finally tell somepony who was willing to listen and not dismiss his words as madpony-rambling about what had happened to the best of his knowledge had been like a gulp of fresh air to a long-time deprived swimmer. On some level, he was glad to be able to lay his troubles bare to her, even if it also brought him sadness at opening old wounds that had never fully closed.

Smaller but no less insignificant cracks had occurred in the days following, when Dash had told him about the murders of the innocent children in the pizzeria. They had been like slaps to the face, to know at last what dark secret his grandfather had tried to keep hidden from the public eye. It also made him pity the dolls in a sense; despite everything they had done, especially Golden Freddy, they were just as much victims as everypony else.

It also made him even gladder about the fact that the closing day was soon upon them.

But this new piece of information that Rainbow Dash had brought to him after her fourth night, the night not even the previous longest-going nightguard, Shep Book, had managed to see all the way through, took the rug right out from under him. He couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it at first.

But why not? It had happened before, had it not? Innocent nightguards stuffed into the suits, removed and carted outside under the cover of darkness to be given something resembling a proper sendoff and burial in the cemetery, magic used to cover the scent? He had never seen it for himself of course: His father had long ago, before he joined their number, hired a group of ponies to always come in whenever it happened to carry the bodies off. They were sworn to secrecy: As long as they were paid, they didn't care what happened to the pizzeria or even if they were eventually ratted out on. They would simply leave like shadows in the night.

But this was different. The dolls had done something different this time. Instead of leaving the body in the backstage, they had placed it inside the backrooms with the multiple costumes, stored in the far back where no one could find it easily. Even the smell was barely recognizable as that of something decaying. However, Dash's words about Shep saying to look in the backrooms had borne fruit, bitter and horrible as it was.

Griff slowly used his magic to levitate the suit, grunting with effort as the brown suit of Freddy Fazbear was brought out into the open. Even now, if one ignored the dried red spots, one would be excused for believing that it was just a heavier-than-normal suit... if you hadn't noticed the actual white teeth within the mask.

He didn't wonder where the eyes were, he didn't want to know or guess out of fear thinking 'yes' and being right or thinking 'no' and being wrong.

Perhaps that was the reason he felt so strongly right now: Because he'd been wrong. When no body had been found by the shady ponies who took them away after Shep's disappearance, Griff had allowed himself to hope that Shep Book had finally decided to give up and go on with his life. He had dared to believe that he was alright. To have that belief thrown so brazenly back in his face like this like an insult wasn't doing him any favours.

"...I'm so sorry, Shep," he whispered softly to the costume, its eyeless sockets seeming to stare at him. "I was wrong... I should have been more thorough. Maybe..."

'Maybe what?' he thought to himself. 'Maybe you would have found him? Maybe you could have saved him? Don't be an idiot.'

It was true. He likely wouldn't have found him in time either way. If nothing else, it probably would have been too late by the time he found Shep.

'But at least he would have had someone by him in those last moments,' the treacherous part of his mind argued. 'At least he wouldn't have died alone.'

"...Be at peace, Book," he said quietly. "Be at peace."

Slowly, he brought the costume over to the back exit in the area. He rapped on the door three times softly.

"We're here," came a voice on the other end.

"Then open up," he replied.

The door did so. Griff was met with the sight of three ponies, one Earth pony and two unicorns, clad in black robes almost like ministers. In fact, under those masks and hats, he wouldn't have been surprised if those three actually did work at the local church. How else would they get these things into the cemetery constantly?

"Another one?" The Earth pony leader asked, though his voice wasn't cruel or callous. In fact, it seemed almost pained in a way. Why, Griff didn't know.

"The previous one, actually," Griff replied as slowly and briefly as possible. He didn't trust his emotions too much right now. "The one you couldn't find."

"...My apologizes, good sir," the stallion replied. "I am sorry for your loss of a good pony."

"Save your words and sorrow for his family, if he had one," Griff answered him. "They are the ones who deserve it. Just do what you do."

The stallion bowed, and his fellows allowed their horns to suddenly start glowing. In an instant, the doll seemed to vanish in a burst of light.

"...A good day to you, Mr. Schmidt, and to the end of your establishment," the lead pony said as he turned away, followed by his subordinates. "May you find happiness eventually in your life."

"...Happiness isn't something I deserve, quite honestly," Griff softly replied, more to himself than to the three of them. He watched them for a moment before going back inside. Once he had done that, he went back on through the restaurant, taking a moment to glance towards the show stage with a barely contained look of hatred at the three dolls (who stared back with their usual expressions... though he took some inner pleasure at the sight of Bonnie looking all dented up and Freddie with a blacken hand.) before heading straight to his office, which was currently... locked to keep a certain somepony inside.

Reaching the door, he took a deep breath as he brought out his key, mentally and physically preparing himself for what was about to happen.

'Here goes nothing,' he thought to himself as he inserted it into the knob and turned. He opened the door...

-and found himself with a blue foreleg in his gut.

'I deserved that one,' he admitted to himself as he fell to the ground.

"What the buck were you thinking!?"

Griff flinched at those words, slowly looking up into the face of an angry Rainbow Dash, who had a bit of an ash mark on her forehead.

Griff slowly got up and moved past her back into his office. To her credit, Dash didn't try to stop him. In fact, she looked sort of pleased he was coming inside. If nothing else, he was grateful for the fact she waited until he shut the door.

"Dash, I-"

"I could understand you just telling me to stay in here when I told you about Shep, but you shot me in the face with magic!" Dash suddenly yelled again, "That hurt like getting bucked! Then you just locked me inside!"

Griff didn't say anything to his defense. He just waited for her to finish. At least she didn't look like she was gonna hit him again, settling for just yelling.

"Seriously, what the hay, dude?" she continued her tirade, but she was rapidly losing steam. "Why didn't... why didn't you let me go with you? To let me see him?"

Ah, the question at last. Griff sighed.

"Because you didn't need to see what had happened to Shep Book after over a week of being stuffed into that suit," Shep replied, then continued when he noticed she was about to say something. "And no, I don't say that because I thought you couldn't handle the sight of him like that."

"Then why-"

"Because it was my responsibility," Griff told her firmly, allowing only a trace of sadness to reflect in his words. "You might owe Shep Book because of his advice, something I will not deny in any way. However, you weren't the one who had to watch him go in those four nights and disappear on the last, hoping against hope he had wised up and left, only to have reality thrown in your face like that. It was my burden to see him off, and it was mine alone. I needed it to be me alone."

Dash just stared at him, as if trying to gauge the truth in his words. Griff walked past her.

"If you want to see him, I'd recommend going to the cemetery tomorrow," he said simply. "His tombstone should be set up by then."

He went to his desk and sat down, facing her.

"...So, are you gonna hit me again?" he finally asked her, "Or is there something else you wanted to talk about before that?"

Dash stared for a moment longer, then opened her mouth. She then shut it as if she just had a sudden thought, then opened it again. "...I still want to punch you..."

"Again, you're free to."

"...but I think I get where you're coming from..." she added slowly. "So I'm not."

She then fixed him with a brief glare. "Doesn't mean I don't like it though."

"I wouldn't expect you too," Griff answered her. "In fact, I would have been insulted if you had."

Dash grunted noncommittally. "So, what now?"

Griff leaned back. "Well, today's the official closing day. The official 'going-out-of-business party' to the public will start at 4:30PM, more than enough time for your friends to get here even assuming they got your letter late."

Dash grinned, the thought of her friends scrambling aboard the train to here after reading her letter bringing a mischievous smile to her face, such a bright thought in light of the past several days.

"They'll be here," she replied confidently. "Don't worry about a thing."

Griff stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. "Well, I suppose you girls are the experts at this sort of thing. What, you just gonna shoot them with your giant beams of rainbow-friendship-magic?"

"That's how we usually do it."

He snorted. "That'll be a sight to see."

Rainbow Dash grinned again, already imagining the look on Chica, Bonnie, but especially Freddy's faces when they got blasted. That grin briefly faded when another thought came to her.

"Hey, what about Golden Freddy?" she suddenly asked. "How would we take care of him?"

Griff blinked for a moment and then shrugged. "Well, if your 'Rainbow Power' really is as powerful as you claim, you could probably just exorcise the entire restaurant along with the dolls, I guess. Probably wouldn't be too difficult."

Dash thought about that for a moment. "...You know, we might blow the whole place up if we did it like that..."

"I don't care," Griff answered her. "It's not like I'm looking reopen the place."

Dash was a little uncomfortable about the callous way he had said that, but didn't try to argue the point. After all, she had been here four nights and was under the opinion that everything inside, aside from Foxy, could just go up in great big ball of Celestia-blessed fire.

She blinked. Speaking of Foxy...

"Well, you're all welcome to come to the party regardless. I'm thinking about having Foxy sing an old classic of his as the final note..." Griff had continued saying, not noticing her sudden change in demeanor until she spoke again.

"What's gonna happen to Foxy?"

He blinked and looked at her. "...Huh?"

"I mean... all this," she waved a hoof around the room they were in to emphasize her point. "When it's all over... what's gonna happen to the dolls?"

Griff looked at her. "Well, once the... foals inside have been put to rest... they'll probably be scrapped. Incinerated. At least, if your whole little rainbow-laser thing doesn't do anything else to them."

"Just like that?"

"I'm not taking them," Griff told her in turn. "And I don't think anypony else would either... well, Foxy I might save. The rest... well, I won't be losing sleep over it."

Again, Dash couldn't disagree.

"Speaking of which," Griff suddenly added. "Foxy say anything to you after last night?"

Dash blinked, then thought back.





"...Well, thanks for the save Foxy," Rainbow Dash told the fox doll, wincing slightly as she noticed the new dings on his frame, along with a wider tear in his chest area. "But seriously, we have to stop doing things like this."

"No problem, me lass," Foxy answered her, his jaws briefly hinging and unhinging as he, for one of the first times she could remember, actually actively stared at her rather than just look off into the distance. "I couldn't just let Bonnie play so unfair like that. Besides," he added with what appeared to be a grin. "I haven't had this much fun since... well, I can't remember, actually."

"Fun?" Rainbow Dash repeated slowly and incredulously. "You call all this being fun?"

"...Aye,"  Foxy answered, his gaze growing a bit sadder. "'Tis true, while Freddy and the others might consider chasing after every nightguard to be 'fun'... I've never gotten into it... maybe it's because of what happened..."

Dash blinked. "What?"

Foxy seemed to shrink into himself. "I ran," he mumbled more to himself than her. "When Bonnie tried to fight back, Chica screamed, Freddy hid, and GF laughed like a madpony, I ran like a coward for the exit. I tried to leave 'em all behind, afraid. But he got me anyways."

'Is he... talking about the murderer?' Dash wondered to herself, but she could only watched as Foxy seemed to shudder, something that shouldn't have been possible.

"When the first guard came along, he ran like I did from us," Foxy continued. "I caught him, wanted to make him hurt like we had, like I did... but..."

His ears drooped, and what might have been a sob escaped his throat, regardless of the impossibility of it since it was an artificial body. "He looked... just like me... I couldn't do it... I never could bring meself to hurt them..."

"...So you hid," Rainbow guessed. "Always behind the curtain."

He nodded, not looking up. "The others called me a coward... only running out when I thought I could help the guards, but they always locked me out... always afraid."  Finally, he looked up at her. "But you... you never were."

"Me?" Dash repeated, pointing to herself.

He nodded. "Ye always thought I was the 'cool' one, the 'awesomest' one of all. Ye didn't think I was a monster... did you?"

Dash chuckled. "What are you talking about?" she asked before putting a hoof on her chest. "Why'd you think I'd think that? Me? You're the only one who didn't try to attack me. That makes you alright in my book, and you always helped out when I was in a tight spot." She looked at him seriously. "I don't know what Freddy and the others were thinking, calling you a coward after all those crazy stunts."

She had a feeling that if dolls could blush, Foxy would be redder than his fur. "Well... that was honestly the first time I ever actually did something like that. Normally, I just... run over to the office to try and calm the guard down... and you can guess where that's gotten me..."

"Well, it's saved my hide," Dash replied. "And that's a win in my book." She then gave him a very earnest smile. "I never would made it this far without you, Foxy. Believe that much."

Foxy chuckled. "Me thanks, lass- er, Rainbow Dash." He then looked at her with what might have a curious expression. "So... tomorrow's the big day, eh?"

She nodded. "Yup. My friends finally get here and we finish this up."

"Ya gonna be working night shift?"

Dash blinked. "...I don't know," she answered. "I mean, once my friends are here, we're probably just gonna get it over with. Maybe. I don't know if I'd have to after that."

Foxy looked interested at that. "What have you lasses got up ye sleeves that could deal with all of us at once?"

"A giant rainbow laser of pure friendship and flank-kicking," she answered with a completely straight face.

Foxy just stared. "...Really?"

"Hey, it's way more awesome than it sounds," Dash argued. "Don't knock it 'til you try it."





"...Some stuff," Dash replied simply.

Griff stared at her for a moment, then just shrugged. "Well, whatever," he finally said, then gestured towards the door. "You might as well get going. Assuming your friends got your letter and took the first train here, they'll probably be here in about... an hour or so? Go on and relax, goof off, whatever's your thing."

"Got it." With that, Dash walked over to the door, stopping just short of it. She seemed to be struggling to sayy something important.

"Yes, Rainbow Dash?" Griff called to her.

"...About Shep," she slowly began, then turned back towards him, her expression having become sad once more. "He didn't... he didn't suffer, did he?"

"...It was quick, if that's what you're wondering," he replied. "He didn't feel the pain for too long. That sort of thing... doesn't leave much time to let you feel the pain."

Actually, Griff wasn't entirely certain either way, but if it helped ease some of the unnecessary guilt on her part, he believed it. Sure enough, Dash's expression seemed to brighten a little bit before she turned back around.

"That's good."

With that, she opened the door and left the room. Griff watched her go, then leaned back in his stair. His eyes briefly landed on his drinking stash, but he shook his head.

'Not the time for that,' he decided. 'I need to get things ready for this afternoon...'





Baltimare Train Station (Noon)

Dash sat down awkwardly in the station area, a cup of coffee in one hoof and a worn copy of one of Daring Doo's adventures in her other one. After leaving the pizzeria, avoiding Freddy and the gang's gaze as much as possible, she had decided to go and take another nap before Twilight and the others got here. Surprisingly enough, she had woken up with almost fifteen minutes left to wait, so she decided to just get things over with by coming here and waiting.

She got the coffee from the shop inside the place. She got the book from a bin of books ponies could read from while they waited for the trains.

Of course, despite her best efforts, she couldn't bring herself to actually try and read the book. Not because it was bad, quite the contrary, it was actually one of the first novels she ever read after her stint in the Ponyville hospital. No, it was because she just couldn't build up the concentration to read more than a sentence at a time. Instead, she kept glancing towards the station proper, her eyes shifting from the empty tracks to the clock above. Not even the coffee could calm her down.

'You know, why did I grab coffee anyways?' Dash thought to herself, looking down at the half-cup that remained. 'I'm wide awake already.'

With an annoyed growl, she got back up, tossed the coffee into the trash and put the book back, instead choosing start pacing. She occasionally glanced up towards the station, but still no sign of the train.

'What is taking it so darn long?' she wondered to herself. 'Griff said they should be here right about no-"

Suddenly, she heard a dinging noise, and then an announcer's voice rang out throughout the station.

"The noon train from Ponyville to Baltimare is now making its way into the station. All passengers intending to take the train to Fillydelphia are advised to make their way to the boarding station now, while anypony wishing to greet the newcomers may come to the platform. Thank you for your time and cooperation."

Rainbow Dash was already rushing up to the platform when she heard the words 'Ponyville' and 'Baltimare'. She had just made it to the edge before the doors opened.

"DASHIE!" A pink blur yelled as it rushed out straight towards her. Before she could even blink, it collided with her and sent her tumbling back to the ground.

"Wha, Pinkie Pie?" Dash managed to blurt out as they tumbled for a few seconds before coming to a stop, the party pony still hugging her tightly with a relieved smile.

"You're alright!" her friend exclaimed happily. "When me and Twilight first read the letter and you were all 'killer-dolls' and 'suit-stuffing' and really dark, we thought you were in BIIIGGG trouble, so we came as fast as we could, but we got sidetracked when the train conductor had a problem with the engine, and then we had to wait for what felt like two days when it was really just an hour two and the guy's name was X, which is a weird name and all, but-"

"Pinkie, you know... I'm happy to see you right now... too..." Rainbow Dash gasped out, interrupting her friend's ramble. "But... you could you... let up a little bit? I think... you're cracking... my ribs..."

Pinkie blinked for a moment, then quickly let go. "Oh," she nervously chuckled, "sorry about that."

Rainbow Dash took a moment to breathe in and out. "Yeah, no problem."

"Well, you're looking like you're doing alright, Dash," a familiar Southern drawl interrupted them.

Turning her head, Rainbow Dash smiled as she watched Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight all walk towards them.

"Hey girls," she greeted them lamely, "How've ya been?"

"We could be worse," Rarity replied in that usual sophisticated manner of hers, then gave her a look that was equal parts curiosity and slight concern, "But I think if anypony among us has a tale to tell, it would be you, darling."

"Rarity's right, sugarcube," Applejack added with her own slight concern. "After Twilight and Pinkie got us all together on that train, they told us about what ya wrote. Honestly, I'm still trying to wrap ma head around it."

"We were all worried about you," Fluttershy added her two bits in, her usual timid tone inflicting her every word. "I mean, if you were actually hurt..."

"Girls, girls," Rainbow quickly said, getting their attention. "I'm alright, alright? Look at me," she added with a quick spread of her wings and brief twirl around. "Completely, 100% a-okay."

She looked over at Twilight, who had yet to say anything in the conversation and had simply stared at her. "You hear that, Twilight?"

Twilight blinked, then shook her head. "Oh, uh, sorry about that," she quickly muttered, then gave a big grin as she suddenly reached out and hugged Dash herself. "It's good to see you're alright, Dash."

Dash blinked in surprise at the sudden contact, not expecting it from the alicorn, then chuckled and looked around as she returned the embrace. "Hey, where's Spike?"

"Back in Ponyville," Twilight answered her as she pulled away. "I just wanted him to come with us to the train station."

"So Rainbow Dash," Applejack then said, "Mind telling us about what happened while you were here?"

Rainbow Dash looked at all of them for a moment, then gestured. "I'll do even better. I'll show you and let you talk to the boss stallion."





"So this is the place?"

Dash looked over at Twilight, the one who had asked that question, as she pushed open the door to let everyone inside. "Yup," she answered, then looked over at the others. "So what do you think?"

Rarity had a slight look of disdain on her face as she surveyed the old and worn condition of the place, particularly where it was dirty and faded. "...Well, not to be rude Rainbow Dash, but to be perfectly honest, it looks rather... well, old."

"Sturdy though," Applejack added, less focused on appearance than on structure. "The place looks like it was built to last."

"Umm... I have to agree with Rarity," Fluttershy said, her eyes flickering onto the slightly dirty windows and the posters of the three magic dolls. "It feels kind of... sad, though."

"Kind of looks like the setting to a good scary story," Pinkie replied. "It just needs to be a little darker and more creepy lighting. We could have the perfect Nightmare Night here!"

"The thought's crossed my mind."

The Mane Six all turned their heads to see Griff Schmidt walking towards them. "Care to introduce me, Rainbow Dash?" he asked with a slight smile.

Dash chuckled slightly, then pointed a hoof towards him. "Well girls, meet my boss, Griff Schmidt, third owner of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. He's a pretty cool guy, all things considered."

"A pleasure," Griff added, extending his hoof. "Ms. Dash spoke rather highly of you five as a group whenever the topic broached you. I must say, I'm rather honored to have such heroes of Equestria grace my humble, soon-to-be-ex-establishment."

Twilight, as befitting her station as princess, took the offered hoof into her own first. "The pleasure is ours, Mr. Schmidt," she replied warmly, much like how Celestia would act towards foreign ambassadors. "But, if it were possible, could you answer some questions? Rainbow Dash's letters said many things, but my friends and I would like to hear it from both of you personally."

Griff's expression changed to a more somber one, but nodded. "Of course, Princess." He looked towards the others, briefly bowing his head. "If I may insist, shall we go to my office? I would prefer we all speak in private in slightly more... comforting accommodations."

"Very well," Twilight agreed, "But you don't have to call me 'Princess'. Twilight Sparkle will do just fine."

A small smirk crossed Griff's face. "As you command."

A similar one crossed her own. "I prefer to think of it as a request."

He shrugged but didn't continue. Instead, he gestured to the others. "If I may," he said as he began to head towards his office.

The five stared after him for a moment. Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash.

"He always act so sophisticated?"

Dash shrugged. "Nah, he was always pretty easygoing when we were talking."

"Well, he certainly has manners," Rarity admitted. "It would rude of us to keep him waiting like this."

"Yeah..." Twilight added. "Let's go."





The journey didn't take that long and was rather uneventful. The only mishap that happened was when they passed near the show stage and got a good look at Bonnie, Chica, and Freddy.

"So these are the magic dolls you were talking about, Dash?" Twilight asked, her eyes locked on them as the scientist within her began to ask questions. "How old are they?"

"As old as the establishment itself," Griff answered her, not bothering to look at them himself. "Like I first told Dash, they're practically family... the kind you don't want to hang around other ponies for everypony's safety, that is."

Applejack gave them a once-over, a slight frown crossing her face at their expressions. "Forgive me if I agreed, Mr. Schmidt. They give me a bad gut feeling."

Rarity had similar thoughts. "Indeed... though they also look like they could use a good wash as well. No need for them to look like they've been here since the founding of the restaurant as well."

Fluttershy seemed to shrink away from the dolls' gaze. "Umm, I don't know... they seem kind of sad to me."

Griff sighed. "Unfortunately, our budget's never allowed us the opportunity to give them any real good clean-ups. As for being sad... well, anypony be a little sad about their way of life coming to an end. Tonight's their last night after all."

"Is there gonna be a party?" Pinkie suddenly asked. "No business should go out without a party; it makes things a lot less sad when everypony splits up."

Griff chuckled. "Yeah, they'll be one. And you're all welcome to come."

Twilight suddenly blinked. "Wait a minute..." she turned to Dash. "You said there were four magic dolls. Where's the last one?"

Dash blinked. "You mean Foxy?" She waved over towards Pirate Cove. "He's in there. He's... broken, so they had to put him behind there."

"He's coming out for the finale though," Griff added. "He'll actually be the one who ends the party with his signature song." He then gestured towards his office. "But I believe you wanted answers first...?"

Twilight sighed, tearing her gaze from the dolls. "Lead the way."

They trudged on, Rainbow Dash taking up the rear. When she was the last one in the room though, she quickly turned and blew a raspberry towards Freddy.

Was it immature? Yes. Did she care? Not in the slightest.

Once they made it into Griff's office, he offered them all seats. To the surprise of Dash, he had apparently taken the time to rearrange his office in the time she had been gone to accommodate several chairs, though his desk was still in its normal, albeit slightly scooched back, position.

"Can I get you girls anything to drink?" he asked, bringing out several glasses. "Normally I'd offer some hard cider, but this isn't the sort of conversation I think would be appropriate for such a drink. In which case, I only have water." He punctuated that statement by bringing up a closed container with ice water. "It's fresh, by the way."

"That's fine," Twilight replied. "Thank you."

The others nodded their thanks as he poured them all a cup, then gave each one. He settled back into his chair.

"So..." he began, "How shall I start?"

"How about from the beginning?" Twilight offered.

He chuckled. "Well in that case, let's start with my grandpa, Management "Scott" Schmidt..."





And so he told them everything. Everything he knew about the pizzeria and its origins, from his grandpa to his father, from his own experiences to what Rainbow Dash had told him. Dash chimed in, recounting her experiences with the dolls, the recorded messages of Shep Book and her friendship with Foxy the Pirate Fox. Questions were asked, claims were disputed, but overall the other five just listened as the two of them told the dark tale of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

When it was over, Griff leaned back. "So there you have. I am the owner of a place haunted by the spirits of five dead foals, four of which possess the forms of the magic dolls and the fifth having taken the role of a simple typical ghost, and all save one is a homicidal spirit of vengeance that stuff their victims into Freddy Fazbear suits in a form of cruel irony for their own suffering. Your friend Rainbow Dash, with the aid of said one non-hostile spirit, has endured four nights of this torment because she wanted to make sure nopony has to suffer this job anymore and because she claimed that you five had the ability to end the foals' suffering. Your 'Rainbow Power', I believe she called it."

His voice took on a pleading tone. "Please, help me to help my family make amends for everything we've done, intentionally or not. Help me put an end to this nightmare."

The Mane Six were silent for the longest of moments. Rainbow Dash looked over at the others. Her mind was already made up to help and everypony already knew that, now she needed to hear what the others thought.

"...Well..." Fluttershy, surprisingly enough, was the one who spoke first. "If you really mean what you say... You don't want to see anypony else hurt because of what happened, and you want to help those foals... I'll help."

"Yes," Rarity added, a small smile gracing her face. "I am not be the best judge of character, but I believe you truly mean everything you say, and if Fluttershy also trusts your word, then I shall as well."

"Me three!" Pinkie added. "You don't want Freddy and his meanie friends hurting anypony anymore, and you helped Dashie all throughout her nights here. I trust you."

"...Can't say I agree with everything you did," Applejack said slowly, "especially with the nightguards... but I can tell you're not lying either. You really want to make amends." She straighten her hat a bit. "You can count me in."

Dash looked towards Twilight. "Well Twilight?"

"...Like Applejack, I can't condone everything you and your family have done, even if you had your reasons for it," Twilight admitted to Griff. "Especially with the nightguards."

Griff sighed. "Again, I'd be insulted if you did."

"But you really want to repent for all of this," Twilight added, a small smile gracing her face. "So I'll - we'll - help you."

Griff smiled at them all. "...Thank you, really."

Dash smiled. "What did I tell you? Piece of cake."

"Now we just have to wait until after the party," Rarity guessed, to which Griff nodded.

"To those foals, those four magic dolls are practically old friends. They'd want a chance to say their goodbyes."

"Can I help out with the party?" Pinkie asked Griff. "If it's going to be the last one Freddy Fazbear's Pizza has, you might as well make it epic and fun!"

Griff blinked. "Are you sure?" he asked. "I wouldn't want to impose-"

"You're asking us to fire off a magic blast in the middle of the place," Applejack reminded him. "Really, this isn't that much."

Griff sighed. "Well, if you insist..."

Pinkie immediately saluted and disappeared in a flash of pink.

"...Does she-?"

"Yeah, that's just Pinkie's thing," Rainbow Dash told her boss. "You get use to it."