Chapter 7

Mike glanced around Mangle's Cove. Though this was not his first time in there, he had never truly paid attention to what was in there. There were coloring books and multiple drawings spread across the walls. There were also many other things children would, but it would take him forever to identify them all in his head. But what was especially noteworthy was the small layer of dust that layered on top of everything.

After finishing his search, the curious night guard turned his attention towards Mangle and asked, "So, you were essentially the calming break room for children?"

"Yes," Mangle slowly nodded her head. "I also used to read books to children during story time."

"So, why are you 'out of order'?"

"Well…" the timid animatronic's embarrassment and sorrow were on full display as she struggled to answer that question. "It all started a little ways back. I was 'on-break' while the all the kids were watching a performance by Freddy, Bonnie and Chica. During that time, a couple of guys walked in, so I acted like I was inoperable. They bought the act like everyone else does, but because of that they approached me with scary looks in their eyes and… They started touching and squeezing."

"I see…" Mike calmly replied.

"Very thoroughly…"

"Of course."

"And ever since then I was afraid of the same thing happening again. Too afraid to keep the guise of a life-like animatronic. I was told that humans can only suspend they're disbelief so much and if I was afraid to make contact with half the customers then I shouldn't be 'operational'."

"I see…"

"And that's the story."

"I see…"

A brief but noticeable silence injected itself into their conversation.

"Um… Isn't there anything you want to say?" Mangle asked.

"Like what?" Mike replied, confused.

"That it's pathetic that a performing animatronic would be put 'out-of-order' because their afraid of human contact?"

"Not really. You reacted the way you reacted because it made you uncomfortable; I don't really see how that has anything to do with you being a highly advanced sentient robotic being."

"Really?" Mangle's eye widened with surprise. She didn't expect such a response in regards to her problem.

"It doesn't really sound all too different from Freddy socking a customer for doing the same thing," Mike reminded her.

"Oh. Right…"

Another short, but very noticeable silence entered their conversation.

"You really don't think it's weird?" Mangle asked again.

"My experience with human contact is not so good either, so…" Mike felt something briefly stop him from finishing his sentence. He felt like pain, but he wasn't entirely sure. "So… I can certainly empathize with you there."

"Oh." Mangle's tail swished back and forth. "Um… What did you do after going through your experience?"

"Well…" Mike closed his eyes as he recalled the dreams he's been having more and more frequently as of late. "I believe that I had someone help me."

"Hey, are you okay?"

Mike anxiously opened his eyes just as a hand entered his field of vision. Afraid to even look up, the battered child could only ask, "W-Who are you?"

"The one who scared those bullies off," the same voice proudly answered. "My's name _________. What's yours?"

"It's-"

"Night Guard?"

Blinking his eyes, Mike found himself back in Mangle's cove.

"Are you okay?" she worriedly asked.

"I'm… I'm fine," he answered. "As I was saying, I received help."

Mangle averted her gaze as she processed what she was told. "…Night Guard, do you think you could help me?"

"You want my help?"

"Well, the others tried to help but they're…"

"Not a human male?"

Mangle timidly nodded her head.

"…So, what do you want me to do?" Mike asked.

"You'll help me?"

"I see no reason not to. So, what exactly do you need me to do?"

"Well, the other said that the best thing to do is to face my fear directly. So, I would like for you to touch me."

"Excuse me?" Mike eyes slightly widened with surprise over her words.

"I-I mean, I just need you to perform physical contact with me," Mangle stammered.

"Pardon me?"

"I-I mean-!" the anxious animatronic's cheeks grew bright red as she stumbled over her words.

"Perhaps we should start with a simple handshake?" Mike suggested.

"That sounds good… Um…" Mangle anxiously approached the young night guard and slowly extended her hand towards him.

The young night guard solemnly glanced down at the hand offered to him and just as slowly reached for it. Just as he was about to grasp her hand, Mangle quickly retracted it to her side.

"Sorry, it's just a little hard," she winced. "Maybe I should just do what Spring-Bonnie advised."

Mike raised an eyebrow after hearing that. He couldn't see Mangle doing anything Spring-Bonnie advised on such a subject. Suddenly, to his shock, she opened her arms wide and slowly approached him once again. Once she was in range, Mangle wrapped her arms around herself.

"I can't do this…" she lamented.

"What if I casually place my hand on your shoulder?" Mike suggested. "Like I think how proud fathers do to their sons."

"Okay, that may work," Mangle stood straight in front of him, preparing for the worst. As the Night Guard's hand inched closer and closer to her, she felt her anxiety rise. Just as he was about to make contact, flashes of her traumatic experience quickly flashed in her mind, causing her to shriek and run out of her cove.

"Huh," Mike solemnly glanced down at his hand as he walked out of the cove.

"My's name _________. What's yours?"

"It's-" The child quickly jumped on his feet and turned away. "Forget it! Just leave me alone!"

He ran away. There was nothing else the battered child could do but run and run. He just couldn't take anymore.

"Night Guard?" Mike glanced up and found himself face to face with Freddy. "What's just happened with Mangle?"

"She requested that I help her with her trouble with physical contact," he answered.

"She did?" Freddy gasped. "I guess I don't need to ask how it went… Though to be honest, I think she's downplaying what her real issue is."

"That she may be afraid of human males altogether."

"How'd you guess?"

"Judging from your shocked reaction just now along with what she had told me of her previous interaction with previous night guards; it is completely understandable if that was the case. It would also explain why she would be 'out-of-order' instead of there just being a rule to not touch her."

"That's an astute observation," Freddy complimented. "Honestly, you're the first adult human male that's shown her any kindness in regards to her as a person."

"My thoughts exactly!" a boisterous voice interjected. One second after that statement, Foxy jumped in front of the two with a hearty smile on her face. "This is exactly the opportunity we've been waiting for to help Mangy with her fear."

Foxy grabbed Mike by the hand and begun to lead him down the hallway. "Let's go, Night Guard! With your help, Mangle will be able to handle being touched by anyone in any situation."

"Excuse me?" it was at that moment when he begun to wonder whether or not he was hearing things correctly.

"Wait, Foxy," Freddy quickly jumped in front of the Foxy, stopping her from going any further. "You can't just march into this like you usually do."

"Why not?" Foxy asked, perplexed.

"Well, other than the fact that you're dragging the Night Guard into one of your plans without his consent; there's also the fact that your direct methods may cause the same results."

"Aye… Ye have my hands tied there," Foxy relented, raising her hands in defeat. The pirate glanced at her right hand, realizing that it was currently a metal hook. The hook slipped into her arm and soon her regular hand popped out. "Now, ye have my hands tied. So what's your suggestion?"

"Maybe use your more subtle methods," Freddy suggested.

"Subtle, eh?" a devious smile grin stretched across the pirate animatronic's face.

Later that night, Mangle solemnly walked through halls of the establishment, sifting through the various drawings fans have made. Her eyes eventually stop at a single drawing. It was clearly made by a little kid and depicted of her reading to them. Seeing this filled the already saddened animatronic with more sorrow and guilt.

"There you are, Mangle," the timid fox turned around to find Foxy standing behind her.

"You've been looking for me, Foxy?" she asked.

"Yep. I thought we could do something we haven't done in a long time: Blind Treasure Hunting!" Foxy dramatically declared.

"A blind treasure hunt?"

"Exactly. Remember the thrills of hunting for treasure without vision? It's time to relive them. What do you say?"

"Um… Okay."

"Great," pulling a blindfold from seemingly nowhere, Foxy tied it around Mangle's eyes. "Now, let the treasure hunt begin."

The eager fox jumped behind her companion and gently pushed her down the hallway.

"Foxy, I don't remember leading this way being allowed," Mangle said.

"It's a new twist on the old formula," Foxy assured her.

Foxy continued to push Mangle down the halls of the establishment until the timid fox heard a sneeze.

"Huh?" Mangle cautiously lifted her blindfold to find herself a mere inch away from Mike. Her face immediately turned bright red before diving behind Foxy.

"Aye, Mangy… You've already been in close proximity to the Night Guard before. Why are you running scared now?" Foxy questioned.

"But physical contact wasn't a factor those times though…" Mangle argued.

It was natural for the animatronic girls to display worry for each other during trying times, but Mike still could not help but be surprised over the sadness on the energetic and boisterous Foxy's face.

"She has a point there, Foxy," Freddy pointed out. "Not to mention, this was not what I meant by being subtle."

"Aye…" the pirate fox lamented. "Then what do you think we should do?"

"Maybe they could ask Marionette."

Following her suggestion, Mangle and Mike made their way to the Prize Corner. Once there, the door opened with either of them touching it.

"Please enter!" a loud booming voice demanded.

Though confused, the two did as they were told and walked into the room. The moment they were inside, the door closed behind them.

"Lady and gentleman, please put your hands together for our officer of prize corners and puppet, who also is a master puppeteer: Marionette!"

On cue, Marionette burst out of one of the prize boxes and slowly flipped over its side.

"Hey, you two," she warmly greeted the two with a wave.

"Evening, Marionette," Mike replied as Mangle waved back. "Question: Where did that voice come from?"

"From me," a familiar cheerful voice answered.

"BB?" Mike asked as they looked around.

"I'm in your office."

"My office?"

"Yeah, didn't you know there's a PA system?"

"...No. Hold on, were you two expecting us?"

"No, I was just talking to Marionette over the PA and I noticed you two on the cameras."

"Speaking of which…" Marionette slowly cart wheeled towards the two, using her flexibility to peform maneuvers most human could only dream about. "What brings you two here?"

"Well… I'm trying to deal with my phobia and I'm having no success," Mangle sorrowfully admitted.

"I see… Have you tried puppet therapy?" the puppet-like animatronic suggested.

"'Puppet therapy'?" Mike and Mangle repeated, confused by what they just heard.

"A little puppetry that will rest control and allow you two to touch each other without any input needed whatsoever." She explained.

"Are… Is everyone here talking this way on purpose?" Mike wondered. The amount of suggestive comments he has heard in one night was beginning to seem a bit to coincidental to him.

"Or another way to put this, Mangle would not have to worry about a male touching her in an inappropriate manner since through puppet therapy, I can restrict that."

"How does this puppet therapy work however?" Mike asked.

"Like this," Marionette raised her right palm towards Mike. Before he could question what she was doing, he felt a strange sensation spread throughout his body. But that was not the only thing he noticed. Despite his body experiencing a strange new sensation, none of his limbs reacted to it. No matter what he tried, it was clear that he has lost control of his body. "Are you okay with this, Night Guard?"

Continuing his futile attempts to move his body, he soon came to realize all he could control was his mouth and his eyes. Such ability was horrifying and filled him with a sense of powerlessness. But now wasn't the time to worry about such feelings. "…I am."

Marionette nodded her head and turned her gaze to Mangle. "Mangle?"

"Mm-hmm." She slowly nodded her head.

The Puppet master raised her other palm towards Mangle, instantly taking control of her body. "Now please go to your happy places. When we're done, you'll both have established physical contact with each other."

"Maybe it's just me…" Mike wondered.

Mangle closed her eyes and let her body move forward without any input. She needn't worry about anything as she was gently guided to confront those fears. But even though with the restrictions Marionette set in place, she still felt her anxieties building up. She was soon plagued by the same flashes of memory as before.

Sensing this Marionette released her grasp on the two just as Mangle ran out of the room.

"Looks like puppet therapy didn't work either…" Marionette lamented.

"Hmm," Mike stretched his limbs, now fully back in control of his body. "Allow me to try something."

With that single declaration, the night guard proceeded to make his way to Mangle's Cove. Once inside, he stepped on to the stage and slipped through the curtains to find Mangle sitting, as he had expected.

Her tail slowly swished back and forth across the floor as she turned away from him.

"Mangle," he said.

"I'm sorry, Night Guard," she apologized. "I asked for your help and I keep running away scared."

"Mm-hmm."

"It's pretty pathetic right?"

"Not really."

"…You're just saying that… And I wouldn't blame you for doing that. Everyone's like that, even though I know that I'm letting everyone down."

"I'll be honest, I'm haven't worked here long enough to judge whether your feelings of letting people down are accurate or not but I can tell you that I'm not exactly the type to just say things often. I said what I said because from what I gathered, you don't exactly have a good relationship with human males. But despite that, you seem to have no major issue interacting with me."

"But that's because you didn't do anything to me."

"Believe me, Mangle, I know from experience that just because someone didn't do anything doesn't mean that people still won't be afraid to confront them. The person I told you about before, when they first helped me when I needed it, I shunned them and ran away. I was scared and didn't have the courage to face anyone.

You on the other hand, despite your previous experiences, you still talked to me. Even thought you were scared, you still had the courage to do that. After all, it's not about being fearless but the ability to do face those fears."

"Y-You think I'm courageous?"

"I do. So remember that whenever you're feeling down on yourself.

Mangle's cheeks grew bright pink as she processed what she was told.

"Thank you, Night Guard." A small smile formed on her lips.

"Mm." Mike nodded his head and slipped back out through the curtains. As he approached the edge of the stage, he suddenly felt two arms wrap around him. He could feel powerful vibrations against his back, as the arms repeatedly tightened and loosened.

"Spring-Bonnie really does make this look easy…" Mangle noted.

"Just please don't repeat what she did the first time…" Mike weakly requested.