Chapter Text
Freddy didn’t believe it when the higher-ups informed him about Bonnie. It was no “accident”. There was no coincidence that the rabbit was dismembered shortly after a few company layoffs. The managers didn't care enough to investigate it, though.
Instead, like responsible adults, they covered up the murder and quickly found a replacement in hopes of calming the unrest in the community. Bonnie Bowl was temporarily closed in the meantime while they searched for a new recruit.
Freddy couldn’t help the sickening feeling in his stomach when he saw the line outside of the Pizzaplex– hundreds of people gathered at the entrance in hopes of switching their lives around and becoming the new bassist for the band. Freddy didn’t want any of it.
Rather than spend all his time glaring at the newcomers, Freddy decided to visit Chica. The poor chicken’s mental health had really collapsed when the news was shared. Freddy could only hope his presence, having been with her since the beginning, would comfort her.
The bear's ears flattened as he neared the greenrooms. It was difficult hearing a long-time best friend scream her heart out, the shrieks echoing the empty hall. Despite Freddy's natural want to help people, he found himself struggling to open the door to her room. Before he could scan the chip in his wrist the door slides open, revealing a distressed Roxanne.
She takes one look at the bear and steps to the side, displaying a heartbreaking scene. Chica’s lying on her bed, hugging a pillow as she wails into the cotton. Her body shakes with each inhale, her feathers ruffled in anguish as each sob makes its way out of her. There’s a trash can beside the bed and a box of almost-empty tissues on the nightstand.
Freddy can feel his eyebrows pinch up in sympathy, a wave of grief washing over him as he walks over to the chicken to sit at the end of her bed. He leans over to envelope her in a gentle hug and it takes a few seconds before she turns around and screams into his shirt.
“I-I can’t believe it, Freddy.” She sobs, hiccuping through the tears.
He rubs a hand up and down her back, “I know, Chica. I know.”
* * *
A week later, the Glamrocks– what’s remaining of them anyway; Foxy retired– are called down to the practice room to meet their potential new bandmate. Freddy’s seething, having (just a few days ago) informed the manager of Chica’s condition, how she’d stopped taking care of herself in favor of sulking around her room. They didn’t care about their team, or at least, not when it really mattered.
Freddy watches Roxy wrap an arm around Chica’s shoulder, pulling her closer as they near the door to the rehearsal room. He opens the door, the lights dimmer than usual, making it almost impossible to see the figures standing by the stage.
“Welcome, guys!” The manager– Freddy never bothered to remember his name, despite the frequent contact they had– said.
Freddy spots a few of the usual staff: Vanessa, Luke, Eddie, and Tony, along with Chloe and Trish. However, within the center of the crowd of people stood a figure that towered over the rest.
The bear reached for the lightswitch but was stopped momentarily by Eddie.
“Uh, just leave the lights dim for a bit, okay? We’ll turn up the brightness slowly, but his eyesight’s a bit sensitive.”
At the mention of a “he”, Freddy’s head snaps up to look at the figure again. His eyes had adjusted ever so slightly, allowing him to make out the smallest details– The guy was tall despite being slouched, a mop of what looked to be curly hair rested messily on his shoulders and some sort of reflective shapes lay atop his head.
“Alright gang,” The manager began, “I know with the whole bandmate dying you guys probably won’t want to talk about replacing him, but that won’t make corporate money, so…” He pauses, refusing to make eye contact with the ursine, probably knowing how upset he was. “We decided to hold some auditions, and, after a shit-ton of paperwork, we think we’ve got a new fit.”
At this point, somewhere off to the side Eddie began slowly turning the knob for the lights, allowing them just a bit more leeway to see what the new guy looked like. Freddy could make out green, it was everywhere, from his face to the tips of his fingers– he had to be a reptile, considering the gleam of his body. He also noticed that that mop of hair was actually red, complimenting his scales quite nicely, along with dark pants and sharp nails.
He was… different. Maybe a bit too different, leaving Freddy to wonder if this was the best option after all.
“This big guy,” The manager continues as he pats the reptile’s shoulder like a car salesman, “Came all the way from the backwaters of Louisiana. His name’s Montgomery.” With the rather short introduction done, the room is left in silence as the two parties stare at each other in the most uncomfortable silence they’d ever experienced.
So, as the leader, Freddy makes the first move, reaching out and offering his hand. “My name is Freddy Fazbear. Nice to meet you Montgomery.”
Montgomery looks him up and down before giving a playful smirk, taking his hand in a strong grip. Up closer, the bear realizes that he’s still a bit taller than the other, but all Freddy can focus on is those piercing red eyes that look up at him. “Nice ta meet ya, Freddy.”
The bear takes the time to turn to the side and introduce the others. “This,” he motions to the wolf, “Is Roxanne. She’s our keytarist and occasional drummer. And this,” He now motions to the chicken, “Is Chica. She plays the electric guitar.”
Freddy snaps his head back to look at the stranger’s reaction– He’d already dealt with shitty incels who felt like giving a female any opportunity for success was a waste of time, and he wasn’t going to be dealing with a coworker like that.
“Wait, you play the electric guitar?” Montgomery asks, getting closer to the group. Freddy steps over a bit more, almost shielding half of Chica and he notices how staff tenses up. If the staff didn’t know how he would react to meeting his new members, why would they have even allowed him anywhere near them?
“That’s so fuckin’ cool!” He exclaims. Freddy catches his arm as he raises his hand, his mind running on the protection and safety of his members. As soon as he does this, however, he pauses, realizing what he did.
He quickly lets go of the man’s arm, “S-Sorry. I acted on reflex.”
Montgomery drops his arms and backs up, rubbing the back of his neck, “Uh, nah yer good. I got a little carried away… Ya see, I had an old bandmate who played the guitar, she was really cool. I just got a bit overexcited.”
Before anything can get any more awkward, the manager steps in, resting his hand on Montgomery's shoulder. “Alright guys, think you can show him to his new room? You should know where it is.”
Yes, Freddy knew exactly where it was. They all did. It’s hard to ignore the sounds of construction right next door as you try to console your friends. They’d chosen to renovate the rabbit’s old room, cleaning out each picture, plushie, and knickknack in favor of this new guy.
The bear nodded, already starting to leave the room and by the sounds of it, the newcomer was close behind.
“So, what made ya guys wanna be rockstars?”
Freddy scowls, disregarding what he said. Yes, it was his job as the leader to hold everything together, but he couldn’t help but feel some sort of resentment towards Montgomery. He’d casually strolled into their lives as if he belonged here, and frankly, Freddy didn’t think he did.
They take the new guy through the atrium, hearing him let out a small ‘whoa’ at the scale of the place, and make their way to the hall with the greenrooms. Freddy forgot to turn off their lights, so their rooms were now on full display.
However, the room between Chica and Roxanne’s is no longer purple and red, with gold stars hanging from the ceiling. Instead, it’s a white room with very dim lights, an white vanity, white bed, white–
It’s just a stand in , Freddy thinks to himself. They’ll replace the colors as soon as they find out what he likes .
They make it to his door and as Mongtomery begins to carry his luggage in with the help of Roxy, Freddy can’t help but stare at the Bonnie cutout in the waiting area.
“It’s okay, Big Bear. It’ll get better.” Chica says, placing a feathered hand on his arm.
“I know, Chica.” He finds the words leaving his mouth without much thought, without much meaning. “I know.”