𝓞𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓪 𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓻 (Freedom AU Book 9) [FNAF/UT]

✦Chapter Three✦

A.N. Update: Syberia has not taken over my life in the past week, and so here we are xD

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"Girls, stay with me, please!" Ballora asked, all while the rest of her ballet students left the room to be greeted by their parents out in the hall. The 'Minireenas' paused, glancing back towards their mother. "I'm walking home with you all today." Ballora explained, packing up her duffle bag on the chair. "But, don't you gotta practice your dance, 'doh?" Tina wondered, before Lucette then excitedly asked, "Oh! Do we get to watch you practice this time?!"

"No," Ballora said with a chuckle in answer to both questions. "You'll see my new dance for the talent show, and I'm not practicing it today. I don't have time." She explained, zipping the bag up as her daughters approached her. "Ooooh," Rosette began. "'Cause you and daddy are gonna have supper together later?" Ballora gave the four a nod. "That's right. And if I practice today, I won't have time to get ready for supper."

"Why do you gotta get ready for supper? You're just eatin'!" Tina wondered curiously. "Because we're going to be eating some place nice, and I want to make sure I also look nice." Tina's confused expression was still visible. "But, mama, you always look nice!" Ballora laughed, shaking her head a little. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Oh, mama, is this gonna be your tutu for your dance?" Mina suddenly asked, having wandered to the rack of ballet outfits in the opposite corner of the room. She was pointing out the very glittery, red dress with a flowy knee-length skirt. Her mother gave her a knowing smirk. "Nope." Mina tilted her head, puzzled. "My dress for the dance isn't here."

"It's not?" Ballora shook her head 'no'. "I'm getting a new dress made for me by a tailor in the city." She told, slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder. "I'll be going to pick it up in a couple days." Beginning to walk to the door, Ballora was then asked by Rosette, "What's a 'tailor'?" The four girls stuck close to their mother as they all walked. "A tailor is somebody who makes clothes by hand that you ask them to make." Ballora explained, leading them out of the building and onto the sidewalk. "Oh."

"And why does you need a new tutu, mama?" Tina asked next, adding, "You already has lotsa pretty ones!" Her sisters all agreed. "Because the piece I'm going to perform needs a special dress for it. Like a costume." Their mother answered, continuing down the sidewalk. "Oh, cool!" Ballora smirked with a hum.

A few minutes of walking went past, and the mother and daughters were coming up on a couple people on the sidewalk. One was a monster, while the other look to be human—and leaning against the passenger door of an expensive looking car. Mina suddenly gasped dramatically. "Pippin!" She exclaimed. Ballora blinked, getting a closer look ahead. The rhino-like monster had a dog on a leash, who looked like a certain golden doodle they knew. "Mama! Mama! Look!"

"I see, I see!" Ballora told, none of the five's steps faltering. Mina wanted to all-but-bolt over to the dog. Coming up to the two, Ballora greeted with, "Hello!" The monster turned to them, Pippin's tail wagging excitedly at seeing the girls. "Oh, hello!" She greeted with a smile, just as the four sisters all showered the dog with love and affection. "Vi, was it?"

"Yep! Funny, running into you." Vi commented with a bit of a chuckle, the man standing against his car subtly eyeing Ballora. "Well, I work at the studio up the road and was just on my way home." Ballora noted with a smile. "Oh, I see!" Vi responded, her speaking drowning out the man's enlightened hum. Ballora glanced to him. "And you are...?"

"Oh-! Name's Richard, but you, miss, can call me Rich." Richard answered in an oddly smooth tone. As if saying his very name was somehow an impressive feat. "Ah... What brings you to Newer Home?" Ballora asked, simply making light conversation out of politeness—and also as an excuse to give her girls an extra minute to get kisses from Pippin "Oh, you know," Richard began, eyes wandering off a second before making eye contact with Ballora once more. "Taking in the sights."

"Oh, the sights... okay." Ballora responded with a small, awkward hum. Vi pipped in with, "Newer Home is quite pretty, what with the Ebott mountain range just nearby and all." Ballora nodded in agreement, glancing over her shoulder to the sight outside town, but still very visible. "Huh?" Richard blinked. "Oh, right, mountains. Yeah, totally." He answered, acting as though it were, in fact, the mountains he was there to see. "I think there's a nature park right outside Ebott City you could go check out if you want a closer look."

"A erm, closer look would be nice." Rich commented, though Ballora couldn't help but pick up on the guy's odd undertone to that statement. Brushing it off, she then said, "Well, Vi, it was nice seeing you and Pippin again," The Minireenas all instantly picked up on their mother's tone, looking up to her. "But, we have to go on home." Quiet 'aww's could be heard from all four girls. "Yeah, and Pippin's expected somewhere, too."

"See you around." Ballora said, gesturing for her daughters to start walking again. "Bye Pippin!" Mina said in farewell, to which Pippin gave a hearty bark in return, as Vi continued walking also. While walking away, Ballora took a quick glance over her shoulder. Rich was still standing against his car, why? Looking forward again, Ballora's mind was now distracted. That guy's whole vibe made her feel uncomfortable. And for another thing, he gave her déja vu. As if he looked related to somebody she knew. It was so strange...

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"Ballora?" With a blink, Ballora watched as the waiter placed their orders of food on the small table-for-two. Puppet was giving her a bit of a puzzled look from across the table. "Enjoy your food." The waiter said, before leaving the couple be. The two quietly thanked him, before beginning to eat. "You seem quiet tonight, love."

"Hm?" Puppet paused from picking up his fork. "You seem distracted," He began, placing a hand on one of his wife's. "Are you alright?" Ballora's gaze fell a little. "I'm just trying to shake a weird feeling, is all." She told with a small sigh. "What weird feeling?" Ballora continued. "While walking home with the girls today, we ran into Vi, who'd been saying hello to a man visiting town."

"A human?" Ballora nodded. "He said his name was Richard, and honestly, he seemed sort of... I don't know how to say it, but he made me a little uncomfortable." Puppet's previously soft expression changed to one more serious looking. "How so?" He wondered. "Just, his demeanor, I guess? But that's not even the weirdest part."

"It isn't?"

"No. His car." Ballora told. "He had this, expensive looking car, but I feel like I've seen it parked nearby the studio the past couple weeks I've walked home." Ballora shook her head a little. "I'm probably just overanalyzing nothing." She then said, about to brush it off. Puppet gently squeezed her hand. "You're not, Bal'." He assured her. She met his dark eyes once more.

"Look, let's continue this conversation later," Puppet said, changing the topic. "And let's just enjoy our anniversary dinner, alright?" Smiling, Ballora gave a small nod. "Alright." Her husband smiled also, before the two leaned in for a brief kiss. "I love you.~" He told her, affection clear in his tone. "I love you too.~"