FNIA: Soul

A Spirited Competitor

If you could live in your favorite fictional universe, would you take the chance to do it? The question normally asked would be, "Which world would you want to live in?" but even as a child, Mike instantly recognized the negative aspects of such a prospect. He knew he wasn't the only one, but some wouldn't realize until it was too late that accepting that world's positives qualities would also mean accepting their negative qualities.

If one were to join a world of fantasy, then they would certainly enjoy having access to supernatural facets of that world. But others would have access to and if they were on the wrong side of morality then who knows what would be done.

It's almost a similar principle to the advancement of technology. Where should the line be drawn and what are the ethics surrounding it? Could the right hands bring terror to the world? Could the wrong hands bring light through a misunderstanding.

These jumbled thoughts are just the result of Mike still processing what happened the night before. Taking his current job as a night guard felt like entering a world of fantasy and science-fiction and while there were positives, it seems that the negatives of such a world were finally creeping in. If that world could provide him with those that, in fact, like him, then naturally it could provide people who could threaten him.

Part of him believed that he would be the only one who would have felt that way, but the events that had occurred were explained to Charlie-

"Wait, WHAT!?" Charlie's voice bounced off the walls of Mike's office. Funny enough, her stunned reaction was less dramatic than Mike had been expecting for some reason.

"Well, someone or something showed up and just as quickly left as soon as me and Foxy showed up," Freddy explained, sneaking a few glances at Mike throughout.

His sleeves had been shredded to the point that they had been hanging on by a couple of threads, prompting him to request them be torn off before having his arms bandaged.

"Does it still hurt, Mike?" Mangle had been watching him rub his bare arms, fixated on where he was injured.

His fingers quickly crawled up the length of his arm as if instinctively trying to cover up the source of the white fox's concern.

"...I'm fine, Mangle."

Peeking from the corner of his eyes, Mike could see his attempt at reassuring her fell on deaf ears.

Or so it seemed. It was almost stunning to find a smile on her previously dour face.

"Hm."

"So..." Spring-Bonnie leaned on Charlie, casually pretending to file her nails. "I assume telling Henry is Plan Z?"

That was when something strange happened. A response of some kind was to be expected, but Charlie was silent. She was standing frozen as if she was in a trance.

"Charlie?"

Spring-Bonnie waved her hand in front of the unresponsive Charlie, pouting over her inability to elicit a reaction.

"Hm? What did you say, Spring-Bonnie?" Charlie asked.

"Um, don't tell Henry?"

"Ugh... I can just imagine what he'd say if he found out about this and I didn't tell him that something or someone showed up with strength rivaling you guys and has claws."

But that wasn't the most troubling aspect in all of this. As she continued to process everything, Charlie exchanged brief glances with everyone, before finally keeping her gaze fixated on Mike.

"Mike... You up for some overtime?" Charlie offered.

Mike didn't utter a word, but it was clear by the light of his eyes that the sudden proposal had sparked some interest.