Purple Fever

Chapter 4 - Cici

The door burst open, almost knocking Cici over. In bounded a huge rabbit, hollering battle cries while brandishing a shishkabob as a sword. "Who cares to challenge Spring Bonnie, Knight of the Clean Dishes?" He screeched. It was lucky Fredbear had installed thick doors to the kitchen, otherwise the customers might think that he was mad!

Spring Bonnie was a tall, dexterous looking rabbit with shiny fur and a large purple bowtie. He was taller than Fredbear, but only slightly. His big green eyes sparkled as they locked with Cici's grey ones. "Aaah, Cici! How kind of you to join me in my fair quest to vanquish the dirty dishes!" Cici smiled. It may have been silly, but sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the simple things.

They set to work, scrubbing and singing and laughing and joking. After a while, Cici completely forgot about those awful kids. At least, for a little while.

"So," Springy started, "Fredbear told me you got into a little tussle with some kids today. Do you want to talk about it?" Cici froze, all of his previous feelings surging back again. "They were making fun of you, and Mom, and... and..." He couldn't take it anymore and broke down for the second time that day.

Spring Bonnie pulled Cici into a hug, enveloping him in his warm blueberry scent. "I'm so sorry Cici, I should have never mentioned it. Those kids were jerks" Springy carefully wiped a tear off of Cici's face. "You know what? If they can't find the time to get to know the real you, the awesome you, then why should you spend time in them! I bet you five slices they were looking for a fight, especially that tall one." Cici cringed. "There was a little girl. I made her cry." He whispered, his voice breaking. "Oh, Cici." Spring Bonnie murmured, unsure what to say. "Your mother loved you," he finally choked out. They stayed like that for a long time until Cici's tears stopped and the horrible feeling of guilt left his stomach.

Spring Bonnie pulled away and tried to lighten the mood. "Well, if they ever try that crap again, you need a plan of attack! Hmm, what can we do... " He frantically bounded around the kitchen gathering ingredients. "Here we go! My award-winning Berry Blue Pie, but with a twist! Little will they know that it's loaded with jalapiño juice!" No scratch that, a whole pepper!" Springy turned to Cici to see what he thought.

"I think it's best," he started, "to just leave them alone. Why stoop to their level? " Springy smiled. "Spoken like a true gentleman. If you ever need the pepper..." he suddenly turned and whipped the pepper over Cici's shoulder and into the pepper bin.

Spring Bonnie pumped his fist up in the air with a cheer. Cici studied him closely. Something wasn't right. He almost seemed desperate to cheer him up. It was as if he couldn't handle Cici being sad, and was prepared to do whatever necessary to make him feel better. Before Cici could stop him, Springy kept up on the counter to do a victory dance. His paw landed in a puddle of dish soap, and he slipped.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Cici watched him topple from the counter. It was as if he was falling in slow motion. Cici wanted to catch him but he was frozen in shock. With a loud crack, the back of Spring Bonnie's head hit the counter behind him.

Cici started screaming. What he was saying, he couldn't tell. All he knew was that Springy was lying unconscious, and blood was pouring from his wound. Fredbear came bursting in and scooped Springy up in his arms. He rushed out of the kitchen with Cici at his heels. "Somebody please help him," Fredbear bellowed, his voice rattling the windows. Luckily, the children were in one of the party rooms so Fredbear was able to lay Spring Bonnie on one of the tables. His arms and legs were twitching faintly, and blood was still leaking from his head. "Somebody!" He begged again.

A man stood up in the back of the pizzeria. He was dressed in a purple hoodie and jeans with equally purple hair. On a less serious day, Cici would have found this strange, especially paired with the fact that the man was sporting a ponytail.

The Man in Purple sauntered over to Fredbear and handed him a vial filled with a dark substance. "Give him this," he said as Fredbear eagerly grabbed it. He forced Springy's jaws open, popped the cork, and poured it down his throat. Almost at once, Spring Bonnie twitching stopped and his breathing leveled out. Cici wrapped his head in a bandage and placed ice around the wound. When they finally looked up to thank the mysterious stranger, he was gone.

"Who was that guy?" Cici whispered. "I have no idea," Fredbear murmured, "but he just saved Springy's life." Cici grimaced at the thought that he could have just lost another parent. "I know that that man saved him, but I can't help feeling that s something is going to go horribly wrong." Fredbear pulled him into a massive hug. "Don't worry," he said in a confident voice. "I'll protect you."