Just a Robot 5 (A Fnaf Story)

Chapter 34: "Keep Going Forward"

Funtime Freddy's P.O.V

"Oh my god. How was it this time?" I asked Duality panting. "I believe you've gotten it done well enough," responded Duality. "Finally after however long it's been now," I said still trying to catch my breath. "It has been around an hour now," said Henry over where Mangle was. "And I thought I lost track of time while focused on my duties," said Mangle. "Alright. Try to walk on over to me. Take your time if needed," said Henry. Mangle slowly took a couple steps over to Henry, taking her time so she wouldn't lose her balance. Henry kept his eyes peeled on her walking to catch if she did fall, while continuing her path towards him. She stumbled for a moment but she was able to stay standing, as she stopped for a moment to regather herself. She started to travel again and finally she was able to reach Henry, showing her determination had paid off. "Congratulations. You finally made it over to me," said Henry. "Eh. Ain't hard learning something over I already know," Mangle responded. I noticed how Henry was smiling over what Mangle accomplished, small but noticeable.

"I've never seen you smile before. Until now," I said to him pointing it out. "Well, time hasn't been the best to us, but we still gotta keep smiling on when the worst hits us," he responded. "Huh. That's a nice of thinking to have," I said. "It wasn't mine before. It was my wife's," he responded. His wife was something he never much and only briefly that she had passed away from cancer "What happened to her? If you mind me asking that is?" I asked. The smile slowly disappeared from Henry's face as it was shifted into sadness, the thought of a memory that had return to him. "I suppose I should explain what happened to her and what she meant to me," he responded. "Nobody is forcing you but yourself to tell us. It's your decision on whether or not you want to share that memory," said Mangle walking over to her table to sit down. "No need for concern, I'll share what happened to her with my own free will. She would agree with it herself," he responded. "Mary. That was her name, and still is. We met in college in a math class together in our first years. Over time we become friends, then lovers, and after we graduated we got married. I loved her for many reasons: Her kindness, good sense of humor being honest, all sorts of things I will reframe from going on about. But what made me connect with her was her way of thinking, how she viewed the world. Sometimes when we would eat dinner I would let her listen to her perspective on things or viewpoints and I would forget to continuing eating what she made that night. It was somewhat invigorating to hear her thoughts on how she saw the world through her eyes. She had frustrations on how our government, poverty, all that stuff but she never allowed that part of her to control her every day. She only talked about this things when she felt it was right or if she was in the mood. If it wasn't that then it was watching movies or taking a walk at the park. Not to forget her taking care of Charlotte when she was born a year after we got married. Mary always had a positive viewpoint about everything though, claiming all these problems would one day be resolved to the best of its ability, and that we shouldn't forget the good side of the world, rather than always focusing on the ugly side. And she always knew how to turn a bad situation into a good one or make it better with her optimism." "Wow. She really sounds like something," I noted. "She was. Being with her was the most happiest time of my life, something I wouldn't last forever. It wasn't until when Charlotte was around four that Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time I wasn't making too much money but enough to be happy with, though as you know treatment costs a lot. We had to use most of our money and borrow a couple of loans to pay for chemotherapy and anything to treat the cancer. It didn't matter in the end as eventually it was determined she would pass away and that she had ten months to live. There nothing we could do but spend those ten months the best we could before her time was up. During that time I tried to stay as happy as I could and smile, but putting on a mask wasn't always enough to be strong during those harsh times. Some nights I would cry wishing fate didn't have to take my wife away from me and leave me like this. Eventually it got to the point where her window of leaving was becoming clear with it becoming three months before her expected date of passing, leaving me to see her more often and the feelings of sadness that made it harder to wake up in the morning. Then it came to the night where it was expected she would pass away as she spoke to me for the final time with the strength she had left. She told me that it was okay to cry for her not being with me anymore and to miss her, but what stuck with me the most was what she empathized for me to remember the most. She said that I shouldn't be weighed down her passing, that I should give up on living because she wasn't here anymore, I had to keep moving forward. I had to still live to accomplish something, not just for myself but for her as well... After her passing I spent days refusing to eat or even go to my job, not bothering to leave my room or get out of bed unless it was to help Charlotte or take her to preschool. I would cry for hours not wanting to do anything for the rest of my life, as Charlotte as well would who sit around and not talk to me, as if she knew what I was going through and that her mom would never return, even is she did not fully understand the circumstances that lead to her passing. Though it was those words, the idea of moving forward against the world throwing everything at you and not kick you to the curb, they helped me get off the ground and on my feet again. Eventually I was able to move on, just as Mary had wanted me to, while never forgetting the times I had with her. I never properly told Charlotte what had happened to mom, but I think she, at least, understood the world and it's cruelty decided to take Mary away just because it had no reason or intent. It was just meant to be," he explained. "I don't know what to say," I responded. "It is understandable to not say anything. Just understanding my words and what they mean to me is enough," said Henry. "So your wife wanted you to still have a reason to live and keep going. What was it?" asked Mangle. "Well, it was two reasons my wife wanted me to have to keep on living," clarified Henry. "One was to raise Charlotte and ensure she still had a parent to raise her, so she still have a life to live. The other was me to impact the world in a way to at least ease everyone of the constant dread and the problems that seemed to worsen as the years went by. To at least make the world a better place than what it was currently, in whatever way possible... It was actually working alongside William and his idea for creating the pizzerias that lead me to believe this what would change the world in a positive light, or at least be the start of it. My first meeting with him took place a couple months after Mary's passing at an auto repair shop where he was working at. It lead us to converse our ideas and ambitions, our own plans to impact the world. The knowledge he possessed and knew, the idea of making pizzerias with animal robots were unlike anything paralleled at the time. It felt he was ahead of the curb on anyone involving technology and robotics, like meeting a young Einstein before he knew what we would do for the world or become. Fate and destiny is a thing that cannot be easily proven to exist, but I felt as if predetermined circumstances lead that meeting for the two of us for a reason. Now, I cannot easily distinguish if meeting him was for the better or worse... My daughter lost her first life and is forced to live an eternal life that has no closure unless completed by the loss of her body, and the things I saw William for were only masked to hide his desire to only make the ugly side of the world much more evident. I've failed to meet my wife's wishes... but I will not allow that to dictate my will to continue living. My priorities have shifted to rid of this evil that is William and his followers so those affected by actions may rest easier." Just hearing Henry talk just felt like I understood him more than before; he clearly felt responsible for working alongside William and the creations they made. It seemed like had looked up to him in a way and was guilty for that, even if he wasn't aware what kinda man he was. 

"It's not your fault what happened to all the children murdered, people, and even Charlie. You didn't have the intent to kill children or control your own son like William did. And there's nothing wrong feeling guilty about it. What you've done to help us, it's more than enough. Without you we would still be destroyed, are parts sitting in the back room while William took over the world. I'm sure after this over, you'll done enough for what your wife would expect of you," I said. "Hmm. You know, if my wife were still here I think you two would get along," said Henry. "I mean. I don't know. The way you described her sounded like she was always happy, regardless of the situation or whatever was going on in the world. Me... I don't know. I've was at my lowest point a couple days and have tried my best to heal since then, but I'm not sure the weight on my shoulders can be lifted, even if we defeat William. My life was designed by a man who, for all we know, would end my life at any moment, including everyone around me. I don't know why I was created nor if we can even live a life after William's demise. We're close to the day where we have to fight Afton and his minions and I'm not even sure if I'm ready, as much as I would like to be... I'm not even sure what to do," I explained. "You do what you gotta do," said Mangle as I turned to her. "I may not have the weight of this world on my shoulders like you do, but both us being in a position of being a leader, at least, helps me understand the chaos and turmoil you're going through. Not just that but the connections you have with your friends and family. You have so much going through your head that you don't know if you're able to resolve them individually. You have to teach everyone the powers of the Resurrection Power, while learning it yourself. The personal problems between your comrades that affected your ability to work alongside them and focus on the task at hand... When I was in my world with Michael, Bonnie, and Springbonnie, I had some many things running through my mind along with my objective we were sent to settle. I had to deal with the struggle of being a good leader to my team, Michael's attitude and how I felt towards him at the time, and the weight of saving our world. I never showed it to the others but at time I wasn't sure if I was able to get through the ordeal I was going through at the time." "What made you get through it?" I asked. "I guess what Henry said: I just kept moving forward. I pushed through the struggles and problems and eventually got them resolved, I didn't let them hold me down. I'm still here, concerned how things will turn out when we end William... I won't lie, I'm a little scared as well. Afraid not for myself, but for everyone else. That maybe they won't survive without my help," she answered. "I think they'll do just fine. Look at Bonnie, he's practically lived up to your expectations at being a leader, all from learning everything you taught him. I think we can all live and make it on our own, considering what everyone has gone through," I said. "I guess so. Just gotta keep going forward, against all the pain the world seems to throw at you," said Mangle. "The world will always throw the worst at you, it's just matter of letting it keep you on the ground covered in dirt and lying there and letting it beat you to a pulp or standing tall or taking the worst of everything and coming out stronger than before. You just have to find a way to deal with it instead of resorting to doing nothing," added in Henry. I was glad to have people around, people willing to listen to my problems and offer advice or solutions when needed. It just felt like though, at times, the solutions wouldn't work or do a thing. Perhaps it was doubts if things could be fixed or be better, like they were meant to stick around until the end. Considering the time left until we were to face William I wasn't confident everything would be resolved by then. I had so many things running in my head every minute that I felt like I just couldn't do anything about it. Everything was a mess. But I guess I have to keep going forward. I have to not let these things distract me from stopping William; from saving this world. 

I still have a family that will always be with me, who will share the burden of everything that William has done to us. 

I still have a girlfriend that I love and must remember the lives we've shared and linked together. 

I still have to live, for mine and everyone's sake. 

I still have to be happy. 

I still have to smile.

I still have to keep going forward.