Not by the Strings, Please.

Refurbished and Dismantled

"Better, right?" The voice sighed as my vision brightened slightly. I stopped my body from trembling as I looked up at her. An upon seeing her watching me with a concerned expression, I immediately felt guilty for hitting her. She didn't want to kill me. Oh, how could I have been so foolish for thinking so! I mentally kicked myself.

"Mangle...I...I am so sorry...I was scared and I didn't mean to hit you in the...face..." I paused before saying the word face as I knew what she had barely qualified as a face. But I could never say that. Not to a female of all things. To my confusion, Mangle's expression clouded with sadness and her blue glow dimmed.

"Mangle..." She echoed, looking down at herself sadly.

"Th-that's your name, right? Mangle?" I asked, rubbing my hands uncomfortably.

"That's just what they call me. I wanted to be called Floofa or Fuzzy or at least Toy Foxy...but..." Mangle sighed, her various metal parts squeaking as she moved. I watched her, sharing her unhappiness.

"Would...would you rather me call you Floofa, then?" I asked, tilting my head.

"No, puppet. Against the rules. They'd come after you if you did that." Mangle responded quickly, motioning with her endoskeleton head towards the door.

"Right...rules." I sighed, looking down at the floor. The room was silent for a moment before the female Foxy spoke again.

"Why'd they drag you in here?" She asked, looking at me with both of her heads.

"I...don't know." I answered honestly. Such was the truth. I had no idea why I was mistreated by the old animatronics. Perhaps they didn't get along with us new animatronics. After all, we are in better condition than a group of bots said to be refurbished. But I shouldn't boast. After all, it's not their fault.

"Ya don't know? Well, I guess that's an answer. Here's another. Why don't you go back to your Prize Corner? I thought you didn't like the dark." Mangle questioned, shifting her twisted body slightly, making a shrill scraping noise as she did.

"I can't. They'll just drag me back here." I said, looking up at the camera in the corner of the room. It was dead, just like the night guard. Hopefully a new one is hired before tomorrow night.

"I guess you're right, puppet." Mangle sighed. I frowned at the word as I hugged my long legs close to my body and waited, never taking my eyes off the door. The sun would soon rise, and the establishment would be greeted first thing with the stench of death in the security office. An hour passed in silence, and it seemed like the night would never end.

I glanced over at Mangle, who sat miserably on the floor with her parts a mess all around her. Just looking at her made my heart hurt. To be so neglected...it was pitiable. Knowing who she really was forced me to wish the establishment took better care of her. She didn't deserve this. But it was no use staring. I had to say something to her. Anything to make her feel better.

"Do the children have fun in Kid's Cove?" I asked her. Mangle looked up weakly.

"I...suppose so. Tearing me apart, you mean?" She asked sullenly. A pang of regret hit me like a dart. That wasn't particularly the best thing to say, now was it?

"That's...not what I meant, Mangle. You know that, right? I mean...don't you like seeing them happy?" I asked, tilting my head. Mangle cracked a crooked smile.

"Yeah. I guess it's kinda nice. Even though it hurts, it's refreshing to see them smiling." Mangle responded. I returned the grin.

"They always seem happy when they come to the Prize Corner. Jolly and laughing..." I said wistfully, staring up at the camera. Mangle perked up.

"You're from Prize Corner?" She asked me quickly. I flinched uneasily at her sudden outburst.

"Y-yes." I answered slowly. Mangle smiled a toothy smirk.

"Your room. The music. I hear it every night from in here." Mangle said. I tilted my head.

"The music box? Well...er...the night guard plays it for me all night every night so I can sleep," I explained, fiddling with my buttons so I could avoid looking at her. "It makes me feel less scared."

Mangle's second head moved slightly, squeaking loudly as it did.

"I see. That's kinda nice, ain't it? It helps me sleep when I'm in too much pain to sleep on my own. And if it doesn't work, I walk around the place and sometimes visit the night guard." Mangle explained. My heart sank. What did she mean by visit?

"Visit?" I echoed suspiciously. Mangle snapped her gaze on me with an alarmed expression.

"N-not aggressively, of course! I come in and watch him in the hallway. I never get close, I promise!" Mangle admitted swiftly. I settled down. Still not violent. Good.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I truly am." I said. Then a strange noise went off somewhere in one of the other rooms. A peaceful but short tune played, then went off quickly. I glanced at Mangle to see if she had any kind of reaction, for I knew not what the music signaled. I tilted my head slightly. She looked sad.

"Six," She murmured. "Night's over."

I perked up. The night was over. I could go back to the Prize Corner. Sitting up, I headed towards the door and peeked out. In the hallway, I saw each of the Toys heading back to the stage. It was true. Another day was to begin. Before I could leave, Mangle spoke up in a sorrowful voice.

"Puppet?" I turned around to face her. "Would you...come back tomorrow night? I...get lonely..." Mangle asked quietly, looking down at the floor. I tilted my head. Was she wanting to be my friend? Would I really go out of my way to leave the Prize Corner to visit her in the night? Well...I suppose there's no harm done. After all, it'll just be this once.

"Certainly." I nodded once. Mangle smiled weakly.

"Thanks, puppet. Er...Marionette." Mangle whispered as she crawled back to her corner, ready to begin another day of torture. Nodding one more time, I walked out of the Kid's Cove and began down the hallway back to the Prize Corner. Taking realization of what had just happened, my spirits soared.

She had called me by my name.