you asked for it and I delivered!
this is Confronting the Future, the sequel to Facing the Past.
to everyone who has been waiting for this: are you ready for a new adventure?! and to those who yet haven't read the first story. I suggest you leave this fanfiction for now and read "Facing the Past" first. otherwise this story won't make any sense.
with that settled, like Facing the Past the chapters will be somewhat short as I prefer keeping the the same writing style as the last one. and like always, I will reply on the comments I get.

so to Dinovictor: it's nice to see a fellow country comrade, has to deal I speak English to you as most of my readers are from there. I listned to the song and will see if I can find a good place for it to this story.

to Dragon of the Eclipsing Moon (good god that's a mouthful of a username) perhaps, but that part I am not planning on doing, sorry.

to AlexaMarrinDaughterofPoseidon (again a mouthful, and hi again) we will see the Crying Child, and I am sure I don't have to remind you, but I will to newcomers: I will not follow the games lore, so don't get mad if I completely changes certain plots you know from the games.

now, let's get started. enjoy the story.

It's the middle of summer; a couple of months the leaves will turn red and fall with the autumn taking over the country. But for many, that feels like a long time, and for those it doesn't, well they will spend as much time enjoying the remaining warm days outside. The people holding this midsummer party heads over to a huge bonfire and start it, declaring to the children and those adults who would like it that in an hour or so, there should be embers to make bread on a stick and even roasted marshmallows if feeling up to it.

One of the people who is enjoying this summer party is a man with the name of Mike Schmidt, one of the new owners of the only remaining building of Freddy's restaurant. The business has been gone quite slow with the... departure of his friends. And yes, Mike still grieve with the loss, but he's refusing to let it make him stop living. He knows his friends wouldn't have that and he's sure that if they somehow still around in the spiritual realm- watching him from that plane, then they will be relieved to know he's not fallen into a deep depression like the last time he lost them. Sometimes he does break down in tears, the hole in his chest opens, but every time that happens; he has people around him to help him back up and the hole heals faster a bit quicker every time.

Losing loved ones sucks, yes, Mike's knows that far too well, but he has also learned that hanging onto the past as if there's no tomorrow won't do anything good. Instead, the person has to look forward and see the people- the loved ones still around and enjoy the time with them.

Mike turns his gaze to the family holding this midsummer party, the family there took him in when he lost his own parents: the Legrand family.

Mrs. Legrand walks over to him and hands him a soda, asking with that worry only a mother can have. "How are you feeling Mike?"

Mike and Rena agreed that it would be best if Mr- and Mrs. Legrand doesn't know about what truly happened to Sean, for starters Mike doubts they will believe him, heck Rena barely believed him! She only did when both Jeremy and Scott told her that his words had been the honest truth. And Rena doesn't want to shatter her parent's hearts knowing that their son is gone yet again, best they continue thinking he's been dead for nineteen years. Instead, they told the parents of Rena and Sean that Mike has lost his roommate to the same killer and almost got killed himself, but succeed getting away and the killer of their son is finally gone. He told them the killer died during the struggle, for again, he highly doubts they will believe him if he told them that a possessed puppet killed the man.

Taking the soda, Mike replies Mrs. Legrand. "I'm getting better, still not ready for a new roommate though..." Although it would've made his life perhaps a bit more comfortable. He's currently living at Freddy's because all the apartments he has his eyes on are too expensive for the income he's getting lately. So having a roommate sharing the rent would've been nice. But he's not ready and he's not even sure if Steve's spirit has moved on, Goldie did mention that Steve has been hanging around him and a good thing too. Without his former roommate, then Vincent surely would've succeeded in killing him...

It's a bit strange, thinking about dead people still hanging around. Detective Williams is right, he and the two others have been around too much supernatural since they all now just take it in stride.

Mrs. Legrand squeezes his shoulder gently. "Of course, and if you need anything."

"You really don't have to-"

"Mike, you're like family to us and..." She gestures to him finishes the sentence. Mike resists the urge rolling his eyes and says with a weak smile. "Family helps one another. I know." Friends do too. His friends sure beat that fact into him, especially Jeremy. That man might complain a lot but if Mike asks for help, then the scarred blond is the first ready to give him a hand.

Like Mike, Jeremy is also dealing with the loss of his brother, taking way harder though. Mike thinks it's because he and Spring were twins, have heard twins share a unique form of bond and after having watched the chaotic yet somehow also very in tune relationship between those two shared, well Mike believes it. "I'll make sure give you a call if anything comes up." He ensures her.

Mrs. Legrand nods before takes him over to the big fire where Mr. Legrand is helping the younger children getting the dough properly on their sticks. "Good, how's the job going for you? Hear from Rena you're struggling a bit."

"Yeah, after the sabotage of the animatronics, we haven't been able to fully repair them." Mike explains somberly, just thinking about what's is causing the robots at Freddy's to no longer to be interactive like before still makes his chest hurt. "and it's not going better after that new restaurant with animatronics is butting their way into the business. The only good thing I can say that Freddy's has many loyal customers."

"Can't your mechanic not fix the animatronics?" Mrs. Legrand asks him, she might not have any interest in the restaurant in itself, but she does want the best for her child and the friend of her son.

Mike fiddles a bit with the soda can. "Thomas is really good but he is lacking a proper education and even though we can hire another one we are hesitant hiring any mechanic, new guy might end up doing more harm than good." And that's the last thing they want.

"I see." Mrs. Legrand muses, understanding a bit better now the issues the place is dealing with. "But I am sure you'll figure something out eventually."

Mike simply nods as responses.

Mrs. Legrand leaves him to chat a bit with her cousins and Mike heads over to Rena who is currently helping one of the kids with their bread on the stick; it has gotten a bit black.

"I think it got enough on that side." Mike smiles and the kid turns the bread sheepishly, Rena turns her attention to her friend, giving him a smile. "You seem to have a good time."

He nods and takes a seat beside her, letting the kid sit on his lap. "I can see where you got your skills of party planning." For this party has a certain warmth to it and he is not talking about the fire.

Rena giggles. "Aw~ thank you." Nodding towards where her father is currently speaking with some of his co-workers. "I asked dad for some new recipes the cooks could try and make for the restaurant, might earn us some more customers." Figures they have to try that since they don't have her brother or the other robots to aid them on that part.

"It sure will- you have to turn it now." Mike tells the kid softly before turning back to Rena again. "Maybe a Halloween themed month would spice things up. Since well..." the smile drops instantly. "... You know." Last Halloween the restaurant has been trying to earn money to repair the animatronics and also keep the place going just a bit longer. It has also been the day where Vincent tried to kill him but failed when Marion killed him first which caused the release of every animatronics soul.

"...I know." Rena muses somberly, she too misses her brother terribly and is sure this Halloween will be hard as that also marks it has been a year since the departure of the spirits possessing the animatronics. And still, she's happy Mike is trying to move past that fact and look towards the future- something he hasn't been able to before he got reunited with his friends again. "I'm sure I can make the robots sing a few songs, and maybe Scott and Thomas can help to dress them spooky."

"I can help with the decorations." Mike suggests, adding with a proud smirk. "Pretty good carving pumpkins if I say so myself."

"I wanna carve pumpkins too." The kid says, making the two young adults chuckle and Rena tells them with a smile. "Visit Freddy's in September and we will have a pumpkin for you."

"Okay!" The child beams and returns back to the bread. Mike makes them remove it from the embers when it starts to look ready. "Wait a moment before you grab it." He suggests and empties his soda. He is about to get up, but Rena stops him, saying: "I'll go get one to us both."

"Alright." and she leaves. Mike helps the child getting the bread off the stick and the child runs over to their parents, leaving Mike on his own near the fire. And yet it does not take long before both Rena and her boyfriend Jess join him. He takes the soda from Rena. "Thanks." and turns to the blond when Jess asks slightly mocking yet teasing tone. "You seriously don't want a beer?"

"No, don't like the taste." Mike replies and opens the can. He and Jess's 'relationship' has improved over the months, but Mike still has the feeling that Jess considers him a threat against his and Rena's relationship. Mike does his best ignoring it, he's not stupid or rude enough to even try to make a move when Rena has someone else.

Besides, he has accepted that he and Rena are not meant to be, and he's fine with them just being friends.

Jess opens his can of beer, asking. "So what do you drink when you wanna get wasted?"

Rena rolls her eyes. "Jess, I and Mike have a job tomorrow, none of us wants to deal with a hangover."

"Sure, sure." The blond nods, now seeing why none of them has grabbed anything with alcohol inside, but he is still curious what Rena's so-called 'friend-zoned' friend does drink when he can allow himself it. "What do you prefer when you do drink?"

"Hm, I do like Henry's hard soda." Mike replies and takes a sip of his soda. "and a few drinks you can get at a bar."

"Mike you're such a girl!" Jess laughs.

Mike sends him a look, annoyed by this one's attitude against him but not going to get angry; he has dealt with bigger jerks than Jess, one of them was a purple rabbit. "If you say so." and turns back to watch the fire, if Jess thinks that he will try and defend himself of being called a girl, he is greatly mistaken. He is not the kind of guy who gets offended when being mocked he is not 'manly' enough.

Jess raises a brow at the lack of reaction from the other male, he had hoped Mike would've at least tried to deny this small insults and engage into a friendly spat. Sure Jess doesn't really fancy Mike, but he will at least try to get to know the brunette for Rena's sake. It's clear the two of them are close. But, much to Jess irritation: Mike doesn't respond like the rest of his friends does when he is playfully mocking them. So keeping decent conversations to this one and getting a better read on him is hard. So with this failed attempt, Jess turns his attention to Rena. "Hey, have you thought about my offer next week?"

Rena smiles. "Yes, I will come, but don't expect I will stay all night, alright?"

"Sure, you leave whenever you feel like babe."

Mike only listens with a half ear to this point, his interest for whatever party Jess and Rena will go to next week is quickly fading. Sure Mike doesn't mind parties, but he prefers those they are making at Freddy's, where he only has to deal with overly excited children instead of too drunk people who don't know what they are doing half the time. Maybe one day he will feel more up to these so-called adult parties, but he highly doubts it. This midsummer party is the closest he can come to such.

"Hey Mike, wanna join us?" Rena asks, she's only mildly disappointed when he politely declines the offer. She knows he's not good dealing with such parties, but still worth the try.

At sundown, Mike feels it's time to head back and tells everyone goodbye. Rena decides to go home as well, of course, Jess is following her back. Mike try not think too much about it. He waves goodbye to the pair and drives back to Freddy's, the place has become a second home to him with all the time he spends here before his friends left. After have locked his scooter, Mike walks inside the restaurant, glancing up to Freddy, Bonnie and Chica, all three standing like they always do when this place is closed. But for some weird reason, sometimes one of them will glitch and suddenly stand as if the show is about to start. Sometimes the glitching makes them stop moving for a moment and that's bad when it happens in the middle of a show. Poor Thomas and Rena are working overtime figuring out what's caused such glitching. Rena fears the virus is still in them, but even she admits it doesn't make sense why Chica, Foxy and Spring also glitch. The only animatronics not glitching are the Toys, so they have the spotlight a bit more than the rest lately. Mike is sure the kids would've been happy knowing their once bodies have gotten their own little fan-base.

Glancing up to the three on the stage, it seems Bonnie has gone through some glitching, his ears are down and those now empty eyes open. Mike sights and jumps onto the scene to return the rabbit into sleep mode again. Can't have he run out of battery under tomorrow's show. He opens the back panel to the mainframe and restarts the system, commanding the robot to turn itself off again. The rabbit returns back to the sleeping stage and Mike leaves the scene, heading over to the cove to check if Foxy has been glitching as well today, fortunately, he hasn't, so Mike heads over to the place where the golden ones are. He sighs and returns Goldie into sleep mode again, of all the animatronics glitching; Goldie is the one doing it the most, yet for some weird reason; it never happens when the show is on.

With the animatronics checked, Mike heads downstairs to sleep.

keep an eye out this Wednesday and the nexts in the future, that is the day I am planning on submitting a chapter to this story.
as always, suggestions such as songs, wishes to what could happen in future chapters are very welcome.

took a while but something I truly needed to get a grasp on just a legit plot.
it's good to be back.