Chapter Three
I stared at the contact in my phone for what feels like an hour, but was probably around a minute.
NG: How but you do this, he likes you more.
FS: You already used that excuse, and I’ve proven you wrong. You lost the coin toss, now pick up the damn phone.
I groan in annoyance, but concede and call our manager.
NG: Uhh…boss, can you hear me?
BM: What? Who is this? Pell, what are you calling about?
NG: Hey, so can I talk to you about something?
BM: Get to the point Pell, I have a meeting in an hour.
NG: Well, my sister left me to look after her kid for a bit.
BM: Good to know, why should I care?
NG: Well, I can’t really leave him alone for the majority of the day.
BM: If you’re going to ask for time off, you know that isn’t something we can pay for.
Truer words have never been spoken. Despite the fact that this is a million-dollar entertainment business, everything has been shaken up after the change in management. Jobs have been hard to keep, and no one is especially interested. Given the rep this place has and how true we are to it, I don’t blame people.
NG: No, no. I was wondering if I could, you know, bring him here?
BM: …WHAT?
NG: He is very self-controlled, he won’t make a mess.
BM: That’s not, I mean. (sighs) You know what would happen if the higher ups found out.
NG: They would only find out through you, and I can just keep him in the breakroom while I work.
BM: You dubious childcare methods aside, it would be all of our asses if someone found out.
NG: The animatronics are supposed to make kids happy, what is the worst that could happen? Unless they actually do come alive at night, it should be fine.
Luke’s reaction of exasperation aside, it seems that I’ve convinced him.
BM: At night only, and if anyone finds out, you’re on your own!
NG: Thank you so much, you are the best boss ever, goodbye!
I close the call and collapse to the floor. I can’t believe that actually worked. But now we have a good excuse in case the boss finds out about the kid.
FS: Dude! Why do you say that?
NG: Relax, we are the only ones who know about the animatronics and I doubt we could even convince him beyond actually showing them to him.
FS: Oh, my, fucking, god, you plans are going to be the death of me.
NG: Shut up and help me get the toys ready for the movers.
We proceed to proceed to place the Toy animatronics on dollies and wheel them near the truck entrance. We wait about a minute or so when it opens and reveal a large truck and two other Fazbear workers.
RP: You Pell?
NG: Yes, that’s me.
RP: We’re here for the animatronics.
FS: Yeah, we already set them up. Need help?
RP: Yeah, thanks.
We wheel up the animatronics one by one, and I begin to feel guilty all over again. I keep thinking that there could be something I wasn’t thinking of, but I know this has to happen. No one can know, or else they would be in worse conditions then they are now.
RP: Dude, you listening? We could use some help.
NG: Oh, what? Oh, sorry.
RP: Are you…actually sad that they're leaving?
NG: A bit. I’ve put my heart into these things man, I feel a bit attached.
RP: Dude, they’re just robots. It's not like they actually come alive.
We all laugh, since it’s an inside joke to laugh at all the rumors about them being alive. But it feels weird once you learn the rumors are true. Well, slightly true. I doubt the creepypasta writers know about the polyamorous sex. But we finish placing the toys in the truck and they head off.
FS: There isn’t anything we could do, you know that.
NG: Doesn’t make me feel any less like shit. But we can’t focus on that now.
I lead Luke into the breakroom. The kid is still there, but he’s sleeping.
FS: I don’t know how he can just sleep through this all.
NG: He’s a kid. Probably tired after everything. But that’s not important.
FS: Right, tell me what happened last night.
I tell Luke about the new animatronic that awoke last night. I honestly feel like I can actually hear his internal screaming as I tell him the events.
FS: HE…(whispers) HE SAW IT MOVE!?
NG: Yes, but it was only awake for a second.
FS: That’s still bad! He saw them move. We’re in deep shit now!
NG: Relax, who’s he gonna tell? We’re trying to keep him hidden, if you ignore the fact he can’t speak.
FS: We’re still in trouble.
NG: I actually think this is good for us.
FS: HOW!?
NG: We can introduce him to the animatronics and both parties will have something beyond the board games. They would certainly love to spend more time with kids, and it would be better if he isn’t afraid of them.
FS: (groans in exasperation) Fine! But what about the new guy? None of the other’s woke up, why now?
That was the second issue. The art deco Foxy was alarming, and worse, unexpected. When we first started working here, the animatronics weren’t active. It happened maybe a week on the job. I can recall…Wait. No reminiscing…at the moment. But only a couple of the animatronics woke up. I mean, some of them were partially inactive, but they still moved and stuff. None of the others, including the new guy, even showed signs of activity. It’s been six months since, and the only one who came to life was Wolf. Which in itself is another mystery. But anyone new remains a regular animatronic. We have a couple of the older guys who haven’t woken up and some new guys, but only Wolf woke up.
NG: I don’t know. The kid was climbing on them, maybe he bumped into something.
FS: Are they ATMs now, would kicking them hard enough work?
NG: Can you please take this seriously?
FS: How? We are debating the sentience of children’s entertainment! They were built to make kids laugh, not come to life!
Those words hit me. I felt like something was there, something that needed exploring.
NG: What they were built for…Do you remember where we keep the blueprints?
FS: Uhh, yeah? Why though?
NG: I want to check something.
Luke went through some of the break room shelves, hoping to find the blueprints for the animatronics.
FS: Do you want anyone in particular?
NG: The Funtime series or Wolf would be preferable. But I suspect that anyone would do.
FS: Well, they’re not here. Probably in the repair room.
We walk through the warehouse, wandering amongst the sleeping animatronics. I feel as though they’re all watching us. But they never showed any signs of awareness during daytime, so it’s all just in my head...hopefully. We made it to the repair room at last. Inside are Classic Freddy, Mangle, that Springlock Bonnie, some Minireenas, Orville, the other Funtime Foxy, and…Fredbear. I can’t help but feel guilt, seeing his otherwise abandoned body laying there. Luke only sees what I’m looking at for a minute, when a strained look appears on his face.
FS: You have got to stop blaming yourself for that.
NG: How can I, it’s my fault.
FS: How were you supposed to know about the broken wires?
I stare at the slightly burned area around Fredbear’s chest and reflect. Just as Wolf was the first one to awaken after the others, excluding last night, there had only been one animatronic to lose consciousness. I was just doing simple maintenance, when I discovered something I never noticed before. It looked like some glowing substance from his chest. But when I touched it, something went haywire and he just fell asleep. Everyone was shocked to hear this. He wasn’t the most known, but no one had anything bad to say about him. Spring Bonnie was his closest friend, but he never really forgave me for that night. To be fair, neither did I. But despite his public dislike of me, I see him in this room far more often than expected. I suspect he is just wishing to talk with his friend, but I never called him out on it.
FS: If you're going to keep moping, I’ll put away the blueprints.
NG: Hmm? Oh, right. Whose are these?
FS: Everyone in this room, plus Wolf.
I look through all the blueprints, searching every edge of these sheets, before finding my answer.
NG: They’re fake.
FS: What?
NG: Well not entirely fake. But these blueprints are excluding parts of the animatronics. See here, this is where Wolf’s chest cavity is.
FS: I don’t see it.
NG: Exactly. I never even knew he had one till two nights ago. It says that this is for the exoskeleton.
FS: But does he even have one?
NG: Not a removable one. His body is too finely interconnected to separate unless for repair.
FS: Then why add it here? The fuck does he even need one of these for?
NG: I don’t know, but we are going to find out.
FS: And how do we do that?
NG: You're working at the restaurant tonight. You can check the blueprints on the computer while you’re working. It will be fine since tonight the Rockstars have the pizzeria today and tomorrow.
FS: Do you honestly expect the file for all the animatronics to be available on the crappy computer at the restaurant? Aren’t those company secrets?
NG: Then call your “friend” about it.
FS: Dude, he doesn’t do these things for free.
NG: Then find whatever thing he wants this time. Look, we are already in the deep end. If we don’t learn to swim fast, we drown.
FS: (exasperated and long groan) Fine! But you owe my for this?
Later that day, 10:50 P.M.
NG: Have you found anything yet?
FS: No. I told you this would take some time. That’s even if the files are here.
NG: Sorry, I’m not making this easier for you.
FS: Forget about that. I’m just glad that the office doesn’t have any cameras.
Wait…that sounds concerning.
NG: Shouldn’t all of the pizzaria have cameras? Ya know, like if there was a robber or a fire?
FS: Yeah, but for some reason they don’t have one in the security offices. And another thing to note is that they don’t pick up on the animatronics. Well, not that they don’t see them. They just don’t pick up on the more lifelike qualities they gain at midnight.
Huh, I guess that means we don’t have to be so worried about our friends in Seattle. They should be fine even if they don’t interact with the security there. Sure, they can’t do all the things they could before, but this is better than nothing. Right?
FS: You okay man?
NG: To be honest, not really.
FS: You thinking about Toy Freddy and the rest?
NG: Am I that transparent?
FS: You are far too nice a person.
NG: I can think of a dozen people off the top of my head who would disagree, not including the animatronics.
FS: Not like that. Well, partially but that’s beside the point. Yes, you can be overly negative about things. But you have put more care and attention into the animatronics than I think anyone in our situation would ever. You’re probably the only person who truly considers them people.
NG: And what do you think they are?
FS: (sighs) Look, I like them but it still feels…off? I mean, most of them are pretty nice once you get to know them. And even the rough ones open up eventually. But I still see them as these walking and talking machines. You think of them as people, and you treat them like it as well.
NG: I guess I do. I mean, I’d feel scared if I suddenly woke up as something I wasn’t. I’d probably want someone who didn’t treat me differently because of it.
FS: See, this is why you’re the best person for the job.
NG: And not because I know how to fix these guys when they break?
FS: I mean yeah, that’s pretty useful. But you are kind of the only person who could help them the way they really need it.
I’ve…never seen it that way.
NG: Thanks man.
FS: You got it. Now excuse me, but I have cyber crime to commit. Wish me luck.
And like that, I’m left alone with the kid and a weird feeling. I know Luke meant good, but I kind of feel put off by his words. He made it seem like I’m doing some act of good. I’m not saying that I should be doing this but it still feels weird. I can get what he means about the human vs robot thing. But I guess I just feel at ease around the animatronics. I want to help, but not for the sake of doing good. I just…Ah! This is so confusing.
E: (yawns)
NG: Oh, you’re awake. Do you need anything?
E: …(shakes head)
NG: Okay…did you see the animatronics moving last night?
E: (nods head)
Damn it. Well, that will make the next part easier.
NG: So, I know it may be a bit strange but they uh…come to life a night. But they aren’t scary or anything.
E: (nods head)
NG: Okay, good. Now, I’ve got to go work on some things, but there’s plenty of food and the tv is here. So you’ll be fine for a bit and I'll come check on you in an hour or so.
I’d make a terrible parent. But I can't focus on that now, we’re understaffed without Luke so I’ve got to keep everything in check. I make my way through the warehouse checking on everyone as I go. First up was Baby and Happy Frog playing poker.
NG: Hey guys, everything going alright?
HF: Hmm, oh, hey James. Yeah we’re fine.
NG: Oh, cool…Anything you need?
BBY: No, we’re alright. You can go check on the others.
NG: Alright, bye.
Yeesh, that was the coldest I’ve ever seen them. I mean Baby isn’t someone I’d call the cheeriest of people, but I cannot recall a time seeing Happy not, well, happy. I guess losing Toy Bonnie was hard for them, seeing how close they all are. I continue and find Funtime Chica with Funtime Foxy.
NG: Hey guys, how are you?
FC: Oh hey James, we were just discussing last night’s Dancing with the Stars. Care to join?
NG: Sorry, I’ve got to check on everyone else. Hey, have you seen Helpy lately?
FFX: Hmm, I do believe he was helping Mr. Hippo with something.
NG: K, thanks. Bye.
Now to go find Helpy. Seeing as he is the only one beside Luke and I with knowledge to fix the animatronics and operate the warehouse, finding him is a necessity given that Luke isn’t here. Hope he won’t be too mad about me forgetting him for two days. I pass by other groups and eventually find Helpy with Mr. Hippo, just like Foxy said. But what I didn’t expect was for Shadow Freddy to be there crying. I felt like I was intruding on something and nearly left when Hippo turned to me.
MH: Ahh, James. Good to see you tonight. Care to sit with us?
NG: Uhh, sure…Is, everything alright Freddy?
You idiot of course he isn’t okay. Why would he be crying if he was feeling okay, stupid?
SFR: I’m…fine.
MH: No, you are not fine. And that is a perfectly normal response for losing your friend. And it is because you care so much for Puppet that you feel sad that they’re gone. People act like we are meant to feel good all the time and that isn’t healthy. If you don’t give yourself to feel sad or angry, then you’ll only hurt yourself.
Once again, Mr. Hippo gives the advice therapists wish they could give their patients. I leave him to tend to Freddy and get the rundown from Helpy.
HP: Mr. Pell. Good to see that you’re here.
NG: Yeah, thanks for holding everything together Helpy. And I’ve told you before, you can call me James.
HP: As I was saying, we haven’t been on schedule since last night. And am I to believe that there is a child in this building?
NG: …Yes.
HP: Unbelievable, children aren’t supposed to be anywhere near the animatronics after midnight!
NG: It’s fine, I left him in the breakroom with enough food and the tv on.
HP: YOU LEFT HIM ALONE!
NG: Don’t worry, I’m going to check on him before I go to the repair room.
HP: Fine, but we have to stay-
NG: On schedule, got it.
I feel a little bad dismissing Helpy, God knows he works harder than me and Luke. But I should really check on the kid. I know I told everyone not to approach him, but I still feel a bit worried.
At the pizzeria.
FS: Damn it, can’t you do anything else man?
HK: Down rush the process man, you’re lucky I can even work with this. This computer is at least one and a half decades old, despite the quality.
FS: Quality?
HK: I mean, yeah. This is a good computer, better than you would find back then. It’s just so old that it hardly works. But I should be able to find whatever you're looking for as long as people still update this and it’s connected to whatever network Faz Co. uses.
FS: Well hurry up, I’d rather not get caught when you hit the firewall or something.
HK: Please, this is basic software protection. I should be done in half an hour.
FS: Cool, I’m going to leave you to that while I check on the animatronics.
HK: They aren’t doing much, don’t see any reason to check on them.
FS: I mean they don’t do much but…how do you know that?
HK: Dude, I could hack into your tablet from the 80’s if I wanted. I’m looking through the cameras, duh.
FS: Why am I your friend again?
HK: Because you know you find my skills awesome, and they are.
FS: Tru dat.
Luke checks the cameras and makes sure that everyone is following the plan. It would be difficult to explain why the animatronics were eating pizza or playing cards, so he told them to lay low for the night.
HK: Why do you want these blueprints again? Shouldn’t you engineers have these already.
FS: Yeah, but they’re outdated or something and Faz Co. is incredibly possessive about their trade secrets.
HK: Don’t blame them. I’d keep whatever secret tech I’d have secret.
FS: Yes, because everyone wants giant, walking, talking robots that you have clean each part to remove the smell of thrown-up pizza.
HK: Dude, what are you watching the robots on?
FS: A tablet?
HK: And you don't find it weird that they’ve had that for years before they were invented?
Luke was caught off guard by this. He took the tablet he used to watch the restaurant for granted, not once questioning its abnormal nature.
FS: So, what do I have to pay you for this time?
HK: I’ll give half off if you let me copy whatever files we find.
FS: I think I’d lose more than my job if I did that, but I’ll let you in on the next time we plan to do this again.
HK: And why should I do that? I’d normally pay you double for something this big.
FS: Because you’re a sucker for a challenge.
HK: Damn it if that isn’t true. Regular price, I don’t keep copies but I get to check them, and you give me your hot coworker’s number.
FS: Clarrisa?
HK: No.
FS: Bob? He’s married, but he’s always getting caught with the janitor.
HK: No, you’re friend the engineer.
FS: JAMES? That’s who you think is hot?
HK: I’m a slut for the grouches.
FS: Fine, but he’s not one for romantics so don’t get your hopes up.
HK: Mmm, let's see about that.
Back at the warehouse.
NG: Hey kid, you in here…shit!
HP: What happened?
NG: Okay, don’t freak out.
HP: Not happening.
NG: He’s not in here.
HP: WHAT?
NG: Don’t panic, we’ve got to find him.
HP: Fine, you check the west end while I check south.
I run in what I’m assuming is west. Shit, why is this happening. It barely turned 4, everyone is still up and they can’t know he’s here. I speed-walk past everyone, but I can’t seem to find the kid. Where could he-OOF!
B: Hey, watch it man.
NG: Uh, sorry.
It seems I’ve run into the Classics. Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy. They’d normally be flocking to Freddy, but he’s in the repair room. I get along with Chica, Bonnie’s a snarky bitch, Freddy hates my guts, and Foxy…Nope, not touching that tonight.
NG: Hey would anyone of you happen to see anything weird.
C: Weird how?
NG: Uhhh…
I really didn’t think this through at all. But it seems that I didn’t have to, since Helpy seemed to have something he wanted to ask me.
NG: Yeah Hel…py…
And there he was. The kid pulling at my pants, in front of the very alive animatronics. I turned to see their faces in pure shock.
B: Is that the kid?
Chica punched him in the arm.
C: (whispering loudly) We aren’t supposed to talk to him dingus.
NG: Guys it's fine, he already knows.
FX: What?
NG: You know what, this is actually helpful. Could you watch him while I’m in the back?
B+C+FX: WHAT?
NG: K, thanks, bye.
I leave the three animatronics with the kid, absolutely unable to handle anything else.
B: (whispering) What do we do now?
C: (whispering) I don’t know, we only interact with them when we are asleep.
B: (whispering) This is supposed to be time we get to ourselves, not babysitting.
C: (whispering) Why are upset about this, you love kids.
B: (whispering) We all love them unconditionally, part of being built to entertain them. But this is the first face to face time we’ve actually done.
The two animatronics turn to the child playing Candyland with Foxy.
B: How is he so calm about this?
C: Foxy’s just doing his job. Something we should be doing too.
B: (groans) Fine.
The two of them joined the board game session with the pirate and the boy.
C: Hi there, I’m Chica the Chicken and this is Bonnie the Rabbit. We’re so glad to meet you.
B: Yeah, you seem to be getting along fine with our friend Foxy. Would you mind if we joined the two of you.
E: ………
B: ………
E: (shakes heads)
B: Oh, you would like us to join you?
E: (nods head)
B: Oh, goodie. (whispering) We certainly got a weird one.
Chica punches Bonnie in the arm.
In the repair room.
NG: Okay, we now know that lube can’t be put in your trunk. But I don’t even know why that should even be brought up in the first place!
OE: Sorry James.
NG: Just get out of here you nasty. Next!
That makes three, after Mangle’s bidaily checkup and reattaching the Minireenas’ limbs for the hundredth time. Next would be the new guy.
NG: And your issue is that your voice box is malfunctioning, right?
LB: Y-YeS.
NG: Just checking. This will feel weird for only a minute.
It seemed pretty easy to fix. It was just a couple crossed wires from neglect.
NG: Okay, how does that feel?
LB: Better? I’m still confused about a couple things.
NG: I thought that would be the case. That’s why Helpy will assist for the rest of the night.
LB: Okay?
After they leave, I turn to Spring Bonnie.
NG: I’m not going to fix your ears if you broke them again.
ST: It’s my spring locks this time.
NG: Sure.
I check his spring locks, but everything is fine.
NG: Okay, everything should be fine. I’m too busy to leave you here so get moving.
He left the room, but I could feel the resentment in his eyes on the back of my neck.
NG: Now onto you.
FR: You left me last on purpose, didn’t you?
NG: Don’t give yourself too much credit.
FR: You spoke with him again?
NG: Nothing happened, we just talked.
FR: You think he’s still hung up on you?
He’s just trying to aggravate you, ignore him.
NG: So how did your arm get twisted.
FR: Arm wrestle with Funtime Freddy. He’s not going to come crawling back to you, if that’s what you’re wondering.
NG: I see.
Ignore him.
FR: You are only hurting him. You know that?
I pulled his arm off, probably harder than I should have.
NG: I’m not the one who punched his eye out.
FR: But you could have fixed that for a while now, but you still haven’t.
NG: Are you upset. You mad that he isn’t another one of your obedient pets like Bonnie and Chica? Because unless I have it wrong, you weren’t the one he used just to make you mad.
FR: You honestly think your little session was just so he could get back at me.
I can’t listen to him anymore.
FR: He likes you, but we all know that can’t happen. I’m here to remind everyone of our roles.
NG: And what’s your role?
FR: I’m the leader. I’m Freddy Fazbear, after all.
NG: And Foxy?
FR: Part of the Fazbear crew.
NG: And me?
FR: At first, the help. Now, the child who's upset about not getting his way.
Child. That reminds me of something.
NG: The kid from the other night is interacting with everyone.
FR: WHAT?
NG: He was there when the new awoke, now he’s interacting with the others.
I can see the surprise in his face, and I’m loving seeing him caught off guard.
NG: But since it’s 5:30, you’ll have to wait till tomorrow to meet him.
FR: It would appear so.
NG: And Freddy.
FR: Yes?
NG: Don’t hurt him.
FR: I’m not going to harm a child.
NG: I meant Foxy.
FR: Please, that’s your job.
Freddy exits the room, leaving alone with the empty and broken animatronics and my regrets. I stare at all the lifeless suits, and cry. It would appear that I cried myself to sleep and into the morning, because I woke up to Luke holding something in his hands.
FS: Dude, you okay?
NG: I’m fine.
FS: Are you su-
NG: Did you find anything last night?
FS: Oh yeah, you aren’t going to believe this.
I take the sheets of paper from the file holder in his hands and examine each piece. As I look at each blueprint, I can’t help but widen my eyes in confusion.
NG: What the fuck!?
FS: What is it? I can’t really understand most of it.
NG: This is…I don’t even know.