10 ★ dave sucks

❝ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇɢᴀ ᴘɪᴢᴢᴀᴘʟᴇx, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɢ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ɴᴇxᴛ! ❞

★

          Have you ever mentioned how the plex was severely understaffed, especially during the night shift?

That's the main reason you had to come in early tonight.

Specifically, for maintenance.

Shutting your rusted employee locker, the sound reverberated off the walls. Your hand still lingered on the door.

Why did it feel like you were forgetting something?

Badge? Check. Flashlight? Check. Watch? Check.

You had everything.

I must be paranoid...

You exited the locker rooms. The employee shower and locker rooms were bigger than your entire property. With how many hands it took to operate the pizzaplex, it was no wonder.

Though, the majority of those lockers remained empty and unclaimed.

The greenish-yellow hue of the lights cast an otherworldly shade over the wall tiles. The floor, like that of any public bathroom, was filthy (but at least not covered in toilet paper, or worse).

Truth be told, you didn't really know where to go. Vanessa had been the one to suggest coming in early in the first place.

All that management has said was that you were on maintenance duty. Nothing more, nothing less.

They really threw you into the deep end here and expected to teach yourself how to swim.

Should I call Vanessa for help?

You didn't just want to be a thorn in her side constantly needing attention. And turns out, you didn't need to.

Your fazwatch beeped with a notification.

Jeremy: Meet at the rehearsal room, it should be marked on your map.

Just in time, Jerry!

You passed into a hall with very little lighting at all. Then, you heard that sound, like that of bells. The same one from your first night.

Jingle~ jingle~ jingle~

You picked up your pace. As did the second set of steps behind your back. You didn't dare stop to look.

Right by Rockstar Row, there was a hidden employee lounge together with the rehearsal room.

A muffled melody seeped from beyond the door. It slid open, and you wasted no time stumbling in and letting it shut behind you.

Okay. What the HELL was that? Something was definitely following you out there.

The good thing was you were here now! Bad thing was...you still had to sneak past the animatronics.

What robots needed to rehearse, you didn't know. Perhaps it was just another stop on the VIP tours. An illusion of liveliness.

The sounds of their voices, instruments, and mechanical movements was more than enough to cover your entrance and steps.

They were playing 'Everybody wants to rule the world', and a pretty rad cover at that. At least they had good music taste. There was a staff bot 'directing' them like a musical conductor. You hoped they would be too engrossed in practice to notice you.

Halfway across the room, the music stopped.

You side-glanced over, seeing those things were all focused on you now. Intimidating mechanical eyes stared you down. Though, the void expression of the one staff bot unnerved you the most, like it was beyond irritated at your interruption. Even the workers noticed, peaking out of the lounge to see what the (lack of) commotion was about.

You paused mid-step. You'd definitely have to go back to the locker rooms and hit the showers at the end of your shift, with the way you were sweating!

You breathed in deeply, with your gaze fixated on a random spot on the wall. Then you continued walking, pretending like nothing was wrong.

Soon, their playing started back up again. By that time you found yourself already at the lounge.

Jeremy had a stupid grin on his face.

"You sure made an entrance! You'd make a great funeral director. Or an elementary school teacher."

"Ah-ha-ha!" You replied with a sarcastic laugh (Balloon Boy???). "Shut it or I'll direct your funeral."

The lounge was actually kind of nice. There were some sofas to relax on, and a vending machine and mini fridge in the corner.

The walls were a dull blue and orange, with the only other thing on them being a giant Freddy poster.

On second glance, you recognized the group beside Jeremy. They were the ones who were kicked out of the golf course a few nights prior!

You greeted the other workers as well, introducing yourself. Turns out, they remembered you, too.

"Hey, you're that new security person! So what happened after you went into the golf course with the boss? Gator kicked you out too?"

"Yeah, pretty much." You answered shortly. They didn't need to hear about the parts where you begged to leave and fell on your ass.

"You're so brave for going i-in there." One of them praised you. You recognized him as Fritz. He had unmistakable tanned skin, freckles, and reddish hair.

Your eyes widened from the compliment. You? Brave?

"I wouldn't have the guts..." He went on, awkwardly laughing before continuing in a louder tone. "I-I swear, that thing has so many loose screws! It should be like- like put down or something before it hurts someone! Whatever the robot version of putting down is..."

You agreed wholeheartedly. But at the moment were distracted by Jeremy going behind him, holding finger bunny ears and making mocking exaggerated movements.

Fritz seemed to notice how you and the others were holding back laughter, and caught Jeremy bunny-handed.

"Hey!" He called, but Jerry just shrugged him off and approached you

He pointed to his wrist. "So how's the watch?"

"It's...a lot more than I was expecting. I've used it for everything but telling the time."

"Yeah," He agreed. "It's pretty high-tech. So don't lose it! Otherwise there will be a hell of a cost for a replacement."

Uh huh. Nice of him to mention that, but there was still a very important question on your mind.

"Sooo...what are we all doing here?"

"Having a funeral for Fritz's dignity, nice of you to show up for it." One of them joked, to which she and the redhead got into a slight argument. They pushed each other around lightly, while the rest of the workers chanted 'Fight! Fight!'

You shook your head at them and moved a few steps away with your Faztechnician friend.

"We're all taking a break together, since we got some live music going. What, you didn't want to be invited?" Jeremy pretended to be hurt. The 'fight' behind him kept going.

You gave him a blank stare.

"Alright, alright! Really I just wanted to give you some tips for tonight. I mean, I'm not really supposed to be doing this...buuuut I know how little management cares about preparing newbies like you."

He leaned closer to whisper. "Between you and me, I think they've kinda given up on finding a permanent fill for your spot. But I like ya, so I'll help."

That...was actually very nice of him. He and Vanessa were your literal saviors.

"Besides, you my lucky pal, are supposed to head down to parts & service together with the band anyway."

Oh, great...

"You're gonna be taught how to operate parts & services, in case you ever need to fill in. No need to worry, it's all a breeze! Although there is one thing..."

He got a look on his face.

"Dave's walking you through it."

Your face scrunched with immense disgust.

"Ew."

The other night shift workers giggled, whispering amongst themselves. Fritz and the other worker paused mid-fight, now attentive to your conversation.

"Hopefully you won't be sliced meat by the end of it!" The worker giggled. She was a younger woman with a Gothic style. Pitch black hair, dark makeup, and several piercings.

Fritz added on with a shakier voice. "I-I heard they put the bodies of those that don't survive into the mystery meat dispenser machine..."

A dead serious look crossed the girl's face, her voice becoming low.

"So they can chop you up into endless free pizza toppings!"

"Alright, knock it off guys." Jeremy butted in.

Maybe he saw how the color drained from your face.

That was ridiculous, right?! They wouldn't...they wouldn't make the pepperoni out of people...right?

While you were thinking of unspeakable horrors, Jeremy told the younger workers they should get back to their job, since break was almost over. With a snarky comment and some eye-rolls, they complied.

Before leaving into Rockstar Row, they glanced behind their backs for a moment.

"Here comes the bear." You caught them whispering. "Bet you 20 bucks there'll be security guard-flavored mystery meat by the end of th' week."

"Ew, gross!"

Your neck nearly twisted from how fast you turned around.

Freddy wasn't practicing anymore. He was headed your way.

The animatronic had something about him that made you think he was about to confront you. A purpose in his steps, and an unsettling smile on his face.

Too excited just to see you.

He knows something I don't...

Oh god, what if this was about the night before? What if he saw you, and really didn't like you watching him and his friends behind their backs?

Is he about to hide your body in a dark corner...or perhaps the mystery meat machine after all??

The other band members stayed behind, half practicing and half paying attention to you.

He stopped by you and Jeremy (who you shuffled just a bit closer to).

"Hey, Fred." Your coworker greeted.

"Good evening, technician Jeremy," Even when it wasn't you he was addressing, Freddy's voice still shook you to your core. He then turned to you.

"Officer Y/N, you are here early."

You didn't like the way the light glinted off his fangs as he spoke.

You laughed nervously.

"Yeah, I just...love work so much!" You emphasized.

Freddy continued. "Really? That is great to hear! Actually, it is very convenient that you have arrived here at this time."

Why? Why was it convenient?? He was about to explain in a sec, but the suspense was killing you!

"Were you by chance around the third floor of the atrium last night?"

There it was.

"I did not want to distract you from your work, but there is something I've been meaning to give you,"

A compartment in his chest opened up.

AHHH! KIDNAPPER HATCH!!

Instead of a bloody mess though, you saw a gift box amongst an assortment of other things. A child's drawing here, a band-aid pack there...

He reached inside, picking out...your pizza slice keychain?!

"I believe this is yours."

You felt around your belt. You hadn't even noticed it was gone!

"How-" it then hit you, that you probably lost it while running from either Freddy or Chica last night.

"I found it on the third floor of the atrium. I noticed this belonged to you, so I held onto it instead of bringing it to the lost and found."

He held it for you to take.

You reached your own arm out, tentatively.

As soon as you were about to take it back Freddy's hand glitched out. In response, your own shot back, and the keychain fell to the floor.

You and Freddy leaned down to grab it at the same time.

"Apologies, I-"

"SORRY!" You cried as well, though not sure of why you were apologizing.

You locked eyes for a moment.

It felt all too long. You observed what a vibrant blue his irises were.

Not just a singular shade, like one would think. A base of sky-blue, reminding you of sunny days, with shades of ocean just as deep as the Marianas. They had a cartoony gleam to make them look friendlier. Currents of electric blue accents zapped inwards, toward the pupils like a black hole sucking in stardust. Your veins felt a shock just looking into them.

Just plastic and paint, yet glossy and almost as expressive as your own.

And terrifying...

You had both reached for the keychain, absentmindedly.

Your finger barely brushed his metal ones but it was enough for you to abruptly rise standing, without the keychain in hand (you'd learned before, it was best not to touch them. Electrocution risk, and all).

"You know what? Why don't you keep it!?" You were acting as if it had the cooties on it now.

You'd only had it for over 20 years, no big deal!

Freddy's magnetic eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You want me to have it? But, this belongs to you."

Jeremy stayed quiet. You'd almost forgotten about him.

"That's the point of a gift! It keeps falling off my belt anyways! Take it aaaaas..." You thought about it. "-as a thanks for welcoming me to the pizzaplex! Or if you don't want it, you can just give it out to a random kid. I'm sure they'd be as happy as I was for it."

Freddy blinked as if he'd never gotten a present his whole life.

"...That is kind of you." He finally spoke. "I usually give out gifts instead. However, since you insist, I will accept it...Thank you."

It sounded so....genuine.

He tossed back into his stomach hatch. Freddy glanced down, his claws fidgeting.

"My arm had been undergoing some malfunctions. I should have it fixed soon..."

Jeremy jumped in. "Well, you're looking at your doctor right now! Y/N has maintenance duty and they'll fix it right up for ya! Right?"

"MHM!" You frantically nodded.

"Really?" Freddy hummed, appearing less 'nervous' now. "Then I trust my hands in yours! I'm sure you will be a spectacular mechanic to me and my friends! Now, I must go back to rehearse. Good luck, Superstar!"

He went to leave. You were about to take a breath of relief. When Freddy's face suddenly appeared in front of yours again.

"By the way, would you happen to have any song requests?"

You were too shocked to answer. Jeremy just put a hand across your shoulder.

"They'll take some 'Bee Gees', Fred."

Freddy nodded. He returned to rehearse with the rest of his group.

The past minute replayed in your head. They have fucking kidnapper hatches...

You were relieved of the pairs of eyes you felt boring into you a moment before. That left only one. Jeremy just stared at you, unusually stoic, and unusually quiet.

He moved you guys over to a quiet corner of the lounge, out of the band's hearing distance. You gulped in anxiousness.

The band starting to play some familiar keys only slightly helped.

"Y/N, forgive me if I'm wrong but..." He trailed as if second guessing himself. His dull brown eyes gazed into yours concernedly. Finally, he went through with his query.

"Are you scared of Freddy?"

You didn't say anything, but that was enough of an answer.

Someone had found out already. You really were too much of an open book.

You expected the same reaction everyone gave you. Rosy, your parents, your lost sibling...

Looking at you like a nonsensical child. Acting as if it was the same as being scared of an itty bitty spider. Something always along the lines of 'but they're just cute fluffy animal robots! Who could ever be scared of that? They aren't real, they can't hurt you.'

"...It's just- they're really big and heavy, and fast and- and-"

"I'm not trying to make fun of you, I promise!" Jeremy insisted. "I understand! 'Course I do,"

He did?

Jeremy sighed. "Listen - If you're really afraid of these guys, I won't mess around. I've learned not to do that, anyway."

A guilty expression crossed his face. It went away just as quick as it appeared, replaced with a smile.

"I know that...they can be intimidating sometimes, and the company doesn't have the greatest background, either. But there's nothing you need to be afraid of here." He persuaded, not at all convincingly.

"Don't listen to Fritz and Millie and those other slackers, they don't know what they're talking about! You're just new, and they wanna freak you out. And if you're worried about maintenance, it's just like a walk in the park for these guys! We have security measures behind security measures. Hell, they're probably more scared of you than you are of them!"

(Press X to doubt).

You weren't so sure about that. Monty seemed pretty comfortable threatening you.

"Besides," Jeremy started, the regular shit-eating grin coming back to his face.

"Freddy seems to like you already. I mean-" he snorted. "You did have a moment with the robot just now."

The inside of your mind felt like a loading circle comprehending his words. When you finally got what he meant, he laughed at your face.

You made a sound that was between an "Ew!" and an "Ugh!". Worst part is that from his perspective, it could've probably looked that way.

You're never gonna get that thought out of your head completely. Thanks a lot, Jerry!

"Shut up, I hate you. So much for thinking you could actually be heartfelt." He just chuckled more at your insults.

Jeremy's fazwatch beeped, signaling 11:55 pm. He sighed wistfully.

"Breaks over. Like sisyphus's boulder, the endless cycle of work continues."

He looked at you with sympathy. "You should take these guys down after this last song...are you gonna be okay?"

In the rehearsal room, the chorus of the song picked up, and you could hear Freddy singing the lyrics to 'Stayin' Alive'.

Hopefully you would be doing just that, too.

"Yeah." You gave Jeremy a fake smile. "Of course I'll be."

"Ah, ah, ah, ah

Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive."

You always were, in the end.

★

          "...Nice sounds back there! You guys' playing was awesome!"

You just couldn't stand the silence as you finally got the band out of those cramped tunnels and on the main stage.

It seemed to boost Roxanne's ego just enough.

"Of course it was." She boasted with a hand on her hip, the other grasping her green keytar. "I was playing, after all."

The others stayed silent, but you could spot hints of varying reactions on them.

They all turned to you expectantly.

"...You gonna push the button already or wait 'til we run outta battery?" The crocodile- I MEAN GATOR grumbled.

"Oh, right!" You apologized and pushed the stage control button.

You were starting to understand why staff took the long way down instead of just using the lift.

It was a bumpy ride.

And as a result, you nearly lost your footing, accidentally catching yourself just a bit to the left.

Just a bit too close to Monty's liking.

The gator hissed at you, the sound being amplified by the tight space.

With a small small sound of panic, you backed away. The lift suffered another harsh bump and this time, you fell backwards.

It wasn't enough to topple you over, thankfully. But by the time you gained