"𝓢𝓱𝓱𝓱..." ✔

₮ⱧłⱤ₮Ɏ-₴łӾ

    

Now playing..

"welcome and goodbye"
-Dream, Ivory
////
"I seek within to seek the warmth brought within your skin"
•-•

"That looks sketchy." Michael commented.
     "I guess we kinda have to go?" My statement came out more as a question.

   I crouched down and looked in the vent. It was like a void.

    "I'll go first, I guess." I said and started crawling through.

   With both of us crawling in the vent, I couldn't really even hear what Hand-Unit had to say. Nonetheless, we quickly crawled through the small, and dusty, vent.

    We got out of the vent and into another room.

    "You are now in the Primary Control Module. It actually has a crawlspace between the two front showrooms. Now let's get started with your daily tasks. View the window to your left. This is the Ballora Gallery Party Room and Dance Studio, encouraging kids to get fit and enjoy pizza. Let's turn on the light and see if Ballora is on stage. Press the blue button on the elevated keypad to your left."

      Ballora? That name sounds awfully familiar..
    
        I looked over to the tall keypad. Michael was about to hit the blue button before I stopped him.

    "..Hey Michael?" I asked.

   "Yeah?" He responded.

  "What was your mom's name?"

  "Lora Afton, why?"

   My heart dropped.

  "..Wasn't she into dancing and singing?"

   Michael was silent.

  "Let's talk about this another time. For now, just hit the button."

   Michael did as I said and a bright light appeared, showing nothing but an empty stage.

     "Uh oh! It looks like Ballora doesn't feel like dancing. Let's give her some motivation. Press the red button now to administer a controlled shock. Maybe that will put the spring back in her step."

     "I don't want to shock her! What if that just makes her mad? Plus, there's a chance that could be mom." Michael said, a confused and worried look on his face.

     I sighed. "I don't either, but that might be the only way Hand-Unit will talk again."
     Michael looked down, clearly upset. "Hey, I'll shock her. It's fine."

    I walk over to the button and slam my fist on the button. A quick flashing light filled the empty room along with a few screeches of electricity.

      "Let's check that light again."

   I pushed the light button again. It illuminated a tall figure spinning around on the once empty stage along with a few other tinier figures.

   "That wasn't so bad, I guess." I shrugged.

    "Excellent! Ballora is feeling like her old self again and will be ready to perform again. Now, view the window to your right. This is the Funtime auditorium, where Funtime Foxy encourages kids to play and share. Try the light! Let's see what Funtime Foxy is up to."

     "Wait wait wait." I stopped. "These things are going to be performing again? Even after what happened to Elizabeth?!"

     Michael nodded. "Yeah.. after this week they're reopening the place. Weird, I know."

    I pressed the light button. An empty stage is all that was there.

   "Looks like Funtime Foxy is taking the day off. Let's motivate Funtime Foxy with a controlled shock."

    I sighed and hit the shock button. The same sounds of electricity and flashing lights go off.

    I tried the light again. Still not there.

   "Let's try another controlled shock."

   I pushed the red button. Same procedure. Afterwards, I tried the light.

    "Looks like Funtime Foxy is in perfect working order. Great job! In front of you is another vent shaft. Crawl through it to reach the Circus Gallery Control Module."

     I looked at Michael and shrugged. I opened the vent shaft and crawled in.

     "On the other side of the glass is Circus Baby's Auditorium. Let's check the light, and see what Baby's up to."

    Michael pressed the light.

   "The hell.. there's nothing there. I think one of the lights are out." Michael said.

   "Looks like a few of the lights are out, but we can fix that later. Let's encourage Baby to cheer up with a controlled shock."

    Michael hesitantly pressed the shock button.

   "Let's try another controlled shock."

   Michael pressed it again.

  "Let's try another controlled shock."

    Michael pressed the button again, a confused look forming on his face.

   "Great job, Circus Baby! We knew we could count on you! That concludes your duties for your first night on the job. We don't want you to leave overwhelmed, otherwise you might not come back. Please leave using the vent behind you, and we'll see you again tomorrow."

  "What the hell was that all about.." I mumbled. Michael shrugged.

     "I guess it doesn't get any worse than this..?" He questioned.

    I sighed and shrugged. "I hope not."

   We left through the vent and soon got back into the elevator to leave this hell-hole.

•———•