"Nighty night"
You could hear the faint crackled voice from the Moon in the distance.
"Why is he so creepy? I mean, I get that he's supposed to be programed for security and stuff, but this is a little much don't you guys think?" You ranted while laying your head uncomfortably on a rivit between protruding pipes from the inner wall of the recharge station.
The lights have been out for about 5 minutes so far and there was a faint noise of tinkering bells ringing from the catwalks above. The Moon sat perched, waiting for an opportunity. It's too bad for him, cause there wasn't going to be one. Freddy, Chica and Roxy guarded outside.
You were pretty sure that they had all missed the last recharge, but you couldn't quite remember. At least they were still functional.
"Well, the daycare assistant was originally built for naptime monitoring and the security routing protecol, and he was also quite effective at his job. However, over the past few months, something may have shifted in his programming that may have permanently changed his personality to provide a more... forceful... way of enforcing his rules." Freddy explained.
"At first, I thought that it didn't have to do with the glitch since he wasn't acting all 'glitchy'.
When you guys go weird, you repeat the same phrases and stand all slouched and you don't respond to any commands. But with him, he can clearly understand what I'm saying, and his programed personality seems intact." You audibly explained your thought process.
"But if he's become violent like this only recently, then it might be linked to the glitch or something. The more I think about it, things seem like less of a coincidence and more of deeply linked web of events.
Also, I'm pretty sure that rabbit person that's been running around, has something to do with all of this. And it's gotta be one of the workers, or at least some technician or someone qualified in robotics.
It's not like some random person could have accidentally stumbled across Parts and Service and accidentally install a meticulously crafted glitch that changes the behaviour of programed robots." You continued.
"So, are we going back to the blame game?" Roxy huffed sarcastically. It's clear that she wasn't in the mood to talk about anything apart from a way to repair herself.
"I think it's Vanessa." You accused.
"Superstar, we cannot be sure..." Freddy tried to diffuse the tension.
"She's the only other person that I've seen running around here. That rabbit person and her are practically the same height. She was acting all weird towards the end of my shift." You listed.
"For all I know, she could be constantly changing in and out of that stupid costume to terrorise me!" You folded your arms in frustration.
The lights outside the recharge station flicked and then turned on. With that, you stepped out of the station, allowing Chica to take her turn in recharging.
"ScrEEE" a distorted noise came from Chica and she shook her head.
"What? Do you not want to go in the recharge station?" You asked.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest with fingers straight to form a big "X" shape. It was difficult to know exactly what she was trying to convey because you weren't fluent in charades, but you took it as a sign that she wasn't happy with your accusations towards fellow coworkers.
"I'm not happy with what's happening too Chica but we have to start somewhere. So far the only two people I've met are Vanessa and Justine, and Justine doesn't seem like he can do much if I'm being honest." Not that you were trying to offend Justine, but he just seemed like a regular chill dude from the brief interaction you had with him.
"There's a whole Pizzaplex full of workers Rockstar. What makes you think that Vanessa is the one doing all of this. We've had this conversation in Chicas room." Roxy said. Back to square one again.
She had a point. You remained silent.
Freddy and Roxy took their turns to recharge and the group was ready to move.
. . .
You followed the neon lit path with leading 'gater footprints' to an office.
Background catoon cut-outs and Monty themed cut-outs were layed next to the walls and the room had a plain office-like interior.
A duffle bag layed in the corner and upon opening it, there was a Mazersides ticket, which you promptly took, and two notes. One that read ' SECURITY REPORT-A local police officer came by tonight. He said he was responding to an emergency call from someone inside the Pizzaplex. There is no way that is possible. I was the only one here and I certainly didn't make any outside calls. He wanted to look around, but I sent him away. Just another prank call. -Vanessa'. The note itself wasn't dated so it could have been written tonight or some time before. It's hard to tell but with the events that you've faced. There's a chance that it could have happened to someone else.
Opening the other note, it read 'MAINTENANCE REPORT- I still can't find what is making all that clanging noise in the AC system. This is the fifth visit this week. If I could reach that stupid vent behind the exercise maze room, I could get to the catwalks over Gator Golf and take a look. Maybe someone who works in Mazersides knows how.'
You stood up and turned to Chica, Freddy and Roxy, who were patiently waiting for you.
"Ok so a few things," You tried to put a logical thought process together.
"So first, it doesn't seem like Monty is here." You said.
"There's been times where Montys been found in the Catwalks above the golf area. I don't know why, maybe it's the glitch, but 9 out of 10 times, he's usually there when people go looking for him." Roxy input, pointing to the ceiling.
"Well that's great because we didn't have a plan to get there. But we do now. The maintenance report here says that there's an entrance to the Catwalks through the AC vents in the maze section in Mazersides. Luckily enough, there's also a Mazersides ticket here for us to enter." You waved the ticket around proudly.
"Also," You added," the maintenance report talked about some clanging noise in the vents. There's a creepy spider music robot thing that chased me when I went in a vent, so I'm pretty sure that's what's making the noises and if that's the case, we need to find a way to destroy that thing before someone gets hurt." You left the two notes in the duffle bag and carried on.
" So is everyone up to scratch?" You turned to the group.
"Alright, so we're going to Mazersides. The only problem is, we're still big anamatronics Rockstar. If you manage to gain access to the vents leading to the catwalks, we can't come with you." Roxy explained. You stared blankly.
"Ok that's fine. Skip Monty. We'll just have to go somewhere else and do something else." You replied casually.
"SSSSCCCRRREEEEeeeee" Chica made the most annoyingly prolonged sound. It was an obvious disapproval of the change in plan.
"Superstar, Chica is right. We cannot abandon our friend. We need to save Monty before opening tomorrow." Freddy firmly stated.
"You save Monty. I wanna save myself. The last time I went through vent by myself, I was nearly mauled." You were on the verge of snapping
"So what! You're just going to leave Monty?! What about the kids tomorrow!?" Roxy shouted. It's not like she had emotions. She didn't really 'care' about anything. She's only programed to encourage workers to do their jobs and fix things to save the company from unavoidable law suits. She was a robot. But man, she was really ticking you off.
"I almost died. I'd be stupid to try that again!" You shouted.
"Then maybe you'd do it again since you are." Roxy snickered.
"Yeah look me in the eyes when you say that. How 'bout that Roxy?" You replied slyly.
"Why you little-"
"Friends, friends, please. We must stay focused and work together." Freddy begged.
"SssssCCcccRRRREEEE" Chica added.
Freddy approached you and kneeled down to meet your eye level. In response, you firmly folded your arms.
"Superstar. I know that this is a selfish request of us, especially after all you've been through tonight. I understand that you've declined all the things we've asked you to participate in. And I know that you've only done them because you were forced to do so for your survival..."
"But?" You pressured.
"But nothing. There is no real reason why anyone in your position would want to continue. It has been nothing but danger all around you." Freddy continued.
"Is that supposed to convince me to go?" You scoffed.
"No... I am sympathising with what you have gone through. I cannot change your mind by making up excuses. And I cannot guilt you into compliance. We can wait by a recharge station until opening. And you can leave safely." Freddy lowered his voice, almost into a whisper, and you loosened your arms.
"I can only request, do not return. It will never be safe." He said while placeing an arm by your shoulder.
"So if I leave, nothing will change. And more lives would be at risk?" You asked
"Yes. I am afraid that is correct. No one has tried to fix the problems of the Pizzaplex. It is known about, just ignored. You don't have to be the one to save people. But all we can do is hope that you would try. You have been very brave tonight. That is why you are our Superstar."
You tried to hold a neutral face, but you felt a tear form in your eye.
"I'm not qualified to do anything. I'm not the hero you guys have been looking for. I'm just a regular person who has been trying to do the bare minimum at their job. I'm not skilled in robotics, or detective work. Why would you guys think that I can help?"
"If not you, then who?" Roxy asked while approaching freddy's side.
Someone had to do something.
This kind of stuff only happens in movies or books. A protagonist has plot armour, but you, you were most likely going to die from any adversary.
But someone has to try.
Why would it have to be you? You've got a life at home to return to. Loving parents who have supported you at every step. You have a degree to finish. You've got so much. It's not like you're the typical hero who has nothing left but to fight for justice.
"You know, you said you wouldn't guilt me into compliance but you practically have. Fine, I'll try to save this Pizzaplex" You blurted out. It was almost startling to hear your own madness.
Freddy lifted his head and perked his ears.
"I'll try to deal with Monty, and fix you guys and when I recover from this head injury, I'll come back to investigate more things and see if we can put an end to this." You kind of wanted to tell yourself to shut up.
"But I am also not promising anything because I am being very impulsive at the moment and I can change my mind at any time so don't push me y'all". You quickly added. Crossing your arms again. Freddy chuckle.
"Alright enough with this angsty drama. Can we PLEASE move on to Mazersides." Roxy whined.
There was a security badge on the wooden table and a Fazcam on the office seat so you took both.
"Ok. Fazcam acquired." You stated, waited and looked around. Nothing happened
"You know, I'm kinda surprised. That was pretty easy-" before you finished jinxing yourself, alarms started blasting.
*WEEE WOOO WEEE WOOO WEE*
"I stand corrected." You lowered your head and sighed.