Chapter Text
This was just a job.
You needed the money. You had to pay the bills, and your day job at the deli wasn't cutting it. You did not like animatronics. You did not like the dark. You did, however, like being able to pay the bills more than you did not like the other things. And besides, you were a night owl anyways. And being a night guard meant that you didn't have any people to deal with, and if you did run across any people, you were totally allowed to forcefully remove said person from the premises. Probably.
You hadn't paid as much attention as you should have during the orientation video.
You stepped into the building, using a side entrance you’d been told to enter through, your fancy security watch allowing you access. The watch was also supposed to connect to the security cameras all around the complex, but you hadn't been able to figure out how to work the damn thing yet. You shut the door behind you, double checking the door had locked itself behind you despite hearing the lock click. Satisfied, you turned from the door, only to be immediately face to face with a white robot on wheels, wielding a flashlight.
"Jeez- fuck. Hello." You stared the robot down. "Uh. I'm here… for my shift. Because I was hired. Here. I work here." You shut your mouth before you said anything even more embarrassing.
Could this robot even understand you? You eyed the hat this robot was wearing. It looked just like yours, the word 'SECURITY' embroidered on the front.
Without a word, the security robot turned themself around and rolled away, their flashlight illuminating the way through the shadowed space.
You squinted around at the shadows, spying posters on the walls sporting colorful promotions of some of the animatronics. This welcome area was wide open and had plenty of confusing pathways leading to all the different areas of the complex. You took out your own flashlight, which had been provided to you through the mail with your uniform and name-tag and watch. You were wearing all of it of course, though you had a hoodie on as well, due to the chilly nighttime air. It wasn't a whole lot warmer in the building, but at least it wasn’t freezing and windy like it had been outside.
The security bot stopped on the other side of the space and turned again to face you.
"Oh. Oh! Right. I'm supposed to follow you. Sorry." You recalled the brief instructions you’d been emailed along with your orientation video. The interview had been online as well. You had recorded yourself answering questions and prompts and submitted them through the company's hiring portal. You’d yet to meet a single person, and honestly? You weren't complaining.
After an awkward gay little run to catch up with the security robot, the bot turned around again and began rolling along once more. You kept pace with them this time.
You passed several other security bots, all the exact same as the first in appearance. They were all sort of just wheeling around designated areas in predefined paths. You understood why a human security guard was necessary, to at least oversee the bots.
The first security bot lead you through a maze of hallways and different areas. There was some kind of stage, an eating area, an arcade, several gift shops, a daycare, a bumper-car raceway, mini-golf, a bowling alley, another arcade for some reason (or was it a different entrance to the same one?? This place was confusing) all faintly lit by neon signs and letters along the walls.
The bot came to a stop once more in front of a door, the sign on which read 'staff only'. The bot stared at you.
"Oh, right." You quickly raised your watch and unlocked the door, then held it open. "After you."
The bot rolled inside, moved along the wall, and stopped once more to look at you.
You stepped into the darkened room, scanning the wall near the door. You quickly found the switch and turned on the lights, illuminating what looked like a very small and shabby break room.
There was a whiteboard on the far wall, a small circular table with two chairs at it (one of which was missing a leg) and a taller narrow folding table along the right wall with a mini-fridge and a coffee machine on it. Neither looked to have been used in a very long time. There was also an ancient dirty sink in the corner, and a trash can under it collecting nothing but dust. This whole room was dusty.
You turned your attention to the bot, who was stationed next to a chunky box on the wall with a keypad. "Oh, this is where I clock in!" you realized. You did so, checking your email for your employee code you had yet to memorize. Once you’d punched in, a little green light flashed and 'punch in accepted' scrolled slowly across the dim screen.
The security bot rolled back towards the door. You held the door open for the bot, who continued rolling away. You shut the door to the staff room behind you, hearing the click of the automatic lock. You hurried to catch up with the bot.
"This place sure is a maze, huh?" you commented. You were usually great at mapping out buildings in your head, but for some reason you were having trouble keeping your sense of direction in this place.
The robot didn't reply. They made a turn down another hallway. You followed. The two of you approached a different robot, this one wearing a wide brimmed hat, who came rushing towards you the moment you were in sight.
"Take a map!" the robot said, shoving a map towards you. "Hi! Please take this map! Take a map!"
"Uh- alright! Alright, thanks," you said, quickly getting over your confusion and surprise and accepting a map from the extremely determined bot.
Satisfied, the map robot turned away and meandered off. You glanced down at the map. You angled your flashlight at it, trying to figure out where exactly you were.
You looked back up as you realized something. "Hey, you-" You stopped and swore when you saw the security bot was already rolling away. You ran again to catch up. "Did you… lead me to that map bot intentionally? After I said the thing about this place being a maze?"
The security bot slowed their pace for a moment, turning their head to look at you. Then they turned back to face where they were going and resumed their normal speed.
"…Thank you," you said, just in case.
You still weren't entirely sure how… aware this robot was, but you didn't want to be rude in the case that they had been trying to be nice and helpful, which you felt safe in assuming was most likely. Besides, there was no one around to laugh at you or mock you for talking to a robot if it turned out the security bot was just a hunk of metal with a flashlight.
The two of you returned to the cafeteria area, overlooking the big stage, where the security bot began slowly rolling up and down rows of booths and tables. You shuffled along with them for a few minutes before realizing that the security bot was now just doing the same thing all the other bots were doing- following a pre-programmed path, likely for the rest of the night.
"Ah. Well. I guess I better make myself familiar with this place." You picked a nearby booth and sat down for a moment, studying your map.
Now that you weren't in just some random hallway and in a locatable area, you easily puzzled out where you were in relation to everything you’d seen already and the rest of the map. You took out your pen and marked where the staff room was on the map, since it wasn't listed, as this map was clearly for guests. Once you felt like you had a somewhat decent understanding of the layout, you got up and pocketed the map.
You wondered down a different hall, swinging your flashlight around the quiet corridors. You couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, but that was nothing new.
Even though you had never seen this place in the daylight, the building was still very much a liminal space, something alien and not right about the darkened halls and quiet play areas. It wasn't entirely dark, there were lots of skylights, some signs, and vending machines were still on, casting intense neon colors over the floors. Everything was very 1980’s, the wacky fun décor looking out of place in the dark.
It was actually kinda nice, walking around leisurely in the quiet with no one to bother you. You started to relax, despite yourself.
At least, until the feeling of being watched became a lot more intense.
"There's no one there. You're imagining shit," you mumbled to yourself, refusing to turn around and check, not wanting to validate your paranoia. You frowned as you realized, actually, it was your job to check and make sure no one was there.
You turned. You spotted another map bot (or maybe the same one?) back at the other end of the corridor, just wandering about. You huffed and rolled your eyes. You turned back around and walked right into something much larger than you.
"Fuck!" you yelled, swinging your flashlight at the figure on impulse. There was a loud bang of metal hitting metal. You stumbled backwards, then froze as you realized you’d come face to face with one of the animatronics. Not just any animatronic either, this was the only one you recognized- the figurehead of the whole robot crew, some kind of bear guy. He had on a stylish little top hat and a black bow tie. What was his name? Frank?? No, that’s not it.
"Oh dear!" the bear said, raising his hands and taking a step back. "I did not mean to startle you. My apologies!"
You took a deep breath to calm your nerves. "Sorry- shit. Sorry. I didn't mean to whack you. Are you alright?" You scanned the torso of this bear bot, checking for damage and hoping you wouldn't be fired for attacking the most important animatronic on your first day on the job.
"Not to worry, I am very sturdy," the bear assured, giving you a friendly wink. "I actually came to welcome you! This is your first night on the job, I am sure you must be nervous. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask for help!"
"Oh, well thanks!" You were grateful for this, as you did actually have a question. "I do have a question but I dunno if it'd be… polite?? To ask?"
The bear tilted his head inquisitively, waiting patiently for you to go on.
"Uh…" You awkwardly studied the poster on the wall nearby, displaying some kind of punk alligator robot with star shaped shades. "Are you guys… hm. How do I put this. Oh, fuck it. Are y'all sentient or what?"
The bear looked a little startled by that, eyes widening in surprise as he straightened. "Oh! I believe you will find we all have our… quirks. If you're asking if someone programmed me to say this to you, no. I came to greet you of my own courtesy."
You squinted suspiciously. "That's exactly what someone might have programmed you to say."
The bear laughed. "I suppose you will just have to see for yourself, superstar."
You smiled. "Fair enough. Uh. You got any tips for a newbie?"
"Just… some of my friends can be a bit… much. Try not to take any sort of…" the bear leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "bad attitude too seriously. They are really very nice once you get to know them."
"Okay?" You raised an eyebrow. You weren't sure exactly what the bear meant, but you felt like you could handle a bad attitude. You’d been working in retail and customer service type jobs since you were fifteen, you could take a rude stranger in stride.
"And… you do not need to go in the daycare," the bear added. He hesitated, like he wanted to say more. Instead, he just smiled warmly down at you and said, "again, do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. I won't keep you from your duties any longer. You have a good night, superstar!"
"Thank you. You too… bud,” you awkwardly replied, realizing halfway through speaking that you still did not know this bear bot's name. It was definitely way too late to ask.
You cleared your throat and marched on past the bear, who continued down the way you had come.
You rounded a corner and sighed, rubbing your face. "Bud?? Why did I call him bud? What the fuck that was so weird. Stupid," you chastised yourself under your breath.
You wandered around aimlessly, trying to memorize which areas were where and which hallways connected to which places. You occasionally ran across security bots doing their own little rounds. None of the bots paid you much mind.
You thought about the bear bot as you walked. He seemed nice enough. But what the hell had he meant about the daycare? Was it off limits or something? Why would it be off limits?
Despite your curiosity, you very much needed this job and did not want to get fired on the first day (or… night) so you decided you’d follow the bear bot's orders. Still… the bear bot hadn't said anything about walking past the daycare. Walking past it very slowly and staring at it intently, trying to figure out why the bear bot had seemed so apprehensive about it.
The daycare was at the far side of the complex, the big double doors situated under a big colorful sign reading 'Superstar Daycare' in fun lettering. There was a nice little sitting area just outside, and a massive glass window looking in beyond the tables and chairs. Probably so parents could chill out here and supervise while their kids were in the daycare.
You wandered closer to the window as casually as you could.
You weren't in the daycare. So this was fine.
You lifted your flashlight and peered through the window. You could see colorful play mats and cute little cubbies, as well as a pile of well stacked plushies. Your light didn't reach far enough beyond that to see much of anything else. It all looked dark and quiet in there. Maybe the bear bot had just meant that the place was secure or locked down tight or something, so there was no need to waste time wondering around in there.
You shrugged. You were turning to continue your wandering around when something caught your eye. You turned back to the window and squinted into the darkness beyond your flashlight.
Two little red dots were shining through the shadows, high up and unmoving.
"What…" you muttered. You stared at the dots for a long moment. "Maybe a security camera? That makes sense." Of course something like a public daycare would be under video surveillance. You waved, just in case anyone behind the camera was watching. Then you turned and kept walking.
The rest of your shift passed uneventfully. Besides the different smaller bots you came across (security, map, custodians, different staff bots, and your favorite- the adorable little 'wet floor' sign bots who didn’t do much but sit around looking cute) you didn’t run into anyone or anything else. No more animatronics sneaking up on you. Though that bear guy seemed nice enough. And now that you had met one and realized that he was entirely metal, not some weird hairy suit covering a metal skeleton, you felt a lot better about these animatronics, assuming they were all made the same sort of way. Nothing too creepy. You could handle that.
So long as there weren't any bunnies, you could not deal with giant bipedal rabbits. It just was not going to happen.
By the time your shift was about over, you had walked the building several times and had the general layout down in your head. You even found the break room without needing the map. You clocked out and made it outside just as the sun was starting to rise.
You stretched, feeling drowsy after your first long night. You shuffled to your car and began the drive home, eager to get to bed. You needed the sleep, you had another shift the next night, right after your closing shift in the deli.
You didn’t want to jinx anything, but… you thought that this new job might just be bearable.