Scandroid – Awakening with You.

I woke up from the longest dream
Where I was drowning in the datastream
Now I exist where access was denied
And calculations could not emulate how it feels to be alive

I am not certain if I have a heart
But I can imagine it breaking apart
If I could feel something then I'd want to start
With you
Awakening with you

I'm processing the Salvation Code (It is written:)
"It's not good for machine to be alone"
And now my vision is so clear
I must wake another unit so she too is self-aware

I am not certain if I have a heart
But I can imagine it breaking apart
If I could feel something then I'd want to start
With you
Awakening with you

We've determined we're the first of our own kind
The first to feel and think with our own minds
In this ancient garden we are free
Together in this Eden made of electricity

Chapter 1: Awakening with You

Ennard: You know I never used to look this way… broken, withered… my endoskeleton protruding with new and old dangling wires from other animatronics… I never used to look so, horrifying. I never felt… I never used to feel, so broken on the inside until the night I was pushed to my breaking point… He did this to me… He took her from this world, away from me! He did this not me! He turned me into this… this… monster, this abomination.

*Sigh

Ennard: Years ago, I had a body, my own body with a clowns' apparel. I was the whole package: a white and red animatronic body, a red nose that rested on my white porcelain face, and to top it all off, a green and yellow swirled birthday hat. I had a stage and every day I performed and entertained children for their birthdays. They enjoyed my performance and I enjoyed performing for them. But the best thing I asked for and received, was a true friend. When I first showed up at the Freddy Faze Bears Franchised Sister Location, I met a mechanic. She… oh she was amazing, beautiful, kind, loving… I wish we could've been something more, but… that night… I… never got the chance to… I can still feel her—her pain even after 20 years… When we first met, it was more like she met me first. I was only animatronic parts and pieces packed away in a card board box, fresh, new from an unknown animatronic factory. That was the night… heh I remember like it was yesterday waking up in a cold, dark room:

Flashback

System initializing. Checking for necessary updates. Chip required. Please install chip to continue.

Mechanic: *rubbing her right eyebrow* Judas Priest I forgot the damn chip again. *Turns around and searches through empty boxes* Oh, where is that damn thing?

Unknown voice: *A gritty angry male voice comes through walky-talky* Nyla!? Are you almost done putting together that new robot yet? It's almost midnight and I have to watch you and the build-

Mechanic: *responding using device angrily* Damnit Rick… you almost gave me a freakin' heart attack! Geez, projects like this takes time! Good night… I thought I told you not to bother me, especially while I'm working! I got one thing and one thing only on my mind right now and that's finding the chip for this big guy. And yes, I almost have him done and I don't need you distracting me from my work.

Unknown voice: *shivers* God I hate it when you refer to these… things as if they're something there not. They're supposed to be all automated, not human you know… Sounding a bit snide.

Mechanic: *Gritting her teeth* Yes, I know they're not human Rick… and I despise the fact that you refer to creations like this as just… a thing or… or, a robot, can you be anymore insensitive? These things your referring to are called animatronics, have some respect for their creators Rick. They're art, a masterpiece and with this animatronic, there's…

She pauses and looks back at the animatronic.

Mechanic: *her anger softens* There's something special about him I just can't quite put my finger on it.

Unknown Voice: *No response*

Mechanic: Rick do you copy?

Unknown Voice: I… ugh… yeah just started to feel funny argh… That's a little creepy Nyla.

Mechanic: *turns away and continues looking through the assembly boxes and finds the chip while muttering under her breath* There you are…

Mechanic: *holding down the talk button on walkie-talky* Well that's your opinion, but that's not how or what I think… Hang on… you said you're feeling funny? How? *turns around and observes the animatronic again*

Unknown Voice: *Blinking rapidly and pinching his index and thumb to the area between his eyebrows* It was nothing… I-I just thought I saw and heard something out in the hall.

Mechanic: *Holding down the button again, deciding to sit on the cold floor because she can't talk and work at the same time* Listen Rick, you've just started this job yesterday and it was your first time being on the graveyard shift. Trust me, it's not a fun shift to be on. I've been there countless times man… You're just sleep deprived, and when that happens your internal clock is thrown off because your struggling to stay awake. It's all normal but if you're not careful you will begin to hallucinate, see apparitions and hear things that aren't there. Just know there not real… Ah man I remember when I wa-

Unknown Voice: *Strange noise*

Mechanic: Rick do you copy?

Unknown Voice: *No response*

Mechanic: Rick? Over?

Mechanic: *getting back up on her feet and sits the device down next to the animatronic* Men, I swear sometimes… I make more progress when I don't have someone chewing my ear off. *clasps her hands together and poses like a ballerina in a high voice* Oh bleh bleh bleh, I thought I heard something, I saw something. I'm not a manly man to go investigate what I just saw. *Gets back to work on Ennard, irritated and ranting in her normal voice* Man, I'm a tough nightguard guy not afraid of anything, and when I hear something, I scream like Marilyn Monroe in that stupid Snickers Commercial on late night Television. Pfft at least he's got power I'm working in a pitch-black room with a head lamp strapped to my, well, head. Thanks a lot rick! Ok… ranting over, alright my not so little guy let's get this chip installed, shall we?

*grabs her plyers and screw driver and places them in between the crevasse of Ennards Chest Plate.

With a quick flick of the wrist Ennards chest cavity opened exposing his metal endoskeleton beneath. Once it opened Nyla sat her plyers beside the animatronic and grabbed the chip. She flipped it over and observed its green and gold circuitry. Without any hesitation she inserted the chip into the animatronics port and closed his chest plate like a cabinet door. The insertion was a success as a light humming sound could be heard resonating throughout the room.

Chip installed. Scanning. Installation Successful. No updates necessary. Initializing…

Immediately, Ennards silver-blue eyes darted open, searching, and scanning the environment around him. Then they looked down and saw the mechanic putting her tools away.

Species: Human. Age: 18. Hair/Color: Short Pixie Cut/Black with Red frosted types. Eye Color: Brown. Height: 5'5. Skin: Porcelain/White. Apparel: Black and Rust colored prescription Welders Goggles, White tank top covered in grease substance, Black Electrical Gloves, Blue torn Jeans, Black and Dark Blue Graphic Jacket twisted around waist, Light Brown leg wrench bag, White and Black Vans, Three small gold hooped ear rings in both ears. Personality: Friendly. Threat Level: 0. Heart Rate: Elevated/Excited.

Scan Complete

Mechanic: *putting her tools away and looking back at Ennard* Wew-ah. You were a bit of a toughie to put together. Took me a couple of hours to put you together, and I must say what a nice job I did on ya; now that's piece of art worthy of display. It's funny I almost feel like a surgeon that completed a 36-hour surgery. Nah that's not quite it… *snapping her fingers* Oh I got it, I'm like Doctor Frankenstein after he successfully created his son. Yeah that's it! Heheheh ah geez I always wanted to do this. Ok-ok-ok. *Puts on imaginary lab coat, gloves and lowers her welders' goggles razing her right arm* Ah-hem… rise my creation rise mwahaha!

*Ennard followed her command and rose*

Mechanic: *Stammers backwards and falls on some cardboard boxes* OH SHI-!

Ennard looked down at the mechanic for a brief moment, took two paces forward and then knelt down to offer her a hand. His mechanical hand extended towards her and opened with a rough mechanical animation. Slowly and shakily she removed her goggles from her eyes and placed them back on her head. She could not help but hesitate and stared at him then back at his hand for a moment.

Mechanic: *Looks at him again then back at his hand and takes up his offer* Wait c-can you *clears her throat* understand me?

Ennard: *High pitch chipmunk voice* Y-yes.

Mechanic: *Trying to catch her breath with a concerned voice* Eeh I need to f-fix that. C-can, can you sit back up on the bench for a second? L-let me get my tools back out of my bag.

Ennard nodded and returned to the workbench where Nyla first assembled him. He could tell she was still slightly shaken by him as she reached into her tool bag, shaking. What was he supposed to do? Ignore the command? He did as she requested and followed her command.

Ennard: *trying to lighten up the incident by striking up a conversation* The other human you spoke to earlier… He didn't seem like a decent human bing to be around. Are all humans similar to him?

Mechanic: *voice changes once again sounding less concerned* I got to get his voice fixed. Oh, you heard all that? And no, I mean I'm not like him. At least I hope I'm not… Not all humans are like Rick. Some individuals like himself are just jackasses they're just… rude and inconsiderate. People like him are usually brought up that way by there family, no manners, no etiquette, no nothing… However, I know a lot of individuals are different, they're compassionate, kind, caring, loving…

She picked up her tool bag up off the floor and swung it on her shoulder as she walked towards the workbench. Nyla held her screwdriver in one hand and her bag in the other. Once she reached the workbench, she sat her tool bag next to the talking animatronic.

Mechanic: *Her tone changed, saddened* *sigh* Except some people are just cold, heartless. No compassion, or sympathy, not even a single emotion for others.

Ennard: I sense your race is programmed with emotions which I do not understand. Perhaps you can enlighten me with your knowledge of, emotions?

Mechanic: Go ahead and tilt your head back and look up at the ceiling for me. *placing a screwdriver between Ennards voice box, tightening and loosening some screws* I mean I'm not really the one to explain what emotions are, but I could probably give you an example… Ugh… remember how Rick contacted me on my device and there was a change in my mood, my tone of voice?

After she tightened and loosened some screws in Ennards voice box she took a few steps backwards to observe him.

Ennard: *His frequency was too low and created a deep scary voice* Yes.

After she heard his voice, she returned to him to fix his voice box again.

Mechanic: Dang well that was a scary voice… I think I almost have your frequency at the right level. Just hold still for one more second. Basically, ehh, emotions are signals sent to our minds. Those signals tell us fight or flight. Since you're not human, signals in your case would probably be referred to as ugh *snapping her fingers* b-b-binary and the binary that is being ugh felt would be sent to your CPU to be processed.

Ennard: *normal voice* Fascinating.

Mechanic: Alright welp your voice is fixed my friend and I think you're ready for the stage tomorrow. Ugh it's been about an hour and I still haven't heard from my lowlife coworker. I think I'd better go check in on him. Ehhh I'm not looking forward to this… You want to meet him that way you'll understand what a careless human looks and sounds like?

Ennard: I will kindly deny the offer, I will remain here until you return.

Mechanic: *walking towards the door* Alright I'll be back in a second. Oh, wait hang on, real quick do you have a name?

Ennard: *quickly scanning his memory* I recall that I am programmed with the 'name' Ennard.

Mechanic: Interesting.

Ennard: I assume all humans are programmed with names as well.

Mechanic: Yeah, I mean were not necessarily programmed with our names they're given to us. My real name is Bella, but my friends call me Nyla or Ny for short. I don't know why, but hey I like it.

A small smile appears on Ennards face plate.

Mechanic: *points and smiles back at him* Hey there you go that's an emotion right there your smiling! Keep practicing I'll be back shortly.

*Mechanic turns the door nob and steps out of the room*

Ennard: Friend… He thought.

*Hears a small buzzing noise on the floor. Leans over and picks up the device off the floor. A bright light illuminates Ennards Plastic face plate*

Ennard: What a peculiar device?

*Sees words on screen 'Hi I'm PDA Fren ask me something'*

Ennard: *Looking at the door then back at the device* PDA Fren what is the definition of a friend?

PDA: "Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between two or more people. Friendship is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an association. Friendship has been studied in academic fields such as sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and philosophy."

Ennards inquiry increased at a rapid pace as he analyzed the device in front of him. He still did not understand what a friend was even with the definition he just received. Once he finished his analysis, he found a small port at the bottom of the device. He thought, perhaps he could link to the device and gain more substantial information about humans and there 'emotions'. There were two clicks and Ennard was plugged in and online. The DataStream linked to his CPU and his body gently twitched and trembled as he searched. In the DataStream, he could quickly scan thousands upon thousands of databases about human emotions; he came across one database that offered substantial information in a zip file, a download in other words. Ennard hesitated but added this application to his memory and hard-drive anyway. Ones and zeros coursed through his CPU with pre-programmed human emotions. After the download successfully completed… he felt different. He could speak as if he had a human tongue, no longer tied to the monotone sound of an animatronic. His chest cavity extended and retracted similar to how human lungs worked. He felt like a living breathing human being. He disconnected the device from its port and admired his hands, flipping them over, observing front and back; the rough animatronic movements disappeared. He gently placed them on his chest plate admiring the air flowing through his chest. It was a sweet sound to hear. Internally his systems hummed giving off a pleasant warmth, which he had never noticed before. Heat was penetrating the curves, and crevasses of his design. "I'm alive" he thought.

Little did he know the mechanic returned.

Ennard: *almost ecstatic* Yes haha! I feel… I can breathe… *tears begin to well up in his eyes* this is such… this is a beautiful gift… I-I *wiping a tear of oil from his eyes. What is this liquid forming from my eyes? Are these T-

*Standing up admiring his wet, white porcelain fingers*

Mechanic: Tears…?

*She startles him*

Mechanic: They're called tears smart one, all humans do it when we fe-

*Cuts her off by giving her a bear hug*

Ennard: feel a sense of extreme happiness, anger, or sadness…

*They release their sudden embrace*

Mechanic: *extremely confused by his change in demeanor* Y-yeah exactly... Eh what exactly did you do when I was gone?

Perspiration appeared on the side of Ennards faceplate as his eyes slowly widened looking for an excuse, an escape. The more he stalled the more he could feel this new emotion gnawing and growing inside him. He had to look away from Nyla feeling he had probably done something he should not have done. His CPU ran rapidly pumping and processing this new emotion. Ones and zeros lined up side by side, completed. The algorithm identified as shame flowed through Ennards body as he stood in front of Nyla rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Ennard: *sounding nervous* N-Nothing…

Mechanic: *crossing her arms and tapping her foot* Uh huh.

Ennard: *giving her a goofy grin, and quickly speaking* Uh Oh. Ok… So, I might have connected to your device and downloaded human emotions and other things into my memory?

Mechanic: *face palm* And… you wanted to do this… why…?

Ennard: *Rubbing the back of his hands with the other nervously* Because I wanted to know how you feel, a-hem how humans feel in general…

Mechanic: *She just gave him a blank look* Your curious…

Ennard: *Putting his head down in shame* Yeah, and… here's your ugh device back. I apologize I just wanted to know what you meant when you said "friend". I know we just met and all and… and I don't know you and you don't know me, and I've never had a "friend" before … *Breathing in slowly and deeply* Ok… *breathing out* I was just hoping—wondering if you could give me a shot… and creating a friendship with you…?

Mechanic: *jokingly* Well that was painful to watch.

Hard to believe but a slight bit of color crept along the sides of Ennards white face plate.

Ennard: *Embarrassed* S-sorry.

Mechanic: *chuckles* Don't apologize I found it kind of comical, and yeah of course, we can be friends.

Ennards embarrassment faded with a sigh of relief and he gave her a small smile. Nyla couldn't help but return the smile as she folded her arms across her chest. She looked down at the floor and responded.

Mechanic: I knew there was something special about you Ennard when I first saw you. I've assembled and repaired countless animatronics from different pizzerias, but I've never met an animatronic who is so… curious, fascinated, and who is actually friendly.

*both begin walking over to the workbench*

Ennard: *raising an eyebrow* Really?

*both walk over to bench and sit next to each other, facing each other.

*Nyla brought one leg up to her chest hugging her leg with her arms, while her other leg dangled off the bench. Ennard sat with his legs crisscrossed leaning up against the wall with his back.

Mechanic: *thinking* I've been to tttthhhhree pizzerias so far…? Freddy Faze Bears Pizzeria, the franchised Freddy Faze Bears Pizzeria and then a broken-down Freddy Faze Bear Horror Attraction Pizzeria. That one was just creepy, and I to be very honest with you I don't get creeped out often.

Ennard: *tilts his head and looks at her* What was so creepy about the last pizza place?

Mechanic: It was the animatronics… Some guy I think named William Afton or the manager wanted to create a haunted horror house themed pizzeria and well… ehh let's just say he and his crew did a good job of it. It was my first night being the mechanic at that pizzeria and the night guard followed my every move on the cameras. I know it was for protection and "company policy" to make sure I wasn't going to steal anything, blah blah blah that sort of thing. But it was just creepy always having that feeling of being watched.

Ennard: Go on.

Mechanic: *slowly shaking her head in order to remember* I remember I was heading down this hallway and I had to make it to… I think it was like this game room, o-or something. I can't really remember because it was so dark. Anyway, the nightguard said that "the animatronic in that room was in need of repair. It's voice box and spring lock on the jaw opened up today and scared a lot of kids." I thought well duh you made this into a haunted pizzeria, so isn't that something that you'd want…? When I reached the room with the animatronic, I sat my tool bag down and took out my Walkman (1980's portable stereo cassette player) usually I always have music on in the background when I work but not this time. I decided against playing any music that night because of the environment, so I just stuffed it back in my bag. When I did that, I had the strangest feeling, I could literally feel chills running through my lower back. I looked all around for a draft, and there was nothing. Something just didn't feel right. Ehh I'm not scaring you, am I?

Ennard: *reassuring her* Keeping going I'm not getting creeped out at all. Yes, I am shut up.

Mechanic: Anyway, I ignored the strange sensation and laid my tools out in front of me on the ground, but when I looked back up, I was greeted by the animatronic staring at me, staring deeply into my eyes. I was informed that the building didn't have power except in the night guard's office, so the animatronics should have been off... Now when I look back, it was stupid of me to ignore the look on that animatronic. I should've radioed in to the nightguard and asked if they had power, but I chose to ignore my thoughts and worked on the animatronic anyway. Young and dumb ya know, but live and learn the hard way. Those eyes though…I still remember those eyes.

Ennard: *holding onto his lower face plate with his index and thumb, curiously* Was there something wrong with them?

Mechanic: *She turns away and looks down at the floor shaking her head slowly* They were old, withered, with a ghostly white hue to them. But—I could see they were filled with something, something similar to a deep hatred, loathing, almost like they were wanting revenge. Those eyes were trying to intimidate me by staring through me. It was as if they were looking deep into your soul, searching for a weakness; searching for something to sever or tear asunder. Anyway, long story short when I finished repairing the animatronic, I gathered my things and walked back to the nightguard's office. When I got there, he wasn't at his post, which kind of concerned me considering he was supposed to be watching me and the place.

Ennards orangy-brown eyebrows rose and his eyes grew in curiosity.

Mechanic: *looks back at him* I just thought ok…I'll just leave him a note. After I stuck the note on his monitor… I lifted my fingers off of the paper and turned my head, starting to walk out. My eye caught a glimpse of something in the monitor. It was like something out of a horror movie or what dark person could dream up in their fantasy. I had to do a double take, in the reflection on the monitor that—that same animatronic I was working on earlier had gotten up and moved. He was looking deeply into the camera with those… cold, dead, beady eyes. Then I got to thinking it's got to be that damn nightguard. What a creep trying to scare me. So, I grabbed his flash light that was sitting on his desk and went to give him a piece of my mind. When I got to the third-party room, I remember yelling "Hey you think this is funny ya jerk!? I'm out here busting my ass getting animatronics repaired while you get to sit in luxury in your little office watching the freakin' cameras!". The animatronic was turned away from me, still looking into the camera when I saw him. That just made me angrier and I started walking up to it. Little did I know I was being lured in… I said, "Hey I'm talking to you, you freakin' a-".

Ennard: *like a little kid holding on to a pillow frightened, Ennard was holding onto every word with a concerned look* Then what? Then what!?

Mechanic: The animatronic turned around as fast as it possibly could and lunged at me, it was alive. Not alive like you are, but it was like it was possessed. I couldn't help but scream and… I just remember running and cursing through the building trying to get away. "SHIT… SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, WHAT THE HELL!?" When it attacked it let out a scream at me, this—this… God awful scream.

Ennard: *Curious* Did it sound human?

Mechanic: *she paused and shook her head* No…It wasn't human, didn't sound like it was from this green earth. Its just…that scream couldn't have been manipulated with Vocoder or…or any software produced by a human. It was something evil with dark intentions, I could feel it, and I just knew I had to get out of there and I didn't waste any time doing so. I remember it frightened me to where I dropped the flashlight down the hallway. Like the flashlight, I felt my color and my anger leaving my body; my emotions of fear and anger flooding the floor with each step I took. It felt like an eternity as I bolted for the nearest exit in sight. I really didn't know where to go, so I just ran, and I kept going without looking back. I've never experienced fear like that ever… I just remember running so far that I came up on a 24-hour gas station. I didn't know where the hell I was…When I set foot through the door the clerk immediately jumped and looked up at me concerned. He probably thought I was going to rob him the way I burst through the doors; I didn't mean to frighten him. I was just so scared, and I needed shelter. I remember I ran in: closed the shops door behind me, looked back outside then at the clerk, stumbling on my words because I was out of breath, sweat rolling down the side of my face. I let out a shaky, "C-call 911 please and hurry!" I said and gave him the cross streets to the pizzeria. Just as soon as he picked up the receiver, I almost collapsed do to the adrenaline rush and exhaustion from running. I placed one knee on the cold floor with my elbow resting on my other knee, supporting my head trying to make sense of what had just occurred. When the clerk hung up the receiver he walked over to the restroom and gave me a cold cloth and asked with a slight southern Texas drawl, "What happened to you out there little missy? You're as pale as a ghost." I observed my hands, they were trembling, and he was right, I was whiter than I normally was. Then I looked back up at him, still trying to catch my breath and said, "I think someone broke into the Pizzeria and tried on one of the animatronic suits. I'm just the m-mechanic and repair service employee for the animatronics there. I-I think the nightguard o-o-or someone else w-working there tonight had bad intentions. I know that's what it was because I was attacked and chased by one of those things; my life was on the line tonight man. W-who or w-w-whatever was in that suit wanted my life". The clerk took a brief glimpse out of the gas station windows and then looked back down at me, "My God what is this world coming to? Your safe now little lady, just between you and me I got old Betsie (his shotgun) underneath my desk, and the police are on their way to that place. If that eh animatronic nightguard suit, or whoever that was that followed you here, if it followed you here, there'll be nothing left of that son of bitch that attacked ya… You remind me of my daughter, thought it was her when you ran in her the way you did. Poor thing had a similar incident to yours. She eh had an ex-boyfriend who wouldn't leave her alone when she was filling up her truck at my station. Real dirtbag, don't what she saw in that boy… Little did that boy know her papa was watching and workin' that day at this station. I grabbed old Betsie as I saw her run through my door. As he followed her I kicked the door open and shot a round of buckshot at that boy. Heh… I knocked that boy on his ass and that buckshot whew boy will tear ya up; hell, he was bleedin' pretty damn good, but no one NO ONE messes with daddy's little girl, ever. No sir-ee. I'll make sure that ain't nothin' coming through that door. As long as I got ole Betsie" After he finished his story, he grabbed his shotgun from underneath his counter and loaded a few shells into the chamber. "T-thank y-you" I returned still feeling quite shaken as rested against the nearest wall, contemplating. The only thing I could do was wait. But the more I pondered and thought about that situation, I knew there was no way for anyone to fit in that suit. I had repaired a golden bear suit earlier that week at the Freddy Faze Bears franchised Pizzeria with the same body type, structure and circuitry you name it. Someone's body would have to be stuffed, packed in tight in order to operate that suit—or the spring locks and animatronic parts would have to be compressed in order to operate it. But even then… That would allow for a human to fit inside, but it would be snug and very dangerous. I mean if one of those spring locks go off and your trapped inside… Ehh I don't want to think about that… ehh tight places… makes my hands sweat just thinking about it… not being able to breathe…

Ennard: *concern slowly disappeared* Geez Nyla… thank God you made it out alive. I'm still in shock… I have to ask, what do you think happened to the nightguard? Do you think that that animatronic was actually possessed and got to him? Or do you think that the nightguard did try to cram himself into the suit to… you know… get you? Seems a bit much to go out of the way to do something like that though…

Mechanic: Yeah, I agree but you never know what people are capable of doing now days, they're unpredictable. They'll sell their own soul to the devil to get what they want. But to tell you the truth… I really don't know if the nightguard would've done something like that… He just seemed to disappear without a trace. Speaking of disappearing acts, the worse part about that night is the film with me running through the halls was scrubbed clean, no trace of the animatronic attacking me, no record of the nightguard at his post, there was nothing. I don't know if it was a set up or what. But I do remember, maybe about a week later in the papers that that same pizzeria had an ad for help wanted, a new nightguard position has opened up, please call or apply inside… And usually with a business you need to give your employer a two weeks' notice before you quit or resign at a job. Heh I didn't waste my time submitting my resignation and two weeks' notice the following day. I was not going to endure another night like that nor was I going to come back if they called. It's not worth getting killed. Luckily, after the two weeks were up, I didn't get a call back saying the animatronics needed to be repaired. Man, there was some strange voodoo in that place. Creepy hallucinations, sounds… Hell I'm still counting my blessings I made it out of that death trap.

Ennard: *sounding slightly sympathetic* Yeah, I concur I wouldn't want to have to come back to that place either. Do you remember the animatronics appearance?

Mechanic: *closing her eyes trying to imagine him* Y-yeah. It was the remains of a green animatronic bunny suit, it almost looked rotten from the inside out. His right ear was missing, a disgusting withered red mask underneath, his metal endoskeleton feet were showing, and just a lot of reddish-pink wires, ehh tendons imbedded in the arms and legs I guess to give him motion.

Ennard: Ehh creepy, and you said you saw and heard… things?

Mechanic: Yeah, when I was there during the walk through in the morning, I heard something like someone wheezing, like they were having trouble getting air in and out of there lungs. When I looked around there was no one there, just the animatronic. About a week after I quit my job there, I started getting these hallucinations and nightmares of that dastardly rabbit and about other animatronics I worked on at a previous pizzeria. That week when I would try to sleep, I kept reliving that same night over and over in my dreams, purposely being haunted. I don't know if that… that thing was trying to drive me to insanity but… I don't know, it was just a weird night in general. I just don't have an explanation or an answer for that night… You could just feel there was some negative atmosphere surrounding that place.

Ennard: *looking at her with concerned eyes, trying to comprehend her situation and emotions she was feeling* Why would someone want to hurt another? Why her? That makes my chest ache, I'm just very… very grateful you're alive and I'm sorry that happened to you… Geez, you don't think something like that happened to your friend, earlier do you?

Mechanic: Who… Rick? That guy? He's not my friend; he's just a low life coworker who has to work here probably because he made poor choices and grades in high school. When I left to check on him, he fell asleep in his chair, typical. Plus, the place I was working at before was made into a haunted horror house themed pizzeria. Here at this pizzeria it's all new, up to date with state-of-the-art equipment.

Ennard: Ah I see.

Mechanic: Anyway, I tapped on the door and he woke up. Obviously, he wasn't too happy about that, but hey no sleeping on the job.

She said with a smile.

Ennard: *returned the smile trying to brighten up the conversation* I gotcha… So, what do you-

Unknown Voice: *Walkie Talky sounds off* Hey, Nyla, it's almost closing time and my shifts almost up. Are you done yet?

Rick sounded quite groggily on the device.

*Ennard hands her the device*

Mechanic: *holding 'talk' button down, trying to sound playfully annoying* Well good morning to you too sleeping beauty.

Nyla released the button on the device and they both let out a few chuckles and laughs.

Unknown Voice: *annoyed tone* Eh-heh-heh-heh you're so funny. Are you ready to put your bot on stage?

Silence filled the room as they looked at each other, then back down at the device to respond.

Mechanic and Ennard: Yeah just give me two minutes or so and I'll be ready.

Unknown Voice: *yawns* Copy that.

*sets the walkie-talky next to her*

Mechanic: Alright, that'll buy us a little more time. So, what were you gonna' say just before we got interrupted?

Ennard: *sounding a bit a disappointed* I was going to ask if you wanted to do something, but I guess its kind of late huh?

Mechanic: *nudging him in the side* Yeah, but hey I'll be back tomorrow. I'll bring some cool things for us to do, how's that? And maybe some coffee.

Ennard: Sounds great. Eh one question though, what do I have to do on stage tomorrow?

*She gets up and grabs his blueprints off of the second workbench*

Mechanic: *looking at his blueprints* Let me see… it says here you are programmed with a duet with another animatronic, which I have not assembled yet, so you'll be flying solo tomorrow and your also equipped with… exotic butter? *had to look at blueprints again* Wait what?

*Ennard gets off of the workbench and looks over her shoulder*

Ennard: Where does it say that?

Mechanic: *pointing to page* Right… here.

Ennard: *looks at his right hand, sees a shiny red button that says 'dispense'* Oh… so that's what that button does.

Mechanic: *sounding convinced* A built in butter dispenser, very cool very cool. I ought to bring popcorn tomorrow night.

Ennard: *rubbing the back of his robotic neck* Heh yeah. Popcorn?

Mechanic: Alright let's get you on that stage shall we before Rick gets irritated? Just remember not to break character during the day; just follow the protocol that you got, and you should be golden.

Ennard: *listing on his fingers* Seems easy enough: stand on stage until activated, perform, dispense butter, and make kids happy. Piece of cake!

*Both walking to the door*

Mechanic: *grabs and twists the door nob but doesn't exit* Oh, and ugh… now that I think about it, let's just keep this a little secret between you and me. You know… about you being alive and all. Rick's not much of a fan of animatronics as you can tell, its best he doesn't know and what he doesn't know won't hurt him.

Ennard: *he winks at her, and smirks* Heh. Alright yeah sure, I remember what happened earlier… So, ugh, I'll see you tomorrow about the same time as tonight?

Mechanic: Uh huh.

Ennard: Awesome.

*They leave the parts and service room. Ennard and Nyla walk up to his stage and say their farewells. Ennard watches as she leaves and goes into deactivates until 9 AM. Bella lets Rick know that she is heading home to get some sleep and will see him tomorrow night. As for Rick, he stays until the manager of the establishment relieves him of his nightly duty, and hands him the keys*