Larry Bryant looking worried, talking into his cell.


11:00 PM
Freddy Fazbear's Pizza

As asked, Sarah McGee had come in the back door. She'd met Larry in the hallway, and toured the facility together. Afterwards, they'd arrived back in the security room.

"You're a life saver," Larry told her. "I was all ready to pull a double shift again." He yawned again. "You'll be on from normally 11:00 to 7:00, that's when I come in. If anything happens, wake me. You've got my cell phone number."

Sarah smiled, "Programmed it in already," She pulled her phone out. "Full bars. All good."

"We've got a land line, too." Larry said, pointing. "I see you brought a backpack with you. Reading is fine, just do remember to keep an eye on the place. The safe is time-locked, but there's people these days that would resort to stealing the safe itself. And I'd rather not have any idiotic teens prove their bravery by breaking in here and going after Freddy."

"That likely to be a problem?" Sarah asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Nah. Just likely enough that the boss wants us to keep a night watchman. Oh, right. I need to tell him I've got a new hire. Normally, he'd do the hiring himself, but this was an emergency," Larry said, yawning for a third time.

"Which reminds me, I don't know how long I'll be able to keep up two jobs..." Sarah started.

Larry put up his hand. "Trust me, I get it. I'd ask where you work, but I'm exhausted," he gave her a grin. "Can you promise me five days, see how it goes?"

"I think I can make it five days," Sarah said. She unslung her pack, putting it on the desk.

"How'd you find out I needed the help, anyway?" he asked.

"My brother," she replied. "Said that your previous guard was subject of a missing person's report, and you were desperate."

"Oh, one of the NCIS agents? I can't believe that worked." He rubbed his eyes. "God. Hope they find him. Mike was a good kid."

Sarah nodded. "Tim's a good investigator. If anything happened to me, I'd want Team Gibbs on my side."

He wasn't listening, he appeared to be in deep thought for a few seconds. "Uniform," he said, snapping his fingers. He stood. "Be right back." After a few minutes, he returned with a Fazbear Security uniform. "It's going to be big," he apologized. "I only have one or two extras, and it's easier to make them big than small. I mean, nothing's going to happen. But if something does, it makes you look like an actual employee."

Sarah shrugged. "It was short notice, and that sounds fair enough," She stood, and walked over to the restrooms to get changed. They were big, and she ended up rolling up her sleeves. "Maybe I can get them hemmed for tomorrow night," she said upon her return.

"Anyway. Phone's on the back wall, goes straight to an outside line, no need to dial 9 or anything like that. There's the light switch for the guard room itself. I expect you'd leave it on all night. Then there's the door controls. The top button will toggle the lights in the hallways, the bottom one will shut the security door. It's big, it's heavy, and you really shouldn't need it. I don't even have any idea why they're there. This is your security tablet, here's the program for the cameras." He grinned at her. "No installing Candy Crush Saga if you know what good for you. Not that there's wireless here anyway." They cycled through the cameras.

"For crying... neither Mike nor Phil told me the Kitchen camera was out. I'll have to get that fixed," he sighed. "But not tonight. Anything else you need?"

"Think I'm good," Sarah said. "Go! Get some sleep."

"I will. Thanks. Have a good night," he said, and left the station.

She flipped through the cameras, watched him as he grabbed his coat and keys from his office, and headed out of the buildings. She flipped through the cameras, saw the Freddy Fozbear team up on the stage, not moving. All seemed to be right with the place, she grabbed a book from her pack, and set about reading.

For the next hour or so, she'd read for about ten minutes, pause to flip through the cameras, and go back to her book. That was her plan, anyway.

12:00 AM
Power Level: 100%

Sarah just about fell out of her chair when the phone rang. Had the manager remembered something? She looked around. There was a display on her left she'd not noticed before. It showed a "Power Level" and a single green dot showing usage.

The phone clicked onto speaker mode.

"Hello, hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you. I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay?"

"What?" Sarah muttered. "Exactly what about this job is supposed to be overwhelming?"

"Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

"That doesn't even make sense. What kind of bad joke are you?" Sarah demanded of the phone.

"Blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay."

Sarah sighed, pulling up the camera. Nothing going on stage. She did notice that the power usage went up when she accessed the camera. She put the tablet back down. She'd noticed a spider web up in the corner of the security room, but she let it be. She didn't mind spiders that much, but she hated flies.

"So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh...Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '97. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?"

"Now I know you're making that up."

"Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll p-most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to...forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort...and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh. "

"D... Definitely making that up, but, wow, that's a disturbing image you've just given me."

"Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night."

"Alright, creepy voice, looking forward to it," Sarah said, rolling her eyes as the phone clicked off. She went back to her ten minute routine.

1:20 AM
Power Level: 92%

The cell phone in her pocket beeped again, and Sarah put down her book to do her job. She flipped through the cameras. Nothing going on in Pirate's Cove. Kitchen was still out of order, and the two animatronics on stage still weren't moving.

She was about to pick her book up again when she blinked and picked the tablet back up. "Two animatronics?" she whispered. And she'd been right. The bear and chicken were still there, but where was the blue rabbit?

"Crap!" she said aloud, flipping through the camera feeds. Surely she'd have heard someone break in, right? The doors? The windows? "Wait... is that him?" It was. The blue rabbit was standing in the dining area, his head moving back and forth like it was some sort of camera.

She stood, stretched, and she was about to get out, to go check on it, when she remembered the words of the phone guy from earlier. But that had to be nonsense, right? She considered. Alternative one: Phone guy was telling the truth, and going out was an invitation to be attacked by them. Alternative two: Phone guy was lying, and the animatronic would be too heavy to put back on the stage by herself. Pascal won, there was no real reason to go out.

Besides, as long as nobody actually broke in, what was the harm of it, right?

1:45
Power Level: 86%

She'd started checking the cameras more often after she'd discovered Bonnie (the Bunny – she'd found child-art of her in the halls on the camera) had moved from her position. It was starting to hamper the enjoyment of her book.

Which is why she was very distressed when she picked up the pad to find the chick in the dining room instead of the bunny. "So you've decided to go back on stage, right?" she mumbled, tapping the camera.

Apparently not. Only the bear was onstage now. "This would be less disturbing if I actually caught them moving." Where was that wascially wabbit now? Cycle through the cameras, stop on a dark shape. But it was the shape of an animatronic. That had to be Bonnie, "Ah. Gotcha. You're in the maintenance area. Would that be backstage?"

She frowned for a moment. There was clearly an exoskeleton on that table. Wasn't that against the rules the phone guy laid out? Or was being backstage an exception? In any event, Bonnie was paying no attention to it, he was... looking at the camera?

"Alright. That is actually creepy."

She dogeared the book page and pulled out her iPod. This was going to require more focus than she had previously thought.

2:15
Power level: 77%

She had been studying the cameras pretty efficiently, and there had been no further movement from the bunny.. flip back to the stage. Freddy Fazbear himself, still on stage, still studying his microphone. Flip back to the eating area and... no sign of Chica.

Sarah took a deep breath. She cycled through every camera in the restaurant. Twice. There was no sign of the bird. Horrified, she looked up, pushing the left light button and then the right light button. There still wasn't a single feather of her in sight.. it was a her right? She took a deep steadying breath. She searched through the place again and stopped on the disabled kitchen light.

There was audio of something moving around and... eating? Sarah wrinkled her nose. "I... I better not think about this one too hard."

She set the monitor down, music quietly playing in the office around her. She took a second deep breath. "They're not really after you, Sarah. That stupid phone message went straight to your brain. Take a few minutes off to collect yourself."

3:15
Power Level: 59%

It finally happened. Sarah had failed to find Bonnie as she cycled through the cameras. She tapped on her llight button, and let out a screech as the rabbit's bright blue, angry looking mug was revealed in the door, staring at her. Panicking, she slammed the door shut. "I volunteered five nights at this job?" she demanded of herself. "Why?"

The light in the hallway still on, throwing Bonnie's silhouette against the door. To stop the power from draining quite so fast, she turned it off again. Why was there a power meter anyway? Didn't this place draw power from the grid?

She had seen Chica, the bird was back surveying the dining room. She still didn't know what that bird could have been eating.

Her hands clutched at the chair. She shut her eyes. This was supposed to be a simple job, but was turning into a real stress test. And that stupid call she got three hours ago wasn't helping. After a few minutes, she flickered the left hand light again. Bonnie was still there.

3:30
Power Level: 55%

Bonnie had finally left after a good fifteen minutes of tense stand off action. But just as Sarah opened the western door, she checked the right light. Chica had stuck her face in the small window to her right, giving Sarah and up close and personal shot of her teeth. Sarah let loose a second unprofessional screech.

SLAM went the eastern door.

Sarah swore under her breath. Toothy bird? "Who the hell gives a bird teeth? That's why they have a beak!"

She gave it a few minutes, then flickered the hall light again. The chicken was gone. She turned it on again to be sure. Then it was time to check the other light. Had Bonnie come back?

No.

She opened up the door, she didn't know how long she had to manage her power. Seven AM was when her shift 'officially' ended, but... she shook her head. She'd make it. These things weren't that bad, and they didn't seem move when she had eyes on them.

She turned off her iPod. If these animatronics had come to play games, then they were dealing with an expert game player. Game on.

5:15
Power Level: 23%

Once she had begun to deal with the night as a game, it went slower, if a lot calmer. She could hear the shuffling of feet when they approached, which meant flickering the lights to see which one was making a go at her. She'd then double check where they were.

About the only thing that got her was the crash of something stumbling into something metal, sounding like it was knocked over. Sarah had a guess, and flipping over to camera 6 confirmed it. Chica was in the kitchen. Eating. She still didn't want to think what that noise actually was.

This distraction almost lasted long enough for Bonnie to sneak it, and Sarah thought she saw a glimpse of disappointment on Bonnie's otherwise angry face as the door came down in her face. She caught the faintest tinge of some stink, too.

"No cigar, Bonnie," Sarah told the closed door crossly.

At 6:00, the shuffling of feet became rapid. She closed both doors, afraid they'd grown tired of their game, but a check of the monitor told her that, no, they'd gone back on stage. As if they'd never moved at all.

6:45 AM

"Alright, Larry," Sarah demanded as he walked into the office. "What's with those animatronics?"

"Did... I not tell you?" he asked, then he rubbed his eyes. "I didn't, did I? They've got servos in their legs that we have to turn on every night, or the whole thing starts to rust. So they free roam at night."

"And they were trying to get into the office!" Sarah demanded.

"Well, it's part of their internal map. They wander in, say hello, wander out again."

"That's not what the phone message said," Sarah told him coldly.

"What are you talking about? What phone message?"

"Got a call in the middle of the night. 'They'll see you as a metal endoskeleton...' and try to put you into a costume where you belong."

"That's not from us," Larry said. "I swear. I have no idea where that came from."

"Nothing about the Bite of '97?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"What in God's name are you talking about?" Larry demanded. "What bite of '97?"

"Alright, alright. Maybe it was just someone messing around," Sarah admitted.

"When did the call come in? I'll look into it," Larry said, "I understand this place can be creepy at night. Someone trying to push it along? That sounds like a Scooby Doo mystery," he paused. "Maybe I should investigate Old Man Jenkins."

"About midnight. Oh. One other thing, Chica went into the kitchen, and I swear I heard her eating."

He snickered. "I think that's a bug in the software. There's a skit in their performing rotation, where Chica is late coming to stage. Why? Because she's eating one last slice of Pizza. Bonnie complains she's eating while mic is turned on."

Maybe it was the long stressful night, but Sarah cracked up at that.

"Will you be in tonight?" he asked.

It was tempting to say no. But with the sun up, the place didn't seem so scary. "I will."

"Thank goodness," he said. His cell phone rang. "The boss," he said after a glance.

"Morning, sir. What? No. Actually, we got a new guard," he put the phone down for a moment. "What's your full name, Sarah?"

"McGee. Sarah McGee." There was a loud noise from the phone. "Oh come on, sir. You KNOW that's illegal. It's hard enough to get someone here on short notice, you being Misogynstic isn't actually helping..." he pulled down the phone again.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I so didn't need to deal with this. Be here by eleven, and I'll see you tomorrow morning. If you get that uniformed hem, I mean uniform hemmed, bring in a receipt, and I'll compensate you."

With a resigned and worried look, Larry went back to talking to the owner.

(A/N: Bite moved forward 1 decade for story reasons - TZ)