Chapter Ten
Slushie
The set of stairs was just a little bit away once he got back out onto the balcony around the atrium.
He looked behind himself at El Chip's and MAZErcise. On the opposite side of the third floor was a big sign painted on the wall: Bonnie Bowling. A blue rabbit from the shoulders up wearing a striped red and black shirt smiled and held up a bowling ball. This one was bulkier than Vanny with a warmer smile and bright round eyes with whites and round pupils.
He glanced at the Bonnie Bowling ticket in his hand and forged on.
Another gatekeeper bot was there to stop him until he presented the Bonnie Bowling ticket, at which point he was given a short celebration and then was quickly forgotten.
The mystery mix settled in the back of the ice cream storage. When he checked his Fazwatch, beyond the bowling lanes he saw an ice cream parlor.
Step One: Monty Mystery Mix.
Step Two: Lure Chica.
Step Three: …something…
Step Four: Defeat Chica and then fix her!
Gregory was the best at plans.
A few S.T.A.F.F. bots peppered the arcade machine area and around the bowling lanes, which were accessible by a few sets of stairs going down. None of them approached the ice cream parlor overlooking the bowling lanes, which was nice. While Gregory would have loved to hide under tables and behind machines for three hours, they couldn't waste time. He could call Freddy, or he could call Monty or Roxy. Speaking of Roxy, he had her mask. Maybe the S.T.A.F.F. bots only recognized his face?
Gregory put on the mask and hesitantly walked forward. The first S.T.A.F.F. bot he came across rolled right past him, its light glinting off his mask. He laughed and ran forward, past the other bots.
In the ice cream parlor, he passed by multiple small tables and chairs and the bar with bar stools lining it. Small ice-cream wheeled boxes settled by the bar. At the end was a circular stage with a red curtain around it. "THIS ATTRACTION IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED" with the smaller words "PLEASE ENJOY ANOTHER ATTRACTION" beneath printed on the sign in front of it. To the left was a way to get behind the bar and to a door that led to a couple of small, cluttered rooms with a doorless doorway between them. The cold cement bit at his toes and sank into his socked feet. Down the left end of the room, past some boxes and bowling balls, he climbed on a few boxes pushed up against a metal shelving unit. Atop the shelving unit were a couple of boxes of Monty Mystery Mix.
Step One accomplished! Now, he needed to do Step Two and Step Three extremely close together.
On the second floor, Gregory still walked to the cupcake factory on his own. A few S.T.A.F.F. security bots roamed the shiny tile floor of the dining area around the kitchen building. Beyond that, through a door, was the factory itself with a giant cupcake and conveyor belts.
Gregory slipped into the kitchen. Nine inactive kitchen bots stood around. Near the door was a list of random stuff, and then a website for online ordering of cupcakes. As he didn't have a camera, he would just need to memorize that. Beside the oven down the kitchen from him was a box connected to the front of a vat beside the cupcake machine. "SECRET INGREDIENT" was printed on the box. Gregory looked down at the Monty Mystery Mix he now held. He opened the box, stuck it inside, and shut it.
Nice.
Well, considering he didn't want to get killed by the chicken, here was probably not the best place to be standing. Although there were computers everywhere, the only place that came to mind with pizza delivery was that security room by the basement kitchen next to the Loading Docks.
Gregory, repeating in his head what he needed to do and the website to go to in his head, left the factory and then down to the first floor. He stopped at the vent. He could go through the elevator, right? Yeah, but… this led almost directly to the office in question. Chica might not be there, though.
Whenever he raised an alarm, Chica came by.
Okay, so, go to the office, alert a bot, get Chica to follow, do something, and then have the cupcake made and delivered. He'd need a distraction. Maybe leading Chica to the factory would be a good idea? He'd have the cupcake baked and then be transported back by the time she got there, hopefully. Then she'd come back and get jumped by Gregory– literally.
He climbed into the vent and made his way through. The miniature Music Man crawled out of the top vent, landed behind him, and chased him out to a part of the vent that sloped down. He slid in grace and hopped out into the breakroom. He totally didn't slip and slide down, bumping into the walls of the vent as he went, and fell unceremoniously onto the ground of a break room.
Ow.
He shook himself off and walked into the technology-filled room. A can of Fizzy Faz sat on a desk. Excited, he went to drink it, only to find it open and empty.
Welp, that's what he got for not throwing things away. He drank this one forever ago and left it out like a heathen. To be fair, he didn't see a trash can. So, he left it.
He crossed through walkways around some vats and through a desk room, over a small set of catwalks above a kitchen, and to the security room. He loitered for just a moment, indecisive, before turning to the security office.
Gregory opened the pizza delivery app and typed in a code. The screen flashed from the pizza delivery system to "Chica's Cupcake Factory." He grinned and scrolled through the app until he found "Build Your Own Cupcake!"
"Gregory!" Chica called outside. "Your parents are looking for you!"
Gregory looked up, confused. But he didn't activate a bot yet? He pressed the button by his door. Chica stayed stuck outside.
"Come out!" she called. "We're here to help!"
Gregory opened the pizza app again and ordered a pizza to go to the cupcake factory. He didn't build it himself, but it was done fairly quickly, nonetheless.
Quite suddenly, Chica stopped calling at his door. She turned her head and sang to herself, "I smell pizza~!"
The boy waited until her footsteps were gone before opening the door again. He went straight back to the "Build Your Own Cupcake!" website.
The familiar robot voice stated, "Congratulations! You have enough credits for a free Cupcake Chica Factory Cupcake. Additional charges may apply. Let's get started."
The screen became that of a kitchen littered with S.T.A.F.F. bots. As soon as the screen, now flanked by blue with an objective marker at the top left, turned on, all of the inactive bots turned on and drove to their stations. At the bottom of his screen, he could see a large bowl, like he was holding one in front of himself.
"You are now in control of one of our highly trained baking S.T.A.F.F. bots. Follow the instructions on the left side of the screen to force the bot to make your perfect cupcake. If your bot is unable to get to another part of the kitchen, switch to another bot using one of the arrows on either side of the screen."
Gregory glanced at the top left of the screen. Helpy's head with a little chef's hat sat snugly on the top left. "Gather Batter Ingredients" stayed beside it. On the top right were the numbers 9/9.
The S.T.A.F.F. bot stated in a voice that warbled on occasion, "Let us first prepare the cupcake batter. We will need: Egg. Flour. Sugar. Butter. Milk."
Outside the kitchen, Chica yelled, "PIZZA!" Something made of metal broke and hit the ground.
He commanded the S.T.A.F.F. bot to go to the fridge first.
"Milk. Butter. Egg." The bot listed off the ingredients as it pulled individual containers of varying sizes meekly labeling their contents into the bowl. They stayed in their containers. "Good. Now we will need: Flour. Sugar." The bot rolled to one of the cabinets nearby. Another few individual containers were pulled out. "Flour. Sugar," the bot listed off. It gathered them in with the rest of the ingredients.
"Good. It is time to make the delicious batter," it droned. The objective at the top changed to "Prepare Batter."
Chica entered the kitchen, meat sauce dripping from her beak. The S.T.A.F.F. bots stayed at their stations, motionless, as Chica or Gregory's bot passed them. But, after Gregory's bot set the ingredients next to a large mixer, he spotted Chica at the edge of the screen staring at him.
Chica's head twitched and then she charged at the bot. "Pizza!" she squealed. The screen turned static.
"No!" Gregory squeaked.
The screen turned back on, but this time across the kitchen. The numbers at the top right read 8/9.
"Wha–? Okay!" Gregory turned the bot to skirt around the island so he didn't get too close to Chica, who successfully put his previous bot's misery to an end. He looked around. A large trash can whose top was sealed sat in the corner. Gregory's bot opened the lid and pulled it back. The trash can tipped, spilling food garbage over the ground.
Across the room, Chica's head snapped up.
Gregory switched bots once Chica got close. She ignored the bot he had been using so she could eat the trash. Gregory's S.T.A.F.F. bot opened the mixer, and the containers of ingredients, and poured them into the mixer.
The mixer turned on.
Computer bot asked, "How would you rate your experience so far? Pick two that apply."
The survey went ignored.
Finally, the mixer opened. The S.T.A.F.F. bot tapped the whisk on the edge of the bowl and withdrew the bowl. The whisk was set aside, where another S.T.A.F.F. bot immediately swooped in with a washcloth.
The instructions changed to "Find Cupcake Tin."
"Let's get a cupcake tin to shape our cupcake," stated the bot. It set down the bowl again and rolled across the floor. Chica lifted her head to stare at the bot as it approached. Her head twitched.
Gregory switched to another bot on her other side to fetch the cupcake tin.
Chica went back to eating.
Gregory's S.T.A.F.F. bot set down the cupcake tin.
The instructions changed to "Find Cupcake Liner."
The S.T.A.F.F. bot stated, "Now we need a cupcake liner. There are many choices of cupcake liners." Near where the tin had been, a cabinet held an array of cupcake liners–any size from mini to the size of a small child and every color and pattern one could imagine and more. Gregory randomly picked a pink one with yellow triangles.
Chica wandered. She caught sight of Gregory's S.T.A.F.F. bot. Her head twitched. Gregory, too concentrated on the cupcake liner, didn't see her. He did hear her scream and his bot getting attacked.
He was forced into another S.T.A.F.F. bot. Of the nine that began in the kitchen, six remained, including the one he piloted. He pulled open a food cabinet and brought out a large container of sprinkles closest to the bot. He dropped it on the floor. It shattered against the clean tile. Sprinkles scattered over the ground.
Chica, finished destroying the previous bot, perked up at the noise and went to investigate.
Gregory switched to a bot close to the cupcake liners. Unfortunately, the one he used to have had fallen to the floor, so he needed to retrieve another. This one was the same color and pattern being from the same stack. He brought it back to the tin and fit it inside. Why the S.T.A.F.F. bot didn't pack it in completely confused him, but he didn't think any more about it.
The instructions changed to "Pour Batter."
"It is time to pour the batter." The S.T.A.F.F. bot picked up a floppy-ended spatula and tipped the bowl over. The cupcake liner sank with a quiet sigh as the air was forced out from under it.
Gregory heard sprinkles tinkling over metal and landing on the floor. But, as the S.T.A.F.F. bot finished emptying the bowl, he could no longer hear the sprinkles. She still rummaged through the trash. Without stopping to wait for Gregory's command, the S.T.A.F.F. bot let go of the bowl with the hand holding the spatula and scraped out the batter.
Chica's noises tapered off.
The bot kept working. The batter didn't fill the entire thing, but the bot still scraped as much as possible. Did it really need to do that?! Really?! It got most of it! That was good enough! It had to be!
After an eternity, the bot set down the spatula where the whisk had been. Immediately, the washer bot swooped in to snatch the spatula and wipe down the counter.
The instructions changed to "Bake Cupcake."
Gregory preemptively switched bots. He switched just in time to see Chica grab the S.T.A.F.F. bot and go in for the attack. Sprinkles trickled out of her throat and peppered her sauce and garbage-smeared beak.
The number at the top right lowered to 5/9.
He hissed in annoyance. She was right in front of the batter! How was he going to get back? Wait, was she going to eat the batter?
Panicking, he looked around and commanded the S.T.A.F.F. bot to roll over to the stacks of pots and pans on the counter. They rattled obnoxiously as he hit them. Chica looked back and immediately walked to the noise.
Gregory switched bots.
The bot stated, "Time to bake. An oven would be ideal."
His bot picked up the raw cupcake and rolled up to the oven. It opened, revealing a pan he could place the cupcake on. It closed immediately after accepting the cupcake.
The instructions change to "Prepare Icing."
"It is now time to prepare the icing. We need: Icing. Secret ingredient." Gregory grimaced. Hopefully, Chica wasn't going to go too haywire too quickly. He commanded the bot back to the cabinet with vats of icing and grabbed it. Within a box next to the oven was the "secret ingredient."
Monty Mystery Mix.
The bot opened the vat of icing and then the box of syrup.
Immediately, Chica's head spun around like an owl's. "I smell pizza!" she cried and turned around. Gregory's bot dropped the mix into the icing and shut the lid.
Gregory was forced into another bot's body. 4/9.
As Chica tore apart that S.T.A.F.F. bot, Gregory rolled around the other side of the island and picked up the closed vat. All he needed to do was fit the vat onto the top of the oven, right above the "ICING HERE" label.
Gregory was forced into another bot. 3/9. Was it just him, or was she getting more aggressive? Was she really that crazy over the mystery mix? Well, good for him, he supposed. Not right now, but eventually.
He tipped over another garbage can.
Chica, confused and a little suspicious, raised her head to look at the noise. Her head twitched and she got up and approached the mess.
Gregory changed bots.
Ding!
The oven opened, revealing a box with Chica's cupcake printed on the front. The top and top half of the sides were transparent, allowing him to see the pink-frosted cupcake tinted green in places. "Chica's Cupcake Factory" stamped the front side.
The instructions changed to "Deliver Cupcake."
"The cupcake is finished. It is time to put it in the delivery system."
Chica looked up, but far too late. Gregory's S.T.A.F.F. bot automatically wheeled to the corner of the kitchen with windows and set it on a slot that opened in the wall. The slot closed.
Computer bot said, "Delicious! To ensure a safe and timely delivery, our cutting-edge Cupcake Tracker allows you to deliver the dessert to your own home or residence. Additional mileage charges may apply."
Hardly a second later, the screen went fuzzy as Chica attacked the now "free" bot.
Gregory stepped away from the computer and looked outside. He heard the whirr of a bot and in came a S.T.A.F.F. bot with a delivery cap on and a giant box with his unique cupcake within. He took it with a puff and wheezed, "Thank you."
The bot straightened up. "Thank you for your service." It rolled away.
He shifted his grip on the box and stomped into the kitchen. Gregory set the cupcake down inside of the garbage compactor but didn't yet open the package. Instead, he went to the button connected to a cord leading to the garbage compactor.
The Freddy head-shaped button glowed red.
Hmm. The compactor was probably turned off for safety reasons or something. There had to be a turn-on switch. He did see another thick cord running from the compactor into the wall. The next room over was chilly and full of electrical appliances whirring and glowing in different colors. Hey! Just like the electronic room in the Daycare! There was probably a generator in here connected to it.
Gregory's intuition was right, and he flipped the switch of a cold, inactive generator. The red light on it turned green and it growled to life.
When Gregory went back into the kitchen, the light on the compactor glowed green.
Awesome!
…the cupcake box was closed.
Chica wouldn't be able to smell the cupcake if the box was closed! Oh, Gregory was so dumb. Still, he needed to lure her.
So, after a deep breath and a reminder that there was no one else in here who could accidentally activate it, he forged on into the garbage compactor.
The cupcake box sat neatly atop the garbage.
He broke apart the box and peeled the sides so not one inch of the cupcake was spared from the animatronic's vision. Its sweet scent bloomed over the gross rot of the kitchen garbage. Gregory ran out and hid underneath the counter beside the compactor button.
He heard heavy footsteps tromping closer.
Chica entered.
She stooped through the kitchen, passing by Gregory without a glance, to the giant, warm, smelly cupcake. Without a beat lost she put herself into the garbage compactor. "Pizza~!" she cooed and immediately ate the cupcake as quickly as she could shove handfuls of it in her beak.
Gregory pressed the button.
The giant top of the compactor eased down. It stuck and whined as a large metal bar dug between it and the ground.
Chica stopped eating and straightened up. Her head swiveled around in a full circle, her weird eyes gazing over the kitchen as she did so.
Gregory hid behind the counter again.
Chica, despite the straining metal beam, went back to eating.
The boy bit his cheek and looked at the metal bar and then at her. She was going to finish the cupcake soon! Then what would he do?
Gregory silently hissed to himself and slunk out from behind the counter. He crept up on Chica and gave her a shove.
She gasped and fell forward, knocking the heavily bent metal bar as she did so. Her head snapped back, and she turned around to lunge at him.
THUMP.
The garbage compactor slammed down.
Gregory flinched and held his arms up in front of his face. But Chica's hand no longer reached for him.
The garbage compactor top slowly lifted itself up.
Chica lay sprawled on the ground, dented and torn, eyes half-open and gazing into–
She shot up onto her hands and grabbed Gregory by the ankle and yanked him back.
He yelped upon hitting the hard ground. Dizzied, he shook himself and tried to scramble back, but she drew him closer and opened her beak in a shrill scream.
He kicked her in the face.
Chica's head jerked back and her already broken beak fell off.
The side of the compactor brushed inches by Gregory and shoved Chica back into the other wall. She writhed and struggled until finally she collapsed beneath the strain and stopped moving.
The floor of the compactor opened, and the walls withdrew.
Chica, her hand still firmly grasping his ankle, slid out.
Gregory gasped and turned himself over and clawed at the rot-slick floor, but the unconscious animatronic had too firm a hold on him and down he went.