A/N: This is my 2nd time making this fic, and I have a clearer picture now.
So, hopefully, I can finish it this time, but you know, ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯, gotta take a fanfic writer's word with a grain of salt.
Also, this is an AU fic, so characters and locations are slightly different from their canon counterparts. Though, I hope that doesn't stop you from enjoying the story.
Alright, C'ya at the bottom.
-C'C
*{=(-_-)=}*
"August… over?"
*Zap*, a heavy sigh followed by a soft but audible slap that spiked through August's Fazwatch.
"Um, hello, August? Quit whatever it is you're doing, and come do your job." I am doing my job, he scoffed, with a battery that he gently slipped inside an endoskeleton's chest.
A groan came from his chair as he stood. The clash of tools ranged from his scarlet backpack. After a quick stretch, he moved his worn, black goggles into his scruffy gingerbread-color hair.
"Sorry, um, what's the problem? I was repairing something?" He frowned, looking up at the twitching endoskeleton; faint sparks occasionally flew out like fireworks. That illuminated August's freckled cream-colored skin. Its bug eyes were shallow and dim as they looked at the ground.
"Well, it couldn't be more important than repairing these stupid bots," the maintenance employee cringed at the insult. "One of them just went up and collapsed on stage," -he huffed, which caused the Fazwatch to peak- "we're bringing it to its room, so go and pick it up." August sighed,
"Alright, I'm on my way."
"Good, make this one snappy the parents are starting to ask for…refunds." August chuckled as he placed a gloved hand on the exoskeleton,
"Sorry, Endy, I gotta finish repairing you another time." A weak shutter came from the machine as August left it. Hopefully, he shook his head; it's nothing too serious.
It couldn't be I checked all of them this morning; well, everyone except Sun and Moon; a ping of guilt and a ripple of dread shot down his spine. The clicks of his shoes against the dull, grey floor of the Part and Service room calmed his nerves.
The pizza plex employee swiftly grabbed a pallet jack. He then started to the front of the bland room.
A wheel squicked as he moved past a giant circular repair station. Once in front, he stood where four doors presented themselves. Each had a Silhouette of the star animatronics on it: Far left in red was Freddy, next to it in blue was Roxy, to the far right in green was Monty, and next to it in purple was Chica.
August's hazel eyes lingered on Chica's door. I swear if there's pizza cheese in her gears again. He closed his eyes as a hand rubbed the bridge of his nose, it was coming out of someone else's paycheck.
*Ding*
August jumped at the noise. The elevator hummed on its arrival.
"Strange? He never has issues." He breathed with raised brows at Freddy's door opening. His shock quickly passed his as he shrugged his shoulders and moved into the elevator; well, there's a first time for everything.
*Ding*
Joyfully, the maintenance worker stepped out of the elevator and onto a carpeted floor. Thank god that elevator music is maddening, August snorted.
"Alright, let's get sta-"
*Thunk!*
"Ow, motherfff-"-August looked down a bruised shin hand- "Oh… um, sorry Freddy.~" He sheepishly mewed at the lead star's collapsed form. He looked undamaged: his chaise was clean, his facepaint untouched, shoulder pads, leg warmers, spiked forearm bands, bow tie, and hat were all also still intact.
August quietly sighed in relief. Good, no damage, but he scrunched his face; they could have stood him up. A squeak from the pallet jack filled the maroon color, memorabilia-flushed room.
"Alright, here we go," August took Freddy's hand. With a rough grunt, he barely picked up the smooth metal in hand; he wasn't this heavy during the morning inspection, what changed?
Instead, Freddy's chaise softly shifted forward on the carpet. "Oh, come on muscles work with me!" He pouted, red in the face, until a heavy creek sound sprang from Freddy. August quickly dropped the star's hand to see what problem he caused. He puffed through a pouty cry,
"Please! I like seeing money on my check." Upon closer inspection, he gave a brief laugh
"Oh, it's fine, just Freddy's chest compartment." August made quick work of it with a swift close. He swore he heard a voice. But he quickly dropped it with a shutter. There hadn't been any of those tragedies since the daycare incident.
Ok, he stood, a hand placed on his chin as he scanned the room. His eyes fell on Freedy's chair, "That could work." He muttered as he acted his plan. He didn't want to admit it, but with a tremendous effort, the maintenance employee got the rockstar in his chair.
With a swipe of his brow: he moved Freddy against a wall face first, grabbed the pallet jack, tucked it under Freddy, and carted him to the elevator.
*{=(-_-)=}*
*Ding*
August sluggishly carted the animatronic in front of the operating dome. August's watch sparked to life.
"Well, August, congrats! You'll have all the time in the world to repair your damn robots." The maintenance worker rolled his eyes. He held a remark as he slid on his goggles.
"Because the parents canceled, and worst of all got their refund," -there was a pause- "fuck you're lucky that you're the only maintenance guy left," He spat. August took a hard breath and rolled his eyes. He pushed a large toolbox with one hand as his Fazwatch came to his thin, pink lips.
"Ok, sorry, boss, I'll be more thorough with them tonight." He only got a huff in response as his watch went silent,
…bastard.
Once set up, August removed his backpack; he jumped as the air connected to his damp back. Multiple pops followed as he let out a relaxed, tired sigh.
"Alright," he shivered, "let's get to work." After, what seemed like hours, August was on the final few tasks of his check-up on Freddy.
"Right, now just need a few finishing touches, ok?" The glamrock animatronic didn't respond, "I just…um…need to fffind where my wrench is." August began to search for the tool.
Freddy's chest slowly crept to life. The movements were small and methodical until it opened in full. A pair of deep brown eyes loomed from the darkness. Little hands and feet found their way out of the rockstar's chest: like a spider that caught a fly in its web.
The rest of the intruder's body emerged from the chest cavity's inky black depths. The sneaky stowaway, a kid in a striped, blue-collar shirt, quietly touched the ground. August was too enamored with his search. He failed to notice the sound of scraping metal but shivered as a brush of air swiped at his neck.
He casually turned around; hopefully, this is Chica with gum stuck in her back again, he hissed.
"Hello-"
*Thawmp*
August's vision blurred and fragmented as one of the lenses from his goggles cracked. He dropped to the floor; his failing vision found some impish demon scurrying its way inside Freddy. August limply tried to grasp his assaulter, but the trauma was too much, and he fell unconscious.
*{=(-_-)=}*
"Oh, … m-my head~" August whined as he flopped onto his back. He mewed as the low lights of Parts and Service stung his eyes; he tightly closed them as shallow, harsh breaths escaped him. A dull persistent pain echoed on the right side of his head; slowly, he placed his hand on the pained area and winced.
"Damn it! That hurts!" His eyes sprung open to be greeted by a yellow blindfold.
"What is this?" Crimson-laced fingers nabbed a post-it off his forehead. With slight double vision and the blood that stained the note, it was difficult to read.
"H-ey, I…b-brought Ffredddy ba-ck to his room for you… and don't worry; management won't know you slept on the job." August's reread the note to focus his vision; however, the right side seemed to be a kaleidoscopic red hue.
He slowly took off his goggles to see them cracked. Ugh, he quickly crumpled the note in his hand. Damn it Kasey gave me these. August laid on the floor for a few more minutes; the cold cement floor numbed his pain.
Once the contentious throbs in his skull easied themselves, he got and unraveled the note. August read a name, printed in neat penmanship, Vanessa. The pizza plex employee blinked a few times before he snapped his fingers.
Oh yeah, Vanessa was the nightguard; he had seen her a few times and talked even less to her. Not for any malicious reason, but her green eyes made his hair stand on end.
The overworked employee glanced at his blood: did she not see it? Another question shot into his head that caused an ache. Why was there blood? He recalled that he was on the hunt for his wrench, which was still misplaced.
He sighed as he put the note in his pocket and gradually stood up. I'll thank her whenever I see her, he thought as he checked his watch, bug-eyed.
"It's 11:40 pm! I was out cold for 6 hours!" August stood, wobbly-legged, as he rushed to clean up his area. I can't stay here all goddamn night: he huffed as the time came into his view.
"11:45 pm, ok nice time," he looked over his work as his eyes landed on Endy. His face sank,
"Sorry bud… but don't worry, tomorrow I'll fix you up, promise." August's voice trailed as he entered Chica's elevator. A few jolts, some sparks, and high, quick whirl sounds filled the room.
"Come on… come on." The young adult groaned as the elevator music added to his headache.
*Ding*
"Ow, … ok, I have plenty of time before this place springs like a trap." He muttered before he stopped in the hot pink room.
Where's Chica? He lightly scratched his head; she was usually practicing her guitar. Though with him in her room, she would have quickly greeted him and asked for food.
He cautiously left her room, and swiftly August noted the absence of the other glamrocks: the constant sounds of Monty's destruction, Roxy's cute self-praising, or Freddy's soft humming. He passed Freddy's and Roxy's room to find nothing.
"Weird…," he peeked at his watch. "But at this point, not my problem, they're big bots they can take care of themselves, he gave a slight pause, "for the most part," he said friskily.
"Though," he whispered, "I hope they're okay."
August shivered, as traveled down the hall, the usual fun, kinetic chaos of the place vanished: the overly abundant cries of laughter were gone, the faint artificial sweet air absent, and the warm atmosphere stunted. Now the air was still and muggy, with a slight chill that lingered.
The soft clicks of his shoes and the hum of the ventilation were the only sounds that filled August's hungry ears. The security, nor the cleaning bots that littered the building were present.
August meticulously checked his watch as he tried to ignore the harsh, headache-inducing: reds, pinks, greens, purples, and blues of the neon lights. Which cast lengthy, sharp violent shadows that reached into the light like grasping rigid, boney fingers. They dared anything that came into their reach so they ring their necks.
The walk to the main entrance cleared the fog from August's head, but his headache worsened as the eeriness of his situation started to get to him. He groaned it felt like a vice was clamped onto his head and ringed with enough force to stop a bull. Slowly with each step, he'd surely turn his brain into putty.
As he chugged along, August let go of a breath he didn't know he held.
A feminine humanoid frame came into view. The woman wore the same outfit he had, black pants and a standard employee Pizza Plex shirt; however, 'nightguard' was stitched onto her back instead of maintenance.
"Is…that-um… Vanessa," he softly spoke as he looked at her blond ponytail sway. To his surprise, she quickly faced his direction with a stoic yet stern face.
He shuttered; her uncanny green eyes fell on his dulled hazels. Geez. How long is she going to stare at me? To his dismay, she watched him until he got close to her.
"August," she crudely began, "I see you're up from your nap." Warmth flushed his cheeks as he rubbed his arm.
"Yeah, um, thanks for the help…," he looked to see her eyes dotting everywhere but at him. "Uh," he rubbed the back of his head, "…well again thanks! I didn't know what came over me." The nightguard's wondering eyes fell to her watch and then at him, softening when they did.
"No problem," she waved him off, "just looking out for a fellow co-worker." A small smile graced August's lips,
"That's cool of you," he paused: just leave, he thought, but then he spoke up.
"I owe you, so find me when you need something." A smile creaked from Vanessa's stoic face,
the nightguard pulled up something on her phone, "Well, I'll call it in now," August tensed up: is she giving me her nu-
"Have you seen this kid?" He happily signed internally; a sharp, quick pain followed as he viewed the picture. "Ow," Vanessa moved closer. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah I'm fine," he clutched his head as he gave the picture another look.
The kid in question: had brown hair, and a band-aid on his cheek, he wore a blue striped collar shirt and a pair of shorts.
"No, sorry, I haven't seen any kid like that." She put her phone away,
"Damn, well, you should go home and get some more rest." August didn't argue as he walked past her with a wave.
She nodded and continued further into the mall. It was 11:57 pm: August was just in front of the entrance, with a lone cleaning bot to accompany him. He smiled when he saw it was a bot he knew. Spot was its name because it always cleaned in singular spots. He let a small laugh; finally, the exit this walk took forev-
*Thud*
"What," August and Spot paused and looked to their right. The maintenance employee's smile was ripped away as voices plugged his ears.
"Somebody… anybody, please HELP ME!" The voice was whiny and shrill. A drumline began to play in August's chest as the disturbance continued.
*Crash*
"Oh, come on, little guy we're trying to help you. All you have to do is take my hand, don't be afraid." August swallowed a lump as a deep growl bit his ears.
"Like hell, I won't lose to either of you or anyone else, so just give up kid! We both know you'll fall for me anyway," The voice smugly laughed.
*Bang*
11:58 pm, he choked, The voices that he heard sounded like his friends, and even spoke like them; however, these voices lacked the character and the charisma his friends had.
The sinister undertones they gave off felt like draggers into his back, and with his quickened pulse. August didn't know if wanted to confront them or get the hell out of this place.
*Bonk*
"Damn it, ouch." August gripped his head and glanced at his assailant. Spot met his gaze, though it paid no attention to him.
The cleaning bot moved toward the direction of the approaching sounds. Zombified in its movement, the mop in its grip dragged behind it. A trail of slick, slimy water followed after it. The maintenance employee shook his head and spat a curse.
"I still got 2 minutes," he tried to reassure himself, eyes still glued on Spot.
"Look, kid, we're only trying to help, promise." With bated breath, August watched as Spot stuck out its mop. Maroon double doors burst open, like August's heart, as a child in a blue striped shirt came into view.
He had a little distance from the large and very agitated animatronics, the kid's eyes never left them. Ultimately he didn't stand a chance… literally as he face-planted onto the floor.
11:59 pm, August winced.
Spot cheered at its successful sabotage, but it was shorted lived. The boy quickly recovered,
"Please help!" He begged with a frail stretched-out hand.
August stalled; his mind tuned out everything besides the animatronics that encompassed his vision. Their eyes that carried a spark they all sharded were gone, what replace it were,
Dulled. Dead. Cold. Optics that looked past anything that got trapped in their gaze.
He'd never seen any of them like this... except for the daycare incident.
A thousand-yard stare became plastered on his face, and his eyes glazed over; different senses muddied his mind as he felt a rotten mist rip him from reality.
*{=(-_-)=}*
"Hey, Augs we're going out for drinks. You're coming, right?" A short, pencil-thin man, in a slim black coat, asked a tinkering August at a workstation.
"Um," -the young adult picked up a small screwdriver before he glanced at his friend- "I don't know, Kasey,… you know I don't really like to drink." Kasey rolled his eyes as he plopped down next to his apprentice. He watched August with a warm smile as he fiddled with some sort of voice module.
"Oh. Come on, Augs, this is to celebrate your one-year anniversary at the plex!" Kasey gently placed a hand on his co-worker's shoulder, "You've been working yourself to the bone," the mentor lifted a gloved finger.
"First, a module for Sun and Moon, which you just installed in them today, and now this," -he gestured to the device in August's grease-stained hands- "look, you, don't have to drink but we do gotta celebrate! All the maintenance staff is going,"
August paused to look at his maintenance chief, who shot puppy-dog eyes through his thick-framed glasses. A small smile broke through his stoic guard as he put the deceive down.
"Alright, you win Kasey," the older man did a small fist pump, "just let me clean up and say goodbye to the glamrocks." Kasey gave a sly smile,
"Especially a certain keytarist, hm?" August's freckled face beamed red as he bolted out of the room.
*{=(-_-)=}*
"Geez," August quietly mewed as he pulled a gray hair off his new Roxy hoodie.
"August, yo, ready to get this party started!" A tall maintenance co-worker spoke from a small group of his colleagues. August nodded with a kind smile, "Yeah, but where's Kasey?"
"Gramps at the daycare… he said something about the animatronic there needing him." A brunette gestured down the hall. August followed her hand and gave the group a wave,
"Thanks, I'll get him you guys can go we'll catch up." His co-workers didn't protest as their chatter faded away. August shivered: the dim hallway lights allowed the shadows to lick at the back of his neck. The stillness in the air only added to his uneasiness. His shaky heart was his only companion; until a deafening, sickening, wet,
*CRUNCH*
Demanded his attraction.
"K-Kasey!"
August's feet stung against the ground with each frantic stride to the daycare's doors. A familiar laugh tore at his ears: however, it carried a wicked soul-draining aura.
"Kasey! Are you alr-" The apprentice smashed through the daycare doors with such ferocity he landed on his ass.
Another deep crunch forced August's burning eyes to the source. The sight before him created a void in his quivering chest.
Two intense, beady red eyes stole August's breath. A sadistic, permanent ear-to-ear grin etched itself into a waning crescent face. The jester light frame hunched over a limped form; August, in the dim light, saw a strained hand grasp tightly around a ribbon wrist. Moon snickered,
"Naughty boy. Naughty boy."
*{=(-_-)=}*
A sharp cold breeze cut at August's face, a curse passed his lips, and he shook his head; to find he was one foot out of the pizza plex. Gregory's panicked voice froze the maintenance employee,
"Wait! No… plea-!" The boy spat before Chica effortlessly picked him up and spun him around to face her.
"SEE! SEE! SEE! I got you silly!" She shook his small body roughly. He moved like a ragdoll as he folded in on himself. A wild, morbid shriek came from his contorted face before he went limp in her arms.
"Aw, look he's asleep." She messily cradled him as she presented him to the others.
Monty snapped his fingers with a toothy grin, "Nice one, Chica," he then gave Roxy a small laugh. "Better luck next time, Roxs." The wolf took a moment to speak,
"…W-whatever." She said, hunched over, her sleeves covered, arms crossed with a faint blush. August remained still when Chica called to him.
"Guys! Look it's Auggy!" He blinked a few times in an attempt to get the hellish memory out of his head.
"Um, is he alright?" Monty whispered. His two other co-stars shrugged as they watched August check his watch, debilitated it was still 11:59 pm,
"We should leave him be for now," Roxy said as Chica flashed the child in her grip,
"Right, so we can give this kid to Vanessa." Her friends agreed as they nodded their heads,
"Right."
"Yeah, let's book it." The group's metallic footsteps ventured further into the mall as August had two choices hammer themself against his head. If I leave now I could have a normal night or…
The shutter's gear sputtered to life as a low hum followed. Knots formed in August's stomach; the air outside gave him a parting gift with a final gust that crawled up his spine. He sighed, or I can find out what the hell is going on and stop another daycare incident from happening.
The hum of the shutters stopped, and August checked his watch it read 12:00 am.
*{=(-_-)=}*
August stood motionless as he just watched the digital clock tick by; he gave himself a crude scoff,
"It's real easy to talk heroics," he grimaced, "but doing them is a different story."
A familiar buzz came from his wrist as the young adult whispered a small thanks.
"Hello? August, are you there?" A concerned yet smooth voice spoke through the speaker. The maintenance employee raised a brow,
"Freddy? Yeah, I'm here," August paused, "why aren't you with the others?" He didn't get an answer right away.
"I'm deeply sorry, August but that's not important right now. I've contacted you to ask if you have seen Gregory. A boy in a blue striped shirt to clarify." The pizza plex worker scrunched his face: what did this kid do?
"Um, yeah, exactly," he started, "you don't have to worry; the others caught him. Though they seemed… off, they're taking him to Vanessa, so hopefully, everything is alright." A troubled hum came through his watch.
"Oh no, this isn't good," Freddy lightly grunted, "he vehemently didn't want to meet Vanessa," August questioned him.
"Did he tell you why? He might be trying to avoid any trouble he's in with Vanessa." Freddy continued,
"I thought so as well, but he told me concerning news regarding Vanessa." August pressed on, "Like what?" The maintenance employee got a long, low hum,
"Well, it was nothing concrete he said he hid very important evidence somewhere a top Fazerblaster." August was about to speak but was interrupted,
"Please, August, come to my room I'll elaborate further when you arrive." The watch went silent after. August frowned: This night just keeps getting better and better. He shook his head, "I should still go see him; he sounded like he needs someone."
On his trip, August noticed the long-held breath of the pizza plex was released: The ceiling lights, while dimmed, were on, the S.T.A.F.F bots roamed again, and a faint tune played through the intercoms. August stood in front of the leading star's door, fist raised.
*{=(-_-)=}*
*knock knock*
The door immediately slid open which revealed the mechanical gentle giant. His face paint was a little smeared, and his small shaggy fur was matted in some places. But Freddy overall remained unchanged from the last time he saw him. Freddy flashed a polite smile with a wiggle of his fuzzy ears.
"Hello, and thank you for coming." He parted from the door with a wave of a clawed hand "Please have a se-e-e-e-," Freddy harshly stalled and shook, "seat… sorry my battery is low." The bear looked away, ears lowered. August gave a puzzled look before his brow furrowed,
"Oh, right, sorry; I never got to finish your check-up from earlier?" The glamrock eyes widened then flickered,
"I woke up to Vanessa telling me you did the best you could." August put a hand to his chin before he took off his backpack. Strange, he sighed as her note popped into his head again: why was Venessa 6 hours early to her shift? He would ask her later about it,
"Okay, Freddy, start from the beginning while I'll charge you up; unfortunately, I can only get you out of safe mode in parts and service." He nodded in response as he watched August pull a large black rectangular device from his bag.
"After my conversation with Vanessa, Gregory came tumbling out of my chest compartment." The bear opened his chest and made a dropping motion with his arms. August murmured in response,
"He was very frightened, franticly shushing me and constantly checking over his shoulder." A lowly hum filled the room. A click sound from Freddy's back followed as something warm entered it. His posture dipped with a quiet groan as he felt electricity methodically dance into his battery.
August quickly guided him to his seat; Freddy didn't protest as he rested his aching parts.
"What happened next?" Freddy faced August,
"After finding out he had injuries we went to treat them. There Vanessa caught me and in the commotion, he ran for the entrance."
"Were he was then caught by the others," August finished. Freddy slightly raised from his spot,
"D-did… they," Freddy choked, "hurt him?" August flashed a frown at him.
It looks like he's drawing up the same horrible conclusion I am, August internally grimaced, though I shouldn't let him stress himself any further.
The bear shuttered under his gaze,
"Apologies, it's just… things have been a little strange, hasn't it?" Suddenly the charger groans stopped. The leader of the glamrocks silently cursed himself; a frown spread across his features as his gaze met the ground.
How could he even bring that question into existence obviously they hadn't. August placed a hand on his should,
"You know they wouldn't do anything like that." A ping of guilt formed inside August, as he wondered if he said that more for himself than Freddy.
"I'm sure there's a reason for the odd behavior happening here tonight." A smile found its way back to the rockstar's face.
"Thank you, August," the young adult nodded as he packed up his charger. Freddy stood up again with a whirl of his body.
"Now, it's time to go find my superstar!" August got in his path,
"Sorry, Freddy, but you're gonna have to stay here. You have too much excess energy. If you push yourself, it'll fry your battery." Freddy slowed before he returned to his seat. A few seconds passed before he spoke again.
"Well, then if it isn't too much to ask," August stood at attention, "can you see if Gregory is okay? Also," -he melded with his broad fingers- "check on the other glamrocks from me."
August's face gave no hint to Freddy about his choice. But the blank face caved as he gave a kind smile
"That's the whole reason why I'm still here," August grew rigid, "I wanna know what's going on here." Freddy beamed as he took the maintenance employee into a heavy hug.
"Thanks, we couldn't ask for a better engineer and friend." August squirmed slightly but soften as he gave Freddy a few pats on the back.
"No… problem," he said muffled into his chest.
*{=(-_-)=}*
A/N: Hey! you made it to the bottom, pretty cool, right?
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
C'ya
-C'C