*Sheepishly waves* Uh...hi. Sorry I'm such a terrible person and haven't written or posted in a long time. I just haven't really felt like writing until recently. I can't make promises, but I do have a renewed interest in finishing this story, so watch out in the next few days/weeks for more updates.
Masiar didn't know what to expect when he walked in that night at quarter to twelve. Staring nervously up at the stage with the curtains drawn back and the three animatronics standing tall in the low light, he flinched and darted down the hall to where the woman – Shadow – had told him the security office was. When he saw how heavy-duty the doors were, he whimpered. Adjusting the security cap that was part of the uniform, he flinched when the building groaned and the lights flickered slightly. Something had changed when the clock hit 12, and he didn't know what it was.
When the phone rang, he jumped, then stared at it in horror as the first night's call rambled on before finally ending. Scrambling for the security tablet, he flipped through it, looking desperately for the mechanic that was supposed to be there with him...only to come across one of the cameras with the rabbit – Bonnie, his mind supplied – staring directly into it, eyes black. Realizing it was the closet closest to him, he whimpered again and stuck his head out the door to check the rabbit wasn't sneaking up on his doors only to shriek at the tap on his shoulder from behind.
Biting back a laugh, Shadow smirked.
"Jumpy, aren't you?"
Masiar just stared at her, eyes wide and focused on something behind her. Rolling her eyes, Shadow leaned backwards and hit the door button, sending it crashing down in front of Chica's tilted head, blank eyes and open beak.
"You know, if you want to survive the night, you can't be freezing up and jumping at the smallest things. They barely move on Monday; this is easy mode. If you can't manage this, this isn't the job for you and you should quit before you end up dead."
Masiar spluttered, looking confused.
"Where the heck did you come from? WHY ARE THEY MOVING AT ALL?!"
Shadow rolled her eyes.
"Multitask. Talk while you watch those cameras and the doors. They aren't going to wait around while your tiny brain tries to process things. As for your questions...I was always here. And they move because they have to at night, or their servos will lock up and that is not an easy thing to fix quickly. As for why they go after anyone in the building at night...my best guess is some old programming. Not sure if you listened to the phone call all that well, but they don't really see us as humans. It's not daytime hours, we're not customers. They think we're endoskeletons wandering around without suits on."
Pausing for a moment, Shadow hit the lights, and not seeing the shadow of Chica in the window, hit the door button again, sending the door back up. Seeing Masiar's panicked look, she shrugged.
"The building goes on limited power to save money at night. You need to manage it. If you run out, you're dead."
Masiar made a noise halfway between a squeak and a whimper. Shadow rolled her eyes again.
"Seems the manager and I made a mistake about you. I have my own work I need to be doing, and I can't be babysitting you every night."
With that, Shadow sat back in one of the other office chairs and pulled up a laptop, opening it and beginning to read. She watched over the screen as Masiar closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, opening his eyes again with a determined look. Smiling to herself, Shadow focused back on learning the animatronics particular coding.
Back in the main room
Chica wandered back in slowly, a confused and slightly distressed look on her face. Seeing it, Freddy frowned in concern.
"What is wrong Chica? Is there an issue with the new guard?"
Chica shook her head, wringing her hands together nervously.
"No but...I saw Shadow. She came back. She looked...different."
Freddy raised an eyebrow, waving a paw and prompting Chica to continue, but she shook her head.
"I think we should wait until the night is over and we can discuss this with Bonnie and Foxy too."
Freddy hummed quietly before nodding.
"You are right. Before this week, we would have had to wait until tomorrow night, but now that our free roam is enabled at all times, we can talk after the new guard's shift is over...and hopefully the mechanic leaves as well. I am not ready to talk to her after what she did earlier this evening."
Chica frowned at Freddy refusing to use Shadow's name, but sighed. She understood his hurt, but at the same time could not bring herself to be mad at the only human who had cared about them and was doing their best to help them.
When 6am hit, the new night guard scurried out of the building as fast as his legs could carry him with one nervous glance at the animatronics now still on the stage. Following slowly behind him was Shadow, eyes glowing in the early morning sunlight, and a self-satisfied smirk. Freddy's eyes were narrowed in an angry glare, following the slow swagger as she strolled out the front door. When the door shut and the lock was turned, the animatronics slowly relaxed. Foxy darted into the room, having been told about the impromptu meeting earlier in the night by Bonnie.
"What be so important that ye delay our recharges before opening Cap'n?"
Freddy frowned.
"I know Chica saw her last night, but Bonnie, did you see the mechanic in the security room with the night guard too?"
Bonnie frowned at the lack of care Freddy was showing. With a sigh, he nodded, ears drooping a bit.
"Ya, I saw her. Looked a bit funny. Mostly concentrating on whatever she was doin' on that laptop of hers, but she gave me some strange looks sometimes when I was in the window. Weird gleam in her eyes that wasn't there last time we saw her."
Freddy hummed.
"Chica, you said she looked different? I know you get a better look into the security room from your side. What do you mean by different?"
Chica wrung her hands together nervously.
"You didn't notice? She looks at us now like she can see through us, and her eyes have changed color. They're not blue anymore, they're the same gold as her animatronic. She also looks...older somehow. In her eyes. They have a look now that makes it seem like she is older than she is."
Freddy growled, causing Chica to flinch. When he noticed, he stopped.
"I am sorry Chica. I am not mad at you; I am mad at her. She pretended she cared, and then threw our pasts in our face when we are trying to change."
Foxy growled and stepped closer to the stage.
"Yer goin' a bit far there Cap'n. I spent most of a week with the lass, she ain't like that! She's not perfect, she makes mistakes, just like we do. Give her the benefit of the doubt until she can explain herself."
Freddy closed his eyes and sighed.
"You are right Foxy. We will see if she explains herself tomorrow night."
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