The slightly dim and dying hallways is something that Vanessa will probably never get used to, the aura of the area being beyond creepy and pushed into otherworldly, the echo of her own footsteps unhelpfully solidifying that this is her life now. She hasn't even encountered another person yet despite the 'Plex still technically being open.
'What I wouldn't give to have another flesh and blood person to help keep watch…but then again, I doubt they would be as understanding.'
The sound of a nearby door opening gets her attention, a human janitor in the process of putting their job on autopilot. She could already hear the bootup of every cleaner bot in that room. Unfortunately, this particular person had a habit of getting under peoples skin, and she was no exception. However, both security guards and janitors get around…a lot. If anyone would know where they were, it would be them. Vanessa buries whatever reservations she felt and approached.
"Hey, buddy."
"Huh? Oh, hey Vanny." Vanessa instantly regrets opening her mouth.
"...Call me that again, I'll go to jail for assault." The worker held their hands in mock surrender.
"Reeelaaaax. I just find it amusing that you get so upset over nothing."
"Aren't you fun to be around." She growled venomously.
"When you and a pathetically small group have to clean up after snotty brats all day every day, you tend to build up some animosity to the workplace and everything in it."
'Let me get the small violin for you. You aren't special.' The guard pinches the bridge of her nose. "Look, I just need some whereabouts."
"Why? Who made you mad this time?"
"Oh for– where is the band?!" The mood shifts dramatically. The janitor pauses then looks both ways before continuing.
"...You know, since you reminded me, they were acting a bit strange tonight." All remnants of her anger are quickly stamped out and replaced with anxiety.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing bad, it was just unsettling, they were all gathered in one of the backrooms, I don't remember which. When I did my rounds, they just went silent and…stared. I never did my job so fast in my life." She knew why they were behaving that way, but of course she couldn't let that come across to the janitor. However that doesn't mean she can't agree with them though.
"They excel at being creepy, don't they?" The janitor only chuckles and nods.
Once the first set of cleaner bots started to exit the supply closet, the worker immediately switched gears.
"Anyway, I need to head home now, which is more than I can say for you. Adios." Vanessa resisted the urge to have the last word, she already got what she wanted.
'All I had to do was check the backrooms. Why didn't I think of that?! Stupid idiot!'
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Recharge complete. Beginning boot up sequence.
Roxannes eyes suddenly snap open, clearly disoriented from being forced awake. She couldn't focus her vision at all, being nothing but pixelated garble, it brought forth a pulsating pain in her head that she couldn't escape from.
You can't find someone if they don't exist.
25%
She quickly realized that she couldn't move yet either. What was normally not a problem became an overwhelming source of anxiety. She tried with all her might to force her hands to obey, but all she got was twitches.
Just please keep the rabbit away from me. Please? She wants to kill me.
50%
The waiting has given her time to think, perhaps too much time. Every moment spent being trapped in her own chamber meant that the stalker could be getting closer to her pup. It couldn't be more agonizing, she wants to beg her systems to hurry up and start already, but she couldn't speak either. All she achieved was the same result as her hands: uncontrollable twitching.
For some reason I'm the only one who is able to see her!
75%
It's not that she didn't trust Sun, it's just that even with his protection, Gregory could be taken from right under his nose. He probably wouldn't even figure it out until it's too late. The wolf's limbs finally started to respond to her commands, even if they were quite restricted.
Just please keep me safe.
100% Boot up successful.
And just like that, all her limbs were unlocked. She needed to get to him, nothing will hurt him as long as she is around, that she can guarantee.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Guys, she is waking up!" Chica said out loud. In an instant the rest of the gang stood up from where they were sitting, everything they were previously talking about completely forgotten and burned.
None of them knew what to expect, but Roxanne stumbling out of her chamber was certainly not one of them.
It was clear that the wolf wasn't quite stable enough to stand just yet. Chica immediately went forward to assist her towards the nearest crate, where she was practically forced to take a seat.
"Something wrong has definitely happened. You think you should sit this out?"
"No! I'm fine. Just a little woozy." She rises rather unsteadily but remains standing. Freddy hurried over then proceeded to gently set her back down.
"I think Chica has a point, you're not in the best of states right now."
"But I can't stay here! I need to see him!"
"I'm sure he is fine; Sun and Moon will never allow a child to be put in danger."
"I don't care that they are the greatest babysitters in the entire franchise! They are still capable of losing him in some way!" Monty raised a brow at the claim.
"I highly doubt that. Dude is relentless when it comes to keeping the tykes safe." Roxanne snaps her gaze to him. "Yes, I know…well a lot, but probably not everything, that can come later though."
"Would've been nice if you all waited for me to wake up." She crossed her arms with a snarl.
"Don't be such a buzzkill, we're not even in a golf game yet." It took all her willpower to not pounce him then and there, but frankly she had more important things to do.
"You just irritate people at the worst times, don't you."
"...I guess?"
"Charmer, you are." After a quick glance at the time, the wolf stands up, ignoring the dull aching feeling throughout her body. Even forcing her way past the rest of the gang. "Anyway, if you all will be so kind as to stop hovering over me, I need to go make sure our guest of honor is okay." She keeps walking despite the previous warnings, particularly the bear. "And If it makes you all feel better…Freddy…you can come with me. The more the merrier as people say."
Freddy wanted to protest but ultimately decided that it was a waste of time against someone as headstrong as Roxanne. So the next best thing is to stay nearby just in case.
"I can see what you're thinking of Freddy, and to that I say you're being a little too dramatic."
"...You know me too well, Roxy." It was difficult, but he forced himself to relax. It wouldn't be the first time he stressed over nothing, but regardless, it helps to be vigilant.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"So how much longer do I have to stay here? I'm not feeling so good." Gregory could understand that desperate times call for desperate measures, he knew that all too well…but there comes a point where you have to understand that you are in over your head. Such as now, when Sun had hidden him just beneath the surface of the ball pit once the dayshift security came by to do their final round throughout the 'Plex.
The boy is pretty sure that they were long gone by now, judging by the lack of heavy boots hitting the floor, but that didn't really seem to deter the paranoid attendant too much.
"You never know when they could be watching Greg…or listening." Sun immediately slaps his hands over his non-moving mouth.
"Come on! This is the most uncomfortable spot you could've picked; I would much rather be on a hard floor than this!"
Rather than verbally respond, Sun frantically held his hand in the universal 'shush' gesture. Initially the boy obeyed, thinking someone actually did manage to hear them, but after long moments of nothing he could only feel a building frustration.
'If only I had two working legs!'
"C'mon you're killing me here, just let me hide somewhere more plush, please?" He wasn't one to beg, but there really wasn't much else he could do to force his hand. "We've been alone for so long already, I'm sure the coast is clear by now."
"...But if you're caught, I'll be scrapped for parts!"
"Oh please. This place values you too much to just–"
"No, no! Not by the humans, by Roxy!"
"She'll never do that to y–..." His frustration reached its peak, "...Just put me on the bean bag, then throw a blanket over me. Simple. These guys probably just want to go home, so even if they do come back to an area they already checked. Twice. Then chances are that maybe, just maybe…they won't even bother to look too closely."
"...Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"...I hope you're right; I don't even want to think of what could happen if you are seen."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Vanessa didn't have to look very hard at all to find her quarry, in fact, she was almost certain of where they were located. Right away she headed back to Rockstar Row, lo and behold she spotted the band barely exiting from Roxanne's room. However the lack of Gregory made her heart skip a beat or two.
Both parties held a brief staring contest, with neither expecting to run into the other so soon.
"...This is exactly what the janitor was creeped out by." Not the best way to start a conversation, but she'll take that over silence easily when it comes to the animatronics.
"...It's not their job to listen in on our private conversations."
"You're as snarky as ever Monty. Nice to know that you still work after the thrashing you took." He looks off to the side with a growl, refusing to speak to her further.
"Hey Montgomery Gator, how are you doing? Oh I'm fine, thank you for asking." He mumbled to himself. Roxy couldn't help but snicker at his plight.
"I assume everyone is accounted for…right?" The guard awkwardly looks between all the robots, trying to see the other flesh and blood being that should at the very least be nearby them.
"He's in the daycare." The wolf simply said.
"Oh good lord– you left him with that?" A full snarl returns to the wolf's face.
"Didn't have much of a choice there, sweetheart. It was that or risk him getting seen by the human staff, or even the general public." Vanessa thoughtfully nods in agreement.
"I guess that makes sense, though I would hope that the creepier half didn't scare him like the other kids." Roxy's glare intensifies.
"He better not have, or else he will be put to sleep himself." Everyone is briefly stunned at her implication. Freddy puts both hands on his hips and gives a disapproving glare towards Roxanne, who of course didn't see it.
"Please don't." The guard pleaded. Roxy held for a few seconds longer before breaking down into laughter. "...Wha–What's so funny?"
"Y-You! You're just too easy to mess with, of course I won't hurt them! Though honestly, I don't know what I'll do if anyone tries to hurt my pup. Here's hoping none of us have to find out." For a split second, Vanessa involuntarily glances at her claws before returning to Roxy's eyes. She slowly nods to appease her.
"Yeaaaahhh. Here's hoping…" She shifts the weight of her backpack uncomfortably. The wolf smirking at the display.
"Well, don't want to keep you any further, we ought to be going now." Roxanne proceeded to walk off, her posse trailing behind. To everyone's surprise, the guard followed suit as well. Monty was the first to voice his confusion.
"Uhhh…don't you have better things to do? Like…guarding? Watching cameras? Whatever you security guards do on a daily basis?"
"Nightly now. And I have something that the kid should have, I'm hoping that it will help keep him out of the hospital." Roxy's ears perk up.
"Really? That's wonderful! Maybe I will keep you."
"Don't get your hopes up too high, nothing is guaranteed. I'm just saying that if we're lucky he may not need a doctor. But if the bone is truly broken, then…let's just hope it doesn't come to that." She doesn't know much at all about broken limbs, but she felt an injury like that needs to be looked at by trained personnel. Which she is very much not.
"It won't." Sensing the growing tension, the woman throws in some words of reassurance. Or at least attempts to.
"Well, he wasn't in a constant state of agony when I last saw him, so he might have a chance. I don't know if it's a good one, but still."
She didn't get a verbal response, however the wolf visibly tensed as she walked. Vanessa took this as a sign to shut up, falling behind to get a little distance from her.
"She's something else ain't she?" The guard nearly jumped out of her skin when Monty whispered in her ear.
"You're one to talk. Neither of you have one upped the other when it comes to dramatics." The gator rolls his eyes.
"And here I thought we could be friends." He muttered half-heartedly.
'Heh, like I said.' She checked her watch. 11:30. 'I've got time.'
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"I hate this place." Vanessa fell behind from the group, dragging her feet as they approached the daycare.
Her opinion of the area was always the same. Too bright, too colorful, too weird, etcetera. And to her surprise, absolutely nothing about that opinion has changed. Not even the lack of life deterred her, it was the same place that brought about negative feelings totally unrelated to the emptiness of it all. However, what brought it down past even rock bottom was the main inhabitant. He was too bright, too colorful– you get the picture.
'But the voice…oh god the voice. Just pleeeease. Shut. Up.'
How the children can tolerate him is beyond her comprehension.
The guard can only hope that he'll at least be a little more tolerable after hours. If not, then she'll need to be quick before she ends up pulling her hair out.
'Just apply the brace, then leave the daycare.'
"Hello everyone! Almost thought that you forgot about us! Please come in!"
'Lord have mercy it is even worse than I could have ever imagined.'
Any words that Sun would have said had been stifled when he noticed the woman.
"V-Vanessa?! W-What are you doing here so late?!"
"Okay, before you say anything else, let me just give you the short explanation: New night guard position opened for obvious reasons, I was involuntarily volunteered to fill the role, I have known about the kid and his condition since yesterday, and now I am here to help him. Savvy?"
"...Oh, that's a relief. Anyone who is a friend of Gregory is a f–"
"Yes, I get it. Now let me see him, preferably by myself so I can concentrate."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Gregory expected Sun to return with the band but was surprised when only Roxanne and Vanessa came. The woman particularly didn't seem too thrilled to be here. Regardless though, he felt a smile form upon his face. The wolf followed suit, incapable of resisting.
"Hey Roxy! So glad to finally see you again."
"I feel the same little pup." He turns to address the guard, and his features fall when she knelt down to him.
"Didn't think you would be here as well." He said almost monotone.
"I'll be honest, me neither, but there is something that I got for you." She slings her backpack over her shoulder and digs out for the item. "I got a brace for you. To help with the leg. It was the best thing I could find." A shocked expression replaced his neutral one.
"You…You did? I…wow. Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet, I still have to strap it on, and to be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing, or if this will work. But I think you'll be okay." Roxanne tapped her foot impatiently, much to Vanessa's annoyance. "Please don't distract me, I need to be delicate here." The wolf huffed and went still.
"Will…Will it hurt?" The boy asked apprehensively.
"If I do this right, and without any interruptions, it shouldn't be too taxing on you." She side eyed Roxy with a bit of sass, who snarled slightly.
"O-Ok, please be careful." He tightly grips the bean bag in anticipation. The woman nods as she begins the process.
'Tutorials don't fail me now.'
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
AN: Been a while, I know. Writers block and general laziness makes for hell of a combo.