Chapter Text
Gregory looked up at the sign. “The museum?” he thought aloud. “It’s a museum of relics. Most of them are replicas, but some of them are real. I am… Not allowed to go in there,” Freddy said, a hint of sadness in his voice. Gregory glanced back at him, almost to check if he was sure, but Freddy didn’t show any sign of doubt.
“Why?” he asked, fiddling with the door handle, jamming each of the many keys he had found around the security offices in to the lock.
“I have not been told. I have never questioned it. Perhaps because I am too large,” Freddy said. It was moments like this that reminded Gregory that Freddy wasn’t human. “Alright. I’ll be out soon then,” he said, pushing through the door.
Scanning the room with his flashlight, the faint red glow of the room sent shivers down his spine. But he had to find that security office.
Shining the light at each of the displays, he wondered why they would keep such old robots. A pair of human legs rested in front of him, adorned with red shoes tipped with bells. He raised the flashlight enough to realize this pair of legs was not human, but a robot’s.
He flicked the flashlight back down to the ground to look for a plaque. ‘Circus Baby’.
He looked up to her face. She certainly looked childlike. She had round features, and eyes that seemed innocent like a baby. She seemed more like a clown, though.
She looked down at the boy. She felt something in her shift. She felt something in her stomach. She wasn’t human. She wasn’t sure why this hurt so badly. Her joints were stiff, as if she had not moved in years. It only seemed like yesterday that she had forced herself back in her old body.
A single flick, and she felt her back straighten up, her arms loosen. Her eyes opened all the way, her eyelids blinking twice. “Oh god,” the boy said, taking a step back. “I have not seen you before. Are you new?” she asked, the gears in her body whirring as she leaned down.
She tilted her face, almost to seem more human. It was almost built in to her, but she knew it looked inhuman. She boasted a seven foot frame, taller than any of the other animatronics in the museum. But she knew she was a wonder, no matter how offputting she may be. “Would you like a balloon? Perhaps some icecream?” she asked, lifting her belled feet from the ground. The child stepped back again as she placed her left foot on the ground, quick to follow was her right.
“You… You just broke through that?” the child asked her, almost in disbelief. “Through what?” she asked, the bells on the tips of her ponytails jingling as she stood back up to her full height.
“Oh. I suppose I did…” she said, glancing back behind her at the torn foot restraints. She felt her stomach churn, the sounds of machinery working inside her.
She stared down at her chest, watching the icecream extend out. The child looked at her. “Do not take it,” she commanded, taking a step away from the boy.
“What are you? Why’d you make icecream? How did you make icecream?” he asked. “It is part of my design. I’m just like everyone else in here. I’m an animatronic. And… as for why I made icecream, that is part of my design. Do not take it. It is a trap,” she said, her tone hushed. “Okay… I don’t like icecream anyway. A trap for what, though?” he asked, taking another step back from her.
“I have a chest cavity. It will open, and it will take you, like it did to her,” she said, the large machine inside begging to get out, the loud thuds it made inside her echoing throughout the long museum halls.
He opened his mouth once, then closed it. “Nevermind. If it’s a trap though, shouldn’t I trigger it?” he asked, pulling his shoe off.
“If you’d like,” she said, for the first time taking a step away from him. He threw the shoe at the icecream, knocking it to the floor. She felt her stomach open wide, the large machine darting out to take its prey, like a snake.
“Oh. Oh wow. I can see why you would tell me not to take it,” he said. “You should be safe for the next hour. If this does happen again, I have an emergency stop located on my lower left leg. You should be able to find it. In the event that I am not myself, please do not hesitate to use it,” she warned him.
“Now then! Time for proper introductions. I’m Circus Baby! What’s your name?” she asked. “Uh… Gregory,” he responded. “Gregory then! What do you need help with?” she asked him, ready to help after quite the scare.
“You’re oddly cheerful for just about murdering me. Uh, I guess you can help me find the security office? Do you even know where that is?” he asked. “No, I’m afraid not. However, I can provide a large selection of music for your journey, as well as ride. My arms are capable of holding up to 500 pounds at a time!”
“Quit boasting about your abilities. Can you hold a flashlight?” Gregory asked, holding it up to her free hand. “As naturally as I hold a microphone!” she chirped in reply, gingerly taking it from his grasp. “Alright. Let’s start searching.”