Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

You stand on a stage, screwing with your turn tables (maintenance actually does the dealing with them but you like to make yourself look busy while you're going through your check list)

Your name is Orange Dream, OD, OG, Orange, you've got nicknames out the ass, and you love your life.

Hair spikes? Check.

Ro-Lal and Co.? Check.

Really hot Scottish security guard? Check.

Packed crowd? Check.

Security over seer?

Che------

Wait...

As you look over at Hal, your vision glitches. 

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🖾🖾🖾🖾SECU🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾RITY BREA🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾CH!
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The phrase fills your vision, and you have to catch yourself on the edge of your instrument, and you have to press a hand against your head.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit-

"Yo, holy crap!! OG! Hey, Orange Dream! Are you okay, sweetheart?" 

Ro-Lal's ears pin pack in concern, as she reaches over to set a metal paw on your shoulder.

"Yeah, Rox-Star, I'm fine, just-"

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WAR🖾🖾🖾NIN🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾G! SYSTEM 🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾COORPUTION🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾ION IMMINEN🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾T. FORC🖾🖾🖾🖾VING EMER🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾GENCY REB🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾OOT.🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾🖾

Oh well fuck, that ain't good.

First thing that decides to go offline is your legs

But you don't hit the stage floor, Jake doesn't let you.

"I've got him, old girl. You have my word."

Then it spikes up your arms and inner systems so fast, that last thing you hear is Hal's; "Sorry, folks. Look like we're having a few technical difficulties, and look at that! It's almost closing time. Thank you for that dramatic ending, Orange Dream. Jake, get him down to maintenance please."

You barely have time to think that he sounds a little smug.

You wake up in your room, stretched out in your chair with Captor elbow deep in your chest.
"You know OG." He says, as you tilt your head to figure out what the fuck he's doing. "I might not be your creator, but I do know what the fuck I'm doing."

You roll your eyes, even though you know he can't see past your sunglasses. "Dude, no you fucking don't."
"OG, thut the fuck up before I decide I'm capable of putting up with JE'th thit about you being out of commithion."

You snap your jaw shut, you didn't want to deal with Jake's bullshit.

"There." He pats your chest. "You're fine, but I don't know what that wath about. Maybe you thould take it eathy for a little while, jutht in cathe. Your model is ancient, no offense."

You are a lot offended, because you have an actual animal form, and none of the others do, so fuck him, you're like, 20% cooler. "Saying no offense doesn't make it not offensive, Captor."

"Gueth who doethn't care." He gets up and heads by the door. "By the way, CN wantth to thee you before he clockth out, I would love to tell him to fuck off for you."

He switches gears to a judgmental glare, "Dude, you have ithueth. You're, literally a robot."
Stupid fucking animal features, you know your tail has started going apeshit behind you, once you sit up and let it, and your ears have gone a soft kind of droopy, you can see the black tip of one in the corner of your eye.

"Okay, Okay, I'll let him in, jethuth."
"Don't judge me, Captor!" You shout after him as the door shuts.

You school your emotions when it opens again. You launch into Orange Dream typical banter when he walks in, because fuck you, you weren't excited, shut up!

"Did you come all this way to see little old me~?"
"Considerin' ya dropped like a fly, yeah. Hovw are ya feelin'?"

"Honestly?" You shrug, and run your claws through your hair, fucking it up royally. 

"I feel like I just got hit by a truck, and before you ask, Yes, I know how that feels and yes it was one of Ro-Lal's go Karts."

He laughs, actually breaks down into laughter. "All yer shit vworkin' right?"

You nod. "I mean yeah, except I feel like there's somethin' ain't right." You pause, maybe, no. "I'm probably just overanalyzin' myself, don't worry about it." You drawl. You'll be fine, he shouldn't have to worry about you.

"You're important, someone's gotta vworry. Because you sure fuckin' vwon't."

He boops your snout, and you jump, and feel all of the fur on your body stand up.
You gasp and cover your nose. "Hey!" 

Despite the fact that he is entirely correct, you scowl. 

He chuckles. "I knovw, I knovw, your snoot is not fer boopin', or vwhatewver. I'm glad you're okay."

You let it go. "I know. I am too. Go, clock out before midnight, we'll talk more later."

He pauses, "Hey, you hawven't seen a kid around here anyvwhere?"

You tilt your head. "No, I can't hear anythin'."

"Mm. Damn, does that heartbeat thing do the whole plex?"

"Just a regular fox's hearin' distance. For "authenticity"" You finger quote, and curse yourself

You shoo him off and he squeezes your shoulder. "Later, Orange Dream."

You find yourself sliding down your closed door and sighing like a love sick puppy, oh g o d you're p a t h e t i c.

Why are you liiiiike thiiiiis.........

Before you can fully delve into your crisis, your sensors pick up something.

Your ears swerve around to try and find the source of the sound.

It almost sounds like-

You sit up. There. A heartbeat, huh.

You turn your head to a table, covered in a table cloth.

Uhuh...

You don't get off the floor, you just delicately slide over to the table and very carefully lift up the cloth.

She screams.

So do you, you even jump backwards. 

..Okay.

"Lets try this again." You warn her this time.

And as you lift up the cloth the second time, she just blinks at you.

"Well. Hello there."

"...Hi."

You tilt your head. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Hiding." She mimics you.

"Hidin' from what?"

"The things that wanna get me."

Your head tilts to the other side. "My friends?"

"Mhm. And the security AI."

You frown. "Hal."

"Mhm! He's, really mean."

"Yeah." You sigh. "He is." You stare at this kid for a moment. "What's your name, Sugarcube?"

"Nadia."

"Well, Nadia. My name is Orange Dream. You can call me whatever you want though."

You scan the kid, she isn't on the guest list, strange.. You wonder if Cronus is still-

"Why do your friends have normal people names but you have a strange one?"

You pause. "I, well.. That's a little rude, but you've got a point so I'll allow it. It's because the company wanted something catchy, and not basic and boring, you feel me?"

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You shake your head violently.

"But anyways, let's get you outta here 'fore the doors close, it ain't safe for you, little lady."

"You can always ask me question in return."

"Okay... If my friends scare you, why don't I?"

You extend a paw for her to take, and she does, letting you help her out from under the table.

"You're, I don't know. Different. You don't want to give me to security."

Yeah, because you're not fucking stupid.

Damn things gone off the rails, thats not how you...

Focus.

"Yeah, because I know how that guy really is." You bend down, and offer your shoulders for her to sit on, easier to keep up with the little thing like this

"Oh, and just in case." You walk over to your desk, and swipe a pair of sunglasses off of it.

"Here. In case we get separated, and you need me." She blinks, and puts them on. 

TT: You can read, right?

"Woah!" She exclaims.

"Pretty cool right? The guy that built that shit was a genius."

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"Yeah! He sure was. This is actually super cool, there's so much stuff!"

"You play with that, I'll walk."

You're heading through the maintenance tunnels when you hear it the mechanic whirring of Hal's artificial body. Your ears can just barely pick it up.

"Shit fuck." You lift Nadia off of your shoulders, and set her on her feet. "Go. I'll catch up. I've marked out a route. You'll see it. Hurry, kid." You give her a gentle little shove. It doesn't take much for her to take off after that.

"Well. Hello, OD. Fancy meeting you down here, when you're supposed to be on lockdown for system maintenance."

"Why does literally everyone use a different initial for me? With you it's OD, with Captor and Pop-Rox it's OG, will you guys just pick one?"

"Because Orange Dream is literally ridiculous. You sound like a really shitty soda. Now, I've got a stray brat I need to find, and I don't need you causing anymore problems."

"Wow, thanks Hal, I am SO glad you care about my well being. Also, my soda flavor is fantastic, fuck you." 

"Get, OD."

You do skedaddle, because his security protocols are much stronger than yours are.  

TT: Nadia

TT: Hey, kid.

TT: Shit.

ND: Sh! I'm hiding!

TT: Okay, no don't talk, just think.

ND: Wait that's how these work?

TT: ....

TT: Where are you?

ND: I don't know. I'm in a barelle, hiding from the pink kitty.

TT: Ro-Lal.

TT: Alright I'm on my way.

If Roxy is tracking her, that means the doors are already shut and your friends get violent towards any trespassers. Curtesy of your favorite security AI.

Shit...

You sigh, and stretch your arms over your head.

Quadruped Protocol Engaged

It takes a long moment of plates and gears and inner workings to shift before you stretch your paws out in front of you and arch your back.

Oh you haven't used this in a long time, your thigh joints are sticking a little.

You'll work them out though, as you shake your self off and start sprinting through the tunnels

Though you're a lot smaller now, your paws still make very loud thunks against the metal.

You skid to a stop in the atrium, where you can see Ro-Lal pacing around a photo booth.

"Rox-Star!" You shout, and she stops her pacing to look over at you, where she quickly lights up.

"OMG! You're okay! C'mere you beautiful bastard!" 

"Roxy, Roxy no! Do not pick me up! Do not!" You scream and bitch and whine and even go through your database of actual pissed off fox noises when she doesn't even give you time to go back to being anthropomorphic. 

"You scared the hell out of us OG!" She presses her snout into the fur on between your shoulders, you are so uncomfortable.

"God fuck I'm OKAY put me DOWN!" 

She huffs and unceremoniously drops you.

You snap at her paw pads for good measure.

"Well, that means you can help us look for this kid! Hal says she's been causing trouble!"

You shake your head. "So he does. What'd she do anyway?"

"I dunno, you know how Hal is, the guy was created too potent if you ask me, but I don't wanna get scrapped."

"Yeah, me neither, so don't tell him you saw me okay? I gotta go so I don't get seen with you."

"Bye, OG. Be careful!"

You turn away from Ro-Lal and turn your attention to finding your kid, huh, your kid?

Okay, reel it in Orange Dream. Reel it the f u c k in.

TT: Where are you *now*?

ND: The bush, second floor, I can see you. At least I think that's you, you can *do* that?

You tilt your head up to look for her, and you can see her sticking a hand out of her bush to help.

TT: Yeah, I can do this, I just usually don't need to. 

TT: Hold on, I'm coming.

You bound up the stopped escalator and jump over the security barrier, when your land you have opposable thumbs again, and you can crouch behind that shrub. "Hey, kid."

She gasps. "You made it."

You laugh softly. "Sure did, now I can grantee a reaction like that from all my friends, but only once. Are the doors closed?"

She nods. "Yeah, just as I was about to walk through them."

"Shit, that means we're gonna need high security clearance like...."

"The AI?"

You nod. "...Like the AI. Or his hard drive, should be in what he uses as an office, but we're also gonna need higher clearance to get there.."

"Don't all you guys have high clearance?"

"Compared to guests yeah, but for staff and security, nah. We're gonna have to find security offices."

"What about that guard from your room?"

You cough. "Who? Cronus? I mean yeah he'd probably help but the problem is, all living staff has to be gone by midnight, or risk well.." You gesture. "Security. Whoever thought up this place took keeping the place safe way too far."

"Oh.. Well, it's at least possible."

"Possible yes, but extremely dangerous." 

"Oh..." She looks away.

"I, okay Nadia. I'm, I'm gonna help you. I know where Cro might have a jacket laying around. If I make myself known, then Hal will be tracking me and you, not just you. Meet me in the west arcade, and watch out for the DJ. Good kid, but I'm not exactly sure where his loyalties lie, or what Hal can and cannot do to him. Think you can make it? Remember, if you need me, I'll come running."

She ponders it for a long moment, and then nods. "I think I can."

"Sweet." You hold out your fist to her, and she gently bumps it. "Good luck, Nadia." 

Then you part.

You know it's better that Hal never see you together.

You fuck up your advantage against Jake by walking through the hall your bedrooms are on.

You feel the bark more than you hear it.

"Well I'll be damned! If it isn't our dearest Orange fox!" His tail is going apeshit, jostling his whole body as he wags it, he's cute as hell, past experiences be damned.

"Dude, I'm fine, chill. See?" You gesture at yourself. "Fine, metal ass still intact. Hair and tail still fluffy as sin. Look at me, don't you just wanna cuddle the fuck outta me?"

Jake snorts. "Humble as ever, love. But no, I don't mean about the little mishap on stage. I mean, Hal is rather feisty today, isn't he? I know you used to be close, the things the bloody prick says has to hurt."

You scoff. "Jakey, I don't really care what Hal thinks, or says, he might be head of security but he's just like us. Artificial intelligence that think they know better."

Jake's head tilts. "Why do I feel like you've said that before?"

Fuck shit.

You avoid giving him an answer and abscond, telling him to find the kid so Hal leaves you the hell alone.

It'll keep the dog in him busy for a while.

You meet up with Nadia in an elevator, heading to the west arcade. "Did you make it here okay?" You ask her.

She nods. "I did, yeah! I ran into the blue bird, but other than that..."

You hum. "Jane. She's, a lot. Did she hurt you?"

Nadia shakes her head, and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, she didn't catch me, just saw me."

"I don't know a lot about you, why are you here?"

"I was uh." She taps her foot and looks away. "It's gonna rain tonight, I was looking for a place to stay.

"Oh bless your little heart.." You reach over to set a hand on the top of her head. "I'll get you out of here."

The elevator doors open, but you pause, and keep your hand on Nadia's head, keeping her very still.

A crimson feather flutters through the door way.

"Dude!" You call into the dark and quiet arcade. "It's just me, you're fine!" The DJ was one jumpy motherfucker, he always has been.

Nadia squeaks and hides behind your leg when aforementioned DJ drops in front of you, losing a few more feathers in the process. "Hey Bro." He says, and shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "Hal told me about your system reboot, how are you feeling?"

You hold out a fist for him to knock his own against yours. "Dude, I'm fuckin' peachy."

He's the most human like out of all of you.

He grins. "Dude, your theme is oranges, not peaches, though you do have one fine, ass...." He trails off, and red eyes find Nadia, who is practically hiding in your tail.

"Oh shit, bro. Is that the kid everyone's throwin' a bitch fit about?"

If you had muscles they would've tensed.

He did say Hal told him about, shiiit...

But instead of doing anything drastic, he tilts his head, mimicking his bird body's sake. "What's your name, little lady? And how'd my guy here run across you."

Like Cronus, he refuses to use your actual name, except in very specific circumstances. Part of you fears that he knows, another tells you that it's not possible.

"Uhm, I'm Nadia, and I... needed help."

The DJ tilts his head, and then snorts. "Well alright then. I am at your service, what can I do for you?"

Yes!

His AI is strong enough to over ride Hal's influence.

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You steal yourself. "Alright, so you know how Cronus hangs out up here during lunch time when Rox and I are busy?"

The DJ raises an eyebrow, but nods.

"And you know how you're, like if a magpie and a crow had a kleptomaniac baby." You keep going.

"Ouch, but you're not wrong, go on."

"The doors are locked, and I need to get this little lady out of here before something bad happens, but I don't have the clearance and Hal has no mercy."

He stares at you, then at Nadia, then at you. "You assuming I'm willing to, A: Steal one of his stupid jackets and blame it on kid I didn't like, and B: Invade his privacy and dig through the pockets of aforementioned jacket that I DONT have." He pauses. "That or you're asking me to let you in the security office so you can grab a new one for yourself." His arms cross.

"Hard no on both, dude. Sorry. Keep the little lady in your room until six, is all I can tell you."

"Yeah, that won't work. If I do go to my room, he'll do routine checks and she's done for."

The DJ stares at you in silence while you stare back.

Then Nadia pipes up. "We won't tell him you have it if you help us, but if you don't, if I live through this, I'm gonna find him specifically to tell him."

The DJ bursts into laughter. "Well, shit. With blackmail like that, how can I say no? I like you kid." He stands up, and dusts off his legs.

"C'mon, and remember, I do not have any of these."

He directs you to a whole in the wall, and offers both his hands to Nadia. "C'mon, you first. My bro's gonna be harder to carry."

She does takes his hands, and with a beat of his well made wings, he's depositing her in his nest. "Alright you ne- Oh never mind, you're fine."

You just decided to use the quadruped systems in you, because the DJ's nest is small, and so must you be.

He's already sorting through piles of things, muttering shit like

"Roxy, Jake, Jake, Jane, Lighter, Steve, Carly, Sol,-" And so on.

He squawks happily and falls backwards. "Found it! Here!" He shoves it at you. "I just wear the thing, you invade his privacy."

You are okay with that for no reason you're going to get into. He sets it down so you can get your head into the pockets, and while you have the chance, you close your eyes and 'breathe'.

You can't actually breathe, but you have coolant systems that work the same way, and of course you have the five senses. Not normal in animatronics, but your creator had managed it, somehow.

Scent is what you're focusing on right now, because it smells like him in here.

After allowing yourself a moment, you focus, and turn your head to look around the pocket. 

Cigarettes, twenty bucks, lighter, switch blade.

You groan and struggle to remove your head from the pocket.

"Do you want me to go through the other one?" Nadia asks.

You shake your head. "Nope. This is a crime, sugarcube. I am not involving you in illegal activities."

"Bro, she's trespassing."

"That isn't her fault." You shove your head in the other pocket.

Keys, he probably needs those, a sucker, and

"Fuck yes, I found it. Thank you kleptomania."

"I am NOT a kleptomaniac. People just lose shit." The DJ's arms cross.

"Oh shut up-" You freeze.

You're ninety percent sure both Nadia and he can hear the way your gears grind to a halt, mimicking the way a human's breath would hitch.

"Dude, don't go supernova on us now, I am not here for another 'Oh so that's what this drug does to us' ordeal. Does he have drugs in there? And w h y do we react to drugs? We're not even biologizal"

You don't dignify him with a response. Your met with a photo of a man, with Topaz eyes not unlike your own, albeit glowing ones.

You snap your jaws around that key card and scramble with everything you have to get out of that jacket.

One of the DJ's wings extends in front of the entrance to keep you from tumbling out it.

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The DJ takes the key card from where you've dropped it to offer to Nadia. "He'll be fine." You hear distantly. "Just give him a second."

You are far too aware of how her garnet eyes take in your trembling form.

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"Dude?" The DJ tests, and your ear twitches.

"Yeah." He confirms, as Nadia takes the key card from him. "Give him a second."

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You spasm, and shake your head viciously. Trying to knock that stupid voice out of your head. You blink slowly, and look up at your kid and the DJ.

"There he is, so what next, dude?"

"We're gonna get up to Hal's place, and I'm gonna open the doors, and then we're home free."

"I'm home free." Nadia adds. "What about you?"

"Eh, I'll be fine. Hal will get over it." You paw at the DJ's wing, and he shifts it out of your way. "C'mon, lets go."

He gently deposits Nadia on the ground, before vanishing back into his nest, probably to see what has you so shaken.

"I don't have much time, get on."

"What?" Nadia asks.

"Oh my god, we need to get out of here before he saw what I saw. I don't know how he's going to react but he'll know it's m e, and that's bad."

"What did you see?!" You don't answer her, just gently thwack her with your tail, which is much softer than the rest of you, you're not aiming to give anyone a concussion.

She grumbles but climbs on your back, once you feel her fingers twist into your fur, you do what you were told, and you 

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The top floor is pretty easy to get to, having decided that you're not letting the kid out of your sight, fuck separating. Hal knows where you are.

All you hear is Nadia's heart beat and your metal paws hitting the tile.

So many things are shooting through your head your surprised your CPU doesn't combust.

You remember a roof, you remember pain, you remember your brother, you remember so many things

Cronus

Roxy

Jake

Jane

Dave

Hal

It's not like you didn't know. You did.

You're all dead as doornails.

But this kid, this poor little girl. 

Deserves better.

You slow to a walk, and let Nadia down when you know you're approaching Hal's office. You sincerely hope he's not there

You've gone back to your more, humanoid stature just in case.

Nadia holds the card to the scanner, and after a second, it flicks green, and you push open the door.

Your hopes are dashed of course, because there, lounging on top of his desk, is Hal himself.

"Well, Well, Well, look what the little fox dragged in. I should have known you'd help her. You've always had a soft spot for sad and broken children." He examine his nails. "This poor girl would be no exception."

Your ears twitch, and then pin back.

"And to think we were right when we thought no one would notice. Even the name, ah, fucking flawless." He wiggles his fingers with a sharp grin.

"Dead friends, fix them up with an anthropomorphic animal animatronic suit, and let them live their lives as ignorant popstars loved by all!" He holds up one finger. "Dead brother, model him after the birds he loved so much and give him the job he's always wanted!" A second one raises. "Make Me, a sentient AI who's only task is to keep said friends and brother and anyone else you decide to trap here, safe" A third finer raises. "And a fox for you, Sly, Mischievous, and cruel, just like you. These are your accomplishments."

"Hal, shut the fuck up and just let me let this kid-"

"I am not finished, Orange Dream." 

He hops down from his desk, and strides in front of it with his hands behind his back. "It's amazing how Cronus ended up working here, too. Same place where everyone you cared about was murdered, same place you died-" He pauses, and you primitively cringe. "Well, killed yourself and parked your ass in that thing. But the only one allowed to remember that they had a life before now is you, and you won't even tell them who you really are."

He swings around on his heel and bows to be at eye level with Nadia, and you protectively tug her closer to yourself.

"Sorry, I must be confusing you, dear. Let me explain. Your precious savior, is not just the friendly artificial intelligence you think he's programed to be."

Hal boops your snout, much like Cronus did a couple hours before, but he twirls away faster than you can bite his finger off.

"There, is a whole ass human dude, in there. Well, not whole ass as in, the corpse. I mean whole ass as in, the father of this CLUSTERFUCK of a brain child. Is standing." He leans real close to you. "Right." His head tilts. "In front." 

He laughs. "Of me."

You snarl, and he backs off. "See though, I've realized something, something substantial. My ENTIRE purpose is to keep the people YOU care about, safe, right? I am the ONLY thing that can handle all of your security measures at once." He clasps his hands together. "I have one small problem though." The lights on his sunglasses that make his eyes turn into slits, right at you.

"What's your problem?" Nadia asks, timidly.

Hal hums. "Well, it's quite simple really. Him."

You tense. "Oh come on, you are not falling into the 'AI turns on it's creator stereotype right now.'"

"Is it a stereotype if you're, actually, a bad person?"

"Okay, fine. I'll bite, why am I your problem."

"Because, after what you've done to get to this point, I'm not sure I can keep the people you care about most safe with you here, Dirk."

Nadia's eyes widen. "Dirk...? Like the-" 

Oh so she knows that much, greeeat...

"Guy who built everything here, or at least coded most of us. Yes!"

You take a deep breath, well, there goes your cover. Fine.

You reach up, and pull your shades from your face, holding them in one of your paws.

You stare at them, watch your eyes (the same colour maybe but not yours) blink back at you.

Then you sigh heavily and look up at Hal.

Then you close your fist, and watch the glass fall from it as you shake it out

Hal jumps backwards, and catches himself by holding an arm back to scramble back onto his desk.

You grin. "Oh I am so glad that still works on you."

TT: Get what I'm puttin' down, sugarcube?

ND: The sunglasses?

TT: Exactly, when I made Hal that body, I made a failsafe. Remove the shades, he's confided to them, break them, break Auto Responder, Hal's most basic function.

TT: Between you and me we might be able to grab them.

ND: Dirk, you seem, nervous.

TT: When I died I handed control over to Hal. Do *not* allow me to hurt you, Nadia. Do you understand?

ND: I do.

TT: Good. Break.

Of course you don't have a good defense, because when Hal tells you 'Down Boy' There's red hot pain from the tip of your tail to the tips of your ears, and you have no choice but to drop to your knees.

Then, your presented with a choice, in bright yellow

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. . .

TA: Wow. DV wa2 riight, your 2hiit fuckiing 2uck2. What ii2 thii2 gliitchy bull2hit.

AR: What?

TA: Lol II wa2n't talkiing two you AR plea2e don't iinterrupt. IIt'2 fuckiing rude.

TG: hella rude and before you ask yes i steal more than shiny shit and hot dude's clothes, i sometimes steal their cell phones too, and sol ain't a hard guy to find. also the west arcade gets fucking wifi did yall know that? and if you did why did no one tell me

TA: *DV.* 2eriiou2ly. II don't need your help. Al2o no one told you becau2e you haviing 2ociial media would get thii2 place clo2ed in 2econd2, and a2 iin2ufferable a2 you guy2 are, II LIKE my job.

TG: aight you've got a point. sorry, do your thing.

TA: No, he'2 not a2 2tupiid a2 he want2 you two thiink.
Anyway, II thought you were D2 from the 2tart, but II wa2 never 2ure, but lookiing at your code now, II don't know how II diidn't notiice. Let me ju2t 

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TA: There. You're free D2 go ham.

AR: Captor ex machina. Clever.

TA: Well, techiincally, AR, iit'2 CN Ex Machiina. Your door2 2uck two. DV 2ay2 look up.

You and Hal turn your heads turn upwards, to the cat walk above your heads, and there leans Cronus Ampora.

TA: Now, II'm going the FUCK back to bed before ED and KK fliip their 2hiit becau2e II 'left' them. Don't die D2.

TG: tell karkat i said hi.

TA: DV that ii2 the wor2t iidea you've ever had. II'm out.

You freeze, because Cro's got his cellphone in his hands, and your fantastic eyesight can spot the yellow text. How much of that did he hear-

Then you decide it doesn't matter, because he holds up his other hand. "Catch, Citrus."

And then your katana is hitting the floor at Nadia's feet.

She's quick to stomp on the blade, so it flings up.

You pounce to catch it mid air.

Hal steps backwards, and looks momentarily afraid.

"Watch that shoulder, Dirk."

You laugh. "Yeah, I made that shit impervious when I built this animatronic!"

Hal is bent over backwards on his desk, arm held over his face, with your blade very deep in the metal of it.

Your ears are pinned back to your head with the effort your exerting.

You've got a few scrapes and paint chips yourself, but it'll be fine. You'll fix them yourself, you owe Captor one.

"Stand down, Hal."

He doesn't get a chance to answer, because the little lady is hopping up on the desk behind him and taking his shades.

As you coded, his body goes limp.

"NO. THIS IS NOT FAIR."

"Life, isn't fair." Hisses Nadia.

You're starting to think she's been around here longer than you thought, and Hal's been giving her way more shit than you thought too.

You don't even bother to free the blade from the android, and move over to her.

"Give him here, please." You crouch down in front of him.

"No, no, no don't. Do not give me to him. He's gonna KILL me."

You roll your eyes. "No, I'm not. There's a problem with AI like you, you usually start to over analyze your directive. We're gonna work on it."

Nadia pauses. "Promise you're not gonna hurt him?"

"I can promise I won't kill him." You say.

She stares at you for a long second, before offering you the sunglasses. "Good enough."

"No, nononono wait, wait-"

"Hal, you are a fuckin' drama queen, calm down." You set him delicately on your muzzle. "Now shut up, I'll get back to you in a little bit." 

Then you smile at your kid, and ruffle her hair. "I know I was meant to help you and keep you safe, but you've been a big help today, Nadia."

Her eyes close, and she grins, and presses her head into your paw. "Maybe you should talk to them... Maybe they'll understand."

You look up again.

He's gone now, but he did come running..

Your ears droop down.

Dave clearly felt some sympathy so maybe...

"Maybe you're right." You force yourself to perk up again. "I'll think about it.. Now, let's get you the fuck outta here, yeah?"

She giggles. "Yeah!"

She seems a little fidgety, when you approach the doors.

"Dirk?" She asks, and you blink down at her. 

"Yeah?"

"I, just wanna say this out loud but, despite almost dying a lot, and uh, finding out the backstory of this place, I... I think it was the best night of my life."

You crouch in front of her, and you can see the sun rising behind her.

"Tell ya what, when I get shit sorted out, trust me, you'll know when I do, come back. I'd rather make sure I put a rest to all of Hal's violent tendencies before I let you stay."

Her garnet eyes light up. "I can stay?!"

"Mhm, but, you need somewhere else to stay while I handle my problems..." You snap your fingers. "Got it. Still got those glasses I gave you?"

"Oh! I do!"

"Okay, I'm gonna update them with a town map. See it?"

"Uhuh."

"Go to that house right there. Ask for Kankri Vantas. Tell him Topaz sent you. He'll know what it means."

She jumps up to get her arms around your neck and squeeze you tight. "Thank you, Dirk." She whispers in your ear.

You smile, and press your nose against her forehead. "Now go."

As she turns to leave, you sense a heartbeat behind you, and you tense, but you can hear your tail swishing on the carpet behind you.

Damn it, tail.

"Hey, kid!" You look up in time to catch the wad of cash thrown, and you offer it to her.

"Take a taxi or somefin', much better than the vwalk. Also, vwhen I go see him later, I vwant my knife back. Dawve says you took it."

She takes it from your paws, grins at the man behind you, nods, and then takes your paw in her tiny hand and squeezes it, before running out the doors.

It's quiet for a while, and you are not going to turn around.

"Yer tail's goin' insane."

"It always does for you."

"Hawve you alvways been this happy ta see me?"

You laugh, softly. "Maybe."

".... I'm sorry, Cro....."

"You'wve alvways been owverdramatic. I feel like I shoulda expected it. And fuckin' noticed, Orange Dream? Come on, Dirk. You can do betta."

"It is not my fault you didn't notice my obvious naming choices. And, Citrus was way more obvious, Hal barely let me live down Orange Dream I only have so many Cronus centric nicknames to choose from that you wouldn't pick up, fuckin' immediately."

"It vwas reely fuckin' obvious, isn't it-? You evwen call Roxy shit like Pop-Rox and Rox-Star. Like ya did vwith the actual Roxy."

You stare. 

Hal stares

Cronus stares. 

"Fer the lowve 'a all that is holy do NOT tell me that's the actual Roxy."

"Okay, I won't tell you it's the actual Roxy." You start.

"Okay I'll tell him, it's the actual Roxy, and Jane, and Jake, and Dave."

Hal quips, and you cringe.

"Everything Hal said was true." You agree, and reach up to scratch at one of your ears, trying hard to ignore the fact that they're pinning against your head because your anxiety is spiking. "So." You stand, and finally turn to him. "Now you know what happened to me, you aren't obligated to stay, and I know it's me, but now you know what this is, really, and I wouldn't want to be here, so...." You start to walk past.

"Citrus!" He calls from behind you, and you pause and look over your shoulder.

"Ya literally just halwved your security detail! I'm not goin' ANYVWHERE! I betta see yer ass Monday, you hear me? VWE. ARE. TALKIN." He shouts as he backs out the front doors

You just grin at him and keep walking.

Yeah.

You decide.

Yeah he fucking will.

Hal informs you that he's shown them pictures of themselves when they were alive (sans Dave who's known for as long as he's been around, somehow) and you're fucked and he hopes your not mad

You, are kind of mad.

It means they're emotions are going to be on high and you might actually need Captor for repairs.

Silence falls when you step foot on the main stage.

Dave stops his sentence mid word.

Jane's hands move to her hips, feathers ruffling.

You watch Jake's tail curl around one of his legs.

Roxy just stares at you.

Okay, you expected hostility, not, judgement.

"You've got a lot of nerve Stri-"

Jake doesn't get to finish before there's a low mrow from Roxy, and she's throwing herself at you and she manages to pinyour paws down on either side of your head.

You are prepared to get absolutely mauled, but she's grinning at you. "Hey, D-Stri." She says, and nuzzles up under your chin, her motors running Akin to a cats purr, as she lets you go to nestle against you.

"Hey, Ro-Lal." You place a hand in between her ears, and she purrs even louder if at all possible.

"Okay." Dave says. "I know we're all mad about the whole bein' kept in the dark since we died thing." He holds up a hand. "But, I have to admit, the quick thinking and borderline Necromancy did give us more time." His eyebrows raise, no one picks up on the joke, except you, but now is not the time.

Jake and Jane look at each other.

"I mean, it is bonafide genius. I can get what he was trying to do, if he went about it all wrong." He shrugs.

Jane pauses to think about it, then she softens. "Well, even if it was a little cruel in the long run, I suppose it's the thought that counts. We did die rather gruesomely."

"Whatever happened to our assailant?" Jake asks.

Dave mimics something falling off a  high place and then exploding on impact.

Jane stares at him and blinks slowly.

Dave deadpans. "Last thing I saw was Dirk drop kicking him off the roof." He does the hand gesture again, then flicks his wrists in a 'duh' kind of movement.

"Now the bigger question. How did you die?" Roxy asks, and you sigh, and run a paw down your face.

"I was stupid, and my emotions were high, and I wasn't thinking and-" You slice a hand across your neck and tilt your head back and hope they get the picture.

Jane recoils.

Jake flinches.

Roxy's grip tightens on you.

and Dave's hand connects with his face so hard you're sure Kanaya can hear it from the daycare (which is open every day despite the face that you're only open to the public on weekdays. You understand working parents okay)

"I know, I know, Dirk's suicidal bullshit causing all of us problems bla bla bla." You grumble, and press your nose into Roxy's fur. "Oh no we're technically alive again how tragic."

Roxy punches you for this, and the metal clang makes Dave cringe.

Jake tilts his head back. "I think we can work this out."

"Absolutely, I mean, you wanted forever Mr. Strider, and now you've got it."

"With us." Roxy purrs

"All four of us." Dave adds.

"Uh, can we make it work with a kid, because I might have adopted a kid."

Jake sighs. "She dropped a bookshelf on my tail you know."

"And she broke my good wine glasses!!!"

"And ate one of my one of a kind display cakes!!!"

You all stop to stare at Dave when he chirps and holds up a dangly earring. "Okay, if y'all don't want her, can I keep her? Look! She gave me a shiny!"

"She also stole one of your lighters."

"WHAT?!" He squawks, and looks utterly betrayed.

You fall into laughter first, followed by Roxy, then Jake and then Jane.

Yeah, you know what?

okay.

Maybe this will work.