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Laughter bounced off the walls and through the various tunnels of the jungle gyms. The children were playing tag, and not a single one of them was still. Blurs of children over the squishy play mats and zooming through tunnels and slides. But now, no one knew who was it anymore, but they were having fun. Nap time would be easy today. Sun took advantage of their excitement to watch from a short distance.
It was nearly lunchtime, and he was setting plates for everyone with cans of fizzy faz to drink. Placing them so kids would get their favourite flavours when they sat down. He wished they’d give him something other than sodas and greasy leftover burgers and pizzas, but at least the children never had to go hungry when they were here. And sometimes, some of the humans would sneak in better treats for the kids. They loved getting to make their own veggie art. He and Moon always appreciated that. They hadn’t done that in a while though, most of the humans avoided the daycare now, since the incident.
Moon hadn’t meant to hurt anyone. Face recognition didn’t work in the dark, he had said. Not that it had ever been a problem before. Was just trying to protect the children from strangers. Poor thing had to be sent home early, Freddy had told them. Though Sun was sure he saw red and blue lights flashing down the hall when the lights were turned back on. No one was allowed in the daycare for naptime now.
After finishing setting the tiny tables, Sun was about to call to the children when he heard the large wooden door open with a groan. Odd, he should have been notified if a parent was coming. Maybe the internet was down again. That was fine, he could handle it! Turning around to greet them, he raised a hand high and stopped. That wasn’t a parent, or at least not to one of his kids.
They looked like a mechanic. Just not one he’d ever met. They had dark and wild curls tightly bound and hanging over their shoulder. It was the Freddy Fazbear jumpsuit, even if it was a little big on them. The legs were rolled up enough to be bulky. It was awful dirty too. So they couldn’t be new, right?
“Moon?” Asked Sun silently.
“I don’t know them either,” whispered Moon in their head. Moon was more alert as they both watched them come in. Something that put Sun on edge. If Moon was worried, that was a bad sign.
The partial greeting didn’t seem to stop them as they walked up to Sun. Sitting down a toolbox that looked too big for them to carry as easily as they did, they tilted their head up to look at the giant animatronic. Even in the light, their eyes were dark against olive skin with a hooked nose that dominated their face. “Hey there, big guy! You must be Sun. I’m Orion, your new mechanic!”
Sun tilted his head, one way and then the other as he took them in. Orion’s shoulders were relaxed, calm. He loved new friends! But this new friend was a stranger first. And possibly a danger.
“Hello, new friend! No one told us we would be getting a new mechanic! Let alone one of our very own.” He clasped his hands together, trying to look more friendly than worried. “Your uniform doesn’t look new though. I’m sorry, but you’re not in our registry yet. Are you sure you’re supposed to be here?”
Instead of looking put off, Orion laughed. “Right right. They said they were having trouble. Couldn’t get me my uniform yet either.” They tugged at the one they were wearing. “I’m hoping the borrowed one’s been washed, but it doesn’t look it.” Digging into their toolbox again, Orion pulled out their badge. It was a standard badge with a name on it and a barcode on the back. The front said Orion with little stickers along the side, making up the constellation. The Freddy Fazbear head and tophat silhouetted on the background.
A barcode that Sun scanned. Sure enough, all of their information flooded through and he and Moon took their time to memorize it. It’d be updated shortly for easy access, but why wait to search when they could know at a glance?
“There you are!” Sun all but sang. “You’re very very new, new friend. They must really like you.”
Orion laughed again. “I like to think so at least! That’s alright. Pretty excited to get to work.” They finally looked past Sun and to all the children that had stopped playing to gather around and watch the stranger walk in. They grinned widely and waved at them.
Sun didn’t have to look to know, his smile somehow wider, and his shoulders slumped a little. “It’s rude to stare, everyone! Randy, Adri? Can you help everyone get sat down for lunch please?”
There was a gasp and a scramble behind him. Glancing back, Sun laughed quietly. While Adri would walk the others over making sure everyone was seated and comfortable, Randy looked more like a sheepdog chasing after wayward sheep as some of them tried to sneak off to play some more. Sun sighed when he threatened to bite ankles. “Randy, what did we say about eating our friends hands?”
“No cannibalism in the daycare,” he cheered as he got a little girl with a yellow backpack in her seat.
Turning back to Orion, Sun tried to look reassuring. Not that they looked put off at the display. “Apologies! We don’t get new people in the daycare much. Everyone loves making new friends! Though I’m not sure what you can do for us today, Orion. We aren’t scheduled for maintenance today. And not here.”
Tipping their hat at the kids, they laughed brightly at how they ran about, eventually making it into seats to eat lunch. “That’s a very good question. Suppose, I can give ya a once over while they eat?” They offered. “Management just told me I was supposed to stay in the daycare with you.”
“Reassuring,” muttered Moon, and Sun quietly chided him.
“They’re doing their best!” They both knew how ‘helpful’ management could be at times. Most of the time. Though the idea of getting looked at with the children around made them both uneasy. The children shouldn’t see them like that. Parts missing or hanging off. “Maybe when they go home?” He offered.
Orion tilted their head a little before glancing back at the kids. They were eating, but most of them were watching the pair. Something seemed to click, and they gave Sun a fond smile. “I gotcha. I think I’m here late enough. I’ll just keep an eye on you in case you need anything,” they said with a wink before lifting up the large toolbox. “Is there somewhere I can put this? Don’t want the kids to trip or something.”
And just like that, Sun was back to himself and clapped his hands in front of his chest. “Of course! This way, this way!” he happily cheered and guided his new friend over to the security desk. “Children aren’t allowed back here, so it’s safe! And you can sit here too!”
While Orion sat the toolbox down, Sun watched as they familiarized themselves with the desk a little. Not that there was much on it anymore. A few old notes and a signed picture from Roxy, back when she was new. Humans never stayed long as help. At least not in the daycare. So they stopped bringing them in. No point in paying humans that never learned enough to help.
“Don’t get attached,” warned Moon. “They’ll be gone before too long.”
“Maybe this one is different. They haven’t called the kids anything nasty yet.” Not the highest bar, but important none the less. They’d both chased out workers who got easily annoyed with kids and their million questions. Sun giggled when Moon grumbled.
“You good, Sun? Remember a good joke?” Orion was sitting in the security chair now, leaning too far back. One leg crossed over the other and their arms behind their head. Somewhere between lounging and playful.
“Just giggling at Moon,” he explained, easily enough. “Be careful, or you’ll fall over.”
“Moon?” They looked around, still tipped too far back. “I don’t see another one around here. Do you guys Bluetooth?”
Another laugh. “No, he’s in here!” Sun tapped the side of his head. When Orion still looked confused he heard Moon sigh. They never explain how they worked. Which did them no favours when trying to get people to like them. “Moon and I share a body. He takes care of the children for nap time, and I take care of them the rest of the time!”
Orion sat in silence for a brief moment, gently rocking as they seemed to think that over. “Huh. That doesn’t seem very faaaaair!” They yelped when they finally toppled over and crashed into the only place in the daycare without protective padding.
"Orion!" Yelped Sun as he hurried over to check on him. "I warned you. Are you alright?" Kneeling down, Sun hovered a moment before taking an outstretched hand to pull them back up to their feet.
Getting back up with Sun's help, Orion rubbed the back of their head. "Yeah. My bad. That's what I get, huh?" They laughed as they righted the chair.
"I did warn you," repeated Sun. "You won't be able to look us over if you go and give yourself a concussion on your first day!"
A small child with fluffy brown hair and a light blue dress ran around the desk, standing at the very edge of the playmat, interrupting Orion’s thoughts. Looking at Orion, they suddenly pointed a fairy wand at them. "Un guard!" They shouted.
"I don't think that's a fairy spell Itzy." Sun tried to gently redirect as Orion raised their hands, pretending to look afraid.
"It's not! I'm going to fight them!" They yelled, pointing the makeshift sword at Orion harder, trying to reach. They were ready for a fight, but there was at least one rule the kids didn't break.
Laughing, Orion stepped over, just out of reach. Lowering their arms, they put them on their hips. "That's not very fair. I don't have something to defend myself with.”
Itzy stopped to stare at Orion in defiance for a brief moment before they suddenly ran off.
“Huh. Guess that was the wrong answer?” They looked to Sun, grinning. Only to miss another wand coming flying at their head. Right where they had hit the ground. “Ow!” Fumbling to catch it, Orion looked at it curiously before glancing up to see Itzy back at the edge of the desk.
“Now fight me!” They yelled, pointing the wand at them again.
Orion gave Sun an amused look before brandishing their weapon. "Alright! En garde, you rapscallion," they laughed as they rushed and dodged around Itzy, who swatted at their legs.
The two went back and forth. Orion easily parried Itzy, but always let them do the same. Itzy would charge at them, narrowly missing Orion’s pants as they jumped out of the way. Orion would jab at them clumsily so Itzy could knock the offending ‘sword’ away. If Orion ever accidentally hit, they never mentioned it. They kept the game going as they went across the room. Orion laughed and begged Itzy to go easy on them, Itzy only seemed to swing harder.
Itzy grinned but kept attacking, again and again, slowly backing Orion to the ball pit without giving it away. They weaved through the tables and Orion barely managed to dodge them as they tripped over toys.
When they were at the edge, Itzy suddenly dropped their imaginary sword. "Now!" They screamed, and a wave of children suddenly swelled and surged at Orion seeming to appear from thin air.
They hardly had time to scream before tumbling back into the ball pit. Colourful balls splashed and rained down around them as the kids sunk them into the bottom with laughter and war cries
Laughing, they struggled to get upright. "No fair! I don't stand a chance," laughed Orion, finally breaking to the surface with a dramatic gasp.
"War is never fair," explained Itzy with a cheeky grin. Clearly proud of themselves for besting a grownup.
"Yeah!” Cheered a little girl in pink, grinning like mad. "We always win."
"Now, is that how we treat our new friend, Orion?" Sun gently scolded as he came over to help Orion out of the ball pit and back onto their feet. He stalled when there was a chorus of yeses. Sun sighed. At least it was meant to be affectionate? Maybe.
Once Orion was on their feet again, they were surrounded by children. They all looked up at their new friend, though some were more glaring. One had an old Marionette doll and tugged on their sleeve.
"Why did your mommy name you Orion?”
They looked put off at the question for half a second before grinning. "We don't talk about what my mom named me. I named myself!" Orion said quite proudly.
Which led to gasping and shock. "You can do that?" Asked another with long hair and a little pointed hat.
"You can!" They explained proudly. "But you normally have to wait until you're an adult to do it."
Which led to a mass pouting and someone crying they wanted to be called Link.
Sun hung his head with a small chuckle. "Like Orion said, you have to wait. Can you guys keep your names for a little longer?" He asked. There were complaints, but over all, they agreed. Not that it seemed they had a choice. Though a few promised to start calling kids new names. Something Sun knew was going to get confusing by nap time.
Orion laughed and knelt down a little. “You can always practice! It takes a long time to change your name, so you have to pick something really good!”
Smiling down at Orion, he patted their back. Sun didn't think they needed a new mechanic. But he was happy to have a new friend in the daycare.