Chapter Text
“Thank you, I hope you find the help you're looking for,” they said, hanging up and slumping forward onto their desk with a sigh.
‘Great… Another bust.’ Glancing at their phone to check the time, they thought, ‘Eddie still has a few hours of school left… I could pick up take-out before I pick them up.’
Sighing again, they lazily pulled themselves out of their slump and prepared to head out. As they moved through the simple apartment they had been renting for the past couple of years, their thoughts drifted to how they ended up here.
After their father was finally convicted, Ash Ricordo claimed custody of their six-year-old sibling, Eddie. Quickly moving as far as they could afford, they tried to start a new life. Hopping from job to job while simultaneously finishing school and raising their younger sibling, they scraped by.
Now that they had completed their schooling and Eddie was eight years old, they needed a better job to put that degree to use.
‘If only someone would hire me,’ they mused.
Returning to the present, they slipped on their shoes, grabbed their keys and headphones, and set off in search of some easy food for the evening.
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The world is loud around them as they step out of their car, glancing at the shops nearby.
‘What to eat…’ they wondered, spotting a good burger place down the way. Deciding that a greasy meal would be a comforting antidote to yet another denied application, they headed toward the store.
As they walked, they took in the world around them: ladies chatting about their evening plans, kids badgering their parents for the tempting foods from nearby stores, people walking dogs, and everyone generally enjoying the day.
Smiling at the energy of the day, they quickly entered the store and joined the short line to order. ‘Eddie probably wants rootbeer for their drink. Should I order it here or just pick one up at a gas station?’ they mused, contemplating their order as another pair entered the store and lined up behind them.
“Did you hear about the Pizzaplex? I heard they are finally looking for some human staff!” The person said to their companion.
"About time, too," their friend replied. "All those bots freak everyone out. My son, Kyle, can’t sleep without a nightlight because of that creepy Daycare Attendant. And don’t get me started on those weird mannequin-like ones everywhere in that damn place!"
“Yeah, the S.T.A.F.F. bots, they all look the same and just kind of stare at you,” the first person paused, presumably shivering. “I think they are still having the S.T.A.F.F. do cleaning and most of the behind-the-scenes stuff, but the job listing they're advertising focuses on customer service and managing the tech and bots at the location.”
His companion laughed, “Why would they need people to manage the bots? Don’t they just power off for the night?”
The friend chuckled. “I don’t know, man, I just heard talk about it. The Fazbear franchise has really grown since we were kids. Now they're trying to be entirely run by robots. I honestly think the owners have been a fake out this whole time, and the real mastermind behind the company is some AI bent on world domination or something!"
Chuckling, they moved on to another topic, leaving Ash to ponder. ‘The Pizzaplex?’ Since its opening, the Pizzaplex had become a huge hit, mostly self-operated with minimal human staff and occasional mechanics. The evolution from the old, musty animatronics of their childhood to the sleek Glamrock models was astounding. Fazbear Inc. had made impressive strides in engineering and coding over the years, and the Pizzaplex was now the pinnacle of children's entertainment.
‘It wouldn’t hurt to check out that job listing,’ Ash thought, stepping forward to order at the counter, a bit clumsily.
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With their headphones now resting around their neck, they sat in their car, waiting for their sibling. ‘What will I do when summer comes around?’ Ash pondered, relieved to see Eddie approaching with a lively bounce in his step.
Eddie swung open the car door with a bright greeting. “Ash!!! Guess what happened today!” They dropped their bag into the car and continued without waiting for a response. “Noah’s birthday was today, and his mom bought Glamrock-themed cupcakes for him to share! I got a Monty ring from my cupcake, and Noah invited us to his party!” Eddie rambled excitedly as they settled into their seat, buckled up, and rummaged through his bag for coloring supplies for the drive back to the apartment.
With a chuckle at Eddie’s infectious enthusiasm, Ash answered the unspoken question, “We can try to go to Noah’s party. Did you get an invitation with the details?” They leaned back in their seat to fully face their sibling. The warm afternoon sun filtered through the car windows, casting a gentle glow around them.
Eddie's eyes widened with a nod, digging through his bag for the invitation. "Yep, got it right here!" They pulled out a brightly colored card adorned with balloons and confetti, waving it excitedly before handing it over. "It's next Friday, after school lets out for the summer!"
Ash took the invitation, scanning the details. ‘Huh, what a coincidence.' The party was being held at the Pizzaplex. “We can definitely try to go to your friend's party. It would be a great way to kick off the summer.”
Eddie grinned, having found his sketchbook and now doodling something fun and whimsical in it. “Definitely! I wonder if we’ll get to see the Glamrocks up close! I really want to hang out with Monty!!!”
With the excitement of the party plans settling into a comfortable anticipation, Ash glanced over at Eddie, who was now meticulously adding vibrant colors to their sketch. “By the way,” Ash began, “I picked up dinner earlier today, so we’re all set for tonight.”
Eddie gasped in delight, “Really! What did you get? Pizza? Burgers? Chicken nuggets?!”
Laughing at their younger sibling's joyful excitement, Ash started the car to finally begin the drive home.
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The siblings sat at their small dinner table, the wrapper remnants of their meal pushed to the side. Eddie, now begrudgingly working through their times tables, occasionally sighed dramatically and shot glances at Ash, who was now absorbed in a focused search on their laptop.
Ash navigated to the Fazbear Pizzaplex’s website, hoping to find a job listing that could finally utilize their degree. Their eyes scanned the sparse offerings: a position for an animatronic handler, a few customer service roles, some daytime security positions, and then, buried among them, an onsite mechanic job. The only opening of its kind.
"No fucking way," Ash muttered under their breath, sitting up further.
Eddie looked up from their homework, curious at the sudden curse and sharp change in Ash's demeanor. "What is it, Ash?"
The webpage loaded, revealing an overview of responsibilities. As a mechanic, Ash would be tasked with maintaining and repairing the machinery that powered the Pizzaplex and conduct tuneups and basic maintenance on the animatronics. But there was more to the role than just mechanics; it hinted at additional duties that might include filling in as needed in other operational areas. The scheduling mentioned the requirement for graveyard shifts and on-call availability during the day.
‘Graveyard shifts and on-call...’ Ash mused, weighing the implications. It was far from the ideal schedule, but considering their current job prospects and the upcoming summer, it seemed like a golden opportunity. They glanced at Eddie, who had moved on after his sibling’s silence and was now deeply focused on their homework, occasional mutters of numbers drifting across the table.
Leaning back in their chair, Ash weighed the pros and cons. This job could be their ticket to stability, a chance to prove themselves beyond odd jobs and temporary gigs. With a deep breath, they began drafting their application,listing their experiences and skills that have been honed over years of managing everything from cash registers to customer complaints. This was a chance to utilize their skills and secure a better future for themselves and Eddie. But first, they had to wait. The anticipation already began to gnaw at them as they closed the laptop.
Glancing at Eddie, who had now moved on to doodling in the margins of their math workbook, Ash couldn't help but smile. The thought of potentially being able to provide more for their sibling filled them with determination.
"Hey Eddie," Ash said, breaking the silence, "remember Noah's party next Friday? We might have some exciting news to celebrate by then."
Eddie looked up, curiosity sparkling in their eyes. "Oh yeah? Did you find something?"
Ash nodded, keeping their tone optimistic and wobble free. "I applied for a job at the Pizzaplex. A mechanic position. It could be a good opportunity for us."
Eddie's face lit up with excitement, their earlier math related frustrations momentarily forgotten. "That's awesome, Ash! You'll be amazing at it, and maybe we'll get to hang out with Monty after all!"
Ash chuckled, grateful for Eddie's unwavering support. "Let's hope so. For now, let's finish up here and maybe we can relax a bit before bedtime."
With renewed determination and a sense of possibility in the air, the siblings finished their evening routine. Ash couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to change, and perhaps, finally, for the better.