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Summer wasn’t your favorite season normally, but you loathed it especially with the sweltering heat wave that was today. Currently you were on a walk towards the beach with your best friend Vanessa. It was what she wanted to do today and you absolutely had to say yes.
You’ve been best friends since college, you were a robotics engineering major and she was going to go into computer science, but she ended up dropping out halfway through your schooling. You never held it against her though.
Last thing you knew she was doing was working at that Freddy’s Pizzaplex, but then suddenly she ghosted you. When you did see her she was strange. Quiet and avoiding your gaze. Seemed like she had been shutting herself away in her home except to work long nights as security staff.
That was until the place burned down. The day after it was like a fog had lifted from her and she snapped out of a trance. Suddenly she called you apologizing and trying to explain, but she wasn’t sure what really happened herself. Of course you easily forgave her, she was your best friend after all. That’s what led you today.
Your swimsuit was already sticking to your plump sides and you desperately wanted to be in the water already. Vanessa looked over sympathetically and smiled. “Hey we’re almost there!” You happily run and bound onto the sand. Ignoring the way the sand started to scorch between your toes. Vanessa barks out a hearty laugh as she scouts out a good spot not too far from the shore.
Once you both get your things settled, you all but dove into the water, instantly cooling you off. Not a moment later Vanessa splashed in behind you. You smirk and splash her back. This however was a horrible idea because you knew Vanessa did not like to lose. This instant turns into a full out war between the two of you.
You couldn’t help but laugh at the antics, but unfortunately you laughed at the wrong time. Salty sea water splashed down your throat causing you to hack up your lungs. “Sh-shit sorry y/n!!!!” Vanessa was quickly at your side, patting your back gently. After a few more coughs you regain yourself, then splash her in the face before running out of the water up onto the shore.
“Get back here coward!!!!” You could hear her shouting behind you. Your grin wider and your laughter louder than it’s been in a long time. The rest of the beach day was lovely. You both built a beautiful large sandcastle with its own moat, then ate some lunch you packed. Beach sandwiches along with an assortment of fruit, you mostly ate your favorite.
After a little more swimming you spot an ice cream truck, you badly wanted one, you couldn’t help eyeing down the colorful truck. Though you would wait to see if Vanessa said something first.
It wasn’t really that your weight bothered you. You were on the more heavy and round side, but you exercised and ate a balanced diet! Weight loss just didn’t come as easy. Now none of that really bothered you on a normal daily basis, it was when other people were involved was the issue.
You sighed, already imagining the looks you’d get if you walked up alone. The comments people make under their breath that they think you can’t hear. No you were trying to have a good day with your best friend, and you weren’t dealing with any of that. So you’d go without it.
As you regain your thoughts you find Vanessa staring back at you. “Hey wanna go get some ice cream?” She was smiling softly, as if she had just read your mind. Her best friend's intuition is just like that. You tear up slightly. The two of you enjoy your treat together before you wrap up the little beach adventure.
She had met you at your home, then you both took your car from there. The drive home was full of a familiar and comfortable silence. You turn into your driveway and as you both step on the porch you find a pile of letters right in front of the door. Your frown and pick them up, all past due notices. Vanessa tried not to be nosy but she definitely noticed.
“If I knew you were struggling so much I would have bought your ice cream.” She tried her hardest to crack a joke to lift your mood, but it only made the tears fall faster.
“Shit sorry bad timing! Hey it’s gonna be ok! I promise” She places a gentle hand on your shoulders. You sniffle and wipe your eyes. Nodding slightly
Luckily there’s no mortgage or rent thanks to your grandparents leaving you their old home. That still doesn’t mean you don’t have a plethora of other bills left unpaid. Not to mention your student debt.
“What am I going to do Vanessa?” Your voice barely a whisper.
“I’m…I’m not sure….my buddies have told me a few times when they’ve been super strapped for cash they’ve found some decent finds at the dump. That one right out of town?”
You grimace as you think about being knee deep in filth and broken rubbish.
“Isn’t that super illegal?”
“Not if you get caught” Vanessa shrugs.
Your frown deepened and after a moment you sigh softly.
“It’ll be ok Ness…I’ll figure something out” Your smile not fully convincing, but she decides to let the matter drop.
“I’m gonna head home…if you ever need to talk though I’m here for you ok?”
She pulls you into a deep embrace which you happily return, then wave as you watch her car drive off. You turn back into your home and peel off the slightly wet bathing suit and dump it in your hamper.
After getting clean and into the pajamas suddenly you were very tired. You lay in your bed and stare at the ceiling. Your thoughts absolutely spiraling as you try to come up with any ideas of what to do to make some extra cash. Then your mind returns to Vanessa’s buddies…
Could you really break in and rob a dump? You did have a lot of experience with repairing technology, if you could find a few decent appliances that could help pay off a bill or two….
Before you can talk yourself out of it you decide you are gonna go dumpster diving. You throw yourself out of bed and dress yourself with thick dark clothing, then grab a couple tools. After a few deep breaths you get in your car and go.
The drive to the dump was uneventful, but the close you got the anxiety gnawed deeper in your stomach. It was late at night, the moon only half full, and the stars not very bright, hopefully making your task a little easier. You park a couple blocks away and grab your tools from your passenger seat, you can’t believe you're seriously breaking into a dump right now. Who breaks into a dump?! Apparently you…and Ness’s friends. You shake your head and try not to think about it as you break the chains keeping the gate closed, opening it with a sickening screech just enough for you to slip inside, the metal still squeezing your plush sides.
The odor instantly hit you like a truck, but you couldn’t even pinpoint what it was you were even smelling? A mix of rotting food and all kinds of funk blending together into something putrid. Luckily you remembered to bring a mask, both for the odor and to hide your face. The mask was just one of those thin fabric ones so it only did so much for the smell. There was weirdly enough several dug out pathways that allowed you to easily traverse without walking through trash. Your eyes quickly dart back and forth, a feeling of unease tingling up your spine. You decide to chalk it up to the cool night air. As you turn a corner your jaw drops at the sight before you.
In front of you was the largest robot you’ve ever seen. If you remember this was actually the largest recorded animatronic in current history. From that Freddys Fivebears? Wait no that’s not right…. Whatever that doesn’t matter. Why the hell was it here?! All things considered it was in not too horrible condition for how large it was, but doesn’t mean it wasn’t without damages. One of the eyes was without the plexiglass covering, you could see the circuity and endoskeleton from where you stood. Unfortunately he was also missing quite a few of his piano teeth and half his nose as well. The plastic that made up the band of the headphones was snapped and missing a chunk. The front right arm was completely missing its plastic (at least you assume it’s plastic) covering and didn’t have a glove like the others. You also quickly take notice that his middle left arm was torn and missing at the elbow. Ok maybe it’s a little more busted than you thought.
You climb up the rubble and trash, carefully stepping over and around his body to find some sort of maintenance hatch. Luckily you find it in the center of his chest. You duck down under the neck that connects the head to the body. Tugging it once found that it was quite stuck, then you pull again harder with all you can muster. Then suddenly it pops out open, sending you stumbling back and colliding into the back of the large head. You groan as you stand, definitely gonna need to shower and an ice pack when you get home. Climbing back up the pile and peering into his chassis, all things considered everything seemed pretty good on the inside. There was a hint of a smoky smell but your preeeetty sure that’s ok.
Maybe.
You find a panel on the wall of the chest and attempt to turn it on, it flickers on and glowed dimly. ‘Must run on its own power source’ you think as you scroll down a list of functions, selecting to run a diagnostics check. Your eyes dart around the dump as you wait for the program to do its thing, begging silently that you were still alone. You couldn’t help though but jump at the sound of an owl hooting.
Turning back towards the panel and find it had finished its scan, lots of critical damage on the outside as you suspect, but luckily most of the interior was sufficient enough. That was quite shocking as you ran your hands along the outside of the chest, noticing scorch marks for the first time. This guy really has been through it huh?” You suddenly remember that Freddy’s had caught fire. That would definitely explain the smell and the marks.
Maybe if you can fix enough you can power it on? Once you move it to your home you can make more significant progress there? Good call you tell yourself. Climbing back into the chassis again with your flashlight you start to look for the bigger issues. Some large wires connecting to the power source has come loose which were easy enough to connect back. Then it was moving from one problem to the next. Using your soldering iron and electrical tape until all the wires were either reconnected or fixed completely. After what felt like a few hours you peek your head out of the torso to check the time. Good, it's still dark out. You think you’ve fixed the inside enough to hopefully get it up and running. Stepping back over wires you find the panel once more, standing your feet just right outside his chest. You find a switch and flip in on, closing the hatch and taking a couple steps back.
There is a creaking moan the fills the air as the limbs move and almost seem to stretch out, meanwhile small pinprick lights flicker on in the eye sockets, illuminating your frame slightly. The large head slowly lifts itself up, looking around its surroundings curiously, then something peculiar happens. The large robot recoils, almost like it was wincing in pain. Then it locks its ginormous eyes on you. The look was one of both fear and curiosity. Its intense gaze was kind of terrifying you had to admit. You had never felt so small.
“Can you um…understand me?” You ask, trying your best to keep your voice steady. The giant robot nods its large head ever so slightly. The first thought that flashes your mind is how you missed a damaged voice box when you ran the diagnostic check….
“Is your voice box damaged?” Your voice a little more even and calm this time. It shakes its head no to your surprise. If it isn’t damaged how can’t it speak….unless….
“You don’t have a voice box at all?” It moves the front arm without any casing or glove, giving a thumbs up.
“Well that’s gonna make this a little more difficult….” That was supposed to be an inside thought, but you accidentally speak out loud. The animatronic seems to physically deflate, it sets its large head down on its first pair of hands, watching you with those wide eyes. God it feels like you just kicked a puppy with the way it was looking at you.
“Sorry sorry big guy it’s not your fault” You quickly correct yourself, resting a hand on the chipped stripe on on it’s chin. The “eyelids” over the plexiglass, or where the plexiglass should be in the case of the left eye, seems to close. As if it was savoring your touch. It was almost kind of…
No you are absolutely stopping that train of thought right now. You can’t get attached. It’s just a machine! Remember the plan! You’re gonna get a huge payout for a find like this!!!! You just have to get it home. In fact, how were you gonna get it home? Technically this dump isn’t thaaaat far. It took you about fifteen minutes to drive so you could always have it walk?
“Ok, I can fix you further big guy, but not here, how do you feel about walking?”
The large robot starts to stand, giving a slightly frustrated look as it wiggles the stub of its middle arm. Trash and rubble fall and crunch below as he finds his footing. It takes a couple steps down the pile it was in, then gave a pondering look before nodding. You nod back and start leading the way towards the gate, realizing only now you’re gonna have to open it wider so it can walk through. As you walk through the dump, you keep notice of the loud thumping footfalls behind you.
You finally make it back to the entrance, turning back to make sure the robot was in fact following you. It was now laying down again like it was on the trash pile, with its head in its hands. Watching and waiting to see what you do. Turning back to the gate you slowly push it open further, grimacing with each squeal and moan. The robot then stood once more as the gate finally was completely open. You motion it as you make your way to your car parked down the road.
It cocked its head curiously to the side as it approached your old ford truck. It touched the bed curiously, your truck creaking under the weight slightly, as if it was wondering how it was gonna fit.
“Sorry bud I’m gonna drive, and you’re gonna follow behind me? That ok? Only thing I can think of to get you to my home”
It cocks it’s head to the other side before nodding once more. You sigh in relief before throwing yourself in the driver's seat, trying hard to not think about all the crimes you’ve technically committed tonight. Your truck hums to life as you turn the key and you start making your way towards a back road. It’ll technically be a longer way home to avoid any major roads, plus you were gonna have to keep a slower pace so it could actually follow you, but you seriously don’t need anyone spotting the large robot tonight.
Out of your rear view mirror you see the robot staring at first, you almost pump the brakes when you see it take a few steps, slowly following your truck. Another sigh of relief leaves your lungs as you some what comfortably make your drive home. It was a simple matter of turning down different back roads, checking the rear view mirror after you turn. The thought of what to do if another car passed by had slipped your mind as you conceived this plan, but some deity smiled upon you tonight and none crossed your path.
Then you finally spot your neighborhood coming up ahead, that was gonna be a little more tricky. You just were gonna have to hope and pray no one was awake at this hour.
Your home was more separate from the rest of the homes, you had a good acre or so of land surrounded by some trees, but even with the robot laying down it’ll be spotted above the tree line. It’ll be fine you decide as you pull into your driveway. The robot slowly maneuvered itself down the road and onto your property line, two trees bushing against his side. Then you command him to take a spot down in the middle of your yard. Definitely going to ruin your grass but you can afford to fix it once you sell it off hopefully maybe? You still weren’t fully sure how much something like this sold for.
Looking up at the sky you don’t think it’s gonna rain at all, so it’ll be alright for tonight. You don’t really one hundred percent have a plan for when or if it does, but that will just have to be future you’s problem.
“Um I’m gonna go inside and get some rest ok? You um…stay put alright?” The robots shoulders shake in what looks like a laugh, then it nods. You nod back yourself before you walk up the steps to your porch. Glancing over your shoulder just once you see it still staring at you in a curious manner, then it waves before you walk inside.
Before you head to bed you absolutely had to shower because you reeked and your body was sore.
You pull out your laptop, if you’re gonna sell this thing you don’t want to sell it to the wrong person, so time to do some research on this guy. Searching “Giant Robotic Spider” brings up instantly what you want. Orginally from Freddy Fazbears Pizzaplex and is called DJ Music Man. A late night attraction that makes on the fly music. You couldn’t find out much about what happened with the animatronics after the place burnt to the ground. How did it end up in the dump?
Curiouser and Curiouser.
Well Vanessa did used to work there? Maybe she could help you solve your little mystery. For now your eyes start to get heavy and you yawn. Guess you’re gonna have to put a pin in your research for now. As you lay down in your bed after shoving your laptop on the table aside; you can’t help but have a million thoughts about your curious new find. Unfortunately it was a losing battle to stay up and your eyes flutter and eventually close. Drifting off into a dreamless sleep. Excited to start working on your new project.