Chapter Text
Chapter 1
The lair was quieter than usual. Not silent—never silent—but the usual hum of machinery, the faint dripping of pipes, the occasional clink of a stray tool on metal—everything seemed muted. Donatello sat on the edge of the kitchen's island, hunched over a pile of wires and half-finished circuitry, his bo staff leaning against the wall beside him.
Money had been tight lately. Lower than usual, even for the turtles. Groceries were being rationed to the bare minimum, and repairs to their equipment were being postponed—again. Donnie could feel it gnawing at him every time he scanned through invoices, the sight of the dwindling funds making his stomach twist. The other turtles were aware, of course. Last week, the four turtles, April and Casey had gathered around the kitchen island for a ,,family emergency meeting", to come up with some solutions for the financial problems. Leo suggested that they could open a small dojo and train people; the others pointed out that they didn't have the space and that nobody would go down the sewers. Raph suggested particiapting in boxing matches or illegal fights; Leo threated to ground the Red banded turtle forever if he caught him there. Mikey, ever the dreamer, suggested to sell cookies and other sweets for money; everybody pointed that his idea involves materials and money that they don't have.April had been trying to help where she could, but it wasn’t enough.
And now, Donnie tapped a finger against the table in frustration.
Donnie(muttered under his breath): We need a solution.Something… outside the box.
Outside the box, indeed.
It was during one of these evenings, when the shadows were creeping along the walls and the only sound was the low hum of the city outside, that Donnie’s brownish-reddish gaze fell on a crumpled newspaper in the corner of his lab. He’d been ignoring it, assuming it was yesterday’s news. But something about the bold headline caught his attention.
,, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
We are looking for a security guard to work the nightshift to our pizzeria. Programs's between 12 AM to 6 AM. No previous experience needed.
Monitore cameras, ensure safety of equipment and animatronic characters.
The pay's 120$ a week.
To apply call..."
Donnie frowned, eyes narrowing. Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. He’d heard about the place—kids loved it, parents tolerated it, the usual pizzeria nonsense. But the pay. The pay was good. Really good. And given their current financial situation, “really good” was hard to ignore.
He picked the paper up, smoothing out the creases. He read the ad again. Good pay. Minimal experience required. Night shift.
Night shift.
No one would complain about him taking the hours. No one would complain about the working hours, because, for the sake, they were all ninjas. Teenage mutant ninja turtles, that their entire lives have fought mutants, aliens, the Foot, Shredder, all during night, when the shadows allowed them to move freely. And If they’d need him around for tech repairs, then they'd do it in the day light hours, not at night.
He made a decision right then. Donnie would take the job.
At first, his brothers have been a bit skeptical about this idea.
Leo: Are you sure this is going to work? I mean, Uh, we're mutant turtles. We don't fit very well in spaces full of humans.
Donnie: Relax, I've already thought about this. I'll wear clothes so people won't notice that I am a turtle. Besides, I'm working the nightshift, it's not like there are humans to see me.
Leo reluctantly gave in. Raph was harder to convince, but eventually, after many strong arguements that supported his idea and a lot of nagging, Raph eventually accepted. Mikey was the easiset to convince. In fact, the orange banded turtle even asked Donnie to take him there, at least one time to see the place and get some pizza; but the genius turtle had to refuse him, resulting with a dissapointed Mikey.
Donnie had the approvement of his family. The only thing that he needed was only luck.
________________________________________
The next morning, after hastily showering and adjusting his purple mask, Donnie set out. The city streets were empty in places, noisy in others, but the thought of walking into Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza made him feel like he was stepping into a different world entirely. It wasn't his usual night patrol with his brothers or late-night walks with April. He was going during daylight somewhere he had never been before. And this made Donnie feel nervous.
The pizzeria loomed ahead, a cheerful, almost obnoxiously bright building with a single level.Neon letters flashed above the entrance: FREDDY FAZBEAR’S PIZZA. It looked like something out of a cartoon: exaggerated, colorful, and slightly… off. The sign of Freddy and Co above the neon letters was almost rusted and old, but the kids seemed to love it. The windows glinted in the sunlight, reflecting Donnie’s wary expression back at him.
Donnie didn't even knew how he found himself in front of the double doors, the newspaper crumbled by his nervous fidgening fingers. People were going in and out, mostly kids with their parents. This was the first time he was going into a place full of humans, and despite having his body covered pretty well by the long trench coat , jeans, hoodie and scarf, he still felt like he might get exposed in each moment.
In one point, as he stood there, a kid accidentaly knocked into him, making Donnie drop the newspaper.
Parent: I'm so sorry, Kevin didn't mean to do that! Are you alright?
Donnie: Uh, yes, ma'am. I was just.. I'm applying for a job here, actually.
Parent( giving him a warry look): Are you sure? I mean, this place isn't the safest...
Donnie: I'm sure I'll be fine, thank you.
Parent: Well, good luck, kid. C'mon Kevin, we're going to be late for the visit at doctor.
As the young woman and her kid walked away, the purple banded turtle found her words odd. Sure it wasn't something bad happening there, it was kids pizzeria after all!
He pushed the doors open. The smell of pizza, soda, and something he couldn’t quite identify—metallic? mechanical?—hit him immediately. Children’s laughter echoed faintly from the arcade section in the back, and a few animatronic heads turned lazily toward him as he stepped in.
A voice: Can I help you?
Donnie looked up. The man standing behind the counter was tall, well built, and sharply dressed in a dark purple vest with a crisp white shirt underneath. He smiled, but it didn’t reach his dark eyes. Something about that smile made Donnie’s gut twist.
Donnie (carefully, stepping forward):I… I’m here about the night guard position.
The man’s eyes flicked over him, slowly, like he was measuring Donnie from head to toe.
Afton: Ah. Yes. You must be Donatello Hamato. I’m William Afton, manager and one of co-founders of Freddy Fazbear.You’re exactly the type I’m looking for.
But his handshake was firm, too firm, and his gaze lingered a little too long.Donnie felt a flicker of unease. Something about the way Afton spoke, the slight tilt of his head, the quiet confidence in his posture—it didn’t feel quite right. But Donnie brushed it off. After all, he had faced worse. Mutants, robots, alien tech. He could handle a human being, even one that made him vaguely uncomfortable.
Donnie (nodding politely):Thank you.I’m interested in the job. I… I think I’d be a good fit.
Afton (smiled again):I believe you will be. Nights can be… challenging. But I think you have the right mind for it. You start tomorrow night. The shift runs from midnight to six a.m. You’ll have a briefing first thing.
Donnie (hesitated, then nodded):Alright. I’ll be here.
The man handed him an envelope with the schedule and uniform.Donnie tucked it into his coat's pocket, trying not to frown at the weight of it. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Afton was… off. Not dangerous, exactly, but uncanny. Almost like looking at a photograph that moved slightly when you blinked.
He thanked Afton and left the building. Outside, the sunlight felt sharp, almost too bright after the dim interior. Donnie exhaled slowly, running a hand through his bandana's long tails. It’s nothing, he told himself. Just nerves. First day at a new job.
______________________________________
Back in the lair, the other turtles noticed his return right away.
Mikey( waving a half-eaten pizza slice): Dude, how's been the interview? Did you get the job?
Donnie(setting down his bag): Well. And yes, I’m going to work there. Nights only. The pay is good. And it’s not like I’m going to get… eaten.
Raph (snorted):You’re insane. That place gives me the creeps just looking at the sign.
Leo (arms crossed):Creeps or not, we need the money. (Eyes softenint).Donnie, just… be careful. Check everything. Trust your instincts.
Donnie: I will.I’ve done worse with less prep time.
Leo: Good. Don’t ignore anything that seems strange. That place has a history, you know. Be careful, Donnie.
He nodded again, feeling a small prickle of unease—but excitement too. This was an investigation, in its own way. An experiment, for both the science and himself.Night shifts were perfect for that. Quiet, dark… the perfect opportunity to observe and analyze the environment and the reactions toward it.
This job is gonna be easy, Donnie tought. What could possibly go wrong?
He went early to bed that night, falling asleep easily and slipping into unconciousness.
To be continued......