The events of the convention, Volume Two

Chapter Three - Wednesday

JJ stood up, his back protesting loudly. I've got to stop sleeping on the floor, it is not doing me any favors. Yawning, he looked out the window. The underground facility was dark, as usual. He stretched.

Okay, Handunit, what are we doing tonight?

Hello again, and welcome to your third night on the job. Tonight's task is more suited to a mechanic, but you will have to do.

That's slightly rude.

Handunit ignored him, an action he was accustomed to by now. Funtime Freya appears to be malfunctioning. Please examine this blueprint - A piece of paper fell out from the ceiling and landed on JJ's desk - and correct the problem.

He scratched his head, peering at the blueprint. It didn't seem helpful at all. All that was on it was something that looked like a chip, and the word "CTRL". All right then? I'll head to the maintenance room now, I guess. Not sure what it means, broken, she seemed fine yesterday. Shrugging, he walked into the Funtime auditorium. It was eerily silent. All he could hear was Ballora's distant, ghostly singing.

His flashlight sputtered to life, illuminating a door ahead. Ah, there we are.

Scrrapppe.

JJ turned around, shining his light. Who's there?

Scrrapppe.

I said who's there?

The scraping stopped. He waved the light around once more. That was terrifying. His flashlight went off. Not now, you piece of-

He probably shouldn't have yelled.

Suddenly, something was on top of him, ripping the light from his hands, forcing him to the ground with an inhuman strength. A pair of hands held his wrists to the floor, and whatever it was was also sitting on his knees, perfectly immobilizing him. JJ realized with a jolt of panic that the noise he'd hear hadn't been scraping.

It had been growling.

He tried to reach for his light, but whatever the thing was, its grip was too good. He spat defiantly.

Well, you've got me. Now what?

They said nothing, but moved his hands so they could hold them with just one. The other hand wrapped around his neck, squeezing with a vengeance.

W-ha-t i-s it w-w-ith th-ese th-things and c-chok-ing people?

JJ would have died, then and there, if Handunit's AI hadn't perked up. I have detected a security threat. Detaining.

Flashes of electricity pulsed through his attacker, and he scrambled for his light, massaging his aching throat. Grabbing the torch, he trained it on his attacker.

What in the-

It was a white and pink... fox... girl... thing. Like something you'd see on a disreputable anime website, or on private browsing at three in the morning. Certainly not in a children's pizza place. Yet, there they were, lying on the floor, breathing heavily.

I must be insane. He crept closer to her. Are you okay?

The fox girl looked at him, eyes widening, and scootched backward rapidly, growling like a wolf. He stopped. She was scared of him.

Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. Are you trapped down here?

She shook her head, pointing at the floor. A discarded poster with her face on it read "Funtime Foxy."