Pop Goes the Balloon

Job 0x0 - The Arrival

"Let's see what I've missed."

Shivering, you look up to see the neon sign of the plex. Though it's been your full-time job for 5 months now something about staring up at the huge letters of "THE FREDDY FAZBEAR PIZZAPLEX", felt ominous.

Maybe it was because you hadn't been here in a week, having taken the previous days off for a brief vacation. Not that you didn't like your job, but everyone needed a break once in a while. Maybe it was the thick winter jacket, ski-pants and boots that covered you. Maybe it was the fact you were standing in -25°C cold, winter wondering why you hadn't frozen to death yet.

Whatever the case and hoping you don't catch a cold you pull the security card out of your breast pocket, lanyard dangling from it and press it to the badge by the door. A plastic card, one side contained information about the Plex and where to return the card if lost. The other one displayed a photo of you, some random information and your job title, "MASTER TECHNICIAN". In your mind it probably should have just read "CARETAKER" because most of the time that's what you felt like you were doing.

But again, you didn't complain. If you really had a problem with the job, you would've just gone freelance again.

Stepping into the plex you're greeted by the familiar sign of retro 80s inspired aesthetic and faint smell of pizza and that new car scent.

Nobody was running up to greet you, the act in itself unusual. Many a time one of the animatronics were waiting at the entrance to request your help.

With a sigh you undo your jacket, revealing a simple dress t-shirt, buttoned up but slightly wrinkled. Dress code policy wasn't that strict but tonight you felt it necessary to at least dress well. After all, it had been a few days since your last appearance.

In front you see the familiar golden statue of Freddy, an animatronic bear holding a microphone, likely in the middle of a solo. Around him was a fountain, water spurting out the spouts and an uncountable number of coins in it. Passing it you start climbing the stairs, making for the employees only door atop the stairs.

You recall your first entrance here months ago, taken aback by the flashy lights and zany designs. Never heard of Fazbear Entertainment either, just that it was some random fast-food franchise. You knew they were also the subject of a few investigations, rumours about people missing and strange happenings at some of the locations. But other than that, and with encouragement from the representative you first entered the plex with a blank slate.

At the time it worried you, especially when you also found out you weren't even the first technician they hired, that the others were chased off or worse. But again, blank slate.

Then 5 days later you found yourself the conclusion of an animatronic murder investigation, hypnotized by some green bunny, fighting for your life with a giant purple rabbit, spider DJ thing and against an army of robots as you ascended the arcade. Amongst everything you faced in those 5 days you thought you should have quit.

Though despite all that you grew infatuated with the place. Sure, it was dangerous, but the animatronics were charming and fun to be around. Your co-workers were pretty enthusiastic too. The steady income also beat having to advertise yourself and take sketchy freelance gigs. No more roller coaster-climbing was all the reminder you needed to not go freelance.

Plus, that huge battle was a one-off thing. The plex had calmed down a lot since then. It didn't mean the place was safe, far from it but at least nothing had tried to kill you since that day. You check your pockets. Everything still in order.

One security card giving you access to most of the plex.

One phone with a 10,000mAh battery, effectively making running out of power an impossibility. It doubled as a flashlight, the phone you were proud of, especially with how often you heard guards had to recharge their 'Fazbear flashlights'. So far, you'd never had your phone die on shift. Management wanted you to use their flashlights though as you worked alone most of the time they ultimately didn't care.