It was 11:56. I know what that means, time for work. I got dressed in my uniform and flew out the door.

The night sky was shimmering with light as the stars and moon lay across the open blue space. The lamp lights on the sidewalks across shone on the streets right to the restaurant. I opened the door cautiously and locked the door behind me.

I adjusted my hat and walked past the dark corridors past the show stage, backstage, apple's cove, and down the west hall, into the office. I sat down in the seat getting use to all the cameras and monitors. I nearly screamed when the phone started ringing.

"Hello, hello?" the phone pony asked. "My name's Astral Aurora. Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to get you settled in on your first night. Now, I know it can be a little overwhelming at first, but there's nothing to worry about. You'll be fine. I once worked in that office before you."

"Cool," I said to myself.

"Now, first things first," Astral Aurora said. "I have to read this greeting from the company. It's, kind of a legal thing, y' know? Ok. Welcome to Apple Jack's Acres. A magical place for foals and adult ponies alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Apple Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or pony. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing pony report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."

"Wait-WHAT?!" I yelled at the phone, sweat trickling down my face.

"Now that might sound bad," Aurora said before I interrupted her.

"No kidding."

"I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of fillies and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay."

"Respect?" I asked myself. "Hell. To. The. No."

"So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit," Aurora announced with a nervous like tone.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" I yelled.

"Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh...Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. Some pony lost their frontal lobe."

"Bite of '87?"

"Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night guard here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a pony." Aurora sounded even more nervous now. "They'll most likely see you as an endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Apple Jack's Acres, they'll probably try to...forcefully stuff you inside an Apple Jack suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh."

"What? Why don't they tell me these?!" I yelled at the phone.

"Y-Yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, the first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night."

"Oh, that's a camera!" I said picking up the tablet-like device with my hooves.

I turned to the show stage camera and saw that Twilight and Fluttershy were already gone. I switched to another camera and saw that Fluttershy was in the dining area, no longer holding a cupcake.

Her mouth was wide open as her beady animatronic pony eyes started into the camera.

I shivered before I switched cameras to the supply closet. Twilight was covering up the labelled bottles that were usually there.

"..ok?" I asked myself.

I heard pots and pans clanking together so I switched through the cameras until I found the kitchen one. It was all fuzzy and there was text across the top saying "Camera disabled. Audio only."

I grumbled as I fell back into my seat, setting the camera down. I picked the camera back up with my wings and checked the supply closet. Twilight was no longer in there. I checked the west hall. Nothing. West hall corner. Still nothing. She wasn't in the show stage and wasn't in Apple's cove, which I believe only Rainbow Dash has access to, so I checked my door lights.

I nervously clicked it and Twilight was staring at me, a smile on her face.

"EEK!" I yelled curling up into a ball on the floor. I got up nervously. "So what do I do? Just close the door, that's it?" I asked myself slamming the door shut in Twilight's face.

I checked the tablet to see how much power I used.

"50 percent?!" I yelled at myself. "And it's only been 4 hours?! It feels like a day!"

I opened the door to check if Twilight was still there, and she wasn't, so I left it open. I clicked on the right door light and staring at me through the window was Fluttershy.

"Goodbye," I said slamming the door shut in her face.

I picked up the tablet with nervous hooves and checked for Twilight. She was in the dining area. Fluttershy was still staring at me with those creepy eyes.

"What?! 25 percent?!"

Fluttershy was still staring at me. I checked the left door lights and Twilight was smiling creepily as I shut the door.

The clock rang 6:00 a.m. as I danced and partied to myself.

"I finished my shift! I freakin' made it past the first night!"

You know what this means, right? my mind asked myself.

"That I'm alive?" I answered and questioned at the same time.

No. My mind said. It means you have to come back tomorrow.

"Oh great," I mumbled before flying home.

Author's Note

Just to clarify (though, do you need clarifying?):
Bonnie - Twilight
Freddy - Applejack
Foxy - Rainbow Dash
Chica- Fluttershy