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
Night 2: At least Apple Jack doesn't move..
Author's Note
HA! And you thought this story was dead?
Nope, just homework.
Sorry this update is so late. I will really try to update more often, and summer is coming soon, so yay!!
I tried to aim around 3,000 words per chapter but I really wanted to get this out.
On the next one I'll try.
Enjoy reading guys~!
Night 2: At least Apple Jack doesn't move..
"Uhh, Hello? Hello? Uh, well, if you're hearing this and you made it to day two, uh, congrats!" Astral Aurora began with.
"Wait," I said to myself. "Was that basically a nice way of saying the guards usually die the first night?!"
"I-I won't talk quite as long this time since Applejack and her pony friends tend to become more active as the week progresses. Uhh, it might be a good idea to peek at those cameras while I talk just to make sure everyone's in their proper place. You know..."
"Ok."
I pulled up the camera that lead into the show stage. Fluttershy and Applejack were still there while Twilight had already left her spot. I search frantically through the blinking static cameras until I saw Twilight staring into the West Hall Corner camera, her body facing forward but her eye creepily staring into the camera, a broad smile on her face showing her set of endoskeleton teeth.
"Uh... Interestingly enough, Applejack herself doesn't come off stage very often."
"No kidding," I yelled at the phone. "She was just on the show stage with Fluttershy!"
"I heard she becomes a lot more active in the dark though, so, hey, I guess that's one more reason not to run out of power, right?"
"Uhuh. Right," I rolled my eyes at the statement as I flipped through the cameras, passing Apple's Cove, the Kitchen and the West Hall Corner, which Twilight had left.
"I-I also want to emphasize the importance of using your door lights," Astral stuttered. "There are blind spots in your camera views, and those blind spots happen to be right outside of your doors. So if-if you can’t find something, or someone, on your cameras, be sure to check the door lights. Uh, you might only have a few seconds to react..."
"Wait..." I trailed off before shakily and slowly lifting my hoof up to the bluish-white door light button before pressing it. With a shaky hoof, I pressed the button and the light flickered on, revealing Twilight's creepy smile, teeth and eyes once again.
"AAH!" I screamed before curling up into a ball on the floor. "Wait, NO!" I scrambled up and pushed the door shut.
I stopped heavily panting and my breathing slowed down after I slumped back in my Office chair and took a couple breaths in and out.
"Uh, not that you would be in any danger, of course. I'm not implying that. Also, check on the curtain in Apple's Cove from time to time. The character in there seems unique in that he becomes more active if the cameras remain off for long periods of time. I guess she doesn't like being watched."
"Ok, I'll check it."
I changed the camera to Apple's Cove yet nothing.
"I don't know. Anyway, I'm sure you have everything under control! Uh, talk to you soon."
"NOOO!" I yelled, grabbing the phone after the beep ended the call. "DON'T LEAVE MEEEEE!"
"Wait, what about Twilight?" I asked myself. "She still there?" I opened the door and surely she was. "AAH SHE'S STILL THERE!" I shut the door right in her face.
Pictures of Twilight's and Applejack's masks without eyes started appearing quickly in front of me with text that read "IT'S ME" underneath their names.
"OK WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" I asked with a yell after the images went away. "YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT NOTHING HAPPENED BECAUSE CLEARLY, SOMETHING HAPPENED!"
I flipped up my camera as I switched to the show stage. Applejack was by herself so I look frantically for Fluttershy.
I flipped through the East Hall Corner, East Hall, and Restrooms until I saw Fluttershy in the Dining Hall, her body facing sideways but her head facing the camera. Her eyes were right open staring directly into the lens and her mouth was open that it revealed her teeth, and her endoskeleton teeth.
I flickered the West door lights on and I couldn't see Twilight's shadow anymore. With an 'ok' I pressed the door open and checked how much power I had left.
"55 percent," I said. "Good enough. 2 a.m, good enough."
I settled down and flipped the monitors up, scanning all of the rooms before talking to myself.
"Ok now that we're just calming down a little bit maybe you could give me a breather and stop hanging around my door." I said as I flipped between more of the cameras. "Where'd you go?"
I spotted Fluttershy in the dining area, no longer in the same position. This time I couldn't see her face and I could only see a dark silhouette of her body.
"Ok now I found of you but WHERE'S THE OTHER?!" I yelled closing the door and checking both door lights.
"No no no, NOT OK!"
I checked my door lights again as they flickered on, my power dropping. I picked up my camera, which again, used power. I looked through The West Hall Corner, West Hall, Dining Area (which Fluttershy was still in) until I finally found a silhouette of Twilight Backstage where I could barely see her eyes.
"Ok, every things good. Everypony's in sight."
I pulled down my monitor. It was still 2 a.m. My power was at 47 percent though, so I didn't lose too much. I pulled up the monitor again and switched to the Backstage camera.
The camera was all statically and there was text saying the 'signal was interrupted.' I lowered the monitor and I could hear the sounds of hooves clanking against the ground. It almost sounded as if some pony was stepping on potato chips.
The noise finally stopped, so I shakily pulled up the monitor and Twilight was no longer patrolling the Backstage room. I could hear pots and pans clanking and I could tell it was Fluttershy.
The camera's static almost blocked me out from seeing Twilight's shadow in the dimly lit West Hall.
I switched to the East Hall, where I could see Fluttershy looking in the direction of the camera, but not directly into it, her mouth wide agape.
"Hiii friend. You're looking gooood.." I said to her before switching to Apple's Cove. Still no sign of Rainbow Dash in there.
I switched to the West Hall where I could see Twilight still. It was getting boring so I switched back to the East Hall and Fluttershy was gone!
"OH WHERE'D YA GO WHERE'D YA GO WHERE'D YA GO WHERE'D YA GO?!" I yelled frantically as I flipped through the cameras looking for Flutters. I switched to the West Hall corner and saw Twilight doing that shadow creepy eye thing again.
"WHY?!" I screamed up into the air, shaking my fist. "WHYYY?!"
I checked the door lights. Twilight wasn't there and nor was Fluttershy. She wasn't in the East Hall and she wasn't in the corner by my door.
"I CAN'T DO THIS NO MORE! THAT'S IT! I'M DEAD!"
It was 3 am and I only had 32% of my power left.
"I HATE THIS!" My head flopped down on the desk in front of me.
I picked up the tablet again. I'm tired as hell of these stupid animatronic ponies!
I switched to the East Hall Corner camera, and shocker, Fluttershy was there. While I was in the camera mood, I flipped over to the West Hall Corner and Twilight was still there.
"Why did I get this crap job? I could've gotten more money washing dishes somewhere!"
I flipped to the East Hall Corner cam and Fluttershy wasn't there. I flipped to the East Hall and still no sign of her. I lowered my monitor and checked the door lights.
No sign of Fluttershy.
"Huh." I flipped the camera to the West Hall Corner, and Twilight was still there.
"Well at least Rainbow didn't come for me...yet.."
I hit the door lights on Twilight's side and she was there. I shrieked, almost forgetting to shut the door. With her beady big animatronic pony eyes that looked so dark and soulless, I couldn't focus. I couldn't even remember how to breathe I was in such big shock!
Finally I regained my consciousness and shut the door right on Twi's face.
"Ha," I laughed between the doors. "Sukkit."
I stuck my tongue out at the door before noticing that the sound of pots and pans clanking and clashing was coming from down the hall. Curiously, I flipped open my monitor, and flipped until I looked at cam 6, the kitchen camera.
-Camera disabled-
Audio only
"Gee thanks," I grumbled. "What would we do without you?"
I slumped back into the seat and looked at my clock and power.
5 AM. 12%
WHAT?! I thought.
I opened the door to my left, turned on the lights, and was thankful that Twilight was not there. Taking in a breath of relief, I turned the right door and switched on those, and I nearly jumped.
Fluttershy was there. Her big, scary eyes looking into my face.
"AAH!" I shrieked, shutting the door.
Finally I heard a door open.
It was 6 AM. I was done.
Done for now.
I flew home, still having chills from my day, or rather night, at work. The way the animatronics looked at me, acted, it was all different.
Well, at least, at least,
At least Apple Jack doesn't move.
Prologue: Getting the job
I, after a long time at an art gallery showcasing my work to get absolutely 0 bits, walked to my house in Fillydelphia. Right before I turned the doorknob to get in, I noticed a note stuck right on the door.
Notice of Termination:
Dear Harmonic Brush,
This letter serves as a note of termination upon your property in the Township of Upper Derby, Delamare Country, Fillydelphia, Pennsylvaneigha.
Your property will be terminated unless you pay the bank of Fillydelphia back the following dues:
150 bits
My eyes widened as I read the number. Sure, for some ponies that's a breeze, but my art career was failing, and I earned nothing from it.
"Well," I said to my as I twisted the door knob open. "Time to search for a job, I guess."
"Find a job yet?" Lunar asked his marefriend, me, over the phone.
"Nope," I answered setting the phone down beside me on the desk setting it on speaker phone.
"Well, I found something that meets your criteria," He said to me, a tone that was a mix of being annoyed and peppiness.
"And what is that?" I asked in an angered tone.
"A job," He answered. "Here, I'll give you the application, heading to your house now."
Lunar Moonlight hung up the phone with a beep.
"Low battery," I mumbled to myself as I walked to where my electrical ports usually were.
"Of course," I grumbled.
"Oh no. They're missing," I said sarcastically before rolling her eyes.
There was a knock on my door, so I went and answered it. Of course, it was my coltfriend with the application.
He tossed the newspaper to me before quickly galloping off before I could say "Thanks" or even "Hi."
"Weird."
"Ok, so why do you want this job?" the Manager of Applejack's Acres asked me, her eyes scanning the application then back up at myself.
"Well, I need money, that's about it," I answered.
"Eh, good enough for me. You're hired!" the Manager yelled. "You start tomorrow, ok cupcake?"
I nodded my head before heading outside. Now that I got the job, there was, something about this place that gave me the creeps. Maybe it was the animatronic's huge eyes, or the fact that they never blinked, but there was something.
