The Night Guard

As the wheels pulled to a stop, Sunset cautiously peered out the small pane of glass beside the door. Unsure of what to expect, but certainly expecting to see something. However, she was subverted. “It’s nothing.” She mumbled quietly to herself. She twisted the lock on the door knob, ensuring it was securely fastened.

Sighing a breath of relief, Sunset returned to the desk. The monitors all showed normalcy, save for the primary stage. Lyra must’ve opened the stage curtain. She was so unusual, but Sunset knew the curtain needed closed. The lights and music couldn’t play all night long.

Agitated now, she stormed over to the locked door. Throwing it open, she unleashed a guttural scream.

Before her, stood eye-to-eye, was the Pink animatronic. Of course, the one with wheels. Sunset stumbled backwards into the office, “how did you get down off the stage?” The glowing blue eyes burned right into her.

The animatronic tilted its head like a confused puppy, looking for guidance. “Happy Birthday!” It said cheerfully. The voice box sounded so crisp, new even. A direct juxtaposition to the outward appearance of the robot itself.

“You don’t belong out here, Pinkie.” Sunset replied. Slowly approaching the animatronic with one hand held out between them. Feeling the cold metal of the faceplate as she made contact.

“Happy Birthday!”

Sunset gently led the mobile Pinkie animatronic back into the stage room. To her dismay, finding that the others had resumed their bizarre positions from the night prior. “You guys are killing me with this.” Sunset said, half joking. “I assume Lyra turned you guys on. We shouldn’t be wasting electricity when no one is around to enjoy your performances.” Twilight sat, Rainbow standing on her hind legs.

She looked from the pony on wheels, to the stage. “There’s no way I’m lifting you up, no offense, but you look like you weigh a ton.” She laughed as a thud covered the stage. Rainbow had fallen onto her front hooves. The pegasus twitched as she moved. Despite her missing face, Sunset had grown quite fond of her. Almost in a rehabilitation sense. She felt a sort of… calling… to protect and repair them. “Whoa there, careful with yourself.” Sunset lunged towards the power switch.

As her arm shot out, she screamed in searing pain. Turning her attentions toward the source of her pain, she took note of the wires wrapping around her arm. They weren’t, aggressive… just assertive. It was clear that this animatronic did not want the power shut down.

Sunset slowly dropped her arm as she spun to face the wire-armed beast. While she saw eye-to-eye with the ponies on all fours, this one towered over her. She slowly looked up until she was staring into the empty sockets of the face plate. Apple Jack stood on a mess of metal rods, wires, and brackets. The ability of the animatronic to even move in its condition was unbelievable. Sunset stared, begging her body to run, as the long neck curved downward to meet her gaze. Only, Apple Jack could not see. How she knew to grab her, was a mystery.

Evidently not the only mystery in this place.

“I see you’ve decided to join us.” Sunset said finally, regaining her composure. She had deciding running would just aggravate them. Instead, she would stay and play their game. “If you guys want to waste all your electricity on late-night performances, hey, be my guest.” She said, it was almost convincing how nonchalant she was.

Slowly the wires unwrapped themselves from her arm, setting her free. “Pinkie Pie here is running on battery, so when she loses charge that’s gonna be on all your hooves.” The four animatronics gave her their undivided attention.

“Happy Birthday!” Pinkie Pie repeated. It was as if her voice module was broken and that was all she was able to say.

“Can any of the rest of you speak? Or do you just lip sync.” Sunset laughed at the absurdity of the question.

Twilight sat, stoically. Her answer was that she could not. Rainbow, too, could not. Apple Jack opened her mouth, revealing flat round teeth. Some were broken and jagged into sharp little points. The sound she made could not be quite described as ‘speaking’. More of an ear-piercing screech.

Sunset covered her ears, hobbling back until she crashed into the stage. “How… unique…”

The animatronics began to exchange glances. And in a sudden brash movement, the stoic Twilight kicked out a hoof. The brunt of the kick hit Sunset squarely between the shoulders, causing her to fall forwards.

Swiftly the mobile Pinkie Pie grabbed the hem of her uniform pants and began dragging her across the multi-colored carpet. Throwing her wheels into reverse, then spinning she jerked the helpless Sunset’s figure in a circular motion. Sunset flailed, but as she had noticed, Pinkie Pie was quite heavy. It was difficult to struggle against something of that size.

“Stop! Hey! I thought we were friends!” Sunset shouted, her hands dragging across the tiled hallway as she tried to grab something, anything, that would give her leverage.

The dragging finally ceased once they had entered the warehouse once more. Pinkie left her, and though Sunset tried her best to book it to the door, the pink pony was far swifter and stronger. She slowly turned back, to face… herself. This animatronic did not move or light up. It wasn’t functional.

She sighed, trying the door, but as she had expected… it was locked.

“I guess, I just have to wait here until the morning crew finds me.” She said. “It’s just me, me, and Rarity.”

Then the laughter began again.

“Oh give it rest, unless you’re going to get me out of here, I don’t want to hear it.” Sunset shouted. Raising her voice for the first time since she’d started there. “You guys all wanna rough me up and creep me out, why don’t you just get a life.”

It was then, that the back door of the warehouse slowly cracked open. “You’re welcome.” The wispy voice said, it had such a tone of sarcasm. Sunset turned to the marionette on counter top. In sheer disbelief. She grabbed it and looked it over.

“Thank you.” She said as she gently placed the marionette so that it was sitting up. Resting its back against another can of oil. She brushed the hair out of its face before she bolted for the door.