Prologue (4)
Years… we traveled years into the future?
Fritz thought he would panic more at something like this happening, but his mind was blank. He always believed in the supernatural considering how likely spirits were haunting Freddy’s but something like this was beyond that. It was scientific, cosmic, so astronomically unlikely to happen that you’d think it wouldn’t- no- couldn’t happen.
After a moment, Fritz composed himself enough to ask, “Are there any records of us in the company database?” He would have to step up and do his best to find answers to how this could happen.
“I… I doubt it but this is too weird not to check.” Vanessa pulled up a private site from an oddly shaped watch onto the monitor and logged into the database. “What are your names?”
“I’m Fritz, try that?”
Vanessa typed in the name only to come up with one result. “Seems you were fired back in the 90’s due to… hygiene?”
No way in hell that was the real reason. The company likely covered up his disappearance by blaming it on a relatively harmless issue. “What about Jeremy? Jeremy Fitzgerald?” Fritz insisted.
Vanessa quickly flinched from shock (something Vincent noticed), before searching again and came up with only one result: “Jeremy Fitzgerald, a VR beta tester employed around 2019. Status… dead due to suicide.”
“What…” Jeremy squeaked. Everyone felt a pool of dread fill the room at the news that Jeremy somehow died at his own hands. As much as they wanted to stop, they needed to know what happened to them (or at least what Fazbear’s claimed). Growing on edge as the searches continued.
Mike, after being repeatedly employed and fired from various locations, was pronounced MIA after a fire he likely started. Friz was a little jealous Mike got to live his dream of burning down a location but kept it to himself. Scott wasn’t a manager, nor even an official employee of Fazbear’s. He was an independent game dev hired to create games for the company that looked eerily like the Freddy’s they worked at. Scott was incredibly confused at the notion that some random guy could somehow possibly be him but envied the distance they had from the company. Vincent wasn’t listed by name but looked incredibly akin to one of the co-founders of Freddy’s: William Afton. Personally, he didn’t see the resemblance that Vanessa did, but he could understand how someone could jump to that conclusion.
By the time they were done, it was almost 5:40 AM, with everyone seated around a metal table processing the information. Jeremy was still holding onto Lemon (the Roomba), Mike had his hands crossed while looking downward scowling, Fritz had his head on the table to hopefully soothe an oncoming headache, Scott had his fingers intertwined together and Vincent was leaning his chair against a wall looking up. Everyone had either died or was someone else entirely, it was a lot to take in. But one point kept coming up about this situation, it didn’t make sense at all. Why did they get thrown into the future? Was this even their future? Why were their counterparts either near identically connected or so astronomically apart from themselves? There were too many inconsistencies that need to be found out but how?
Scott eventually took his hands from the table. “Vanessa, I know you see how strange this is. But we can’t solve any of it or how to get home without having access to the… Pizzaplex?” Vanessa nodded. “We’ve worked at Freddy’s for years back home and surprisingly here, would you be willing to talk to the company to hire us?”
Mike immediately perked up and slammed his fist on the table. “No way in hell am I working for Fazbear’s again!”
“As much as working here would help us there are so many new things we’d have to learn. The security system is much more advanced than what we had worked with, everything else is probably as complex that would take at least a week to get used to.” Jeremy interjected.
There was no argument there. Even with some of the guards’ proficiency in robotics or engineering, there was undeniable proof technology had advanced. They would have to learn the new system and anything else relevant to the current decades.
Scott sighed. Arguments like this were common, especially during their recent year at the original pizzeria. “I know it’s a lot to ask but where else would we find jobs when we’re either dead or different people? Companies would assume we’re committing fraud or identity theft. We’re already technically affiliated with Freddy’s, it’s our best chance to at least get a decent income and temporary housing until we figure out a way back home.”
“And how long will that take?! We got sent through a crack in the universe, how do you even figure out how to measure that kind of time?!”
Scott was genuinely shocked. It was rare for anyone to see Jeremy get genuinely angry. Sure stressed or anxious but usually Mike took on the anger of the group. To see Jeremy riled up this badly was serious. They already knew- or at least assumed- Fritz would be on board with working if only to have access to the higher technology to find a way back. Thus…
“It seems we know where we stand except you Vincent…” Mike turned his gaze to Vincent. They had a very… unique relationship. Vincent would generally be drawn to Mike either to annoy or flirt with him at work but always knew to respect his boundaries and when to stop. Mike would always ignore or be angered by Vincent but genuinely did care for his well-being when work got hellish. They both knew each other well and would gladly fight anyone including each other about it.
Vincent did not want to work at another Freddy’s again. The pay was never enough and almost dying multiple times was the rotten cherry on top. But there was undoubtedly so much knowledge to be gained from staying in the good graces of the company. All the advancements in robotics would be a once-in-a-lifetime study for someone like him. And it’s the future! Hopefully the working conditions will be better than before. “Sorry Mike but I say we work here. At the very least we can bully the company into some sort of compensation to make living viable.”
Mike eventually sat back down and sighed. “…I do like fucking with Fazbear’s. Vanessa, can you let the higher-ups know we’re gonna need a meeting?”
“I can try but it’s still early. I’ll see what I can do but employees come at 6. I’ll get you guys some leftover pizza and fizzy fazz at least and report back.” She stood up from the table and walked out of the room, making sure to close the door behind her.
Fritz without looking up from the table weakly mumbled “We are so fucked.”