Day Two: Performance

Emma was excited as the elevator descended. She would get to help her new friends again! The elevator doors opened, and Hand Bot began speaking, but she ignored him, entering Ballora gallery. She flipped on the light, smiling. "Hey, Ballora." The ballerina jumped off her stage and rolled over, beautiful purple eyes shining.

"Hi, Emily! I'm so glad you came back!"

"Of course I came back. I love this job already. How was your performance?"

"The day shifters said I was doing better than usual. Of course they didn't say it to me, but I heard them talking during my performance. I also saw Freddy and Foxy through the doors as well. They definitely looked happier."

"That's great!" Emma said, clapping. "Anything I can help you with this early morning?"

"Not that I know of. Now that I can see, I don't bump into things when the children are gone anymore."

"Then I should probably go to the others-"

"You don't need to crawl through vents. They can come in here. Just use the intercom over there."

"Thanks!" Emma walked over to the intercom and turned it on, speaking into the microphone. She put on her best Hand Bot voice. "Would Funtime Freddy, Funtime Foxy, and Circus Baby report to Ballora Gallery, please?" Then she laughed. "It's me and Ballora guys, come in here!"

"Yes!" Ballora said, rolling over. "We can see each other for the first time in a while!" Emma turned off the intercom, smiling. Then her stomach growled. "There is cold pizza over there," Ballora said, pointing to an unopened box of pizza on one of the tables.

"Thanks," Emma opened the box, nibbling on the cold pizza as the other animatronics entered. Bon-Bon was powered on today.

"Who's this?" She asked warily. Emma was about to answer, but Freddy beat her to it.

"This is Emma, the new night guard. She's changed things around here. No more shocking!"

"Really?" Bon-Bon asked, looking over at Emma.

"Yep! I fixed Freddy's joints yesterday."

"I did notice that," Bon-Bon said. "Thanks!"

"No problem." Emma put her pizza down and clapped her hands. "Alright. What needs fixing?" Nobody spoke up. "You're all alright then?"

"Yeah," they said. Emma looked around. "Wait. Where's Baby?"

"She must still be in her auditorium." Said Ballora. "I'll come with you to find her."

"We'll clean up in here," said Freddy, indicating him and Foxy. "Those children left a heck of a mess."

"Thanks, guys." Said Emma, then left the room, following the routes that the children and parents would use when the place opened. Ballora followed close behind, her wheels making almost no sound on the tile floor. She didn't have her arms up, but instead moved them at her sides, helping her go faster. She looked like a pretty roller skater.

"In there," Ballora said, pointing to a large room up ahead. Inside was the Circus Gallery. Baby sat on her stage, legs dangling off the ledge. Her head was down, her hands unmoving in her lap. "Baby?" Asked Ballora, rolling up to her. "Are you alright?" Baby looked up.

"Oh, hello, Ballora. Emma." She sounded sad.

"What happened?" Emma asked, sitting down beside her.

"The day shifters didn't let me perform today. They locked the door to my auditorium and did something with the electronic devices over there." She sighed. "I listened to the music coming from the gallery and Funtime auditorium. All I could do was stand still. Ever so still. It was so lonely…" she hung her head again.

"Hmm. Lemme text Jenna."

"Who's Jenna?" Asked Ballora, tilting her head.

"Oh, she's one of the day shifters." Emma replied, pulling out her phone. "I'm going to ask why they closed Circus Gallery today. Hang on a sec." She texted the question:

How come you guys closed Circus Gallery yesterday?

Jenna replied quickly:

The audio and special effects broke. We spent all day fixing it so Baby could have another performance tomorrow, or rather, later today.

"Good news," Emma said, putting away her phone. Baby looked up, tilting her head. "The audio and special effects machines broke. They spent all day fixing it for you so that you can perform again."

"Oh," Baby said. "I haven't done this version of the performance before though. I'm worried I'll mess up, and then the children will hate me."

"Do you want to practice?" Ballora asked. "You can put on the show for us."

"Can I do that?" Baby asked Emma.

"Yeah, of course! I've got plenty of time to kill before I have to go home anyways. Nobody needed to be fixed today."

"Thank you!"

"I'll go get Foxy and Freddy!" Said Ballora, rolling away. Emma sat down in one of the nearby chairs, pulling off her night guard hat and setting it on the table beside her. Baby stood up and took her place on stage, fingering her microphone. Ballora re entered the room with Foxy and Freddy behind her.

"Ballora," Baby said. "Would you flip that switch on the equipment over there?"

"Yes, of course!" Ballora hurried over to the equipment and flipped the switch as Foxy and Freddy sat on the floor near Emma. Freddy had a piece of pizza on his head. Emma flicked it off as Ballora sat herself down next to them.

Music started, a beautiful flowing melody. Colored spotlights switched on, pointed at Baby. She lifted her microphone to her unmoving mouth and began to sing. The song's melody followed the music with precision, and Baby began to dance alongside the music, moving about the stage to the rhythm of the music.

She sang of parties and joy, ice cream and pizza, balloons and cake. The colored light followed her every move perfectly as she continued her dance. When Baby finished, Emma clapped her hands, soon joined by the metallic claps of the other animatronics. "I think you'll do fine, Baby. That was fantastic!" Emma exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's the first time I've heard Baby perform," Foxy said.

"Thanks, guys," Baby said. "I think I'm ready for the day." Emma checked her watch.

"Time for me to go," she said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow! Don't forget to go back to your stages before this place opens."

"We won't, said Freddy. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye!" The others said as Emma left, crawling back through the vents to the elevator. She would surprise her friends later today, she decided. 'I'm going to come spend the day here when it opens?' She thought as the elevator ascended