Archive of Our Own ^beta

He was getting fed up with all of Moon’s little Roxanne “jokes”.

Ha. Jokes. Weren’t they supposed to be funny? Unlike this entire situation? Right.

Even after she and Sun had cut things off his brother just would not stop it with the comments.

“You’re just hopelessly in love with her, dear brother.”

“Simp.”

“Suree buddy, you “are” over her.”

It was infuriating! Moon did it so frequently that Sun couldn’t even WALK PAST the woman without immediately thinking about their past relationship. Atleast with the kids cove jokes he could just brush it off. But Roxanne? Not gonna happen.

It definitely didn’t help that they had to record videos together too, which forced him into another uncomfortable scenario except this time, it escaped the confines of his mind! 

Sun was going to get back at him.

No no, it wasn’t going to be as simple as a joke.. but rather a prank? The idea made him smirk. It was almost perfect.

The only problem was that Moon doesn’t get pranked. He never does, because he’s smart enough to know when it’s coming, and it always ends up backfiring on the prankster themself.

He had to be smart about this, and think everything through. Get some help with the planning too maybe?

But.. who would he call?

——⪨✰⪩——

That’s how he- or they ended up here.

Sun stood talking to none other than Monty. Who was (Arguably) The best candidate for the job!

The neon lights of the daycare sky shimmered in the background as they plotted.

“So.. any ideas?” Sun questioned, hoping for some helpful insight from them.

“Well.. there aint much ta’ work with bud.” Monty huffed. “You sure that the golfclubs won’t work?”

“Trust me, I’m sure. The only thing those will get me is an angry Moon and the end of my life.” He shook his head, leaning forward onto the security desk.

Monty grunted, moving from his still spot to pace around the padded floor.

Sun looked up, “Uh. What are you doing, Monty?” He asked as he observed the others motion.

“Thinkin’.” He replied bluntly.

“I-I get that.. but why’re you..?” Sun pushed the question, hoping to get an answer from them.

He growled in frustration. “It helps me think goddamnit! It’s better than standing still like a-!” Monty cut himself off, stopping his pacing and standing in silence for a moment.

Sun tilted his head thoughtfully, patiently waiting through the silence for a reply.

It was obvious that he jumped a little bit at the sudden scream of “HOLY SHIT!”

“SUN. That’s it!” Monty urged as he smirked.

“I.. don’t follow?”

“Mannequins!”

You could say a lightbulb went off in his head. It could actually work!

“That.. doesn’t sound too bad..” Sun agreed. “What will we do with them though?”

“I got the perfect plan.” Monty smirked, walking out of the daycare’s wooden doors as they urged Sun to follow. “Follow me, kid.”

——⪨✰⪩——

The scheme was officially complete! Now all Sun had to do was lure his younger brother towards the place. Easy enough.

He told Moon that there was a new restaurant nearby that he wanted to try, and that he wanted Moon to go with him. It was believable, and his brother didn’t question him much so it worked out.

That’s how they ended up here. On a cracked gravel road in a strangely empty town, that coincidentally led to a fancy building with pretty neon lights.

“..Are you sure this is the right place?” Moon asks, glancing at his brother. “It looks a little.. erm.. abandoned ?”

“Don’t be silly! That’s just because it’s nighttime, Moonie!” He reassured.

“If you say so..” Moon mumbles under his breath.

Sun happily skipped along the trail with Moon walking next to him until they finally reach the entrance of the place.

The yellow animatronic reaches his hand out and opens the door to hold it open for his brother, who nervously walks inside.

Relief fills him as he sees a normal, casual restaurant. 

The only thing “strange” about it was that it was completely empty, which was pretty normal for everyone since they always booked out the places to avoid scaring human customers.

..Now that he thought of it, how exactly was Sun able to book out a brand new place? Wasn’t that usually difficult to do? He didn’t even think that Sun actually cared that much about doing that. It wasn’t like they couldn’t just order takeout or something.

Moon turned to his right, expecting to see his brother. “Hey, Su—?!” 

But Sun wasn’t there. In his place was a beastly 9ft tall mannequin staring back at Moon with its blank face.

He was ashamed to say he jumped a bit. The thing wasn’t even directly beside him, it was backed up against the wall a few feet away from him. 

The object was a bit out of place, maybe the owners just used it as a coat hanger or something?

Right?..

That was right.

Shaking it off, he looks back at the door, towards his broth—, 

Nevermind. He was greeted by the sight of nothing. Why didn’t Sun come inside with him? What could he possibly be doing outside? 

Moon walks back towards the door and grips both of the handles, trying to push it open. Was it locked?! The fuck?!?

He tried to open it vice versa, by yanking inwards on the handles. No luck.

Panic flooded him. No matter how much he tried to keep himself cool. He knew this was a bad idea from the moment he saw the building. He knew that it seemed a bit off and he went against his better judgment anyways.

What the hell happened to his brother!? If anyone touches him they will have more than hell rained upon them.

He gives up on the door and turns back around, only to yelp in the direction of the mannequin who is now standing directly in front of him.

He could’ve sworn that it fucking MOVED? The HELL?!?

Moon’s eyes flickered to it’s previous spot, only to see the sight of the— no, the SECOND mannequin. 

It did move. Oh god.

He wearily slipped past both of them, keeping his optics trained on the two as he walked backwards further into the building.

The guy had played way too many horror games to fail this part. He knew what to do.

…Only until he didn’t. He bumped into something behind him, and stumbled forward.

Moon shuddered. He knew what it was.

It couldn’t be.. please don’t..

He slowly craned his neck around to see a third creature, its head tilted down *just enough* to be technically looking at his face.

Fuck.

His head turned once more to glance back at the ones behind him, his eyes widening as he realizes they’ve gotten closer.

The first was sitting in one of the table chars pointed in his direction, holding a cup of tea as it did so.

The second was standing on the opposite side of the first, and had its arm reached out as if to grab at him.

He was petrified. Every wire in his body was telling him to run. To scream. To hide away.

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t bring himself to react that way, or in any.

Instead he stood still in the middle of the room, paralyzed.

His mind couldn’t comprehend what was happening, why couldn’t he leave, where his brother went, if Sun was even okay?!  

He shakily tapped his arm to initiate his call function, attempting to call his brother as a last resort. 

Idiot.

Why didn’t you just do that before??

Stupid, stupid Moon.

His mind raced as he waited for the answer. The ringing echoing throughout the room.

What if he doesn’t pick up?! Damnit!

He has to. How else does this end? How else will he know that his sibling is okay? Sun always picks up the phone, no matter what. 

He’s going to answer, and Moon is going to find out where he is. He’s going to be outside, trying to get the falsey jammed door unstuck so he can come inside.

It’s not locked. There are no mannequins, and he’s just imagining it all.

Moon’s heart drops as he hears the thing he dreaded most.

“Leave a message at the beep! Beeeeeeeeep.”  

No.. this can’t be happening.

The phone clicks off.

shit. Shit. SHIT!!

Moon clutches his head within his hands, claws threatening to dig into his skull. 

There had to be something that he could do.

His grip released. Eyes focused on the creatures in front of him, pupils darting from left to right.

Moon had to get out of there. There wasn’t any time to waste, for the figure behind him could strike at any moment.

His entire body shook in fear, so terrified that the robot barely managed to turn right to face all three mannequins, he began slowly walking backwards, keeping his vision locked on them.

Moon carefully tip-toed away from them. He could book it upstairs once he had gotten close enough to the staircase leading to the next floor.

They only stared at him. Carefully watching his next move, knowing that he could slip up at any given second.

As Moon turned the staircase corner, he could’ve sworn he saw their heads tilt in his direction.

He flew up the steps, his legs moving faster than he even thought possible. It was only a matter of time before they caught up to him. He had to move swiftly.

Moon reached the top, huffing for breath he didn’t need as he calculated his next move. 

The bar.

He could hide behind the counter. It wasn’t fool-proof but it was something.

Moon practically shoved himself under the table, managing to squeeze himself into the smallest cabinet imaginable.

How he even fit? A mystery.

All he could hear was his own hyperventilating. Jesus, they were going to find him at this rate.

He forced himself to take a few deep breaths, steadying his breathing.

Moon tapped his arm once more, a last ditch effort to call for help.

Please pick up.. Moon thought to himself.

….

…

..

.

“Hello?” A raspy, monotone voice answered the phone.

“ Solar. I need your help.” Moon pleaded, his dignity gone as his voice cracked through speech.

The other’s voice dropped a considerable amount, completely serious. “What happened, Moon? Where are you right now?” He questioned.

Moon took a shaky breath, “I- I don’t know, Sun wanted to go to this new restaurant, then before I even get to blink he's vanished and I’m being slowly hunted by a group of mannequins.”

The scientist can’t bring himself to raise his voice up from a whisper, he knows they’ll find him soon.

“He won’t answer his phone, and I can’t find a way to leave the place.” Moon continues, 

“I— .…I’m scared, Solar.” It hurts him to admit, and he might even be shameful if he wasn’t so damn petrified.

“Tracking yours and Suns’ locations right now. I’ll get you both out of there, Moon.” The mechanic reassures, but Moon can hear the silent worry in his voice.

Moon paused.

..What was that noise?

He could hear a faint creaking, the wooden floorboards squeaking as something creeped towards him. Moon covered his mouth, hoping to prevent any more sounds from coming out.

Just as the sounds reached above his location.. the creaking stopped.

It was quiet.

Too quiet, almost. Had it given up? Did it think that Moon wasn’t there, that he had escaped somehow? Maybe there wasn’t even anyone there, and he was just imagining the squeaking.

..That… doesn’t seem right.

“Moon? Are you still there?” Solar’s voice rang out from his arm.

“Shit.”

Moon’s eyes widened with terror. If the creature above him didn’t know where he was before, it probably did now.

“—— GK!?” A loud spring could be heard as a blank face sprung down into his line of sight, bending over to look at Moon square in the eyes.

“Moon!” Solar barked out.

That was his que to get the fuck out of there. He scrambled out of his spot, still fixing his gaze on the mannequin, avoiding its touch as he carefully crawled out of the bar.

At this point, he couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. Moon turned his back to the creature, running towards one of the upper floor windows, attempting an escape.

‘Attempting’ was a…. Type of word. He couldn’t even muster up the strength to slide the window open, let alone if he tried to punch the glass. His shaking fist couldn’t even make a dent.

The tears dropped from his face like water.

God, he was pathetic. Crying now of all times?

“Solar.” Moon huffed, out of breath.

“I’m on my way, Moon.” The mechanic responded, a faint noise from the background could be heard. “Hang in there just a bit longer.” 

Moon pressed his back against the glass, attempting to regain control of the situation by staring the statues down.

All three were now directly in front of him, glaring down at his form as if he were nothing but an insect. He was surrounded, and he wasn’t sure how much more time he truly had left.

“Hurry up.” He pleaded.

Were they going to kill him once he blinked? Had they just been stalling to do so this entire time, so that they could end his life while he was shocked in horror?

Or were they simply just toying with him, a game of cat and mouse. Maybe that was all they had wanted from him, and now that was done. It was the end of his road.

He wasn’t sure of what to do now. But he might never get the chance to say this if he didn’t do it now.

“Sol..” Moon rasped, wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to comfort his shivering form.

“ If.. if I die….Will y—“ Moon was promptly interrupted by Solar talking over him.

“You’re not going to die.” Solar stated, a hint of rage in his tone. “Never say that again, Moon.” He scolds, “I won’t let that happen to you.”

“..You can’t promise me that.”

“I just did.” Solar retorts, “I promise I won’t let you die.”

“Not right now, or ever.”

Moon wants to laugh at the absurdity of it. But part of him wants to believe them. He cracked a sad smile at the thought.

..CH.

A loud crunch of wood could be heard.

CRHHK !

The sound of the front doors breaking echoed throughout the building. Shit, he really wasn’t going to let Moon die.

“MOON! WHERE ARE YOU ?” The technician shouted as loud as he could.

“UPSTAIRS! HELP ME.” Moon yelled back.

His leather boots stomped up the stairwell, the sound louder than anything Moon could comprehend. 

Moon’s vision was blurry from his tears, but he could make out the image of his friend standing next to the railings.

The solar automation held out his left hand, aiming it in a straight line of all three of the mannequins. The room was illuminated in a blue glow as he fired his arm cannon, all three statues being disintegrated to dust.

Moon let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding in, his legs giving out as he dropped to his knees.

Solar ran over to him, dropping onto his level and enveloping him in a hug.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you die.” He rubbed Moon’s back in an attempt to comfort him.

The other let out a wet chuckle, “Way to make me feel better, genius.”  

“Thanks, I try.” Solar smiled.

After a few moments, Moon had mostly regained his composure. ..Or, what was possible to regain in this situation.

They let go of each other, standing up.

“We have to find Sun.” Moon states.

Solar looked at the locator on his arm, “His tracker says that he’s in the building.” He continues, “Specifically on a level of elevation that doesn’t actually seem to exist.”

“What do you mean?”

“..I mean, your brother should be directly below us. But he’s not downstairs, I would have seen him.”

..bzzz..

..bzzz…

Moon’s phone buzzed, Sun was calling him!

….

…

..

.

“SUN?! Where are you? Are you safe?” Moon worriedly questioned over the phone.

“Eheh.. about that, Moon..” Sun sheepishly said, “Uh.. E-Everythings fine! Just— meet me at the entrance.”

“Do you really expect me t—“

.

..

…

….

“HE HUNG UP ON ME !” Moon shouted in anger.

“Jeez..” Solar muttered.

“He wants me to go outside? Alright, fine. Come on, Solar.” Moon waves his friend to follow as he begins his descent down the stairs.

Man, what a fucking day. 

Solar sighs as he trails behind the other animatronic until they reach the front doors that were not so kindly broken down from earlier.

They were greeted with the sight of none other than Sun and Monty, standing shamefully in front of the entrance.

Sun jumps to explain himself, clasping his hands together in an attempt to calm himself.

 “Uhm— It..,, ..it was a prank??”