#robot sides

Virgil was growing terrified of the robots. They all seemed to have a sinister side that tripled when they were kept in darkness and not surrounded by children. Though a couple of the robots were better-suited for children, there were robots he was much more terrified of…

Examples? Remus and Janus.

Janus was an unpredictable robot that managed to glitch himself into an impulsive liar. He’s encouraged kids to set things on fire, let kids play with sharpened swords, showed kids how to make chloroform, and taught kids all kinds of dangerous things. There was a reason Janus was kept in a locked room to only be used for spare parts. He was also scared that Janus was gonna pull some manipulative tricks on him or scare him. His worst nightmare was the thought of Janus sneaking up on him with a box of matches and saying “Humans are very flame resistant! Let me show you:” and setting him on fire. OH PLEASE NO.

Remus was even worse! He caused violence way too much, and looked like a creepy, insane robotic homeless guy that could kill hundreds if he was allowed to go free. He even smelled like a mix of mold, metal and dead mice. Worst of all? He had a mace. A FREAKING MACE! WHO THE HELL GAVE THE ROBOT A MACE?! And since his robot body made him so strong, Virgil’s head could easily be crushed by a single swing of the mace alone! All he could do was pray that Remus never got any ideas to try it out.

“Ooooh Viiirgiiil~” someone called.

Virgil jumped and moved his flashlight around to find the source of the sound. “You-You’d better leave me alone! I-” Virgil grabbed a lamp. “I have a...A lamp! And I’m not afraid to use it!” Virgil warned.

The voice let out a manic laugh that helped him identify the voice. It was Remus. “That’s a good one! The poor security guard’s all alone with only his lamp to hold onto! Such a shame it won’t save you.” Remus teased.

“Oh yeah? How do you know?” Virgil asked, plugging it in.

“The lamp’s hardly a weapon up against my pointy mace! All it’ll take is a big, fat, SPLAT! AHAHAHAHAHAAA! THEN IT’LL JUST BE BROKEN GLASS AND METAL!” Remus declared.

Virgil growled and held up the lamp in one hand, and the switch in the other. “Alright coward, COME ON OUT.”

Remus kicked the door down. “THE FUCK DID YOU JUST- AAAAAAH!” Remus interrupted himself and covered up his eyes with his hands. “FAAACK!”

Virgil smiled a little as he shined the light right into Remus’s eyes. “Not so tough now with burned robot eyes, huh?” Virgil spat.

Remus growled and started swinging his mace around blindly. Virgil’s confident smirk quickly turned to fear as he tried to get out of the way of the flying mace. “WHOA- Oh geez- REMUS!” Virgil shouted.

It didn’t take long for the lamp to end up destroyed into pieces by the mace. Remus let out some proud, chaotic laughter as his eyes very slowly adjusted. “Just like a piñata! A few more hits should do it!” Remus declared as he readied his mace like a baseball bat.

Virgil quickly dropped the lamp and sprinted away as quickly as he could. He sprinted out of the office and darted his way down the hall. But his sprinting was quickly brought to a halt by another robot who was blocking his path.

“Oooooh! Looking confident today, Security guard.” The robot teased as he tipped his hat. Oh no...It was Janus…

Virgil sprinted behind Janus and hid. “Please hide me! Remus is trying to kill me!” Virgil begged.

Janus turned his head a full 180 degrees to look right at Virgil. “My, what a brave soul.” Janus reacted out loud.

Virgil shrieked at Janus’s over contorted head and backed up from him. “That’snotright! that’snotRIGHT!” Virgil muttered.

Janus’s eyes moved to the right...they moved to the left...then they looked back at Virgil. “What do you mean? This is normal.” Janus told him. To top it all off, Janus had shrugged his shoulders like a human usually would. But Janus’s shoulder blades were literally just below Janus’s chin and were facing the terrified security guard. That was NOT normal.

In fact, that was enough to make Virgil scream and sprint off again. He sprinted his way further down the hall, and was soon skidded to a stop by one more animatronic:

“OOOH! A worthy opponent!” The animatronic declared, pointing his sharpened knife to Virgil. Virgil shrieked and put his hands up in surrender. “That’s right, you have no weapon! So that means you’re my prisoner!” Roman declared, grabbing his hand and leading him away. “I hope you can appreciate a quick death. Let’s say...Beheading! With my sword, of course!” Roman declared.

Virgil took one look at the sword and yelped: The sword was AN INCH AWAY FROM HIS EYE.

Roman giggled at his scared face. “Hehehe! Poke poke~”

Virgil screeched like a terrified hawk and pulled his arm out of Roman’s grip. The moment he was free, Virgil screamed again and took off sprinting.

“Wait! Wait, Virgil! I was joking! Come on!” Roman yelled to him.

Virgil sprinted all the way to the other side of the pizzeria. The animatronics were everywhere. He couldn’t get away! They wouldn’t stop grabbing him! Threatening his life! SCARING HIM TO DEATH!

OH NO! NOT ANOTHER ONE! Virgil tried to get up and take off running again. But this animatronic had him good. So Virgil started to kick, scream, and punch. Anything to get out of the animatronic’s strong grip.

“Virgil! Virgil Sanders! Can you hear me?” The animatronic asked.

Virgil’s fighting slowed a bit as he heard his actual name. “Wh- *huff, huff, huff* What-”

“Virgil Sanders. Is that right?” The animatronic asked. Virgil nodded his head. “Okay. I only know your name because I read your name tag.” The animatronic told him.

Okay...Okay. That makes sense. But this is an animatronic! Why are they being nice? The only animatronic he knew that was nice, was Patton! And even HE was a little sinister! “Pat- Patisthatyou?” Virgil asked.

“This is Logan. I need you to sit down and try to cooperate with me.” Logan explained. Virgil looked up and managed to catch the general outline of glasses...and a dark blue shirt. “Don’t worry. You’re safe. I’ve closed the doors and ordered all the animatronics but Patton, to leave you alone.” Logan explained.

Virgil started to relax his muscles bit by bit. “O...Okay...Okay.”

Something slid into his hand. “Can you feel my hand?” Logan asked. Virgil nodded. “Okay good. Can you feel my face?” Logan asked as he placed Virgil’s hand onto his cold, hard cheek.

Virgil nodded and looked up at him. “Cold...It’s cold.” Virgil added.

“Okay.” Logan replied.

“Good job Kiddo!” Another animatronic cheered. Virgil smiled a little at that.

“Now:” Logan placed Patton’s hand onto Virgil’s arm. “Can you feel the hand on your arm?” Logan asked. Virgil nodded. Logan continued. “That is Patton’s hand.” Logan told him.

Virgil nodded. “Okay.”

Patton, feeling a little playful, placed his hand on Virgil’s belly. “Do you feel this?” Patton asked as he started gently scratching it.

Virgil smiled and laughed a little. “Yeheheah, Ihihi doho.”

“Patton, I don’t think childish behaviours like tickling are recommended when a person is recovering from a panic atta-”

“It’s working!” Patton added his other hand to Virgil’s belly and started skittering all over. “Tickle tickle tickle!”

Virgil giggled and fell gently onto his back while he rolled around and pushed at Patton’s hands. “Hehehehehe! Hahahahahaha! Ihihi’m ohokahahahay.” Virgil let him know.

“Alright.” Patton stopped tickling him. “Did that help?”

Virgil smiled. “Yes. A lot, actually.”

Logan raised his eyebrows. “Fascinating...Virgil must be a rare human to appreciate tickling after a panic attack.” Logan reacted calmly.

Patton chuckled and shook his head. “Or tickling really does help for panic attacks and you just don’t believe me yet!” Patton picked up Virgil, held him in his arms like a toddler, and started skittering his fingers on Virgil’s sides. “Kitchy kitchy kitchy koo!”

Virgil squealed and started to wiggle again. “HAhahahaha! Hehehehe Pahahahat! Thahahat ticklehehes!” Virgil giggled.

“Ihi can tell! If it wasn’t ticklish to you, then I’d still be looking for new ticklish spots.” Patton replied.

Patton lifted up Virgil’s Security Guard shirt a bit and found the guy’s belly button. “Oooh! Giggle button!” Patton reacted as he poked it a few times. Virgil guffawed! His back arched like a freaking rainbow, and Virgil just about kicked Patton in the face! But thankfully, Patton caught the foot right before it hit him. “That was close…” Patton said calmly.

Virgil was covering his belly. “Sohorry. My belly button is REEEALLY bad.” Virgil admitted.

Patton dropped Virgil’s foot. “It IS?!” Patton pretty much dove towards Virgil and started scratching Virgil’s belly again. “Does this tickle?” Patton asked.

Virgil squeaked and squealed while rolling around and kicking his feet. “AAAHAHAHAHAHA! YEHEHEHEHEHESS!” Virgil yelled back.

Patton grabbed both of Virgil’s sides and started squeezing. “Does this tickle more? Or less?” Patton asked.

Virgil’s laughter fell to giggles while Patton tickled up and down the one side of his ribs. “Yeheheheheheah. Ihihihit tihihihihicklehehes lehehehess.” Virgil replied.

Patton hummed. “I can tell! Your laughter went from super strong, to little giggles!” Patton reacted.

Virgil nodded. “It did, yeah.”

Patton gasped and lifted Virgil’s shirt again. “I wanna hear your laughter again!” Patton declared before poking and swirling his finger in his belly button.

“Patton...Maybe we should tone it down-”

“BAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WAITNOHOHOHOHOHOHO!” Virgil rolled onto his belly as soon as he possibly could, and then continued to giggle into the floor as he recovered. “Lohohoho...Loho hahahas ahaha pohohohoint.” Virgil told him.

Patton frowned a little and crossed his arms. “Fiiine. I guess I’ll give you a break.” Patton decided.

Virgil let out a breath of relief and turned onto his back again. “Thank you.”

Logan was staring at Virgil with his eyes slightly narrow and a hand on his chin. It looked like he was in a hyper focused thinking mode. Logan just kept on staring at him, and looking him up and down. It was growing a little creepy for his liking. But...Logan probably didn’t really realize it.

“Um...L-Logan?” Virgil asked.

Logan moved his hand off his own chin and brought his index finger closer to Virgil. “Virgil…” He said, pointing to the nametag. “A male name meaning ‘Staff bearer’ in Latin.” Logan explained.

Virgil bit his lip and nodded. “Yes...That’s right. It’s also the name of a Roman poet.” Virgil admitted.

“Yes: Publius Vergilius Maro. He became influential in The Golden Age. Also known as The Augustan Age.” Logan added.

Virgil smiled. “Isn’t Augustus the Emperor that was related to Julius Caesar?” Virgil asked.

“Yes! Caesar was Augustus’s great-uncle.” Logan replied.

“Okay.” Virgil decided. “So...What about it?”

Logan smiled. “The name is very uncommon in this century.” Logan told him.

Virgil smiled. “I guess I’m special.” He teased.

Logan shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps.”

Logan leaned in and brought his hands towards Virgil’s ribs. “Is your ribcage ticklish by chance?” Logan asked him.

Virgil widened his eyes and scooted closer to the wall with a wobbly smile on his face. “Nohoho, no, no it’s not. Totally not.” Virgil lied desperately.

“Hmm...I see...And,” Logan touched down and started skittering, “-does proving my point help the factual robot to see that you’re lying?” Logan asked with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “Yes! Yes it does.”

Virgil bursted out into fits of giggles and laughter mixed into one reaction. “Aahahahahahaha! Ohohokahahahay, okay yohohohou’re rihihihight! Ihihi lihihihied! Ihihi’m sohohohorryhyhyhy!” Virgil admitted.

“I appreciate you apologizing. However, I’m afraid it’s a little too late for mercy to be bestowed upon you.” Logan told him as he started to move up the ribs.

Virgil’s laughter grew higher in octave, and a little louder. “WahahaHAHAHAIT- WHAHAHAHAT?! IHIHIHI THOHOHOHOHOUGHT-”

“You thought you were getting a break?” Logan finished for him. “Nah. I just wanted to have my turn to be the infamous ‘tickle monster’. Coochy coochy coochy coochy coo Virgil~” Logan teased.

Virgil threw his head back and started cackling. “AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NAHAHAHAT THEHEHERE! PLEHEHEASE! EEEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!” Virgil begged, trapping Logan’s hands in his upper arms.

“Oh dear...Patton, did you trick me into entering a trap?” Logan asked.

Patton giggled and shook his head. “Nohoho, why?”

Logan huffed dramatically and pulled. “Because I appear to be stuck. And Virgil is a lot stronger than I envisioned.” Logan explained.

Patton laughed even harder. “YOHOHOU’RE A ROBOT! You’re made of METAL! All it takes is a tug, Logan!” Patton reminded him.

Logan paused his tickling as he looked down at his arms and started pulling. But the pulling was made to be super weak and...quite pathetic for a robot.

“Ohohokahahay, nohohow you’re just beheheheing rihihidicuhulohohous.” Virgil told him.

Logan looked at Virgil with a frown and a smirk. “Excuse me?” Logan reacted. “Pathetic?”

Virgil’s giggles skyrocketed from Logan’s reaction. “Yeheheheahahahah!” Virgil further provoked.

Logan smirked even wider and fixed his glasses. “Excuse me while I do this:” Logan picked up Virgil like a toddler, brought him into his arms and covered every part of Virgil’s middle with tickles. Ribs, belly, sides, belly button, hips, they were all tickled.

Virgil absolutely LOST IT! He was a mess of cackles, snorts, hiccups, and even squeaks mixed together into one big ball! Virgil looked like a snorter, so the snort didn’t really catch Logan off guard.

However, Patton was ecstatic. “Logan! Did you hear that?! He snorted! He has a snort laugh! Hahahahaha! I love it! I wanna hear it again! Can you make him snort again?” Patton asked amidst his rambling.

Logan giggled at this and nodded. “Sure thing Pat in the Hat.” Logan replied. To make Virgil snort again, Logan specifically targeted his upper ribs and his belly all at once. This made Virgil cackle, squeal, and as Patton wanted: snort.

“PLEHEHEHEHEASE! *snort* TOHOHOO MUHUHUHUCH! TOHO *snort* MUHUHUHUCH! MEHEHEHERCYHYHYHYHY! *snort* PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE?” Virgil pleaded.

“Uh oh...I do believe his oxygen level is dropping a bit too low. I will need to stop and let him breathe again.” Logan told Patton as he stopped tickling.

Virgil went limp in Logan’s arms almost immediately. He was breathing heavily as well, which further proved Logan’s observation.

“Hohohow…” Virgil was stopped by Logan’s index finger on his lips.

“Hush Virgil. Just breathe for a bit. Then you may ask your question.” Logan advised.

Virgil rolled his eyes and listened to him. But Virgil did feel a little annoyed by Logan’s advice. How did Logan know what’s best for him? He’s not a human. He hasn’t experienced being human since he was made. Heck, even his human-mimicking socializing was quite off. No one quite talked like Logan. Well, except for the super introverted nerds in the world.

BUt Virgil still listened to him. When he felt recovered enough, Virgil tried again. “How do you know my oxygen level?” Virgil asked.

Logan looked down at him. “I have been fitted with a pulse Oximeter at my fingertips.” Logan explained briefly. He brought his fingers to Virgil’s. “I can squeeze gently on your finger, and a number will show up. If it’s normal, then I don’t have any reason to act concerned. If it’s low however, I may advise breathing more heavily or going outside for some fresh air or a short walk. That usually helps raise a human’s blood oxygen level.” Logan explained.

“Hm...I see. Can you do anything else?” Virgil asked.

“Indeed I can.” Logan replied. “Not many people know this, but I have been fitted with a Glucometer for checking the blood sugar of any suspected or confirmed diabetic of any age.” Logan told him. “I also have a way to check your general body temperature.” Logan added. “You’re fairly warm still. However, exerting activities such as tickling can make you increasingly warm.” Logan explained.

Virgil smiled. “That’s really cool.”

Logan smiled. “I can also confirm that you are, in fact, a male. If you were a trans male, I would know. But I would still be ordered to call you by your preferred pronouns due to backlash if I failed to do so.” Logan explained.

“Kinky!” Someone added randomly.

Patton jumped at the new voice, and frowned at the word he used. “Remus, no!” Patton warned.

Logan sighed and fixed his glasses. “Remus, it is NOT kinky! It is basic knowledge!” Logan argued.

“Sounds pretty kinky to me! Right Security Guard?” Remus teased.

Virgil looked away, growing a little more uncomfortable than he expected. “A...A little…”

Logan looked at Virgil. “I don’t quite understand…” Logan admitted. “Did I do something wrong?”

Virgil shook his head. “No! No you didn’t. Just for the future...Maybe keep the ‘gender’ identifying technology a secret. For...social purposes.” Virgil advised.

Logan nodded. “Noted.” Then, Logan smiled. “However, we are gonna take advantage of your more regular oxygen levels and resume tickling you.”

Wait a minute, WHAT?!

Patton gasped and clapped his hands. “YES! MORE SNORTS!”