Two days. They were given two more days of general peace. Apparently Melissa was vying to be in charge of dealings surrounding them from the moment she found out they weren't just another AI. Dream felt it was a little insulting to the others, but couldn't argue with the fact that it was definitely interesting to know a possessed robot. And they were, quite literally, possessing the robot.

Regardless, a bunch of minor supplies were added around the place, and she had to explain that they weren't allowed to go behind the desk- more specifically, they were supposed to be coded against doing that. And obviously she was more or less on their side with just acting as a definitely completely normal animatronic that most certainly wasn't haunted.

Still, there were craft supplies brought in, and of course they realized an opportunity.
A kind of stupid opportunity, one that Nightmare was against at first, but Dream couldn't really draw and neither of them wanted to just. Show up looking like this. Humans wore makeup anyway.

So while up in the empty private room a charging station was being set up, they took the time to make a sort of mask.. to tape onto their mask like face.
It took longer than what was happening in that room, and someone outright asked why they were messing with the supplies before there were kids to use them, and despite Nightmare being the one in control with the lights on, Dream replied by asking the man to look at their face and ask again.

That human eventually figured out what they were doing and left them alone.
The end result still felt stupid, but it was infinitely more approachable than what they were unable to change. Sure, Melissa laughed upon seeing it, but even she agreed that anything was better than the crap they were stuck with.
So stupid mask it was.
Dream quietly agreed that they'd be breaking the faceplate as soon as they could.

But eventually day three rolled around and she was the first to approach them, finding Nightmare abusing one of the stupid bots in the theater in boredom. He wasn't actively breaking it, though it seemed as close to flustered as the basic thing could be.

“Kids are about to start checking into the daycare soon.” Was the first thing she said, eyeing the poor thing on the floor struggling vainly to right itself.
Nightmare nudged it with a foot, scooting it several inches.
“Joy.” He finally replied, end of the cap folded over his right eye.

“Shouldn't you wear that behind your head?” She suggested. He glared at her, despite knowing his visible expression couldn't change beyond narrowed eyes.
“I can't remove it without yanking out whatever it's attached to so I'm going to wear it however I damn well please.” To prove a point, he rotated his head until upside-down, hanging there for a second before righting it again. It was still uncomfortable to do that.

“Alright. I still don't know how you two plan on meeting the kids.” She pointed out, unfortunately used to his antics already.
“I told you already, we aren't.” He huffed, mostly just a whirr of what they were pretty sure was an internal fan. When they had been told they had coolant already. It didn't really make sense to them.

“You have about.. 22 minutes, by the way.” She checked her phone for the time.
“Brilliant.” Nightmare was still heavy on the sarcasm, though like usual she just seemed vaguely amused.
Something that they could definitely feel vaguely at this point, though was muted and distant.
Still gave them hope of power returning.

She rocked on her heels for a moment, clearly weighing her options before she sighed and headed for the door. Nightmare regarded the bot on the floor, which was staring at him as if asking to be helped up. Tough luck, he wasn't doing shit, instead launching off the stage and quietly rolling to his feet a few paces behind her. He couldn't teleport like before, but he most definitely had the power to damn near look like he could, startling her as she realized he was following just behind her.

“And where will you be?” He ended up asking, wincing as she opened the door and the light hit. That new sensitivity was still annoying, Dream already perking up internally as he was now listening in.
“I kinda got demoted.” She stated casually, a pep in her step.

“And you're happy about that?” Nightmare questioned.
Here, she flashed a grin. “That's where the kinda comes in.” She started, clearly in a good mood.
“No pay cut, but I'm basically.. well they called it handler, but I think I prefer your manager.”
“You better keep calling it that.” He hissed in disgust.
She laughed at his visceral reaction, continuing.
“Yeah, most animatronics typically have a handler up to a year and a half, sometimes more after being introduced, but because you deal directly with small children they consider it best to permanently keep an adult human presence with their attendant just in case or whatever. Ironic if you ask me.”

“Clearly they worry we would do something to get them sued by the parents.” Nightmare pointed out, finally understanding that she was headed for that desk.
“Clearly my work is cut out for me.” She added sarcastically. “It's great, I genuinely only need to report incidents or concerns. They might get you a better face if I light a big enough fire over it.”
“I expect you're going to wait until you're settled in before then?”

She looked surprised, blinking at them before huffing. “No, I already filed a complaint over it actually.”
That came as a bit of a shock, head tilting as his only current impression of a raised brow.
“A little risky to do that so quickly.” He noted.
“Believe it or not, a lot of people have already emailed concerns over it.” She explained, tentatively sliding into the desk chair and running her hands over the smooth top. “It's not new at all. I think your mask thing made at least five people email again just to point out that not even you agree with it. I think someone asked who told you it was ugly.”
Nightmare stared in amusement before Dream spoke up. “Blame Jared.”

She snorted. “Will do. He also legitimately quit, by the way. Handed in his stuff and walked out.”
“Figures.” Dream muttered, Nightmare adding.
“Of course he did, he was weak.”
Melissa set up a laptop on the desk before looking up at them.
“I've been meaning to ask, but were either of you a theater kid?”

Dream was confused as Nightmare flared in outrage. “You too?! No! They weren't even a thing when I was a child!”
“Too?” Dream questioned.
“Oh my God, are you old?”
“We aren't elderly!” Dream squawked in surprise.
“Then how old are you two?”
“You don't need to know that!” Nightmare snapped.
“Oh my God, you're old.”
“No we are not!”
“Glad to be rid of the aching joints?”
“We didn't have aching joints!” Dream spluttered, ignoring the growl from within as Nightmare stewed in anger.

“Are we in denial?” She teased, and he threw his hands up in exasperation.
“We don't age like humans!” He cried- and in an instant, impulsively slapped where his ‘mouth’ was.
Melissa's smile fell at that, and they stared at each other.

He then spun around and speed walked away, ignoring her cry to wait as they turned a corner and frantically scrambled up the slide just to hide from her, emerging in the lobby and stepping away from the glass so as to be less likely to be seen.
Dream then froze at the sight of a little boy clinging to his mother's pant leg, staring.
..Shit.

They glanced back at the playroom, where Melissa was looking through the structures helplessly looking for them.. then back at the kid to see the parent glancing over while still talking to the receptionist.
With another glance inside the daycare, they decided fuck it, Dream approaching them.

The child ducked around his mother as the woman cut herself off to look at them in confusion.
“Is that a mask?”
“It is.” Dream confirmed.
She turned back to the receptionist. “Why is it wearing a mask? Devon needs to see what he's talking to.”
“Ma'am-”
“Because for some reason my face was designed by a horror artist.” Dream deadpanned. “And I prefer I didn't traumatize your child by forcing him to look at it, so yes, right now I'm wearing a mask until I can get a face that doesn't belong on Halloween shelves.”

She gaped at him, as if expecting him to just sit there. The man behind the counter added.
“Ma'am, that's the most advanced AI in the pizzaplex. He can answer your questions just fine.”
“Way to throw me to the wolves, Jesse.” Dream muttered, reading the nametag.
“Why do you have a problem with that?” Jesse shot back in pure, honest confusion.

He stared for a moment, looked at the woman, then the child, then sighed, taking a page from his brother's book.
“I have a face only a mother could love and have to share my own body with someone else all while my sole intended purpose is to be a nanny for hordes of children daily, why wouldn't I be annoyed that the human that just sits at a desk all day can't help deal with the parents who can't even see me as a person?”
“Excuse me?” She was immediately offended.

He was about to point out how obvious her disregard of him was when the child spoke up weakly.
“He's scary..”
Immediately he changed his mind, freezing for a moment before crouching down and ignoring her.
“Hi there! I don't mean to be scary, I promise.”
“You're like Slenderman.” The kid stated nervously, still hiding behind a leg as the woman turning to argue with the receptionist that the animatronic was atrociously rude.

“Well I don't think I have anything in common with the slender man but why don't you tell me? Does he hit his head on doorframes too?”
“No, he glitches around them!” The boy explained.
“Well that's convenient.” Dream remarked.
“What's he look like?”

“Stupid tall! Like a tree but in a suit!” Devon wasn't holding on to his mom anymore. “And he has no face, but I think he's wearing a mask!” He leaned away again, confidence fading.
“Well maybe he's shy.” Dream suggested. “I know I am. This mask is because my face is so ugly, you could die!”
“Like Medusa?!” Devon cried excitedly.

Dream shuddered. “Oh no, not her. Me and Medusa don't get along. Turning into stone is awful.” He was oddly comfortable sharing tidbits of truth with the child. It wasn't like it was at all believable to the adults, anyway.
“You can't see or move! And worse, you're stuck in the rain!” He explained with a cheer he didn't feel.
“I like the rain.”
“Make sure you never look at Medusa, because turning into stone will make you stop liking it.” He tsked, offering a hand.

Devon hesitantly approached, timid as he grasped the metallic fingers, huge by comparison.
“Are you taller than Freddy?” He asked.
“Yep! Almost a whole head taller! It's not fun at all, either. Everyone wishes to be tall until they get it, then it's hunching over in smaller rooms and ducking through doorways for the rest of your life.”
Devon giggled at that.

“Is your head a chainsaw?” He asked. Dream paused before it clicked.
“Oh, these?” He flicked one of the triangles as they all spun a little.
“See, what you're talking about is a sawblade, chainsaws really do use chains to cut trees. Sadly I'm not as cool as a saw. They sure can give a good poke, though.” He extended them all the way out with that statement.
“Why do you have them if they don't do nothing?”

“Well how else could I show how I'm feeling?” He pointed out. “My real face can't move at all. I can't smile or frown or anything. It's pretty sucky, but I still have these.” His head tilted as he spun them. It was a little fun to spin and angle them around sometimes.

Glancing up, he blanched at the 20 something people waiting in line already with kids.
“Hey, Devon?” He asked, the boy looking up at him innocently. “Are you ready to make some friends today?”
His face pinched in disgust. “Like school?”
“Not at all, we have fun here.” He pointed at the glass. “You see all that? You get to explore and play in there today.”

The boy's eyes lit up in delight as he took that in.
“All of it?!”
“Yes, every inch. And if your mom doesn't mind, you can come again another day, too.”
Immediately he started yanking his mother's pants, begging to go play.
“Okay Dev, but behave.” She gave in, scowling at Dream before nudging him away.
Devon immediately charged towards the slide, because of course he'd seen it.
“Say hi to the nice lady at the bottom for me!” Dream called, getting a shout of okay before the boy disappeared down the tube.

Already, a bunch of children were yearning for the playroom, begging their own parents. Many adults were staring at him with scrutiny, but Dream just walked to the window and found Melissa standing by the ballpit, greeting Devon and staring up at him.
He gave a cheeky wave before backing away from the glass, ignoring her scowl as he sauntered over to the other kids and parents. They were all younger than the average Frisk or Chara, but he was reasonably sure he could manage.

He started greeting a few, getting to know their names and encouraging the adults to go ahead and let them go. Dream felt he was pretty good at this, going through brief explanations for a few details before moving on. One mother tried to drill him on allergies, but he simply explained that nothing in the place had nuts save for a trail mix only the workers had access to.

The third from last in the line, however, seemed a little.. off. The girl, Angie, was quiet while her father stood with both hands on her shoulders, staring up at him. Nightmare, who had been silent and considering simply going to sleep, was suddenly paying close attention as Dream froze for a few seconds, wishing he could feel emotions like he used to. He'd have a better idea as to why the man had strange vibes.

She's not one for physical activity. Nightmare immediately assumed, still fixated on the adult.
Deciding to check, Dream asked.
“Do you like drawing?”
Angie nodded mutely.
“She's not much of a talker. Are you, sweetie?” Her father explained while smiling down at her.
Dream could tell it wasn't a normal smile, but couldn't sense the emotions behind it at all.
Nightmare was actually a little angry, seeing something he couldn't.
Get him away from her or I will.

Sensing the urgency, Dream quickly enticed her to follow him, quietly holding hands as he followed her down the slide, gently scooping her from the ballpit and handing her to Melissa nearby, who was getting the kids in the river of balls to stay away from the entrance slide. The woman was confused, about to speak when he shook his head.
“Could you get her some paper and crayons? There's just two more at the moment.”

Without waiting for an answer, Dream was already clambering back up the slide and making his way directly to the receptionist again.
Jesse hesitated at his approach, in the middle of getting the latest parents to sign the papers and pay for the day.

“Can you see the father at the back of the line right now? Third from the end.”
“...Why?” The young adult asked, leaning a little to the side to look over curiously.
“I don't trust him.” He explained bluntly. “There's a chance it's only me, but he has.. how do I put this. Absolutely rancid vibes. And that little girl is very quiet, you know?”
“Are you supposed to detect abuse?” The mother at the desk asked in dismay.

“Hopefully it's only paranoia.” Dream stated simply, already walking away to greet the last three kids, two siblings and another little girl. It took a few minutes to encourage them to go ahead and play, and headed back to inform Jesse.
“If he lingers, I just want you to watch him.”
“Sure man, whatever.”
“I'm not joking, Jesse. Watch if he lingers. I don't want us to have to focus on all these kids and the cameras, because there's only one body between the two of us.”
The human stared for a moment, then nodded a little uneasily.

Finally, Dream could go and deal with the kids- as underprepared as he felt. He was almost to the slide when he noticed that the man was staring at the glass, glancing at him. Completely unaware that they were suspicious of him.
They stared at the man a minute longer, up until he noticed and watched them back.

Dream went down the slide.