What Lurks Beneath (RPDR AU)

9

Angie's POV:
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I was frozen in shock, watching as the animatronic looked down at his chest and gave the girl inside a gentle nudge. The static sound quieted a bit, and the girl raised her head slightly.

"Hungry, Steven..." Orion's voice was mumbled and weak, a bloodied rag wrapped around one of her eyes as the other stayed closed. The animatronic, Steven I figured, nodded his head in acknowledgment. He closed up his chest once more, hiding Orion from our view again and sniffing the air.

Jorgeous whined from beside me, starting to get up. "That piece of shit has my baby..."

I put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her down and beside me. "Wait..." I whispered. "I think he's hiding her from the others..."

I couldn't think of any other way Orion would still be alive. Steven had to be protecting her, it's like the robot knew something we didn't. He set himself back on all fours, continuing to sniff around. I wasn't too worried about him yet, considering there was no possible way a piece of metal could pick up on scent, until his head turned towards the bushes we were hidden in.

My eyes went wide, watching as Steven slowly approached. "...Bosco?" I whispered. "You...brought snacks with you, didn't you?"

Bosco looked just as shocked, not moving at all. "Uh...maybe?"

Just as she said it, the animatronic grabbed at the bushes with his claws, tearing them from the ground and staring down at Bosco. She screamed, holding onto her girlfriend for dear life as Steven growled and bit down on the top of her bag, pulling it away from her shoulders and shaking it until it started to open.

"Hey!-" Bosco huffed, glaring at him now. "That equipment is fucking expensive you bitch-"

Steven continued to shake the bag in his jaws until everything spilled out of it, including the snacks Bosco had brought with her. He stopped when he saw them, scooping them up with his tail and sitting back on his hind legs.

He hardly seemed to notice he had uncovered all of us. I was too in shock to move, continuing to watch as his chest opened up once more and he leaned down close to the ground.

Orion pulled herself out, stumbling and shaking as she leaned against the dragon's fur. Her back was turned to us as Steven nudged the food towards her, curling up around her and laying his head in Orion's lap. A loud metallic purr filled the stunned silence as the girl quickly ripped into the food in desperation.

I couldn't hold Jorgeous back any longer. "O-Orion-" She pulled herself away from my grasp, rushing to her girlfriend.

Orion stiffened, slowly turning around and staring at her in disbelief. "J-Jorgeous...?"

Steven raised his head and growled when he saw her, pulling himself back up and wrapping his ragged tail around Orion. I rushed up to Jorgeous' side, pulling her farther back from the animatronic that snapped his teeth at her.

"Steven no-" Orion stumbled up and placed a hand on the dragon's muzzle, petting his fake fur and urging him away from us. "Th-That...that's my..." She shook her head, body trembling. "H-How did you...?"

Jorgeous threw herself against Orion, sobbing against her shoulder as I eyed the state of the once urban explorer. Her clothes were ripped, multiple injuries covering her exposed skin. Steven stood up on his hind legs once more, towering over her and growling as he studied us.

I knew I had to speak up now. "Y-You're Orion Story, correct?" I tried to keep myself sounding professional, but this whole situation had me questioning so many things.

Orion clung onto Jorgeous to keep herself standing, slowly looking up at me. "I-I am..." She stuttered. "Who are all of you and how are you alive?"

"We should be asking you that-" Bosco managed to finally speak, shaking her head in disbelief. "You always seemed to brave and all that in your videos but how have you survived in this death trap?-"