#Only Glamrock Freddy from the hit game Five Nights at Freddy's Security Breach would want me to brush my teeth | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

angelofrainfrogs · 8 months

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Spend the Night: Ch. 24

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

Fandom(s): Five Nights At Freddy’s: Security Breach

Description: The familiar melody of Grandfather’s Clock chimes through the echoing halls of the Pizzaplex…

Charlie wakes up in her Puppet’s vessel yet again with one goal in mind: to stop William Afton’s reign of terror for good. She enlists the help of Glamrock Freddy, the emphatic leader of the newest iteration of the Fazbear Band. But there seems to be more to this bear than meets the eye—and the same goes for the mysteriously familiar kid the duo find tinkering with animatronics down in Parts & Service.

With some help from friends new and old, Charlie’s journey into the bowels of the Pizzaplex will unravel mysteries none of them ever expected.

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

Between the lines I need to read So we can be released from these evil dreams

This RPG is hard to beat with so many secrets that they keep beneath

~Join the Party by J.T. Machinima~

There was an ugly pause in the group. As they let Vanessa go, a woman stressed and hindered by a hypnotic amnesia, Gregory felt bad. He regretted all the mean names he’d called her. It was Vanny being a psycho, not her real self.

And when Michael sprained her wrist... Given it was for self-defense, but still.

Gregory leaned against his father, staring at the door along with his family in pity. They'd have to fight this unaware woman again, he was certain. The thought only made his hate for William Afton grow.

“What time is it? Is there still time to find the last game?” Charlie asked, her urge to save Vanessa as well as Gregory swelling with the sadness in her chest.

Freddy blinked a few times, pulling up his internal clock. “It is 2:47 pm. We have time to look around, although I insist on getting Gregory some more food and water in the near future.”

“Of course; we can’t have Gregory crashing on us!” Michael flashed the boy a grin, playfully nudging his arm before ushering the group to start moving forward. He wanted to save Vanessa as much as everyone else. He might not have gotten to the kids in time, but at least they could try to save her along with Gregory.

“Are there any other arcades, Freddy? If that’s where the first two were found, maybe the next game is in a different one, too.” Michael grimaced, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Hopefully there’s only one more of these things…”

The worst thing would be to miss out on some consoles, making this whole mission for naught.

“There are two other, smaller arcade locations within the Pizzaplex,” Freddy replied, giving Gregory one last big squeeze before setting him down in favor of holding his hand. “One is in Bonnie Bowl and the other is in the Daycare.”

“I'm starving. I need like, a whole pizza,” Gregory said, willing to forget the uncomfortable feeling it brought when thinking on Vanessa's situation. The immortal serial killer piloting a bunny suit with a hobby for murdering children continued to haunt Gregory's thoughts, even in normal conversation. His hand slid into Freddy's palm and began for the door.

“What's the pizza topping tonight? I wanna know if the Hawaiian still tastes the same.” Charlie hoped to move on from the awkwardness of knowing something was officially wrong with Vanessa.

Just fill the uncomfortable burden of knowledge with entertaining the kid, Charlie thought, watching as Gregory's face turned up at the suggestion.

“Whaaaat? Who actually gets pineapple on their pizza?” he inquired, disturbed by the idea. Charlie sighed.

“You have much to learn, kiddo. The pineapple calms down the spicy pepperoni they use. And the ham's there just because ham is good,” she explained as if the anatomy of the Hawaiian pizza was a hard-hitting science.

“In some ways, Charlie, you were always wise beyond your years,” Michael said, patting her back as they squeezed through the door and emerged into the West Arcade proper.

“To answer your question, since the Pizzaplex is not currently open for guests, there are no specials today,” Freddy informed the group. Before their crestfallen faces could stick, he quickly added with a grin: “Which simply means that you can make whatever pizza you would like!”

“Whatever we'd like?” Michael repeated, sparing a look behind him to lock eyes with Gregory. They grinned in unison, already in unspoken agreement to use this power to their full advantage.

Freddy seemed to realize the potential monsters he'd unleashed, for he quickly followed up his earlier proclamation. “Within reason, of course—please do not make yourselves sick...”

“So... No ultimate everything pizza?” Gregory asked, hoping that he and his older brother had the same idea.

He envisioned it clearly. A sturdy deep-dish with every possible combination of crust plus all toppings. Charlie's stomach felt sick just thinking about such a monster grease-ball of a meal—the saddest part being that she had no stomach to feel queasy with.

“No way you'd eat all of that,” Charlie told him, unknowingly goading Gregory to want the mythical pizza even further.

“Hey, I still haven't felt any effects from that scary burrito meat earlier; I could always help,” Michael pointed out, fully on board with encouraging the Frankenstein-pizza. Never mind the fact that he'd only eaten a tiny bit of meat, and this meal would be far more damaging both physically and psychologically... but that only made him more eager to try it.

“The staff may get upset if they see you both messing up the kitchen to get to all the toppings,” Freddy said, trying to think of a way to dissuade the boys without straight up saying no. However, when Michael puffed up his chest, Freddy already knew he was about to use his “Afton bloodline” excuse to get away with yet another thing. As Mike opened his mouth to speak, Freddy relented slightly. “Alright, how about this—you can make an ultimate everything pizza, as long as you also make one that is actually edible.”

“Freddy, do you doubt my cooking skills?” Mike asked, putting on an exaggerated sad face.

“It is not your cooking I am doubting, Michael—it is your ability to legitimately consume this dish.” Freddy couldn't help but smile just a bit as Mike snickered, his obvious happiness both a rare and welcome sight.

“Is it bad if I doubt both?” Charlie remarked, having a strong suspicion Mike was about to bite off more than he could chew in more ways than one.

“You know you're gonna want some...,” Gregory said, egging her on. Still, he was happy his ursine dad would let them get away with making what he’d assume to be a record-breaking pie.

“We can go to the food court—it is the closest place to get pizza,” Freddy said, as the group descended the staircase that would take them to the Arcade exit. Instead of heading straight for the elevator, he continued towards the dance floor. “I would like to say goodbye to Music Man first, however.”

“Heeeey, you guys!” the huge animatronic said upon catching sight of the comparatively tiny group. He waved a back arm, as his front hands were currently occupied. “How're you liking the music?!”

“The 80s songs are much appreciated,” Michael replied, hands in his pockets as he stared up at the DJ. He couldn't help a dark point of anxiety burrowing into the back of his mind when he thought of how terrifying this thing would be if it was infected like all the others... Thankfully, they'd managed to avoid the West Arcade so far during night shift, and he hoped the trend continued through tonight.

The group could see how anxious he was. Charlie and Gregory couldn’t exactly blame Michael. If the DJ wanted to, he could just crush them and be done with it. For now, he was probably the chillest of the personalities inhabiting the Mega Pizzaplex. Charlie threw a wave at the guy—she tried not to think about tonight, if he’d go and try to find them now that he knew there was a child and two human adults waiting to be smushed or pulled apart.

“That’s a choice mixtape you got!” Charlie complimented regardless. “We’re gonna take the little guy to get something to eat! Don’t wait up for us.”

“Thanks for the tunes, DJ!” Gregory called to him after Charlie. He chose to stick by Freddy, as his guardian made him feel comforted as he spoke to new people, regardless of whether this artificial personality was made to be the most relaxed guy in the room. He had to agree with Mike that Music Man’s size was formidable.

“See you guys laaaaateeeeer!” the DJ called, waving every limb not currently occupied as the group walked off the dance floor.

Before long they were exiting the elevator into the main atrium, making a beeline for a now-working escalator to take them right to the food court. There were a few staff milling around, though most were long-past lunch break and had returned to work. This served the group just fine, as Michael prompted Gregory to use an access pass to slip into the back kitchens. There was a lone S.T.A.F.F. bot in a chef’s outfit meandering near the doorway, and though it tracked the group’s movements it didn’t actively try to talk to them or call for security.

Which was good, because if it did, Mike would’ve had to tamper with more company property so they could make their pizza concoction.

“Okay, let’s get this done!” he said cheerfully, excited by the thought of this monster they were about to create. He hoisted Gregory up and placed the boy on his hip, holding him securely with one arm and grinning down at his mildly confused face.

“Three hands are better than two when making this thing, right? Besides, you don’t want to have to drag a stool all around the room to see over the counters, do you?” Michael’s grin shifted into one of brotherly mirth at the teasing dig to Gregory’s height. “Just tell me what we need and I’ll grab it, then you can put as much on the pizza as your heart desires.”

Gregory never thought he was short until he met Michael Afton in all his android glory, towering over the poor vertically challenged lad. Though he wouldn’t admit it, having Mike hold him up while observing the pizza toppings was easier than dragging around a stool.

“First, we’re going to need the pepperoni. Classic,” Gregory began, starting the long list of the weird Frankenstein pie that he envisioned in his mind.

It ended up becoming a savory, meat and vegetable medley on one side. Then on the other, the Hawaiian pizza for Charlie—Gregory decided to add some hot sauce on her side after realizing she was craving something spicy. What he and Michael ended up concocting was a messy pile. They had only stopped adding toppings when they realized they still needed to see some of the thick layer of cheese.

“This thing would kill an old person if you fed it to them,” Gregory said in a half amused, half concerned tone.

“Good thing we’re all so young and spry,” Michael joked, though the slight crease in his brow betrayed his concern about the potential hospital visit Gregory might need if he consumed too much of this monstrosity. As if reading his mind, Freddy placed gentle hands on each of the boys’ shoulders.

“How about you each take one bite and see how you feel?” the bear suggested, unsure of it would be worse for Gregory’s human stomach or Michael’s mechanical one. While they’d been making their ultimate pizza, Freddy busied himself with crafting a standard cheese and pepperoni so his son could actually have something to eat.

Michael nodded, attempting to dislodge a piece of the meat and veggie side which proved nearly impossible due to the sheer amount of toppings. He managed eventually, handing Gregory a plate with the not-so-surprisingly heavy slice. After getting one for himself and a Hawaiian-themed one for Charlie, Mike held his piece up with a determined light in his eyes. “On the count of three, we take a bite. One… two… three.”

At Michael's command, Gregory and Charlie timed their first bites of pizza to his word. Attempting to get every individual piece of meat and vegetable inside his mouth, Gregory had to take a pretty gigantic bite. This took a while to chew, but that single piece had been a meal by itself.

As she managed to taste and savor the flavor of the customized pie, Charlie could feel so many memories coming back with just the taste. For a moment, it was 1980. She, Michael, and Evan were in the kitchen of the dinner making their own monstrosity and eating it out of the way of the chefs and wait staff. They hadn't changed the recipe at all, and everything tasted just as it did back in that wonderful, wholesome year.

Charlie hadn't even registered the warm tears that flowed from the corners of her eyes as she indulged in her food. They freely streamed down her face even as she went in for a second bite.

“Perfect...,” she complimented the chefs, dabbing the corners of her mouth.

Michael’s mind had traveled down a similar road, back to a day where Lizzie and Sammy were playing at friends’ houses and left their siblings under the care of their fathers. William and Henry were busy, giving the trio a perfect opportunity to slip into the kitchen and make the most abominable pizza they could. William was the one to catch them and had chided them for using so many ingredients for their silly experiment, although when he’d subsequently taken a bite of their creation with a shimmer of laughter in his eyes and claiming that they couldn’t let everything go to waste, Michael knew they weren’t in real trouble.

He didn’t notice his own salty tears until he instinctively moved to wipe them away, his gaze shifting to Gregory as he did so.

And there was that damn trauma coming back to haunt him yet again—the boy’s image flickered before Michael’s eyes, shifting between the brother he once knew and the one he had now. “God… why did I—”

Why did I become such an asshole? Mike finished the sentence in his head, covering his mouth with a hand and turning away. He looked like he was about to throw up by the way his eyes scrunched tight, though he really just wanted to scream. If only he hadn’t played that stupid prank, it could be Evan by his side right now…

“Michael…” Freddy’s tone was soft, though the man sill flinched as the bear touched his shoulder. They stared at each other for a moment before Freddy held out his arms, gesturing for the man to come close. He might not fully understand what Michael was going through, but he could still be there for him.

Mike let out a short, barking laugh, not missing the irony of Freddy being the one to comfort him from these memories… but it only took a few seconds for him to fall into the bear’s arms and hug him tight.

Charlie could tell Michael had been thinking the same as her from the glimmer in his eyes—about the way their families used to be. She was still angry, bitter at the life stolen from her. It was a tragic accident what had happened to Evan. Then that poison spread from Evan’s death and into the lives of the Emilys.

She was infected by that poison, too. And so she could never relent, vengeful forever until William’s tainted fountain ran dry. He would pay for making her best and nearly her only friend’s childhood a living hell. She wanted retribution for all those lost souls, including her own.

And justice for Gregory, who had been exploited and traumatized beyond what was reasonable for a child in two nights.

Gregory had felt the melancholy, leaning into Charlie and attempting to lighten the mood. “Wow, pizza’s that good?”

Charlie slung an arm around his shoulder and rubbed his arm twice—then squeezed him into a close hug.

“Just haven’t had pizza like this in a while. Thanks, kiddo.” She excused them both, silently apologizing for the tears that fell off her jaw and onto Gregory’s wavy head of hair.

It wasn't long before Michael shimmied out of Freddy's grasp. The bear wanted to hold onto him longer, as if he knew this short hug wasn't nearly enough to make up for whatever horrific thing Mike was thinking of, but they both knew they couldn't cling forever. They were on a mission, after all.

“Thanks, Freddy,” Michael said quietly, wiping away the remnants of tears with one hand as he gripped the bear’s arm with the other. Before Freddy could reply, Mike set a smile on his face and turned to his siblings. Seeing them in an embrace, he playfully fell onto them and wrapped his arms around Charlie in a bear hug, effectively sandwiching Gregory in the middle. “Yeah that pizza's definitely in my favorites list now!”

“This is almost exactly like the secret recipe pizza Mike and I used to make, you know,” Charlie told their new friends, laughing when Gregory started squirming.

“That's nice—Mike, you're squishing meee!” he lamented, unable to wiggle free from the cage that he and Charlie created with their arms.

Then, behind them came the sudden sound of radio static. It came in and out, breathing almost before a familiar voice rang out. “THAT LOOKS LIKE FUN...”

When Charlie whipped her head around, she was surprised to see none other than Ennard. They'd snuck in so quietly and appeared to have wrapped their limbs in random, ripped up carpet segments—clashing patterns and colors that made them even more of an eyesore. Charlie jumped in place and held onto Gregory tighter as she let out a briefly frightened yelp.

Freddy instinctively moved to the group's side, trying to push Gregory and Charlie behind himself as he stared at the mass of wires and carpet pieces. He recognized the voice as the one he'd briefly heard from the vents, although the sight of Ennard was certainly... something.

Freddy had many, many questions, but he doubted any of them would be answered now. He could feel Michael tense up like a startled cat on his other side, having let go of Charlie and Gregory the second the static entered the room to better protect his family.

“...What the hell have you been up to?” Michael asked slowly, his eyes roaming over the multicolored, 80s-style carpet pieces. However, the answer occurred to him before Ennard could reply, and Mike sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh—you're trying to be quieter. For god's sake...”

“Michael...?” Freddy began questioningly, although he honestly wasn't sure what he wanted to ask. This thing sure was intimidating, the fabric flooring only adding to the eeriness as their entire body swayed. A few tendrils moved of their own accord, and Freddy swore one was trying to inch closer to Michael.

Seeing everyone's expressions of wary confusion, Mike realized Freddy hadn't been told what to expect when facing this thing. Not to mention the last time Gregory saw Ennard was in the dark basement, lurking in the shadows as it literally ripped an animatronic apart in front of the boy's eyes. Ennard was quite different in the comparatively bright kitchen lighting.

Michael grimaced, eyes locked onto the amalgamation as he reassured the trio: “Don't worry, you'll be fine... What do you want, Ennard? And why are you out during dayshift?!”

As the group relaxed, Ennard stared at them with a fixed gaze from every visible eye. They were unmoving except for the metal and wires just barely inside Michael's comfort zone. How they twitched in longing to be near him again... The carpet was a nice substitute, though it certainly didn't feel as safe as Michael's own flesh.

“I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW...,” they reminded, heterochromatic eyes staring holes through the group.

Gregory wasn't afraid of clowns, but he didn't realize Ennard was that huge. Once Ennard caught him looking, they became somewhat standoffish. Aloof, they turned their back to Gregory ever so slightly as if hiding from him.

“WE ARE QUIET NOW... WHAT ARE YOU GUYS UP TO…?” they inquired, looking around the group briefly.

“Eating pizza.” Gregory held out the gooey mess. “Do you want a slice?”

He regretted the offer slightly as Ennard moved in a hauntingly jarring way towards them, body jerking and ropey as strong metal moving under the carpet. The monstrous form barely visible under the thick 80's patterns.

“Absolutely not!” Michael and Freddy exclaimed in unison, swiftly putting themselves in-between Gregory and the approaching animatronic. The pair shared a look, silently in agreement that they did not want to see what happened if whatever made up Ennard's body got gunked up with cheesy grease and toppings.

“Ennard's, ah... components seem to be more like mine as opposed to Michael and Charlie's, so I do not think it wise for them to eat real food,” Freddy explained, trying to be as gentle as possible with his words. Ennard was clearly sentient and aware, but Freddy couldn't help but feel like they'd appreciate hearing the reasoning nonetheless since they seemed quite eager to participate in the group's activities.

And he also didn't want Michael to have another mental break when trying to speak to the amalgamation after he'd just recovered from the last one. By the way Mike's left eye was twitching slightly as he pushed Gregory even further behind him, Freddy could tell he wasn't far off from snapping.

Ennard had stopped mid-walk, the former child-entrapping animatronic eyeing both the slice and Gregory with unknown intent. After focusing their vision, Ennard's gaze landed on Freddy and Michael.

“THAT... MAKES... SENSE—SENSE—SENSE...” Their voice box glitched out, causing them to smack their own chest in frustration to fix the involuntary stutter.

“Ennard?” Charlie would ask, finding the clown face suddenly snapping in her direction to gaze down at her. “Have you been watching us this whole time?” She attempted to make friendly conversation all while trying to navigate and avoid the stalker-like behavior they portrayed. Ennard would shake their head, the motions more jagged than any animatronic the others had seen to date.

“NOT JUST YOU... WATCHING ALL... OBSERVING... HIM...” Ennard had replied honestly, a hint of malice dripping in multiple layers of voice boxes.

“'Him?' Do you mean... William?” Freddy asked tentatively, eyes narrowed in question. He didn't like the dark tone coming from that voice box and hoped it was directed towards the same entity his group was after.

Freddy caught Michael nodding out of the corner of his eye, though he kept his gaze fixed on Ennard, still unsure whether they could truly trust this thing yet. He'd caught the strange way it looked at Gregory earlier and didn't want to take any chances... even if it had saved the boy last night.

“Ennard hates him, too; I can at least tell you that,” Michael confirmed, one of the rare facts he was absolutely sure about regarding the amalgamation. Mike crossed his arms over his chest, observing the familiar way Ennard swayed. The movement seemed a little more cumbersome because of all the carpeting, but it was still just as unnerving at it'd always been. Raising a brow, Michael asked: “Have you learned anything from these observations? Maybe something he's plotting, or... Oh, anything would help, really.”

He seemed to deflate slightly, false confidence punctured by the stark reality of how little they knew of what William's actual goal was besides “get his family back.” They didn't even know where he was right now...

Gregory attempted to look at Ennard, observing their odd posturing. Both Freddy and Michael seemed to be aware of Ennard being much more dangerous than the others. If they wanted to, Gregory was positive that Ennard could and would tear through them all without hesitation. Their last run-in with Michael had left the man shaking while talking to the robot amalgamate.

Ennard looked around the room, eyelids darting and flicking closed, making shutter sounds as they simulated blinking for the boy's comfort.

“BUILDING... REPAIRING HIMSELF... SCREAMING. THROWING THINGS...” they listed off, thinking of all the things they heard and saw William doing during their recon work. “WILLIAM... STAYING BE-BELOW. UNSURE WHERE—DON’T W-W-WANT TO GET CLOSE, OR RISK BEING SPOTTED… HIDEOUT ABANDONED NOW...”

That made Michael perk up again.

“His hideout? The one in Fazerblast?” he questioned, and upon receiving a jerking nod Michael looked to the others with a hesitant grin. “If he’s gone… maybe we should check it out?”

“Are you sure it is empty?” Freddy asked, placing a hand on Mike's forearm to still his excitement. His gaze was still fixed to Ennard, wanting to make sure they would be safe before trying something so risky. The animatronic was strange, but it really didn't seem to mean them any harm...

Ennard shifted their weight, unnaturally leaning with hips jutting out at a sharp degree while answering Freddy.

“THE PAST NIGHT AND DAY... CLEAR OF RABBIT—S...” they replied. Ennard took a step back then, realigning their frame in a more natural standing position that made them look even taller. “NO ONE IN SIGHT.”

Gregory could see Ennard’s gaze drifting back to Michael, as if knowing the man would have the final say in whether they would go or not. He knew better than anyone that Ennard was capable of lying, after all.

Ennard sure was a liar... Or at least, they used to be. Back when Michael first encountered the amalgamation all those years ago, it'd lured him into the scooping room under false pretenses, and Mike had stupidly walked right into the trap.

However, in the Pizzaplex, Ennard seemed different. They'd been nothing but helpful to Mike and his friends, showing no sign of wanting to climb into any of their bodies or otherwise destroy them despite the unnerving stares and tendency to grasp at Michael's ankles. Hell, Ennard even saved him and Gregory from Roxy—a far cry from the last time Mike had been so close to the thing.

“...I trust them—on this, at least,” Michael said in a voice that was barely audible. Freddy finally turned to him, searching the man's face for any sign of doubt. Upon finding nothing but serious determination, he nodded.

“Then to the hideout we shall go,” the bear agreed. He looked back at Ennard, finally giving the mass of carpeted wires a genuine Glamrock Freddy smile. “Thank you for all of your help, Ennard. It is much appreciated.”

It was hard to tell what was going on inside Ennard’s head as they stared down the bear. Their demeanor seeming surprised, bashful even as Freddy thanked them. They belted out a quick rush of nervous static. Then, after collapsing their body slightly, wormed their way back into the vents without another word.

They weren’t used to the kinder treatments. In fact, they were far too comfortable with Michael yelling at them—it was almost safe in its familiarity, in a twisted sort of way. The sudden change in attitude towards the hulking robot had left them rather shy in response.

“That guy has issues,” Gregory said, less in judgmental and more out of pity for the monster as soon as he felt they were out of earshot.

“Gregory, you have no idea,” Michael murmured in a slightly strained voice, running a hand absently through the boy's wavy brown locks as he stared into the vent.

“Well, I suppose we should put our search for the Princess Quest games on hold temporarily?” Freddy asked, looking between the trio. He still wore a smile, happy that they'd made some progress with their surprisingly helpful stalker and their search for William in one go.

“Yeah; who knows, maybe we'll find a clue about them in the hideout,” Michael suggested with a shrug. He slipped his hand into Gregory's, wanting to keep track of his brother personally until his latent paranoia towards Ennard subsided.

“Wait—did you have enough food, superstar?” Freddy questioned as the group started towards the door. Mike resisted the urge to roll his eyes, wanting to move on but understanding the bear's parental concern.

Gregory had just registered he was still hanging onto the heavy slice of pizza. Now that it cooled, its toppings were fixed in place by the thick layer of cheese. Gregory nodded and told his ursine father: “I’ll eat this slice on the way.”

Gregory was more tired than anything. He needed a nap before the night shift began. They still needed to play the next installment of Princess Quest—and hopefully collect those tickets for Charlie. Still he remained confused at their collective reactions to Ennard when DJ Music Man was so widely accepted. He decided for now not to question it, as his caretakers had done a good job at keeping him safe thus far.

“Let’s get a move on, then!” Charlie told the group, seemingly trying to force a positive outlook before sneaking into the Fazerblast security office. They would need the good vibes, Charlie felt. Who knew what terrible things sat in Vanny’s personal space.

“Hey, Freddy,” Michael began, sidling up to the bear as the group moved as one to the door. “The last time Gregory and I went to Fazerblast, we got stuck—I literally had to pry the elevator open to get us out because we couldn’t finish the game.” He grimaced at the memories. “Is there any way you can make that not happen?”

“You wish for me to override the attraction itself?” Freddy questioned, and Michael nodded. Freddy shook his head, giving him an apologetic smile. “Unfortunately, I do not have access to those types of override protocols. Perhaps a staff member might be able to help?”

“Ugh… the only staff we know is Sophie.” Michael glanced at Charlie, wanting her opinion on the matter. “I don’t know if we want to chance the extra attention… but I also don’t want to get stuck again. What do you think, Charlie?”

Charlie bit at the inside of her lip in thought, weighing the options in her head.

“You said you had to pry open the elevator, right? Tell Sophie there’s damage done to the internal doors and that you need to turn the attraction off,” she replied with a quick snap of her fingers. That had happened when Michael was in his Foxy get-up, so she could only imagine what that hook and claw had done to the door to get it to open. The likelihood of the elevator being busted to hell were high.

“Perfect—hand over that walkie talkie?” Michael took the device after Charlie unclipped it from her belt just as the group emerged into the main atrium. They walked at a steady pace, not wanting to seem in a rush even though they were all anxious to get to their destination.

“Hello, Sophie? Come in, please; this is Mr. Afton,” Michael said, pressing the button on the walkie to speak into the static.

There was a crackle of static for a moment before Sophie responded with a simple: “Hi, Sir—do you need something?”

“Yes, actually—we’re heading over to Fazerblast. I’ve been informed there’s damage to one of the interior elevator doors.” Michael paused just long enough for the words to sink in, but not giving the guard time to freak out. “I’d like to assess the issue, and in order to do that can you turn the attraction off while my group is inside?”

“Hooo boy,” Sophie replied, followed by a cacophony of crackles. Likely her hanging up before cursing to her presumed boss. After a second of hesitation, her voice clicked back onto the feed. “I'll meet you there, Mr. Afton. Over!”

She knew no one else would volunteer to help out the admins. Most of the staff hadn't even met any of the owners besides Sammy Emily before, so working around the hired family members would be a nightmare for most. Though, to be fair Sophie hadn’t exactly heard mention of these mysterious heirs before today either.

“Freddy?” Charlie said, giving the bear a gentle nudge. “You and Gregory should hang out of sight for a little. Sophie might ask why we're bringing you both into a work area…”

“Good point,” Freddy agreed, holding out a paw for Gregory to grasp. He gazed around the atrium, looking for a place close by but still out of the way. His eyes settled on one of the many brightly lit signs on the third floor and his smile widened. “Would you like to try a round of bowling, superstar?”

Michael followed Freddy’s sightline to Bonnie Bowl. It wouldn’t take long for Freddy and Gregory to sneak down to the hideout from there if necessary. Of course it’d be ideal if they could prevent Gregory from returning to one of the places that traumatized him the most this weekend.

The more Michael followed this train of thought, the more set on it he became.

“I think that’s a good option,” he chimed in before Gregory could respond, cracking a tiny smile. “Didn’t you say there was an arcade up there, Freddy? You guys can see if there’s a Princess Quest console while Charlie and I do our thing in Fazerblast. We’ll let you know if we need you, don’t worry—otherwise, we can just meet you in the bowling alley when we’re done.”

Gregory had always wanted to try out bowling. Even if they didn't get the chance to play a full game, it'd be fun to unwind and get to do something with just Freddy for a change. Unfortunately, Michael mentioning Princess Quest brought him back to the current reality. He'd have to worry about having fun some other time. Right now, Vanessa needed them to find the source of her mind control. Hopefully it meant defeating these badly coded video games.

“Let's go check it out!” Gregory said, a good attitude about it regardless. He pulled on the bear’s paw, as if he had the strength to sway where Freddy walked.

Freddy chuckled quietly at Gregory’s obvious excitement, playing into it by pretending like the boy was somehow able to tug the half-ton metal bear along as if he were nothing more than a stuffed toy. As he pitched forward slightly to give the impression of being knocked off-balance by Gregory’s sheer strength, Freddy spared a glance over his shoulder and waved to Michael and Charlie with his free hand.

“…Damn,” Michael murmured once Freddy and Gregory were out of earshot in a tone of wistfulness. “I know Freddy’s designed to be good with kids, but… he’s really good with Gregory.” He spared a glance at Charlie then, raising an eyebrow to match his subtle smirk. “Good thing we’ve got a new, Pizzaplex-escaping body waiting for him, huh?”

“It's almost like he was programmed to be a dad—I don’t think all of them would act like Freddy,” Charlie agreed. That bear was truly one of a kind.

Perhaps knowing the presence of a human soul had given Freddy some awareness. That was the theory that Charlie would stick with, at least. Michael's own feelings seemed to imprint deeply into whatever learning feature had been installed inside the newest rendition of Fazbear. The already protective and nurturing side of Freddy had been amped up, and the line between what came from Freddy’s original code and Mike’s supernatural influence was now thoroughly blurred

“I still can't believe how lucky last weekend’s been for us overall!” Charlie remarked further. The fact they had a chance of carrying out their plans and possibly putting William away for good had her expectations sky high.

It really was a shame. Bonnie used to be such a cool character, but Charlie couldn't look at that rabbit the same. Not after all the things she’d seen William do with that innocent guise. She kept her vision focused ahead now, walking besides Michael with purpose.

“If it turns out to be a trap—” Charlie murmured as she leaned into him. “—and it turns out your Dad's there… I'll get behind him, then you push him down the stairs.”

“Deal,” Mike agreed, flipping a hand palm-up so Charlie could give him a low-five. Lifting his hand higher, Michael watched his fist clench and unclench a few times. “I wonder how much strength we really have. I know your dad said it should match a normal animatronic’s, but—”

Michael’s musing was cut short when he spotted Sophie hurrying towards them at rapid speed. Mike straightened his back and gave the guard a slight nod of acknowledgement.

To Sophie, the pair of them looked nothing short of professional. Ms. Emily, in Sophie's opinion, was nice. Eccentric, but nice nonetheless. Mr. Afton was… different. Still just as strange as Ms. Emily, but with a frighteningly flattened affect. Regardless, he treated Sophie with respect and she had no reason to hate either of them.

Yet that didn’t stop Sophie from growing very curious at their antics. The day guard waved to them, seeing that they’d gotten changed straight into more merchandise from one of the many store-outposts.

“Mr. Afton; Ms. Emily,” Sophie acknowledged once the two came to stand outside the attraction. She held the door for them both, offering them to walk inside the lift before her. “I just have to unlock the main breaker. Shouldn't take long. Honestly, I'm really glad you both want to work on this. Our mechanics suddenly found themselves swamped right now.”

“Oh?” Michael questioned, putting on a tone of detached interest. “Have you heard anything about the missing animatronics? Last time we spoke, you said some of the others weren’t responding to their manual call buttons.”

On one hand Michael hoped they’d stay missing, if only for the fact that the sooner they were found, the sooner the techs would start fixing them up again. After all the effort they’d gone through to decommission them, Mike didn’t want the Pizzaplex staff to unintentionally make the robots a threat again.

But that begged another, more pressing question: if no one knew where the Glamrocks had gone… then where the hell were they?

Even though Roxy had been ripped to pieces, Ennard left her limbs in plain sight. If someone peered down that newly-created hole in the track—which Michael suspected a bunch of staff were frantically trying to assess and repair this very moment—they’d surely catch sight of the dismembered wolf.

The thought that they could’ve somehow still gotten up on their own or been snatched away by William while Mike and his family recovered was enough to set Michael’s nerves on edge. He tried to keep the emotions contained, keeping up the illusion of cool confidence despite the hard set of his jaw as his teeth clenched together. Hopefully Sophie would take this as him simply being annoyed at the prospect of valuable company assets being MIA.

Sophie avoided Mr. Afton's gaze, attempting to fix her tie in a casual manner before answering. This only made her looked even more exacerbated than she did already.

“We, uh... technically found one of them. It wasn’t one we were exactly looking for right now, though,” Sophie told them cryptically. “And then right after they found him, it just disappeared again. So... We're working on that. It's a work in progress. Everyone seems to be more worried about the structural damage to the raceway.”

Sophie sighed, placing a hand on her hip and shaking her head with a look of utter confusion. “Plus all that carpet suddenly went missing from the East Arcade? I feel like things are kind of coming unraveled, sir, if I'm honest...”

It was becoming increasingly obvious to Michael and Charlie what was happening as Sophie left out details to protect them from what they assumed to be managerial anger.

“I wouldn't worry about things like the carpet,” Michael said after a moment. The more he could keep them away from anything to do with Ennard, the better. “There's clearly more important issues to focus on, like that damage to the raceway.” He narrowed his eyes, internally grateful for the topic to snag onto. “Thank god it's under renovation anyway... if something was able to break the tarmac that easily, it belies some serious safety concerns.”

Under Sammy's guidance, in many ways the Pizzaplex was a safer place than any previous Fazbear establishment—but there was always room for improvement. After a brief pause, Mike asked: “You said the animatronic staff found disappeared? Who, exactly, was that?”

He was almost positive he knew the identity, but if it suddenly vanished like the Glamrocks... Well, Michael didn't quite know what to do with that information.

Sophie seemed to be similar in Charlie, in that they wore their emotions on their sleeves quite easily. Taking on a more distressed demeanor Sophie chuckled, looking away. Despite her wide grin, she was uncomfortable thinking about it. Again it was always some damn rabbit causing trouble...

“Oh, just the uh... The decommissioned b... bunny,” Sophie replied, fighting with the last word to exit her mouth. “It was odd—my team found him and told me he needed to be fixed. Said he’d been missing for a while, but no one talked about it anymore. I just wanted to leave the stupid thing back in storage but... You know policy. Making sure the animatronics are accounted for, even when the active ones are bigger priority. Anyway—”

The lift doors began to slide back open and Sophie dawdled inside, searching for the employee terminal to access the attraction controls. “—he just up and hopped away, I guess.”

Sophie didn't really seem like the type to become annoyed fast, yet speaking about the rabbit made her sound bitter and afraid. Like Vanessa, almost.

Oh, that was much worse than Michael expected. His mouth had slowly fallen open as Sophie spoke, unable to keep his prideful Afton demeanor as she talked so blatantly about the man-turned-rabbit animatronic they were on a mission to destroy.

Of course it was William. It always had to be William.

Michael snapped his mouth shut with an audible click as the elevator doors opened, staring down at Sophie with a mixture of guilty relief. The staff that found Will had no idea how close they'd come to losing everything. Clearly he wanted to keep a low profile, hence his temporarily immobile state, but if he'd had other plans—

“We'll keep an eye out for the rabbit.” Michael spoke quickly, wanting to put the topic at rest but also try and avoid the staff actively chasing his psychotic father. “Just... tell the others not to worry about him. There's still a few animatronics awake and functioning to appropriate standards, right? No need to worry about ones that have already been taken out of the lineup.”

Not to mention how much detailing Bonnie still needed. Cracks all over his outer casing, covered in a thin layer of dirt like he’d been crawling around the basement.

“If you say so, sir.” Sophie tucked an errant curl behind her ear. “I just hope we can find everyone in time for opening. I know Mr. Emily wants the Glamrocks together by Monday... I don't know who's going to tell him it's just not possible.”

It was probably going to be her. The staff just loved to put the harder admin interactions on Sophie, given that she was head of security during the day. Approaching the terminal, she swiped her card into a reader at the desk which logged her in immediately.

“Don't worry about that, either. I'll tell Sammy everything,” Charlie reassured, placing a hand on Sophie’s shoulder and squeezing. “Just do us a favor and leave Bonnie alone. He was decommissioned for a good reason.”

Huh. It was normal to be scared of Mr. Afton, though now there was something in Ms. Emily's tone that Sophie just didn't trust.

“Uh... Is that why you both decided to come in this weekend?” Sophie asked, feeling her throat run dry as the pair stared at her. “I-I just didn't expect to meet you both under such stressful circumstances.”

“Mr. Emily just asked us to check in on some things,” Michael replied smoothly, having regained his composure after Charlie added her two cents. He certainly appreciated the backup, which he was sure she knew. Mike shook his head, letting out another sigh.

“Admittedly we were unaware of the depth of the problems around here, but... we are here to help.” He offered Sophie a rare, muted smile. “Try not to stress yourself out too much, alright? You've done as good a job as you can so far.”

Michael wished he could alleviate all her tension by telling her to go home and take the weekend off, for the woman was clearly losing her mind with every new incident. But unfortunately she was becoming invaluable to his group as well—even if she didn't know it. Still, Mike could at least take off a bit of immediate pressure. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he muttered: “It's really the night guard I'd like to speak to—everything seems to happen on her shift...”

It was now time for an inopportune blush to spread across Sophie’s face at the genuine compliment to her work capabilities. Sophie didn't receive much praise, nor did she seek it out. This was probably why it affected her so much as she focused her gaze on the computer screen.

“I'm really worried about Vanessa, sir...” She wasn’t quite defending the position Ness had put everyone in over the weekend, but Sophie cared about the grumpy night guard in a detached, logical way. “I told her she should just stay home. Heal from her injuries, you know? She's still determined to fix everything from her shift.”

“We told her the same thing. Vanessa’s given us all the run-around,” Charlie interjected. It wasn't Sophie's fault that Vanessa wanted to stay another night. “It is what it is at this point; if she wants to stay, so be it.”

As Charlie spoke, Sophie's expression grew from concern to annoyance.

“Guh...” She groaned, squinting at the screen. “The console has a password on it... Might be logged up in the security office? I can control the doors without it, but not much else.”

“Char—Ms. Emily and I will go,” Michael said quickly, shooting Charlie a look. He realized they didn't have Gregory's handy stash of access badges, but hopefully they wouldn't need one—and if they did, hopefully Sophie would readily offer hers. Looking to said guard, Michael told her: “We'll be back shortly. Walkie us if you manage to figure out the password or if anything happens, alright?”

He probably didn't need to include that last part, for surely it just added to everyone's paranoia. Without giving Sophie a chance to protest, Mike walked out of the room and gestured for Charlie to follow behind.

The day guard couldn't place the odd feeling she got around the two of them. Sophie wanted to offer them her assistance, thought simultaneously just wanted to be rid of them.

“Uh—of course, sir,” Sophie relented, watching as Samuel’s apparent daughter followed Mr. Afton obediently through the maze and towards the security tower steps.

Charlie's fear for Sophie’s safety was growing now. William knew people were looking for him, and he didn't think twice about killing children. Why not random adults, too?

At least Sophie was immediately and quite vocally perturbed by the Glam-rabbit. Charlie couldn't imagine her willingly going near Bonnie and disobeying their direct orders to leave William alone.

“Let's hurry. I don't have a great feeling about this, Michael...,” Charlie whispered, sticking close to him as she felt bad about leaving the day guard by herself within the belly of William's lair.

“You're telling me...,” Michael muttered, though his snapping tone wasn't meant for Charlie. He hated leaving Sophie alone just as much as she did, though if Ennard claimed the hideout was empty during the day, he reasoned the guard was relatively safe.

Michael absently looked around, in his steadily-increasing worry almost considering asking the amalgamation to keep an eye on poor, innocent Sophie—although Mike quickly scrapped that idea for many reasons. Besides, even if he did want to talk to Ennard, the ceilings and walls were far too high; he'd have to shout to be heard in the vents, and that would certainly not be a good look for his sanity.

Soon enough, the pair were at the door to the security office at the top of the tower. Michael peered inside, though it was pretty dark and hard to make out most things. He thought he could see a small cot in the corner, as well as a standard security desk, chair, and monitors, and—

“No way,” he breathed, pressing his hands to the glass as he fixated on the glowing screen of an arcade console in the middle of the room. The title “Princess Quest III” was emblazoned on the top, shining like a beacon of hope that cut through Michael and Charlie's bleak mood.

Charlie nudged Michael's shoulder, pushing him slightly as she pointed to the box with her other hand. “It was here this whole time!”

Right under their noses, here sat the final installment of William's glitched game. Just like last time, as they approached the arcade box a credit blinked onto the screen. It beckoned them to play it, calling their names with silent persuasion. If they could win this game, Vanessa may be saved yet.

“Come on—let's beat this thing fast. Sophie won't like knowing we’re up here playing video games,” Charlie remarked, pulling Michael by the arm to start the session of Princess Quest.

Michael didn't bother verbally responding, instead placing his hands on the control panel and starting the game. Thank god he'd watched Gregory play the first two, because this one was even worse than the others—both in terms of difficulty and glitches. Though the console acted like it wanted them to play, Michael was having a hell of a time getting the titular Princess out of danger. He wished Gregory was here with them, as Michael had to begrudgingly admit that the kid was more skilled than him at this particular game series. Steeling himself, Mike narrowed his area of focus to the little square screen in front of him. He wasn't going to stop until he won—no matter how long it took.

***

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angelofrainfrogs · 10 months

Text

Spend the Night: Ch. 11

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

Fandom(s): Five Nights At Freddy’s: Security Breach

Description: The familiar melody of Grandfather’s Clock chimes through the echoing halls of the Pizzaplex…

With some help from friends new and old, Charlie’s journey into the bowels of the Pizzaplex will unravel mysteries none of them ever expected.

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

I've been patiently waitin' for someone to take the bait I made a couple of enemies, that's the game that I play… I'll take one bite, one And I'll take one bite, one bite, one

~One Bite by Rockit Music~

It was a trap. Of course it was a trap.

As Monty receded back to the golf course, Gregory dug through his cargo short pockets. Going through the cards and examining them, his eyes widened and he knocked against Freddy’s inside hatch.

“Is he gone? Freddy, come look at these!” he hissed with a sense of urgency in his voice. Maybe it was proof that there was still a little good in Monty, giving them a clue to help them and all. Or it was just another part in his game…

Freddy didn’t have nearly as much faith in Gregory that Monty actually meant to help. The gator’s demeanor distressed him greatly. Gone was the rowdy but endearing bassist who wanted nothing more than to make sure kids had fun with him and felt safe doing so. When Monty was himself, though he might cover the feeling up with loud, distracting laughter, it was clear he hated when children were scared of him. He didn’t ask to be built with such an intimidating stature and teeth, after all.

But now, to willingly—gleefully—invite a child to their probable death at his hands?

It was almost unbearable for Freddy to think about.

Thankfully, Gregory’s voice cut through the bear’s musings before he could get too lost in them. After peering through the window one last time, Freddy opened his stomach hatch and released the boy. “Yes, he is gone for now; you may come out.”

Gregory jumped through the opening, landing into a squat on the ground before righting himself. He held the security passes in hand, flaring them out for Freddy to see the potential “clues” placed upon them.

“I know you don’t want to hear this… But I have to go fight Monty,” Gregory said with the confidence of someone that could’ve easily towered over the gator.

Was he scared? Yes—he was scared shitless.

But he would most certainly die in this place if he didn’t at least try to get the upper hand when he could. With his flashing camera, Gregory was fairly confident in his ability to outsmart Monty... if the gator had been himself, that is. As usual, with the deck stacked against him Gregory would have to wing it and hope for the best.

“Absolutely not.” Freddy’s response was immediate and unquestionable. There was no way he’d put Gregory in that sort of danger. “Let us see what this ‘clue’ might be—then we can make a plan.”

He began looking through their old access cards but couldn’t find anything strange on them—no hidden words or symbols. Blinking in confusion, Freddy added their latest Mazercise Pass to the pile. Then, it hit him.

“Oh—oh no…,” Freddy murmured, eyes wide as he stared at the colorful plastic card. His mental map of the Pizzaplex connected the dots as to why Monty left this pass in place of the one they wanted. His mind worked frantically to process everything as he simply stated: “He wants you up on the catwalks…”

Gregory scoffed. This guy planned on dropping him from all the way up by the ceiling, didn’t he? Not only was it unoriginal, but despite its mediocrity it managed to send a shiver up Gregory’s spine. Monty was just going to watch him splat, and that would be it.

Gregory tried to debate with his stubborn metal guard, telling him: “I’m way faster than Monty! Plus, I got this neat camera! Y'know, unless you have a better idea…”

Though he’d love a taste of revenge for the way the gator jacked up his face earlier, Gregory was hesitant to do it alone. That smashing neon light was no joke, and the shattering glass had sliced easily through his fleshy cheek. The memory only reminded him of the damage Monty was capable of.

“I… Let me think.” Freddy absently ran a paw through Gregory’s hair as a comfort to both of them. As long as the boy was still alive and breathing, they were both okay.

After a moment, Freddy gave a resolute nod—he had a semblance of a plan. It wasn’t airtight and it put Gregory in far more danger than he wanted to risk, but it was the best he could come up with.

“Alright, here is what we shall do,” the bear started, pulling Gregory in to rest against his side as he explained. “There is a vent in Mazercise that leads directly to the catwalks over Monty Golf—hence our new pass.” He picked up said card, then handed it to Gregory to pocket with the rest of them.

“You will need to crawl through the vent on your own,” Freddy continued, hating the idea more as he said it aloud. “However, there is a way for me to reach you—there should be an emergency fire escape ladder attached to the catwalks. Once you find it, unhook it and let it drop to ground level. Then I can climb up and help with Monty.”

No need to mention how painstakingly long it would probably take for the half-ton bear to climb the ladder without risking it snapping under his weight. Freddy was going to make it up there to save Gregory, and that was that.

The hug Freddy imparted to Gregory was certainly comforting for a short while. However, as Freddy went through the hastily thought-out plan, Gregory realized why he’d been given this sudden physical affection. They would be separated for some time, and this separation could lead to injury or even death for the human should things go wrong.

So, he squeezed onto Freddy. He’d pretend to be brave until he actually felt courageous enough to let go. No matter how daunting it seemed, Gregory would convince himself that it was all possible—that everything would work in the end.

After all, they never showed the kid dying in the movies…

Eventually the boy reluctantly let go, offering his fierce protector a shaky smile. “I understand the plan, Freddy. Let’s not waste anymore time.”

The bear nodded, taking his hand once again. Thankfully the Fazcam had a carrying strap so Gregory was able to slip this over his shoulder and let the device rest against his hip. At least he wouldn’t be totally defenseless, though this brought Freddy little comfort. He swore there was something important about Monty and the Fazcams that was relevant to their predicament… but he couldn’t remember this little detail among the bigger issues and strange, pseudo-emotions crowding his mind.

The pair trekked back through Monty Golf, now extra-cautious for the gator. However, Monty seemed to have disappeared—at least from ground level. A glance upwards showed the catwalks that were to be their battleground, though Monty himself was noticeably missing. Still, the mere thought of Gregory being all the way up there without Freddy even for a little bit made the animatronic cringe.

Gregory was able to comfortably rest a hand on the top of the camera, ready to pull it forward and snap at anything that moved. Just because they couldn't hear or see anything yet didn't mean Monty wasn't watching. Past the flood lights outside the attraction, now bathed in the bright neon of the Pizzaplex hallways, the gravity of the situation was falling heavier on Gregory’s shoulders.

Yet, oddly enough, all he wanted to do was prove to Freddy that he'd be okay—even if he wasn't sure he would be in the end.

As they entered Mazercise, a loud voice came over the PA system. Chica's cheerful tone belted a prewritten script, making Gregory jump and grasp the Fazcam. Only when it was held in front of his body like a shield did Gregory realize she wasn't actually there.

“Everything will be alright, superstar,” Freddy soothed, placing a hand on Gregory’s back and gently urging him forward. The more he said it, the more he wished this statement to be true. A moment later they’d walked past the exercise room and into the second part of the attraction.

“The maze is controlled by a panel in the staff room,” Freddy began to explain, pointing to the room in question. “It may take us some time to figure out the correct configuration to get us to the vent, unless we can locate some instructions...”

Freddy stared at the maze for a moment, before giving a nod and stepping up to the first moveable wall. Using his animatronic strength he simply lifted the wall out of its track, effectively making a new path that would lead them to the vent without worrying about pressing buttons in the correct order. Putting the wall to the side, Freddy glanced back at Gregory with a grin. “However, I believe this way is much easier—do you agree?”

The destruction of company property brought a smile to the kid’s face. The corners of his mouth raised in an equally happy grin as he sauntered through the new path created for them.

“Freddy, why did they make you that strong?” he asked in wonder.

While he sounded impressed, there was a genuine need to know why on earth they felt the need to create a robot so much tougher than a person. Were they made that way to protect the children? Gregory didn't have any doubt that the shared strength of all the animatronics could lift a full bus. Still, there were no complaints as he told Freddy: “That idea was genius!”

“I honestly do not know why we are so strong, but it certainly proves useful at times!” Freddy replied, still smiling as he moved a few more walls out of the way without any visible effort.

Soon, they’d reached the vent. To Freddy’s surprise and immediate suspicion, the cover had already been unscrewed and was lying haphazardly on the ground. Despite management’s admittedly lax rules on some of the Pizzaplex’s safety measures, they would never allow something like this to happen during opening hours—it was too much of an obvious lawsuit waiting to happen.

“Someone has been here recently…,” Freddy murmured with a frown. The only ones who could fit through vents besides Gregory were: Charlie (clearly out of the question); the Daycare attendant (maybe, if he was in Moon’s virus-infected mode), or… Vanessa.

Freddy’s worry instantly increased at the danger Gregory was about to encounter. There were too many unknowns, too many things that could go wrong—

The bear crouched down, his expression caught between reassurance and concern as he held out his arms for what he hoped wasn’t their final hug. “Be careful, superstar. I will be with you again soon.”

Gregory threw himself against Freddy in another hug, wary of the Fazcam and careful not to damage his only means of defense.

“I'll see you soon...,” he assured, voice muffled against Freddy where he squished his face into his shoulder. If Gregory had any say about it, this would be just another embrace in a long line of hugs to come. After making sure the camera’s flash and power were on, he parted from the bear and started the next segment in his ever-treacherous journey.

Crawling through vents wasn't as discreet as they’d made it look in the movies. There was such a loud banging with every advancement Gregory made, he was surprised no one really heard it. Perhaps these vents were insulated to dilute the sounds of the airflow; that was his most likely guess.

Whatever the case, Gregory decided to hurry it up. There was no chance he'd leave Freddy to wonder whether or not he was okay by dawdling. He really didn't want to spend all that much time inside these places anyway. With barely enough light to see in the full darkness, his fear was that something small could be deftly crawling after him now...

As soon as the boy rounded a corner, Freddy sprinted back towards Monty Golf. He wanted to make it there as fast as possible so he'd be waiting for Gregory when he emerged on the other side of the vent. He was only waylaid by the elevator, its usually-cheery music now a grating sound that only heightened the animatronic's newfound anxiety.

Meanwhile, near the catwalks and just out sight, a gator laid in wait for his prey.

***

At some points, Gregory was bathed in darkness. This was when he’d scurry fastest, barely registering where he was going in his haste to just get out. Eventually, he saw the green glow of the golf course up ahead shining through the slats in the vent cover. Gregory automatically raised his watch to his mouth, before thinking twice about updating Freddy. Should they give away the other’s position with Monty or another infected animatronic around, it left either of them open for attack.

So, after pushing through the vent cover and watching it dangle loosely at its bottom right bolt, Gregory carefully let himself down onto the catwalks. At the far left corner of the winding platforms was a raised, extendable escape ladder.

Carefully, Gregory snuck towards it as he tried to be mindful of how heavy his feet fell on the grated metal tracks. Upon reaching the ladder, the boy pulled the safety pin free to unleash its length towards the ground floor, metal clanking making him wince. If Monty didn't know he was there before, he surely did now.

G̴̻̈o̸̬͌.̵͕̐[1]

The combination of the ladder being unhooked and the virus in Monty’s head stirred him into action. He was waiting in a “backstage” area just out of Gregory’s sight, and upon command he reached up and flipped a switch. This activated the infamous Hurricane Hole-In-One where children had to use air-powered guns to shoot plastic balls at a goal, which would then dump all the balls in a spectacular rainbow waterfall. The guns were scattered around the catwalks themselves and also attached to suspended ride vehicles that ran on a circular track around the area. Once Monty flipped the switch these ride vehicles came to life, and the gator wasted no time hopping onto one and clinging to the side at a jaunty angle.

Upon entering the main area and spying Gregory, Monty let out a deafening roar. He hopped down to land mere feet from the tiny child and in a pure, animalistic display of aggression grabbed one of the stationary air guns and literally ripped it off its foundation. Then he zeroed in on Gregory, a wide grin on his face as he pulled down his glasses to reveal crazed red eyes.

“Let’s rock and roll!” Monty shouted with a raucous laugh, and the chase officially began.

It surely was a dramatic entrance. The clanking and clattering of Monty landing on the rails was enough to bounce Gregory in place, the impact so jarring that his knees almost buckled from its force. Unwilling to stick around to see what Monty would do after destroying the airsoft gun, Gregory pulled himself up and turn tail to sprint away.

Not before snapping a quick picture with his Fazcam, though. Hoping to stun the gator and give him a few seconds of leeway, Gregory released the bright flash directly in Monty’s face. He expected the gator to freeze, maybe even stumble backwards and pitch over the railing himself—

But all he did was laugh.

Oh shit, Gregory thought, his breathing hitching as he darted away. The sunglasses! This camera wasn't going to do anything to help him as long as Monty had those stupid shades on!

There was only one thing to do, then. As Gregory slide on his side to make a sharp turn and aimed to put more distance between him and the blood-hungry gator, he screamed into his Fazwatch. “FREDDY, HE'S AFTER ME!”

Gregory didn't even need the watch for Freddy to hear his shout. The bear was already running towards the ladder, sparing a quick glance up to see Monty tailing the boy far too close for comfort. As Freddy grasped the first rung and began to climb, he called back: “I am coming, Gregory! Just keep your distance until I make it up there!”

Monty cackled wildly as he chased down the helpless child. He barely had any coherent thoughts anymore, only the intense desire to—

C̸̞̍a̵̚ͅt̸̜͗c̷̟̽h̷͚͊ ̶̦̾t̶̞̿h̵̞̍e̸̼͑ ̸̮͠b̶̯̀o̸̧͝ÿ̷̼.̸͇̉ ̸̬̾Ǔ̵̩s̷̗͐e̴̥͗ ̶̡͛f̵̱̐ơ̶̖r̵̜̿ċ̵̬e̴̢̓ ̵͓͘î̸͜f̵͙͒ ̸͠ͅǹ̷̺e̵͈̎c̴͈̈è̸͔s̷͉̍s̷̬̀ą̵̅r̴͓͒y̶͛͜,̴̠̽ ̵̗̿b̴̦͒ų̴̍t̷̥̒ ̵̽͜d̴͕̿ö̵̠́ń̶̫'̵̰̔t̴̪̒ ̷̭̂k̴̀ͅi̶̯̊l̷͓̎l̸̳̐ ̵̭̈́h̸͈͝i̵̭͋m̸̭̐ ̵̯̈́y̴͕̓ę̷̔t̶͔͌.̶̩͗ ̵̱̂G̵̹͒E̶͕̊T̸͍̊ ̷̰̑H̸̪̆Į̵̽M̸̲̂!̶͇͆[2]

To the gator's dismay, Gregory's tiny size made it easy for him to slip away. Monty might be fast, but his large frame was a hindrance in a long-endurance chase. However, the game was only just beginning and the gator had a few tricks up his sleeve.

When Gregory started to get away, Monty paused. It seemed like he was crouching down to take a rest, but this assumption was quickly disproved when he jumped, using his powerful legs to vault him over an entire row of metal track to land heavily in Gregory's path once again.

“Hey, little guy!” he sneered, arms outstretched as he moved forward. “C'mere and give your ol' pal Monty a hug, will ya?!”

With eyes wider than dinner plates and a high-pitched shriek Gregory fell backwards on his haunches, slipping on the smooth metal before attempting his escape in the opposite direction. It seemed as though he ran in place for a moment, and he could feel the back of his shirt tearing where Monty nearly grasped him.

Gregory wondered if jumping off the catwalk himself would be an easier out than whatever Monty had in store. When he could practically feel the swing of those bulky arms shadowing his every move, Gregory tried to calculate a leap off the metal framework. If he aimed for one of the deeper pools where those other robotic alligators were, maybe he’d live—

When he felt claws scrape his back grasping onto the scraps of his already tattered shirt, Gregory knew he’d lost his chance. He clutched the collar of his striped polo and begun to kick his legs, struggling as his feet lifted from the ground.

“Let go! Let go, please!” he yelled in a panic, desperately landing weak kicks to Monty's torso that didn’t even seem to faze him.

“No can do, little guy!” Monty exclaimed, turning Gregory to face him. He gripped the boy's shirt tight, completely disregarding the choking noises and pleading as Gregory urgently tried to escape. He simply laughed off the boy’s attempts to harm him, the strikes akin to nothing more than an annoying gnat buzzing around one's head. Monty held him up higher, his expression utterly feral. “I've got me a prize, and I'm not lettin' it go!”

“MONTY, STOP!” Freddy shouted, moving as fast as he dared. The ladder was holding his weight, but it shook the faster he moved and he didn't want to chance it breaking when he was so close—he was already three fourths of the way there. Just a little more and he'd be able to act.

Monty briefly looked over as Freddy called to him, though more out of annoyance than anything else. “Aww, shut up, Fazbear! You always ruin the fun!”

Still holding Gregory by the shirt Monty began stalking towards the ladder, his free claw outstretched and glinting in the glow lights. Freddy instantly realized what the gator was about to do.

“Gregory, his glasses!” he shouted. “Knock off his glasses and use the camera! Now!”

Gregory had to be fast, no matter how badly his vision swam and the blood trapped in his head hurt. He could feel his heartbeat in his eardrums as he let go of his shirt, feeling the cheap material rip further with his weight as he smacked the busted spectacles from Monty's snout.

When the plastic frames clattered to the ground, so did Gregory as his collar finally ripped from Monty's abuse. Landing hard on his butt, he let out a groan before adjusting and flashing his camera directly in the gator’s face. The bright light pierced the dark atmosphere of Monty Golf, engulfing the pair and capturing a candid snapshot of Monty—

—who’d been aiming his claws right for Gregory's face.

Monty screeched as the closest thing the animatronics felt to pain ripped through his head. He stumbled backwards, clutching at his eyes as the echoes of the camera light pulsed in blinding white.

“ARGH! Why you little—you took my fuckin' glasses!”

Through the haze of panic clouding Freddy's mind, the fact that Monty still cared more for his glasses than his actual eyesight made him wonder if the real gator was still in there deep down... That, or he was just completely insane. Either way, they could no longer appeal to Monty's morals—that was for sure.

With a final push of effort, Freddy soon clambered onto the catwalks and rushed towards the pair. Eyes locked onto their shared target, he was at Gregory’s side in a matter of seconds.

“Stay behind me,” Freddy commanded, stepping between the boy and the gator. As Monty began to recover, Freddy looked around for any way to stop him that didn't involve getting into a physical fight. Even with his fierce determination to protect Gregory, Freddy was hesitant to go hand to hand with those claws... Though of course he would if he had to.

At Freddy's request Gregory hid behind his leg, both knowing this solution wasn't permanent. When Monty's vision finally adjusted to the darkness again, Gregory waved the mangled shades he’d snatched from the ground.

“That's right!” he shouted, backing down the catwalk in an attempt to goad Monty towards him and give Freddy time to think. “I got your stupid glasses, nerd! You want ‘em? Come and get ‘em!”

Whether or not they truly had the upper hand was yet to be determined. Gregory vaguely wondered whether Monty, in his deluded obsession with the star-shaped shades, would think twice about jumping over the edge if he tossed his prized possession down below…

It was better than risking Freddy getting clawed open, for sure. Gregory could hardly feel the wide slice across his back due to the adrenaline, only the remnants of sticky crimson that seeped into the remains of his shirt.

Monty growled again, eyes wide with bloodlust so fierce he didn't even register who was in front of him until Freddy grasped him around the torso in an ironic bear hug. In response, Monty roared in the bear’s ear and screamed: “GET OFF ME! THAT KID IS DEAD MEAT!”

“NO, Monty!” Freddy exclaimed just as loudly, teeth clenched as he resisted the gator's strength with all his might. However, his feet started to slip backwards on the slick metal as Monty's bulk quickly overwhelmed him. Frantically, Freddy looked around for something—anything—that could save them—

And that's when he had a brilliant, if very risky idea.

“Gregory, can you still run?!” Freddy asked, though he didn't even wait for a response before giving his instructions. “Do you see that huge bucket with the flashing lights behind it? You need to fill it up! Use the guns around the catwalk and—Monty, stop resisting and stay still—shoot at the bucket! Trust me!”

He didn't have time to explain the rest, now solely focused on counteracting the gator's weight as he thrashed and snarled at Gregory. Monty was so lost in his madness that he couldn’t even process the others were discussing a way to take him down; he just wanted that little shit in his hands so he could rip him apart, voice in his head be damned.

Gregory had only just begun to register what exactly Freddy needed from him as he watched the scrabble with increasing horror. The distraction with the glasses allowed Freddy to grapple Monty, but the fighting gator wasn't giving up so easily. Rage barely contained within Freddy's arms threatened to break out and hurt all of them, so upon quickly locating one of the guns Gregory ran across the catwalks with purpose and direction.

After sliding in front of the closest turret, he took aim and fired for the Hole-in-One bucket. Every perfect shot rang out with an encouraging chime, the dings loud over the ambient music and the sounds of both Freddy and Monty struggling.

Based on how fiercely the bear was working to protect him, there was no doubt that Gregory wouldn't trust Freddy with his life at this point.

“Keep holding on! It's almost filled!” he shouted, moving onto the next gun and unloading its clip in near perfect succession. When the victory bell finally tolled, the heavy bucket began to lower.

Honestly a little shocked that Freddy was still holding Monty in place, Gregory screamed with concern pitching his voice high. “FREDDY! Drop him!”

It was a close call, that's for sure. The bear's legs were actually shaking with the effort of keeping Monty from rampaging after the child—if Gregory had taken even a minute longer, Freddy's knee joints would probably have snapped. However, victory was within their grasp and Freddy wasn't going to let Gregory suffer anymore at the hands of the rampaging bassist.

With a sudden burst of reserve strength, Monty was roughly shoved away. Caught off-guard, the gator stumbled backwards to land heavily on his back... right underneath the dumping area of the bucket. As the rainbow waterfall of plastic and foam rained down upon him, Monty instinctively held his arms up to stop the pail itself from crushing him.

At first, his strength seemed to be winning out—to Freddy's absolute horror, the bucket actually started to move back up upon Monty's pushing. Then, weakened from the gator's previous running around and recent jarring impact, the floor underneath him cracked open with an awful screech. Monty roared as he fell, though this was swiftly cut off as his torso hit a thick, metal beam on the way down. The impact was at just the right angle that combined with his already-compromised physical condition, the gator's body literally snapped in half, endoskeleton and all. Freddy pressed his paws to his mouth in shock as he watched the pieces of his old friend land unceremoniously on a little stage far below.

Monty's top half twitched once, twice... And then, finally, the gator was still.

What a horrendous way to go. It was the same path that Gregory had nearly taken—though he was sure his death wouldn't have been so clean.

After bending the earpieces of Monty's gifted shades to fit better, Gregory decided to put them on. He saw it as a trophy now, something he'd swiped from the animatronic that'd nearly taken his life twice. He slowly approached his stalwart protector, adrenaline still racing through his veins in the form of trembling aftershocks. Eventually he slipped his arms around Freddy's leg, the hug meant to be a comfort to them both.

Monty hadn’t been broken without reason—it was necessary to keep Gregory safe after all. The boy just hadn't realized the damage it might cause Freddy to see that happen firsthand.

“You saved me...” Gregory had meant to say thank you, though it seemed he was star-struck in a way. Too overwhelmed from nearly meeting his demise and dazed by Monty's gruesome end to properly thank the bear, his gratitude-filled hug would have to do.

Freddy simply stared down at the remains of Monty until he felt the hesitant embrace to his leg. Gregory's words snapped him out of whatever mental spiral he was falling into. He could grieve the loss of his friend later—and besides, Monty might not be gone forever. He was a robot whose personality could be salvaged and uploaded to a new body. Gregory, however, wouldn't have been so lucky had he gone over the railing instead.

“Oh, Gregory!” Freddy exclaimed, the emotion in his voice so raw it even startled him. He bent down to pull him into a proper hug, holding him as close as he dared. The boy was shaking with residual shock, pliant in Freddy's arms for a moment until he eventually squeezed back softly. “I was so worried that Monty was going to...” He trailed off with a shake of his head, not needing to think about that possibility and longer. “But are you okay?! Are you hurt?!”

Freddy pulled back slightly to perform a health scan, visually noting the absolutely shredded state of Gregory's shirt as he did so. The most concerning thing was the gash to his back, though thankfully it was shallow and had stopped actively bleeding for the most part. Other than that, somehow he'd only escaped with a few more bruises to add to his growing collection. Once assured that Gregory wasn't in immediate danger of a medical emergency, Freddy pulled him back into his arms.

“We saved each other, superstar,” he murmured, one arm securely around the boy’s torso and the other hand resting comfortingly on his head. “And I am going to continue protecting you until I can no longer function—you have my word. I will not let anything like this happen to you again.”

It was over. The danger had subsided for now. So why were there tears in Gregory's eyes?

…He knew why. Gregory could feel the worry, then immediate relief in Freddy's voice. He wasn't just some computer program that Gregory could pick apart. He was his friend. Someone who only had his best interests at heart.

For the first time in forever, Gregory could feel safe. No, not only that—

He felt loved.

“I'm fine!” he said through tears as the shock wore off. Thank goodness for the oversized shades; they covered most of the wet tracks on his cheeks and would hopefully keep his da—friend from worrying himself further, lest Gregory wanted him to burn out a circuit from the stress.

“You had me worried there, Freddy!” he attempted to joke, his grip tightening against the bear’s smooth metal casing. “I-I need you around, so don't… don’t go and break d-down on me, okay?”

“Of course,” Freddy replied gently, a smile tugging at his facial joints. Gregory wasn't one to state his true feelings so blatantly, but the bear understood the implication behind his words: he felt safe and trusted Freddy to take care of him.

And, really, that's all the overly sentient animatronic wanted in the end.

“Now, how about we get that access pass and return to the security office?” Freddy suggested, his voice soft and calm. Since the threat was gone, he'd already returned to his usual friendly demeanor. “We can stop by the gift shop on the way and get you a new shirt.” His eyes twinkled with an almost mischievous light. “And as this is a special circumstance, I suppose I can let you have your pick of anything else you might like from the gift shop as well, free of charge—toys included.”

He couldn't recall where that plushie went that Gregory had for all of five minutes. It’d probably been lost in the chaos of the arcade. Freddy knew that toys weren't ample compensation for everything Gregory had been through, but he'd looked so happy with that plushie when Charlie handed it over... He couldn't help wanting to see that sparkle in his eyes again, if only for a moment before the next terrifying event threatened to take everything away from them once more.

Gregory could also use a soda. With his receding adrenaline and the sugar crash impacting him from those cupcakes he had earlier, he was quickly tiring out—though the promise of a new toy had him smiling again. Letting go of Freddy was hard, but the big guy did need to walk and guide them through the dangerous Pizzaplex without Gregory being cumbersome.

“Yeah! This shirt was old anyway; I need a new Freddy plush, too…,” the boy agreed, forcing the waiver from his voice. He let out a little huff, realizing they must’ve left his other stuffed toy in a past security office. Was it surprising that Gregory would honestly go back for just the toy and to resupply his Freddy merch addiction after what he’d just been through?

Probably not with the way he’d begun to idolize the bear.

It was a careful descent down from the catwalk. Freddy wanted them to make a beeline for the exit after snagging the card, but Gregory had to see the full damage. Monty was busted until wires were exposed and his eyes rolled freely, disconnected from their optical joints. Even the guy’s strong hands were snapped off, the glint of Gregory’s blood shining on the sharp metal...

With quick movements of a seasoned thief, Gregory snagged the claws, fitting one in each deep pocket of his cargo shorts. Hopefully Freddy didn't see the looting of his late friend’s corpse, or Gregory was sure to hear an earful from his guardian.

Freddy was too distracted with examining the damage to Monty's lower half to notice the boy’s scheme. The access card to the higher-level security offices was laying near Monty's feet, having been tucked into some hidden compartment during their encounter. Though Monty was too far gone to actually offer them assistance, the fact that he did keep up his end of the stacked bargain caused a sharp pang in Freddy's chest. Maybe deep down, the real Monty had still been in there...

Hopefully he could be restored and brought back to himself someday. Perhaps in time, he and Gregory would even be able to build their relationship that'd been ripped to shreds before it could really even begin.

But for now, it was time to move on. Taking Gregory's hand, Freddy led them to the elevator and out of the golf course. They both squinted upon entering the bright lights of the atrium, though it was a welcome relief to be out of the black-lit darkness of Gator Golf.

A few minutes later, they'd entered the gift shop. As Gregory distracted himself with examining the multitude of shirt designs to choose from, Freddy went to the snack counter and grabbed a few bags of candy and soda—his earlier health scan indicated high adrenaline and lowering sugar levels, which Freddy knew would come back to bite them both if they didn't keep Gregory sustained. Obviously real food and water would be better, but for the time being this would have to do. Who knew how much longer this night was going to last...

There were a couple of shirt designs that Gregory was interested in. Some neat color-block and a cool Chica-themed vaporwave pattern stuck out to him. However, he didn't want to mess up a shirt he actually wanted.

When Gregory spied a grey and black striped tank top, soft and strong feeling, he went and tossed his old and ripped shirt in the trash before slipping the new one on instead. If Gregory got blood on this shirt, it’d be much harder to see should it stain.

It was a hop, skip and a jump away from a nearby cooler. Without thinking Gregory called for Freddy in the offhanded way of a distracted child.

“Hey, Dad, can I have a soda?” he asked, wholly unaware of what he’d just said as he perused the choices of drink. It might be messed up, but Gregory's next choice would be the lemon-lime Monty flavor.

“Yes, of course you ca—”

Freddy's jaw hung open mid-word as he processed what Gregory just called him. But... that wasn't right. Surely Gregory hadn't been addressing him, an animatronic bear as—

Dad.

Although, seeing as they were the only two beings in the room, Freddy had to concede that he was the only one Gregory could have posed that question to.

“Of course you can have a soda—any kind you like, superstar,” Freddy tried again, and the grin on his face could rival the sun.

There were many implications of this new title that Freddy would have to process later, but he could deal with that in time. He wouldn't acknowledge Gregory's words directly unless the boy brought up the topic himself, just in case it had been a slip of the tongue. Personally, though it might be selfish to think... Freddy hoped it hadn't been a mistake.

Yes, it was a slip! One that Gregory was ready to be embarrassed by. He wasn't sure why exactly—maybe it was years going by without a real father figure to look up to that made him hesitant to relinquish any true, raw emotion.

When Freddy didn't correct him Gregory's face flushed, feeling warm as he quickly grabbed the soda. The happy accident seemed to make him smile anyway. Gregory would think he was acting so cool and nonchalant about it, but to Freddy he was simply a bashful kid averting his eyes as he grinned at the circumstances they found themselves in.

“Thanks!” Gregory said cheerfully, desperately needing the caffeine boost. Seeing Freddy actually looking proud of him was so much to take in, though in time Gregory hoped to get used to that feeling. After grabbing a new Glamrock-themed plushie from a shelf, the pair were good to go.

As strange as the scenario was, Gregory liked to imagine that Freddy was his father as they walked from the store together—that it was the end of a long, fun-filled day and he didn't ache from being batted around by angry robots. For once he’d pretend that he’d been picking up souvenirs with his dad, ready to head home and fall asleep while sitting shotgun in his car. In actuality, Gregory would hold Freddy's hand all the way to the security office with his eyes half-closed in simulated bliss.

Once they’d locked themselves inside the office again, Freddy had two immediate goals: patch up Gregory’s wound and charge his battery. He’d lost quite a bit of power holding Monty back, and Freddy was grateful Michael had the foresight to locate his manual charging cord in the midst of all this madness.

Speaking of the old ghost… as Freddy coaxed Gregory into letting him clean and bandage the gash in his back using a nearby first aid kit, the bear couldn’t help but wonder what Mike and Charlie were up to now. Had they been able to locate Michael’s “father?”

And what did their whole situation really mean, anyway?

Freddy and Gregory had been focused on such tangible goals as getting access cards and stopping rogue gators, they hadn’t had time to dwell on the night’s more existential questions.

[1] Go.

[2] Catch the boy. Use force if necessary, but don’t kill him yet. GET HIM!

***

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