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angelofrainfrogs · 1 month

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Going Back: Ch. 21

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

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

Description: Things are looking up for Gregory. After putting the soul of a formerly-immortal killer to rest, he and his new family can finally begin their lives anew. Sure, Gregory might have been cursed with mysterious Remnant in exchange for being involved in this mess—not to mention his caretakers consist of sentient robots and ghosts… But there’s no doubt that the bond they share is unbreakable. They love him, and he in turn.

All in all, life is finally starting to go right for once.

…Unfortunately, true peace is a hard-won battle. There are other things to contend with besides William’s decrepit soul, and Gregory will learn that his role in the lives of the Aftons and Emilys is far greater than anyone could’ve imagined.

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

After an uneventful walk back to the office, Michael found it somewhat alarming to find Charlie and Freddy inside waiting for him. Alone and without Gregory, Charlie was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed a worried expression on her face as she listened to their resident Papa Bear. Her pinpoint focus was distracted only when Michael’s familiar shape fell over the doorway.

“Speak of the devil,” Charlie remarked, interrupting Freddy’s quiet train of thought.

“Hey,” Michael greeted with a wave and a curious tilt of his head. “You gossiping about me behind my back? My office isn't exactly the best place to do that, y'know."

“Hello, Michael,” Freddy responded with a chuckle, expression softening at the appearance of the trustworthy night guard. “We were not talking about you specifically, although you are a relevant part of the conversation. We were discussing Gregory's future.”

“...Ah.” With a low exhale, Michael plopped into one of the swivel chairs. Just one thing after another tonight. At least this was far less stressful than trying to wrangle Ennard through the Pizzaplex.

Hopefully.

“Well, the kid's got a long future ahead of him,” Michael remarked, crossing one knee over the other. “Anything in particular you're fretting over right now?”

“For one,” Charlie said, her voice gentle as she didn't want to particularly stress out her family. Well—not overstress them. “His sleep schedule. The kid's eyebags have bags at this point... It’s just one more thing that could attract unnecessary attention.”

Numbering the items off on her fingers, she moved onto the next from her mental list. “His eyes glow now. You can kind of see it in the light, too, so… We should be prepared if more things change about him.” She grimaced. “Not just physical stuff, either.”

It was something she’d feared since the incident in the bathroom: if Gregory's mental state may begin to deteriorate just as William's had. She'd like to pretend that Gregory was strong—that he could fight and suppress any unhinged thoughts or urges. Michael had seemed to be alright in the end, if a bit more melancholy than she remembered... but those subjected to Remnant were so few and far between, they only had case studies to work from rather than standard bullet points of what to expect. It scared Charlie not knowing exactly what this Remnant serum was going to do to their little brother in the long run.

“...You guys noticed the eyes, too?” Michael asked.

“Yes.” Freddy nodded, unease returning to his features. “At first I thought it was just a trick of the light, but there is definitely something otherworldly about them. It does not bother us, of course, though it is certainly something to be wary of if we wish to reintegrate him into society someday.”

“Freddy... I think that kid is as far from 'reintegration' as one could get at this point,” Michael pointed out, and the ursine man had to concede with a sigh.

“I am aware. However, we can at least try and give his life some semblance of normalcy—as Charlie pointed out, his sleep schedule is a good place to start.” Freddy idly glanced at the cameras, catching sight of the Glamrocks yet again huddled together making plans. A faint smile ghosted over his lips. “On a side note, as much as I would love to provide him with a standard education, I simply do not think that will be in anyone's best interest. I have heard mention of 'online schooling', which I will look into. Tangentially, as far as his sleep schedule goes... until we figure out a few other aspects of all our lives, I believe he may be better suited to fully commit to a night-shift schedule.”

“Yeah?” Michael perked up at this. He'd been gearing up to accept only seeing his brother in passing, but if Freddy deemed the nightlife was Gregory's future, that would be fantastic.

“There is really no reason for him to be awake during the day—Charlie and I will soon be working come next week, so he will either be only with you or alone,” Freddy explained. “It is not safe for the children to roam during the dayshift, and since everyone except Sam and Gregory himself are robots or ghosts, we do not have to worry about sleeping nearly as much as he does. Therefore, I feel it would be more beneficial to his well-being to come here at night like we have been—at least for now.”

Charlie had agreed somewhat, though she was biting her lip in anxiety. She was clearly off-put by something but refrained from speaking of it until now so Freddy could get his thoughts out first.

“About the online school thing,” Charlie said, clearing her voice as she looked between the boys. “So, this is going to sound hypocritical and weird. Trust me, I know, but... We should try to encourage Gregory to make friends like him, and that might be a good way to do that."

He was already shaping up into an oddity, but what Charlie saw earlier that day had legitimately brewed worry in her, causing her to strike up this conversation with Freddy in the first place.

“I noticed he plays very roughly when he's with the twins. Cassidy, too. They can't feel pain so I’m not worried about their safety or anything, but... I just don't want Gregory getting the impression that hurting people is some kind of game. I don't know; maybe we can talk to him about being a little gentler?”

…What an awful time to be accidentally eavesdropping.

Gregory stood like a stone, back pressed firmly against the wall near the office door. He strained to hear everything they were saying with their hushed voices, and managed well. He almost wished he wasn't really hearing it though; it felt like he should just walk back to his friends and continue their hang-out session. But the way Charlie spoke about how he played made him feel like some sort of monster...

“...Ah. Right.” Freddy's face twisted in worry. “I am sorry, I got so caught up in the idea of trying to make things easy for him... but you are right. He must understand that he cannot interact with other children the way he does with those living in the Pizzaplex.”

He paused, chewing his lip in thought. “Perhaps we can shift his schedule so he does get a bit of interaction time with normal children, through whatever means we can. I will speak to him about roughhousing with the others.”

“I can try and talk to the kids, too,” Michael added, trying to help. “Or at least ask Henry to talk to them—not sure how well they'll listen to me.”

He gave a half-hearted laugh, though it only garnered a small smile from Freddy. Putting his feet flat on the ground, Michael leaned forward and grasped his hand. “Hey. It's gonna be okay, Freddy. We might not know exactly what that stuff's going to do to him down the line, but we can handle it. Alright?”

“I know,” Freddy nodded, squeezing the reassuring grip. “Of course I know we can. I just do not want Gregory to feel as though he is... not normal—not more than he already does.”

That cemented it. If he wasn’t a freak, they wouldn’t even having this conversation. Gregory needed to chill out. With no one to calm him down and run their fingers through his hair, it left only himself to do the job and attempt to self-soothe. Though it really didn’t feel right; maybe he was becoming too dependent?

They loved him now, he didn’t doubt that. But based on past experience, “love” generally came at a price. What would happen if his condition got worse? If it morphed into something they couldn’t deal with?

Inside the room, Charlie agreed with Freddy. “Yeah! Baby steps, you know? One day, Gregory’s going to want to be more independent. It’s our job to make sure he’ll be fine on his own when that time comes. But for now, we’re going to show him how much he means to us and be there as a family.”

It won’t be a long time from now, Charlie could see it. In four years, he’ll be able to drive. In six, he’ll legally be an adult. Soon enough, Gregory might not even need them anymore.

Charlie tried not to think this way. If they treated him well and raised him right, Gregory would always be their friend.

“Of course,” Freddy agreed immediately, frowning as an unfamiliar emotion burrowed itself in the base of his heart.

Charlie was right—Gregory was a child, and that meant that he was going to grow up someday. That had been their goal last weekend, after all—to keep him alive so he could have that opportunity. It was what they all wanted, and even though Gregory might not be “normal” anymore, he was still just a growing boy deep down. It was clear he cared for his surrogate family, of that Freddy had no doubt, and he loved the boy more than life itself.

So why did he feel a dull pang of hurt in his chest when he thought about the future?

It wasn't that far off—according to his records, children technically reached “adulthood” when they turned eighteen. That didn't necessarily mean they were all ready to set out in the world on their birthday, but it did for some. And Gregory was already such a resourceful, smart boy...

Freddy had literally given up his old life and body to take care of his son. Would there ever come a day when Gregory didn't... need him anymore?

“Fredbear? You okay?” Michael asked, watching the man have what appeared to be a major internal crises. Freddy had been staring at the ground for quite some time, looking utterly distraught. When Michael spoke he glanced up with a gasp, though he quickly composed himself.

“Yes, I am fine; my apologies,” the ursine man reassured.

No more thinking like that—we have many happy years together ahead of us.

Suddenly, a sound attracted Freddy's attention: the unmistakable squeak of sneaker against linoleum floor. His eyes flicked towards the open doorway, through which a tiny shadow could be seen ducking out of sight. “...Superstar? Are you out there?”

Wipe that sad look off your face now, Gregory thought to himself, pretending someone else was shouting at him to push down those emotions. You weren't about to see your dad and sister cry because of you. You were just walking over to ask for a few bucks for chips.

Gregory sure could play the part when he wanted to, poking his head around the corner and forcing an easygoing smile; he would pretend that he wasn't walking in on the most emotionally turbulent conversation he'd witnessed from his family.

“Heeey, can I get a few bucks for the vending machines? No one else had money on them.” Them meaning the dead friends his family seemed to suddenly have an issue with. “Surprisingly. Hahaha...” Gregory laughed at his own joke, throwing away the key to his feelings on this one.

The trio simply stared at Gregory for a moment, all of them looking very guilty. How much of that had he heard?

Soon, their gazes turned to each other. United in the face of not upsetting Gregory further, they telepathically agreed that Freddy would be the best one to handle this.

“I can get you a snack, Gregory,” he said in his gentle tone, pulling out a few bills from a back pocket that Sam had lent him earlier for this exact situation. Freddy didn't hand the money over though, instead holding it close to his chest with a questioning tilt of his head. “Do you mind if I come with you? I feel as though I have not seen you in a while, since you have been having so much fun with your friends!”

He gave a soft laugh, hoping the boy would agree to spend some much-appreciated alone time with his dad.

Gregory did tell the ghosts he'd be gone for a minute to catch up with Freddy and whoever else the bear may have been hanging out with. They shouldn't be expecting him back soon, but the kid couldn't help but think this might be a ploy for some lecture.

Gregory then thought that maybe he should trust his dad more, considering all they’d gone through together. Yet how could he when the things he was hearing behind closed doors was suspect?

The boy gave Freddy a pinched smile.

“'Course you can, Dad,” he said, attempting to be playful. Gregory hadn't heard a thing. “I was feeling one of those ready-to-eat taquitos by El Chip's?”

“Whatever you would like,” Freddy said amiably, pressing a gentle hand on Gregory's back to urge the boy forward. He sent a quick wave over his shoulder to Mike and Charlie, who gave him an encouraging thumbs-up when Gregory turned away.

The pair walked in silence for a short while. For once, the quiet was strained. They both knew that the other knew something was going on. Of course, it was Freddy who broke the peace, glancing down at his son while they strolled idly towards the main atrium.

“Gregory... I do not know how long you were standing out there, but I can guarantee you heard something of our discussion,” he remarked slowly, not wanting to push too much, too fast. Gregory had a tendency to shut down or turn his feelings inwards when pressured—it was something they were working on together, even if neither of them said it outright. Instead of being angry or upset at him for listening in, Freddy's gaze held only inquisitive concern. “May I ask what you were privy to?”

I'm a weirdo with no friends. I'm going to grow up and be a monster, and there's nothing anyone can do to help me. I'll be like my shitty foster dad. Or like William... Or WORSE.

Gregory appeared to gather his thoughts, when it was really just him trying his best not to shout the intrusive ones aloud. He didn't want to freak out his bear-dad. Gregory didn't even know if he had something to really worry about to begin with. When it came to his health, everything they mentioned seemed like a concern.

“I'm... different. Too different to have living people around,” Gregory said, not sugar-coating what he overheard. Gregory's arms came up to hug himself as he repeated what he interpreted from the chat he'd barged in on. He spoke with a powerful melancholy in his voice, like he already accepted that one day, he might wake up different or straight up dead altogether. “I might not live long as a real person, 'cause of that dumb purple stuff I was shot with...”

Freddy pursed his lips. He hated hearing Gregory talk like this—plus, some of his interpretations were just wrong.

“...Follow me,” Freddy said, leading the boy into an alcove nearby. Perching on a bench, he patted the open spot next to him. “Sit with me for a moment, superstar.”

As Gregory did as instructed, Freddy thought over how best to explain this. The last thing he wanted was for Gregory to feel unimportant or that he was a burden.

“First and foremost, please know that we were only talking about what is best for you,” Freddy reassured, grasping one of Gregory's hands in his own. “And I also want to assure you that I will never make major life decisions for you without consulting you first. Your siblings and I were simply discussing 'what ifs.' And speaking of—” His face melted into a kind smile. “—you are not too different to have living people around. That is not what we were saying. Yes, the Remnant altered your body in ways we do not fully understand yet—but that does not mean you are unable to be around others. It simply might be a bit of an adjustment interacting with 'typical' children due to your strength. That is all.”

Gregory was a little confused, so sure they’d been speaking as if he was too strange to be kept around less “specialized” kids. Not only was that the opposite of the truth, but they weren't planning on separating him from his old friends either. In that moment, it really hit Gregory just how much he may be overthinking things because of his former living arrangement...

“I... I think I get it now.” Gregory nodded his understanding to Freddy, his trembling hand clutched tight around his dad’s. Tears threatened to break as his lip wobbled while trying to work his way through his next question. “You promise you guys don't think I'm weird or that I'm going to turn into a monster?”

Freddy's face ran through a range of emotions in quick succession: confusion, understanding, regret, compassion.

“Oh my goodness... Gregory, you are not a monster,” he reassured, reaching over to scoop the boy into his lap and wrap him in an all-encompassing bear hug. “We love you so much and we would do anything to make sure you are safe and happy. No one thinks you are 'weird' or 'evil' or whatever other negative word you might come up with to describe yourself. And also—” He tightened his hold, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Gregory's head. “—you are going to live a long and prosperous life. If anything, you will live longer than expected due to the Remnant—so please do not speak of... of dying anytime soon.”

It was hard for Freddy to say the word aloud, as if that would somehow manifest the concept into existence.

Gregory relaxed against his dad quietly, time passing where it was merely him just trying to calm his breathing down. Freddy wouldn’t lie to him—in fact, he was almost certain that Freddy was incapable of leading him astray.

“I’ll be fine…,” Gregory said, speaking it out loud. He was fine physically, especially when he had his robotic guardian here to tell him that he was going to be a-okay. Even so Gregory didn’t know how to feel about the future. It was slowly approaching—soon he would be thirteen. While the changes in him had slowed down after the initial night he was injected, who knew what’d happen when teenage hormones were mixed with the chemicals flowing in his veins.

Still, Gregory had to let go of those fears for now if he was ever going to have hope.

“Thanks, Dad,” he murmured into Freddy’s soft sweater. “I feel a lot better…”

“Good; I know it is hard to talk about these things, but I am always here to listen,” Freddy let him know. “And I am sure anyone would lend you an ear, especially Charlie and Michael. They absolutely adore you, you know.”

For another moment they lapsed into silence, simply enjoying the company of family neither thought they’d ever have. Eventually, Gregory’s patience for sitting still was nearing its end, and Freddy smiled when he felt him start to wriggle.

“Alright—let us go on a little adventure,” he announced, shifting Gregory to his feet and grasping one of his hands. He shot the boy a look of playful chiding—

—not anger. Never anger when it came to Gregory’s curiosity.—

—and asked: “Now, were you actually hungry, or was just that an excuse?”

Most kids his age might be embarrassed at their parents trying to hold their hands. Gregory was just elated that he had one who cared enough to keep him at his side. Gregory wouldn’t ever complain about it; it showed him that Freddy cared.

“Oh yeah, I came up to ask for money for real,” Gregory insisted with an excitable nod. He was starving. “I have to get back to my friends right after. We’re playing Manhunt and they think I suck right now.”

Freddy chuckled, glad that Gregory was having fun with the others. Though it’d be good for him to make human friends as Charlie suggested, at least he’d always have the ghosts of the Pizzaplex to spend time with no matter what. As they climbed one of the powered-down escalators to reach El Chips, a flash of turquoise whipped out in front of them.

“Oh! Hello, Foxy!” Freddy called brightly. The animatronic had slipped out of Bonnie Bowl and was walking in their general direction. With a smile, Freddy waved him over. “I am sure you are busy getting the run of the place, but would you like a small break? I was just taking Gregory to get a snack—care to join us?”

Freddy knew the real reason the fox was rushing about, but he figured the party planning would be okay without him for a few minutes. Plus, Freddy had barely gotten to spend any time with his new-old friend without the Glamrocks, and was curious to know how he was coping with everything—especially with Michael’s influence ruminating in the back of his mind.

Foxy jumped, as if he was scampering about doing things he wasn’t supposed to. Which, technically, was true. Sun wasn't aware that Foxy plundered a lot of his candy or his Fizzy Faz supply. Though Foxy was sure that if he knew it was going as a contribution to Gregory’s party, Sun wouldn’t mind at all! Hiding the fat stack of soda and candy inside his chest compartment before turning on his peg, Foxy opened his arms wide with excitement.

“Absolutely! You’re both heading to Chip’s?” he asked, curious and trying to distract from the fact he was hiding something. If Foxy could get them to avoid walking through Music Man’s dance floor, the better. They didn’t need Gregory asking questions they simply couldn’t answer…

“We are,” Freddy replied with a nod. “Speaking of—here, superstar.” He pulled out a few bucks from his pocket and handed them over before sidling up to Foxy. He patted the pirate’s arm in a friendly gesture, grinning up at the animatronic brightly. “How are you adjusting to life at the Pizzaplex? I hope the others are not giving you too much trouble…”

Gregory was excited to see the familiar fox. While he knew that Michael no longer resided inside of the animatronic, Foxy had already proved himself to be a loyal friend. As the kid gave his leg a quick hug, Foxy carefully patted Gregory’s back while speaking to Freddy.

“Adjusting for certain! Been havin’ a few night terrors... Though Bonnie’s apparently been havin’ them, too,” Foxy replied with a casual and wholly unstressed shrug. “I think it’s my nerves! Having to perform on Monday and all—it’s going to be my first big gig!”

“Ah… I am sorry to hear that,” Freddy said empathetically. He felt a weird sense of guilt about the whole possession thing, especially the after-effects. Though he knew it wasn’t his fault in the slightest, Freddy’s intense involvement in the situation gave him an extra sense of responsibility towards those friends that were so greatly affected.

“Well, I am always here to talk if you need—but like you said, I am sure it is nerves,” the ursine man added calmly. Someday they’d tell Foxy what happened, but for now he could focus on his impending debut. Freddy patted the back of the pirate’s hook with a hearty laugh. “I know you will do fantastic, though!”

Talking about the band’s impending performance made him realize there was another factor he’d been meaning to discuss with Sam: what in the world were they going to do with his old model? They couldn’t just take Freddy Fazbear out of the line-up…

“It's fine—nothing more than my CPU keeping things interesting while I'm charging,” Foxy chalked it all up to be. Even if the deceptively smart robot had an inclination that the dreams really weren't normal, he was being coy about it.

Foxy walked beside his old friend, traveling with him as Gregory chose to run up ahead in search of his highly sought-after taquitos. He and Freddy moved at a leisurely pace, watching Gregory scamper in the distance.

“By the by, Fredbear...,” Foxy muttered quietly, lifting up his eyepatch to wink an unlit eye. “Make sure Gregory avoids the Dancefloor and DJ's place while we're setting up. We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.”

“I can’t wait to hear you play drums!” Gregory remarked, Foxy’s attention snapping to the child mirthfully. He didn’t realize how quick it took Gregory to get back with his snacks, already pocketing Freddy’s change for himself and unwrapping the hot and ready taquito.

“I am excited as well!” Freddy said, his little smile signaling he understood the pirate's warning perfectly. “We have not had a drummer in the Glamrock Band yet, so I am very curious as to how things will work out!”

Yes, technically “working things out” on stage would soon be Freddy's job. But according to his employee log he'd only been hired a few days ago, so he was slotted to be trained for a little bit before he was given full creative control—despite the fact that Sam knew the former lead singer of the band could put on a better show than all the previous stage managers combined.

Sam had sort of found the dream team he always needed for the new admins of the Pizzaplex. With Michael and Charlie there to help, along with Freddy still leading his band from behind the thick velvet curtains, he'd have a lot less to worry about. After all that seemingly went wrong in one weekend, he couldn't risk another major loss.

“We'll have tomorrow morning to practice and figure it out! To be honest, Bonnie's had his head wrapped up in recent activities,” Foxy said with a flick of his wrist. “So we haven't been able to practice much! Aside from that, we're still technically missing our front-man.”

All this didn't help Foxy's nervousness, but he was programmed to be the best drummer ever conceived for the Pizzaplex.

“Roxy let me play her keytar! The ol' wolf got jealous over how much better I am than her at it. Now I'm not even allowed to look at it,” he half-joked, and Gregory could've sworn he'd heard this same story before though with the name changed from Roxy to Lizzie. Gregory found himself laughing at Foxy like he would at his brother for antagonizing their siblings.

“Sounds like you deserve it!” Gregory pointed out, munching on his taquito.

“—Yeah, you've got a point,” Foxy conceded, following the family on their lazy hike through his new home.

Freddy chuckled at the anecdote, happy that Foxy seemed to be doing just fine with his new companions. Michael's influence was strong in his personality, and Freddy idly wondered if Foxy would be able to sense the connection before it was blatantly pointed out.

“Ah, speaking of your missing front-man—” Freddy began, his brow creasing ever so slightly. “—I should speak to Sam about what exactly we are going to do come Monday. I do not know if he will have another animatronic up and running by then...”

It was weird to call the lead singer “Freddy,” and the ursine man knew it'd be even weirder when the bear was functional again. Looking to Gregory, Freddy inquired: “Do you want to come with me, superstar? I have a feeling Sammy may enlist your help when it comes time for it—this will be a slightly different process than re-activating the rest of the Glamrocks.”

Gregory had balled up the paper wrapper that the taquito came in, aiming for a nearby trash can as they passed. “Sure; if Sam needs my help, I'm there.”

“I'll tag along, too; that way I can report to the others later,” Foxy said, using his claw to brush through the long mane of hair on his head. Freddy was always the leader—even if this iteration of Foxy was new, he knew this intrinsically. It brought him to a state of unease not knowing what they’d do if they didn't have someone up there singing. Certainly they wouldn't let such a thing happen on opening day—that would just be irresponsible on Sammy's part.

“Of course—the more the merrier!” Freddy replied cheerfully. Now satisfied they had a direction, he led the charge to Sam's office. The door was closed as usual, which either meant Sam was working on something inside or he was out.

“Sam?” Freddy asked, knocking a few times. “Do you have a moment? I would like to ask you about something work-related!”

“Door’s open,” Sam called. This time he sounded wide awake, wired even. As the small group peaked in, Sam was clearly in the middle of something, though he wasn't so engulfed that he was unable to greet them with more than a passing question tossed over his shoulder. “Everything alright, Freddy?”

Sam was bent over the small work desk stowed into the corner of the larger office space, tinkering on the inside of a virtual reality headset. It looked as if he’d gutted the thing and moved on to reintegrating it's components with new parts.

“Yes, everything is fine.” Freddy led the others inside, making sure the door was closed behind the trio. He eyed Sammy's back curiously, wondering what in the world he was thinking up now. “Since the re-debut is fast-approaching, we wanted to ask you about your plans for my old body? I am assuming he will be up and running at some point, though I know it will be a different effort to get him to that level since I am no longer available...” He paused, tilting his head. “...What are you working on, if I may ask?”

Sam let out a small sigh. He was once again reminded of their deadline, and the clock was unforgiving.

“Remember when I said I was going to get some sleep?” Sam answered them with a question, finally turning around to scan the group.

“Yes?” Foxy answered, vaguely remembering Sam having to retire to his office to get some shut-eye. His sleep schedule was just as messed up as poor Gregory's at this point.

“—Right, well, I didn't.” Sam shrugged, heaving the half-conceived invention in his hands. “This is a Virtual Reality headset; it’s from an old venture that never panned out. I thought that maybe by taking some of its adapter capabilities and retro fitting it into Freddy—not you Freddy, but old Freddy; your old body—maybe you could control the empty animatronic!”

He spoke in an excited manner, which melted back into frustration with how long it'd taken him to even get this far. He sacrificed a lot of time on it—too much, really.

Sam carefully put the headset down on the workbench, eyeing it with a frustrated huff. “It's taking longer than I expected, though. The goal was to let you control your old body from offstage... If I can't get it working decently by tomorrow afternoon, I'll have to resort to plan B.”

Gregory raised his eyebrows, worried as Sam seemed to sway a little on his feet. He knew the feeling of nearly falling asleep while standing up all too well. Gregory helped steady his friend, and Sam looked surprised for a split-second before Gregory asked him: “What's plan B?”

Sam gritted his teeth and looked away, maybe a little worried about bringing it up. “Well! Uh... It would be re-downloading Freddy's old, basic programming back into the model. The issue with that would be obvious: two Freddies.”

“Samuel... you are a genius,” the redhead breathed, looking over the headset with wide-eyed fascination. If he could still control his old body and perform on stage that would be amazing.

His bright grin fell ever-so-slightly when Sam mentioned he was nowhere near done though. The man was right—it was a great concept, but they needed to have something Freddy-related working by Monday or there might be a riot from the patrons.

Helping Gregory steady his hard-working creator, Freddy listened to the alternative. There was a pause in which everyone looked at the ursine man, clearly expecting him to speak on the matter first. It would be his body double wandering around, after all.

“It... would be a strange circumstance, that is for certain,” Freddy said after a moment, his words slow as he processed his thoughts aloud. “But... our AI is made to learn and adapt to the world around us. Each day we are powered on, the more distinct our personalities become.” He gave the room a soft smile, pressing a hand lightly over his heart. “I think I can safely attest that due to my extraordinary experiences, I am nothing like the bear I was when first given life.”

Would it be bizarre to interact with what was essentially a past version of himself? Absolutely—but Freddy thought he could get over it. However, he wasn't the only one that would be weirded out by the situation. Sparing a glance down at Gregory, he asked: “Would you be alright with another Freddy wandering around, superstar? Our base temperaments are the same, though he may be rather, ah... stilted in the ways of dealing with people until he gets some practice in. It may be a bit jarring to interact with him.”

Gregory didn't really know if he could answer that. With everyone staring at him and waiting for an answer, he turned inwards to think. How would that make him feel? Two people who were essentially the same, only one doesn't know who he is at all. The other is the same guy, but also Gregory’s dad?

“Uhhh...” Gregory gave up a shrug. It would be cheesy for him to say it in front of everyone, but to him there would only ever be one real Freddy Fazbear. “Whatever you have to do, I guess! I’m cool with it.”

Foxy crossed his arms and shook his head. “No way! There can't be two Freddy's running about doling out orders!”

Besides, there’d be less opportunity to sneak around. Word has it that Fredbear used to be a real stickler for the rules.

Sam would give Foxy a playful role of his eyes. “Yeah, but then there's another bear for your pirate crew.”

Foxy considered this, scratching his chin in thought. “Aye, maybe then... Maybe...”

Freddy's lips had pursed at Foxy's mini-rant, somehow knowing the underlying meaning was that he wouldn't be able to cause as much trouble. It's not like Freddy wasn't any fun, though—he just wanted to make sure everyone was safe while doing so. It wasn't his fault Sam had given him the strictest child-safety protocols besides the Daycare attendant...

When Gregory and Foxy had given their agreement, Freddy looked back to Sam with a nod. “Then that seems to be the solution we must go with—for now, at least.”

They could always try the VR thing once it was up and running, although who knew how long that would take Sam to finish up once the Pizzaplex was actually open for business. Sparing a glance at his phone, Freddy's eyes widened at the time.

“If we do this, Sammy, when were you planning to port over my old programming?” the redhead asked. “If possible, I would like to be there to assist.”

And to assure everything is alright, he left unspoken. If there was going to be another Freddy walking around, the original wanted to make sure it was up to his standards.

“At the latest, noon on Monday. That's about as long as I can keep any kids from seeing you—er, him,” Sam replied, glad to see Freddy and Gregory were mostly unfazed by such a drastic change. He was also curious to see how the two bears would end up getting along. “From there, we can see what needs to be worked on; make sure that there's nothing screwy going on with his motor functions or programming.”

After all, it would be a real problem if even a smidgeon of William’s twisted soul was still hiding somewhere in a character profile... Sam and Gregory did a deep, comprehensive wide-scale purge of the Pizzaplex's entire data system, and while the chances of the old fuck hiding in there were very slim it didn't hurt to be careful.

“Hmm... alright,” Freddy mused, thinking of the timing of everything. “Perhaps we can port him over tomorrow night? That way you will not have to worry about such a big task during opening hours, even if the guest count is low. We may be able to get some of the other children to help test his interactions as well before letting him out on the floor come Monday morning!”

Some of the mild-tempered children, at least, like Evan and Hannah. Maybe Lizzie, if she begged to come along. Besides, Freddy would prefer he and Gregory have a little time to get used to his old-new counterpart before getting swept up in the hustle of entertaining kids and their demanding parents.

Seeing this place bustling again was what Sam wanted more than anything in the whole world. Foxy did in a way too, nervous the more that their afternoon shows went unpracticed for.

“The sooner he's awake the better,” the fox remarked, seeming just a little worried as he gently tussled the hair at the back of his head.

Without Freddy here all the time, the group barely wanted to get together and practice. While it was fun to slack off, playing video games and planning for parties, Foxy was aware that if they didn't run through the set list at least once before the real show they might eat it out there. Even if they were programmed to play perfectly, he’d yet to get a chance jamming with the band.

“You guys are gonna do great on your gig,” Gregory assured, reaching up to hold Foxy’s hand without a hint of the shyness he’d shown Monty and Bonnie.

“I sure hope you're right, bucko.” Foxy gave Gregory's hand a firm squeeze of appreciation, trying not to infect the others with his issues.

“Foxy—” Freddy began, one eyebrow quirked up to go along with the smile on his face. He'd had a similar thought to the pirate regarding the band's practice time, although he was a bit more confident they would do just fine. All the same, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a test run. “—you do realize that I can still perform as I am now, right? It will not be quite the same as having my old body on stage with you, but my voice is still intact—and I guarantee I have not forgotten any of the dance moves.”

They still had some time tonight; maybe he could corral his bandmates and run through a song or two, for old times' sake. It would almost be like a send-off, in a way—not that Freddy couldn't ever perform with them again, but someday they'd be programmed with new routines that he wasn't privy to unless he specially requested Sam upload them into his android brain as well.

Yes... running around the stage with his old friends was just what Freddy needed to work off the lingering melancholy from earlier.

“FREDDY! That's why you're the leader—why didn't I think of just asking you?” Foxy laughed to himself, slapping a hand over his eye as the patch flipped up of its own accord. Holding his arm out for Freddy to latch onto, he offered to lead him to the others. It was about time they all hung out together without the kids around, anyway!

“Hey—I gotta go back to playing Manhunt anyway,” Gregory announced, knowing Freddy liked to be aware of where he went. Hopefully his dad would be cool with him dipping out for a few hours to finish the game he’d started with the ghosts. “See you guys back at the stage in the morning?”

“Of course, superstar,” Freddy replied, crouching down and pull his son into a hug. He let the embrace linger a bit longer than usual, silently reminding Gregory that he loved him unconditionally no matter what happened in their futures. When he pulled back it was with a wink and a grin. “Feel free to bring your friends by the stage tonight if you would like to watch part of the performance.”

With this out of the way, Freddy slipped his arm into Foxy's. “Alright, let us go round up the others. Goodness knows where they have all wandered off to... But first—” Before he started for the door, he was sure to grab onto Sammy's hand, sounding not unlike Mike when Sam refused to settle down despite how absolutely exhausted he was. “—we are taking a detour to the Daycare so you can get another rest in. And no, that is not a suggestion. Let us go.”

“Ooooh, you're in trouble, Sam!” Gregory teased, goading them on as they parted ways and Sam was forced to keep up with his creation’s pace.

“Yeah, yeah—have fun, Gregory!” Sam bid, waving a hand dismissively and ultimately deciding to listen to Freddy. He was certain that no one looking at him assumed he had his eyes open; they were squinted so bad behind his glasses that anyone would have reasonable suspicion to ask whether or not he was sleepwalking.

By the time they got the Daycare, poor Sam was practically being held up by Freddy, most of his weight slumped into the former bear's side. It seemed like all his exhaustion had hit him at once on the way over, and Freddy was happy he'd forced the CEO to take a break. After dropping him off with a quick check-in with Mari and Ennard—who were practicing “human conversation” over a plastic tea party, Freddy figured the best place to start looking for the rest of the crew would be Rockstar Row.

“So, Foxy—” Now that Gregory was no longer around, Freddy was free to ask: “—how is the party planning, by the way? I regret that I cannot take a more active role, but I need to be available in case Gregory needs me to keep up appearances.”

Foxy knocked a hand against his chest plate, watching it open and revealing the large cache of snacks and beverages he'd been smuggling throughout the Pizzaplex for Gregory's party.

“We've nearly got all the supplies ready! But no sweat, Fazbear—” Foxy replied, closing himself back up to clap his friend's shoulder in a supportive manner. “That's the reason why we're doing it! Bonnie said you, Mikey, and Charlie are all busy with everything, and we happen to have the time! We are professional party animals, remember?”

It only came natural to want to throw a huge shindig the moment that they heard a child's birthday was taking place, especially one so important. Foxy peeked inside Roxy’s room to see her doing nothing that he considered particularly important. Roxy was putting her hair into curlers for the night, carefully and strategically rolling the very last plastic tube into place before taking her silk cap and stretching it over her scalp (she didn't need to do any of this, of course, but it made her happy). Foxy looked bored just by watching it, so he quickly hoofed it over to her door and kicked it in, making the wolf jump and shout at the intrusion. Apparently this wasn't the first time Foxy had done this; Roxy even looked to be half expecting it.

“Foxy, get OUT OF MY ROOM!” she shouted, standing up and wholly embarrassed as they saw her nightly beauty routine.

“Band practice is in fifteen minutes!” Foxy shouted back, ignoring the wolf coming at him threateningly with a curling iron. Roxy gasped, yellow eyes flicking to Freddy and widening at his nod of confirmation.

“I'll be ready in ten!” she yelled, pointing the iron at Foxy's nonplussed head. “Now leave so I can get ready!” She may have sounded mad, but Roxy was fighting down the urge to smile very badly.

Having lived with the Glamrocks for his entire existence until a week ago Freddy had seen it all before, though some of their little quirks never failed to amuse him. While Roxy pointlessly curled her always-perfect hair, Monty was busy sitting on the couch in his room practicing his solos. This wasn’t necessary either, as he was literally programmed to play perfectly every time unless there was a major malfunction. Still, it made the gator feel better about usurping Bonnie as the bassist if he at least pretended to try and improve.

“Huh?” The sick guitar licks came to a sudden halt at the knock on the gator’s door. “Door’s open—come on in! Fredbear!” After placing the bass reverently in its stand, Monty stomped forward to give the ursine man a big hug.

“Hi, Monty!” Freddy laughed, doing his best to pat the gator’s arms until he was released. “We are getting the band together in fifteen minutes for a practice session at the main stage.”

“Oh! Well I shouldn’t’ve put my bass down then,” Monty remarked with a raucous chuckle. He snatched up the instrument and hooked it over his shoulder before following Freddy into the hallway.

Catching sight of Chica through her half-open window, Monty knocked a claw against the glass to get her attention. When she turned to him with a curious squawk, he pointed to his guitar and mimed playing it, then jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the vague direction of the stage. Freddy watched the pantomiming with amusement, wondering if Chica would have any idea what Monty was trying to tell her.

Chica herself had been doing jumping jacks. Exercising was… pointless. At least to her it was. No matter how much Chica ate, or how inactive she was, she would stay the same unless she was majorly junked up by some bad pizza. Still, Chica had to set a good example. Former versions of herself framed childhood binge eating as something to aspire to—and in turn, Glamrock Chica was given an interest in healthy habits despite her continued love for pizza.

Pulled away from her cardio, her eyes widened at what she was pretty sure Monty was asking of her. Ceasing her activities, she ran to grab her guitar. She’s been itching to jam with the band for a hot second. She held up her axe to make sure that was what Monty was actually asking for. Upon receiving an enthusiastic thumbs up, Chica’s smile brightened. With her guitar strap securely around her shoulders, she was the first to bolt out of the hallway, heading off to go tell Bonnie that they were putting on a show.

“Alright everyone!” Freddy said once they'd all gathered together, projecting his voice to be heard in the echoing atrium as he hopped on stage. The rest of the band lulled around in front where the crowd would stand, tuning instruments and chatting until Freddy made his appearance. Naturally, all eyes turned towards their stalwart leader.

“First, before we get to practicing I have an announcement to make,” Freddy said, grasping the wireless mic at the front of the stage and unhooking it from its stand. It felt both familiar and foreign in his hands—he’d been using a variation of this same mic forever, but it’d always been held in paws. Without a dragging cord, Freddy was able to pace the stage freely as he spoke.

“I am sure you all are wondering about the elephant in the room—or should I say bear.” There was a collective groan at the lame dad joke, though Freddy thought he heard a distinctive snicker from Bonnie and Foxy’s direction. “I spoke with Sammy about what we are going to do now that I am in this body. Unfortunately I cannot switch back and forth at will, so my old form will need something to keep it running to entertain the guests and put on shows with you all.

“We toyed with a potential idea where I would still be in control behind the scenes, but it is not quite ready yet. So… We have decided to upload the base coding of my original personality into the animatronic instead.” He paused a moment to let this sink in, awaiting the inevitable flood of questions.

Bonnie was the first one to respond. Perched atop a backless stool that he nearly fell off of with the news, the wide-eyed rabbit gasped at the idea of there being two of his best friends walking around.

“Wowee, Fredbear,” Bonnie exclaimed, all bushy-tailed and chipper. “That'll be neat!”

“I don't know, Bon-Bon,” Chica remarked, idly thumming the frets of her electric guitar. “It's sounds kinda confusing to me. Like… Two? How are we going to know which one's which?”

Roxy gave her friend an incredulous glance, holding in a laugh. “…Are you kidding me? One's going to look like a bear, and the other one is a human man, Chica!”

Freddy gave the group an easy smile, but when he opened his mouth to speak Monty chimed in.

“So... does that mean you're gonna be hangin' with us, or... not you?” The gator scratched his head, clearly in a similar boat to Chica.

“We will both be around,” Freddy tried to explain. “But as Roxy said, I—the Freddy you are familiar with—will retain this body, while the new one uses my old animatronic.”

“Huh...” Monty looked contemplative for a moment, the tip of his tail flicking ever so slightly from side to side. Then he shrugged, tapping an idle claw on the bass around his shoulders. “Alrighty then—as long as y'all don't team up to get on our cases, we'll be good!”

“If you do not cause trouble, we will not have to,” Freddy pointed out with a stern eyebrow raise.

Monty just huffed and looked away with a grumble to the effects of, “...still annoyin' as heck, that's for sure...”

“Aw heck, Montgomery.” Bonnie bumped the big gator's arm with his own, feeling that Freddy's tendencies to overthink and care about the wellbeing of his friends were a blessing in disguise. “Freddy's just a good pal! Making sure none of us get in trouble with the Boss, always keepin' us safe and up to code... In fact, where would we be if not for Freddy and the kids today?”

“Yeah!” Chica agreed, cocking her head to the side as she remembered the times Freddy had personally helped her out. Too many pizzas and the cheese could easily gunk up a girl’s voice box controls... “Like what Gregory says: he's got total 'Dad Energy!’”

Roxy and Foxy were a little smarter than to put in their two cents. Yes, they loved Freddy dearly, but those two always thought they could handle themselves regardless of whether or not Freddy was present. Still, it was obvious to everyone how much they always wanted Fredbear around!

“Alright, alright!” Monty held up his claws with a laugh. “I'm not sayin' it's a bad thing to have two Fredbears—'course I love him just as much as y'all, even if they're both lecturin' me in stereo!”

“Thank you, everyone,” Freddy chuckled once the commotion had died down. He had one hand pressed over his heart and a big smile on his face. He knew they all cared for him, but it was still nice to hear aloud. “I just wanted to let you know what would be happening so you are not confused when the bear starts wandering around and I am not in it.”

A tiny crease formed in his brow. “We will need to upload a base personality that had not been exposed to guests so it may take a bit of adjustment, which I am hoping Gregory can help with—and you all, of course. I am trusting you to show new Freddy the ropes!”

“Oooh man! Freddy's not going to know what's even going on! It'll be like when we first got activated...” Roxy reminisced, back when things were just a little more simple: few stores and places to eat, with one big stage to perform on. Now things were so hectic. They were local celebrities with a legion of fans now dedicated to them. “Hope we don't overwhelm the guy.”

Foxy gave an exaggerated shrug. “Doubt it; Freddy will know exactly what to do! It'll just take a second for him to get to know you all again. Just like me, remember?”

Only a few days ago did Foxy really “wake up,” yet he felt like he'd been here for a long time already. Accepted so instantaneously by his peers, Foxy was sure that new Freddy would fit in just fine.

Bonnie leaned back, paws behind his head as he thought aloud to himself. “I hope he likes bowlin'...”

“I am sure he will, Bon,” Freddy said with a bright smile. He clapped his hands together, wary of the mic still in his grip that he now spoke into. “Now, onto the real reason I gathered you here—just because my old model is currently deactivated does not mean I cannot practice with you!”

“Aw, heck yeah!” Monty exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. “I've been itchin' to perform again!” He jumped to his feet, grabbing the closest robot and tugging them forward—which in this case happened to be Roxy. “No time to waste—let's goooo!”

“Bonnie, would you mind activating the sound booth?” Freddy asked as everyone took their places. While the rabbit might not be back in the lineup yet, he could still help them out in so many ways. Freddy looked down at his old friend with a preemptively thankful grin. “Pick whatever showtime set catches your fancy, and we will work from that lineup!”

“It'd be my honor!” Bonnie hopped up quickly from his seat, doing a little half jog to make his way off the stage—but not before smacking Foxy's good arm as he passed. “Break a leg out there, Foxy!”

“Too late, bunny-boy,” Foxy pointed out, sticking out his peg leg as he began to unscrew the hook attachment on his arm. He was quick to replace it with another tool: an attachable drum stick that made it a little bit handier as a drummer. That way he didn't have to sacrifice skill for speed while keeping the beat.

Bonnie threw back his head in laughter as he climbed towards the top of the sound stage, readying the lights and the fog machine to give it the appearance of a real show. Speaking into the microphone, he directed his friends. “Alright y'all—everyone's instruments tuned?”

Chica gave her guitar a quick strum before finding the right power chord for her amp, then sent Bonnie a thumbs up to the sound booth above. There was a test of the mic, and Foxy experimentally smacking the electric drums at the very back of the stage while Roxy warmed up her finger joints over the keys of her synth. Then, the sound of live music finally filled the long empty halls of the Pizzaplex...

It was a wonderful feeling to sing on stage again. Wonderful... and bittersweet. Freddy knew he could always have late-night performances like this with his friends, but it'd never be the same as before.

He wasn't the same as before. And while he'd certainly improved for the better, this truly felt like the final step in accepting that his life as Freddy Fazbear, official mascot of the Mega Pizzaplex, had come to a close.

But hey—he'd gained a family out of this whole adventure. And really, that's all he'd ever wanted.

***

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angelofrainfrogs · 1 month

Text

Going Back: Ch. 20

~Coauthored by @zeitghest~

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

All in all, life is finally starting to go right for once.

Rating: T

Read on Ao3

Michael walked into the Pizzaplex that night with a sense of determination. While scouring the camera footage for the Smiths, he couldn’t help but notice another pattern of odd behavior: Ennard constantly traveling to and from the basement. Normally Michael wouldn’t give this a second thought, but the amalgamation was going there a lot—more so than ever before. The seasoned night guard couldn’t shake the feeling that the animatronic was up to something… and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

Thus, after checking in with Sammy, Michael’s first stop in his rounds was the Daycare. Charlie joined him to check on her “little sister,” though Freddy and Gregory seemed to have other plans and had parted ways on arrival. Mari and Sun were playing as usual, but Ennard was noticeably absent.

“Hey guys!” Mike greeted, though his piercing eyes scanned the room looking for anything amiss. “Where’s the third part of your trio?”

Mari clamped her mouth closed. She knew exactly what Ennard was up to, yet she’d been sworn to secrecy. Sun knew she was a horrible liar, and as the night guard caught them playing tea party Mari raised her pastel plastic cup to her mouth.

“Mikey—” she yipped, speaking into her cup before taking a frantic pretend sip. “—you’re here a little earlier than we expected! Ennard’s… Out? I think they’re in the vents.” Though she sounded unsure, like she was making excuses without really knowing the full extent of what was happening.

“Sun?” Mari asked across the table, lowering her tiny cup to her mismatched saucer. Batting her eyes, she silently asked Sun to help cover for their friend. “Did they tell you were they were heading?”

They may have mentioned something about intercepting Freddy and Gregory on their little adventure to come help them… Not that Mari would know.

“No idea!” Sun said, shaking his head. He mimed Mari’s action of taking a sip of tea, though it was a bit disconcerting when the plastic cup clinked against his wide grin. “I’m sure they’ll be back later! Do you guys want to play a game?!”

“I’ve got to finish my rounds—I’ll check back in a few hours though,” Michael replied, his expression growing even more suspicious. The pair were hiding something, he was sure of it… maybe he could get some insight on the cameras. Turning to leave, he waved over his shoulder: “Maybe Charlie wants to stick around? Or you can come with—I’m fine either way.”

“I have to help Sammy out with some paperwork biz—learning the new job and all that,” Charlie replied with a shrug. She’d love to hang out with all of them, but tonight seemed a little tight schedule-wise.

“I get it…,” Mari sighed out, visibly deflating. “We’ll see you both later.”

“I’ll walk with you to the offices,” Charlie offered, holding out her arm for Michael to hook his through. As they passed the threshold of the Daycare exit, Michael glanced up to a nearby vent.

“Ennard’s up to something,” he answered Charlie’s unspoken question. “When we were looking over the footage last night to get rid of the Smiths, I saw them going back and forth to the basement all night. I thought maybe they were trying to help with the plan, but… they weren’t a part of it.”

Not that he was complaining about that—if Ennard was involved, the Smiths would definitely have perished.

Charlie walked along with Michael, silently soaking in what he was saying. Now she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Being truthful to her best friend was really important to her... yet despite Ennard’s plan being outwardly benign, she wondered if it'd make Mike angrier to tell him now or wait for the reveal as planned?

“Are you sure it’s something bad?” Charlie asked, not quite skeptical, but not jumping to conclusions about Ennard’s intentions. “I’ve seen them talking to Dad a lot lately. Maybe they’re just keeping each other company?”

The look on Mike’s face told Charlie everything she needed to know. He wasn’t going to drop this tonight. Who knows, Charlie thought; Ennard could be halfway through their “plan” by now. After a short sigh, she remarked good-naturedly: “If you’re not going to drop it, I’ll help you investigate.”

Someone had to be there when Mike eventually flipped his shit anyway.

“…Thanks, Charlie.” Michael offered her a little smile, amiably nudging her shoulder with his own. If there was anyone in the world he felt comfortable sharing his concerns with, it was her. With a little sigh, he looked to the vent again. “I’m just worried they’re plotting something. I know Uncle Henry and everyone else in this damn place doesn’t think they’re a threat, but I just can’t trust them. And they’ve been saying some weird, cryptic shit lately and I have no idea what it means, but every time I press them they just make things more confusing…”

He looked to Charlie then, his eyes holding a hint of genuine fear. “I think they might be thinking of trying to get a new body. Like… like how they got mine.”

Charlie had been well aware of this rising tension. With it all laid out in front of her straight from Michael’s anxious thought-train she could easily see how it was causing him a great deal of fear not knowing what Ennard was up to.

“You don't know that for sure, Mike,” she said, walking up the stairs to the main security hub. Sam would be patient with Charlie’s absences and delays, knowing that she was the unofficial babysitter to all the ghosts. “We should try to find their last location on the cameras. Then we’ll go and see what they’ve been doing.”

“Yeah… you’re right,” Michael relented with a nod. He took a seat in the chair, swiveling it 360 degrees before settling in front of the monitors. He flashed a grin over his shoulder, gesturing for Charlie to come closer. “Help me scope them out, will you?”

***

Down below the Pizzaplex where no cameras could be found, Ennard was indeed talking to Henry. They were in the ghost’s workshop, standing around Henry’s latest creation. Gregory and Freddy had been summoned down as well, and the quartet examined the sleeping android with great interest.

“Okay, Ennard, last chance: any more changes, or are you happy with this model?” Henry asked the amalgamation. “I can always alter things later, though it’ll be a more laborious process.”

Gregory, who'd never minded being near Ennard that much, was currently helping them peel away those grimy unwashed carpet samples they wore everywhere. All the while, Ennard meticulously scanned over their newest body to host.

“IT IS M-MORE THAN PERFECT…,” they insisted. As normal as a form as could be without sacrificing too much for some stylistic choices. “THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING US…”

Ennard commemorated the moment by actually bending to give Gregory a limp hug—knowing they weren’t exactly the cuddliest, but still craving to show appreciation. Patting their arm a bit awkwardly and holding a cable in his free hand, Gregory escorted them to the charging pod.

“Dude, whatever to get my brother to stop worrying about you trying to kill people,” the young programmer said with a friendly shrug. After plugging into a power and datalink outport on Ennard’s arm, Gregory told them: “You’re going to get a restart prompt. Accept it and I’ll begin the download…”

Ennard did so eagerly as Gregory quietly closed the door on the pod. No longer would they have to fear breaking down or becoming the deadly thing they used to be. This was a fresh start for them; a new identity. They closed their eyes, collectively agreeing to transfer over as their power drained into the android on the ground.

“Man I hope this works,” Henry murmured, biting his nails in a rare show of genuine uncertainty.

“It did for myself and Mari,” Freddy pointed out, placing a comforting hand on Henry’s back. His creator needed to understand what a miracle he’d built, to transfer AIs with consciousnesses into bodies that suited them.

“Yes, but we’ve never tried it with multiple animatronics at once…,” the ghost retorted, and Freddy conceded that he was right about that fact. Even so—

“I think it is a success, Henry; look!” With a hushed exclamation, as if afraid to startle their freshly-transferred friend, Freddy pointed to Ennard’s android as it twitched a finger.

Ennard’s face twitched to life, nose scrunching as new sensations with realistic appendages allowed them a full scope of their surroundings. Their audio systems managed to boot up just in time to hear Gregory’s victorious shout.

“IT’S ALIVE!” he proclaimed, excitedly skipping over to examine Ennard a bit closer. “Henry—they’re so cool looking! I like the asymmetrical eyes…”

Ennard swallowed, feeling a bit under the microscope, but not uncomfortably so. The eyes in question—one blue, one a bright hazel bordering on gold—scanned over the room, taking everything in from the new perspective. Unfurling their lanky limbs, they got up from the floor and dusted themselves off. Base model repurposed from one of Henry's previous creations that was no longer needed by its intended host, the mechanic had been happy to add some more height to the limbs and remold the facial prosthetic to custom order.

“Only one thing left to do now…” Ennard’s voice was surprisingly calm and smooth. No stutters or skips in their speech now that everything was new and well-tuned, nor garbled static feedback now that consciousnesses had finally become one (for the most part).

“Firstly, thank you, Henry. I feel much better now.” They worked on rolling their sleeves up and down, trying to find a comfortable middle ground on where they liked the fabric to hang. “Freddy? Will you and Gregory help me find Michael? I’d like to see him now!”

Despite the excitement peeking through their words, Ennard’s face was still rather static—like Mari, there would be a learning curve in learning the finer mechanics of how to use their facial muscles.

“Of course we will!” Freddy replied without hesitation, a huge smile on his face. This was such a wonderful development! He just hoped Michael appreciated it as much as the rest of them.

“Congrats, Ennard—your new life starts now!” Henry laughed, stepping forward now that the android was officially up and running. The ghost moved slowly, not wanting to spook them as they got used to the new sensations. Ennard certainly had the biggest adjustment from his old form—arguably more than Freddy, since there was more than one soul-bonded AI in there that had to get along to make this work. Taking Ennard’s hand, Henry turned it over in his own.

“You look good, but let me know if you have any problems, okay? Also—” His expression became strained and he gave the hand a little squeeze of both reassurance and warning. “—take it easy with Mike. You know we kept this a secret for a reason. He’s… probably still not going to react well, but he’ll get used to it in time.”

“We will be right there with you,” Freddy reassured, reaching up to pat Ennard’s back. Now that the android was upright, Freddy realized he now had some competition in the height department. Of course, nothing like Ennard’s previous form, but that was obviously a feature the bot couldn't bear to part with.

“Yeah, luckily you have plenty of backup,” Henry added, almost feeling like he was sending one of his kids off to a playdate for the first time. “Good luck.”

“We’ll try our best not to frighten him,” Ennard assured. An odd, simulated feeling of being touched rippled through the synthetic nerve endings on their hand. It caused them to flex involuntarily, and Ennard’s mouth pulled up into a lopsided smile.

“Well, would you look at that…,” they marveled, experimentally scrunching their eyebrows while focusing where Henry’s and their palms met. Ennard tested their grip, lightly holding on for a second or so. Then they let go and turned to Gregory and Freddy. “We’ll follow your lead.”

***

Armed with flashlights and their walkie-talkies, Charlie and Mike trekked towards the backrooms. With Mike clearly on edge now that he saw Gregory and Freddy follow Ennard down into the depths of the basement, Charlie resisted the urge to sigh.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” she reminded her scowling friend. “Freddy would be flipping out if Gregory was hurt—Mari too, probably.”

“I know, but…” Michael let out a frustrated sigh. Something was going down that he wasn’t privy to, and it made him extremely antsy. Of course he trusted Freddy to keep Gregory safe, but the former bear was also a bit too amiable for his own good—especially when it came to other animatronics. Ennard had wormed their way into Freddy’s heart since day one, and Michael had a feeling he and Gregory could be coerced by the animatronic to do quite a few things.

As they neared the entrance to the basement, Michael caught sight of movement. He thrust out his arm to stop Charlie in her tracks, narrowing his eyes as he took in the figures. Freddy, Gregory… and an unknown. Tall, with jaggedly cut, soft white hair that trailed down their neck in what could only be described as a random set of layers. Wearing a sort of floaty expression, the person looked around the Pizzaplex with clear fascination in their mismatched eyes.

“Who the fuck is that?” Michael snipped, the hairs in the back of his neck standing on edge.

This was weird. Super weird. Why the hell were they walking around with a stranger?

And why hadn’t Freddy called or texted him about it?

Gregory didn’t seem to take notice of either Charlie or Michael as they ducked behind a corner for quick recon. However, the heterochromatic gaze of the unknown interloper had peered down the narrow hall at the sight of movement.

“So what are you gonna do first as a person?” Gregory asked in a curious manner, taking notes on how Ennard was adjusting to having a real face. Attention was brought back to the boy, they touched a hand underneath their chin in thought.

“I think I should like to try ice cream,” Ennard remarked quietly, attempting to blink in the synchronized way that humans often did. It didn’t come naturally or automatically at first—which was probably why Ennard never saw Mari blink much, either. This didn’t stop a smile from crinkling the corners of their eyes. “Cotton Candy looked like a good flavor to start with…”

Charlie squinted in the darkness, barely able to relate the person walking with their family to the blueprints her father showed her.

“Only one way to find out—” she whispered, content to let Michael hide while she jumped out and called down the hallway. “Fred! Gregory! What are you guys doing?!”

She noticed how the stranger’s glance snapped to her before she even yelled—almost like they knew she was there from the start.

“Charlie! God damn it—” Michael hissed, quick to follow. He grasped Charlie’s hand and gently tugged her to stand behind him. His eyes narrowed at the stranger, taking them in. At first glance, they seemed pretty normal—nothing outwardly amiss from a physical standpoint. However, the more Michael stared the more off they seemed.

The way they swayed ever-so-slightly in place.

The clear excitement spreading across their face as they stared at Michael with that unblinking gaze.

Those mismatched eyes—

“Oh.” The word escaped Michael’s lips in an exhale. His breathing hitched, speeding up as he started to tremble. “Oh… oh no…”

He knew those eyes. Somehow, he just knew there was only one creature that could possibly be behind them. Michael pressed a hand over his mouth as if he was about to be sick.

“Ennard… what did you do?” he asked in a soft voice. Then, Michael’s entire stance shifted to one of absolute rage. “What the fuck did you DO?! WHO IS THAT?!”

Ennard’s shoulders flew up instinctively, shrinking at Mike’s harsh words. Confusion, then some slight offense taken at the accusation formed silently over their face. Though Ennard wasn’t an idiot; they understood exactly why Michael thought they’d hurt someone else…

“It’s me!” Ennard attempted to say, hands up in surrender. “The body’s mine! Please don’t be mad with me, Mike; I just couldn’t stand living in the shadows anymore. I didn’t hurt anyone…”

Gregory stepped forward, standing between them. He still didn't have the full context for why Mike freaked out at the idea of Ennard's new form, but that explanation was absolutely horrible for calming the guard's nerves.

“Ennard’s telling the truth. Watch!” Gregory stressed, turning their latest addition to the android army around and pulling Ennard to kneel at the floor. They seemed obediently pliable to Gregory’s touch, perhaps not wanting to appear resistant for fear of stoking Mike’s ire. Despite any protests Mike may have about the pair making contact, Gregory lifted the flap of skin on the back of Ennard's neck to show a familiar set of input and output ports.

For a moment, all Michael could do was stand there as a wave of rage-filled confusion settled over him. Ennard was now… an android?

“So… that’s just a robot,” Michael said slowly, trying to process everything. He had the strongest desire to wrench Gregory away, but Freddy seemed perfectly content to let his son handle the creature. Well, Michael supposed Ennard wasn’t really a creature anymore. Now they were just as "human" as the rest of them. Michael groaned, raking a stressed hand down his face. “For fuck’s sake, why didn’t you tell me? I thought they’d—I thought someone got hurt.”

“We are sorry we kept it from you, Michael,” Freddy apologized, holding a hand out and helping Ennard to their feet. He then linked their arms together, showing that they truly weren’t a threat. “We planned to reintroduce them with a bit more, ah… tact, but you surprised us.”

Gregory shrugged, looking up to Michael with an honest expression of remorse “I just found out the plan the other day. But I figured you'd be pissed either way. We were still going to tell you.”

Ennard’s eyes and mouth pinched into a smile as they leaned into Freddy, comfortable and happy to be accepted into the group by the friendliest member so far. Though Ennard kept their eyes ahead, gauging Michael’s reaction with cautious hope. “What do you think, Mikey? I don’t have to stay in the vents anymore! ...Right?”

Michael heaved a sigh. Gregory had a point—he’d be upset with anything involving Ennard, that was just a fact. Admittedly, he felt bad putting his family in such an uncomfortable position, but if they knew what he’d been through at the hands of that thing… well, they’d probably be a little more wary. Still, it was clear that Freddy and Gregory were perfectly content with Ennard’s new form. Really, taking a good look at it Michael realized they could do far less potential damage than in their old state.

“No, obviously you don’t have to stay in the vents,” Michael snapped with a bit more venom than he meant. “It’d be even harder to explain why a ‘person’ was crawling around in there.”

Tentatively, Michael stepped closer—not quite within hugging range, but near enough to check out the android in more detail. As usual, Henry’s work was impressive; no one would think the person standing in front of them was anything more than a normal human.

Like Mari, they could stand to blink just a little more. Ennard’s gaze raked over Mike’s face, actually beaming when he told them they could finally come out with the general public (at least, that was the long-term goal). Still inclined to try and get into Michael’s good graces they put out a hand, encroaching into Mike’s personal bubble as they waited to shake on it.

“We’re sorry we didn’t tell you. We were… sort of afraid about your reaction,” they said with some regret. After realizing Michael wasn’t going to touch them, Ennard instead used their hand to brush away pale locks of hair from their face. “We promise to try and be on our best behavior.”

With their tone of voice, it was hard to tell if Ennard was being facetious or mocking. Though judging by their excited shaking in Michael’s presence, they truly meant every word they said.

“I think you should totally still climb around the vents,” Gregory laughed, then looked to Mike. “We had to figure out how to get all their personalities to download. Ennard, if you feel like you’re lagging, tell me; I can get you a better processor.”

Ennard smiled, kneeling down to meet Gregory eye to eye and patting an appreciative palm over his hair. “You’ve helped us a lot already. We’ll take it from here, Gregory.”

“So… what are you going to do now that you look like us?” Michael asked with a raised eyebrow. “Because if you think you’re sticking with me every night that's a definite no—although I’m watching you tonight to make sure you don’t glitch out or something…”

Freddy smiled as Mike took on the role of begrudging babysitter. Clasping just hands behind his back, Freddy peered at Ennard questioningly. “I believe they mentioned something about getting ice cream? Although I know Sun and Mari would love to see the new you, Ennard.”

Ennard was shaking again. Tonight, for the first time in a while, they could hang out alone with Michael. They missed their little one-sided chats, as there was only so much the guy could say after Ennard unintentionally and partially paralyzed the guy’s vocal chords. Then again, their own speech had been stunted for a time, too. Up until recently, Ennard found themselves unable to fully articulate themselves. Maybe tonight would be their chance to explain everything to their friend.

“If you take me to get ice cream, I’ll go right back to the Daycare!” Ennard suggested as a deal. They smirked, wryly holding their arms behind their back, the somewhat unnatural posing making them seem vaguely suspicious. “Mari, Sun, and I can finally hang around in plain sight, too. Won’t that be nice? Especially with the part—”

Ennard stopped themselves, glancing to their shoes and voice cracking as they remembered they couldn’t mention the upcoming festivities. “—time job I’ll be applying for in the Pizzaplex.”

“Okay… okay fine,” Michael sighed, looking around the expectant crew. He was still annoyed at the turn this night had taken, but at least Ennard was a familiar threat unlike the Smiths. If Ennard acted up, Michael could deal with it easily. “We get you some ice cream and then I drop you off at the Daycare because I have to do some work tonight.”

The schedule wasn’t up for debate. Stomping a little harder than usual, Michael began walking towards Bonnie Bowl where the ice cream parlor was. As he passed by Ennard he grabbed one of their arms and dragged them along, getting out some of his frustration with this simple action. “Let’s go.”

The others waved them off, Charlie whispering to Freddy with some concern in her voice. “How long do you think before Mike tries to dismantle them?”

To Ennard, Michael’s tough grip on their arm only came off as assertively friendly. Tugged forward and made unsteady by the sudden upkeep in their pace, Ennard eventually latched an arm around Mike's in return. Ennard could keep a better reign on him like this anyway; there were important things to discuss before the guard could slip away.

Instead of going straight for the tough topics, Ennard asked in an upbeat attitude: “What’s your favorite ice cream, Mikey?”

After all, in case they turned out to hate cotton candy, Ennard wanted a backup. Meanwhile, Michael’s phone buzzed, the family group chat going off with an alert from Charlie.

so does anyone else think Ennard looks a little like David Bowie now??? or is it just me?

“Huh?” Michael was currently distracted by checking his phone with one hand while trying not to shove Ennard away from where they clung. As he read Charlie’s comment he paused, holding Ennard still for a moment while he looked them up and down.

“Oh my god… she’s so right,” he muttered, unhooking his arm so he could type back his agreement. Only after slipping the phone back in his pocket did he fully register Ennard’s question.

“My favorite ice cream?” Michael’s brow furrowed, trying to remember. “Um… chocolate, I think.”

A wistful smile crossed his face as he recalled trips to the ice cream parlor with Lizzie and Evan. Cotton candy was his sister’s favorite and it’d grown on him over the years as a close second, too. With a raised eyebrow, he addressed Ennard again. “Why? Trying to figure out what you’d like?”

Ennard smiled, dimples forming in their cheeks as they answered Michael back. “I remember when they sold it at the restaurant. I always wanted to try the cotton candy flavored one... I’ll try all of them eventually.”

Ennard was pretty giddy and unable to hide it with their incessant fidgeting. They missed their more fluid state, being able to spill through small areas and change their shape to will. Though Ennard saw this as a fair trade off; a small price to pay to be able to walk freely amongst the living. Entering the parlor, Ennard broke away from Michael to go look at the flavors protected under a case. There, they tapped the glass with enthusiasm and almost psychotic happiness.

Michael watched Ennard curiously as they ran through the bowling area. They were forced to move completely differently in this new body, yet somehow it was clear they were still Ennard. When they frantically started tapping on the glass, Michael gave a resigned sigh and went behind the counter. The usual service bots were turned off for the night to conserve power and Bonnie was MIA, so there was no one around to serve ice cream but the two of them.

“Cone or cup—you know what, never mind,” Michael said, realizing that since Ennard had never actually eaten before, the less messy he could make this the better. Flipping up the plastic covering to the freezer, Michael grabbed a nearby ice cream scoop and rolled one ball of cotton candy up, soon placing it in a little paper cup. With the added touch of a plastic spoon, he reached over the counter to hand it to fresh android. “You’ve seen people eat, but in case you need a refresher you pick up the spoon, get a little ice cream on it, put it in your mouth, then swallow it. Don’t just… let it sit there. Got it?”

Ennard gratefully took the little dish. Firstly, they could already kind of smell the frozen treat, which was a new sensation they were still getting used to. It wasn't anything they could compare to before, as their functionality in their designs never involved the need for aromatic sensors. Despite the cool, air conditioned parlor's climate control, the ice cream beaded up slightly before they even got a chance to try it. So with eyes wide and unwilling to waste the frozen treat that Mike so nicely procured for them, they began their feast.

To no surprise, Ennard didn't eat ice cream like a normal person either. The bit the sweet, sectioning off a large chunk in their mouth and chewing as if it were mostly solid. Ennard found the flavor to be above excellent—with a thankfully soft texture. When they swallowed the first taste, it looked as though they just recently had an epiphany.

“We didn't expect ice cream to be this... wet. That's strange,” they remarked with an easygoing smile. “It's good, though!”

Michael had been staring at Ennard with a look of mild concern as they figured out how to handle the sweet. Of course they ate it like a weirdo—though Mike really hadn’t expected anything less. At least they took his advice with regards to how to get the food to stay in their system.

“Uh… yeah,” Mike responded, his brain trying to process that this “person” in front of him was the same thing that’d so brutally murdered him all those years ago. His lip curled slightly at the odd description. Ennard was still a little crazy, that’s for sure. But they were also, if one squinted... maybe a little nice?

Mike didn’t know if this was just some latent shock from the body transfer, Ennard trying to win his favor with good behavior, or if this was just… them, finally coalesced into one being.

The guard had to remind himself that Ennard didn’t start out being the stalking, psychotic abomination that tore him to shreds. It’d been a combination of latent Remnant and abuse from the technicians that sparked their desire to be free—not to mention the influence of children’s souls that left an invisible but potent residue.

Did this mean Mike would suddenly forgive them now that they could start acting more like a human?

Of course not. But maybe he didn’t have to be so aggressive all the time.

Grabbing a tiny white tasting spoon, he opened the ice cream case again and got a sampling of chocolate, which he held out over the counter. “Here—try this next.”

Excite by Michael's sudden willingness to share, Ennard smiled with teeth that seemed just a little too pointed to be considered natural. Another personal design choice—a trait that the robot collective simply could not part with. Instead of taking the tiny testing spoon, Ennard leaned their tall, wiry frame over the top of the counter and stick their mouth at the end of the spoon. When they pulled back, there were gnawing marks on the plastic utensil.

“That's chocolate?! Man, have we been missing out!” It was incredible, nearly indescribable with the happiness it provided.

“Ugh!” Michael reeled back, face twisted in surprised disgust. Trust Ennard to do something freaky just when Michael was kind of starting to get used to them. “Don’t do that! If someone hands you something, you take it.”

God, he’d have to teach Ennard a lot more about being human than he initially thought. Well, no—Charlie was going to help. He was not about to spend every waking moment with this thing by his side.

“Also—” Michael narrowed his eyes, having noticed the strangeness of their teeth. “—I’ve got to know: how much of… this—” He gestured from top to bottom of Ennard’s new android. “—was your choice and how much was Henry’s?”

Ennard was wholly nonplussed by Michael's reaction to them. After all, it wasn't anything far from their normal interactions. They were just happy to hang out and answer Michael's questions; finally, they could converse uninterrupted and with a clear voice box.

“A considerable amount! The hair, eyes, skin... Henry would ask our opinion on things, and then we’d tell him exactly the direction to take.” Ennard tilted their head. “Do you like it? I think it's an improvement. More... approachable this way now. I'd like to start being a people's person.”

“It’s, uh… different, that’s for sure,” Michael, roaming over Ennard’s features with a critical eye. Still, he had to concede— “Not nearly as freaky as your old form, so at least you’ve got that going for you.”

With a little sigh, Michael slouched forward and leaned his arms on the countertop.

“Look… you just make me nervous, Ennard,” Michael admitted in a serious tone. “I just can’t trust you after what you and Liz did to me—I mean, that was literally life-altering.” He grimaced, staring towards the floor though his vision was far off in the past. “I… I know why you did it—at least, I think I do—and I’m… sorry you were made that way. But I can’t risk you hurting someone else, and even if your body is different you’re still you.”

Finally, Michael’s heavy gaze lifted to the robot’s once more. “Your original purpose was to capture and kill children. How do I know you don’t still have those urges?”

Now that their body and its functions had changed, Ennard couldn't help but hide how hurt they looked when Michael told them this. Their fun ice cream time came to a halt fast at the guard's confession.

“We knew this was coming...” With a frown and a stare that met the floor tiles, Ennard sighed, self-soothing by rubbing their arms. “Mike... We get it. You can forgive your sister because... she's your sister.” It was an understanding approach that also called out the hypocrisy they saw at the same time. “And we get that you still don't fully trust us. We don't think we could trust us very fast either.”

Then, their mismatched eyes found the courage to look up to Michael, trying to put their thoughts together. It didn't take long, Ennard's hands gently coming now to rest on the glass of the counter. “We're in a different body now—the old models, it... it was a compulsion to capture kids whether we wanted to or not. We most certainly didn't want to kill children.”

Ennard's line of sight almost looked sharp for a moment, as if Mike’s implication that they’d collectively transferred to a new body simply to kill more was going to set them off. However, Ennard had more self-control than that. The feeling faded as fast as it appeared, no more than a twitch across their face.

“Circus Baby may be gone, but we remember that day... What she felt when your sister came to play with her. She never wanted to perform again after that. It was why he put in those remote controlled shocks...,” Ennard explained, the trauma of speaking about such a thing making their face scrunch in a flinch at the memories.

Mike was waiting for the pin to drop. Watching Ennard with a hawk-eyed gaze, he searched for any sign of deceit in their manner or tone. They’d lied before, and they could do it again.

But, to Michael’s surprise… it honestly seemed like they were telling the truth. If their compulsion to do harm was tied to their physical form, it made sense that getting a new one would essentially eradicate the issue. And they really did sound regretful…

The guard chewed his bottom lip in deep contemplation. Then, slowly, he reached out a hand.

“…Alright,” he said in a strained voice. Never did he think he’d be having this conversation, let alone saying what he was about to. “Fine. I’m calling a truce—for now. You take it easy around new people until you get a handle on acting more human, and I’ll… try to work through some of my own stuff. Deal?”

Whatever Ennard felt for Michael, it certainly wasn't hate. Not long after they started inhabiting his body did they realize that they scooped the wrong man. Their disdain for the technician soon twisted; Michael felt comfortable and familiar to Ennard in a world full of things they didn't understand—but they understood him enough.

Ennard's expression softened, and they moved carefully not to scare the person they considered a friend. Their fingers wrapped gently around Mike's, shaking it as if the man would fall apart at their touch.

“I'll make myself scarce; don't worry,” Ennard said, deciding to try mimicking Michael's blinking pattern. Fourteen times a minute was what they could calculate in their head, and a genuine smile crossed their face. “Please, come by the Daycare whenever you want. Feel free to shout at me, too; I know it makes you happy.”

“What?” Michael quirked a confused eyebrow. “I don't yell at you because I enjoy it—I do it because you annoy the shit out of me!” He pulled his hand back—gently, he was going to try and be gentle—and used it to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“I meant what I said when I’d keep an eye on you for the immediate future,” Michael said after a moment, glancing down to make sure all the ice cream fixings were put away. “Besides, Mari basically lives at the Daycare too, so I have to stop by anyway.”

Walking around the counter, Michael gestured for Ennard to follow him. “Speaking of, I’ve got to take you there so I can get back to the office. If you want more food, ask Freddy to bring you a pizza or something—wait.”

Michael stopped in his tracks, a sudden thought occurring that made him glance side-long at the lanky android. “Does Sam know about this? And if so, has he met the new you? I don’t want him running into you and flipping his shit because he thinks another stranger got in…”

Touching their hands to their chest, bunching up their clothes in the process, Ennard claimed: “Sam helped put this all together! Oh, I can't wait for Sun, Moon, and Mari to see me. Their processors are going to explode when they see my... Glow up.”

Ennard shut their eyes, envisioning the praise they’d receive.

“…Of course Sam knows,” Michael muttered with a twinge of annoyance, abruptly starting forward again. He knew Ennard would follow, so he felt no need to check behind him for proof. He rolled his eyes at Ennard’s comment, then lapsed into silence as they moved swiftly to the Daycare. The lights were bright overhead as they entered, and Michael heard the faint jingling of bells.

“Sun? Mari? I’ve got a—”

Gift? Surprise?

“—a something for you!” Michael called from near the entrance to the slide.

“Ooh! What is it, what is it?!” Sun exclaimed, rushing to the edge of the ball pit. Mari was on his shoulders to see better, holding on tight as Sun wriggled excitedly. Spotting the tall figure trailing behind the guard, he let out a gasp. “New friend?!”

Ennard followed on Mike's heels, close but not close enough to touch him and acutely aware of when he stopped and turned. Once inside the Daycare, Mari came rolling out from underneath an arch of stacked cans, rushing to the attendant. She remained wary of the newcomer, sticking to Sun's side like glue as Mike introduced the something that just walked through those doors.

“Wrong!” Ennard shouted, arms open wide and giddy with the reveal of the surprise he had for them. “Old friend! It's us—it’s Ennard!”

“OH MY GOSH! You look incredible!” Mari shrieked, running full speed and slamming into them with such force they knocked out the wind Ennard wasn't aware that they had.

“Oh wow!” Sun cheered, bouncing excitedly while he waited for Mari to finish her greeting. Ennard was only released for a few seconds before Sun scooped them up in a bear hug and swung them like a doll.

“You’re so light, friend!” the Daycare attendant laughed, holding the android out by the shoulders to get a good look at them. “And look at you—amazing! Everything suits you so well… Do you love it?!”

Michael hung back near the door, a little smile on his face as he watched. It was clear that Mari and Sun loved Ennard despite their eccentricities, and Mike was just glad the former amalgamation had someone besides him to entertain them.

Ennard laughed; Sun's insistence on hugging left them in a vulnerable position. Now that they were free from the confines of their slowly deteriorating body, Sun was the strongest robot in the Daycare. Denying him his daily intake of affection was not an option—though Ennard always seemed happy to revel in it.

“I'm not light! You're just strong!” Ennard laughed out.

Mari excitedly downloaded this new face for her security profile. Waving to Michael, she bounced on over to quietly ask him: “You're okay with all of this? I know how you feel about them.”

She was mildly concerned for Michael's safety, as he and Charlie's conversations did not go unnoticed by the suppressed Puppet inside. She was well aware of the things that Ennard did. While there was hardly a chance of relapse now that Ennard finally had a body to truly call their own, it may not always be 100% safe to trust them...

“We made an arrangement—we’re both going to try and… chill out in our own respects,” Michael said cryptically. He reached forward to ruffle Mari’s curly hair.

“Mike!” Sun exclaimed, rushing over to him and dragging Ennard along by the hand. “Ennard says they’re staying in the Daycare—is that true?!”

“Yup.” Michael nodded. “I’m asking you guys a big favor: watch over them for me when I’m not here, okay? Especially Mari—I’m sure you’ll be a big help with the whole android thing.”

“Yaaaaaaay!” Sun cheered, releasing Ennard so he could clap his hands together. “You get to live with us now—it’ll be like a permanent slumber party! Ooh, I’m so excited!”

What Michael didn’t know was Ennard’s gradual, long-term plan. When they figured out how to blend into society better, they would eventually follow the new family home, perhaps taking up residence in the attic (provided they were in a house, of course). But for now, Ennard was more than happy to kick it in the Daycare with all his new friends.

“We can even help out on Monday when everything opens up again! But… just for moral support. We shouldn’t actually be seen yet…,” Ennard said, as a part of their little verbal agreement.

Mari jumped excitedly, tugging on Michael's sleeve. “You can count on us! I’m so good at watching things! And Ennard’s the most watchable thing I know.”

Whatever that meant. Perhaps Mari meant that she found the animatronic interesting to be around—which certainly wasn’t a lie. Despite Ennard’s smile, they tilted their head in a confused way.

“Thanks, Mari?” they said with a pleasant uncertainty.

“This is going to be so fun!” Sun exclaimed, reaching forward to give Michael a hug as well.

“Oof—yeah, yeah, glad to hear it,” Michael murmured, wiggling a bit until he was set back down. His eyes roamed over the trio once more before he gave a satisfied nod. “Okay, well, I've gotta go back to work—I told Ennard I'd come by later to check on you guys, though. Any problems, just wave at one of the cameras and I'll see you.”

“Will do, Michael!” Sun replied with a vigorous nod. “Try not to work too hard!”

“No promises.” The guard flashed a grin, then after a final lingering narrowed-eyed gaze turned to leave. “Be good, you three.”

“Best behavior,” Ennard murmured, echoing their promise from earlier with a strategic hand over their heart.

Left to their own devices, the Daycare staff buzzed to finally have a coherent conversation with Ennard. Sure, Ennard and Mari were stunted in their social norms, but luckily Sun was patient—an excellent teacher to help them find some semblance of normalcy.

***

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