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Chapter Text

He must've driven by that billboard at least three or four times since it had gone up and either never read it or never noticed what was printed on it. As much as he knew it could've always said what he read.

He had been driving on the main road when he squinted through his glasses to glance at what it said and in that second everything changed. He drove a little further, second guessing what he saw, and as soon as he had the opportunity to turn around, he did. He had to make sure of what he saw.

He drove past the billboard a second time and slowed down to make sure he was reading it right. There was no denying what it said in the upper corner, in smaller print, dwarfed by the much bolder 'Coming Soon!' advertised in the center. 'Now hiring' was also advertised, but he was much more concerned by the two words in the upper left corner, and the familiar logo accompanying them.

"This can't be happening," he blurted out. He proceeded to hit the gas and continued to speed back down the road towards the city of Hurricane. A quick glance back to the left and he could see the looming construction site far past the billboard of what he once assumed was a new mall. Now it was so much worse. "This is not happening."

He fumbled for his cellphone and quickly dialed up a familiar number. He got an answer right away but didn't give them time to speak. "Mike, it's me. Call Fritz, get Mari, and get over to Foxy's. We have a problem."

"Okay?" There was a click as the phone call abruptly ended without further answers.

Mike Schmidt slowly set his cellphone down beside his dinner plate before looking across the table. "That was Jeremy. He said to call Fritz and get everyone over to Foxy's, and he sounded freaked out. Said we have a problem."

"That's never good…" On the other side of the table, without a plate and with his dark fingers laced together, was Marionette. It had been the usual evening up until this call with the two conversing over dinner and generally enjoying being home after a long day at work. Though whatever conversation they were having was now long forgotten. "Did he give any clue to what?"

"No, he did his best to make sure I was completely in the dark," Mike said. He grabbed his half-eaten plate and stuck it in the microwave for safekeeping. "Probably so I wouldn't spoil the big reveal."

"Ah, then we get to guess! Let's see… All of the available apartments in St. George spontaneously combusted overnight. Oh, or perhaps the landlord is a closeted psychopath and had Jeremy sign a paper to sell himself into indentured servitude. Or perhaps not even that far, maybe he just had him sign his soul away."

"I could believe it with how freaked out he sounded. Either that or the rent over there skyrocketed. We could be looking at another few years of living together as one big happy family," Mike said.

"Now see, if that was the case, I could see you reacting like that, but not Jeremy," Marionette teased with a playful smile. He rose from his seat and started to head towards the pantry. "I'll tell Charlie."

He didn't seem too concerned and honestly Mike wasn't either. While Jeremy did sound panicked, it could've very well been something involving his current apartment hunt. The last few months since he had moved in- and since the dreaded 'Consequences Incident'- had been fine enough but he hadn't been able to find a new home. He had been searching frequently, but nothing had surfaced that was a good fit.

While Mike dialed up Fritz's phone number, Marionette leaned into the open pantry and called down the steps, "Charlie, we're going back to Foxy's!"

"Hold on!" After the sound of movement in the downstairs workshop, Charlie appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

Ever since the workshop had been properly cleaned out, she had been using it for her work. The robotics textbooks could only do so much without the hands-on experience and so far, she had gotten a little bit of it. She had begun repairs on her old Ella doll, taken apart an old toaster, but hadn't done any work on a sentient animatronic except loosening Plushtrap's jaw once when it locked up.

"You're going where?" she called back.

"Back to Foxy's. Apparently, Jeremy has some news and wants us all there to hear it. Would you like to come?"

"Sure! Just give me a second and I'll be right up," Charlie said with a smile before she disappeared back through the door.

Marionette couldn't help but smile too. It still made him happy to see how the basement was being used for a better cause now, especially since he had been so afraid that she would become fearful of the house after the incident. Honestly, they all were for a while. He turned to watch Mike who was on the phone and just got a response from Fritz.

"Jeremy just called, and he wants us to meet him over at Foxy's. He said that there was a problem," Mike said. He leaned against the counter. "…No, I don't think the problem's at Foxy's. The way he worded it I don't think he was over there… Unless he got a call from Foxy, I don't know. I'm heading over there now. Careful on the roads, it still looks like it's icy out there." The call ended and Mike gave a sigh. "Here's hoping Jeremy's bluffing and that he really found a great apartment."

There was a rather obnoxious laugh and both Mike and Marionette looked over to the couch to see Balloon Boy peering over the back. His blue eyes were filled with mocking mirth at the man's expense.

"Thanks, BB. That makes it all better," Mike said sarcastically. He went to grab his jacket off the hook. "But if that's what it turns out to be, I'm bum rushing you out of here myself."

Balloon Boy didn't seem worried about the threat and sent a playful glance towards Marionette who returned it with an equally playful shrug. He wouldn't exactly put it past the security guard. As the boy animatronic sunk back behind the couch, the puppet floated over to Mike's side where he eventually settled on his thicker jacket. He glanced over the striped one's thin frame before offering his uniform jacket.

"Think this'll work or do we have to bust out the Christmas sweaters?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"As much as I would love that, it would be rude not to accept an offered gift," Marionette replied as he took his jacket. Mike wasn't surprised with how much the puppet always adored it. He eagerly slid into it and wrapped it tightly around him, lavishing in the familiar fabric as he looked over to see Charlie coming out of the basement. "Ready to go?"

"All set," Charlie agreed as she zipped up her jacket. Instead of the usual sheet, the puppet grabbed for the throw blanket on the back of the couch and covered himself, then offered the other half to her which she wrapped around her shoulders. They then followed Mike out of the house and into the dark, snowy world outside.

Foxy wasn't expecting to see anyone else for the night. Even though it was still early he had just assumed it was going to be one of those quieter nights that came with the winter season. Hurricane was the kind of town where once it got dark everything seemed to shut down, so nobody was inclined to go back out. Not to mention that he knew Jeremy was looking at apartments after work, so he didn't expect a pop-in.

And then out of the blue, Jeremy suddenly let himself in through the backdoor and rushed in in a flurry. Foxy hadn't seen Jeremy this out of sorts in ages; hair fluffed, hands tight, and with an anxious look on his face. He was still excited to see the blond regardless.

"Lad, what're you doin' here so late?" Foxy greeted. He hopped down from the stage and hustled over to him before pulling him into an embrace. Normally he would confront Jeremy right away, but he looked a little too on edge for a direct confrontation. So, he waited until he pulled back before getting to the point. "A'right, now that we exchanged formalities, what's wrong?"

"…Something," Jeremy bluntly admitted. He then waved his hand dismissively and fumbled a little with his words. "Just give me a minute. I already called everyone; I'll tell you when they get here."

"This already ain't soundin' good…" Foxy realized. Flustered Jeremy was one thing, but him purposefully holding back information to tell everybody was a bad omen. After considering his options, he slowly put his arm around his back and rested his hook on his shoulder. "Sure ya don't want to break it to me now?" he coaxed.

"I'd rather not be the only one here in case you fly into a blind rage," Jeremy tried to joke. He even forced a slight smile through his nerves, but it started to fail as he admitted, "Jokes aside, it's not good for us."

"The apartment hunt be a lie an' you've been shackin' up with some dame over in St. George," Foxy guessed sarcastically. "Lad, ya know I'd never flip me top!... I'd just tie ya up and hide ya under me stage."

"Gee, that doesn't sound too bad. What's the rent?" Jeremy joked. There was still unease and a slow look of remorse started to appear. "You know that no matter what happens, we'll get through anything, right?"

"…Enough of the banter, Lad. Who died?" Foxy asked bluntly.

"It's more of a back from the dead thing really," Jeremy admitted. Which got an alarmed look from Foxy, eyepatch popping up and teeth tight together. "No, I don't mean literally. I mean… I really don't want to be the one who has to deliver news like this, but if I have to be, then let me at least wait until everyone gets here so I can do it in one fell swoop."

The look of alarm eased, but Foxy seemed to finally realize that this was going to be bad news regardless and stayed guarded. Jeremy tried to smile reassuringly.

"But who knows! Maybe I'm making a big deal out of this, and Fritz and Mike already know about it… And look, here comes Fritz," he said, gesturing out the front window as Fritz's car pulled up outside. He tried to ignore the way that Foxy suspiciously stared at him and greeted Fritz and Natalie. "Hey guys. Thanks for coming so fast."

"Anything to get a night out, right?" Natalie jokingly asked Fritz. He got a half-smile, but then looked to Jeremy questioningly.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"He ain't talking," Foxy said flatly. Jeremy shot him an unenthused look before clarifying.

"I'm just waiting until everyone gets here." At that moment, Mike's car pulled up. "Err, and there they are…" It was only then that Jeremy realized that he was actively stalling, not waiting, and he watched silently as Mike came in the back door with Marionette and Charlie. All the owners and primary staff was there, he had to be out with it. "Sorry about the scare, Mike."

"I don't get scared until the words 'lawsuit' or 'search warrant' start getting thrown around," Mike said. He crossed his arms and stood alongside Fritz. "Which are we looking at?"

"Heh, that's- that's funny," Jeremy awkwardly agreed. That wasn't a natural reaction, it was a dead giveaway that something much worse was going on.

Mike dropped any attempt at humor after that. "What's actually going on?" he asked with dead seriousness.

Jeremy got an out of place look of remorse and looked back to Foxy. Then he gave a tired sigh, adjusted his glasses, and began to explain.

"I drove into St. George to look at an apartment and while I was coming back, I looked at that billboard for the new mall. Or I thought it was a mall, I don't know what it is now. You know, the 'coming soon' sign?" They nodded, and he knew he was stalling again. "I've never really looked at it closely before, but today I did, and I noticed this thing in the corner, and I looked closer and… It was a Fazbear Entertainment logo."

"What?" Foxy didn't even allow a second of silence. Just an instant, emotionless, knee-jerk response. That didn't bode well and Jeremy inwardly cringed.

"That big construction site out on the highway? It's owned by Fazbear Entertainment. I think it's going to be a mall, but there has to be a Freddy's or something inside of it…"

"Please tell me you're joking," Fritz nearly begged. Jeremy didn't have to say anything else; they just exchanged a look and it confirmed that it wasn't. He slapped a hand over his eyes dejectedly.

"Wait a minute," Mike spoke up. This had to be a mistake, he thought desperately, grasping at whatever straws he could. This couldn't just happen like this, not without warning, not a Freddy-themed mall. "You're sure that the billboard was for whatever's being built out there? It could've been advertising something in town. Did you see anything that said 'turn off at the next exit' or anything? Anything at all?"

"No, and it was far enough off the road that I know it was for the construction site."

"Okay then," Mike said with a shrug and dropped his hand to his side with a smack. Then he said, entirely devoid of emotion, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go swallow an action figure and hope I choke to death."

"Oh God I knew this was coming," Fritz vented as he now rubbed his hand vigorously over his face. "I knew it was just a matter of time. Just one of these days one was going to pop up."

"How can this happen? Who even owns the rights to Freddy's now?" Charlie asked. Her eyes were wide, and her mask was twisted in shock. She looked to Marionette beside her seeing if he would answer, but he didn't. He seemed surprisingly stoic, having no reaction to the news at all. Not even surprise, just a default smile and blank stare.

"I don't know," Fritz said, tossing his hand up with exasperation.

"Well, somebody has to!" Charlie said with growing exasperation. "They can't just open a Freddy's without the rights to it, and the only person who I could even think of who might've gotten them after Dad died would've been my aunt, but she would've never agreed to this. She hated Freddy's."

"I really don't know. Maybe a former owner? Or, no, like a former shareholder? We know how messy Freddy's legal affairs get; they probably hired a fleet of lawyers just to get the place off the ground."

"No!"

It was Foxy who cut everyone off. Just a look at him showed that he was not taking the news as 'well' as everyone else. He was nearly shaking as he processed the information, his voice growing garbled and panicked.

"No, this ain't- it can't be! They can't- They'd be mad- Ain't gonna get away-! This ain't hap-hap-hap-hap-!" Suddenly Foxy's whole body seized up and then just slumped in place. Still standing but entirely unresponsive.

"…Foxy?!" Jeremy choked as he reached out to shake his arm. He tried to straighten him up. "Gabe, snap out of it!"

"It's alright, he's fine," Marionette said with a worried sigh. Finally pulling out of his frozen state and sounding completely unsurprised. "He just… Overloaded himself a little. He'll wake right up." Within a few seconds, Foxy straightened his back and blinked back to consciousness. "There he goes. Foxy, it's going to be okay."

"Yer bl-bloody wrong it won't!" Foxy argued. Somehow slipping right into his argumentative panic with little more than a stutter. "Freddy's crawled out of the grave just ta sink me ship!"

This led to a long pause, one that ended with Foxy groaning loudly. He turned away from the group and began to walk off with a hand clasped over his uncovered eye. He was still twitching from the incident earlier.

"This be a nightmare. As soon as Freddy's back, we're gonna be forced outta business…" Foxy lamented. He dropped his arm and head and muttered quietly, "I'm going to lose everything."

"Don't even say that. You're just pouting for the sake of it. You know nobody could replace you," Jeremy said. He reached out to pat his back. "I know you're worried- I'm terrified- but the town loves you!"

"He's right. You're the biggest thing we've got in this town," Natalie quickly chimed in. She had silently watched the whole debacle but decided now to step in. "You've got the cartoon, you've got the online store, and they still air those anti-drug PSAs on the news. Forget Freddy's, you're what everyone loves." She smiled confidently and Foxy raised his head a little more.

Meanwhile, Mike hooked an arm around Fritz and pulled him aside. He lowered his voice and asked, "So, how screwed are we looking here?"

"Six ways 'til Sunday. There's no way that thing's just a mall if it only has the Fazbear logo on it, unless Fazbear Entertainment owns a mall. In which case, we'll be lucky if we make it to Sunday."

"We're going to have to figure out what this thing is… I'll call Scott, he has a lot of connections. Might drive by the construction site and see if I can make anything out of it." Mike sighed and shook his head, the sinking feeling already starting to tug at his gut. Along with a feeling of betrayal, as though this was an act directly against them. Being that the building was going up so close, Mike couldn't help but feel like it was.

"We didn't get this far to get shut out by Freddy's," Mike said. A newfound tone of determination and bitterness in his voice. "If they want to compete then we'll beat them at their own game."

"I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. Or the pizzeria before the bear, whatever. We don't even know if this place will get to open once the word gets out that it's Freddy's. There's got to be protests or something, right? Fazbear Entertainment couldn't have thought opening this close to the old businesses was a good thing. Someone's going to say something," Fritz insisted. Though he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. "…We're going to have to expand fast."

"Unless we can buy out the hair salon and the laundromat, I don't see us getting that much space," Mike flatly reminded. He looked around at the dining room as Fritz rubbed over his face stressfully. "I guess we could maybe afford to push back that wall. Might give us enough room to… I don't know, put in a ball pit." The technician groaned in response. "Yeah, I know. That felt just as bad saying it as it did hearing it."

"I think you two are taking a little too much from Foxy," Marionette chimed in. He had inserted himself into the conversation so quietly that neither even heard him coming over. He was still smiling, though a bit smaller than usual. "We've gone through much worse than this. Remember, the last few things that nearly destroyed the business weren't Freddy's, and we weathered through those storms."

"…Yeah, I guess you're right," Mike admitted with a sigh. He paused a long moment before turning back to Fritz. "We better keep an eye out for someone's father coming for revenge. Hopefully it's mine this time."

"I still owe my dad twenty bucks. Could be mine," Fritz added with mild amusement.

"Just as long as it's not mine. We already have one long-dead creature of the night hanging over us, being Freddy himself," Marionette said. He looked back to the others and his smile fell fast as he saw Foxy. It looked like he was starting to become a bit more confident, with Jeremy, Charlie, and Natalie continuing to encourage him, but he couldn't be certain that his brother would be alright. "We'll survive this."

But as much as Mike and Fritz wanted to be so certain, they could feel the rug slipping out underneath them.

The next day wasn't much better either.

After a restless night of worrying for all those involved, they somehow dragged themselves into work the next day and was able to pull through a normal workday. It wasn't until closing time that the news would be broken to the remaining staff. Mike volunteered to do it himself since Fritz wasn't holding up too well, stuck in the office and frantically crunching numbers. Not that Mike wasn't a professional at giving bad news.

"So, in the next couple of months that place is going to open, and whatever it is isn't going to be good for us. Now I'm not saying we're going to get run out of business. Believe me, if that was going to happen, I'd find a way to take Freddy's with me… But we're going to have to figure out a way to fight this. So, if any of you have any ideas on how to drum up more business or get Foxy's face on more merch, I'm all ears."

The reaction was about what he expected. Louise looked shocked and devastated. Though she had little history with Freddy's, she was very aware of what that amount of competition would do for them. Tabby got that defeated 'here we go again' look, probably already expecting Foxy's to shut down any day. Carlton, the newest member of staff, looked utterly floored.

"Wait, you're sure this is a Freddy's? They're really going to open another Freddy's right at that mall?" he asked in disbelief.

"Either that or Freddy's is the mall. Which seems like the worst investment to make in the middle of nowhere. Probably something about the cheaper property down here," Mike answered. At least, he hoped that was it and it wasn't also opened by someone formerly connected with the franchise. That never ended well for him. "But it's definitely a Freddy's."

"Dad's going to have a field day with this. Mom too, you know it was a couple of friends of hers that started that protest when the last Freddy's opened. You know the… one that burned down."

"Glad to see that the voices of a bunch of angry, middle-aged women still have the same reach they used to," Tabby lamented bitterly. "Mike, if you're going to keep this place open, you're going to have to fight fire with fire."

"Set the mall on fire, got it," Mike clarified. Tabby gave him an unamused look, though didn't correct him.

"What we should do is have a bunch of specials going on before it opens," Louise chimed up. "And not just food specials. Like half-off prize day or an arcade championship. Get a bunch of people in here, have them really enjoy themselves, and leave with good memories. Then when the new Freddy's opens- and is super expensive and packed full of people- we'll be the fallback! Trust me, it works."

As much as Mike didn't want to be Freddy's fallback, this was looking more reasonable with each passing day. "Good point. I'll run it by Fritz and see what we can set up," he agreed.

It was then that he caught a glimpse of Marionette coming away from his stage and heading back towards the Prize Corner. He watched him go for a second before saying, "Let me go ask Mari. He's pretty good with this sort of thing." He followed the puppet, leaving the three to return to what they were doing before he called them aside.

He caught up with Marionette in the Prize Corner and found him restocking the lower shelf. It had been a good day today; toys had flown off the shelf and tickets had filled the bottom of his box. If not for the looming threat of the unfinished pizzeria it would've felt like nothing had changed.

Mike leaned against the doorframe. "How's it going?" he asked.

"Not too good, actually. I think we might run out of Coat Foxy's before the next shipment comes and because of it nobody's choosing the Classic Foxy's. The obvious solution would be to have two shelves of Classics, but that would look weird with the rest of the setup," Marionette explained as he eyed the shelves.

'Coat Foxy' being Foxy wearing a pirate coat, which he had been wearing during service for the last few months. Originally it had been a one-time thing for a large costume party thrown at the pizzeria to look more like his cartoon counterpart, but then Foxy decided that he liked it a little too much and now made it a sort of uniform.

The coat was a greenish blue with gold-colored decals like clasps and shoulder guards. He would also wear a black pirate hat with a faux feather and the Foxy's logo on the front. The plush toys that matched this were only a few weeks old and were already a popular item.

Marionette had taken some inspiration from this and occasionally came into work wearing a bowtie or a handkerchief. He had three or four of both, though didn't wear either today. That was a little odd.

Though what was much odder was that Marionette seemed completely detached from what was going on. They had not talked about Freddy's the night before, neither wanting to bring it up so they awkwardly talked around it. The fact that he was still doing this seemed a little concerning.

Mike tried to break the ice. "I just told the others about this whole thing with Freddy's."

"I'm glad you brought that up," Marionette interrupted. He turned to him with a smile. "What would you think about us going over and exploring the construction site? If we're really planning on fighting this, then we should go size up the competition." Which would've been a reasonable belief, though he was clearly joking.

Mike half-scoffed at the idea. "Gee, I don't know. As tempted as I am to go stare at a bunch of support beams, I don't need a trespassing charge on my record. I've gotten pretty lucky until now."

"I don't recall you every being afraid of getting caught," Marionette said coyly. He clasped his hands eagerly together. "Come on, it'll only be a few minutes. Just long enough to imagine what we're dealing with."

His eagerness seemed strangely out of place. Maybe if it really was just a normal mall then his curiosity would've been warranted but being a Freddy's- Mike knew he had to be hiding a different motive. Maybe he actually was more worried than he let on and wanted to check out the grounds before the place was finished. Maybe he just wanted to see the full extent of the building. Mike could give him that much.

"You've got a point. Alright, we'll go, and if we see anyone we'll split," Mike agreed. Marionette smiled wider at hearing this.

"Great! We'll head over as soon as we drop off Charlie. In the meantime, would you like to help me reorganize some of this?" he offered. Of course, Mike said yes and even let the conversation drop for now.

Though not everyone was as ready to let the subject drop. Such as in the case of Carlton, who waited until Mike went to speak with Marionette before going over to check in on Charlie. The Security Puppet was climbing out of her box before pulling out her jacket and slipping it on. It had taken a little while for Carlton to learn how to read the more subtle expressions on her mask, but now that he could he recognized the distant look on it. She was lost in her thoughts.

"Hey," he said, pulling her out of her thoughts. She turned to him, and he gave a half smile. "How're you holding up?"

"Alright… Better than Foxy, at least," Charlie tacked on quietly. They both glanced over at the closed stage curtain. It wasn't usual for him to hide behind his curtain during closing and it was a clear sign that he wasn't handling this well. She mimicked a sigh and zipped up her jacket. "I'm going over to Scott's to break the bad news to Baby, Ennard, and him. I'm hoping it'll be easier hearing it from me than learning about it through a commercial."

Carlton went strangely silent, and Charlie noticed the weird look on his face, like he was thinking about something. "What's on your mind?" she eventually asked, once it was clear that he wasn't going to say anything.

"Me? Nah, nothing. Just thinking about stuff… But hey, I could drive you over there if you want. I'm not doing anything," Carlton suggested. He rubbed the back of his neck and Charlie's mask shifted like she was furrowing her brows.

"You want to go over to Scott's?" she asked in disbelief. He gave a sort of nonchalant shrug, like it was no big deal, like he could take it or leave it, but Charlie knew him well enough to notice that this whole thing was strangely out of character. To put it in perspective, Carlton had only seen Scott a few times at the business and hadn't ever gone to his house. He hadn't seen either of the clowns since the incident at the Fazbear Entertainment Processing Facility.

"I've got nothing better to do. Either that or go home and sit around the house for the rest of the night," Carlton said. Charlie found this answer equally weird.

"Uh huh," she said somewhat doubtfully. "Well, if you really want to. I'll go tell the guys the plan."

"Hey, umm…" Jeremy suddenly interjecting made the two realize he was there.

He had walked up behind Charlie's box with his Minireenas in his arms. They were in little striped dresses today with pirate themed sashes and handkerchiefs. Or Rose was. Forget-Me-Not had shed both and Daisy, was missing the latter and had the sash tied like a scarf around her neck. Jeremy seemed less than concerned about their costumes as his mind was focused elsewhere.

"How long has he been back there?" he asked worriedly, shrugging back towards Foxy's stage.

"A while. I think pretty much as soon as the last family was out of here," Charlie answered, her own concern showing in her voice. "I don't want to be pushy, but maybe you should go check on him."

"Yeah, I was just thinking about that…" Jeremy said. He sent a long look over at the curtains before sighing. "Here I go. Wish me luck."

He held the Minireenas close as he headed over towards the curtain, Charlie and Carlton watching him go. Normally he would've set them down and approached Foxy alone for a one-on-one talk, but he didn't feel up to chasing the Minireenas if they wandered off. Daisy was the only one he was sure wouldn't scoot when he had his back turned.

He carefully stepped up onto the stage and shifted Rose to rest on his shoulder to free up his hand, then pulled open the curtain.

"Foxy? How're you…?" Jeremy trailed off at the sight of Foxy lying face down on his mat. Or as facedown as he could, body laying out flat with his head turned towards the curtain. A small bit of his muzzle stuck out from under his pirate jacket, which he had removed and draped over his head. It was all very overdramatic but considering the situation Jeremy couldn't really trust it as being just overdramatic.

"…Are you still awake?" he finally asked.

"It'll be frigid waters down in the depths o' Davy Jones' locker 'fore I sleep again," Foxy muttered. He reached up and peeled his jacket off his eyes with his hook. "You goin' home?"

"Not if you don't want me to," Jeremy offered eagerly.

"Ya don't want to be here, trust me," the pirate mumbled. He turned his hook and dropped the jacket carelessly over his eyes. "I ain't gonna be fun to be around once night falls and the darkness looms."

"I think we're a little past the shock stage if this is any sort of indication," Jeremy said, gesturing towards Foxy with a gentle and still somewhat strained smile. "How about this: you come home with us? You can sleep in your old bed."

"Just when life couldn't get any more depressing," Foxy grumbled difficultly. He shook his head slightly. "Nah, I'd just bring ya down… Need to just work this out meself." He lifted himself to turn his head away. "Behind me curtain."

"Oh, okay. If you're… sure…" Jeremy said without any certainty.

"I'll be fine," Foxy said flatly without any convincing.

"Right, sure! You just get some rest and try to keep cool. And I'm just a phone call away if you change your mind," the blond man continued. When Foxy didn't respond, he decided he wasn't happy leaving it like that and knelt down. He reached down to pat Foxy's back before pulling down his jacket to adjust it more around his shoulders, like he would a blanket. "Love you," he murmured.

Foxy mumbled and shifted a little. His free arm stuck out behind him and reached towards Jeremy, who smiled again and took it in his own. It assured him a little more, and he stayed there with him for a while longer.

The Minireenas were remarkably patient.

Charlie had gotten a handful of rides from Carlton in the last couple of months. Normally during events when she was going to meet up with her friends, typically at Marla's house when her folks weren't at home, and not usually on the way home from work. Never to Scott's since he had never asked to go. That was the reason this drive felt so quiet and awkward.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the house and Carlton squeezed in and parked beside Scott's van. That is, Scott had purchased a van. One lacking the tools like in Fritz's, but with an open back and enough strength to carry two passengers heavier than typical humans. Charlie had ridden in it only a couple of times, but it seemed like it had been a good investment.

Wrapping a throw blanket around her, which they brought solely for this, Charlie ducked out of the car without a word and darted in through the front door. It had been left open since she called in advance. Considering how dark it was outside, this might've seemed like overkill, but she couldn't be too careful when there was a chance that there could be kids out playing in the snow.

Carlton sat in the car for a second, wondering if that was a clue that he was supposed to wait in the car, but then unbuckled himself and followed her inside. He found her already catching up with Scott.

"It's sort of important… Actually, it's really important and it just isn't the sort of thing you say over the phone," Charlie was explaining. Her explanation was cut off by the redhead shutting the door behind him. She acknowledged him with a look before turning back to Scott. "Baby and Ennard are going to need to be here for this."

From Scott's look alone, her tone of dread didn't fall on deaf ears. "Uh, sure! Ennard's out in the garage right now and Baby's in the bedroom. We just got in some new foster kittens- There she is!"

He directed their attention to the bedroom door which was now opening. The moment he did, the door swung open and none other than Circus Baby herself rolled out across the carpet.

To someone like Carlton, who had seen Baby few times, she was just a terrifying as the first time he saw her. Though for Charlie, she could see the significant progress that had been made on Baby's repairs. By now many of her plates had been replaced, with her chest, legs, and arms totally intact. There were some spots that could probably use a touch-up of paint, but she no longer looked broken. Just a little incomplete, not that anyone would tell her that.

The only parts left untouched were her eyes, her hand, and her claw. All of these parts would require much more intense detailing, and in the case of the claw Baby seemed unsure if she was willing to let go of it. This aside, Baby was looking pretty good, and when Baby looked good, she felt good.

Yet Charlie could see the subtle signs of her deflating when she spotted Carlton. That subtle tinge of exasperation that brought a smile to Charlie's own face.

"Hello, Charlie. I wasn't expecting you so soon… or that you would be bringing a friend," she said, sending a slow, weary glance at Carlton. Once her gaze was back on Charlie her eyes literally brightened up. "I have someone for you to meet."

"Sure, but there's… there's something we've got to talk about first," Charlie led into awkwardly. Apparently, Baby assumed it was about the redhead in the room as she sent him another look.

"Can it wait a few minutes? You should see them while they're awake and squirming," Baby encouraged. She reached for Charlie's wrist; her sharp metal fingers surprisingly restrained considering that she was about to drag her out of the room. By now Charlie realized she wasn't getting out of it and sent an apologetic shrug back towards Carlton before getting led off, feeling like she was abandoning him.

This led to Carlton and Scott standing there awkwardly, right outside the garage door and kitchen entrance. Scott was definitely the more awkward of the two, not really knowing what to say and eventually clearing his throat.

"So, how're your folks?" he asked.

"Surviving. They're going to counseling, trying to work out their issues, but they're still "separated"," Carlton emphasized with air quotes. Maybe not news his parents would've wanted to have spread around, but really, he could care less. Wasn't like Scott Caldwell, the clown man, was going to spread it around. He did look sympathetic though.

"Well, uh, that's good! A good step in the right direction. I've heard of a lot of couples who pulled it together with therapy and then had long, happy marriages, so I think that's a good sign," he said optimistically.

They proceeded to fall back into a weird silence. Carlton especially feeling like he should say something. He usually was the one to fill weird silences, but in this case, he felt out of place. He stole a quick glance at the garage door.

Not quick enough. Scott noticed and quietly offered, "He's in there if you want to say hello."

Carlton's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. He cracked a smile and dismissed, "I just came to drop Charlie off. I'm not staying or anything-." He cut off at the sound of another creaking door. This one clearly being the garage door and his eyes flickered over to see it cracked open.

Okay, so the clown was watching him. No big deal. Nothing weird about that. There was absolutely no reason for him to feel like he was about to break into a cold sweat. He snapped his head away with that same smile.

"I'm good, thanks."

Meanwhile, Baby had taken Charlie into the master bedroom and shut the door behind them. The overhead light was off, and the room was only illuminated by the bedside lamp, which cast just enough light to fall on the cat bed in the corner. Baby took her hand back so she could lower herself onto the carpet, moving cautiously onto her knees, staring at the bed with intense fascination.

As Scott had said, they were homing two new foster kittens. It looked like their eyes weren't open yet and they were curled up together beside a teddy bear. Scott's sphynx was loafing beside the cat bed, eyes half-lidded and unphased by the two visitors.

"Look how small they are," Baby said quietly. She raised a hand and traced the kitten in the air, wanting to touch and resisting the urge. "They have to be bottle fed every three hours, which is the only time they really wake up. You missed it. Before you came, they were crawling around trying to find each other."

"Aww," Charlie said. She sat down beside Baby, legs crossed, and looked at the tiny kittens. "They look pretty young. How long are you guys keeping them, until they're ready for adoption?" Baby nodded with a hum and Charlie smiled. "Lucky."

"Why are you here?" Baby abruptly asked. Her bluntness surprised Charlie, who made an expression like if her brows were raising- if she had details brows on her white mask. Green eyes rolled over to her. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, but I know something is wrong. You don't usually appear so unexpectedly… and with him."

"Don't be like that. You know I have other friends." Baby mimicked a huffy noise and an amused smile briefly appeared on Charlie's mask before fading. "Carlton's just giving me a ride. Mike and Mari are going to go do something tonight… I'll explain once we get out into the living room. It's a long story," she tried to explain. Her voice gave away more than she meant it to and now Baby was looking much closer.

"…Is it about Burke?" she asked. Charlie shook her head. "What is it then? I can handle it."

"It's not that I think you're going to freak out or anything, it's just… This… Might make you freak out," Charlie tried to explain, gesturing with her hands, and struggling to explain without explaining. She met eyes with Baby and her look of worry came through. "…It freaked Foxy out."

This caught Baby's attention and she stared silently for a long moment. Her eyes reading Charlie's face as she processed how serious it must be to shake the Security Puppet. Foxy was bombastic, she knew this, so to have something rile him to the point of this much concern was in and of itself worrying.

"…Let's not discuss it by the kittens then. Just in case," Baby agreed. She crawled back from the cat bed before standing up and making her way back out. The kittens had to wait, she had to know what was happening. Charlie followed close.

They came out to find Scott and Carlton close to where they left them, save that the former was looking at the garage door, the latter was looking at the floor, and said door was slowly creeping open. Probably solely to mess with Carlton.

"Okay, so… Here's the deal," Charlie began as she approached them. She turned herself to face Scott and Baby, fingers lacing together with her pointer tapping in a semi-nervous way. She paused a long moment before continuing, "Have you see that building being built on the highway between here and St. George? The one that looks like a mall?" she asked. Baby looked to Scott.

"No, I haven't. I don't really drive out there much- but I did hear about the mall down in St. George getting hit by that last twister. I'm shocked they're not just repairing that one. Seems like it would cost a lot more to build a new mall from the ground up," Scott said. From the fact that he was already starting to ramble, Charlie knew that he was already starting to catch on. Unfortunately, he didn't have a clue about the true scope of it.

"That's because it's not a mall. We're not entirely sure what it is yet, but we know who's building it and it's… it's going to come as a shock," Charlie slowly led into. Carlton picked up on her discomfort and decided to help out.

"I've got this," he said. Charlie got as far as a 'wait' when Carlton continued undeterred with, "That mall being built out there? Yeah, it's being built by Fazbear Entertainment. It's not a mall, it's like some kind of giant Freddy's."

The reaction was immediate.

"What?" Baby asked quietly, rolling back in surprise.

"WHAT?!"

The garage slammed open so hard that the wall might've shook. Carlton's eyes widened but he didn't dare look back at the clown now standing behind him in the doorway. Ennard looked how Charlie expected him to; pupils shrunk in shock in his yellow and blue eyes and his wires splayed in a flustered manner. For someone with a perpetually smiling mask, he looked absolutely dumbstruck.

"No. Wait, wait. Hold up. This is a joke, right? Kind of a tasteless joke if it is, but it's gotta be. You've gotta be joking," Ennard said with a faux good-humored tone that barely covered his pleading. "Ha ha, please, PLEASE be kidding."

"I really wish he was, but that's what it's looking like. To be fair, we don't know what it is, if it even is a mall, but we do know Fazbear Entertainment is involved with it. Their logo is on the billboard," Charlie explained.

"Great. Of course. Freddy gets another pizzeria," Baby said coldly. Her shock quickly boiled over into anger. "Freddy gets four- five- more pizzerias than I can count and gets them all shut down, and he gets another chance. Everybody forgets what he did."

"Wish I could deny that, but people can be dense," Carlton agreed.

"You're not helping," Charlie muttered with a look.

"Yeah, but am I wrong?"

"Apparently not if THERE'S A FR-R-R-REDDY'S OPENING DOW-DOWN THE STREET!" Ennard cried.

In contrast to the clowns, Scott was dead silent with a thousand-yard stare on his face. He eventually inhaled deeply and muttered under his breath, "This- This is a lot sooner than I thought."

"What?" Baby asked again, looking to him. "What do you mean sooner? We all thought Freddy's was gone."

"Yes, but I always thought- I just, I always assumed- I knew that eventually something involving Freddy's was going to come back, but- Wow. I was thinking, like… Maybe five to ten years from now. A- A different generation. Not this soon," the man half-rambled. Even when he moved the focus of his gaze, he still had that frozen panic sort of look. "I really hope they lost my number."

"Why would they call you? You left Freddy's years ago, before everything fell apart," Charlie pointed out.

"Because I was a former manager and night guard and if they're looking for someone who can keep secrets then that's who they'll want…" Scott got a tense look and quietly tacked on, "Guess I should be expecting a call any day now…"

Baby gave a frustrated cry and spun around, one arm crossing across her chest while she let her clawed one dangle, her fingers tight on that arm. She was now quiet, but it was clear that she hadn't calmed down and was still upset. Charlie's mask grew empathetic as she walked up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Baby, you don't have to be afraid," Charlie encouraged quietly.

"I'm not afraid," Baby instantly corrected. She fidgeted in place, claw twitching and eyes flickering around at anything other than the Security Puppet. "I'm just so mad I can't even handle it. What can I do?"

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do: I'm about to reject the contents of my entire body all over this room," Ennard announced. This managed to be the only thing that pulled Scott out of his look of shock, but only to replace it with a mix of concern and slight squeamishness. Ennard wasn't done. "Chriiiiiipes, what are they thinking?! Nobody even likes Freddy, why would they bring him back?!" he continued to lament, dragging his fingers down his mask.

"Money," Scott answered. He reached out and pulled one of Ennard's hands away, then rubbed comforting circles over the back of it with his thumb. It turned to gently clasp his hand.

"They're going to blow more money trying to paste his fuzzy butt back together and steam cleaning the blood out of his reputation!" Ennard exclaimed, tossing his free hand dramatically away. He seemed to suddenly notice Carlton staring at him, glancing over before off-handedly adding, "Oh, sorry. I forgot there was a kid in the room, or I would've cleaned up my language, ha ha." He winked at Scott, who returned a small, stressed smile.

Meanwhile, Charlie managed to coax Baby into turning enough that she could put her arm around her back and rested her other hand on the wrist above her clenched claw. Baby slightly turned her downed head away, but Charlie could read the motion. She was upset and embarrassed, but she wasn't rejecting her comfort. Within a few seconds she changed her tune and turned back, resting her head against Charlie's. It was the most vulnerable she had seen her in ages.

"What if there's a new Circus Baby?" Baby whispered, trying not to let the others hear.

"I don't think there's going to be. Your father-… Afton had the rights to Bonnie before he died and Mike, Fritz, and Jeremy managed to get ahold of them and Foxy's, and Mari's, before they opened the business. If there's any rights that I don't think he would have ever let go of, it would've been the rights to Circus Baby… Take that as you will."

"It's disgusting, but useful for us," Baby agreed. She closed her eyes and pressed closer. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"If Foxy's doesn't survive."

"Foxy's is going to be fine," Charlie assured. She could feel the denial creeping up and fought it with logic and reason. "There's going to be plenty of people who don't trust Freddy's or can't afford to go to whatever this place is. We'll manage."

Yet even as she said this, she didn't think it sounded believable. Maybe if she kept saying it, she would eventually buy into it. For the moment, she knew at least four people who weren't going to. The ones who currently showed their support through their silence.

It was dark by time Mike pulled up to the construction site. The snow had started to pick up but was still gentle enough that it wasn't a driving hazard. He pulled off the highway and onto the unfinished road leading back towards the construction site. Seeing it from this angle, he could now take in the sheer size of it. It was enough to make him grit his teeth a little, a bad omen for sure.

Unfortunately, he didn't get far down the road- just under the Coming Soon- Now Hiring sign- before his path was suddenly blocked by a gate across the road. The car stopped with its headlights illuminating it. He leaned forward and squinted at the gate, only to realize quickly that he wasn't going to be able to raise it on his own. This was as far as the car was going.

"Looks like we're getting out here," Mike said with a sigh. He sat back in his seat and turned to look at the passenger one, only to realize he was alone. He stared at the empty space for a long moment before shrugging, giving a relatively unphased, "Alright," and getting out of the car.

He zipped up his jacket the rest of the way and got out his flashlight before locking up the car, walking around the gate, and heading down the path towards the half-complete building waiting at the end.

It would've been a rather peaceful walk if not for his destination. The soft snowflakes fluttering down, the distant sound of wind mixing with the noise from the highway; it was kind of nice, save the daunting structure standing in the distance.

Mike wanted to keep some semblance of calmness and doubt about this whole thing, living in ignorant bliss as long as he could, but it was hard to ignore something of this size. Looking around, he could tell that they chose a good place for it. Like Magictime had been before it closed, not too far from here, it was backed up on an area of flat, cleared out land. More than enough room to build whatever they wanted.

This was going to be a huge pizzeria- if that was even what it was going to be. It couldn't be, it had to be more than that. He sent a wary look up at the sign to double-check if it said anything more that he had missed, but it didn't.

His eyes lingered on that sign as long as they could before he turned ahead and continued onwards.

"Help wanted, huh? Wonder if they've seen anyone with my credentials," he thought. He narrowed his gaze at the massive structure ahead. "…I bet they would hire me. I could change my name and walk right in. Could play them from the inside." Yet as soon as he thought this, he immediately snapped out of it and shook his head. "No, forget that. All that'll happen is that someone will find me out, I'll look suspicious, and it'll blow up in my face. That's it."

He really wanted to believe that he could keep that promise and tried his hardest not to be tempted by the disaster that was sure to come. The last thing he was going to do was repeat the mistakes of the past… Unless something came up.

Something usually did, but this time he was even more determined to break the cycle. He wasn't doing Freddy's any favors.

A thin layer of snow crunched between his shoes and the sparsely covered road. It was the only sound other than the winds, not even the faintest jingle to signal that he wasn't alone. He wasn't sure what was being planned, but he would willingly go along with it, and eventually he started to close in on the construction site.

It was still in the beginning stages of being built. The whole thing was just a layered frame, a skeleton of what it would eventually be, but he could tell now that it had to be three or maybe four levels tall. It looked a whole lot like a mall, and in hindsight Mike considered that it very well could be. Just a large Freddy's-licensed mall to replace the one that went down in St. George and the one that never opened in Hurricane.

As he stepped into what he assumed was the front entrance he felt a weird presence hanging over the area. A foreboding feeling that tightened in his gut as he stepped onto a concrete slab coated in a thin layer of wood dust and snow. It felt ten degrees colder in this building, but it wasn't possible that it was anything beyond his mind playing tricks with himself. The structure was as new as could be and the only haunted thing here was much warmer than this.

Speaking of which, Mike heard a small tapping noise. His head snapped over and he leaned forward to peek around a post, spotting some tools and equipment left behind to be used the next day. His eyes gravitated to an abandoned bucket and knew that must've been what he heard, and he knew exactly what caused it too.

He shined his flashlight slowly around the building and watched shadows dance between the pillars. As he began to slowly make his way further into the construction site, only a few feet further really, he noticed them moving a little more sluggishly. Once or twice, he would notice something dark slipping behind a post, or hear what sounded deceptively like fabric brushing along metal.

Then he suddenly felt it. The feeling that something was directly behind him and slowly closing in, and he knew exactly what it was. Something baiting him to turn around, which he began to do slowly. His eyes followed the beam of his flashlight as he began to turn himself around to confront the force slowly closing in behind him.

Until…

Mike suddenly stopped and snapped forward again, shining his flashlight in front of him, intending to catch his actual pursuer right in the act. So, he was genuinely surprised when he found that nothing had appeared in front of him, waiting for him to turn around and then look back to startle him. He realized quickly that he had made a mistake.

Especially when he suddenly felt something thump into his back and had his arms pinned to his side by a pair of soft and warm ones wrapping around him.

"You were right the first time," Marionette teased, hugging him from behind with a playful chime. He pressed his cool mask into the crook of his neck, bringing a smile out of Mike.

"That's a first," he countered. The Puppet trilled and squeezed tighter, and Mike brought his arms up to rest over the striped ones. They held like that for a few moments. Even with the cool of the porcelain, Marionette's fabric still held the warmth it absorbed from the car heater. Even compared to Mike's winter jacket, he was downright toasty.

Eventually he drew back and spun around to the front of Mike, still holding his hand with held him as though keeping him from floating away. Even in this cold prison he seemed so full of life.

"So, I was thinking about it, and I think I came up with something," Marionette began.

"What's that?"

"A movie theater!" Marionette chirped. Mike quirked a brow. "Think about it: it would fit the space since each theater would need room, they could still sell pizza and candy, they could have an arcade, and it would explain where they got the funds. There could be a theater company backing the project and the whole thing is just Freddy themed to sell to kids!" he continued to explain.

Mike thought it was just wishful thinking but had to admit that he did have a point. "Could be. Would make a lot more sense than a three-story pizzeria. You couldn't sell enough slices to meet that overhead, even if the place was packed."

"I can see it now!" The puppet waved his hand as though guiding his vision. "Each theater is themed with another Freddy's character. Freddy's is family themed, Bonnie's plays musicals, Chica's is food and farm animals, and Foxy's would be adventure movies- oh, no, wait. Foxy wouldn't be in the equation. Come to think of it, neither would Bonnie. What a shame, I suppose that means no theater based off me."

"Thank God for that. It would play nothing bad, cheesy horror movies, living dead dolls, and Casper the Friendly Ghost."

"You take that back," Marionette replied, smile remaining and eyes narrowing.

Mike only grinned a little broader. "Tell me I'm wrong and I will."

The puppet pouted for a second, short enough to show that he was just feigning it, and then waved it off. "Well, that's for the best. A theater out in the middle of the desert, between two cities with their own movie theaters? It won't last."

"Alright, I played along as long as I could," Mike said. He still held a slight smirk as he gave a rather patronizing, "You're in complete denial."

Marionette almost seemed surprised for a second, but then gained a coy smile. "I'm being optimistic. I'm sure that's foreign to you." He chuckled, chiming high in his chest, folding his free arm behind his back. He looked convincingly mellow.

Mike's smirk dropped as he looked at him for a long moment with a largely unreadable expression. Then finally decided to put all prefix aside and level with him.

"I'll be honest, I don't know how you're not freaking out about this. I'm freaking out, I just do it quietly," he confessed. He gave a tired sigh and looked up at the towering beams above their head. Definitely felt like the bars of a cage but offered no illusion of protection. "I can't believe this is happening. That it popped up this quick," he muttered.

"Me neither, but we always knew there was a possibility," Marionette said. His voice growing more somber, which didn't go unnoticed. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm livid. Even right now, I want to grab a sledgehammer and just go to town on this place. I'm barely holding back," Mike said, the bitterness coming out. Though it died quickly as he looked to his puppet. "How do you feel? I mean really feel?" Marionette's façade began to wane as he looked aside uncertainly, and Mike's features softened. "Don't hold it in. We got enough of that with Foxy and Fritz."

"Honestly?" Marionette asked almost timidly. Mike nodded, and the puppet hesitated a long moment.

What followed next was something that he hadn't expecting. A strange chill crawled up his arm from where their hands were connected and for a split-second Mike was struck by sensations that weren't his own. A cluster of intense emotions; anger, fear, raw feelings. Marionette must've not realized it was happening because he didn't react, and Mike was too rigid from this intrusive feeling to react. It was intense.

What was weirder was how quiet the puppet was. Normally this amount of frustration would've made itself apparent through static and dialing, but it was very faint. As though he was suppressing the sound.

"As… angry and… devastated as I am… I'm okay."

All at once, that sensation was gone. It wrenched so quickly away that it almost left Mike feeling strangely empty. It was a relief though, enough that he released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Marionette finally lifted his head again and he watched as his smile, which had waned before, returned to its normal state.

"I'm doing a lot better than I thought I would," Marionette said. Whatever just happened didn't really back that up, but his words sounded sincere. "And I think that's because I know it's all going to be alright."

"How can you be so sure?... Granted, you've got a point. Even if Freddy's does affect our business, it's not really going to ruin our lives. We've still got each other, we still probably have a slew of customers who aren't going to trust Freddy's, and… we're not dead, so there's that," Mike admitted. He decided to take Marionette's advice and tried his best attempt at an optimistic perspective. He noticed Marionette's smile growing and quirked a brow. "How are you so sure?"

"Because…" Marionette trilled. He leaned in and raised his hand as though preparing to whisper a secret to him. He tugged Mike's hand to coax him in. "I have reason to believe that Freddy's will at most last one year."

"How are you so sure of that?"

"Because it's Fazbear Entertainment, my dear Schmidt!" Marionette chirped. He playfully tapped the brim of Mike's hat to nudge it down. "Even without us haunting their establishments, Freddy's has an innate way of sabotaging themselves with a refusal to keep up standards and a backwards way of doing business."

He finally released Mike's hand, but only so he could spin around with his arms splayed out, facing the structure towering behind them as though challenging it.

"Let them build their pizzeria, or mall, or whatever else they want- it isn't going to change anything. History repeats for those who ignore it," he proclaimed.

Mike liked the sound of his confidence and readjusted his hat with a smile. "You sound pretty sure of that."

"I would bet my life on it," Marionette assured. Feeling particularly mischievous, he began to twist and spin in place as music began to ring from his chest. The few snowflakes that made it through the beams above getting caught up in his motion. "Come down to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, three weeks since grand opening! Freddy Fazbear's Pizza- and the lawsuits keep on rolling!"

"That's a cute little jig there," Mike teased. He spun his finger around. "Now do the Bonnie shuffle."

Which surprisingly, Marionette willingly did. The Bonnie Shuffle being this awkward sort of Bonnie-themed suited character dance. It would involve a little shuffle, kicking a leg out, and then a bow. Marionette always added his own little flare at the end, to which Mike clapped after. Not in a patronizing way either, considering how painful he assumed the dance had to be- especially while wearing a springlock suit.

"It's like I always say: nobody does the Bonnie Shuffle better than Prize Puppet," he remarked.

"It runs in my blood. Or whatever this purple stuff is," Marionette replied. His features softened up as he returned to his side. "Feeling any better?"

"Shockingly, yes. I don't know how you pulled that one off… But look, don't feel obligated to cheer me up, okay? I don't want you burning yourself out on my account, and I don't want you to think I'm going to fall apart if I don't have a distraction." Mike reached out to cup his mask, getting rewarded with a vibrating trill as he traced his cheek. "You were right earlier. We're going to be fine."

"Fazbear Entertainment always has been and always will be a vessel for disaster," Marionette said. He rested a hand on Mike's as he pressed his mask further into his touch. "With those odds, how can we fail?"

"Very easily," Mike's bitter mind wanted to say, but he held his tongue from following suit. He instead steered back towards a joking tone. "So, you're saying I shouldn't start breaking down support beams?"

"No, you might get arrested. Then they won't let us continue sneaking in," the puppet said with a chime. "I would guess that we have a few more months of this being our personal playground before they start watching it more carefully."

"Oh yeah?" Mike asked with a growing smile. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll give you twenty seconds to find a good hiding spot," Marionette said as he gently pulled away. Squeezing Mike's hand in his as he got a more challenging glint in his eyes. "Let's see if you can do any better than I did."

"In a building with no walls? I think I deserve at least forty seconds," Mike hinted. He didn't sound unconfident though. "And if we're really leveling the playing field, cover your ears. No footsteps to tip you off. Not when this place echoes."

Marionette chuckled as he turned away and covered over where his ears would be, if he had them, and began to make a low humming noise. Probably an extra step to block out the sound. It was endearing to say the least, and Mike stepped forward, briefly taking hold of the puppet to kiss him on the back of the neck. He trilled as Mike drew back and turned to head further into the construction site.

He knew only a few steps in that there was no way he was going to find an adequate hiding place here, but that wasn't the point. The point was to have a little bit of fun in a place they weren't supposed to, in a place that would no doubt be causing them a lot more pain in the next couple of months. Mike supposed that he should appreciate this time while he had it, when this building was still a shell, when he still didn't know what it was.

Though before he could even get that far, Marionette called back, voice louder than he probably intended. "But watch your step! There's places where the basement's exposed!"

"Oh, that would just be the icing on the cake," Mike said under his breath. With a shake of his head and a small smile on his lips he headed further into their would-be playground.

And somehow, they made their first memory of this place a good one.

…

…

…

With an enormously loud creak, the metal door started to slide open. It took two harsh shoves to get it to budge, heavy enough to cause the man pushing it to puff and give another firm heave. It finally slid open the rest of the way and revealed the looming darkness inside of the abandoned factory. In stepped a group of four armed only with flashlights to search the massive room.

So, here was the legacy of the old Fazbear Entertainment: an empty factory full of rust and garbage. It was quite a sight to see.

"What a dump," a scruffy faced technician muttered. The leading technician gave a tight mouthed look in response seemed to show that he must've agreed. Shining light on the scene didn't help matters either.

"Careful what you stir up. An old place like this could be full of asbestos, and it's not like they would've admitted to it before sending us out here," the third man said, who was at least ten or more years older than the two technicians. He tried to lift the collar of his shirt over his mouth. "Just see if you can find anything so we can get out of here."

"Doesn't look like much of this is going to be useable," the leader said. He shined his light over the shelves and noticed the stacks of old, abandoned toys left on them. He silently shook his head; what a shame. Why leave all this stuff?

The group slowly made their way into the back. The leader and scruffy technician made it into the back first. They found a figure laying off to the side in a heap. Rotten fabric wasted away to reveal exposed, rusty metal hiding underneath. The second man nudged it over with his boot, letting out a noise of disgust as its head rolled to reveal a gaping mouth and empty eyes.

"I'm guessing it's a… Chica? Yeah, that rancid yellow's got to be a Chica," he muttered. He gave it another kick in the side and his boot went straight into it like the side of a weakened pinata. He staggered with a swear and his companion barely caught his arm to keep him from falling.

"Watch your mouth," the older man snapped. Then was straight to business with, "Does it look like a salvage job?"

"Are you kidding? My shoe went straight through it. We try picking this thing up and the whole thing's falling apart!" he called back as he yanked his foot free.

The older wasn't impressed with his theatrics and looked to the leader for a second opinion.

"He's right. This… There's no salvaging this. Wight'll never write off on this, it would cost less to buy a new one."

"Whoa… Hold on a second," the scruffy man suddenly interrupted. His tone changed instantly from annoyed to cautious as he shined his flashlight past his partner. "What is that?"

The leader followed the direction of his light with his own and found the same spot on the back wall, half-hidden by a shelf of broken and dirty toys. On first glance it just looked like a tarp covering something in the corner, but on closer inspection his eyes widened as he noticed the shape of whatever was underneath it. Two distinct arms and legs, and a slouched head covered by the edge of the tarp.

It looked like a body.

The older man noticed their motions and pushed aside some stuff on the shelf to see through, and only then did he get a look that matched up with theirs. He was uncharacteristically silent, not stopping the technicians as they made their way between the shelves to this figure propped up against the wall.

The leader reached out and took ahold of the dusty, cold tarp and began to pull it away until it was stuck behind the form's head. Taking a deep breath, he gave a firm tug and unveiled what lay before them.

It was an emaciated endoskeleton.

Its body was sturdy but thin. It was enwrapped in something that looked like a mass of garbage bags but could've been a ratty coat. Its chest was exposed enough to reveal some kind of corroded battery mounted into it with some frayed wires sticking out. Its arms lay stiffly at its sides and its legs stuck out in front of it rigidly like it had been there for a while, though it looked like the tarp had spared it from any dust collection.

The only distinct feature it had was a white mask with a crooked grin. It didn't look made for the body, more sized like it was for a small animatronic or doll and then somehow mounted to the head. Its features were drawn on with black marker, a toothy smile beneath one blackened out eye and one punched through eyehole that let the endo's eye peek through. Its mouth was stained with something, either food or paint.

When all the parts came together it gave the animatronic an ominous appearance. It looked more like the grim reaper than anything made for children, even though it was probably kids or teens who vandalized it to look like this.

The leader took in the scene for a long moment before planting a hand on his hip and looking to his companion.

"Well, Chaz, in all your wisdom… What character do you think this is?" he asked.

"Whichever was mauled by a coyote," the second technician, Chaz, said. "Y'know, they should've known kids were going to get in here. There's no way we're finding anything worth saving."

"Maybe we just did," the other countered. Chaz gave him a look of disbelief as the leader looked back to the older man. "The endo looks salvageable, but there's no suit. What's the call?"

"Does it look like it's going to be a pain to refurbish?" the older man asked. Even he sounded doubtful, but it wasn't like they had seen much better, and hopes weren't high in finding some kind of hidden gem. All thing's considered; this semi-intact endo was what they were looking for.

"Not really," the leader said. Chaz's look of disbelief only increased. "Take the mask off, clean it up a little bit, take that… car battery or whatever it is out and stick it in a suit. Mount it somewhere they need a slightly movable statue."

"Hmm… Yeah, alright. It's not looking like we'll be finding much better, and I don't want to spend all day digging around in here. I'll go get the cart and you two can haul it out to the van."

"Take the easy job, why don't cha," Chaz said under his breath. Loud enough that the leader could hear but the older couldn't, the former getting an amused smirk before falling as they waited for the dolly. Once it was wheeled in, the two worked together to get the endoskeleton onto it. It was heavier than it looked but with a little maneuvering they managed to get it on.

The older helped clear the way as they guided their hefty find out of the warehouse. What they didn't notice or had noticed but didn't send a second glance at, was that something fell out of the endoskeleton's coverings when they had lifted it from the floor. It looked to be a dirty plush toy of some kind. Just one of the many forgotten toys they lay abandon amongst the shelves now laying facedown on the grimy floor.

Taking pity on the thing, the fourth of the group leaned down to pick it up. It wasn't until it was turned over that it was revealed to be a plush rabbit. Even though it was old and worn, it was recognizable as a Bonnie, though its coloring was unusual. Instead of the typical blue or purple it was a brownish yellow. Or maybe a greenish yellow. It was hard to tell with how dull its faux fur had become over the years.

Poor thing was in dire need of a bath and a few stitches here and there, but it was otherwise in fine condition. There was nothing special about it except for its coloring and yet something about the toy was enticing. Maybe it was worth taking it home and cleaning it up, even if it was just to prop it on the dresser.

She followed the others out with the plush in hand and a slight smile on her lips.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

It was kind of funny. All day Scott had been dreading a call and then he found himself woken up by one ten times worse than what he had been expecting. This was the last thing he ever thought was going to happen. Ennard calling with an emergency was always a fear, but from what he heard of the conversation when Baby came barging in, that Ennard was breaking down from the cold, was never something he had considered.

Animatronics tended to be kept in cool environments in storage facilities, and he knew it was heat that could force them out of their bodies. So, the fact that it was the cold that was a threat felt like it came totally out of left field.

That was, until he got on the road and saw the weather conditions. Now he was even more thankful he had the weighted van with its newer tires because his car would've slid all over the road. Not that he was feeling any better about the situation. The frigid climate was small peanuts compared to the fact that Ennard was out somewhere in this.

Baby wasn't making the situation any better. He could hear her muttering from the back.

"I knew it. I knew it was taking too long. 'One hour, it'll feel like five minutes'- what was he thinking? How can he put us through this?!" But it was clear from Baby's frustrated tone and how she spat her words that she was afraid.

In the moments directly after he had hung up the phone, she had become unusually quiet and helpless looking, watching as Scott frantically pulled on whatever and blew out of the house to get the van backed up. It was the closest Baby ever got to being timid and it was just a tribute to how alarming this whole ordeal was for them both.

"It's okay. We'll find him," Scott said. He said it a few times during the drive, almost like a mantra, but he wasn't sure if even he believed it. He was too focused on not crashing the car to think about the alternative.

It was then that they pulled up to the Gas and Go, or whatever the actual name of the gas station was. Seeing that it was open made Scott more than a little uneasy.

"This is it," he said.

"He said he's behind it," Baby said from the back. He nodded and turned to drive around back.

And that's where he found him.

It didn't take any effort, Ennard was just lying face down at the edge of the alley. Only the littlest amount of snow dusted his raincoat, so he hadn't been laying there long, not that it changed anything for Scott. Without a word, he stopped the van, grabbed the blanket he brought out of the passenger's seat, and tore out of the driver's side.

"Ennard?!" Scott called. He kept his voice semi-low as to not draw attention, but his fear was evident and only growing when the amalgam didn't move. He hurried up and almost dropped the blanket at the same time his stomach dropped.

It was much worse than he was expecting. Ennard wasn't passed out like he assumed, because his eyes weren't closed, or tilted in the way that would make them look closed. His eyes were still open with his pupils shrunk as far as they could go. He wasn't moving even the slightest bit. If he was a human, he would've looked dead.

"This isn't good," Scott mumbled. He dropped down beside him and tried to rouse him, half draping the blanket over him so he could shake him. "Ennard? Can you hear me? I'm here- we're here, you're going to be okay."

That fear was growing as Ennard failed to respond. His body felt abnormally heavy, adding credence to the fact that absolutely nothing was moving. "Baby, I need your help!"

Baby was already in the process of opening the back of the van when she was called. Upon hearing it thought, she hastily hopped out of the back. Her skates immediately lost traction on a patch of slush and skidded right out from underneath her. She gave a short scream before crashing onto the icy pavement.

Scott's head snapped over. "Baby?! Are you okay?!" She was already scrambling to her feet, too humiliated to answer.

He looked back down and started to lift Ennard's upper half off the cold ground. His body was as cold as could be, lacking any of the familiar warmth his wires usually held. The skin of his palms almost stuck to them.

"What if he froze to death? No, he couldn't. He- He's so cold. He's never been this cold," Scott thought in panic. He tried to wrap the blanket around the clown's shoulders. "It's- It's okay. We'll get you home, get you warmed up. You'll be fine!"

"Until I get to him. So help me, Ennard-," Baby threatened as she came over. She looked down at the other clown for a long moment, noticing how still he was, save for Scott's manipulating. "…He's not moving," she said. Her frustration replaced with a hollowness, a breathy sounding worry. "…Scott?"

"We got to get him home. Can you help me?"

He didn't have to say a word more. Baby skated forward and dropped down at Ennard's side on one knee. She took ahold of him, taking care not to clamp down with her claw, and pulled him onto her back in a fireman's carry. It wasn't easy with him being completely limp, but she could handle his weight, and Scott tried to help while tucking the blanket back in. He held her as she stood back up, to help her keep her balance, before hurrying over to the van.

Scott tried to kick some of the slush away from the back of the van as Baby cautiously rolled over. She then crawled into the back of the van before letting Ennard roll off her back and onto the rug laid out on the floor of the van. She hastily nudged the blanket back in around him as Scott shut the doors and ran around the van, sliding outside the door, and barely catching himself to hop back inside. The van was still on, so he shut the door and pulled out.

He sent a glance over at the open gas station and felt a foreboding feeling in his stomach but ignored it as he turned off and began to carefully drive back home.

The van was significantly warmer than outside. The heater had been on since it was started and the blanket, while not being much, seemed to be better than nothing. Baby sat kneeled beside him with her hand and claw resting in her lap. She watched him like a hawk, looking for any sign of movement as they slowly made it towards home.

Until suddenly, Ennard's body jerked and his shrunken pupils, staring up at the ceiling, suddenly swelled with consciousness. Baby made a noise akin to a gasp and almost told Scott.

She didn't even have a chance.

Suddenly Ennard started thrashing. His arms flopped and his chest lifted, his head turning violently and his eyes swirling around unable to focus. He seemed confused, and he probably was if he had just woken from a shut down, but she couldn't let him hurt himself. She dropped forward onto him, grabbing him around the middle and forcing him down to the van floor. He made a garbled, skipping sound from his chest.

Scott stopped the van without skidding and spun around to look in the back. "What's going on?!"

"He's fighting. I think he's confused," Baby answered curtly. She grunted when he heaved upwards enough to actually lift her- she had almost forgotten how strong he was. "We need him to calm down before he hurts himself… Put on some music. That might help."

"…I don't think that's going to work, but we can try," Scott agreed. He was just relieved that Ennard was moving at all honestly. He fumbled around with the stereo before turning on his tape of relaxation music. It was mostly pan flute melodies.

"Calming music, not funeral music," Baby corrected.

Scott, more than a little confused at that comment, started flipping through the radio stations. The only thing he could find was polka music. As ridiculous as it was, Ennard would probably like it.

Putting his fear aside, Scott continued to drive back towards the house. While he was in the process of backing up to the garage, which had been left open, Ennard finally started to calm down. Though Baby wasn't convinced that he was doing it out of his volition. His body was still frigid even to her touch and his eyes were still rolling around.

She forced his arms down and wrapped the blanket tightly around him before pulling him back onto her shoulders and crawling back out of the van. Scott helped guide her back out of the van safely.

"It's too cold in here," Baby realized. Any heat that had been left in the garage having leaked out through the open garage. "Your room?"

"Please. On- On the bed if you can. I'm just going to get this door shut and the van turned off and I'll be right there," Scott said. He sounded flustered, probably worried out of his mind. Baby nodded and slowly carried Ennard inside.

By time they reached the bedroom, Ennard's state had changed again. She rolled him onto the side of the bed and watched him twitch and writhe in the blanket cocoon before finally getting an arm free. He was making more garbled noises.

"H-Ha… Huuuuh…"

"Ennard?" Baby snapped to attention at what sounded like a word. She rolled him over to face her and watched his hand tighten and shake. "Can you hear me? You're home now," she said, cradling his head with her hand.

"Mmmph urgggh…"

He sounded like he was in pain but pressed further into her hands. She also noticed now that his eyes were actually closed. It must've happened sometime when she was carrying him in. As she was watching them, they opened a thin crack.

At this moment, Scott came into the bedroom and Baby raised her head to look at him.

"He's coming around. He's not making any sense, but his eyes aren't rolling around and his pupils look normal," she said. The kneejerk reaction was shock, not knowing about the eyes rolling uncontrollably, but he recovered quickly.

"That's good! He, uh… This was a close one," Scott admitted. He came over to the bed and she removed her hand and rolled back so he could take her place. "Ennard? You're safe, we got you. Just need you to look at me. Can you do that?"

Ennard's eyes flickered up momentarily before rolling back down with a wince. He curled into himself with his wires twitching and tightening, a dead giveaway that he was in pain.

"What hurts?" he gently asked. Ennard bent his free arm and gestured to his head with clenching fingers. "Your head? I guess you could've hit it on the way down. Or it could be because of you, uh… It looks like you might've powered down and… passed out in the snow. Can you remember that, or anything? Anything that happened tonight."

Ennard groaned and cracked his eyes again, one more than the other. Scott was glad to see his eyes were returning to normal, even if his entirely busted voice was marginally concerning. That was when his voice started to contort.

"S-s-s-ssss…" Like he was trying to say something.

"Yes?" Scott leaned in closer to listen, assuming he was trying to say his name. "I'm here. What is it?"

"Ssssss-ss-s-so... St-St-Sttshshhhuuuppid."

So stupid.

The corner of Scott's mouth twitched up with a small smile. "It was a little stupid. I'll give you that."

"Stupid is an understatement," Baby hissed. She rolled forward to look down past Scott, her eyes zeroed in and showing her frustration. "You are never leaving this house again. Not as long as I'm around."

"S-s-s… Mmngh… Ssssor-r-r-ry."

Baby huffed and crossed her arms with a clatter while turning her head away. It looked like she was pouting, but it was clear that it was more than this. Ennard was alert enough now to notice. He looked over at her before looking down at the bedding with shame. Scott sympathized with him, knowing he was hurting, but he wasn't going to disagree with Baby's harshness. Maybe just soften it up.

"I've never seen you get like that. Not even that time you completely unraveled, you never got to the point where you were… gone." Scott's throat tightened when he said that. Like his body was unconsciously rejecting the word. Ennard looked up with sad, but alert yellow and blue eyes. "That was too close… Way, way too close. You should've stopped or- or something. That woman who works for Mike lives out there, she could've- if you knew where she lived…"

"Or just stayed with Michael. That's where you were, weren't you? With Michael?" Baby needled, slowly turning her head to look down. Ennard nodded stiffly.

"T-T-Tooold meee not-t-t-t t-t-t-ooo go," he admitted.

"I'm sure he did," Baby muttered.

"Haaa-a-av-v-ve to c-c-crchtzz-aaal himmm." Ennard started trying to push himself up, starting to feel a little better. That didn't last long. As he pulled up onto his elbow, he felt a tingling pain spreading along the wires shifted during the movement. They were all still cold and as feeling crept back into them he felt this resisting pain. Ironically, this was the closest thing to feeling like he had a human body that entire ordeal.

Scott caught him by the shoulder to try and stop him only to notice he was still wearing the raincoat.

"I'll call him, but we've got to get you warmed up first. Let's start by getting this coat off," Scott said. He gently peeled back the blanket and pulled apart the snaps on the coat.

Ennard gave a fuzzy hiss as he turned himself to cooperate with the motion. The fabric irritated his wires as it was slowly peeled off. Getting a second wind, and just wanting it off, he forced himself upright and started to twist until it was sliding off with Scott's help. As soon as it was pulled off, and his wires exposed once more, Scott quickly tossed it aside and brought the blanket back up to wrap around him. Ennard shuddered at the contact.

"Does this hurt too?" Scott asked worriedly. Ennard nodded stiffly. "Maybe it's just because you're warming back up. You've never felt this cold before."

"Feeeeeeeelinng c-c-com-ming b-bacck," the clown answered in explanation. Which it was. Oh boy, was it ever. Unfortunately, the kneejerk reaction to the opposite of going numb was having every pain sensor shoot off at once. Though Ennard could remember few instances of pain while being a human, especially full body pain, this prickling sensation seemed familiar.

Baby didn't like any of this. She didn't like Ennard being in pain, she didn't like Ennard almost dying, she didn't like how Scott wasn't harsher, and she especially didn't like how pitiful Ennard was being because it was keeping her from cracking down harder. He was infuriating, as usual, and she was left feeling useless.

Baby finally turned herself away.

"I'll call Michael," she finally said. Scott looked to her in surprise.

"Are you sure? I can do it."

"I should be able to. After all, we are family," she pointed out. She slowly rolled to the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can hang up the phone."

"Okay, thanks. His number's on the corkboard. It's under 'Michael', not Mike," Scott said. She gave a nod and coasted out of the room.

Ennard watched her leave with remorse. He really, really wished that she hadn't been the one to answer the phone. Scott was used to hearing him as a mess, but not Baby. Or at least, not to this degree. He could barely remember what he said.

"You had her worried. Both of us worried, I mean, but you know I worry about everything. She's a lot harder to shake," Scott pointed out. Ennard winced both from hearing that and at the touch of the blanket on his sensitive wires. Though he was sure that was the point, to gently remind him that his actions had consequences and that this had been a huge mistake.

But Scott always followed it up with assurances. Such as now when he pulled Ennard somewhat into his arms and held him securely. They were still slightly shaking from the adrenaline that had already passed. He must've been truly scared.

Ennard had been, part of him still was. He wouldn't have been so careless if he had though cold could do that. He knew he got numb on the way over there, but he didn't expect a total shutdown. Even now there was a hazy period before collapsing and waking in the back of the van that he just couldn't remember. That was terrifying. How close he was to having no control of his body was terrifying. How close he had gotten to being seen-.

That was the moment that Ennard remember the gas station attendant and suddenly the panic set in. The man hadn't seen him, he thought, maybe, he wasn't sure, but he definitely heard him. Though maybe he couldn't identify the voice well. Maybe he didn't hear the metallic tone or static on the back- maybe it was a partially deaf and largely ignorant witness- and he thought he was just some kind of mutant straight out of a "Hallow's Eve Cleaver" movie.

"Ennard? You're tensing up, is the pain getting worse?" Scott asked. Which yes, the pain was getting worse from his wires tightening, but that wasn't the cause of said tightening.

"Ssssomeb-bod-dy hrrrrd mee."

"Somebody- Oh… Oh, that's not good. That's pretty bad, actually." Scott took the admittedly frightening news in stride. His pulse shot up again, but otherwise he kept his outward reaction suppressed. "Did, uh… Did they see you?"

"No." He was certain of that at least and that alleviated Scott's worries slightly.

"Good! That's good. We can work with that," he reaffirmed. He wasn't sure if he was trying to assure Ennard or himself, but this was definitely not the time for either to lose their head.

Ennard hugged onto him, pressing his mask into the winter jacket he was still wearing and somehow trying to absorb the heat from it. It was so strange, the warming up hurt and yet his body craved it, and his forced himself through it desperately hoping it would eventually lighten up. All the while Scott patted his back and held him close.

"Just a little scare. We're all good now," he assured him. "…But would you please call me next time? Before you pass out in an alley." Ennard nodded against him. "Good, because it's either that or I'm putting a tracking anklet on you."

"Wh-Wh-What ammm I? S-Some kkkind of f-ferrral dog?" Ennard asked playfully. Finally, his voice started to lighten back into the Funtime Freddy mimic, with only an amount of glitching remaining.

"No, you're under house arrest," Scott quipped. This got a soft, staticky chuckle. Scott withheld the urge to wince at how painful it sounded. "But I'm serious, Ennard. You've been being so careful. How could this happen?"

Ennard didn't know what to tell him. Worse still, anything he could say he knew would come out chopping and difficult anyways, even if there was an excuse. Which there wasn't any that would make up for such a mistake.

"Whehhen we wer-r-r-e t-t-talllking, I g-got thhiis wei-eirrrd v-vibe frrrom M-Mich-al," Ennard confessed. His jaw hurt from how tight it was and he struggled to relax the joints. "Callled t-t-tonnighht and he-e-e diiin't a-a-aannnswwer. Thhough-t hee leeffft, wenttt-t-to ccchhhchchzzzeck. Diiidn't th-nk it-t-t wazzzzzzat c-col-ld," Ennard said. He groaned and pressed tighter into Scott. "B-Bad caalll."

So that was why he went. Scott had noticed that sometimes Ennard's visits to Springtrap weren't just friendly visits, but house calls to make sure he hadn't disappeared. Ennard had a very rational fear that one day Springtrap would up and leave, a possibility that Scott himself had considered. He didn't have a great track record from what they knew, and this new Freddy's could've tipped the scales.

Scott held Ennard a little more protectively against his chest and pet the wires on the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it was, but I get it. You just can't make another call like that," Scott agreed. "…Speaking of calls. Again, call me next time."

In the other room, Baby had found the phone number and just dialed it before raising the phone to her head. Doing it all with one hand and listening as it rang a few times before there was an answer.

"Hello?"

"It's me," Baby answered.

"Liz-… Baby. I didn't expect to hear from you… Wait, did Ennard get home?" There came the paranoia and that instant feeling that something was horribly wrong. Good to know that they were already on the same page.

"No, I would say that he didn't. He has now, now that Scott and I went and found him half-frozen to death in a filthy alley behind a gas station. By time we found him he had completely shut down," Baby said. She paused to give him a moment and listened to him swear on the other side of the phone. "Save some of that for when you speak to him next. Scott's a soft touch."

"I knew this was going to happen. Goddammit, I knew something was going to happen if I let him walk out and I still did! Sleet pouring down like hell itself froze over and I decide now to not put my foot down!? What was I thinking?!"

"What were youthinking? Letting him go like that, you could've made him stay," Baby snapped back. "And what was he even doing over there?"

"Watching soap operas," Springtrap muttered with exasperation. It sounded like his face was covered or his head was down. "I… I fought with him on it, but just as usual he convinced me to go against my better judgement."

"He does that," Baby admitted with a faux sigh. She too had fallen into the same trap. Ennard's confidence could be very convincing. "…But don't let it happen again."

"I won't. Mark my words, Baby"

"I will," Baby answered. She paused for a beat before humming, "Hmm…"

"What?"

"I thought once or twice you called me 'Lizzie'."

Springtrap was a little taken aback by the bluntness. Enough so that he fumbled his words, "I thought that it bothered you…"

"I don't remember saying that," she tsked. He didn't reply to that right away, which didn't surprise her much.

It was strange. When they were in a life-or-death situation, Baby and Springtrap could act like an effective unit. Seldom tripped up and with their focus on the task at hand. Here on the phone, the two could barely make it through a conversation without her feeling something weird in the back of her head. She blamed it on his voice but took it back when she decided she didn't like the implications that brought.

She waited for him to say something and eventually he did so.

"Well then… Lizzie… May I speak to him?"

"Thank you, and I'm afraid not yet. Either he's still warming up or he permanently destroyed his voice," Baby finished with a sigh. "But I'll tell him to once he's more… stable."

"But he's awake. Is he confused?"

"No more than usual. He's remorseful now, but only because he got caught."

"Go easy on him." Baby scoffed at the comment, especially after hearing virtually the same thing from Scott. Though Springtrap's context was different. "I want to give him a piece of my mind and I can't do that if he's acting like a kicked puppy."

"…Well, I'm sure he would take it harder coming from you. I'll hold what restraint I can," Baby agreed. "I suppose I should go see him."

"Alright. Take care, Lizzie."

"You too… Michael."

Baby twitched at how uncomfortable that was and hung up the phone quickly. As determined as she was to mend these familial bridges, it always came off so saccharine to her. Even when she and them meant every word it came off feeling phony and unbelievable. She could only hope that it was all in her head, if only because it would be less embarrassing.

She headed out of the office and started to return to the master bedroom, only to hesitate. She really didn't feel like going back in just yet. She didn't feel like sleeping either. Whether it be paranoia or her body too riled to be shut down, she didn't know. Instead, she went into the living room and turned the television on with its volume low.

Now, Baby did not like childish things. Reminiscing over childhood objects was alright, but actually indulging in things for kids made her feel ridiculous- even when willingly doing so. Yet for some reason that even she couldn't defend, here she was watching cartoons at the crack of dawn. Old ones that looked like they were made years ago and brought about a weird sense of familiarity to her. She watched befuddled as a rabbit and duck attempted to maim each other.

Right as the sky was just starting to slightly get color outside, she heard movement in the other room and turned back to see who it was. If it was Ennard getting up to mess around, she was about ready to cut him down and send him back in.

But it wasn't, it was Scott. His hair was fluffed, and he was still wearing his outside jacket, so he must've fallen asleep. Though she expected as much when hours passed without seeing him. He slid off his jacket and folded up on the back of the couch before looking past and noticing her. He definitely looked only half awake.

"Hey. I think I fell asleep," he said with a smile.

"Oh. I didn't notice," Baby replied. Her tone was more matter of fact than of snark. "What about him?"

"Still sleeping. It probably took a lot out of him… I know it took a lot out of me," Scott mumbled. He rubbed at his eyes and blinked, trying to wake himself up. "How was Michael?"

"Upset. He said he told him not to go, just like Ennard said."

"I should probably call him back. I've got to feed the kitties anyway, so it gives me something to do. Not that you didn't do a good job, but I feel like I owe it to him."

"No, I understand," Baby said. He nodded and made his way into the kitchen where he got himself a drink. She stayed there kneeling for a moment before starting to get up and was standing by time he came back. "I'll go keep an eye on Ennard," she offered.

"Really? Thank you. You don't have to, but… I guess I'd feel better if he didn't wake up alone," Scott said. She gave a simple nod and headed into the bedroom.

She stood at the foot of the bed and saw the blanket lump that was probably Ennard. He looked out like a light, which was probably a good thing. Scott came in behind her and scooped up the cat bed. The kittens began mewing as his carried them out. She longed to follow and watch them paw at their bottles, but she was here for a reason.

Which turned out to pay off, because as soon as Scott was gone, Baby heard rustling underneath the blankets.

"B- Baby…" Ennard called quietly from his cocoon of blankets. "Ba-aby."

"What?" Baby asked grumpily.

"Baby."

"What?" she asked again, turning to look. He slowly reached out his arm in her direction, it shaking like it was barely staying up. She looked away with a sigh and rolled over to the side of the bed. "What is it?"

"C-Come c-c-closer…"

She rolled a little closer. He beckoned her with his hand. She rolled her eyes upwards before leaning over on the bed and propping herself up on her arms. "Is this-?"

Before she could finish the question, Ennard's frail and weak looking arm suddenly snatched her around the shoulders and yanked her down. She gasped and almost lost her balance for the second time, feet turning awkwardly to stop sliding as her face was only a few inches from the bed. He snatched her with his other arm and pressed his mask to the top of her head with a kissing sound. His nose squeaking against her.

"Mwah! That's for being my guardian angel! My knight in shining armor! My patient and precious protector-!"

"That's enough," Baby interrupted. She grabbed his shoulder with her hand like she was going to push him back to stop the onslaught, but then after a short pause she changed her mind and instead pulled him closer. She huffed again and said, "You're unbelievable. Do you know that? Unbelievable."

"I know, I know," Ennard said with a giggle. Though that humor left his voice quickly as he rested his head on hers. "I don't even believe it sometimes, ha ha. How I can make such a bad move… I owe you big, Babydoll. If you didn't answer-."

"You don't need to say it. We both know where you would've been… In the garbage," Baby interrupted, voice growing quieter at the end. Her hand began to move until she was slowly petting his shoulder. His arms wrapped tighter around her.

"Never gonna make another mistake like that again, I promise. I'm gonna be more careful, more prepared, I… I- I'm sorry." His voice began to crackle with emotion and Baby knew he was being honest. She wasn't sure if he would keep this promise, she could only hope that this was enough of a wake-up call to make him think twice. From the way he sounded, maybe it had scared him straight. He was almost shaking against her.

"Ennard," Baby began softly, soothingly, almost in a coo. "Do you know some animals eat their young?"

"…What?... Err- Yeah, I've heard that!... Why?" He was trying to look over her towards the cat bed, and she rolled her eyes again and poked him in the chest with her claw.

"Because if you wander off like a little kid again, I'm going to eat you."

This got a snicker out of Ennard. While this wouldn't normally been the undesired response, this was the exact one Baby was banking on.

Meanwhile, Scott had settled into his office chair with the kittens and the prepared bottles. He fed, stimulated, and cleaned them before doing anything else. Waiting until they were content to call Springtrap.

Springtrap, on the other hand, had managed to fall asleep. By some small mercy, he reacted to stress of this nature with exhaustion, so he laid on the couch in the glow of the television before the world faded into darkness. It only lasted until his phone rang. His phone which he had kept plugged in expecting an eventual call from Ennard. He shot up, hastily thumped to the phone, and snatched it up before letting loose.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know that if it wasn't below zero outside, I would be over there right now giving you a piece of my mind. Because goddammit, I TOLD you to stay. I TOLD you to let Scott come and get you in the morning, but as always, and even though I know you know better, you didn't listen to me- and worse, you were so stubborn to stick to it that you didn't just turn around and come back! now you could have serious temperature damage, Scott's gone through twice the stress, and I come out looking like the instigator when I would've told you to stay home! Christ, Ben, you have your entire circuitry system exposed to the elements! You KNOW you're fragile!"

Springtrap caught himself for a second to give a moment of rest, but he was already raring to go. Just waiting for Ennard to say something so that he could pounce. Except, he didn't. There was silence on the other end.

"…And this is Scott, isn't it?" he asked.

"Well, yeah."

Springtrap gave a frustrated growl and dropped his head forward. He was unsure what was more disappointing, that he just humiliated himself or that he wasted it on the wrong target.

"Good evening… or morning, Scott. I assume you realize that wasn't for you."

"I had a hunch," Scott said with a nervous sounding chuckle. "So, uh… You holding up over there?"

"Barely."

"Same. Well, so… So, I think we're through the worst of it. His voice has straightened out and he's not in as much pain as when he first woke up. I've never seen this before. I didn't know animatronics could get too cold- well, I mean, I guess it makes sense. The sensitivity to heat, I guess it goes the other way too… But yeah, he's doing a lot better."

As relieved as Springtrap should've been, it did little to ease the mix of disappointment and frustration, which only revealed itself in a low groan. Scott heard it and was sympathetic, but he didn't know what to say.

"It just infuriates me," Springtrap began. A metallic growl grinding at the back of his words before dying with the next ones. "How little I can do."

"What? Michael, no. It's just the season. You were right, Ennard shouldn't be out there."

"It's not just the weather. It's being confined in this office, in this warehouse. Even if there were better conditions outside, I have a much higher chance than him of getting caught on the street. Unless the problem comes to me, I'm useless."

"Don't say that," Scott said a little more firmly. "I know… I know things haven't been great, but they are getting better. You can't start thinking like that or you're just going to get stuck in it. Just… stuck in that feeling of being trapped."

Springtrap knew that of all people Scott would probably know this best, but he couldn't shake the thought that he really didn't know. He was trapped in his home by fear, not because of what he was. Springtrap silently looked down at his hand.

"It's normal, y'know? To start thinking like this when we have a scare like this. I'm sure that Baby didn't spare any of the details. And to be honest, I'm upset too, but I know there's a part of this that's my fault."

"You can't stop him from making bad decisions no more than I can," Springtrap murmured.

"Maybe not… but I can do more to prepare for them. Like what you said about Ennard's exposed wires. Maybe it's time I did something about them… Or at least bought him a jumpsuit or something. Think he'd wear one?"

"Only if you buy it in the gaudiest blend of lemon lime green and yellow that you can buy," he answered. Though after a second, he gave a noise like a sigh. "But that might help if he is willing to wear it. It would at least be a disguise."

"I think you're right. Heh, worst case scenario he's too embarrassed to wear it and stays home more."

Right then, Scott heard footsteps coming from the bedroom and knew it was the clown in question. He could distinctly notice a slight limp in his gait but as he walked past his posture was more slouched with fatigue than rigid in pain. It was unexpected that he didn't come in, but Scott had a hunch to where he was going.

"I think Ennard's about to come on."

"He's awake?" He was answered by the recognizable click of a third party getting on the line.

"Heeey. Guess who?" Ennard sounded a little crunchy but mostly normal compared to earlier. Still evidently weak from how lowkey his tone and volume were, but that hardly changed that he was awake and talking.

Springtrap was dead silent on his end of the phone, to which Scott got the message and cleared his throat.

"I'm going to let you two talk. Night, Michael."

"Sounds good. Love ya, Scottie," Ennard cooed. One the phone clicked and signaled that they were alone, he turned his attention to the other. "So, how's it- how's it going…?"

"There's something I need to get off my chest," Springtrap answered, tone too vague to read.

"Lay it on me, bunny buddy. I want to hear it."

He sounded at the least remorseful. A good sign, maybe he would think twice next time. Though he could never be too certain, so he knew what had to be done. Springtrap took a deep breath to steady himself and then began.

"Before you say anything else, I want you to know that if it wasn't below zero outside, I would be over there right now giving you a piece of my mind-!"

Meanwhile, Scott was left sitting in his office. This time he gave them their privacy, knowing that Ennard was going to get an earful and also knowing he probably deserved it. In the meantime, he thought about what they had talked about.

Ennard tended to lie low after scares like this, but eventually he would go out again. The thing was that Scott couldn't blame Ennard for needing to go out. He knew he had started to go stir crazy with this weather, and the stress of the Freddy's situation didn't help. While this scare might've fixed that for now, it was just postponing the issue until another day. The issue that Ennard would inevitably be at the mercy of the elements.

…But maybe he didn't have to be.

Scott yanked open one of his file cabinets and searched the back for an old notebook that looked like it had seen better days. Like Freddy's never lost his number, Scott kept ahold of some of the contacts he had made over the years, just like he had held onto all of those tapes lined up on the shelves and shoved in boxes behind him.

He couldn't stop Ennard from leaving. It wasn't humane to keep him trapped in the house when he knew he could be careful. Maybe there was another solution, and thankfully he now had the time to find it.

"The call came in this morning from the Gas 'n Go. Sometime around two or three, I'll double check. The young man on duty reported that he heard strange noises from behind the building and went to investigate, during which he heard a strange voice that- from his own statement- asked for spare change. Wouldn't seem too out of the ordinary, but he said that the voice sounded 'monstrous' and 'robotic', and that he felt threatened. He said he didn't see what it was."

He lowered the paper and finished with, "All things considered, I think we might've gotten another clown call."

The dreaded clown call. A mass hoax sweeping Hurricane in which people would either be pranked and call in with their concerns or call in with fake stories of their encounters with the rumored Clown of Hurricane, a local horror story that had only just been created and gained popularity. There had been numerous fake clown calls or pranks resembling this alleged clown, but only a handful were real sightings.

Though he was the only one who could tell the difference. When it came to the officers and detectives working in Hurricane, they were under the assumption that all of them were fake. Because the idea of a clown running amuck terrorizing the city, at times, was too baffling for anyone to take seriously.

Except for Clay Burke, who took what might've been a real sighting very seriously. He gestured for the police report.

"Leave it to me. I'll take care of it."

"Sure thing, Chief."

Clay was aware that the Hurricane Police Department didn't have a great track record, especially when it came to mysterious circumstances. Their previous police chief had a habit of sweeping things under the rug to keep the peace in the community and this led to a lot of criminals walking. A lot of monsters too. Now that he had been raised into the position, Clay had vowed that he wouldn't fall into these same traps.

But sometimes protecting everyone meant covering up some things, and unfortunately that thing just happened to be an increasingly brazen clown who kept popping up around the city. Something Clay would've put a stop to immediately if he wasn't aware of the full situation. Not to say he was condoning this behavior, but he wasn't about to stir everyone up into a frenzy over a clown hunt.

He would wait a few hours before he called Scott. Knowing what he did, he had probably been up most of the night. He wanted him nice and lucid before he lit that fire under him.

Chapter Text

In the months directly after the discovery of the coming pizzeria, things had been tense but relatively quiet. Life had somehow managed to continue even when every passing day was a day closer to the opening of their competition.

Today was Fritz's day off and it was still one of the first times he had sat down all day. Recently, things had been so busy at the pizzeria that care to the house had fallen on the wayside. It wasn't too uncommon for Fritz and Natalie to put off the dishes an extra day or put off changing a lightbulb in a closet or spare room. The house wasn't a disaster, so it could wait until later.

They had made a pact to make this day off that 'later'. After sleeping in and eating breakfast, they had gone right to work into chiseling away the lengthy chore list hanging over their heads. They were making pretty good time too, but it was time for a break, even for someone like Fritz who had a habit of overworking. He settled into the couch while Natalie went into the bedroom to change her pants- which had gotten dirty from yardwork.

Fritz was only on that couch for a few minutes, just long enough to consider turning on the TV and get into a mental battle on whether he was going to or not when the phone rang. He pushed off the couch and answered the phone shortly after.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Sam Fritz?"

It was an unfamiliar voice. "It is."

"Sam Fritz of Foxy's Pirate Cove?"

Now he was becoming a little more wary of this random caller. "Yes, that's right. Who is this?" Fritz asked.

"Excellent! Glad to get ahold of you. My name is James Wight, and I am with Fazbear Entertainment. How are you doing today?"

It was like the world stopped in that moment. Like his stomach filled up with glue and a cold sweat crept across the back of his neck. Fritz knew immediately that whatever this was it was going to be bad. It felt like an ambush even though he sounded like a telemarketer.

"I… Uh… Good?" Fritz got out. He quickly recovered, clearing his through and feigning some form of normalcy. "Sorry, I just got finished with some work. What did you need…?"

"I'm glad you asked! I've been looking to get in touch with you. As you may know, a new Freddy's location is opening nearby very soon, and I was just calling to offer an exciting opportunity for Foxy's within the business."

"Uh huh. And that would be?"

"We would love to have Foxy's be a part of our new establishment. Foxy himself has been such a pillar of the Freddy Fazbear brand for so long that bringing them together again would be a… momentous occasion!"

"I'm going to stop you right there. If this is about the licensing rights to Foxy, we do have them. The Foxy the Pirate brand has been separated from the Freddy Fazbear brand and is no longer under the rights of Fazbear Entertainment," Fritz said as though reading it out. After all, he had been preparing for this moment. "So, I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen."

"Oh no, no! That's not at all why I'm calling. This isn't some kind of brute force attempt to confiscate Foxy! That might've flown with the old Fazbear Entertainment but rest assured that the new Fazbear Entertainment will not be nearly as careless. No, our goal is to work together and coexist with other longstanding brands in the area. Such as El Chip's and Big Top Burgers."

"El Chip's?" Fritz asked in disbelief. "Wait, you've talked with Glenn?"

"I have! In fact, we're already made El Chip's a place in our food court- and we're looking to exchange the same offer to Foxy's! We would love to feature Captain Foxy and friends in our establishment. May it be a section of the food court, or perhaps even a place in the arcade. Maybe even as a mascot for our seaside themed kids area. We have more than enough room and it would be nothing but free publicity for Foxy's Pirate Cove."

"That's… That's pretty generous of you," Fritz said cautiously. He wasn't buying it for a second. "But what does Freddy's get out of it?"

"…Well, if you must know. Freddy's doesn't have the best reputation after some of the… decisions made by my predecessors. The rumor mill certainly doesn't help. In contrast, Foxy's is beloved, adored by everyone I've spoken to. Us working together might show people that we aren't a product of the last decade, but a new, reborn example of what Freddy's should have been."

Fritz understood immediately. They wanted to ride onto Foxy's Pirate Cove's coattails to alleviate any worries that would come from reopening a business where countless murders had happened. Fritz understood it, yes, but he didn't think there was any way that plan was going to work.

He knew from experience that there were two kinds of people in the area: people who didn't know what happened at Freddy's and people who were directly affected by it. The former might drop in if they didn't hear what the latter had to say, the latter wouldn't be caught dead in the establishment- an idiom that Fritz immediately regretted thinking of.

"Well, what do you think?" Wight asked. His voice oozed schmooze.

"I… I have to think about it," Fritz answered. "And I'd have to talk to my business partners before I made any decisions like this. I'm only partial owner."

"Of course! Of course, no rush. You take all the time you need to and, in the event you decide not to partner up, know that there will be no hard feelings. As much as we want Foxy in the Pizzaplex, we also are looking forward to a healthy and open relationship between our businesses. After all, we will be sharing most of our clientele."

"Right…" Fritz didn't miss the namedrop, but he had no idea what a 'Pizzaplex' was.

"If you could discuss with your fellow owners about the license of Bonnie the Rabbit while you're at it then that would be wonderful. We were halfway through theming a locale on him before we realized the rights had changed hands!" He gave a jovial laugh. He sounded so unbothered. "Next week we will be having a- what would be something along the lines of a- an open house event if you would. And if you would, you and your partners could swing by and drop in on the fun!"

"Uh huh. Sure, sure. We'll… We'll stop in." Natalie walked up at this point and noticed the look on Fritz's face and knew something was up. She stood there waiting for the call to end.

"Well, thank you for your time, and I hope to speak again very soon."

The call ended and Fritz slowly hung the phone back up and stood there for a long moment. He raced through everything he said and everything he had wished he said, and what he just agreed to. The only reason Fritz hadn't given a firm no was fear of retaliation, something that was haunting him even now. He looked over to see that Natalie had walked up sometime during the call. She had her brows raised.

"That didn't sound good," she finally said. Fritz shook his head. "What was that about?"

"That was the sound of our impending doom… I need to call Mike."

"The Weird Woods stretched on as far as the eye could see. In every direction there was nothing but trees! He couldn't see the trail or the other girls and boys, but before he could cry or shout, he heard a funny noise- Hoot hoot! Roger looked up to see a great big bird flying down. It circled once, twice, trice, and landed on the ground."

"Hoot hoot, my boy! Are you lost? You're the only boy I've come across. What are you doing out so late?"

"Oh, Mr. Owl, I think somehow, I must've lost my way!"

It was precious. Not just the fact that he was doing the voices- that was adorable too- but how much investment he put into this performance. Even when it wasn't on a stage, but in the last place Mike ever thought he would be comfortable: a hospital. Though the audience hadn't changed, he was still surrounded by a plethora of adoring children listening eagerly and watching wide-eyed as a living puppet read to them.

Marionette had actually brought up his interest in visiting the children's ward long before Foxy's image campaign, and the only reason they hadn't gone through with it was because his wariness of hospitals. He was afraid they would unlock some memories he didn't want to or give him a deep-set uncomfortable feeling that he couldn't shake, but neither case happened. Instead, Marionette took to the experience wonderfully. He loved seeing the children happy.

They had been set up in some sort of activity room for the kids. Mike was sitting in a chair in his face paint and puppeteer costume while Marionette sat in a chair directly beside him so the man could hold his back and mimic having control. During this time, they had done a few little routines, some jokes and stories, and then the reading had begun.

Mike didn't think they were going to eat this up as much as they did. He thought they would be wanting to see Marionette doing tricks or something more exciting than just reading to them, since he knew others came in and read to them, but it turned out that they loved it regardless. Listening with full attention and no boredom on their faces.

Charlie was also there, though had chosen to take a more subdued role. She had her box outside the door and was greeting and passing out candy to whoever passed by, child or not- so, basically a distraction and lookout so that Marionette could have a little more freedom.

They stayed for about two and a half hours before it was deemed time to pack up and leave. Mike wheeled Charlie's box out to the van first before coming back for Marionette on his stand. This gave the puppet a few more minutes with the children. Safely, since they had bought the ruse that Marionette was either magically alive or being remote controlled from somewhere else.

With Mike gone and nobody watching, Marionette dared to show off a little of his 'magic' with floating tokens and string tricks- "accidentally" binding himself up in a comical display. Gave the kids one last little show before handing out a gift.

"Before I go…" Marionette trilled, knowing he was cutting it close and still going ahead. He had moved to kneeling on the floor once Mike left so he wasn't as visible through the hallway windows, but still had to keep a watchful eye. He reached for a roll of tickets that had been left with him. "I'm going to give each of you a special ticket! And when you get better, you can come see me at Foxy's and have a very special day."

These tickets were little more than normal tickets stamped with present designs, which he had done before he left the pizzeria. These special tickets would give them a free day at Foxy's: free games, free food, and free prizes.

Though the tickets themselves weren't special in any way. They were just a physical object to encourage the children to look forwards to getting out of the hospital. Instead, as he passed out every ticket, Marionette paused a moment to activate his facial recognition so he would remember the child he passed one out too. He seldom used this feature of his, but it felt like it was about time he put it to good use. Everyone got a ticket, and everyone was scanned.

Soon afterwards, Mike came in to get him. He was practically trembling by time he was being wheeled across the parking lot with leftover excitement. He could still remember every child's face if he thought deeply enough.

The excitement didn't end either. Recently, Mike and Marionette had started to let their guard down when it came to the van. If Mike was costumed up and they were driving the Foxy's van, he would prop Marionette up in the passenger's seat. He would be in plain view, but under these circumstances it wasn't seen as suspicious, just as long as he stayed perfectly still.

This allowed him to get a better view of the daylight hours of Hurricane. He could see everything without hiding and be seen without it leading to disaster, just maybe some odd looks or staring. It felt very close to how he imagined it would be to ride passenger side as a normal human being- not that he was down on being a puppet. Especially not after he brought so much joy to all of those kids who really needed it.

Charlie didn't mind sticking to the back. After being in her box for so long, it felt good to stretch her legs and move around freely, and the front seat wouldn't have offered that. Though she did share that fulfilled feeling for what they had done, as did Mike. Maybe it wasn't the typical family outing, but it felt especially special. It had been a good day.

A good day that was about to become sizably more complicated when Mike turned on his phone and noticed numerous missed calls. Taking a slow breath, he held his cell phone with his shoulder and listened through the messages as he left the parking lot and slowly made his way through town. Eventually setting the phone aside and having to break the news.

"Looks like we're going over to Fritz's," he said defeatedly. Marionette's eyes snapped over without turning his head.

"Did something happen?" he asked with concern. He hadn't been able to hear well with the phone's smothered position, but it wasn't hard to figure out how long it took to listen through the messages.

"Yeah, something. I don't know what but considering how many calls he left it's got to be big," Mike said. His mouth tightened as he started thinking of Fritz's tone. He didn't hear that panicked tone often from him, it was a worrying sign.

Charlie must've had the same idea as she climbed over and leaned between the seats to look at him. "You don't think… You don't think it's Grandpa, do you?" she asked. Marionette felt a chill at the thought of what that could mean.

"I don't think so. He sounded kind of panicky and if it was about Chance, he'd probably keep his cool. He'd be the one pulling him apart, so he'd have to," Mike said. Both puppets seemed a little relieved, but Mike was far from it. "I just know it's going to be something about that stupid pizzeria."

"Don't call it stupid. You were the one who wanted to open it," Marionette lightly teased. Mike sent him a flat look and his smile only widened before he looked back out the window again.

The rest of the drive was uneventful until they pulled up to Fritz's. Natalie answered the door. Mike helped Charlie inside and Marionette teleported in after them just in time to catch a glimpse of Fritz pacing between the kitchen and the living room while eating what looked like a bologna sandwich. Mike and Marionette exchanged a pair of concerned looks.

"We've upgraded from fanatic pacing to stress eating. Considering that he's been dropping weight since we found out about Freddy's, this is sort of an improvement," Natalie said with a tired sigh. Fritz must've heard her as he came to a stop and looked over. Upon seeing that they had arrived, he quickly set the sandwich down on the table and wiped his face with a napkin.

"H-Hey. Just in time," he said in a muffled voice. He swallowed down the mouthful before continuing, giving the three time to come into the room. "So, I got an interesting call earlier," he said with audible nervousness.

Marionette started ticking instantly. Both Mike and Charlie identified it, looking at the puppet standing between them. His mask looked entirely unaffected, a complete poker face, as was his voice when he asked, "From?"

"From a 'Mr. Wight' of 'Fazbear Entertainment'."

"Oh boy, here we go," Mike muttered, feeling the sinking feeling kicking in. "Alright, start from the beginning."

"For starters, he called me knowing who I am- Sam Fritz, owner of Foxy's. After sweettalking me a little, he starts throwing out offers to have Foxy's and Freddy's work together in some kind of licensing deal. Said how they would be 'proud to have Foxy's in their establishment' and then in the same breath admitted that it was because of Freddy's bad reputation."

"And you said no," Mike said.

Fritz clammed up for a long moment. Then he tentatively began, "I was sort of on the spot-."

"And you said no," Mike half-begged. Fritz gave an apologetic and intensely stressed smile.

"I told you, you should've said no!"

Fritz closed his eyes and dropped back his head at the voice calling up the stairs, then slowly walked over to them with his hands in his pockets. From that motion alone, Mike could already assume that this wasn't the first time he heard this. It was followed by heavy footsteps and Mike leaned forwards so he could peer down the stairs. A familiar black bear animatronic thudded to a stop on the lower landing.

"Hey, Grandpa," Charlie called down, peeking around the corner.

"Hey there, Girlie- I told you, Fritz, if you give that man an inch, he's going to take a yard. No, more than a yard. Your whole business," Chance called up the stairs. "You should've nipped this in the bud when you had him on the phone… Mike, what are you wearing?"

Mike didn't even spare a glance down at his costume. "About a pound of greasepaint," he replied.

"Well, give me a warning next time. I've got enough nightmares without you joining in," Chance remarked. He turned his stifling gaze back on Fritz. "If you go down there, he's just going to try and corral you into some kind of business deal."

"If you go down there…?" Mike muttered questioningly. He shot a quizzical look towards Fritz out of the corner of his eye. Fritz fought the urge to roll his eyes and turned down towards Chance.

"I know. I know that's exactly what he wants. I'll figure something out," he called. Chance gave him a dismissive wave and turned to thump back down the stairs. It had been a while since Chance had been this wound up, but he supposed he had a right to be. He faced Mike again, and Marionette and Charlie at his side. "He asked if we wanted to come down to the Pizzaplex and meet him."

"Pizzaplex," Mike repeated flatly.

"So, it IS a movie theater! Well, that explains the size," Marionette exclaimed. He turned and added to Mike, "You can pay up when we get home."

"It's not a movie theater. I don't know what it is, but I know it has a food court and Glenn's already sold out El Chip's to be there," Fritz interrupted. Both of their heads snapped to him in disbelief.

"Are you serious? Glenn, the guy who was talking about getting screwed over Freddy's sold out to Freddy's?" Mike asked in disbelief.

"Apparently so. I don't think Wight would've lied about it. Who would lie about getting Chipper's Salsa and Chips? That's not something you brag about."

"But… How can that be? El Chip's was doing better than Chipper's ever was! Their business was practically-." Marionette cut off suddenly as a look of realization dawned on his face. From the shift of his mask's eyes, he was looking between both of the men with concern. "You don't think… because I broke some of their machines-?"

"Nah, it can't be that. I've spoken to Glenn since then. He said everything was going fine," Fritz reassured. He paused a second before coughing and adding, "…But he was spooked after that health scare. I never told him what was going on, so he still thinks he had a spontaneous heart attack out of the blue. He told me he was trying to get his blood pressure under control."

"You know, Glenn's not young. If they offered him a big enough number, he might've decided to take an early retirement," Natalie chimed up from the couch. "Or it's just a licensing deal and El Chip's staying open."

"I'll go easy on you since you haven't seen the place," Mike began, turning to look back at her. "But nobody would spend a cent on Chipper's unless it was to knock them out completely."

Natalie stared back for a long second before her face cracked into a smile.

"…I cannot take you seriously wearing that," she said, breaking with a snicker halfway through. Mike gave he an unamused look. "I'm sorry. I've been planting bulbs all day. I'm delirious over here."

Mike sent her a flat look before rolling her eyes back to Fritz. "Have you called Jeremy?"

"Should be here any minute," Fritz answered.

"Then let's wait until he gets here and figure this out. We'll tell Foxy later; he's barely holding it together as it is."

The group started to migrate into the kitchen after Fritz headed over to retrieve his sandwich. Mike briefly laid a hand on Marionette's back to comfort him, but the moment he was at the table, the puppet fell behind and drifted to the stairs. He looked between both for a moment before silently dismissing himself into the basement, following behind Chance's thumping footsteps.

"Chance," Marionette called after him. "I was hoping I could ask you something."

"Shoot," Chance replied.

Though the puppet instantly second-guessed what he was doing. This was the first time he had seen Chance in a while and they were finally on decent speaking terms, and this was the first time he had an opening to broach the subject, but he started to flounder on the spot. Chance turned back to look at him and he realized he got himself tangled up again, this time with his words.

"I was… Well, with this Freddy's thing, I was… Do you think that maybe Charlie's mother might've signed off on this?" Not the question he wanted to ask or the person he wanted to ask about, but a good enough start.

"Was Charlie asking about that?" Chance asked in confusion. Marionette gave a semi-shrug, a partial truth. Chance sighed, "It's a shame she's in the position to ask these questions… She could've. Charlie's mother, I mean. She might've been approached about it and signed off on whatever just to get rid of them. She's been trying to get Freddy's out of her life since Henry died."

"Understandable," Marionette sympathized. "…But would she still have the rights?"

"She might. She and Henry were still married when he had his accident. She didn't get remarried until a couple of years later, but she's got a new family now and she's not going to want that around. She's going to want to cut Freddy's loose."

Marionette mask took a tightened look. Chance was a little confused by it until he started speaking.

"…I'm sorry, but I thought you just said she had a new family-."

"Don't tell Charlie about this."

"-when Charlie's only been deceased for little over a year… Or two, give or take some months."

"…Don't tell Charlie about this."

Marionette dropped his head into one hand and took a moment to process this. Wonderful, another painful familial revelation that he was expected to keep hush. It just kept getting better. With an off-tune noise as a short lament, he dared to ask, "What was Charlie's mother like?" Thankfully, considering what just happened, Chance wasn't suspicious enough to question it.

"She's a good woman. She and Henry loved each other dearly, almost as much as they loved those kids. She was always a little closer to Sammy, I guess that's why she took his disappearance so hard. I'll level with you, with how wrapped up in his work Henry got after that, their marriage wasn't going to last. She didn't marry Henry thinking she was going to become a target of William."

"I see… What was Sammy like?"

Marionette took the plunge and immediately regretted it as the question felt too out of place. Enough so that Chance looked at him abruptly and gave a confused, "Why?"

"I was just… thinking," the puppet tried to excuse. Turning his head partially away, hands clasping together, giving every unintentional tell-all he could.

"About what?" Chance pressed. It sounded like his paranoia was returning and this was the worst time to tell him the truth.

"About Sammy," Marionette confessed. Then, at the silence that followed, he added on in almost his defense. "A new Freddy's with numerous animatronics. It is possible- though I would hope it wouldn't be the case-."

"I get it," Chance said with a nod. The suspicion went away quickly and was replaced with a soberness. "Sorry, I'm just on edge about all of this. But finding Sammy at this new location? I don't think you have anything to worry about." His voice had fallen significantly as he said this. "You've met most of the Freddy's animatronics from back then, haven't you? What's the likelihood of you missing Sammy?"

"I… I guess pretty low… I just still wonder," he answered. He knew this was his opportunity to bring up his suspicions, but after hearing that sadness he didn't think he could broach the subject. Any chance he had of learning about Sammy without confessing his suspicions were out the window. He just couldn't do it. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I know how hard it is to talk about him."

"I'd rather bring him up than act like he didn't exist… Besides, you've got a right to be thinking about this. We don't know what's going on in that place, or who's in charge," Chance admitted. Marionette nodded and there was an uncomfortable silence that lasted until Chance broke it. "…Sammy was a good kid, not much more to say than that. He was too young to even have a chance to discover himself."

"True… I'm sorry I brought it up," the puppet said softly. He drifted back towards the stairs, like he was recoiling from the conversation.

"Don't worry about it. Like I said, at least we're still talking about him." Chance turned to head into the den. "You can stay down here if you want."

"I might. I'll be right back." With that, Marionette turned to head upstairs and get a moment to recollect himself.

What he didn't expect was to come around the corner and catch Charlie on the landing, positioned like she was coming down the steps.

"Charlie!" he said. Voice jumping in surprise and struggling to cover it.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," Charlie denied with a similar tone. Though from that startlement it was apparent that she had heard something.

Marionette looked back to see Chance fumbling with the remote and not paying attention, then came up the stairs to meet the Security Puppet on the landing.

"How much did you hear…?" Marionette asked worriedly. Charlie shifted from leg to leg; she had heard something.

"Not too much. Just you and Grandpa talking about Sammy," she admitted. After a moment she looked straight on at the other puppet and directly asked, "Is there something you want to talk about? About Sammy?"

She figured something out. Something must've clicked and she would know better than to think he was just spontaneously asking about Sammy, or maybe even be offended that he was sneaking to ask behind her back. It was at that moment that he knew he was going to have to tell her the truth. Instead of answering right off, he took her by the wrist and began to lead her back upstairs.

By now Jeremy had arrived and was standing in the kitchen with the others. At least, Natalie was standing, leaning against the counter. Fritz was currently going through the fridge while Mike sat at the dining room table with his head in hands. He had taken his gloves off, but his face paint was definitely going to be smeared after this- not that he cared. Daisy was climbing from the crook of Jeremy's arm onto his shoulder.

Marionette slipped around the corner and into the hallway. He led her into the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind them. Charlie might've joked about this but decided there were more pressing matters when she saw how Marionette immediately began wringing his hands after releasing hers.

"First off, how much did you hear about your mother?" he asked. She looked a little surprised by the question.

"Uh, nothing. I must've come in after then… Why? Did something happen to her?" she asked

"Not quite…" He really didn't want to say this, but he couldn't risk lying to her. He tried to break it to her gently. "Chance just told me that… your mother… your mother remarried."

"Oh," Charlie said. "That's fine. I don't care." Marionette's head snapped up with a startled and dumbstruck look on his mask. "Look… Mari, I know there's something on your mind. Something about Sammy. I'm okay if you want to tell me about it, I just want you to tell me. I can handle it," she gently coaxed.

The worry returned to his face, and he looked down at his wringing hands. She started to reach out for them, to pull them apart, but didn't make it before he pulled back and spoke.

"Charlie… I don't want to upset you, and I really, really didn't want to tell you about this unless I was sure, which I'm not, but I also don't want to continue waiting and have you think I'm hiding something-."

"Mari-."

"I think I might be Sammy?" It came out more like a question than a statement, showing just how uncertain he was. He waited for a surprised reaction, but it never came. Instead, her expression just softened. "Wh-What's that look?"

"…Do you remember when you were talking to Mike after we, uh, after "Old Man Consequences", and I came in and told you that I heard you talking about him?" Charlie asked. Marionette's mask shifted to a look of dread. "When I told you I just heard a little bit, I meant it… But I did hear you say something about you being Sammy."

"And you didn't say anything?" Marionette asked quietly, almost fearfully.

"I thought you would talk to me about it when you were ready. You were so upset, Mari. What we went through was awful, we couldn't handle anything else. So I waited, and when you didn't come to talk to me about it, and I never heard you or Mike bring it up again, I thought maybe you just… let it go," Charlie said with a shrug. "Everything was so emotionally tense. I thought you reconsidered it and just decided to let it drop."

"…I didn't," Marionette said. He turned away sheepishly, catching sight of himself in the mirror and, feeling awkward looking at himself, turned back to her. "I just don't have any evidence and nothing to go on. What's worse is that I can't very well start asking questions or everyone will find out… This isn't the sort of thing I would want to plant in Foxy's mind without having concrete proof. Baby or Michael's either."

"No, I get that. That probably wouldn't go over well," Charlie agreed. She rubbed her neck, then up the back of her head until she bumped her prong that jingled. It snapped her out of the silence, and she looked up to him. "But it's okay. You don't have to worry about me. Maybe we can try to figure this out together."

Marionette raised his head with surprise. "Really?" he asked. "You're not… upset with me?"

"Why would I be? I know exactly what you're going through. Back when I was a kid, I wanted to ask questions about Sammy too and couldn't because I was afraid of upsetting people. Trust me, I'd like to find out what happened just as much as you do," Charlie reassured. He made a motion like breathing a sigh of relief and she offered him a smile. "And if it so happens that you're him then, well, you're already sort of like my twin."

It took a second for this to sink in. She knew the moment it did though because it was right when she was about to speak, and it was cut off by him darting forward and clasping her into a tight embrace. She patted his back before returning it.

"…But what if I'm wrong? I could be dredging up bad memories for nothing," Marionette worriedly asked, squeezing a little harder.

"At least then we'd know! The way I see it, I'd rather go through the pain of finding out then living with the pain of never knowing. It's like lancing a wound. Yes, it's going to hurt, and yes, it's not going to look pretty, but if it means healing then that's all that counts," Charlie insisted.

She believed every word of it too. The lack of closure in Sammy's disappearance had always been frustrating. Even more so now that she knew the truth about so many things and yet still couldn't find that one answer. Maybe they could finally close the case on what happened to her brother, and maybe fate would've landed her with her twin all this time.

Though she wasn't worrying about the outcome just yet. Not too long ago they had gone through a similar occurrence when trying to prove Michael's identity, during which Ennard believed that he was Michael and the lot of them headed into the bowels of Afton Robotics to find the answer. It turned out that he was not, but that didn't seem to damper the relationship between Ennard and Baby. Charlie felt her and Marionette's relationship could handle it.

"I just wonder why he said what he did. That 'are you sure'," Marionette said. They drew apart from the embrace. "He was manipulative and sadistic, and either of those could be the reason… But something doesn't make sense. He couldn't have thought that would've upset me enough to stop me. If anything, he should've assumed me not being related to him was a relief! Why say it? I don't understand…"

"I don't either. I think he was trying to get at you, but I don't understand how…" Charlie agreed. She thought for a second before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter what he was trying to do. Unless we want to let him hang this over our heads forever, we have to figure this out together. Mike's already on board, we're on board… Not sure we can get through to Grandpa, but I'm sure I could pull some favors with Clay."

"Do you really think he would give us information on the disappearance so easily?" the Puppet asked hesitantly.

"Why not? I think he owes us at least one favor, and if we figure it out then we're doing him a HUGE favor," Charlie remarked. She turned to open the bathroom door before reaching back to grab Marionette's wrist like he did to her. "But first, let's go figure out what kind of Freddy's we're looking at."

Marionette managed to smile again with a quiet chime and followed her back out to the others. It felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders.

Even though he had no idea what they were about to go up against.

The moment he saw it, Mike thought he was going to have a panic attack.

The sheer horror brought on by the completed building was enough to get his blood pumping and adrenaline flowing. Any fond memories of his and Marionette's midnight playground were washed out by the massive complex looming on the other side of a relatively vacant parking lot- save a group of cars parked directly around the door.

The thing looked like a mall. From the stout structure, to the numerous windows, to the large, glossy sign proudly proclaiming its name, the thing looked like a massive building made solely to drain pockets. Along with some cartoonish caricatures of what he assumed was the new band- he thought one of them might've looked sort of like Freddy- read the words: Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex.

There was that rolling feeling in his gut signaling the descent into madness. Either that or his body was rejecting the sight alone of so much gaudy neon. He wanted to make an insult, but if he opened his mouth, he knew a swear would fall out and give away how quickly he was losing his cool. He couldn't believe what he was staring at.

A quick glance into the driver's seat showed he wasn't the only one. Fritz had his jaw tight and was staring ahead with a glazed expression. It sort of reminded him of the look someone might get when they suddenly realized they were about to get fired without any severance pay and with rent due in only a few hours. Natalie was leaning over to look between the seats while Jeremy was as wide eyed as could be. Like when he showed Mike and Fritz his old mugshot photo.

Mike was suddenly very glad that Marionette had to stay at the pizzeria for a requested birthday party, because this might've sent him into a blind fury. Mike sure would've been in one if he didn't feel so much like he had to belch.

It wasn't until they pulled up to the front under that neon sign that Jeremy spoke up.

"Is that just Silver but a girl?" he asked, pointing up at the sign. Fritz glanced up; Mike couldn't stomach looking.

"…Maybe. Let's hope so, maybe we can get a lawsuit going," Fritz remarked as he shut off the car and started getting out. It wasn't until he was shutting the door that he noticed Mike hadn't moved. "Mike?"

Mike snapped out of it and unbuckled his seatbelt. "I'm coming."

The group was soon out of the car and walking towards the front door. A tense silence fell over them as they approached the broad entrance doors. Only a few steps away from something that could make or break them, and they were already feeling the pressure just looking up at it.

Mike took a deep breath to steel his nerves and strode in like he owned the place.

Chapter Text

It Mike felt bad looking at it from the outside, he felt downright awful once he got a look at the inside.

The place was a glorious nightmare of limitless budget and untampered ideals, all with an oversaturated gloss of neon. It was hard on the eyes, both in what it was and what it stood for.

The front room was absolutely massive compared to even a mall structure. Hued a gaudy purple and illuminated with so many fluorescents that it hurt the eyes to stare too long. Further ahead were turnstiles- like the place was an amusement park more than whatever this was supposed to be. Fritz looked startled, Mike just looked sick, and Jeremy was somewhere between the two literally and figuratively.

There were a few small groups of people standing around the foyer and lobby for the open house. The only one who looked like he could've worked there was a nicely dressed man in a grey suit who was speaking with a boisterous voice. He had brown, curly hair that was slightly receding on the forehead and a neatly trimmed short beard and mustache. His eyes lit up when he turned and noticed them and hastily hurried over.

He must've recognized them from Foxy's. Of course he did, anyone with half a braincell would've noticed the way they were dressed. Fritz was fine in a flannel long sleeved shirt and jeans. Mike was wearing his Foxy's Pirate's Cove branded security jacket and a black cap with the same logo while Natalie was in black calf-length pants and a 'Mari and Lottie' t-shirt.

Then there was Jeremy. Jeremy was wearing a Foxy face t-shirt, Foxy head hat, Foxy wristbands, Foxy face patterned socks, Foxy branded pirate pendant- he was about two or three Foxy items short of looking like a complete fanatic.

This was likely the man who had spoken to Fritz on the phone and yet the moment he turned to face him, he flinched uncomfortably. He could only silently stare as the space was closed between them.

"Sam? Sam Fritz?" he asked. Fritz simply nodded. "Ah, fantastic! I'm James Wight- I'm sure you recognize my voice from our conversation on the phone," he introduced himself. He clasped Fritz's hand in an eager shake as he leaned in and lowered his voice. "I'll have you know that I've already greeted four men thinking they were you. We weren't expecting such a turnout."

"Yeah, it's… it's something." Fritz cleared his throat as he pulled his arm back and started gesturing to the others. "These are my business partners, Mike Schmidt and Jeremy Fitzgerald, and my, uh, my fiancé, Natalie."

Mike side glanced at that but didn't correct him. Instead, he kept a poker face of disinterest as he put out his hand and shook James'. Jeremy and Natalie took turns after him.

"Now then, before we get into business," James began, clasping his hands together eagerly. "Why don't we begin the grand tour?"

"Sure. Sounds good," Fritz agreed.

"Wonderful! Just a moment." James hustled back to the group and wrapped up things with them quickly. As soon as he walked away, Natalie reached forward and grabbed Fritz by the shoulder.

"Fritz, we have a problem," she whispered. Her eyes were wide and her tone tense. As on edge as he was, he immediately returned the look. Until Natalie suddenly held up her other hand. "My engagement ring has magically disappeared!"

That shock dropped into disbelief as Natalie's mouth twitch into a smile. "Don't give me an opening if you don't want me to pounce."

"Hey, I thought it sounded classier than live-in girlfriend," Fritz said with a matter-of-fact smile. Natalie clicked her tongue in disapproval.

That was when James returned and eagerly began to lead them into the Pizzaplex. Mike kept a closer eye than any of the others. James was suspicious, though not in the traditional sense. He got the impression that he was really into this show he was putting on- which was a problem, because that show portrayed a concerning amount of confidence. They passed the turnstile and headed further in.

The lobby was circular in shape with a massive golden painted Freddy statue in the center. Except it wasn't the Freddy that Mike remembered, but a new version entirely. Outside he had seen the cartoon version of Freddy and imagined a stout bear with glitzy face paint, but the shape of Freddy portrayed in this statue was weirdly muscular. It reminded him of something Afton Robotics would build, he could already see where there might be segmented plates.

There was a store to the right with a 'Glamrock Gifts' sign above it, probably a gift shop. To the left it looked like the entrance to a restaurant or something. Behind the statue and square fountain it sat upon, were stairs and escalators leading up towards the second floor. There were advertisements screens darted around but they were showing a blue default logo instead of anything significant.

"This is our gift shop on the right. Self-explanatory, I know. Our own little prize corner," James said, then gave a warm laugh like it was a good joke. Natalie and Fritz managed chuckles while Mike was absolutely deadpan. "Now on this other side, we have our fabulous Faz-Pad café. Not for the children, of course, but for the parents to decompress and give their kids a little freedom."

"Nothing settles my nerves like a cup of coffee," Mike said sardonically. Though in hindsight, coffee did seem to take the edge off for him, but that was probably his budding caffeine addiction. "Where's the animatronics?"

"Still in their rooms, unfortunately. Still working out the last kinks- or shall we say, working out those last-minute jitters. Once we open, they'll be right out on stage! Though not for long. Our animatronics are highly advanced- as are yours- and are fully capable of walking the establishment, greeting children, getting involved in all the fun. We haven't turned on their pathfinding yet, but we have gone through plenty of tests and is shaping up to be a rather impressive system!" James explained. "Of course, our main staff are also automated."

"What do you mean by that?" Fritz asked with a tinge of dread in his voice. "Like, fully optimized vending machines automation or actual automated staff?"

"Instead of employees, we are implementing Staff bots to take over the menial labor tasks," James explained. Fritz's eyes popped open, and Mike felt himself clench inwardly. It didn't get any better as James continued. "Our server and staff bots can deliver food, clean up spills, exchange tickets for prizes, and so on and so forth. It is a life saver- because of this, we've been able to cut down on human workers dramatically. Which is a relief, as we've already had problems."

"Problems?" Fritz asked. The growing sinking feeling was evident in his voice. "Like what?"

"Well, for starters. Both our foreman and our lead technician left without warning, we have had two pipes burst and flood the sewers on two separate occasions, and we've already had to recycle a bot from the playground area."

"What was it doing?" Mike asked. Unease and concern settled in his gut for an animatronic he didn't know anything about. Though when he said playground area it immediately made him think of Marionette, made him protective.

"Oh, it wasn't doing much of anything. Someone came in after hours- more than once, mind you- and vandalized it! It got to the point where we repaired the thing… six or seven times! It finally got to the point where the repair team was saying it was a lost cause. But mark my words, we will find whoever did this! He owes me a sun!"

Mike and Fritz exchanged another concerned look, Mike of disbelief and Fritz teeth clenched. A creeping fear fell over Jeremy who noticed how familiar that sounded. Natalie was looking at him in concern, standing beside him in the back and noticing his look, so he leaned in and simply whispered, "Mangle." She understood right away and gave a sympathetic hiss.

James continued the tour unaffected. He stepped up onto the purple carpeted steps behind the Freddy statue. "Now if we take these stairs, we'll be led to the lobby hall that connects with the daycare-."

"Hey, don't take anyone in the elevator! There's a funky smell in there and we're not sure it's not a gas leak!"

James was cut off to dead silence with his arm still poised out as though in explanation. Up on the second floor, right outside the café area, was a man in what looked like a technician jumpsuit with a Freddy face logo on his hat. He looked somewhere in his thirties with fuzzy, fluffy, almost wolfman styled brunette beard and sideburns. Looked a bit stocky, was probably shorter than most of them.

As soon he appeared, he was gone, and Mike looked from him and back to James and got a slight smirk at the look on his face. He could tell that this was the closest James had ever gotten to wanting to die.

Eventually he managed a smile and nod and looked back at Mike, giving a quiet, "That's Chaz, our current most experienced technician."

"Sounds about right," Mike answered. He gestured ahead and James gave a defeated sort of nod and continued on.

"Now far to the right are the doors to our Superstar Daycare. Where the younger tots can have just as much fun as their older siblings, and their parents get a break from them," James lightly joked. "Do any of you have any kids?"

"Not yet, but we're thinking about it," Fritz said, reaching to put an arm around Natalie. It looked casual, but she could tell that his nerves were frayed. "Someday."

"You know, once we get married," Natalie said, sending Fritz a playing glint and shaking her left hand out. Fritz got an equally amused and unamused look.

"What about you two?"

"Sort of. My boyfriend's sister lives with us," Mike said with no inflection. He looked at James' face, daring him to make a comment, but he didn't really react. He gestured to Jeremy, "Jeremy has a small army."

"I, uh, I adopted a lot of… siblings from a bad home," Jeremy fumbled to explain. He then elbowed Mike in the side when he was sure James wasn't looking.

"That is wonderful, it really is. In fact, you should bring them by sometime! I'll give you a free daycare pass and you just come by whenever you feel like it- once we're open, of course," James offered.

"Great. Sure, why not?" Jeremy vaguely answered, trying to sound appreciative. This seemed like enough for James who proceeded to lead them into an elevator where they took a short trip upwards. One that was painfully quiet.

There were posters on the wall. Fazer Blaster, probably some sort of shooting game, Mazercise, looked like a gym or something, Monty's Gator Golf, the only thing Mike felt any real intimidation from, and one for Kids Cove. Something that Mike almost leapt on until he remembered that Kids Cove was technically originally a Freddy's term. Not something he was going to dispute.

Besides, he had bigger problems. Or he did once the elevator doors opened, and he found himself staring out at something much worse.

"And here we are at the main atrium! The heart of Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex!"

The atrium was huge, beyond even the front room in size. Large walkways looked down upon a sizable dining hall made to branch out into various other locations. Neon advertisements and idle screens were everywhere, bathing the room in an overly bright glow- which didn't contrast well with the sunlight coming through the windows high above. There was a stage on the far side, but it was hard to see it between the lights and distance.

It was a dizzying display, enough to make anyone lightheaded. If the height was the cause instead of the rushing panic of seeing all this room and realizing how many bodies could fit into this tight space.

"Wow," Natalie said. Her mouth had actually dropped open. "How did you afford all this?"

"Ah, well… Barely," James admitted with a chuckle. "But it's set to pay for itself, so budget isn't an issue."

Mike was losing track of the conversation. The massive room narrowed in, and a dull numbness crept up onto his shoulders. His face started to feel tingly, and he forced a deep breath. Though it still didn't feel like enough.

"I'm about to have a panic attack. I'm standing in the world's largest Freddy's and I'm about to have a panic attack. I'm letting Freddy's work me into a panic attack, I'm not even working here, that's so pathetic," Mike's thoughts began to race. "Fritz's going to notice. I've got to get my act together or he's going to see. If I start sweating and they see me sweating in a children's establishment while I'm wearing purple- I bet they're all thinking I'm Michael Afton. If they know who he is."

He had to get this under control. He reached into his jacket and yanked out his cellphone and, before he could get put on the spot, he made up an excuse on the fly.

"I've got to tell Charlie about this. She's never going to believe this place," Mike said. Then he speedily walked a good ways away to a quiet area by the escalator. That seemed to do the trick. James wasn't suspicious, at least. Everyone else noticed it was a little brisk, but they went along with it. Probably assuming he was trying to hold in a surge of unbridled rage.

Mike quickly dialed the pizzeria's number before leaning forward on the railing, clasping his free hand over his face to try and rub away the stress. He kept his eyes clamped shut and listened to the faux-soothing mall music baring down on him.

After a few short rings a bubbly voice answered the phone. "Foxy's Pirate Cove! How can I help you?" It was Louise.

"Hey, it's Mike. Is Mari there? I need to talk to him," he asked.

"He's a little tied up at the moment. Why? Everything okay?"

Paranoia crept in and rather than risk her figuring out something was up, Mike decided to back out quickly. "No, it's fine. Just tell him to call me when he's got a chance."

"Mmm-kay! Can do, Boss," Louise playfully said. She got a slightly more reserved tone and might've cupped the receiver with her palm as she added, "How's it looking over there?"

"It's a disaster."

"Thank goodness!"

"No. I mean for us," Mike corrected. He could hear her hope deflate in the following 'oh'. "I have to go. Pray for me."

He hung up the phone and stood there a moment longer. He didn't exactly feel any better, but it helped him get a grip. Though it was hard to keep that grip when he had to eventually peel back his hand and stare at the atrium beneath. He forced a deep breath and returned to the others.

"When you said a place in the cafeteria, I didn't know you meant you were actually opening an El Chip's in the building," Fritz was in the middle of saying. It was something that James, again, seemed overly delighted by.

"It was Glenn's idea, I swear! The man's got ambition and seems to be having more than a little trouble getting in a steady stream of business where he is," Glenn said. Then, noticing Mike had returned, immediately pounced. "Oh good, you're back! Now then, let's continue the tour."

There went that feeling of cooling off. Mike managed to keep a stoic face as they rode the escalator down to the first floor. He found himself falling behind as they were led towards the front stage.

"Now I'm sure you saw some of our posters hanging around, but we tout a slew of exciting activities for both kids and adults. We have laser tag, miniature golf, bowling, and even a go-kart racetrack! All themed after our new band of Glamrock animatronics, who I won't be able to introduce you to in person just yet. Perhaps if you come to our opening day ceremony!"

It continued on like this for a majority of the tour, with James narrating every grandiose nail in the coffin known as an attraction. Most of what they saw was just the entryways, having to sit through an elevator ride for most of them, but even that little glimpse was enough to get them spooked.

The one they got the best look at being the minigolf course. It was themed like a swamp or jungle and even with the overhead lights all on had a surprisingly on-point atmosphere. Fake trees and vines, sand pits made from ball pits, and a mossy green color scheme stretching from the walls to the carpet. Just seeing it was enough to get the point across that they weren't sparing any expense. They didn't spend long there.

Mike was used to running and still was feeling an uncomfortable burn in his calf muscles as they hiked nearly a mile just to see glimpses of what would eventually be. The place definitely didn't seem ready for opening, but James was insistent that it was just around the corner. At least he didn't have to see any more than he wanted to, which was honestly none of it.

They didn't head up to see the bowling alley, but he noticed a peculiar sign mounted on the wall for it with a calico-colored cartoon rabbit and the words "Bunny Bowl" beside it. Mike nudged Fritz and pointed it out and both decided without words that it was probably a cheap replacement for something Bonnie related.

One of the last places James showed them was Rockstar Row, a hallway set up almost like a little museum. Some replications of old Freddy memorabilia were trapped in glass cases and there were a few cut-outs of the band, but they weren't the most important thing. There were four singled out rooms, each with a large window that was blocked by a curtain and a few character-specific maintenance posters, and each with a little entryway. James was happy to explain.

"This would be Rockstar Row, and these are the green rooms. Freddy and his band each have one where you can see them between shows and even get an exclusive photo with your favorite character! Isn't that charming? That was Nel's idea. I think the children will love it."

"That is pretty neat. Why are the curtains shut?" Natalie asked.

"Maintenance reasons. Specifically, we're going to make absolutely sure the band's to-." James was cutoff mid-sentence by Mike's phone ringing. The man raised a finger in dismissal and fell back behind Jeremy and Natalie to answer. The man waved him off and continued on, "That the band's totally ready for showtime. We don't want any more surprises. Especially none that possible investors might see." He raised his brows knowingly at Fritz who nodded.

Now back out of hearing range, and with James taking off on another tangent, Mike answered his phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, my love,~" Marionette's melodic voice trilled through the phone. "How are you holding up?"

Mike barely withheld a relieved exhale. "You better keep whispering sweet nothings in my ear, because I'm about to lose my shhh-." Mike noticed Natalie look back at him and realized he was being a little too loud. "Shhhoes…" he finished. Then after a second, quietly tacked on, "Right up Freddy's ass."

Jeremy choked on a snicker.

"Oh dear. That bad?"

"Pretty much." Mike almost said more before holding back. "I don't want to stress you out when you're about to perform for a birthday."

"Don't worry about it! The party wrapped up a while ago. Now it's just Chrissy and I, and she's getting in a few rounds of Fruity Maze. I'm in the office so nobody will notice," Marionette assured. He could tell that Mike was bothered more than he let on, so he continued to encourage him. Half curious and half aware that Mike wouldn't have called for nothing. "Tell me about it."

With a slow sigh, Mike gave in. "Well, for starters, they're keeping their animatronics in glass enclosures."

"Do you mean like tanks or that they have glass around the stage?"

"Like animatronic-sized fish tanks. Down to them being on full display for kids to come by and tap on the glass."

"Huh… That is a bit odd." Concerning was a better word, but he decided not to say it even though they both knew he was thinking it. "Have you seen them?"

"Only on posters. For an open house, they're sure holding back on the goods," Mike muttered suspiciously. He sent a narrowed glance at the back of James' head. "That's not all. They've already scrapped an animatronic. Apparently, someone kept coming it and vandalizing it after hours."

That was a major red flag. Mike could literally hear that flag popping up with a startled chime, but once again the puppet was able to compose himself. "Do you think it might've been self-inflicted?"

"The thought crossed my mind. At this point anything's possible," he mumbled again. He couldn't take the distaste and paranoia out of his voice. Something about James was starting to rub him the wrong way; maybe how phony his act was.

"…But that's enough of that. Tell me about the pizzeria itself. Paint me an exciting picture!" Marionette said, steering the conversation in a hopefully lighter direction. Though Mike found himself even more hesitant to go down that path. He could hear the office chair squeak as Marionette leaned forward onto the desk.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. Just know it's not looking great for us," Mike vaguely answered.

"How bad is it looking?"

"Let's put it this way: Foxy's in its entirety could fit inside the atrium alone and they would still have room for the bowling alley,"

"…There's a bowling alley?! Imagine: if you got a job as a night guard, we could sneak in and bowl as much as we wanted!" Marionette chirped playfully. "…Though it might be hard trying to bowl over my dead body."

Mike scoffed at the idea and listened to the light chime through the speaker. Marionette was, as usually, more than a little comforting, but it was hard to shake that foreboding feeling. Suddenly he regretted calling him. Not because it didn't help, it did, but because he didn't want to work him into worry. He had been mercifully accepting of this whole thing and whether that was denial, or a fiercely unwavering optimism was yet to be seen.

"If there's one thing in our favor, it's that this place is a lot more like an amusement park than any kind of pizzeria. I'm betting it costs a fortune to get in. You'd blow your kid's college fund paying for a birthday package… So, maybe it's not going to sink us. It's not going to help our numbers, we're going to take a hit either way, but we could still be looking at enough business to stay afloat."

Marionette gave a positive chime, though Mike noticed it was a little more subdued than a real joyous chirp. Not enough, he decided. He got an idea and a slow smile appeared.

"But the one thing that'll save us is the animatronics. Ours look a lot better, a lot more friendly, downright adorable. Especially that one we've got hung up over in the prize corner," he said quiet enough that none of the other would hear. He could hear the trill on the other side. "…And don't get me started on the fox. Real hot stuff, he could batten down me hatches any day."

"This would be an excellent time to tell you Foxy's in here," Marionette said coyly. Mike's mouth instantly snapped shut. "…He's not, by the way. You dodged quite a bullet."

"You've got to warn me before you joke like that. Almost gave me a heart attack in front of the competition. Any sign of weakness and they'll swarm me like a flock of vultures," Mike retorted. Marionette gave a short, chiming laugh. "My point is that if we have to become budget Freddy's to stay afloat, I'm willing to do that. I've worked at Freddy's; I have no dignity."

"I caught a slice of pizza top down today and still haven't gotten the grease off my hand. Dignity, what's that?" Marionette mused playfully.

"It's keeping your head held high as you peel the cheese off your first-degree burns."

Mike was actually starting to feel better. Which was saying a lot as they had walked back into the atrium and were heading towards the front. Here he was facing all this again, but this time he was backed away from Wight's shlock and instead listening to Marionette's soothing assurances. It couldn't erase what he was looking at or what they would no doubt go through in the coming months, but for the moment he was composed.

"We'll head right up this escalator and be back at the elevators to the lobby. Just a hop, skip, and a jump now," he heard James say. This meant yet another elevator ride and after a moment of consideration, he decided he had to end the call.

"Sorry to cut you off but it sounds like we're heading back to the lobby. I'll have to call you back," Mike forewarned.

"That's alright. We can talk more as soon as you get back to Foxy's. Unless you need me before then!"

"Sure," Mike said with an amused smile. "…If it's still open by time I get there."

"Don't be so melodramatic... And Mike?"

"Yes, Mari?"

"It's going to be okay. We always pull through; this is no different. Freddy's is far from perfect; you just have to keep an eye out for the cracks."

It was almost jarring how quickly Marionette could go from lighthearted to that gentle seriousness, but it was appreciated. Mike took a quick look around at his surrounding, at the unfinished attractions, at the missing animatronics.

"I think I'm already seeing them," he agreed. "Alright, got to go. Love you."

Marionette gave a warbling reply in return and the call was ended. He still took a minute before he caught up with everyone else, putting his hands in his jacket pockets and looking around at the atrium. It was still just as intimidating, but there was something wrong. He just knew something was off about this place- though maybe it was just wishful thinking.

After yet another elevator ride- there was a crack in and of itself- the tour looped back out into the main lobby, the one with the fountain and the large Freddy statue.

"And here we are back to the beginning," James said as they reached the bottom of the steps. He spun around to face the group with his hands eagerly clasped together. "Now then, what did you think?"

"Your overhead must be massive," Mike bluntly stated. This got a laugh out of James and he looked to Fritz, beckoning him to say something.

"It's really something. Its bigger than any Freddy's I've ever heard of," Fritz offered. "And from what you've said and what we've seen, at least on posters and statues, the animatronics look pretty advanced. That's always a plus."

"Not really approachable for kids, but they look good at a distance," Mike quipped. The insult flew right over James' head. "Of course we didn't SEE them."

"Wonderful, wonderful," he said. He clasped his hands and looked between them. "Then what do you say we get down to business?" Fritz could feel the hairs stand up on the back of his neck at the suggestion.

"Is your giftshop open?" Jeremy suddenly piped up. All three men looked to him and he got a half smile. "It- I thought it looked open and I thought I'd get something for the kids."

Actually no, this was something they discussed before coming in about seeing if one of them could get into the gift shop and get a look at the stuff inside, to see if any characters were 'accidentally' not shown to them. James didn't even bat an eye at the suggestion.

"Go right ahead! The automated systems aren't up yet, but we do have someone in there just in case anyone wanted to take a piece of Freddy's home with them already," James announced proudly. Jeremy thanked him and started walking off, only to get stopped by Mike catching his arm.

"Hey, wait," he whispered. Not removing his gaze from James, he stealthily shoved his hand in his pocket and grabbed his wallet. He pulled out a couple of fives and put them in Jeremy's hand. "Grab Mari something?" he asked. Jeremy gave him a thumbs up and continued on his way.

"I'll go with him. Make sure he doesn't get lost," Natalie joked. She kissed Fritz on the cheek and followed off towards the gift shop, leaving Mike and Fritz with James.

"Now we'll still be able to discuss matters without Mister…?" James trailed off. Making a hand rolling gesture like he was trying to remember Jeremy's name.

"Fitzgerald, and yeah, it's fine. We're the ones who handle more of the business decisions. Not saying Jeremy doesn't have an equal say, but he's… You've met him. He's quiet," Fritz tried to explain. Mike raised a brow at him, and he ignored it.

"Perfect. Let's step into the café. Whatever you want, consider it my treat."

Next thing Mike knew, he, Fritz, and James were all seated at a booth in the Faz-Pad. Like with the gift shop, there was a human employee stationed there, but he didn't seem to be doing much. Instead sitting at a different table working on a crossword book, waiting for eventual customers to show up. By then, the three had already been given coffee. "On the house" as James had insisted.

The coffee was alright. Mike had to dump some cream and sugar into it to give it some taste, but the fact that it wasn't some kind of spectacular blend that they were touting was enough to make up how flavorless it was.

"Now it may be close to opening, but I am willing to offer you the same deal we offered El Chip's. We can make room for a full Foxy's here in Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex," James eagerly offered.

"That's not happening," Mike immediately shot down. Fritz was startled by and unsurprised by his bluntness and tried to smooth it over.

"We're not looking to open a second location right now. We're doing fine, we're turning a great profit, but managing a second Foxy's isn't on the agenda."

"Why are you so interested in getting Foxy's in here anyways? Half of your first floor is dedicated to selling pizza and other than Kids Cove, there's no ocean or sailing themes anywhere that I saw," Mike pointed out. "You've already got El Chip's and from what you've said, this amazing band of high-tech, brand-new animatronics. Why want Foxy's? This can't just be about PR."

"…As a matter of fact, it really is," James admitted. His voice fell, probably more with embarrassment than anything resembling empathy or guilt. "We have been having difficulty getting the public interested in the new Freddy's. Even though we truly are high-tech and brand-new ourselves. It doesn't help that when we chose this location, we weren't aware of the… incident that occurred nearby."

"…You weren't aware that five Freddys' opened and closed suspiciously around the time when numerous children and employees miraculously 'disappeared'?" Mike asked in blunt disbelief.

"No, no, not that! Not those… Not whatever that was, no. I'm talking about the more recent incident at that theater and arcade that was down here on the highway. When that maniac killed a woman and took children hostage. Not only is it terribly bad timing to put a location here when that's still fresh on the mind, but that young woman was the daughter of Henry Johnson, one of the original founders of Freddy's."

"I know," Mike said soberly.

"He really knows. He was the 'local hero' who found the kids and brought her home," Fritz said matter-of-factly. Mike's eyes flicked up from his coffee to judge James' reaction. He looked startled; perhaps he really hadn't known.

"I… Did not know that. How are you holding up?"

"I'm alive. There's that."

"Ah, I see… I'm terribly sorry for what you must've gone through," James said. He did sound sincere, but Mike couldn't help but think cynically. That the only reason he felt bad for him was because he was a possible partner. He probably didn't think twice about those kids. Or the ones they glossed over when they built this place in spite of all the death surrounding Freddy's.

At least Foxy's was being run by some of those victims, getting their blessings while working towards being an actual, safe, functioning business for children. The thought of Foxy's going back on that to help Freddy's- who were possibly already mistreating their animatronics- was straight up sickening. Mike wasn't even going to pretend he was considering it now.

"Look, we really appreciate the offer, but I don't foresee us ever agreeing to any sort of deal between Foxy's and Freddy's. Foxy's deviated from Freddy's for a reason and going back on those principles would be us selling out. Sorry, but no," Mike swiftly and firmly declined. He left no room for negotiation. That was his final word, and he didn't care how much it upset Wight. He was lucky he was being as civil as he was.

But unfortunately, just like before, Fritz decided to chime up.

"But that doesn't mean that we won't maybe be up to other offers in the future. We're just not looking to open a second Foxy's," Fritz clarified.

"We're also not looking to get the rights to Foxy tangled up, so chances of us spontaneously deciding to put Foxy memorabilia in Freddy's will probably never see the light of day," Mike retorted. "That would cover any other offer."

"Unless we would be able to hold full rights and, I don't know, full revenue from whatever it was. Like if we had a, uh… Foxy merch kart somewhere down in the atrium wherever," Fritz suggested.

Mike knew what he was doing but this time wasn't nearly on board. James already got a smile back, like he was already calculating his next sales pitch in the back of his head. Mike needed to shut that down now, but he couldn't when Fritz kept coming up behind him and talking about future scenarios that were never going to happen. This guy was already the type who was willing to keep bartering through a no, Fritz wasn't helping.

Thankfully, before they could devolve any further, James must've gotten the picture and raised his hands.

"I understand. How about we just keep the lines of communication open and leave it on a "maybe". Who knows? Perhaps you will come see the Pizzaplex when it's opened and if you like what you see, we can work out an arrangement," James offered. His tone hadn't changed much from earlier. Obviously, he was under the impression that he could still get what he wanted, which was absolutely not the impression Mike wanted to leave him with.

If Mike had been keeping his cool earlier, he was downright chilly after that. The frost icing the edge of every word, and Fritz could feel them aimed in his direction. He grinned and bear-ed it, just glad they were remaining civil.

Elsewhere, things were going a little better for Natalie and Jeremy.

The Glamrock Giftshop was something but wasn't as glorious as either Jeremy or Natalie was expecting. It was certainly bigger than Foxy's moderate sized prize corner, but it didn't look very full or seem to have too much variety. There were plushies and stylized drinking glasses, a few shirts, and sweaters on the back wall, but nothing like even what Jeremy was wearing.

"Weird. I expected more than this," Natalie said, matching his thoughts exactly.

"I know. Maybe they're not done setting it up?" Jeremy offered. She shrugged and nodded, and then they headed further inside.

There was a woman standing behind the check-out counter. She had a pale complexion and shoulder length wavy brown hair and was wearing a blue shirt with a Pizzaplex logo. Obviously one of the staff members. Natalie acknowledged her with a smile before looking over the shelves of plush toys. Freddy, Chica, the alligator, and the wolf all had toys lined up here. She found this a little strange, expecting there to be more than this.

Jeremy was the first to spot an outlier. There were a couple of jester-looking dolls propped on a higher self, one yellow with a sun shaped face and one blue with a moon one.

"This must be that sun he was talking about," Jeremy said. He picked it up and looked it over. "It's kind of cute. What do you think?"

"Aww, he is," Natalie said. She then spotted the moon and picked it up. "Look at this little guy. He's precious," she said. Though then she furrowed her brows and quietly asked, "Wait, so he said the sun was scrapped. Does this mean they're still selling the merchandise with no sun?"

"Huh," was all Jeremy answered with. Though if that was true, that was kind of sad for the lonely moon. Assuming it was alive, which he really hoped not.

"A-Actually, there's not a sun and moon. The sun and moon is the same animatronic, it just flips back from one to the other. The toys are kind of deceiving," a voice chimed up. Natalie looked back to see the woman edging around the counter. She had a mousy smile and took the look as an invitation to come over. "It's over in the daycare. In fact, that's technically its name, the 'Daycare Attendant'. Which is kinda weird. I mean, I would've named them after the candy at least."

"There's candy?" Jeremy asked. She nodded and pointed towards the counter, and he leaned sideways to see past Natalie and spotted the display of candy he missed on the way in. It didn't take him long to spot the little wrapped yellow and blue candies in tubs at the bottom. The Bidybabs would love those; he wondered if they sold them by the tubs. Though he recognized the name on one of them. "I didn't know Freddy's owned Moondrop candy."

"They don't. Or they didn't. I don't really know. I think they came from, uh… Lally's Lollies? Something like that," the woman said. She fluffed at her hair while watching Jeremy slide by to get some, but then her eyes caught a closer look at his shirt and she followed him, peeking over his attire. She got a tiny, amused smile. "Big fan of Foxy's?"

"Sort of. Partial owner," Jeremy admitted. She popped back in surprise.

"Oh! Oh wow, I just thought you were really into them," she said. She seemed both in awe and slightly intimidated by it, but her smile returned. "I think Foxy's is great. How it has that sort of old Freddy feel. All of this is kind of… a lot. It misses that feel, that down-home diner feel, and the old characters were just so great," she chattered before catching herself. "Sorry, I just- I don't really get a chance to talk about the old Freddy's."

"Don't be sorry! We take that as a compliment," Natalie reassured her in a friendly tone. She offered her hand. "I'm Natalie and this is Jeremy. We both work at Foxy's."

"It's nice to meet you!" Her smile seemed to regain its luster as she took her hand and shook it. "I'm Ness."

She shook Jeremy's too before Natalie took the liberty of both bluntly and quietly asking, "Okay, so what's wrong with the wolf and gator guy?"

"It's not exactly them. I don't really think they're great, but they're okay enough, I guess. No Foxy and Bonnie. It's what they did to Freddy and Chica- well, I guess Freddy's okay enough. The old Freddy had that sweet teddy bear look and this one's just a little… Not… And it's worse with Chica." She glanced at the doors to make sure nobody was listening. Probably didn't want James to hear her.

"What did they do to Chica?" Jeremy asked curiously.

"Okay, so, don't tell anyone, because I probably shouldn't be saying this…" Ness mumbled under her breath. "But I hate the new Chica."

"Huh. Really? I saw they changed her up a little. Did they change her personality too?"

"YES, so much. It's like- she used to give off this mom feel. This, how do I say it? Downhome cooking, baking in the kitchen with mom feel. Now she's just another rocker. She doesn't even cook anymore. She just, I don't know, eats?"

"That's a pretty impressive talent though. I don't know a lot of people who eat," Jeremy joked. This got a crooked smile from ness and rolled eyes from Natalie. "But I get it. Chica used to the sweet one of the group, cupcake included."

"That's really a shame. Chica used to be one of my favorites," Natalie sympathized.

"Mine's Bonnie. He's not doing much better…" Ness added in. She looked at Jeremy's shirt again and smiled again. "But it looks like Foxy's doing pretty good for himself."

Jeremy wasn't sure why his face filled with heat at that. There was no way she could know the hidden contest in those words, so it was all him. Made only worse that he was effectively drenched in his merchandise. "That's the plan!"

They came over to the counter so they could be checked out. She rung up both sun and moon dolls and a handful of each kind of candy, tapped a few buttons, and announced, "That'll be twenty-nine dollars twenty cents."

Jeremy's jaw almost dropped at the price. He looked down at the toys and candy for a long second, eyes sliding between them, and then, expression still shocked and befuddled, got out his wallet and silently pulled out the allotted amount. He counted it out and handed it over to Ness and only then, expression now defeated, turned to Natalie.

"Remind me to get a couple more bucks from Mike." Natalie didn't know whether to be sympathetic or amused, so she was both. Then bought herself a moon too.

The two sat down on the edge of the Freddy fountain as they waited for the others. The moment they sat down, Jeremy started scanning the receipt and Natalie made a little 'hmph' noise at seeing it. Then looked past him to make sure Ness wasn't looking out of the gift shop to see it, or how they were just sitting here doing nothing. Thankfully, it seemed that she stayed in the back of the store.

"She was nice," Natalie said, attempting to make small talk. "…What's that short for, Agnes?"

"That or Vanessa," Jeremy offered. Now crumpling up the receipt and shoving it in his pocket, then unravelling a piece of the yellow candy. Saying, "Give me some of that sweet, sweet pep," under his breath.

"Oh right! Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. It's way more modern," Natalie added. Jeremy finally peeled the wrapper open and popped a creamy orange candy in his mouth. Then he offered one to her. "Are you sure? They weren't cheap," she reminded, but he nodded unbothered, and she accepted it.

They fell into a comfortable silent that lasted for a while until they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. They looked over to see Mike and Fritz walking side by side with James following up behind them. Mike with an annoyed look and Fritz with a sheepish or defeated one. Both could tell that something must've gone wrong but didn't ask with James looming over their shoulders.

Before they could leave the lobby, James stepped into a room beneath the café and returned with four free day passes and a daycare pass. The day passes carrying the Freddy logo while the daycare pass had cartoon sun and moon faces on it. These were, as they would be, one last incentive to butter them up before he wished them a rather friendly goodbye and went to greet another small group who wasn't there before.

Mike picked up speed once they got outside and it was more apparent that he was upset. Natalie also quickened her pace to catch up with Fritz and raise her brows questioningly. He gave a guilty smile and she put an arm around him for assurance until they got into the car. Mike was in his seat with the door closed before most of them got in.

That was when a doll dropped into his lap from over his shoulder. He looked down to see the moon staring up at him and picked it up.

"Huh," he said. He turned it over in his hand, looking at the details, and then asked, "Was there a Sun?" Which was answered by Jeremy sticking it out between the seats. "…Someone must've missed the memo on the sun's untimely passing."

Jeremy gave a little scoffing sort of chuckle before noticing Natalie waving for his attention.

"What about the two bucks?" she mouthed. Jeremy's smile tightened and he gave a quick shake of his head. She got the message and dropped it.

Fritz got in and got the keys in the ignition before sitting back in the seat. He sat there for a long moment before quietly asking, "Are we going to talk about it?"

Mike sent him a flat look. "Your disappearing backbone? Sure! By the way, what happened back there? I gave us three or four outs and every time you dragged us back in."

"Not that. About how much Wight looks like Fredrick," Fritz said through his teeth.

This took Mike off-guard, and he actually paused to consider it, only to come to an alarming revelation once he thought about it. Something about the facial hair, the facial structure, the teeth.

"…You're right," he admitted. Frustration melted away into a sort of shock mixed with the slightest edge of dread. As though it couldn't get worse. "But that's just a coincidence."

"I think so. Has to be," Fritz said. His uneased look said differently, but his words sounded confident. "I've met a lot of people who've looked like Fredrick. It's just easier to connect dots that aren't there when it's in a place like this."

"He was trying to blend in. Trying to look as inconspicuous as he could," Mike reminded, to which Fritz nodded. Though after a moment he glanced over and asked, "He ever mention any living relatives?"

"Uh, none that I know of. Scott might know… Should we ask Scott?" Fritz asked. Mike got an unsure look. "Right, best we didn't. We don't want him getting worked up over nothing." There was a long, uncomfortable pause before he sighed and added, "I'm sorry I was pandering to him, but I got spooked. I just know that Freddy's used to be cutthroat, and if we keep him thinking we might cave then he won't try anything… Rash. We'll say rash."

"I know, but I don't want him getting the idea that we can get bought. Or start thinking that we're not on the same page, because then he'll start trying to play us against each other."

"Let's see how well that works out," Fritz said with a slight scoff. It was the first time he had a real smile since they got there, and he took that as a cue to start up the car. When he didn't get a response, he glanced over at Mike while turning around to back out. "Right?" he asked. The other man hummed, and he stopped midway to look back at him with surprise. "Mike, you don't actually think I'd-?"

"No," Mike quickly interjected. "No, I don't. I just… I don't know, I don't trust him. Especially not now that he's Fredrick. Come to find out this is yet another long-lost business partner or something," he muttered.

Fritz wasn't entirely satisfied by this answer, but he looked back to continue backing up. Briefly exchanging looks with Jeremy and Natalie as he did so. That weird silence lingered in the car until they were back on the highway.

Finally, Jeremy spoke up, "So, basically you good cop bad cop'd him," Jeremy remarked from the backseat.

Mike opened his mouth before slowly closing it, deciding he had a point. Fritz filling in with a, "Well, yeah."

The silence returned once again. Now Mike had a moment to think and suddenly it made a little more sense why Fritz had lost his nerve. Noticing something like that would've thrown him off too, if he had noticed it, which he somehow didn't. It was easier to see something when you were looking for it, and when it came to Freddy's they were expecting someone two-faced and sleazy to be leading the way.

"Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it," Natalie volunteered, deciding to clear the air. "…What elevator was Chaz talking about, because they both smelled fine to me?"

"Whichever one leads to the room where they're storing the bodies," Mike chimed up. Natalie wrinkled her nose and gave an unamused glint. Fritz caught them both by surprise with a stifled laugh. "Not the response I was expecting, but sure."

"No, I just-." Fritz flashed him a mischievous smile. "So, I thought you were talking about the Sun and I was trying to figure out what they did to make it smell so bad, and the first thing that came to mind was-."

"Don't finish that or we're getting a divorce," Natalie mock threatened. Fritz paused for about five seconds before adding on.

"You know, there used to be this rule at the old Freddy's…"

"And don't try to slip one past me. I already know about Rule Number Four, from you," Natalie said. That clammed him up, didn't wipe the smile off his face though.

"I mean if you think about it, the Sun's in a daycare, so there's a good chance its already got some on it," Jeremy nonchalantly volunteered. Natalie turned her gaze on him.

"You're not helping," she said flatly. She then looked towards the passenger's seat. "Whatever you're about to say, Mike. Don't."

Mike, who wasn't preparing to say anything, considered it for a moment before chiming in, "Forget the Sun, let's just assume there was a gas leak of some kind in the elevator." Then he sent Natalie a cheeky smile that she didn't appreciate.

Tension dissipating, it was starting to feel easier to breathe in the car. Maybe it was just putting distance between them and the Pizzaplex, or maybe it was just the good company. Mike appreciated them both with how strung-out he was feeling and was glad to feel the knot in his stomach begin to soften up.

Only to tighten right back up when he realized their next stop was breaking the news to Foxy.

Chapter Text

On the plus side, Marionette loved his little moon. He carried it around in a protective hold and coddled it like an old favorite. That was the only positive thing to come out of this.

Everyone was shocked at the news of the Pizzaplex. They realized right away that the four weren't exaggerating about what they saw either. There was too much they said with completely straight and totally shellshocked faces.

Once again, Foxy had taken it the worst. He didn't haywire again, but he did storm off into the back of the men's bathroom to start yelling every obscenity they he know. Like he thought the others wouldn't hear, which they all did. Eventually he came out and dragged himself to his stage to sit on the edge. Jeremy sat down with him while the others went through with cleaning the restaurant for closing.

"It's going to be okay. We'll figure something out," Jeremy assured, arm around Foxy's shoulders. "They charged me twelve dollars for a plush. Parents aren't going to be taking their kids there on a daily basis. Kids aren't going to be able to walk there from school and dump their allowance in the arcade. We'll be fine! We're just… Not going to be the hot spot we used to."

But for Foxy that was even worse. Logically he knew he should've been content with the idea of survival but being cast into the shadow of Freddy's made him want to tear through his own suit. Freddy's ended numerous childhoods, Freddy's tortured and ruined aware animatronics, Freddy's was a living nightmare and got away with all of it, and now here they were to play the role of the hero.

It made him so angry that he was twitching his leg, tapping his foot, and grinding his hook on the edge of the stage. Which Jeremy noticed and could feel the anger. He rubbed soothing circles in his back.

"They're not going to get away with this," he whispered to him. "They might be opening now, but people are going to remember and they're going to get angry."

"Only ones who get angry be us," Foxy muttered. "And there's nothing we can do."

Jeremy didn't say anything to that. He thought about it but didn't have anything else to contribute. Foxy huffed and slumped his head down into his hand with a look of defeat. He got a one-armed hug.

"Want to come home with me tonight?" Jeremy asked. Foxy shook his head. "…Are you sure? I don't think you should be alone…"

"I ain't gonna do nothin' stupid if that's what yer thinkin'," the pirate muttered. "I just want to wallow in me sadness without worryin' how I look."

"…When you say wallow in sadness-?"

"Take off me pirate coat, put on me depression hoodie, and gorge on whatever's left in the fridge… er in the garbage," he grumbled. "An' if I ain't feelin' dead enough, I'll put on some old Freddy movies an' wish I was."

Ah yes, the depression hoodie. The one article of real clothing Foxy owned other than his costume and was used exclusively for moping. Extra, extra-large so it was baggy and loose, and pitch black like his mood. A gift from Jeremy once when Foxy had joked about wearing a hoodie as an angsty teen. Neither realized he was promptly reverting back into said angsty teen anytime soon, but at least he had it.

Though Jeremy still frowned. "Please tell me you're at least pretending about that last part."

"…Yer right, I am. Because I sure ain't the person I be wanting dead," Foxy growled. That was a little livelier. At this point even anger sounded better than him being sad. Jeremy managed the slightest smile.

"I know, but… It could be worse. Don't forget that."

"Yar. It can always get worse."

"No, I didn't say that," Jeremy corrected flatly. He slid in closer to get a better hug while pushing up his glasses with his other hand. "It could always be worse. They're flashier and bigger than us, but they're a stage show. We're the local heroes. You're a local hero. We might not be raking in the dough, but we're right where we want to be. So, no matter what happens, it's going to be okay."

Foxy sat on that thought for a long moment before leaning in to press his head against Jeremy's. A motion that he welcomed and returned. Whatever was going to happen, they were going to get through it together.

…

Until someone decided to take it a step further.

…

The Pizzaplex was still some ways away from opening and there was still a plethora of features that had not been completed. Some attractions were going under last minute renovation, others were just getting tweaks to their system, many of the staff and security bots were not yet up and running, and the main band were still being fine-tuned as the big day steadily grew closer.

The key point though was those security bots. Having learned from the past, the common night guard had been replaced by a fleet of friendly faced robots that would roll around and alert if they spotted something out of the ordinary. Not that they would with the state-of-the-art security system that consisted of numerous security cameras, doors locked with both traditional keys and keycards, and hefty covers for the front entrance to keep everything out after hours.

This wasn't the only security measure though. The front doors, the back doors, the doors to the loading dock, the emergency exits and fire escapes, they were all locked up and sealed. Once the protocols were full in place, numerous doors separating the various attractions would be sealed shut as well. Only to be opened by their own combination of clearance, code, or ticket.

Once the Pizzaplex was open and these measures were put into place, it did it would be the safest, most secure amusement complex in the country. At least, that was the theory. After everything it took to reach this point, the only way Freddy's could survive was if it could avoid any bad publicity. Once those systems were in full effect, it would be foolproof.

Except for one thing. Those systems too were not yet in effect. Whether it was because so many workers had to stay late and come in early or just because of them still trying to implement said features, the security measures on the megaplex had yet to be activated. The doors were locked, and the entrance sealed, the shipping doors closed, the fire escape locked, but everything on the inside was left terribly under-protected.

This was the best possible time for someone to spontaneously decide to break in. Though in his defense, he probably would've found a way in regardless. He was just that determined.

That wasn't to say it was easy. It had been time consuming but not difficult to find a loose vent around back that could be pried open that was big enough to crawl through. In a few short minutes- after finding the vent- that first line of security had been breached and he was crawling into the compound, dragging a small backpack behind him.

Unfortunately for him, this would turn out to be the easy part. After a good fifteen minutes of vents, he found his way out into a storage room and snuck out through an unlocked door into an additional storage room, then found another door that led to a hallway that connected to two sturdy, locked doors and a third unlocked door that turned out to lead back to the first storage room.

He wasted an hour of precious, limited time just trying to find his way out of these crevices of tight space jammed up in the back corner of the Pizzaplex. It got to the point where he had to buck up and climb over some kind of barricade into a section of unfinished hallway, lined with drop clothes and leftover tools. By now he was completely lost and had no sense of bearings, so even if he did give up, he wasn't sure he was getting back out.

Eventually he made it into a small kitchen that looked like it belonged to a snack area, out into a cleaner hallway- one with carpeted floors and posters on the walls and walked himself up to a pair of double doors. He pushed them open and the true image of the Pizzaplex revealed itself to him as he was welcomed into the atrium.

It was nearly pitch dark save some running lights and a few neon signs. He still saw more than he wanted to. He remained dead silent as he trudged out across the carpet and towards the center of the enormous room.

One of the few things that was decently lit up was the main stage. Its running lights were some of the ones that were on, standing out as a partially illuminated pedestal in the darkness. Though again, not complete darkness. The place was too gaudy to ever truly be dark. Even now he could see clashing colors with frantic themes and when paired with the signs that would no doubt be fluorescent neon, it gave the image of something harsh on the eyes.

It also made him stand out as the thing that didn't belong. A figure in dark clothing, save for a dull, red mask that he wore to disguise his identity. In an act of intentional irony, the mask was a figment leftover from Freddy's distant past. The face of a character they no longer owned or could use. He doubted they would think that hard if they saw the footage, but to him it meant everything that he was here for.

He stepped up onto the stage and did a slow spin to look at the large atrium. Just seeing all of this hurt, but it wasn't going to much longer. He spun back around and reached into the child-sized backpack hung on one shoulder to pull out a can of yellow spray paint. He had black too, but this looked like it would show better on the stage. Shame that he hadn't found any red.

He painted bold, large letters across the bottom half of the massive stage with a clear message slowly being written out: "REMEMBER THE MISSING CHILDREN."

Once he was done and had admired his handiwork, he looked around at the massive building for another target. Just the act of committing the vandalization left him jittery and excited, reigniting a long-lost desire to break the rules and show up to authority. It was enthralling. The problem was that the atrium was simply too big for his work. The stage was an easy to see target, but just putting it anywhere wouldn't achieve the desired effect.

That was when he spotted the sign for Rockstar Row. He was looking at all of them- Golf, Arcade, El Chip's- for another sizeable target, but this one caught his attention. Because he was moderately sure he had heard Rockstar Row casually mentioned as being the hallway with the, for lack of a better term, animatronic enclosures. Feeling that defiance swell, he dropped off the stage and headed over.

After a few minutes of, again, walking through nearly pitch-dark hallways, one unfinished and another loaded with ads, he found himself in the Rockstar Row and the covered windows stretched out before him. Like earlier that day, the curtains were drawn, and maintenance posters were slapped on them. He walked to the end, looking at their entryways as he did and getting a good look at the competition.

Freddy himself was a gangly, freakish thing in comparison to the bear he remembered. It hurt just to look at him.

Roxanne Wolf looked suspiciously like a female Silver Fox, though not buffed up like he was and definitely not in captain attire. Probably both a Foxy and Silver Fox clone in one.

Monty looked like that frog thing from Magictime Theater. Thinking that was amusing enough that it was hard to feel intimidated by his cool factor.

Chica was looking pretty cute though. She kind of had a blend of Toy Chica and that Funtime Chica Charlie once talked about and drew a little drawing of. But even then, she still wasn't the real Chica. None of these were the real band.

So, he got out the spray paint and got to work. Writing in big bold letters across the glass as far as he could reach: "FAKE."

Then he moved on to Monty. He had just drawn the 'L' for 'Lame' when he realized that in and of itself was lame. He was trying to spread a real message; he didn't want to ruin his credibility with terminology they could just write him off with. So, he changed it at the last second, and spelled out: "LIES." Because the Pizzaplex was full of them.

He got to Roxanne Wolf and stared at the glass for a long second. Then decided just to write: "SELFISH."

The last one was the special one. He had been preparing for this moment and already knew what he wanted to write. Unfortunately, the yellow was getting low. He noticed it requiring a lot more shaking during the end of that last word and still coming out a little thin. He would have to switch to the black, which in hindsight felt pretty appropriate.

Then he spraypainted smaller letters until he spelled out a name. Then another one nearby. Then another, and another, and as many as he could remember and fit without overlapping in his area of reach. At least a dozen names, some with last names but many without. Names like Chris and Susie, names like Gabriel and Marion, names that people could look up and see connected with Freddy's, and then could remember them all.

Unlike with the others, when he stepped back and looked up at his work, he felt no thrill. It was as though he committed a sin writing those names without their consent. But they would've wanted it, he was sure. They wanted to be heard.

He turned and started back down Rockstar Row with his head aimed down.

There was a loud clank directly behind him.

He spun around instantly and saw that the door to Freddy's room had opened up, but nobody was standing inside the doorway. From this angle, it didn't look like there was anyone inside at all- though he was only seeing a partial corner of the room. Weirdly enough, the lights were on in there, and the room was decorated in a sharp red color scheme. Instead of looking like Freddy's old storage rooms, it was a proper dressing room.

Part of him wanted to slip in and do a little more damage, but he was wary of approach. That door hadn't opened for no reason and instead he found himself walking backwards towards the way he came in. He slipped through under the security door and only then removed his gaze from that general direction.

After an egregiously long amount of walking and an uncomfortable hike up a set of dead escalators, he arrived at the elevator to the lobby and rode down into it. It was slightly brighter in the lobby, but that wasn't doing any favors when he had to look at the massive gold-tone Freddy statue standing in the center. He purposefully looked away with it, groaning inwardly at how much paint he wasted in the other room when he could've used it to blot out Freddy.

But that wasn't important now. What was important was getting his message out there, and he chose the stretch of clean floor in front of the fountain to do it. Shaking the black spray paint can, he thought up exactly what he wanted to say, and then he slowly began to spell it out onto the floor one letter at a time.

"AFTON KILLED US ALL."

Blunt, jarring, self-explanatory to an extent, it was perfect. It wasn't everything he wanted to say, but it was something that would catch eyes and jolt readers into a sense of horror. It was about time someone pointed the blame, and he wasn't afraid to use his name. If anything, there was something empowering about spilling the truth. To drag Freddy's down to his level by revealing their dirty secrets.

That was, until he heard a noise. It was a squeaking, then a metallic swivel, something rolling closer, and he spun around towards the darkness beside the gift shop. He watched as a grey figure slowly wheeled itself out of the darkness.

It was a robot. In fact, it was the most basic and stereotypical robot he had ever seen. Something that looked like it shouldn't even really exist, like a cartoon bot brought out as a stage show character. Except it wasn't on a stage, it was wheeling itself over with some kind of square mop in its hand and began to wipe at the freshly sprayed paint. He was so stunned that it took him a second before he darted forward.

"Cut that out," he hissed, trying his hardest to keep his voice down. The bot didn't even acknowledge him and just continued smearing the letters into a black mess. He strode forward to block his work. "Stop it!"

The bot finally acknowledged him. It stared directly at him and then waved its hand as though trying to get him to move before rolling in again. Starting to edge on frustration and panic, he shoved it back. This turned out to by a mistake as it made some sort of weird alarm noise and began waving its arm like it was flagging something. That edge quickly devolved into actual panic as he ran forward and kneejerk shoved the cleaner bot.

It proceeded to fall backwards and land flat on its back, then began to release an even more obnoxious alarm noise as it tried to push itself up and, once failing, began waving its arms like it was flagging for someone. He knew this was about to get a lot worse and looked around for a way out, not knowing if this alarm was about to call the police or just drag a security guard down here.

He had to shut it up, and that's when he saw the fountain. Get it in the water, short circuit it, problem solved. The thing wasn't acting alive, so it wasn't hurting it, just shutting down a piece of very loud equipment. He grabbed it around the middle, trying to avoid the flailing arms, and started to drag it back towards the water.

When all of a sudden, he heard a bang followed by a stretch of rhythmic thumps. Like a door slamming open followed by rapid footsteps, except there was something very wrong with how heavy and fast they were. It was a dead giveaway immediately that it was not a human running through the outer lobby past the turnstiles. He dropped the cleaner bot and turned his head to look back.

It was Freddy Fazbear himself. Not the one that he remembered, but the one displayed in the golden colored statue behind him. Tall and bulky, with broad shoulders and long legs, and currently running directly at him.

He had never seen a Freddy run that fast and it was so jarring that it startled him. So, his first instinct was to run first and ask questions later. He caught sight of Freddy vaulting clean over the turnstiles before he turned around and made a mad dash back towards the stairs. He could hear those quick footsteps pounding right behind him. It was one of the fastest animatronics he had seen in a long time, but he was about to outrun it.

Or that was the plan before he had to sprint up two flights of stairs. Mercifully, the animatronic was also slowed by the ascent and it gave him enough breathing room to sprint over to and slide into the elevator. He slammed his fist on the button and pulled into the corner, keeping his head down and waiting for the doors to close. The Freddy came to a stop outside the door and made no attempt to reach for him or try to catch the doors.

The doors closed and the elevator began to lower. Now having a moment to think, he was hit by the full weight of what just happened and what he had seen. Freddy had been up and moving on its own volition. It was likely summoned there by the alarm the bot had let off, though that didn't explain why the Freddy was here and not in its room. Though it probably hadn't been in its room earlier or it would've come out when the door opened.

Just the sight of it sent a chill down his back. The tall, gangly, broad-shouldered Freddy was downright spooky in motion, and so fast that one trip-up would've been the end. He had to get out of here fast, and he adjusted his sleeves as the elevator came to a stop and opened its doors a few seconds later.

As soon as they did, he started to run and didn't stop. He ran down the escalators to the lower floor and across the stretch towards the double doors he had first come through. The room was deathly silent save his rapid footsteps and all at once there was a looming dread that he hadn't felt when he first came in. He could be heard very easily in this cavernous room. It had been so long since he actually felt hunted.

He burst through the doors and after only a second to get his bearings started to dash down the hall in what he thought was the direction of the storage room. He had barely made it a few feet before he began to hear something.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP,  THUMP,  THUMP !

Heavy footsteps closed in quickly from a different direction and he was being chased again. He broke into an even more mad dash and was soon going at full speed, a speed where he could've lost the animatronic- if he knew where he was going. The moment he was back in that maze of hallways and storage rooms things started to blur together, and the instinctual flight reflex wasn't helping matters.

All it took was a single mistake. He realized the moment he made it too. He took a right, took a few steps, recognized it as a dead end from earlier, and immediately turned back and tried to run past. He knew the moment he did that that there was no chance, yet he still tried to slide under the clawed hand that reached out from the hallway. It missed his head only to grab ahold his hood and yank upright in an attempt to stop him.

It hoisted him into the air for only a second before he lost his grip and fell straight through the baggy fabric and onto the floor in a heap. He was exposed and he rolled over onto his back prepared to fight for his freedom

But upon seeing him, Freddy had come to an abrupt halt. He hadn't had a chance to really look it in the eyes until now with the glowing irises shining down like a spotlight. Its eyes were flicking over him and while the face didn't show much expression, the jerky motion of them scanning him showed something like confusion, or maybe shock. He looked down at the hand hold his hoodie and watched it slowly tighten, and he couldn't tell if it was reflexive or reaction.

The silence was almost deafening in that hallway. Even the squeaks Freddy once made were absent now that it was standing completely still. Something was keeping it from attacking him, he decided. Maybe because it could see what he really was and didn't understand how to process it.

That was when it took a turn that he wasn't expecting and in one moment everything changed in a way he could've never anticipated.

"Are you… Foxy?"

It spoke. Freddy had spoken, was capable of intelligent speech, and recognized what he was even without his proper head on display. Freddy Fazbear was alive…

…and he had caught Foxy red-handed.

Though that was the least of his problems right now, because as bad as it was to know that he was fully on display- with his disguise quite literally wrenched away from him- it was nothing compared to the dread that came with this revelation.

Someone had already died.

But he was quickly snapped out of that thought and back into intense focus the moment Freddy slightly moved forward. Foxy began to edge back across the floor, his hook raised threateningly in an attempt to ward him off. That didn't detour Freddy who was slowly lowering into a crouch, still watching him closely, as though carefully approaching a feral animal. Which Foxy definitely felt like cornered like this.

Freddy started to lift his opposite hand and that was when Foxy realized he was about to reach for him. That was what triggered those fight or flight reflexes to kick in again. Foxy swiped at the hand, missing it completely but getting Freddy to yank it back before rolling over onto his hands and knees and was up in a mad dash in only a matter of seconds, sprinting down the hallway at full speed.

"Wait! Please do not run away!" Freddy called after him.

His baritone voice only barely resembled the original's which Foxy was familiar with. Rumbly and echoing down the hall around him, and it wasn't too long before that thumping joined in. Freddy was running after him again, though now there was a different kind of fear driving him to run.

Foxy ducked into the first open doorway he saw and into a tight space between two shelves, crouching down and hoping to lose Freddy long enough to figure out where he was going. He had a new problem too. While he was still wearing the sweatpants and garbage bag wrappings around his lower legs, without his hoodie his torso and endoskeleton head were exposed, and the flimsy mask did little to hide it.

It didn't help that he could hear Freddy still stomping around outside the door. It was only made significantly worse when the bear began to call for him.

"I am not going to hurt you! I can help you. Please do not hide from me," Freddy called for him. His speech pattern was stiff, but his tone was emoting significantly more than his features had. There was no denying that he was awake and alert. He sounded concerned, but Foxy couldn't trust it. He wasn't putting himself at the mercy of his own competitor.

That thought left a much more bitter taste in his mouth than he expected. Probably because he wasn't supposed to be alive. That was the whole reason he was trying to sabotage Freddy's, because it was a vile corporate entity that was going to destroy his business. Now there was at least one living animatronic complicating that. He didn't even want to think about what he was going to do if there were more.

Freddy walked into the storage room and looked around before continuing down past the shelves in the opposite direction of Foxy. He was still clutching the hoodie as he searched the room for the other animatronic. Foxy considered making a run for the door at that point, but it was left home and he was behind it, meaning he would be stopped midway through his escape. Eventually he decided the best option was to keep his head down.

It turned out to be the right plan as after only a minute or less Freddy returned. Now he was emoting. His ears were tilted forward and down, and his eyes were lidded with sadness, accompanied by a mock sigh as he came back towards the door. His eyes slid across the shelves in Foxy's direction, and he dropped down to try and hide from it.

The beam fell right over him, with only a few boxes and the shelves saving him from being spotted. Though he did notice that light stay on him a little longer than needed. He stayed completely still.

Then Freddy finally stepped out of the room. Foxy could hear him do something with the doorknob before his heavy footsteps headed down the hall the way they came. He waited for about thirty seconds and listened, noticing that it didn't seem like the bear had gone far but it did sound like he was further down the hall. He began to carefully slide out of his hiding spot, taking careful little steps.

He gently edged the door closed, listening to the dullest squeak and wincing, waiting, and after not hearing the familiar thump, thump, thump slid past the door to leave.

Only to regret it the second he spotted his hoodie hanging on the doorknob. A dead giveaway that Freddy knew he was in here and was baiting him. He almost rushed back to his hiding spot, but he was tight on time and couldn't afford to get himself cornered by the bear again. He carefully pulled it off with his hook and then began to pull it on. His elbow lightly bumped the shelf, he froze instantly, and when there was no reaction, he continued putting it on.

Then he finally stepped out of the door and looked down the hall after where the bear had gone. There was a corner not too far down, about exactly where he heard the footsteps stop. Paranoia seized him as he realized Freddy could be standing right around the corner waiting for any signal to sprint out of his hiding spot and after him. He wasn't about to go hide again, and he didn't want to keep running like a coward. So, he did the best thing he could think of.

He began to slowly creep down the hallway. Keeping his head back to look at that corner, Foxy took gentle steps forward and started to inch away from the door. He was sort of impressed with how quiet he was.

Until Freddy's head suddenly poked out around the corner. Both froze on the spot as their eyes locked in another staring contest. From this reaction and how Freddy was peeking out, it was obvious that he hadn't planned on getting caught.

"Oh, uhm… Excuse me," Freddy said. Then he slowly pulled back behind the corner and was gone. Well, not GONE. Just standing around the corner again.

This bear was going to be the death of him. After he got him caught and ran him out of business.

Though less on edge, Foxy managed to reign himself in enough to regain some self-control. Freddy was, at least, not aggressive, and Foxy didn't want to continue slinking around like he was afraid of him. So, he straightened up his posture, puffy out his chest- in a sense, and held his head high as he walked backwards down the hall without removing his eyes from that corner.

Eventually he backed himself into the right storage room and right into the corner of a shelf, which he grumbled about and finally turned around. There was the vent left wide open for his escape. He ran over and scrambled into it, clawing at the bottom, and dragging himself inside, about to make a clean get away when-

He suddenly realized that he was missing his backpack. His backpack with the spray cans in it and his own face on it, taken straight out of his own merchandise, and now probably sitting between his graffiti and the robot he knocked over.

"Bloody 'ell. Don't even remember takin' off the blasted thing," Foxy muttered. No point in not sliding back into character as he squirmed back and out of the vent. He was about to climb out when he noticed a peculiar amount of light on him, and he knew exactly where it was coming from. That bear was standing somewhere behind him, staring right as his backend. He instantly crawled back in. "Forget it. Ain't goin' back. Nobody's gonna figure it out."

Children disappeared hand over fist at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and nobody ever connected it back to them. What was the likelihood that a Foxy's logo backpack was going to be linked back to the cove?... Honestly, probably rather high, but his disguise was passable enough that it wouldn't be linked to anyone in particular, and there weren't any cameras in the hall where his hood was wrenched out.

This was a bad, bad idea and yet Foxy continued crawling ahead. He felt like he was in quicksand and getting closer to being suffocated. Like he was buried in sand with only his head sticking out, staring up at a sky about to spill forth a torrential downpour. Though to be fair, he had been feeling that one since news of Freddy's opening was spread.

He was just turning the first corner when he heard a clatter from behind and looked back suddenly. Freddy was standing there, as expected, with his hands resting on the edge of the open vent as he stared inside. He opened his mouth like he was preparing to say something, looking down like he was searching for words, but he didn't get enough time. Foxy was getting twitchy and paranoid, and he continued to crawl onwards.

Freddy didn't follow him, much to his surprise, and didn't try to stop him. Maybe he wasn't aware of how far he was going, instead thinking he was hiding somewhere in the building when, in actuality, Foxy was going much further. After crawling back the way he came, he got as far from the pizzeria as fast as he could.

It wasn't until he was walking beside the highway that he started to think about it. He was worn from the trip here and everything that went on inside, so he was forced to keep a steady, slower pace as to not burn himself out before he got back to the pizzeria. This left him with more time to think than he wanted.

And most of that time was spent wondering if he had made a horrible mistake.

The other was about that strange living Freddy Fazbear whose lines he kept running through his mind. It was all so bizarre. It was one thing to lash out at the conglomerate whole of Fazbear Entertainment, but to try and derail the livelihood of another living animatronic? It felt weird. He liked to think that he had the backs of those like him- except the ones that tried to kill him.

Did he actually feel bad about what he did? Not for the business' sake, no bloody way, but for that strange, wide-eyed bear? Maybe, he reluctantly decided. Maybe he did.

But at the end of the day, survival came first.

…

It was a while before he got back to the pizzeria.

By then he was starting to feel the effects of so much prolonged walking. Though not human, his body could not go on forever, and the soreness in his joints was a sign of that. Maybe he was just starting to get a little rusty too. Or maybe he could've paced himself a little better. At least he got off the road long before sunrise, which meant nobody saw the suspicious man in the dark clothes and weird mask hiking down the hallway.

And if they did, they would probably just blame it on the Hurricane Clown. God bless Ennard for being such a menace.

He discarded the trash bags in the kitchen trash and hid the hoodie and sweats in the nook underneath his stage, then slipped his head back on and was back to being Foxy. Though he still felt amped up, twitchy, exhausted, and yet having to pace to work off the nerves leftover from his close encounter. He eventually made a silent, solemn swear that this was it, that he was never doing something like that again, crossing his hook over his heart like it meant something.

Which it didn't. He had the creeping realization right then that he wasn't really in control of himself. He went over there and did something stupid on a whim and saw something he couldn't take back.

It was only a matter of time before he took it too far again. He wondered if Freddy would be waiting for him when did.

Chapter Text

The day had been a pretty typical one. There was a normal flow of patrons, the single party went off without a hitch, and while Foxy was quieter than usual, he didn't seem to be in a depressed funk. So, everything seemed to be relatively alright.

It wasn't until closing time and cleanup had begun that the rather usual day was suddenly turned on its head, and it started with Mike noticing that Carlton was looking out the front windows instead of sweeping around the entrance.

Mike wasn't a stickler when it came to work. As long as it got done, he wasn't going to crack down on Carlton for taking a break or getting in a moment to talk with Charlie or anyone else. It was the fact that the younger man was clearly looking at something outside with such interest that he had stopped in place. Mike, who was leaning against the doorway of the Prize Corner, called to him.

"What's going on out there?" he asked. The redhead looked to him and back through the window, then pointed out.

"My dad just pulled up," Carlton answered. Mike's brows shot up and he walked over to see for himself. Sure enough, there was Clay Burke getting out of his car with a firm look on his face. Clearly not a leisurely visit.

"Ugh, what happened now?" he muttered, and Carlton shrugged. Without another word, Mike walked to the front door and opened it, then greeted Clay with the exact same, "What happened?"

"Someone broke into Freddy's Megaplex and tore up the place."

That one line was enough to knock Mike entirely speechless. He had absolutely no response, instead choosing to just step aside while holding the door open to let the man in.

"I'm taking it from that look it wasn't you," Clay said as he came in. "But there's reason to believe it comes back to Foxy's. Is there somewhere we can speak in private?"

Mike snapped out of his shock and gestured towards the Prize Corner door. "In here," he said as he led him inside. Carlton raised his brows after them before walking off to tell the others. Mike leaned back against the counter with his hands in his pockets, took a deep breath, and very bluntly and grimly asked, "Who was it?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Clay said. Mike quirked a brow, solemn expression quickly receding.

"Wait, so you don't know who it was? Then why do you think they came from here? I know we have bad blood with Freddy's, but we're not the only ones and we've got the most to lose."

"I would agree, but they were wearing a mask that looked like Foxy's face."

Mike let it sink in a second before covering his eyes with one hand and muttering a colorful swear under his breath. He then drew his hand up across his forehead, through his hair, and then pointed with it at an upper shelf. "There they are."

The masks were rather simple and made of a sturdy plastic. There was currently only about ten of them hanging up, with a few Puppet masks and a majority Foxy. The Puppet ones tended to go a bit better, but they weren't nearly as popular as the toys and trinkets were. Clay looked up at them and immediately furrowed his brows.

"These are the only ones you have?" he asked. Mike nodded, and Clay shook his head. "It didn't look like these. I saw the footage myself, the mask had a rounder shape and looked to be made of felt. There wasn't this much detail either."

Clay wasn't looking at Mike, so he didn't see a slow realization pass the younger man's face. He knew exactly what mask he was describing and off the top if his head he couldn't remember who had it last, though he did know who had it first. That wasn't the only realization he had though as he picked up the older man's less than professional way of dropping information.

"This isn't like an official search, is it?" he asked.

"No, it isn't. It's just me trying to figure out what happened before it's out of my hands," Clay confessed. "And to give you heads up in case there is a full investigation."

"What gets the ball rolling on a full investigation?"

"Whether or not Fazbear Entertainment are looking to press charges," Clay said, and Mike hissed through his teeth. "Level with me, Mike. I don't have a search warrant and I'm not turning anyone in. Any idea who could've done this?"

"No clue. This whole thing is news to me," he insisted. Even though he did have a slight suspicion of a lead. Though before he could worry about being called out, a third voice suddenly joined in.

"He was with me all night," Marionette said. Both looked over to see the Puppet rising from his box, with only one of them knowing he was in it. He stood at full height, stance straight and controlled, and turned to Clay with his mask holding its default grin, save the slightest tilt to the eyes. He was always somewhat wary of Burke and this newfound accusation didn't help matters.

"What about you? Did you hear anything?" Clay asked.

"I have not. This is the first time I've heard of any break-in. If anyone said anything or acted suspicious, I would have noticed it, and I certainly wouldn't protect someone who was willing to make us a target," Marionette said firmly. He was believable but Mike recognized that edge of protectiveness in his voice. There was no way that the mask tip had gone over his head.

Clay considered this for a moment before giving a nod. "I trust your judgement. I'll still be asking the rest of the staff, see if any of them flinch under questioning," he said. He began to head out to find Fritz or Jeremy. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a second. Let me just double-check my alibi really quick," Mike answered. Clay didn't take it seriously and continued out, with Marionette slipping out of his box to follow and peeking out the door to make sure he was gone.

He then promptly spun around and faced Mike with an expression of shock and horror.

"It was Foxy."

Either it was the look on Marionette's face or the dire way he said that, but something made Mike burst out with a barely stifled laugh. The Puppet's face fell with an unappreciative frown. "Mike, it's not funny."

"When you say it like that it is. You caught me off-guard," he retorted. He quickly got himself under control. "I think you're onto something with that being Foxy's mask, but I think if Clay was looking close enough to see the texture of it that he would've noticed it was Foxy wearing it. He's not exactly subtle. You've seen the way he walks."

"…Yes, that's true. Foxy could've been wearing a disguise, but it would be hard not to notice something… Especially when we're discussing Clay Burke," Marionette murmured that last part. Fingers tented, eyes cast down, and wariness showing.

"And unless I'm wrong, the last time I saw that mask was in Foxy's room." Mike's smile tightened as the wheels in his head turned to an uncomfortable possibility. "With Jeremy."

"Could Jeremy?" Marionette asked doubtfully.

"I don't know... No, he wouldn't, but I'm going to ask him when Clay's not haunting the place," he said. Honestly, he didn't think Jeremy would do anything like that. The only reason he even suspected him was the mask and because of Jeremy's relationship with Foxy. But as far as he knew, the mask could still be here at the pizzeria. He leaned in and muttered to Marionette, still looking out the door, "Probably Carlton. He has a history of break-ins."

Marionette chimed in strained, awkward laughter. Mike patted him on the back before heading out, with the Puppet following close behind him before taking his hand to accompany him.

The first thing they saw was the look on Fritz's face as he was talking with Clay. There went the last connections on those frayed nerves, they would be lucky if he didn't have a total breakdown. Marionette caught sight of Jeremy's expression, who was standing nearby. He was looking startled by it all, but he didn't have that look of guilt. Marionette leaned in and spoke in a hushed tone.

"I don't think it was him," he said. Mike stole a glance for himself and nodded in agreement. "And there IS a possibility that it wasn't any of us at all." The man looked sidelong at the puppet, who leaned in closer to whisper into his ear. "Fazbear Entertainment has their reputation for ruthlessness for a reason. One day after you turned down their offer and suddenly we're the prime suspect in a crime at their establishment? That is peculiar."

He had a very good point with that one. Enough of one that Mike was going to pass it on to Clay on his way out. Though as said as he had said it, Marionette noticed the drawn curtains on Foxy's stage. That worry and suspicion briefly welled up again before he pushed it down. Mike was right, they would've noticed Foxy on camera.

Clay went around and asked everyone what they knew and found similar shocked reactions to Mike's. He was a good read of people, and he was confident he could've spotted the smallest hint of guilt or fear, but nobody showed it. He headed into the kitchen to ask Tabby. The moment he was out of the room, the three owners and the puppet gathered into a small circle.

"Here comes that lawsuit we've been joking about," Fritz said through clenched teeth, watching the kitchen door. That's as far as he got before Clay came right back out, having got a brisk answer from the cook and being content with it. He looked over the small group momentarily before coming over himself.

"Alright then I'm going to get out of your hair. If you do hear anything then call me, please. I'm not looking for a suspect, I'm just trying to keep a close eye on the situation," Clay said a little more gently. This seemed to ease up Fritz and Mike's concerns a little, Jeremy still looked nervous, and Marionette had that blank smile.

"…What if this is a set-up by Freddy's? We were just down there yesterday rejecting a business deal," Mike asked.

"With Freddy's history, I'd rather that than someone sneaking in afterhours. If you catch my drift," Clay said. "If anyone over there coughs up to it, get it on tape and in my hands and you'll be fine. I'm not taking anything else from them." After a brief pause where he mulled this over, he asked, "What did you see in there?"

"The place is huge, the animatronics are in tanks, they've already got one they dumped," Mike listed off.

"I've got a free pass if you want it," Jeremy chimed up.

Clay sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. Even he looked fed up with all of this and he wasn't the only one. Though he still stayed and listened as the three recounted their semi-tour of the Pizzaplex in full. None of it went ignored either and he found the same little tidbits as they did to be concerning. It was clear that even the police force was wary of the return of Freddy's, at least from how Clay put it.

When they finished up, he started to make hid way out and only delayed so when he noticed Charlie out of her box and speaking to Carlton. They looked to him as he walked up.

"Afternoon, Charlie. How's life treating you?" he asked. There was always an amount of familiarity and concern in his voice when he addressed her over anyone else. She smiled a little despite the circumstances.

"Surviving. When it's not a supermall wiping you out of business it's something else. Like a paper plate shortage," she said. "…Or some guy who decided to advertise your business while committing a bunch of crimes."

"It really is a strange situation. Have you heard anything?" Clay asked. Then added, in what was obviously not seriousness, "If you come clean now, I might be able to arrange a plea with community service."

"You caught me, Clay. I fashioned a Foxy mask out of some curtains and wrote a list of complaints all over their furniture," Charlie said with an edge of snark. She then clarified, "This is the first I've heard of it, and you see how many tables are around my box. The news must've not spread yet."

"I'm thinking this is one of those things Freddy's won't want to get out," Carlton said. "How do you tell people that your security's so lousy that someone broke in before it even opened?"

"Add that to Freddy's history of accidents and disappearances and it's going to look bad. They're already trying to partner up just to make themselves look better," Charlie added.

"That is a very good point…" Clay seemed to get lost in thought for a moment. Charlie slightly tilted her head with a jingle, hoping he would take the message and voice his suspicions, but he didn't. "I'll let you know if I find out anything. Are you coming home after work?" The question was aimed towards his son, who he looked at.

"That's the plan," Carlton said.

"Good, I should be home and have dinner done by then."

"Aww, but Dad I wanted to eat the leftover pizza piled up in the trashcan," Carlton joked, leaning on the broom.

"You might have to fight Foxy for it," Charlie chimed in. She sent a look over to see if Foxy was looking out from his curtain, hoping it caught his attention. His curtain was still closed to an inch, and she dropped her arm with a defeated slump. She thought he would've been all over this, but maybe he was too aware of the possible repercussions.

"Don't give anyone a hard time," Clay reminded Carlton, unenthused by his joke but getting a slight smile. "And be careful driving home. There's a football game at the high school tonight."

Carlton agreed a little more seriously and walked his father to the door before returning to his sweeping as Clay headed out. Charlie sent him a last wave before turning her attention back to the closed curtain. Foxy still hadn't moved.

As soon as Clay's car could be heard driving off, Marionette hovered past Mike and started making a beeline towards the hallway. Saying nothing more than, "Office, now. Follow me."

"You're the boss," Mike answered. He wasn't going to argue with that tone. Fritz and Jeremy looked over, so he pointed at them and then pointed back at the wall with his thumbs, signaling them to follow.

They hastily did, not noticing Foxy peek out from behind his curtain as they headed into the hall and into the office. Charlie did but couldn't read much from it. As soon as the last one stepped through the office door, Fritz, Marionette shut the door behind him- as he had been squeezed behind the door when they came in and almost gave Fritz a start with the quick motion of it- and faced the three men.

"It wasn't any of us," Marionette said. Though it was more of a question than a statement and all three nodded. "Then that means it is either someone out there, someone with an affinity for the business, or someone looking to frame us."

"What do you mean, frame us?" Jeremy asked in confusion.

"He means using the possibility of a lawsuit as leverage," Mike pointed out. Fritz especially got a grim look at that and took a deep breath.

"Guess that means I'm calling Wight back," he said while releasing that breath slowly. He started around the desk to reach the phone. "Unless that's going to be some kind of admission of guilt."

"The mask he mentioned sounds an awful lot like Foxy's old mask," Marionette said grimly. This got a sudden look from Jeremy, but he noticed the unsureness of the puppet's face. "…That being said, as Mike has said, Clay must've been looking close at the footage. He would've had to have noticed if it was him."

"Yeah. Right. You would notice that…" Jeremy said with equal uncertainty. It was more that he wanted to believe it than he did, but just as quickly he started thinking about the entirety of the situation, and that's when he had an epiphany.

"Guys…" Jeremy said with a growing tone of dread. "They're going to think it was me." Mike and Fritz both looked at him with surprise and confusion. "I was wearing all that Foxy stuff yesterday, I left during your big talk, and I was getting in trouble for graffiti all the time as a kid. I got suspended two or three times getting caught 'vandalizing school property'." He paused for comment but the two remained awfully quiet. "…Why are you looking at me like that?"

"We're not," Mike swiftly denied. The blond continued looking between them questioningly. "…Okay, I'll admit that I did have a couple of minutes where I thought you might've done it, but I straightened myself out." The look on Jeremy's face was enough to make him feel guilty. "I'm sorry. You know I trust you," he said more sincerely.

"I know," Jeremy said. "…Was it because of my rap sheet or because I'm with Foxy?"

"Because you're with Foxy, I swear. You know I'd do the same thing for him," Mike said, gesturing to Marionette.

"I never doubted you for a second, Jere," Fritz announced as he found the paper with Wight's number and began to dial it in. "But only because I know you wouldn't have done anything that crazy without us." He then made a motion for the others to quiet as the phone rang through.

"Please put it on speaker," Marionette requested, which Fritz seamlessly did. The Puppet then lowered his voice to address the other two men. "Their hand is now better than ours. We will need to play carefully."

"Is it too late to fold?" Mike flatly asked.

"Y'know when you fold you lose everything, right?" Jeremy asked. There was a tinge of amusement, but still a lingering nervousness in his tone.

"Don't remind me," he muttered.

"Fazbear Entertainment, James Wight speaking."

"Heeey, James. It's me, Sam. A little birdie with a badge told me about what happened over at the Pizzaplex, and I wanted to check in and see what's up," Fritz said in the most charismatic tone he could manage.

"Why, thank you! Really is a terrible shame. Not any lasting damage though. Someone took a spray can to the main stage and Rockstar Row, but I believe it's been cleaned up by now. The bigger issue is finding how they might've gotten in. We couldn't find a single unlocked door to the outside! The fiend must've dropped in through the ceiling!"

"That's rough, but at least it was something you could just clean up. I heard vandalism and the first thing that came to mind was broken windows and a lot of glass." James laughed over the phone. "Mike's here too. He's on speaker."

"Hey."

"Ah, hello! How has it been?"

"Our usual 'get through one day before disaster strikes'," Mike answered.

"So- Okay, that's not the only reason we called. We heard- from this officer- that there was footage and that the person who did this… might've been wearing a Foxy mask. We didn't see it for ourselves-."

"It didn't even match the masks in our Prize Corner. Ours are plastic," Mike chimed in.

"-but this looks bad for us, and we wanted to call and tell you that it wasn't us. We were just discussing business yesterday, we're not going to then turn around and then attack your pizzeria," Fritz insisted.

"And if we did, we wouldn't be advertising our brand."

"Exactly!"

"Oh no, don't you worry about that! I find this all very suspicious too. Some of the things they wrote with paint were… disturbing, to say the least…" James' typically jovial tone dropped to a much more uneased one before adding in, "Don't be afraid of that. I was quite certain it wasn't you two."

That "you two" was caught by everyone in the room. The way he emphasized it meant it was impossible to ignore it and the implications he was suggesting. Maybe it was guilt from his position earlier or just his loyalty towards him, but Mike felt protectiveness towards Jeremy kick in. Though he knew directly bring it up would be suspicious. He had to go another route.

"It's a real shame. Anyway, since we've got you on the phone…" Mike began. He looked at Fritz as though double-checking with him. Fritz gave him the go ahead with a nod. Mike leaned on the desk and finished with, "Let's talk business."

"Really? Certainly! I didn't expect you to change your mind so quickly!"

"I didn't. We were just discussing the deal last night and we have a few questions we were hoping you could square up," Mike quickly corrected. "Is this a bad time?"

"Not at all! Go ahead, what would you like to know? Let me be your window to clarity!"

"Right, that," Mike said, getting a disinterested glaze to his eyes. "First thing's first, the rights to Foxy. We are under no circumstances ever handing over any rights to Foxy, Mari, Lottie, or any other characters. You got any problems with that?"

"Certainly not. El Chip's is the same way. Everything we do with El Chip goes through Glenn beforehand. We own no legal rights to El Chip's… That is, we do have a contract of ownership with the location. But if El Chip's decided to leave the Fazbear family, the restaurant would be immediately rebranded."

"That what happened to Bunny Bowl?" Mike blatantly asked. He got a wicked grin at James' following sputtering and Fritz's violent neck cutting motion.

"I- I assure you- I know what you're thinking and no, we never had any intention of using Bonnie the Bunny, if that's what you think. No, no, Bunny from Bunny Bowl- spelled with an 'i', that is- was an original rabbit character made after we realized we no longer had the rights. She has the spirit of Bonnie, but she's a fresh face for the Freddy gang!"

"But can she do the "Bunni" shuffle?" Mike asked coyly. This was enough to get Marionette to poke him sharply in the back and have Fritz overtake the conversation.

"Okay, so that sounds good. Us keeping our characters and rights I mean," he said. "My question would be: where would you put Foxy in the Pizzaplex? Just off the top of your head from what we've said, where would be the best spot?"

"Excellent question! I was thinking about it and remembered something Mr. Schmidt said. Kids Cove is truly the only ocean or beach themed attraction, and wouldn't you know it, but it is the only attraction that does not have a character mascot!"

That was suspicious. Suspicious enough that Fritz sent Mike a quirked brow, a silent "is he serious?" While Mike looked at Marionette and gestured at the phone is disbelief, a silent "are you hearing this?" Marionette's glare signaled that he did.

"Now it wouldn't require an animatronic, so don't you worry about that. I was thinking of something more subdued. Character cut-outs, posters, perhaps even a painted mural, and then we can have the merchandise cart set right outside the entrance. So that kids might get a Foxy on their way in and out of the play area."

"That's a good idea. That would be great for Foxy to get such a sizeable role," Fritz tentatively said, clearing his throat. "But we're thinking of something smaller to start out with."

"Way smaller," Mike added.

"I see. Well… Well, what about that merchandise cart idea? We could do that on a sort of trial basis and once you see the profits, you can decide on Foxy's role at the Pizzaplex. Better to try something simple than nothing at all!"

"That's a possibility. We'll have to crunch some numbers and see if it'll work for us," Fritz excused, trying to back out of the fake deal as fast as possible. "Give us a few days to talk it over with our guys and then we'll see what's what."

"Wonderful! Take all the time you need."

He sounded certain of that. Marionette noticed and a low noise was beginning to stir in his chest. A sort of humming rattle, like a mix of static and ticking. Nervous and frustrated most likely, and Mike reached back to put an arm around him.

"In the meantime, we'll be… having to take a closer look at our security," James admitted with a sigh. "We were hoping we could get by until all of the measures were online, but now there's some concerns about whether that will be enough. Automation is the wave of the future, but it is also in its infancy. We might need to get a human on-site until we're certain there won't be any more slips."

"Wait, do you mean like a security guard?" Fritz asked.

"Possibly. Likely."

Marionette instantly went rigid at that reveal and looked to Mike out the corner of his eye. He searched his face for any interest and noticed that brow edge again, but no instant draw in his eyes. No spontaneous reaction that showed he was about to pounce… but he was thinking. That motion was enough to show that, and Marionette could only imagine what he was thinking of, bringing the troubled line of his mouth into a worried frown.

A temptation like this didn't come every day, but usually when it did Mike was quick to snatch it. Except in this case, it was something much worse than a week at Hickory Dickory's or a weekend at Chipper's, and harder to resist. He was barely paying attention as Fritz finally went ahead with ending the call.

"Well, we're going to let you go. Hope that all goes well."

"Thank you! I'll be awaiting your next call!"

"Sure, bye." Fritz hung up before he could get dragged back into a conversation. He stared at the phone for a long moment before looking across at the dark-haired man. "…Mike, what just happened?"

"We saved ourselves from becoming a target. As long as Fazbear Entertainment thinks there's a chance of reeling us in, they won't throw us to the sharks," he answered before leaning in. "We didn't make any deals just yet. It's all just talking."

"That's like saying we're not drowning yet, we're just walking on thin ice," Fritz said dryly. It was then that Jeremy leaned in with a raised hand to flag their attention.

"What about him hiring a security guard? I'm pretty sure 'possibly' and 'likely' equal a yes," he said, then proceeded to look directly at Mike. As did everyone else at that second. Mike looked between them before getting a flat look.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'd have to be pretty stupid to try and take a job at Freddy's when the guy running the place already knows my face. I know I've got a bad track record, but I'm not that desperate to get myself almost killed."

"So, you're not going to try for the position?" Marionette asked in surprise.

"You sound disappointed," Mike offered with a quirked brow. To which the puppet's mask broke with a relieved smile.

"On the contrary, that's great to hear! You know I would follow you to the ends of the earth and I would always protect you, and I know you can protect yourself, but… Freddy's holds an amount of danger and uncertainty that I don't ever want you wrapped back up in. At least, not with any kind of binding employment contract," Marionette confessed. He rubbed his arm sheepishly, but his smile remained. "I want you here with me."

"Good, because that's the plan," Mike agreed, getting a smile of his own. "As much as I would love to do reconnaissance from the inside out, I'm not looking to get in that deep. I'll just burn the place down after it closes. Worked last time."

"Try not to say anything like that around Clay. It's a Freddy's, there's a good chance it will spontaneously burn down," Marionette reminded. His perking mood faltering slight with a sigh. "One can only hope."

"Looks like we're in for another round of bad news for Foxy… Let me break it to him alone. Even if it's not a real deal, he's going to think it is," Jeremy said. Nobody argued with that, though it was clear his confidence wasn't all there. "Where do I even start? If I say it first, he's not listening to the rest. If I wait to say it, he's going to take it the wrong way."

"Just tell him that the reason we're even pretending to go along with this is because you are the primary suspect, and if we don't play nice with Freddy's you will be the one who they target," Marionette said. His voice firmed up considerably. Jeremy nodded and started to head out the door.

"Back to thinking it was Foxy?" Mike asked lowly enough that he thought Jeremy wouldn't hear. The blond did in fact hear it and spun around at the door, and the two exchanged a brief stare.

"I can't be too sure. It's still possible that this might be a ruse from Fazbear Entertainment. The timing would be perfect with you turning down his first offer. But I can't ignore that mask, and I can't ignore how frustrated and helpless Foxy must feel about all of this…" Marionette said, voicing dipping in sympathy. Though it quickly slipped to suspicion. "I don't trust Mr. Wight. I can hear that he's covering up something."

"Other than about thirty murders?" Mike flatly asked.

"Yes. An accent," he answered. That was enough to silence Mike as fast as Clay had. While he processed what the puppet meant, Marionette looked back to Jeremy. "But please don't tell Foxy I suspect him, or that any of us do. He's having a hard time right now and if I am wrong, which I might be, it would break his heart a lot more than someone trying to set us up."

Jeremy felt his chest tighten at that and nodded. "I'm going to go do that," he said before heading out the door.

The office was left in an uncomfortable silence. All three occupants left deep in thought and none about the same thing.

"I hope he's not hinting what I think he's hinting," Mike thought. Still looking at Marionette who had his eyes down casted, probably worrying about Foxy. "…Maybe he's imagining it. I already told him James looks like Will, so maybe he got the idea in his head even before he got on the phone. It didn't sound like there was an accent to me."

"Of all the times we could've sent someone in to spy, this time we've got the perfect setup and for some reason we decided to all announce that we worked at Foxy's," Fritz lamented. Then added with more deflation, "Guess it doesn't really matter. It's Fazbear Entertainment, they probably have us all on record." There was another long pause where neither of the others commented, then he popped up from his seat. "Guess it's back to work."

Business as usual, really. The three left and returned to their closing procedures, expecting to get only a little done before Foxy made another run to the bathroom to start barking obscurities.

But Foxy was oddly silent and this time everyone noticed.

While Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex was largely self-sufficient, there were some things that required a human touch. Things such as the business aspect, the marketing side of things, the paperwork, most of that was down outside of the Pizzaplex itself in an office building located right on the edge of St. George. That wasn't to say there wouldn't be some office work happening in the Pizzaplex once it opened, but most of the managerial magic happened here.

This was also where the hiring happened. Typically, they were looking for IT workers, robotics technicians, but even on those fronts they had been cut back now that the Pizzaplex was about to open, leading to a wave of layoffs to cut back on any extra expenses. Except now they needed to hire on a security guard, something that by all accounts wasn't supposedly necessary with the numerous cameras and bots watching over the complex.

But he could get behind that. It only seemed necessary to have a few humans in there to oversee the place at night. Even if it was just one person. A person who he assumed would be something like a retired cop.

Not a young blond with bright eyes and a face of freckles.

By all accounts she was the worst pick for the job and the first candidate to show up, which surprisingly didn't do her any favors. Her inexperience didn't help either. Sure, she had a security guard job on record, but it was for a small company in the next town over. It was nothing compared to keeping an eye on the entire Pizzaplex on her own.

She had only one thing in her favor, but it was quite a doozy. She had a recommendation from a previous manager at a Freddy's establishment and, while Fazbear Entertainment prided themselves with being new and improved, this wasn't the first time they had bowed to previous employees to give them jobs or get references. That was the whole reason Charles, or Chaz as he went, had gotten a job regardless of his history with Freddy's.

Now the hiring manager did not recognize the name of the man who recommended her, but he had a Fazbear email and sent faxes of all sorts of paperwork. Either it was official or a very good forgery, to which he would lean towards the former. The woman was probably a friend or relative looking for what she thought was an easy job.

Technically, with that referral his hands were tied. He was stuck hiring her even against his better judgement. Yet he was still the slightest bit reluctant.

"So, Vanessa, what led you to applying for this position? It's a big job for one person and your work history in this field is… brief compared to other candidates," the interviewer asked. Of course, there hadn't been other candidates, but the only way he would be able to see anymore would be if he could convince her to not take the job. She seemed unbothered by his question.

"I've always loved Freddy's. Back when I was a kid, my family was struggling, and my only escape was going to Freddy's to play games and eat pizza and stuff. I loved it so much, but then Freddy's closed, and things got rough. I had to start working young to help out the family and I've been working ever since. I would love to work at Freddy's. I was planning on applying before, but this is the first job I'm qualified for."

"Right…" The interviewer glanced down at the paperwork again. "But you are aware of what the job entails. Your shift would cover from 11PM to 6AM and you will be expected to do routine rounds through most of the building. It's a much bigger undertaking compared to the job you listed on record."

"I understand that, but I'm in shape and I'm a night owl. I'll manage," Vanessa insisted. She gave him a smile that he returned in a less than convincing fashion.

"Plus, it will be afterhours. None of the attractions will be running and no shows will be playing. You would likely be sitting in silence for hours when you're not doing your rounds. It's not really the Freddy's experience you think it is."

"No problem. I was doing the same thing at my last job. The only difference was it occasionally got broken up by taking rowdy people outside. Watching a quiet building's going to be a lot less stressful."

She was utter determined it seemed, and he wasn't in a position to say no. Maybe he could send a message to Wight and talk him out of it, but right now his hands were tied. He supposed that worst case scenario, she did a poor job and they had to get someone else anyway. That wasn't really his problem. As long as he could get his doubts in writing, he wouldn't be liable if she screwed up.

He finally managed a more realistic smile. "Well, Vanessa, it looks like everything's checked out. I'll have to run it by the higher ups to make sure, but it looks like you're on your way to being part of the Fazbear family."

She barely restrained her excitement as they went through the last of the formalities before she left the building with her head held high. She got into her car and drove out of the parking lot, her smile never leaving her face.

In fact, it only grew more eager as she eventually pulled up into her driveway. She forced a normal face as much as she could and let herself in the front door.

"I'm home!" she called. She made her way into the kitchen area where her boyfriend and friends had been waiting for news. She managed a straight face until that moment when she smiled and gave a triumphant, "I got the job!"

"You did?! That's insane!" Fritz exclaimed. "Not saying I'm surprised, you're way more qualified than most the people they've hired. Including us." He pointed back at Mike, Jeremy, and Scott. None of which argued. "Just that- Wight didn't recognize you?"

"Wight didn't even see me. They had a completely different guy interview me and let me say, I don't think he had any faith in me," Natalie remarked. She smiled towards Scott. "I think Scott's referral is the only thing that sealed the deal."

"Yeah… Glad to help," Scott said. He wasn't looking great, slumped in the armchair with his hands gripping the armrests, voice sounding shaky. "…They didn't, uh, say anything about me, right?"

"Nothing. He didn't even question it," Natalie said, to which he breathed an exhale of partial relief. "But he was seriously questioning me. I wouldn't be surprised if he calls here just to talk me out of it."

"Congrats, Nat. You've finally joined the club," Mike said, coming in to shake her hand with a cocky little smile. Jeremy coming up as well to give her a one-armed hug.

"Thanks! It was worth selling out for the chance of an employee discount. Anybody needs anymore toys or candy? I'm your gal."

"You know it's going to be me and I'm going to use up that whole discount," Jeremy forewarned. "My children demand sun candy- and yes, they put it exactly like that when they asked me."

"Doesn't sound like an ask."

"It isn't."

"I'm really glad this worked out. I'll tell ya, I haven't used that work account since… gosh, it had to be before I left Freddy's. I barely even used it then," Scott explained. He still had that distant look like he was imagining the worst-case scenario of every outcome, which he probably was. Mike, sympathetic and knowing exactly how he felt, reached down, and squeezed his shoulder.

"Take it easy. They don't know where you live," he reminded.

"Uh, right. They don't..." Mike gave a final pat and drew back his hand to stick in his pocket. Scott stared ahead for a moment before pushing up from the armchair. "Well, I should get back to my emotional support clown."

"Are you sure? We're probably going out to celebrate. You're welcome to tag along," Fritz offered. Scott considered this for a second.

"Uh… Maybe. I've got to go home and change, I can't go out in this," he said, gesturing down to his button-down olive sweater, which was arguably the most formal thing being worn in that room. Not that they were going to fight him on it. "…You know, maybe I should come along. I don't want to just go home and hide. Just let me stop by the house, change my shirt, give Ennard and Baby a quick head's up, unplug my phone, and I'll meet you there. Call me about where?"

"On your cell?" Mike asked with a grin. Scott pointed at him as though confirming and headed towards the door.

"Thanks again, Scott. I really owe you one, and don't worry about a thing. I'm not going to say anything about you or any of us once I'm in there. My lips are sealed," Natalie reassured.

"Don't worry about it. Really, you're the first person I've ever recommended who I'd actually recommend. My last one was this guy named Patrick who kept stealing everything he could get his hands on. I felt bad for him, but he'd walk out of the pizzeria with five or six rolls of toilet paper shoved under his jacket. He didn't get laid off until he started emptying out the tip jar," Scott rambled as he made his way to the door, Mike following along with him. "…So, yeah. Call me."

Mike gave him a thumbs up and shut the door behind him. Back in the kitchen, the conversation had continued.

"So, in case they call, what name did you use?" Fritz asked.

"I gave them my cell only, so if they call on the house phone you don't know who I am," Natalie clarified. "And I'm going as Vanessa!"

"…Like Ness?" Jeremy asked in confusion.

"Right! I thought if I used the name of someone already working there, I'd get lost in the crowd. They'll never be sure if it's me or her," Natalie explained. Jeremy gave her a knowingly doubtful look. "…Okay, so I like the name and wanted to try it out. It'll be fine! She works in the gift shop, it's not like we're going to see each other."

"Watch, now that you said that you're going to be on gift shop duty," Fritz remarked. She sent him a look and a little smile.

"I'll make sure to ask when they call to give me my schedule," she said sarcastically. "I'll be going in at eleven and getting home probably around six-thirty, so it looks like we'll be sleeping in shifts."

At that moment something clicked

Fritz had known Natalie was going to do this. They all discussed it beforehand, she had volunteered, and they had all warned and tried to talk her out of it, but she had been adamant that she wanted to do this. Fritz had known well in advance what she was planning on doing and even initially celebrated her getting the job. It wasn't until hearing those hours that it suddenly registered that Natalie got a job at Freddy's.

Compared to Scott and Jeremy's experiences, Fritz's time at Freddy's had been rather tame. Sure, he had to change his name and had a few traumatic memories, but he didn't come out maimed. He handled life post-Freddy's pretty well. Yet the fear that suddenly gripped him when he realized he had let his Natalie get a job at Freddy's was unlike any he had felt before. It was sudden and ruthless, and he fell silent.

Natalie noticed his quietness after a minute. He kept a relatively neutral face so she couldn't see the true extent of his feelings, but she could tell something was bothering him. She slipped an arm around his lower back, catching his attention, and as he turned to her, she gave him a quick kiss and an assuring smile. He returned one, but she could see the nervousness in his eyes.

But that was okay, she decided, because she had already made up her mind.

It was time to put that exercise regimen to good use.

Chapter Text

The day after the interview Natalie got a call confirming that she had gotten the job, and it was the day after that when she was to have her first shift. Both she and Fritz spent that day on the edge of their seats, with their goodbye before she left being a notably long one. She knew he was starting to get cold feet about the idea, but she had made up her mind. She kissed him before she left and wished he could’ve driven with her, but they couldn’t risk it.

She arrived at the Pizzaplex a few minutes before eleven to find the parking lot mostly empty except for a couple of cars. The Pizzaplex was alit like it was open though which made her feel a little less uncomfortable with how dark and foreboding everything was right outside the door. She hurried over and found the front door unlocked, letting herself into the lobby.

Right away, Natalie spotted a man who she assumed was waiting for her. He looked to be on the shorter side, perhaps even shorter than Jeremy, with a chubby build and soft brown hair. He was wearing a jumpsuit similar to the technician they saw during the tour, Chaz, and leaning on the turnstile while talking to someone around the corner. He looked up to see her and she waved at him, and he seemed surprised by her.

“She’s here,” she could hear him say to whoever was nearby before raising a hand in greeting. “Hey. Vanessa, right?” he greeted.

Though before she could answer, the second person stepped out from around the corner to reveal himself as Chaz himself, the technician who had seen her with Fritz, Mike, and Jeremy. She kept up her smile and still continued to walk over even though she was in a panic underneath it. She could just feel herself edging towards a nervous sweat, waiting for that look of familiarity.

“So, you’re the new night guard! I’m Chaz, that’s Stanley. How’s it going?” he greeted in a friendly fashion. He grabbed her hand in a bold shake and for a second it seemed like he didn’t recognize her. She had just started to dare relief when he suddenly stopped. “…Do I know you? I swear I’ve seen you before,” he said with more curiosity than suspicion.

“Nope! Not that I remember. Maybe you saw me somewhere?” Natalie asked, trying to keep her cool. He studied her for a moment longer before shrugging.

“Eh, maybe. But let’s get this show on the road. We’ve got an hour before this whole place locks down and that’s barely enough time to show you the ropes. C’mon.” He released her hand and motioned for her to follow him. Stanley followed from the back as he led her through the door under the Faz-Pad, then took a sharp left through a door, then through another into a compact office crammed with boxes of stuff.

It might’ve been a security office from the bunch of monitors on the desk, but it looked a little subdued compared to what she was expecting for a place this big. Her eyes snapped to the desk as she noticed him picking up a stack of folded clothes topped with a black hat branded with “Security” in bold, white letters. He handed it to her.

“Here’s your uniform. If you want to go over and change in the locker room, we’ll wait here,” Chaz suggested. He noticed her eyes briefly glance at the screens and got an amused smile. “Don’t worry, we’re not creeps. Him maybe, not me.”

“Don’t say that. She won’t know you’re joking,” Stanley grumbled. He sent her a tired look. “You’re good. We’ve got you covered.”

“Sure. I’ll be right back,” Natalie said. She believed them enough, but she still changed as far into the corner as she could. Scanning the room for cameras and not spotting any, so she felt a little more comfortable.

The uniform was pretty standard. Not purple like she was expecting, considering Mike’s old uniform and what Fritz said. The top was instead a simple black and gray with a Fazbear security logo on the breast and the pants were a simple black. There was also a belt provided that she put on, assuming they would provide her with a radio or a taser of some kind. They didn’t provide her with shoes, so she just put hers back on.

Finally, she slipped her ponytail through the hat and secured it on her head. The uniform fit fine, though that wasn’t a surprise since they had taken her measurement over the phone and provided her with the closest match. She left her clothes folded up on a bench and made her way back into the office. Both men looked over as she stepped in, and Chaz even whistled.

“Smoking,” he complimented.

“Quit that, I have a boyfriend,” Natalie said. She had a tinge of a joking smile, but it was clear from the sharpness that she actually meant it. Chaz got the message loud and clear.

“Sorry, my social skills went down the can once I started working here. You’re the first woman I’ve seen in, what, a month?” he asked Stanley like he would know. He just shrugged again, and Chaz turned away to grab what turned out to be a security badge off the desk and handed it over. “Put this on and we’ll get down to business.”

“Sounds good,” Natalie said and slipped it on her belt. She then watched attentively as Chaz clicked the mouse and turned on the computers.

“Just give me a second to pull this up… We’ve got a security clearance keycard too, but the system’s not up yet so don’t worry about it,” Chaz said. Regardless of this, Stanley fetched it off the desk and handed it over, which Vanessa slipped into her pants pocket. “Okay, come look at this.” She did, peering over Chaz’s shoulder to see what looked like a map on the screen.

“Here’s a map of the Pizzaplex. See those little boxes? Click on them and bam!” He clicked on one and a small window of a camera feed popped up. “That’s how you check the cameras. Now, this whole thing’s rigged up with the Staff Bots too, so if you see a red dot and hear an alert, that’s a Staff bot alerting to something. Check it on the cameras and hike over there to figure it out. I’d check first because these bots false flag.”

“A lot,” Stanley added in. Natalie looked to him and he sort of fumbled under her gaze, “We’re still fixing the bugs…”

“We’ve got a full-fledged infestation in here. They’re like cockroaches, nothing kills ‘em,” Chaz remarked. He pointed back to the screen, “Okay, okay, see this little icon over this room? Looks like a badge? Security room. Fit with monitors just like this one where you can get into the system. Now this isn’t the main security room, but you’re not gonna want to be up there. Place is huge and it’s a lot harder than managing this thing.”

“I think I’ve got it,” Natalie agreed. She squinted at the screen. “So, where do I make my rounds? Just circle the whole place?”

“Nah, I’d say… Just, like, every hour or two, do a circle around the atrium. Maybe hit each level, swing by the lobby, and then you can come back here and kill some time.” He suddenly pointed back at her. “Two things. One: don’t go into Monty Golf if Monty’s in there. Twp: if you go into the daycare and the lights are off, turn around and walk back out. Don’t go trying to get the lights on, don’t go poking around in there, just leave.”

“Should I even ask?” she asked.

“Don’t get him started,” Stanley quietly said.

“Yeah, yeah, look: there’s a twitchy bot in there who gets a lot twitchier when the lights are off. Lights are on? You’re good. Lights off? Get out of there,” Chaz clarified. “Monty’s just a loose cannon when you get a golf club in his hands.”

“What about the other ones? Like Freddy,” Natalie dared to ask. Chaz shook his head.

“Nah, they’re safe. The bots too. Any of the Staff Bots start giving you a hard time, show ‘em either your hat or your badge. They’ll recognize either of ‘em and clam up,” he said, much to her relief. Unlike the corporate talk of James, Chaz was much more forthright, so she had no reason to believe he was lying. “But make sure they stay in their green rooms. We don’t need any more wandering off and getting busted up.”

Natalie nodded in understanding. She wondered if that was the real reason, but then again, she did remember what James said about the scrapped bot. Didn’t seem like it needed much more explaining.

“Okay!” Chaz clapped his hands and got up from the chair. “I think that covers it- Oh! And if the place catches on fire, don’t go for the fire escape. Just go out the exit by the loading docks. Then split town.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Natalie said.

“Eh, don’t worry about it! Just covering bases,” Chaz said. “Last thing: when six comes around, go here and here to clock out. You can clock out on any of the security office computers, and it’ll get you out of the system. The doors will be unblocked, just lock ‘em on your way out. Nobody gets in here until about six-thirty, seven, but you don’t have to hang out here. Just get home and get some sleep. Think that covers it?”

“I think so.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not hard. Really,” Stanley assured. He managed a smile. “The hardest part is going to be staying awake.”

She returned the smile and proceeded to walk them out to the front door. Stanley headed out first while Chaz stopped to hand her a small ring of keys and a slip of paper.

“Here’s my number. I swear it’s not a come on, just call me if you need something,” he said. She agreed and he headed out the front with a final, “Good luck!” Stanley also waved and soon the two were walking off towards their cars.

Which meant Natalie was left alone in this massive building. For a second, she suddenly felt more nervousness return, but she shrugged it off and returned to the lost and found office. She hung around the office waiting for midnight to come and knowing it was the effective witching hour- also from what Fritz and the others had said. She managed to find a magazine someone left behind and started skimming through it.

Midnight came with unexpected silence. She was thinking maybe the dimmed lights would go off or there would be an alarm or something, but instead she ended up checking the clock and realizing it passed a few minutes ago. She quickly checked some of the lobby cameras before deciding to go do her rounds and check the place out. It wasn’t until she was out in the lobby and looked at the front doors that she realized the entrance had been sealed with a security door.

“Locked in,” she thought. It wasn’t an assuring thought in the slightest, but she pressed on with the rounds.

She walked along the second-floor walkway of the atrium with her flashlight in hand and took in the same sights she had seen a few days earlier. Walking past Roxy Raceway and looking down into Kid’s Cove. She decided to walk the upper floor on her next go-around and for now returned to the same office in the lobby. It just felt more comfortable being there instead of somewhere in here.

Except she was in for a surprise when she got back. As she opened the office door, Natalie heard a beeping from the computer and hustled over to look. “Here we go,” she murmured under her breath.

As luck would have it, there was a red beacon flashing in the daycare. She turned on the cameras and it was enormous, way bigger than she was thinking, but she couldn’t find the proper angle to look at what had tripped the alarm. From the actual map it seemed to be located near some stairs. Taking a deep breath and grabbing her flashlight again, she began to hike over.

The hallway before the daycare was the most unsettling place so far. It was darker than even the atrium and for some reason there seemed to be a chill in the air. In the distance she could hear music, as otherwise the hall was dead silent. Even devoid of the constant mall background music she had heard when she came for the tour. That too must’ve been an unfinished feature. She quickly made her way down to the garage-like entrance door. It opened automatically.

Natalie was immediately hit with light and a full blast of music as it opened. Unlike Chaz’s warnings, the daycare was completely alit, not even dimmed like the rooms outside. There was bouncy, goofy music playing over the speakers, which seemed inappropriate considering that the place wasn’t opened yet. At least it drained any amount of creepiness out.

She was also greeted with a tall golden statue that looked like the cartoon sun character she had seen on ads dotted around. Walking around it, she found a moon one behind it. Both of them didn’t look quite as cuddly as their cartoon counterparts, but that was probably because some genius decided to leave the details out on their eyes. Around them was a small sitting and locker area, and she continued forwards to peer into the daycare.

The room was an atrium in and of itself with its own walkway and other rooms branching out, but the main attraction was the absolutely enormous play area in the center. A totally padded enclosure with a full indoor playground of climbing tubes, slides, ball pits, and plush toys spread out amongst the floor. A large castle decal was on the wall with its own balcony too.

“Why couldn’t they have had this when I was a kid? I would’ve loved this,” Natalie said to herself, trying to break the weird tension in the room. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, but she blamed that on Chaz. She looked towards a slide into the daycare and then down the walkway, deciding that the latter path was likely where the alarm came from.

Besides, she couldn’t slide in pants this stiff. Not to mention if she lost her badge, she would never find it. Or if someone saw footage of an adult woman wading through a ball pit, she would never live it down.

She kept her eyes peeled as she walked down the long stretch to the other side of the room, past doors leading into party rooms, which she only knew because of the ones with windows. At the end she found two sets of stairs leading into the lower level around the actual daycare. That was when she saw it, the source of the tripped alarm.

There was a robot laying on its side at the bottom of the steps, flailing its free arm around like it was signaling for help and making a warning noise.

Natalie hurried down the steps and got a closer look before noticing its cleaner mop, its position, its slightly dented side, and realizing that it must’ve fallen down the stairs. So much for having automated staff. Though this was her first time seeing one of the robots and while it was a little weird, she couldn’t deny that it was kind of cute. In a helpless sort of way.

“Alright, up you go,” she said. It was heavier than she expected, but she managed to hoist it back onto its wheels.

It made a confirmation noise, cutting off its wailing alarm as it fidgeted its arms as though righting itself. It then did a small circle before facing her directly, leaning in a little closer than she expected. It tilted its head as though looking her over and she realized that it was probably looking at her hat and badge like Chaz had said. Then it righted, made a waving gesture, and began to roll away into the daycare. Taking a sudden turn into some room underneath the stairs.

“Huh… Okay. Mission accomplished,” Natalie said. She looked around to make sure there was nothing else going on and then headed back upstairs.

She hoped this wasn’t going to be a common occurrence. Not that she didn’t appreciate a quick job, but if she was going to have to walk around and pick up bots all night then this was going to be a much different job than she was expecting. She let herself back through the little gate into the entrance area and took only a few steps before she noticed something out the corner of her eye and looked towards the slide.

There was something there that wasn’t there before: a smiling face.

A very familiar figure was laying inside the slide. Its sun shaped head propped up with its hands as it stared at her with stark white eyes. Its legs slightly bent behind it to rest on the top of the tube, but not having quite enough space.

It was the same animatronic from the statue and the posters, the sun-shaped one, and it was much more unsettling in person. Not just how in snuck up on her, but just its silent stare with that toothy grin. It was oozing the same off-ness that she felt just walking around this place. It left her utterly speechless, just staring back at it as though expecting it to do something.

Which it did. It removed one of its hands from its head, sun spines popping out where it had just been, and waggled its fingers at her in a wave. Still thoroughly alarmed by the whole thing, Natalie cautiously raised a hand and a brow.

“Uh… Hello,” she greeted awkwardly.

“Heeeelllloooo,~” it answered back. Then, while still drawing out the word, it lowered it legs and slid down the slide with a small twist. Its voice following as it disappeared down the slide before fading out.

She pursed her lips and listened to hear it dropping into the ball pit beneath the slide, and hastily left the daycare when it didn’t. She was just too thoroughly creeped out to stick around.

“Was that the Sun?” she mumbled to herself once outside the safety of the daycare security door. “But Wight said they scrapped it… But then Ness said it was still there. Why would he lie…?” Probably because it was twitchy, she guessed. She would run it by Fritz later, for now she was needed elsewhere and ready to be back in the safety of the office. She pulled open one of the double doors into the lobby.

An arm thrust through towards her.

Natalie yelped and immediately slammed the door back again, catching a metal arm in between them. She studied it with eyes wide and her head reared back before it suddenly clicked that it was the arm of one of those Staff Bots.

“Hi! Please take this map.”

Her brows scrunched together as she slowly leaned enough to peek through the crack in the door. There was another Staff Bot standing on the other side, though this one had a different design. It had a yellow chest with a black ‘i’ painted on it. It also had what looked like black glasses frames and a light gray hat. Upon seeing her face, it repeated itself.

“Take a map.”

She looked down its arm and, sure enough, there was a map clenched in its fingers. She slowly and cautiously opened the door and as soon as it was free it rolled in towards her. Stopping only a foot away with the map held out.

“Okay…?”

“Take a map.”

“Okay, okay!” She threw caution to the wind and reached out to grab the map away. “There. Thank you.”

“Thank you. Please enjoy.”

The Map Bot then turned itself around and began to roll into the lobby, its wheel riding the edge of the stairs- “No, no, not that close!”- before taking a sharp right and rolling to the elevators. They opened and it rolled inside, and Natalie breathed a sigh of relief before continuing to the lost and found.

She got to sit down and hang out for a while. About an hour later she went to do her rounds again, this time doing them on the upper floor of the atrium. She considered walking into Mazercise and seeing if it was like a normal gym. It had been about a few months since her last gym visit and while she was still fit and fine, instead exercising at home, it felt like something that could’ve helped pass the creeping time.

Same thing went for the bowling alley. It had been a while since she went with the guys or with Louise to bowl. Things had just been so hectic after they discovered the Pizzeria opening that nobody had been feeling like going out. She wondered briefly if she would get an employee discount before immediately recoiling at the idea of actually handing her paycheck back to Freddy’s. Never mind, they could bowl full price in town.

The evening was still creeping along as she made it back to the lost and found once more. By now she was starting to feel the effects of not having time to prepare for the night shift. She didn’t go to sleep too early, so she was moderately sure she was going to make it, but the hours of silence were not helping. She helped herself to some coffee up in the Faz-Pad and hoped nobody would notice.

After a cup of that, she went on her rounds again, this time on the first floor of the atrium. However, this time she decided to go a little further. If only to wake herself up but also to snoop around a little more. Not too much though. Not after seeing the Sun and being jumped by that Map Bot, and when she was already feeling sore and weary.

She did walk into Rockstar Row though. At least far enough to see the curtained enclosures of the animatronics. Sounded like there was music coming somewhere from the other side of the hall, but after the daycare had its music on, she wasn’t too concerned about it. She only lingered there for a few minutes before returning back out to the atrium and back to the lost and found office.

Soon Natalie collapsed back into the office chair and was pulling up the cameras to flip around again. It was the closest she had to television, and it filled the job she was supposed to be doing. Also allowed her to look beyond the touring zone without having to actually walk that far. She checked the daycare and saw what was probably the same bot mopping the floor and no sign of that sun bot.

Remembering earlier, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion and checked the cameras around the locker area. Turned out that they weren’t set to face into the locker space, so there was no way the technicians could’ve peeped at her. That was a relief. Not that they would’ve seen much, but it would’ve definitely annoyed her. She moved on to scan the lobby and then out into the atrium.

That was when she noticed something moving on the lower floor. It didn’t look like a Staff Bot, so she moved to a closer camera and her eyes popped open.

“Oh wow, that’s Freddy,” she mumbled. She leaned in closer while zooming the camera in as though to see better. Not that she needed to. She knew what she was looking at. “Yup. That is Freddy Fazbear himself walking around down there.”

Indeed he was, and he looked exactly like how he was portrayed in his statue and posters from what she could see. Even closer than the sun was. He was walking around outside the laser tag arena like he had just come from hallway his enclosure was in. In fact, it looked like he had followed her straight out and was looking for her. That was concerning.

…Well, that was one of the many concerning things she had seen this evening. This one had her drawing a blank though. Perhaps she should’ve been expecting the animatronics to come out and wander around after seeing that the sun wasn’t contained, and after being told they were supposed to stay in the enclosures, but now she was at a loss. Unsure whether she was supposed to just observe Freddy or go try to corral him.

Her knowledge of Freddy’s in mind, approaching a wandering animatronic seemed exceptionally dangerous, but part of her did at least consider getting a closer look. Then she would be on the cameras attempting to put him away before coming back to hide in the lost and found until the doors unlocked. Natalie sat there for a long moment before finally getting up from the chair.

By time she made it into atrium he had moved to the snack bar directly underneath her, which she could tell through his heavy footsteps. This angle made it impossible to see him unless she walked down one of the walkways or went down an escalator, and after some consideration she dared to do the latter. She got around the corner at the midway landing and then caught sight of Freddy.

Freddy was standing at one of the doors that led behind the snack bar with his head tilted forward. She couldn’t tell if he shut down or was trying to listen through it. He only did that for a few moments before starting to turn around, Natalie didn’t have time to run so she went completely still and hoped he would notice her. Alas, he caught sight and his eyes locked directly onto her. She braced herself to run.

“Hello, ma’am! I did not see you there.”

She hadn’t braced herself hard enough for that. Natalie started in partial surprise as Freddy jogged over to the bottom of the escalator and looked up at her.

“I have never seen you before,” Freddy said. He looked up at her hat and it clicked. “You must be the new security officer!”

“That’s me,” she was quick to agree. She wasn’t sure if this was the kind of situation where he might attack if he thought she was an intruder, but she had to admit that he seemed pretty friendly. Maybe a little too friendly, she considered.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” he greeted. He started to come up the escalator and she considered stopping him, or making a run for it, but she was frozen and found him soon right in front of her. Standing a step down so they were almost at eye level. “Give me a moment to check your employee profile.”

“You don’t have to-.” Natalie was cut off by Freddy’s glowing eyes literally scanning over her face. She tightened her lips and stood through it. This must’ve been why they made her take a picture after getting hired on.

“Scanning completed. Your name is Vanessa! That is a very nice name,” Freddy greeted. Thankfully, he then took a step back to give her room. “I am Freddy Fazbear, the lead singer of the band and the face of Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex… Which I suppose is self-explanatory.”

“Yeah, I sort of picked that up when I recognized you,” Natalie said. She tried to joke but it came out feeling awkward, so she cleared her throat and was back to business. “What are you looking for?”

“Oh! I-I was just looking around. I thought I heard something over in Rockstar Row,” Freddy said. His eyes darted about a bit, almost like he was nervous.

“That was me. I just wanted to take a look in and make sure everything looked alright,” Natalie explained. The bear’s ears twitched a little lower.

“Oh. I see. Well, I am glad to have met you. I will return to my room now.” Freddy turned around and started to walk back towards Rockstar Row. His posture seemed a little slumped, like he was upset about something. It didn’t take her long to come to the assumption that maybe he just didn’t want to return to his room. After a moment of consideration, she stopped him.

“No, wait! I’m not going to make you go back to your room,” Natalie said. Freddy turned back towards her. “You can walk around and do whatever! Just don’t knock into any bots. I had to pick one up off the floor earlier.”

“Really?! Where was it?!” Freddy asked with renewed vigor. It almost caused her to step back, but she didn’t She definitely wasn’t getting danger vibes from him.

“Over in the daycare. It looked like it fell down the stairs.”

“Hmm… I should go check for myself… But it is against protocol for me to stay outside my room unless called for repairs or for rehearsal… Is it alright if I do?”

“Of course! Go right ahead. I’m not going to tell anyone,” she assured him. He seemed to perk up a bit, but she got a slight frown on her lips. “Are you always stuck in your room?”

“…We were not always, but… things have changed. It is safer for us to stay where we belong,” Freddy said. There was something he wasn’t saying, she could tell, but before she could ask, he perked back up. “But once the Pizzaplex is open, we will be free to walk around the Pizzaplex and entertain guests. I am very excited!”

“I can imagine,” she said with a small smile. “If you want, you can come with me, and I’ll walk you over there. I’m heading back in that direction anyway.”

“I would be happy to have you escort me to the daycare! But only if it is not a bother…”

“It’s no trouble. Come on,” Natalie said. She turned and headed back up the escalator with Freddy following behind.

In honestly, it was less about comfort or duty and more about reluctance to let him wander alone and an insatiable curiosity to why he was walking at all. Though she definitely didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask him directly why he was. She learned a long time ago that not all animatronics were capable or comfortable of talking about their creation. If he started freaking out or rejecting his own wiring, she wouldn’t be able to fix it. That was a quick way to get fired.

Though by time they were approaching the elevator, she realized she was going to have to say something. Freddy let her press the button and stood across from her as they rode down. He was looking at her with curiosity, but between his height and stature he was a little intimidating. She still managed to find her voice.

“Sooo how long have you been here? At the Pizzaplex, I mean.”

“I am not sure. There have been times when I have been shut down for maintenance and do not know how much time passes, but I do remember when much of the Pizzaplex was still unfinished. So much has changed since then! It is a little overwhelming,” Freddy said. It kind of answered her question. “What about you? Have you worked with Fazbear Entertainment long?”

“New. I’ve never worked at a Freddy’s before,” Natalie quickly denied.

“Well, I hope you stay! I think it is a good idea to have a security guard in case of an emergency,” he said. The elevator was slowing to a stop, but before it could Natalie had a thought.

“So, are any of the others out?” she asked quietly so nobody could overhear.

“No. They were still in their rooms when I left. They were not as curious as I was,” Freddy said, which was a relief. The doors opened and they stepped out into the lobby.

 “Okay, so the daycare’s down there. I can walk you over there if you want,” Natalie offered.

“Th-That will not be necessary. Thank you for letting me come out. I promise if I see anyone, I will tell you right away,” Freddy assured. The beginning part sounded rushed like he was hiding something. She considered questioning it before noticing that Freddy was silently staring at her for a little too long.

“No problem. Just do me a favor and pick up any bots you find tipped over,” she answered. “…Need anything else?”

“Can I ask you something?” Freddy asked. It felt like a weird question after they had been talking for so long. Apparently, he thought so too as he didn’t wait for an answer. “I know they are our competitors, but… have you heard of Foxy’s? The Foxy the Pirate themed pizzeria outside of the Pizzaplex?”

It took all of her control to show no reaction. “Sure, I have. How do you know about it?”

“I think I may have heard a technician talking about it. They have very advanced animatronic intelligence,” Freddy explained. “Do you know if there is a Foxy animatronic entertainer there?”

“I’d guess so. Not that I’ve seen him but probably,” Natalie said, voice growing increasingly halting. “Why…?”

“I was just wondering. I heard of him and just… was wondering if you knew. It is also no problem,” he said. “I will get going now. Maybe I will see you again?”

“Sure you will. I’m going to be working here from now on. We’re bound to run into each other,” she kindly said. Even managing a smile even though there was an increasing franticness under the façade. That question about Foxy’s totally threw her off and she couldn’t help but make a quick escape back to the lost and found.

At first Natalie had been suspicious and borderline panicked that she had somehow been found out, but by time she made it to the lost and found she realized that Freddy’s questions were probably brought on by the break-in. It was still concerning that Foxy’s was brought into the conversation when talking about the crime, but it was expected.

This was all just weird enough that she got her cellphone out of her pocket and went to call Fritz, sure he was still awake. To her surprise the call didn’t go through. She checked her phone to see why. No cell service, weirdly enough. Maybe it was the levels and layers of cement above the office. She returned to the cameras and flipped to the daycare to watch for Freddy.

Freddy walked all the way back to the daycare stairs and ended up finding the mop bot who Natalie had picked up cleaning the floor in front of the daycare’s massive doors. He looked it over before going under the stairs. From the angle of the camera, Natalie could see two bathrooms underneath, and she watched as he went into them one at a time. Judging by the length of time he spent in them, he was searching them.

“What are you looking for?” Natalie murmured as she looked closer at the bear. Then it suddenly clicked. “…He’s looking for the vandal.”

That had to be it. The way he was searching, the interest he showed after she mentioned an alarm went off, asking about Foxy’s- he had been asking because of the mask. He was aware of and looking for the vandal. Though what he intended to do when he found them was a mystery. A switch could flip, and he could suddenly become something terrifying and violent, but in this state it was hard to imagine the gentle sounding bear being that way. Though looks could be deceiving.

She continued to watch him as he left the bathrooms and, after looking around the room for a long moment, and then staring at the daycare doors for a long moment, suddenly took a sharp turn and walked into what looked like a gift shop. She continued watching him for a little longer before switching cameras to check the lobby and atrium. Him searching so feverishly left her paranoid that someone really was in here, but there was no sign of anyone.

Except the map bot looping around the second floor of the atrium. At least there were plenty of railings to corral it in.

Natalie returned to the daycare cameras and found that Freddy was now standing in front of the large wooden doors which were opened a little. Zooming in the camera, she could see the sun’s face through that slender gap. It was up higher than she would’ve ever hoped it to be. Freddy’s mouth was moving so he was probably asking it about what happened, which was somewhat confirmed by a long arm reaching out and pointing directly to where the bot had been picked up.

The conversation was wrapped up pretty quickly, ending with Freddy walking back to the stairs and the sun quickly shutting the door once more. Natalie was able to easily track the bear’s movement as he returned to the lobby.

She considered going out to see him when he was passing through the lobby, but then decided against it, still feeling a little wary. He didn’t come looking for her, instead taking the long walk back to his green room.

It was precisely when Freddy returned to Rockstar Row that Natalie began to crash again. This time it was much worse too. Coffee wasn’t helping and she hadn’t brought in any money to buy a soda with. She got up and paced a little and did another set of rounds, even walking back towards the daycare in the hopes of getting her blood pumping. It wasn’t helping, but at this point it wasn’t too long until six crept up.

Ten minutes before the hour hit, even if she wasn’t supposed to, she changed out of her uniform and into her normal clothes in preparation to leave. She then propped her head up with her arm and tried not to fall asleep as she watched the numbers ticking to morning. If she had been prepared, she would’ve done one last check of the building, but she was too tired to consider it. She didn’t have the strength to pick up even one more robot.

As soon as six came, she clocked out like Chaz showed her to and headed out to the lobby. Thankfully, the security doors were sliding open as she was making her way there, and she let herself out and locked the door behind her using a key from the small keyring she had been given. Soon she was in her car and driving home, and by some blessing she was able to stay awake the whole trip.

The house was dark as Natalie unlocked and pushed the front door open. By now Fritz had to be asleep, no doubt because he stayed up half the night with worry. She quietly shut the door back and made her way through the house and into the bathroom. She had left her nightclothes in there with the intention of taking a shower when she got home. Now that she was here, she didn’t really feel like it, but got in anyway.

She dropped her clothes in a pile against the wall- she would deal with them tomorrow. Same with her uniform, left folded up and abandoned on the dining room table. Right now, she just wanted to get in and out and into bed as fast as possible. She stepped under the warm spray and shuddered at the heat, like it wasn’t entirely expected. She tilted her head forward and allowed it to soak her hair.

Through the water, Natalie detected the sound of footsteps, and she raised her head to listen. The ordeal of the night left her a little paranoid, but it didn’t take long to recognize that it was Fritz.

“Natalie?” he called in. His voice was a little groggy which gave away that he just woke up.

“Yar, guess again, Landlubber,” Natalie said in a fake Foxy voice. She gave a light chuckle before sighing. “I’m so tired, Hun, I can’t even think.”

“I know how you feel,” he sympathized. She knew he did, he probably went through the same thing whenever he was stuck doing the night shift. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m good. Go back to bed, I’ll be there as soon as I’m out,” Natalie assured, rubbing at her face to try and rouse enough to finish washing. She noticed he hadn’t left but didn’t say anything about it. He was probably just worried about her.

She fumbled around for the shampoo and squirted a glob into her hand before she noticed Fritz moving around outside the curtain. Sounded like he was moving clothes around and she began to massage the shampoo into her scalp. She didn’t get very far into it when the curtain partially drew aside and Fritz stepped into the shower behind her.

Natalie immediately turned to face him and dropped her arms to her sides and her head onto his shoulder. He wrapped his arms comfortingly around her.

“I’ve got you,” he said, his voice low and warm. He began to run his fingers through her hair and work the shampoo into it further before gently combing it out. It was so soothing that it was a wonder she didn’t fall asleep then.

It was almost like she had to be woken up just to get out and dried off, but soon she was in her night clothes and into the bedroom. She didn’t check the clock, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if sunrise was any minute now. With her last moments of consciousness, she spread the towel over her pillow and then flopped into bed. She was almost asleep by time Fritz laid down and put his arm around her, nudging his forehead against her damp bangs.

He hadn’t even asked about her night, but that didn’t mean he didn’t stay awake thinking about it. There was always tomorrow.

…When she would be going back.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Natalie was a little surprised when she got into the Pizzaplex only to find there was nobody waiting for her. Shrugging it off and guessing she didn't really need to be checked on, she went right into the lost and found security office and started getting set up. This time she brought her bag in and with it had plenty of change, snacks, and even a couple of puzzle books for if she got bored during the downtime between rounds and camera-checking.

She had just gotten settled into her office chair and was starting to check the cameras when she caught a glimpse of the lobby elevator doors opening. Brows shooting up, she clicked back to that camera to check, only to find none other than Chazz and Stanley coming into the lobby. Chaz wear carrying a toolbox while Stanley carried a toolbelt and was eating a slice of pizza. She got back up to go meet them, getting out to the lobby before they could turn to enter the locker room.

"Hey!" she called. Chaz raised a hand in greeting as he came down the final steps while Stanley froze mid-bite. "I thought maybe you guys weren't coming in tonight. What were you doing?"

"Trying to get the kitchen bots up to snuff. So far, we've got the ones in the snack bar programmed to heat frozen pizzas, but we've got our work cut out if we're going to get any of them making fresh," Chaz said. It sounded from his tone that he wasn't too excited in the prospect either. He perked up though. "You're right on time. Guessing last night didn't go too bad."

"No, it went fine. One of the bots fell down the daycare stairs, but everything else was quiet," Natalie assured. She then greeted Stanley with a friendly, "Hey Stanley."

"Oh, uh. Hey!" he answered. He almost seemed embarrassed that he got caught eating on the job.

"So, here's the deal," Chaz interrupted. "We caught Freddy wandering around outside his room earlier, so we had to lock his door. It's a precaution, but don't be shocked if he finds a way out. It never works." The way he stretched that 'never' made Natalie more than a little uneasy. "On the plus side, Freddy's pretty easy to handle. Just tell him to get back to his room and he'll do it."

"This is probably a stupid question, but why can't the animatronics just walk around?" Natalie asked. Both of the technicians seemed confused by this question. She quickly added, "It's not like they're getting out of here. Wandering around seems like the least of our problems."

"You'd think that, but no. I told you yesterday they'll wander off and get broken? Yeah, that happened already. I kid you not," Chazz answered.

"…Wait a minute, are you talking about the Sun or are you telling me that there's another entirely different animatronic that just disappeared off the face of the earth?" Natalie asked. Chaz sent her a smug little smile and she was done. "…Alright, you two have to leave. I can't handle anymore insanity tonight."

Chaz laughed and continued on towards the door with Stanley following behind him. Before he could get far, Natalie stopped him.

"Before you go, where's the nearest vending machine?" she asked. She didn't really feel like going into the daycare hallway if she didn't have to. Not that she planned on tipping them off by telling them that.

"There's a line of them right down the hall leading to the daycare." Never mind, then. "And I don't think anyone would care if you helped yourself to the coffee up in the Faz-Pad. We do it all the time."

"I might have to do that," Natalie replied with a small smile. She turned back to return to the lost and found. "You two have a good night! Stay safe driving home!"

"We will! You take care too," Stanley replied. Chaz gave a wave, but was already at the front door, eager to leave.

Soon they were gone, and Natalie was alone to sink into the office chair and wait for the doors to seal so she could begin her first rounds of the evening. She was hoping it was going to be another easy night.

Little did she know, but within the hour the Pizzaplex was going to receive an unexpected visitor in the form of a masked intruder sliding in through an open vent.

Foxy had left earlier tonight than he had on his first night in. Largely because he had cut it too close on getting back to the pizzeria the first time. He hadn't left himself with enough time to recover and rest before service and while he had managed, he was wiped. He didn't want that happening again or it was going to look suspicious, and he couldn't afford to look suspicious when there was a possibility of her seeing him on the cameras.

He was careful to not draw attention to himself as he made his way down the edge of the atrium wall and over towards Rockstar Row. There were more lights on tonight than before. At least, the snack bar area had its lights and signs on, so Foxy got away from that area as quickly as possible. He got into Rockstar Row, the only other location with its lights on- except maybe the lobby- though they were still dim.

His yellow eyes locked onto the curtains of Freddy Fazbear's enclosure. They were opened about a foot tonight, revealing the warm, colorful glow from inside. He crept closer and ducked behind a display case in the middle of the hall outside of the window, peeking around for a glimpse into the room. He caught sight of an arcade machine inside but couldn't make out the blur of colors on the bright screen.

As he was leaning to get a better look, his eyes briefly glanced down and then did a double take at what looked like a foot sitting in the case. He stared at it for a second before leaning closer, only to realize in only looked like an animatronic foot. He crouched down and squinted at the little tag labelling the boot.

"Vintage costume shoe used at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Donated by P. Taggart."

Foxy scoffed at the use of vintage. The last Freddy's was open less than ten years ago. Nothing at Freddy's could be considered even that old… Maybe outdated, the thought creeping into his head without his control.

He grumbled sourly and stole a look at the other cases around him, with only one of them catching his attention. His ears rubbing against his hood as they perked and he walked over to get a better look, confirming what he was seeing.

There was a microphone sitting in one of the cases. One that looked remarkably similar to the one Freddy Fazbear used to hold. The original Freddy Fazbear, his bandmate, his friend. It probably wasn't and yet he still rested his hand on the case like it held that significance as he looked down at it. His eyes lowered to read the tag in front of it.

"Original microphone used by Freddy at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Donated by P. Taggart."

How something that brought with it so many feelings could be summed up so blandly was beyond Foxy. When he looked at it, he couldn't help by remember Freddy clutching it in his hand while singing an out-of-tune bubbly song on stage. So embarrassing, so goofy, and yet there was something so nostalgically warm about it, even though Foxy couldn't remember any joy from those years trapped in Freddy's. He just missed them so much.

As though he didn't feel awful enough under the eye of all this glitz and glamor. He felt depressed enough now that he was numb to his better judgement and turned his gaze back to the gap between the curtains. Straightening his back and lifting his chin, he strode over to the window and boldly looked through, and yet froze up as his eyes landed on Freddy- the new Freddy Fazbear.

Freddy was sitting upright in something that looked more like a barber chair than a proper seat and pulled up to a vanity. He seemed to be staring at himself in the mirror with an arm resting on the desk in front of him. It was clear that he hadn't noticed Foxy coming up and he knew at this point that he could've still left without being detected, but temptation and curiosity crept up.

Freddy was just as alive as he was. That was enough for Foxy to raise his hook and tap against the glass. Immediately Freddy perked up and tilted his head a little, then turned in his chair to look at the window. The second he saw Foxy, he sprung up from his seat and stood there frozen. He couldn't tell what kind of look the bear was giving him. Maybe he was afraid he was going to start spray painting his window.

Not wanting to rile him up any more than he already had, Foxy raised a hand as a sign of submission to get him to ease up. Freddy must've misread this signal as his face brightened up and he began to wave back. Then he held out his hands like he was signaling for Foxy to wait before suddenly and unexpectedly sprinting out of the room through a security door on the back wall.

For a moment Foxy could only stand there staring at the door that had closed behind him. That was bizarre, and now paranoia creeped in as he wondered where Freddy could've gone. If he was coming out then he would've just used the door, he was running off on a mission. Possibly to find and signal the security guard- though then again, why take the back door unless it led to the same place?

It didn't help that there were bizarre noises coming from a few windows down. It sounded almost like something was stomping around in one of the rooms- not too unlike Freddy's thundering footsteps. Between that and Freddy wanting him to wait, Foxy decided to get a move on and returned to the atrium. His better judgement was telling him again to leave, reminding him that there were cameras all over this place, that he shouldn't wait for what Freddy was going to do.

Until he stopped to take a good look around the atrium from beside one of the escalators and in the darkness noticed a sign that now held more meaning: Kids Cove.

Foxy was aware of Wight's ideal plan for his brand. He wanted him to be the face of Kids Cove, which Foxy would've protested vehemently to if Jeremy hadn't assured him that it was a fake deal. A fake deal to protect him after Foxy's reckless decisions made him a target. Something that he was doing again, he realized. He would've never come back if it wasn't Natalie. She was, thankfully, a safety net in these rough waters.

But Kids Cove stood there unmanned. It piqued his interest, a morbid curiosity in a way, and he took the long way around the room to reach it. The garage-like door responded to his approach and opened for him to slip underneath.

Foxy's heart sunk when he looked at Kids Cove. If this had been a play area in Foxy's Pirates Cove it would've been perfect. There was a towering lighthouse with a little door and a slide wrapped around it, a fishing boat snared by tentacles that was probably to be climbed on, and even a little sitting area with a fake fire. The place was decorated with faux rockery, treasure chests, piers, and palms. The walls were painted like the night sky, with puffy clouds and a full moon.

The children would love this, and if it was at his pizzeria he would love it too. It was wasted here, not even having a mascot who could play with the kids and get their imaginations going with it. He could have so many adventure here- if it wasn't Freddy's. The amount of money it would take to make something like this was beyond any expansion they could afford.

His rapidly declining mood was suddenly cut off by a loud noise out in the atrium. He lifted his head and listened to hear what sounded like machinery activating, and cautious curiosity led him to step back out that garage door.

It sounded like something was happening on the main stage, but between the darkness- which wasn't a problem- and the fact that the stage was elevated- which was a problem- he couldn't see what it was. He came a little closer, coming to stand at the escalators on this side of the atrium, prepared to duck down and hide at any moment.

That was when a familiar face began to raise up onto the stage. Carried by some unseen lift beneath him, there was Freddy Fazbear slowly coming into view. Posed with one finger pointing towards the ceiling and his eyes closed.

Foxy scoffed a little. Apparently, Kids Cove wasn't the only place where imaginations ran wild.

Unfortunately, Foxy scoffed in a dead silent atrium and while the stage was still making an unholy amount of noise, somehow Freddy had heard him specifically. His eyes opened a crack as he continued holding the pose, only to open fully and drop the act the second he saw Foxy standing in the distance. It wasn't hard to see the stark black figure with the weird-shaped mask as the odd thing out in the room.

Foxy must've had a premonition because he knew exactly what was coming. He turned to bolt before Freddy could break into a run. At this point it wasn't even that Foxy was afraid of Freddy- he would never admit to that- but it was something between a fear of being caught and the overwhelming feeling that he just didn't want to deal with this. When things got a little too tense, Foxy split.

The garage door leading into Kids Cove wasn't nearly as on board with the plan. It took its sweet time hoisting itself up, all while he could hear Freddy sprinting up behind him. He clamored under it, which would've gone a lot better if the top of his mask hadn't bumped the door and pulled out of place, briefly blinding him. He staggered for a second as he pulled it in place and instantly spotted the darkened stairs beside the lighthouse.

Foxy had gotten onto the pier when Freddy suddenly caught the security door and shoved it up with a grinding squeak. He spotted the other running up the stairs as called after him, "Wait! Please do not run! Please."

There was a pleading that could only be heard in that last word, and it was enough to get Foxy to look back. If Freddy wasn't emoting much when they last met up, he was definitely doing so now. His eyes lidded with something akin to sadness and his ears drooped to match it. This had to be some sort of ploy and yet it almost worked. It got him to freeze up at the top of the stairs and stare down at him, not unlike a wild animal about to flee.

"Please. I will not hurt you, and I will not tell anyone you came, but…" There was a clicking sound before Freddy's chest started to open up. Foxy watched flabbergasted as some sort of hatch opened on his belly. The bear reached inside and pulled out a familiar backpack. "I have something that belongs to you."

It felt like a ruse, like he was getting baited down the stairs with how Freddy held the bag out in his hand. Foxy knew better to fall for such a trick and yet after a long moment he dared to take a step back down the stairs. Blast this bloody bear.

Foxy turned and began to slowly make his way down the stairs back towards Freddy. The bear in turn perked up with his eyes literally glowing. They felt especially robotic, less like an animatronic and more like something metal and unfeeling. Yet somehow, they were getting Foxy to come back down the stairs. He cautiously reached out his hand and beckoned with his fingers to hand it over, his hook primed and ready for a backstab.

But Freddy did nothing more than hand the backpack over. Foxy noticed as soon as he took it that it was significantly lighter and shook it to hear no rattling.

"…Where's the paint?" he asked. His first words to Freddy, who reacted accordingly with his ears popping up with a wiggle.

"I-I disposed of it. Spray paint is not allowed in the Pizzaplex for… obvious reasons."

Foxy gave a little, unenthused 'hmph' and slipped the backpack over his arm. He didn't say anything more.

Freddy waited for a few moments more before asking, "Are you the real Foxy the Pirate? The one from the Foxy's Pirate Cove?"

"What's it to ya?" Foxy challenged, sending him a sharp and suspicious sort of look.

"Oh, I was just wondering. You do have a traditional pirate accent and hook- and official Foxy's Pirate Cove merchandise. I just assumed that you were him," Freddy explained. He could act uncertain and intimidated all he wanted, but Foxy knew it had to be an act. Probably just another attempt to assuage him.

Foxy hummed and clicked his endoskeleton teeth together. Pride welled up in his chest along with that constant background of inadequacy that he couldn't help but feel being in a place he didn't belong.

"Nah…" he finally said. Then he suddenly hoisted his hook up while planting his hand on his hip and his foot on a higher step, striking a much more impressive pose. "That'd be Captain Foxy fer ye landlubbers."

Freddy got an excited look to his eyes and his mouth opened in a smile. "I see! Well then, it is nice to meet you, Captain," he said without a hint of patronizing in his tone. "I am Freddy Fazbear of Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex."

"Ya got yer mug plastered on half the stuff in here. I'd be blind not to know who ya are," Foxy said with less harshness than he intended.

"I suppose so. My apologies," Freddy said, unphased by it. Though his voice did grow softer. "I did not expect you to come back. I was hoping you might, but I knew there was a chance you would not."

"Why?"

"Well, because I had caught you in the middle of an act of vandalism, and now that we have a security guard-."

"Not that!" Foxy snapped. He flinched back at his own voice and looked around quickly in paranoia before making eye contact again. "Why'd ya want me back? To turn me in?"

"Of course not! If I was going to turn you in, I would have gone to the security officer by now. I would not do that… Erm, unless you are planning to vandalize again?"

"How'm I gonna do that when ya dumped me paint?" Foxy asked, hoisting up the bag. Freddy looked a little more concerned at that and the pirate scoffed. "Take it easy. I didn't come back fer trouble."

"That is good! Then I will not have to ask you to leave!" Freddy said. Just the cheerful way he said this was enough to force a chuckle out of Foxy. He caught it quickly and stifled it in time to be asked, "What brought you back?"

…

This was a bad time to suddenly draw a blank. Even if he convinced himself it was just to check on Natalie, he couldn't tell Freddy that. While he said he wasn't going to turn Foxy himself in, there was nothing to say he wouldn't turn Natalie in if he found out she was a fraud. Or that he could just spout it out to the wrong person and have her identity, and their whole plan in general, fall apart.

Yet Foxy just kept blanking on what to say. He was too proud to say he came to see Freddy, even if it was surely a lie, but there were few believable alternatives. Freddy seemed to be waiting for an answer too, but after a while off watching Foxy silently stare at him, he started to realize he wasn't going to get one. He made a motion and sound like if he was clearing his throat.

"To answer your question earlier, I wanted you to come back so I could meet you, and so I could apologize. I know I must have frightened you running up like I did, but I meant no harm. I thought you were attacking a Staff Bot. We have to protect those little guys."

"I wasn't scared of you, I was scared of gettin' caught," Foxy quickly corrected. At least his words didn't fail him now. "Some rogue animatronic runnin' 'round ain't gonna be welcomed with open arms… 'Specially not when he's yer competitor." He shuffled around on the steps, growing antsy. This had been enough excitement for one night he decided. "Speakin' o' which, I should be shovin' off."

"You are leaving already?" Freddy sounded surprised and a bit disappointed.

"Aye. I gotta be back at me pizzeria by mornin'," Foxy excused.

"That is a shame. I was hoping you could stay longer…" Freddy said, disappointment in his voice. "…But… There is still plenty of time before morning. Why not stay longer? If you are afraid of being seen, we can return to my room. It will be much safer in there! The security officer rarely passes by and if she does, she will not see you with the curtains drawn. What do you say?"

Foxy could've predicted Freddy's clinginess a mile away. This wasn't that different to how he was acting when he was trying to creep out of here the first night. The only difference being that he was now confident enough to try and talk Foxy into staying, which wasn't going to work. It was a wonder he stood on these stairs as long as he did knowing good and well that Freddy could be trying to fool him.

"Sounds like a trap," he thought. He was less direct with his words. "Sounds like a good way to corner meself."

"I promise it is very safe! If anyone tried to come in, you could escape through the backroom. That was how I was able to come and find you," Freddy explained. His voice softened up. "It is the least I could do after our first meeting."

It was becoming abundantly clear that Freddy wanted something. Foxy wasn't sure what that was- if he was just cripplingly lonely or if he was on the road to set him up- but it had to be something, and he wasn't falling for it.

…Then again, this could be a window to that valuable in-house information they had been gunning for. It didn't seem like any of the employees had been coughing up any of Freddy's dark secrets to Natalie, but so far Freddy himself had been relatively open with whatever he said. He seemed a little on the naïve side too. Unless that was a ruse Foxy, could probably weasel secrets out of him in seconds.

But was he actually about to take another gamble on this accursed business?

"Ehhhh…." Foxy mulled it over a little longer. Hand and hook on hips, shuffling from foot to foot, with Freddy watching her with eager anticipation for his answer. This was foolish. This shouldn't have even been a consideration.

But someone had already  died .

"Alright, if yer that sure then I'll stop fer a snifter."

"Really? That is great-!"

"But!" Foxy raised that hook quick and pointed it right at Freddy's nose, more than willing to get his point across. "I ain't gettin' comfy just yet, so don't you go gettin' any ideas. Ya rat me out and I'm doin' some real damage on me way out."

"I would never. You are now my guest," Freddy said, slightly offended. Which was much better than the sympathy that took his voice right afterwards. "It does not matter that we have different pizzerias, you are welcome here."

That took the wind out of Foxy's sails immediately. Not only did it take any enjoyment away from knocking Freddy down a peg, but the fact that Freddy was sympathizing with him made him feel downright pathetic. Maybe if he was wearing his coat and cap instead of looking like some kind of vagrant- or at least had his head on. He grumbled to himself and thrust his hook into his hoodie's pouch.

"Let's get movin'."

Freddy must've known that he was treading uneasy waters as he nodded but said nothing more. He turned around and led Foxy back out the same door they came in.

"We should stay close to the snack bar. There should be a blind spot from the cameras near the counters," Freddy instructed. Foxy could've told him that, but he decided to stay silent and kept his head down as he followed.

They walked the long way around the atrium and into Rockstar Row through the same entryway as before, through the same section of partially finished passage, but that was when he got sidetracked. There was a counter outside of Rockstar Row that Foxy had passed earlier without a second glance, but now Freddy approached it instead of going into the hall. The pirate came to a dead stop and watched him like a hawk.

Freddy went around the counter and began to go through the back of it, eyes narrowed and focused and humming a little in his chest as he searched. He gave a confirmative nod as he plucked up what looked like card of some kind and returned to duck under the security door. He offered no explanation and only noticed he hadn't been followed after a few steps. He looked back to Foxy expectantly.

He was too old to be feeling peer pressure, Foxy decided, but he still followed under that door and kept up behind the bear with only a few steps between them.

It turned out that the card Freddy had gotten was to use on his own door. One quick swipe and the door slid open easily.

"Why'd you need a key to get in yer own room?" Foxy asked lowly.

"Well… Earlier today the technicians caught me wandering the pizzeria at an undesignated time. They thought it would be safer if I was kept secured," Freddy explained. He almost seemed ashamed, and Foxy couldn't be sure if it was because he had been caught or because he was locked up at all. Either way, the answer made Foxy uncomfortable.

"…They lock ya in yer room often?" he asked with the same tone.

"Only when they are concerned for my safety… and I usually am not caught." The two lines jarringly contrasted with each other, but not nearly as much as they did against the sudden cheery tone that seized his voice. "Welcome to my green room! You are welcome to entertain yourself with all I have- or I can entertain you! You are my guest."

Foxy didn't even want to step inside if it meant toying with the risk of getting locked in, but he had come too far to walk off now. He stepped into the green room and allowed the door to shut behind him as he got a better look at the place.

Earlier he hadn't really paid much attention to the green room, so this was a better first impression of it. The walls were painted red with Freddy head decorations in the form of a neon sign, facial decals, and posters. A few illuminated lightning bolt shaped signs were hung along with a bold, yellow "Freddy Fazbear" sign above the couch. Or what looked like a red couch hiding under a slew of plush toys, including one massive Freddy doll, and a bowtie shaped pillow.

There was the vanity and the arcade machine, both of which Foxy spotted earlier, but there was also a corner filled with photograph equipment. Probably so people could get their picture taken with Freddy. He ached looking at it. Some kids and adults had asked to get their picture with him, but never enough to warrant that much equipment. He was already starting to feel depressed; thankfully he matched the dress code.

Freddy went over to close the curtains the rest of the way before turning back to Foxy expectantly. "Make yourself at home!"

Foxy took his advice and crossed over to the couch. There was a short table there too covered in various things. He ignored it, instead choosing to pull the massive Freddy plush off the couch and taking its place, laying across the length and kicking his feet up on the pillow. Almost like an act of defiance, not that Freddy seemed to notice or care. He sat back down in his weird barber-looking chair and looked to Foxy expectantly.

If he was waiting for him to compliment the room he was going to have to wait. Nice or not, it was property of Fazbear Entertainment, a dolled up holding cell for their dancing bear, and Foxy wouldn't ignore that for pleasantries.

He looked down at the table for something to remark on and happened to notice a bowling ball sitting on the floor. He craned his neck to double check, but yes, it was a green and orange bowling ball.

"Ya bowl?" he simply asked.

"I… used to. Not as much anymore," Freddy said with a strangely somber tone. Foxy hummed questioningly and cocked his head on the armrest. The bear changed tone as quickly as he had at the door, "What is your pizzeria like? I have heard of Foxy's Pirate Cove, but I do not know anything about it."

"It's a pirate themed pizzeria," Foxy said curtly. "Why'd ya stop bowling?"

Freddy must've actually thought he was going to drop it because he looked startled that Foxy brought it back up. His eyes darted around uncomfortably as he fumbled for words.

"I… I am not… I do not get up to the alley as much as I used to…"

Then it suddenly clicked. Of course Freddy couldn't go bowling, when he was caught outside, he was rewarded by getting his door locked. This was enough to convince Foxy to back off, leaning back on the couch to stare at the ceiling.

"It be like the old Freddy's but better in every way. We got a big dining room, huge arcade, prize corner stocked with prizes as far as the eye can see, and I get full run of the place. Nothin' gets done without my say so. Don't let the landlock fool ya, there may be no sea but it be my ship," Foxy said. He glanced to see if Freddy was listening. He was, closely, and that pride started swelling up in his chest as he turned on his side.

"We be expandin' sometime soon. Ye'd be best not tellin' anyone but know we're gonna be havin' ourselves a friendly competition," Foxy said confidently. "Just next week we got big gig. The hull's gonna be packed."

"That is great to hear! And do you still get to perform on stage?" Freddy asked innocently. That question surprised and confused the pirate who looked at the bear with a funny look.

"What's that mean? Course I perform on stage."

"Oh, good! I was just wondering considering your current condition. It is a very good mask though! I recognized it easily."

"What're you…?" Foxy trailed off as it clicked. "By the Flying Dutchman, you think I'm out o' service, don't ya?!" he exclaimed. Sitting upright on the couch and sounding very offended. That suddenly explained why he had been treating him with kid gloves even though he broke into his establishment. That offended him more than him just assuming he was broken because he was from the old Freddy's.

"I did not think you were out of service! I just assumed you were missing your suit head. The rest of you looked quite put together!" Freddy reassured. He kept his tone calm, but he sounded embarrassed.

"I took it off to fit this thing on!" Foxy answered, pinching the hood with his fingers.

"Oh! My apologies. I should not have assumed."

Foxy gave a little grumble and trailed off. Still offended but unable to really lash out when Freddy rolled over as quickly as he did. As tall and impressive as Freddy looked- and it killed him having to admit that- he seemed rather soft. He had gotten a glimpse of it the last time he was here, but this backed up that suspicion and Natalie's claim. Freddy seemed relatively harmless and meek compared to even the average animatronic.

Then again, Foxy had fallen for Ennard's Baby ruse. He couldn't trust his instincts like he used to.

He looked away from Freddy and ended up instead noticing the arcade machine in the corner. Now he had a much better view of it and could see what looked like a teenage Freddy riding on a skateboard. He couldn't understand the continued drive to put Freddy on a skateboard, though was half surprised there wasn't actually a skateboard in the room with them.

"What's that?" he asked. Freddy, who had lapsed into his thoughts, quickly returned to the present and looked to the arcade cabinet.

"That is Street Skate Superstar! It is a skateboarding game. Tear up the streets, land wicked tricks, and paint the town RAD! Would you like to play?" Freddy offered. Foxy stared back, still reeling from the fact that the bear suddenly threw a commercial into the middle of their conversation. "It is very fun! You should try it. This one does not need coins or tokens."

"Eh… Ya got me curious," Foxy agreed. He dragged himself up off the couch and over to the arcade machine. "I'm guessin' ya play it a lot."

"I do! Not just because it is in here either, though that does make it much easier to access," Freddy said. He got up from his chair too and came over to stand behind Foxy, something that made him a little wary. "I do not mean to brag, but I am quite good at it!... Not so much with real skateboarding."

"You've tried it?"

"No, but once I fell off of a standing cart while I was being moved. I suppose it is as close as I should get."

That was absurd enough to get a chuckle out of Foxy, one that he promptly pretended never happened, going stone-faced as he started up the game.

The game was about what he expected; weaving down a street with many lanes trying to avoid oncoming traffic and collect slices of pizza for extra points. Once or twice, he noticed a skateboard powerup, but they were always inside of a cluster of cars, and he was fixated on playing perfectly while being watched so closely. Not that it was too difficult, and he reached the end of the stage without any mistakes.

"Well done! You completed the first level without getting hit!" Freddy congratulated. "But those skateboards on the road are extra lives. You should collect them just in case."

"Ya don't say?" Foxy asked, a tinge of smugness in his voice. Propped up by the compliments, he continued onto the next level, and the next after.

It wasn't a long game by far. With only ten levels that only got slightly longer the further they were into the game, Foxy was able to wrap it up pretty quickly with only a two deaths and what he thought was a pretty hefty score. He assumed as such when level ten ended with a screen to input his initials.

"Well done, Captain! You got a high score, and on your first try!" Freddy congratulated. Considering that he had been praising him the whole time, the words didn't hold too much weight to Foxy, but it didn't put a damper on his victory.

What did take the wind out of his sails was the high score screen to input his initials. Only now did he register the 'a' high score and not 'the' high score, as he was sixth down behind four "FAZ"s and a "BON". Well, Freddy did say he played this one a lot, so this was to be expected. There was a "ROX" directly underneath him, more "FAZs", and the list ended with a "CHI" at the very bottom. Foxy chose to input his name as "FTP", to keep it somewhat vague.

"Well, that was somethin'," he said. "Pretty short fer a game ye play all the time."

"Perhaps because it is to be played by guests who get a photo pass to visit my green room. I have not had any yet, but I suppose they will not stay long," Freddy explained. He hesitated for a moment, looking at the screen for a second, and then asked, "Would you like to keep playing?"

Foxy felt a slippery slope coming as he looked back toward the title screen. He could be playing arcade games in his own pizzeria instead of bumming off of Freddy's free machine, he didn't need his charity. He didn't want to give this place anymore credit than he already had.

But he also didn't want to go back to that empty pizzeria to wallow in his own thoughts. Not yet.

Not until he got higher on that scoreboard.

"…One more shot."

Chapter Text

As soon as midnight hit and the doors were sealed, Natalie went to do her first rounds of the night. She went out into the atrium and did a quick loop around the middle floor. She briefly stopped at the escalator and considered going down to see Freddy, but then hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to get him in trouble. The thought of him being locked up in his room was already giving her a bad taste in her mouth.

Still, she got back into the elevator and returned to the lobby. She was considering grabbing a soda now, but she was still feeling fine and didn't like the idea of it sitting there warming up while she waited. She would just return to the office and do a crossword to pass a little time. She stepped out of the elevator.

Something was wrong.

It was hard to explain, but Natalie was suddenly hit by the feeling that something was off. A kind of creeping fear that suddenly seized her and made her look around quickly. She felt like she was being watched, or like the feeling she might've felt walking to her car in the dark and suddenly hearing a noise nearby, but there was nothing there. The lobby was comfortably alit, and she couldn't hear anything. There was no reason to be afraid.

Yet something was wrong. Swallowing it as best as she could, Natalie slowly made her way down the stairs and approached the lost and found. She hoped that once she was settled in the office, she would feel a little safer.

Alas, this wasn't the case. She didn't feel any better inside of the office. She checked the other two doors that led out behind one of the counters to make sure nothing was there, then shut and locked the office door before settling into her chair. She did a quick check of the cameras around the lobby and couldn't see anything there.

"I'm just a little creeped out being here alone. Psyching myself out, that's all," she convinced herself.

Yet Natalie still found her eyes frequently returning to the office window and the stairs outside. Checking to make sure someone wasn't creeping up on her even though she knew she would've seen it coming. She couldn't focus on anything and the thought of getting coffee was out the window, because she didn't want to go up those stairs and she really didn't want to walk the long way through the lobby.

Eventually she broke open the crossword book and tried to work on a puzzle to ease her nerves. This started to work and after a few minutes she started to have a distraction going. The mood still felt a little off, but she was able to deal with it.

She was pulled from that distraction by a soft thumping that sounded like footsteps.

…From above her.

Natalie instantly shot forward and was back on the cameras. She clicked the Faz-Pad's camera and after a few seconds the feed showed up.

Nothing. There was nothing up there.

Except she could still hear the slow thumping of something padding around up there. She moved the camera around to readjust, watching it drag itself with a lag it didn't usually have. It couldn't be in the café, so she started checking the other cameras in the area. The computer wasn't switching cameras as fast as usual. Instead of a snappy response, there was a good two to three second delay between every change.

"What's going on here? Why're these so slow?" she thought. She huffed to herself. "Of course! The second I need the cameras and they suddenly start acting up."

The sluggishness was only succeeding in making her more uncomfortable as she continued to search. Yet she wasn't seeing anything in any of the cameras and the noises above her had suddenly stopped. She was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable and slowly turned her chair, considering getting up and investigation.

Only to catch a glimpse of movement disappearing around the corner at the top of the stairs. She turned her head quickly but not fast enough to see what it was, or if it was there at all. She couldn't even make any details of what it was. Like it blended in with the wall, or like it didn't exist at all. But it had to because it being there explained why it wasn't above her head.

She stared at the top of the stairs for a long moment before realizing that she wasn't breathing and inhaling sharply to feed her aching lungs. By the coloring and height, it could've been a Staff Bot, but it didn't explain the footsteps or how it could've gotten down the stairs. The footsteps still hadn't returned either, leaving the place eerily quiet.

"…I'm going to have to go up there," Natalie said, grimacing immediately afterwards. She reached over for the flashlight and tested its weight. It would be a decent enough weapon against a human, but even though the footsteps were light she wasn't convinced that was what was upstairs. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside the office door and looked up the stairs.

Then proceeded to walk straight out into the lobby. She was going to cut them off from escaping and save herself from getting jumped in a stairwell, with the latter being more important. It hiding behind the corner was too much of a red flag to waltz right up there after it. Instead, she headed upstairs and quietly stepped into the Faz-Pad. There was nobody inside.

Keeping as quiet as she could, she made her way to the other door. She leaned against it before slowly creeping it open and shining her light inside.

The small kitchen was also empty. She breathed a quiet sigh and pushed the door open the rest of the way only for her light to glint off a knife lying on the counter. She stared at it for a second and knew right away that it wasn't supposed to be there. She had come through here to make coffee plenty of times yesterday and it wasn't here, and it wasn't dirty, so Chaz and Stanley hadn't used it. Not that they would bring a dirty knife into this kitchen anyway.

Someone could've been moving things around during the day, but she had a hard time believing they would leave a single knife out in the open. Especially a large kitchen knife, either a chef or a carving knife.

It felt like a threat. Maybe that was her paranoid mind imagining that, but it was significant enough to make her feel vulnerable. Vulnerable enough that she picked up the knife and proceeded to shove it underneath what looked like a dishwasher. She wasn't going to be caught on camera carrying around a knife and she wasn't leaving it out for someone else to find it. She would hear if someone came digging for it.

It wasn't until she started standing up that she noticed something was blocking the light from the doorway behind her. She snapped her head and flashlight back in a sweeping motion- but there was nothing there. This time she wasn't as certain about what she had seen, looking back at the counter and her position, and realizing it could've been her own shadow. Unconvinced, she strode to the door and threw it open.

Again, there was nothing. Huffing to herself, she turned back into the kitchen to go for the stairs. She opened the door and upon seeing nothing, hastily made her way down the steps to catch anyone who might've heard her coming.

But there was still nobody there. The footsteps had quieted, the lobby was silent, and she was left alone. With nowhere else to turn, she returned to her little office.

"Was that a paranormal thing? I mean, Freddy's alive, so maybe this place could be haunted? Like back in the warehouse… Please not like back at the warehouse. I can't handle that amount of insanity," Natalie thought as she approached the computer. She looked at the screen and noticed a red dot flashing on the map. "What now…?" she muttered and leaned to look.

The alarm was going off on the first floor of the atrium. In fact, it looked to be right in the snack bar area that Chaz and Stanley said they had been working in.

"What, did they leave something on in there?" Natalie wondered out loud. Suddenly her eyes popped open before she hastily jogged out of the office. "Please don't be a fire. Please don't be a fire."

She hurried out into the lobby and up the stairs towards the elevator, turning in place while she did to see if she could catch sight of anything suspicious. She didn't, but she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing considering that she was certain she had heard and almost certain she had seen someone. Part of her was eager to leave the lobby from just that alone.

Soon she was down on the first floor of the atrium and after a bit of searching found her way to the kitchen door. She found someone waiting for her, a Staff Bot dressed like a chef who flagged her down as she approached. It wheeled back from the slightly ajar door and gestured stiffly at it. She could already hear noises from inside before she started to push it open.

The kitchen was large and dominated by stainless steel, which made it all the more disorienting when her flashlight reflected off of so much. She could hear a weird sound coming from further into the room. It sounded almost like tearing cardboard mixed with some rustling and the occasional clatter of something scraping at the floor. Natalie carefully made her towards the back while hugged against the wall before she came around a prep table and saw the source.

There was an animatronic crouched down on the floor. Its white and pink head and back faced her as its hands tore at the flimsy carboard of a pizza box. A torn open trash back lay before it with its contents spilled around its legs. There wasn't much there. A lot of it looked like plastic wrap that things might've came from. She watched as it drew its head back with a ripping noise and realized it was eating the pizza box.

It didn't take more than an instant to recognize that this was Glamrock Chica. Natalie didn't have to see her face to recognize her body type.

"Chica?" she dared to asked. Chica lurched upright, her head raising so fast that her casing clattered.

A hand reached out to grab ahold of one of the tables. It was smeared with grease and redness, which Natalie recognized as pizza sauce, and helped the chicken shaped animatronic pull up to her feet. Her motions were both stiff and loose, her standing in a wobbly pigeon toe before suddenly turning her torso and snapping her head back to face the blond. Natalie flinched back.

"I'm sorry. This is a restricted area," Chica said. Her voice as automated and stiff as her motions. She turned to face Natalie all the way, head half tilted, and beak smeared in the remains of Stanley's pizza. A piece of cardboard even stuck out. Her zombie-like motions and glassy stare made Natalie extremely uncomfortable, so she found her voice quickly.

"Not for me it's not. I'm the security guard," she boldly announced. In a split second, as soon as she said that something changed in Chica's demeaner. Her widened pupils shrunk, her leering pose drew back, and her posture relaxed.

"Oh?" Her eyes quickly traced over the blond's uniform before returning to hers. "Oh! I'm sorry, I did not recognize you." She tilted her head even more. "What are you doing here? You should be in one of the sectional security offices."

"The staff bot outside sent me an alert and I came to check what was up. What are you doing in here?" Natalie asked. She kept the authoritarian tone; it was her only line of defense at the moment.

"Having a midnight snack! Somebody left perfectly good pizza out to waste. I- I couldn't h-help mys-self!" Chica explained, her voice stuttering as she grew excited. She ran her free hand down her face to collect some of the remaining sauce on her fingers, then shoved them into her mouth. Rubbing it onto the inside of her beak with a squeak. "Mmm! So good!"

Something about the whole scene made Natalie lose what little appetite she had. She didn't show it though and kept an even tone.

"I see that. Alright, no big deal then. I just wanted to make sure nobody broke in again," Natalie said, trying her hardest not to look like she was staring. "I don't mean to break up your fun, but you should probably get back to your room. The tech boys didn't leave too long ago, and they already locked Freddy up for being outside his room."

"Mmm, okay! I'm all done anyways. There's barely any good food in here!" Apparently, the cardboard counted, Natalie thought. She watched as Chica started to lurch and stagger forward. Her footsteps seemed awkward, and her upper half seemed to sway as she made her way around the table and towards the kitchen door.

"Are you okay? You're walking a little weird," she dared to ask.

"Hmm? Oh! Sometimes when I eat too much, my battery gets a little… f-funny," Chica answered. Her voice warbling weirdly as she turned her head back to look at the blond. "I couldn't help myself! I LOVE pizza!"

"I guess that makes sense. I'm going to walk you back to your room just in case, okay?" Natalie suggested. Chica gave a nod and a hum, seemingly unbothered by this.

As soon as the Glamrock animatronic walked out of the kitchen, the chef bot zoomed back in, almost running into Natalie before darting towards the back. She sent a wary glance after it before following Chica out. "How alive are those guys?"

Back in Rockstar Row, Foxy had gotten himself up to third place on the scoreboard and found himself unable to budge past that spot. He continued playing try after try, but Freddy didn't seem to mind. He just watched from beside or behind, always eager to offer an obvious tip or a seemingly undeserved compliment- in Foxy's eyes. He was halfway through a lesser run when he heard thumping and his head shot up.

"Ya hear that?" he asked lowly. Freddy hadn't been paying attention but now that he did, he could hear the familiar footsteps of an animatronic passing outside. "Somebody's comin'!"

In all likelihood they weren't coming into his green room, but Freddy too felt a spark of fear and after looking back at the closed curtains, gave Foxy a gentle nudge on the back. One that Foxy almost recoiled from.

"Go through that door and hide in the back. I will take a look," he coaxed.

As suspicious as Foxy felt, he wasn't about to stand here and let himself get seen, so he hastily darted to the security door. Freddy pressed a button behind the arcade machine to open it and Foxy entered without delay. Freddy shut the door behind him before hustling over to the window and drawing open the curtains.

There was Chica and the new security guard walking right outside. The other animatronic's face was messy so she had probably been scrounging for food again. Natalie noticed him peeking out right away and he raised a hand to wave.

"There's Freddy," Natalie murmured. Chica looked over as well and rested a hand on her hip, waving with the other before blowing Freddy a kiss. He made a motion like he was catching it in his hand before she continued on. Natalie looked between them before catching up with her. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"I'm his arm candy!" Chica said in an almost bragging tone. Though then tapped her beak thoughtfully. "Or… No. It's more like he's a big hunk of gingerbread and I'm the icing that makes him look good… No! No, it's like a pizza! We're all like the parts of a pizza. Roxy's the sauce because she's saucy and wears red, Monty's spicy green peppers, I'm the melty cheese because I can be sweet sometimes, but I can be warm too! Warm and soft."

"What's Freddy, the dough?"

"Freddy's the crust," Chica answered. As she was saying this, they were approaching Monty's room and Natalie could hear what sounded like rapid, frantic bass strumming from inside. "He holds us all together, kinda."

"So, not because he's brown," Natalie said. This got a tiny giggle out of Chica. She nearly knocked over a velvet rope as she thumped towards her door. "Hey, careful," Natalie warned, grabbing and righting it. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Uh-huh! Thank you for walking me home, Officer Vanessa," Chica said. She turned back towards the door with a perkier bounce to her delayed steps. She kicked one leg up behind her and winked. "I think we'll be good friends very soon!"

"Sure thing. You can count on it," Natalie agreed. It wasn't until the door shut that she clenched her teeth upon realizing that Chica had somehow figured out her fake name without seemingly scanning her.

She didn't linger and quickly made her way down Rockstar Row. There was still frantic scratching from Monty's room, not even qualified as playing anymore. She kept her eyes ahead and started to approach Roxy's window when she noticed that the curtains had been opened. She slowly approached and looked in to see that there was another animatronic standing in their window.

This time it was none other than Roxanne Wolf, and from the facial structure alone Natalie could see the similarities to Foxy. The wolf was leering at her with half lidded eyes, hands on her hips, with one set of sharp nails tapping on her hip. The aloof look alone was a far cry from Freddy's friendliness. Unsure if it was just how she looked in general, Natalie raised a hand in greeting.

Roxanne proceeded turned away with a flip of her hair and confidently strode over towards her vanity, fluffy tail swaying behind her. Apparently, that chilly vibe wasn't just skin deep. Natalie wasn't really affected by it. If anything, she was more surprised that the animatronic actually had a tail and spent the brief walk to Freddy's window thinking about whether or not Foxy used to have one too.

Freddy was no longer standing at the door. Natalie peeked in the crack between the curtains to see him picking up some toys from the floor, including a huge plush of himself. He heard her at the window and looked over, and she sent him another wave, which he returned. It was sort of assuring to see that he wasn't sulking in his room so she continued back out of Rockstar Row so she could do her atrium rounds.

Little did she know, but Freddy was watching her closely. As soon as he could hear the security door out of Rockstar Row close, he looked around carefully and shut the curtains, then hastily opened the door to the back.

"Captain?" he called in quietly.

He looked around the backroom. It was a small, cramped space. Boxes of parts and supplies were stacked on shelves and carelessly on the shelves, and in the darkness they would cast intimidating shadows. There was an elevator in the room, but Foxy wouldn't have been able to use it himself, so Freddy crept in deeper. He came around the tight corner in the back and there he found where he went.

Foxy had found him staring at something almost beyond his comprehension. It looked like a sort of candy apple red tube with a big circular window in it. From the space inside and the height, it wasn't hard to guess that someone could easily fit into it. He assumed that person was Freddy and that idea made him both curious and uneasy. He looked over as Freddy came around the corner.

"What's this?" he asked, gesturing at the tube with his head.

"That is my charging station! When my battery gets low, I step inside and go through a charging cycle. My battery lasts around five hours between cycles, but there are charging stations across the Pizzaplex," Freddy readily explained. Foxy's looked him up in down in confusion.

"Ya run off a battery?" he asked. Now a battery would've made sense for a normal animatronic, or a set of pressurized hoses to make it move like it was alive, but they were alive. He had yet to see an animatronic that required a battery who had a soul in them. He didn't know how it worked, but he moved fine on his own without having to plug into an outlet. If Freddy had a soul in him then he shouldn't have needed to charge in some kind of sci-fi looking tube.

Brief doubt crept in for a moment as Foxy wondered if he had been wrong, but he shrugged that thought away immediately. Even with the stilted talking, there was too many quirks to be some kind of brainless machine. He was definitely alive.

The whole time he was thinking this, Freddy was talking.

"I do. We all do. Though not all of us require use of the charging stations. I am not sure how the others recharge their battery… Hmm… But from your confusion I am guessing you do not charge in the same way. How do you recharge yourself?" Freddy waited for an answer. Foxy was staring vaguely at the charging station. "…Captain?"

"Aye," Foxy said, more as placeholder answer to get a moment to remember what Freddy was asking him, and when he did he gave a proper answer. "We don't. Just a couple of hours of rest and we're back on our feet. No battery, no cables."

"That makes sense!" Freddy said. Foxy sent him a doubtful look. "I have heard that the old Freddy Fazbear animatronics were built to function without a cord and or charging stations. Do you know how it works?"

"Nah," Foxy admitted. He didn't feel comfortable enough to start talking death and souls with glamorized Freddy. "And quit callin' me old."

"Oh. My apologies, I was not trying to imply that you were."

"So, what, you don't sleep?" Foxy asked, still doubtful. "Don't get tired or feel weak?"

"I do feel tired when my battery runs low, and if it reaches critical, I can activate sleep mode, but it does not seem to recharge my battery. At least, I do not think it does," Freddy explained. "Perhaps the ones who do not charge sleep."

The two fell into silence as they continued looking at the ruby red charging station. Foxy still had so many questions about how it worked- if it went through his feet or shocked him like a taser- but he was becoming antsy again.

"They gone?" he asked.

"They are. Our security guard does not pass through here frequently, so I do not expect her back soon. You are free to come back to my room, it is safe," Freddy offered. Foxy just hummed low in his chest in wariness. He didn't realize Natalie was out there too. That had been closer than he thought. Perhaps that was a sign.

"I'm thinking it's about time I shove off," Foxy mumbled. He looked up to see the dejection in Freddy's eyes. "Don't give me that look. Ye knew me time was short."

"That I did. Do you think you will return?" Freddy asked. Foxy stared at him blankly.

"…That a question or invitation?"

"An invitation, of course! I had a lot of fun tonight. You are welcome here- just as long as you refrain from any more acts of delinquency."

Foxy couldn't tell if he was just so desperately lonely or if he was in for the long con. At this point he knew it had to be one of those, because he wasn't sure if what they had done should've been fun for Freddy. Unless he enjoyed watching people repeatedly try to beat his score on his skate game. Foxy had to nip this in the bud.

"I'll think about it."

Or he wasn't. He was honest though; he did need some time to think. If not about the bizarreness of Freddy, then about him charging in a tube. He started to head back to the door with Freddy in tow, only pausing to steal a glance at the elevator doors that he had noticed earlier.

"Where do they go?" he asked, continuing to the door.

"That elevator takes me down to parts and service," Freddy answered. Foxy came to a dead stop in front of him. Freddy stopping behind and taking a polite step back before the pirate sent him a look over his shoulder.

"Ye only brought me to yer room ta get me down in parts and service, didn't ya?" he flatly accused.

"I did think you may need repairs… but I meant what I said. I brought you to my room because it was safer, and because I cannot be seen outside it tonight."

Foxy hummed like he was questioning it, but in all likelihood, this was more of Freddy's blunt honesty, so he turned ahead and continued through the door. He started to head towards Freddy's door and was about to waltz through when he suddenly stopped on a dime before the door could activate.

"Wait… How long's she been gone?" Foxy asked.

"The security officer? She left Rockstar Row before I came to get you."

"…So she could still be in the dining room," Foxy mumbled. Now he was really feeling like a caged rat. He didn't want to stick around after that close call, but if he got caught and cornered by Natalie then the jig was up. He knew he was going to have to confess sooner than later, but he wanted that on his own terms. Not by getting caught in the act.

Freddy must've noticed how uncertain he was as he volunteered, "Perhaps you should stay a few minutes longer. Then I will escort you back to the vent. So if she is still out there, I can distract her long enough for you to get away."

Foxy had a suspicion that Freddy was just plying him for more time, but he did have a point and realized that he didn't have much choice. He hummed and stepped away from the door, considering it a long moment before nodding. Freddy didn't say anything- probably to not push his luck- and Foxy made his way back to the arcade machine.

"One more game," he said. He stared at the cartoon bear skateboarding on the title screen for a moment before turning to face the bear towering behind him, gesturing his hook to the cabinet. "Ya want it?"

"Are you certain? I am fine watching," Freddy offered. Though it wasn't hard to see how his eyes seemed to 'perk' with excitement.

"I be good. Show me how you've been gettin' them high scores," Foxy offered, waving for him to get on with it. It was going to be excruciating to watch if Freddy ended up getting another score higher than his, but he wasn't feeling safe enough to sink his attention into another try. He stood alongside the cabinet like he was keeping guard as Freddy started up the game.

"Now when you begin level one, you should hug the right side of the street and collect the first two slices of pizza. This means you will miss the stopwatch, but the first level is very generous with time. As soon as you get that second piece, you must move towards the middle before you run into traffic," Freddy began to explain. Hunched over with his eyes locked to the screen and his hands moving as though he had played it hundreds of times. "Towards the end move to the left-."

Foxy watched the screen with a nonchalant look and tried to not look too eager. It wasn't like he expected to play this game more than once or twice more, and only if he did decide to come back, which he wasn't sure if he even would.

To think that this was his main rival, hiding him in his little living room and showing him how to play a skateboarding game. It wasn't exactly the clash of the ages that Foxy was expecting.

…It wasn't exactly bad either.

Though things weren't the same on the far side of the Pizzaplex.

After a quick once-around the atrium, Natalie returned to the lobby feeling a little less creeped out. Or she did until she stepped out of the elevator only to hear an unfamiliar sound and look up to the elevator in the center of the room raising towards the ceiling. She hadn't seen anyone use that lift, she didn't even know where it went, but it moving was a telltale sign that someone had just been here.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she hissed and hustled down the steps to try and catch sight of whoever was in the lift through the glass on the other side. She just missed them, but this was enough to answer her questions.

Freddy might've used an elevator once, but the glass one was compact and far from Rockstar Row or even the daycare. She couldn't be certain, but this mixed with those pattering little footsteps made her believe it was a human. Maybe even the would-be vandal from the other night. She hastily ran back into the lost and found.

"Alright, where are you?" she muttered as she pulled up the map. It looked like that elevator went straight up into the third floor and a quick check indicated that it did. She clicked on some of the cameras in the area and her brows shot up at the sight of a massive prize area just upstairs. Already loaded with prizes and as big as the lobby, it put the dinky little gift shop to say. "Mental note: do not tell Mari about this."

But while she saw toys and trinkets on numerous counters and tables, and even saw the top of the elevator itself, she couldn't find anyone. This time she wasn't nearly as willing to pretend that she had been mistaken.

"I'm going up there," she said. Maybe just to convince herself because the thought made her more than a little nervous. Taking a deep breath, she got up from the desk and strode out of the lost and found.

Natalie didn't know much about the room above the lobby. All she knew was what she saw in those brief glimpses from the camera, but there was on peculiar thing that only occurred to her now and that involved the glass skylight. Or what she thought was a skylight but was really more a glass dome into some kind of starry room. It was in the center of the ceiling, high above where it would've gone ignored.

Except that when Natalie sized up that elevator shaft with a tight frown, she caught a glimpse of something on that glass dome. Something standing in that dark room in the middle of the prize corner, mere steps from the elevator. She looked up at it and time seemed to stop as she realized what she was looking at.

It was white, slender, with crooked ears above its head and its hands pressed on the glass. It wasn't clear enough to make out more fine details. The whole thing a blur except for the vague silhouette illuminated by the light from below.

A rabbit shaped silhouette.

But Natalie knew from that one glimpse alone that it was not a rabbit. It had the shape of a human underneath that rounded head.

It stared down as she stared up, frozen on the spot with eyes wide and lips still tight. The feeling that struck her was unlike any she felt before. Seeing someone running around in a bunny suit should've been ridiculous, silly, goofy, but that was far from what she felt. There was something wrong with it and it filled her with a deep dread. The sickening realization that followed didn't help matters.

"That's what I saw on the stairs," she thought. That also fit what she heard upstairs. It had actually been something circling around her without her knowing. It had been in this lobby with her since she got there.

Just when she thought it couldn't get worse, it cocked its head and suddenly its eyes filled with a red glow. It wasn't anything too spectacular, just looking like a typical light-up Halloween mask, but something about seeing that light filled her tense stomach with stones. Like she was staring at something she wasn't supposed to, but it didn't last long.

Because the rabbit suddenly bowed out of sight and was gone. As though it had just dissolved into the darkness from whence it came, leaving her alone and unsafe, feeling like it could appear anywhere now.

She resisted the intense urge to make a break back for Rockstar Row to spend the rest of the night Freddy or Chica and instead turned and sprinted right back into the lost and found.

No chances this time. She locked the doors, blocked the doors with whatever boxes she had, and was on the cameras searching. She looked through the lobby first, then the Prize Counter, then the atrium, searching for any sign of the rabbit. She could find no trace, but it was while she was searching that she noticed that the cameras were working normally again.

Her hands were shaking at this point. It wasn't an animatronic, it was a human, but her gut feeling was telling her it wasn't human. She had never been afraid of an animatronic like this and still the rabbit scared her.

She continued searching the Pizzaplex, only pausing to look out the window and make sure it wasn't creeping down the stairs, then back to the cameras. Searching for any sign of life.

Until she found one. Except that it wasn't the rabbit that she found.

It was Freddy walking across the ground floor of the atrium followed by a figure dressed in black with a telltale red-orange mask.

"What? Wait, hold up," Natalie said, surprised. She angled to a better camera and zoomed in as best as she could to get a better look, though was now looking at the vandal's back.

It had to be the vandal too. It matched the description she heard, stalking closely behind Freddy with its head down. She estimated him a little shorter than her, wearing a hoodie with his hands shoved into the pouch and sweatpants. Something black and plasticky was wrapped around its feet, which she only noticed because it had gotten a little frayed by use. It almost looked like trash bag material. That mixed with that familiar striding gait made something click.

"Oh my God," Natalie said in utter exasperation. "Foxy!"

If she had any doubt, he started to quickly look around in paranoia. A twitchy, jerky sort of motion. Motions she recognized from a nervous Foxy. Not to mention that he was walking around with Freddy- no wonder Freddy was looking for him.

"He is so busted. I can't believe him," she grumbled. She watched as they walked out of the cameras line of sight, heading towards the snack bar area where she had been only a while earlier. Probably getting the same idea as Chica and going to raid the kitchen. She shook her head and clicked back to the lobby cameras, considering if it was worth taking off after him.

The urge died quickly. She had more important things to deal with than Foxy. She could- and would- tell the others tomorrow, but right now there was something much worse prowling around. At least he was with Freddy, she decided, though she did feel creeping worry settle in. She really hoped Freddy was a good guy.

As she was still searching for the rabbit, Freddy escorted Foxy all the way back into the storage area and right back to the vent. Foxy expected him to put up a fight about leaving, but Freddy stuck to his word and watched as he tossed in the backpack and began to climb inside.

"Captain," Freddy interrupted. The pirate stopped halfway into the vent. "I apologize, but there is something I must ask you. I did not want to ruin our time together, but I am afraid that I must know."

Foxy dropped his head with a huff. "Here it comes," he thought, expecting to be asked to stay. He pulled out his head from the vent. "Better ask while ye can. What izzit?"

"…Who is Afton?"

Foxy went rigid- thankful that he pulled himself out of the vent or he probably would've smacked his head on it. The name caught him off guard for a few seconds… until he remembered that he had written that name in his graffiti. Freddy had gotten the name from him. It didn't make the question any less uncomfortable, but it made it much less suspicious.

"Ya never heard that name?" Foxy asked.

"I am afraid I have not…" Freddy replied. His eyes glowed with curiosity. "Who were they?"

"He was a monster," Foxy answered, his voice low and heavy. The bear picked up on that solemn tone and decided not to ask further questions. Instead, he watched the pirate stare at the wall for a long moment before looking back. "Can I ask you something now?" he asked. "You don't have to answer it."

"Go right ahead! I will answer as best I can," Freddy willingly agreed.

"…Where'd you come from?" Foxy asked. The bear looked confused. "Take no offense. I mean only… Where? Ya couldn'ta just popped out of a clamshell."

"Why, I came from here, of course!" Freddy answered. Foxy shook his head.

"No, no, you ain't gettin' me," he said and then clarified further. "Before this place. Before this… thing got built. Ya came from somewhere."

"Err, no. I was built here," Freddy said. Foxy rolled his head back with exasperation until the other also clarified, "Underneath this facility are the production lines they used to build me. Such as Parts and Service, but not limited to."

This caught Foxy's attention and he thought about it for a long second, yellow eyes tracing along the floor. He remembered Marionette said there was a massive basement, so that made sense- that was also more than a little concerning, but he couldn't think of that right now. He nodded, satisfied with this answer but not done.

"Gotcha. 'Nother question if I may?" Foxy offered him a hand in gesture. Freddy gave him a high-five, almost as a reflex. The pirate stared at him for a long moment before recovering enough to continue. "You remember anything before that?"

"Before what?"

"From back down there. Before ye were Freddy."

"What? I… I am not certain… No, I couldn't. How could I remember something before I was… myself?" Freddy asked, suddenly recognizing the paradox.

"Guess ya can't… Forget it. I just be havin' some kinda… existential crisis. That's all," Foxy quickly excused. He looked at the ground for a long moment before asking, "Can ya keep this between us? What I said about Afton."

"Of course, but if you ever want to talk more about it then I will listen," Freddy offered. Foxy had to remind himself that the animatronic before him was especially lonely and trying any tactic to get him to stay. "…If you will come back."

"I'll be back," he said with defeat. He then began to climb back into the vent. "One o' these days. Don't get yerself locked up lookin' fer me."

"I will be very careful. You take care on your way to your pizzeria, Captain," Freddy said after him. He continued to peer into the vent as Foxy crawled away and waited until he couldn't hear him before leaving.

Foxy, meanwhile, had a lot on his mind. The situation at the Pizzaplex, Natalie's role, some kind of animatronic building facility, the Pizzaplex building and repairing its own animatronics, and his rival- his real-life Silver Fox- being too friendly and empathetic to even wish ill will towards. Though his thoughts on Freddy were aimed in a much different direction now, one that connected to that factory under the ground.

Animatronics were being built underneath Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex.

And Freddy only remembered being Freddy because he was fresh blood.

Needless to say, Natalie didn't do any more rounds that night. She only dared to leave the lost and found once to use the bathrooms in the daycare hallway, but she spent the entire time on high alert. Thankfully, the only thing waiting for her when she came out was a Staff Bot who then followed her out of the hall and began cleaning the floors outside the elevators. She felt unsafe and alone, and direly wished that morning would come.

Exhaustion crept in, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the night before. She wasn't sure if it was because of how long she slept today or because she was too hyper aware of her surroundings to relax, let alone sleep.

Yet as vigilant as she was, she didn't see the rabbit again. Not even when she swore she could hear it somewhere in the lobby. Not even when the cameras slowed to a crawl.

In the last minutes before she could leave, Natalie made her way carefully up the stairs and into the Faz-Pad kitchen. Making sure the door was shut and secure, she carefully crouched down, back to the corner instead of either door, and reached with her fingers for the knife.

Her heart sunk when she found that it was no longer there. She got out of the kitchen quickly and started watching her back even closer. When six came, she immediately clocked out and made her way to the doors. She only looked back once before getting in her car and driving away.

Natalie let herself into the house and started making her way inside when she realized she wasn't the only one awake. Fritz was sitting on the couch, shutting off the tv and leaning his head over the back when he heard her come in.

"Hey," he greeted with a warm, tired smile. He must've set an alarm because he hadn't been up long. She smiled at him, but it must've not been convincing as his own faltered. "What's wrong?"

"Just… Hold on." She set down her things on the table, pulled off her hat, and kicked off her shoes behind the couch before circling around to sit beside him. It was clear that she was tense. She laid back into her couch, but her motions seemed delayed, as though she was nervous. He could tell immediately that she was stressed but was glad she wasn't as tired as the night before.

"I didn't get to see you in uniform last night. It looks great on you," Fritz said, trying to ease the tension. It worked a little, getting a tired smile out of the blond.

"Oh yeah? I'm hoping you didn't only agreed to me getting this job to see me in it," she lightly teased.

"It wasn't to wrangle up tipsy robots all night," Fritz retorted. He hated doing it when he got a smile out of her, but he returned to his concerns. "How'd tonight go?"

The look on her face said it all. The way she blankly stared ahead as she recounted the night in her head was all he needed to see to know something had gone wrong. He reached out to take her hand, triggering her to take a deep breath.

"It went… Bad," she confessed. "It started off okay and it went downhill so fast that I…" She took a shaky breath and stared off at the coffee table before steeling herself enough to look him in the eyes. "Fritz."

"Nat?"

"There was someone in a bunny costume stalking me all night," she said. He had a slow look of shock appear on his face. "It wasn't an animatronic. I thought that at first, but the way it was shaped, the way its footsteps sounded- it wasn't. It was someone wearing a costume… I think I might've been a woman. The shape kind of looked like it." She cut off to make a cupping motion with her hand. "Not that I could see much when she was thirty feet above me."

As lost as Fritz was looking, that look of fear had never left his face. "Did she do anything?" he asked.

"She threatened me with a knife, sort of. She left a knife out in the open for me to find and then came back and got it after I tried to hide it… But I got the message loud and clear. If her circling me like a vulture wasn't clear enough," Natalie muttered. She sat there a long moment before adding, "I think we have a problem."

"We have a huge problem," Fritz agreed. He sounded nearly as shaken as she did, though for different reasons. Not that the prospect of someone running around in a bunny suit wasn't terrifying enough, but that wasn't the only thing he was worried about. He pulled her into a hug, which Natalie gladly accepted. Her hands tightly clutching to his back.

"We'll figure this out," he promised, already planning on getting ahold of a taser for her to smuggle in.

"Yeah…" Natalie trailed off for a second. Leaving them sitting quietly in the dark living room. "…I should've warned Foxy."

"We can warn him tomorrow," Fritz assured. Only then recognizing the oddness of the comment. "Why Foxy?"

"Because if he's going to be over there hanging with Freddy he needs to know to watch out."

"What do you… Oh, okay. I just caught up," he said, exasperation creeping into his voice. "We'll deal with that tomorrow too. Nobody's going to be up yet… Except maybe Foxy."

"And I've had enough of Foxy," Natalie finished. She slowly drew back with a sigh, resting her head on her hand for a moment before reaching back to pull her hair down. "Let's go to bed."

"Okay," Fritz agreed. He guided her out of the living room with a protective hand on her back and tried not to dwell on how unsettled he was. They could deal with it and the morning, and with how serious this was, they would be.

Neither of them realized that Chance had been standing on the landing of the basement stairs.

He hadn't meant to listen in. The plan was to walk upstairs and welcome Natalie home after her ordeal, then let her sleep and get answers tomorrow. He knew how tough this job was, even though he was biting at the bit ever since they had told him about the living animatronics in the Pizzaplex he still wanted to support the woman who had been supporting him.

It was an accident to come in when she was talking about the rabbit, and he had been so stunned he stayed frozen on the landing. He hadn't even found his voice when they got up to leave, he just continued standing there thinking about what this could mean for all of them.

He hoped it was a copycat. He really, really did. It would still be a nightmare, but he would take anything over the real deal.

Thank goodness Henry wasn't here to see this.

Chapter Text

It was a typical morning at the Schmidt-Afton-Johnson-and temporarily Fitzgerald residence. Mike had been back from his late-morning run for a while and was currently stretched out on the couch watching TV, with Moppet curled up between him and the back of it. Marionette was sitting on the floor in front of the couch putting together a puzzle with Bow and Plushtrap. A picture of a dragon was slowly coming together.

Today was their day off and while they still expected to get news from Natalie, things were more lowkey than they had been in weeks. Unfortunately, it couldn't last. Mike's cell phone began to ring, and he reached above his head to grab it.

"Hello, hello?" he answered.

"Hey, it's me," Fritz said. His voice alone just sounded like bad news was coming. "Think you could get everyone together and meet us over at Foxy's? Natalie's got a few updates."

"Sure, I'll get us over there," Mike agreed. "…So, what happened this time?"

"Mike, you have no idea," Fritz said. He hesitated for a long moment and Mike's silence prodded for an answer. "Natalie saw something last night."

"Saw what?" he pressed. He reached over and tapped Marionette on the back of his head to get his attention. The Puppet looked back at him curiously while Fritz still seemed torn. "How bad was it?" Mike pressed.

"…Natalie was harassed by a woman with a knife wearing a bunny costume and running around the Pizzaplex afterhours."

"…What?!" Mike shot upright. It jostled Moppet enough that she got up and quickly scooted off the couch. Plushtrap jumped and Bow looked over, and Marionette was already looking so he just got a slightly concerned look. "Is she sure? Is she absolutely sure it wasn't just one of those creeps that were peeking on her trying to mess with her?"

"No, they were long gone by then. The doors were already sealed when she started to hear her running around," Fritz said. It was clear that he was a little freaked out, even more now than he had been last night. "I just- I can't believe this! I don't even know if this is real or just someone pranking her- which I hope it is. I hope this is some kind of sick joke and not someone actually running around pulling a 'Purple Man'," he finished through his teeth.

Mike hissed a swear through his own teeth and slowly made eye contact with Marionette. He wondered how much the Puppet could hear. Normally he was able to overhear things on the phone pretty well, but he probably hadn't been listening too long. His brows were furrowed like he was confused and concerned, so he must've heard that 'Purple Man' comment.

"And that's not all. Remember how we were thinking Foxy was the vandal? Natalie saw Foxy at the Pizzaplex! He IS the vandal, and he's been over there hanging out with Freddy!"

"Big shock," Mike muttered. Marionette leaned forward onto the couch, tilted his head, and raised a hand to shrug in questioning.

"…I'm taking from that that you already knew."

"Oh yeah, I knew. That look on his face yesterday told me everything," Mike said. Noticing Marionette, he covered the receiver and mumbled a quick, "It was Foxy."

He didn't even need to clarify what. Marionette's head snapped up with a start and within seconds a low and disgruntled static began to hum through his chest.

"How's Nat holding up?" Mike asked, trying to ignore the dial tone at his side.

"She's doing okay. Didn't get much sleep, but I'm hoping she'll nap a little later… Because they're expecting her back tonight, and she's planning on going." Mike hummed. "Speaking of which, can we borrow your taser? Mine needs to charge and I don't want her going in unarmed."

"Sure, I'll bring it to the pizzeria. I'll get everyone together and we'll be over there in a few minutes."

"Thanks… Maybe you shouldn't tell Jeremy yet. I don't want it hanging over his head the whole drive over here. At least if he hears it here, we can all jump in and-."

"Keelhaul Foxy."

"Comfort Jeremy. But I like your idea too. Go on a fox hunt before rabbit season opens up."

"That reminds me, I really need to get a gun," Mike remarked. "I'll see you in a bit. Take care." The call ended and he shoved his phone into his pocket. Then stole a glance at the seething Puppet. "I have the suspicion that you might be upset."

"I think you might be right," Marionette replied, voice heavy with that static, dotted pupils glowing.

"I shouldn't have doubted you for a second. Your instincts are dead-on, as usual," Mike assured as he got up from the couch. He patted Marionette's head before going into the kitchen and taking a few steps down into the basement, knocking on the wall and calling down, "We're going to Foxy's!" Charlie called back in agreement, and he turned around to step back out, only to find Marionette waiting behind him.

"That wasn't what you were worked up over," the Puppet said. His frustration gone and now replaced with concern and perplexation. "Foxy, I mean. We both suspected it was Foxy… I thought I heard Fritz say something about the Purple Man?"

"Right…" This wasn't great, but he supposed it was best to get it over with now. It wasn't like Marionette wasn't going to find it suspicious if he tried to hide it, and he would rather tell him where they wouldn't have an audience for him to feel embarrassed expressing in front of. Mike took his hand. "…Let's go to the bedroom."

"He better not be in there," Marionette said in a lukewarm attempt at humor. He let Mike lead him by the hand into the hallway. "…He better not be anywhere," he added a little more dangerously. Quietly enough that nobody would hear.

The man's silence and the wording on his side of the phone call made the puppet nervous. He watched as Mike stopped and knocked on the doorway of Marionette's bedroom door, catching the attention of Jeremy, who was sitting on the bed helping his Minireenas get dressed.

"We're off to Foxy's in five," he forewarned. Jeremy gave him a thumbs up and hastily continued the dressing. Marionette looked at him with sympathy as they passed by, hoping he wouldn't take the reveal of Foxy's actions too hard.

Mike shut the bedroom door behind them and stood there for a moment considering how he would go about this. He slowly turned around to face Marionette and upon seeing his face realized there was no way to soften the blow.

"Fritz said-… That Natalie said she was stalked by a woman dressed as a rabbit last night," Mike began. His voice losing almost all its volume over that one statement. "He said she had a knife and was running around the Pizzaplex after the doors locked." The Puppet moved like he was about to speak, but Mike beat him to it. "And it was a human, not an animatronic. It wasn't that Bonnie replacement Wight was talking about, it was a person in a suit."

Marionette's face went blank. The expression on it completely unreadable and it was a good five or six seconds before it was broken by those white pupils returning. They were locked onto Mike in an equally blank stare. He reached out to put a hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed his fabric in little circles. He didn't say anything yet, just allowing the other a minute to process it all.

Which he did, and he could only come to one sudden conclusion.

"I change my mind. You can get a job at the Pizzaplex."

Mike was utterly blindsided by the statement. Whether it be how rapidly he flipped on his previous desires or how convinced he sounded of it. No hesitation or doubt, he had completely changed his mind.

As if sensing Mike questioning it, he very willingly explained himself. The way he said it almost to a greater effect than the words he spoke.

"I-I'm not going to st-stand aside and let this happen again," Marionette said. His voice crackling and wavering with white noise and clinking as he spoke. "N-Never again. Never again."

This clarification didn't make it any less shocking, but Mike was definitely able to read it a little better. Marionette meant it, but he didn't want it. That much was clear. Looking to assure in this fragile state, he pulled him in closer, catching the back of his neck to coerce him into resting their foreheads together.

"Hey, hey. We'll figure out another way in," Mike calmly assured him. The static wavered slightly. "Nothing's happened yet and we're not going to let anything happen."

This managed to make Marionette's anger deflate slightly. Not because he felt any better, but because the ready determination was assuring to hear. He cupped Mike's face in his hands and pulled him a little more surely against him, his mask cool against his warm skin. The porcelain almost vibrating from the low noises still echoing from his internal music box.

"It's the same thing. It's all the same," he choked, box twanging and tightening. The static growing and looming with it, audibly projecting both frustration and fear. "Why-y would they let this happen?!"

"But it's not the same," Mike said, pulling back to look Marionette in the eyes. "It's not him. He's gone. He's too far gone and he's not coming back."

Whatever Marionette was working himself into was cut short by that sudden yank back to the present. The dialing faltered with a sound akin to a soft gasp or gentle sob, the latter more likely as a few small droplets of purple dripped out from the eyes of his mask and down his stripes.

Marionette's face softened up further and he dropped his gaze, finding Mike's t-shirt a lot more interesting than making eye contact. "…It seems he always finds a way back…" he said quietly.

"Maybe when he was alive, but since then he's only came back once, and he slipped up big time when he did. There's no coming back from whatever that red pond was. I don't even know what it really was, and I know it's the last stop," Mike reassured. Then he lowered his voice, catching the puppet's chin and lifting it. "And let me tell you this, if we put an end to the big bad "Purple Man" then we can deal with a copycat wannabe."

The Puppet's eyes narrowed at the thought. "How disgusting. Who would want that? Who would aspire for that other than him?" he hissed.

"Trust me, there's a lot of twisted, sick people out there who are so desperate to get their names to mean something that they're willing to do anything for it. Real sickos- almost like Afton, and yet still not as pathetic as him," Mike said with a sneer. "Something about a forty-year-old man preying on kids in a bunny suit is hard to beat."

"There will be so many children…" Marionette said. Anger fading enough to make way for the dread to rise once more. The same happening to Mike, whose face grew somber.

"They're not open yet. Who knows; if this gets big enough it might not even open," he suggested, voice softer. Though not even he believed the last part.

"…What about Natalie?"

"I'm giving her my taser to borrow in the meantime."

There was a quiet moment between them. There was a wispy sigh from Marionette followed by a twang in his chest before the static started to recede. Though not before Mike got another one of those strange emotional sensations through his hands. Like a flash of anger up his arm before finally cooling down once more.

"…I'm sorry, you're right. You shouldn't sign up with them just to get us in there," Marionette said. He reached up to wipe his tears away with his hand, which Mike took and then tried to wipe off with a random, dark shirt he pulled off the dresser. This got a tiny smile out of the puppet. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Well first, I'm going to take you over to the pizzeria so we can all gang up on Foxy," Mike began. He looked up with that spark of determination and the slightest smirk on his lips. "Then I'll work on finding us a way in."

"Maybe if we're still on speaking terms we can ask Foxy how he's been getting in."

"You'll have to ask him, I'm going to be too busy holding this over his head," he quipped. It almost sounded normal, but it didn't feel normal. With a weary sigh for the day they hadn't yet had, he tossed the shirt over into the laundry basket and took Marionette's hand once more, giving it an assuring squeeze. "Let's get this show on the road."

Nobody noticed how quiet the two were on the drive to Foxy's. At least, they assumed that it was out of worry for what Natalie was going to tell them, so they didn't piece together that they knew more than they said.

They also barely dodged a bullet with Foxy's reveal too when Button and Bow had uncharacteristically asked to go to the pizzeria with Jeremy, likely to hear what Foxy was in trouble for. Mike had rushed out an excuse about grown-up talk and rushed the blond out the door shortly afterwards. Jeremy also didn't ask because he too was worried about getting upsetting news and having to comfort the Bidybabs afterwards.

He was none the wiser to what was coming, and neither was Foxy himself.

Foxy was in a completely different headspace though. He was wracked by guilt. The first time he had snuck into the Pizzaplex he had felt a little guilty too, especially once Jeremy started getting the heat for it. Somehow it didn't stop him from sneaking back in, but now he was feeling it. He betrayed his family, his friends, his first mate, and his franchise with what he did last night. Putting everything in jeopardy to play games with the enemy.

He had to tell them. He had to tell Jeremy, he had to tell Marion, and he had to do it today. He knew they would be coming by to hear whatever Natalie had to say from Fritz calling and telling him, so he could only brace himself for what he was going to have to do. Fritz seemed a little weird on the phone, so it was likely to be rough waters ahead. Though he must've skirted by detection yet again.

That only made him feel a little worse, honestly. He had to do it, he had to come clean, and the opportunity walked right through the door when both Jeremy and Marionette arrived with Mike and Charlie. Jeremy was without the Minireenas, giving Foxy a perfect opportunity to pull him aside and tell him.

"Welcome all ye who dare to enter," Foxy greeted with little enthusiasm or character. He then promptly turned to Jeremy. "Lad, mind if I pull ya away fer a minute?"

"Umm, sure! No problem. We've got time before Fritz gets here…" Jeremy agreed. He stole a quizzical glance at Mike, who shrugged back, and followed the pirate across the dining room. He watched his back, watching how he walked with his arms folded behind his back, how his ears were lowered, and he got the distinct impression that Foxy was upset about something. Though this wasn't the same as the depressed fog that followed bad news.

Unfortunately for Foxy, he had a few telltale signs of guilt, and though Jeremy recognized them he wasn't nearly suspicious enough to jump to conclusions, assuming it was from something last night alone.

Mike and Marionette had a hunch of what was happening and exchanged unenthused and exasperated looks respectively.

"I wonder what that's about," Charlie mused.

"Chances are Foxy's coming clean about going over to Freddy's," Mike said. She sent him an amused little half smile before noticing that he wasn't joking.

"Wait, you're serious," she said. She glanced between him and Foxy's retreating for with a hum. "Now is this just another hunch or did Fritz tip you off?"

Mike quirked a brow and shot her smug little grin in an answer. It didn't take her long to put two and two together from that look.

"…He went back last night, didn't he?" Charlie asked. Her arms dropping at her sides almost dejectedly. Marionette gave a slow nod and she sighed. "Great disguise choice then," she said sarcastically.

"Mm-hmm," he agreed. She mimicked the noise and they both looked after the two who were now talking by the stage. Both trying to read the conversation when they couldn't hear much of it.

…

"But that's not all he said…"

Mike found his jaw clenching at Marionette's comment. Not just because of the grim tone- though that played a big part- but because he had briefly forgotten that they hadn't told Charlie about the rabbit and knew the reaction wasn't going to be great. He inhaled slowly through his teeth as round two began with Marionette turning to face her.

"Charlie, there's something we need to… tell you about…" he began, only to trail off as he noticed Fritz's car pulling into the parking lot. Mike gave him a pat on the back, snapping him out of his brief pause to finish. "…Charlie, Natalie is about to give us some… dire news. Horrible, disturbing news."

"Worse than Foxy using guerrilla tactics against our competitors?" Charlie asked flatly.

"Much, much worse." The hushed seriousness of his tone sobered her up instantly, and if it hadn't the shared stoicism in Mike's face would've done it. This was going to be one of those 'Freddy is alive' moments, she could already tell.

In the meantime, Foxy had brought Jeremy over to his stage. He had almost considered taking him behind the curtain, but then decided against it, instead choosing to keep his voice low. He was nervous and twitchy, and he could tell that Jeremy noticed when he looked over in time to see the blond looking down at his tapping foot. Blue eyes popped back up to him and his yellow one quickly flicked away.

"Jeremy…"

If the twitchiness wasn't a dead giveaway, then the way he said his name was. Even before he said anything else, Jeremy recognized that he had also dropped his stage accent, which was probably why he also dropped his volume.

"I don't know how to… You know I haven't been in the right head for the last couple of-… months," Foxy began. He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, then reached for Jeremy, hesitated, and laid his hand on his shoulder. He was beyond nervous. "…How many times have I done something stupid without thinking twice?"

"Not that many." Foxy scoffed at that. "It's true! I've done plenty of stupid things and I know you'd say the same for me. Right?" he asked knowingly. The other responded with a halfhearted chuckle.

"You got me there… but we're not even in the same league when it comes to bad calls…" He closed his eyes with a low groan in his chest. "I made a really bad call this time." That despondent tone was telling in the worst ways.

"Gabe, you're starting to get me nervous. Not that that's that hard to do… What's going on?" Jeremy encouraged. Foxy started to turn away, but Jeremy followed right after him, stepping in front of him so they were still face to face. Foxy unintentionally cornered with his back to the stage, but Jeremy's features gentle and not confrontational. "…If you're in trouble, you've got to tell me."

Foxy's head snapped up and he wondered if the blond already knew. He honestly wasn't sure, but that statement landed very close to the mark. Just him being supportive, he guessed, or him knowing Foxy had a tendency to get in too deep.

He gave a cautious nod and started to reach for Jeremy when his ear twitched at the sound of the front door. He looked over, Jeremy did too, to see Fritz and Natalie walking through the door. The pirate huffed a little and was about to suggest they go into the kitchen, already fearing that they were going to get interrupted, when something happened that halted that plan in its tracks.

Natalie came in first, greeted the group at the door, and then looked across the room until her eyes landed on Foxy.

And her eyes narrowed.

And Foxy knew he was busted.

Suddenly the plan was going to have to take a backseat and the first and most important thing was to get out of sight as fast as possible. Even if he knew he was delaying the inevitable.

"Excuse me a second," he said. Then proceeded to do a weird half backwards roll onto the stage behind him and under his curtain. All while Jeremy stared in confusion.

"…Do you want me to come in too or should I wait out here?" he asked.

"Nah, just- just stay out there, lad. I won't be being too long," Foxy answered, slipping back into his pirate lingo. A clear sign to Jeremy that he was shutting down the conversation right there and he couldn't help but take notice as why.

Foxy closed up his curtain and stood there for a long moment trying to listen in to what was happening over at the door. He started to barely nudge open the curtain a crack when he felt something shift behind him, recognizing it as Marionette teleporting even before he turned back to face his brother. He saw the disappointed look on the puppet's face and knew that he had to come clean.

"Marion, I've got to come clean. I let me impulses get the best of be again," he quickly whispered out. Marionette quirked a brow at him, less questioningly and more like "you think?". "…I'm guessin' from that look ya already know what I'm gonna say… I did it."

Which was as far as he got before the curtains were pulled open. He hadn't even been paying attention to the footsteps, but when he looked back there was Natalie standing in front of the stage, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed and lips tight. Jeremy was still standing where he was and the others a little ways away, but everyone was looking directly at him, putting him on the spot. As though Natalie's intense look didn't do that enough.

"So, how was your date with Freddy?" she asked.

He stared at her before his eyes flicked around looking for reactions. Much to his dismay, the only person who looked even a little shocked was Jeremy, though he looked properly startled by the accusation as he stared at the blond.

Foxy was embarrassed and flustered, still guilty and panicked, but also unsurprised as he knew this was coming. Yet in all of that, there crept up that nervy little edge to grab his tongue and reply for him.

"T'was alright."

Jeremy's head snapped to Foxy and the animatronic regretted it instantly, flinching under the horror of that stare, while Natalie clasped a hand to her face and took a deep breath like she was trying to keep her composure.

"Is that what you were coming clean about?!" Jeremy exclaimed. Foxy gave a meek little nod. "But- But how did you even-?! What disguise?!"

"His hoodie. You know, that black one you got him," Natalie grumbled through her hand. Jeremy looked to her again in shock before looking back to Foxy.

"Your comfort hoodie?!"

Foxy dropped his head before swinging it in a slight little nod.

Jeremy turned away and made a sound akin to a frustrated cry smothered by an annoyed huff with the heels of his hands blocking his eyes. Fritz walked over to give him a barely comforting pat on the back.

Natalie meanwhile uncovered her own face to ask, "Foxy, what were you thinking?"

"I don't know!" Foxy crumbled on the spot. With a dramatic slump, he came forward and hopped down from the stage, then sat down with his head in his hand and hook. "I don't know what happened. It wasn't supposed to go down like this."

"Which part: breaking into Freddy's and vandalizing the place or going back days later to pal around with Freddy?" Natalie asked, less than sympathetic at his response. She groaned, "If you had any idea what went down there last night- do you know what could've happened if you got caught by anyone other than me?"

Foxy groaned deeply as an answer. It sounded exceptionally guilty.

"He did get caught," Marionette translated. Porcelain lips just as tight as hers and his somewhat annoyed look still lingering. She was confused for only a second before it suddenly clicked.

"Freddy caught you, didn't he? That's why he was asking about you because he saw you," Natalie realized, eyes widening. "…Did you tell him you were Foxy, or did he guess because of the mask? Because he was asking about a Foxy's animatronic, so he must've known you were one."

"Oh, he knew a'right," Foxy confessed, voice muffled. "Caught me red handed, chased me round the bend, and pulled me hood off tryin' to stop me."

"So, like any logical person, you went back to the scene of the crime to hang out with the only witness," Mike casually added in. His look and tone equally unenthused. "Makes sense. Some of my best friends chased me down the first time we met. A few even tried to kill me. Good times."

"Mike, you're not helping," Natalie flatly remarked.

"This is me holding back. That's helpful enough considering that him playing around at Freddy's is the reason we got all tied up in Wight," he answered. His voice was still relatively mellow, but Foxy groaned and sunk further into himself like he had been chastised. The blunt truth was more painful than any yelling match.

"I just… I bloody lost it… After I heard about how amazing and- and fantastic this new Freddy's was, with all its shiny new animatronics and all its trinkets and games… and all the things we ain't ever gonna have… and that they got it off'a our backs." His hand and hook dropped from his face. Hand on his thigh, hook hitting the edge of the stage with a small thunk and digging into the wood. "We suffered just so Freddy's could use our graves as a stepping stone. It just…"

His hook was shaking in anger as he said this and his fingers dug into his shorts and fabric. His back tensed for a moment before suddenly it all deflated on the spot as the frustration was washed out by remorse.

"But there's no excuse. I sold out me whole crew, me ship, me business, all just to try an' take a jab at a big no-face company that don't give a bilge rat's sodden bottom 'bout us."

This was what finally got Natalie's face to soften up. That wasn't to say she was going to let him off the hook, but she was starting to understand. Marionette shared those feelings and had already understood his brother's motives before he said them, but he remained steadfast. Because his business wasn't the only thing Foxy risked last night.

"I'll tell ya everything, I just… I don't know where to begin," Foxy offered.

The tense pause lingered a few moments longer before someone finally stepped forward. Unlike what might've been expected, it wasn't Jeremy, who was still standing there with Fritz facing away. Now with his hands resting on, fingers laced on, his head which was tilted down. He was obviously affected by what Foxy had said but still unable to face him.

Instead, it was Charlie, who had been listening quietly from the sidelines up until now. She came up alongside him and leaned on the stage on one arm.

"Begin from the beginning," she gently encouraged. Her face serious but soft in comparison to some of the others'. "We won't interrupt. We just want to know what's going on."

Marionette gave a hum of agreement from behind. It was enough to push Foxy into spilling it all. They all deserved the truth.

"Ya could say it started the day Jer'my spotted that billboard on the highway… but it wasn't 'til we got that look at the inside that somethin' snapped. After I heard about that place, I knew I couldn't stand around and let 'em get away without a little trouble. I threw on me disguise and shoved off and made it there around an hour later."

"You just walked there?" Charlie asked in slight disbelief.

"Wasn't that far. Wasn't as far as Magictime."

"Oh, right… There's a name I mentally blocked," she said. Still looking at his lap, he hooked his arm around her shoulders. She made a throat-clearing sort of chime. "Sorry, keep going."

"Took me a while to find a way in, but it's a Freddy's; there's always a weak spot… Started sprayin' up the joint when some swab bot rolls outta the shadows and starts moppin' up me work. I get in a tussle with it and the next thing I know, there's Freddy leapin' over a ticket gate and runnin' at me faster than a seagull to a bagel. I outrun him, but he corners me in the hall! Suddenly, he snatches me by the hoodie and hoists me up, slidin' it straight offa me! And there I be on the floor starin' up at Freddy and he starin' down at me, just as spooked as I was, when I make a hasty retreat."

At some point, Foxy's instincts as a natural storyteller came out because he was telling the story as dramatically and fluidly as if he was retelling a cartoon-based tale between him and Captain Silver Fox. He caught himself though, or the weight of what he was actually discussing caught up with him and he quickly deflated once more.

"Last night I made the choice to go back. Can't say why fer sure…. But prob'ly had to do with Freddy. See, after he knew what I be, he started followin' me like a stray. I didn't get why then, but I think I got a feel for it last night… So, I got back inside and started snoopin' 'round til I found Freddy in his room. I didn't know it then, but he'd been locked up in there tighter than the Dutchman's brig. He waves at me and peels outta the backroom like he's got the devil on his heels.

I coulda left then, but instead I went to see that Kids Cove Wight was talkin' big game of… It be just as impressive as he says," Foxy admitted with a sigh. "…Freddy came up through the stage an' cornered me in the cove. When I went the first time, I brought a backpack full o' spray paint, but lost it after Freddy showed up. He saved it and gave it to me. It's shoved under the stage if ya want to see it, but he threw out everything inside.

He asked me back to his green room. No, he pleaded fer me to come back to his green room. I still don't know if it's cause he was lonely or cause he thought I was broken- saw me without me head off… So, I went back with him."

"I was wondering how he got out. I thought you let him out," Natalie said.

"Nah," Foxy denied. "He couldn't even let us back in without some kinda photo pass."

"Freddy got caught wandering yesterday so the technicians locked him in his room," Natalie explained, turning to Fritz and Mike specifically. "I asked them why they didn't let Freddy just roam around on his own and they said it was because an animatronic got damaged roaming around the Pizzaplex. They didn't say if it was the sun or something else."

Something about this in particular irritated Mike a little. Maybe it was because his family members were animatronics, but the idea of locking one up who was clearly awake and aware- while typically normal in cases where they were dangerous- rubbed him the wrong way. He couldn't help but steal a glance at Marionette to try and judge his reaction and noticed he looked disturbed.

"What did Freddy say about that?" Mike asked, switching to look at Foxy.

"Didn't say nothin' 'bout any other animatronics, but he did tell me why he was locked up," Foxy said. He looked down with a look of confusion and thoughtfulness. "Funny, he got out pretty quick once he saw me there. Could've gotten out the whole time, but there he was just sittin' in there until he saw me…"

Suddenly he straightened up as he remembered something and nudged Charlie's side. "Ye know what else he said? Okay, so Nat starts walkin' around outside, so shove off to hide in the back and I see this tube lookin' thing with a window on it. Like some kinda rounded metal closet looking thing. Get this, Freddy says it be a charging room. Says he has to 'recharge his battery', goes and stands in a closet fer a while," he explained.

"What?" Charlie asked surprised. "That's not possible. He has to at least plug in or something. Did you get a good look at the inside?"

"'Fraid not, Lass. Just a look 'round the outside."

"Okay, so maybe possible. There might be a power cable on the inside," she said, voice lowering as she spoke to herself. "Not that I was expecting a pneumatic system, but a walk-in charging station? How are they getting this technology…?"

"Might be buildin' it themselves. Freddy said somethin' 'bout a production line under the Pizzaplex," Foxy said half under his breath. Marionette heard and caught on to the significance immediately.

"I think I've seen one of those. There's one in the hallway to the daycare, but I just thought it was a weird space-themed art deco thing," Natalie said. She crossed her arms casually. "And I wasn't just walking around outside, I was escorting Chica back to her room. I caught her in the kitchen eating a cardboard box."

That got Foxy to snap into an upright position with a look of surprise. "Blow me down, she was walkin' around too?... Is she, uh…?"

"Yes, she's alive too," Natalie answered. She started to get a slightly uneased frown as she thought back to the encounter. "…I did get a weird vibe from her though. She was acting weird and robotic before she found out I was the security guard. Kind of aggressive in a way… I don't know. Maybe I imagined it. I'm not going to pretend I wasn't already spooked when I found her in there."

"Wait, she didn't come at you, did she?" Fritz asked. She had mentioned her encounter with Chica briefly to him, but she hadn't brought up this. At the time the rabbit had seemed more important.

"No, no. Nothing like that," Natalie reassured him. Even going so far as to reach out and pat his arm affirmingly. "She snapped it back into gear the second she found out I was staff. I don't know, I guess she thought I was the vandal or something. She was acting a little off."

"Was it the eating cardboard that tipped you off?" Mike chimed up.

"That was part of it," she sighed.

"All jokes aside, I'm taking from this that we should start buying into the idea that all the animatronics are alive," Mike said, growing serious. "Maybe not those staff bots, we'd be looking at a genocide if that was the case, but Freddy's band and the sun, and whatever else is crawling around in there."

"Chipper?" Fritz offered.

"Chipper," Mike agreed.

"I'd put my money on that. I saw Roxy Wolf too and she snubbed me," Natalie said, sounding at least a little offended. "And it sounded like Monty was killing a bass in his room."

"Bloody Blackbeard, that was 'im? Heard that caterwauling all the way down in Freddy's room!" Foxy exclaimed. The blond nodded with a tired look.

"Maybe we should get back on topic," Marionette suddenly interrupted. His voice cutting through the somewhat casual tone to forcibly return the conversation to its tracks. "They're building animatronics underneath the Pizzaplex?"

"Ya heard that?" Foxy asked. Not with real questioning though, assuming the Puppet had and looking back at him over his shoulder. "That's what Freddy says. Now he's a little bit of a dim bulb if ya get me drift, but he was upfront with the charging and being locked up. He believes they're buildin' bots down there. He believes HE was built down there," He hesitated briefly before grumbling, "…And no, I didn't miss the 'family resemblance' to ARI."

"Let's hope that's as far as it goes," Marionette agreed. He considered it for a second before something suddenly clicked in what Foxy had said. "Wait, Freddy said he was built there?"

"Aye, but he remembers very little."

"So, he was built…" The Puppet started to trail off as Foxy looked up at him again. The solemnness in his gaze enough to validate his suspicions. "…Recently," he quietly finished.

"Aye," Foxy agreed. "…And he don't remember nothin' before it… He's brand new."

The realization sunk in slowly and settled only momentarily before it unfurled into something much worse as he connected a few dots and lined up the facts. His mask snapped from collected to petrified; pupils illuminated and shivering in place as he stared ahead. Outwardly the whole process was dead silent, but inside grew loud as thoughts clicked together.

Because Marionette knew something about last night that Foxy didn't, and when it matched up with the facts he had been given it painted a picture so repulsive that he could barely face it. His thoughts were racing back and forth, like voices calling over each other to argue their importance. Yet all of that noise was suddenly pierced through by one single cohesive thought worse than any before it:

"There is a rabbit running loose in the Pizzaplex and someone has already died."

It all crashed in on him at once. The panic and horror, the disgust and anger, fear, anxiety, all washing over him and wanting to rattle at his spools and break the teeth off the comb of his music box. It all wanted to come out in one garish display.

But instead, he stood there stiffly on the stage. Too wound up tightly to so much as tick, let alone release the agonizing sounds that were fighting eagerly to come forth. Even with him so submerged in these thoughts he fought to keep them in.

From Foxy's perspective, Marionette had suddenly became a rigid statue with trembling white pupils. It wasn't hard to notice that there was something off in his facial features.

"…Lad?" he asked. The Puppet heard him but couldn't really answer without the risk of a full-blown meltdown. Or worse, what he feared was happening, a haywire incident. "…Marion? What's that look…?" Foxy asked, growing more uneased. Now Charlie looked back as well, and her expression quickly shifted to confusion to concern.

Mike was unusually slow to notice what was going on, but that was because he too was having the same revelation. Someone armed with a knife and dressed like a rabbit and animatronics who had recently came to life were two puzzle pieces that fit together in the worst possible way, and unfortunately depicted a familiar scenario.

"There's got to be another explanation… because if this broad's picking up Afton's work and is already killing people, and Freddy's is already covering it up, then we are in so much trouble. That can't be it. It can't have happened this fast. Someone would have to say something right? -Nobody ever said anything before. This is the same damn setup as before, and if she's running loose and someone already died under 'mysterious circumstances'…Wait a minute. What's going on up there?"

Mike's mental tirade was cut off when he finally caught sight of what was happening on stage. It didn't take more than one look to know that something was off- if Foxy's unanswered questioning of Marionette wasn't confirmation enough. He couldn't tell if the puppet was petrified or trying to suppress his emotions, but he decided that it was time to step in.

"He's fine! He's fine. He's just a little shaken up," Mike said as he came up to the stage. Attempting to do damage control even as he stepped up and reached to grab Marionette's wrist to coax him off.

The second he touched that fabric he was hit by the full extent of what was bottled up inside. It was much sharper than any time before it, loud enough that he could've imagined hearing it with his ears, and it was the first time in ages that Marionette's telepathy instantly spiked a headache. He yanked back out of reflex and immediately the onslaught was gone, his heart jolting and racing like he had just had a panic attack.

"What was that?" Foxy asked. He was definitely at alert now, with his back straight and his ears raised. Poised more like an overprotective police dog than the fox he was supposed to be. Mike caught himself quickly and excused it.

"Ah, just got one of those static electricity shocks. That's all," he said, shaking out his hand like it had hurt. Technically the touch did hurt, so it wasn't that much of a lie. He cautiously reached back for Marionette's hand, taking a careful glance upwards to see that the puppet had turned his head slightly to look at him. His mask was neutral and without a smile, but his eyes held that fear in them.

It wasn't as bad the second time. It was still rough, but now that he was prepared, he was able to handle it better. Though it was still intense and hard to focus when there was distortion at the edges of his vision and racing thoughts that weren't his own filling his head. While he was guiding Marionette down from the stage, he saw two vague flashes of what looked like the rabbit suit Will had worn at the Red Lake but white- probably what he imagined the suit Natalie saw to look like.

The whole time they were being watched closely, specifically by hawk eyed Foxy who didn't seem to believe his excuse, but Mike kept his cool and Marionette his outward silence until they were standing beside the stage.

Mike was surprised that Marionette could keep quiet with all this going on inside. Normally there would've been something. If not dialing, static, or ticking then it could've even got to the point where telekinesis started misfiring. It wouldn't be the first time Mike saw something accidentally move while Marionette was upset, and this would be an appropriate time for it. The fact that it was this rigid silence along with the explosion on the inside was a sign that something was wrong.

Quickly thinking back to other moments where he had felt these emotions off of Marionette, Mike noticed that it tended to be at times when he was withholding a much more intense reaction. Perhaps this was some sort of extreme stress reaction whenever he tried too hard to suppress his feelings.

It was worrying, as it wasn't something Mike ever felt before the last few months and he couldn't tell if it was the Pizzaplex that truly started it or the Afton incident- the fact that Marionette was still thinking about that rabbit costume Afton wore was a little in that favor- but perhaps it wasn't as dangerous as he first thought.

"Could've started with Afton… Come to think of it, this could've been going on since Will showed up. Freddy's would've been the first big scare since then," Mike thought.

Though he could barely think of anything when there was still so much noise. It was hard even hearing his own thoughts, let alone process them when his temple was throbbing. He still managed to compose himself enough to release Marionette's wrist and move his arm around his shoulder, getting a brief respite from the sensation only to sink back into it.

Yet the changed position seemed to help. The harshness softened up and Marionette turned to press further into Mike. Slowly it continued to lighten and fade away, with the visual anomalies fading first and the headache loosening up until it was a painless thump, like a pulse in his head. His heartbeat was racing like before, but now it was tolerable. He took deep breaths to slow it down.

But the sounds didn't leave him before he heard one last final statement spoken directly into his mind and clearly through Marionette's voice.

"He will never truly be gone if they keep bringing him back!"

Mike released a shaky exhale at that. He wasn't sure if it was from the relief of the emotions letting up or from the way that statement branded into the back of his mind. By the end of it, the only thing that was left was the sound of Marionette dialing and ticking just like normal, and a tightened look on his face like he was trying not to cry. Mike didn't have to imagine how he felt, he felt it for himself.

Though he hated it, he knew it was time to rip the bandage off for everyone else. Apparently, everyone other than Foxy had been convinced that that Marionette just needed a minute as Charlie and Natalie had started talking about the Staff Bots. Though Jeremy was watching with a little concern, standing close enough that he could hear Mike's uneven breathing before the puppet's nervous noises began.

As soon as there was an opening, Mike spoke up. "Natalie, maybe now's the time to tell everyone about what else you saw last night."

Natalie was aware that Mike already knew so she wasn't surprised by the suggestion, but she was definitely not looking forward to it. She inhaled deeply and sighed, and then explained.

"Okay… There was someone messing with me last night in the Pizzaplex. I could hear them walking around up in the café up above my office and I thought I saw them on the stairs, but it wasn't until I was coming back from walking Chica to her room that I ended up seeing who was doing it… It was a woman wearing a white rabbit costume."

This was concerning enough on his own without Fritz quickly throwing in, "She threatened her with a knife."

"What?!" Charlie said with a startled ring.

"WHAT?!" Foxy parroted, jumping to his feet instantly. Jeremy just stared in aghast.

"Well… Yes, she did. Sort of. I don't know, it was weird. She left the knife out where I could find it and I tried to hide it, and she found it and must've taken it with her," Natalie rationalized. As though trying to convince herself that it wasn't as awful as it had truly been. There was no toning down what had really happened though.

Charlie looked to Mike and Marionette and all it took was the look on their faces, along with the incident the other puppet had a few minutes earlier, to confirm to her that this was what they had forewarned her about. She was left reeling

Foxy, somehow, did not immediately blow his top. His patch popped up and his pupils shrunk as he stared in startlement, but he somehow managed to ask in a relatively calm but underline dangerous tone, "You sure it wasn't a Bonnie?"

"First of all, it's Bunni with an 'i'," Fritz said. He was rewarded with an unhinged sort of twitch from the fox. "…And no, it was a woman."

"It was definitely a human and I think it was a female," Natalie clarified. She looked Foxy in the eyes, and it was the first time she looked apologetic. "I'm sure of it."

Foxy was about to blow a gasket if his head didn't just outright explode. A low murmur was beginning in his chest as he began to twitch like he was about to overload, but before he could Jeremy came forward and gently pushed him back down onto the stage by his shoulders. This somehow seemed to snap the pirate out of it, though it didn't take the intense look off of his face. Though he did close his eyes once Jeremy started rubbing his shoulders.

It was obvious from the look on his face that he wasn't exactly doing better. The look on his face wasn't too unfamiliar to the one Marionette had on his own while standing on stage. Though he kept it together for the most part.

Once Jeremy was sure Foxy was not going to have another incident of spontaneously shutting down, he slowly turned and looked back towards the others.

"So, guys, do you… Do you think that there's… any way that maybe this woman could maybe somehow be pos-possessed by William Afton?" Jeremy cryptically asked. Natalie sent a worried look to Fritz. "We know what I did when I wasn't in total control of myself… He had me pick up a kitchen knife and start swinging. We know he can do this."

"It can't be him. He's dead and gone," Mike quickly shot down.

"But that's what we thought last time and there he was," Jeremy insisted. His voice becoming a little more frantic. "All that he said, what you said- something about tethers a-and holding on, hooking onto people. What if she's another one who's hooked and he just… reeled himself back out of wherever we thought he went?"

Foxy gave a low growl that slowly turned into a groan before pulling Jeremy in closer and resting his head against his chest. Like he was clinging to him for comfort even when he knew he was still in hot water. The blond patted his back.

"Not where he went," Mike continued to deny. This time he got backup in the form of Charlie.

"Mike's right. I was there when it happened and I saw him get dragged under and just, like… come apart into pieces floating on the lake. I don't know what I was looking at, but I know what I saw," she said with certainty. Though then she slouched a little more. "That doesn't mean that she's not following his lead. It just means she's doing it on her own."

She sat on that statement for a breath before looking to the others. "…So, what are we going to do about it?"

"Well… I'm going back to the Pizzaplex tonight. Obviously, it's my job," Natalie began. She held up the taser Mike gave her when she came in. "And I'm taking this, so I'll have some protection… and we see if she shows back up."

"I've got an idea," Mike suddenly volunteered. It was his tone that drew the most attention. Low and serious, like he had already concocted a plan, and this was his forewarning because it wasn't budging. "Nat, why don't you go back to that office where you were hired and tell them that you need some help. Not that you can't do it alone, but that you need more eyes to be effective."

"I think I can do that," Natalie agreed. "What do I tell them about the rabbit?"

"You can tell them about the rabbit. Don't expect them to believe you, but you can try," Mike cynically, almost bitterly offered.

"Good point. Then what?"

"Then leave the rest to me."

Nobody in the room missed what he meant. They all knew exactly what he was planning on doing, they just weren't aware of the specific details. He was going to go back on his word even when he didn't want to.

"…Are you okay with this?" he quietly asked Marionette. They hadn't had a full discussion of this, and he didn't really consider his outburst earlier to be true consent on the matter.

Marionette nodded and tentatively leaned in like he was going to whisper. Though the moment he tried to speak, all that came out was a cluster of noise. He clasped a hand over his mouth and chest and gave Mike an apologetic look.

"That's fine, you don't have to say anything. Just take a deep breath- you know what I mean. Just take it easy… We're going to work this out," he assured. Leaving out the implied, "By any means necessary."

With everyone worked up and talking about Natalie's night, along with further descriptions of the White Rabbit and Foxy's time with Freddy, it took a while before he and Jeremy had a moment to talk. Waiting until he was sitting beside him on the stage, and nobody was too close by before taking the plunge.

"Jeremy, I'm so terribly sorry," Foxy began, reverting to his real voice again. "I never wanted to lie to you, and I never wanted you taking the fall for what I did. I love you, and I know I could've trusted telling you the truth… but I didn't want to let you down. I didn't want you to know how weak I really was," he confessed.

"I know," Jeremy simply said. He reached over to take Foxy's wrist, giving it a gentle squeeze right above where hook met limb. Foxy scooted in a little but didn't risk anything more. The blond gave a tired sigh. "I don't know why I was so shocked. Everyone was telling me it was you, I guess I was just giving you the benefit of the doubt."

"Who's everyone?"

"Everyone," Jeremy insisted. Foxy groaned and slouched on himself. "And I forgive you, but I'm still upset."

"Not letting me off the hook that easy?" Foxy asked with tentative coyness.

"Let's put it this way: Freddy Fazbear could've slammed into you, broke both your legs, dragged you off to his room, ate you, and I would've never known where you were," Jeremy said. That was enough to lower those ears again. "…But that doesn't mean I'm going to give you the silent treatment or anything if that's what you're thinking. That's not going to help anything."

"Right… And I'm not going to hide anything from you," Foxy insisted. "…Freddy asked me to come back."

Jeremy's brows raised at that. "…Are you going to?"

"Not if you tell me not to," Foxy said, turning to look at him, waiting for a command.

But much to his and admittedly Jeremy's surprise, he didn't get one. The blond hesitated on the spot, staring back at him for a long moment as he considered it, and then turned away without giving one. He just wasn't ready to give an ultimatum just yet. Not until he had more answers of his own.

Foxy would wait for him to decide. He owed him that.

Chapter Text

All things considered, nobody was surprised when "Vanessa" came into the working office of Fazbear Entertainment and vied for another hire. This was actually expected from anyone who knew of the conditions inside of the Pizzaplex. Though Vanessa had made it clear that she didn't intend to quit, she strongly suggested that they consider signing on a second security guard.

As luck would have it, less than a few hours later someone showed up looking for a job. Though he didn't exactly look like the security guard type, so it was no surprise that it wasn't the job he was applying for.

The interviewer couldn't say he had much confidence in this one either. The guy looked like he had just walked out of a sitcom; hair slicked back, wearing a button up white shirt and a thick pair of square glasses, even brought his own pen that was poking out of his pocket. He had a goofy smile the whole time his work history and recommendation was being read with his hands folded in his lap.

The kid's name was Nathaniel Shalt and for some unbelievable reason he had a recommendation from the same person who recommended Vanessa. This could've been a coincidence, but he had a hunch that maybe, with how she had been talking today, she had probably reached back out to that man to send up another applicant. It was peculiar, but he wasn't concerned, because there wasn't technically a deadline to fill a position over his head.

"So, exactly what position were you applying for?" the interviewer asked. He had gone through a list of various locations he had worked at- including El Chip's and Hickory Dickory's, which Freddy's had both done recent business with- and listed skills he had, but he never specified anywhere what he was angling towards. Looking at his application papers, it didn't look like he was qualified for too much.

The young man nervously shifted in his chair and eagerly began to prattle. "I was- well- y'know, I just- I think that Freddy's is amazing. The stuff you guys have been doing over the years is phenomenal, super cool stuff, and I just- I want a chance to be a part of that. To prove I can be a part of that. That's like my life's dream, y'know? Real life robots- it's like something out of, uh, Galaxy Battle… Y'know, sci-fi! I'm sort of a sci-fi buff myself, heh."

Something about this guy's eyes stood out a little too much. They were a simple brown, but they seemed especially boldly colored, like he was wearing contacts. The interviewer only noticed because his own eyes were glazing over at the ramble.

"So, I could… I could do any position! I'm a hard worker, you can put me anywhere! I just want to be a part of this, and I'll work really hard, and who knows? Maybe someday I can start working with the bots! That's sort of my main goal, to become like some kind of animatronic technician, and where better to get started on the first leg of my journey than here!... It'd be wicked cool, y'know?" Nathaniel said with a smile.

"I'm sure it would be, and I've got to say, I admire your enthusiasm… The problem is your qualifications," the interviewer said. He drew back the paper to look over it. "You didn't mention your degree."

"Oh, uh, I don't have one- yet! I'm working towards it! I'm a year in the door!" Nathaniel assured, pointing finger guns at the man. He looked exceptionally dorky, it almost made him feel bad cutting him down.

"Well see, that kind of rules you out of most open positions. As for being a technician, that's not going to happen. Sorry to be blunt, but you don't even have an associate degree. You would need a bachelor's in an appropriate major at least and a work history with references."

"I-I'm working towards one," the kid defended. "I meant as a goal! I didn't- I didn't think I'd be working with robots now-."

"I hope El Chip's didn't have you working on animatronics," the interviewer said. He meant to say it under his breath, but it ended up coming out as a blunt statement. The other was staring at him in surprise, rendered speechless, and while he felt a little bad, he knew he had to shoot this kid's expectations down a little. Working at Freddy's wasn't the magical dream job Fazbear Entertainment made it to be.

"What I mean is that you are underqualified, and I don't want you being on the hook for anything when you weren't properly trained. That's not fair to you, it's not fair to Freddy's, and it's not fair to the customers," the interviewer explained in a gentler but matter-of-fact tone. He got a slight grimace. "Unfortunately, there's not really any positions open for someone of your… limited qualifications. Now, I'm not saying you're not a hard worker! I'm just saying that I am required to have a certain amount of schooling and experience before I hire anyone on."

"O-Okay, but- wait, what about- I heard you guys were hiring night guards? What about a night guard? I could do that! I might not look that big, but I can run really fast," Nathaniel said. His smile shakily returned in desperate hope.

"That position is already filled."

"But- isn't- there was only one position?" he asked meeker. The man across the desk nodded. "Err, uh, well… What about a janitor?"

"We've got a fully automated cleaning staff. Sorry, but we just don't hire janitors anymore."

"You don't have anything," Nathaniel repeated.

"All of the jobs you would be able to apply for have already been filled. I'm sorry."

At that point a sort of weird look settled over Nathaniel's face. The interviewer was expecting disappointment from the flustered kid, just hoping he wouldn't burst into tears and beg for a job, but instead there was a glint in his eyes. That glint he saw from applicants only before they exploded in anger. Even the tightness in his jaw seemed to suggest he was holding him back.

"Oh… Well, thank you for your time and, uh… I-if you change your mind, there's my number! I could still come in… Yeah," Nathaniel said awkwardly as he stood from his chair. He was surprisingly quiet as he exited the office and made his way out of the building. Much to the interviewer's relief, expecting something much worse from glint that passed his eyes.

He was right too. It took every amount of control to get into that elevator and simply leave without another word. A few of the workers around the office watched him go- some scrawny guy with fluffed hair, some mousy girl with doe eyes- and he shot them all the same brief glance before the doors shut and he sunk into the lower floors. After a brisk walk to his car, he got in and drove out of the parking lot, gritting his teeth through the remainder of his drive.

Soon he arrived home and let himself in the front door. He barely got the front door shut before he yanked off his glasses and tossed him on the dining room table, then gave his jacket similar treatment before turning around.

He almost walked directly into the wooden puppet-themed animatronic who had popped up behind him. Taking a step back, he looked down at the large, glassy, blue eyes staring up at him.

"You look like a nerd," Balloon Boy cackled in his double-toned voice. Just as obnoxious as ever.

"I feel like a chump," Mike countered. He then proceeded to curtly step around him and head for the hallway.

"That's not the word you wanted to say," Max chimed in from in front of the television.

"You better believe it's not!" Mike called back as he strode past the couch, down the hall, and straight into the bathroom.

All of that tension was starting to bubble over, waiting until now to remind him how frustrated he really was. Which was inopportune timing as he was about to have to get a pair of itchy, irritating, colored contacts out of his eyes. Jeremy showed him how with his own, but he definitely wasn't working with enough patience right now.

Mike leaned close to the mirror and started poking at his eye when he saw Marionette slide into the doorway. He must've not expected to be spotted so quickly as in a flicker he got an awkwardly tilted smile.

"How did it go?" he cautiously asked. He could already tell from the motions alone that it hadn't gone well. Mike gritted his teeth a little.

"Great. Just great. I had some pencil pusher tell ME how unqualified I was to work with animatronics. Just because I don't have a degree. Like college is going to prepare you for working in a cesspool like Freddy's. Flaming trash pit of the industry and he's got the nerve to go off on me like I'M wasting HIS time," Mike borderline rambled. Only keeping his cool somewhat to keep him from getting overheard. He hissed as he tried to get a contact out. "So yeah, it went swell."

"Oh… I'm so sorry, Mike," Marionette apologized. He came up behind him and rested his hands on his shoulders, causing Mike to exhale and deflate a little. "You know that's not true, right? You've worked on plenty of animatronics, myself included, and your history at Freddy's far surpasses any of theirs. You would've gotten a job in a heartbeat if they knew about your real qualifications."

"Maybe," Mike muttered, sounding unconvinced. After a long moment of leaning on the sink, he sighed and admitted, "But he was right. I don't know what I'm doing."

"You don't know the technical side, but that's alright. That's something you can learn!" the puppet assured. He squeezed his shoulders and leaned in to peek at him through the mirror. "What you can't teach is compassion- and a confident touch. I'm sure many a technician would be too afraid to work on a real animatronic. You've done it knowing what we can do."

He knew Marionette wasn't just trying to placate him. Being an animatronic himself, he understood the value in a gentle hand. After all he had gone through it probably meant more to him than the actual technical finesse. Especially when he was one of the only animatronics Mike knew of that could heal himself. He did appreciate it and the assurances helped, but it didn't mean much when it came to the world outside their lives and business.

"I know, I know… but I'm supposed to be an owner. I don't want to be like Wight, buying into a business when I don't know what I'm doing. We know that's not true, but it's going to look that way to anyone else who sees me on the lease to Foxy's and finds out that I'm technically not qualified to do my job…" Mike said. He took a deep breath. "But you're right. It's nothing I can't learn. It's just a piece of paper, right?"

"That's right," Marionette assured. His voice quieting and his smile growing more sympathetic at his words.

Mike looked down into the sink for a second. Eyes still itchy and vision a little blurry, thinking about where he was supposed to go from here when he was suddenly hit by an idea. Or perhaps just the sudden impulse to do something.

"…What do you think if I went back to school? I already put one year into it. If they can find those credits and I can pull enough together for the tuition, maybe I could get that piece of paper. Maybe I could get qualified," Mike suggested, looking back up to the mirror to see Marionette's reaction.

The Puppet looked surprised for a moment, but then his face broke into a more delighted smile than Mike had seen in days. One unexpected with how upset he had been earlier.

"I think that's a great idea! Why not? If anyone could learn the material, it would be you. You've practically gotten a head start!" Marionette said. There was an excited ring through his voice, so it was audibly clear he was in favor of the idea.

"Maybe I've gotten shocked enough times that I'm building up a tolerance," Mike said. A little smile dared to return. "The hardest part's going to be working up the tuition. College isn't cheap."

"You can't get a scholarship?" Marionette asked, tilting his head.

Mike almost scoffed. "I think it's a little too late for that. Maybe I can work something out though. I could talk with the school, see if they would let me work out some sort of payment plan. Maybe use my name on that business to show that I'm good for the money and grease them up a little."

"You could dip into the savings. As much as I enjoy the comfort of a nest egg, this is something important," the puppet suggested thoughtfully. "We're nowhere near expanding the pizzeria again anyway. Why not put our share to a good cause?"

"What about the next hospital visit?"

"That's not funny," Marionette scolded. "…How dare you imply that I can't stitch you up myself. I'll have you know I'm very good with a needle."

"What about the feelgood juice?" Mike cheekily countered.

"There's a can of expired pineapple in the pantry. We will make it work."

Mike chuckled and turned to pull him into an embrace. He was feeling better. Better than he had in a while actually because this was a hungry drive that he was going to be able to feed. It wouldn't fix the Pizzaplex situation, but he decided to not think about that for the moment- if they got stuck climbing in through Foxy's vent then he could live with that. He couldn't live with all of Freddy's looking down their noses at him, even if he knew it was ridiculous.

"Doesn't really help us get into Freddy's, unless- God forbid- the place is still open in four years," Mike pointed out.

"Don't worry about that right now. We'll find another way into Freddy's… Now then would you go to Charlie's school? I think that's the closest one to us, but I really have no idea," Marionette asked. Mike thought about it for a second.

"Seems like a safe bet… Hold on, let me go check," he said. He beckoned the puppet to follow as he headed back out of the bathroom. "Hey, Charlie-?" he started to call only to turn and find her standing in the hall outside of bedroom's door with Balloon Boy and Jeremy. Either they had heard the commotion, or the little wooden boy tattled on him. Either of which was possible.

"Oh, hey. I know this is going to be sudden, but theoretically what would you think about me going to your college to finish my degree?" Mike asked. It took Charlie's eyes widening for him to realize that she might not be so comfortable with this plan. "But I haven't looked around yet. I could just as easily go somewhere else," he quickly added.

"No! I think that's great!" Charlie exclaimed. Her features brightened up just as much as Marionette's had, which was the last reaction either of them expected. "Where'd this come from all of a sudden?"

"I got snubbed by Freddy's," Mike muttered.

"Ouch," Jeremy sympathized. Balloon Boy gave an ill-timed giggle.

"Well, forget that. Their loss," Charlie quickly brushed off. "But this is perfect! I could even help you study! In-In fact, if you're alright with it, we could study together. I… I can't go back, obviously, and I'm never going to be able to get my degree, but that's fine if I can still get the knowledge. We could learn together; it'll be like us taking the class together. What do you think?"

"Sounds good to me. And I'm not just saying that because I know I'm going to be struggling with the technical terms," Mike agreed, a playful smile on his lips. "Just give me a second and we'll work out the details." He then turned his attention to Jeremy and pointed at his eye, "I can't get them out."

"I'm on it. You go wait in the bathroom, I'll get my eye wash," Jeremy said. The two separated, leaving the two puppets in the hallway.

Marionette chimed happily as Mike passed by and returned him a smile. He had been especially concerned for and the relieved by Charlie's reaction and thrilled to see the two so excited about something they could do together. He looked back to Charlie to see her rubbing the back of her neck, now with a slightly more nervous sort of smile.

"You don't think it's weird that I just inserted myself into that, do you?" she asked.

"I don't and you didn't. If anything, I think Mike's relieved to be getting a little help. We know plenty of technicians, but few who've cracked open the books in the last few years," he reminded. She agreed with a nod and watched as Jeremy came back down the hallway. Stepping back out of his way and under Marionette's outstretched arm. He chimed and pulled her into a hug.

Charlie hadn't expected him to get anywhere near this happy after the bad news their received earlier, so it was a relief. It validated her own excitement at the prospect. It wouldn't be returning to college, but it was the next best thing.

Later, Fritz came over to discuss this newfound plan of Mike's. He came alone since Natalie was getting in a nap so she could make it through the coming night, and they all settled into the living room to plan.

"There's a few different directions you can go in when it comes to degrees in robotics. Frankly, I don't think a blanket robotics degree is such a good idea. If I was telling you what to go for, I'd suggest mechanical or electrical engineering. It's not specific to animatronics or robotics, but I think they'd pay off more in the long run. And you could still take a robotics class alongside it."

"What's the difference?" Charlie was sitting on the couch beside Fritz almost transfixed. When she had enrolled, she hadn't really gotten much help aiming what direction she wanted to go in with her degree. Not that she had gotten that far.

"It's sort of hard to explain. They're distinctly different, but they also overlap in a lot of ways. I'd say on the whole, electrical engineering aims more towards the electrical aspect than mechanical does, even though mechanical does cover some of it," he tried to explain. "But my thought is that going for a degree with a wider scope then just animatronics gives you better tools to work with. That's just me though." He raised his hands as though anyone was questioning it.

"Makes sense. I'm thinking mechanical," Mike offered. He was sitting in the armchair, leaned back against Marionette who was laying across it behind him, legs dangling over the armrest. He nodded in agreement when Mike looked at him. Mike then turned back to Fritz and asked, "So, you think it's a good idea?"

"Sure! I don't see any reason why not. Got for it." Fritz seemed so nonchalant about the whole thing, which was better than Mike was expecting. "Why? What's that look?"

"Eh, I'm just thinking about the money side of it. Don't worry about it," Mike brushed off.

"You know, you could take out a loan. Remember I took one out to open Foxy's and we got that paid off pretty fast," Fritz suggested.

"After living with hospital bills hanging over my head for half my life, I think I'd rather not throw myself back into debt," Mike quickly shot down. "We have some money saved; I'm just thinking it's not going to be enough."

"But he did have a scholarship," Jeremy piped in from the other side of Fritz, nudging him with his elbow. "Think he can do something with that?"

"I don't know. I don't think scholarships roll over," Fritz said thoughtfully. "If they do, it has to have been too long to use it… I don't know, you're going to have to ask them when you're in there."

"I'm pretty sure that bridge has been crossed and burned by now," Mike again shot down.

Jeremy hummed and thought about it before looking like he had an idea. "You know…You could tell them about how you saved all those kids," he slowly suggested. "This IS Charlie's old school, right? Maybe that would be worth something."

"I'm giving you full permission to namedrop me if it helps you get in," Charlie chimed in. "You've already got enough going against you being late for enrollment. Use what you've got."

"We'll see," Mike said noncommittally. He wasn't too concerned about it. The way he saw it, he couldn't be rejected if he was willing to pay their prices. It wasn't going to be like Freddy's where they would judge and reject him- they might do the one, but they wanted his money too badly to do the other.

He sighed inwardly and leaned back again, to which Marionette quickly snared around him and pulled him in like a plush toy. It had been a hard day for them both, it was easy to forget that just earlier today they had been told such awful news. Mike patted Marionette's hand and let himself be clung to as he listened to the conversation still going on between Charlie, Fritz, and occasionally Jeremy.

This felt like the right choice. It felt a lot better than selling himself to Freddy's, then getting look down on by people as unqualified as he was. This was what he wanted to do, to be better than Freddy's.

Hopefully he wouldn't change his mind by morning.

As a matter of fact, he didn't.

Mike's mind was still made up. He allowed himself a few minutes to wake up with coffee before he looked up the number in the St. George phone book and made the call. After a few minutes of being moved around, he was directed to someone in the office of admissions and began to lay out what he was there for.

The conversation didn't last very long and at first didn't seem like it was going everywhere. The semester already started, something the woman on the phone had reiterated a few times over the call, but she was willing to make an appointment to speak with someone else- a Mrs. Bailey, whose role and the school wasn't outright given as far as he knew- for some time in the future. This wasn't great but this was about what he expected.

She asked for his name to make the appointment, which he gave her, and then she hesitated for a moment. She waited a few seconds, long enough that he thought she shrugged it off, but then she asked about it.

"That name sounds so familiar. Are you a former student?"

He knew exactly why his name was spoken around campus and instantly pounced on it.

"No, you probably heard of me from the news. I was that guy who found the kidnapped kids in Magictime Theater."

Suddenly the woman had to check something about the appointment, sounding distinctly hesitant as she got off, and he waited on hold listening to music not quite fitting the mood of the call. Tapping his pen on the table, he waited to see if the gamble paid off without getting his hopes up. After a few minutes she returned.

How peculiar. Earlier they were talking about an appointment sometime in the unknown future. Suddenly an appointment opened with Mrs. Bailey that afternoon. He made a mental note to thank Charlie when she got up.

That's how he ended up sitting in an office at St. George University when he usually would be at work. Taking a glance at the clock, he estimated that Marionette was probably tending to the first birthday party scheduled for the day. He almost hated missing it, but he was going to hate missing it a lot more if this didn't end up working out.

"Mr. Schmidt? Mrs. Bailey's ready for you. You can head on in," an older lady with a gentle tone and coarse voice said. Mike gave her a nod as he stood and headed past her desk into yet another office.

This office reminded him a little too much of a traditional principal's office. Not that he spent much time in the principal's office in his schoolyears, but he vaguely remembered seeing it at some point, and this room gave him the same feel. Down to the shelves of knick-knacks and the framed pictures of events that had clearly happened at the university. It gave off a lukewarm feeling of pride or tried to give the illusion of it.

Mrs. Bailey was a remarkable woman. That is, if not for her puffy, cotton candy textured perm and lighter skin tone, she would've been the spitting image of his mother. That threw Mike off a little, but he recovered quick enough to take and shake her hand when she offered it.

"Hi, it is so nice to meet you, Mr. Schmidt. I'm the admissions counselor, Mrs. Bailey, but please call me Brenda," she greeted. Before he could pull his hand back after the shake, she trapped it under her other in a gentle hold. "Let me start by thanking you from the bottom of my heart. I've heard about what you did for those children. If you hadn't been there… Well, I wouldn't want to think of what could've happened."

"It was nothing," Mike denied. Though then second-guessed this and quickly added, "I mean there's no need to thank me. I was just in the right place at the right time. Anyone would've done it."

"But you were there and that's what matters," she said, patting his hand. She finally released it though and gestured to one of the chairs opposite of her desk. "Please have a seat." He did, though by now he was feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Keep it together. This isn't the first time you've been asked about what went down and this time you're not doing it on live television. Even if you botch it, you're not incriminating yourself," Mike thought as he sat down. As though this wasn't bad enough, the chair was hard and uncomfortable, with him having to sit sideways to get any amount of comfort. "I didn't really think anyone was going to still remember that. Being over a year ago, people have short memories."

"Not here we don't. To have one of our brightest students killed in such a horrible manner- it's a tragedy. It will be years before we can move on," Brenda said sympathetically.

While Mike agreed with everything she said, he was under the impression that she probably didn't know anything about Charlie. He couldn't fault her for it though and had to give her credit for at least trying to acknowledge her.

"I know. It feels like it was ages ago and just yesterday at the same time… Did you know her before it happened?"

"I didn't know Charlie myself, but her teachers spoke nothing but pleasantries about her. They said she was a sweet girl, an excellent student. It's just such a tragedy to lose such a young life."

"It is…" Mike agreed. "She was… very special to me too."

"You knew her beforehand?"

"Yes, she's like- she was like a sister to me. We even lived together for a while," he explained. "We were both missing that family connection, so we made our own."

He knew he was giving events out of order, but he didn't think it mattered in this case. He might've not known Charlie well then, but now he felt like he knew her better than any teacher or student could've ever known her.

"She's part of the reason I'm here," he said. "I know that I'm late to enroll, but I've been putting my life on hold, and I can't keep waiting for things to change. We were in the same field so and I want to follow in her footsteps and get my degree. Almost like I'm… finishing it for her." His voice grew softer, but it wasn't an act. "She loved college and she loved learning… I'm doing it for me, but I want to do it for her, if that makes any sense."

It wasn't until right now that Mike realized he meant what he said. Charlie might've not been the initial reason he wanted to get his degree, but he did want to do this for her just as much as himself. He wanted to study with her, to help her learn the things that she missed out on because of what happened. He wanted this to be something more than a sudden decision made because Freddy's forced his hand. He wanted this to mean something more.

Brenda leaned forward on her desk, her face soft with sympathy and concern. Maybe it was because of the resemblance, but he could only assume that she was a mother. That was the feeling her expression gave.

"We can work something out," she promised him. He smiled a little bit, even if he felt weird doing so. With those sincere words, she slid back into her chair and opened a lap top computer on her desk. He had barely noticed it there and assumed it must've cost a fortune- probably belonging to the school and not her personal computer. "Now you said over the phone that you were enrolled previously?"

"Not with this university. I was enrolled in Utah State for a little over a year before I had to leave due to, uh, health issues. I was in a bike wreck, it's a long story. I don't know if my credits from there would move over to here."

"There is a chance they can be, but we would have to check which credits and if the material has changed. Do you have your college transcripts?"

"…Not on hand, but I can get them."

"It's fine, we can request them ourselves. Don't be too disheartened if some of the credits can't be used. It may take a little more time, but when it comes to your education, every extra hour is an hour well spent."

A cynical thought passed that it would benefit the school if he took longer, but it was hard to linger on it. Mike was beginning to feel strange as they continued working out the details. Not a foreboding strange, which was atypical since he usually found himself on constant guard anyway, but something harder to put his finger on.

Whether it was because of the woman's sweet demeanor or the fact that he was trying to enroll in school, and had very little say in how this process was happening, he felt young. He felt like someone just stepping into the world instead of someone who had been fighting against it for years now. Younger than he was supposed to be, college aged.

Except that was the catch. Mike was only just out of traditional college age. He wasn't a kid anymore, but he was still young. Pretty much the youngest person in his human friend group. Sometimes he forgot that when it came to numbers, he wasn't nearly as old as he felt. It was a weird sort of feeling to have. Night and day to how he felt at the Freddy's interview.

He wondered what his mother would think about him trying college again. He had a hunch she would be thrilled, but he wasn't able to dwell on it long.

"Now this is just a round estimate, but this would be tuition cost for a year, and this is the cost per semester. It doesn't count any student assistance that you may qualify for, though with your age and previous enrollment, it may not be…"

At that point Mike stopped listening because he saw said number and time briefly stopped. It was about what he expected, which meant that it was a hefty sum that only inflated more as he did some quick math in his head. She was still droning on, and he gave little half answers, but he wasn't thinking beyond that number and the sinking realization that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He could maybe make it, but he wondered if it was worth it.

"Have you seen the memorial?"

That comment was out of the loop enough to snap Mike out of his half-listening and to attention. "There's a memorial?" he asked.

"Yes, for Charlie. We had a plaque mounted outside of the library, though please, don't feel pressured to see it. I know it can be painful to reopen old wounds."

It did definitely feel uncomfortable, but he hid it as he gave a simple, "I might just go do that…"

But he didn't. At least, he didn't right then. Not when he eventually got out of the office, everything still up in the air but now with the ball rolling in a direction. Instead, he headed to Foxy's and finished up the workday like any other one.

It wasn't until late that night when he decided to see the memorial, waiting until the darkest hours so he didn't have to go alone. He kept a careful eye out as he pulled up to the front of the university's library. The place was deserted.

He got out of the car and headed up to the plaque first, gave it a quick once-over, and then looked across the parking lot area to make sure nobody was out to see them. As he did, the passenger's side door opened, and Charlie slipped out. She was wearing her usual jacket and a pair of Mike's jeans tightened impossibly with a belt. It wasn't much of a disguise, but it would work well enough at a distance.

She hastily jogged up beside Mike and looked up at the copper-colored plaque mounted beside the doors. It read:

In Loving Memory of:
Charlotte Emily "Charlie" Johnson.
An angel on Earth taken home too soon.

Even though she was expecting it, seeing her own name on the memorial filled her with an uncomfortably squirmy feeling. She didn't exactly like seeing it, but that wasn't why she decided to come up and see it anyway. It was more just to witness it. It was for her after all, it only seemed fair that she come take a look at it.

"How's it feel to be immortalized on the most boring building on campus?" Mike playfully asked. He gave her a little nudge and a sly smile, trying to break the awkward tension threatening the moment. She rolled her eyes.

"It's really great. Sure," she said sarcastically. Her hands moving to her hips. "And what do you mean boring? Students are coming in and out all day just to use the computers. This is a real hot-spot."

"Just as long as you come before it closes," he quipped. He then looked back at the memorial. "All jokes aside, I think it's perfect in your case. You spent a lot of time here. You'll be remembered as someone who worked hard and liked to read."

"That's true. I'd rather here than stuck near the pools," Charlie agreed. Though then she shot him a suspicious side-glance. "…Or were you saying I'm boring?"

"Bookish, not boring. The library's not boring because it's full of books. It's boring because of the iron-grip of oppression they have over their students," Mike explained. This was sudden enough to get a snicker out of Charlie.

Which perked Mike up for a moment until he looked back at the library again and his face began to fall. It didn't take her long to notice that solemn look on his face, largely because it seemed so out of place.

"What's wrong? I thought you said they were working on getting you in," she gently pried.

"They are… I'm just wondering now if that's what I really want," Mike admitted. "You and I and everyone else all know the only reason I'm going for this is because I got rejected at Freddy's. What if that's really all this is? That I just convinced myself I wanted this? I know I don't want extra paperwork, or extra hours away from the house. Think of all the time I'll be wasting."

"It won't be a waste! You'll be learning skills you'll be using the rest of your life!... Don't give me that look. It's not like you're going in to study French history and advanced algebra. You're going in to get a degree that's going to help you work on animatronics. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but chances are this whole Foxy's deal is a lifelong commitment, and even if it isn't Mari's not going anywhere."

"Yeah, you've got a point," Mike agreed. He sighed through tight lips. "Guess I just started second-guessing the whole thing once I saw the price of entry. Including all the time I'll have to commit to it." Charlie gave a knowing little hum and he looked to her and arched a brow. "What?"

"I think… and I could be wrong, but I think maybe you want something you can commit to," she quietly suggested. Then daring to look at him as she added, "Life doesn't have to be just Foxy's and home. Just like college doesn't have to be back-to-back classes all day, seven days a week."

He had to admit that she had a point. If him eagerly throwing himself at Freddy's, and whatever knock-off was floating around, was any indication, there was a spot in his life he could fill. Though that wasn't to say that he threw himself at those jobs because of boredom, or to suggest that he was bored with his otherwise great life. Things got rough, but on the whole, he was happy with what he had.

…But maybe he could use a little more.

"What about you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

"Do you need something more than Foxy's and home?"

Charlie seemed taken aback by the question. "Me?...Maybe, but this isn't about me."

"Why not? I used the hell out of your name to get in," he quipped. This got a small smile out of her.

"This is the sort of thing you have to do for you, you know? That's the reason I enrolled. Aunt Jen hated that I was sticking this close to Hurricane, so for a while I didn't tell her, and when I did, I played up that it was so I could go to college with my friends- which was Jessica." The smile grew more playful, "But glad to be a help."

He got his own subdued smile. There went his subconscious plan to believe he was doing it for her to justify doing it for himself, though she did make a lot of sense, and she was convincing him a lot more now than the chat in the living room had. Maybe it was worth gambling with a little money if it meant a better grasp of what he wanted to do. Forget being a night guard, he could promote himself from the inside.

"Okay, you convinced me. Once they get their act together and call me back, I'll sign up, but you're going to have to keep your end of the bargain and make sure I don't fail," he announce, sending her that coy glint.

She was more than happy to agree to these terms. "Sounds good."

The quiet moment was interrupted by delight trills coming from the car.

"I'm so proud of you both!" Marionette called, head sticking out the driver's side window. He then pulled out and bent his arm, clasping Mike's camera tightly in his fingers. "Turn around and give me a smile~!"

Mike snorted at this, murmuring an amused, "Smile with the plaque. Yeah, okay," as he turned around. He then quickly threw an arm around Charlie's shoulders and shot a cheesy grin which was promptly caught by a snap of the camera.

Well, if he couldn't say he was doing it for Charlie, he could always falls back on Marionette.

Natalie walked into the lobby and upon seeing what was waiting her knew exactly what corners Fazbear Entertainment was willing to cut.

"So, good news and better news. Good news: your request for a partner was accepted and, uh… Better news: you get to try out some brand-new tech that we weren't planning on having up until opening," Stanley introduced. From his tone it was clear that even he knew this wasn't what she wanted. Chaz didn't even try to make any excuses for it.

Natalie had said she needed another pair of eyes watching the Pizzaplex. They gave her a Staff Bot with a flashlight wearing a security hat.

This was the lengths they were willing to go to not hire another person. She couldn't imagine that Mike's disguise would've been suspicious enough to warrant this. That wasn't to say the bot wasn't… cute, in a way, but it didn't look effective.

"Is this just that mop bot that was out here last night?" she asked flatly.

"Nope. To our credit, this baby's its own model," Chaz said. He patted the bot's back like patting the hood of a car and the bot responded by fidgeting around a little. "So normally these guys do their own rounds and will alert you if they spot anything, but since we haven't had a chance to finish pathfinding on any of them, he's just going to follow you around and keep an eye out."

"And how exactly does that help me?" Natalie asked, arching a brow challengingly.

"It gives you an extra set of eyes?" Stanley offered. This got a look from both others. "…Okay, it doesn't help, but it's kind of like you're not alone. Maybe, uh, helps look like you have backup?"

"There you go! Looks a lot more intimidating than it is. Anyone's going to think twice if they see you running around with this," Chaz said. From the cheesy smile paired with it, he wasn't even trying to be convincing. Natalie wasn't amused.

"Oh wow, my very own robot arm candy. I've always wanted one," she said sardonically. The technicians seemed amused and apologetic respectively, but obviously didn't have anything more that they could do. They started to take their leave.

Natalie suddenly considered asking one of them about the rabbit woman, but as soon as the urge came it died on her tongue. She couldn't risk it; she couldn't trust anyone in this situation, and she trusted the humans less than the animatronics.

Or she did until she saw the rabbit.

They gave their normal spiel- "Take care", "Be careful driving home", "Don't leave any food out"- before heading out through the front door. Now Natalie was left alone once more. Or semi-alone, as she turned around to come face-to-face with that security bot once more. It wasn't that she didn't like the Staff Bots, but they didn't exactly make her feel safe. Especially not one that was staring this intensely with unfocused eyes.

She withheld a sigh and gave a simple, "Come on, buddy." It followed her right into the lost and found.

She had a feeling it was going to be another long night.

Chapter Text

Natalie didn't have a problem with the Staff Bots. While at first glance she had been a little wary of them, she quickly learned that they were harmless. They didn't act like they were possessed, so they didn't act human like Freddy did, but they were pretty docile. Except the one handing out maps, in which case that might've been part of its job.

The Security Bot wasn't much different to what she had seen. As she sat down to check the cameras, the bot absentmindedly circled around the room behind her. Occasionally it would stop at a wall and stare for a moment before turning itself around and rolling back. Not exactly the intimidating bodyguard she wished it was, but it almost felt like there was someone else in the room.

Also, unlike the Mop Bot- or what she assumed- the Security Bot had managed to figure out stairs. His large wheels would carefully lift him from step to step and he smoothly followed onto the second floor. Natalie was surprised, a little impressed, and moderately concerned about how this would work coming back. It did though, and the bot followed her on her first and second rounds.

Speaking of her second rounds, she had heard footsteps walking around in Kids Cove while walking the second floor of the atrium- deciding to take the first floor on the first set, second on second, and so on. She hustled over to the side of the walkway where she could peek down into the playground, equally expecting to see Foxy or the rabbit wandering around inside.

Instead, she found neither. It was none other than Freddy Fazbear himself walking around down in the playground. He didn't seem to be feverishly searching this time, but he was still looking around for something.

Natalie sighed and shined her flashlight down on him, causing his head to snap up. "What are you doing down there, Freddy?" she asked tiredly.

"Officer Vanessa! I was just… stretching my legs. My apologies, I will return to my room," he quickly said. A little too quickly.

"Relax, I'm not sending you to your room. What did I tell you the other day? I'm not going to make you stay in your room. The only reason I took Chica back to hers was because she was unsteady," Natalie said. He seemed a little relieved, but it was short lived. "Come on. What are you really looking for, Freddy?"

"I-I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about." Freddy was, unfortunately, terrible at lying. His eyes flickered back and forth all over the place, his voice stuttered, and even he sounded unconvinced with his explanation.

Natalie decided she wasn't going to play around with him long.

"Freddy, enough. I know that Foxy's been sneaking in, and I know you were hiding him in your room last night."

Freddy gasped and froze up for a second. "I… I…" Then he suddenly turned and bolted. Natalie furrowed her brows at him.

"Freddy, where are you going?!... Oh." Exasperation fizzled out as she realized he wasn't running away, but upstairs so he could loop around and meet up with her. He hastily jogged over and came to a stop before her and the Security Bot.

"Please do not tell anyone that you saw Foxy," Freddy desperately pleaded. His hands clasped and fingers laced together. "I know he was not supposed to be here, but there could be serious consequences for us both if anyone found out… Besides, it is my fault that he stayed as long as he did. I think he came to see Kids Cove, but I was the one who invited him back to my room."

"You understand why he can't be in here, right?" Natalie asked. "I know you do, because you knew to hide him."

"I, erm, I am aware."

"If Foxy was found out, who knows what would happen to him. It's not even a matter of being locked up somewhere; there's a good chance he wouldn't make it back to his pizzeria. The technicians here might shut him down, move him into the basement- at best, because they might see him as a threat and totally take him apart," she forewarned. Her scare tactic must've worked because he looked rather frightened with wide pupils and an agape mouth.

"You're not in trouble, and neither is Foxy right now, but that's only because I'm cutting you both a break," Natalie said with a little more sympathy. Freddy nodded and lowered his head in shame. "I'm not going to report Foxy, but if I see him again, I'm cracking him over the back of the head with my flashlight." Freddy's head popped up and mouth dropped in aghast. "…Okay, that was a joke, but I will not-literally wring his neck if he sneak in here."

"I see. I will tell him if I see him…" Freddy agreed.

"Good. Thanks." Natalie wasn't exactly happy with having to knock Freddy down like this, but Foxy's safety was the main importance. Freddy's too, as she couldn't predict what Fazbear Entertainment would do if he kept getting caught wandering around when he wasn't supposed to. Let alone breaking security protocol in such a way. She sighed and affirmed, "Look, I'm not trying be hard on you. I'm just doing my job."

"No, no. I understand," Freddy assured. He lifted his head and returned to a more neutral look, though it could've been a cover. "Thank you for not telling on us. I will return to my room now."

"I'm not telling you to return to your room. You can do whatever you want to, okay? As long as you're not in danger, you're free to do whatever you want," she said. His eyes glanced up towards the corner thoughtfully.

"Hmm… I think I may go down to the Pizza Bar- if that is alright with you," he half-asked.

She knew he was going to go watch the area where Foxy came in and yet she didn't call him out on it. She gave him an approving nod. "Anywhere you want, just be careful."

"I will. I do not have much trouble on the stairs myself," Freddy said with a tinge of amusement. Of course he would assume that was what she meant. "I will be seeing you!"

Even when saying that, Freddy walked alongside Natalie as she and her Security Bot companion returned to the elevators to the lobby. They exchanged a wave before he turned to hear to the stairs. She watched him disappear before heading into the lift with her bot.

After that point, the evening seemed to get a little quieter. Natalie returned to the lost and found while her bot companion started rolling around the fountains. Which was fine by her as elsewise it would've just been circling around behind her. At least like this it had a chance of actually spotting something. She meanwhile returned to the cameras to take a quick look around.

There had been no sign of the rabbit woman tonight. This should've been a relief, but not knowing where she was made Natalie even more antsy.

Which hit its crescendo when an alarm went off on the computer, causing her to jump slightly in her seat. She hastily checked the map and realized that it was out in the lobby by the front door. The Security Bot must've spotted something.

"That's got to be her," she guess quickly. Yet before she could even get up, a second alarm popped up on the screen right beside the initial one. "What…?"

She didn't question it long. Instead, she sprung from her seat and made a mad dash out of the lost and found, sprinting across the lobby and towards the source of the alarm. She could already catch a glimpse of the Security Bot around the corner with its flashlight raised and its body rigid as it stared something down. She pushed through the turnstiles and raced around the corner.

Only to find that the white and grey being that the Security Bot had cornered was not the rabbit woman but the Mop Bot. Both were blaring obnoxiously loud alarms as they stared each other down. The Security Bot shining his flashlight into the other's face, the other waving its hand as though to flag down help.

"…Are you kidding me?" Natalie huffed. She walked over to them and pushed the Security Bot back to break their stare. "Whatever this is, you two stop it."

They had the presumed gall to then silently stare at her like she was the one who was out of line. She turned to the Security Bot.

"He's not what you're supposed to be on the lookout for. He's supposed to be here," she said. He either nodded or proceeded to size her up, and she was almost positive in either regard that it was a reflex and not any real acknowledgement. She sighed and beckoned back towards the lobby. "Alright, let's go. You're hanging out in the lost and found with me."

He must've gotten that as he started to roll past. Natalie looked back to the Mop Bot who watched him leave before looking back at her.

"You're fine, buddy. Just keep doing what you're doing," she said in a gentler, assuring tone. It occurred to her that he probably didn't understand, but she felt somewhat protective of it regardless, since from the dent it was obviously the same bot who fell down the stairs. It looked for her a moment longer before beginning to mop again. "There you go. Good job," she encouraged before walking back towards the turnstile.

As Natalie was crossing through, she looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of something on the second floor. It was sudden, a blur, just like what she saw on the stairs.

"Who's there?!" she called out. She was answered by the clatter of the daycare hallway doors opening.

She immediately broke into a sprint and hastily climbed the stairs to the second floor. Her hand already clutched around the taser hanging off her belt as she barged through into the daycare hallway. She couldn't see anything, but she heard a clicking and realized it was the door to the men's bathroom closing. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and she began to slowly creep towards the door.

She unhooked the taser from her belt and switched it with her flashlight, which she now poised high in her left hand. She was careful to be as quiet as possible as she slowly moved in on the door, sidling along the wall, her heart pounding as she braced herself for what she was about to do, a very foolish and risky maneuver.

Mustering up all of her courage, Natalie steadied herself and then rammed through the bathroom door. She felt it collide with something on the other side before swinging open.

"Freeze!" she yelled. She aimed both the flashlight and taser ahead and prepared for a fight.

But instead of a fight she got yet another Staff Bot, one significantly different than the others she had seen. It was designed to be more feminine with molded blue hair, painted eyelashes, and a purple dress with painted on buttons and apron. It was rolling back away from her.

Natalie's face dropped from both relief and exhaustion. "Oh… Sorry, I thought you were someone else. I didn't mean to knock you around," she apologized. Knowing that she probably set off an alarm slamming into it.

The lady bot stopped rolling back and stiffly raised a hand as though in greeting. Natalie noticed how strange it looked in contrast to the other Staff Bots' behavior but found the suspicion dropping when its stiltedly dropped its arm and did a big, awkward circle around her to try and get to the bathroom door. She stepped out of the way so it could slip by.

"I'm really sorry!" she called after the lady bot as it took a sharp right and started heading down to the daycare. She didn't even know why she tried, but it almost made her feel less embarrassed. She watched the bot roll to the end of the hallway and stop outside the security door for the daycare, scanning the rest of the hallway and only turning back to the lobby door when she was sure the area was clear.

She didn't notice the bot turn around on the other side of the security door to watch her. Nor the yellowed arm that reached out pulled it away enough that the door could shut.

Natalie pushed open the doors to the lobby and immediately gained a befuddled look upon seeing that the Security Bot wasn't alone.

"Hello again! I heard a Staff Bot alert and came to check and see if everything was alright," Freddy said. His semi-excited tone betrayed that he probably expecting something else, likely Foxy.

"It's fine, Freddy. This one here got in a dispute with the one that fell down the stairs, and then I, uh… Got a little too gung-ho and crashed into a lady bot in the bathroom… It's all good. She's alright and I'm heading back to my post."

"I see! Then you do not need my assistance. Just know that I am not far away if you do," he offered warmly. "You said the Staff Bot who fell is here?"

"Right over by the front door if you want to drop in and say hi," Natalie offered. She started back to the stairs while beckoning the Security Bot with her hand. It followed obediently, as did Freddy. "Sorry, I'm just a little on edge."

"Because of Foxy? Do not worry about him! He is very friendly," Freddy insisted. She shook her head.

"Not him… Don't worry about it, I've got it under control."

She was hesitant to mention the rabbit to him. Not because she thought he would have some kind of intense reaction, but because he was very open with his thoughts and feelings. If she told him something, there was too high of a chance that it would come out to someone else, and she needed as much control as she could have on the situation. Even when it felt like she had very little.

Thankfully, Freddy didn't press and while she and her Security Bot headed into the lost and found, he headed over to check on the Mop Bot. She didn't blame him; the poor thing needed a close eye on it.

Natalie was starting to feel a little winded and was ready to settle into her chair for at least an hour or so. She let the bot in before dropping into the chair and pulling up her bag into her lap, fishing through for a protein bar to chew at while watching the cameras, then scooted up to the desk.

Only to notice there was a folded piece of paper tented on the keyboard. She froze up as she saw it, pausing in tearing open the plastic to stare at it, then picking it up and opening it to see what was written inside:

Are you having fun yet?

Natalie's stomach twisted up as she read it. She put the paper and bar down and was on the cameras in a heartbeat, flipping wildly through. Or she would've been if the cameras weren't tellingly slow, and just like before she couldn't find anything on them.

But she didn't have to see the rabbit to know it was there.

Suddenly all that confidence Natalie had earlier was gone in an instant. The taser didn't help, the bot circling behind her didn't make her feel any safer, and she still had no idea where it was other than knowing it was close by.

After clicking through the lobby cameras, she made a very sudden decision. One that could possibly be a mistake, but one that she needed to make regardless. Standing from her chair, she hastily, but cautiously, made her way back out into the lobby. Her security bot following closely behind. It didn't take her long to spot Freddy past the turnstiles.

"Hey, Freddy!" she called over. He looked back at her. "What do you think about hanging out for a while?"

"I would love to!"

So, he did. Freddy seemed more than eager for any type of socialization- which was odd since his entire band seemed to be as aware as he was- so he hung around in the lost and found with no complaint. It didn't make things any less uncomfortable really. She could tell when the cameras suddenly bogged down, and she caught the faintest sounds of movement in between their talking, but she never saw it.

She never saw the rabbit, but she knew she was there. Waiting, watching.

After a night like that, waking up after only five hours of sleep was the last thing Natalie wanted, but there was her cellphone ringing. She peeled up her sleep mask with her thumb as she reached for the phone with her other hand.

"Hello?" she answered groggily.

"Hello."

That was the last voice Natalie ever expected to be calling her. She recognized it right away as the hushed voice of Baby.

Her silence must've come off as questioning as Baby continued into an explanation.

"I know you must be surprised to hear my voice, but it is urgent that I speak to you. I know you have been spending your nights in that new Freddy's."

There was a bitter tinge to the name, but the rest was rather mild, and it was hard to guess what she wanted. Though Natalie knew she wanted something if she was calling. They never had the best relationship. Baby had apologized and Natalie had gotten over the 'scissor incident', as she called it, but they didn't spend enough time communicating to have much beyond an acquaintanceship.

"That's right," Natalie replied. Her grogginess came through on her voice. "Why, what's up?" she asked. Hoping this wasn't going to lead to a request to be let inside.

"I have some questions about the location. About the animatronics inside…" Baby said. Her voice quieter, as though to hide what she was saying. "…Did you see anyone… familiar while you were in there?"

"What?" Natalie's brain wasn't awake enough to sort out that vagueness.

"Is there a new Circus Baby?" she asked much more bluntly.

"Uh, no? Not that I've seen, and there's no Baby themed restaurants or anything."

"Oh…" Baby said. She waited a long second and then, before Natalie could speak, swiftly asked, "You wouldn't hide it from me if there was, would you? I can handle it; I just want to know."

"Baby, no. I don't have any reason to hide that from you," Natalie said, managing a gentle tone even though exhausted, trying to talk the clown down. "I'll admit that I haven't seen all of the animatronics, but I haven't seen any posters, any signs, anything for you or anything that even looks like you."

"But there could be?"

"Maybe, but I think I would've seen something." Natalie stifled a yawn. "Tell you what, I'll ask around tonight. Okay?"

"Yes. Thank you… Forgive me for being blunt, but you sound awful."

The blond smiled a little. "I rolled into bed at seven."

"Then I will leave you be. Thank you for your time, and for being honest."

From how quickly she was trying to get off the phone, she was probably uncomfortable. Natalie was fine with that so she could get back to sleep. "No problem. Talk to you later, Baby."

Baby gave a hum as a goodbye and let the call end there. Though she wasn't fully satisfied in what she had received.

Natalie had sounded sincere enough. She wasn't invested enough in Baby to lie on her behalf either, unlike some other parties. This was why she dared to ask her instead of someone who may feel reluctance… like Charlie.

That was the problem, in fact. She had been updated daily at the pizzeria when Natalie came in and recounted what she had seen. Whether it be about the animatronics or the Staff Bots, who Charlie would go into deep, speculation-filled conversations about- which Baby barely understood but enjoyed listening to her passionate explanations- she was always upfront about what she knew or heard about the Pizzaplex.

Until she wasn't.

It was exactly when Charlie had told her about Foxy sneaking into the Pizzaplex that she began hiding something. Baby couldn't say she was shocked by the reveal and was sure enough that Foxy could handle himself if he had managed to get inside on his own, but she did notice that there was something being left out. Something that Charlie was tiptoeing around.

Now, Baby trusted Charlie and knew that she would do whatever she could in her best interest, but that was exactly the problem. She could be shielding her from something, and if she was doing it now then it must've been serious.

The only thing that she could imagine that would be horrible enough that Charlie would have to protect her from it would be that there was a new Circus Baby, or a new animatronic resembling her, or a rebrand, or something like that. Baby had made it very clear that she was worried about the prospect of being replaced and forgotten by an upgraded animatronic made to sap away her remaining identity, so Charlie could've been hiding it.

Even Ennard hadn't had a great reaction when he found out about the weird sun animatronic with his voice. At the time he played off being curious and finding it 'neat', but Baby could see that competitive edge in his eye. That feverish questioning of what could possibly be encroaching on his identity, even though his voice was already just Funtime Freddy's with a tinge of a lower pitch. He might've smiled, but she knew it was driving him insane.

The only thing worse would be not knowing, and Baby felt like she was in that boat.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing she didn't know about.

Scott had done something rather odd today, which inadvertently set off Baby's quest for knowledge. This morning he had tried to slip in a large package while Ennard was still asleep and she was in her room, but she had caught him after hearing him coming in with it. He slipped it into his office and hadn't mentioned it to either of them for hours, and after this long she was suspecting he wasn't going to.

There were no gift-giving holidays coming up and neither of their would-be birthdays either, so she doubted they were gifts. She wasn't naïve enough to see a box being brought in and assume it was gifts. It was just something that Scott was hiding and that was weird. She hadn't mentioned it to Ennard yet- distracted with this whole Pizzaplex replacement Baby thing- but she was sure to mention it to him later.

Of course, she could've always asked Scott, but she found that Ennard was better at getting answers out of him. Though that could wait. Scott hiding things wasn't the problem, it was just peculiar timing.

After hanging up the phone, she rolled out of the office to check if Scott and Ennard had overheard her. They hadn't, still sitting where she had left them; Scott sitting in his armchair reading and Ennard stretched out on the couch and watching television, both sharing the same bowl of popcorn. Both looked properly distracted and she decided to leave them as such, save one interruption.

"I'm going to use the computer," Baby announced.

"Go right ahead," Scott answered. He didn't react in any way out of the ordinary, so she rolled back into the office and shut the door halfway.

She rolled over to the computer and turned it on, and after a few minutes of booting she found herself online. Her fingers danced across the keys as she eagerly typed 'Freddy Fazbear Megaplex Circus Baby' into the search engine. The results weren't exactly what she was looking for. She found the website for the "Pizzaplex" and scrolled down it, through paragraphs building up about all these attractions and their grand opening ceremony coming soon.

Yet she found nothing relating to herself, or Circus Baby. She went through a few more results and the closest she could find was an article about "What happened to Circus Baby's Pizza World?" Which had very little information other than some speculation about the restaurant being built shoddy and a rather offensive suggestion that it was not a spinoff but a knock-off. She wasn't even sure why it irritated her.

Next she looked up "Freddy Fazbear Mega Pizzaplex Animatronics" and found a page connected to the official website talking about the band itself. It was a dead end, just talking about the four faces of the franchise when she knew there was at least one other animatronic in that building. Nothing on Circus Baby's, though Roxanne Wolf's outfit almost looked like her original molded clothing design if she squinted and pretended really hard.

After a while, the search boiled down to "Circus Baby Animatronics Still Functional" and she tried to hunt down any remaining animatronics like her. She had done this before but had given up when she couldn't find anything. This time she was more than determined, searching through what she could find: an online auction of some props, footage of a birthday party featuring a Ballora that might've been hers.

Then, finally, there was a result that caught her eye. It was a webpage for an amusement park called Fairyland Park, which wouldn't have been interesting if not for the "original Circus Baby's animatronics" highlighted in the description. She hastily clicked to pull it up.

The park itself looked rather unimpressive from the pictures and she couldn't see any of the animatronics themselves. Baby almost thought she had been misled when she spotted the highlighted line in the entertainment paragraph. It listed off live music and performances by various local singers, whom Baby couldn't care less about, and original Circus Baby's animatronics. No pictures, no other descriptions, she couldn't even tell if it was a full band.

"One of them must be a Baby," she thought. "Otherwise they would've said they were from Freddy's. Both Freddy and Foxy were recognizably Freddy's own. So, unless it is Ballora, Freddy, and Foxy all together, there must be a Baby." That brought up an uneasy idea, "Unless it is my band… No. Don't be stupid. There's no way they could've been repaired. They were barely keeping it together even before they met the furnace."

That was an uncomfortable thought to think of. An equal mix of guilt at her actions and anger at there's. "May they rest in peace… and stay there."

Which finally led her back to the issue at hand. There was very likely a working Circus Baby animatronic in that park right then and there.

…And she decided she wanted to see it. She didn't care how dinky and unthreatening the park itself looked. She wanted to see if they had a real Baby and how it looked and functioned in comparison to her.

Now there were two ways she could go about this. The one would be to wait until nighttime and sneak out. Get someone who can drive on board, like Charlie or that redhead who was so wowed by Ennard- maybe even get Ennard on it if she was sure he wouldn't tell on her- drive the- she quickly looked up the city online- two-to-three-hour drive there, sneak in, see the other Baby, slip out and home, get in without alerting Scott, and tell him later on.

Or she could just ask Scott to take her.

Without another moment wasted, she rolled out into the living room. She didn't have much confidence in this plan even though it was arguably the right thing to do. It must've showed on her face when she rolled up beside him, because he got a look of concern when he saw her.

"What's wrong, Baby?" Scott asked gently. So warm and friendly, unaware of what she was about to ask.

"Scott, can I ask you something?" she began.

"Sure. What's on your mind?" he asked, pulling off his glasses.

"It's such a silly thing… I know you are going to be against it. I just know what the reaction's going to be," she said.

"Maybe not. Ask away."

"But I suppose it is better to ask you than to slip out and do something rash without trying. That has never truly worked in the past, has it? I should be upfront and honest."

"…I'm not sure if I like the way this is going, but okay?" Scott said, now starting to get a feel of what was coming. Baby noticed that look of hesitation but decided to go ahead and continue with it.

"There is a still working Circus Baby animatronic at an amusement park called Fairyland and I want to go see it. Will you take me?" she asked. She tried to soften her voice in the hope that would soften him up. Much to her dismay, she sounded more pitiful and childish than she intended to.

The reaction was immediate, with Scott fully embracing the startled look and even Ennard's head snapping up to look at her.

"There is?! How'd you find that one out?" the other clown asked.

Baby slouched a little and confessed, "I was looking to see if there was a Circus Baby at the Pizzaplex. I spoke to Natalie on the phone and she said she didn't think there was, but she wasn't certain. However, I have doubts, and their website is not to be trusted. That's when I found this place, Fairyland Park, and they were saying that the have a Circus Baby band of some capacity, which likely means they have a Baby."

"Quick question: what's this got to do with the maybe Baby at Freddy's?" Ennard asked. Baby stared blankly for a moment, having mostly forgot the immediate connection.

"…It doesn't. I just want to see this other Circus Baby too. That will soften the blow when I find out about the one at Freddy's," she suggested.

"Who said there was a Circus Baby's at the Pizzaplex?" Scott asked. As bizarre as this all was, he couldn't help but notice that her tone was out of sorts and her logic was jumping in a way it didn't typically. She was beginning to sound genuinely upset; he had no idea she was frantically searching for answers like this. Just the unsureness as he eyes darted away and back felt telling.

"Nobody said it. It was more what they didn't say," she said. She looked away again, her eyes crawling along the floor. "I just have this… feeling that everyone knows something, and they aren't telling me. Trying to shield me or protect me, and that is the only thing I could think of them hiding." Her eyes finally locked on the TV screen before she turned her head away with a disgruntled sound. "I hate this commercial."

"Yeah, me too. Baby, you know we wouldn't do that. It's alright to be scared about Freddy's, I am, but you know that nobody's going to hide anything like that from you," Scott gently assured.

"I don't know what to think. The last time I spoke to Charlie about the Pizzaplex she did that halting talking she does when she's anxious, when she's trying to avoid something but fumbles in doing so with halts big enough to see through. Between her speech impediment and your enormous box, and now this other Baby, I feel like-."

"Hold up. What box?" Ennard asked. Turning himself enough to prop his head on his elbow.

"-I don't have a grasp of much that's going on," Baby finished. She huffed a little, flashing a scolding sort of look at the other clown's interruption, and then recalled what she said. "It's nothing. It's just this large box that came in the mail. The least of our problems considering I'm having a crisis."

Ennard looked to Scott with a smiling tilt."Scottie, did you buy us a puppet?~" he playfully asked.

"N-No, no. It's not that. It's just…" Scott hadn't expected either to find out about it this early but wasn't too surprised. After all, it was sitting in the office. There was a good chance someone was going to take notice. He had planned on bringing it out sometime tonight, having stalled because of his own nerves about the reaction. He guessed this was as good a time as ever to get it out. "You know what? I'll show you. Wait here."

Scott set his book on the armchair's armrest and got up to head into the office, which surprised Baby. She hadn't expected him to be so willing to show her what he was hiding.

"I sleep in one day and you go out and make a kid without me!" Ennard called after him. He then looked back to Baby, head propped, and eyes lidded. "So, what's the place like?"

"Wouldn't you rather come with me and find out…?" Baby coyly offered. Ennard's eyes widened.

"Wha- me? No, no, no, no, no. Not without the van, not without Scott, nope. No more dying on the side of the road," he quickly denied. His eyes darted between her and the office door, making sure he hadn't been heard.

Baby hummed. "I suppose I should be happy to hear that… In this case, perhaps not." She didn't say anything further as Scott returned with the large box. He rested it on the back of the pouch.

"Alright, here we go! Ennard, come on up. It's for you," Scott said. Ennard shot upright and was over the opposite armrest and swooped around the back of the couch in an instant.

"For me?! Aww, you shouldn't have! You didn't have to!" the clown said. Though it was clear that he was barely holding himself back from tearing apart the box. Scott slid it to him and watched as he eagerly pulled open the flaps, which were already cut open, and pulled off some packing plastic.

He was met by the sight of green fabric and the edge of a white frill.

"Wait, what…" Ennard's volume dropped dramatically. Not in disappointment but in shock. He peeled more plastic back. "Is this- is this a…?" He got his fingers around the fabric and drew it out.

It looked like the coat a ringleader would wear, though green in color and without coattails. Golden colored buttons lined two rows in the front, with a zipper hidden under an edge of fabric between them. The collar was a deeper, emerald color and edged with sequins that matched the buttons. The sleeve's cuffs matches the collar, but with an edge of a white frill lining it.

Ennard's reaction hadn't kicked in yet. He was still staring at it in his hands, so Scott took the moment to chime up.

"I know what this looks like, and it's not. I mean, it's not a costume. It looks like a costume, but if you feel the inside, you'll see it's not built like one," he quickly explained. He opened the jacket in Ennard's hands and felt along the inside. The inner lining having a much studier texture, fireproof and partially insulated, but dolled up on the outside. "Not like that flimsy stuff you get from the Halloween store and tears open when you move the wrong way."

"Scott, did you…?" Ennard's voice sputtered, pitch wavering. "D-Did you- Is this a-…?" Suddenly it all caught up to him and his pupils widened in excitement as he clutched the jacket tightly. "Did you MAKE ME A SUIT?!"

The change of volume was almost startling, but it brought an eager smile to Scott's lips as he watched the reaction play out before him.

"Well, not really a suit. Just a… Uh, well, actually, I guess it would be a suit," he said.

Ennard made a choke and a metallic wheeze as though buckling under his own emotions before holding out the jacket before him.

"Th-This is AMA-Ammmaazing! It's like the real deal, really made for me, could've been the- wait! Wait, wait. You said suit, so you're saying there's…?!" Ennard held his tongue as he reached in and pulled aside more plastic. He spotted green and yellow fabric underneath. "THERE'S A WHOLE SUIT!"

Scott chuckled a little. He had started to second-guess himself the moment the box got here, thinking Ennard might take some offense to the fact that he got him something more clown themed than traditional technician's coveralls. They definitely would've been cheaper, and probably would've lasted longer than these were going to, but he was just so thrilled as he hungrily dug through the box.

The pants had one leg green and the other yellow and were made out of a slightly stretchier material, but otherwise looked like normal pants. There was a pair of new work gloves and boots in the bottom. These were relatively simple compared to everything else, just forest green to somewhat match the theme of the rest. There was a velveteen red ribbon in the bottom, likely to be tied in a bow, and something else tightly wrapped in bubble wrap.

Scott was practically relishing the other's reaction. "I take it you like it?" he jokingly asked.

"Like it?! I LOVE it! Them! I LOVE ALL OF IT!" Ennard exclaimed. He swooped in and caught Scott in a tight hug between the jacket and pants. He giggled with glee before pressing the mouth of his mask to his forehead, mimicking a kiss noise, and noise squeaking as it bopped the top of his head. He quickly pulled him back to arm's length with an eager smile. "Where'd it even come from?!"

"I knew a guy who used to make costumes for Freddy's. I had to pull a few favors with him, had to tell him I was working on a new project, but I got him on board! He made everything himself- except the shoes and gloves."

"But this must've cost a fortune! Scott, you didn't have to do that for me. You know I would've been happy with anything," Ennard reassured. Though then proceeded to clutch the suit to his chest, excitement crackling in his voice. "…But not THIS happy, ha ha! It's my own suit! My own skin! Not some kinda hand me down refurbished Freddy's clown suit- it's mine! It was made for me!" He was nearly trembling. "I'm putting it on right now!"

He eagerly spun the jacket around to his back and slid it on easily, it being just big enough to fit comfortably. Which was a big surprise considering that Scott had taken measurements some time ago to look for a jumpsuit. Turned out that the jumpsuit was just a delightful ruse to get his size. He restrained himself enough to carefully draw up the zipper, babying it in case it could break.

While doing so, Ennard spotted the still wrapped object in the box and started to pull it out. "And what's this?" he coyly asked.

Scott was quick to reach out and push it back down into the box. He made a head motion over towards. Ennard got the picture, a playful look budding across the joy.

"Oooh," he said. The punctuated it with a click of his teeth and a wink.

Up until this point Baby had just been staring at the scene in surprise. Not in the suit itself- though she had to admit that Scott managed to get something remarkably tasteful considering that it was such sharp colors- but the fact that the box had actually been gifts. She had gotten so into her own head that she just assumed it was something else. Maybe something from Freddy's, maybe parts, maybe inherited items from a deceased relatives, but nothing so innocuous.

It sparked a memory in the back recesses of her mind. Vaguely she remembered sneaking into her father's bedroom and searching for early Christmas gift. She couldn't remember much except that she was sorely disappointed. That she had tried to climb onto something to reach the top shelf and then…

And then she noticed the motion Scott had made towards her and took attention to it. "What?" she asked.

"Oh well, since the jig is up…" he said, eagerly pulling the wrapped object out of the box. Ennard's reaction had given him a little more confidence and he handed the gift to Baby. "I didn't think it was fair to get Ennard something and not you."

It was clearly a smaller gift in comparison to the suit, but Baby didn't feel any jealousy. Instead, her eyes lit up at the prospect of getting something for herself and she carefully peeled away the layers of bubble wrap, slowly revealing what was underneath. It didn't take her long to realize it was the shape of a top hat. It confused her until she finally pulled the plastic off the rest of the way and saw it.

It looked like it might've been a refurbished Freddy's hat, though which model she couldn't identify. The black fabric had been replaced with a crushed red velveteen and was wrapped with an orange band. A small, fluffy, cream-colored faux feather stuck out from under said band. It was simple, but elegant. Almost like the hats Baby had seen in magazines, save the top hat design of it.

"It's beautiful…!" Baby said quietly. She held it on her claw so she could trace it over with her fingers. "…It's well made. Nothing like a costume, so subdued, even the feather… It's not a hat a clown would wear, even with my coloring."

Baby's quieter reaction was expected, and Scott could read in-between her words. Ennard was the one who wanted exaggerated costuming, Baby just wanted something simple and sublime.

"You didn't have to. I would not have been jealous," she said. It wasn't the first gift she had received, but it felt so odd getting something for no specific reason. Not to mention that she wasn't feeling great about suspecting him now that she knew it was just her own paranoia.

"No, no! I wanted to," Scott assured. "And don't feel pressured to wear it either."

"I will… Wear it, I mean." Baby considered putting it on now and while she would've had to figure out how to fit it on over her crown shaped headpiece- or just removed and replaced it- she found herself surprisingly hesitant to do so. It was such a beautiful little hat, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to put it on. "…Thank you, Scott."

He could hear the smile on her voice and smiled himself. He always had a way of making her feel like a child, though not necessarily in a bad way. It was soft and warm, even if only on the inside.

Then the mood was ruined by Ennard thumping into the back of the couch while fumbling to get the pants on. He was then back in the box, plucking out the work gloves and pulling them on.

"Oh, these are good. These are really good," he praised as he flexed his fingers in them. "And they've got that sort of grip on them! You can't believe how slippery stuff gets when you're nothing but wires."

"Oh no, I believe you're slippery," Baby flatly said. This caught a giggle out of Ennard but, more importantly, a laugh out of Scott. She liked being the one to make him laugh. It made her hate what she was going to do next. "Scott?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"Now can we talk about Fairyland?"

"…Oh, right!" Scott got a tight grin that didn't cover the anxious dread at all. He was probably hoping she had forgot. "Well, I just- let me just say that I'm so proud you came to me instead of just sneaking out and doing it on your own."

That was not a good start.

"But I don't know, it seems like it's a little risky?" he tentatively offered. "An amusement park- an open amusement park- is a way bigger deal than getting you guys into a closed down pizzeria where the doors are unlocked and there's no security. Plus, it's not… I don't think it would be… great to go find another Circus Baby. All it's going to do is upset you."

"He's afraid you're gonna pull a Funtime Chica on her," Ennard translated. Slinging the ribbon around his neck and beginning to tie it in a large, neat bow.

"That was different. I was unstable… and low on wiring," Baby defended, her voice tailing off at the end. She found it again though. "But this is different. I just want to see the other Baby; I don't want to destroy it. I didn't want to destroy Chica either, but my options were between her and him," she said, pointing past at Ennard.

"In that case you made a good choice then, but still, I don't know…" Scott was very concerned and unsure about this whole thing. "…I think I need a little time to think about it. That's not a no, but just a… a maybe for now."

"Of course. Take your time," Baby agreed, rather certain it was a no. For a moment she considered going back to Plan B and seeing if someone else could take her, but then her eyes dropped back down to that hat she was still holding. It was enough to fizzle out any defiance. Maybe that was his plan all along. She sighed and added, "I'm not going to be upset if you say no. Just consider it."

"I will, I promise."

"But first, consider this," Ennard chimed in. Now fully in his new suit he stuck a partial pose while tightening his bow. "Do I look great or what?"

"Or what. You look fantastic," Scott said. The clown snickered.

"Ha ha, great! Then I guess it's time to break it in," he said. That was his only warning before catching him in another tight hug. Nearly pulling him off his feet in the process.

Baby scoffed a little at the scene, though more in an amused way than in distaste. Just dealing with these two was a little too much. Though it wasn't without its perks.

One of which being the hat she still held. Scott did care and she would give him the benefit of being patient, assuaging her disappointment with her interest in the lovely, little hat. She couldn't wait to wear it.

…

Someday.

Chapter Text

Scott thought about it for a while. In fact, he was still thinking about it now as he stared at the road stretching into the darkness and felt his nervousness start to increase. This was a bad idea and he knew it, but he couldn't deny that he too was a little curious to see if there really was another Circus Baby in use somewhere, and to make sure she wasn't alive.

What convinced him to go was not that though, but Fairyland Park itself. Sometime after the gift exchange, he had gone into his office and looked around online for this supposed amusement park. Though amusement park was a little bit of a stretch. It was more like a kiddie park, the kind with smaller attractions and a docked ticket price, and probably very relaxed security. More like a mini-golf course than a theme park.

The drive there had been a long one. Two hours not feeling like much until he was hunched on the wheel looking around outside like he had already broken the law. Baby and Ennard were in the back, with the former shutting herself down to 'sleep' during the trip and the latter watching the road from between the seats. The stretch of highway was thankfully quiet, so there wasn't much risk of him being spotted.

He was still wearing his suit. Constantly fussing with and adjusting it, especially the bow around his neck, and it always brought a smile to Scott's face. It wasn't going to ever be camouflage, but the way he thought it would at least play more into the 'man in clown suit running around town' instead of 'possibly feral mechanical creature prowling the streets'. Besides, it looked good on him. Better than he was expecting it to.

The town around the park was quaint, small, none-too-interesting or threatening. A little patch of suburbs and a roll of fast-food restaurants and gas stations, a stop in the middle of an otherwise long trip. The park being here was probably less to draw out tourists and more because the land was cheap. Following the directions, he himself wrote down, it wasn't long before Scott drove up on Fairyland Park.

From here it looked more like a permanent fairground than an amusement park, but he couldn't make out too much except the entry booth, the closed front gate, and what looked to be a building that probably housed bathrooms. Scott could feel his nerve starting to wane as Ennard planted his hands on the seats and leaned in to get a better look. The clown gave a low hum.

"…Okay, so I gotta admit I'm a little disappointed in the size of this place," he said. He tapped his fingers on Scott's shoulder. "But hey! Looks like they don't have much for security, right?"

"Probably not, but they might have someone sitting in that booth over there," Scott said and pointed towards the entrance. "Or maybe a motion detector. Something. Probably an alarm if we try to open the gate."

"Well, we're not going through the front gate, are we?" Ennard asked mischievously. He pointed in the opposite direction. "How 'bout you take that access road and loop around back?"

Scott knew what was coming even before he was standing outside the chain-link fence that surrounded the park. Now that he was seeing inside, he got a better feel for what Fairyland was: a quaint, cute little park with only a few small coasters and a couple of other attractions broken up by paved walkways and a few decorative fairytale themed statues. Definitely a park aimed at children more than all ages.

Honestly, it was the type of place he would've really liked as a kid, and it didn't look like the type of place where they would be too afraid of someone breaking in unless to vandalize.

The van was parked back twenty or so feet on the side of a dirt road. Scott kept a lookout at the fence while Ennard woke up Baby.

"Rise and shine, Babydoll," Ennard chirped as she snapped awake.

"Are we here?" she asked.

"No, we're there," he answered. She gave him a look and he cheekily slid out the back and offered his hands to help her out.

It took a minute to get to the fence. Walking on grass was never great, especially not craggy grass with clumps of crumbly dirt underneath. Better than getting her wheels stuck in it, she supposed. Once there, they stared at it momentarily.

"We can still turn back," Scott offered. He knew from the silent stares he received that this was not going to happen. With a sigh, he turned back ahead. "Okay, let's… let's get in there."

He decided to take the lead and started trying to climb the fence. He vaguely remembered climbing one of these when he was a teenager at least once, as a short cut to get home from school, but he hadn't remembered it being this difficult. It wasn't even from his prosthetic either, it was just a mix of his shoes slipping and the fence mesh sticking up past the end and jabbing into anything he rested onto it. He got a leg over.

He caught sight of Ennard coming up behind him and whether it was foolish pride or sheer embarrassment that this was being watched, Scott raised a hand- and wobbled on the fence because of it.

"It's okay! I've got it!" he protested. He leaned over further. "Just let me get down and- oomph!"

He dropped off the fence and landed on his feet but staggered and almost tripped over a decorative shrub. He managed to pull together what was left of his dignity and gave a simple, "It's been a while."

"I know exactly what you mean," Ennard said. He then hopped the fence like it was nothing. "It's been a good, gosh, maybe two months since I hopped one of these babies. Where does the time go?"

Scott knew from that sly look alone that Ennard was toying with him. "Yeah, yeah."

"Speaking of babies, over or under, Babydoll?" the clown asked, looking back at their third.

"Under," she answered. Then proceeded grab the lower part of the fence and uproot it, even breaking some of it in the process. Scott's eyes were as wide as saucers, and he was between staring at the amount of damage and looking around frantically to make sure nobody could hear but ended up staying rigid through the whole thing. Baby crawled under, dusted mulch off herself, and then bent the gate down again. "There. No one will notice."

Well, no. Someone would notice if they looked, Scott thought. In all likelihood though, it wouldn't be noticed until sometime long after they were gone.

Ennard snickered and pulled him in with one arm. "The look on your face right now, Scottie...~"

"Looks a lot like the one I had coming off the fence?" Scott guessed. More laughter bubbled up, but Ennard kept it hushed. They then stepped onto the pathway and started through the park.

As worried as Scott was, both Baby and Ennard kept a vigilant look out for cameras or night watchman. Though they also had alternative motives, with Baby looking for the animatronic stage and Ennard just taking in the sights.

He tried to keep a cool head as he looked around at the park. Eventually he spotted something slightly worth note.

"See that little merry-go-round over there?" he asked. Both clowns looked over. "Freddy's had one exactly like that."

"Neat!" Ennard said.

"Is it the same one?" Baby asked.

"Probably not. I mean, there's some differences. It just looks really close," he said. A slightly awkward attempt to make conversation, though that could go for a few things tonight. Ennard slung an arm around his shoulders and kept him close, which equally made him feel reassured and fear that he was getting too comfortable.

"There's a building over there. Maybe that's the stage," Baby said, directing their attention past a spinning cups ride and to a section of closed up stalls. They continued on with her leading the way.

Though much to her dismay, that was not the stage but some other attraction entirely. It was a two-story building painted like a castle with fairy and unicorn cutouts outside the doors and a spiraling slide down one side. The bottom floor looked to be lined with numerous full-length windows, which looked to be a mirror maze on second glance, and a large sign above the supposed entryway read "Magical Castle".

Baby huffed a little and intended to roll straight past. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be.

"Oh-ho-ho, what have we got here?" Ennard asked, sizing up the building.

"I think it's a funhouse. With that wall of- hall of mirrors on the bottom floor, it probably is," Scott said. He then noticed Ennard looking at him and did a slight double-take, not trusting the glint to his gaze. "…What?"

"I bet this is the only attraction in this whole park that doesn't need to be on to work," Ennard said, rolling out the last word. He gave Scott a little shake. "Let's go in."

"What?" Scott asked again, almost dumbfounded. Ennard motioned his eyes to the funhouse, as though that was supposed to be convincing him. "Why? You know it's not going to be fun with the lights off and no music."

"Why not? When's the next chance we're gonna get to go run around a real-life funhouse? We gotta take the chance why we can!" Ennard exclaimed excitedly.

Baby couldn't say she was surprised at his budding interest in some run-of-the-mill funhouse, but she was slightly disappointed at getting distracted. "You do remember we're trespassing, right?" she asked.

"I didn't say we were going to set up shop in there. In and out, whole thing'll take three to four minutes flat!" he answered. He made a finger snapping motion while mimicking the sound. "Besides, it's not like we're sticking around long. Second we find the band we're out of here. We ought to do something fun while we've got the chance."

Neither Scott nor Baby could figure out if Ennard was trying to lighten a relatively tense mood or if he just really wanted to see the funhouse while he had the chance. Either way, she decided it wasn't worth fighting him on it.

"Fine. Just don't take too long," she said before turning back around.

"Sure, but I was kind of suggesting we all went in together," Ennard gently prodded. Then physically prodded as he walked up behind her and planted his hands on her shoulder, steering her around and back towards the funhouse.

Baby sighed and pressed down one of her skate stoppers. The smallest amount of resistance and Ennard got the message to stop pushing.

"Even if I felt like squeezing through all those mirrors, I don't feel like getting trapped in a slide," she said matter-of-factly. She easily ducked and twisted, rolling out from his grasp. He gave a pouting slump, and she rolled her eyes at him, a tinge of playfulness. "You get five minutes. Any longer and I have full right to leave you."

"O-Okay, if you're really sure," Ennard said, giving her a double thumbs up. She nodded and turned back around to continue down the path. "But if you change your mind, you know where we'll be! And don't do anything Scott wouldn't, ha ha!" he called after her, though not too loudly. Once it was clear that she wasn't changing her mind or looking back, his shoulders dropped with disappointment.

That sort of cleared up whether this was just an Ennard thing or an attempt to salvage the evening thing. Scott couldn't say he was surprised Baby turned down the offer. She had been a woman on a mission since they got here, and he wouldn't have been surprised if she managed to find the animatronics on her own now that she cut both of them loose. Apparently Ennard thought it was still worth a shot, and Scott gave him a comforting pat on the back.

"Still want to go in?" he offered.

Ennard perked up in an attempt to pull back on the mask, but his expression was a little uneasy. "Sure thing! Time's a-ticking so let's get a-moving."

They started heading to the funhouse entrance, but before they could even get up the steps, Scott dared to ask, "Are you worried about her?"

"About Baby? Nah! She's pretty good at not getting caught," the clown answered, rolling out from the question just as easily as Baby rolled out of his arms. "…Why, are you?"

"A little. To be honest, I'm really, really hoping that the website was wrong or that it's just… any character other than Baby… because I know she's going to be disappointed if she doesn't find another Circus Baby, but if she does find another Baby… I-I don't know. I don't think she's going to take it well," Scott confessed.

He led the way up the steps and shined his light over the glass panes. Numerous plates of his own reflection stared back, with Ennard's behind it, looking towards the Scott outside of the glass.

"I know… but what could we do? She wanted to come," Ennard offered. Scott nodded slowly before he suddenly noticed something, and his look changed to surprise as he turned right around.

"Are you saying you didn't want to come?"

"Hey, I'm always down to break into a funfair," Ennard said, raising his hands and with a coyly goofy sort of look in his eyes. A look that quick started to crumble into concern. "…When there's not this much emotional baggage hanging on."

"…Do you think I made the wrong choice saying yes?"

"No! No, no. Quit that. You put that look back," Ennard 'sternly' scolded. "If there's one thing Baby hates it's being babied. She's a big girl and she can make her own decisions… Which is why we let her go off on her own in the dark so we could go play in the Magic Castle. Which reminds me..." He smoothly turned Scott around and started to nudge him towards the entry into the maze. "Let's get a move on! We're at least down to four minutes."

"I don't mean to burst your bubble, Enn, but we probably just spent that five minutes talking out here," Scott reminded. A little smile daring to return with a slight chuckle as he found the doorway in.

Something about dozens of flashlights shining back in an otherwise nearly pitch-dark room of mirrors was a little eerie. He could see his own hesitation on his face, along with the amusement on Ennard's as he slowly leaned in to whisper.

"Still want to go in?"

He couldn't back down after that challenge, not when he knew the scariest thing in this whole park was likely standing directly behind him. "Sure. It's just a little darker than I thought… but that's what this is for. So just, uh, stay close."

"I plan on it," the clown said. A low hum hanging in his chest.

It turned out that the mirror maze was going to be significantly more difficult in the dark. The flashlight being reflected was disorienting and there wasn't really the ability to use outside light to get much bearings beyond direction. At first Scott led, but eventually Ennard was actively helping, until it got to the point that they were less trying to solve a maze and more trying not to fall over each other while walking around the walls.

"Hey, you want to hear a creepy story?" Ennard asked out of the blue.

Or it wasn't that out of the blue. There was a distinctly uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Scott's stomach the closer he was getting to the back of the maze. A claustrophobic feeling, mixed with the dread that he was about to get stuck trying to run through these tight corridors. Again though, from what was beyond rational guesstimation.

"Uh… No?" Scott answered.

"It's got a really neat twist ending," Ennard coaxed. "And it's not that creepy. Like, not as creepy as, y'know, our new prison." He reached up to pat his hands on the ceiling and walls, practically towering in the tight space.

He knew Ennard was leaning into something, but he decided to take the bait. "Sure… but not a lot of gore?"

"Gore only works when you can see it," the clown tutted. He gestured for Scott to turn around and keep going, and once he did, he began:

"As far as I know, they say this is a true story, but people tend to stretch the truth when they're scared. Sometimes they think they see things in the shadows that aren't there. Sometimes harmless people look like killers hiding in the shadows. All I can tell you is that wherever the story came from, they believed what they saw was real, and that's what makes all the difference.

There was a family on vacation in a small town just like this one. They were trying to get in the last week of summer before the kids went back to school, but they weren't the only ones who had that idea. So, they found themselves stuck staying in motel just beside the city dump."

"That's a real-life horror story alright," Scott joked. He looked back at the clown with a smile.

Ennard tsked and shook his head in playful chiding. "You're not taking this seriously."

"Sorry, ignore me. You keep going while I find us a way out of here."

"My plan exactly!" Ennard chirped, then his voice dropped back into a low, haunting tone. "The man books two rooms. One for his wife and him and the other for his three children. The first night seems to go well, but when they get up the next morning his son tells him that something weird happened that night. Late, late after the parents went to bed, the kids were woken up by a noise outside.

They looked out to see a tall man walking out of dump. He stopped in the field between them and stared up at the motel. The kids weren't too sure because they couldn't see its face, but it looked like it was staring at their window.

Mom and Dad assume older brother is playing a joke and the younger kids believe him, so they don't really do anything about it. They go out, enjoy their day, and return to the motel that evening. They tuck in their kids and go to sleep… But a few hours later, they're awoken by their oldest son who says the man from the dump was standing underneath their window. Not believing him, his parents send him back to bed.

They're not woken back up, so they think everything's fine. But everything's not fine. Their kids are exhausted! When they ask, they reveal that the man had climbed up to their window… and watched them… and tapped on the glass… all night."

Ennard tapped his fingers on the mirror wall. It echoed through the tight passageway.

"Mom's a little uneasy, Dad doesn't believe them. The mood of the day is dead on arrival. They go do their activities before returning to the motel, but tonight the kids are afraid to go to sleep. The parents head to bed. A few hours later, Dad wakes up and hears something funny from the next room. He heads over and peeks into his kids' room…

There is a bloodless white face staring in the window. Sharp fingers scratching at the glass." Ennard scraped his fingers on the wall. "The older and middle kids are hiding in the corner, but their younger sister is slowly creeping towards the window. Dad then realizes that the thing is opening the window. He runs in and grabs his daughter just before a long, greasy, metal hand reaches in and misses. The creature drops down from the window and disappears.

Now realizing that his kids are telling the truth, Dad wakes Mom and they consider going to the police, but in the end decide to stay the night in their own room all together, since they're leaving the next day and it's the witching hour. Dad sleeps on one side, Mom on the other, kids in the middle, and with their bedroom window covered up… but Dad wakes up to a noise a little later and realizes his daughter is gone.

Frantic, he heads back into the kids' room and finds that there's nobody there, but the window is wide open. He calls out the window for her and in the distance, he hears a faint: "Daddy!"

He runs out of the motel and heads towards the dump. He calls for her again. He hears her again: "Daddy!"

He walks into the dump. Piles of trash and heaps of scrap metal tower above his head as he frantically calls for his daughter. Each time she replies, but her voice sounds hollower, echoey, wrong, until he doesn't hear it any longer. At that moment he comes up on a deep pit dug into a mound of garbage and leans down to look inside. There is a body wrapped in trash bags inside. He calls for her, she whispers back, and he crawls in…

Only for the trash bag wrapped body to turn around and reveal the white face from the window. Now he could see it in all its horror. Long, sharp teeth like needles. Hunks of scrap metal and trash sticking out of its body. It had the face of a lost toy thrown away and forgotten, and its body made of the garbage it absorbed. He couldn't make it out before it ensnared him and pulled him deep into its lair.

The next morning Mom and children awoke confused to find Dad gone and the only person who saw him leave? His youngest daughter, who got up to use the bathroom and heard him go down the hall and leave the hotel. He is still missing to this day, but everyone knows where he is. In that pit of bodies hidden in the dump."

Ennard leaned in close to whisper into his ear.

"The Hurricane Clown has claimed another victim."

Scott released any held breath in a disbelieving guffaw as the bottom fell out of any tension.

"Why?" was all he could ask.

"Because I forgot to on the drive here," Ennard cockily answered.

"So, you didn't make that up on the way here?"

"Nope!"

"Are you sure?" Scott looked back at him with a teasing smile, reflecting the flashlight off the mirror to illuminate the space.

"Oh, I wish I could take credit for that, but it was Burke's kid who told it to me. You remember when he called saying his theater group was talking about me? That was it!" Ennard said. He brightened up while he said that, like the idea alone exhilarated him.

"I don't know why you get so happy about that. I know they say 'any publicity is good publicity', but I don't think that counts when people are calling you a garbage monster that… eats people?" Scott furrowed his brow before suddenly remembering something. "Wait, what part of that story was real? You being at the dump, right?"

"The part where I hang out at the dump." Scott gave him a look. "I'm serious! If you don't believe me, ask Carl. The original was a lot worse before I toned it down."

Scott paused for a moment and considered if he wanted to ask the next question. He even started to turn like he wasn't going to before giving in and turning back. "How much worse?"

"Gore only works when you can see it, but they painted a pretty good picture," Ennard said. He too seemed to consider stopping there before blurting out, "Graphic depictions of harvesting and trash stuffing. There was a dog too."

"…Okay, almost regretting that decision. Thank you for keeping it tame," Scott said. Apparently, the theater group weren't the only ones who could paint a nasty picture in only a few sentences. Ennard snickered and pulled him back into a tight hug, now padded by his new suit. His nose poked his ear with a squeak and Scott chuckled.

"You know the scariest part?" Ennard murmured in the same low tone he used to tell the story. "You're sharing a house with that same trash monster. It knows where you sleep…~" He gave a sinister crackle and drummed his fingers on his arms.

"I think it's worse that I'm sharing a bed with a guy who spends his off time hanging out at the dump," Scott replied.

It caught Ennard by surprise and he burst into laughter. It echoed through the mirror maze at a volume that would've concerned him if they were standing outside. He was such a goof, Scott thought. He turned back and caught the clown by the chin to pull him into a gentle kiss. Ennard gave a delighted squeak and pressed back, like he was kissing back even when it was through a mask.

Scott had a choice then. They had taken up a bit of time already, but they had reached the back of the room beside some stairs that led to the upper floor, with him stopping long enough for Ennard to finish his story. They could go upstairs and search for the way out, but it could take more time if there turned out to be more obstacles. Chances were there was something up there to slow them down. So, they could also turn around and leave the way they came in.

Unfortunately, Scott wasn't thinking and made his choice when he leaned back in for a second kiss. The mood shifted instantaneously. The quirky little squeak was replaced with a curious hum, and he didn't have far to go before his back was against the mirrored wall. Ennard practically had him pinned in before he tilted his head and moved in further. Pressed in so close that his teeth grazed over Scott's lips.

This was what spiraling felt like, Scott realized. He could barely keep his head above water as one of his hands grabbed at the back of Ennard's jacket. He didn't know if it was stop him or to just hold on.

Ennard did eventually draw back, and Scott took the opportunity to turn his head upwards, trying to get control of himself. Baby was probably waiting right outside the funhouse by now and while he didn't want to stop- the tingling in his chest and along his skin being attributed to that- his better judgement started to slip through, along with concern and paranoia. He decided to tell this to Ennard.

"Uh- hah." The timing was bad. The second he started to speak, he was cut short by a bundle of wires sliding out of Ennard's mouth and up along his throat, ending the lick with a little nip to his chin accentuated with a playful 'nom'.

The moment came to a sudden halt when Scott fumbled with the flashlight and lost his grip. It fell to the floor with a loud clatter and went out. Scott winced at the sound of a battery flying out and rolling somewhere. Ennard flinched at the noise and froze up in place. A long moment passed in that dark hallway of mirrors.

Then Ennard began nibbling at his chin again.

"Ennard, wait. About Baby," Scott reminded. Ennard gave a disappointed hum but didn't argue, giving him one last kiss on the cheek before pulling back.

"Don't go anywhere," he quipped before crouching down to retrieve the flashlight and batteries. "We have what, two minutes left?"

"I-It's more like we have two minutes before it's twenty minutes," Scott said. He self-consciously fixed his clothes, knowing his face was probably burning beet red and there was nothing he could do to fix it. He reached blindly to give Ennard another pat on the back, missed, and ended up patting him on the head instead. "But maybe she's not keeping track," he offered, knowing she probably was.

"Eh, she is. But it's me! I get a thirty-minute buffer just in case," Ennard replied. "…Which I'm gonna need. I think these mirrors are messing with my already pretty sketchy night vision, 'cause I'm missing a battery."

"Take your time," Scott said. Though after a few seconds of standing in the dark, claustrophobic hallway, he began trying to help feel around on the floor. Hopefully Baby wasn't waiting outside.

In reality, Scott and Ennard's whereabouts were the last thing on her mind.

Neither was the assumed stage that she was still looking for. That was a big part of what she was doing, but it definitely wasn't what had been clouding her mind since she got here. Something had been bothering since she had gotten inside.

She was glad to get a few minutes away from the two because of it. Not because of anything they had done to worsen it, but just the feeling itself, especially once she realized what it was.

This place reminded her of the toy store her father used to take her to.

It was such a sudden and intrusive revelation that crept up only when she started seeing little gnomes and statues of fairies and elves sitting on toadstools and fishing into artificial streams. When she was a little girl, her father used to take her to a toy store that was themed a lot like this. It had that faux fairytale themed with unicorns and fairies painted on the walls, or at least on the walls of the designated girls' section.

Maybe that was why he called her Princess. It used to make her feel special, now it made her feel like her a fool. Like her father's fool.

She had been thinking of her father quite a bit recently. There had been a time after his appearance that he had faded out of her immediate thoughts and the pain of his betrayal- second betrayal- had died down. A time when he was truly gone and she had gotten some form of closure, even if all it did was open her eyes instead of offering any comfort. She wasn't sure if the reopening of Freddy's did it or if it was just a matter of timing.

Remembering those assumed happier days of when he took her to get toys and ice cream did little to numb the pain of him using her like he had. It all left her very confused.

She only realized that she had been staring at the ground when she spot a plastic frog toy on the ground. One of those cheap ones that you would press the back down of to make it hop. She raised her head up and looked around and only then spotted what looked to be a cleared-out area nearby, and she wheeled over to it, briefly putting her feelings to focus on the task at hand.

That was when she finally found the outdoor atrium, or what might've been one. There was an uncovered stage with some basic decorations and a few speakers. There were rustic log benches for the audience to sit on, topped with maroon pillows to cushion them. It looked quaint, but the acoustics had to be horrendous- or Baby thought so.

There were also no animatronics on stage, but she had a hunch where they were. The back wall of the stage was really the wall of a trailer behind it, which was likely where they stored the animatronics afterhours. Considering the rather lackluster security, locking up the animatronics was a must, and Baby wheeled off the path and walked through the grass to find it sealed with a chain and padlock.

It would be relatively easy to break through it. Baby felt the lock in her hand and while it was rather sturdy, she was sure either it or the chain could be broken with her claw. However, she agreed not to break anything, so she was going to either need Scott's consent or Ennard's encouragement to justify doing so. That way she wouldn't be breaking her promise.

She wasn't surprised when she returned to the funhouse to find nobody outside. She could faintly hear their voices inside, so she knew they were still in there. Instead of going in after them she waited for them by the slide, already preparing a flat sort of look for when one of them came down.

Which never happened. Much to her surprise, Scott and Ennard walked right out the door they came in. She caught up with them quickly.

"What took you two so long?" Baby took one look at Scott's slightly scuffed hair and quickly looked away. "Never mind. I don't need to know."

"Don't even act like that. I'll have you know I spent the last ten minutes crawling around looking for batteries," Ennard said matter-of-factly, planting his hands on his hips.

"The door was locked. The door up the stairs- there's stairs at the back that leads up to the second floor, and there's a door at the top that was locked," Scott explained. Just the flustered way he said that suggested this wasn't the whole truth, but Baby let it slide.

"I see. Speaking of locked doors, I found where they're keeping the animatronics," Baby said. They were a little quieter than she expected them to be, so she simply beckoned them. "Come along, I'll show you."

"S-Sure thing! Lead the way, Baby!" Ennard chirped, giving her a double thumbs up. Though as she turned away to do so, he and Scott shared an uneasy look.

It didn't take long to get back to the stage and the trailer behind it, where Baby had Ennard look at the padlock.

"Do you think we could pick the lock?" Baby asked. Ennard hummed and looked at the bottom of it.

"Ehhhh, no can do, Babydoll. Even if I had the tools and the know-how, this is a pretty tiny keyhole. I don't see it happening," he said.

"There must be another way to get the lock off," Baby suggested. She found his hesitation kind of strange, and he almost looked a little nervous. "I know you've broken through much stronger."

"Heh, true! But there could be an alarm on this thing or… Something?" Ennard stole a glance at Scott then abruptly stood. "What a shame! Well, it happens. Better safe than sorry."

Baby looked between them, her suspecting that Scott had probably mouthed to him not to do it or something. "So, that's it? We come all this way and then are stopped by a flimsy, little chain."

"Well, uh-," Scott started, only to be interrupted.

"I can get this padlock open, we can look inside, close it again, and be on our way in only a few minutes. They won't care that we broke the chain, they are only concerned about the animatronics," Baby tried to convince. She had to pick her words carefully. She didn't want to coerce him, but she did want to convince him. "Please. We can't have come this far to stop."

Scott felt both of their eyes on him. Baby, who desperately wanted to tempt fate, and Ennard, who only didn't want to tempt fate because of the possible backlash from the other clown. It was a bad position to be in and he could already tell that nobody was going to win from this decision. He looked around behind him, hoping for a quick excuse to get them out of the area and avoid him making the decision, but there was nothing there.

With a tired sigh, he turned back and looked to Baby. He ran a tired hand along the back of his neck and sighed.

"…Okay."

Ennard's mouth dropped open, looking at him with the same shocked aghast that Scott himself felt.

"But that's all we're doing! Just… Just opening it up and looking inside. No touching the animatronics. Heck, no even- no leaving the padlock. If they see it, they might notice it wasn't cut by, uh… normal means," Scott rambled. He wet his dried lips and added, "Only so you can look, Baby, and only because it looks pretty dead out here."

Baby honestly didn't think he was going to say yes. "Thank you…" was all she said, then turned and quickly caught the padlock and chain in her claw. She worked with it for a minute, applying pressure and twisting, adjusting so she could break them in a clean fashion. With one hard snap, yank, and twist, the padlock was crushed and the chain broken. Overkill perhaps, but they were taking it anyway, so she let them fall to the grass.

She wasn't sure why she hesitated now of all times, but she did, just long enough for Ennard to decide to take lead. He pulled open one of the doors and leaned in to look. He paused for a long, frozen moment before-

"Ooooh, I see a familiar face already!" He couldn't hide the little twitch of nervousness, but he walked into the trailer unconcerned. Baby felt something tighten in her chest cavity.

"Is it me?" she quietly asked.

"It's Foxy!" Ennard called back. Both Baby and Scott's heads snapped over.

"Foxy?!" Scott asked. He hurried over and shined his light inside to see Ennard's back, but the clown stepped aside eagerly to reveal what he found. The flashlight illuminated a familiar white and pink fox character. Or white-ish, as time hadn't been kindly keeping its plush body that crispy colored. One of its eyelids was rolled down lower than the other and its mouth was ajar, with its body hunched forward in an off position.

"Oh, Funtime Foxy!" Scott said. He came up to get a better look, noticing again the plush suit and the hook on its hand. "No, wait. This is a Toy Foxy. It's the same line as Marionette. They were sort of in that time between diner and pizzeria."

"But this can't be the same one that was with Mari. The one that bit Jeremy? I thought that was the Mangle," Ennard asked.

"It's not. Or it is. That Toy Foxy was, uh… Out of commission a lot of the time. People started calling it the Mangle, it bit Jeremy, then Mangle was put out-of-service. This might be the same model, but it's a different bot," Scott explained.

Ennard stared at it thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, and then dared to ask, "So, what's the chances of a second Puppet popping up?... Ha ha, OTHER than Charlie." He grinned a little while Scott fumbled.

"None. No. There was- from what I know- only the one Puppet… At least, when I was talking to managers and employees from other locations, none of them ever mentioned another Puppet… But I'm pretty sure it was one of Henry's own."

While they were talking, Baby made her way into the trailer and tried to see past them. It was rather cramped on the inside as it wasn't just holding the animatronics themselves, but what were likely props for the stage. She could see what looked like a bird animatronic just passed Ennard and something wide blocking her view on the other side. No sign of Baby just yet, and this "Funtime" animatronic wasn't even part of her line.

"Excuse me," she warned, then squeezed behind Ennard and deeper into the trailer.

It was harder for her to get around the stuff, having to shove a carboard box of wires aside just to get to the bird animatronic. Actually, it looked to be a seagull, with a little cracking on the rubber of its facial build. The third animatronic, the big one, looked to be some kind of generic character she hadn't seen before. A female from the eyelashes with a pink plush suit, perhaps an elephant or pig, but Baby didn't care to pay more attention.

Not when she caught a sprig of red hair in the dull light. It poked out from behind the pink bot's shoulder, revealing a final animatronic in the back. That hair color looked familiar.

"Ennard…" Baby began in a hushed tone. "…I think I found her."

Ennard's head snapped over and Scott inwardly winced. Between them all though, Baby was the one most fearful of her findings. She had not only found another Circus Baby, but she had found one with real hair. That alone was devastating.

"Really? What's she look like?" Ennard dared to ask.

"I don't know. I can't see her behind this thing here." Baby gestured to the pink animatronic. "Help me. We can move it together without damaging it."

"You got it, Boss!" the other clown agreed and came over. He got about halfway through wrapping his arms up under it when he noticed its face. "Now there's a nice set of eyes…" he murmured, leaning in closer to study the glassy, blue orbs.

"Ennard," Baby huffed.

"Sorry! Sorry, heh, always gotta be on the lookout," Ennard apologized. He wrapped his arms under. "On three we move her back in this direction."

"Uh, are you two sure this is a good idea…?" Scott cautiously asked. As though the two weren't going to do it anyway. "Or wait, here, let me at least move Foxy-."

"No worries, we got this!" Ennard reassured.

"Step out of the way, please. Once we start moving, we cannot stop," Baby warned.

So, he did. He kept the flashlight on them and watched with bated breath and gritted teeth as the two dragged the surprisingly light, for its size, animatronic aside. It was set down in the middle of the trailer, partially trapping Ennard between it and Foxy, so that Baby could turn around and see what wait behind it.

Which she did, and she immediately got an eyeful of it. It was unlike anything she expected.

"What…?" she began, almost speechless. She rolled closer to see better. "Is that…?"

Ennard peeked out and gawked while Scott was now the one whose mouth dropped open.

"What is that…?!" Baby began to twitch as she stared at the animatronic in front of her. She jabbed her hand at it. "What is that?!"

What that was would happen to be the most bizarre animatronic that any of them had seen. It looked like Circus Baby only in details, but it itself was a caricature stretched and elongated like it was pulled from a funhouse mirror.

It did have hair, Baby was correct. Two broom-like red pigtails stuck out of the top sides of its head, but that was all the hair it had. There was something akin to a painted plate between them, almost giving it the impression of being largely shaved around the pigtails. It had a molded on red top, but it was almost bikini-like, no frills around the shoulders and with a long expanse of belly-buttonless stomach. Its long red skirt was a little more modest but frayed at the end.

But these were the somewhat normal details. It was everything else that was borderline uncanny. Long, skinny arms and legs, with a matching neck that stood at least six or seven inches longer than pleasant to the eyes. Its face was dolled up with heavy lidded and painted eyes with thick lashes, bright red lipstick, and round blushed cheeks jutting out of its face. It sort of looked like Ballora, but instead of her more elegant stature, it was emaciated and inhuman.

Baby could've never imagined the amount of disgust and horror she was going to feel seeing this thing. This mannequin thing dolled up to look like her. It actually offended her to look at it.

Ennard snorted through the hand covering his mouth and Baby turned on him in an instant.

"Don't you DARE laugh! Look at this- it's hideous!" Baby spat. She turned back on it with a glare. "Its body, its face; it's obscene! What is this?!"

"Oh wow, that's- yeah, that's not great…" Scott said. He was just as shocked as she was. When she looked at him, he could only shrug. "I don't know what to tell you."

"Looks like it came out the wrong side of a funhouse mirror," Ennard snickered. Apparently, they were thinking alike, but that didn't excuse how hard it was for him to stop laughing.

Baby gave an aggravated huff and waved widely with her arm, gesturing him towards it. "Make sure it isn't alive. Please."

"Good call. Two seconds," Ennard said. He stepped around a spool of cable and leaned in close to the other Baby. While studying it, Baby turned away with a low, staticky noise in her chest, like a low growl.

Seeing her distress, Scott reached out and rubbed her upper arms comfortingly.

"It looks nothing like you," he assured her.

"I should hope not," Baby hissed. She stole a look back before looking forward again. "Ugh! Yes, it does!"

"No, it doesn't. It just… It looks like something else that was reformatted into a Circus Baby theme. Probably was a completely different type! Could've been a…" Scott looked over at it. "…Scarecrow."

Baby half-scoffed and almost laughed despite herself. She blamed it on her being distraught because there was nothing funny about that thing standing nearby.

"Well, I have bad news, Baby," Ennard announced as he came over. He put an arm around her shoulders and patted her arm. "I'm afraid that… you won't be getting a new sister."

"Wonderful," Baby grumbled.

"Think you can check the others?" Scott asked.

"Heading in that direction! Mind holding the light? It's better doing the eye trick when you're not in complete darkness," Ennard asked. Scott agreed and they turned, not even really having to take any steps, to address the pink animatronic.

Instead of watching them, which would've probably been the better use of her time, Baby found her eyes dragged back to that other Baby. Hers meeting its glassy, drooped ones. She felt that irritation grow at seeing it, but she could say without any doubt that she didn't envy it. While it had some hair and a slightly more human build- no, scratch that. She might've been bulkier, but even she was less off-putting than this one. In a way it gave her a sinister reassurance.

She rolled closer and looked it over. How it would perform for children was beyond her. She could see that its feet were mounted on a stand so probably that would keep it upright while it waggled its arms around.

She also noticed that it was wearing a silver necklace. The only reason she took note of it being that it reminded her of the silver bell necklace of Charlie's. She reached forward and flicked at the heart shaped pendant, which moved freely, loosened from the heart shaped slot that had been made in its chest. That was an odd sort of outlier. Jewelry that wasn't molded on wasn't common in animatronics, so she assumed this wasn't an Afton original.

If she thought about it, and this moment did bring those memories back, she could remember seeing her father working on the original Circus Baby once or twice. Unable to work in the house, he had a garage or warehouse he used to work in, though she couldn't remember if it was the warehouse she was familiar with or not. She could remember that Henry was frequently there and that her brothers were never allowed to go. Being his favorite, she was.

She could remember one of the first times she had seen Circus Baby. It stood before her so glossy and freshly painted, with pretty eyes and a cute skirt. To her it was more beautiful than any of the Freddy's animatronics. Feminine, cute, perfect for her, and she had thought- and she was sure her father had said once- that she was made for her. She remembered poking the cold metal before her father came in and…

He had grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back so quickly that she fell off her own feet, and then dragged her back by the arm. She suddenly had a vivid memory of how her arm had pulsed when he grabbed her.

It was so jarring to suddenly remember that, that her father grabbing her roughly and wrenching her back. She couldn't believe he had touched her like that. She always remembered him spoiling her with ice cream, dollies, bedtime stories; happiness and innocence. She had been loved and adored back then and this memory was a stark contrast to that. Her father was a monster, no denying that, but he used to dote on her.

…But that wasn't the first time he had roughly grabbed her. It wasn't even the roughest he had been with her.

It was like that memory was a key that unlocked a door that hid others behind it as they all started to slip out. Some days her father came home different. Sometimes he would be acting weird and she would know not to bother him. Weird, her childlike mind would've identified it. Her now matured mind identified it correctly: intoxicated. She didn't think he was an alcoholic, but there were days when he came home wrong.

But just as quickly as she latched to that thought it unfurled in her grasp. It wasn't the alcohol because he could be just as rough sober. He could lose his temper and yank her aside or drag her along. In fact, she vaguely remembered having to wear a long-sleeved shirt on a warm day and being grumpy about it. Her father had taken her out for ice cream after school to reward her and told her how good she was.

Perhaps to apologize without apologizing, because she was hiding a bruise put on her. A welt on her arm when Daddy accidentally grabbed too hard. Though it was always her fault when it happened, or she thought it was.

Baby's claw tightened as her eyes stared dead ahead. Occasionally shifting just the slightest bit as the vivid memories started to ooze their way back. Staring at the feeble animatronic but instead watching the horror unfold inside of herself.

It wasn't even that she loved her father or thought he loved her, it was just that some part of her did still look back at those times of childhood bliss to remember when she thought things had been better. Just like earlier with the memories of the toy store. Days of playing dress up, of playing in her dolly dreamhome, of being a princess. Being loved, being adored, being snapped at only when she asked too many questions, grabbed only when she stepped out of line.

She remembered his calloused hands grabbing her around the arm and dragging her out of his garage, grabbing her chin and holding her still so he could slowly explain to her why not to interrupt him, hoping she would get it this time because she was such a bright little girl, but she could be so thick sometimes. The loving hands that would carry her to bed, the ruthless hands that would grab her by the biceps and shake her.

And when she was being too loud one of those hands would clamp over her mouth and silence her.

Baby was overheating to a dangerous level. She only realized it when something akin to a fan started humming from inside. Though she didn't think she had a fan anymore, so it could've very well been static. It was hard to think about it when she was in the middle of remembering something so horrible, so vile that she couldn't handle it. Yet she had to stay silent because she wasn't alone.

She could hear Scott and Ennard talking behind her, oblivious to what was happening. She didn't want them to notice her, to know what she was thinking about. She didn't want to think anymore.

Suddenly even caring about whether there were any other Circus Baby animatronics seemed like such a moot point. The thought that she would even care- that she was stuck in the body of something he loved more than her- hurt in a deep way she had never felt before. It was a weird feeling, something leaning closer to anger than anything else. She wanted to scream, and it took every ounce of willpower not to, like she was fighting off his influence all over again.

Then her eyes fell on that gaudy little pendant. It looked like something her daddy would've bought for her to make up for being such a brute. It reminded her of playing princess and dress-up, and dressing in Momma's clothes, and climbing in closets to look for Christmas gifts only to go snooping around the wrong place and have Daddy rip her down by the back of her shirt and fall on her backside so hard that her tailbone aches for hours.

She couldn't stand it. Elizabeth was about to scream.

"You okay over there, Baby?" Ennard must've heard her. "You're making some angry cat noises."

"I'm fine," she somehow managed. Her jaw was locked so tight she wondered if she would break her teeth. "Just looking at this… thing."

She had a feeling that they didn't believe her. Possibly Scott's whisper of, "Let's finish up with this." To get back to her, no doubt, and then see what she was devolving into. She had to pull herself together, but that was easier said than done.

This thing in front of her was mocking her. Not literally, of course, but its presence. An amalgam of human and clown that vaguely resembled Circus Baby. Her father would've loved it, would've loved for her to be something like that more than to even be human. He would've given her a necklace just like that to apologize for everything. No, not to apologize. To pretend that he was apologizing. It was always an act; he was never sorry.

Baby reached forward and tightened her fingers around the heart-shaped locket. Just like the padlock and the chain it could break easily and go unnoticed, thrown away like the piece of valueless metal it was. She rested her claw on its pale belly to keep it from tipping forward before she suddenly yanked her hand and ripped the locket off, the chain snapping easily and dangling from her hand, and causing the mannequin's torso to be tilted forward.

It felt good to break something, but it was only a fleeting relief. It didn't matter what it represented when it really meant nothing at all.

"What was that?" Scott asked.

"Nothing," Baby quickly denied. She began to roll back away from it. "I just-."

The excuse was cut short as the gangly animatronic teetered forward the moment she drew her claw away. She quick nudged it back and it teetered before falling forward again and collapsing onto her. She caught its rigid body and shoved it off just as quickly, watching it fall back against the wall before sliding into the corner. It was so stiff that it simply stayed propped up sideways like that.

"What was that?!" Scott repeated. He hurried back up to her and Baby, mortified at her own clumsiness, hid the necklace under her opposite arm. Not that she wanted to keep the thing, but after all this she didn't want him to find out about what she really had done. Scott shined his light over the fallen animatronic. "Did she move? What happened?"

"I'm- I'm not sure," Baby tried to excuse. Her voice was tight, and she still didn't feel quite herself. Almost like she wasn't in the moment, just observing it through her eyes. Scott must've noticed as he looked to her. She began to grow panicked, "I- I didn't mean for that to happen! I wasn't trying to break it- even if it is the most h-hideous thing I've ever seen!"

"Baby, it's okay. It's alright!" Scott assured her. He put a hand on her arm to try and comfort her, because he could tell immediately that something was wrong. She was jittery just standing there. "We'll just pick her back up, okay?"

Baby gave a stiff nod and kept her head down as Scott stepped in front of her to try and pick the mannequin animatronic up. It wasn't as heavy as he was expecting, but he did have to wrap his arms around the middle to try and lug it up.

Which went alright for about three seconds until he must've hit a release of some kind, because suddenly the rigid animatronic suddenly went limp. As limp as a ragdoll, head dangling on its bendy neck and arms swinging down. Scott, who was already trying to lift it with one and a half arms, lost his grip and it fell before Ennard could reach around to grab it. It fell back into the corner, head bent down near its chest, arms bent underneath and beside it.

Scott stared wide-eyed at the animatronic for a long moment before turning to look at Ennard over his shoulder.

"I think we should head home now."

Soon they were outside. Ennard shut the trailer doors while Scott picked up and carried the chain. Baby was standing to the side, still uncharacteristically silent.

Which meant that Ennard was paying closer attention to the outside world when he suddenly yanked his head up.

"I hear voices," he warned. Scott's teeth clenched as he began to look around. Ennard homed in and patted his arm, pointing towards the front of Fairyland. Scott swallowed thickly and motioned with his hand for them to take the long way.

With them looking away, Baby was quick to swing her arm back to toss the necklace off somewhere in the grass where it would never be found. Except the chain had gotten itself annoyingly tangled in her fingers. No matter how much she shook her hand it wouldn't come free, until the point when her wrist was aching. She was about to rip it off with her claw when she had to hide it again.

As they got further across the pathways back towards the car, the sound of talking grew louder. Loud enough that Scott could hear it at least. There were definitely other people in the park now- if they hadn't been there the whole time. They had to hasten their speed, especially once a flashlight was spotted in the distance. One right about to cut them off at the pass.

"Back," Scott said, pushing back Ennard who was practically on top of him. "Back, back. Somewhere else."

"Hide out in the mirror maze?" the clown offered.

"No."

"Hop the fence back that-a-way?" he pointed his thumb back towards some stalls.

"Uh… Yeah, good call."

They quickly made their way behind the stalls to more fencing and went through the same routine as earlier, except a little more frantically with their motions. Ennard all but shoving Scott over the fence and throwing himself over right afterwards. The lights were getting closer, and chances were whoever was approaching was going to hear something from all of this.

Baby was remarkably calm. In fact, she found that she didn't feel much of anything.

"Baby, come on!" Ennard whispered. He made a grab for her over the fence, and she shrugged him off, determined to peel her way through herself. This time wasn't as difficult as this section of the fence wasn't rooted as deeply.

The necklace's chain only seemed to tighten around her fingers as she climbed underneath. While the park allowed her to leave, this useless little trinket wouldn't let her go. Eventually she gave up trying to free herself from it.

Chapter Text

All things considered, there should've been some relief in the fact that they had gotten out of Fairyland Park without getting caught. Yet an uncomfortable mood had taken over inside of the van.

Baby had continued acting strange up until her request for Ennard to shut her down for the ride, which she made only once they were out on the highway and the coast seemed clear. She was in the back now slouched in a dormant slumber.

Ennard on the other hand had decided to take the risk and move into the passenger's seat. Normally this would've been especially dangerous, but it was very late by now. Plus, he had his seat tilted back and was slid far into it. Normally budding with energy at the beginning of a trip, he kept quiet and let the dull hum of the radio instead fill the space. He could tell Scott was feeling antsy.

He could also tell that Scott wasn't antsy about almost being caught, nor the incident with the animatronic, but the way Baby had acted after. He was concerned about it too. It wasn't even her silence or her briskness when blowing off their questions that was concerning, but the shakiness her voice took. That wasn't like her at all. Something must've happened, but he didn't know what.

Though she was asleep right now, so the only one Ennard could fuss on was Scott. "You look tired."

"That's ironic. I feel tired," Scott lightly joked. He was trying at least.

"We could stop at a motel. I know of this nice little one just beside the dump," Ennard coyly answered with a sharp grin. The other played along with a chuckle, but then they fell back into that thick silence.

The music droning out of the radio was weird. Staticky and without lyrics, just off-beat partial techno that sounded more like it belonged in a strip mall than on broadcast. It only succeeded in increasing the awkward feeling. Eventually even Scott couldn't take it anymore.

"What happened back there?" he asked with weary desperation. "With Baby, I mean."

"She saw the other Baby and got upset… A lot more upset than we were expecting," Ennard finished quietly.

"I don't know. The timing doesn't add up. She was upset after she saw it, yeah, but she wasn't the same kind of upset as she was after it fell over… and I don't think it was her knocking it over that did it. Something happened."

"What could've happened? We were right there," the clown pointed up. He noticed the man's worried frown. "Don't you dare start beating yourself up about this."

"I'm not…"

"I'm looking right at you and I know you are," Ennard affirmed. He leaned over between the seats. "It's got to be a scary thing, you know. To see this identity you've put yourself in for so long suddenly slapped on another body. I can't say I know what that feels like since I sort of chose this," he said, gesturing over himself. "Might've just taken a few minutes to kick in."

It almost took Scott off-guard for Ennard to be the one to bring this up, to see this deeply into the concept. He knew the other's façade of ignorance and ditz was just that, but that was an amount of existentialism that even he wasn't thinking of, and now that he was, he wasn't feeling great about it. At least Ennard had gone ahead and volunteered that he didn't feel that way. That stopped more budding concern before it could grow.

"Maybe. I can't even begin to put myself in her shoes…" Scott tightened his mouth. "…But I don't know. I just had this feeling…" He trailed off unsurely, which Ennard noticed.

"Hey, if we're going by gut feelings here, I definitely trust yours! We're never gonna know unless Baby tells us," he said. He rested on that note for a minute before adding, "We'll see how she's doing when we wake her up."

"Right. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe… Maybe she'll be feeling better once we get home," Scott offered. Ennard gave a overly confident 'yeah!' and they fell back into silence backed by the uneasy music. The driver watched a few signs passed as he stared out into the darkness beyond his headlights. Then he took a deep breath and added, "Since she can't hear us, and we won't get a chance to talk about it later… Did you get a good look at that Baby?"

"Are we trash talking scarecrow Baby? Because if we are, YES!" Ennard exclaimed. He held his arms out in disbelief. "What the heck was with the neck and the arms? And did you look at the way it was dressed? Children's performer my left eye!"

"Yeeeeaaah." Scott inhaled through his teeth. "William's designs always sort of feel in the off-putting category. Especially whenever he tried to do one that looked more human. If you looked closely, you could see the similarities to Ballora. The top of the head, the cheeks, the… let's say overly mature facial build. Not sure why it's designed like Baby though. I never saw a Baby design that looked that, uh… we'll say mature again."

He noticed that Ennard was staring at him and did a slight double-take. "…Too much? You know, by mature I meant that she looked like an adult. Most animatronics lean more on the cutesy side."

"Nah, you're good…" Ennard said thoughtfully. He straightened up slowly, still leaning on his arm. "I was just noticing how you were talking about that weird looking wannababy like it was a real Afton original."

"Let's call it a hunch. You know someone long enough and you pick up their quirks, their design philosophies. A lot of it comes to the similarities to Ballora, but just as much comes from what I used to see of old design documents and early sketches… A lot of the cute and cuddly animatronics were designed by Henry. Will's artistic style was a little more… You could call it deranged."

"I could call him deranged too," Ennard cheekily added. Though he still seemed curious. "I'm pretty sure I know why you didn't say that back there."

"I didn't really plan on saying it now either. Longer I go without sleep, the easier these things slip out," Scott admitted with a sheepish grin. "You know though, I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"I noticed she was pretty sturdy. Pretty glossy, similar plating, standing up on its own even with those lanky little limbs, meaning she wasn't just some slapped together low-budget job… I think I was in denial, ha ha," Ennard answered. His expression looked tight as he thought back to it. At the time he had just put it off as a really impressive duplicate, but there was no denying it. "…That pink one though, that thing came straight out of Franky Fazboar's Pizza Planet."

Scott chuckled a little and reached over, to which Ennard quickly caught his hand and laced their fingers. Even with the new gloves, his hands were warm and comforting. A less uncomfortable moment passed by.

"…But you were sure she wasn't alive right?"

"I'm betting our freedom on it!"

It was a while before they finally made it home and by then Scott was tired enough that Ennard reoffered the motel idea twice more. This time not as a joke but out of concern, but Scott was determined and managed to make it home. Ennard woke Baby once the van was backed into the garage. He was crossing his fingers that she would be feeling better as he woke her up.

"Up and at 'em, Baby! We're home free," he greeted as she snapped awake. She was initially silent, which wasn't too uncommon while she collected her bearings.

"Home again, home again," Scott added in wearily before getting out of the driver's side door.

"Jiggity jig… Hey, wait a second. You don't think that pink thing was a pig, do you? It had a weird sort of nose," Ennard called out. Scott gave a sort of nondescript answer.

"He's exhausted," Baby murmured. Her voice was quiet but no longer wavering like earlier. "What time is it?"

"Late. Don't worry, I'll toss him into bed," Ennard assured. He took her arm to try to help guide her out when she noticed the thin necklace chain dangling from her fingers. "What's that you've got there?"

Baby suddenly snapped her wrist back. He looked up at her face to see her shaking her head, silently asking with her eyes for him to let it drop.

Ennard had noticed that the other Baby was wearing a necklace. It was noticeable considering that animatronics didn't tend to wear jewelry. Seeing it in Baby's hand, he assumed that she had been looking at it when she accidently knocked it over, then picked it up before they left. He decided to let it go with a wink. It wasn't like the other Baby was going to miss it and being on an animatronic meant it was probably costume jewelry anyways.

He could tell Scott tomorrow when he was a little more conscious. For now, he helped Baby out of the back of the van. Then reminded Scott that he had to get back in the van and move it up so they could shut the garage door.

In the time it took them to do that, Baby finally yanked the necklace free of her fingers and tossed it under her pillow. Scott didn't notice anything amiss when he came in to wish Baby a good night, Ennard didn't ask her further questions about it yet, so soon she found herself alone in the garage. It was a mixed blessing; she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts, but she also didn't want to be with anyone else.

The necklace wasn't the only thing on her bed. She had left her new hat in here as well while boarding into the van. She took it in hand as she sat down on the bed and looked at it longer, turning it over and trailing her eyes over it.

Scott didn't give her gifts to apologize. He gave her gifts because he wanted to and gave gifts that he thought she would like.

…And even though she knew this, she could still feel doubt creeping in. If her own father couldn't love her, then how was someone not even of blood supposed to feel that role? Rationality was present but didn't speak as loudly, so she heard those doubts regardless. How funny it was that she finds herself almost over one problem and something much worse cropped up behind it.

Baby sat in silence until she was ready for the day to be done, and then she slept once more.

It didn't take long for Scott and Ennard to realize that the peculiar behavior the day before had spread into the next. At first Scott had thought it was a depression brought on by seeing the other Baby, but it became obvious that it was something more than that, or that it was worse than he imagined it to be.

Baby stayed in her room for a large portion of the day. Eventually she was dragged out on Scott suggestion and came to see the cats and even watched a little television with Ennard, but she seemed distant, lost in thought. Sometimes he would speak her name and her head would jump and look over, as though snapped out of a daydream.

The most concerning thing was, surprisingly was the tone her voice had taken. It was softer than usual. Almost faint, almost timid. Baby always kept a hushed, controlled sort of tone to her speech, but in never sounded weak like it did now. She also was noticeably less apt to speak than usual. It was definitely a cause for alarm, and worse it was going on for hours. Still, Scott gave her space, not wanting to upset her further.

Until that evening when Ennard suddenly popped up behind him while he was opening up cans of wet food for the cats circling his feet.

"I've got an idea," he announced. Scott hummed questioning and looked back at him. The clown held up the box for Clue and shook it. The man raised his brows before nodding and giving a thumbs up.

Ennard returned it and made his way over to the garage. While Scott was filling the cat food bowls, he slid a little further down the counter so he could listen in on the conversation inside the next room.

"Hey, Baby! You, me, and Scott solving a murder. What do you say?" the male clown offered. He gently shook the box again with an eager smile showing in his eyes.

Baby was sitting on her bed with a magazine opened in her lap. She was staring at it with the same lidded glazed look that she raised to aim at him. She seemed totally deflated even before he asked.

"I don't feel like it," she said, barely holding in a sigh. Seeing in his eyes that he was about to ask, she averted her gaze back to her magazine and tacked on a further excuse. "I'm busy with this."

"Oh, but it'll be fun! That magazine's not going anywhere. Let's play a quick game, the three of us," Ennard continued to coax. She sent him a look and he returned with that sharp, needle-teeth smile. "It's way better with three people. Heck, I think it's a three-player minimum unless I read it wrong."

Normally Baby would've just agreed upfront. On a typical quiet night, a game was a nice escape from the boredom of a magazine she knew she looked over once before. Though that wasn't nearly as easy to go along with when she felt like this, when her head was filled with unwanted thoughts that she couldn't get to let up. Maybe a distraction would be a good thing- just as long as they didn't notice she was acting strangely, which they likely already did.

Ennard's persistence in the matter wasn't that unusual, but the tightness of his jaw and grin seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Alright, fine. If you insist," Baby sighed. She set the magazine on the bed beside her. "But no stretching out the game. I can tell when you do, and it takes the fun out of it."

Ennard brightened up excitedly and with it she noticed the slip of his façade and the relief it was trying to cover. "Ha ha, great! I'll go get it all set up!" he chirped. He hurried out before she could change her mind.

She sighed and dragged herself off the bed. This was probably for the best. She enjoyed Clue, and she admittedly enjoyed playing games with Ennard, even if he acted half his age when he got into one. This perhaps would make her feel better.

She came out of the garage to find Ennard hastily setting up Clue at the dining room table while. The cats were crowded at the back of the kitchen past him, so she knew they had just been fed. So, she found it a little odd when Scott came through the front door a few moments afterwards, locking the door and hanging up his coat.

"Where were you?" Baby asked.

"Putting some cat food out around back. I think we've got another stray under the house," Scott said. He seemed more upbeat than earlier, probably because she was tempted from her room.

"And how long until it becomes another pet in the house?" Ennard chimed up.

"I think he might be a little too feral for that. I heard him under there, but I couldn't get him to come out. Even when I walked back around the corner. At least he's getting a good meal."

Scott came to join the two in the dining room and soon the game was set up on the table. Baby played Miss Scarlet, as usual, while Ennard and Scott chose Mr. Green and Professor Plum respectively. The cards were dealt and the game began. Though almost as soon as they got into the game, Baby's mind started to drift. She wasn't surprised, just a little disappointed at the lack of focus.

Not that Clue was a particularly demanding game. She won plenty and when she didn't, she never felt cheated- except for that time someone knocked on the door and Ennard blurted out a guess before running off into the garage. A guess which managed to be correct, much to Baby's chagrin.

Clue wasn't the only game they played, but it was definitely the one that Baby had the most fondness for. It didn't last too long and involved more brainpower than rolling a die. Not like Monopoly, which Baby never seemed to get good dice rolls on, or that horrifically lopsided Freddy board game Marionette made her, Foxy, and Michael play. It made sense at the time why they were playing it, but if there was ever another family game night, she was pushing Clue instead.

She wondered if Marionette remembered when they used to play games just the two of them. Children's board games, the kind that were especially easy and definitely decided winners on card pulls or dice. Where little tokens hopped spaces on a colorful board patterned with smiling characters. A simpler time with simpler games.

Sometimes Gabe would join in, but he wasn't nearly as eager as he was during their recent game. Back then, he would have to be poked and prodded into playing and stayed a poor sport through the whole thing, sometimes even downright cheating where anyone could see it. Once he got frustrated enough to smack over a bunch of pieces or something like that. She couldn't even remember the argument leading up to it.

She had been so angry after that though and she remembered… She remembered calling for their father and telling him what Gabe had done. Gabe hadn't defended himself hard, just calling it a 'baby game' or whatever he did until their father got him into the other room so that he could… punish him, she supposed. As a little girl she always thought he got what he was coming to him, but never wondered what exactly that was.

Never cared, really. Always too busy in her own little world to notice or care about her mean big brother. Nobody else seemed to notice or care either. Not when his cheek was swollen, when there was a dark mark here or there.

The idea that she might've aimed their father's wrath towards Gabe was jarring enough, let alone the realization that she had never really cared. Their father had grabbed and slung her around and she was the favorite, so she knew he wouldn't have been nearly as merciful to Gabe. He hadn't been though. He had killed Gabe. He set up the means for her death, but he murdered Gabe outright.

All over a board game. She had set such horrible things in motion over a board game, and the was the first time she thought about it long enough to realize how awful it really was.

"Baby?"

Baby's head snapped up to see Scott and Ennard both look at her.

"Of course. Drift off for one second and I miss something," she thought. A relatively calm thought over the growing panic that they could somehow hear her thoughts. "…My turn?"

"Right… Is everything okay?" Scott offered. "You look a little upset about something."

"Probably about me breaking this case wide open," Ennard cheekily remarked. He was covering for her, she realized, and she covered herself with a roll of the eyes, feigning normalcy.

"I'm fine. Just thinking about yesterday, got lost in it," she denied. Though her voice betrayed that shakiness. She tightened her claw and chest and tried to forcibly even it out.

"That's okay. Well, if you want to talk about it, we can. There's no reason we can't," Scott offered. Though it was clear from how quickly Baby went to rolling that she wasn't planning on it. She returned to paying full attention to the game.

But that was only because she was trying her hardest to not think of anything else.

It didn't help her win the game, but she was unbothered by the loss. Instead trying to keep a normal face and voice once the distraction of it was gone, watching as Ennard packed the game back up.

"Okay, so I won, so I get to choose the next one, right?" Ennard tried. Pushing his luck, she thought with a scoff. Trying to snare her into another game… Perhaps not a bad idea. She didn't really want to sit alone in her room again.

"Sounds good! If that's alright with Baby," Scott said, looking to check with her. She nodded and he offered, "Maybe we should finally empty out the closet and see if the Parcheesi's in there. Better late than never."

"While you two are figuring it out," Baby began as she rose from the chair, "can I use the computer? I need to check something online."

"Sure! No problem!" he answered. The breath and tight pause afterwards gave away that he was about to ask something and caught himself. Not wanting him to get worried- and paranoid he might try to sneak to find answers- Baby spun up a quick excuse.

"I just want to see if there's anything online about what happened last night. If anyone noticed we broke in, anything at all," she explained. He seemed to buy this, maybe even seemed relieved by this.

"That's probably a good idea. I thought about doing it earlier but didn't end up checking. I guess I'm a little afraid of what I might find."

"'Hurricane Clown Strikes Again!'" Ennard proclaimed.

"Hurricane Clown strikes again," Scott agreed. He then get a funny look and turned towards him. "…What exactly goes on when you go out at night? I'm starting to see a pattern with this and the dump story."

Ennard tensed and then laughed it off and chattered off an apology that Baby missed as she headed down to and slipped through the office door. She shut it behind her with hopes that they wouldn't hear, then locked it after consideration.

What she told Scott was a lie, but it wouldn't be for long. She would go on the computer right afterwards and look it up, barely interested but wanting to feel like she kept her word. Though before that she rolled to the corkboard and let her eyes drift over the pinned numbers before falling onto one of them.

She began to have second thoughts the second she saw it. Her chest tightened up and she felt the same weighed down feeling from earlier. Ironically, that was what sealed her fate as she turned and picked up the phone, dialing the number. There were a few rings before there was an answer on the other side.

"Ahoy, matey! Thank ye for calling Foxy's Pirate Cove! We've already shoved off fer the night, be if ya leave yer name and number, we'll get back to ya in a jiff!"

Baby was both relieved and slightly disappointed. "It's me… We need to talk."

"Baby? Huh. Didn't expect you'd be callin'."

Baby was usually quick on catching if someone was faking a voice, so she must've been more out of sorts than she thought when she realized that hadn't been a recording.

"…Do you always answer the phone like that?" she asked, trying to cover her embarrassment.

"After hours? Aye," Foxy replied. His voice grew lower, "This be about the Pizzaplex?"

"…No, it's not." There was no point in getting this far and backing down now. "I just…" Her voice wavered with unsureness as her fingers tightened and scratched along the plastic of the phone. "I just called to tell you… that… I love you."

"…What?" Foxy sounded so befuddled. She might've expected a similar reaction if she would've blurted out about the scarecrow-looking Baby at the funfair.

"I love you. I know it may be hard to believe, I know that we are… very distant, but I do," Baby said. She paused and awaited an answer, but after a few seconds she still hadn't gotten one. "…Is it really that hard to believe?" she quietly asked.

"Huh? Err, no! No. Ya just… sorta sprung it on me is all. Caught me off-guard with that one, lass," Foxy answered, sounding flustered.

There was a silent beat as she awaited something further. She really hoped there was something further after she had effectively poured her heart out over the phone. She had so easily given him a weak spot, but she got her answer.

"I love ya too, Ba-… Eh…" He hesitated a long moment before correcting. "I love ya too, Lizzie."

"Gabe…" she quietly answered. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Relieved perhaps, but also sad, and she didn't know why it still hurt.

Foxy gave a discontent hum on the other side. There was movement as he readjusted himself before asking in a tone gentle and unlike him, "What's the matter, Lizzie?"

"I don't know," Baby confessed. She was self-conscious of the inflection of her voice and whether she would be heard, so she lowered it to a whisper. "…We were playing a board game and I started thinking about us; you, Marion, Michael, and I. How we played together down in that basement underneath the warehouse… Amongst other things."

"Other things?"

She was suddenly hit by a strange sensation. It was like a creeping panic that slowly spread across her body, starting weirdly in her feet and climbing her legs before branching out across the rest. She felt like she was being watched and glanced to the window, there was nothing, and then the door, still nothing.

"I don't want to talk about it…" Baby denied. It didn't halt that uneasy feeling.

"If it's about that forsaken Freddy game, I don't blame ya."

That got a slight titter despite the tenseness of the conversation and the room. He chuckled too and for the first time in ages it felt like they were on the same page. Though it was abrupt, Baby thought that might be a good place to leave it.

"I have to go now… and find what's left of my dignity."

"If ya find mine, ring me back," Foxy quipped. "…And I stay up pretty late iff'n ya ever want to call back."

"I think I may do that," Baby agreed. "Take care, Gabe."

Foxy seemed reluctant to say goodbye, but he did and allowed the call to end. Now she was alone in the office, feeling at least a little better about his situation and yet still feeling that weird sensation from before. She chalked it up to something between guilt and self-consciousness and turned on the computer but got too uncomfortable to stay and left immediately after looking up the Pizzaplex again.

Apparently, Scott didn't find whatever he was looking for because Ennard was shuffling a deck of cards in his hands. Upon noticing Baby had returned, he shot her a grin and lifted the cards to her.

"How about this? An endless amount of games in fifty-one cards! You just have to pick your poison," he offered.

She tried not to look so obviously disinterested. "I thought it was fifty-two."

"Yeah, not in this deck. So, whaddya say?"

Baby had considered returning to her room after the phone call but didn't entirely want to. Though she equally didn't want to need to focus on juggling a handful of cards.

"Hmm… I might just watch you two play. If you don't mind. I've never been one for cards," she answered.

"Well, we can play something else," Ennard kindly offered, springing the cards from one hand to another. "We've got Monopoly.~"

"You're about to talk me out of staying."

He laughed as though she wasn't completely serious.

Baby couldn't sleep.

It was a peculiar problem since entering sleep mode was usually such a simple process. At least it had been since she had grown accustomed to having a safe, comfortable room surrounding her. Even if it was a half-converted garage, there was something comfortable and familiar about the room. It made it easier to trust that she would remain untouched until she roused again.

Except that didn't seem to help the foreboding feeling she kept waking up to. It had happened at least three times by now and she knew they were in close intervals. Suddenly dragged out of a dreamless sleep with a jolt like something had shaken her awake, humming in the back of her head, only to look at the garage door and around the room and know she was safe and alone.

She couldn't tell what time it was, but it felt like these jolts were all happening within moments of each other. By the last time, Baby felt so bizarrely wrong that she couldn't ignore it anymore. She decided to get back up and go find something else to do. It wouldn't be the first time she got up to watch tv in the middle of the night.

Or that was what she was thinking until she opened the door to see that Scott was still awake and realize it was much earlier than she thought. Though it was still a bit later than he usually stayed up. Ennard was nowhere to be seen, unexpectedly, and Scott was sitting on the couch watching a sitcom while Cleo took up his entire lap.

He looked over and sent her a smile. "Hey! I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No, that would imply I slept," Baby mumbled. She slowly rolled to the couch before sitting down on the other side, resting her claw in her lap and her hand on it. "This is late for you."

"Not as late as last night," Scott reminded. He seemed more amused than begrudging of it. "I might've overslept a little later than I should've, but it gives me an excuse to catch up with some old friends," he said, referring to the show.

Baby hummed in understanding. They sat there for a few minutes together just watching the tv. Half-watching in Baby's case. She didn't mind the show- she wasn't paying enough attention to mind- but she was slipping back into her thought again. Scott noticed after a little while and had the urge to say something. It wasn't until Cleo got up and went over to hide in the kitty condo that he decided to go ahead and speak up.

"You know, umm…" Scott trailed off after that and was quiet for a rather long time. Long enough for Baby to think he might've forgotten what he had to say, or suddenly decided not to say at the last minute. That was sort of the case. Scott wasn't entirely sure if he was pushing his boundaries, but he decided to go ahead and finish. "I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I noticed that you weren't really… you were a little down today."

Baby's claw tightened a little. Thankfully, regular oiling kept it from squeaking and giving away the motion.

"And that's okay! I don't want it coming off like you can't show your feelings or I'll get on you about them, but uh… I just think you should know that you don't have to deal with it alone." Scott considered leaving it there, but in the last moment ended up racing out. "If it's about that necklace, it's no big deal. I'm sure nobody noticed."

"It's not the necklace…" Baby sighed. Then her head snapped up and over. "He told you about the necklace?! The one thing- I could kill him," she huffed.

"He was worried," he said with an apologetic smile.

She huffed again. Of course he was, and of course he would tell Scott about it. The type of person who could hide behind a persona for years and then spill it all to Scott. She wasn't nearly as fortunate and while she appreciated the concern-.

…

…Maybe she did want to talk about it.

She didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to admit to it, but she couldn't shake the feeling of pressure whenever it crept back up on her. Like an overinflated balloon, the thoughts were all-consuming, leaving her airheaded and useless. While she didn't want to appear weak, she did want something- maybe that was someone to listen other than herself.

It wasn't something she could've talked to with Ennard or Gabe. Gabe would've been too uncomfortable and while Ennard was plenty caring, there were some things he couldn't understand. He didn't know her father, he was only really a second-hand victim of him. Scott had been controlled physically and emotionally just as she had, and he had faced fewer consequences of her own actions. He fit the role of a listener like a glove, and she trusted him to listen and understand.

"…I will tell you," Baby said quietly. She turned away, preferring to look off at the table by the door instead of him, and this angle totally cut him out. "Last night when we were in that trailer, I remembered some things that I had previously forgotten… Memories of my father I had somehow suppressed."

"Oh, Baby…"

"I remember him manhandling me," Baby hissed. The bitterness resurging and hissing on her voice like acid.

"What?!" Scott choked.

"Pathetic thing. Him, not me. Yanking around a little girl like she was a toy. All I was to him, I suppose, but all he was to me was just a provider. Nothing more. Daddy dearest could've easily been replaced," Baby muttered in a sour ramble. She could feel that borderline overwhelming anger starting to creep up on her, but it didn't have the strength it had the day before. Even when she could still remember the memories clearly.

Scott looked positively horrified by the confession. Though he wasn't naïve enough to be surprised, he hadn't thought she had been treated like that. He had been given the impression that she was the child who had been spared.

"Did he… How often was he like that with you?" he carefully asked.

"Frequently. I can't believe I ignored it for so long… But I guess I've done that before. Ignored the truth to keep myself blissfully aware. Every time I think I'm over it, I find more hiding somewhere. Like an endless game of make-believe, except I'm playing it with myself and giving up at the most inopportune time," Baby quietly vented. She made a noise like a sigh and finally dared a look back. Scott's face was filled with dismay. "I'm sorry. I know this must upset you."

"You didn't upset me- and don't be sorry about it! I care about you, that's why I'm upset," Scott insisted. He scooted closer and reached to take her hand off her claw and into both of his. "Baby… Elizabeth." It was the second time someone said her real name tonight and it effected her just as intensely as it did then. "I'm… I'm so sorry you had to remember all that. I wish you didn't have to, but since you are I want you to know that nothing that happened to you was your fault."

"I know it wasn't. I know it was his," she said. Though the listlessness in her voice wasn't convincing.

"I can't begin to imagine what you went through, and I know what I went through is totally different, but… but when I was in that situation, I thought that it was my fault. I thought that it was my decisions that led me up to it. Like… Like it was a punishment from God for something I did. It took me years to realize that's not it. That you can just get drawn in by these people… You had even less of a choice in the matter than I did. He was your dad; he was supposed to take care of you."

She nodded stiffly and he patted her hand, trying to give what comfort he could and knowing there was so little he could do. At least now he knew what was bothering her, but it was just as complicated as he had feared.

"Now I'm not about to give you a sermon, but Arthur was talking just the other day about how God has this plan for all of us. I don't know what I think about that. Sometimes it's hard to look back at everything and think that there's a reason that some of us hurt and some of us don't, but I started think that maybe…"

Scott trailed off at a dull sliding noise coming from the kitchen. He turned his head to listen and furrowed his brows. It sounded like someone opening the kitchen window.

Baby gave a huff. "And here comes Ennard at the worst possible time," she lamented.

Scott leaned upright to look over the back of the couch.

"That's not him. He's in the-."

His voice caught with a sharp clench of his throat as he recognized what was climbing in through the kitchen window. Already half in with its long arms bent spider-like over the sink and its long neck arched forward to dangle its heavy head.

For a split second he thought he had to be asleep or hallucinating, because what he was seeing couldn't be real. They had left that deformed Baby back in the trailer at Fairyland Park, and here it was climbing through their window.

He let out a cry that turned into a string of panicked words that sounded something like, "WHAT?! NO! THAT'S THE-!" That was enough to get Baby up off the couch and she looked back just in time to see skirt and legs as it slid in and crashed onto the kitchen floor with a loud clatter.

"Is that the thing from last night?!" she gasped. She rolled to the side of the couch to see past and found its crumpled body on the floor. The sight of it filled her with disgust and dread.

The elongated Baby pushed itself up off the floor with its arms, which wobbled and teetered like the legs of a newborn fawn. Its casing was caked in dirt and damaged in a few places, such as a sprig of wires coming out from around the base of her long neck. They sparked when she lifted her head up, it wobbling and twisting around to stare more at the ceiling than at either of them.

Its mouth opened like that of a puppet's and a crackling noise came from inside, one that ended in what sounded like an audible yawn.

"Is it showtime already?" the doll asked. It rolled its head further until it was nearly upside down and Baby watched its eyes slide back and forth in a jittery motion, almost like it was scanning an audience that didn't exist. Then they slid into a corner. "Oh wow, look at all the friendly faces! Rosie, why didn't you tell me we had guests? I would've brushed my hair-ir-ir-r-r-rha-ha!"

Its hinged mouth flapped vaguely in line with the voice before hanging open. Its molded lips stretched far open, and its eyes rolled back as they were gave it a ghoulish expression. Less like a broken toy and more like a body. An illusion only worsened when it drew up onto its knees and then onto its legs. Its feet broken and detached at the ankles, hanging on only by wiring as it stood on the end of its calves.

"-Oh, Foxy! Don't listen to him, folks. We would love to sing a song for you! What ssshhhzzzld we siing?"

As it moved Baby could feel that creeping sensation over her plating and sinking into it. It was that same feeling as before but much more intense, like an aura of discomfort and creeping panic coming from the animatronic doll. It was the feeling Baby had felt in the office, in her bedroom, had been caused by this thing. How long had it been circling the house? Had it been under the house? Was this what Scott thought he heard when he discovered the 'stray cat' in the crawlspace.

Seeing that Baby was just staring at the other animatronic, Scott managed to pull himself together enough to realize that they had to get out of the room. His spare taser and Ennard were both in the bedroom and while he couldn't yet tell if it was aggressive, he wasn't taking any chances. It wasn't acting right. Even the recording spilling from its chest was fuzzy and empty, a hollow recording.

Speaking of the recording, the doll had begun to sing. Or at least, began to play a poor-quality recording of a song. There was more than one voice calling out from her now, singing together in a chorus of 'Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows'. The recording skipping and breaking with every crack of her moving body. Thoroughly horrified, Scott pulled Baby's arm and got her to roll with him, but she couldn't stop staring.

They were just past the other end of the couch when the doll had gotten up onto its legs. It straightened its back and its head popped up like it was on a spring. It swiveled just enough to turn its eyes towards Baby, their only warning before it suddenly started to stagger towards her. Its arms bent at the elbow and frozen at its sides, knees wobbling and hyperextending as it moved, dragging its feet across the carpet as it quickly shuffled towards them.

Scott yelped and Baby yanked her claw out of his arm just in time to smack it back away. A searing heat pulsed through her claw where she had touched it, causing her to gasp and pull it back to her chest. It still easily knocked the other Baby aside, who ended up taking out the lamp beside the armchair as it fell to the floor. It laid there only a moment, its recording skipping and its body twitching.

Baby wouldn't get any closer. She didn't trust it, pushing Scott back with her hand as she rolled back towards the bedroom door. This turned out to be the right decision as it suddenly turned it head to stare at them. The recording dissolved into something akin to a drawn-out squeal before it suddenly started to crawl towards them, grabbing at the carpet with its dirtied fingers to propel itself across the floor, its eyes never leaving hers.

Its stare made her sick. Baby panicked, shoving Scott back through the door and following to slam it in the doll's face. She could hear its fingers dragging over the door as though trying to still propel itself towards her, like the door wasn't there.

As soon as she and Scott had come barging in, Ennard, who had been in bed at the time, shot up in bed with a rather startled, "What the hey?!"

"That Baby- the other baby, the one from the park- it j-just- it just climbed through the window! It's right there! Right outside the door!" Scott hastily explained. He then promptly spun around, threw the bathroom door shut, and locked it.

"…I'm waiting for you to tell me you're joking," Ennard said, staring at him in blank shock. He only waited a few seconds before he got his answer from the renewed babbling outside the door. The sound of the other Baby continuing its one-sided conversation with itself. He threw off the blankets and sprung out of the bed before snatching up and yanking on his jacket, not wearing any of his suit.

"I thought you said it wasn't alive!" Baby cried, turning on him.

"It wasn't! I was sure of it!"

"Well, it followed us home and climbed into our house!"

It was clear from the pitch alone that she was frightened, and it took Ennard by surprise. They had faced some nasty animatronics in the past and terrifying situations, near death experiences, old friends turned enemies, and it took a lot to get her so frantic. He wasn't sure if he had ever heard her like this. Though instead of making him more fearful it did quite the opposite.

He squared up and gave a resolute, "I'll take care of it."

Now it was Scott who was surprised by his tone. Baby simply pulled her arms close and looked around the floor for the cats. Hopefully they were hiding under the bed and not somewhere else in the house. Scott was worried too, but at this point he was sure that they were the ones the thing had its attention on, and soon Ennard too.

"H-How exactly are you going to 'take care of it'?" he asked. Ennard lifted up his hands and made sparks crackle at his fingertips. "Oh, yeah, that's- that's actually a good plan… But you're going to have to get close…"

"Ha ha, I KNOW," Ennard said through tight teeth.

"Be careful. Don't touch it any longer than you have to," Baby warned. They both looked to her for clarification. "When I touched her, she burned me-."

"BABY!" Scott's warning tipped her off to the danger before she even noticed the squeak of the door behind her.

Her head snapped back to see the doll leaning into the slowly opening doorway. Its painted face all the more garish when bathed in the overhead light; eyes rolling and dancing, mouth flapping open to the beat of the hazy song from its chest.

"It's myy party, and I'll cry if I want to. Cryyy if I want to. Cry if I-.~" interrupted just as easily as Baby was by said clown throwing herself against the door and trying to force it closed. Most of it was shoved out, but its arm was still jammed in the doorway. Baby didn't want to touch it, but it didn't matter how hard she shoved, the door wasn't enough to break it off. "Y-Yooou would cry too if it ha-appened to you!~"

"Help me!" Baby called back to Ennard. She was so close now that she could feel that aura washing over her. She felt hopeless and angry, feeling something trying to yank control from her.

Before control was literally yanked from her as Ennard suddenly pulled her aside. She barely had a moment to recover, and the other Baby only got that moment to start pushing at the door, before Ennard took his turn shoulder ramming the door. Something cracked in the doorway. The music caught on a note and hung on it, but the doll gave no indication that it felt anything at all.

"Did you lock the door?!" Scott asked. The panic was back, especially now that the face in the doorway was angled at him.

"I- I must have- I mustn't have…" Baby sputtered.

Ennard had his weight fully against the door and raised a hand in preparation to tase, trying to think of the best way to go about this. As much as he hated it, he realized from the plating alone that his best bet would involve him having to get up close and personal if he wanted to overload it. As uncomfortable as he felt, he was willing to do that.

Then the other Baby's arm suddenly twisted back at an obscene angle and dug its fingers into his jacket sleeve and the wires beneath. Even with the protection of the jacket, the touch stung, and he quickly swatted it back, metal clattering against the material of her plating. It felt more like ceramic than plastic. The doll made a whirring sort of noise as it fumbled through a few voice lines, with only the last one being clear enough to understand.

"I'm s-s-soooorrrrrry D-DAADddy."

Baby audibly and shortly shrieked at that, clasping her hand over her mouth.

"That's it, I'm going for it!" Ennard forewarned the others. "Three… Two… One…"

Suddenly he stepped back and yanked open the door. The other Baby started to fall in, but Ennard quickly stepped forward, catching her by the neck, and took her back down to the carpet. Crouching over her, he pinned her down to the floor and after briefly adjusting his hold delivered the full jolt. She shuddered and shook, recording scrambling and popping before going limp as the volts stopped.

There was a second of silence as Ennard watched to make sure that it didn't start trying to fight again. It didn't, it had been successfully overloaded and promptly shut down. He then yanked his hand back and shook it out with a hiss.

"You weren't kidding about that whole burning thing," he remarked. Scott cautiously came up into the doorway to peek down at it.

"Do you think it's, uh… Well, not dead, but y'know, down for the count?"

"If this thing gets up anytime soon, we've got a huge problem. I must've fried something, if it wasn't already fried with how much heat's coming off of it."

"I think we're already looking at a huge problem, Enn. If it's here, then that means… That must mean that it walked all the way from the park. That's miles away, and somehow i-it still found our house," Scott said. Ennard looked back at him, and they shared similar looks of unapologetic horror. A horror that didn't care whether the thing was down, just that it had gotten here in the first place. After a moment, Scott pointed towards the office. "I-I have to make a call."

As he turned towards the bathroom to avoid stepping over the other Baby, he stole a glance towards the real Baby. She still had her hand over her mouth, frozen in a look of fear that he had never saw from her before. He understood it though and went to step through the door.

He froze mid-step as he suddenly remembered what the doll's final words had been. He stood there a moment and remembered the conversation from earlier and looked back to Baby again. She hadn't moved, but the way she had screamed…

He couldn't dwell on it now, not yet. Scott continued on through the bathroom, around the downed animatronic, and towards the office. He stole one last look back at Ennard and the other Baby. Its head was angled up enough that it looked like it was watching him go.

So much for sleeping tonight.

Chapter Text

Living in a house where you effectively lived with a dozen small children meant you had to be creative when it came to alone time.

Which meant if Mike and Marionette wanted to play a gory horror game, they had to do it in the middle of the night, sitting on the floor so close to the tv, with the volume turned up only a few clicks. Sure, Mike's eyes were starting to get uncomfortable, but sacrifices had to be made when it came to slaughtering monsters on the streets of London.

It was just about time to hand over the controller when they were suddenly interrupted by a familiar tune from back at the couch. The Toreador March, Mike's cellphone's ringtone. Not wanting to have it wake someone and cut short their night, Mike passed the controller into Marionette's hands and nearly raced to the couch to answer it while the puppet picked up where he left off.

"Hello, hello... Oh, hey. Working the night shift again?... Whoa, hold on, I can't understand you. You're going to have to slow down and… What are you talking about?... What?"

Marionette had been half-listening to this side of the conversation as he continued to play the game. It wasn't until Mike's tone changed from a friendly greeting to confusion, then concern, and finally shock that he realized something was wrong. He silently paused the game and tried to listen, but he didn't turn back. He simple sat rigidly in place as he imagined the panicked voice over the line, assuming it was Natalie's.

"Are you serious?!" Mike's mouth pulled into a grimace as he listened to a short, frantic recount. "…Okay, but how in the hell did it get to your house?!... Yeah, I'd say that's something to be worried about! Where is it now? Is it still in the house?... Okay, just leave it there, keep an eye on it, we'll be there as fast as we can. Don't take your eyes off of it for even a second." With those final words, Mike ended the call and grabbed his shoes from under the end table.

Marionette set down the controller and pushed off the carpet to smoothly drift up behind him. "Was that Natalie?" he dared to ask. Though he was thrown off by mention of a house, unless it was Fritz saying something was at their house.

"No, it was Scott. Some kind of spinoff chain Baby that broke into their house? I'll explain in the car. As best as I can anyway," Mike hastily rushed out. He went for his jacket and his keys.

This took Marionette completely off-guard. It was the last thing he expected to hear, but it was still very serious, and he knew they had to get over there. He started to follow Mike before hesitating and looking back down the hall.

"I should tell Charlie. She might want to come with us."

"Alright, just make it quick. The way Scott sounded on the phone-." Mike turned around to see Marionette already gone. "…Yeah, like that."

Charlie had been trying to get her sleep schedule back on track- what with work and Mike's impending classes- so she had gone to bed at the same time as Jeremy. She didn't wake when Marionette appeared in her room, so he had to gently rouse her with a shake.

"Charlie? Charlie, I'm sorry to wake you but something's happened over at Scott's," he forewarned. Waking groggy and only half-alert, she still managed to grasp most of what he was saying.

"What happened?" she asked. There was a jingling as she stretched out her stiffened limps and sat up in beg, not sure if it was from her prong or something internal.

"I'm not entirely sure. Scott called and Mike spoke with him, and he said something about another Baby breaking into their house. I'm not sure what's going on, but it doesn't sound good," Marionette warned. Just repeating it was making him increasingly concerned. There were so many details that were alarming, least of all this other Baby and where it came from, but none more than the fact that he didn't know if anyone was injured.

"…What?!" Charlie shot up the rest of the way. "He said what? Another Baby?"

"We have to go. Mike said he'll explain in the car, but I don't think we'll know for sure until we see it," Marionette said, now fussing at his hands. He grabbed Charlie's jacket of the hook they mounted beside the door and handed it to her as she climbed out of bed. She hastily hurried to pull it on as she followed him out the door. Then stopped and ran back into her bedroom, grabbing the taser out of the nightstand, before following him again. He waited for and led her down the hall.

"Fast enough?" he chirped in mock cheerfulness as they came out of the hallway.

They caught Mike biting into one of the cupcakes that was supposed to be for a party tomorrow. They caught him quite literally pink handed. Marionette gave him a slightly disapproving look which Mike answered with a quick, "Let's go," and hustled to the door like he didn't just talk through a mouthful of icing and cake.

The drive to Scott's was brief. It was a quiet night and there weren't many cars out on the road, so Mike was able to push the speed limit. During which he recounted what details Scott had given him. The details did nothing but stoke up Marionette and Charlie's growing concern until it matched his own. While he kept a cool face, the idea of some kind of unhinged Baby walking over fifty miles to break into a house and chase them around was downright chilling.

As he pulled up outside, Charlie took a good look around and suddenly threw open the back door once Mike was slowing to a park. "I'm heading in," she called back as she already sprinted towards the front door, sheet wrapped like a cape.

Marionette watched with a quick look of alarm before simply disappearing, leaving the lone human to continue parking the car. Business as usual.

Charlie intended to smoothly open the door while running and slip inside before there was any risk of being caught. Instead, the door was locked, and she only realized as such when she thumped into the unforgiving wood. The door opened a moment too late to reveal Scott on the other side with Marionette already inside beside him.

"Sorry, I forgot to unlock it," Scott apologized. He wasn't as frantic as he was earlier but was still audibly on edge.

"It's fine," Charlie said. She stepped in and looked around, seeing Ennard crouched over by the bedroom door but no sign of the other clown. "Where's Baby?"

"She's in the bedroom- but, uh, be careful. It's right outside the door," Scott forewarned. He stayed at the door to greet Mike while she headed in that direction, with Marionette following shortly.

Only for her to stop short when she saw what was laid out in front of the bedroom door. When she had been told it was some kind of Baby it didn't matter how much emphasis was put on it being creepy, she assumed it looked a little more like a traditional Circus Baby. In fact, even though it was wrong she mentally imagined a slightly slimmer and shorter traditional Baby. That was not this. This was something much more garish.

"What…?" Charlie was in near disbelief as she carefully stepped behind Ennard and past the fallen lamp. She stood over the head of the doll and could only stare down at it. "What in the world…?"

"I know, it's really something, isn't it…?" Ennard muttered. She glanced to him, and he cheekily adjusted his bow like she was talking about that. "Scott paid a small fortune to get me dolled up like this. Heh, I must've done something right," he said, completely flipping his tone on a dime. Charlie had been too distracted to even notice the change in wardrobe.

"I meant that but yeah, that's… actually a really cool suit."

She found it hard to look away from the animatronic on the ground. Its design was just so uncanny, even without the dirt and stray wires sticking out, and whatever happened to the feet. Its face straddled that railing where it was trying to look seductive but instead leaned into nightmarish, with its only saving grace being that it wasn't currently moving any of its features.

On a technical level, the animatronic was bizarre. It looked more like an android, but still with unrealistic features. Even with its plating and the glimpses of metal along its frame, its shape made it look too frail for it to move appropriately, and it features too sharp to be a children's entertainer. She could've guessed it came out of Afton Robotics, but she didn't want to think of the implications it brought with it.

Charlie finally looked up and spotted Baby inside of the master bedroom. Though before she could make any attempt to go for her, a protective hand gently wrapped around her arm to cautiously tug her back. It was Marionette and he was staring down at the other Baby with a piercing sort of look. Less wariness and no disgust, just a silent suspicion, like he expected it to lash out at any moment and was just as prepared to pounce.

It was clear that he wasn't going to let her walk over the doll, an already less than tempting idea, and so she pointed to the bathroom door. He looked to it, to the bedroom, and then back to the doll with a nod.

"Careful," he quietly, gently warned as he released her. She headed to the door as he drifted up to the opposite side of the animatronic, across from Ennard. "…You're positive she followed you home? She couldn't have hitchhiked in the van?"

"Nah, we high-tailed it out of there. It would've had to catch up, get under the van without us seeing it, stayed under there the whole drive and when we backed up the van into the garage to let Baby out, and then crawled under the house and hid out for a whole day. Could've happened like that, but it didn't."

"The other option being that it was able to track you from two towns over," Marionette said warily. He studied its body; less judgmental of how physically abnormal it looked and instead noticing little clues in its design. The similarities to Afton's creations didn't miss him, and while he wasn't sure what it was used for, performance didn't seem to be the main idea. "How very curious…" How very concerning.

Charlie had noticed Baby was standing far back, but it wasn't until she came into the bedroom that she noticed how the female clown was practically cowering against the wall. She had put as much distance between herself and the doll as she possibly could and was almost hunched in on herself, as though protecting herself from an incoming fight. Even if it had attacked her, which Mike implied it had, she seemed more shaken than usual.

Just the way Baby's eyes looked was telling. Only when Charlie stepped in did she look away from the animatronic to look at her, and there was something unfamiliar in her gaze. Something fearful and vulnerable, and it was startling.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked as she strode over. Her voice now edged with worry that Baby might've gotten hurt during the altercation.

"I… am… Whatever it wants from me, it didn't get it," Baby said. The stilted way she spoke didn't alleviate Charlie's concerns and she watched her slowly shift into a normal posture. She then sent a cold look towards the door. "Wretched thing."

Charlie sent a wary look over as well. "Where did it even come from? Mike said it followed you from somewhere?"

"Fairyland Park. We went yesterday to see their animatronic band and I found them touting an original Circus Baby. Instead, we found that, a Toy Foxy, a seagull, and what might've been a pig. Heaven help us if the rest of the band shows up."

It didn't take much thinking to know that she was leaving details out, but Charlie didn't think this was the time to start pressing her on them. Instead, she gave a reassuring, "Let's deal with this one first before we get all worked up worrying about the others. With any luck, they got lost on the way here." The attempt at a joke fell flat. She reached out to lay a hand on her arm. "I'm kidding… But I'm sorry. I can't imagine how terrifying it was to see her show up."

"No more terrifying than seeing her in general," Baby said. She turned her head towards the bed and pulled her arms into a loose cross, and in the process pulled her arm from Charlie's hand.

It was the first time Baby had pulled away from her touch in nearly a year. It both surprised Charlie and signaled that everything wasn't alright. That something more had happened.

Then Mike announced his arrival with a very loud swear.

"Ha ha! No, there's nothing holy about this one, Mikey! But thanks for reminding me- we should probably grab a bible," Ennard joked. Though it was clear from the look in his eyes that he was borderline exhausted.

"While we're at it let's get a priest and a flamethrower. The book alone's just not going to cut it," Mike remarked, looking over the doll. At some point then noticing the bright green jacket. "What are you wearing?"

Ennard leaned back far enough to show the front off and splayed his hands with another bright but ultimately forced grin.

Mike whistled. "Finally decided to embrace the clown, eh?"

"You got it," Ennard said with a wink. "Join the club. We all float."

"That how you get around the sewers?" he asked with a quirk of the brow, to which Ennard chuckled. He then turned to Scott and asked, "Was it the guy who made Foxy's coat?"

"Yeah, I'm… I'm pretty sure it was," Scott answered. He wouldn't take his eyes off the doll and was making sure he was standing out of its reach. Mike noticed, eyes glancing back down to it.

"Top quality stuff," Mike complimented. "Back to business: this thing."

"Did you check for signs of possession any time before now?" Marionette asked, straight to the point.

"'Course I did! I checked while we were back at the park and I… I didn't see anything. I didn't notice anything; no twitches, no fidgets, no fans, no nothing. I was sure it was empty, and I checked all the others to make sure!" Ennard insisted. Marionette hummed as she looked down at it. "I don't know, maybe I missed something. We knocked it over, maybe that woke it up."

"Or maybe that just ticked it off," Mike suggested.

"Yeah maybe…" Scott quietly and guiltily added.

"Or maybe you were right and it's not alive. We've been attacked by animatronics before who are aggressive but not aware, instead programmed to be so. Assuming that it must have some form of programming if it was able to track your location through its own means, we can assume that something else might've been loaded into it. Something much more sinister," Marionette cryptically suggested. "…But if you don't mind, I might as well double check."

"Go on ahead! You're the expert on this," Ennard offered without bitterness. Though he stopped the Puppet with a hand the second he started to lean in. "But before you do, I don't know if it's an overheating problem or a short circuit somewhere, but this thing's burning up. Could be some kind of low volt shock, but whatever it is you're going to feel it if you touch it."

Marionette hummed and looked down at the animatronic. He wondered if it was possible that Ennard just touched a loose wire, but he seemed a little more aware than that.

"It's fine. I don't need to touch her to see into her. Not if I get the right angle," the Puppet said. He turned his body and slid up closer beside her before beginning to lean over her, an arm resting on the floor on each side of her head. His eyes began to glow as he stared deep into hers and tried to seek a response.

The doll's eyes were empty. No movement of any kind, no stirring from within, not even the quietest sound of a fan. Which was odd considering how much of a strange feeling was coming off of her. He couldn't explain what it was, but it didn't exactly feel like heat. He didn't know how to explain it. He let out a few testing chimes and tones, but there was still no response.

"Did it say anything when it came in?" Mike asked quietly, trying not to interrupt what Marionette was doing.

"Well… Kind of. It was talking, but it wasn't 'talking', if you get my drift," Scott started. When even Ennard looked back at him, he reiterated, "It was playing a show recording. It even sung a couple of songs half-through."

"But not speaking intelligently? Okay, got it. Lends a little more credibility to the preprogrammed deathtrap theory," Mike muttered. He still wasn't too keen on Marionette being so close to the animatronic regardless and moved a little closer, prepared to step in if it suddenly sprung to life again.

The Puppet meanwhile wasn't able to find what he was looking for. Perhaps it really was a soulless bot, but the strange feeling coming off of it gave him reason to doubt. Knowing the consequences and bracing himself for any pain, expecting little because of his fabric padded body, Marionette reached to lift its chin so he could align better with its eyes and search one last time for something beyond the glass.

He didn't even get that far, because the moment his fingers were brushing her chin, he was hit by something he wasn't prepared for.

There was pain, but that wasn't the worse of it. Crawling up his arm and filling his head like helium into a balloon. The heat, the stinging was one thing, but it was nothing compared to the images and phantom sounds that accompanied it. Seized by it, he could only stare into its eyes as he saw nightmares in the back of his head and heard horrors beyond any this doll could bring. Still, it hurt, it ached and spread and consumed him all at once.

Once he recognized what he was seeing he couldn't stand it any longer. It had only lasted a few short seconds.

Marionette shoved off of the doll with a startled cry and scrambled away until his back thumped against the wall between the bedroom and bathroom doors. The pain, visions, and voices dissipated immediately leaving only a dull, unpleasant tingle in his arm, but he was still a mess. His vision flooded with purple from uncontrolled tears, and he let out a few panicked little sounds mixed of voice and off-tune twangs.

Everyone reacted immediately. Mike was at his side in seconds and both Scott and Ennard were alarmed and on-guard, not sure what happened or what to do, even exchanging a confused and uncertain look. Mike crouched down and got him by the shoulders. "Are you okay? What happened, did you get tased?" he asked.

He wasn't shocked when Marionette stiffly shook his head. It had been so sudden and unlike a tasing, trembling and seizing replaced with one frantic lunge backwards. There were so many tears that Mike struggled to wipe them away. Eventually he gave up and just pulled him into his arms. Out of the side of his vision he caught sight of Charlie leaping over the other Baby before coming up behind him and looking past at Marionette with worry.

"What happened?!" she parroted.

"I don't know! He touched it and it must've shocked him or something! The thing was short-circuiting on me when I took it out!" Ennard explained. Though it was clear that he didn't know what was going on.

Marionette was starting to pull himself together. Whatever it was it had overwhelmed his body and he desperately wiped away the profuse tearing, looking past to see it and Mike looking at it, and turning the man to face him.

"We- We have to get rid of it," Marionette said in a shaky voice. The man looked startled at the comment, and the Puppet pointed an accusatory finger at the doll. "There's- Th-There's something… evil and ho-horrible inside of that- that thing. It's awful and we- we can't let it roam around like this! We have to destroy it!"

"So, it's alive?!" Ennard choked.

"No," the Puppet firmly denounced. His voice was still shaking and trembling in Mike's arms. "It's something worse- it's awful! I-It's like nothing I've ever seen! Just one touch and I saw everything!"

Ennard snapped to alert at this comment and all at once reached out and snatched Charlie off her feet, swung her back over, and held her protectively away from the downed animatronic. Charlie got a tense face, but it was too quick to protest.

A moment afterwards, Marionette suddenly straightened up and started to turn his head as though realizing something.

"Baby…" He stiffly turned and then began to lean out of Mike's arms to hold onto the bedroom doorjamb. He could see Baby once again pressed against the back wall. The tears began to flow freely once more. "Baby, what happened?! Did you touch it?! Did it touch you?!"

"I- No! No, it- that's just like you to assume it was something I did!" Baby defensively argued.

"Baby, please!" Marionette pleaded. "Please…"

It wasn't his voice, but the look he was giving her that told her he knew something she didn't. She wondered if the doll had whispered something to him- perhaps repeated that same phrase from earlier.

She reacted immediately and silently rolled to the bathroom door, out the other one, and continued a brisk but steadfast line to her room. Scott moved aside to let her by, and nobody stopped her, even when unsure if she would return.

"We've got to get this thing out of here," Ennard whispered, rather obviously, to Scott. He still held Charlie with one arm, who sent a confused look after Baby, knowing she was hiding something, but unable to slip out from Ennard's hold.

Baby returned quicker than any of them expected her to. She rolled herself over before stopping beside Scott and silently holding out a hand. She opened her hand and released the heart-shaped locket to dangle underneath it, its chain caught between her fingers.

"This is what I did," Baby said. Her voice as empty as she could make it, unwilling to show even the slightest shred of emotion. Marionette's eyes leveled on the swinging pendent. "I stole its necklace, knocking it over while I did."

Neither Scott nor Ennard chose to say anything, both equally kicking themselves for not doing anything about the necklace. As though they had a chance to or any idea what would come if that was even was caused it.

Charlie seemed to think so. Or it seemed that way as she pulled free of Ennard and approached Baby with an open hand.

"You might remember that some puppets were built to be compatible with security tracking bracelets. Maybe this is a similar case," she said.

Baby hesitated a moment before slowly releasing the necklace and letting it drop into Charlie's hand. The Security Puppet began to study it, turning it over with her fingers and trying to open it to no avail.

"It seems heavy for something that should be hollow," she remarked. Baby hummed in agreement and averted her gaze while Charlie looked to Marionette. "This could be how she tracked them back here."

Marionette's mask tightened and a few final tears rolled down. He looked like a mess but considering the circumstances he wasn't the only one. Charlie looked back to Baby, but she was still unwilling to meet her gaze. She almost went to tell her it wasn't her fault, that she couldn't have known this would happen, but she expected it would lead to the opposite assumption from her. She remained silent; they all did.

…

"And you still left the window open. Good job."

There wasn't a soul in the room not taken aback by the sudden addition of a new voice calling in through the kitchen window. Ennard perked up instantly.

"Heh- heh- hey! Look who finally showed up!- Don't stand too close to that, Buddy." Ennard tacked on the last part while nudging Charlie back into Scott and Baby as he slipped by and made his way to the window. Sure enough, there was a familiar rabbit partially crouched and peering through. "What the hey happened to you?"

"Considering that I was expected to walk across town in the middle of the night, I think I made excellent time," Springtrap remarked. He jerked his head towards the other side of the house. "Let me in?"

"Sure thing!" Ennard chirped and started to head to the front door. Passing by Scott who looked quite surprised, having heard him call Michael after he had called Mike but never hearing anything about him coming.

"Why didn't you tell me Michael was coming over? I could've gone and picked him up," Scott offered.

"And left me with that? Ha, no way! I'd never blink again. I already pretty much don't," Ennard said with a wink. He pulled him into a brief one-armed hug before continuing on to open the door. He was stressed, it didn't take much to tell.

Springtrap slipped only seconds after the door was opened and smoothly closed it behind him in one motion. He looked to Ennard standing there behind the door, then did a double take downward at his suit. Ennard splayed his arms with an eager smile, a silent beckon for his opinion.

"It's not nearly as gaudy as I was expecting. Works for you," Springtrap admitted. Ennard's excitement only seemed to grow while the rabbit started to look around. "Where is it?"

"Over here!" Mike called. Springtrap approached the group with Ennard tailing close behind and looked at the scene. It didn't take him more than a moment to notice Marionette's state.

"What happened?" he asked with concern. Marionette tried to partially shield his face with his hand. Baby twinged at the discomfort of hearing Springtrap's voice.

"That happened, apparently," Mike answered, pointing at the downed doll. "And the working plan's to take it out before it takes one of us out."

Springtrap looked even more befuddled by this, which was probably why Marionette found his voice so readily. "It's true. There's evil inside of it. It isn't a soul, it isn't alive, it's a monster. We have no choice," he insisted.

This was a lot to suddenly spring on the newly arrived sibling. He looked to Charlie beside him, considering her rather levelheaded, and when she looked back with determination but not doubt, he found himself compelled to go along with it.

"…Very well. What is the plan?" he asked.

"I've got a hatchet in the car and there's probably a shovel around here somewhere," Mike suggested.

"Yeah, I've been on the other end of that hatchet, and it doesn't work. That thing's walking around busted up already, if we leave that much behind then she's just going to pull herself together and crawl back over here," Ennard disagreed. He then paused, giving a sort of thoughtful hum as he rubbed the chin of his mask. They waited a few seconds, but the clown didn't offer it up.

"What about burning it? I don't think we can, it's not like we have a furnace, but we could get gasoline and try to start a fire. Maybe not one hot enough to melt metal, but…" Scott trailed off and Springtrap shook his head.

"No good. There's no way we can build a fire of that magnitude without drawing attention to ourselves, even if we drove out to Silver Reef to do it."

"But won't we, uh, need some sort of heat to… y'know… y'know, stop it for good?" Scott offered. Considering the room of people he was standing with, he approached the suggestion cautiously.

"…Maybe we don't," Mike considered. "I'm not sure how the whole fire thing works. We know it's more than just destroying the body. It stops possession too, forcing the soul out of the body. If this thing doesn't have a soul and is just running on some kind of programming, then we should be able to stop it by dismantling it."

"Which sounds simple enough if you ignore the fact that Marion said there was evil inside of it," Springtrap reminded.

"I don't think that's the kind of evil he was talking about," Mike answered. "…But don't let me put words in his mouth. Mari, what do you think?"

The Puppet was still shaken but by now had pulled himself together enough to speak normally. His tears had stopped as well, leaving a purple mess in their wake smeared on his mask and down his chest. He made a staticky breath of a noise and then began to explain, hand moving to clutch Mike's tightly.

"When I touched it, I felt the same pain that Ennard and Baby felt… but then I began to see and hear things. Horrible things, voices… like it was playing back footage but directly into my mind, all in a second. I saw so much…" Marionette tried to explain. He seemed to be holding back, cautiously stepping around what he was saying. "I could feel anger and sadness, pain, all coming from it. As though it was playing back that too. It never felt alive, just a hollow recording… I don't know how to explain it. It's like a corruption, like just touching it was spreading into me whatever was inside of it."

"Spreading…?" Baby asked.

"Like a virus," Marionette added.

"Like a computer virus or like a virus virus?" Scott asked.

"…Both," the Puppet offered. "Something like both."

Now Mike's face had slowly turned from seriousness to slow spreading shock over the course of Marionette's entire explanation. Anyone there couldn't guessed it was from what he was saying, but it was more than that. It was how familiar everything he described sounded. He could've been describing the episodes Mike had been noticing with him, with only a few slight differences.

And this was the first time Mike realized that Marionette didn't know about those incidents. He had never brought them up because he thought Marionette was aware, that it was his emotions literally pouring out, but unless he was purposefully feigning obliviousness, which was very unlike him, he had no idea that they were happening. That was a bad sign if he had ever seen one.

"You said you could hear voices," Springtrap pointed out. "What did they say?"

Marionette side-glanced at the other Baby. "I couldn't say."

"Perhaps for the best… Alright, then we must deal with it. We must get rid of this thing before it become a danger to even more people," Springtrap agreed. "But wouldn't that mean burning it to make sure whatever it is doesn't spread?" Marionette looked to the doll for a long moment.

"…I don't know. It's not alive and it must be destroyed, under whatever means possible," he offered.

Mike finally snapped out of his thoughts long enough to return to the conversation and add, "The hatchet's not going to be enough. Nothing's ever that easy." He mumbled the last part. He didn't just mean the doll either.

"Then we just take it apart ourselves. Ennard and I are more than capable of doing it. After all, it looks remarkably like an Afton original."

"Except you can't touch it," Baby finally chimed in. She met his gaze too when he turned to look at her. "Didn't you hear what he said about the pain? It burned me, it burned Ennard, and it left Marion in his current state."

"I got an idea," Ennard interjected. The others looked to him, giving him the floor to speak. "We don't have to nuke it, we just have to dispose of it like a normal animatronic, right? There's a way to do that at the dump!"

Springtrap gave an unenthused look and was about to shoot him down, assuming he was talking about abandoning it at the dump until Ennard caught him with a raised finger.

"Ah-ah! There is a way to dispose of scrap metal at the dump. Or crush it down into little, easy-to-manage cubes. A trash compactor!" the clown revealed. "Just think about it. Any damage we're gonna do isn't going to full decimate it as much as that's going to. We get it all crushed up and then bury it somewhere where nobody's going to find it. Closest thing we got to a furnace unless you all feel like breaking back into ARI."

That last comment might've been what effectively got Springtrap on board. He gave a nod and then looked back to Marionette.

"What do you think, Mari?" Mike asked for him. Marionette looked a little hesitant, especially when he looked to the other Baby again.

He had seen plenty of animatronics get broken beyond repair and still be capable of moving and functioning. Though that was because they had a soul fueling them. While whatever that was fueling this thing was vile, it wasn't the same as a sentient consciousness- and though there was a margin of error, he knew what he saw wasn't this thing's memories. Eventually he managed an answer.

"It… might work… As long as it's actually destroyed and not just broken beyond repair," he somewhat agreed. "I could always check afterwards to make sure…"

"Then there we go! Better than nothing!" Ennard said. He pointed past to Charlie. "And we can throw that necklace in there with her," he offered, then held out his hand for it. She almost handed it over before second-guessing it.

"I think it would be better if I handle the necklace," Charlie offered. "We don't want this thing floating around out there. I can crack it open and find a way to deactivate it, THEN we can get rid of it. Maybe toss it across Sand Hollow Lake."

"Even better idea!" Ennard chirped. Though that eagerness was short lived as he looked down at the doll. "It's going to be a pain to move it though. Should've told you to bring a dolly with you."

"Oh yes, wouldn't that have been a sight? A human-sized rabbit pushing a dolly down the street in the middle of the night," Springtrap half-scoffed, then sighed. "I can do it. I've dealt with worse."

It was that comment that made Mike think. He had gone through those moments with Marionette and pulled through well enough, so maybe he was strong enough to handle whatever this thing was dishing out. Soon it was less about being helpful and more the insatiable curiosity to know whether or not this was like Marionette's moments. Without any warning, he reached out and grabbed the other Baby's wrist.

"Mike!" Marionette cried, but it was too late.

…But nothing happened.

"Huh…" Mike mused. He felt along the animatronic's arm. Other than being a little warm, not nearly as warm as Ennard had been playing up, he couldn't feel anything else. It was nothing like Marionette's moments. Or at least, it didn't discharge into him. "Maybe it's not the same thing after all. Here's hoping it's not." But it sounded too similar to be a coincidence. He pulled his hand back. "Guess it doesn't work on us flesh people."

"Okay, then I guess Mike and I can move her," Scott offered. He didn't sound like he wanted to, but he preferred that to anyone else getting hurt. Especially if it meant getting the doll out of the house faster. "Mike?"

"I'm on it." He slowly released Marionette before getting up to go help. He could discuss his suspicions with him later, when there weren't so many people listening and as amped up as they were.

They were heading towards the garage when Baby suddenly spoke up.

"Can I stay here? I know that I am responsible for provoking that thing…" She reflexively stole a glance against her wishes and quickly looked away. "…But I don't want to ride in the van with it."

"No problem. It's better that we all don't go anyways. We'd put ourselves at a bigger risk of getting," Scott willingly agreed. She gave a nod and he a worried frown, wanting to offer to stay but not knowing how to go about it without embarrassing her. She tended to get defensive when there was an audience watching.

Thankfully, Charlie picked up on the cues, whether it be Baby's behavior or the expression on Scott's face. "I'll stay with her. It'll be easier to get the necklace open if I'm not bouncing around the back of a van."

"Good! Good idea, and we're not going to drag our feet. We'll be back as soon as we get everything done," Scott agreed, seemingly relieved. He then beckoned Mike along. "You open the garage door and I'll back the van in."

"Sounds easy enough," Mike agreed. As they approached the garage door he glanced back over his shoulder. Charlie was now with Marionette who was starting to stand up and Ennard had moved over to rest his hands on Baby's shoulders as he recounted what happened to Springtrap. The animatronic itself hadn't moved this whole time.

Something about seeing the relatively calm scene did the exact opposite to Mike and he had a foreboding feeling. After all, nothing was ever easy.

Mike and Scott carried the doll to the van, the three animatronics boarded into the back while trying their best not to touch it, and soon the only ones left were Charlie and Baby. The former watching them leave through the front window with an uneased look on her face. She carefully closed the curtain back before heading to the garage, where Baby had already retreated to. Stopping only when she noticed the kitchen window was open and shutting it with a sigh.

She stepped into the garage to find Baby sitting on her bed with her eyes closed and her hand and claw resting in her lap. Charlie wanted to say something but decided against it, deciding not to press as she headed over and knelt down in front of Ennard's toolbox. She got out a pair of vice grips and the smallest flat headed screwdriver that she could find, then turned around, sitting on the floor cross legged, and got to work trying to get it open.

She managed to fit the screwdriver into the crease of the locket. While it was clearly not made to open, she pressed in and started to wedge it upwards, working to open it. That was when Baby unexpected broke the silence.

"I feel awful. What a dreadful night…" she murmured. Charlie paused to look over at her. The clown's head was now raised but her eyes were close to sliver.

"I can't even imagine," Charlie sympathized. She returned to working, but kept her head tilted up like she was listening, which Baby noticed. Her eyes rolled forward with an exhausted mock sigh.

"I wouldn't never taken that stupid thing if I thought it was anything more than a worthless trinket. Or that the thing wearing it was anything more than a crime against nature."

Charlie smiled a little bit at the last part before it faltered. She paused there with the tools in her hand and considered her options. Eventually she decided to ask, "Why did you do it?"

As expected, there was silence. She patiently continued with the pendant and finally managed to force the screwdriver into that crease, opening it up a slight amount. She focused in, a low tone humming in her chest as she pushed harder, angling it just right…

With a small pop, or maybe a crack, the pendant broke apart. Charlie's eyes literally brightened, pupils briefly popping green as she set down the screwdriver and released the pendant into her hand. She pulled apart the pieces to study closer.

All of her suspicions were confirmed when she saw the inside of the pendant. Half of the inside of the pendant was solid with what looked like a small computer chip lodged into it, save that it was shaped like a heart. There was a tiny red light at the bottom of it, signaling that the device was on. While it didn't look like the security bracelets on the outside, she was certain that it was another piece of tracking jewelry.

"Well, that answers that question," Charlie remarked. She raised her head to see that Baby was already looking at her. She held up the pendant pinched between her fingers. "This is how it followed you."

"Of course it is," Baby lamented. Her voice betrayed her discomfort. Charlie clasped the pendant in her hand.

"Well, the good news is that once we get rid of this, that… animatronic won't be able to track you anymore. Even if it does somehow survive the trash heap," she said. She set the pendant on the concrete and reached behind her and into the toolbox. In less than ten seconds she pulled out a hammer and promptly smashed the exposed circuitry into the floor. Baby jumped at the noise and looked on in disbelief.

"Didn't you want to keep it and study it?" she asked in surprise.

"It's too much of a risk. Besides, we've already got a box of bracelets that do the same thing," Charlie reassured. She checked the remains of it and noticed that the light was now off. Then lifted it to her head to make sure she couldn't hear any sound and then decided that it was probably off. She brushed the remains into a tiny pile on the floor before standing up. "I'll get rid of it the rest of the way later."

Baby shuffled over enough that Charlie could sit beside her. It wasn't until now that she noticed the hat sitting on the dryer and picked it up before sitting down. "What's this?" she asked.

"Scott got it for me. I think he was afraid I would feel left out."

"I'd say it's more than that. This wasn't just some hat he picked up at the thrift store," Charlie pointed out. She was expecting either a response or silence. She wasn't expecting Baby's head to tilt before resting on her shoulder. She was a little surprised but recovered quickly and set aside the hat to turn towards her, crossing one of her legs on the bed and resting a hand on Baby's back.

Baby slowly wrapped her arms around Charlie's middle and pulled her into a tight embrace. It surprised the puppet, not expecting her to show such vulnerability after being so walled off up until now. She returned the hug and gently rubbed little circles into her back with one hand and gently stroked over her hair wires with the other. Her fingers tracing along the wires more than brushing them.

They sat there like that for a long while. The silence no longer uncomfortable, though still just as solemn. When Baby's fingers began to grasp onto Charlie's jacket, she knew she was preparing to speak.

"How could things go wrong so quickly?" she murmured into the green fabric covering her shoulder. "One slip up and then all of this…"

"What do you mean, slip up?" Charlie asked. Her voice holding no accusation.

"Ripping that necklace off that scarecrow's neck," Baby slightly grumbled. "I knew better and I still did it… I was just so angry."

"I can't imagine. Going all the way out there to see another Circus Baby and finding that. I'd feel a little ripped off too," the puppet sympathized, slightly joking. She started up the little circles on her back again.

"It wasn't that," Baby admitted. Charlie's hand slowed as she listened.

"…Was it about there being other Circus Babys?" she eventually guessed when she didn't get an answer. Baby shook her head. "Was it about your dad?" Baby stiffened, not expecting her to guess that quickly. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"I don't want to talk about it really, but I got so upset that I had to do something. I suppose ripping off that necklace was me trying to lash out at him… Not that he would care even if he was here. Then that thing showed up. Said some… Vile things, just like Marion said. I think it knows things that it shouldn't and I don't know how it could."

Charlie was sure that she was getting only half of the picture now, but that was alright. It wasn't important to get the whole context when she knew Baby could give it in time.

"Well, whatever it knows doesn't matter, because they're getting rid of it right now and it's never coming back. And if it does, I'll take care of it." She made a point to tap on the taser pinned to her jacket pocket. "I'll be here to protect you."

The quietness returned and Charlie went back to assuring her, but it didn't last long. Baby finally pulled back and lifted her head, not entirely breaking their hold but making them face to face. There was so much sadness and fear in her eyes.

"…Charlie," Baby tentatively began. "…Is there something you haven't told me about the Pizzaplex? I worked myself up into this frenzy because I thought there was, and if I'm wrong then I'm wrong… but please, I need to know. I can't keep living like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

There was a tinge of anxiety deep inside Charlie as she realized she was cornered. She didn't want to upset Baby further, but if she kept it from her now after being so open with her, their relationship would be permanently tainted. She knew what it was like to feel that someone was hiding something and not getting answers. Sometimes the painful answers were needed.

Charlie made a low toned discontent chime despite herself and drew back the rest of the way. Baby rested her hand and claw back in her lap, showing a surprising amount of patience as she waited for the answer that she now realized was coming. Her eyes aglow as she watched the other brace herself.

"There is something I didn't tell you… Yet. I was planning on telling you, but I didn't know how, and I didn't want you to freak out. Not that I'm saying you would- gah…" Charlie caught herself mid-ramble and decided to stop stalling once she managed to make eye contact again. "...There's a woman at the Pizzaplex whose been dressing up in a rabbit costume and threatening Natalie with a knife. We don't know anything else about her except she's been getting in there afterhours."

"A woman in a rabbit costume?" Baby echoed.

"Right."

"Oh."

There was a brief moment of pause.

"…But there aren't any new Baby models?"

Charlie was floored by Baby absolute lack of reaction. It wasn't even like a delayed reaction either, she just didn't seem fazed by it at all.

"Uh, no. Not that I know of."

"Oh good. Or not so good, since I was worrying over nothing. Put all of this into motion over nothing… but I would rather be wrong than right in this case," Baby said with audible relief. She then noticed the visible confusion on the Security Puppet's face. "What's that look? Surprised I didn't fall to pieces over this rabbit woman?"

"…Yes?"

Baby seemed the slightest bit amused at the answer. The most amusement she had shown since this night had begun. "I can see why you might, but she's not him… Unless you think she's possessed."

"I don't. She can't be. We know he's gone and even if he wasn't she's not really following his MO beyond the similar get-up," Charlie rationalized. The nervousness was always there, but she was adamant not to give in so easily. "But even if she's not him she has us worried. I guess I wanted to spare you of that."

"I know you just want to protect me," Baby began. Though suddenly she stopped and reconsidered what she was going to say. She finally finished with a much quieter, "Thank you." Leaving it at that.

Charlie smiled and put her arm back around her. Baby didn't return to her shoulder but didn't seem as rigid as she was earlier. Which was good, because they had a long wait in front of them, and their long night wasn't let over.

…

…

"But you do like the hat?"

"Oh yeah. I think it's going to look great on you."

Chapter Text

What Ennard had been calling a dump was actually a junkyard. In hindsight, it made a lot more sense. While he was still effectively scouring through trash, it was less garbage bags and more chucked electronics and scrap parts. Mike wouldn't have been surprised if he caught sight of an abandoned animatronic within the piles of refuse, but so far saw nothing but car parts and junk, the latter being also mostly made up of cars.

Ennard led them to the back entrance and opened the gate so they could drive the van straight in, meaning no jumping fences in the middle of the night. That didn't make the task much better. Even now, Springtrap and Marionette were sending wary looks at the Baby-faced doll in the back while Ennard spent as long as he could between the seats. Though he had been bold enough to step over it to go out and open the gate.

Soon they were parked inconspicuously towards the back of the lot and cautiously climbing out. Mike hopped out of the van and almost shut the door on Marionette who slid around the seat and tried to sneak out after him. He quirked an amused brow before shutting the door behind him. Marionette took a moment to look around at the junkyard and frowned at the sight.

"What a depressing place," he remarked.

"I know. Chances are this is the final resting place of my last two cars," Mike said, leaning against the side of the van. "It doesn't strike me as the kind of place Ennard would hang out."

"Can you imagine spending a whole night here, digging through all this stuff? One wrong move and you could be buried alive," Marionette said.

For some reason, the comment gave Mike a very vivid mental image of being stuck in a tunnel of trash before having the whole thing caving in. It came out as blending of his imagining of a springlock failure and memories of that time he went spelunking with Fritz and Jeremy, and it was almost scarier than the clown they had laying out in the back of the van.

"That's a pretty image," he said tensely.

Marionette hummed in agreement before turning his head to listen. Ennard was chattering on the other side of the van, and it sounded like it was to both Scott and Springtrap. They would probably be distracted for a few minutes.

"I don't think the others can hear us…" he murmured. He turned back to Mike only to see his brows raised. "No, not that. Don't get so excited," he said with a tiny smirk. It quickly fell to an uneasy look, along with his voice falling to nearly a whisper. "It's about what happened earlier when I touched that other Baby. There's something I need to tell you."

As much dread as that statement caused, there was a glimmer of hope. Mike was hoping that Marionette would reveal that he knew about the emotional outbursts he had, such as the one at Foxy's, and have some rational explanation why this apparently dead machine was doing the same thing. That would be the best outcome to all of this, but he knew to keep his expectations tampered.

"Sure. What's up?"

"…I wasn't entirely honest back at Scott's. I saw and heard things more clearly than I let on," Marionette admitted guiltily. He sunk into himself in a way that almost managed to make Mike's heart clench a little. "You'll understand once I explain- and I will explain in full once we get home. If we get home."

"When we get home."

"If we get home."

"…Let me live in ignorant bliss up until I'm sleeping in my car," Mike said. It got the desired reaction: a smile. "Keep going. I'm listening."

"Have you ever seen a haunted arcade machine?" Marionette asked. His fingers tapped together nervously.

"As a matter of fact, I have. There was one over at Chipper's."

"Would you believe that they're not actually haunted? Or at least, they don't have a spirit inside of them. We used to have them pop up all the time at Freddy's. It was as though they became haunted just being around us, the animatronics," Marionette explained. He tapped his fingers a little quicker. "And then I was thinking about what I saw inside of that animatronic and I started to think that maybe this is a similar kind of…"

Suddenly the Puppet cut off. His head snapped towards the van and he must've been listening for something, though from what Mike could hear Ennard was still going on. Someone must've said something about getting started. Marionette turned back to him and dropped his voice to a faint whisper once more.

"We'll talk about this later, okay?"

"That's fine. Don't worry about it, Mari. We've got a job to do, it can wait," Mike assured him. He knew there were numerous things Marionette was already worried about, he didn't want him to be worried about him too. He reached out and rubbed over his upper arm and shoulder, bringing a trill out of the other, along with another little smile. "Tell you what, once we dump the clown, why don't we sneak off behind some of this garbage and make out?" he joked.

That smile shifted immediately. Now to one that looked somewhere between a little amused and completely mortified, especially in the widening of his eyes. It seemed like an overreaction for flirting he did on a daily basis.

Then Springtrap stuck his head around the corner of the van and he and Mike locked eyes in the most uncomfortable stare-off the security guard had ever had. Suddenly that reaction of Marionette's made a lot more sense.

After a long moment of uncomfortable staring, Springtrap decided to finally pull back around the corner. Mike didn't have anything to say in his defense anyway and decided not to open his mouth to risk it.

It took a few seconds before Marionette's eyes narrowed and his embarrassed smile slowly spread into a coquettish smirk.

"You're so red right now, Love," he trilled. His voice oozing both amusement and adoration at once.

"You could've warned me," Mike mumbled.

"I could say the same thing!" Marionette chimed.

Mike clasped a hand over his face and rubbed in with a sigh, knowing he would have to face Springtrap again, and trudged around the van to get it over with. Marionette gently patted his back as he passed and followed along.

Soon the group was heading through the junkyard. Scott and Mike were able to carry the other Baby themselves, with her being heavy but just light enough for them to manage. They had wrapped her up in the sheet Charlie covered herself in to keep her limbs from dragging but had kept her face uncovered so they could watch for any sign of her reactivating.

Though Scott was the unfortunate one who got stuck carrying her torso. Her head was angled up on his chest like she had been watching him the whole time. He half expected to look down and see that her eyes had moved, but they didn't.

Ennard led the way and Marionette and Springtrap flanked both sides. It was unclear if this was to keep an eye out for any possible witnesses or, more likely, to pounce on the elongated animatronic if it suddenly sprung to life and lashed out at the men carrying it. The mood was incredibly tense because of it, so Ennard tried his best to combat it.

"Because when it rains, this place doesn't get wet. It gets flooded. You'll get mud puddles up to your ankles, then you take one wrong step, sink in to your knee, and get poked at by twenty-year-old pieces of buried scrap metal. Other than that, atmosphere's great! Like rain on a tin roof but all over the place," Ennard casually explained as though they were walking through the park and not a junkyard.

"How do you find anything out here?" Scott asked. A question pretty much anyone else could've been asking.

"Very slowly and rarely," Ennard quipped back. He sent a wink over his shoulder before falling back to walk alongside him, arms folded behind, spiffy in his new suit. "And when the guy who runs this place shows up, I just hop in a car and fade into the scenery."

"Somehow I don't see that happening anymore," Mike forewarned. Ennard snickered at that. "And you might want to roll up your pants if you want them to last."

"Oh, don't you worry about that! I'm going to treat this suit like it's my baby. My second skin. No more muddy dump excursions unless I'm in dire need of some hubcaps," the clown proclaimed, holding a hand on his chest, and raising the other as though a solemn swear. Then noticed up ahead and pointed with the raised hand. "And here we are!"

What he was pointing to was a warehouse at the edge of the junkyard. It was rather unremarkable and maybe in slight disrepair. Though that was probably just because it was hiding in the back of a junkyard.

"…We could've probably driven a little closer," Scott suggested.

"Nah. The road they got leading back here comes in from the front. That would be way too obvious," Ennard said.

"I think I might've risked it, all things considered you know."

The warehouse was unlocked and Ennard was able to open the heavy door relatively easily and led them inside. The inside of the warehouse was rather messy. There were some stacks of boxes and things in one half of the building, there were shelves that were largely empty, and then there was the trash compactor taking up a sizeable portion of the floor near the doorway. It was one of the kind with a chute leading in instead of a conveyor. Made for minor scrap, not cars.

"So, my best guess is that this warehouse was set up for some kinda recycling project and then they just lost interest. There's another compactor up towards the front of the junkyard, a real big one, so I don't think this one gets used that much. Like everything else it kinda just sits here collecting rust," Ennard explained.

Considering the state of the junkyard in general, this wasn't a big surprise.

"Hey, I was thinking we were going to be out in the open, so this shaped up to be a lot better for us. Now I should've asked this before we left, but does anyone here know how to turn on one of these things?" Mike asked. Ennard pointed a thumb to himself and then the same thumb at Springtrap who nodded. "Alright good. Let's toss this thing in and get started."

He and Scott carried her over and started to lift the animatronic upwards. It was awkward with her long body bending in weird direction, something that only got worse when Mike started to unwind the sheet. One of its arms fell free and smacked into Scott's chest, causing him to jump back as fast as he could without dropping it. He realized his mistake quickly, but that didn't make him any less uncomfortable.

"We'll toss her in on three. One… Two…" With a single heave, he and Mike tossed the animatronic into the chute. Mike got the sheet out the rest of the way and pushed in the leg sticking out while Scott wiped his hands off on his cardigan and took a step back, stepping right into Ennard who had seemed to just pop up behind him sometime after the scare. Not that Scott minded the backup, leaning back as Ennard's hands settled on and squeezed his shoulders.

Springtrap stepped forward to turn on the trash compactor. It took him a few minutes to get it on, during which Mike unhooked his taser and held it at his side. He didn't take his eyes off the chute, expecting for the other Baby to suddenly crawl back out and make one lash dash for freedom, or attempt to drag someone else in with her. Considering that he and Springtrap stood closest to it, he knew he would be the likely victim.

He was a little surprised when the compactor turned on without this outburst, but relieved. Though there was a part of him that might've been disappointed that he missed the action, he could just feel how strung out everyone else was- save maybe Springtrap- and knew this was the best outcome. Just in case he continued standing there with his taser, his thumb resting on the button just in case.

Marionette was having the opposite reaction. While he knew the animatronic in the compactor wasn't alive and came to terms with destroying it before they left the house, the sound of metal beginning to slowly get crushed inside put him off quite a bit. It wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't know there was a metal skeleton being crushed and crunched inside- no different than if he knew there were bones inside.

He turned himself around and tried to find distraction elsewhere. Eventually he noticed some toys on a back shelf and hovered over to it. They were especially broken. One a porcelain doll with a dirty dress and a piece of her face, leaving her with no nose and a lot of cracking, and the other was a plastic horse that was missing a leg, covered with wear smudges all over it, and with its mane cut crudely. There was also a rubber duck on its side on the floor.

It was a poignant sight; lost and broken toys left abandoned in this warehouse where no child would find them. Even with their lack of sentience, Marionette found an empathy and pity for them. One he somberly realized he couldn't show for the broken doll inside of the trash compactor. Though it wasn't its suffering that came to mind…

He turned to look for more toys and spotted a green tail in the back corner. Approaching it he soon realized it was actually the end of a string of Christmas lights laying beneath an outlet. The string itself led into a mound of stuff covered by a tarp, so he didn't expect it to be functional, but was curious enough to plug it. Much to his surprise, the lights popped to life, and he could see them glowing from under the tarp too.

Curious still, he circled around and that was when he realized that it wasn't quite a mound of stuff. Sure, there was stuff stacked up around and inside, but it was actually a shelf that had been tilted against the wall and covered with a tarp and pushing some half-filled boxes aside he found a little hidey hole underneath.

There were a couple of blankets in a tight nest on the floor, topped with one especially soft-looking, but equally dirty, blue baby blanket with sleeping stars on it. A car's seat cushion was propped up almost like a pillow in the back. The lights were weaved into the shelves above it, lending a warm glow to the almost cozy space. It looked like someone had been sleeping in there, and that was terribly sad.

Unless it was Ennard. "Ennard, can you come here?"

"I'm on my way!" the clown chirped. He looked down at Scott momentarily before slipping his hand into his, lacing their fingers together, and pulling him along with him.

"Err, uh, I guess I'll be right back," Scott said to the others apologetically before falling along. Though there was no denying the relief he felt once he got more than a few feet away from the trash compactor. If not for what it contained, then for the noise alone. They found Marionette knelt down amongst the boxes. Scott noticed that Ennard reflexively slowed once he noticed the light, unaware who turned them on and cautiously making sure nobody else was there.

"What's up? Or down?" Ennard asked.

"Have you been sleeping in here?" Marionette pointed into the hiding spot. Ennard crouched down to peek in.

"Nope! Looks like someone has though… Huh." The clown trailed off uneasily as a weird stare took his face. Him studying that spot and how secluded it was, and knowing he missed it, and knowing he could've missed anyone hiding inside.

Scott leaned over behind them to look and frowned at the sight. "That's really a shame. There's a homeless shelter in St. George. Why wouldn't they just go there?"

"Can you be rejected from a homeless shelter?"

"Uh… Y'know, I don't know. Maybe if you're getting into fights or have a serious drug problem, or are caught stealing or doing anything else illegal, maybe. Still, I don't know why you'd hide out out here. Hurricane doesn't have any sort of homeless loitering laws that I know of. We've even got a food pantry! I don't know, maybe I should leave Arthur's number. I don't want to butt in, but he could get them some help," Scott said. "I think I've got a pen in the car-."

"Say no more, I'm on my way!" Ennard agreed and stood up.

"Hold on, I wasn't hinting for you to go get it. I can go get it."

"It gives me an excuse to stretch my legs and makesurenobody'shangingaroundoutthere and it's better I do it now when everyone's here then you trying to come back alone, which you will," Ennard teased with a knowing look. Scott didn't try to argue. "Give me two minutes and an extra five to find the stuff."

"O-Okay, if you're sure. Just don't, uh… Don't take too long," Scott said without saying something. Then at risk of Ennard going ahead with it and feigning ignorance, he clarified, "And if you see anyone, don't… engage?"

Ennard gave him a wink. "And blow my cover that easily? No way, they gotta work for that!" He started to turn away before turning back, looking at Marionette while gently shaking Scott by the forearms. "Guard this with your life."

Marionette gave an amused chime and a nod. With that, Ennard turned and began running for the door. As he passed by the compactor, both Mike and Springtrap looked over, with the latter's half ear twitching as he straightened up.

"Are we running?" he called.

"Going to grab something!" Ennard yelled back. Springtrap deflated once more, ear slipping into a somewhat cock-eyed position. He didn't even acknowledge it.

Though with Ennard passing by and both Marionette and Scott distracted with something, Mike suddenly recognized who he was standing alone with and there returned the painfully awkward silence. One that he knew he was imagining since they had been standing in this silence- save the compactor- for a few minutes without issue. It was enough to force him to break it.

"How's it been? It's been a while since we're caught up," he asked. He had to speak loudly to be heard over the rhythmic crunching and mechanical wheezes.

Springtrap looked at him for a second in disbelief at the out of the blue question, but then answered. "Fine enough. I'm looking forward to the weather getting warmer again."

"Same. I used to come home from my morning runs being able to feel my fingers. I miss that," Mike said. Springtrap gave a hum of agreement but added nothing more. "…I'm going back to college. It's going to cost me, but I think it's worth it if it means getting a degree in my field of work."

"What degree?"

"Mechanical Engineering."

"Good choice, on both accounts. You'll have a good time with it." Springtrap sounded a little more somber towards the end but then returned to silence.

"Okay, so he doesn't want to talk about it. That's fine. I made a big deal out of nothing," Mike thought. He stole a glance over at Springtrap, only to notice that the rabbit was eyeing him out the corner of his eye. Which wouldn't have been as weird if he didn't uncharacteristically look away the moment he was noticed. "…Let's just get this out of the way. I was just joking back at the van with Mari."

"Mike, with all due respect, I find your relationship with my brother to be a bit odd and somewhat embarrassing but perfectly fine," Springtrap said curtly. "That being said, I don't want to hear about it."

"I can live with that," Mike agreed.

"Now then, this is about finished and then we can see how things have shaped up."

Mike got a tinge of a smirk at the pun as Springtrap walked around the other side. The compactor noise had finally died down to a dull hum that lasted until the sudden and nearly deafening noise of scrap metal clattering to the floor.

"For God's sake!" the rabbit hissed. He thumped back around and beckoned the other man with a wave. "Come take a look at this cube."

He came around to see for himself and promptly whistled.

"That's a beautiful cube," Mike remarked as he stared down at the pile of crushed and broken trash from the compactor.

"I'm starting to see why this one's sitting in the abandoned warehouse," Springtrap muttered, pointing to the compactor.

His eyes scanned over the refuse for any sign of the animatronic. It had seemed to melt into the scrap it had been crushed with, but eventually he spotted a pale hand sticking out. The plate of its palm and back of its hand cracked from the pressure but its fingers all intact. He cautiously reached for it, Mike readying his taser again, and clasped it in his own. A few tense seconds passed.

"…Nothing. I feel nothing," Springtrap remarked.

"In general, or from her?" Mike retorted. This got rewarded with a sharp look. "Sorry. I know this is serious, it's just been a long night and this is all I've got to get through it… I don't remember you touching her. Did you?"

"I bumped it coming out of the van and felt it."

"So, you know what you're feeling for…" That should've been assuring, but it all sounded too easy. Especially when the animatronic's hand was largely intact. "Should we dig up the rest of her?"

"Perhaps," Springtrap agreed, "but first we need Marion to come feel for himself."

Mike knew this was coming eventually but his heart still sunk at the thought. All it would take was a second, but that's all it took last time to Marionette in such a state. He took a deep breath and considered their lack of options.

"I know. Better safe than sorry," he sighed. He then looked back towards the Puppet now talking with Scott. "Mari, Doll, can you come check this for us?"

Marionette knew exactly what he was talking about. His expression dropped in a blink of an eye as drifted back to the compactor. He came up between the two to find Springtrap holding the other Baby's hand. It didn't look like he was in pain.

"You can't feel anything?" the Puppet asked.

"No… but we can't be too sure." Springtrap released the hand and moved over to make way for his youngest brother. "It's partially detached but I think its pinned by wring, so perhaps still connected to the body."

Considering that the point was to completely destroy the body, that was largely the point. Marionette reached down and hesitated, his hand hanging in the air above its for a second, and then he gently made contact. First a brush of the fingers, then gently sliding into lacing them together. He tried to get as much contact as he could as he sought out any trace of that earlier feeling.

But there was nothing. There was still a tepid warmth to the body, but the burning heat and jarring pain was gone. Their plan had seemingly worked. It was too good to be true.

"I don't feel anything," Marionette said. Scott, who had walked up behind them, breathed a sigh of relief. "But…" Perhaps it was too soon, as the Puppet's voice took a skeptical tone. "…I don't trust it."

Without any warning, he released the hand and then proceeded to shove both of his into the mound of metal. Pushing into it and squirming his limbs through the tight, heavy mass interlocked and crushed together.

"Hey, hey, careful! You might cut your arm open on one of these things," Mike warned. Marionette nodded and twisted himself, burying his arms in deeper, and now totally kneeling on the pile.

Something got jarred loose and Springtrap noticed the hand flinch. He instantly snatched it up, only to realize that Marionette's efforts had dislodged it from the pile. Other than a few, thick wires, the casing of the arm was practically hollowed out, which raised some concerns. Though not nearly as many as the wires that did remain.

He stood back up and silently held out the limb to Mike and Scott, tapping the edge with his finger as he continued to watch Marionette. Scott felt his mouth dry out at the familiar metal wiring hanging out, innards just like Ennard's own.

Marionette suddenly flinched with a soft chime and Mike's head snapped back to him. "Mari?"

He had felt it. Somewhere in the scrap he had felt that intrusive heat pressing back. It was fainter than before, but he knew it was there, and after a brief recoil he searched after it. Soon he grabbed ahold and felt the pulsing through his hand and up his arm, though this time it went no further than that, and both voices and visuals were gone. Confused, he pulled with all his might to dislodge whatever he had grabbed.

In one jerk he pulled the offending mass free of the pile. It turned out to be a handful of metal wires. Marionette felt his spools tighten as he saw them and got his confirmation that the off-model Baby was, in fact, an Afton Robotics creation.

As soon as he pulled the wires free, he felt the heat starting to die down, as though whatever was fueling them was either draining out or slowly losing its power. Soon he no longer felt anything at all and stared down with confusion and surprise. Perhaps it actually had worked. It was hard to believe it had, but the evidence was sitting in his hand.

Springtrap took one look at those rather intact wires and knew they had a second problem. He turned to Scott and Mike- "We can't let Ben see these…" -only to immediately spot Ennard staring back at him from by the door. "…In the rare chance that he hasn't already."

Scott looked over and immediately started to flag the clown back. "It's, uh, it's okay! You just stay over there!"

"What's going on? Is it still moving?" Ennard asked.

"No, just stay back!" the man insisted. "It's all good, we've got it under control!"

Mike wasn't sure exactly what Michael or Scott were worried about, but he guessed it was either the fear that Ennard would start uncontrollably devouring the wires or rejecting his own. Either way, best to keep him back, and with them distracted Mike stepped towards Marionette. He had to step on the mound and had his foot shift unsteadily but reached enough to lay a hand atop Marionette's head. He didn't trust his footing enough to lean further.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I just… I felt it for a second, but then it faded away…" Marionette said quietly.

After a brief pause, he lurched forward and started to dig into the scrap again. Mike was left standing there with his hand out, watching as the Puppet feverishly searched and felt through the scrap metal. He let his arm drop to his side and after a few minutes Marionette let his own follow suit as he pulled back from the heap and sat back into his kneel.

"I can't feel anything else… Perhaps it worked?" he offered. "…I'll be honest, I didn't really expect it to work. I was more than prepared to have to return to ARI if we needed to… but I can't feel anything."

"That's a good thing, right?" Mike asked. He reached out and managed to snare a hand under Marionette's arm. He helped him back up from the ground. "I didn't think it was going to work either, but if you're not feeling anything then it must've done something," he offered. The Puppet still looked unsure, and Mike glanced over the scrap. Remembering what he said earlier, he asked, "Would the arcade machines stay haunted after they were broken?"

"…No. Not if they were broken to this extreme. Not that I know of, I don't think," Marionette said unsurely. Though Mike trusted his initial answer. He gave him an assuring pat on the back.

"We'll give it a few minutes and if we don't see anything we'll get out of here. I don't think there's much use in picking out all her parts and burying them. If she was still kicking it wouldn't do much to stop her."

It was still a few minutes before they got out of the warehouse. Enough time for Scott to write up the note and leave it in the hiding spot alongside the porcelain doll Marionette had left there. He unplugged the lights too. Ennard stayed close to him and decided to trust his and Michael's judgement enough to not look at the pile. Springtrap gathered what parts of the other Baby that he could find into his arms and scattered them across the junkyard on the way to the van.

Soon they were piled back in and back on the road away from the junkyard and back towards Scott's house.

"Michael, you want me to drop you off at the warehouse?" he offered. Springtrap considered it a moment before shaking his head.

"I think I should stay overnight just in case. If it's alright with you."

"That's fine with me! To tell you the truth, I think an extra body in the house might do me some good, because I'm just… not really looking forward to going back just yet," Scott admitted with a tense smile.

Mike sent him a sympathetic look from the passenger's seat. "How'd this whole thing start anyway? You said you went to the park because you heard there was a Circus Baby there?"

"Right. Baby found out about it online and asked to go… and for some reason I said yes even though I knew better," he confessed. He sounded remorseful. "…She's just been so upset about this new pizzeria opening. She convinced herself that there was a new Baby there and started looking around online and found this one. Err, I mean, she didn't know it was going to look like that. We were all pretty shocked when we saw it."

"You heard my first reaction," Mike remarked.

"Don't be modest. The whole neighborhood heard your reaction," Marionette teased. He was sitting behind the passenger's seat again with his back against it, back-to-back with Mike who gave a dismissive 'eh'. Though Marionette thought back on what Scott had said and looked to Ennard questioningly. "Why did she think there was a new Circus Baby?" He assumed she was more likely to tell him. "Is this because of that sun that sounds like you?"

"Oh, don't remind me," Ennard said, tone dropping at the end. From the disinterested glint that took Springtrap's eyes, he had probably heard plenty about this sun over the phone. "Nah, she was just overthinking it is all. Getting paranoid."

"She called Natalie earlier and asked about it," Mike said. Scott looked to him with his own surprise and the younger man gave a half shrug. "Didn't think anything of it. I didn't even think about it until I was driving over there."

"She was asking Natalie? Why didn't she just ask Charlie?" Marionette asked.

"She did, she just… You know, when you get into thinking like that, worrying about stuff you can't control, it's a slippery slope…" Scott said. When this got a look in return from Mike, he clarified, "She thought Charlie was trying to hide something from her. It's no big deal, she just got into her head."

There was an uncomfortable silence shared between Mike and Marionette. Neither made any comment on the situation, but they just knew the other was thinking of the same thing. Of the thing that Charlie hadn't told Baby about. About the thing that the three others in the van knew nothing about.

Suddenly Mike knew what he needed to do. This was the worst time to drop it on them, but this was the opportunity he had, and he needed to take it. They deserved to know.

"Everything okay? You went a little quiet there," Scott asked.

"Yeah…" Mike looked out the window at the night before taking a deep breath. "Mari, I'm going to tell them."

"Oh no," Scott said under his breath.

Marionette felt a tinge of dread, but he knew that they couldn't keep this from them any longer. Tilting his head back against the headrest of Mike's seat, he gave only a, "Go for it."

Mike took an extra moment to brace himself, looking at the streetlights and the occasional patch of illuminated windows. He rolled his head back to look at Scott with his regret on display. Scott was already starting to look nervous as he kept his eyes on the road, occasionally stealing a glance over. Mike plunged in headfirst.

"Natalie's been getting harassed at the Pizzaplex by a woman running around in a rabbit costume with a knife."

Scott reacted immediately. He didn't say anything, but the car lurched like he might've accidently nudged the break. Ennard's reaction was vocal, with a surprised, "There's a what where?!"

"There's a-."

"I'm sorry, but I thought you just said there was a woman with a knife dressed as a rabbit in the Pizzaplex, which would be the newest Fazbear establishment," Springtrap said in a dangerously low voice. It was the only warning that he wasn't going to take this well and was just harsh enough that even Ennard side-glanced him with a little unease.

"Yeah, that's it," Mike said. He slid slightly down into the seat like he was bracing himself or trying to disappear out of view.

Springtrap's neck twitched a little as his eyes narrowed. "And exactly how long has this been going on?"

"We just found out about it. Natalie's only been working there a few nights and the rabbit wasn't even there the first shift or two…" Mike explained. He let that settle before shrugging and adding, "Just a few days."

"A few days?!" Springtrap exploded. "You're telling me there's a deranged woman dressed in a rabbit suit at Freddy's even as we speak, and you decided not to tell me until now?! Does Gabriel know?! Does Lizzie?!"

"This is the first time we're hearing about this!" Scott jumped in. "I would've told you, o-or Ennard. One of us would've."

"Gabe knows, but he was going to find out anyways because he's been running around over there. He and Freddy have been buddy-buddy," Mike answered. "Look, we just didn't want to work everyone up into a frenzy."

"I have a goddamn right to have a frenzy! Freddy Fazbear's was built on a man in a rabbit suit slaughtering children, most of which with a knife- Gabe himself was killed with a knife- and you hid that for days?! My God, Mike, people could be getting killed right now and you didn't think it was important to tell anyone?!"

"Michael, calm down," Marionette said. He already sounded irritated, which didn't bode well for him deescalating the situation.

"I am not going to calm down! You know just as well as I do how it feels to be left in the dark!"

"Well, you're not helping matters! All you're doing is making a big scene!" the Puppet yelled back. Static and discontented crackles filled his chest.

The two were now staring each other down like they were about to tear through each other, though more likely vocally than physically. The pressures of the night only adding gasoline to the already flammable situation.

Then something else sunk in and Springtrap's head snapped back to the front. "And you said Gabe's been down there?!"

"Here we go," Mike mumbled as he sunk down further. Now covering his eyes with one of his hands. "Yes. Gabe's been sneaking out and going down there."

"My brother is going down there-!"

"Yes, our brother is going down there!" Marionette snapped. "And it's already been dealt with! Foxy was caught, Natalie humiliated him, and he said he was going to stop." He hung on that for a moment before his glare dropped to the corner. "Or he… said something like that… He got caught and he knows about the rabbit. That's the best we can do."

"The best we can do," Springtrap repeated lowly. His gave narrowing further. "And tell me, Marion, how did it work back at the old Freddy's? Where everyone 'did the best they could'?"

"Don't talk down to me about Freddy's," Marionette rattled back. His pupils beginning to glow.

That was when Ennard quite literally threw himself in between them. "Whoa-ho, okay! I think we're getting a little too heated, ha ha! Okay, so this is really, really bad, but let's not make this a whole lot worse please!" He dropped a hand on each of their shoulders and regardless of how wound up they both were, neither pulled away. "We've all just had a real rough night. No reason to get at each other's throats! Ha ha…"

"I was going to tell you," the Puppet hissed, cutting through Ennard's attempts to placate them.

"When? You waited for days," Springtrap returned. His eyes lidded with doubt. "Perhaps whenever you got around to telling us what you "couldn't" say you saw inside of that animatronic."

Marionette caught onto what he was applying and looked startled. "You heard me talking to Mike..."

"Of course I heard you talking to Mike. You were standing on the other side of the van," the rabbit hissed.

The Puppet's glare returned. "I thought you wouldn't be able to hear me over Ennard... No offense, Ennard."

"None taken," Ennard awkwardly interjected. "But hey, since we-."

"I should've known. You said you couldn't say. You made it purposefully sound like you didn't know, but chose your words to cover the lie," Springtrap scolded. Marionette looked away, knowing that he had done so. "She's my sister too, Marion. You can't gatekeep her from me."

"Gatekeep?!" Marionette's head snapped back. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you're so fixated on keeping control of the situation that you're not even willing to be honest about what that situation is." He finally brushed Ennard's hand aside. "I know you think you're protecting us, but all you're doing is hiding the inevitable until the last second when we have no choice but to step in. With the rabbit, with Lizzie- I know you know what you're doing, Marion, because it's exact same thing Henry did to you."

That was the tipping point. It was his name being brought in that finally pushed Marionette over the edge and before Mike could get himself involved- he was currently turning to lean through the middle seats- he found his voice.

"Do you really want to know, Michael? Do you want to know what I saw? Then I'll tell you what I saw," Marionette said. His voice low and feigning calmness, but the static and ticking coming from his chest showing that he was using every ounce of willpower to keep it that way. "I saw Father hurting Lizzie."

Springtrap was struck silent. He was struck silent so fast that it was like he had been physically hit by it, but Marionette wasn't finished. Once it started coming out, he couldn't stop it.

"I watched through her eyes as he dragged her over a concrete floor. I felt his fingers digging into my arm just like they would've into hers, twisting it so far it could've snapped. And I heard her screaming, begging, pleading with him- but she wasn't begging him to stop. She wasn't telling him it hurt even though I know it did. No, she was apologizing. And I knew- I know from how scared she was that it hadn't been the first time."

It was with those words that a look of dawning passed Ennard's face. His look of shock changing to one of horror as he remembered the words the other Baby had cried out to them. His face almost matched Scott's, who had been looking for a good place to pull over to try and break up the fight before hearing the confession and finding himself freezing up. Everything Baby told him replaying in his head as he made the same connections.

Marionette still wasn't done. He made what sounded like a shaky inhale but was actually a roll of static, trying to suppress the twang from his stressed music box that followed afterwards. Tears had welled back up in his eyes, but he refused the show any form of weakness and kept his face firm in its galled expression.

"I didn't tell you what I saw because it was none of your business what I saw, nor mine, nor his, or Mike's, or anyone else's. Those were Lizzie's memories and I think it was Lizzie's pain that brought it to the house. What was I supposed to do, tell a room full of people that I saw our-! That I saw those things? How was I supposed to stand in front of Lizzie and do that to her? I couldn't, and you couldn't either."

Then he was done, and the silence came back. He awaited the delayed reaction from Springtrap, for up until that moment he just stared at him with alarm but little else. He waited for him to understand the gravity of the situation.

Since he was staring directly at him Marionette saw that moment when it sunk in and regretted everything he said.

His own face fell but he hadn't a chance to say a word more before Springtrap crumpled over, his head dropping into his hands. The Puppet started to tentatively reach for him, now afraid to step back over the line, letting out a distressed thrumming as he did.

"That's it. I'm going back there," Mike defiantly muttered. He unclicked his seatbelt and climbed in between the seats. Scott warning him with a quiet 'whoa!' as they were still driving but making no attempt to stop him. He got into the back in time to see Ennard putting an arm around Springtrap and Marionette with his arms out, frozen mid-way towards reaching for him.

Mike knew Marionette was upset and knew the risks with touching him in this state but like with the other Baby he threw caution to the wind. He could handle it- he would handle it for Marionette's sake.

Except just like before he laid his hand down on the Puppet's back expecting the surge of pain and instead felt nothing. It took him off guard.

"And now it's not doing it. I don't understand. He's upset, why is this time different?" Mike thought. Yet thinking back the situations were also different. "…But he's not as upset as he was back at Foxy's, and he's not holding any of it in now."

Something about that almost assured him as he started to pull in close to Marionette. That lasted only momentarily with the puppet acknowledging him by turning his head towards him, nodding as though he thought Mike was encouraging him, then leaned in the rest of the way to slowly wrap his arms around Springtrap's head and neck. He rested his head against his, only turning it enough to not stain him purple.

Springtrap dropped his hands with his head still left bowed. After another few seconds to recover he reached around Marionette's waist to rest a hand on his back, to hold him where he was. The Puppet gave a sad warble and squeezed tighter.

At this point Mike decided not to intervene. It seemed healthier to let them work this out on their own then putting himself in the middle of them. He gives them their space, and it gives him a minute to think.

"If Mari's right and that thing was powered by Baby, then how did that happen? It's not like she could've been handling it that much. Was it something with that necklace or just… spread?" He tried to think back to the arcade analogy, but it was hard to compare it to possessing animatronics until they acted independently. "…And Baby can't even possess animatronics. If that happened with Mari we could be looking at a disaster. He might be able to spread it into a body that wasn't empty... What am I thinking? I got to get ahold of myself, none of that's going to happen. The only one who's even felt it was me and it stopped the second he calmed down."

He tried to push those thoughts back further. "We can worry about it after we get home… Are we stopped?"

It was then that Mike noticed the van wasn't moving and looked out the windshield to realize that Scott had stopped in front of his house. He reached over to tap on Marionette's shoulder only to have his hand slowly pushed back by Ennard's. He sent him a questioning look, to which Ennard smiled and gave a little shake of his head. Mike glanced back at the two brothers and then gave a begrudging nod.

Thankfully, it was only about five minutes later when Marionette and Springtrap finally pulled apart. Both chose to remain silent as they started the process of moving everyone back inside. Scott quietly and awkwardly mentioned not wanting to open the garage if Baby had gone to sleep, which the animatronics used as an excuse to tempt fate and walk to the front door. Springtrap at least willing to use the sheet while Ennard just made a run for it.

Unlike Scott expected, Baby and Charlie were both still wide awake. Baby leaning on the back of the couch with her head resting on her crossed arms, rolling her skates back and forth beneath her. Charlie was laying sideways on the couch while flicking through the TV channels with the remote. Both had sat up to alert when they heard the van pulling up, then listened as it confusingly just sat outside.

"That can't be a good sign," Charlie remarked.

"What do you think they're doing?" Baby asked.

"Trying to figure out a cover story?" she guessed. Baby gave her a less than enthused look, only to sit upright and look at the door expectantly as she heard keys jingling in it.

Ennard came flinging himself in, leaving the door open for the others but getting as much distance from it as he could. He spotted Baby and quickly made his way to her.

"We're home!" he announced before throwing himself onto her and pulling her into a hug. This was weird. Not the hug, Ennard was that type of clingy affectionate person, but how quickly he jumped into it.

"I can see that… What happened?" Baby asked in paranoia.

"Not much! Just watched a lanky clown get resized in a trash compactor. Or, well, I didn't, but everyone else saw it."

"Hmm…" She wasn't entirely convinced even though he sounded honest. He leaned in and whispered a quick addendum.

"…And Michael and Mari got in a fight and the whole thing got kinda weird."

That filled in the gasps neatly.

"Over what?" Charlie asked. Ennard must've not thought she would hear him, but it was hard not to when she was sitting only a few feet away. The clown rolled his eyes upwards and mimicked a weary sigh.

"Brace yourself, Babydoll," he warned, looking back down at her, "but there's some bunny broad running around the Pizzaplex."

"Oh, her. Charlie told me about her," Baby answered. Ennard's eyes widened at the blunt confession.

"Oh, okay! Ha ha, no problem then!...?" he said. He looked back at Springtrap coming inside with Scott and Mike close behind. Marionette had already popped up in front of the couch.

"Are they still-?" Baby began, only to be cut off by Ennard shushing her with a hiss, expression tense, silently pleading her to not finish the sentence. She was unenthused by his antics. "Fine then. I'll just figure it out myself." It took her only a few seconds of reading the room to notice how quiet her brothers were, though they looked more weary than angry. "Hmm… Perhaps not," she answered herself.

"At the risk of getting wrangled into another late-night run, I think its time we took off. Charlie, are you staying or coming with us?" Mike asked.

"I'm going to stick around. Just in case."

"Sounds good to me. Need me to bring you back something from the house?"

She declined and got up to give Marionette a hug goodbye. She could tell from the squeeze alone that he was still upset about whatever happened in the car. She also noticed when Springtrap started to make his way over, both from his distinct movement sounds and the way the other puppet tightened his grasp before slowly, almost reluctantly, drawing back.

"Marion, if we could talk before you leave," the rabbit requested. Marionette gave a nod of agreement.

"Take my room. It's nearly a soundproof vault," Baby offered. Charlie knew from experience that this wasn't entirely true and wasn't certain if her generosity was out of concern or the hopes that she could maybe listen in. A plan which was immediately kneecapped by Ennard 'innocently' dragging her off to help him find spare blankets.

Springtrap closed the garage door behind him and stood there with his hand still on the knob as he considered his words. Then he finally turned around to face his younger sibling. "Marion…"

"I'm sorry," Marionette blurted out, beating him to the punch. He shook his head.

"Don't be. I got exactly what I asked for," Springtrap responded. He gave a small sigh, one accentuated by a click of his stiffened jaw. "I'm sorry. Everything I said was rubbish; I trust you with my life, I know you don't hide things without reason, and of all the people I should be angry with over the Pizzaplex, it's not you."

"No, it wasn't. You were right, I should've told you and everyone else the moment I knew… And I should've done something more by now. Something more than just waiting to act," the Puppet admitted guiltily.

"And what, expose yourself hunting down this woman only to have her framed as a victim and get off while you end up decommissioned? How many times did that happen at Freddy's?" he dared to ask. His brother's silence and gaze falling to the floor answered him. "Let's be fair, my track record is not encouraging. I wouldn't begrudge you for thinking I would've taken the news and stormed right over there."

"Will you?" Marionette asked, eyes raising again.

Now it was Springtrap's turn to look away. "Not yet… Not that I would get very far." The way his voice dropped towards the end was awfully telling.

"…What do you mean?" the Puppet asked.

"Let's just say that it's fortunate I'm still able to get across town in this useless piece of junk."

"Michael…"

"Ever since I holed myself up in that warehouse… It's been both a blessing and a curse," Springtrap admitted. He slowly walked over to the washer and dryer, and the few loose tools and lone hat left upon them. "I wouldn't have lasted this long on the streets, I can assure you of that… but now I am entirely out of the loop. Completely secluded from society, hiding out until the eventual- whatever that is."

"But you don't have to stay there if you don't want to! We have more than enough rooms at the house, and Jeremy's not going to be staying with us forever. Why not come move in with us?" Marionette offered with a tentative smile.

"I appreciate the offer, but I can't go back there. Even if there was another option, I don't think I would take it." Springtrap lifted the hat by its brim and turned it over in his grasp to look at it better. "My point is that I overreacted earlier- not about the woman herself but about you waiting to tell me- and I know it was fueled by my own insecurities. I don't want you thinking that I'm angry with you." He set down the hat and turned to face him again. "Or that you deserved that."

"It's alright."

"I shouldn't have brought up Henry," Springtrap confessed, his own voice carrying that guilt.

"You didn't have to. I'm already thinking about him when I make decisions like this," Marionette said. His music box began to tick, and he gave his chest a light thump. To his relief it cut it off. "And just so we're clear, any word of her stepping out of line and I'm going in there myself. The only reason I haven't already is because so far, she hasn't given me enough of a reason to."

"Didn't Mike say she had a knife?"

"She sat a knife out where Natalie could find it and then took it when she tried to hide it. It all seems very threatening to me, but that's through the eyes of someone who saw what he's done. She's not him. She could just be some maladjusted person doing this all as a prank and even if it is in poor taste, I couldn't live with myself if I did something I couldn't take back…"

Springtrap hummed in thought. He wasn't sure if he agreed with this. Just the context alone gave him a gut feeling that this was more than a harmless prank. Marionette seemed to mostly give people the benefit of a doubt, but Springtrap wasn't nearly so willing to put those feelings aside. That being said, he had a point about their own biases. It wasn't like he could trust anyone easily anymore.

"But that's not important now. Lizzie is… You won't tell her what I told you, will you?" Marionette asked.

"No, I won't."

The Puppet got a relieved smile. "Thank you. I just… Knowing Lizzie, I don't think she would handle that well."

"No, I agree. If she wanted to talk about it, she would on her own terms. In this case, I think she's better off not having to know, and I'll be watching tonight to make sure nothing else happens," Springtrap said. He let it sit on that note for a few moments before continuing. "We'll be fine, you should head home and get some sleep. Mike's waiting on you."

"He is, but… there's one more thing we should maybe discuss," Marionette admitted. He laced his fingers nervously before getting a small, strained smile. "About what Mike said earlier-."

Springtrap's eyes started to glaze over. The warehouse suddenly wasn't sounding so bad.

It was funny how everything felt different and yet the living room remained unchanged. Like Mike and Marionette had walked into an entirely different night when walking through that door. Both were feeling twice as exhausted and there was a sort of disinterest looking towards the pause screen illuminating the living room.

Normally Mike would've just considered this night a bust and headed straight to bed, but when he looked at Marionette to offer as much and caught sight of how down he looked, he decided he could put off sleeping a little longer.

"You feel like finishing up your turn?" he offered.

"I don't know. I'm not really in the mood," Marionette said with a tired tilt of his head.

"You sure? We have to get to a checkpoint anyway," he tempted. The Puppet still seemed uncertain. "You can watch me play. Anything's better than me sitting alone in the dark."

"…Well, when you put it like that, why not?"

They sat back down in front of the television. A few minutes later Marionette took back the controller when they got lost and the night picked up where they left off.

Chapter Text

Charlie awoke disoriented and with an uneasy feeling left behind by whatever dream she had been having. The more pressing manner was where she was, and it took her a few moments to right herself enough to recognize the garage. Things started to sink in, and she started to settle back into her little pallet of blankets, pillows, and a couple of spare rugs. Normally she didn't require this much but usually she was sleeping on the couch, not the garage floor.

She regretted not trying to squeeze in beside Baby, but she doubted that would've been much more comfortable. Besides, Baby needed her sleep, and her internal clock was telling her that it wasn't morning just yet. Pulling the comforter up to her neck, she curled tighter onto her side and drew up her legs to ease back into sleep. She was missing one of the blankets and opened her eyes for a second to find it.

The garage door was open.

Charlie felt her heart drop, or the animatronic equivalent- possibly her music box from how tight her chest suddenly felt. The garage wasn't open all the way, instead only about a foot off the ground, but it was very clearly open, and it hadn't been when she went to sleep. Then again, she couldn't remember her or Baby checking if it was locked after Scott left, and he hadn't done so when he came back.

Suddenly that feeling crept into her again and Charlie slowly turned over to look up at Baby's bed.

Something slender and gruesome was leaning far over the head of the bed and staring directly down at Baby. Its long neck angled so they were face to face. Coils of wires tangled up with broken limbs hanging down around the dryer.

"Baby!" Charlie screamed as she shot upright.

Baby's eyes opened and took in the sight of a once pretty face now cracked, crushed, eyes rolled back without focus, its mouth stuck wide open and mere inches away from touching her. The other Baby had come for her. She screamed as well.

It began to whine back through scratchy, skipping lines. That mouth an empty pit into darkness and in the very depths of it she could hear the murmurs of a familiar little girl. It was devastating.

Then a hand lashed out and grabbed ahold of the animatronic, yanking it by the wires jutting out of an empty shoulder socket and dragging it to the floor. It was Charlie, but she had to release the wires right afterwards, recoiling her hand that stung from the contact and trying to shake off what felt like a low-grade current.

Suddenly the other Baby rolled its head and its wobbly eyes fixated on her. Charlie flinched back and pulled out her taser right before it shoved itself forward and onto her legs. That pain returned in full, now climbing her legs as readily as the doll was. The wires clumped together and wrapped around her, its remaining hand reaching up to grab onto her jacket, a jagged finger poking through and ghosting across Charlie's exterior. It would've easily sliced through if it was still skin.

Charlie was struggling. At first she tried to kick a little, but then stopped when she realized what would happen if she fell. She had to stand there and take it as the pain and weight increased, beating back the other Baby with her free hand as she poised the other with the taser. She had an open shot for its head and the only thing holding her back was knowing that she would shock herself in the process.

Though perhaps that was the more preferable fate. Shoving its head back with one hand, she stuck it across the face with the back of the taser and broke loose the already dented plate from its cheek, revealing the needle teeth hidden within her stretched mouth. The animatronic barely reacted, merely bobbing its head back on its neck as it continued climbing her. A distorted gargle of a song at the back of its throat; something once bubbly and now broken.

Then, without warning, it squeezed around her like a constrictor and that burning pain suddenly shot up her spine and down her legs, which gave out instantly. It had to be a shock, Charlie noted, because nothing else would've caused everything to fail as quickly. It was a fleeting thought before she hit the concrete floor and had the broken animatronic quickly overtake her. As though it was swallowing her into itself, trapping her there.

It was Charlie's fall that snapped Baby out of her horrified trance and caused her to shoot forward. She brought her claw back and spread its jaws wide before slamming it down on the back of the heap and clamping tight on its waist, immediately crunching through the remaining plates, and closing on the clump of innards beneath. Then she began the painstaking process of trying to lift it off of Charlie, only moving at a steady pace as to give her a chance to pull free.

Charlie managed to scramble back until it only had her by the legs. She ripped her jacket from its hand and in the pull back managed to free a leg, which she used to kick down into its face. She could feel the teeth rubbing against the end of her leg and shoved back as hard as she could, dislodging herself enough to get her second leg free.

Baby rolled back away from Charlie before she swung her arm and released her claw to throw her malformed duplicate to the floor. Except it stayed attached, it back and body falling heavily while its wires stayed looped in her claw and up her arm. She could feel its wires wriggling around her metal and it gave her disgusting memories of amalgamation and expulsion.

"Ugh, let go!" She swung her arm and clawed at the wires as she backed up enough to run into the washer and dryer. Almost losing her footing on her skates before they caught on the body at her feet. With one yank of her claw, it fell forward against her with its head flopping against her leg, bent to stare up at her. Its voice crackled to life with a soft, faux-innocent coo.

"D-Da-DadDadddy issn't-t-t waaaa-atcccchiiing."

And that was all it took. Baby snapped.

With a disgusted cry, she brought her claw down and smashed it straight into the other clown. Numbed by her anger, she forcibly spread her claw against the wires laced through it, hearing popping and snapping as she did, and then brought it down again. Another blow, ripping back a claw filled with wires, her other hand coming down to snare in as she lifted and slammed it against the concrete over and over, and over, and over again.

All she could think about was how angry she was, how ready she was to move on and how every time she did, she was reminded of something else that drew her back into that past. She couldn't escape these memories, but she wasn't going to be mocked by them by some mirror of herself. She stopped thinking, she just fought, and felt the wires coming apart in her fingers.

It wasn't until the wires started slipping off her arm that Baby finally came to her senses enough to pull herself away. She stood upright abruptly, dropping what was left in her grasp onto the twitching bundle on the floor. The back of her legs were still flush to the washer and dryer as she stared down at the broken animatronic at her feet, looking like little more than rejected wires on the floor.

Baby would've been panting if she could but instead was just shaking in place as she felt the heat pulsing through her finally cool down. Only then did she remember Charlie and looked to her.

Which was when she realized that it was not just them in the garage anymore. At some point in her assault on the clown, Scott, Ennard, and Springtrap had all came in and had been silently watching the scene. It was humiliating, but that feeling only reignited the anger she felt towards this whole situation. She reached down and caught the doll in her claw, too wound up to feel anything, and hoisted it once again.

"This time-!" Baby cried, body shaking with pent up energy, "we BURN it!"

Then she threw it to the center of the garage floor, causing wires to spill about and plates to fly off in all directions. It was a deafening amount of noise for a moment before returning to that dead silence once more.

Scott started to slowly approach her. He held his arms out, signaling that he was going to reach for her, and after little consideration she gave a consenting nod. She closed her eyes as he embraced her, trying to offer what support he could before he looked back over his shoulder. "Ennard-."

"On it!" Ennard was across the garage in a second and shut the door in one smooth motion. He turned back to deal with the remains when he spotted Springtrap coming towards the body. "No, no! I'll handle it. You just go be with Baby, I'll fry her up," he insisted. Springtrap looked doubtful, Ennard doubled down with a point towards Baby, and finally he relented and turned to help Scott and Charlie comfort her. Purposefully standing to block her view.

The sight of all the wires was enough to make the amalgam feel deeply uncomfortable. If he had saliva his mouth would've been watering, but he wasn't sure out of hunger or sickness. He ignored the feeling and mentally assured that this would be just like last time. Only difference was that there was no need to hold back at all. No soul, no person inside, just a crazed machine.

He could feel the familiar burn on his fingers as he wrapped them around its stretched neck. Though right as he did, the false Baby spoke again. Its voice broken and low, with him barely able to make the words out past the static. Yet he still did.

"LLLeeeeet-t-t-t-t-t meeee goooo to gooo to t-t-to h-h-h-errrrr."

It didn't matter what it was trying to say, it was the voice it spoke it through. It was just like the apology it choked out in the bedroom, the one Baby had reacted to so violently, soft and young. Ennard knew it wasn't her, but hearing it speak through words she likely said filled him with a strange feeling. Guilt for something he didn't do, remorse for hearing something he wasn't supposed to.

He readjusted his grip, moving from its neck and instead pushing his fingers into its chest in an almost gentle way. He covered its eyes with his other hand before administering the shock. This time was different, he could smell burning only a few seconds in and suspected it was the extreme amount of damage done to the body more than the controlled shock itself. By some short mercy it didn't say anything more. It didn't sing, it didn't gargle, it didn't apologize.

All it did was shut down, and yet Ennard still felt vile afterwards. He remedied those feelings by getting back to Baby, nudging his way through to overtake the hug for himself.

Scott stepped back and looked at the remains left strewn across the garage floor.

"I think," he began shakily, cutting off with a thick swallow. "I-I think I've got to make another call…"

"What were you saying earlier?" Baby asked. Scott furrowed his brow and looked to her briefly. She was leaning in between the seats like Ennard frequently did, with him quietly sitting in the back alongside Springtrap. Both of them exhausted, as was Charlie, wherever she was back there. "Much, much earlier. Back on the couch, before it showed up. Something about God's plan?"

"Oh! Oh, right, yeah. Sorry, I'm still half awake," Scott apologized. His eyes returned to the road. "So, what I was saying is that I don't know if God really has a plan or if he lets us make our own plan, and for years I've had to think that way because of some of the stuff I've seen. You start thinking that there can't be a reason for all this. But what I was getting at was that I don't know if there's some kind of plan in place, but… I kind of think there must be because we all came together like we did. You, me, and Ennard- and Michael and Charlie too. Maybe the circumstances weren't great, but we've got each other now and… You know, I'm blessed. I'm blessed to have you in my life."

Maybe she was just feeling sentimental considering that her malformed duplicate dragged itself out of the trash to watch her sleep, but his words had some kind of an effect on her. Religion itself was rather foreign to Baby, the idea that someone chose for her to be like this devastating, but just hearing how much it meant to him that they, that she, was there made her feel good, and sad. A melancholy happiness.

"I thought you weren't going to preach to me," Baby said. Her tone did a fine enough job getting across that she was joking, and Scott smiled more honestly at it. "…I do understand. All things considered, and as awful as this whole night has been, I'm glad you were there for me. Thank you."

"Happy to be here, Baby," Scott said. He sent her another smile and she knew he meant it. As exhausted and possibly traumatized as he was, he meant every word. She truly was glad that he was here.

"…Though I do wish I wasn't there." Apparently Ennard must've heard as he suddenly broke into laughter. "Oh, be quiet."

This was absolutely the last room Baby wanted to spend the night in. This whole ordeal had been one reminder of her broken relationship with her father after another, and this room was the pinnacle of that. Her childhood bedroom, the last room she saw- or heard- her father, the room where he tried to use her one last time, and tonight the room she was sleeping in. If it wasn't for Charlie being there with her, she would've slept in the hall.

Charlie was insistent that Baby took the bed. It took a while to convince her, what with Baby standing at the foot of the bed sending it a wary look, but eventually she coerced her into agreeing. The Security Puppet made herself a palette on the floor, this one comprised of Mike's sleeping bag and significantly more comfortable than the last. Only once she was laying down did Baby climb onto the bed.

When Ennard had repaired her skirt, he had added plates amongst the pleats. While it looked mostly the same, a dark orange skirt with a little gap in the front, the plates could be pushed up or down so she could sit or lie down. This had made beds and chairs leagues more accessible, and this bed was no different. Ignoring the context behind it, it was just as soft as hers and sizably bigger.

The issue was that Baby tended to lie on her back, but now with the mental image of that deformed animatronic poisoning her memories, she didn't feel comfortable doing so. Even with the headboard against the wall she didn't feel like laying in that position and risk triggering nightmares. She tried to roll on her side and immediately remembered why she didn't when she rolled onto a pigtail.

She tried to adjust the pigtail, shoving around the stiff but somewhat malleable wires to lay comfortably, but even the most comfortable position was noticeable. She tried to shuffle forward to lay on the unction between the two pillows, but her head just sunk between them, and the pressure of the wires returned. With an audible huff, she pushed herself upright and reached around to claw at the wire wrapped around the base of the pigtail.

The wires weren't nearly as soft and manageable as hair. Some of them even connected so deep that they could move independently, which she absolutely did not enjoy because it looked freakish. Instead, those wires were regulated to keeping the others in line, held down so they wouldn't twitch of their own accord. Getting the tangle to look like hair had been hard enough, especially routing everything to suit pigtails.

Yet here she was pulling it all apart just out of frustration. Once the wire was uncoiled, she scratched at and flattened the others down. She imagined it looked like a mess, but it was either this or sleep with the lump under her head.

"Having a hard time up there?" Charlie quietly asked the floor.

Baby gave a little 'hmph' as an answer as she continued to push down her wires. "Every time I expect an end to this night, something else pops up. This time it happens to be my hair," she lightly vented.

"'Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in'."

"Yes, that exactly," Baby replied to the impression. She continued working at the wires, no longer smoothing them for comfort but now trying to somehow make them look more presentable without a mirror or much patience.

Charlie pulled herself up to look over the foot of the bed before leaning against it, crossing her arms on the foot. She watched the clown work for a few more seconds before speaking up. "I didn't know you could take your hair down."

"I prefer not to. It's so hard to manage, to make it look normal," Baby lamented.

"I don't know, it looks good to me."

Baby scoffed a little, "You're being nice." Charlie smiled, recognizing that little head turn as a substitute for blushing. "Get a good look while you still can, because it's going back up in the morning," she forewarned as she went to lay back down.

Charlie jingled lightly and followed suit, curling back up in the nest on the floor. The bedroom fell into quietness again as Baby rested on the pillow a little more comfortably. She stared across the bed at the nightstand and the alarm clock sitting upon it. It was much closer to morning than nightfall. She knew she could just stay up if she wanted to, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to wait alone. Her eyes dropped to the bed, then looked over the bed, then she sat up.

"Charlie, get off the floor. There's more than enough bed for us to share," Baby called down. She almost sounded a little insulted, as that was the main excuse Charlie gave to take the floor. The Security Puppet popped back up.

"Are you sure? I don't want to crowd and make you uncomfortable."

"I slept against the wall of a garage for months. That was uncomfortable."

"Having just slept on the floor of that same garage, yeah, don't I know it," Charlie said. She got up and made her way through the dark to the unoccupied side of the bed. She slid in under the blankets unlike Baby who just laid atop them.

Baby's eyes were glowing dully with the soft green glow illuminating her facial features. They were lidded tiredly; she was probably mentally exhausted after everything, but still silently watched Charlie in the dark. Perhaps she just asked for her to come up so she would have something to look at other than the wall. It wouldn't be the first time Baby had watched her so closely, but by now Charlie had started to become used to it.

Baby always seemed to have this air of mystery around her. Even though Charlie knew her well enough to know what she was thinking and find the meanings she hid behind carefully laid words, she didn't always know what she was thinking behind those faux lashes. This was likely how Baby wanted it too, to keep her emotions and reactions controlled. It was a defense mechanism from her life up until now.

This was not the same Baby she first met. That Baby was selfish and insecure, only a shell of what she could be held back by pounds of baggage. This Baby had just gone through this admittedly terrifying ordeal, and she hadn't relapsed. Charlie envied that amount of change. She admired that she could change and still not lose who she was.

Ironically, the changes on the inside just happened to fall in line with the changes on the outside. Baby had always had a fascinatingly designed body. From the moment they met, as intimidated as she was by her, Charlie was also quite curious of her. A feeling that was apparently mutual. Even in her most broken state Baby was just so interesting to look at. So many parts that someone might find terrifying, but functioned together to make quite a picture, like a somber painting.

Though there was no denying that Baby looked significantly better than she used to. There was so much broken when they started and yet now all that was left from her days of being partially scrapped was the claw, but Charlie was glad it stuck around. Maybe she was weird- Jessica always joked that she was the weird one of their friend group- but she thought the claw was too cool to lose.

It didn't detract from how improved everything else looked. Baby went from looking like a scrapped robot to almost doll-like, like she could be displayed in a glass box at the antique store. Her features were softer, her expressions easier to read, even with that purposeful attempt to keep others in suspense, and her eyes were haunting. Not necessarily in a frightening way, but like illuminated emeralds staring straight through her.

Speaking of which, Charlie realized she had been staring unabashedly this whole time.

Her face grew heated, and a low jingling made it through her chest before she knew it was coming. Maybe it was better she didn't know what Baby was thinking as from the slight shift of her eyes, down and back again, she had heard the sound. It wouldn't been hard not to when one foot apart in a quiet bedroom.

Baby always brought out such weird sides of her. Unsolicited jingling included.

"Don't say anything creepy…" Charlie warned herself. She tentatively tried with, "Sorry for staring."

"Mmm… It's fine," Baby answered. She closed her eyes further as she turned her head slightly into the pillow, now only peeking out with one eye. "What are you thinking about?"

"Not much… If you were comparing yourself to that other Circus Baby at all, don't. It didn't look anything like you. It was downright ugly."

"Tell me something I don't know," Baby murmured, but she sounded a little amused.

That was the moment when Charlie spoke before she thought it through. All she considered was that challenge and Baby's own insecurities before it tumbled out. "You're beautiful, Baby. You just don't give yourself enough credit."

Baby's eye widened and she gave a surprised little 'hmm!'. The unsolicited compliment took her completely by surprise. Realizing her assumed mistake, Charlie was quick to try to amend it.

"That might've been a little too far. Sorry," she apologized. "Again, not trying to weird you out."

"Umm… No… No, you didn't. Thank you," Baby answered, obviously flustered. "You're wonderful, as usual."

Charlie smiled and slid her hand out from under the blanket to offer it to the clown. Baby hesitated for only a moment before bringing hers up to meet it, resting her own on Charlie's and gently coiling her fingers around it. She looked up to Charlie again, the glint of a smile in her eyes, before closing them and allowing herself to rest. Or at least, mercifully letting Charlie off the hook.

She even pretended she didn't hear the soft tinkling of bells after she did. She just finally let go of the evening and slipped into blissful stillness.

"Four beds in this house," Mike repeated for the third or fourth time that evening. He stared up at the dark ceiling, half of his vision obscured by the wall he was laying up against and made his disappointment clear. "And we give up ours."

"Oh, come on. It's not the first time we've slept in here," Marionette reminded. He sounded relatively amused with the whole thing, even though he wasn't exactly fitting comfortably on his childhood bed either. One of his legs resting off of it, as was half of the arm he had bent underneath his head. It might've not been the first time they slept in this bed, but it was never really comfortable. "Think of it like an adventure."

"The most adventurous thing about this bed is the risk I'm going to knock you off," Mike muttered. Suddenly, Marionette turned over and snared him in a quick embrace, wrapping his arms and on leg around him.

"I'm taking you with me," he warned. His mask pulled into a mischievously playful smile, but the clinginess suggesting that he was all but joking. He finally got a smile out of Mike.

"You're going to be cushioning my fall then," he retorted. He managed to easily slip an arm under the Puppet's slender waist and pull him close. Marionette trilled and he could feel the pleasant vibrations through his hand and chest.

It was surprising that Marionette was doing as well as he was. When Mike got the call that the other Baby came back again, the panic was immediate. Both had threw themselves out of bed expecting to drive- or teleport- over there for a fight only for this to be diffused in an instant when Scott explained that the bot was down for the count. Neither of them were very confident that it wasn't going to get back up but agreed for Scott to bring the others over to stay the night.

This in mind, Marionette had recovered quickly and was acting relatively normal. He could've been putting on a brave face, but Mike had a feeling it had more to do with having everyone in the house, being able to watch over them. If he heard anything he could be there in a heartbeat to take care of it. It gave him a sense of security.

Mike was still expecting for the Baby doppelganger to break down the front door at any moment. That was why he was sleeping with a taser underneath his pillow.

But as his mind wandered- and it did since he wasn't sleeping- he started thinking about the doll's connection to Baby again, and that led to the similarities that finally led to Marionette's telepathic efflux of emotion.

A quick glance to Marionette showed that he wasn't asleep. In fact, his eyes were only partially closed, seemingly just enjoying laying there on this cramped little bed. He was calm and mostly comfortable, regardless of the night before. Mike hated the idea of breaking that peace, but he knew that was the price of putting it off for this long. He would just have to treat this conversation delicately.

"I hate to bring down the party we've got going on, but we've got to talk about something," Mike finally spoke up. Marionette nuzzled closer and gave a 'Mmhmm'. It actually hurt hearing how relaxed he sounded and knowing that he was going to have to ruin that by talking about this. "Remember when we got that news about the rabbit chick back at Foxy's?"

"Of course. It wasn't that long ago," Marionette said. He still held a tone of playfulness, a better sign than if his voice immediately plummeted.

"You got pretty upset about it."

"I know…" The Puppet sighed and reached up to gently comb his fingers through Mike's hair. "But I'm alright now. There's no need to worry."

"…Well, actually there is this one thing," Mike began with false casualness. "There was this thing that happened when you got upset. I didn't bring it up then or later because I thought you knew about it, and it wasn't until today when you were talking about touching that creepy Baby and hearing things that it dawned on me that you didn't know about it."

"…What are you talking about?" Marionette asked slowly. Now he was starting to sound concerned.

"Don't freak out. It's no big deal," the man immediately downplayed. "Like, remember when we first started playing around with telepathy and it would give me a headache? Better yet, remember that time we were in the bedroom, and you had the nightmare, and I grabbed your arm and was hearing voices? That sort of happened again."

"Sort of?" the Puppet tentatively nudged.

"Back at Foxy's. See… When I first grabbed your arm, I got this sharp pain in my head and suddenly I was hearing things. I wasn't really seeing anything, but between the shooting pain and the florescent lighting everything was looking a little blurry. It wasn't a big deal at the time, because I knew you were upset, and it just made sense to assume it was like that time with the nightmare. I wasn't even planning on bringing it up again until you told us what you felt with her."

"Oh dear…" Marionette's voice was quiet and nervous. "Do you… Do you think I could've…?"

"Possessed the clown? No. I don't think there's any way you could've sent psychic waves halfway across the state and brought that thing to life," Mike quickly deflected.

"Maybe not, but… Oh, this can't be good," Marionette worried. He unconsciously hugged him a little tighter. "This is not good at all."

"Maybe… or maybe you just haven't gotten this upset before. There's been a lot piling on and this bunny broad is just the last straw in a long line of garbage luck stretching back even before getting news about Freddy's. It's just been one thing after another and just when we're thinking Afton's gone- after he miraculously returns from the grave long enough to tell us he's been spying on us for two years- we've got a new super Freddy's AND another psycho in a bunny suit to deal with. If Baby was upset enough that it somehow brought another animatronic to life, then what says you can't get upset enough to give me a major headache?"

"Mike, those are two completely different levels of insanity."

"Yeah, yours lasted only a few seconds and nothing else happened," Mike reminded. Marionette was quiet. "I used to get headaches from the telepathy before. What's to say it wasn't just too much for my fleshy brain to handle?"

The Puppet was still quiet. Mike pulled him in closer and pressed a kiss to his cheek, receiving a trill in response. Marionette nuzzled his face against Mike's before catching his cheek and guiding him to turn just enough to kiss him. It was at that moment that Mike knew, uneased by the conversation or not, that Marionette was going to be alright. They separated a few moments later but kept their foreheads touching, with Marionette petting Mike's cheek.

"I love you," Marionette said, voice vibrating into the trill that accompanied it. Mike smiled and gently ran a hand up and down the leg hooked around him.

"Love you too, Doll," he said. He let his eyes close, not expecting to fall asleep but simply relaxing into the moment.

Marionette's eyes partially closed as well, though a soft frown settled on his face once more. He thought back to that moment when he had touched the animatronic and what he had witnessed once more, and he sighed.

"When I touched that fake Baby it felt just like slipping into that red lake," he murmured. Not thinking of the context that would be read from that until Mike's eyes popped open in alarm.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh! No, wait. I didn't mean like it really felt like the lake. I just compared that sensation. The pain, the fear, the hopelessness… and all the while hearing him and feeling like you cannot escape," Marionette confessed. "…You see why I didn't make that analogy on the scene."

"That was a good judgement call, I'll admit, but I get it- that sinking feeling. Doesn't help that that's the last feeling you had with him, no wonder you associated the two," Mike sympathized. He started to relax again.

"As unpleasant as it was, it was the end. That brings me a little comfort," Marionette admitted. He slid down enough to rest his head on Mike's chest, cuddling in and listening to the thumps of his steady heartbeat. His trill slipped into a lower warble as Mike readjusted his arms around him and held him in a comfortable embrace.

"You'll tell me if it happens again?" the Puppet asked.

"As soon as it happens, if it happens, since it didn't happen during your fight with Michael. Just try to not bottle up your feelings. I've got a working theory that that's what sets it off," Mike said. He slowly exhaled before mumbling, "…It's a shame that I say that knowing good and well that we're going to get zero sleep and are still expected to do something tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is another day," Marionette cooed. After a tender pause though, he tacked on, "Or at least a few hours away."

Mike scoffed at the thought and got comfortable against the pillow. He could make it work; somehow, he always did. For now, he would just let himself be lulled by Marionette's lullaby of chimes and shut out the world as long as he could.

Baby woke up as startlingly quickly as she always did. She knew she must've moved in her sleep too because instead of facing Charlie she was now lying face down on the pillow. Probably having turned at some time to block out the light or was just dragged down by her remaining pigtail. She didn't feel Charlie's hand anymore and turned her head to see her gone and Theodore, her rabbit, left in her place.

Then Baby turned her head a little more in time to see Charlie stealthily creeping out the door. Considering that she didn't realize she was there until now, Baby had to admit that she did a good job. She didn't stop her and let her leave before pushing herself up and turning over to side on the edge of the bed. She found herself looking out the window at the bright, sunny day outside and realized only then that she was still exhausted.

She didn't want to go back to sleep, but before she could join the others, she had to do something about the loose wires. She reached with her left hand and started to bunch them back up into a pigtail. It took longer with one hand, but she had done it before, carefully hooking wires with her fingers and pulling them together. Yet once she had the bunch ready to be looped together, she found herself hesitating.

It was funny how that other Baby had been broken into a mess of parts barely holding together and still had its scruffy pigtails intact. It was equally odd that something built to look so mature had still been given pigtails, though she supposed that was because that was the Circus Baby trademark. It was her father's design choice, and a choice he stood beside so much that even a freakishly outlandish Circus Baby would have the same hairstyle.

It was a little degrading to think that she was permanently stuck with childish little pigtails just because it was what her father wanted. Which seemed odd considering that she had taken on the identity of Baby somewhat willingly- at least, at this point in her life she could've decided to change her identity, go back to her human name or another one entirely, just like when she shed and replaced her broken plates. The hair was a peculiar hang up.

So, maybe it didn't have to be. She released the bunch of wires to hang there again. She could just take them down and leave them down, couldn't she? Though it wouldn't exactly look great unless she moved some wire placement around, and it hanging loose might lead to it getting in the way. Imagine if she had all this wiring loose when that decrepit doll appeared. Lose wires could be grabbed, yanked, ripped, a problem, and a visual mess.

Baby sat there a while thinking before she finally got an idea. She wasn't sure if it was going to work but was determined to at least try. She pulled the loose wires back once more and held them back with her claw as she took apart the second pigtail. It took longer than expected to get everything where she wanted it to go. Some wires had to be lengthened, some had to be twisted to fight their stiffness, but soon they were all pulled back.

With only a slight struggle to bind them with a wire, Baby soon had them styled in a short, low ponytail. Or the best she could make with the means she had. She ran her hand down the side of her head and it felt weird to not find anything there… but it also felt satisfying. Validating that she could take control from this aspect, even if she wasn't sure that it looked good. Well, that was fine. Charlie said she was beautiful, and she doubted she was focusing on her hairstyle.

She got up and rolled around the bed to the door. The sooner she faced the world, and their reaction, the sooner they could get back home. Which was fine by her because she had a hat that needed placing.

It was the warmest day of the year so far and here they were in a cold basement watching a furnace broil the metal it held inside.

It was a somber, eerie process, but Mike was handling it pretty well. That was, he was way too tired to overthink anything. Scott on the other hand had been staring at the furnace with a melancholic look ever since it came out that this was the one Ennard had almost died in. That was better than the tense anxiety he had walking through the door, but not by much.

Neither of them were awake enough for this, so thankfully they hadn't come alone. Fritz and Jeremy were also standing there silently watching the fire. Mike supposed this was technically another one of their 'guys day out', just less fun and perhaps even a little less dangerous. Afton Robotics wasn't what it used to be. Down here was the same, he thought, but the top floor was all but gutted.

Of course, sneaking in here in broad daylight would've been trespassing. Their cover came in the form of Clay Burke, who was standing on the other side of Scott watching the furnace just as the others were. Mike wasn't sure exactly what Scott told Clay when he called him except that he didn't tell him the Baby-like clown had been fueled by Baby herself, instead suggesting the original story, that it had followed him- and him alone- home from the park.

Mike wasn't alert enough to pick apart Clay's reasoning, but he was guessing that he was here for observation above all else, to make sure this threat was completely neutralized. Considering he wasn't feeling in top shape, he appreciated backup from a man with a gun, and the lack of any kind of lecture or intense interrogation. He either believed Scott's story or believed this was enough to handle the situation.

Things had been mostly quiet since they entered Afton Robotics. Nobody really felt like talking, except Fritz and Jeremy who occasionally spoke to break the ice. Mike being too tired, Clay being tense, and Scott being tired and tense left them quietly going through the motions until they got the remains of other Baby into the furnace. Ennard had done a number on it, they had been able to carry it in doubled-up in a white garbage bag.

By time they were finished, and had given the furnace adequate time to cool, they opened it up to find that while some metal pieces remained, the coils of metal wires had melted into a liquid. It almost looked like liquid silver. Mike wondered if it was by design for these wires to burn so easily, thus getting rid of any evidence that could've been on them. An animatronic made entirely of them could disintegrate into nothing.

Scott must've realized it too, because when Mike checked his reaction, he noticed how he was staring at that puddle. He almost looked a little sick, with this probably being yet another wake-up call to how vulnerable Ennard was. Springtrap survived that fire longer than any of the other animatronics, but Ennard wouldn't have. He would've melted into nothing, just like he would've if he had been trapped in the furnace with the Funtimes.

Mike reached out and gave him a pat on the back. He didn't say anything- he didn't know what to say but whatever it was probably wouldn't have been good to say in front of the police chief- but just showed his support. Scott seemed to appreciate it, but that look didn't leave his face even after the furnace was close once more.

Soon they were piled back into Clay's car and driving back into town. It was at Clay's request that he drive them, probably because it would look less suspicious than having a bunch of unidentified cars clogging up the parking lot. This meant Mike, Fritz, and Jeremy were stuck squeezed into the back while Scott mercifully got the passenger's seat.

The silence was, as expected, painfully awkward. Fritz was leaned forward in the middle like there were words biting at the tip of his tongue, either waiting for someone to break the tension or just waiting to do it himself. It felt like the kind of moment where if he opened his mouth someone else would start talking. This was likely the reason why he was eventually beaten to the punch.

"Anyone feel like grabbing a coffee and discussing what exactly happened last night?" Clay asked. His voice held no malice, just the typical directness that he usually had when involving them. Trying to amicably nudge out some answers.

"I could go for some pancakes," Fritz agreed. Ah yes, Mike remembered, the stress eating. "Guys?"

"Fine by me. I had a handful of cereal for breakfast, I could eat," Jeremy agreed.

"Yeah, okay," Mike agreed, scratching his neck before attempting to stretch back against the seat. "Scott?" He laid his head back and crossed his arms on his chest, waiting for an answer. He didn't get one. "…Scott?"

"He's asleep," Clay said.

That explained why he had bent against the window like that. Mike might've noticed that with a clearer head. Fritz nudged him in the side.

"Sounds like he could use some coffee," he said with a cheesy grin. Mike sent him an unenthused side glance. Fritz got one look at his face and added, "Looks like you could use some too." Mike didn't argue with that.

It didn't take them long to find a place. Clay parked before daring to wake Scott, who jolted with a panicked, "What?!" before getting brought up to speed. Maybe a meal and some caffeine would do him good, Mike as well.

Besides, it wasn't like he had to get back to Marionette quickly.

…

Foxy's Pirate Cove was closed for today. There wouldn't be familiar coming in for parties and pizza, but that didn't mean that the restaurant didn't have its share of guests. Such as the Afton siblings, Foxy included, who were now seated at a table in the midst of the dining room and dealing with some very important business.

"I suspect Peacock in the study with the candlestick."

Foxy gave a quiet hum of dismissal. Baby hummed as well, in disappointment, and looked to him. "Which do you have?"

"None of 'em. Just call it a hunch," Foxy said vaguely. She blinked at him in disbelief. He then gave an obvious glance over towards Springtrap. She side glanced him and picked up the hint, slightly shifting closer.

"Person, place, or thing?" she quietly asked.

"Don't help her," Springtrap interrupted. "There's no teams here."

The two stayed poised in that position. Baby leaned forward, Foxy leaned back, and both leaned towards each other, watching Springtrap who was still staring at his notepad. Foxy finally hissed out one word, "Peacock."

The rabbit's ear twitched, more out of reflex than hearing, and he shot an annoyed glint across at Foxy, who proceeded to pretend like he was stretching.

"It wasn't Peacock, it was Green," Marionette remarked before thinking. His mask betraying his surprise at his mistake by sealing his smile tight. Springtrap covered one eye with his hand, propping his head with his arm.

"Now why would you do that?" he tiredly asked. Then he looked at his own cards and, seeing Mr. Green, looked across to Foxy. "And how did you know it was Green anyway? You didn't look at my cards."

"He saw me mark it off," Marionette said with an apologetic smile. Though Springtrap's gaze still zeroed in on Foxy, who shrugged as though innocent, still leaned back in his chair.

"Ey, we're solvin' a murder here. It ain't my fault if he ain't hidin' his hand," he defended.

Springtrap still looked unamused though for a moment his eyes widened thoughtfully, which went largely unnoticed before returning to his prior look. "Are you done with your move, Baby?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose so," she sighed. Thanks to that kerfuffle she had entirely lost the plot and decided just to make another attempt on the next turn. At least she knew Green wasn't it.

Though it wasn't until Springtrap was hastily rolling the dice that she realized he hadn't necessarily ruled out Peacock. She watched him quickly tap his piece into one of the rooms and silently dared him to-

"I'm calling it: Peacock in the study with rope," Springtrap declared.

The look on everyone's face was almost validation enough, but not quite.

"This is why you don't share your leads. They might get into the wrong hands," he said smugly. He opened the little envelope and plucked out the cards, then validated his confidence with a quick show to the others. Baby rolled her eyes back.

"…Who had the candlestick?" Foxy asked. Marionette popped up his hand. "Ah."

"I thought you were looking at his notepad?" Baby asked tiredly, looking at him out the edge of her eye.

"Nah! That would be cheating! All's I did was judge where he be markin' off. He must've started with it," Foxy said matter-of-factly. She fought the urge to roll her eyes again. "We havin' another go?"

"Yes."

"I could win again," Springtrap remarked.

"The key word being 'could'," Marionette smoothly rebutted. He then helped reset the pieces as Springtrap began shuffling the cards.

Baby stopped pouting to herself and started considering the pieces on the board. She began to straighten up and tapped her fingers on the table before speaking up, "I know I just changed my hair, but what do you all think if I got a brunette wig? Be honest and don't laugh."

"I think it would get stuck in your plates and irritate you to death," Springtrap said sensibly.

"I think yer more a blond, Lass," Foxy offered honestly.

"This has nothing to do with Charlie, does it?" Marionette asked coyly. That was the one she gave a flat look towards.

"No, it does not, so don't look so smug. It doesn't look any better on you than it did on him," Baby said, nodding to Springtrap. "And don't say her name too loud. She'll think we're talking about her."

Charlie was currently at another table closer to the arcade playing Connect Four with Ennard and discussing some ideas for a future project. It started out with her describing building a small, functioning animatronic of her own, a project she never got a chance to finish in college, though the last Baby overheard was them discussing toaster repair.

"My apologies. I just thought maybe you two talked about it when you were sharing her bedroom last night," Marionette said with no shame.

Foxy pounced, head snapping to Baby with an interested glint in his eye. "Oh? What's this now?"

"It's not as dramatic as he makes it out to be. It was either that or sleeping on the floor, and Charlie was more than willing to do that before I convinced her not to." She then turned back to Marionette, pointedly ignoring the surprised look on his face, and partially crossed her arms in indignation. "For your information, I was merely asking because I was looking at Miss Scarlet." She pinched the token up between her fingers and held it up to emphasize her point.

"Oh… Oh, well, I'm sorry. I was just pulling your strings," Marionette apologized. He sounded a little flustered but still had a small, if somewhat restrained smile. "I agree with them, the orange matches your color scheme and wigs never work out when it comes to animatronics. Besides, I like your new hair! It fits the hat well."

"Don't buy it fer a second, Lass. He's just buttering ya up so you don't see him as a target," Foxy warned.

"I already don't," Baby remarked. Then gave an obvious eye motion over towards Springtrap. That being said, she couldn't help but relish in the compliment. "Thank you, Marion." Marionette chimed back.

"Here we are," Springtrap said before dealing out the cards. "And Gabe, if I catch you trying to peek, I'm throwing you out."

"You'd throw me outta the game fer that?" Foxy said, sounding more amused than anything.

"I'd throw you out into the street for that. Don't tempt me."

Foxy scoffed but restrained himself from challenging further. Baby clicked her teeth at them both. They were impossible, all three of them.

Yet for some reason she was considering making this a regular thing. Perhaps she was a glutton for punishment after all.

Chapter Text

It was funny how so much and so little could change in only a matter of weeks. Mike had gotten accepted into Charlie's university but hadn't started yet, Jeremy had started apartment shopping again but hadn't been looking too hard, Carlton had decided to get back involved with the community theater, Scott's microwave died- life went on as usual without changing very much.

Then without much warning, Natalie abruptly got the date for the Pizzaplex's opening.

After nights fraught with paranoia, no signs of the rabbit but suspecting she was there, and having her whole sleep schedule entirely obliterated, the date was suddenly announced by Chaz when she came in one night. Only two weeks out too; Chaz suggested that Fazbear Entertainment was eager to start getting revenue in and Natalie wasn't too doubtful of that.

As expected by everyone, the reaction wasn't a great one. Not nearly as bad as the reveal of the new Freddy's coming, but almost as anxiety-inducing. Frustration and nervousness spread throughout the pizzeria as everyone came to terms to the fact that there was nothing stopping this. All things considering, they handled it pretty well. Especially Foxy who reacted with an almost fanatic obsession with increasing business that lasted a few days.

After a few days this temper cooled down and Foxy realized he couldn't fit more birthday parties, games, or holidays into an already packed schedule. Then he went through a brief period of depression, during which Jeremy spent a couple of nights at Pirate's Cove with him, before recovering to business as usual. Or at least, back to some form of normality.

During this entire process, and those two weeks, Foxy made no attempts to return to the Pizzaplex. He had made a promise that he wouldn't- though Jeremy never went through with asking him not to- and hadn't gone back on his word. He did think about Freddy a few times, increasingly moreso the closer it got to opening day. The Pizzaplex itself and the future coming right after it opened were frequently on his mind.

Yet it wasn't until two days before opening that Foxy suddenly realized this was probably his last chance to be able to sneak into the Pizzaplex, and for some reason he wanted to. Part of it was just to get intel from Freddy, but the other part was just some intense need to do something more than sit around his own pizzeria and listen to what was happening far down the highway. Still, he resisted the urge and mulled it over for a day.

The day before opening was deemed his last chance and that was when he made his decision.

"Lad, can I speak with ya a second? In the office," Foxy asked Jeremy. The blond agreed without much convincing and set the just emptied trash can aside to follow him into the office.

The pizzeria had already closed, and the employees were going to be heading home soon, with the tenseness of the upcoming opening looming on the horizon. The plan was to be open for business as usual and hopefully snare any customers unable to afford the Pizzaplex's exuberant prices. Even knowing the Pizzaplex was opening down the street, they were going to do their best to fight back against it.

That is, after Foxy snuck over there one more time. It only seemed ridiculous if he really thought about it.

Once they were in the office and Jeremy had shut the door behind them, Foxy went for it.

"Jer'my, I've been thinkin'… I'm just gonna come out and say it. I'm thinkin' of goin' back to the Pizzaplex," he confessed. Jeremy's brows raised in surprise. "Now I ain't goin' over there to start trouble! I just want to get a good idea what we're up against fer tomorrow an' what's changed since I last be over there. I'd soon enough just call Freddy to give me the dirt, but that ain't an option." His ears twitched back. "And I know it's a foolish risk, but y'know… I take a lot 'o those."

Honestly, Jeremy wasn't surprised that Foxy was wanting to go back and see Freddy- even if he was wording it more like a recon mission than a friendly visit. He was more surprised that the pirate had been so forthright about it.

"Are you sure? This could be a little riskier than you're used to. They might have people working late getting ready for the grand opening," Jeremy forewarned.

"Aye, that be a risk…" Foxy agreed. He slowly, almost coyly raised his eye from the floor. "If I got caught."

"They might notice a guy in burglar gear hanging out in Freddy's room," Jeremy said, betraying a small smile. Foxy nodded in almost reluctant agreement.

He was expecting to be told not to go and if that was the case then he wouldn't. Any desire to go against authority didn't apply to Jeremy. If anything, Jeremy was standing in for his voice of reason, and he wasn't about to argue with him.

"I guess it depends on what's going on in there tonight," the blond offered. That took the pirate off-guard, and he looked to him with surprise.

"So… Yer sayin' you'd be okay with me goin'?" he asked.

"If it's just Freddy and Natalie? I think so." Foxy's tense shoulders dropped in relief. "…Under one condition." They rose right back up again. "That you tell Natalie and that we take every precaution we can to make sure you're safe."

"Lad, I ain't gonna let the rabbit get me, if that's what your worried about," Foxy said with moderate amusement and a hint of sourness.

"No offense, but I'm way more afraid of Natalie taking you out if you don't get her okay to go," Jeremy joked. He didn't want Foxy to know that he was actually concerned by this alleged rabbit, but he was also relatively confident that he could handle himself if confronted by a normal human in a costume. At least, Natalie had been doing so for a while. All he knew was that he preferred letting Foxy go under precautions than get the wild urge to sneak off alone when he was upset.

That was how he got Foxy to agree and how Natalie got brough into the office and conversation. Fritz too, save that he was more sitting on the couch as moral support. Natalie sat beside him with a very unenthused look. Either she already knew what they were about to ask her about, or she was just thoroughly exhausted from the night before and not up to any conversation.

Foxy sat on the other side of the desk and let Jeremy, who was standing beside it, discuss their plan. He thought hearing it from him would give it some credibility.

"So, we thought it might be good to get a better idea of what we're in for tomorrow. Freddy's been pretty open with information, we've just got to get Foxy in there so he'll give it," Jeremy explained reasonably.

Natalie's eyes were lidded in what was either or both disapproval and exhaustion. She looked between the two before bluntly stating, "You know this is a bad idea, right?"

"Well… Yes, but it's not much different than what you're doing," Jeremy said matter-of-factly. "Did those technician guys say if they were going to be working late tonight or that anybody else was?"

"They didn't say that to me, but that doesn't mean they won't be there. They're having a hard time getting all the Staff bots to roll where they're supposed to; chances are that if they don't stay late then they're coming in early," she pointed out. "Plus, that rabbit girl is still in there. I haven't been able to catch her in the act, but she's been leaving little notes and circling the office for days."

"…She left more notes?" Jeremy's voice fell in unease as Foxy leaned up in his seat. "What did they say…?"

"Same as usual. 'I see you', 'turn around,'- and she's been getting closer than I thought. Last week came back from my rounds to find a piece of paper rolled up and jammed in my soda. It was a torn piece of poster of Chica chopping her own hand off."

"Oh wow…" Jeremy mumbled.

"The blazes-?!" Foxy countered.

"It was a food safety poster. I've seen the around. The point is: it was creepy," Natalie said incredulously. She leaned back on the couch. "She's been quiet for the last few days. I don't trust it. I think she's going to start something."

"…All the more reason for Foxy to be there!" Jeremy exclaimed. He gestured to Foxy who raised his hook as though volunteering.

Natalie looked between them with that less than impressed look. This time even Fritz got a twitch on the corner of his mouth but had decided not to say anything.

"Foxes and rabbits be mortal enemies after all," Foxy tacked on. It didn't sound as clever as he thought it would, but it avoided the awkward silence. "I know the risk and I ain't gonna get cocky and blow this fer us, but this'll be me last chance to go in and get info out of Freddy. Chances are after tonight the place is gonna be locked up tighter than Fort Knox, iff'n they finally get their security working."

Natalie was going to again dissuade this idea when she caught herself and thought for a long moment. An almost sympathetic look crossed her features, but her eyes were trained towards the wall, so she wasn't thinking of Foxy likely.

"…You know what? Okay, you can go," she finally agreed. The sudden agreement surprised both Jeremy and Foxy while Fritz tentatively got a confused look. "But it's not for you, it's for Freddy. He asks about you constantly and I know tomorrow is a big day for him. It's not just him going up on stage, once those protocols kick in Freddy's going to be grounded. He's going to be on the clock twenty-four seven."

Foxy was hit by a wave of discomfort. He knew what she was saying was true, because he had seen the Pizzaplex and put together from the photo pass alone that Freddy's autonomy didn't matter. He just hadn't really thought about it until now.

"…Besides, I could use a night off from twenty questions," Natalie tacked on. "So, you have my blessing… Foxy?"

"Er- Ah ha! Brilliant!" Foxy praised as he shot up in his seat. "Now here's how we do it. I'll be leavin' 'round ten and should get to the-."

"No, no, no, we're not doing that 'run down the highway' thing again. One of us we'll have to drive you down there. I'll drive you down there," Jeremy assured. Foxy hummed and nodded in agreement; there was nothing to argue with there. "And then I can set the alarm and come pick you up at six," he continued.

"Whoa, whoa, Lad. Hold up," Foxy protested, raising a hand to effectively cut him off. "Unless yer plannin' on takin' tomorrow off-." He briefly lowered his voice to add, "Which I be totally fine with iff'n ya do." Jeremy got a little smile at that. "-I ain't havin' ya run on that little sleep. You can take me up 'er ya can pick me up, but yer not doin' both."

"Well… Might be a little easier if I pick you up then. I can go to bed a little earlier and pull it off without much trouble," Jeremy considered. Then he gave a more confident thumbs up. "I'll be there at six."

"Five forty-five at latest. You don't want to run into any early morning work crews," Natalie suggested.

"But if you do run into Chaz, pretend you're me and rough him up a bit," Fritz asked. She sent him a look, he returned a smile, and she got one too before nudging him dismissively.

"Five forty-five!" Jeremy amended, same thumbs up. "…But you're still not legging it. Mike could probably take you up there."

"I… don't think that's a good idea," Natalie interjected again. She sighed and lowered her voice, "Look, you know I love Mike to death, but if he goes to drop Foxy off, Mari will come with him and somehow they'd figure out a reason to go inside, and then I've got a whole posse of people I have to watch on top of the Staff bots I'm stuck babysitting." Her voice betrayed her stress and worry all at once.

…

"What did they say about us?" Mike whispered.

"You can't drop off Foxy. You would bring me, and we would end up sneaking inside," Marionette quietly answered, currently listening against the office door.

"Great. There goes our plans for the evening."

…

Fritz sympathetically rubbed a hand over Natalie's back before adding. "Not to mention that you're probably going to be down for the count tomorrow. We need at least one performer whose awake or Charlie's going to be swamped."

"Bah! Ya don't think I've done me fair share of late nighters?" Foxy smoothly dismissed. "But point taken. I'll find another ride."

"I'll just drive you myself," Natalie said. At first it was an exasperated agreement, but then she started to think about it. "…Actually, that might work for us. I'll park beside the Pizzaplex and head inside while you wait out in the car until midnight. If I see workers inside or hear anything, I'll say I forgot something in my car and come out to warn you and call someone to pick you up. If not, you're in the clear and can sneak in."

"Sounds like a bloody good idea to me," Foxy agreed. He got up from the office chair and began to slowly pace behind the desk, his arms folded behind him. "That'll give me more than enough time to get in, find Freddy, get him to cough up what he knows…" He stopped to look towards Natalie, then after a second, he pointed to her. "And keep an eye out fer this rabbit chick."

"You don't have to do that," Natalie assured.

"Maybe that's not a good idea?" Jeremy quietly agreed.

"I ain't sayin' I'm goin' to start somethin', but maybe it's about time someone gave her a wake-up call. She thinks she's played with fire and won, but Freddy's got nothing on me. One night with a real Freddy mascot-." He swung his hook forward, cutting through the air with a quick 'whoosh'. "-And she ain't gonna be yer problem anymore."

Natalie knew she needed to protest this, but instead her mouth tightened, and she looked downwards like she was considering it. Both Foxy and Fritz noticed this quietness odd compared to how vocal she was earlier. Though it went briefly forgotten when a small bump at the door caused Foxy's head to shoot up.

"Whose out there?" he called.

"…It's me!" a voice that sounded like Louise's but was very clearly Marionette answered back. Foxy groaned and got a look resembling the one Natalie had when she came in.

"So much fer keepin' this between us," he sighed. He shook his head before looking between the three. "So that's the plan, mateys. We shove off before the clock strikes eleven."

"Ya seem nervous."

"How can you tell?" If it wasn't the way she was driving rigidly upright or how she stared transfixed at the road, it was probably the way she flinched when suddenly posed with the question after five minutes of silence.

Foxy was sitting in the backseat, sitting across the seats with an arm across the back and his legs crossed in front of him. He had put on his hoodie and sweats again, and even brought his mask in case he needed it but had decided to wear his head today. He knew it was yet another risk but didn't want another incident of Freddy assuming he was a broken mess. He would just have to be more careful than he was last time.

"You ain't usually this quiet," he said. He tilted his head back to look through the window behind him. "And I see the look in yer eyes. I know that look."

"Okay, you've got me. I'm sort of dreading going in tonight," Natalie confessed. She took a deep breath before explaining, "It's just… Ever since I started working at this place, I've gotten this feeling that something bad's coming. Like instead of getting used to a job over time, I'm feeling worse every time I go back in."

"Spoken like a true employee o' Freddy's!" Foxy said with a chuckle.

She got a little bit of a smile. "Yeah, Fritz said something like that too." Then fell back into silence. Definitely uncomfortable, and who could blame her? Just the idea of being stalked at night had to be harrowing.

Foxy was more the stalker than the stalked when it came to Freddy's, but he knew exactly how it felt to know that soon you would be alone and unsafe and would be forced to struggle through the night without any hope of escape.

"Jokes aside, Lass… I know exactly what you mean," he said. His accent peeling away despite himself. He managed to pull it back together. "There somethin' ya didn't tell Fritz er the others about?"

"No, I've been upfront about everything," she sighed. "…Except this nagging feeling that all this is building up to something and that could be tomorrow. Like the rabbit- I'm not stupid, I know she's playing around with me for a reason. I just don't know what she wants… I think she's trying to scare me off, and I can't help but wonder why."

Foxy hummed signaling her to go on, which she did.

"And the security bots are useless. I'm sorry to say that because Smitty's a sweetheart, sort of." Smitty being the name she gave to her assigned Security bot. Partially named after Mike since he didn't get the night guard job. "But they're not going to catch this woman. Most of the time they're catching each other!" She gave an exasperated huff as she spotted the sign for the Pizzaplex coming up. "I really hope this'll be an easy night."

"If it's any comfort, Lass, I don't plan on making an ass of meself tonight."

Natalie snorted. "That might help."

Foxy chuckled a bit before sinking down as they pulled into the parking lot. So far it didn't look like there were more people than usual, with only Chaz and Stanley's cars parked out front. Natalie parked further out of the way.

"I'm leaving my cellphone in here in case you have to tap out early. It doesn't work in the Pizzaplex anyways," Natalie said. She held up the phone before sticking it into the middle console. "Now once we get inside, we don't know each other. If I see you, I recognize you only as Foxy and I'm treating you like an intruder, even if you're alone or it looks like nobody's around. I've got to stay in character."

"Fine by me, Lass. Don't be offended if I bolt at the sight of ya," Foxy said. Considering the situation, she appreciated it.

"Alright. Be careful."

"Same. Take care, Nat."

With that, he watched her walk towards the entrance of the Pizzaplex and settled in for a long wait. Typically, the type to hunker down and let time pass when he needed to, he was feeling antsy, as he expected to. Eventually he fished out Natalie's cellphone and after a moment to remember a specific number, he dialed it up. It was answered after only a ring.

"Hello?" Fritz asked. He already sounded worried.

"It's just me, mate. Here's the deal: when Nat gets home tonight you make sure to take care of her. She ain't doin' so hot."

"What happened?"

"Nothin' happened; she's just stressed out. I know the Freddy fidgets when I see 'em. They're bothering her a lot more than she's lettin' on," Foxy confessed. Normally he wouldn't immediately turn around and tell someone else about a conversation he had in private- which was why he wasn't giving out details- but this felt necessary. "Don't tell her I called, yeah?"

"I won't, I won't… but thanks for the heads up. I noticed she seemed a little on edge. Maybe I can put something together before she gets home. Be careful in there. I'm guessing you're not in yet."

"Nah. Waitin' fer midnight," Foxy said. "…Guess I'll let ya go. Til tomorrow."

"Sure thing. Take care."

The call ended and it was back to sitting and waiting. Antsy, tapping his hook on the door and window behind him and waiting for time to pass. Trying his hardest not to check his internal clock and letting his mind wander. Freddy was probably going to be overwhelming to deal with after so long of not seeing him. Clingy and eager with attention, heaping on that mindless praise and impressed with the smallest thing. Foxy was almost looking forward to the ego boost.

He knew exactly when it flipped to midnight by the shift inside. He could still feel that turning point, that second wind, even now that he no longer followed the nightly cycle of prowling from midnight to six. He had heard the other cars start up and drive off a bit ago- later than usual, but he wouldn't know that. He waited a few more minutes before slipping out of the car and making his way to the vent.

In the weeks since his last visit, Fazbear Entertainment had somehow noticed the open vent inside of the Pizzaplex but not the one leading to it on the outside, and the one they closed on the inside they didn't even do a good job with. Foxy still decided to come in through a different vent and managed to find his way to the same general area, as to not arise suspicion.

It wasn't until he got into the atrium that he noticed the changes since his last visit. While the room was still dimly lit, many of the neon lights and signs were on, prepped for opening the next day. It reminded him of a movie theater primed for the airing of a film. There was also music playing, though what was odd was that it was coming from two different sources. A dull elevator music coming from some speakers by the food court, and a louder echo from the direction of the stage.

There was nobody on the stage though and as Foxy got closer, he realized it seemed to be coming from past it, through the wall. Which explained why the vocals were too dull to make sense of the lyrics. Shrugging it off initially, Foxy continued into Rockstar Row with the intention of seeking out Freddy. The music got louder once he got into the hall outside of the green rooms.

Now closer, Foxy noticed that the singing voice sounded suspiciously similar to Freddy Fazbear himself, but he assumed it was a recording until he peeked into the crack through the curtain to see that Freddy wasn't in his room. His door was unlocked too, allowing Foxy to walk straight in and see for himself that Freddy was missing. He considered waiting in the room for Freddy to return, but curiosity was one of Foxy's Achilles heels.

He wandered down Rockstar Row until coming on a nondescript automatic door that opened into a small room with stacks of chairs and large murals of Freddy's band mates on the wall. Foxy initially paid them no mind and instead made his way to the second automatic door. The moment it opened he was hit by the full brunt of the music and, though he still hadn't seen him, he knew from the echo that it was Freddy himself singing.

The door opened up behind some cubbies in a corner assumedly used for storage. It ended up being his protection when he peered around the corner to see that other than a fence-like wall, which he could see directly through, he would be completely exposed. Because Freddy was not alone.

The room looked to be some kind of large band recital room. Though the pedestals and staging seemed to be set up more along the lines for a high school band recital than a rock band, it was the latter who currently used it for their devices. Freddy was there with his entire band, and it was the first time Foxy had seen them outside of photos.

First there was Glamrock Chica, who looked nothing like the Chica Foxy had been familiar with. Resembling the posters and toons, she was tall and slender, with the same plating as Freddy save painted in a white and pink color scheme. She was standing on the second step of a three-step bandstand, her fingers dancing over the strings of an electric guitar. She kept her eyes angled down as her hips swayed to the beat.

Standing close to her was Roxanne Wolf, who had her back angled towards Foxy. So, the first thing that stood out to him was that unlike him, she had a fluffy tail that matched her wild hair. Though instead of feeling jealous, Foxy felt a little relieved he didn't have to learn how to sit around an extra appendage. Her instrument looked sort of like a keytar and one of her legs jumped a little as she played.

Monty was sitting on the third step of the band stand with a bass resting in his lap. He was playing, but he had his head turned down and his eyes shielded by his sunglasses. His size, though about the same as Freddy's, was slightly more intimidating. Though it could've just been the aura of unapproachability that radiated from him. Definitely the rock star type if Foxy ever saw one.

Then there was Freddy, with one leg hiked up on the first step and a microphone held close to his mouth as he sung.

"They're gonna brand our names in neon lights, we're gonna make it big on a Friday night! We're gonna paaaiint thiiiis tooown red!~" Freddy sung against the guitar thrumming. "Gonna put myyy feeeaaaars to bed!~" He paused for a slide of the keytar that ended with a slow ascend of the keys. "Because if I can't live myyy liiiife…~" There was a pause, a chuckle. "Then I'd rather be… Fred.~"

Foxy could just hear the cue for the wink and felt a degree of secondhand embarrassment. Which was a shame because up until that line, the song actually didn't sound too bad. Freddy had a rough sort of voice, but it did sound good.

It was so surreal seeing Freddy performing like a real rockstar. Not stiff like an animatronic but encouraged to be as human as possible. They were even playing their own instruments.

…

And just like that, the floor seemed to suddenly drop out underneath him.

Foxy was familiar with the feeling of crashing, but this one was especially vicious. Suddenly realizing that Freddy, the one he was coming to just to show off that he had a head and prattle on about his successful business, was on such a higher pedestal to him was hard to swallow. Freddy was the closest thing an animatronic got to a rockstar, practicing in their own rehearsal room with his equally skilled band.

Meanwhile Foxy just sung pirate shanties while kids ate cake and played arcade games nearby. He was just a distraction in comparison to the main act he was staring at. It hurt a lot more than he wanted to admit.

He shouldn't even be there. How embarrassing to come strutting around this place when he was a little fish in a big pond. Perhaps Freddy had just been nice, feigning interest in his own meager endeavors to appease him. Maybe it was worse- maybe Freddy was taking a sick enjoyment in patronizing him while he was out of earshot. He didn't seem like the type, but it only occurred to him now that he didn't know Freddy at all.

Suddenly Foxy wanted to get out of this Pizzaplex as fast as he could. He didn't belong here. Though before he had a chance, the song started to die down and he couldn't risk moving and being heard. The music flared and cut off.

Chica gave a celebratory whoop while Freddy sent a beaming smile at his bandmates. "Well done, gang! You all did an excellent job!" he praised. Though right in the same beat, and without any malice, he added on. "Roxy, you played very well, though I think you might have been a little off your mark towards the end."

"Excuse me?" Roxanne retorted. She planted a hand on her hip and looked him over in challenge. "I was dead on."

"I agree, you were! It was just at the end when you desynced with the lyrics, right around the bridge into the final verse. It is not a big deal."

"I take my cues from Monty, so my timing was on-point unless he was off," she said defensively. She looked to the gator for backup. "Were we off?"

Monty seemed out of it. He silently dragged his claws over his bass strings with a spaced-out look.

"We weren't off," Roxanne corrected. "Unless you were off."

"Perhaps, but… I do not believe I was. I also take my cues from Monty, and I began the bridge on his bass strum."

"If you're halfway through a line when I'm starting my riff, then we're not both taking cues from Monty," she said. It was the slight growl in her voice that finally provoked Chica to step in.

"Guys, come on! Let's not fight about this. We're all just getting jitters 'cause we're so siked to finally get up on stage tomorrow!" Chica chirped excitedly. Roxanne turned her head away and chose to remain silent. "…Buuut, you were a tiny bit early, Freddy-bear," Chica said, pinching with her fingers. She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and a wink, "I know you're excited, Big Guy, but you've got to wait for your cue like everybody else."

"Oh! Perhaps I was mistaken. My apologizes, Roxy," Freddy quickly fumbled. She shook her head in a non-descript answer, perhaps just brushing it off.

"Maybe that's a sign that we should take a little break. Oh! How about a midnight snack? I'm totally starving," Chica chirped.

"That sounds good to me!" Freddy agreed.

"Fine. It's not like we're getting anything done here," Roxanne briskly agreed. She then turned and planted a hand on Chica's own shoulder before she could run off, turning her towards her. "Hey, go easy tonight. We've got a big show tomorrow and you can't afford to gum up the works," she reminded, free hand on her own hip. Chica gave a peppy nod and a winking pose.

"Can do! Monty, we're going!" she called. "…Monty!"

Monty's head finally snapped up before he quickly adjusted his sunglasses and stood from his seat. He grumbled something as he followed the three out of the room.

They went from playing their hearts out to coming in Foxy's direction in a surprisingly short amount of time. He quickly turned and retreated through the doors and back into Rockstar Row, looking around for a quick place to retreat. Even at top speed there would be no way to make it back to Freddy's room without being heard or spotted. That was when his gaze fell on some Freddy and Friends cutouts off to the left.

He dashed over, stepped over the barrier, and crouched down behind the widest cutout- one of Monty. He listened as the Glamrock animatronic stepped out from the backstage, none the wiser.

Roxanne came out first and briskly made her way down Rockstar Row to the further exit, the one Foxy had come in. He could hear what he assumed to be Monty's heavy footsteps plodding in the direction of his room.

"Chica," Freddy spoke up, stopping her outside the door. She looked back curiously. "I am… worried about tomorrow," he confessed. His eyes and ears lowered with regret.

"Aww," she cooed. She reached up to pat his cheek. "You worry too much, Honey-Bear. We sound really good!"

"We do, but we have not had much time to rehearse, and not on the main stage. What if we sound different in the atrium? What if we are not prepared for the moving stages?"

"Don't you worry about that. That's for all the techies to worry about! Our job's just to get up there and rock out!" Chica assured with a pump of her fist.

"I suppose…"

"Tell you what, big guy, why don't you come to the bakery with me? We've got cupcake and cookies, I'm sure we'll find the perfect lil pick-me-up!"

At the risk of losing any contact with Freddy and risking the chance of getting caught- and this was regardless of the horrendous epiphany he had moments earlier- Foxy decided to take the plunge and flag down his attention. He stuck out his hook. Freddy, who was somewhat more angled towards the cutouts, spotted the movement immediately and looked over. It took all of his control to quickly look back to Chica while withholding his reaction.

"Actually, I think I might be staying here for a while. You go on without me, I will be fine," Freddy said.

"Mmm, if you're sure. Oh! And take this back to my room for me, will you? Thanks!" Chica eagerly handed off her guitar into Freddy's arms. She then turned her attention to Monty who was returning from his room and thumping past towards the exit by the cutouts. "Hey, Mon-ty! Want to walk me over to my brand-new bakery?"

"No."

Chica made a sort of huff of a noise and thrust her arms down as though pouting. Though then she sent Freddy a friendly wink before following the gator out with a swaying saunter.

Freddy waited until the door shut and he could hear the footsteps walking away before hastily racing over to the cutouts.

"Captain Foxy! I did not expect you to return! How are you?" he greeted warmly. He sounded happy to see him, Foxy considered. Though maybe that was just because some of his friends seemed less than friendly. Swallowing his pride, Foxy stepped out from behind the cutout with exaggerated confidence. Freddy's eyes widened in response. "You have your head on!"

"Thought it was 'bout time to set the record straight," Foxy said cheekily. "Lest ye try draggin' me down to parts and service."

"Certainly not! Though I must admit, it is very good to see you in full working order!" the bear said happily. Foxy knew he was being paranoid because he detected a backhanded compliment that he knew wasn't there. Reality finally caught up with Freddy and his face fell. "Foxy, you should not be here. The security officer knows you were here and if she catches you there will be trouble."

"IF she catches me. Hasn't gotten close so far," Foxy said matter-of-factly. Freddy opened his mouth to interject, but Foxy beat him to it. "…You don't count. Yer a lot faster than the night guard."

"Perhaps, but we should still be careful," Freddy warned. After a pause his eyes seemed to brighten again. "But I am glad you returned! Here, let me put this in Chica's room and then we can go to mine."

It seemed that the doors were purposefully left unlocked tonight as Freddy didn't need to get a pass to walk into Chica's green room. Foxy followed along and unabashedly looked in as the bear carried the guitar over and set it down on the couch. Chica's green room resembled Freddy's own in many ways, with a vanity, sofa, and arcade machine in the same locations. However, the whole room was themed in pink with green accents.

The room reeked of pizza. A quick look around showed that Chica plushies weren't the only thing cluttering up the floor. There was a stack of pizza boxes in the corner, some of them looking like they had been there for a few days at least.

"Got an appetite on her," Foxy thought. He couldn't blame her though; it was hard to stop once you figured out the tasting loophole. "What was that about a bakery?"

"Oh, Chica's Bakery! Or Chica's Bakery and Cupcake Factory. I am not sure what the official name is," Freddy explained. He gently set the guitar on the couch. "It is one of her attractions with the other being Mazercise. They would be to her what Monty Golf is to Monty or what Roxy Raceway is to Roxy," he continued and turned around to face him. "It was not up and running when you were here last. Well, admittedly very little was."

"Her attraction, eh?" Foxy hummed thoughtfully. "So, which one's yers?"

"I am glad you asked! That would be Fazer Blast. It is laser tag but out of this world," Freddy chirped. He sounded more than excited to talk about it. Foxy was almost surprised though that he hadn't mentioned bowling.

"I think I've seen posters up fer that. Ya been in there?"

"I have! Though I have not spent much time there. I assume I will once we open tomorrow, as I am supposed to routinely stop in between shows and VIP visits."

Foxy reluctantly felt a mix of envy and self-consciousness ache in the center of his chest. Rationally he wouldn't have even wanted that little control on his schedule and yet there it was, the disappointment rearing its ugly head yet again. He shook it off fast enough that it didn't tip off Freddy.

"I see… Then how's about we stroll on over there an' check it our fer ourselves?" Foxy suggested. He wasn't sure why he was such a glutton for punishment, but some masochistic part of him genuinely wanted to see it.

Freddy was surprised. "Are you sure? We may be caught walking through the atrium."

"Ah, we'll be careful! How'd ya think I got in here?" Foxy coyly asked. "Unless yer too afraid of rocking the boat."

Freddy considered it for a moment before making his decision and perking up. "Why not? I should get more acquainted while I can, and we can be careful. Just follow close by."

The walk through the atrium was actually less tense than expected. With the lights on, it was easier to see if there was anyone hiding out in the wings, which there wasn't. Apparently the other Glamrocks had gone to their respective attractions and would hopefully stay there for some time. Freddy led him towards the food court before branching into a security door like the one to Kid's Cove, except technically on the exact opposite side of the large room.

The security door opened to reveal the lobby outside of the Fazer Blast entrance and even it was more impressive than it should've been. Above the entrance was "Fazer Blast" in large, red lettering with an illuminated moon on the wall alongside it. To the right of the entrance, he could see a small snack bar labelled "Snack Space" with stairs leading to an upper floor. To the left-.

"That better not be a Ferris wheel."

It was, in fact, a Ferris wheel. Just smaller than an outdoor one and themed with spaceship themed pods. How Fazbear Entertainment could afford this- and why they would proceed to hide it in here instead of having it out in the atrium- was beyond logical thinking. Foxy was barely able to hold his tongue as he followed Freddy to the front doors. They opened for Freddy and the two skirted through.

They were then in the Fazer Blast lobby proper. The room was illuminated by neon lights, some shaped like stars or characters in spacesuits, screens in stand-by, green beams stretching the length of the ceiling, and illuminated support beams. Foxy wasn't sure if this was the normal lighting, but the neon effect was well done if it was, giving a space-like illusion with the bright lights against the dark backdrop. What sounded like futuristic elevator music played in the background.

"This… is Fazer Blast! Or it is the check-in counter for Fazer Blast," Freddy said. He was watching Foxy and awaiting his reaction. The pirate hummed and began to walk around to look, his hand and hook shoved in his hoodie pouch.

Other than the counter there was also a small merchandise corner, a small arcade, and even a shelf of trophies. The last of which catching his attention the most and he walked over to get a better look. Freddy eagerly followed along with him.

The faux-gold trophies didn't look too different from the massive statues littered around the Pizzaplex. In fact, quite a few of them were topped with figures resembling the Glamrock animatronics, but there were others following the space theme and one even decorated with a lightning bolt mimicking the one on Freddy's chest.

"These fer show?" Foxy asked.

"I am not sure. The way Fazer Blast is played is with two teams competing against each other and a team neutral "Alien" Staff Bots, so perhaps we may have a tournament someday," Freddy offered, and Foxy hummed in response. "But there is also a single player option-."

"Calling all recruits! Fazer Blast is a high-intensity space combat simulation! Suit up and save the universe as you blast everyone and everything with high-tech laser effects! Blast strangers, blast your friends! Beat the Superstar Score and get a free Fazer Blaster gun. Enlist now!"a very familiar voice suddenly blared over the intercom.

Freddy had been struck silent. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes wide and mouth shut tight as he watched Foxy's own twist into his own version of a smirk.

"…That was not me. That was a recording," Freddy awkwardly explained.

"Ya don't say," Foxy remarked. He was just as amused but decided to throw him a bone. "Happens to the best of us. What were ya sayin'?"

"Erm, yes. I was just saying that there is a single-player option and that I uh…" Freddy still sounded flustered. He made a throat clearing noise and motion before offering, "…Would you like to try?"

Foxy was a little surprised by the offer. He pulled his hand out to point a thumb back at the wall behind him, tilting his head questioningly. "That? Yer serious?"

"Of course! The attraction is up and running and as of now I have full access to it. It will be on me," Freddy offered warmly.

Foxy considered it for a long moment. "This is one of those things that's going to blow up in my face. I just know it," he thought. Yet even with this self-warning, he answered right afterward, "Eh, why not? I got a couple hours to kill."

"You are staying that long?! That is great!" Freddy's ears wiggling with his delight. "Consider me your host and tour guide to the Pizzaplex. I believe I have done an adequate job so far," he said with a chuckle.

Freddy then beckoned Foxy back towards the check-in desk and then beyond to the doorway beside it. Like before, the door opened the moment he got close to it, and he gestured his hands for him to go first.

Foxy started to have second thoughts. If Freddy was going to backstab him then he would've done it by now, but one look at the tight passageway beyond the door made him feel uncharacteristically claustrophobic. Maybe it had something to do with being in a competitor's establishment hours before it was supposed to open while his band mates circled around nearby and knowing somewhere there was a woman in a rabbit suit creeping around.

Or maybe Foxy was just paranoid about someone walking behind him.

"…Whatcha waitin' for, mate? Lead the way," Foxy said lowly.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Freddy answered obliviously. He turned and led the way into the corridor. No questions, no conflict, just instant and enthusiastic agreement. It was an admittedly jarring shift and Foxy's suspicion was instantly resolved.

The corridor was more just a tight corner illuminated by neon pink and green lights. Immediately around the corner was another door that opened into a small room. To the left were two rows of seats, to the right a stage with a Staff Bot decked in black and orange Freddy-themed armor standing on it. Their approach triggered the Staff Bot to suddenly perk to life and began to speak to the non-existence audience in the empty chairs.

"You must be the new Fazer Blast recruits and from the looks of you the orange slash blue team hasn't got a chance. Soon you will be fighting for your lives on a hostile alien planet… but first I am here to tell you how to play Fazer Blast. There are two rules you must follow at all times. Rule number one: no running, no climbing, no jumping, no hitting, kicking, pushing, shoving-."

"He's takin' the fun out of this," Foxy leaned over to murmur to Freddy. The bear sent him an amused look.

"You should be listening. If I recall correctly, you previously had a hands-on experience with a Staff Bot," Freddy remarked. The tone was hard to read, somewhere between playful and still maybe hiding a slight scolding.

"Was that before 'er after ya snatched me up by me breeches?" Foxy challenged confidently.

"Rule number two: have fun... Do you want to hear the rules again?"

"I'd like to know how to play the game," Foxy retorted.

"It is not complicated at all! The name of the game is Capture the Flag- not literally, of course. You and your team must claim three flags by pressing their buttons and holding the area until it is claimed. You will have to use your Fazerblaster to hold off both the other team and the alien Staff Bots while also protecting yourself. You have only six hits before you are out of the game!"

"I think I got it."

"Good!" Freddy led Foxy towards the door on the other side of the room, ignoring the Staff Bot who was still droning on. The door opened to reveal another passageway like the one before. "This door leads to the armory where you will be supplied with a Fazerblaster and a helmet before being assigned to your team-."

"Whoa, slow down," Foxy interjected. "Why're you sayin' that like you ain't comin' with me?"

"Well, you see… I am not authorized to play with the guests. From what I have been told, I am to play against Staff Bots in-between matches, so that the spectators will have something to watch while they wait for their match to begin," Freddy sheepishly explained. "However, I will be watching and rooting for you!"

"Belay that, mate!" Foxy swiftly declined. Freddy blinked and the pirate cocked his head. "It means forget it. What I mean is that you ain't on the clock. Who says you can't walk in there and play a game?"

"Technically Fazbear Entertainment."

"I don't see Fazbear Entertainment's name hangin' over the front door," he spat back bitterly. The sudden change in tone surprised Freddy, and that visible surprise signaled for Foxy to reel it in. "Maybe I be a stickler, but if I'm playin' this game I'm playin' it against the best, and since this is yer attraction, it must be you." He shot him a sly glint. "So, whaddya say, Freddy?"

"I am flattered!... Very well, Captain. I accept your challenge!" If there was any trepidation, Foxy managed to talk him out of it. "But I am not sure how the game will work if I am in it. It is not set up for me to play against a guest."

"Then forget the flags. Let's see…" Foxy considered it a moment with a tap of his hook on the chin of his muzzle, then got an idea. "We get three hits apiece. First one to get three shots in wins. We keep our own score, and we play on our word," he offered before also offering his hand. "As captain of Pirate's Cove, I solemnly swear to call only the shots I make. Lest me word be mud."

"Agreed!" Freddy eagerly took his hand and shook. "May the best man win!"

As though Foxy didn't feel competitive before, he was suddenly given an opening to beat Freddy at his own game. There was no way he could lose.

…

The Fazer Blast arena was an impressive sight- or a daunting one, depending on who was asked. Though like most of the Pizzaplex it had been pushed beyond the boundaries of reasonable budget. It was a maze of walls illuminated in neon colors to differentiate the separate areas, one that stretched into two smaller floors above, ramps leading to the second and the bridges to the third platform in the center of the room. A large spaceship was mounted above it all.

If he wasn't in the middle of a hunt, Foxy would've been in the throws of another pity party, but right now he had a job to do: be the best man and win.

Understandably, the helmet sized for children wouldn't work, so he had only the Fazerblaster alone. It was a plasticky little spaceship shaped gun that let out a red laser when the trigger was pressed. It wasn't exactly a flintlock pistol, but he intended to wield it like it was. He kept crouched low as he peeked through a hole in between the walls. There was no sign of his target, but there was a Staff Bot with an alien helmet on rolling rather close.

Not wanting to attract attention, Foxy intended to let it slip by, but as it rounded the corner of the wall he was left with no other option. He shot it dead-on before it could expose his location. The bot responded to the innocuous zap of red light with a clinking noise and then slumping its upper body as it continued to roll to a stop. Effective, but louder than he wanted… unless he could use this to his advantage.

There was a ramp up to a second-floor platform up ahead, so he hastily made a run for it. His footsteps quieted on the carpeted floor but him having to take care not to thump up the ramp. He hid behind the wall at the top and listened for the dull thumps of approaching footsteps.

Freddy slowly came out from the passageway just behind the ramp, tipping Foxy off that he had already been on his tail. He had his Fazerblaster held up and close, leaning out from cover before slowly creeping forward. He could see the Staff Bot rolling to a stop and kept his distance as he scanned for any sight of the fox, not realizing he way looking down at him from behind.

Foxy's mouth opened into a wicked grin as he aimed the Fazerblaster. The zapping noise it made gave away what he had done immediately but he took no shame in calling out, "Ya-har! Gotcha!"

Freddy spun around and swung out his arm to aim directly at his competitor. It wasn't until Foxy saw the look on Freddy's face- eyes narrowed and mouth tight- that he suddenly realized the bear was taking this game very seriously.

He barely had time to pop back behind the wall before he heard the zap of the Fazerblaster and then made a run for the bridge up towards the third floor, expecting Freddy to race up after him. He was half-right. Freddy did break into a sprint, but instead of running up after him he ran around the low walls and came out underneath the bridge, taking aim while running, and just catching Foxy darting across.

All it took was a split second, but he got that red dot of a crosshair on his target before pulling the trigger. "Direct hit!"

Foxy kept running and so did Freddy, weaving through the labyrinth underneath the highest platform to cut off Foxy at the second bridge. He wasn't so lucky this time, with him jumping from the bridge to the ramp and disappearing into the maze. He had to admit, Foxy was quick, and his height definitely gave him an advantage in this scenario. Freddy took refuge behind a wall, back pressed tight to it, and returned to his earlier tactics- listening for Foxy to give up his position.

Foxy had gotten into a hiding spot between two walls within the red section. There were small slots in the walls that he could peek through, but it didn't do much good when he was almost entirely encapsulated by neon. It didn't help that he couldn't hear Freddy anymore either. He leaned against one of the walls and tried to listen in.

"Intruder alert!" Foxy growled and snapped his head back in irritation to see another Staff Bot rolling around the corner, giving away his hiding spot. "Resistance is futile!" To which Foxy swiftly put it out of commission with a single shot.

Freddy started creeping up while his back was turned. Back against the wall, slid down enough that he couldn't be spotted over it, he steadied himself before leaning out and taking aim, waiting for Foxy to betray his position through the hole.

Foxy looked back and caught sight of Freddy and brought up his weapon with lightning-fast reflexes, aiming it through the small window and firing right at him. He was pretty certain he hit his mark, but he couldn't see if it did.

Because the last thing he saw was a bright red glint before his vision became a blurry scramble of misfiring servos.

"GAH!" Foxy staggered back against the wall, violently rubbing at his eye with his sleeve. The stinging remained and his vision was heavy with static.

"Captain Foxy!" Freddy exclaimed. He rushed over to the fox's side, who was now muttering swears as he continued to rub at his eye. "I am so sorry; I should have not aimed so close to your eye!"

"Gor Blimey, 's like a hot poker in the eye," Foxy hissed. He tightened his jaw and tried to reel in his reaction, not wanting to suddenly be seen as a weakling because a laser pointer burned out his retina. He forced his eye opened and noticed his vision was starting to clear up.

He also noticed when he started to step, or stagger, back that Freddy had put a hand on his back to steady him. He looked positively guilt-ridden, probably blaming himself and his decision to go ahead and play. Foxy had to pull himself together and salvage the situation while he still could.

Or that was the plan until he suddenly realized that Freddy had literally dropped everything to run over to him, and that even in his pain Foxy had not.

"That was a bad move, Bear," Foxy said lowly.

"I know. I should have made sure I had a clear shot before I…" Freddy trailed off and looked down in surprise as Foxy's Fazerblaster clunked against his chest. There was a brief pause before he pulled the trigger, causing the gun to audibly zap.

"Now me brains might be fried, but I think I can still count to three," Foxy remarked cockily. His eye still twitchy and unfocused but showing the smirk less apparent on his face.

Freddy looked utterly floored, a look that was broken by a guffaw that further dissolved into a rumbling laugh. Relieved and more amused than expected, he pulled Foxy into an unexpected hug before giving him a thumping pat on the back. Foxy went rigid at the touch before daring a chuckle of his own. He patted Freddy's shoulder before pushing him back.

"That's enough. I don't need ya gettin' sappy on me, mate," Foxy said, still sounding more amused than uncomfortable, even if he put a good step between them. "But tell ya what, I be feelin' generous tonight. How's about best out of three?"

"Are you sure? I will be more careful, but we cannot be too sure it will not happen again," Freddy warned. There was that guilt again, that borderline coddling tone that made Foxy all the more dead set on his decision.

"I think ye might be afraid I'm gonna win again," he challenged, exaggerated smugness returning. He almost expected the comment to go over Freddy's head, but this time it did not.

"Hmm… Alright then, Captain," Freddy said. He offered his hand. "May the best man win."

Foxy wasn't sure why he hesitated before taking Freddy's hand. It was just a game, it wasn't like he was agreeing to anything else, like he was going to get in over his head.

Funny how the only way he could forget about Freddy's was to take the bear head-on.

Chapter Text

When the first alarm of the night went off, Natalie had just assumed that it was Freddy and Foxy running around. She had spotted them on the camera twice and chose to pretend she hadn't and suspected that eventually they would trip something up that would trigger an alarm. Though when she checked the map, she found that the alarm was going off in the front of the lobby.

"Not again…" she huffed as she stood up. Smitty was out circling the fountain, so she had assumed that he had run into that same cleaner bot again and the two got in a 'disagreement'. Something that had already happened a few times.

But when she got out into the lobby, she found Smitty doing little circles in front of the water fountain before rolling up to her once he spotted her coming out. So, it obviously wasn't him who set off the alarm, but that didn't mean it wasn't the other Staff Bot currently in the room. She told Smitty to follow and headed through the turnstiles.

That was when she noticed something so unexpected that she stopped in her tracks. Smitty stopped loyally behind her as she stared on in confusion.

The large door to the parking garage was open. It hadn't been when she first came in and she hadn't noticed it opened on her last rounds, though she hadn't come over here at that time. Considering that it looked to be the Mop Bot who sent out the alarm- he was staring at her instead of mopping, which meant he was distressed- the door probably hadn't been open long.

"Here we go. Already starting early," Natalie muttered to herself, trying to ignore the dread she felt the moment she saw the doorway open.

She shined the flashlight inside to see a dark, largely non-descript hallway that turn a gentle corner at the end to lead towards the garage. The walls were painted the same pinkish color as the lobby's and the floor was simple greyed tile. Right at the corner she could see a "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex!" poster with a similar picture to the one on the entrance sign and an arrow pointing towards the lobby.

Natalie hissed a little as she considered her options. It didn't look like there were any controls on either side of the raised security door so it wasn't like she could just shut it. Even if she could, she almost felt obligated to go take a look around inside first. Even if this was some sort of ruse, which she almost assumed it would be considering that tonight had been quiet so far.

Finally, she decided that she had to at least walk as far as the garage. Then she could turn around and come right back to the lost and found. "Let's go, Smitty."

Unlike the rest of the Pizzaplex, which had been updated with enough running lights to see without a flashlight and soft music playing in the background, this hallway was pitch dark and dead silent. If it wasn't for the sound of Smitty humming and wheeling behind her, the only noises she would've heard would've been coming from her.

The hallway ended in yet another security door, which was also raised up, and stepped out directly into one floor of the parking garage. With the pink walls replaced by grey concrete, the massive room seemed to sap much of the power from her flashlight, and she couldn't see too far even when the place was entirely barren.

With a scrutinizing hum, she began to walk further into the parking garage. Her eyes and light continuing to search around while her path was brightened by Smitty's light shining past her. They had just about made it to the back when a soft noise suddenly echoed up from the ramp to the lower level. Natalie snapped her light over and listened. It sounded an awful lot like footsteps.

She made her way over to the top of the ramp and shined her light down. It looked like the basement level wasn't cleared out like this one was, and the bottom of the ramp was blocked by caution signs. The moment she shined her light down, she heard the hurried footsteps retreating further into the dark.

"Who's down there?" she called. As expected, there was no answer. "If there's anyone down there you better come out now before I have to come find you."

It wasn't a threat she intended to follow up on, but it didn't work anyways. Natalie huffed and considered her options before continuing down the ramp, Smitty following closely behind her.

Unlike the floor above it, the basement level was packed with stuff. Carts to deliver building supplies, the building supplies themselves, oil drums, some leaking down their sides, some leftover stands and parts of stalls, even some props that looked like they belonged in a desert or canyon- probably Roxy Raceway. It was a mess. It was the visual representation of a rush job.

"What's going on down here?" Natalie muttered. She shined her light over the stuff crowding the parking level. She sighed, "So much for being ready to open…"

She stepped past the caution sign bots who followed her with their eyes. They only moved apart slightly as to let Smitty by, which was probably some sort of collision detection instead of a conscious effort to do so.

They hadn't gotten very far in when she heard the rapid tap, tap, tapping of footsteps as something scurried by. She tried to catch it in her light but just missed it.

"Okay, if this is the rabbit girl, this isn't cute or funny. It's not scary either, you're just wasting my time," Natalie called.

She knew it probably wasn't the best idea to challenge her, and she knew it was her, but she was starting to get irritated with this whole thing. Irritated enough that she kept up the pursuit after the footsteps at a brisk pace. Smitty struggled to maneuver around the obstacles as quickly as she did, but she could always hear him, and he would eventually catch up.

She could sometimes see movement just in the edges of her vision. Just when she was stepping past a stack of wooden pallets, she would catch a glimpse of movement and hastily hurry around only to find nothing. Sometimes she wouldn't even hear the footsteps, making her wonder if she had seen anything at all. She found herself slowly getting led into the back corner, somewhere that smelled of sour machinery oil.

A low creak caught her attention and she turned suddenly to see a gated wall and its chain length door in the slowly edging closed. She approached and shined her light through and into the hallway beyond it, watching the shadows of fencing dance along the pale brick walls. If someone was moving at the end of the hall, she wouldn't have detected them easily beyond the movement.

She pushed the gate door open all the way to let Smitty in behind her and cautiously started to step inside. There was a red door at the end of the hallway with a paper taped onto it, though it didn't look like there was anything on it. No doubt that was where she went and where she was trying to lead her, if the rogue piece of paper was any indication. She couldn't see Smitty's light but could hear him coming up behind her, and that encouraged her to keep going.

Her footsteps echoed off the cold concrete as she approached the door. She could see clearly now that the paper had nothing written on it, or at least not this side of it, so she carefully reached out and lifted it up. There was something written on the other side, taped upside down so she could read it clearly when she lifted it up.

Hi.

Natalie stared at the word for a long moment before letting the paper drop.

"That's it, I'm done here," she said. The irritation almost covered how creeped out she was. "I'm not getting paid enough to go on some wild goose chase. If she wants to play around in the basement, she can go ahead."

She was talking to Smitty, sort of. She didn't think he could understand her beyond direct commands, but it was nice to pretend she wasn't talking to herself. She turned to face him and as she did the familiar squeak and hum of his internal mechanics started to distort and fade until it was that hollow silence drawing at her ears.

Her flashlight beam fell directly onto what was really been standing behind her. It wasn't Smitty, it might've not been for a while.

It was the white rabbit.

It was a hideous sight to behold. No longer blurred by distance and glass, Natalie could make out every detail as clear as day. Every line of stitches holding a patchwork fabric together, its glassy red eyes, its smile stretching open towards its chest. Now seeing it up close, her suspicions were confirmed. This was clearly a person in a costume. The patchwork was skin-tight, betraying the shape of the body underneath.

What might've been a goofy rabbit suit in broad daylight was something much more sinister in the harsh beam of the flashlight, surrounded by darkness and with a backdrop of a wall of chain-length fencing.

It was enough to cause Natalie to jump and take a few steps back, trying to get as much distance as she could from the intruder in the suddenly claustrophobic hallway. The rabbit was frozen in place for a long moment, so still that she couldn't even see it breathing through that thin fabric, and she wasn't even blinking.

The rabbit suddenly jerked and leaned forward, causing Natalie flinched back enough to bump the door behind her. The rabbit turned its head as though studying her, the eyes of its mask unfocused and staring off into space, ears bobbling stiffly. Its arms were down at its sides with its hands pointed out in an either cartoonish or childishly feminine pose.

"Oh…" was all Natalie could say. She didn't know what else she could say, her mind was empty. Any of that gumption she had scouring the basement had run out now that she was cornered by her pursuer.

The rabbit pulled its head back and straightened upright before eagerly raising a hand, leaning into it, and waggling its fingers in a playful wave. Not an innocent playfulness, but something creepy enough to put a lump in her stomach. Without a single word or any warning, the rabbit woman suddenly started to make her way towards her with long, overlapping steps. Hips swaying with the wobbly movement, arms swinging at her sides. It was wrong coming from a person.

Natalie finally reached the point where she wanted out of the situation and grabbed at the doorhandle. It was stuck tight in place, locked, and she was as good as backed up against a wall. The rabbit was taking its time but was no more than some odd feet away. The blond hastily fumbled for the taser on the back of her belt and right as the rabbit was nearly within arm's length, she whipped it out, pressing the button for good measure to give a threatening zap.

"Hey- whoa! That's close enough!" she snapped. The taser aimed right at the big blue ribbon around the bunny's neck and draping down the top of its chest. So close that if she lifted it, she might've bumped its chin.

Apparently, the rabbit wasn't expecting this as she jerked back just as quickly as she had jerked forward, her hands popping up defensively. There was a painfully uncomfortable hesitation after that, during which Natalie didn't take her eyes off the rabbit and didn't lower the taser. Slowly the rabbit raised its hands to its face, then pressed them to its cheeks as though in exaggerated shock. Like it was mimicking a terrified scream.

"Oh, that's no fun at all."

Natalie's eyes slowly widened once again at the voice. Not because the rabbit woman spoke, she assumed she wasn't a mute, but how distorted her voice sounded. Heavy with static and warble, like she was using something to distort and mask her voice. She likely was, but Natalie couldn't even begin to wonder how some random woman got ahold of that technology.

The rabbit slowly dragged her hands up the sides of her costume head until her fingers were trapping the base of her ears. "If you won't play nice, maybe I won't ei-ther," she said quietly, mockingly.

Natalie's lips tightened into an uncomfortable scowl at this point. "What is that supposed to mean? And who even are you?"

"I can't explain myself, because I am not myself, you see…" the rabbit teased. She began to walk back towards the gate door, kicking it open with her heel and catching the doorway with a gloved hand. "Wouldn't you know about that?"

Natalie suddenly realized what she was about to do. "Don't you shut that door," she said. Throwing caution to the wind, she started to bolt forward. "Don't you dare-!"

The door was shut, and the latch turned to lock it before she could reach it and start shaking the knob. The rabbit backed up, giving her another little wave.

"You better open this back up right now, or so help me I'm going to come out there-!" Natalie threatened. Her frustration barely covering the panic that was beginning to leak through. "I'm not playing anymore of these stupid games with you. Open this door. Now."

"Maybe if you keep yelling… someone will find you before morning," the rabbit teased. The emphasis on 'someone' made Natalie's stomach twist. "I'll be watching you!~" Then her voice dipped to something much less faux-friendly, "Vanny."

The rabbit gave a little spin, posed her hands before her for a second, and then began to blatantly skip away into the basement. Something that should've been goofy and silly was extremely off-putting, especially when haloed by the red glow coming from the eyes of her mask, something less noticeable when she was standing in direct light.

Natalie didn't continue yelling after her because of it. She just felt so uneased- plus she assumed calling after the rabbit girl would do nothing but amuse her, since she clearly wasn't coming back. Suddenly the blond was very aware of her situation; trapped down in a dark basement hours before the Pizzaplex was to open, alone for now but possibly with dangerous animatronics waiting for a moment to strike.

She took a shaky breath and aimed the flashlight down at the handle, and that's when her situation suddenly changed.

"Wait a minute…" She reached her fingers through the fencing and with some maneuvering was just able to reach the latch. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

The door was easily pushed open, and Natalie stepped out a freed woman. Though she was less than pleased, unsure if that had been an oversight or a scare tactic. Neither was exactly a good options; either she intended to leave her there all night or was just making a fool out of her. As irritated as she was, Natalie hesitated before charging after the rabbit.

The rabbit woman could still be dangerous. She was more than willing to lead Natalie directly into a trap if she wasn't careful, but she didn't have a knife, and she had backed up quickly once she saw the taser.

That sealed it. Natalie took off after her into the dark, crowded basement.

This turned out to be a mistake.

First off, it was clear that the rabbit woman expected her to get out on her own because she was still egging her on. She kept catching glimpses of her. Every time she was considering turning around, she would see her face peeking out from somewhere and the chase would be on again, leading out of the garage and into the utility tunnels underneath the Pizzaplex. Natalie could hear her laughing in the distance when she wasn't appearing in the edge of her vision.

Until even that stopped and Natalie found herself abandoned deep beneath the Pizzaplex. The tunnels stank of stagnant water even though they couldn't have been in use for too long and there was little to go on for direction. Whenever she saw a sign that looked to be signaling something on the wall, it would typically lead to a secured cyclone fence or even nothing at all. At this point she was suspecting that the rabbit might've just lost her.

She wasn't sure how much time passed before she managed to find some stairs. She trudged up a few flights of stairs and into yet another room, but this time spotted a sign that seemed important. It looked like a Staff Bot at a desk with an "L" on it. Assuming it probably meant the lobby, or anywhere that wasn't this basement, she headed through and continued on.

It was now that she was seeing the cracks behind the Pizzaplex, passing through a few halls and a storage room, and seeing how much stuff was cluttered and messy. Supplies leaking out of the former and into the latter, cluttering up the walkway and making her half to squeeze by. Eventually she wound up in a hallway that looked a lot like the utility tunnels underneath, though bathed in a florescent red glow.

It made her uneasy and she began to slowly creep down the hall, eyes shifting to the gates and doors lining the walls, expecting the rabbit girl's face to peek out. Except she seemed to be entirely alone. She didn't know if that was much better.

Especially when the floor began to groan underneath her. She looked down at the grate flooring and couldn't see anything underneath, but she could hear it still. It could've been something like steam, but she didn't know what could've been running that deep in the Pizzaplex. Perhaps water pipes, but her imagination was messing with her. Either way she hastily hurried along.

Eventually she made it to another few flight of stairs and by time she reached the top, she was half-worn out. She hesitated for a moment to catch her breath before noticing what looked like a security badge symbol on the far wall.

"Oh, thank God!" she choked. She got a second wind and hastily hurried through the door and into a security office.

It wasn't too different from the one Fritz and Mike had described back at one of the old Freddy's, with two doors leading in that were controlled by simple buttons. She quickly shut the doors and dropped into the office chair, getting a few deep breaths in before scooting up to the computer and logging herself in like she did on the Lost and Found computer. Within a few clicks she was able to get to the map.

To her relief, she looked to be only a hallway away from the main lobby. Somehow, she had gone through the parking garage, down the utility tunnel, and came up on the other side of the Pizzaplex, in the south-western section. There were two alarms flagging her already: one from the lobby and one from the parking garage.

"I hope one of those is Smitty," Natalie murmured as she stood up. She hated to think that the rabbit woman might've done something to him. Though it wouldn't have taken much effort to lead him astray. She headed out once more.

She arrived in the lobby to find the first flag in the form of the Mop Bot standing outside the parking garage hallway. She didn't know if someone rushed by or if he had just been disturbed by the open door, but he was waving as she came up, then rolled up to stand alongside her as she stopped outside of the parking garage entrance.

She really didn't want to go back in, but she wasn't leaving him alone down there. She took her taser off again, took a deep breath, and headed back into the garage. This time the Mop Bot followed along with her. She didn't stop him.

After a cautious hike back to the basement floor, she heard Smitty before she found him. He was making those loud alarm noises which led her right to him, circling around a section of basement scouring for something with his flashlight.

"Hey," she called. He spun back instantly and upon looking at and recognizing her, he began to roll back. It took him a moment to get out of the little section he had gotten pinned in, but he had stopped blaring the alarm.

Apparently, he had been looking for her. That was good to know, even if she wasn't certain he would've been able to let her out.

"Let's get out of here," Natalie coaxed. She led both bots back out. They acknowledged each other with a look but didn't get into another loop of mutual flagging, instead following her back out to the lobby.

Now here she was stuck in the same position; the door to the parking garage left open and a rabbit hopping around who was now confirmed to just be trying to mess with her. Deflated and exhausted, she gestured them towards the door she had come through just earlier.

"Come on, guys. We're moving to a better office," she said. She didn't know if they understood but they both followed. Including Mop Bot, which was her intention as she didn't want to leave him alone.

She settled into the new office with a worried frown resting on her face and went to scouring the cameras. There was no sign of the rabbit, but some of them were especially jerky.

None of the cameras in the parking garage were working. She wondered if the rabbit knew that. She wondered how much else it knew.

As gaudy as this place was, Foxy had to admit that there was a little bit of a charm to it. Not the whole place, definitely nowhere that was overflowing with adds, but places like the little lobby outside of Fazer Blast could be sort of nice to just sit in and listen to the relaxing music droning on. Though he doubted it would have the same feel with a bunch of people trampling through.

After three heated games of Fazer Blast, they were taking a breather. Or technically two and a half games, as Freddy called for a timeout on the third game once it lasted a good thirty minutes without much progress. He could say he needed a break as much as he wanted but Foxy knew it was the bear trying to coddle him again, but he was willing to take the out for a change of scenery.

He was leaning back against the counter of the Snack Space snack bar outside of Fazer Blast, elbows resting back on the counter as he looked out at the section of atrium that he could see above the lobby.

He could hear Freddy returning from the back before seeing a basket being plopped onto the counter beside him, looking over to see it overflowing with bags of chips and candies.

"How about this?" Freddy asked. He looked quite proud of his find. Foxy visibly perked at the surplus of junk food.

"Mighty fine haul here, Fred-o! I'd say this ain't the first time you've plundered a kitchen," he chuckled. Then he began to pull out the bags to look at them.

The packaging was all pretty generic, probably made in-house, but at least there was a variety to them. El Chip's tortilla styled chips, crunchy meaty bites, a small bag of something labelled 'Chica of the Sea'- they felt like gummies, like the Buccaneer Bounty ones they sold in Pirate's Cove, and some bars and wrapped sweets in the bottom. There was plenty to go around and Foxy wasn't too good to accept free food from a competitor.

"It actually is! We were just fortunate that everything has been stocked in preparation for tomorrow," Freddy explained. Right as he said it the realization fell on him. "…Err, you do think they will be able to replace it before lunchtime?"

"Course they will! Blimey, Freddy, the place is crawlin' with food. The place is crawlin' with snack bars. There's a whole line of 'em right out there." Foxy pointed his hook in the direction of the nearby salad bar. He then piled the bags back up and hoisted the basket into his arms before gesturing Freddy to follow with his head. "'Sides, it's yer place. Ya get a cut."

"I suppose you have a point. There are quite a few eating establishments in the Pizzaplex. I am sure there is more than enough that they should not have a problem," Freddy agreed. He followed Foxy as he led them towards the steps leading up above the Snack Space and watched Foxy sit down on them. "Are you allowed to have whatever you want from your pizzeria?

"Yeah. As long as I don't get meself trashed 'er eat a cake with a name on it," Foxy remarked. He glanced up at Freddy before patting the step beside him. Freddy eagerly plopped down beside him; legs bent awkwardly to deal with the length.

"That is good!"

"You've been gettin' a hard time from the employees?" Foxy asked bluntly. It seemed to surprise Freddy and he rested his hands on his knees, tapping his fingers on them.

"No, no... but they were a bit hard on Chica. Before they decided that it was better to give her pizza and let her use her bakery than have her look for… other venues…" he explained vaguely. Foxy looked directly at him with a questioning glint. Freddy crumbled under it in seconds. "…I should not tell you this, so please do not tell anyone else… but Chica has a problem controlling her hunger. It has only gotten worse since they started testing out the ovens."

"Aye. I see," the pirate said with a nod. "And?"

"And they have decided to let her have as much pizza as she wants. I am sure you noticed all of the pizza boxes in her room…" He leaned in and lowered his voice to whisper, "Those are cleaned out weekly."

Foxy hummed in response. Maybe a little disappointed; he expected Freddy to give him something scandalous and instead he confirmed something he already noticed. It was hard not to notice that many empty pizza boxes.

"Sounds like some kinda programming flaw," Foxy suggested. He was in the middle of opening the bag of tortilla chips when a new question cropped up. "Where's it all… go?" he muttered, gesturing towards himself.

"I am… not entirely certain. Since we are not made with stomachs, I assume it must get trapped in the casing and that is why Chica must be cleaned so frequently," Freddy said, voice edging on uneased.

The mental image alone was enough to make Foxy lose his desire to eat. He didn't even have a stomach to turn and yet the idea of seven or eight mashed-up pizzas shoved under Chica's plates for days on end- he shuddered.

"Perhaps that is just part of who she is. She is the mascot for healthy eating and fitness after all," Freddy remarked. Foxy would've wrinkled his nose if he could. Nothing he had seen suggested Fazbear Entertainment was pushing healthy food. "There was a rumor that there was going to be a pizza chef mascot who could taste test the pizza to make sure it was cooked properly, but it turned out to not be true."

Foxy gave another hum of acknowledgement as he finally popped open the chips. He grabbed a few and popped them into his teeth, chewing threw them enough to absorb the flavor before it became crumbs in his suit. The chips were good enough, with their saltiness being their only defining taste but the crunch being a nice change. He offered the bag off to Freddy.

"Now the Daycare Attendant- Thank you!- He is able to drink Fizzy Faz through a small hose. I am not sure what the purpose of this is unless it is to advertise and sell more Fizzy Faz. In which case, yes, I could see that working."

"There's so much wrong with all ya just said there," Foxy remarked. In fact, it took him an extra second to figure out which part of it needed addressing first. "Where is this hose?"

"I believe it comes out from his mouth, but I am not sure how it works. Perhaps you can ask him if I get a chance to introduce you two. Though… it may best that we do not tell many, if not anybody else that you are here. It is not that I do not trust them, but if Officer Vanessa overhears then she may come looking for you, and then our night will be over," Freddy warned. He sounded a little disappointed as he shoved a chip in his mouth. Foxy was unphased, but curious.

"How many bots be in here anyway? Animatronic bots, not those staff puppets runnin' 'bout."

"There is quite a few! You already know about Chica, Roxy, Monty, and myself. We are all very good friends. Then there is the Daycare Attendant, he is very charming. There is also the DJ for the West Arcade located upstairs. We have met only once, but he seems very polite. Unfortunately, he is also much too big to fit out of the West Arcade doors, so we would have to go to him to visit. There is also an Arcade Attendant in the same arcade."

"Quite a few of ya in here…" Foxy mumbled. "…Which one's the sun?"

"That is the Daycare Attendant! Have you met him?"

"Course it'd be the one with the bloody hose," Foxy scoffed. He rustled around in the bag and rather directly asked, "And no Bonnie?"

"What?" Freddy's reaction was immediate. His voice dropped and his eyes went wide, staring at the pirate. Foxy picked up on the reaction and his eyes snapped up onto him.

"There's no Bonnie?" he asked. This time his tone was lower, barely hiding an edge of suspicion. "Ya know: you, me, Chica, and…"

"Oh! I- I thought you were… No. No, there is no Bonnie. Monty is the bass player for our band," Freddy answered. He seemed dodgy, looking away and shoving the second chip in his mouth. Him eating one chip at a time aside, that reaction was still a red flag and Foxy narrowed his eye.

"A'right, how's about this? Is there a Bunny here? Up in Bunnie Bowling?"

"No, there is not. Bunnie Bowling does not have a mascot… I suppose I am the closest thing to that," Freddy said. His tone had utterly deflated, and he absolutely refused to look Foxy in the eye.

This was not how Foxy wanted the night to go. Not only did Freddy shut down the information well, but he was obviously covering up something, and now it was at danger of ruining their night. He had to let it drop and figure out a way to salvage the evening before he lost what was effectively his last chance to be here.

"…You got any tokens? I noticed there's a lil arcade right in the lobby in there," Foxy remarked, gesturing his arm towards Fazer Blast.

After a pause, Freddy finally turned back with that eager glint back in his eyes.

"I am sure I could 'plunder' a few."

…

Of all the bizarre things Foxy had to face this evening, the fact that the best arcade game he had played so far was about stacking beds was definitely up there. It wasn't even a matter of the games all being awful either, there was just a spontaneously addictive bed making game taking up space in the corner of the Fazer Blast lobby.

The only other multiplayer game in the small arcade being a game called Dino Shock. The name would've implied a more exciting experience, but the gameplay was more of a chore than the literal bed making. Firstly, it forced Freddy to use the second controls of the four, meaning that he was practically on top of Foxy for a majority of the game. Then the game itself, a typical side-scrolling beat 'em up, seemed only have interested in registering his button presses.

He stuck it out for a while but a game over was inevitable when he was slowly losing his patience. Once it did, he pushed back from the game, getting a little breathing room from Freddy.

"Yar, this blows," he announced.

"Want to go back to Bed Maker?" Freddy offered. The fact that he made no comment in defense of the game suggested he politely agreed.

"Eh… Nah, we've seen all there is to see in that one. There be no other arcades nearby?"

Foxy was maybe getting a little too comfortable, but Freddy was still just as on-guard as ever. "The main arcades are all located on the third floor. I do not think it would be safe to lead you that far from the exit… Hmm." He hummed thoughtfully for a second as he considered something. "…On second thought, I may know of a place."

…

Foxy watched warily as one of the half-circle shaped security doors at the back of Kid's Cove opened up into a hallway. Freddy waved for him to follow and headed inside while Foxy stayed back a little.

"I think you will like the Daycare Attendant- if we see him. He may be too busy to greet us, in which case we can head straight to the arcade," the other explained as he continued in.

"And what if he spreads the word back to Blondie?" Foxy grumbled suspiciously.

"I doubt he would. He is not very comfortable around the human staff, so I do not see him going out of his way to tell Vanessa," Freddy reassured.

With this Foxy quickened his pace to catch up at the next door. While he wasn't thrilled to be risking blowing his cover, he did trust Freddy's judgement at least a little. He had been adamant about not having his bandmates see him, but was saying that this guy was alright, so he must've had some standards on who was or wasn't a safe bet. Besides, now Foxy was strangely curious about seeing this whole hose thing in action.

But when the door lifted it revealed a dark room instead of the bouncy daycare that Natalie had described. This wouldn't have been as alarming if not for Foxy noticing Freddy tensing out the corner of his eye.

"What's up?" he asked lowly. His eyepatch popping up and eyes scanning the darkness.

"It- Erm- it seems that the lights are off… Which means the sun is resting. We should leave and come back some other time," Freddy explained. He sounded nervous, but before Foxy could ask why, he suddenly jumped in front of him.

Foxy gave an 'oomph' at his muzzle getting bumped and went to take a step back, only for Freddy's arm to suddenly reach back and pull the shorter animatronic against him. He was hiding him, he realized, and Foxy went silent.

"I am sorry to disturb you, I did not realize that the lights were off. We will just be leaving. You enjoy your night," Freddy called to someone. He was looking up and toward the right somewhere and started to back up, pushing Foxy with him.

Only once they got back far enough that the automatic door closed again did Freddy spin around and start leading Foxy by the shoulders back towards Kids Cover. He wasn't nervous, Foxy realized, he was scared.

It wasn't until they were out in Kid's Cove by the assumed safety of the fake campfire that Foxy dared to ask, "So, ya gonna tell me what happened back there?"

Freddy fumbled to start a few sentences and failed each time until finally settling with, "It is best not to be in the daycare when the lights are off. The Daycare Attendant… is not quite himself when they are."

Now that was programming that Foxy was familiar with. Or at least, he recognized the concept of animatronics getting aggressive when it was past closing, and the lights being off usually assured that they full reign of the place. Freddy looked nervous enough that he would probably spill under the slightest provocation.

"I am sorry to get your hopes up. How about we play another game of Fazer Blast instead? I am sure the Staff Bots have recovered by now!"

…After one more game of Fazer Blast.

…

Freddy was acting strange. Foxy had noticed it right away when they left Fazer Blast for the second time. He seemed quiet and looked a little nervous again, and this was after he had all but thrown the last game. Something was on his mind.

Foxy didn't broach the subject and instead waited for Freddy to be out with it. Which, eventually, he was. "Would you mind if we returned to my green room?"

"Sure. What's up?" Foxy asked. Freddy looked distinctly embarrassed at the question.

"My battery is starting to run low. I will need to charge at a recharge station soon, and while there are others located across the Pizzaplex, I do not want to leave you out in the open. Besides, you will be able to play Street Skate Superstar!" The cheery perk at the end didn't cover how self-conscious he sounded about the whole thing.

As for Foxy, who had gone into another lapse of unneeded paranoia, he relaxed at the believable explanation. "Sounds dandy. Let's lift anchors," he said, then began leading the way back. He hesitated entering the Atrium but, seeing that the place was still empty, continued on towards Rockstar Row. "Yer friends usually this quiet?"

"They are all preparing for tomorrow I am sure, and each of their attractions have recharge stations located inside. Save Chica's, but there is one not too far from her. It gives them time to get acquainted with their home away from home."

"You think they charged by now?" Foxy asked. Freddy gave an honest 'possibly'. "…Ya know, ya could've told me earlier. I wouldn'ta minded stoppin' fer you to charge up."

"I know, I just did not want to stop…" Freddy looked at the floor for a long moment. "It is… cumbersome at times."

"Don't I know it. I be runnin' a full ship tomorrow on three hours sleep- iff'n I'm lucky," Foxy said, trying to lighten the mood a little while he waited for a security door to lift. "I've pulled worse but it ain't gonna be fun."

"I would offer my recharge station, but I am not sure if you are…" Freddy cut off there, deciding very quickly that any word following would've come out wrong.

"Good save," Foxy chuckled. He continued on towards their destination.

Soon they were in the backroom behind the green room and standing alongside the recharge station. The door opened automatically as Freddy walked up but he did not get in just yet instead turning back to Foxy.

"This will not take long. Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes," he explained. After a tense moment- Foxy noticed his hands tighten and relax- he asked, "You… will still be here when I come out?"

"I ain't goin' nowhere. Except out there."

Freddy seemed relieved to hear this and stepped into the station, triggering the recharge cycle to begin. Foxy looked through the window at him and he gave a friendly wave back before the pirate nodded and headed off.

It was exactly seventeen minutes and forty-one seconds before the cycle was complete. Freddy gave an approving hum as the charging station dinged to signal that the cycle had finished. Not that it needed to tell him when he could feel the energy flowing through his body. He felt brand-new as he stepped out and made his way back into the green room. He noticed with concern that he couldn't hear the game being played.

Any questions he had were answered when he stepped through to find Foxy stretched out on the couch. He caught himself before he could say anything, noticing that the other had remained remarkably still the whole time.

He leaned forward and realized Foxy's eye was closed. He was sleeping- recharging perhaps. It was so strange to see it in person and, while it felt so odd, knowing it was a more natural way of refreshing oneself.

It looked like he was still in the process of charging, so Freddy quietly made his way over to his chair. He could just sit and wait for him to finish up, just like Foxy did for him. At least they were still technically hanging out.

Funny enough, he hadn't been awoken by Freddy walking out here, the second the chair squeaked Foxy shot upright on the couch and snapped his head to attention.

"Oh! I hope I did not interrupt," Freddy apologized, trying not to sound excited. Foxy grumbled out some kind of response as he heaved himself upwards.

"How long have you been out?"

"Only a few minutes."

"Right… How long 'ave I been out?"

"…I am assuming a little longer than that," Freddy guessed. "So! Where to next, Captain? Unless you need longer to recharge."

"I'm good." Foxy got up quickly after that, not wanting to seem delayed now that Freddy suddenly had a spring in his step. "Night's still young. Let's go tear up the place."

And though Freddy should've disagreed with the sentiment, he couldn't deny that he was a little intrigued to see what was coming next.

…

Of all the risky stunts they could've pulled, this one was relatively tame. The biggest risk being if they ended up getting stuck, trying to jam themselves into a booth already a little undersized for even a normal adult. Foxy got himself in alright, it was just getting Freddy in with him and both into frame that was the hassle.

"Further in, further in."

"Maybe if I lean in this way?"

"Just tilt it like… Yeah, there. Yer gonna be a little off kilter, but you'll be in frame."

"Good! Hold on." Freddy reached to turn it on, having gotten most of it set up before they climbed inside. There was a confirmation sound and he leaned back in again. "What is the plan?"

"Don't look like a couple'a posers. These things bring that outta ya," Foxy warned. He then popped up his hook and shot a grin at the camera. "Cheers!" Freddy quickly posed with a smile right before the camera flash.

Foxy winced and blinked at the light. "Blimey, they don't even need a flash in- Hey, hey, quick. Make like that face ya made when ya shot me in the eye," he said. He then cocked his head back and posed his hand like he was in mid-grab towards his eye, it closed, mouth open in a silent scream. Freddy put his hand up, dropped his mouth open, and stared wide-eyed at the pirate. There was another flash.

Freddy chuckled and requested, "Square up." He raised his fists with a mock intense expression. One that ironically didn't look too different from the one he got while playing Fazer Blast. Foxy got his hook up between then and narrowed his gaze with the edge of a smirk, or what he felt was one. Another flash and both facades dropped instantly.

"Right, one more oughta do it," Foxy said. He tried to think up a quick idea, but was beat to the punch when Freddy suddenly hooked his arm around him and pulled him in. Foxy's eye widening a little at the unexpected grab.

Freddy, as smooth as ever, shot a wink and a peace sign towards the camera. Foxy got as far as a smile before the flash went off. Though that was only because the smile came so naturally.

"Alright, show's over. Let me out." Just as naturally, Foxy pushed Freddy out of the photo booth so he could get past. He got out just in time to see the photo strip getting fed out of the machine and plucked them up. "Not too shabby!" he admired. Perhaps a little embarrassing but it wasn't like anyone other than him, Freddy, and probably Jeremy and Marionette would see it. "Which ones d'you want?"

"Oh no, keep them! I will just print a second set," Freddy offered, fiddling with the controls to 'order' a second set. "I doubt anyone will notice an extra charge… and my name is on the building."

"There ya go!" Foxy encouraged, thumping him on the arm with the side of his hook. He then returned to admiring the picture strip for a moment before asking. "Time?" He knew he was calling it close.

"It is… almost five-thirty," Freddy admitted.

"Then I guess it be time fer me to shove off. Lest I get stuck in here 'til the place opens and 'ave to kill meself."

"Foxy!" Freddy said in aghast.

"I'm kiddin', mate. I'm already dead inside," Foxy only partially joked as he started to head out of the center of the atrium and back towards the new way he came in. He had been keeping a closer eye out for the last hour. Not only had Roxanne started tromping around on the second floor while he and Freddy were trying to get the Fazer Blast Ferris wheel working, but he kept hearing these strange ticking noises that he knew hadn't be present earlier.

Freddy followed slowly. He looked at the photo strip before opening his chest and hiding it inside. Then began to rub at his arm once it was closed again. In only a few short hours everything was going to change.

"Foxy…" Freddy began quietly. Foxy's ears perked at the change in tone, and he turned to face him. His eyes were filled with worry. "I am worried about tomorrow. About opening."

"Why's that?" the pirate asked.

"I am not sure. I do not expect anything to go wrong, but… I feel like it could. I feel like I am not ready for the stage, if that makes sense," Freddy confessed.

"I know what ya mean and I know how you feel, but what's the worst that can happen?" Foxy asked nonchalantly.

"…I fall off the stage."

"…Aye, I'll admit that's a risk in our line of work."

Funny that only now did Foxy realize he could've effectively sabotaged opening day by getting into Freddy's head. It wouldn't have been hard; he was already especially nervous. Yet he didn't like the idea. That wasn't to say that he wasn't still boiling about this place opening, but sabotaging Freddy would just be hurting him. From all he had seen tonight, he realized that Freddy himself was really a small part of a much bigger problem.

"Look… It's going to go fine," Foxy said. He eased into a more serious tone as he did so. "People like us are born to be up on that stage. Once you get up there, you'll know what you need to do. It'll just come to you."

"Do you really believe that?" Freddy asked desperately.

"Yeah, I do." Then realizing how somber the moment had gotten- and how sad it was that he was giving a pep talk to his replacement- he quickly tacked on, "…But just in case, stay away from the edge."

Freddy smiled once more. "Aye, aye, Captain."

"And watch where ya shoot that gun of yers! You start blindin' kids and they'll downgrade ya from lasers to foam pellets," Foxy warned. Then he turned and continued leading again. Freddy chuckled and followed along loyally.

They stayed rather quiet until they made it to the open vent. During which time Foxy had been expecting Freddy to ask him if he would come back, but he didn't. Maybe he was waiting for the right time, or likely he had recognized the risk they would face now that the Pizzaplex would be opening. It was actually sort of sad that he didn't.

"Well, here's me stop," Foxy said. He nodded at Freddy like he was tipping a non-existent hat and moved to climb inside.

"I hope you come back," Freddy confessed. Foxy hesitated halfway into the vent. "I mean- I had a good time tonight! I would not be against having another one."

"It ain't that easy, Freddy," the pirate murmured. He looked back towards the bear and just from the look in his eyes recognized that the bear already knew this. "…We'll see. If I can I will."

"I would like that! Take care, Captain. Have a safe trip home," Freddy said. Foxy nodded, deciding any response would be too sappy, and took into the vent. Freddy waited outside the vent until he could no longer hear him, then sighed, tried to set the vent cover back over the opening, and then began the long wall back to his green room.

As he passed through the atrium, he stepped out enough to see the large stage. There was still a feeling of great anticipation in his chest, but he decided to take what Chica and Foxy said to heart. They were ready for this; they were made for this. His name and face was on the sign. He was Freddy Fazbear; he could do this.

With that last thought, he turned and continued into Rockstar Row.

He hadn't noticed wicked grin peering down at him from the second floor.

…

Jeremy had been so afraid that he was going to arrive late that he showed up early and had to fight the urge to nod off in his seat. He thought he got enough sleep, but his body didn't appreciate the change in routine. To fight the grogginess, he had the radio turned up and was tapping his hands on the steering wheel along with the beat.

He only vaguely recognized a noise outside but didn't get a chance to look out before the back door was suddenly yanked open and Foxy threw himself inside. He could just give a short "guh!" before he could recollect himself.

"This be Pizzaplex private parking, matey! Ye better cough up the fine 'er yer walkin' home," Foxy playfully teased. Jeremy was already relieved to hear that he was in a good mood, a sharp contrast from the frantic way he jumped into the car.

"Th-This is all a big mistake, officer! This isn't even my car! I'm, uh… borrowing it… from a friend named… Mike. Yeah, Mike," Jeremy played along.

"Oh yeah? Mike what?"

"Just Mike, I don't know his last name. I was just borrowing the car. Call him yourself! I don't have his number, but yeah, if we did, he'd tell you he gave it to me."

"…Lad, it sounds like you used this excuse before," Foxy said slyly. Though instead of concerned, he sounded rather intrigued. He reached around the other side of the back of his seat to gently ruffle his already fluffed up bedhead. "And it looks like ya just tumbled out of bed."

"Okay, I might be guilty of that, but I'm pleading the fifth on the other. And no, you can't search my vehicle. I want your badge number," Jeremy said. He started up the car again and looked back, shooting Foxy a smile before beginning to back up the car enough to pull away, having parked just behind Natalie. "Sooo, how'd it go?"

"How do ya think?" Foxy answered vaguely. He answered a little more concretely by fishing out the photos and handing them over. Jeremy stopped the car to look at them and almost did a doubletake, taking them in hand and adjusting his glasses to get a better look. A smile broke across his face which caused Foxy to heat with budding embarrassment. He started to sink into the backseat.

"So that's Freddy! He looks a lot more friendly in person than the statues would have you believe," Jeremy said. He noticed Foxy sliding down and slid up to see him. "Looks like you had a good night."

Foxy gave a low groan.

"Sounds like you had a great night," Jeremy teased.

"I went in there to get information. I got a bunch of weird anecdotes and spent the whole night screwing around," Foxy lamented. To punctuate this, he pulled something out of his pouch and dropped it into Jeremy's hand. "Here's a candy bar."

"Hey, thanks. I could use… Lemon Chica Bar? That doesn't sound half bad," Jeremy murmured. He started to peel it open. "But I thought part of it was to check on Freddy too, and to see how the place is turning out. There's nothing wrong with having fun while doing that."

"He's a competitor. I can't forget that," Foxy said. He forced a stony tone as he looked out at the building with a tight glint in his eye.

Jeremy recognized it as him being dramatic and went ahead to point out the second photo in the list. "This one's my favorite."

Foxy perked back up. "Yeah, that was my idea. Bloody bear fired a laser directly into me eye! Lemme explain: so me and Freddy go over to check out the laser tag. We get in this place and it's a maze lit up in neon. I was half-blinded the second I walked in!" This quickly spiraled into one of Foxy's long somewhat exaggerated retellings, and Jeremy ate it up as quickly as he did that vaguely lemon tasting bar.

Foxy didn't look back at Freddy's. He hated Freddy's. He hated Fazbear Entertainment and he hated that this accursed place was opening. He hated that tomorrow he would have to begin fighting for his livelihood. He hated all of it.

Except Freddy. Freddy was okay.

Chapter Text

After much debate, Marionette decided to go ahead and wear the red velvet bowtie. It just felt like the kind of day that he wanted to look good on, to make a statement on, to make a little more special. He put it on in the Prize Corner while he was getting prepared for the day and headed out shortly after to show it off.

Mike took notice right away. The way his eyes trailed down and back up and a smile slipped across his face seemed to suggest that he liked what he saw too, only further boosting the puppet's confidence and coaxing a low trill to begin stirring.

"What do you think?" he asked. The vibrations could be heard on his voice.

"Cute," Mike replied coyly.

"Just cute?" Marionette returned.

"Devilishly handsome," Mike corrected.

The puppet chimed in delight because he knew that he meant it even with the playful coaxing. He adjust the tie even though it was already straight. "Good! I just felt like trying something different today."

"It's already paying off. I can't keep my eyes off you… but what else is new?" Mike murmured. He leaned in and kept his voice just low enough that Jeremy wouldn't be able to hear from the table he was getting ready for an early party. While his shameless flirting was a dead giveaway for how hard he was trying to ignore what today was, Marionette played into it just as eagerly. "Seriously, you look great."

"Thank you! Though you might be a bit biased," the puppet returned, voice quieting towards the end and eyes narrowing slyly. He then looked over towards Jeremy setting up the table and then to Foxy's stage. The curtains were cracked enough that he could see nobody was inside. "Is Foxy still in the office?"

"Mmhmm," Mike agreed. He was still looking over the striped one with a thoughtful look. "Almost off topic, but what would you think about getting a costume for you?"

"You mean a pirate costume like Foxy's? Or I suppose like the one from the cartoon?" Marionette asked. He looked a little intrigued.

"It doesn't have to be either of those. You could do whatever you wanted, just something so you're not running around like a streaker." This was abrupt enough to get a laugh out of Marionette. Mike smirked a little bit. "Okay, okay, jokes aside, I think it's a good idea. You could even design it yourself and then we'll just get Costume Guy to do it," he suggested. "How about a matching jacket?"

"I always look good in a jacket," Marionette boasted.

"True but imagine one that actually fits," Mike countered. Another chime and he smiled wider, feeling the edge of tension letting off.

"It is a tempting idea…" the puppet considered; one arm crossed while his chin rested on the back of the other hand. After a moment of thought he waved it off with that same hand. "It would be complicated. My measurements are weird."

"He suited Foxy," Mike reminded.

"Foxy's different. He's closer to a normal animatronic."

"He suited Ennard," Mike reminded.

"…Okay, so we can establish that he IS flexible," Marionette caved. His face started to betray his actual feelings before his words did. "But I don't want to take the money that you should be using on tuition."

"Don't start worrying about money. We're got more than enough to manage and half of it's yours, and we even get a little more every week. No big deal," Mike assured. He knew Marionette was worried about the business after today. Mike was an owner, Mike had to worry about the business, but he didn't want to yet. He just wanted to ride as long as he could. "I consider it a business investment. We could probably write it off as a tax deduction."

Marionette smiled and thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure that's how it works… but let's say we did decide to go ahead with it. I suppose a jacket would fit better with Foxy's, even if it's not pirate themed. Maybe something with longer coattails or even brass buttons- what looks like brass buttons that is. Or maybe even a tuxedo! Not the whole thing but the jacket- could you imagine me trying to wear pants?... Hmm, perhaps it wouldn't be that difficult."

Mike listened to Marionette with only an occasional interjection here or there. It was always a treat to hear him get on a role about something. This was the first time it was about clothes. That piqued Mike's interest; how long had he been holding back on costume ideas for himself? Everything got sidelined after the news about Freddy's, so it could've been a while. Now all he had to do was condense those ideas into something that could be stitched together.

"But enough of that!" the puppet finally interrupted himself. "We're opening in- goodness, that soon? We're opening soon and still no captain! Let's go see if Foxy's ready," he suggested. Mike agreed and led back towards the office.

He opened the office door and looked in, finding Foxy laying on the couch. The fact that he didn't wake up the second the door opened signaling he was in a deeper sleep than expected.

Mike turned back to Marionette and mouthed, "He's out."

The puppet was only a little concerned and slipped by so he could peek around the door for himself. Foxy was lying on his side facing the back of the couch with his blanket bunched up in his arms and his face pressed into it, probably to block out the light from the desk lamp. It wasn't immediately apparent whether he kept the light on because of it being business hours or just because he didn't plan on napping long.

Marionette caught one look at him and decided not to wake him, smiling to himself as he turned off the light and slipped back out. Foxy didn't stir. Mike was still waiting out in the hall as he quietly shut the door behind him.

"I can take over the first party. He'll be up by noon," Marionette said.

Mike got a small smile somewhere between knowing and amusement and threw an arm around the puppet as they headed out. "You've got this, and I've got your back if you don't," he said once he was certain they were out of earshot.

Marionette was sure that he did, but the physical assurance went a long way, because today was going to be a long day.

It was the first day Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex was opening alongside them.

Natalie awoke to a pleasantly dim bedroom and briefly mused that blackout curtains were the best thing they ever invested in. She couldn't tell what time it was, but from the fact that she felt relatively rested she assumed that it was either late morning or early afternoon. A quick check of the clock confirmed that she had gotten in about seven hours of sleep, and it was some of the best sleep she had gotten in ages.

She could still smell lavender from the oil Fritz used when he rubbed her back last night. She vaguely remembered nodding off a few times during it, but it had worked wonders it taking the tightness out of her back. Alas, as much as she wanted to continue lying in bed with that soft memory, she knew she had to get up.

She pulled on a shirt and ran a brush through her hair before heading out of the bedroom, feeling dried rose petals under her feet from last night. She expected them to still be there, doubting that Fritz was going to come in and vacuum when she was still asleep. What she didn't expect was to come out and find the coffee machine on.

She furrowed her brows, especially once she noticed voices coming from downstairs. She walked to the top of the stairs and listened and, sure enough, she could hear Fritz downstairs talking to Chance. She couldn't make out too much of the conversation, but it sounded like a casual one. Either he stayed out of work today, a shocking turn of events, or he just stopped in to check on everything during lunch.

She decided to leave them be and make something for breakfast-lunch. Fritz must've heard her walking around because he came upstairs shortly after, catching her midway through frying an egg.

"Morning!" he greeted, coming up beside her to steal a kiss.

"Morning was about six hours ago," she retorted, doing a rather close impression of Chance's tone. He chuckled at it. "I appreciate you stopping by to make sure I dragged myself out of bed."

"Actually, I 'stopped by' the Pizzeria this morning to open and came back. I'm taking the day off," Fritz said. She looked startled. "What, I can't take a day off?"

"I honestly didn't think you could," Natalie said in mock shock. She smiled knowingly as she gently turned the egg over, eyes darting between it and him. "Oooh, I know it must be killing you to not be working yourself to the bone right now."

"The withdrawals haven't kicked in yet. Once they do, I'll just break open our least favorite appliance and tinker around."

"The blender. Everything I make in it has a slightly metal taste," she suggested.

Fritz stared thoughtfully for a second. "…That probably should be looked at."

"Fritz!" Natalie scolded.

"Someday! Not today. Today my schedule is wiped totally clean. It's just you, me, and maybe Chance if he's not too tired of me," he reassured. Natalie gave him a suspicious look, but his somewhat cheesy grin wore it down into a smile.

"Okay, I'll let you off the hook… But I'm watching you, mister!" she threatened. Then returned to putting together an egg sandwich, looking forward to the day more than she was expecting to.

It was a good day too. Unlike they had joked, Fritz was totally capable of separating himself from work. Considering the tenseness surrounding today that was probably a good thing. They spent the day just existing in their house and with each other without any hassle.

That was until a little before seven.

The two of them were watching a game show with Chance, actively competing against the competitors on the screen, when Natalie's cellphone began to ring. There was a moment of silence. Fritz looked to Natalie, she closed her eyes with exhaustion and begrudging before standing from the couch and making a run for the stairs. They both knew who it was. Chance knew too, watching her go but not commenting.

Well, not commenting beyond a toss at the screen, "Oh, come on. It was Jamaica! They made a movie about it!"

Natalie managed to get to her phone before it stopped ringing. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing, but it was definitely a sign that whoever it was would probably be calling again if she hadn't. She answered with, "Hello?"

"Hello! Is this Ms. Smith?"

She grimaced at the question but covered it in her voice. "Yes, who is this?"

"Hi, I'm Misty. Marketing associate at Fazbear Entertainment, currently running the check-in counter at the Pizzaplex," the woman introduced. She sounded exhausted. "We're starting our first show at eight and we're swamped. Mr. Wight asked me to call and see if you could come in early to monitor the situation? I know you're technically on the night shift, but he's- we're afraid- I'm afraid that things might get out of hand once the show starts."

Natalie was gritting her teeth. She didn't hold any ill will towards the woman- she sounded at the end of her rope- but she didn't really want to head in there early. She could just hear the loudness in the background of the call and knew there was going to be a lot of people. Which wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't somewhere between 'responsible to keep a rowdy crowd in line' and 'significant other to an owner of the rival establishment'.

She hissed through her teeth before asking, "Do I have to stay all the way through to my shift?"

"Mr. Wight didn't say, but I don't think so. The show should wrap up long before then, so I don't think he'd argue with you leaving and coming back. If it's worth the gas," Misty offered.

"Believe me, it is," Natalie agreed defeated. "I need a few minutes to get ready."

"Thank you so much! You're doing us all a huge favor."

"No problem." It definitely felt like a problem though. She hung up with a sigh and looked back towards the stairs, hearing Fritz coming up with her. She gave him an apologetic look. "They want me to come in early to keep an eye on things."

"Things getting hectic over there?" Fritz asked. He was disappointed, maybe a little worried.

"It sounds like it. They want me to come in and monitor a show at eight, but she said I might not have to stay until my shift," Natalie muttered. Fritz gave her a sympathetic pat on the back, and she groaned before heading to go get dressed.

The phone call was not enough to brace her for what was coming when she arrived at the Pizzaplex.

The place was beyond packed. If not for the small parking section devoted to employees- with signs up threatening a fine if anyone else parked there- she would've had to park at the edge of the lot. Though even the employee section was overfilled, probably because they had to call in so many workers to handle the workload.

The front lobby didn't seem too busy. There were a few people up in the Faz-Pad and in the locker room and gift shop, but it was nothing crazy. She met Misty at the locker room counter, who thanked her profusely for coming, and went to clock herself in on the lost and found computer. Then she started to drag herself in the direction of the atrium, knowing from Misty's behavior alone that it was going to be a lot more hectic.

She was climbing the stairs towards the elevators when she glanced over through the gift shop window and noticed a familiar face inside. It was Ness, sitting at the counter and nibbling at a box of fries.

It was still a little while before the show was supposed to begin and Natalie wasn't jumping through hoops to get out there early, so she decided to stop in and visit. There were only a few people in the giftshop, a family and a couple of preteens, but none of them were at the counter so Ness wasn't busy. The brunette noticed her only once she was a few feet away and brightened up.

"Hey there, Nat-ah… Uh, Van… nessa?" Ness gave an embarrassed and apologetic smile. "How's it going? You got roped into some overtime?"

"Something like that," Natalie sighed, not hiding her disappointment in the slightest. "What about you?"

"When Mr. Wight makes the call to arms… I'm always standing nearby," Ness admitted with a tight smile. "I could always use the money, but I really don't want to be here," she whispered out the end.

"Tough day?" Natalie asked. She leaned in on the counter just in case the other woman wanted to keep it quiet. Ness' mouth pulled briefly into an even more tense, rather fed-up smile.

"You have no idea. That elevator out there? The one right out there? Leads up to the Prize Counter. It's down, and I've had people coming in here all day asking, "is this all?" And so I say, "No, this is just a gift shop. The prize counter's upstairs. You've got to go through the elevators, up the escalators to the third floor, and right into the door under the big 'Prizes' sign". And they leave, and half of the time they come back because they don't understand why they need tickets and tokens, and I tell them it's a prize exchange, but if they want to buy stuff there's five other gift shops across the Pizzaplex. There's one in Monty's Gator Golf, Roxanne's Raceway, Fazer Blast, there's even one in the daycare-."

Ness finally stopped herself and after a short moment quietly added, "This has happened like ten times now."

"Oh, I can tell," Natalie agreed. She gave her a sympathetic smile. "But nobody's giving you that hard of a time?"

"No… but some got close. It's no big deal," the brunette murmured. She popped another fry and offered the box to Natalie, who took one.

"Yeah, well, I'm here now. Anyone starts giving you a hard time, you tell me and I'll throw them out," she said with playful firmness. That tone that would suggest that while she was playing around, she wasn't exactly joking.

"Then don't go too far. I'd love to leave early, and they've been here a long time," Ness lightly joked. She pointed towards the family who were currently going through some toys off to the side.

"I'd love to, but I've got to go out and make sure nobody storm's the stage," Natalie joked. Ness gave a sympathetic little noise. "You know I don't think anyone would mind if you slipped out to see the show."

"I don't know… You know how I feel about the band. I'm not really that in-."

"The show is about to begin. Please head to the main stage in an orderly fashion." The automated voice over the intercom cut her off midsentence. She decided it wasn't important to finish it.

"Guess that's my cue to go," Natalie murmured. Ness gave her an apologetic smile. "I meant what I said earlier. Anybody gives you trouble, and you come and get me, okay?"

"I will. You take care. It's… I've just got a little hunch that it's going to get a little crazy once the music begins," the brunette tentatively warned. She waved after the blond with a tiny smile. "Good luck!"

Natalie left and headed to the elevators to head into the atrium, though it wasn't long before she was wondering if she could've stalled longer at the giftshop. It wasn't like she was going to be able to break up a crowd if they got rowdy.

Nothing made that clearer than when the doors opened, and she was hit by the sheer volume of everything. Natalie had grown up in a house with a lot of kids, so she had a tolerance for noise that others might not have. Yet the atrium was still impressively loud, even before the show had begun. She steadied herself and walked over to the railing to look down at the crowd that had gathered in front of the stage.

There were so many people here. It reminded her a lot more of a crowd in an amusement park than one in a pizzeria, which was fitting considering this place was more like an indoor amusement park. No wonder they need so much staff.

She was almost startled by an automated voice from behind her- "Hi! Please take this map." -accompanied by a short gasp from the victim in question. She smirked a little; at least the Map Bot was up to his old tricks- and must've recognized her since it didn't run up on her. She glanced back over her shoulder, then shot upright in surprise.

"Hold up! What are you doing here?!"

There, with a map shoved in his chest and the guiltiest smile he could muster, was Fritz. He took the map, which triggered Map Bot to slowly turn and roll off with a simple, "Thank you."

Natalie gave him the look and he cut in with a quick, "I can explain." He wandered over to stand beside her, probably trying to pull together a reasonable excuse before he got there. "I thought about it, and it seemed like a good idea to come spy on the competition. Keeps my hands out of the blender."

"You know if someone sees us together, they're going to know something's up," Natalie remarked.

"Hey, as far as they know, Wight let me in for free to see the opening show and I'm just talking to the first pretty girl I saw walking out of the elevator," he said, then winked. Natalie slightly snickered but recovered quickly, shaking her head.

"Yeah well, I don't know you. So, if you start acting up, I will bum-rush you out of here. I know your soft spots and I'm not afraid to use them," she almost flirted. Just barely, though she didn't dare express the action with any body language in case anyone was paying attention. She leaned on the railing, and he joined her at a comfortable distance as they looked down at the crowd.

He inhaled through his teeth and exhaled slowly through his lips at the sight of it all. It was just as busy as he was expecting. It made him want to call and check on Foxy's.

"Did Wight really let you in for free?" Natalie asked.

"That he did," Fritz said. "And all it took was one phone call."

"…Do we owe him our firstborn or something? Because it normally costs an arm and leg to get in here," she asked with a slight smile.

"No, just my soul," he answered. A partial joke until he added on, "Had to make it sound like I was really interested, and he took the bait."

Before she could ask what exactly he said, and how he might've schmoozed Wight into coughing up a free pass, the lights suddenly dimmed across the atrium. There was an excited murmur from the crowd, especially from some loud children, which was even more audible once the background music was abruptly cut off.

"Looks like the show's about to begin," Natalie remarked.

Fritz nodded as he looked out at the stage. Then popped his lips and discreetly asked, "Think if I run really fast that I might make it out of here in time?"

As though on cue, music boomed across the massive room, echoing from the stage and channeling through mounted speakers. Fritz and Natalie looked over at the stage the moment smoke began to gush out of slots in the stage and a circle of lights illuminated atop of it.

"Oh no. You're stuck," Natalie answered.

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls," a voice that sounded suspiciously like the HandUnit's automated one announced. "Fazbear Entertainment would like you to put your hands together for the one, the only, Freddy Fazbear!"

The music hit a crescendo and the audience in front of the stage began to clap and cheer with an excitement that Fritz wasn't expecting and found himself sinking down at it. Natalie either shared the sentiment or noticed him react as she laid a hand on his. He turned his hand to take hers as they leaned on the railing and watched the show begin.

Screens on either side of the stage alit with footage of the band coming to the stage. Framed in smoke and travelling down a hall lit by neon and dramatic lighting, each bandmember got a pose, a flash of their face, a moment to silently introduce themselves before they would come out to perform. A prerecorded introduction to the newest members of the Fazbear family, to tonight's main event.

But things were much less dramatic inside the lift. Freddy could hear the music amping up and the cheering following it from far above. He tightened his hand on the microphone stand and stole a quick look at his bandmates. Chica was stretching her neck and arms, Roxanne fluffing her hair one last time, and Monty staring down at his bass as he adjusted his grip on it. They all had to be as nervous as he was, but they didn't show it.

Freddy owed them the same. He gave a nod of finality and looked up as the lift finally began to ascend, bracing himself for the big moment.

The lift arrived at the stage and the band members literally burst onto the scene. Freddy leaping off of the lift and onto the stage proper and coming face to face with a crowd of cheering patrons. He couldn't explain the feeling that spread through him upon the sight of so many eager faces watching and goading him on. It was exhilarating, and he eagerly lifted the microphone to his mouth.

"Welcome to the Piz-za-plex! Where the par-ty nev-er eeends!~" Freddy sung. He gave a quick spin on the stage. "Rock out, cause you're going far. Blast off!~" He gave a forward fist pump, pausing for emphasis. "And you'll be a superstar!~"

Chica, Monty, and Roxanne spread out across the stage while Freddy backed into the center stage once more.

"My name is Freddy; you'll hear me belting as I-.~" He pointed a finger towards the ceiling and bowed his head down into his tilted microphone stand. "-Reach for the stars.~"

Chica was swaying her head to the beat as her fingers strummed the strings feverishly, her foot tapping in thumps to the beat. Freddy sidled up beside her.

"This here's Chica, she's a master when she shreds the guitar,~" he sung before leaning out the mic to her.

She promptly broke into a squealing guitar solo, leaning into the mic before breaking it off with a peace sign to the audience.

Freddy then rushed to the opposite side of the stage, right up to Monty. He leaned in back-to-back with the gator.

"Then there's Monty, watch him tear up the bass.~"

Monty pulled down his sunglasses with a claw to wink at the crowd. Freddy smiled and nodded towards the front of the stage.

"And then there's Roxanne, she's leading the race.~"

Roxanne hiked her leg up on an amp and tossed her hair back. This got an exceptionally excited buzz from the crowd directly underneath her.

"We're all together, 'cause it's now or never!~" Freddy rushed the edge of the stage and slid in on his knees, fully committing to the moment and the music pumping through his body. He felt alive. "We're gonna rock this pizza place!~"

As the music hit for the chorus, the platforms built into the stage began to raise up and lifted Monty and Roxanne- who hustled over to get on one before it could. They didn't miss a beat and seamlessly played into the next chorus.

"Freddy's Piz-za-plex! Jam out with your new best friends! Time for a brand-new start, so shoot for the moon and sing from you heart!~"

In a brief respite between the chorus and the bridge Freddy looked out across the sea of faces. So many smiles, so many wide eyes staring in awe at him and his bandmates, who were also playing their hearts out. The pulse of the music, the brilliant flair of the neon lights at his back; it was magical. He couldn't understand how he could've been worried about this; it was so amazing.

The show had only just begun and yet he couldn't wait for the next one, for the next song, for more of this. He straightened up and prepared for the coming verse, taking it all in and living in the moment.

And that was when he saw him.

There was a child standing outside of the entryway into Kids Cove, alone. In fact, the only reason Freddy spotted him across the packed auditorium was that he was standing alone. There were no adults or kids nearby, he didn't come any closer to the stage either. He wasn't cheering and at this distance Freddy couldn't even tell if he was smiling. He was just silently watching the show, arms at his sides, completely alone.

A lone little boy standing where Foxy had only a few weeks beforehand. It almost felt like fate that Freddy saw him and for some reason his eyes were transfixed. He couldn't understand why he was standing over the alone without his parents.

He realized that he just passed his cue to start singing and tried to snap back into the performance, but his body wouldn't respond. He was frozen to the spot and when he tried to fight it his body shuddered and twitched. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the unattended child standing on the far side of the room.

A warning popped up on his vision along with a halo of red, alerting him of a threat, detecting something before distorting. Sapping the color from his vision as he read the words dancing in front of his eyes. The microphone stand slipped from his hand as his fingers went numb. He thought he was still holding the mic itself in the other hand, but he couldn't tell, and he couldn't move his eyes to look.

His body was twitching but it didn't feel right, his head suddenly feeling very light and wobbly. It was as though he was beyond the reach of his body, watching the twisting shapes and colors between his eyes and in the back of his head.

Behind all of it he could hear the music distorting and twisting. No longer able to hear his band beyond a shrill tone in his ears, then a muffled voice in the back of them. A dull whisper slurred and incomprehensible that slowly grew louder.

"...R….R…R…"

"…REVER..AN….ER….VER…"

".. ..AN...EVER…AN..VER…"

"FOREVER..AND…EVER…AND…EVER…"

The tune repeated in the back of his head as his circuits overloaded with the vital warnings he couldn't process. The concert disappearing behind the haze and that song drowning it all out as the world swung.

"AND EVER. FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER AND EVER."

Freddy hit the ground with one heavy thump. Seeing his microphone rolling out of his hand, seeing Chica running towards him, and seeing the numerous warnings stack up before-

"LET'S GO!"

Everything was gone.

…

The best way to describe the immediate aftermath of Freddy's collapse on stage was mass confusion.

The band on stage reacted instantly. Chica ran to and was crouched down beside Freddy in a second. Roxanne yelled something to Monty- which could barely be heard from the booming background music- before running over to stand by his other side. Monty took the cue and sort of did a kicking little shuffle in front of Freddy, perhaps to block him from the audience, and then began a bass solo with no end.

There was a collective gasp from the audience that soon turned into confused murmurs and the loud questions of children with no volume control. All of them asking how and why their animatronic entertainment had stopped.

Natalie and Fritz just stared with mouths agape. It wasn't even the fact that Freddy collapsed on stage, but the fact that Freddy Fazbear collapsed on stage during Fazbear Entertainment's grand opening of their mega entertainment venue.

"Wow," Natalie finally said.

"Wight is going to freak," Fritz said.

"Oh yeah."

She caught sight of a couple of familiar figures running out from backstage, Chaz and Stanley, with three more people dressed in various uniforms. Two of them didn't even look like technicians and yet it was all men on deck to get up onto the stage and over to Freddy. Over the intercom the Handunit voice attempted to placate the onlookers.

"We are experiencing some technical difficulties. Just sit tight- the show will begin momentarily."

"It doesn't look like they're getting him up," Fritz mumbled to Natalie as he watched one of the technicians- Chaz- try to rouse Freddy. When he couldn't, he pressed a button to open his chest and stuck a cord somewhere inside, one that was connected to what looked like a sleeker, grey Handunit that the other technician- the one Natalie didn't recognize- was holding. "See, this is the sort of thing I was expecting to happen the day we opened Foxy's."

But even with them managing to start a conversation, they were both in a state of shock at what they were seeing. It didn't look like things were getting better either once Monty was called out of his solo to start hoisting Freddy off the floor, them either not having a dolly on hand or just thinking it would look more authentic than wheeling him off the stage. If they were taking him off stage and not just rolling him around.

It was rather unfortunately that Natalie had gotten as close to Freddy as she had, because now worry was starting to twist up her insides. Chaz and Stanley were alright guys, but their- and Fazbear Entertainment's- track records weren't great.

Fritz must've had the same idea as he out of nowhere asked, "Should I do something?"

"Run while you still can?" she dryly asked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for visiting and we hope you enjoyed the show! Freddy and the gang are pretty tired, so we will be closing early tonight to let them rest. Please make your way to the front of the building where you will be given novelty glasses, a voucher for one free soda refill, and where you will sign a legal disclaimer releasing us of all liability for anything that might have happened during your visit. Have an awesome night, and we'll see you again soon."

"I was joking!" Natalie choked.

"That was the punchline," Fritz tried to joke, the whole thing feeling exceptionally tense. They looked down to see some, though not many people starting to come back in their direction. "Maybe I should get out of here?"

"Right. I guess I'm going to have to hang out and make sure everyone leaves… So much for coming back home," Natalie sighed. Fritz suddenly leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. "Whoa!" she scolded.

"Sorry, I tripped," he said with yet another cheesy grin, patted her shoulders, and then turned and jogged to the elevators. She sighed but waved after him with a slight smile, his apologetic, as the doors shut.

At least he chose the one time nobody would be looking in their direction. She could let him off the hook for that, especially when it was looking like she had a long night still ahead.

Fritz made it into the lobby and speedily made his way down the stairs. He didn't want to look suspicious, but he did want to get out of here before someone assumed the worst. Though his speed quickly increased when he heard Wight's voice from somewhere. He was just through the turnstiles when a voice called after him.

"Sam! Sam, wait up!" Suddenly James seemed to swoop out of nowhere and speed walk after him. Fritz inwardly cringed and slowly turned back towards the older man. He looked to be whipped up into a panicked frenzy. "Did you see what happened out there?!"

"Well… Yes. You saw it?"

"No, I didn't! I was in the gift shop; I start ascending the stairs and I catch a televised screening of the show just in time to see Freddy down on stage!" James exclaimed. "This is the absolute worst thing that could've happened today. Freddy Fazbear collapsing in front of an auditorium FULL of people! And I can't count on those buffoons to get him back up. My God, I'm already down one entertainer because of them! How are we supposed to get a replacement in one night?!"

"Whoa, wait. Don't do that. You don't need to replace him," Fritz suddenly interjected. H he quickly readjusted his volume. "I know it's not my place to say, but considering you let me swing by for free I think I owe it to you. I've been in the animatronic game for a long time, and I've seen what happened on stage happen before. I think what happened to Freddy's was… like a power surge, from charging."

"A what?" James asked. He looked desperate and was listening very closely.

"That looked like a battery that got overloaded. Basically, you've got a low battery, you suddenly fill it up, and then you put it under pressure. It surges and the animatronic shuts down to save the systems from failing. So, technically there's nothing wrong with the battery or the animatronic, it's just a matter of charging," Fritz explained. He was lying, he had no idea what was wrong with Freddy. He was just trying to save him from the scrap heap.

"Then what should we do, replace the battery? We wouldn't have to replace the wiring, would we?"

"Nothing that complicated. I'd say to start by letting him charge up slowly and then make sure not to charge him right before performance. Especially if you're coming off an empty battery, so he doesn't rebound." Fritz decided to cover himself further with, "I'm surprised your guys never mentioned anything like this."

"You can't count on them. They couldn't even get the Staff Bots finished on time," James said bitterly. He shook his head, then offered his hand to Fritz. "Thank you, thank you. I'll have them take a look. Now if you'll excuse me."

James' sudden departure from the conversation was a little surprising until he rushed up to a family who was on the way out and started talking to the father on a first name basis and sounded to be schmoozing his heart out. Maybe someone important, maybe just a business acquaintance, it didn't matter. Fritz took whatever opening he could get and slipped out the front door.

Natalie watched the atrium empty out slowly. At one point she had to call down to a group still lingering in front of the stage to get them moving, but now they all made their way outside of the elevators, where they were then stuck in a bulky crowd waiting to load in. Those elevators were likely used to funnel people in slowly, but the result of such a decision now had her standing down on the walkway over Kids Cove as they slowly filed into the elevators and out.

This whole thing was a mess, whether it be the sheer amount of customers decked out in Freddy merchandise or the fact that the place had a hiccup and was forced to shut down instead of rolling with the punches. Though she wondered if it would effect business at all when they already pulled in this many people, regardless of Freddy's past transgressions. Maybe they didn't know, or maybe they just didn't care.

It was while lost in this train of thought and watching the crowd slowly file out that Natalie caught movement out of the edge of her vision. She looked down to see a kid grabbing stuff off a table down on the floor beneath her. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal as there were still a few stragglers making their way back from Fazer Blast and Monty Golf, it was the fact that he was unaccompanied and swiping chip bags that caught her interest.

"Hey, kid," she called down. The boy looked back and up at her. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for my parents," he said. He seemed a little dodgy, but that could be because his arms were half-filled with other people's leftovers. Not that Natalie would rat him out for it, instead pointing a thumb to the second floor.

"You're going to have to wait up here, bud. If you want, you can come hang out in the security office with me. I'm sure there's snacks stashed in there," she offered.

The change in demeanor was instantaneous. Up until this point the scruffy boy seemed largely unphased and direct with his answers, but the second she suggested he go with her he got an edge of nervousness on his previously stoic face.

"Can't I just wait here? They'll be back," he said. His voice had an edge of frustration.

"Sorry, but we're trying to get this place cleared out…" She trailed off as she noticed him beginning to look around. Not quite like he was looking for someone, but something- a quick escape route. "Don't you dare," she said before thinking. Not in a scolding way, but in a 'I know what you're about to do, so don't do it' way.

This turned out to be a mistake because he immediately decided to take that dare and suddenly bolted off towards Monty Golf, dropping the bags in the process.

"No, wait! You're not in trouble! Geez…" Natalie dropped her head with a sigh before dragging herself after him.

She didn't run after him, not willing to stir up an unnecessary scene, but did follow briskly down the escalator and in the general direction he had gone. Only risking to speed up once she was sure nobody was watching. It sounded to her like he had went into the hall leading to Rockstar Row, so she followed in that direction, keeping a careful eye out.

All of the patrons had already been sent out of Rockstar Row and on first glance the place looked empty, save for Chica's green room. Natalie stole a glance inside as she passed. Monty was sitting on the couch with his arms stretched out on the back while Chica and Roxanne stood beside the vanity, the wolf's back to her, Chica's head down and arms slouched like she was upset.

While Natalie looked away before they could notice her looking, she didn't get by unnoticed. Chica spotted her past Roxanne and made a run for the door. Natalie's only warning were a few thumping footsteps and she turned around just in time to have Chica leaning way too close into her personal space. So close that she could smell the combined scent of vanilla and pizza coming off of her.

"Hi, Officer Vanessa!" Chica greeted with a rather phony sounding cheerfulness. "Are you here to bring Freddy back up to his room?"

"No, I'm looking for someone right now," she said. "Where did they take Freddy?"

"Parts and Services, but they were getting all worked up about it- and we're really worried!" the chicken lamented. Now she was starting to sound a little more honestly upset. "Freddy's never gone down like that," she fussed.

"Freddy's never gone down period," Roxanne spoke up. Natalie hadn't even noticed her leaning in the doorway. "It wasn't his battery. He charged up before we headed out."

"Something else must've happened, but I'm sure they'll figure it out. They might be dragging their feet on the Staff Bots, but they can't with Freddy. He's the star of the show," the blond assured Chica, who gave a small nod.

"One of them," Roxanne said briskly.

Natalie realized that she might've offended her and was about to amend her statement but was beat to it before she could.

"Wait, you said you were looking for someone?" Chica asked with a cock of her head. Natalie nodded and pointed back the way she came.

"Some kid ran back here. He's not in trouble, I just don't want him getting locked in here somewhere and stuck all night," she explained. "Would you guys tell me if you see him?"

"…Of course!" Maybe she imagined the delay in Chica's response, but she didn't miss that something strange happened with her expression. Her pupils seemed to shrink just a bit and her one overly expressive eyes seemed to freeze up. For a second she looked just as listless as the time Natalie caught her eating cardboard in the kitchen, but she seemed to snap out of it- head literally snapping out of its slight tilt- when Roxanne spoke.

"I'll keep an eye out. If there's a kid in here, I won't miss him," she said. Natalie took what she could get and smiled.

"Thanks. I'm going to keep looking, and I'll tell you if I hear anything about Freddy."

With that she continued on her way, feeling the eyes of the animatronics on her back. She wasn't sure why she got such a weird feeling talking to them in comparison to someone like Marionette, Foxy, or Charlie, but she pushed it aside for the moment. She had a job to do- and if she did it fast enough, she would almost have an hour off until her shift truly began.

She tried to ignore the feeling that this was about to be a very long night.

Chapter Text

There was a moment of black void before the words "SAFE MODE" suddenly appeared in the center of his vision. His mind was slow to piece together what that meant as he roused into a state of alertness. A familiar tone and sliding sound tipped him off to where he was and his eyes snapped open to reveal the inside of the recharge station behind his green room, the door sitting open.

"Showtime already?" Freddy asked. His voice sounded a little out of tune. Not only that but he couldn't remember how on earth he had gotten back into his recharge station. He had recharged earlier, hadn't he? Before the show?

Suddenly the previously missing memories of the show all raced back in so quickly that he could've gotten whiplash. He jerked as a very vivid image of that last memory, him collapsing onto the stage, suddenly resurfaced. He knew exactly what must've happened and now he knew why he was in here, leaning against the back wall of the recharge station, stuck on some sort of unknown "safe mode".

Maybe he could make it back to stage. It only felt like a little while ago, so maybe the show was still going. He could get back up on stage and finish off with his band, make up for his long absence.

Yet when Freddy pushed off the wall and stepped out of the station, he realized he was far from showtime ready. His legs were wobbly, his body heavy, his energy sapped; indeed, his battery was registering at half charge even though he had just gone through a charge cycle. Maybe that had something to do with the safe mode, but it made him feel terribly off.

"I am experiencing a malfunction… The recharge cycle cannot be complete," he said. He stepped back into the station and tried to see if the process would start again, but it refused- the typical response when he was at full battery.

There was no point staying in here then. He managed to straighten out enough to walk but he wasn't sure if he was going to make it back on stage.

It wasn't until he got out into the green room and heard the quietness outside that he realized it was later than he thought. His internal clock was off, and it took a few moments of checking before he could recalibrate it and guessed that it was probably around ten or eleven o'clock at night. Long past closing, much closer to evening lockdown than any type of showtime.

If he had a heart, he might've heard it drop into the bottom of his stomach and shatter into hundreds of pieces. The memories replayed in his head like he was watching them on a television set. The show had been going so well, everything had been so wonderful, and then something happened, and he collapsed. He had ruined the show, the first show the Pizzaplex had ever had, and on the first song.

Freddy sighed and walked over to his vanity. He rested his hands on it and leaned against it, looking at himself in the mirror.

"I suppose…" he began somberly, looking deeply into his reflection's own sad eyes. "That the show is over… and that I am the reason for that."

He had been so afraid that something was going to go wrong and then in the end it was him who set that into motion. It might've been less traumatic if he had fallen off stage. At least then he could've gotten back up and finished the show. Now he had embarrassed everyone, his friends, himself. He wasn't sure what caused it, but he couldn't help but feel solely responsible for it.

At least Foxy hadn't seen it, he lamented. He sighed and shuffled back, body still heavy and off balance, and dropped back onto his chair with his head falling in his hand.

"Augh! Watch it!"

Freddy's eyes popped open at the thump and voice and shot back up to his feet in an instant. He turned around to see what had happened, but there was nothing there. It was just his chair.

"Is- Is someone there?" he asked in confusion. It didn't look like it, but he definitely heard that voice come from around the chair itself. "I am afraid I cannot see you. Where are you?"

"I'm down in here!"

"Down where?" The voice almost sounded like it was echoing through him, but he still leaned down and peeked under the vanity. He froze up when he felt something slide inside of him.

"Stop! I'm in here!" Freddy was taken aback by a thump on the inside of his chest. "Now will you please shut up!? Somebody's going to hear you!"

Freddy brought a hand to his chest in surprise. Sure enough, if he clearly feel something moving around inside of him, and their additional weight. He just hadn't noticed it earlier because of how off he felt from the supposed safe mode. He had assumed that the weighted feeling went along with the soreness in his legs.

"M-M-My stomach hatch? How- How on earth did you get in there?!" he asked, border panic in his tone. The voice inside huffed a little.

"Okay listen, you were sleeping, and I had to hide, so I opened your hatch and climbed in. But then some guys put you in that… tube thing and then I couldn't get back out- and they could still be out there somewhere, so keep quiet!"

This was reasonable enough, but the idea of a person- a child by the sound of the voice- holed up inside of his chest was terrifying.

"But- It- It is not safe for you to be in there! That space is reserved for oversized birthday cakes and pinatas- there are no seatbelts OR adequate padding! I am sorry but you will have to come out." To punctuate this, Freddy spun to face his room and popped his hatch open. He leaned down enough for the person inside to climb down safely and waited patiently.

There was a pause before the weight shifted inside and the child dropped down to the floor before turning around to face him. He was a rather small child with scruffy brown hair and amber-brown eyes, wearing a striped, blue shirt, cargo shorts, and a pair of admittedly ratty off-white sneakers. Freddy sighed as he knelt down in front of him.

"There you are!" he said in relief. He reached out to take the boy by the shoulder. He flinched back.

"Hey, what are you-?"

He was answered by Freddy scanning him with his eyes. He tensed in the blue light before relaxing when he realized he couldn't feel it at all.

"Scanning complete… How odd. I cannot find your guest profile on record… Hmm…" Freddy's eyes narrowed as he focused on something.

"What?" the boy asked uneasily.

"You have a cut on your cheek. Do not worry, there are plenty of first aid stations across the Pizzaplex. It is an easy fix!" Freddy pulled his hand back from the boy's shoulder to rest on his knee. "What is your name?"

"I-I'm… Gregory," the boy said.

He couldn't help but be a little nervous. While he had been inside the animatronic, seeing it awake and moving around this closely was a whole different story. The bot towered over him in both height and sheer size, and while him kneeling helped it didn't exactly change the fact that he could just stand up.

"Gregory. That is a very nice name," Freddy complimented. Gregory tightened his lips a little, feeling like he was being talked down to. The bear didn't notice. "I will notify the main office. Sit tight."

He closed his eyes, as he didn't want to spook Gregory with seeing them flicker and tried to contact the main office. It was a peculiar process, almost feeling like 'thinking' very hard and following the same format as when one may call for security- though the signal was different. Which was good, as alerting an emergency situation was probably unnecessary. Especially after the scene he made earlier and with how shy Gregory seemed.

He was rewarded with an error tone. At first Freddy thought it had been him, as he hadn't needed to call the main office before except during testing, but it became clear quickly that he was doing the right thing, it just wasn't working.

"Huh, connection error. I cannot connect to the main office… Perhaps because the Pizzaplex is closed, or because I am in safe mode. I had a bit of trouble on stage."

"Yeah, I saw that," Gregory admitted. "You went down."

"Yes, I did," Freddy guiltily admitted. "…But that is alright! Even if I cannot reach the office, that does not mean there is no hope. I could perhaps flag down the security guard through the window when she does her rounds." Gregory's eyes widened significantly. "She would be-."

"No!" the boy cried. Freddy leaned back a bit in surprise at the outburst. "I'm hiding from her. You can't tell her I'm here!"

"But that's the security officer, Officer Vanessa. She would be the one who could help you. You are not in trouble; she is just the only one who I could think of who would still be here."

"That's what she said, but then she chased me back here," Gregory grumbled suspiciously. Freddy tilted his head, and the boy gave an exasperated little noise. "Can't you just help me yourself, please?"

"Well… I suppose I could escort you to the main lobby. There we can call your parents to come and get you." Yet just as he realized this, Freddy realized something else too, and straightened up. "But we would have to hurry. Nighttime procedures begin at midnight. The main doors will be sealed, and you will be stuck until morning."

"What?!"

"But we still have time! There is still plenty of time to escort you to the front doors and to make that call," Freddy reassured him. He then looked around, rubbing his chin with his claw. "But the first step is to get us out of this room."

"You can't just open the door?" Gregory asked incredulously.

"Unfortunately, no. I lack a photo pass. Which makes sense, as I cannot take pictures with myself," Freddy explained. The boy gave him that look again. "And if you said that there were people in here… they were likely the animatronic technicians, which means that they may still be down in Parts and Service. I would rather not face them right now… Wait! Here, come with me."

Freddy stood and hustled into the back room. He was still wobbly and limping a little, but he now had a drive that pushed him onward. He went around the corner at the back and looked up at a vent on the wall. The only reason he even remembered the vent was because he had once considered it as an escape route if Foxy ever got cornered. He had pulled it loose, which nobody had seemed to notice, and even stacked boxes up under it.

"This vent travels down the air duct behind the green room and comes out on the other side of Rockstar Row," Freddy explained. He turned around to face Gregory. "Do you think you could climb through to the other side?"

"Well, yeah…" Gregory seemed a little hesitant. "But what if it's blocked off or there's a big fan in it?"

"There should not be, but if there is please come back and we can find another way," Freddy offered. While Gregory seemed a little wary of this plan, he nodded and walked around the bear.

But as he started to climb the precarious boxes, Freddy was starting to feel wary himself. This was an unattended child who he was sending through a vent shaft alone. Such a breach of protocols, so dangerous. What if he got stuck? What if he got lost? These thoughts became so overpowering that he would've willingly crawled in the vent after him if he could've. He really was helplessly stuck in this room without even a phone or a radio.

Once again, Freddy's addled mind caught up with him. "Wait! Do not go just yet," he said. Gregory looked back with confusion but just caught sight of the back of Freddy as he ran off around the corner and back into his green room.

He opened the VIP compartment drawer on his vanity and plucked out one of the novelty watches inside. These were complimentary gifts he was supposed to hand out to children who were fortunate enough to have the "Superstar" VIP birthday package, but he supposed that he could lend out one to Gregory. They were just sitting in a drawer anyways.

He turned it on, pulling out the plastic tag that kept it from activating, and then went into the settings. Eventually he was able to find where he could input security frequencies and put in his own, FZ901, before returning to the back room.

Gregory was sitting at the top of the box pile and Freddy gestured for him to hold out his arm. The boy seemed unsure and, noticing the watch, held out his hand to take it. Freddy handed it over and Gregory fit it onto his left wrist.

"What's this for?" he mumbled.

"That is a Faz-watch! Fazbear Entertainment licensed watches- though to call them 'watches' is quite an understatement. They can keep the time, play games, there is a built-in ticket goal counter, and you can even communicate between them. If you have the right server frequency," Freddy explained.

Gregory was about to question why he needed this when Freddy raised a finger for him to pause and closed his eyes. A few seconds passed, then there was a chime from the watch. Opening his eyes again, and starting the edge of a smile, Freddy gestured for him to tap on the watch. Which he did with his face still scrunched up in confusion.

"Hello, Gregory! It is me, Freddy, sending you a specially encoded message! Now we can stay in touch even when we are not together."

"Whoa. That's kind of cool," Gregory admitted with surprise.

"It is very cool!" Freddy agreed. He rested his hands on his hips. "And it goes both ways. All you have to do is press that button. The one your finger is currently on."

Gregory pressed the button and gave a, "Got it." He looked up to Freddy, who got the message internally at the same time. He gave a nod of confirmation and then Gregory turned to start climbing into the vent. "Alright. I'm going in."

Though he now had the safety net of the watch, Freddy felt a pang of worry at letting him go. He could only watch helplessly as he crawled into the unknown vents.

The vents weren't great. The metal was cold, and his knees bumped on it as he crawled along. The air smelled kind of runny, like wet playground equipment. Like an old swing set that sat out in the rain for years until it rusted. At least there wasn't any rust that he could see of and risk scraping his skin on.

Eventually he reached a vent cover that led into another green room like Freddy's, though this one mostly purple in color. He continued further down, passing more covered vents and more rooms until he came to the end of the shaft. It too stopped with a dead end, a covered-up vent. He frowned and reached out to shove at it, to verify it was closed. He didn't expect the loose cover to pop right off and fall to the floor with a loud clatter.

Gregory lurched back into the vent and waited, and waited, and about five minutes passed and nobody came. He didn't hear anything at all in fact and he peeked out to get a look around. Rockstar Row was completely empty.

The vent was a little high off the ground, so Gregory tried to lower himself. His hands didn't hold his weight when he dropped though, and he fell to the floor but landed safely on his feet with only a slight stagger. He looked around, still seeing nobody coming, and started to creep towards Freddy's room while hiding behind the glass display cases.

Though he soon realized he didn't need to do this when he looked into Chica's room and then Roxanne's. The other animatronics were missing. Monty might've been in his, but his curtain was drawn closed. Maybe they were friendly like Freddy anyways, but they weren't here so it didn't really matter, and he hustled the rest of the way to outside Freddy's room. He found the bear waving at him through the curtains.

"Good job! Now all you have to do is use your photo pass to open the door," he encouraged.

"I don't-," Gregory started before stopping and pressing the button to record a message and have Freddy actually hear him. "I don't have a photo pass."

"Oh! I just assumed… but that is an easy fix! See the door right over there?" Freddy pointed to the security door further down the hall. "Just through there is a check-in desk. There should be photo passes just behind it."

Gregory was unsure about continuing on but decided to just go and get it over with. Which turned out to be a fine decision, as there was nobody in the next hall and he managed to find the passes stacked up in an unlocked cabinet behind the desk. He grabbed a handful of them and returned back to Rockstar Row. As he was walking around the line dividers outside of Freddy's room, he found himself momentarily hesitating.

He didn't trust Freddy. Not in the sense that he thought the bear was going to hurt him, but he had a suspicion he was going to turn him in to the security guard once they got up to the lobby. Freddy definitely struck him as the type to pull the whole 'for your own good' card and drop him into the arms of the nearest authorities. Gregory had met people like that before and wasn't particularly fond of them.

His problem was getting out of Freddy and out of his room, he could just walk away now and make his way to the lobby himself… Though it wasn't going to be easy. He didn't know what doors were going to suddenly be locked up like Freddy's was, and he didn't know what he was going to do if he got cornered. At least with Freddy he could make a run for it and maybe the bear would stall for a few seconds. He at least seemed nice enough to do that.

After a long moment of thinking about it- with Freddy being silent even though Gregory could hear him pacing around on the other side of the door- the boy made the decision to go ahead and accept the help. He could always ditch him if he turned out to be deadweight. He slipped the photo pass through the reader of the door, and it popped open with a clatter so quickly that it almost startled him.

Freddy was standing on the other side with a bright smile- or bright smile-ish eyes and his mouth partially open.

"Way to go, Superstar! I knew you could do it," he praised. He held out his hand for a high five.

Gregory stared at his hand for a long moment and once it became apparent he wasn't going to lower his hand, slowly reached forward and gave him one.

"Now then, we must hurry. The front doors will not be open for much longer," Freddy warned. As he was coming out of the room, he tried to put a hand on Gregory's opposite shoulder, but the boy noticed at the last moment and slipped out of his reach before he could. Freddy didn't protest, simply following behind the child to the security door.

Though then he hesitated as he noticed the set of staff only doors

"What are you waiting for?" Gregory asked impatiently. "Let's go!"

"I just had a thought…"

"First time?" the boy grumbled.

"If there are still technicians here- or even my friends if they see me out of my room after collapsing earlier- they will make me return to my room. Perhaps it would be safer to take the utility tunnels underneath the Pizzaplex. They will lead to the same place and will save us an elevator ride- and a walk past the Lost and Found. That is where Vanessa usually stays," Freddy offered.

That didn't sound like too bad of an idea actually. "Alright. But you know where you're going, right?"

"Of course! We are required to learn all of the possible exits in case of an emergency situation." Freddy started over to the doors with Gregory close behind, the security door automatically closing again as he walked away from it.

Freddy opened the double doors and Gregory immediately wrinkled his nose at the smell of dank and the weird gush of surprisingly warm and pungent air behind held back by the door. It smelled like the back of a truck stop, and it didn't help that it was nearly as dark as one too.

"You want to go… down there?" he asked.

"I know it is not as glamorous as the Pizzaplex… and there is somewhat of a smell, but I believe this is the safest and quickest option!" Freddy assured. He noticed Gregory's grimace. "I could carry you if you are… uncomfortable." He didn't want to offend Gregory by suggesting he was scared.

"In your stomach hatch?" the boy asked.

"…Sure! If that is what you prefer." Freddy would normally never suggest this after the near accident earlier, but he was aware of the many flights of stairs between them and the lobby and deemed them more dangerous than himself.

"Okay, but you better be careful not to trip or anything. I don't want to get crushed and twisted into a meat pretzel," Gregory said. He stepped forward expectantly and waited for the hatch to open. It didn't. "Are you going to open up?"

"I am starting to have second thoughts…"

Gregory started to reach up for him, so Freddy finally decided to go ahead and open his hatch. He leaned forward just enough that Gregory was able to climb inside. Soon the hatch was closed and clicked into place. It wasn't terribly comfortable, being filled with wires and metal bits- one of these being what left the cut on his cheek- but it wasn't that bad either. At least he felt a little more hidden, and the motion wasn't bothersome for him.

"And we are off! This is Captain Freddy: I have retrieved the cargo and am now returning to base. I will be travelling through deepest, darkest sector of space. Danger awaits around every corner!" Freddy playfully narrated. He stepped in and shut the doors behind him, then started down the first flight of steps. "Here we go! Down into a black hole. Will we be able to escape?"

"You don't have to treat me like a little kid," Gregory remarked, crossing his arms on his legs, and resting his chin on them.

"Oh! I was not trying to. My apologies." There was an awkward silence, punctuated by the thumps of the bear's footsteps.

"…Okay, whatever. You can keep going. It's weird when you're just quiet," Gregory muttered. A strange consideration since earlier he had just wanted Freddy to be quiet.

"Very well! We have just entered into a vortex," Freddy picked up right where he left off, smiling to himself. He continued to thump down the stairs. "Some minor turbulence, but we are making excellent progress! We are circling an asteroid-."

Right as Freddy came around the corner of a landing, he heard a creaking noise. He froze up on the spot and listened. A moment of silence passed, then he heard something. A slimy noise along with scraping, scuttling, and clattering as something ran off. Freddy cautiously made his way to the next ledge and peered down into the utility tunnel, but by now he couldn't hear or see what it had been. All he knew was it hadn't been a Staff Bot.

"What was that?" Gregory asked. Apparently, it was loud enough that he heard it too.

"I am not sure… On second thought, perhaps it would be best if we stayed quiet. Just as long as we are down here," Freddy murmured. Gregory could hear the unease rumbling through his chest before the footsteps resumed.

The utility tunnels weren't the friendliest place in the Pizzaplex. While unbelievably helpful for moving supplies, props, and more underneath the facility, it lacked any of its charm. It was dark, moist, a hollow shaft stretching out and around underneath the building. Freddy did not like coming down here alone and yet having a child with him somehow made him feel even more aware of his surroundings.

That being said, they were making excellent progress as they passed through another security door. It was pretty much a straight walk down to the lobby turn-off, so Freddy was sure they had more than enough time to make it.

That was what fueled his decision to make a pitstop. That and noticing sign signaling a first aid station was nearby. Accidents could happen very easily down here so he knew it would be stocked and ready.

Freddy opened his hatch and Gregory peeked out in confusion. "Where are we?"

"We are at a first aid station-."

"Freddy! I told you it was fine! It's just a little cut!"

"But a little cut could become a big problem if not properly cleaned and covered! It will only take a few minutes. Better to be safe than sorry," Freddy insisted. His tone had changed though. Now it was less 'I am worried' and more 'I am worried, and that's final'.

Gregory groaned out a, "Fine," and willingly climbed down.

Freddy pulled back the curtain into the first aid station. There were a couple of bottles of antiseptic inside, some folded towels, a couple of boxes with some supplies in them- Freddy hummed with slight disappointment. It wasn't nearly as stocked as he had hoped, he would have to report this to the appropriate sources. Gregory scrounged into one of the boxes and found a box of band-aids and a half empty tube of antibiotic.

He worked quickly, smearing the gel along the cut, and then slapping the band-aid over it. Freddy would've done it for him- Freddy intended to do it for him- but he had it taken care of before he could even offer.

Gregory turned to face him and, seeing the cut was 'mostly' covered, Freddy gave him a smile. "Great job! And thank you. I feel much better knowing that you are taken care of. Climb back inside and we can keep-."

"Is somebody down there?!"

They recognized the voice calling from somewhere surprisingly close and shared looks of alarm before Gregory yanked the curtain closed to hide. Freddy quickly closed his hatch as he heard the footsteps close in. They were coming from a set of stairs in the corner of the room, one restricted behind a chained gate.

"Freddy, is that you?" Natalie called. The light from her flashlight making it down the steps before she did and for a moment Freddy wondered why he hadn't hidden too. He couldn't now, instead standing his ground as the security guard came down to the gate, only to find it securely locked. "Are you kidding me right now?" she muttered to herself. She sighed before looking over at Freddy. "Freddy, what are you doing down here?"

"I, uh… Good evening, Officer Vanessa. I was just… It is the strangest thing, but I do not know! I just woke up here," Freddy said.

Natalie gave him a look very similar to one Gregory had given him earlier.

"…I was trying to find a way out of my room, and I thought perhaps I would stop by Parts and Service," he amended. A more reasonable excuse and not technically a lie as he would've probably headed there after saying goodbye to Gregory.

"Well, I'm glad to see you up and about, but you shouldn't be wandering around in the dark when you had that fall earlier. If you got lost down here, we'd never find you. It's like a maze," Natalie scolded. Her features softened a little to ask, "That aside, how are you feeling?"

"I feel… strange. My battery does not feel fully charged and I have been put into some kind of… Safe Mode… I have never needed to be put in this mode before." Freddy's face fell with returning guilt and embarrassment. "What happened after I went down on stage?"

"Not much. They decided to shut down and got everybody out of there pretty quickly," Natalie explained. She noticed the look settling on Freddy's face. "Don't beat yourself up about it. You couldn't control what happened. We're just lucky that it wasn't a lot more serious than it was. Just a little hiccup."

"A hiccup on stage. A hiccup that ruined the show for everyone," Freddy lamented.

"That's not your fault. There's a lot of things that went wrong today, your accident was… just the one that everyone saw. Besides, the show was good! Up until your fall you were rocking it."

"I know what you are saying is true, that I could not have controlled whatever malfunction I had, but I still feel awful about it," Freddy confessed.

"That's okay. Just try to feel awful because it happened, not because you think it's your fault. Easier said than done I know, but try to keep that in mind," Natalie encouraged. She sighed again, "But back to business. Have you seen a kid sneaking around anywhere?"

"A child?" Freddy asked. The nervousness returned with a vengeance, but he managed to hide it. "I have not."

"Well, if you do, notify me immediately. I've already told the others and they're looking for him too. He's not in trouble, but if we don't get him out of here in the next ten minutes or so, we're going to be babysitting him all night."

Gregory was listening from inside of the first aid station and felt a spike of fear at the mention.

"Hmm, I see. That is very concerning. I will look for him as well."

"No. I don't want you taxing your battery looking for him when I've got the rest of the band and a small army of Security Bots searching the place. You need to worry about you and head back upstairs."

"Back to my room?" Freddy asked cautiously. Natalie's face softened a second time.

"I'm not saying that. You can go wherever you want as long as it's not down here or anywhere else equally dangerous. Not when you're on reserved power."

"I will take the next stairwell I see out of the tunnels… Well, not the first one I see. That would be the one I am looking at behind you and I do not foresee myself strongarming that fence."

"Good. Glad it's not just me," Natalie said with a small smile. "Guess I'm heading back up this way. If you see that kid, don't chase after him. Just tell someone where he is."

"I will do that, and I will leave the tunnels shortly," Freddy agreed. She turned to start up the stairs and Gregory took a deep breath finally. "…Officer Vanessa, wait." Gregory sucked that air right back in, eyes wide and heart racing. He could hear Freddy walk over to the gate and turned his head to listen closer as the bear leaned against the fence.

"I heard strange noises in the tunnels earlier. I know they were not of a child or Staff Bot… Please be careful while you are down here. The Pizzaplex is safe, but these tunnels… They are not well guarded. I am not sure what could be down here," Freddy cryptically warned. Natalie's eyes widened at the statement.

"Oh… Yeah, I'll be careful. You too," she said, then made a speedy ascent up the stairs. Freddy watched even after she disappeared, listening for her sounds to fade away, and then turned around only when he heard Gregory coming out.

"I told you she's after me," Gregory said. He then looked at Freddy with a slightly suspicious look. The bear's eyes widened, and he fumbled.

"I said nothing! I will keep you safe… From a possible reprimand that is," he assured. He opened his hatch and leaned forward to let him in. Gregory, now sporting a bandage on his cheek, climbed back into his chest cavity.

"Can we go now?"

"Aye, aye, captain."

With that, he closed up his hatch and headed back out into the utility tunnel. There was another truth he told the security guard- he would be heading up the first flight of stairs he arrived at. He just wasn't turning around to do so.

Which was probably a good thing. He hadn't gotten much further down the hall when he heard something behind him. He thought they were footsteps and stopped to look back the first time, looked back while walking the second, and neither time spotted anything else in the tunnel. He wasn't afraid- not only was the Pizzaplex safe but he was an animatronic capable of defending himself against an armed intruder- beyond afraid of getting caught by an employee.

Finally, he made it to the stairs that led up to the lobby. Which was fortunate as there was a group of Staff Bots cleaning up something further down the tunnel and he didn't want to risk walking through whatever it was that spilled. He approached the stairwell before hesitating.

"Hmm…"

"What now?" Gregory asked with slight dread.

"I detect high levels of turbulence. You may have to hold on tight. This is going to be a bumpy one," Freddy said with gentle playfulness. The boy gave a little, incredulous snort, but he could detect the slightest amusement in it.

Then he began up the stairs, careful not to trip as he strode up the first two flights. They were very close to the lobby now and with only a few minutes to spare they could probably call Gregory's parents and get him outside before-.

The world swayed just like it had on stage. No music or colors, but a sudden weakness that caused Freddy to hesitate and lean forward on a knee midway up the next flight of steps. He had managed to catch himself, with his hand tight on the railing, and tried to figure out what had just happened. It didn't take him long to realize exactly what it was.

He had noticed a lingering weariness ever since he awoke in his charging station. Of course he had; his battery had been limited by some kind of safe mode that made him quite literally weak in the knees. The stairs might've exasperated it, or it could've just been the timing, but he was just about out of charge. Unlike normally, he could almost feel the energy trickling out of him. Everything felt sluggish and foggy.

"Freddy? What happened? What's going on?" Gregory asked. He had felt the motion and even now was fighting gravity in the awkward angle of the hatch.

"I am beginning to run low on power," Freddy confessed. He pushed himself back up to his feet only to have a 'low power' warning suddenly flash across his screen. "I am terribly sorry, but I will need to find a recharge station."

"Should I get out?" Gregory asked uneasily. "You're not gonna just fall down, are you?"

"No. No, I should make it a little further," the animatronic said with a slight chuckle. He didn't want Gregory to be anymore frightened than he already was.

"Well, if you do fall then fall backwards, okay?" the boy asked with nothing but seriousness.

Though he didn't understand the direness of the situation. Freddy was just on the verge of staggering at the top of the stairs and shuffled onward with an almost pained gait.

Though just when he was considering letting Gregory out, salvation came around the corner with the reveal of a charging station. He would still need to let Gregory out, but now at least he wouldn't collapse unresponsive, frightening the boy and leaving someone- likely his bandmates- to haul him back to his room. He opened his stomach hatch and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees.

"The typical recharge cycle takes fifteen minutes at the very least. You will have to go on without me, cadet," Freddy said.

"You want me to go alone?" Gregory asked. "Can't you… Can't you just walk a little slower?"

"I am sorry, but my cycle, the safe mode- if I do not charge now, I will not make it much further, and if you wait here you will lose your chance to make it to the front doors. I will not be able to accompany you, but I will still be with you." He pointed to Gregory's watch to clarify what he meant. Then he straightened to wobble towards the recharge station, leaning on the now opened doorway with one hand. "It will not be much further."

"Okay. If you say so…" Gregory agreed. He couldn't say he was surprised; he knew that likely he would eventually lose Freddy along the way, but he didn't think it would be this soon. "Have fun… recharging."

"Thank you. I will try," Freddy said with no sarcasm before climbing inside. The door sealed behind him, and he felt static on the bottom of his feet as the charging began. He waved to Gregory through the window before the boy turned to leave.

After hesitating momentarily at the next set of double doors, he pushed through and walked into the unknown beyond them.

Turned out that while they got out of the tunnels they hadn't necessarily gotten out of the cramped, less than appealing basement section of the Pizzaplex. He walked past a half-finished bathroom and squeezed around an amount of clutter, then through a small storage room and some additional halls. He felt like he was going in circles, but there was no way he could be. He didn't want to ask Freddy for help either, not this soon after he left him.

He walked down a pink and green painted hallway with crackling lights and found himself staring into an intimidating open door waiting at the end. It looked like it led into another security tunnel, but that wasn't possible. Just some kind of metal filled hallway with a weird orange-red hue to it. He inched towards it a little slower, not liking how significantly darker it was compared to the hallway he was currently in.

He slowly stepped out into it and was engulfed by thick air and heat. Maybe it was coming off of all the pipes in the room, like the weird humming that seemed to settle directly in his ears. He stepped out onto the grating and slowly into the passageway, looking both ways. The left was gated off so he would have to go to right, further down the passage and into the darkness. He took a few tentative steps.

Then he heard the ones coming up behind him. Quick, heavy steps banging against the same metal flooring and him knowing that it wasn't Freddy. He turned around right as a hulking form smashed against the fencing.

It was Monty. Montgomery Gator, the cool and chill member of the band, whose clawed fingers were currently grabbing the metal mesh so tightly that it was bending in his grip.

Gregory stared back wide-eyed with shock as Monty stared through his dark sunglasses, his eyes blacked out by his lenses but the boy knowing they were locked on him. The croc's body went rigid, still, too still after how fast he came in.

Gregory's fear of the animatronics were that they were going to rat him out. That they were not the lively and friendly creatures that was implied and were instead big dumb robots who followed orders and who would turn him in to the proper authorities. Freddy had been the exception, but his trust of them in general was still borderline. At any time, they could suddenly decide that it was for his own good to be given to the proper authorities.

He wasn't afraid of the animatronics; he wasn't a baby. He was afraid of how they could get him in trouble.

But when he saw how Monty was staring at him- with a look much less like a person or a machine, but a wild animal…

He was afraid.

"Monty?" he asked timidly. There was a fleeting hope that maybe Monty was just like Freddy, and this was just some sort of stare of confusion now that he realized he wasn't someone breaking in or anything.

Monty slowly released the fence and took a few steps back. His motions were stiff and his stare unflinching. Maybe he was going to leave. Maybe he was going to look for another way through.

He strode forward two steps and violently kicked open the fence with a loud grunt.

Maybe it was time to start running. Gregory turned on his heel and broke into a wild sprint down the corridor. Monty didn't miss a beat and broke into a run after him, hunched forward and claws reached out in front of him, only held back by his weight. Though he was not far behind, with Gregory able to sense his presence so close that he could almost actually feel him. The gator panting and heaving down his neck.

The disorienting flashes of light in the darkness made it difficult for him to figure out where he was going. He was running blind, running until he saw a flight of stairs and started to climb them, only barely pulling his feet up before Monty leapt forward and slammed into the steps beneath him. Gregory was around the corner and up the next flight, stealing a glance back to see Monty heaving and crawling up the steps, clawing up the steps, clamoring to his feet.

It wasn't long before Monty was full-fledged running up the steps behind him. He was having more trouble than Gregory, getting ahead of himself so much that he kept stumbling, each time with an enraged roar as he leapt back to his feet. He wasn't like a person at all, he really was like a rabid animal hunting him down.

Gregory's heart was pounding, and his lungs started to ache as he raced up the steps. Despite the fear he felt, he was starting to slow down, unable to keep up with the pace of the chase. Just when he thought he was going to get caught, he was at the top of the steps and bounded down a short hall and into an open doorway. Monty came off the steps hard, so he had an extra second to look back in time to see a button beside the door.

He slapped his hand over the button and the door slammed shut just before Monty slammed into it. Gregory staggered back as he listened to the animatronic beat its fists against the metal. There was a window beside it, but he didn't dare get close enough to look through. He instead pushed the button on his watch.

"Freddy?! Freddy, can you hear me?!"

"Gregory? What's wrong?!" The relief that the message had gotten through was short lived as it was almost drowned out by the gruff bellows through the door.

"I-It's Monty! He chased me into some kind of office- he's trying to break down the door!" Gregory cried.

"What? He must be trying to catch you to take you to Vanessa."

"No, Freddy, he's not-! He's trying to get me!" Realizing he wasn't being taken seriously, he held his watch out. "Just listen to him! He's going crazy!"

"Gregory, it is going to be okay. I know Monty might be a bit intimidating, but I can assure you that he is…" Freddy trailed off as he heard his bandmate raving and banging on the door. He was silent for a long moment, in shock.

"See?! What do I do?! He's going to break down the door!"

"Where are you? Look around and tell me what you see," Freddy instructed. Now he sounded serious, and Gregory looked at the office surrounding him.

"There's, uh, there's a desk with a really big screen and two little ones, and there's two doors…"

"That is a security office! Good, that is very, very good. Security offices are the safest place in the building. Those doors are heavily fortified and will stay closed as long as they have power. Nothing can break through them! Not even Monty!"

While Gregory wanted to believe this, he too quickly noticed some sort of bar mounted beside the door. It looked to be a monitor showing the power level, and it only had the smallest amount of blue light signaling the power left.

"Freddy, I think the power's running out!" he exclaimed. With each thump the bar crept further. "He's banging on the door and it's eating up the power!"

"Do not panic. There is a way to redistribute power into the office by activating security protocols. We could perhaps use your watch to do it. There should be a button to turn on the monitor on the desk."

At some point during this explanation Gregory stopped listening because Monty had briefly stopped banging on the door. He watched as the animatronic slowly leaned into view and peered through the window at him. He wondered if the gator could somehow hear him and Freddy's conversation through the doorway. He could've believed it. He could've believed that Monty was capable of anything.

But what Monty decided to do was slam his fist onto the window. Cracks splintered through the thick glass and Gregory could practically feel the vibrations in his chest. He could only imagine what would happen if he was in the same position as that window, and then his eyes darted back to the ever-lowering power on the door.

That was the tipping point. That was the moment Gregory knew he had to run, and he did. He turned on his heel and ran straight out the other door and out into a hallway. His body was barely rested from the brief respite- if you could call it that- in the office. It must've been the fear that had him running so easily after all those flights of stairs.

"Gregory? Gregory, what is happening?"

"What do you think?!" Gregory started only to clamp his mouth shut when he heard something ahead. Something strange. Something crunching mixed in with the rustling of plastic. He took a step back, staring ahead at where the hall abruptly ended and led off in two directions.

"Did you leave the office?"

The boy hustled back a few steps and cupped his hand around the watch before shushing the bear. Freddy got the jest and went quiet.

With the banging still behind him and his time still slowly running out, Gregory took a deep breath and crept further along, taking a right and going to the next hall corner, and peeking around it to see the source of the noise.

It was Chica. Her back was to him, and he was hunched over digging through something and making noises that sounded like feverish eating. He furrowed his brows before a piece of her meal dropped to the side, revealing what she was feasting on. Chica was savagely devouring trash, tearing apart a mound of garbage bags. Candy wrappers, food containers, half-finished food was some of it, but there was also used napkins, gross looking Styrofoam, and other nasty stuff.

Gregory's face twisted up in disgust and he pulled back around the corner. He would have to go the other way and he would have to move quick because he knew once Monty got through, he was going to be between a rock and a hard place.

Except that he already was. As he was trying to come around the other way, he realized that it went around identical corners. Sure enough, when he peeked around the last one, he got a better look at Chica shoving garbage into her mouth. There was a door between them, his only way out, but he knew she would see him if he made a run for it, and he didn't trust his legs to be able to make that run again.

He looked around where he was and spotted a couple of paint cans, including a spray paint can which he picked up. He toted it back to the passage connecting behind them and after a pause threw it back towards her side of the hall. It clattered to the floor. Chica made a startled noise, her mouth clamping down on the mushy mass she had been masticating in her beak and stood up on wobbly legs.

Gregory got a chance to peek around just in time to see Chica shuffle back in the direction of the sound, giving only a curious hum as a response to the noise. As soon as she was out of sight, he made a run for it through the doors, and through more doors, and out into the lobby.

He took only a second to get his bearings and looked to the front doors only to see a shutter already coming down. His heart lurched as he broke into a sprint.

"No, no! I'm still here! Wait!" he cried. The automated systems were unsympathetic, and the shutters hit the floor before he hit the shutters, hands flat on them. He banged on them with the same desperation that Monty had earlier.

But there was nothing he could do. The shutters, decorated with Freddy's winking and almost mocking face, sealed closed against the door and his way out was suddenly cut off. Gregory stood there for a long moment processing it.

"I'm trapped…" he said meekly. One second earlier and he would've gotten out, but he hadn't, and now he was stuck here.

Stuck with a bunch of psycho animatronics- save Freddy, who was practically incapacitated- and some crazy security lady who was out to get him in trouble. Though that seemed like a slap on the wrist compared to what Monty wanted to do, even if it would result in a whole lot of problems if he was handed over to authorities. Now he was stuck here, and it was much worse than he could've ever imagined.

All the while a mocking voice in the back of his mind reminded him that this was exactly what he had wanted.

Chapter Text

Gregory stood with his back against the shutters for a long few minutes before he realized he had to keep moving. As far as he knew, Monty was still coming in this direction and likely Chica was going to start looking too. He pushed off and them and began to walk towards the turnstiles into the lobby center.

"Freddy? Are you there?" he asked into his watch.

"Yes! I am right here. Or my voice is- I am still in the recharge station. Did you make it to the lobby?"

"I did, but I didn't make it outside. The doors were shutting, and I couldn't get through…" Gregory explained. His voice heavy with disappointment as he ducked underneath the turnstiles. There was a Security Bot circling around the fountain outside of the locker room, so he hustled in the other direction and skirted past the gift shop, climbing the steps to the second floor. All done the while listening to Freddy's reply.

"Oh, Gregory. I am terribly sorry. If I had not slowed you down, you could have gotten out…"

As frustrated as Gregory was, he couldn't say he liked that somberness in the bear's tone. This was partially his fault, but not nearly as it was everyone else's. Including Gregory's own, which he begrudgingly admitted.

"No, it wasn't just you. There was that security lady and Monty, and Chica was eating trash and it took me forever to get around her… You're sure there's no way to open the doors?"

"I am afraid not. Once the nighttime protocols go into effect they cannot be overrode, but-," Freddy interjected himself, hearing Gregory's whining groan on the other side. "If there is another way out, I will help you find it… I promise."

"Sure…"

Freddy's tone didn't exactly raise his hopes any. Though this disappointment was short lived as he heard the clatter of a door opening. He turned back and listened, hearing footsteps and very familiar voices approaching the lobby; Chica and Monty were coming.

"It's them! Stay quiet!" he warned before bounding up the rest of the steps and hiding in a little hallway nook past the second-floor entrance to the gift shop.

From that vantage point, he could watch as Chica and Monty came into the room. Chica was still waddling like she could barely stand upright but Monty's posture had changed dramatically. He was still a little hunched, but in a lazily slouched way, a far cry from the rabid beast he was only a few minutes earlier.

"Helllooo? Is anybody hoooome?" Chica called out across the lobby. Gregory quickly pulled back behind cover. "You're not in trouble, Cupcake! We just want to make sure you're safe!"

"Yeah, come on out! We're only trying to help," Monty added. It was especially hard to believe him after that stunt earlier.

"Are you hungry? We've got lots of pizza and goodies! And candy! And chips, and fries, and cookies. Mmm-mmm!"

No amount of sweet talk was going to make him forget what happened earlier, though it did suddenly limit his escape routes. If he ran out to the elevators they would see him, and he had no doubt that they would be quick enough to catch up before the doors closed. It was a no-go and he looked for another solution.

The most obvious one was the set of double doors at his direct right with the words "Superstar Daycare Pick-Up" above them. He grimaced at the thought of getting stuck hiding in a kiddie daycare but knew he didn't have much of a choice. He crept over and snuck through the doors, closing them cautiously while Chica was still shrilly yelling so that it would hopefully be drowned out.

Now he was in some sort of dimly lit hallway with starry night patterns on the ceiling and triangle shaped tiled floor. There were large murals decorating the walls of some sun and moon shaped cartoon characters, which Gregory was familiar with. He saw similar posters are Kids Cove earlier when he had been hanging out in there. He really hoped they were just mascots and not more animatronics running around.

He finally dared to speak into the watch. "Okay, I got away from Monty and Chica."

"Good. Chica is very sweet, but I… After that encounter with Monty, I do not think you should get close to him. I am sure he did not mean harm, but…" Freddy couldn't even come up with an explanation for the behavior. Instead, he eventually asked, "Where are you?"

"I'm outside the daycare. It was the only place I could go," Gregory begrudgingly admitted.

"That is great! Are the lights on?"

"Yeah?"

"Even better! The daycare should be quite safe. Do you think you would be alright staying in there until I finish charging? I will finish the cycle as quickly as I can, but I still need a little longer before the station will release me."

"Do I have any other choice?" Gregory grumbled. He held his lips tight before sighing. "Okay, I'm going."

"Very good. I will be with you as soon as I can," Freddy assure him. Gregory gave a quiet agreement. "And Gregory… it is going to be okay. No matter how long it takes, we will get you home. I am sure your parents are worried about you…"

Gregory was silent at that. He just continued on towards the security door, letting his arm drop to his side as he did. As much as he didn't want to go into the daycare, the idea of being somewhere that was somewhat safe was an appealing one. He could handle hiding for a few hours if it guaranteed he wouldn't get chased around by Monty. He couldn't run forever but he could hide as long as it took.

Or that was his thought process before the door automatically raised and he found himself staring at a towering sun clown statue while being bombarded by bouncy music. He didn't know what was worse, the confirmation that there likely was an animatronic running around in here, or the cacophony of goofy noises- car horns, cat meows, and rooster crows- that mocked him through the music.

Yet against what might've been his better judgement, Gregory walked into the daycare and allowed the security door to shut behind him. He was standing in a little drop-off area, fit with a set of turnstiles and a front desk. From here he could look through the wall and see the massive play area within the already arena-sized daycare itself. There was even a slide leading down into it.

Gregory hummed as he scanned the area inside of the play structure. He couldn't see any sign of the animatronic mascot but that didn't mean it wasn't down there. Though it could just as likely be out here in the outer area. All Gregory did know was that as obnoxious as the music was, those play structures looked like a good hiding spot, and this outer wall looked like more than enough to keep out Chica and Monty.

"I could hide in one of those tubes for hours and nobody'd find me… At least, I could hide until Freddy's done," he thought. He wondered why Freddy wasn't done already considering that he said it would only be fifteen minutes. Time was kind of hard to judge right now, but it couldn't be much longer, which meant he wouldn't have to listen to this music for that long. "Okay… I'm going down there," he whispered in determination.

He approached the slide and sent a wary glance at the "Slide into Fun!" rainbow sign above before sitting down inside. He could probably climb back out if he needed to. Taking a breath, he pushed off and slid down the colorful corkscrew.

He slid a lot faster than he expected, the whole slide slippery and a little wet, and smelling like hand sanitizer. Before he could really brace himself, he was dropped into the ball pit at the bottom with a crash. He went rigid in place for a long moment, waiting for something to run out of the shadows- or Monty somehow throwing himself down the slide to catch up with him. When neither happened, he breathed a sigh of relief. He began to wade through the ball pit.

Only to stop only a few steps in after hearing a whirring click from somewhere. He paused and listened, hearing a jingling, then what sounded like soft footsteps from above. He slowly looked up to see a balcony up on the wall, the background around it made to look like a castle tower and could see the faintest shadow on the wall. Something was coming, he huddled down in the balls behind a foam divider that looked like a brick wall and peeked out.

What spun itself out onto the stage was recognized instantly as the same animatronic portrayed in the statue. It was tall and lanky, with puffy yellow and red striped pants and red and gold trimmed ruffles around its waist and neck. A halo of points spun around its sun shaped face before popping out as it kicked a leg and then fell back into a pose identical to the one on the statue. Bells on its wrists and curled slippers rung with glee at the motion.

"Ho ho hooo!"

Gregory had a foreboding feeling that it knew he was there. Though it wasn't directly looking at him, its face seemed to be angled in his direction. He watched as it crouched down, legs bowed and hands tented above it, before springing off the stage and diving headfirst into the ball pit below. The balls barely splashed and the thing itself disappeared almost immediately.

Now it was in here with him and unless it had gone still directly where it fell, it was moving around in here somewhere. Gregory felt a growing unease and considered trying to climb a wall, but he already knew it would be in vain. The texture of the divider wasn't the best to get a grip on, and that was before his already worn-out shoes got a bunch of sanitizer on their soles.

The only chance he had was to get onto this rainbow bridge only a few feet in front of him that led out of the ball pit. Though that meant venturing directly into the area that jester thing had dropped into. He finally mustered up enough courage to start slowly inching forward. He barely moved the balls, nearly at a snail's pace as he approached that bridge.

He was just about to pass the cloudy edge and be able to step up onto it, so close to climbing up on it, when he started hearing ticking. Clicking and ticking, whirring, right underneath the balls from somewhere nearby. He decided to make a run for it. He got as far as leaning forward before large hands snared him around the middle.

He gave a short, startled cry as the sun face popped up out of the ball pit in front of him and he was suddenly hoisted straight off his feet.

"Helloooo!~" the Sun loudly greeted. "New friend! You're sure up late-? Are we having a slumber party?! Where are all your friends?"

Gregory was bombarded with the slew of questions without having any chance to answer until the very end. Then he was suddenly left with the opportunity to either lie his pants off or immediately give away that he wasn't supposed to be there. He had to think of a lie quickly- not that he actually had a choice to before the Sun beat him to the punch.

"Oh, who cares! We can just have the party OURSELVES!" he chirped.

This whole time he had been carrying Gregory out of the ball pit and over the same rainbow bridge that the boy originally planned to escape by. He strode with bouncy steps and clicking ticking before stopping in a little area in the center of the daycare, beside a tower of colorful barrels and between two of the massive climbing structures. He set down Gregory onto the padded floor.

"We can finger paint, tell stories," the Sun started to list off on his fingers, growing more excited with each finger. "Drink Fizzy Faz until our heads ex-PLODE-!" He went out of his way to make an exploding gesture with one hand while his prongs popped out to emphasize the already borderline screamed word. "And then stay up all night!"

The clown bounced on his heels excitedly before he rested one fist on his hip and waved a finger in the air matter-of-factly.

"There is only one rule!" he chirped. He cocked his head and made a noise like an inhale. "Keep the lights…" His wrist slowly swiveled until the finger was aimed at Gregory. "…On." His tone dropped, his constantly moving body now uncomfortably still save for him slowly leaning forwards. "ON." He punctuated with a small air jab of his finger. His voice dropping to a low, new sinister volume. "On…"

"Uh… Okay?" Gregory said uneasily. Instantly the Sun popped back upright.

"Great! Oh, that's great. Now we can have fun!" He dropped forward again to lean with his hands on his knees. Gregory leaned back to get some distance from his face. "Whatcha wanna do first?! Ooo, wouldja like to play Simon Says? Or we could do a puzzle! We got a bunch of puppy and kitty puzzles- Oh! Or wait, wait. How about championship Pat-a-cake?! You can play the reigning champion- Me!"

"Actually… I'm not supposed to be here." This was the tipping point where Gregory began to back away. He was thoroughly creeped out, and its attempt to suddenly pretend that didn't just happen didn't help. "Look, I gotta go," he said.

He turned around and looked for any kind of an exit. Thankfully there was a big wooden door on the other side of the daycare, so he at least knew how he was getting out of here. He took two steps forward.

Then the Sun sideways walked in front of him.

"New Friend, where are you going?" the Sun asked. He sounded worried, or exceptionally clingy.

"I just told you, I'm leaving."

"But you- you can't leave! Kiddos can't leave the daycare, it's dangerous! They can't leave unless they're picked up by their mommies and daddies… But we're gonna have so much fun that time's going to fly! Hey. Hey. Why did the man throw the clock out the window?"

"Yeah well, my mom and dad aren't coming, and I checked myself in," Gregory said, ignoring the question. "And isn't the Pizzaplex closed? Shouldn't you be taking me to that security lady?"

The second the words came out Gregory regretted it. He wasn't sure why he had been dumb enough to remind the animatronic that he wasn't supposed to be here. It didn't help that the jester, who had been sort of swaying back and forth in front of him, suddenly stilled at the mention. He prepared for the worst.

"I don't trust the 'security lady'…" Sun said. His voice was tense, bordering that tone he had during the 'keep the lights on' outburst.

That was pretty bad, but not what he was worried about. Somewhat assured, Gregory crossed his arms and looked away.

"Then that makes two of us," he huffed. "Now are you going to let me go?"

"…I think I know what's going on," the animatronic said quietly.

"Did it just click now?!" Gregory thought, the panic returning instantly to his face.

He stared at the Sun as it leaned in once more. Its face was just so jarring to look at, looking very little like the cartoony sun on the murals outside the daycare. Its eyes just like white marbles staring blankly at him.

"Buddy, it's oka-ayyy! A lot of my new little friends get scared of me the first time they meet me, but that's okay! I'm sure we'll be best buddies really, really soon!" the Sun tutted.

Gregory didn't know what part of that made him so defensive, but he guessed that it had something to do with the fact that he was actually scared of him.

"I'm not scared of you! YOU'RE treating me like a baby!" he snapped. This took the animatronic off-guard, him recoiling with his hands up to his chest.

"Uh… I, uh… Oops?" The Sun awkwardly tapped his fingers together. "I-I-I'm sorry, little guy. I didn't mean to- Why don't- Why don't we play a game YOU want to play? What games do you like?"

This time Gregory managed to stop himself before answering right away. Sure, he could yell at the Sun how he didn't want to play, and he wanted to leave, but that hadn't gotten anywhere so far. Maybe he needed to get a little craftier if he wanted to slip out of here. He looked up towards the play structure beside them. Noticing him looking, the Sun cautiously started to lean back into the corner of his vision.

"Fine, if we have to play then… I want to play hide and seek. In there," he said, acting like it was a decision he made as a last resort and not a calculated one.

The Sun gave an overdramatic gasp, one that immediately filled Gregory with secondhand embarrassment, and popped his hands to the sides of his face.

"I LOVE hide and seek! And in the fun tunnels?! Oh yes, yes! Let's do that!" the jester gushed. "I'll count to twenty and you go hide, and then I'll come find you! You can run, you can hide, you can slide, you can climb, but no jumping off the top, okay? OH, and no climbing on the outside, okay? You could get hurt and that's no fun! Safety first!"

He then clapped his hands together and interlaced his fingers, pointing at Gregory with the pointers. "One more thing…"

"What?"

"One tiny thing." The Sun held his fingers close together.

"What?" Gregory repeated, a little more impatiently.

The Sun beckoned him closer, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. The boy leaned in slowly, cautiously, and the animatronic leaned in, shielding his unmoving mouth with the back of his hand as he whispered.

"I'm the reigning champion of hide and seek too!"

Gregory gave him a less than enthralled look, but the Sun didn't seem to care, snickering as his points spun around his head. It was like he had totally forgot that conversation and outburst earlier had happened.

"I'm gonna go count now!" he chirped. He turned around and speedily skipped down the length of the play structure to go count.

Much to Gregory's dismay, the Sun decided to stop and count in front of the door, while directly facing the door. Even with his eyes covered there wasn't a chance of rushing by and making a quick escape. Maybe he wasn't that oblivious.

"One… Two… Threeee…"

But that didn't mean that the whole plan was a bust. Gregory climbed into the structure and immediately started to make his way upwards. There was at least one slide that pointed directly towards the door, so if he could get there and get the Sun somewhere in here, then he could slide down and make a run for it. It wasn't the perfect plan, but it was moderately better than being stuck in here all night when the Sun was likely one wrong answer from going cuckoo.

He could hear the loud counting as he climbing into the play structure. Unlike what he might've assumed, it wasn't all tunnels. In fact, a lot of it was comprised of square shaped passages with soft flooring and absolutely nothing to hide behind. Most of the tunnels were in the top and he had to weave his way through the maze before he managed to get up and into one.

"TWENTY! Ready or not, here I come!" the Sun called. He then threw himself into the play structure.

Gregory could hear the jingling even from a distance and started to quietly crawl forward, trying to find his way to a slide. It was easier said than done though. He had thought if he went in the correct direction that he would just eventually end up at it, but at some point, he must've gotten turned around. He ended up in a tight section of tunnels but couldn't find the slide.

He froze up at a familiar sound not too far away. That ticking and whirring edging ever closer, along with the quietest patter of hands and feet. Between the slippers and the soft, silicone, texture to its hands, the Sun was almost silent when climbing through the structure. It was unsettling, and if it was this bad for him then he couldn't imagine what it would be like for little kids who got dropped off here.

Gregory suddenly realized that he really didn't want to get stuck in this tight a space with that Sun guy and started to inch along the back of the section only to notice something.

There was an opening from off one of the tubes and dropped down into another padded section only a couple of feet below. It wouldn't have been noticeable except at the bottom he could see what looked like a couple of thick cords. Gregory tried to lean down to get a better look when he heard the clicking starting to get closer and decided to literally take the plunge, dropping down painlessly onto the padded floor.

Immediately he saw what the cords were used for but all it did was raise more questions when he did. For partially sectioned off into the wall of the structure was some kind of box shaped machine. It was purple with the Pizzaplex logo and the words "Gen Unit MK II" on it.

"What is this thing?" he murmured under his breath.

He was answered by a sudden jingling that sounded like it was coming from directly above him. He snapped his head up only to see nothing there.

Until a yellow face suddenly came swinging down in towards him. "Peek-a-boo!"

"GAH!" Gregory cried, flopping back. Surprise quickly turned to annoyance. "Don't do that!"

"Goodness! I'm sorry, Sunspot! I didn't mean to spook you," the Sun sympathized as he climbed further down into the tight space. Gregory watched as his limbs seemed to contort to fit him through the tight area while keeping him hanging above him. "But I found you! Now it's your turn to hide again!"

The Sun tapped him on the nose- making the 'beep' sound effect himself- and Gregory waved his hand a way.

"In a minute. What's this?" he asked, pointing to the machine.

"Hmm… Oh, that! That's a back-up-gen-er-a-tor. That's for if the lights go off!" the Sun explained. He climbed down the rest of the way. Gregory scooted back to give him enough room to do so, and so they weren't jammed up together. "You remember what I said, right? We keep the lights on, and we keep having fun. Those make sure that the fun never ever has to stop!"

"Why's it in here?" Gregory asked.

"Because, silly, then I can get to it!" the Sun chirped. He rested on his belly with his legs bent back behind him, feet bopping to the ever-constant music.

Well, there went any chance of shutting off the lights and making a run for it. Not that Gregory liked that idea much anyways. He had already stumbled around in the dark earlier and it didn't help him lose Monty any quicker. He was just going to have to keep up with this plan. Maybe he would have a better chance as the seeker, and the Sun was none the wiser.

"That's weird… Okay, my turn. You go hide and I'll count."

"…Wait, you want me to hide?" the Sun asked in surprise. He even cocked his head at it.

"Uh, yeah? I'm it."

"Oh wow, I guess you are! Oh, most of my little friends never ever want to be it! Gosh, I haven't been it since…" The Sun looked down and stared at the floor for a long moment, blue flickering through his white eyes. He looked back up. "A really, REALLY long time!"

"Guess it's your lucky day," Gregory said with mild sarcasm. The Sun giggled at the comment. "Just don't hide in the balls or somewhere weird like that," he added, more to play up the ruse than out of actual concern.

"Okie dokie! Heeeere I go!"

With that, the Sun did something akin to a roll up into the same way he came down and disappeared. Gregory didn't bother closing his eyes because he couldn't see anything anyways.

"One, two, three…" Gregory began to count at a quicker pace than the Sun had, though he either wasn't listening or didn't care. He raced through the end of the count, "Eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Ready or not, here I come."

But the Sun wasn't what he was on the hunt for. Instead, he crawled up that next tunnel and began to search for that slide. He came out of the tube and peered through the squares of the structure to see the slide nearby and realized he somehow got into another structure. All the while he listened for the Sun. It was jingling loudly in comparison to earlier, to the point that he knew it was somewhere nearby.

He was trying to go easy on him. Gregory might've been offended, but he was actually glad to know where it was. He pattered around a bit, starting and stopping a few directions, pretending that he was looking as he narrowed in on that slide.

Soon he was at the top of it, and he braced himself briefly before taking a deep breath and sticking his legs through, then pushing himself and sliding smoothly to the bottom. The second his shoes touched the padded floor he darted into a sprint towards the large wooden doors. It was right there, he just had to keep from tripping over the pillows blocking his way.

It was all very quick. A sort of swooping noise, a thump and jingling, and just as he realized what just happened behind him- large hands hooked around his middle and hoisted him right off his feet.

"Oh ho ho! Trying to pull a fast one on me? I think that's enough hide and seek!" the Sun said. His tone bouncing in between amused and fussy through the comment as he carried Gregory away from the door.

"This isn't fair! I'm not even supposed to be in here!" Gregory protested. He kicked his legs and tried to twist out of the grasp but it was steadfast around his waist. "Freddy's waiting for me outside and there's going to be a lot of trouble if Monty finds me before he does! And- And if that security lady finds out you're hiding me in here, she's going to lose it!"

"Ooooh, she's not coming in here," the Sun said with finality, nervously. "And is Freddy really coming to get you? Oh wow, that's super cool! You must be really, really excited! But he's going to need a pick-up pass like everyone else." He said matter-of-factly and dropped Gregory in front of the same tower of barrels as before. The boy glared up at him.

"But don't you worry, Grumpy Gus! I'm not mad, and we can still play! I just can't let you out of my sight again, nope. You're going to stay put right here where I can keep my eyes on you!" the Sun assured. Though it wasn't exactly assuring, especially when the jester punctuated this by stepping even closer, causing Gregory to step back. "…So, whaddya like to dip your carrot sticks in?! We've got ranch, peanut butter, caramel, miracle mayo-!"

"I'm not- ugh!"

The boy's answer was cut off when he bumped into the tower of barrels. At this point he was so wound up on edge that his brain connected the wrong dots and he thought he walked into someone, and he reactively shoved back. The Sun tried to reach forward in vain but was unable to stop the barrels from falling to the floor. A staticky, muffled, celebratory, 'Surprise!' noise came from hidden speakers in the barrels as they fell.

The Sun's head twitched and some of his prongs jittered in an agitated way, almost as though the noise bothered him. Or at least Gregory assumed it was the noise. It looked a lot like that twitching Freddy got before he dropped on stage.

"Ngh! What a mess! Let's just get those back up," he said. He hunched over them and looked them over. His head shifted around as he looked back and forth between the barrels. "Oh, which is the bottom? The blue? I think the blue…" he mumbled to himself. He finally tilted the bottom one up before picking up a second and carefully laying it on top. He looked at it for a second before shoving it back off. "No, no, no, no! That's not right! The green? That's it! Clean up, clean UP!"

Gregory was actually starting to feel a little bad with how much the animatronic was freaking out over this tower of three barrels. Not exceptionally bad, not bad enough to feel like he didn't deserve it a little, but enough that it took until right then for him to suddenly realize that his way to the door was open. He instantly made a run for it.

"No, no, wait, wait!" The Sun turned to run after him before nearly being stopped in his tracks, jittering about before forcibly throwing himself back onto the barrels to pick them up.

Gregory sprinted as fast as he could across the play area and towards the wooden door. He had almost made it there before he heard the tell-tale jingling and some really fast footsteps closing in on him. He threw himself at the mercy of the wooden door and tried to push and pull at it, but it wouldn't budge.

"Come on!" he cried. He tried one more hard push before looking back and then diving behind the counter directly to his right just a second before the Sun slammed into it, body folding over it. Gregory backed away cautiously as the animatronic made desperate little reaches for him.

"New friend, this- this area is off-limits! You're gonna get us in trouble…" the Sun said anxiously. He pulled himself up from the counter. "H-H-How about you just come out from behind there and we'll, uh, we'll have a puppet show! Or- or- we could do some arts and craft! You seem like a crafty kid! I-I have glitter glue! Do you like glitter glue?!" he pleaded, desperation oozing from his body language. Gregory just staring at the scene. "Googly eyes?!"

"All I want is to get out of this stupid place. And if you're not going to open the door, then I'm going to do it myself," Gregory challenged. He then started to look over the counter with frantic determination. He didn't trust the Sun not to pull a quick one while his back was turned.

The Sun slowly sunk behind the counter. Gregory didn't notice for a few seconds but managed to look over quick enough to look back and up in time to see the Sun's hand reaching over the top of the counter. He ducked down in time to dodge. If anything, this just increased that panic tenfold as the jester began to pace around the front of the desk, clearly wanting to get around it and not being able to.

"I-I-I'm sure you want to go play out there in the arcade o-or go see the gift shop or whatever but running around the Pizzaplex unsupervised is a HUGE no-no," he tried to rationalize with the boy. Then he quickly returned to baiting. "I have seven!" the Sun hesitated to reach both arms over and hold up the appropriate amount of fingers. "SEVEN flavors of Fizzy Faz! And you can mix them together! You could make grape-pink lemonade or orange-blueberry!"

Gregory just moved further down to continue searching. There had to be something here if the Sun wanted him out of here so bad, and it was clear the door was locked. If it was a security door, then maybe there was a button to open it.

That was when he found a Freddy head shaped button under a little glass-looking-but-actually-plastic case. He was starting to lift the unlocked cover just as the Sun made his way back to the side of the counter to peek at what he was doing- and when he did the reaction was immediate.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" he yelled. The volume alone caused Gregory to jump and stare at the Sun, who had devolved into even more panic. "S-S-Sunspot, you- you remember the rules? The one rule I had? Keep the lights on?"

"Yeah…?" he asked.

"That button initiates naptime mode. It turns the lights off," the Sun said. His voice was tense like he was gritting his grinning teeth. "So, whatever you do, don't press that, okay?"

So, it was basically the light switch. That wouldn't exactly help him then, but just as Gregory was about to shut the case and shut the clown up, he suddenly reconsidered. He suddenly had an idea and sent the clown a sly look.

"Okay, I won't press this button… If you open the door and let me out."

"Wha- I CAN'T DO THAT! I already told you I can't do thaa-aat!"

"And how do I even know this is really the light switch? Why would they cover it up like this? Why would it be on a desk?" Gregory asked mischievously, attempting to talk down to the Sun in the same way he had talked down to him. It felt good to be the one in control this time. "Are you suuure this isn't the button that opens the door?"

The Sun was beginning to genuinely freak out now. He reached up and started to grab at his own points, which slipped in under his fingers. "No, no, it's not! It's not!"

"But what if you're lying?"

"I'm not! Pinky promise, cross my heart and hope to die!"

"Then why are you freaking out?"

"Becaaaaaause," the Sun started. He tried to regain a somewhat normal pose, the same pose as earlier in fact, where he had a hand on his hip and a finger pointed up. "When the lights go off, the sun goes doooown. And you really don't want that because then the-."

There was a soft click and the lights all shut off in the daycare. The Sun twitched as the realization slowly sunk in that Gregory had indeed pushed the button.

Then he practically exploded, "…DID YOU JUST PRESS IT?!" Gregory's face was struck with shock and guilt. "No- NO! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

"I… I thought it was for the door," the boy admitted. He was almost more stunned that it actually was for the lights because he had been absolutely sure the Sun was tricking him.

"Why would I- Turn it back on! TURN IT BACK ON!" the jester cried. He threw himself onto the counter, climbing onto his knees like he was planning to crawl over, but no matter how far he leaned he couldn't actually breach the point of climbing past the counter. He could only get as far as being on it.

Gregory didn't need to be told twice. He pressed the button again, and again, and again, but nothing was happening. "I can't! It won't come back on!"

The Sun would've been sweating bullets if he could've. He was already sounding like he was panting as he clamored to his feet on the counter. His hands clawing at the edge of his head, pulling out the points as they tried to slip back in.

"Lights on! Lights on, lights on, lights on…" he repeated like a mantra. Some of his points slipped in despite him and his face started to turn. He caught it with his palms against his faceplate, fingers digging into the seam along the top where the points once were. "No, no, no! I- I warned you! I WARNED YOU!"

Gregory watched in horror as the Sun writhed and staggered above him before falling back off the desk and landing on the padded floor with a clank. The jingling and ticking whirring had both stopped. The room was dead silent.

Apparently when he said that the Sun went down when the lights went off, he wasn't kidding. Gregory was just stunned. That was not the intended affect at all… but this could still probably help him. Now with the Sun down for the count, he could look for the real way to open the door. Or better yet, as he was greatly considering, he could just walk back across the daycare and climb the slippery slide. He could maybe do it without someone grabbing at his-.

There was a loud click. Then there was a mechanical sliding noise, and the whirring and ticking returned once more. He could tell it was coming from the other side of the counter and started to walk over to check.

Only to stop in his tracks when a much more unexpected sound came from the other side of the counter.

A hoarse giggle.

"Sun?" Gregory asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

The giggling sounded almost pained and yet still significantly more sinister than he would've expected. Especially since the voice sounded different. It still kind of sounded like Sun, but it sounded wrong.

"Naughty boy…"

Gregory tensed up at the crackly voice and then jumped as a hand suddenly grabbed the edge of the table. It looked like Sun's hand- it was Sun's hand- but now his fingers were a luminescent blue. A second hand joined the first, fingers flexing on the counter before they started to lift the rest.

What's head starts to raise over the edge was no longer the Sun. It once was, he knew that, but it was no longer. A large section of his face had been darkened out while the rest glowed a softer, starker white in the shape of a crescent moon. His points had all drawn into his round head and his eyes too had changed color. No longer a milky white there was now a ruby glow inside of them, the scarlet pupils locked onto his target and unmoving.

"It's past your bedtime…~" he crooned. His voice significantly more uncomfortable, the goofiness drained out and now replaced with a threatening edge. It straightened up more and reached behind him, and in doing this Gregory could see that more of his body had adopted the blue color scheme. He yanked his arm back forward in a rough motion, now clutching what looked like a nightcap. He spun it on his fingers before tugging it on smoothly.

"You. Must. Be. PUNISHED." His face swayed to punctuate every word before lurching forward on the last one. Gregory stepped back with wide eyes. It stared at him a long moment before crackling and, swinging back while still holding the counter, and using the motion to hop up onto it.

Its puffy pants had changed too, somehow. Instead of yellow and red stripes, they were a deep blue and dotted with dozens of stars. Between this, the other blue accents, and the nightcap, Gregory recognized him from the other murals that had been on the wall with the Sun's, its moon themed counterpart. He remembered the word "Moondrop" stretched out underneath its peaceful face- a sharp contrast to the nasty grin facing him now.

"Moondrop" hopped from foot to foot with a sinister giggle before rattling a taunting, "Nighty-niiiight…~"

He crouched down before leaping up into a backflip. There was a clanking noise from the air before he suddenly dove down towards Gregory. The boy yelped and ducked, but the jester simply swooped over his head and swung off somewhere into the darkness. Gregory peeked out for only a second before throwing himself under the security desk.

With the music off, all he could hear was his heavy breathing echoing in the small space as he brought the watch to his mouth and pressed the button. "Freddy?! Freddy, where are you?!" he whispered frantically.

"Gregory! What is wrong?! Is it Monty again?!"

"Where are you?! Are you still charging?!" Gregory frantically asked.

"No, I am in the lobby. I am attempting to acquire a daycare pick-up pass so I can come get you. What happened?" he asked more firmly.

"I'm at the daycare and there was this sun guy who wouldn't let me leave and then I pressed this button thinking it would open the door and it shut the lights off, and he changed into a scary flying moon and I need you to come get me!"

Freddy audibly gasped over the line. "That is not good. When the lights go out the Daycare Attendant becomes… temperamental, and if the power is out then I will not be able to reach you. I am on my way, but is there any way you can turn the lights back on? You mentioned a button?"

"I tried; they wouldn't come back on!" Gregory exclaimed. Freddy was silent for a moment, likely thinking, and it gave him a moment to think too. He remembered the Sun warning him about turning the lights off, how it was the number one rule, and what he found mid-way through their game of hide and seek. "…Wait. There's some kind of back-up generator in the playground tunnels. He said it was for when the lights went out."

"Where are you now? In the play structures?"

"No, I'm hiding under the security desk. I don't think he can get back here… but if I could get back to that generator, maybe I could turn the lights back on."

"Do not go into the play structures. It is too risky," Freddy insisted worriedly. "Just sit tight and I will find a way to get the door open. There is a Nanny Bot on site who may be able to help us."

After this run-in with the Sun, Gregory wasn't exactly jumping at the prospect of getting yet another animatronic involved. He removed his finger from the button and listened for anything nearby, but there was no ticking or whirring. He knew better than think the Moon just left, but this was probably his best chance to be able to skirt off somewhere. He knew he could climb into the tunnels, but maybe, if he was quick and quiet, he could beat it to the generators.

Gregory dared to peek out from his hiding spot to make sure he was in the clear before shuffling over and grabbing a flashlight he had spotted earlier on the desk. Then crouched low to the right side of the desk before peeking around it.

Still no sign of his pursuer and a straight shot for the slide. He took a shaky breath before sliding off his shoes, knowing he would have an easier and quieter time climbing in his sockless feet. He listened closely and looked around for a moment longer, considering whether he really wanted to do this or not, before deciding that he didn't want to- but he was going to. He made a run for it and was soon pattering up the dark slide.

It was much harder to see inside of the play structure with the lights off. The soft glow from the star shaped lights barely reached past the bars and though his eyes had adjusted to the dark it was still disorienting. He was going more off memory than vision, trying to find his way back to generator. He froze up at the sound of nasty giggling from somewhere outside the structure, holding his breath, listening closely.

It sounded close but he couldn't hear the familiar ticking, so it wasn't that close. Gregory pushed onward, trying to move as quietly as possible as he got into the safety of the tube leading down to the generator. He crawled up to it and finally clicked on the flashlight to get a better look. There was a little lever and a button, which he pressed and didn't do anything. He then flipped the lever and pressed the button.

Suddenly the generator sputtered to life and began to rumble in its plastic enclosure. This should've been a victory, except for one problem: the lights were still out. The lights were still out, and Gregory just turned on an exceptionally loud machine that was giving away his exact location. He had to get away quickly and climbed back up the tunnel. There went his only plan, now back to the security desk to press buttons and see if something came on.

Gregory crawled out of the tunnel and came face to face with red eyes and a grisly smile. It didn't matter that it was on the outside of the bars, he couldn't stop himself from yelping no more than he could slow his racing heartbeat. Moondrop cackled and spun his face with a mocking sway, and Gregory's face burned with embarrassment.

"What happened to 'no climbing on the outside'?" he snapped. The jester's face stopped spinning.

"It's not fun when someone doesn't play by the rules, issss it?" Moondrop mocked. He started to slide his hand through the bars and Gregory finally skirted by and made a run for it. "Hidey-hide. Hide awaaay.~"

Gregory wasn't sure where he was going but knew he had to get away fast. There were more than enough openings for the Moon to climb inside and pursue him. The flashlight was barely helping him figure out his way with the clashing colors.

When all of the sudden he ran up on a second generator. It was obviously not the same one, being in a completely different location and not turned on, so it shocked him to find it.

"There's more than one?!" he thought. That explained why the one didn't work, maybe. He threw the lever down and pressed the button, and it too sputtered to life, but the lights were still off. "Maybe there's others?" He shined his lights out through the bars and noticed more wires in the other play structure. "There's got to be more!"

There were more too. He managed to find another one on the bottom floor of the first structure, still not getting the lights on, and returned into the depths. All the while hearing the ticking inching ever closer. Occasionally he heard a giggle or noticed a flash of red out the corner of his vision as Moondrop assumedly climbed around the outside of the structure, watching him.

He ran around a tight corner and into a deeper intersection of the play structure where numerous tunnels and passages met together under a lone light fueled by one of the generators. Coming around the corner, he met that garish face once more, but this time it was no longer outside the bars. It was in one of the tunnel openings.

"Knock, knock,~" Moondrop mocked. Gregory ran past and down a plushy slope to the lower section of the play structure. Moondrop kept up, crawling easily through the tunnel, his legs turned around and knees bent like the legs of a spider.

As Gregory weaved through a narrow passage of plush walls, he could see a red hue fall over him and hear the whirring and ticking coming closer. He came around the corner and threw himself into a tunnel, crawling as quickly as he could, hearing the jester thumping into it right after him. When he staggered out of the tunnel, Moondrop's long fingers caught his ankle, but he yanked free before he could secure his grip.

Gregory kept running until he spotted wires crossing his path and looked to the right just in time to see them leading into a third generator. He ducked into the nook and quickly flipped it on. It hummed to life; the lights didn't come on.

He turned to run and there was Moondrop's face again popping around the corner and his arm swinging out. Gregory ducked and was running again, but this time his pursuer was right on his heels as he ran out of the play structure and into a sea of little chairs and tables. He had to make a sharp left to avoid them, almost running into an oversized Freddy Fazbear plush, and while recovering his eyes landed on a familiar tower of barrels.

Moondrop rolled out behind him and was back on his feet, rushing him just quickly enough that he would've overtaken him in seconds if not for Gregory reaching out without missing a beat and shoving the tower of barrels over.

The barrels made their celebratory jingle as they fell over and Moondrop flinched just like the Sun had with a pained little 'tck' noise. He recovered for a few seconds, jolting forward after Gregory before stopping as though being held back. He looked back to the tower and back to Gregory, who was now running into another play structure, and back to the barrels-

"UGH! C-Clean up, CLEAN UP!" he choked in frustration before spinning around and racing back to the fallen tower, hurrying to stack them back up.

Gregory could see a wire running up into the structure and ran up the plush ramp to the next floor, then up the next one. He knew he was slowing down, all the running finally catching up with him while his lungs ached, and his heart pounded so hard that it hurt. He stumbled a little as he made it up to the top- but he wasn't the only one.

He looked to the left and saw a generator. He heard a thumping and looked to the right just in time to see Moondrop's face appear at the top of a slide. Gregory flung himself to the side towards the generator, reaching for it before being yanked back by both ankles. It giggled again and started to draw him back towards the slide.

"What's wrong, Moonwort?" he tsked at the boy. "I thought you didn't liiike Sunny. Don't you want to play with meee? I won't treat you like a baby. You're not a baby." He gave him a small tug and hissed, "You're just a brat."

"Let go!" Gregory grunted and twisted his legs, getting one free and using that to push himself forward and reach for the generator. He threw down the switch and reached for the button. Moondrop must've suddenly figured something out as he made a startled noise and suddenly grabbed at the back of his shirt, but it was too late. Gregory pressed the button.

This time the generator wasn't the only thing that turned on. The lights booted back up with a hum, illuminating the whole structure in an instant. Moondrop made a pained-sounding grunt and slinked back into the slide, his hands covering his face. Gregory could see it trying to turn as he slid down into the slide and disappeared, and a quick look through the bars showed that he hadn't gone out the other side.

Now was his chance- there was another slide that led right down beside the security desk. Gregory hurried over and slid down, making a break for the security desk and then for the door. Only then noticing something that he hadn't before, a button on the wall beside it. He reached up and pressed it, and there was a click in the door itself. He pushed and there was give. It was very heavy, but the door was starting to open, creaking as it did.

Almost creaking loud enough to drown out the sound of rapid footsteps closing in directly behind him. Right when he had gotten the door open enough to try and squeeze through, he felt a familiar pair of hands yank him back up.

"No!" he cried. So close to being out and being dragged back in. Before he could put up any amount of a fight, he was turned around in the grasp and suddenly face to face with the Sun.

Its expression hadn't changed, but from the little twitches of its head and points he could tell he was agitated.

"Uh…" Gregory began but didn't have a chance to say anything more.

"Rule-breaker, Rule-breaker!" the Sun hissed through tight, unmoving teeth. "And I was going to let it slide! Even when you were being rude and trying to trick me!"

"Hey, I didn't mean to turn the lights out! I thought- Look, just let me go and I'll get out of your hair," Gregory offered.

"Oh, you're going somewhere alright. I've got a place just for little rulebreakers like you," the Sun said sourly and lowly. Gregory felt a prickle of dread on the back of his neck at that tone. "I'm putting you in TIME-OUT!"

Gregory had never switched so quickly from fear to disappointment as he did in that moment. Especially when he was easily toted away from the doors and back towards the ball pit. This time he began to thrash and fight it.

"What?! No! Why can't you just let me go?! I'd be way safer out there than stuck in here with you!" he yelled.

"All you're doing is adding more minutes on, little guy- and I've already tallied you up to thirty-five minutes!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm going to tell Freddy what you're doing when he gets here and he's going to tell that security lady and you're the one who's going to be put in 'time-out'!"

"Forty-five!"

"Shut up!"

"Sixty!"

"Sunny!"

The sudden addition of a third voice caused the Sun to stop abruptly in his tracks. He looked up towards the balcony and while his expression couldn't change, the way he flinched said quite a bit.

"Sunny, what are you doing?" the voice called down. Gregory looked up towards the balcony but couldn't see anyone from this angle. They had to be around the corner.

"I'm taking this little troublemaker-," Sunny hoisted Gregory up, "-to the Time-Out Table!"

There was a short pause after this.

Then the voice rather gently said, "Sunny, put him down."

Sunny dropped his arms- though not Gregory- in a motion as though surprised, making a sputtering noise. "What?"

"Put him down and let him go. He's right, he's not supposed to be in here."

"But he- BUT HE- But you saw what he did! He turned the lights off, he sassed me, he broke every rule, and you just want ME to break the rules and put him outside where some weirdo in a uniform could just come up and take him?!"

"Sunny, listen to me."

"I gave him one little rule-!"

"Put him down."

"-and he gets snippy!"

"Take him to the door."

"I'm not supposed to-!"

"And let him go."

"-do that! I can't do that!"

"Right now."

"BUT-!"

"Or I'm coming down there."

That stopped the argument dead in its tracks. The way Sunny's points suddenly recoiled gave off the impression of shock or fear, slowly sliding back out as he gave a flustered little chuckle.

"What? No, no, no, that's okay! I'll just… I'll do it! Be right, right back!" Sunny turned his head to look down at Gregory. The boy knew he shouldn't, he knew better than to, but he couldn't help the edge of a sly little smile tugging at the side of his mouth. Sunny gave a disappointed 'tck' and began to carry him back towards the door, grumbling in his chest.

"Okay, new plan! You wanna hear it? Huh? Do ya? Do ya?" he asked with phony excitement. Gregory didn't answer, those white eyes staring daggers into him as he strode all the way back to the door. He hit the button with his elbow and shoved it open with his foot. "You are BANNED from the Daycare!" he exclaimed, dropping Gregory outside the door. Though 'tossing' might've also been an appropriate description for it.

The Sun proceeded to cup a hand around his mouth and loudly called, "SECURITY ALERT! SECURITY ALERT! Woo woo, woo woo!~"

Then with a spin of his prongs, slid back inside and slammed the door behind him. Then promptly began a mad sprint across the daycare back in the direction of his balcony.

Meanwhile, Gregory was now outside the daycare like he had wanted, but he didn't like that call for security at the end. He remembered Freddy mentioning being able to connect with the office and security, so that didn't bode well.

"Gregory!"

But speak of the bear, there was a familiar voice from behind him. Gregory spun around to see Freddy standing nearby by the stairs with a Staff Bot in a dress and made a run for him. Freddy met him with only a couple of strides and opened up his stomach hatch without question, allowing the boy too quickly climb inside.

"Let's get out of here!"

…

To say that Freddy had been worried when Gregory had messaged him was a massive understatement. While Monty's behavior was odd and unpredictable, Freddy knew that the Moon was especially more temperamental, and he had immediately sprinted to the daycare, forgetting the daycare pass, and just vaulting over the turnstiles like he wasn't on reserved power, and came right up to the doors only to be barred out.

The Nanny Bot had been there, and he had been trying to explain to it that he had to get inside- he wasn't sure if she understood him with how she sort of blankly stared at him- but then the lights came on and, sure enough, the Daycare Attendant- sweet Sun, not moody Moon- deposited Gregory outside of the door shortly after. Within seconds he was back in the safety of Freddy's stomach hatch and, after saying goodbye to Nanny, they were heading up the stairs.

Unfortunately, that didn't fix the immediate problem. No doubt the lights going off in the daycare was going to attract some warranted and unwanted attention. Vanessa would probably be here soon. She hadn't been in the lobby or the lost and found when he was, but she had to be somewhere nearby, and she would be coming if the Daycare Attendant had indeed called for security and wasn't just playing into theatrics.

Freddy climbed over the turnstiles this time, definitely not feeling up to jumping them again, and made his way to the door out of the daycare. He was already starting to feel worn down like his battery was starting to drain, but it was clear that he couldn't leave Gregory to fend for himself. Not when everyone was acting… weird. He just had to hurry and find an exit before somebody found him.

Which would've been a great plan if the door didn't roll up to reveal Chica, Roxanne, and Monty all walking directly towards him.

Chica looked just as surprised as Freddy. Though instead of freezing up like in a spotlight like he did, she gave a surprised little cluck and hobbled to him.

"Freddy! Oh my gosh, Freddy! I didn't think you'd be up and at 'em so soon!" she said with bubbly relief. "What are you doing here?"

He tried to think up an excuse fast, but, thankfully, he didn't get a chance to answer.

"Freddy, what happened earlier?! You totally died on us!" Roxanne snapped. Her arms were crossed tightly on her chest while she tried to suppress the twitching of her leg. "You didn't even make it through one song! What happened?!"

"I am sorry, Roxy. I-I do not know what happened," Freddy apologized. He could feel the embarrassment creeping up and the lingering weakness wasn't helping him make any excuses. Thankfully, Chica jumped to his aid.

"Don't be mean to him. It's not like he wanted that to happen," Chica lightly scolded. She looked back to Freddy. "Don't listen to her, Honey-bear. She was just worried! We all were!"

"I wasn't worried," Roxanne defensively argued. She hesitated a moment before correcting, "Actually, yes, I was worried. I was worried we were going to have to stop the show early and flop bigtime on our first performance, and we did! All of that practicing and planning and what happens? We're a laughingstock!"

"Oh, stop that! It's not Freddy's fault that he broke down," Chica defended. Freddy couldn't say her defense was making him feel much better, but he couldn't feel much over the sheer panic of having a stowaway hiding inside his belly while his bandmates argued amongst themselves. Chica narrowed her eyes slyly and countered, "I think you're just upset that Freddy got all that attention and you didn't."

"Please, did you see how that crowd was looking at me? I didn't need to take a dive on stage to have all eyes on me," Roxanne scoffed, turning her head away and flipping back her hair.

"Maybe that's because you were hogging the front of the stage," Chica tittered. Roxanne's head snapped back to glare at her and Chica gave her a cheeky little wink. The wolf huffed and thrust down her fists at her sides.

"I don't need to be lectured on 'hogging' anything by the chick who decimated the free samples at her own bakery," she spat back. Chica's eyes popped open, and she looked like she was about to erupt.

Monty, who looked half-dead to the world himself as he stood behind the two of them, finally rumbled out a rather blunt, "Weren't we here to do somethin'?" Though considering how out of it he looked, he could've just forgot.

"Yes," Chica said grumpily. She finally turned back to Freddy. "Did you see anything in there?... Freddy? Are you okay? You've got a funny look."

That distant stare on Freddy's face was, in fact, him staring at the low battery warning that suddenly popped back up on his vision. His jaw tightened at seeing it. He was sure it hadn't been long enough to require another charge but he could feel that weakness all throughout his body. It was like the charge was just draining back out of him.

"Freddy?" Chica repeated. He blinked to attention.

"Err, excuse me, Chica. I believe I need to charge myself," he said. She was giving him a funny look as he stared trying to walk around her, only for that look to change quickly at the slight teeter to his step.

"Whoa! Hold on, I've got you!" She leapt into action, ignoring her own wobbly gait to get an arm around him. She gestured her head for Roxanne to come help. "Come on, Roxy!"

Roxanne had also noticed the stagger and looked a little startled by it, as though suddenly realizing that Freddy was indeed not fine. She circled to his opposite side to support him.

"Take it easy. We don't need you going down twice in one day," she said, trying her hardest to sound as aloof as possible. "What were you even doing over here?"

"I… heard that the lights went out in the daycare. I saw Officer Vanessa earlier and she said that there was a child lost in the Pizzaplex, so I thought that perhaps the lights going out had something to do with that. I saw the Daycare Attendant, but I did not have a chance to ask him what happened before I had to come back here," Freddy explained. All together it was technically not lying to his friends, but he still felt guilt. He still wondered if it was necessary to hide from them.

"Ugh, another blackout. We had one of those in the raceway earlier," Roxanne remarked.

"I started to feel strange… I have been put on some kind of safe mode and it seems to limit my battery charge," Freddy explained. "I feel weak… Everything feels very light. My head does."

"Aww, poor thing! Betcha those daycare fumes aren't helping either. All that music's bound to tire you out, and I'm sure looking at the Sun too long could make anybody lightheaded… LIGHTHEADED!" Chica nearly bawked at her own unintentional joke. "Roxy, did you get it?!"

"Chica, you're terrible," Roxanne said. "Are you going to just stand there or what?"

She was talking to Monty who was partially standing in front of them, still staring distantly like he was thinking about something. Though Freddy didn't miss that Monty seemed to be staring at his chest. He felt a nervous buzz in his head.

Though his fears were somewhat alleviated when Monty finally grumbled out a flat, "Just fer that I ain't moving."

Roxanne rolled her eyes and shook her head before pulling Freddy forward, nearly dragging him and Chica to the recharge station where they helped him inside. Freddy leaned against the back of the station as the door closed, already feeling the cycle beginning through the tingles in the bottom of his feet. Chica blew him a kiss through the window before following Roxanne towards the daycare door with Monty in tow. Much to Freddy's relief they seemed none the wiser.

"…Are they gone?" Gregory quietly asked.

"Yes. They are heading into the daycare," Freddy assured. He rested a hand on his chest, on the closed hatch. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… but that sun guy's going to tell them I was there," the boy muttered. Freddy could feel him readjust inside. It felt like he might've been sitting with his knees to his chest.

"He may… but that is fine. They do not know you are with me, so we can keep moving once I finish charging… again. I am sorry, I do not know what is wrong with me."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Gregory said. He didn't want to admit that he was exhausted and that this was the first time he had rested his legs in what felt like ages. After all of that, being inside Freddy inside of a charging station felt like the only place where he could let his guard down. "…I'm not going to like… get microwaved in here, am I?"

"Goodness no! You are entirely safe in these charging stations. You will just be stuck inside my stomach hatch until the cycle is complete."

"I can live with that," Gregory said.

Freddy wasn't sure why, but something about how tired the boy sounded when he said that comment distressed him. He couldn't put his finger on why, so instead he just relaxed into the process of charging. Both keeping a close eye on the outside world and trying to think of a plan on where to go once they rejoined it.

Chapter Text

"Gregory?"

Gregory didn't realize he was falling asleep until he woke up. He was still in the same position with his head resting on his folded arms which were on his knees, which wasn't especially comfortable but good enough with how tired he was. He could hear and feel Freddy climbing out of the recharge station.

"I'm awake," he said groggily, rubbing his eyes. It couldn't have been that long because it barely felt like he slept. "Are you charged up?"

"Well… No, but the recharge cycle is complete. I should have enough power to last us for a while, long enough to continue looking for another exit," Freddy explained. He sounded uneasy, which was explained by his next comment. "Vanessa just passed by and went into the daycare. She did not see me, but I do not want to risk being here if she comes back through."

"Yeah. Let's get out of here," Gregory agreed. He tried to not let his unease come through on his voice, not wanting Freddy to know that he was even the slightest bit scared. Not that the security guard was any scarier than the animatronics, but she definitely had more of an effect on what would happen after he got out of here. If he got out of here. "…Do you think that sun guy's going to tell her what happened?"

"I am not sure. Whatever happened in the daycare, Sunny did not seem pleased with you. I have never heard of him banning someone before!... Though the daycare has only been opened for one day, so perhaps it is not that surprising…" Freddy trailed off for a moment before continuing. "That aside, I do not believe he will. He doesn't trust the human employees. We are more at a risk of him telling Chica, Monty, and Roxy, and then them telling Vanessa."

"Yeah, he said that. That he didn't trust her. I don't blame him, I don't trust her either," Gregory remarked. It was still the only thing they agreed about. "…So, he doesn't like humans? Is that why he was being so creepy and chasing me around?"

"No, no! Sunny is very good with children! It is just that he works with much younger children. I could imagine it would be difficult to adjust to working with a child out of his age range, such as yourself," Freddy explained. Gregory made a scoffing little huff noise. "Due to overhauls required at the daycare, Sunny has had to receive frequent maintenance work, which I believe led to his distrust of the employees… He has gone through quite a lot. Please, try to be nice to him."

"What does that mean?" Gregory asked defensively.

"…There used to be two daycare attendants."

That was an answer to a question the boy hadn't asked, but something about the way Freddy said it and the implications behind those words halted any correction in its tracks. Just the bear's drop in tone seemed to hold a weight that any normal child would have trouble grasping. Not Gregory, he knew exactly what that tone was solemnly implying, even if it was about robots.

"What happened to the other one?"

"I am not entirely sure…"

There was a pause.

"Well… It's too late for that. I already got 'banned from the daycare'," Gregory said, mimicking the Sun's voice. Freddy chuckled warmly, his chest rumbling around him. "So, what's Monty's problem?"

"Hmm, I am not sure on that either. He seemed to be acting normal with Chica and Roxy… but what I heard in the office was anything but normal," Freddy said. His voice grew pensive and concerned. "It is just not like Monty to be that way. He is laid back and relaxed, chilling out on stage just as he chills out on the golf course- like a real alligator!"

"Uh, don't alligators eat people?" Gregory asked.

"Well… Perhaps… But this one eats Pizza Gumbo! He does not count."

"He was acting like he wanted to eat me."

"Perhaps it was a security protocol. Monty needed to get to you and when he could not it caused his systems to get confused. I highly doubt he would have ever seen you as a threat, but… but Monty does have a habit of taking out his frustrations on anything in sight. And that is anything, not person," Freddy suggested.

Gregory wanted to argue that he wasn't there, that he hadn't seen Monty, but he decided that it wasn't worth the effort. Freddy, on the other hand, noticed the boy's silence and knew it wasn't a contented one. He too thought it was best to just leave it there, because there was nothing, he could say to explain what Monty had done. He didn't understand it, so he couldn't excuse it.

There was a few moments of silence only punctuated by the thumping of Freddy walking downstairs, and he only broke that silence once reaching the bottom.

"I have located two possible exit points that may circumvent the nighttime protocols. The first being the fire escape and the second being the loading docks exit. The fire escape can be escaped through at any time in case of an emergency. My only fear is that it will activate an alarm upon opening. The loading docks exit is kept under less security for nighttime and early morning deliveries. I believe that one would be better."

"Okay. How do we get there?"

"We are on our way as we speak!" Freddy proudly proclaimed. "We will just have to cross through the kitchen. Which we will be doing after we ride down on the staff elevator."

Gregory just allowed Freddy to take the wheel. This was the closest he had to a free ride all day and his legs were thankful for it, even if Freddy bumping down the stairs wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Though progress was progress, and every jarring step was a step away from getting caught.

That was, until the steps stopped. Until he could hear a rattling noise as Freddy fidgeted with something and hummed.

"What?" Gregory asked. He had a creeping suspicion that something else was about to go wrong.

"It seems that the door to the kitchens is locked. I cannot understand why they would- Oh… Hmm…" Freddy stopped yanking at the knob and took a step back. He rested his hands on his hips as he looked around and tried to think of another way. "The problem we have is that the elevator to the lower kitchens is behind this door. There is another way through, but I am almost certain it too will be locked. The other alternative is through the tunnels, but that is not… preferable."

But Freddy wouldn't make it through the tunnels. They both knew this. He would be forced to stop and charge, and it would eat up the precious time they had before someone caught wind that they were travelling together.

Gregory was, unfortunately, out of options. He barely knew the Pizzaplex, let alone could concoct an idea to get out of it- especially when he was currently grounded inside of Freddy, so the bear was the one who had to figure this out. He tried to consider his options quickly. He knew of only two direct ways into the kitchen but knew there had to be more. He just didn't have access to full detailed maps. Not like the Staff Bots who had overlapping routes.

It was that thought on which an idea formed. That and him noticing a large vent in the wall nearby, just as big as the one behind his green room and flush to the floor.

"I believe I have an idea, but it is not without risks," Freddy said pensively. He then popped open his stomach hatch while looking over his shoulder to check for anyone behind him. "Here, take a look."

Gregory cautiously leaned out a little, though it didn't take much to see what Freddy wanted him to. "Another vent?"

"I cannot be certain, but I believe that this vent may let out somewhere behind this door. Climb out and let me show you something," Freddy coaxed. Gregory did as told with only a little reluctance. The bear crouched down on one knee and pointed a claw to his watch. "Now, your Faz-Watch has a special button right- Gregory! Where are your shoes?!"

Gregory knew he had forgotten something the second he felt the cold tiles sticking to his feet. "…I guess they're the sun guy's now."

Freddy gave a disapproving hum but knew it was too late to do anything about it now. He went ahead and took Gregory's wrist in a gently hand as he pointed out a middle button with the other.

"This is an emergency button. As you are on my server frequency, when you press that button, it will alert me to your location. If you go through the vent, come out the other side, and press the button, it should lead me to you. In theory."

"Won't it just lead you to the door?" Gregory asked skeptically.

"That is the good part! The mapping system it uses to pinpoint your location is the same system used for assigning Staff Bot routes. It will lead me along the same path they are supposed to take, so none of the doors will be locked… However, it may still take me a few minutes to get to you depending on how far the detour takes me. Would you be alright until I reached you?"

Freddy's eyes were wide with questioning and concern and Gregory felt rather small under them, even when the bear was kneeling down to almost his level. He looked away quickly as to not tip him off that the idea of splitting up again made him increasingly nervous. He was very close to outright protesting the idea, but then Freddy would know he was scared, and he didn't want that. That was just embarrassing.

"I guess so… Guess I'm not going to run into those other guys if they're all stuck in the daycare," Gregory thought. That was a welcomed thought. He got a more determined look. "Okay. I'll do it."

"At-a-boy! I know you will do fine. Just be careful, and if at any time you cannot continue onwards turn around and come back. We can always find another way," Freddy warmly assured him. His eyes darted to the side momentarily, betraying concern before his voice could. "…There is one small thing."

"What?"

"As far as I know, I am the only one who is alerted when the emergency button is pressed. Though I would not be surprised if Vanessa also gets an alert. If that happens, she may come looking for you and you will need to hide, but do not worry. I will still come, even if I lead her away or must hide myself. It would be best if she does not see me."

"Then we just get to the loading dock before she does and we don't even have to run into her," Gregory proclaimed. Freddy's worried tone was starting to seep through, so he had to shut that down before it risked getting mushy. "Can you open it up for me?"

"Of course! Please step back."

Gregory stepped back. Freddy started to reach for the grate before looking back at him and pausing.

"…Please step back a little further."

Gregory tightened his mouth and took a few more steps. Only then did Freddy slip his claws around the loose edge of the vent and pull it off in one swift motion. He propped it up against the wall beside it and looked back to the boy. Gregory came forward and shined his flashlight into the vent. It looked like the other one without much else of note.

"You do not have to do this. We can stay together if you would prefer," Freddy offered, giving him one last out. He shook his head.

"I can do it. I did it last time," Gregory said. He then crouched down and began to crawl into the vent. Freddy stayed knelt behind him and watched until he took a corner and disappeared from sight.

The inside of the vent wasn't much different than the last one either, save that the air wafting through it was warmer and had a slight, lingering food scent. He supposed that made sense since it was connected to the kitchens. He could hear a rattling coming from somewhere but couldn't tell from where. He crawled along the tight passage for a while, it opening into a larger room momentarily where he found vent covers on the floor.

Almost like something had come through here already. That was an uncomfortable thought, but so far, he hadn't heard or seen anything else, so he pressed onwards.

The shaft continued a little further before it suddenly sloped down. This raised a few red flags, being that he was supposed to be let out on this floor, but he had climbed an upward slope earlier and assumed somehow it would justify itself. It was, again, a rather gentle slope. He started to crawl down it, but the smoothness mixed with the slope and an oily sort of finish caused him to slide down, stopping himself at the next turn.

That wasn't so bad. Wasn't too much different that the slide. He readjusted himself and pushed down the next slope, then was able to go around the next one with the slightest push, and then suddenly- and it was so sudden that he couldn't stop himself- the bottom of the vent opened up and he was falling headfirst into the room before. Before he could even consider how much it was going to hurt, he landed face first into laundry cart full of oily, sticky drop cloths.

Other than falling at a weird angle and the aftereffects of the adrenaline, Gregory was alright, and pushed himself up with a groan.

"Gregory?! Gregory, what happened?! Are you alright?!"

He sat back in the cart and pressed the watch's message button. "I'm fine. I just fell out of the vent into some kind of cart thing."

"What?! Are you hurt?!"

"No, I'm fine! I'm fine! I landed on a bunch of gross sheets," he insisted. This wasn't the time to get fussed on by Freddy.

"Thank goodness! When I heard you scream through the vent, I was afraid something terrible had happened. I would have never been able to forgive myself," Freddy confessed, quieting towards the end. "Now then, what do you see?"

Gregory took a look at the room around him. "I'm in some sort of room with brick walls. There's red tanks on both sides of me with stickers of your face on them, and there's pipes, and one of those carts they move stuff on."

"Hmm, it sounds like you may have fallen into the basement. Can you press that emergency button?" Gregory did and could hear Freddy make a little sound on the other end of the line. It sort of sounded like the noise Sunny made when the tower of barrels got knocked over, but unlike him Freddy returned to normal quickly. "My suspicion was correct. It seems that you have fallen into the basement, right outside the main kitchen."

"Ugh, that's just great! How am I supposed to get back up now?!" Gregory vented. Looking up at the vent he had just come through he knew instantly that he wasn't going back that way.

"No, Gregory, this is a good thing! The loading dock IS in the basement, and you are on the right path to it. I have been given access to the path to your location and am on my way!... It will take me a few minutes like I suspected."

"Then can I keep going?" the boy asked as he climbed out of the cart. Freddy was silent for a long moment, seemingly hesitant to agree to it. "Come on, I made it this far. Then it'll take you less time to find me."

"Hmm, that is true… And there should not be anyone down there… And you are very close to the kitchen… Very well. You have my permission to continue on ahead," Freddy said. Gregory scrunched his face at the comment. He wasn't asking for 'permission' to do anything. "Now be careful, cadet. This alien planet has been unexplored by scouts. There could be hostile lifeforms around every corner!" The boy relaxed once more.

"I'll be careful, uh… Captain?"

"Oh, no, no! Captain is Foxy's name. Please, call me Chief."

"Oookay, Chief," Gregory said with a tinge of playful smugness. Then he let his arm drop to his side and started to look around for where to go. It looked like there was a way to the left and right, but he took the left.

He walked past a line of lockers and up to a security door that matched the ones that led into the office he hid from Monty in. It was unlocked and opened automatically for him to step through, but the office inside was only barely like the one he had been in before. There were a bunch of little screens and some large ones all tight together with office chairs squeezed in between them, but the most noticeable thing was all of the thick wires strung around, one even sparking.

Gregory decided it was best to just cross through and not get himself electrocuted in the process. An idea that was only encouraged by one of the wires hanging by the door twitching as he passed. He spared it a brief look while rushing by.

He stepped through the next door and stared in shock and awe at what lay past it. The room was filled with huge tanks that were only separated by a metal walkway. He carefully stepped down onto the walkway and began to walk in between the massive containers, which were grey with red Pizzaplex logos on them but had no further details explaining what they were for.

Looking down he saw something thick and dirty under the grating. Gregory stuck out his tongue at it and lifted his eyes to the tanks and the watch to his mouth. "Hey, Freddy? This room is full of huge tanks! What's it for?"

"Huge tanks?... Oh! You must be at the Fizzy Faz vats! All of the Fizzy Faz served in the Pizzaplex is manufactured, canned, and sold by the Pizzaplex. That is why Fizzy Faz is only sold here. For now, at least."

"Do you think they might have some just… lying around somewhere?" Gregory asked. "I'm thirsty."

"Hello, Thirsty. I am Chief Fazbear."

"Ugh, Freddy!" Gregory said grumpily. Freddy gave a good-natured chuckle. "I'm just going to keep going," he said. He continued down the walkway towards a blue door in a yellow wall. There was a suitcase looking sign mounted beside it.

"I would be happy to get you a drink once we make it to the loading docks," the bear offered warmly.

"Don't worry about it. Over and out," Gregory said. He then opened the unlocked door and stepped into an office.

This one wasn't a security office, just a bunch of desks with computers on them. The whole room had a strangely murky color to it, from the dark carpet to the deep green walls, so Gregory didn't feel like sticking around. He crossed through quickly and opened the door on the next side. Just like before, the scene rapidly changed as he found himself on yet another walkway. This time on one above a large kitchen.

He looked down over the railing as he walked to the next door, which was also unlocked. It led into another hallway with another security door and this time a little window to peek into and see the office inside. Dark, with a large screen and a bunch of small ones and some boxes stacked on the other side.

"Why's there so many security offices?" Gregory quietly asked himself. He looked through the window with scrutiny. "…And only one security officer?"

It was weird, but not weird enough for him to really stop and think about it. He continued on to a flight of stairs and stepped down them before turning back to the door behind them, in the direction of the kitchen. He was rewarded with a sign over the door that proudly proclaimed, "Exit To Docks," and hurriedly ran over before pushing through. It led into the kitchen just like he expected it to.

In the dim light of the costume, another "Exit To Docks" sign was illuminated above a door on the other side of the kitchen. Gregory began to hustle across the room and was about to burst through just like last time when his eyes caught something off to the side. Up until now he had largely ignored whatever he was passing on his quest to the loading docks, but that flat of Fizzy Faz cans was hard to ignore.

Gregory stopped outside the door and stared at the lot of cans, looking between the two for a few seconds, then slowly inching towards the latter. While looking around to make sure nobody was nearby, paranoia creeping up once more. All of the cans were orange with Freddy's visage, meaning they were all the same flavor. He pulled one out and noticed the cans weren't exactly cool either, but at this point he was willing to drink out of a bathroom sink.

He cracked open the can and looked around with paranoia again. If not for some crazed animatronic hearing, then Freddy himself seeing it, deeming him a troublemaker, and handing him over willingly to the security lady. Freddy didn't seem like the type, but Gregory knew better than to get too comfortable. Sometimes the nicest smiles hid the coldest people.

But the Fizzy Faz was definitely not cold. That was fine though, because other than being excessively bubbly the flavor was pretty good. Sweet and tangy, tasting almost like orange candy more than the fruit, and it helped that he was so thirst that even that grime clogging up underneath the Fizzy Faz tanks might've tasted good.

Then, right as he was gulping it down, there came a thump. He yanked the can down and looked up and around as he listened. That was a weird noise, a heavy clunking noise, that sounded like a metal door shutting or heavy stuff being moved.

Gregory lifted his watch to his mouth. "Freddy, is that you?" he whispered into it.

"I'm… n… ay…!" Freddy's scrambled voice spoke through. There was something creepy about how staticky it was after the clarity either. His words barely coming through a lot of pulsing static.

"Freddy?! I can't hear you!" he whispered back. Though there was no response. He pulled his finger off the button and looked around with growing discomfort. He couldn't hear anything else, but he didn't feel safe, and he started to back towards the doors. Still carrying the Fizzy Faz can as he pushed through them and into the next room.

The Loading Dock wasn't nearly as futuristic as he was imagining. With all the space theming upstairs, he half-heartedly hoped that it would be neon and spaceship thing, like the loading dock in a spaceship. Instead, it was the same grimy normality as everything else once he stepped below the ground floor. He wasn't surprised, he was just disappointed.

Instead, it was concrete floors and large, shuttered doors for trucks to drop off stuff into towards the right. There were a couple of forklifts and most of the far-left side of the room was made of freestanding shelves.

What caught his attention right away a lone desk on the far side of the room that almost looked like a smaller security desk, and the door sitting beside it with an exit sign above it. This must've been the exit that Freddy had been talking about. Gregory ran over to see it better, then set the can down on the desk and pressed the button on his watch.

But before the other's name could make it past his lips, noise began to spill forth from the watch. It was that same static he had heard while trying to talk to Freddy a few minutes ago, but it was worse now. Loud and crackly, crunchy, and pulsing like a heartbeat. The whines and crackles only briefly displaced by the pounding throb of a tone building in the back, slowly getting louder and clearer, like a warning sound.

"Fre- Freddy?" Gregory managed. There was no answer, not even the quietest murmur of Freddy's voice. Just that growing, pulsing, throbbing sound growing against the static.

It uneased him and eventually he reached the point where he couldn't bare it any longer and pulled his finger off the button. The Faz-Watch silenced instantly.

Fast enough to hear a door creaking open.

Gregory snapped his head back towards the left side of the room with wide eyes. There were a few large boxes blocking his way and he cautiously stepped to the side to see around them. There was another door on that left wall. Blue in color, like many of the doors he passed already, and illuminated by a sole light above it. It was sitting halfway open.

He stared at it without daring to step any closer, knowing that something was holding it open on the other side and that it couldn't and wouldn't be Freddy. He breathed shallowly and quietly as he waited for it to come through, but it didn't. It felt like ages were passing and nothing had happened, as though it was waiting for him.

Eventually Gregory couldn't stand the tension anymore and called out, "Who's there?"

He got his answer in the form of gloved fingers curling around the edge of the door.

The boy could only watch as a second hand joined the first, then a pair of ears poked out from behind. The greyish white fabric was a dead giveaway that it wasn't any of the animatronics he had seen but another being entirely. As its head slowly peeked out, he found himself under the gaze of another set of glowing red eyes. This time the belonged to a white rabbit.

It leaned out further until he could see its face fully and recognized right away that it didn't look like a robot, that it was wearing something akin to a Halloween costume mask, but that didn't mean it felt like a human either. Just looking at it made his eyes ache for some reason and that alone made his heart pound harder than it already was.

It lifted a single hand from the door and waved its padded fingers at him in greeting before turning its hand over and beckoning him.

There was no way. Gregory couldn't find his voice, but he certainly found the will to shake his head and refuse the offer. The rabbit beckoned a little more insistently, more animatedly, like a cartoon character, like a proper animatronic.

"No," he said. His voice was weak. He wanted to yank up his watch and call Freddy, but he was afraid any sudden movements.

The hand slowly lowered to the door and the rabbit stared at him for a long moment. Then it slowly slunk back behind the door. A long moment passed where he continued staring at the door, knowing it didn't leave and waiting with bated breath for whatever it was going to do.

What it did was catch the edge of the door with a bunny shaped foot, or costume boot, and suddenly yank it open all the way in one dramatic flair, revealing itself in full standing in the doorway. It was a tall white rabbit- not as tall as the animatronics but tall to Gregory- with a stretched open smile and vacant red eyes. It stood in the doorway staring at him for a long moment before it started to move.

It stepped through the doorway and immediately into a dance. Stretching its arms above its head and raising up on the balls of its feet, then lowering down before bobbing back up with languid movements of its arms. It was almost like a slow, awkward ballet, performed by someone who had probably never done it before. In the next step it started moving towards him.

It began a tiptoed little shuffle across the floor, arms bent at its sides, hands waving back and forth in front of it, creeping ever closer. This was interrupted by a little kick to the side followed by a step forward that turned into a twirl that came to a dead stop only a few steps in front of him, where it ended its performance with a theatric bow. Even if he wasn't creeped out, he would've been speechless.

The rabbit slowly lifted itself back up with its arms still at its sides and looked at him for a long second. It leaned forward and cocked its head quizzically, and he leaned back in response.

"Are you having fun yet…?"

Its voice was strange. Feminine but garbled up. Sort of like how Freddy's voice was on the watch but Gregory could hear her words clearly.

"What?" he asked.

"Are. You. Having. Fun. Yet?" she repeated. Slowly leaning in further with every punctuated word.

"N-No," Gregory defiantly answered. Though his shakiness betrayed his fear. "Who are you?"

"Who in the world am I?" the bunny asked faintly. Then she gave a little hop, popping her hands up to pose beside her face. "My name's Vanny. Vanny the Bunny, and I love to play games." She tucked her arms behind her back and leaned back in. "Would you like to play a game with Vanny the Bunny?"

Gregory shook his head. He tucked his own hands behind his back like she had, but it was so he could rapidly press the emergency button and hope Freddy could hear.

"No?" Vanny asked. She slowly tilted her head in the other direction. "But what if… you were already playing?"

He continued pressing the emergency button as fast as he could as he took a cautious step back. He was starting to breath faster, just edging on hyperventilating as the rabbit slid her foot forward like she was going to close that space. Like she was about to make a leap for him.

But before he could run, before she could grab him, before anything else could happen, he started to hear a heavy thumping noise. Quiet at first but quickly growing louder as it grew closer. He knew that it had to be Freddy.

Sure enough, the kitchen doors flew open and there was Freddy sprinting in. Gregory immediately ran for him, making a wide circle away from Vanny out of fear of getting grabbed.

"Open! Open!" he called. Freddy opened his stomach hatch without another word and Gregory practically dove inside, helped by the bear to climb in fully.

As he turned around in the cavity, he caught sight of Vanny waving at him. That was the last thing he saw before the hatch closed up and sealed him inside.

"Gregory, what happened?" Freddy asked worriedly. Gregory was still breathing heavily, and it took him just a few gulps to recover enough to speak.

"It's that rabbit lady! I-I think she was going to hurt me, and the watch wasn't working!" he blurted out.

"Rabbit lady?! What rabbit lady?" Freddy asked in surprise.

"That-! She's right there! Over by the desk! She was right in front of me!" He could hear the shifting of metal as Freddy looked over. The long moment of silent searching didn't bode well. "…You can't see here?"

"I… I do not see anyone."

"Open up," Gregory instructed. Scared or not, he had to see it for himself. There was no way that she could be gone.

But when Freddy opened his chest, she was gone. Gregory was in enough disbelief to lean out and look around the large room. Freddy loyally turned with his leaning, both so he could see and that he wouldn't risk falling out. There was no sign of her. He knew she could've been hiding somewhere in the room, but from where he did see she seemed to have vanished into nothing.

"What…? No! She's gotta still be in here! Over there, look at those shelves!" Gregory insisted. Freddy walked closer, keeping a safe distance, and allowed both of them to peek around the shelves. She wasn't there, and in her light-colored suit it should've been easy to see her. "I don't understand. She must've ran out the door… But how come you didn't see her? You didn't see her standing right beside me?"

"I did not. When I came in, I only saw you!... Hmm, though I did notice minor glitching around the edges of my vision. Perhaps my visual feed was corrupted, and I could not see her… That is still very strange."

"You believe me, right?" Gregory asked suspiciously. He looked up at the bear's face, with Freddy looking surprised by the question.

"Of course I believe you! I saw how frightened you were- not frightened, startled. My apologies," Freddy said. Gregory's less than pleased look suggested that he was digging himself deeper. "It is just that… there is not a rabbit at the pizzeria…" He closed his eyes as though in pain, making a motion similar to if he was mimicking taking a deep breath as his hands slowly clenched. "…Not anymore."

Gregory recognized that tone and his browns slowly drew together. Before he could ask though, Freddy suddenly seemed to snap back into a more upbeat persona almost instantly.

"But good news, Gregory: you have made it to the loading docks! And you made it here on your own. I am so proud of you," he assured. His eyes brightening up and his voice warm, and Gregory feeling a little awkward getting all this mushiness while currently half-hanging out of his chest. "You were very brave tonight, Superstar."

"Let's just get out of here before she comes back," Gregory dismissed.

"Yes, that would be for the best. Let us see…" He turned towards the desk before perking further. "Good news again! There is a phone on the desk. You can call your parents to come and get you," Freddy said. He carried Gregory over before letting him down to the floor, not noticing the boy's lack of a response. He then guided him over to the desk with a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in front of the landline phone.

The boy stared at it but made no attempt to pick it up. Freddy could sense his hesitation.

"It is okay, Gregory. They will not be upset with you, they will just be relieved that you are safe," he assured him.

Gregory stared at the phone for a moment longer before taking a deep breath and picking it up from the receiver. He poised his finger over the four button and hesitated again, but this time looked up at Freddy who was standing behind him.

"Hey, can you look over that way?" he asked, pointing towards the space between the kitchen door and the one the rabbit came in, towards a passage blocked by a fence. "I don't want anyone sneaking up on us."

"I would be happy to," Freddy assured. He turned around, folding his arms in front of him as though standing guard.

Gregory looked back to the phone. After another beat, he quickly dialed in ten numbers, and then as quietly as he could pressed the receiver button to cancel the call. He kept the phone tightly pressed to his ear, even while it droned a dial tone.

"Hey, Mom. It's me… I went to Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex, the one on that commercial, but I got lost and locked in. But I got some help, and I found a way out. Can you come pick me up?... Okay! Thanks!" Gregory hung up the phone. "You were right, she wasn't mad. She's going to come pick me up."

Freddy turned back to face him. For a second, he had a strange look on his face. Probably because of how quick the phone call was, Gregory assumed. "We don't live far away, so she'll be here any minute!"

"That is… good. I am glad you got ahold of her at this time of night," Freddy said with a vague tone.

"She, uh, she stays up pretty late. Her and dad," he excused. "So… I should just go wait out in the parking lot. The door's open, right?"

"It is, and it should not sound an alarm… But perhaps you would like that drink before you go? I am sure you are famished too. Perhaps I could find something we could cook. We are right beside a kitchen, after all," Freddy tempted.

This was weird. Earlier Freddy had been so on-board with letting him leave and now here he was having second thoughts. Gregory felt that suspicion creeping up but tried not to get defensive just yet. This was Freddy, the only person who had been helpful and friendly this entire time. He wasn't going to suddenly turn into a completely different person.

"I already got one," he said, pointing to the can on the desk. Freddy looked at the can and then reached over to pick it up with his claws.

"…But this Fizzy Faz is not appropriate temperature! It will not give the same refreshing sensation that an ice cold one will. There should be some in the fridges-."

"There's no time for that. My mom will be here any minute, so I should really get outside."

"But…" Freddy caught himself at the last second. He closed his mouth and looking into the lower corner thoughtfully, then looked back to Gregory, a sort of sadness in his eyes. "If you are certain. It is… against protocol, but I am willing to let you go… But I am also willing to break protocol and let you stay. At least, until your mother arrives."

"No, that's okay. I'm good," Gregory assured. Though right after he said that he got this weird feeling in his stomach. Not a twisting of fear or a gnaw of hunger, but a sinking sad sort of feeling. Maybe because he realized that this was goodbye and, in all likelihood, they would never see each other again. "So… I guess this is goodbye."

"I suppose it is. Will you come back?" Freddy asked. Seeing the confusion Gregory's face, he quickly corrected, "Not to stay afterhours I meant during the daytime, when we can properly spend time together."

"You don't think I've been banned from this place too? If that lady saw me come back, she'd come after me."

"She is only the nighttime security guard. If you came during the day, then it would surely be safe!" Freddy assured. Gregory looked a little concerned. "And if you are able to make it in, I may just be able to find an unclaimed Superstar VIP pass.~ I think you have more than earned it being so brave."

"Well… Maaaybe," the boy said without commitment. He lifted up his wrist. "Here's your watch back."

"Keep it," Freddy assured, pushing his hand back down. "Consider it a gift for getting me out of my room. Though we will not be able to communicate once you leave the premises. Oh! However, if you do return, you can use it to contact me! Yes, it is best that you keep it with you. To remember me by."

"I don't think I'll ever forget tonight," Gregory joked. He then dropped his arm to his side and walked to the door, looking back one last time. "…Goodbye Freddy."

"Goodbye, Superstar," Freddy said solemnly. That concerned and sad look took his eyes again as Gregory turned away to open the door.

The boy stepped out into the parking lot section designated to trucks. The smell of asphalt still lingering in the night air as he stepped out of the light, still holding the door open as he looked back at Freddy one last time. The bear gave him a warm smile and a wave, hiding that trepidation behind both, and Gregory returned it with a more subdued version of both. Then he let the door shut.

Gregory had made it out.

Freddy was still standing by the door long after he had left.

This whole night had been a disaster for Natalie. There had been alerts going off all over the place and yet somehow there was no sign of the kid. The few Security Staff Bots kept getting spooked by something and preemptively flagging for something that was either long gone or never there. Either that or someone was messing with her, and since she hadn't seen the rabbit, she knew that was a real possibility.

Finally, she got a real alert, but she didn't realize it wasn't a false alarm until she walked into the daycare and heard a commotion inside. She hustled down the second-floor walkway to the large wooden doors of the daycare and was surprised to see Chica, Monty, Roxanne, and the Sun standing outside of them talking. She was almost surprised to see it outside the daycare, though not as surprised as the horrifying realization that it was as tall as the other three.

It was rambling too. It looked so worked up as it flung its arms around and babbled a longwinded explanation that definitely sounded like it could've come from Ennard's mouth.

"-And then I tossed him out here and told him, 'You're banned from the daycare!' and off he went! Like nothing happened, bye-bye, no sorry, not even a, 'Good-bye, Mr. Sun. Sorry I broke your one rule and was mean to you!' Nope!" Sunny vented to the onlooking audience. His prongs twitching and some of them pulling in, showing his agitation.

He wasn't the only person who was annoyed though. Monty was especially leering at him with a surprising amount of focus compared to usual. He huffed and interrupted before the jester could go into another tangent.

"Did ya see where he went or not?" he asked gruffly.

Sunny's arms and shoulder's slouched as he leaned forward, head cocking in a sort of "are you kidding me?" sort of look. His ticking counting the seconds in his pause before he straightened back up, hands on his hips.

"I just told you! I put him right here!" He gestured his hands to where he sat the boy down. "And then he went over to-…" He trailed his hands over before spotting Natalie coming down the stairs. His points popped with an "Eep!" and he skirted right back through the small gap in the wooden doors and shut it quickly behind him.

Roxanne gave a frustrated noise as she dragged her claws down her face. "This is just a waste of time," she growled. Her ear then perked at the footsteps and looked back, seeing the security guard coming down. "Great. Keeps getting better."

"Maybe she'll have better luck than we are," Chica suggested slyly. She then flipped quickly to a more perky posture and waved to the blond. "Hi, Officer Vanessa! Any luck finding that little boy?"

"None whatsoever. Did-?"

"Neither did we! But SUNNY here has seen him," Chica interrupted and said, pointing a thumb back at the wooden doors while the other hand rested on her hip. "Sunny's a little mmm fluttery. Maybe you would have better luck getting an answer out of him!" she chirped and stepped aside, watching expectantly.

Roxanne's lidded eyes were a little more challenging in their glint, as though daring her to test that luck.

"I'll talk to him," Natalie agreed. She headed over to the door, walking past Monty who stood alongside with his arms tightly crossed, and knocked on it. "Sunny?" she called in.

She could see his white eye peek through the slender crack in the door. "Helloooo…" he said quietly, uncomfortably.

"Hey there. Chica said you saw that kid in here."

"Mmm-hmm," Sunny agreed. He then fell silent, clearly not wanting to talk with her.

Now, she considered just continuing to ask him and hope that eventually he would tell her something, but she knew from this coyness that it was going to be like pulling teeth to pull answers out of him. Except she had seen that he wanted to talk about what happened before she came up, so she decided to take a different approach.

"Did that kid give you a hard time?" she asked in her most sympathetic, matronly voice.

He cracked instantly.

"YEEESS! Oh, he was just- and he just- I can't even BEGIN! And it wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't been so smug about it!" Sunny pushed the door open and leaned his upper body out. His points popping and fidgeting with a mix of agitation and anxiousness. "He could've gotten me in sooo much trouble and he didn't even care!"

"Well, nobody's in trouble yet. If we can find this kid and get him handed off to his parents at six, we might just avoid a lawsuit. I might even avoid losing my job," Natalie remarked. "So, if you know anything else it would really help."

"I know something," Sunny remarked. He lowered his voice and leaned further in, the closeness of his face more than a little intimidating. "His name's Gregory."

"Alright, that is something. Thanks," Natalie agreed. "Is there anything else?"

"Like can you at least point to the door he left through?" Roxanne asked from behind her. "We know you didn't just let that kid out and let him walk away. You have to know where he went."

"I-I-I'm trying!" Sunny stuttered. "I carried him right outside, plopped him down right there-." He reached out an arm to point at the same spot he had pointed at numerous times. Though this time he didn't get a chance to try the same story.

"Are you gonna give us a straight answer or not?!" Monty bellowed, suddenly losing his composure. It was loud enough and close enough to Natalie that she jumped and took a step away from him with an almost offended look to cover any fear. Sunny's head snapped to him just as quickly, and while his expression didn't change his tone certainly did.

"Huh, that's funny. Because I swear the kid said that he ran into YOU before he came into the daycare," he remarked. His voice dropped in a lower, colder tone. "Said you weren't playing so nice…"

Monty growled lowly. Natalie turned to him and asked bluntly, "What does that mean?"

"Means I chased him up from the basement and lost him," Monty gruffly answered.

Natalie tightened her lips at that. There was something he wasn't saying, but Monty's current behavior was tipping off what it could've been. That he got impatient with and might've even scared the kid, which wasn't helping anybody- which was the best-case scenario in all of this. She was still eyeing Monty, who had decided to look off towards the gift shop. Arm still resting on the edge of the door and still leaning on it.

She turned back to the Sun. "So, you didn't see where he went?"

"Nope!"

"We're out of here," Roxanne suddenly announced. She almost looked more fed up than Monty did, turning away with a swish of her tail and heading to the half circle doors that led out to Kids Cove. "What a waste of time."

"At least we know he's not here!" Chica tried to reason. She looked back and gave a little wink and wave to Natalie. "See you later, Miss Security Guard! Hope your luck gets better soon!"

"Yeah, same," Natalie answered. She looked back to Monty to find him looking at her. He slid off the wall and sent one last tense look at Sunny before following his bandmates back out. The blond tightened her lips as a new suspicion cropped up and waited until the door closed to act on it. She looked back to Sunny. "Well, they're gone. Are you sure you didn't see where he went?"

"Nope! Honest! I shut the door as soon as I put him out, and then I called security! That's all, the end, un-happily ever after!" Sunny said. So, he was dodgy without the Glamrocks being here too. Nice to know.

"What about what happened with Monty?" she asked with concern.

His head tilted town and his voice deflated. "Dunno. All's I know is that the kid was pretty scared of him… They should put a warning sign on that guy!"

She quirked a brow. "Monty or the kid?"

"Both!" Sunny chirped with a spin of his points. "Okie dokie, Ma'am! Time for me to go restock the arts and crafts, so have a good niiight!"

Before she could even react to the fact that he just dismissed himself, let alone try to stop him, the door was suddenly shut behind her and she was effectively shut out. She stared at the door for a second before deciding that she would likely have a better chance looking through the security cameras than waiting for an answer from anyone else.

She started heading back towards the lobby and got as far as the daycare security door when she heard something wheeling up behind her. She recognized the sound of a Staff Bot and was mildly surprised to look back and see the Nanny Bot.

"Hey there. What are you… doing?" Her one-sided conversation was sidetracked when the Nanny Bot continued by and wheeled over towards the line of Fizzy Faz machines. It then waved her down and once she caught up began pointing towards the Fizzy Faz machine with Freddy on it. It pointed firmly, adamantly, as though trying to tell her something.

"Freddy?... Is this about that kid?" she asked. The Nanny Bot nodded. "Is he with Freddy?" she guessed. It nodded again. This wasn't as much of a surprise as it might've been, not after finding Freddy wandering around in the basement. She had thought that was weird at the time, but she didn't think he was capable of misleading her, let alone that he would hide a child. Unless they met up after that. "I'll go talk to him. Thank you."

The Nanny Bot didn't respond, it just rolled past her and returned to the security doors, which opened again to let it inside. Natalie watched it leave before quickening her pace and heading towards a new destination: Freddy's green room.

He wasn't there. She waited around for a while before leaving to go check the cameras, but she came back later. He still wasn't there. A few times she returned to check the room before he finally showed back up. She hadn't even seen him on the camera, she just came by the window again and spotted him sprawled out on the couch. One foot resting on the floor, one arm tucked under his head, staring up at the ceiling with a melancholy look.

Freddy didn't even notice her until she was using her security pass to open the door. He straightened up quickly, teetering just a little as he did.

"O-Officer Vanessa!" he shouted in surprise.

She didn't return the greeting, instead choosing to walk into the room, put a hand on her hip, and shooting him the look. He wasn't sure how to describe such a look except that it became immediately apparent that she knew exactly what he had done. He dropped his head and shoulders with shame.

"Where's the kid?" she asked. He didn't answer right away. "…Freddy, come on. I know he was with you."

"…I took him down to the loading docks and let him out through the exit. He… He called his mother, and she should be coming to pick him up."

"He got a call through?" Natalie asked questioningly.

"He used a landline phone."

Freddy too seemed reluctant with details. Though unlike the others who were being purposefully dodgy, it seemed like Freddy was more so guilty about the whole thing. Her face softened more with weariness than to let him off the hook.

"I don't need to tell you what part of that was wrong, right?" she asked.

"I know…" Freddy simply said.

"Can I at least ask why you did it?" she asked again.

He stared at the floor for a long moment, arms resting on his knees, with his expression slightly changing as he thought about it. To be honest, he didn't really know why he had gone through such lengths to keep Gregory hidden from her. He knew she was the responsible authority afterhours, and that Gregory was just afraid of getting in trouble. Yet he had done it and he couldn't very well say he wouldn't make the same decision again.

"I just… wanted to help him," he finally said. He sounded so defeated, so uncertain, that she decided to throw him a bone.

"Well, you got him out of the building in one piece and you contacted his parents. That's not great, but that could've gone a lot worse. From what I've heard its been a crazy night, so the sooner he gets home the better," she said. He nodded silently in agreement. "…Are you okay? You're not usually this quiet," she pointed out. His head snapped up at that.

"Oh! My apologies, I am still not quite myself. The safe mode is taking a lot out of me," he explained. He sounded a little more normal saying this, but she couldn't tell if he was being truthful or covering. Either way, she let him off the hook.

"Then I'm going to get out of your hair and let you rest. If you need me, I'm going to be glued to the cameras for the next couple of hours," Natalie said. She turned to head for the door, only to stop and spin on her heel. "And if this ever happens again, please just tell me next time?" He agreed and then she let him off the hook. Leaving him to recover while she returned to the security office.

Natalie walked out of that green room feeling like she dodged a bullet.

…And still feared that there was a gun pointed at her head.

Chapter Text

"-Finally, Freddy shows up in his green room and I go to get answers from him. Turns out that the kid was with him the whole time, or at least was after whatever went down at the daycare. Which I will never know because apparently, I don't have access to any of the footage from last night, and that's IF there's any recorded footage. Freddy smuggled him downstairs, had him call home, and then let him out into the parking lot. Wasn't going to tell me! Just puts the kid out and goes to sulk in his green room. Which is fine if it means the kid gets out some way, but I would've liked a heads up."

Natalie cut off her venting before she could get started up again. Between her tone and how tired she looked after a full amount of sleep; it was abundantly clear that last night had been hard for her. Fritz could agree to that, having seen the exceptionally exhausted state she was in when coming home. More tired than usual and more frustrated than expected. Taking a semi-calming breath, Natalie finished off her recount.

"So, then I went back to the security room and watched for most of the night. I couldn't tell the Glamrocks what happened, not after how weird they were acting. I barely trust them as it is, I don't want to stir up some long-lost programming that'll trigger them to freak out. So, instead, they were prowling the place all night. Which meant I got to listen to Chica circle the lobby for an hour, offering candy to someone who wasn't there. They all headed back to their rooms a little before six and I was able to get out of there and go home… And that was it! That was the opening night of Freddy's and one of the most exhausting nights of my life."

The lack of any outburst during or after Natalie's recount of her night didn't necessarily suggest that all was well. Such as Foxy, who had somewhere along the lines- about the time Freddy had come into the picture- slowly leaned back in his chair, tilted back his head, and covered his face with his hand and his hook. A much more restrained action to his window shattering "WHAT?!" when Fritz dropped in after work to mention Freddy's fall on stage.

"Freddy, Freddy, Freddy. Bloody bear, foolhardy… Freddy," he muttered to himself, cutting off with a groan. Jeremy patted him on his coat clad shoulder and Foxy muttered a low, "One day in and here we go."

"All things considered, they're lucky that's the only thing that went wrong," Natalie remarked. She sent a look to Fritz who cracked a smile despite the stress.

Foxy hummed and lifted his hand to peek at her. "They open today?" he asked. She shook her head. "Hmm, good… Gives Freddy some time to rest…" he mumbled.

Though it was clear that wasn't what he was really thinking about, if his lost-in-thought look was any indication. Jeremy grimaced just slightly.

The other reactions weren't much better. Charlie was quiet but had begun to pace, Louise had showed a variety of animated expressions from the other side of Natalie, and it had taken until now for Mike to notice that he was clenching his jaw.

But the most concerning reaction- or the reaction that Mike considered most concerning- was the one directly beside him. The dead silent puppet who merely had a disapproving smile and slightly narrowed eyes. The fact that he showed this at all instead of the blank smile being a warning sign that there was something much worse brewing beneath the surface.

The two of them were standing a few feet in front of Natalie and Fritz, so it wasn't like they hadn't noticed it too. They just probably couldn't read it like Mike could, mistakenly thinking that the ability to emote was a sign that it wasn't so bad. He knew better than to get comfortable; a dead silent Marionette was typically brewing like a tea kettle, just waiting to let out all that steam.

"Sooo…" Mike dragged out slowly, stealing another quick side-glance at the ticking time bomb beside him before continuing. "Exactly how much 'I'm about to lose it and maul someone' energy was coming off the gator?"

"I totally got the vibes that if there wasn't a door there, he would've taken a swing at the sun, and with his arms he might've taken his head off," Natalie agreed with a nod. "Like, I didn't get the vibe that he was going to attack me, but I'm not putting myself alone in a room with him."

"How tall was the sun again?" Jeremy chimed up to ask.

"About this tall." She lifted her hand to a good guesstimate of where he stood.

"Well, there goes my adopt-the-sun plan."

"Yeah, now you might have to fight Scott for him," Mike remarked. It didn't lighten the mood much. At least not when he had to turn and look back at Jeremy, giving him another quick look at Marionette, who had slightly turned his head. Mike turned back to Natalie. "Any sign of the chick in the bunny suit?"

"I didn't see her," Natalie said. She bit her lip pensively, considering her next words.

"Well, there's that," Fritz offered. He might've not said anything if he noticed that look, but he didn't.

"But I know she was in there," she finished. Apparently, she hadn't said this to him earlier from how quickly that cautious optimism dropped to disbelief and dread. His look alone said everything.

"What?" he asked.

"My cameras starting goofing up after I returned to the office, so I know she was running around," Natalie explained. "…But that's fine! She can run around all she wants. Obviously, she knows not to mess with me anymore since I pulled the taser on her. If she wants to sneak around like a rat, then that's her choice."

"Huh. And when did that happen?" Mike asked. That nonchalant tone contrasting how hyperaware he suddenly became after she mentioned drawing the taser. Because it didn't matter how much she underplayed it, he knew Natalie well enough to know that she would've only drawn that taser if she was afraid.

Mike dared another look towards Marionette. His eyes had widened a little bit in surprise, but then narrowed past the point they had earlier. Another brief glimpse into the storm brewing beneath the surface.

Natalie must've caught her slip up and was quick to do damage control. "I just got creeped out. She was just skipping around acting goofy and trying to rile me up. She didn't even have the knife on her."

That sentence uncomfortably floated around the room before the puppet suddenly turned to his companion at his side.

"Mike, can I speak to you in private?" Marionette asked in a dangerously neutral tone.

"Sure. In the office or the prize corner?" Mike asked, pretending he didn't know what was coming.

"In the bathroom."

"Ah yes, the soundproof vault. That's not a sign of things to come," Mike remarked. He then followed along as the Puppet made a brisky beeline towards the hallway and into the bathroom without sharing any further glances at anyone.

The next sign would be when he came into the bathroom to find Marionette standing at the other side facing the wall, standing as stiff and still as a board while equally silent as one. The man raised his brows and slowly closed the bathroom door behind him before walking over, reaching him in only a few steps.

"Mari?" he asked with concern. The Puppet made a discordant little sound and his head twitched to the side.

"It's all happening again…"

"It's all-."

"IT'S ALL HAPPENING AGAIN!" Marionette exploded. His volume only accentuated by a mechanical screech from his chest.

It was enough to get Mike's eyes wide and his mouth shut, but not enough to make him back away. Marionette raised his hands to his head, hands clawing and wringing at air as he gave another infuriated cry.

"This is how it starts, Mike!" he cried. "It starts with broken machines and children left behind, and RABBITS! ALWAYS RABBITS!"

"Take it easy. You're not wrong, but he got out. The kid's okay," Mike said, trying to talk him down. He knew he was upset, but he didn't expect this level of upset. Apparently, this kid was the tipping point.

"But what about the next one?! I have trouble believing that some lone child was spontaneously left at the Pizzaplex on accident!" Marionette pointed out. Purposefully yelling at the wall or the ceiling or the bathroom stall, anything other than Mike. "And the only reason he got out was because of Freddy, who for some strange reason IS ALIVE!" he spat. "I didn't PUT anyone in Freddy, SO WHO DID?!"

"That's a good question, but unless someone scribbled it on the bathroom wall, we're not getting answers in here," Mike said. The Puppet let out a pained noise and he snapped to attention. "Hold on. Are you okay?"

"No, I am not okay! I can't believe this!" Marionette vented. A growing dial tone sound in his chest grew worse with those words, before fluctuating, along with a hitch in his voice. "I have to calm down. I can't let myself get upset-!"

Him trying to calm himself down sounded downright painful and considering the incident they had during the last round of bad news, it was probably going to hurt for both of them. Mike wasn't going to let that happen.

"No. That's exactly what you don't want to do. Just let it all out. I want to hear it, I can handle it," he reassured. Marionette finally looked at him and Mike made a goading motion with his hands. "Come on. Tell me where it hurts."

The Puppet snapped his head for a moment and withstood only a few more, twitching and shuddering, before he let the rest of it flow out. Along with a gush of tears, though no sobs to be heard in his audibly cluttered voice.

"I hate this!" Marionette exclaimed. "I was once the protector of children, of lost souls, of Freddy's, and here I am rendered a- a spectator! How could I become so complacent?! How could I let it get this far?!"

"You're not complacent," Mike calmly disagreed.

"How am I not?! If not for Freddy, that boy could've been murdered last night! Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't think that gator has the same wretched programming that was in those Afton made machines! Tell me you don't think that psychotic rabbit woman only backed down because her target fought back!"

Mike didn't have a rebuttal fast enough to cover up that he agreed with both of those. At that point it wasn't even worth trying to lie just to pacify the puppet, he would know.

The static returned to Marionette's voice as the pinpoints of light appeared in his eyes and he stood at full height. For a moment he was almost intimidating. No, he was definitely intimidating, Mike just knew that Marionette would never do anything to hurt him. He didn't scare him, he just made him feel unexpectedly small. Especially when surrounded by the distorted noises bouncing off the closed in walls.

Marionette's voice was filled with an authority that he couldn't remember ever hearing before.

"I am more than this, Mike. I am more than just an entertainer. A ticket taker in the back of a prize corner. More than the protector, more than the reaper, more than the complacent! I am the soul of Freddy's!"

There was nothing to say to that, but he was convincing enough Mike believed him. He just silently stared back at the lighted eyes gazing into his own. Heat spreading up his neck from his collar.

The heaviness and silence suffocated the room for only a little longer.

"Did-?!" Marionette suddenly continued. "…Did that sound insane just now? Because now that I said it out loud, I think that might've sounded totally insane."

Mike snapped out of his fog. "What? No… A little bit, but you noticed." He made an 'okay' symbol with his hand. "Totally sane."

He decided it was best not to mention how warm he got. If he was showing it, he'd just blame the stuffy bathroom.

The tuneless noises fell into a dull hum Marionette slowly turned himself towards the sink. His hands resting on the counter as he eventually lifted his eyes from the drain to look at himself in the mirror. His stripes were oozing off his mask and dripping onto his chest and the tiles.

His voice was so quiet, now devoid of all the other sounds and yet Mike could barely hear it.

"None of this would be happening if I was still there…"

With that confession, Mike finally saw the root of Marionette's guilt.

Marionette lightly thumped his fists on the bathroom counter before wavering there a minute and then slowly sliding to the floor and to his knees, dropping his arms limply to his sides.

Mike was over to him in an instant and hooked his hands under his arms to pull him up. "Come on, don't do that. This is the last place you want to do that. You know this floor's dirty."

"Not as dirty as my conscious."

Between that defeated little comment and how limp his body was, it was clear to Mike that he wasn't getting him back up off the floor. So instead, he moved his hands up to squeeze and then pat his shoulders reassuringly.

Besides, that wasn't the important part. Now he had the floor, and he was going to say his peace.

"If you were still at Freddy's this exact same thing would still be happening because you wouldn't be at the Pizzaplex. Chances are you'd be stuck in one of the spinoff chains or in a warehouse somewhere, confined to your box, wasting your life waiting for the eventual. Even if you were at the Pizzaplex, you know what Fazbear Entertainment's capable of. They could've had you shackled up with so much programming that you would've been stuck serving in a prize corner that wasn't yours watching all of this happen. I know you're stronger than that, but I know you would've stuck through it even when you didn't have to if you thought you could stop what was coming. That's not a life; that's a prison sentence."

He heard what sounded a lot like a mechanical whine and rubbed gently at his shoulders.

"And you've got nothing to feel bad about. Up until Natalie said all that, I was starting to think we were overreacting. That we were just assuming there was some sort of conspiracy going on at Freddy's because it's a godawful company that ruined all of our lives and is threatening to ruin our business. This is the first time we've gotten real concrete proof that we've got to do something. Freddy being alive doesn't count. There's practically twenty places across Utah with haunted animatronics living in them. That's not as much of a red flag as you'd think it is. Rabbit chick's borderline, but what were we supposed to do? Barge in there? Blow Nat's cover and give her full reign? We had to be careful."

Marionette gave a somber little nod.

"Now I'm going to be straight with you because you're going to see through me if I start doing the whole 'it's fine, we've got this' spiel again. Something's up at Freddy's. We're got a huge problem brewing over there and it's a lot worse than just some friendly competition, whatever the hell happened last night proves that. And it's becoming abundantly clear that nobody over there's going to do anything about it until someone gets hurt. If that means we've got to step in and cover their shift, then whatever, we'll do it. Even one life is worth more than spiting Freddy's, especially if it's a kid's."

"Of course," the Puppet quietly agreed. "…But there must be something more."

"You better believe we're going to do something more. You said it yourself, you're the protector of Freddy's and I'm your backup. They dropped the ball, and we step in. We're not being complacent, we just gave them a chance to do their job," Mike said with the slightest edge of acidity. "Now we fix it, just like we always do." His voice softened considerably to add, "Don't beat yourself up for something that hasn't happened yet. We can still save them."

The words nudged some deep-set programming and caused Marionette to flinch the slightest bit. To become more aware, if only for a moment. Then relaxing back into his companion's affirming grasp. He tilted and turned his head to rest the edge of his mask against Mike's hand before snaking his own hand up to gently take the other one. They stayed like that for a few quiet minutes.

During that time Mike took note of the lack of pain of any kind. No hallucinations, no voices, no headache or burning touch. All of that overwhelming build-up was simply not there. This seemed to confirm his suspicions and Mike released a breath that he didn't know he had been holding. It felt like he had been holding it for weeks.

Only once the constant hum had dimmed and the posture of the puppet relaxed did he know he had truly calmed down. He really wished he could leave it like that, so he braced him with a squeeze of the hand.

"I know I've asked you this before…" Mike began softly. "…but how many did you save?"

"So many," Marionette answered. "Too many."

"Any unaccounted for?"

"…Yes."

Mike inhaled deeply and exhaled through his mouth. "So maybe."

"Maybe," Marionette agreed, understanding what he was saying. "…But not if they're new."

"So, probably not Freddy."

"Not from what Foxy and Natalie have said, no."

They fell back into silence. After a bit, Marionette shifted like he was going to get up and Mike helped pull him to his feet, even though he didn't need the help. The Puppet pulled a few paper towels out from the dispenser and dampened them under the faucet while Mike rubbed at a small purple stain left on his pants.

"I'm sorry," Marionette said, wringing the napkins in his hands.

"Don't worry, it comes out easy," Mike answered.

Marionette looked to him in confusion and noticed the spot, and he actually managed a chime. He offered the wet bundle which Mike rubbed into the spot for a second. There was still a slight stain, but nothing that wouldn't get out with a wash. Besides, it was nothing compared to what had leaked onto the puppet's chest. Two seconds addressing himself and then he turned to work at Marionette, gently brushing his hand away when he tried to stop him.

"You don't have to," Marionette said quietly, guiltily.

"Are you kidding? And let my puppet go out in public looking like this? There's no way," Mike replied.

The puppet gave a hushed trill that slowly grew into a warble at the smoothing and cleaning of his velveteen textured fabric. The tears came off his fabric much easier than the pants, but Mike still took his time and soon there was only a dull tint from where it had been. Mike was going to toss the napkins in the trash, but Marionette caught his hand before he could do so, softly wrapping his fingers around it and holding securely.

Mike met his gaze without much surprise, seeing that a solemn but steadfast expression had taken his mask.

"Tonight," Marionette said, tone dead serious. "We are going in there tonight, and we are finding that rabbit, and we are finishing this tonight."

"Fine by me," Mike agreed without hesitation. If anything, he was waiting for this moment, knowing that eventually it was going to come.

The puppet nodded then leaned in and kissed him, reigniting the heat that had previously started to fade. Once they parted, he circled Mike before leading him out by the hand. The man tossing the napkins sideways into the trash as they went.

Marionette got a glimpse out of the hall and into the dining room first. Upon which he gave a disappointed, "Oh…"

"What? Everyone heard?" Mike guessed.

"Yes, and everyone left," he replied. Indeed, they stepped out into a dining room now largely devoid of life- save for the voices from the kitchen and the redhead and other puppet at a table, Charlie and Carlton. "Except for them."

"Our little thrill seekers," Mike said with a cheeky grin. He then started heading over, with Marionette meandering alongside him, less than enthused about his previous volume.

Carlton was sitting at a pulled-out chair while Charlie was leaning on the back of another one. She noticed them coming over before he did and straightened up right away.

"Heeey…" she greeted.

"Ayyy," Mike replied with a slowly raising thumbs up. She got a small, almost incredulous smile. "So, did you catch all of that or should we bring you up to speed?" he asked. Now Marionette gave him a similar but much less amused look.

"I was under the distinct impression that Mari might not like the bunny," Carlton remarked, hands tented and pointed them at said puppet. Said puppet who gave him a look that was enough to get him up and out of the chair and back to sweeping the front mat, which was where he was headed before Natalie began her retelling of the last night.

"Assuming you didn't hear much more than that," Marionette began. Any tinge of irritation quickly dissolved back to seriousness. "We have decided that tonight's the night we will see the Pizzaplex for ourselves. We'll sneak in after midnight."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Charlie asked. She didn't sound shocked or even too worried, just like she was considering it. Like they had suggested renting a different kind of movie instead of breaking and entering.

"Let me put it this way: at this point Freddy's is one bad idea away from someone getting seriously hurt, and if it's not us then it's going to be somebody else. Might as well even out the odds," Mike said. It wasn't a joke either.

"Not that we intend to hurt anyone," Marionette assured.

Mike raised a finger and interjected, "Except the rabbit."

The Puppet didn't even laugh. His eyes slightly narrowed as he responded with a distant, "Oh yes. The rabbit."

The man looked at him for a moment before turning to Charlie and giving a quiet, "Obviously that was a joke, but you know." He gestured towards Marionette, and she nodded.

"Right… Then maybe I should stay home tonight and we can work out a plan. It shouldn't be that hard to get in. Foxy's pretty much doing it on a weekly basis," Charlie remarked.

Though this comment snapped Marionette out of his moment as he realized what she was offering. "Oh, no! You don't have to do that!" he protested. He had returned to his familiar, more assuring tone of voice. "Foxy's been able to sneak around without getting caught because he's been waiting until the Pizzaplex is fully closed. Our best chance will be to do the same. That gives you plenty of time to go out and for us to still construct a plan together."

"But see, I was thinking I was going with you," Charlie suggested. Mike had already assumed as much from her earlier reaction.

"I was assuming you would be back before midnight," Marionette retorted with slight playfulness. "Burke strikes me as the type to enact his own curfew."

"Only on me!" Carlton called from nearby.

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to be screwing around while you have to take care of everything. I can help, we can plan this out together," she said. The other puppet gently laid a hand on her shoulder and cut off her protests.

"We will, but I don't want you to spend all night obsessing over the details like I'm going to. You've been looking forward to this for days. Go have fun with your friends! Freddy's can wait. Heavens knows we're going to have to wait for Freddy's," Marionette reassured her.

"He's right. You're just going to be watching the clock if you stay home. Go out and have a good night, we'll be fine," Mike agreed.

They both did have a point, so she agreed with them too.

…

But to tell the whole truth. Charlie might've been trying to get out of tonight.

Now since meeting back up with her friends some months ago, Charlie had seen them on a regular basis. Some more than others. Such as Carlton, who was now a fixture at Foxy's, and Marla who stopped by rather frequently. Her most frequent visitor was Jessica, who either came to the house or the pizzeria weekly, and who she talked to on the phone frequently. They were as tight as they once had been.

The exceptions were Lamar, who lived out of town so of course she wouldn't see him regularly, and John. She had only seen John a few times since they had met back up. He was always friendly, but she never sought him out.

If she was being honest with herself, she was avoiding John. As much as she could when he could always drop into the business at any time. It just felt so weird to talk to him and have so many unsaid words that she knew was lingering there.

She felt like she was supposed to apologize, but the words never felt appropriate. Therefore, it was just easier to avoid him while she could and make perfectly serviceable small talk when she couldn't.

Except for tonight. Tonight was special because Lamar was getting back into town and so everyone decided to meet up and hang out at Carlton's. They would have a pizza, watch some movies, shoot the breeze, and live like one of them hadn't died and become a puppet. Charlie was quite fine with that part. Save the fact that it meant she couldn't exactly avoid John.

She kept having the same irrational fear of being stuck alone in the same room and having nothing to say. It wasn't like Foxy's where she could look around until she found something notable enough to change the subject. If she was cornered, then there was nowhere to run.

"So, what's that noise mean?" Carlton asked.

Only then did Charlie notice the dull humming coming from her music box as her eyes stared both unfocused and fixated on the right air vent in front of her.

"I'm downloading a social interaction directive. It comes with icebreakers, one-liners, and a detailed guide on how to make the perfect screwdriver," she wisecracked. "Now that I'm a robot I can finally be the life of the party!"

He snickered a little at that and she almost relaxed, save her tight grip on the door rest.

"Okay, that's good. But what's actually going on?" he asked a few seconds later. Charlie sighed.

"I'm just a little nervous. That's all," she admitted.

"Nervous? You?" He sounded surprised. He was aware that he had been keeping up with everyone and that everyone was very aware of how she looked now, and of the company she kept who she wasn't nervous around, so this seemed like a weird time to get antsy. It didn't take him long to narrow down the difference between tonight and hanging out with him and Marla after a long shift.

"Is this about John?" Carlton dared to ask. He looked uncertain, like he knew he was pushing the boundary. Though just as quickly he decided to throw himself over that boundary with a cheesy smile and a waggling brow.

"Don't give me that look. In fact, don't give anybody that look. It's not doing you any favors," Charlie said unamused.

This only goaded him on. "You're downloading the hot date directive, aren't you?" he teased.

"Considering that John is dating my best friend. No, I'm not," Charlie remarked.

"Sorry. My bad," he said. He stayed silent for a second before that smile crept back up. "I forgot. You save that for weekends at Baby's." She gave him a narrowed little glare. "…Too far?"

"You know I can still drive. I could kick you to the curb and drive there myself," she remarked. Then a little more smugly added, "Or I could just I walk. I run faster than you drive."

"This is how you have to live when you can't hide a speeding ticket from your folks," he answered. Though then he finally got a little more serious. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to give you a hard time."

"Thank you."

"But… do you still have a thing for John?" he asked. She couldn't hide how startled she was by the question. "It's okay if you do. You two were dating before this whole puppet thing. It wasn't like you guys broke up; it just sort of… stopped."

"Yeah, this puppet thing puts a stop to a lot of things," Charlie admitted. He gave her an actually concerned side glance that she noticed. "But I've gotten over it. That's not even what this is about. It's not about how I feel about John, it's about… other things… Like that, umm… feeling you get when... when you know there's something that you eventually have to talk about, and you really don't want to talk about." Her mask tightened as though in pain. "Like that last phone call…"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm up to speed on that one. I know what you're talking about," Carlton agreed. He considered it before shrugging. "Then just don't talk about it. Change the subject! Talk about all the crazy stuff going on down at Freddy's. Sit by Marla, she knows how to read a room and can do it for you."

"Easier said than done if we end up alone together."

"We're a little old for Seven Minutes in Heaven, so I think we're going to notice if you and John split," Carlton said. He then snapped his fingers again. "I'll tell you what: if things start to get weird, I'll drop a line about the circus."

"That's- That's just going to make it weirder!" she protested aghast.

"I know, but it won't be about you. Right?"

"The hell it will. You'll loop it back to Baby." She knew her mistake the second she saw that smile edging back up. "Don't even-."

"Is that what you do with your strings when-?" Carlton tried to rush in, only to be abruptly cut off by something small and thin smacking him on his face. "…Did you just hit me with a piece of floss?"

"...Yes, I did! And I'll do it again if you say anything like that in front of anyone else," Charlie threatened. Realizing that the threat held as much weight as a piece of floss, she quickly added in, "Or I could just tell Baby."

"Oh GOD. Okay, that's the last time I open my trap for the rest of tonight. Don't tell Baby." While Carlton exaggerated his reaction, she could almost smell his fear. Though it could've been the fear of getting cut off from Ennard too.

Thankfully, they pulled up to the edge of Clay's driveway. Carlton got a somewhat unimpressed look as he realized he was going to be the one stuck on the street. Charlie wasn't expecting everyone to be here already but, counting up the cars, they were all here. Clay was likely home too, probably to keep an eye on things.

"You take the sheet, I'll carry in the pizza," Carlton offered while reaching into the backseat.

Charlie felt a sudden pang of embarrassment. It wasn't like they weren't going to ask when she walked up to the front door draped in a sheet like she was trick-or-treating. She knew that they knew she had to be careful, but that was just going to be one of those awkwardly painful reminders that even if she had the same voice and personality, she wasn't quite the same friend they knew for all those years.

"…No, that's alright. I can carry the pizza and you just stay close behind me. We'll be fine. Nobody will notice," Charlie said.

She knew he was sending her a funny look as she quickly scanned the surrounding street before opening her door and slipping out. She stayed hunched down as she shut the door and opened the back one to grab the pizza while he raced around to catch up with her, her pushing the door closed with her leg and then hastily crossing the yard. Looking out from under her hood and around feverishly the whole time.

What a night to decide not to wear her green jacket. Normally it was a constant, comfortable and reliable, but she didn't want them thinking it was the only thing she could wear. It turned out to have been a good thing when she went back to the house for her clothes, even if she hadn't really been wearing them. She was wearing a V-neck green shirt with her spare jacket, a purple one with a lot of pockets. Not Mike's, it might seem odd. No jeans, it would look too goofy.

But it did have a hood so she could keep her head covered as she made it to the front door. She raised her hand to knock but didn't go through with it, hand pausing in the air, bracing herself one last time before heading in.

"You can just walk in. I live here," Carlton reminded.

Charlie decided to spare him a response and went ahead to do so, finding Marla waiting on the other side of the door. She must've heard them pull up.

"Hi! We were wondering when you were going to get here! And not just for the pizza, I swear," she greeted with a tight hug. Marla's hugs were just tight enough to knock the wind out of someone. Charlie was always pleasantly surprised when reminded that the lack of lungs didn't change that. She returned with one arm while balancing the pizza with the other.

"What about me?" Carlton asked with mock betrayal.

"Okay, if I have to," Marla tsked. She let Charlie go and caught him in a quick hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Charlie took a moment to peek into the living room, catching sight of Lamar sitting on the couch talking to Jessica who was leaning on the back of it. She couldn't see John, so she assumed he was on the other couch under the window.

"But the question is…" Charlie turned back to Marla who had pulled away from Carlton to send her an expectant look. "…Did you bring the goods?" Marla asked with a tiny smile slipping through.

Charlie knew what she wanted and beckoned with her own sly little smile. She turned away, giving herself one last moment to steel her nerves- "It's all good. Just a normal night hanging out with friends you've known for years. Relax." -and then stepping out into the living room.

She received a couple of warm greetings that she returned. As she expected, there was John sitting on the couch under the window. Their eyes met for a second, but she quickly snapped hers away and returned her focus to the task at hand. She set the pizza box down on the coffee table, spun it towards Marla standing at her right and smoothly pulled open the lid.

"Behold! The Dumpster Fire!"

Lamar leaned forward to look at it and pointed at a lump of chunky meat. "What's that?"

"Canned tuna," Charlie replied.

"That's what I thought it looked like, but I wanted to make sure," he replied.

Jessica took one look at the pizza before sending a flat look at Charlie. "Why?" she simply asked.

"Why not?" Charlie answered with a grin.

"Try it! It sounds weird but it's really good," Marla insisted, plopping down beside Lamar with Carlton quickly sitting on the other side. She continued trying to plead her case, with Lamar listening but not yet willing to commit to a slice.

Charlie didn't realize she had sort of drifted out of the conversation until John spoke up.

"How's it been going?" he asked. A friendly greeting in a quiet tone. Even without looking back to check, Charlie knew the question was aimed at her.

"Pretty good! I mean except the whole Freddy's thing, but hey, it hasn't put us out of business yet. That's something," she answered. It didn't sound too terribly awkward, and she turned to face him. He gave her a warm smile that she couldn't detect any remorse or somberness through, much to her relief. "How about you? It's been a while."

"It's been good. Just finished moving into my new apartment."

"Oh? Where?"

"Over by Pioneer Park. We've been rebuilding the complex after it got hit by that twister last year and they only just started renting out again."

Everything seemed like it was going well. Sure, there was always that awkward feeling in the back of Charlie's mind, but the conversation itself didn't seem weird. Nobody was staring, nobody seemed uncomfortable, it was totally fine.

Jessica mentioned something about getting plates, which John took notice of and got up from the couch. "I'll help," he offered. He dismissed himself with a, "I'll be right back," before following her out.

Charlie wasn't offended. On the contrary, it gave her a moment to recollect herself as Carlton still had hold of the conversation, which she only just now realized had swapped to eating spaghetti and mayonnaise. She took that in for about two seconds before deciding to buck up and go see if Jessica needed anymore help. She could see into the kitchen and saw that they were just getting dishes out, so it wasn't like she was encroaching on a moment.

It wasn't until she got to the back of the couch that she caught wind of the conversation around the edge of the doorway.

"It's not the sort of thing you blurt out over the phone," Jessica was whispering. "I don't think it's the sort of thing you can sneak into a group conversation either."

"I know… I'd tell her myself, but I don't think it should come from me. I don't want her to think I'm putting her on the spot, not when this is the first time I've seen her in months," John said. He sounded a little guilty, or perhaps just a little sad.

It was about her. It definitely wasn't about that last phone call though. It was about some sort of news they wanted to give her. She immediately jumped to them moving in together. Maybe they could be getting engaged, but she had trouble believing that Jessica would hide that from her. She couldn't be pregnant either; Jessica was too conscientious to have an unexpected pregnancy. This coupled along with John's new apartment made her think moving in together was the case.

But she had trouble believing that too, because Jessica had openly mentioned going on a date with John once or twice. Charlie had told Jessica upfront that she was fine with the two dating and that it didn't bother her. Why Jessica would decide to hide something so innocuous was odd to her. To spare her feelings, no doubt, but it had to be something more than that.

At this point there was no way she was walking in there, so instead she walked around the couch and sat down on the armrest beside Carlton, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Hey," she whispered subtly. He turned back to her. "…Do you know what John and Jessica are whispering about?"

"No, what?" he asked.

"I don't know. It's about them telling me something."

"Huh…" He considered it a moment. "I don't know. Did they tell you they broke up?"

They had absolutely not.

Charlie's mask eyes widened as it clicked. "…No."

"Carlton," Marla hissed lowly. She gave him a poke in the side. "I don't think that's the sort of thing you were supposed to tell."

"Oops?" he said with a shrug. She just shook her head while Lamar gave a disapproving but surprised look.

"And it's probably not that. It's probably that thing with Arty… Archie. Whatever his name was," Marla offered.

"Arty?" Charlie questioned. A familiar name, a friend from college, but she wasn't sure where that came from. It was enough to pull her from her shock though.

As luck would have it, this was when Jessica and John started coming out. Charlie flinched while Marla turned her head back to blatantly ask, "Did you tell Charlie about the Arty thing?"

Jessica's immediate reaction was slight startlement. "Uh, no, but I wasn't planning on bringing it up in front of everybody."

"What happened?" Charlie asked, managing to mask a normal expression.

"You know that guy you used to share a class with?" the blond asked. She passed off the plates to John and replaced her spot at the back of the couch. "I found out that he's been telling people you two were dating."

"What?!" Charlie gawked.

"Yeah, he was really doing that. So, I tracked him down and set him straight in the middle of a room full of people, so don't expect anymore rumors circling around… Except maybe the one about crazy blond lady who chewed out a guy at a club meeting. Or whatever he was doing."

"Good. Thank you. Arty was a nice enough guy, but we weren't anything beyond friends. Even friends was sort of stretching it. We just did a project or two together," Charlie said, a little relieved. "I didn't think they'd still be talking about me on campus, let alone my social life, considering I'm dead." She felt the tone shift the second she said that and quickly corrected, "As far as they know I'm dead."

"Don't be too surprised that people still remember you. You're a hard one to forget," John remarked. He got a touch of a smile.

"And it's not the first time. Remember when Mom ran into your aunt?" Marla asked. "She told Mom she thought you were secretly dating Mike."

The Security Puppet make a ringing little sputter that she smacked a hand to her chest to try to halt. "You didn't tell me that!" she cried.

"I forgot, sorry. I went to sleep and by the next day it was like it never happened," Marla said apologetically.

If Charlie could've blushed, she would've been beet red. This was probably the worst-case scenario of the evening: her friends were entirely comfortable with saying whatever they wanted to and weren't holding back. And for some reason the conversation seemed to be rooted directly in her nonexistent love life.

…Wait, why WAS the conversation still about her love life?

Paranoia began to climb up and poke at her music box until the combs tightened and ached to let out a no-doubt off-tune jingle. There was no way that they would all be working together to set something up, especially when Jessica and John were already worried about how they were going to tell her that they ended things. This was just a matter of circumstance, and yet she suddenly felt like she was under the spotlight.

"Alright, that's enough about me!" She had to change the subject fast, and there was one surefire way to do that. "…But if we ARE talking about me, then let's talk about something more interesting. I'm sneaking into the Pizzaplex tonight."

It worked like a charm in getting them off the topic at hand, but the price was that all eyes were on her and each one having a variation of a concerned or shocked look. Save Carlton, who just looked a little surprised that she brought it up.

Their reaction wasn't entirely unexpected, and she was quick to add, "Obviously this isn't going to be like last time." Punctuating it with a little smile.

"But you're not going alone," Jessica clarified.

"No way. I'm not making that mistake twice. I'm slipping in with Mike and Mari. Foxy's gotten in there three times now without getting caught, so the odds are in our favor," Charlie explained. Jessica didn't seem entirely satisfied though.

"You should've heard him unloading in the bathroom earlier," Carlton chimed up, trying to cut back on the tension. It only succeeded in getting him some weird looks.

"…Did he eat the Dumpster Fire?" Lamar cautiously asked. "Because this strikes me as the type of pizza that'll do that."

"Not Mike! Mari, the Puppet! It was crazy, he sounded like a deranged TV set."

As luck would have it, Carlton somehow managed to derail the conversation enough that Charlie was able to skirt out from questioning. She knew it was coming though because she could definitely tell the difference in Jessica's demeanor. Though that also could've been her having to crack down and actually try the pizza against her better judgement.

That aside, the night seemed to go pretty well. Clay was at work in his office and only came out once to get something from the kitchen, during which he briefly stopped in to say hello. Thankfully, he didn't ask any questions about Foxy's or Freddy's or anything. He just stopped by to see her and that was it, and it made her feel very human. If hanging out with the others like she used to didn't already do that.

The evening broke up a couple of hours later. Lamar was staying over instead of heading back to his parents' house, so Marla was the first to leave, with the others preparing to walk out soon afterwards. Carlton had agreed to drive Charlie home, so she didn't have to ask anyone else for a ride. Normally she would've asked Jessica, but she was afraid of the possible conversation.

Though if she thought she would be able to slip out the door without having it, she had another thing coming.

"You said you guys are going to Freddy's tonight?" Jessica asked. It had been a while since they talked about it, so it almost came out of nowhere.

"In a few hours." She could see a worried tug at the other's mouth. "But don't worry about me. I've taking my taser and I'm not going to be alone. It's going to be fine."

Jessica hummed and considered it before crossing her arms. "I guess that means there's no talking you out of it."

Charlie nodded with an apologetic smile.

Jessica sighed. "Which means I'm going to have to go with you," she said, and it was clear from the way she said it that she wasn't joking.

"What? No! You don't have to do that!" Charlie protested. Yet Jessica merely quirked a brow as though in challenge. "Just because I'M going to be fine doesn't mean that we aren't technically breaking the law. Or at least trespassing. You don't want to get wrapped up in this. If you got caught, it could jeopardize your future."

"Are you planning on getting caught?" Jessica asked. Charlie dropped her arms in exasperation and gave her a correlating look. The blond returned with a smile. "Then we've got nothing to worry about."

"…I feel like me telling you this is a bad idea is just going to rubber-glue back to me even though there's a huge difference in what's at stake. We're-… We're not entirely confident that the animatronics at this place aren't aggressive. There's some woman running around in a costume- You don't want to be involved in this. I don't want to risk your life getting you involved with this."

"I know, and that's why I wasn't with you last time," Jessica admitted with remorse.

"That wasn't your fault," Charlie quietly assured.

"I know, but I should've tried harder. I always think to myself that if I could do it over again, I would've tried harder. Well, here's my chance. Let me do this for you, please," she insisted. She managed a smile despite it all. "Besides, my first class isn't until noon. Why not live it up while I can?"

Charlie smiled despite herself but still took a moment to consider it. This was terribly risky, having another person coming, inviting someone without Mike and Marionette's agreement, but there was a part of her that still wanted her there even though she knew it was dangerous. Besides, it wasn't like Jessica didn't know what she was getting into. She held her own well in the Fazbear Processing Facility, and this would hopefully be nowhere near that dangerous.

In the end, she found that guilt was a factor too, because Jessica wasn't the only one remorseful for how last time turned out. If this could help her get closure, then Charlie owed her that.

"…Okay… Okay, but only if Mari and Mike say it's alright, and only if you promise me that you'll follow my lead. Just like back at that factory, okay?" Charlie insisted.

"I promise. You're the boss," Jessica agreed without hesitation.

Then they were in agreement. This would probably be fine, Charlie guessed. The guys would probably be wary about bringing someone else, but it wasn't like it was a stranger, and one extra body wasn't a lot to account for-.

"Can I come too?" John volunteered.

Charlie hadn't accounted for that one. Now she was in a bind because she had already said yes to Jessica and every qualification, she lined up to reason that Jessica could come were all lined up in John's favor too. Two extra people was a little more crowded, but not crowded enough to reasonably use it as an excuse. Maybe it would even get her out of the uncomfortable conversation that she had been dreading, or maybe push her more squarely into it.

"…Sure. The more the merrier… Well, no. Actually, it's probably the less the better, but if you still… If you're sure, sure," Charlie agreed. John didn't give an out by offering not to go; he might've been even more determined than Jessica.

Now, Carlton had witnessed this whole scene play out since he was standing right there, preparing to head out and drive Charlie home. It did admittedly take him until now to realize what Charlie was getting herself into, and he probably wouldn't have noticed it if not for the conversation they had earlier. He wasn't sure how to go about interjecting himself in without going all in, so he did.

"You guys talked me into it! Guess I'm going too," he said. Charlie sent him a baffled look and he returned with a wink. She caught the gest that he was trying to help but didn't know how much of it actually helped. Before she could decide, he turned to Lamar. "You up for a little adventure?"

"No thanks. I'm good," he swiftly declined. "The pizza's as adventurous as I'm going to get."

"Suit yourself, but you're going to be missing out. It's the only place in town where you can see a seven-foot bear running at Mach Speed," Carlton remarked.

"Spares us the trip to Alaska," John quipped. It got a smile out of Charlie, even if by now the weight of what she agreed to was sinking in.

She promised to call with the details before finally making it out the door and to the car, this time sprinting since she no longer had to juggle the pizza. She slipped into the passenger's seat and slid down into it wondering how exactly she had lost control of the situation that fast. At this rate she might as well have called up Baby and invited her along too. She was never going to believe this, or likely she would and get a little huffy at the Arty thing. Huffy was better than homicidal.

Perhaps this wouldn't go so badly. A lapse in judgement, yes, but surely they could salvage the plan before it began.

Now she had to figure out a delicate way to break the news to Mike and Marionette.

Chapter Text

All things considered, Mike and Marionette were taking the news of having three extra people tagging along pretty well. That is, Mike only made two babysitting cracks and Marionette only had that huffiness that came with being worried. Yet they didn't put up much of a fight. Not once Charlie made it a little clearer why she couldn't say no to Jessica and John. They sent each other a long look and decided not to kick Carlton to the curb.

At about eleven forty-five at night, they started their drive to the Pizzaplex. They took a single car, Mike's car, to draw less attention. So, he was driving, unsurprisingly, Marionette was in the passenger's seat, and the four others had squeezed into the back. Charlie had taken the window seat beside Jessica with John and Carlton cramped in the middle and by the other window respectively, with them behind the driver's seat. It was just another risk being taken tonight.

With them pulling up on the turnoff for the Pizzaplex, Mike decided that now was a good time to go over some of the things he didn't feel he had been specific enough with before they left.

"So, here's the deal. Natalie- or Vanessa, as she goes by here- knows we're here, but she's not supposed to. So, if we set off any alarms, she's going to come looking for us. Or is going to make it look like she is for the cameras. If she sees us, she's going to treat us like she just caught a bunch of strangers breaking in, and we're not going to act like we know her, but we ARE going to scatter," he instructed. "The best thing you can do is not get caught."

"And that goes for the animatronics especially," Marionette added. He turned around in his seat to face those in the back, focusing mostly on the three newcomers. "These animatronics are not like the ones we encountered together. They are clean, brand-new, and very vocal. They may seem friendly, they may talk like Foxy and I do, but we cannot be certain they are safe. So far, we know for certain that Monty Gator is aggressive, but seeing adult humans trespassing might set off any of them. Be on guard, don't let them see you."

"And keep the taser close," Mike added.

"Got it! Charged and ready," Charlie said. She pulled it out of her jacket pocket and showed it off for emphasis.

They pulled up the gravel road and down the stretch towards the Pizzaplex. Mike could remember driving here with Marionette before it was finished. Playing around in the snow, hanging out at the construction site, all sorts of dangerous things that they couldn't gotten in trouble for if they would've gotten caught. Those were good memories.

Yet now at the end of this long road wasn't a construction site sitting in the snow. It was this large space-themed pizza mall with animatronic mascots sitting in the lull before true spring with sparse relocated trees outside its front entrance.

It was only when the others started making comments in the back-

Such as Charlie's, "Whoa!"

And John's mutter of, "How did they get this up so fast...?"

-that Mike suddenly realized this was also the first time Marionette had seen it too. He looked over to see his reaction, totally expecting that mask to steel up with determination and distain, and he wouldn't be shocked or disappointed to see it.

However, that was not what was happening on his mask, and likely not what was going on inside his head. Marionette's eyes had widened, his unmarked brow raised, and his mouth slightly parted in rather endearing look of astonishment. Less like a person confronting their former captor and current competitor and more like a kid seeing it for the first time.

Mike much preferred an awed Mari over a depressed one, though he wasn't confident it would last.

"This place is huge! It must've cost a fortune to build," Jessica nearly gasped.

"It had to of. Just buying and clearing the land alone would've cost a small fortune," John agreed.

"I wonder where they got that kind of money," Jessica remarked suspiciously.

"You're not the only one," Mike muttered.

"Probably from absorbing so many smaller establishments. There must have been a monetary gain of some kind," Marionette suggested. His voice betrayed distrust while his look of surprise only now started to fade.

"So… Is Nat leaving a door unlocked, or are we going the Foxy route- crawling in a vent and hope we don't get stuck or shredded by a fan?" Carlton asked.

"We're going in through the parking garage. She's leaving it open for us," Charlie explained. "But once it hits midnight everything's going to seal up and we're going to be locked in. So, if anyone's thinking of backing out, now's your last chance."

"No problem. I've been thinking of backing out since the moment I agreed to come," Carlton remarked.

"That makes two of us! Great minds think alike, don't they?" Marionette chimed up. Serious circumstances aside, he still managed a wispy little chuckle. "But she's correct. Last chance."

"Didn't come this far to turn back now," John said. Jessica agreed with a nod.

"Yeah, I'm just kidding around. No way I'd miss out on this," Carlton also agreed, even if he did seem a little more nervous.

"Wouldn't this be a great time for me to suddenly change my mind and ditch them here?" Mike asked, flashing his puppet companion a sly grin. Marionette returned with a small 'you better not' smile. The man winked and started to move to open the door and get out, only to stop and suddenly turn around.

"One last thing," he said as he turned around in his seat and looked into the back with a look of complete and utter seriousness. "The rabbit."

He could see Marionette's face firm up as he slowly turned his head forward. Ah yes, the rabbit- he could almost imagine him saying in his silence.

"If we see the rabbit, we're going after her. 'We're' being Marionette and I and only Marionette and I. If that happens, don't follow us, don't go for Natalie, just stay calm, stay quiet, don't get caught," he asserted. "Also, here. Take this."

Mike started to reach into Marionette's seat to grab the two-way radio, only for said puppet to meet him halfway by handing it to him.

"Thanks. Here." He then handed it back to Charlie. "You know how to use one of these, right?"

"I think I can figure it out," Charlie said. She did a quick look over of the radio and could tell it would be easy to use, what with a clearly labeled call button and not many else. "Where did you get this? Fritz?" she asked.

"Hilariously enough, I found it in the closet. Ignoring any implications of why they were there, they started working once I threw new batteries in them. Use what you've got, that's what I always say," Mike explained. A telltale sign that he really didn't want to think about William having radios in his closet when he knew there had been others stashed around the house. "In case you guys don't know, cellphones don't work in here. No reception."

"What?" Jessica said in surprise. Mike gave a sympathetically flat hum of agreement, his look showing that he shared her sentiments. "Well, there goes our backup if anyone gets seriously hurt," Jessica said with a slight huff.

"That's strange. It can't be the building itself causing it. As large as it is, we should still get reception through it," John pointed out. He got his phone out to double check. "Yeah, I'm getting bars out here… Think it's something to do with the animatronics, or do you think there's a reason they don't want working phones in there?" John asked Mike, his expression showing that he knew exactly what he was asking.

In contrast, Carlton and Jessica looked uneased by the suggestion, but neither denied the possibility.

"It's funny. Normally I'd say, 'oh yeah, it's to cover up what's going on inside', to make sure nothing gets out about any possible 'accidents'. See, back when I was a worker at Freddy's, they had you sign a bunch of wavers and could basically strongarm you into keeping your mouth shut if someone got hurt. It's not that easy in a place this big and with a lot more people carrying phones," Mike explained. He hesitated on that note before adding, "But considering how this place is being run, it could've been another blunder in the laundry list of bad decisions Fazbear Entertainment made opening this place."

"…They really made you sign contracts forcing you to keep quiet?" Jessica asked in disbelief.

"Yes. They even had wavers that said they didn't have to get us immediate medical help and weren't liable if that led to us dying," Mike said matter-of-factly. "And I wasn't working there when Fritz was, but he said that they had a clause where if you saw blood anywhere you had to clean it up with bleach and then report it to the manager."

"They can't do that! That's beyond illegal!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, it was, and I bet you anything that all it would've taken was one whistleblower to out the whole thing… But Freddy's- and we'll keep pretending it was "Freddy's" and not just Will- knew how to deal with loose ends, and they did!" Mike slid back into his chair and stared across the parking lot. "…I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I wouldn't be too shocked if Jeremy's accident was a planned thing. We know Scott's was."

"Someone tampered with Mangle in the past. I wouldn't be surprised if they did so before that accident… They were never that aggressive during the daytime," Marionette agreed somberly.

Mike looked over towards him and considered saying something, but alas, Carlton beat him to it. Leaning up behind his seat and whispering, "There's nothing like that in my contract, right?"

Mike quirked a brow and looked back. "Didn't you read the contract?" Carlton made a fifty-fifty motion with his hands and the brunette sent him an unamused look. "Okay, first rule to entering the job market: don't sign anything unless you've read it. Secondly, no. I own you, but I can't kill you or let you get killed… Thankfully, your shift ended, what, six hours ago?" He shot the redhead a grin and opened the driver's door. "Let's roll."

The car had been parked around the corner closest to the parking garage, so it wasn't too much of a walk to the open door, but if anyone had come out of the front doors, they would've spotted them right away. For one, everyone had chosen to wear dark clothing, which in hindsight was almost more obvious and suspicious than if they wore normal clothes.

The important part was that Mike himself didn't show up on camera. As long as he was with Marionette the cameras would be defunct, but he couldn't trust that something wouldn't crop up to separate them. Case in point: he was wearing Foxy's dark, baggy hoodie. Which meant if he was caught, he would be taking the fall for a lot more than this, but he wasn't going to let that happen.

The parking garage was nothing to write home about. If anything, the lack of neon or Freddy character standees was sort of a disappointment. The plan was to hide out there until midnight and, knowing about the crowded lower floor due to Natalie's recount, the group headed down there and were able to find an adequate hiding spot behind a forklift.

Almost immediately, Marionette began to wander around the garage with that look in his eyes, making sure the area was safe and that nobody, or nothing, was hiding in the shadows. Mike decided to join him without any convincing.

"We're going to take a quick look around. See if anything got left behind," he told the others. By the rabbit, he meant, but nobody asked.

Mike followed after his partner into the dark stretch of the dank subfloor. He had brought his flashlight and though it worked well to light the area, there was just an amount of grime that fogged up the place. How this culminated in only a matter of days or weeks was beyond him. It was enough that the puppet blended into it, nearly vanishing into the crowded space.

It didn't take long to find him. Mike spotted an open gate for a fenced in area and walked over to find Marionette at the other side of a hallway. He watched as he swiped a piece of paper off of the floor and looked at it.

The gate door squeaked obnoxiously as Mike pushed it further open. "Hey," he quietly called in.

Marionette turned his head towards him and then held the paper to show off what it said. "Hi."

"Huh." Mike shined his light over the lone word on the random scrap of paper. It felt like it was probably significant in some way. "Weird."

"Very," Marionette agreed. He hovered back over to him while folding up the paper and then handed it to him. "Hold this for me?"

"Sure thing." He took it and slipped it into his pocket while the puppet drifted back to the end of the hallway, watching as he tried to open the door and then, when finding it locked, tried to unlock it. If he knew Marionette-.

He couldn't even finish the sentence before the door was unlocked and pulled open. He got a twitch of a both amused and impressed smile and made his way over to follow him through, only for Marionette to back out of the doorway, gently pushing him back with his arm.

"Don't come in. It's a breaker room and it doesn't look very safe," he warned. He craned his neck to look around from directly inside the door. "I hear sparking coming from somewhere."

It could've come from anywhere though, Mike realized as he shined his light past his partner's shoulder. The place was overrun with wires. So many that they were falling over both the mounted and standing breaker boxes. Some of them looking tangled and glossy in the light. Not a shiny glossy either, he swore some of them looked downright greasy, maybe even slimy.

"Look at this place. It looks like something that would've come out of Afton's, but they managed to pull it off in record time," Mike remarked. He shined the light over the corners of the room. "How do you pull this off in a week?"

"Maybe they didn't. Maybe they came in looking like this…" Marionette said cryptically. Mike looked to him with a quirk brow, the puppet finally turning his head to look back at him. "…Or maybe they let the wires drag on the floor and then dumped them all in here. Honestly, it's hard to tell when something suspicious as opposed to negligent."

"I mean, you see what it looks like out there. It's a possibility," Mike said, pointing a thumb back to the rest of the parking garage.

Marionette stuck his torso in fully now, holding himself with one hand on the doorway, and looked around closer at the state of things. Nothing looked too obvious, but an out of sorts breaker room could mean a bigger problem, especially if they started having power failures. Though likely from the size of the building, this was only one of many breaker rooms.

Both he and Mike were suddenly taken off-guard by an initially unfamiliar but then recognizable voice. One that was audible but from a different level, an announcement travelling through the concrete ceiling above. Marionette snapped his body back out of the doorway to listen. Mike took a few quiet steps towards the gate to hear better.

"Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex is now closed. Initiating nighttime protocols,"an automated voice echoed. It sounded like the same one from the Handunit- another thing from Afton Robotics, Mike noted. He knew Marionette noticed too.

Mike checked his watch and hummed. "Midnight. Come on, let's get back to the kids," he suggested. Marionette gave a slight chime despite himself at the 'kids' remark and followed him out.

It didn't take them long to get back to the others. Charlie and Jessica, who were sitting on and leaning back on the same little cart respectively, noticed them first and got up to greet them.

"Midnight has come, young ones. Come along, it is time to explore this neon fortress," Marionette proclaimed with a sweeping motion of his arm. Then hovered a circle around them and back behind John and Carlton to usher them forwards.

"Isn't he like a year older than us?" Jessica quietly asked.

"Uh, maybe. Jury's still out," Charlie answered. Jessica gave her a perplexed look at that unnecessary vagueness, and she returned with a smile and an exceptionally quiet. "You know, the twin thing."

"Ah," she simply answered. She didn't say another word, sparing them all the risk of John or Carlton hearing, asking, and the resulting conversation to come from it.

Instead, they quietly made their way back to the upper level and into the hall that connected with the lobby. After a short walk, they came up on the open security door- likely left open by Natalie- and stepped into the corner of the lobby.

"Huh, so it's just as big on the inside. Neat," Carlton remarked.

Mike scoffed under his breath. If only he knew what was coming. A thought that was a much less appealing when he realized Carlton wasn't the only one who was going to be seeing it for the first time.

"It does have a sort of movie theater look to it," Charlie pointed out. Though that thought was dashed when they came up on some turnstiles, not the main ones but some side ones, and was able to see through into the lobby proper. She caught a glimpse of something and leaned over them to get a better look. "…Okay, I thought you were joking about the golden Freddy statue."

"Oh, there's no way," Jessica said. She leaned over the end of the turnstiles to look. "…That's not real. There's no way."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure its fake. Look at it up close and you'll see it's got that dollar store paint gloss to it," Mike said. He looked at the two and then hummed. "I like your idea though," he said. Then punctuate such by climbing over the turnstiles.

Carlton followed right after him. Jessica and John needed a little more convincing, not climbing over until Charlie did. Marionette just found it more appealing to pop up unexpectedly on the other side, startling Jessica who watched him seemingly pop into existence. He was a strange one, she thought, but she couldn't say she wasn't curious. Especially not since Charlie just reminded her of those suspicions she had.

When they got out into the main section of the lobby- Mike directing them to stay by the gift shop as they headed for the stairs- Jessica found her attention only briefly on the faux-golden statue before returning to the puppet. He had been slowly scanning the area when they first entered, but now he was looking into the windows of the gift shop while passing. She mistakenly believed from his attention in there that he had seen the rest before.

"So, Mari, have you been here before?" she asked. It was an easy assumption to make considering that Charlie had mentioned Foxy coming here- along with the attention on the gift shop.

Marionette seemed surprised to be addressed directly. He turned back to look at her, a smile returning to his face.

"I have not, but both Foxy and Mike have," he answered. He fell back to hover between her and Charlie, arms tucked behind his back. "But they've been trying their hardest to shield me from the harsh reality of this place."

"That's not true. I told you upfront it was a big, gaudy building with a bunch of goofy bear faces plastered over it," Mike said over his shoulder.

"That could've gone for the old Freddy's too," Marionette reactively quipped to Jessica.

"Tell me about it. If there's anything I remember about Freddy's, it was this big poster with a Freddy that looked like a real bear and had this big mouth drooling over pizza that made me so uncomfortable that I was irrationally scared of it. And it was looking right over the dining area. That poster still haunts my nightmares," Jessica remarked. Charlie grimaced, remembering the poster in question. Marionette simply perked up.

"I forgot that you used to go to Freddy's!" he chirred. "Goodness, that must've been long ago. It must've been the diner; I remember they had some very questionable rabbit posters."

"Wait, yes! I remember those! Like, they weren't as bad as the Freddy ones, but they were a far cry from the cute and cuddly thing they did with the characters later," Jessica agreed.

Marionette gave a little chime and the two started making their way up the stairs. Charlie fell behind them but didn't feel ousted. She noticed how delighted the other puppet was by the conversation. Delighted and completely distracted.

She also noticed John coming up beside her and briefly felt that weird sort of out-of-place feeling, but it was dashed quickly when she noticed the look on his face. He seemed troubled by something, considering something, like he had something on his mind but didn't dare to ask.

"What's up?" she quietly asked. He seemed surprised that she noticed and covered up quickly with a small smile.

"Nothing much. I've just got a lot on my mind," he admitted. He looked back up at Marionette's back for a long moment.

She also looked to Marionette before looking back. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"…Maybe later. We're going to be here a while, so we'll have time," he said. She didn't press any harder.

Mike kept an eye out as he ushered them into the elevator and once it was going bumped himself back to the front to stand alongside Marionette, who was still chatting away like they were hanging out at the coffee shop. He hadn't even been this talkative in the car, just the right switch had been flipped and now he was eating up the attention. Mike kept a dutiful eye out but stayed quiet and let him indulge, taking his own enjoyment in the puppet's lively chattering.

"-But Mike and I have been together for a long time," Marionette said, finishing off the end of an explanation of some kind. He then boldly and happily laced his fingers together with Mike's.

It brought a little smile to Mike's face and a nervous twist to his stomach when he remembered that the atrium was just a short elevator ride away. A twist that turned to a knot when the lift slowed to a stop and a dinging signaled their arrival.

The conversation dropped off as everyone faced the doors that he stood in front of. No shielding any of them from this anymore, not even if he suddenly changed his mind. The doors opened and the Pizzaplex was revealed.

Along with a Staff Bot who zoomed around the corner and shoved its face into Mike's.

"Augh!" Mike jumped back with his arms spread out to shove everyone with him. Only to have the bot suddenly stick a map out at his face.

"Hi! Please take this map."

Mike's look of alarm slowly fell to a slightly irked one. "…Ugh. Thanks," he said and snatched the map.

The Staff Bot immediately did a little circle and rolled away somewhere.

"That was just a practice run," Mike muttered. He decided not to look at Marionette or Carlton's face and instead strode out of the elevator, gesturing out towards the atrium. "Welcome to Freddy's."

Marionette had followed him out of the elevator and was staring in silent shock at what was around him. The lobby hadn't prepared him for what it wasn't going to be like- if anything, it gave him the false hope that maybe it was like a big movie theater, even when he knew about the laser tag and the golf, and all the many other fantastical things hiding inside this thick-walled building. Here it stood in all its glamor and glory, lit up with neon even in nighttime gloam.

While the others spoke through their shock, staring with wide eyes and perhaps open mouths at this place, Marionette drifted forward like a sheet in the wind and stopped himself with his hands tight on the railing. He could see the main stage from here and the numerous party tables before it. This place could fit so many people, so many kids. His pupils alit at such a thought.

"Mari?" Mike asked. He was paying some attention to everyone's reactions, but his was the most important, and his silence was telling.

He probably assumed he was going to have another outburst, but Marionette was determined not to. As good and fine as it was to get these emotions out before they led to something dangerous, he couldn't run around in a panicked frenzy all the time. He chose to remain calm about this. He chose not to give Fazbear Entertainment that amount of power over him.

"I'm fii-ine."

Well, that failed spectacularly. If anything, that discordant crack in the middle made it all the more apparent that something was wrong.

It didn't just tip Mike off, it tipped everyone off. Charlie was standing behind him, so she got to him first. She put an assuring arm around him and tipped her head towards his, a motion that he returned even with his fingers tight on the rail.

Jessica came up on the other side of him and only then did he remember everyone who was there and watching his reaction. He needed to remain guarded and collected, he felt. Though she seemed to have a plan of her own.

"It's big, alright, but it's nothing that impressive. What, mini golf? Bowling? It's just an amusement park without the rollercoasters," she said. Considering that she managed to stay face so well, he could've believe her. He mustered the smallest smile and tried his hardest to not look over the entirety of the room and have to take in more surprises. She stood alongside with her head propped on her hand.

Mike was concerned, but he gave them a moment since it seemed like it was working. Then drew his attention to Carlton who had come up beside him. Unlike Jessica or even John, his thoughts were on full display on his face. That look of equal shock and panic was one that Mike knew too well. He looked to him expectantly until the redhead managed a quiet, stunted whisper.

"We are in such… deep…"

"Don't," Mike said through his teeth, cutting him off. He then continued with a firm, "The overhead on this place is huge, it costs a fortune to get in here, and there are parents groups planning protests even as we speak. We'll. Be. Fine."

He might've been trying to convince himself more than Carlton, but he knew everything he said was true. Besides, Marionette didn't need to hear that. Mike was the boss, co-owner, he was the one who had to be on top of this. Not the star, not the staff, it had to be him.

Carlton started taking something out of his jacket pocket and he looked over to see him pulling out a camera. That alone got a slight, amused smile and he reached out to push it back down when Carlton started to lift it up.

"You're going to want to hold off on that until you're at least twenty feet away from Mari or it's coming out warped," Mike forewarned.

"Ooh, right. The camera thing."

"Yeah, it effects these ones too- but keep that nearby. We might need it," he said. Carlton nodded slipped it back into his jacket. Mike then headed over to join Marionette and the girls and patted the puppet's back from behind. "You're taking this a lot better than I did. I took one look at this place and almost dry-heaved."

"It's the lighting. A couple of minutes staring directly at it will give you a headache. Or at least burn out your retinas," Charlie joked.

Marionette gave a soft chuckle. Not a chime, but a good attempt to show his humor. He seemed to be easing up and that was a good sign to get this show on the road and the distraction going. Mike slid in between him and Jessica.

"So, where to first?" he asked. He fished out and unfolded the map in his hands. It wasn't an easy read, but he could fill in the gap with his memories of the tour.

"You said you were looking for a rabbit, right?" John suddenly chimed in. Both Mike and Marionette turned back as he waited for them, standing beside a standing map of the location. "Looks like there's a place called Bunny Bowl up on the third floor. Might not hurt to check."

"Good point, I second," Charlie agreed. She leaned over the railing to try and look up on the third floor for it. "That's probably where she's hiding out."

"Then there we go," Mike agreed. He folded the map back up in his hands and looked to Marionette to agree, but the puppet seemed to be lost in thought. "Bad idea?" he asked.

"No. I think he's right… You go ahead. I'll catch up shortly."

"Oh no," Mike mumbled. Marionette gave an apologetic smile. "…Alright. Where are we going?" he asked. Emphasizing the 'we' so Marionette knew he wasn't talking him out of coming.

"I want to see Freddy. Not to speak with him, not for him to even see me, just to see him. To see with my own eyes that Foxy was right," he said solemnly. "Then we can deal with the rabbit."

"Great! We'll come with you," Charlie said. Jessica agreeing with a semi-curious hum.

"It's better that you don't. There is a reason I don't want Freddy to notice us, and that goes for the rest of his bandmates. We won't be long. Or at least I won't be," Marionette said. He patted Charlie's hand as he detached from her before turning and heading towards the nearest escalator.

"I really think we should stick together," she protested, following behind him.

"We will. We're just going to take a quick look at Freddy, and we'll meet you up at Bunny Bowl," Mike assured. He had to quicken his pace to catch up with the puppet who quickly descended the stairs. "We'll be right back!"

Charlie frowned after them. It was less a matter of her being worried about them- though she did think this was a really risky idea- and more that she had effectively been left behind. Begrudgingly realizing that the only reason she was left behind was to watch her friends, whom were all more than capable of watching themselves. That 'young ones' comment should've tipped her off.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Jessica asked.

It was only with that question that it suddenly dawned on Charlie that maybe it was just an excuse for Marionette to get a moment away, and her face softened.

"He will be. It's just a lot to take in…" She turned back to the escalators that led to the upper floor. "Let's get moving."

The small group made their way up the escalators like they were stairs and found themselves on the third floor. Charlie went first to make sure the coast was clear and was about to step off the escalator when she noticed movement near the far left and held out a hand to stop the others. There was a Staff Bot wheeling down the walkway out front of Mazercise and El Chip's. From the way it seemed to be patrolling to the light it was carrying, she guessed it was a Security Bot.

"What is it?" John asked as he came up behind her. She was too focused on the bot and where it was going to notice how close he was.

"I think that's a Security Bot over there. It's too far away to see us, but it might be coming back in this direction, so we should hurry," she recommended. She looked back and he nodded, which she returned before stepping off the escalator and breaking into a sprint. One that was normal for her but almost surprised John by the speed of it, leaving him staring until Jessica gave him a small push.

Charlie was down the stretch in only a few seconds and was about to round the corner when she noticed something to her left and stopped on a dime. Freezing up in the middle of the floor and staring like she was under headlights.

It was another Staff Bot. This one was stationed outside of what looked like large elevator doors underneath a sign that read 'Fazcade', and it looked different from the Map Bot and the Security Bot. That was, they all looked relatively similar, but this one had something that looked like a Handunit attached to its arm. It didn't look like a Security Bot but almost more like a bouncer stationed outside the arcade.

She expected it to set oof an alarm regardless or signal for the Security Bot, but it did neither. In fact, it didn't seem to notice her at all. It wasn't looking at her but at her friends as they finally caught up with her.

"What's- Oh!" Jessica noticed the bot too. It continued to just stare at them. "What do we do, turn around?"

"Let's just…" Charlie trailed off, finishing her answer by moving further to the right and motioning them to follow. They followed her lead and continued on towards Bunny Bowl, passing another set of escalators and around some stuff before coming across an unfortunate revelation. "There's one outside the bowling alley too."

Indeed, there was a second Staff Bot that looked almost identical to the last one standing outside the entranceway to Bunny Bowl. It didn't seem to notice them yet and instead stood in place staring dead ahead.

"Guess they were prepared for people trying to stay after closing and sneak around," John remarked. "Why hire more security when you can just stick a robot outside every door?"

"Well, that's great. What do we do now?" Jessica asked. Her tone showing that she was already expecting the answer to be 'turn around and give up', which wasn't far from where Charlie was now.

Carlton shrug and gave a half-sarcastic, "Walk up and see if they let us in?"

"Maybe slip it a twenty and see if it lets us in?" Charlie offered sarcastically.

When she didn't get the retort she was expecting, she looked to him. Only then did she notice how his brows had stitched together in a thoughtful look.

"…You're not actually thinking about it, are you?" she asked.

"I'm thinking about walking up and seeing what it does," he said. Everyone looked equally shocked at the comment. "The other one saw us and didn't do anything. Maybe it'll think we're workers and let us in?"

"Carlton, that's got to be the worst idea ever. Even bribing the robot sounds better than that," Jessica shot down immediately. She crossed her arms as she began to list off, "It's after hours and we're not wearing uniforms. If we walk up to that thing, it's going to know we're not supposed to be here and set off an alarm. Then we're going to have the security guard AND the security bots onto us."

"And that's if the other one didn't already set off a silent alarm," John pointed out. While his nonchalant face showed that he probably doubted this, Jessica's eyes popping open and lips pursing shut suggested that she didn't.

"All good points, but here's mine: Foxy got into the laser tag arena with Freddy a couple of times. They had to have walked past a bot just like this and it would've seen Foxy in his disguise, thought he was a human, and set off the alarms, but that didn't happen. It's looking at us right now! Look!" Carlton stepped out and the bot's head followed his movements. "The alarms would be going off now, not when I got closer."

As bad as the plan was, he did have some of a point. Even as he walked in a little circle, the Staff Bot clearly saw him, but made no motion like it was alerting a security alarm.

"See? It's staring right at me. Distance shouldn't matter. Charlie, back me up," Carlton suddenly volunteered.

Charlie looked at him like he was insane. "Sorry, but I'm with them on this one," she declined.

"But…?" he coaxed.

As though him tagging on a 'but' was going to suddenly change her mind.

…

Charlie sighed. "But he does have one point. If they were going to set off an alarm on sight alone then they would've done it the second they saw us, or you guys- but that doesn't mean it won't set off an alarm if you walk up and engage it. We're lucky we got this close, we don't need to play with fire by getting closer," she said with some exasperation.

"It's worth a shot," Carlton offered. "I'll do it. And if something goes wrong, I'll run like hell."

"Excellent leadership," John remarked. Carlton turned and started to head over. "I wasn't agreeing with you!"

"Relax! I've got it covered," the redhead insisted as he started over. The three were left staring helplessly as he approached the Staff Bot.

"This is a terrible idea," Jessica muttered. She got in the last word before an automated voice suddenly spoke up.

"Hello. Entry into bowling alley requires one Bowling Ticket."

"Uh…" Carlton seemed to suddenly regret this plan now that he was standing in front of the robot. Something about its blank eyes and utterly lifeless voice made him feel seriously on edge, like it could reach out and grab him at any second. "We don't have a bowling ticket. Where can we get one?"

"Bowling Tickets can be purchased at the following locations:… the front desk located in the lobby… the help desk located on the first floor of the atrium… the prize exchange counter located in the prize counter on the third floor…"

Charlie started to notice a humming noise and turned back only to see the Security Bot that she noticed earlier was now coming down the stretch towards them, almost at the escalators they had come up. She gasped, the sudden tinging in it causing Jessica to jump and both her and John to her.

"Heads up, that security bot's coming this way!" Charlie warned.

It was coming fast, only slowed down by the curvy pattern to it path as to cover more ground with its light. It was enough time to make a run for it but not nearly enough to make it to those second set of escalators, which were facing away from Bunny Bowl. They wouldn't even be able to reach the escalators without running into the Security Bot on the narrow walkway beside them.

It was mutually decided that the best option was to turn and run past Bunny Bowl to the end of the pathway and hope there was somewhere to lose the bot at the end. Or that was what they assumed the plan was as John gave a direct, "Come on!" and made a run for it, with Jessica right on his heels and both assuming that Charlie was going to overtake them shortly.

Until there was a loud clunk from behind them. Jessica turned back only to see Charlie lifting open the shutter on this boxy stall they had just run by. Then, without any warning or explanation, she dove inside and pulled it shut behind her.

"Charlie?!" Jessica half shouted.

John looked back in time to just see that she was missing. "Did you see where she went?!"

"In there!" She pointed to the stall, and right as she did the Security Bot rolled into view.

John had to make a quick judgement call and grabbed Jessica's wrist. "She'll be fine. We have to move," he said. He pulled her away, trusting that Charlie knew what she was doing and hoped it was the right call.

For the two of them, they found themselves at a dead end with little more than a locked door against the wall and a corner with a kiddie ride. John pushed Jessica behind it and crouched down with her, watching the Security Bot roll in closer, closer, and then… it suddenly made a loop and rolled right back the way it came from. It hadn't even came up to the end where they were before turning around and leaving.

The two were only a little shaken. If anything, they were more shocked at how anticlimactically it resolved. Not disappointed, totally relieved, but still a little shocked. They watched from a distance and waited until the Security Bot was passing the escalators and arcade before hurrying back to outside of Bunny Bowl.

The shuttered stall was still closed when Jessica walked up and, after a moment, daintily knocked on it. The shutter slowly lifted, and Charlie peeked out of the small crack, her pupils alit a soft green. Jessica waved down at her and Charlie stared back momentarily before pushing the shutter up the rest of the way, the glow leaving her eyes as light fell over her.

"So, I might've panicked…" she said.

"You think so?" Jessica asked. The twitch of her mouth betrayed amusement, which only ignited Charlie's embarrassment. She hastily began to climb back out of the stall.

"It's, uh, it's a programming thing. Boxes and stuff-," she tried to rationalize. Only to have her explanation cut short with a dull clicking sound. She snapped her head over to see a camera aimed at her. "Carlton, really? Now?"

"Gotta take 'em when I sees 'em," he quipped. He got a smarmy grin. "Baby's going to love this one."

That's when Jessica did a double-take towards the redhead. "Wait a minute. Where were you?" she asked, hand on her hip. "You didn't come with us."

"Here. I just hugged the wall; it didn't see me," he nonchalantly answered

"So, you just stood there, and it didn't see you? How?" she asked.

He could only shrug. They were both baffled by this finding while Charlie was already trying to put the pieces together.

"Huh… So that's why it didn't see us when it was coming up," she murmured thoughtfully. She finished climbing out of the stall before look back down after the Security Bot, which was about to turn the corner towards El Chip's again. "It must have its attention focused on the beam of light. Maybe their field of vision is really narrow, or- you weren't moving, right? Maybe they only detect movement."

"So basically, I just got lucky," Carlton said.

"Considering you threw yourself at the mercy of that robot-," Jessica said, pointing to the Staff Bot outside the door. "Yes, I'd say so."

"But hey, it worked!... It didn't get us in, but at least we know that these bots are just gatekeepers and not security. Like a ride operator who will skimp on the rules as long as you cough up the cash."

Miraculously, this didn't seem to win anyone over.

"There's no alarms going off and we're not in handcuffs. I'd say we all got lucky," John said. "What do you think, Charlie? Should we head back downstairs and wait for those two to get back?" He looked to her for her opinion.

She instinctively pulled the two-way radio off the jacket pocket she had it hooked to, but then hesitated. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to send a call out until she knew they were back in the atrium, not when they were trying to keep a low profile and when she didn't know how loud it was. She kept it in her hand, thumb running circles around a button as she looked out across the atrium and the steadily moving Security Bot.

"…Actually… Let's keep looking around. Look at it: the Security Bot's moving in a pattern, so we might be able to avoid it and keep looking for an open door," she suggested. She gave him a shrug. "They can't all need a pass, right?"

"Now that you said that they will," John said.

"I thought of that right after I said it," Charlie agreed.

They cautiously continued further into the Pizzaplex, now keeping their pace much slower and their destination much more open. One of them had to be open.

And if it wasn't, it was going to be a very long night.

Chapter Text

Mike remembered the way back to Rockstar Row, though that wasn't surprising. Nothing really had changed, save for a large patch of plywood covering a wall between the entrance to the row and what he assumed was probably Roxy Raceway, like they either had to do a quick repair or a remodel. It seemed a little late to do either, but at this point he wasn't shocked. He didn't even point it out, just held Marionette's hand and led him to the hall.

There was soothing music playing overhead before they even entered Rockstar Row. Smooth and jazzy, but clearly a rendition of the same theme from the elevator. Other than that, they were silent except for the soft sound of Mike's footfalls against the carpeted floor, growing slightly louder when stepping out onto tiles. The hall was dim but the soft neon of numerous signs dotting the walls allowed him to keep his flashlight off.

Marionette had fallen behind him as he took in the surroundings, so Mike continued leading him by the hand to the first window, Freddy's window. The curtains were pulled open to a crack of a few inches. Mike got a quick look in as he passed by before gesturing for the puppet to do the same, which he did. He leaned in close to the glass and scanned the inside of the room, seeing all the trinkets, the luxurious looking furniture, the "glam", and no Freddy.

He hummed as his eyes affixed on the door in the back of the room. He stole a quick look around to make sure nobody else was there- beyond sounds from the other rooms- and then pointed at the glass. Mike nodded, and Marionette teleported into the room. He did a spin to check the room in full before approaching the door, which opened only when he lowered his legs to tap the floor outside of it, triggering the motion detector.

He looked into the back room but did not go any further inside. Foxy had told them about the charging stations, and he could hear a peculiar hum coming from around the corner, so he assumed Freddy was probably in there, and he decided not to risk getting any closer. This back room, closed up and stagnant like a storage room in a factory, made him uneasy. That and he didn't want to risk getting far enough from Mike that the cameras activated.

He teleported back outside the window and beside Mike once more.

"I think he may be charging in the back. I didn't want to go any closer," Marionette said.

Mike quirked a brow. "Why not?"

Knowing that none of his excuses held much water, the Puppet did not answer. He just gave an indecisive hum.

"Alright," Mike simply said, looking back through the window. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think it's a nice… enclosure."

He didn't even have to hear the bitterness to know it was there. At least he hadn't been overreacting when he compared this place to a zoo.

"Can you imagine being stuck in one of these?" Mike asked, before realizing that, yes, he likely could. "…Bet they'd do it in monochrome and stripes too, just to make it disorienting."

"Monochrome and stripes are only disorienting to you, and I use that to my advantage," Marionette retorted. For a moment managing that playful edge to his voice and a sly slip of a smile. Though it didn't last long, replaced with a sigh. "Though I don't think I would get the curtesy of a room. The Prize Puppet belongs in the corner, where it can't scare anyone."

"Not every man can handle one in their bed," Mike cheekily added. That definitely flustered the puppet if is directly shifting face and little trill were any indication. "And you scare off burglars. Win-win."

"Mike, please, I'm trying to do something here," Marionette lightly scolded with a ring on his voice. He turned and started to make his way to the next window. "Wait there. This one's open," he warned, his voice dropping to a whisper.

The curtains were drawn back fully to reveal the purple-colored room inside, though Marionette hardly paid attention to that when he came around the edge of the window and the first thing his eyes laid on was another animatronic.

It was Roxanne Wolf, obviously. She was on her couch with her back to the window and her legs stretched down it, one bent at the knee, looking through a magazine. Marionette curiously drifted behind her to see what she was looking at. It looked to be a fashion or beauty magazine of makeup and hairstyles, but much to his dismay it turned out to be less of a genuine publication and instead a pamphlet for a salon in the Pizzaplex.

The reason this was so disappointing was not because it was a Fazbear product, but because it blurred the lines between sentience and simulation. He initially assumed Roxy was reading the magazine because she wanted to, but she could just be performing a programmed action to make her seem more alive while advertising the Pizzaplex's facilities. That was a shame if it was true.

Though maybe that was a good thing. The fewer animatronics awake and alive the better, because then they weren't trapped under Fazbear Entertainment's thumb… Unless they were alive and still forced to follow in preprogrammed routines. The thought frightened Marionette, made him all the more aware that he himself might've been forcibly programmed into a literal puppet if he hadn't gotten so fortunate to get out.

Suddenly he wasn't feeling quite as guilty to not be here.

A loud crashing noise interrupted the moment and he quickly looked over. It had come from the next windowed room, one whose curtains were drawn tight, and it sounded like glass breaking. Maybe it was a vanity mirror since both other rooms had them. Roxy turned her head towards the wall and his snapped back to her, and then he immediately disappeared and reappeared halfway to Mike. He hovered backwards towards him before turning around to meet him.

"We should get back to Charlie and the others," Marionette quietly suggested. After that racket, Mike had no disagreements, and the two made their way back the way they came.

Mike stole a look back and figured out whose room the noise came from. "Of course it's the gator. He's going to be a problem," he thought. "…But not ours."

Soon they were out of Rockstar Row and into the quiet passage leading back to the atrium. Mike couldn't hear anything nearby, so he thought it was safe to talk.

"What do you think about this place?" he asked.

"I think Carlton said it best," Marionette answered. Mike knew exactly what quote of Carlton's he was referring to.

"Forget Carlton, he doesn't have all the details," he brushed off.

"Well, you do. What do you think?" the puppet asked, looking over inquisitively.

"I think…" Mike licked his lips. "…I think we can scrape by. I think that we're going to take a hit for a while and that we're going to get known as the discount Freddy's that people go to when they can't afford the big one, and that might be complete garbage but that will mean we're still open… And we keep pushing on and hope your two-year prediction's right."

"Did you see inside the breaker room?" Marionette asked. Mike quirked a brow; how could he not? "And you saw that ply wall up on the wall?" he asked, pointing ahead in the direction of the boards they would soon pass again. Knowing he did, he folded his arms behind him and said with a glint in his eyes, "I know I'm right."

It was hard to argue with that.

Soon they were back out in the atrium. As soon as the security door was shut behind them, Mike pulled out the radio and pressed the button to call through.

"Hey. We're back in the atrium and on our way to you," he said. He received an answer within a few seconds.

"Oh, hey! Glad to hear it, but there's been a change of plans," Charlie began. There was loud mariachi music backing her voice.

"They swiped the car and jumped the border," Mike told Marionette, keeping his thumb on the call button so Charlie could hear.

"Ha ha, very funny," Charlie said. Apparently, she could tell there was a slow grin spreading across his face. "If I was going to run, I'd go to the beach… Okay, okay, jokes aside, we couldn't get into Bunny Bowl."

"So, you're where? El Chip's?" Mike guessed.

"Bingo. It's the only place that we could get into."

Marionette pointed up towards the third floor and Mike craned his neck up to look. "I see it. Did they leave it open or did the automated door just open for you?"

"Automated, rolled right up for us. Or rolled up halfway and got stuck," Charlie explained.

"Mr. Schmidt, this mean robot wouldn't let me go into the bowling alley and tried to take my money," Carlton chimed in with a fake whiny voice.

Mike tsked over the line. "Carlton, I've told you a hundred times now: you can't keep letting these bullies take your lunch money. You have to stand up for yourself. First thing when we get home, I'm going to teach you how to box."

"Oh yes. Punch the robots, that should work," Marionette chimed in beside him.

"I was this close to clocking the one with the maps," Mike remarked. He took his thumb off the button for that one, but quickly returned it and continued. "Did you check both floors or just the third?"

"Just the third," Charlie replied, quickly taking back over the radio. "But honestly, I think us getting into here was just a fluke. Just the fact that the door's stuck sort of suggests it might've been a mistake."

"Wouldn't be the first broken thing we've seen tonight."

"…It was… probably Chica. I can't say for sure, but it sounds like a Chica thing. You can't keep her away from a good meal."

Mike had been moseying towards the nearby escalators only to stop on a dime at the unfamiliar voice on the line.

The young man sounded to be somewhere between their ages. He could've assumed it was one of Charlie's friends if he didn't know them as well as he did. Charlie too seemed to be struck silent in surprise and left it to Mike to find his first.

"Well hello, complete stranger. What are you doing on a two-way radio call?" he bluntly asked.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to listen in. I think our lines got crossed. I've got a radio here and it's picking up both sides of your calls."

"That's not concerning at all," Mike said tightly. He looked to Marionette who had slid up beside him to listen and turned the radio out towards him so they could both listen.

"This, uh… This isn't what it sounds like," Charlie scrambled to excuse. "We're… My dad works here, and we were just taking a look around. We're not here to steal anything."

"Hey, no! I get it! We already had a couple of kids try to stay over at the daycare, thinking they can hide in the tunnels and come out once the coast is clear. I'm not surprised that a couple of big kids tried the same thing… No offense! I'm not trying to take a dig at you with that big kid comment. We're all big kids around here."

That wording gave both Mike and Marionette a good idea who they were talking to, and they exchanged a knowing look. It was either an employee, likely a technician, or it wasn't. Marionette listened closer to see if it wasn't.

"None taken," Mike simply said. "So, stranger, I didn't catch your name."

There was a murmur on the line. All three listeners strained to hear, but it sounded like the speaker was covered.

"I didn't catch that either," Mike remarked.

"I'm Charlie," Charlie introduced, taking the risk to grease the wheels.

"Sorry about that. Nice to meet you, Charlie! I'm Jake."

"Max Smitt," Mike smoothly introduced, hoping to erase Carlton's namedrop of him earlier."And this is Mari."

"Hello, Jake," Marionette said into the radio. His voice as warm and welcoming as he could make it. "What are you doing in the Pizzaplex? Are you one of the big kids that tried to hide in the daycare?"

"No, I'm a… Sorry. I'm a technician. I was working downstairs when the doors shut and now it looks like I'm stuck here into morning. No big deal, happens all the time!"

"I see," the puppet said. He removed his thumb off the button and bluntly proclaimed, "Animatronic."

"I had a hunch," Mike agreed.

Marionette pressed the button again. "So, Jake, since you work here, where would you recommend to go? Keeping in mind that we're just exploring, not looking for trouble."

"Sorry to say, but your options are limited. You already found El Chip's… Actually, speaking of Chica, there IS a bakery on the second floor that you can just walk into. It's a cupcake factory themed bakery cupcake shop sort of thing. Biggest risk you've got is Chica being there, but you've already taken that risk leaving the El Chip's door open and letting the taco smell out. The lobby's open too… and the daycare."

Marionette was noticing a pattern. "The daycare? Hmm, we considered heading over there," he said. He had managed to get the radio in his hand and was now heading slowly towards the escalators with Mike following close enough to listen. "But is it not just a playground? We're all a little too old to be playing in tunnels."

"Speak for yourself," Carlton chimed in. "Hey, I'm Carlton."

"Hey! Nice to meet you."

"We just won't tell them about that time at Hickory Dickory's," Mike teased.

"Hush," Marionette deflected.

"There's a lot more to the daycare than meets the eyes. It's also where the Pizzaplex keeps its traditional party rooms, and where the Fazbear Theater is located. It's worth checking out."

There was a funny noise over the radio. Almost like a squeaking sound.

"What was that?" Charlie asked. Unconfrontational, just curious.

"Nothing. I'm just working on a Staff Bot here. These things are always breaking down- No, quit it- But yeah, if you want to come by- go by the daycare, then it should be safe."

"That sounds like an excellent idea! Charlie, what do you think?" Marionette asked. She was almost surprised at how overly friendly he sounded, which tipped her off that he was onto something.

"Uh, sure! Everyone's on board, I think?... They're nodding at me, so yes," she agreed. She paused before cautiously asking. "You don't think this'll be another Ennard situation, do you?"

"I think it already is," Marionette answered, bringing her up to speed in an instant. "We're on our way."

"We'll leave right now and meet you there."

"Take the entrance on the second floor of the atrium, it spares you the trip through the lobby," Jake recommended.

"We will do that. Until then!" Marionette finished and removed his finger from the call button. "Heads up," he warned before tossing the radio back at Mike. Mike caught it; might've said something too if the radio wasn't built like a toaster.

"Think he's playing us?" Mike asked.

"I'm not sure yet," the Puppet remarked. He was now leading down the stretch towards the lobby, about to come up on the escalators.

"Then we won't get comfortable," Mike said. He picked up speed to a brisk pace as he followed closely behind. A pace that he had to keep up if he was going to make it to the other side of the atrium before morning.

They had just passed a charging station and were about to breeze past the bottom of escalators to the third floor when Marionette suddenly stopped and turned his head. He then put an arm back to stop Mike, but by then he had instinctively looked in the same direction in time to see the elevator doors open and a Staff Bot with a flashlight roll out. Something that would've been concerning enough if not for the familiar blond stepping out afterwards.

"Oh, for-!" Mike began and cut off as he dipped back and behind the plants. He made a grab for Marionette, but he was already darting back around and behind the cover. Peeking through the leaves, Mike saw Natalie look both ways, the Security Bot standing patiently beside her, before, of course, coming in their direction. "For crying out loud," he muttered and raised the radio close to his mouth. "We're going to need a minute. The night guard just showed up."

"Oh no… Okay, do you need us to make a distraction? We could try to lure her over to this side of the atrium," Charlie asked. She already sounded ready to take charge with a plan. A plan that Mike decided to shoot down.

"Just go on to the daycare. We'll catch up."

"…So that's no on us making a distraction?" she asked.

"That's a huge no. Going quiet until we're in the clear. Be careful and don't let anyone catch you," Mike raced out. Charlie gave a quiet hum of agreement, somewhat troubled, and the call ended. He flipped off the radio and hooked it to his belt.

"There's some sort of stand behind us," Marionette whispered. Mike turned back to see and he pointed it out, back a few feet behind the escalators.

"She's going to hear us yanking that open and climbing in… Hang on."

His eyes flickered to the charging station once and then twice, and then sized it up. It was big enough to fit a person and within a few steps, still in the safe little nook behind the escalators. He walked up to it and looked through the window, trying to judge if it was safe. The lack of exposed wiring seemed to suggest that. Only one way to tell for sure though.

There wasn't a handle, so Mike had to dig his fingers into the crack of the door and pull until it automatically slid open the rest of the way. He looked around inside, especially checking the flooring before starting to step inside.

That was, until Marionette gently pulled him back by the shoulders. "Let me go first," he offered.

"Are you sure?" Mike asked, looking back at him. He was returned a little smile. He patted one of his hands and stepped aside, holding the door open. "Be my guest, but careful."

The Puppet slipped into the charging station and did a little circle inside, trying to make sure as best as he could that it was safe. During which, Mike checked back in on the approaching duo. The Security Bot was leading the way now coming around the corner and up on the escalators faster than he expected. All things considered; he was more afraid of it than Natalie. He knew she wasn't at risk of wailing like a siren and zooming at him.

Mike pushed Marionette into the charging station before sliding in behind him and shutting the door after them. Then immediately dropped into a kneel so he couldn't be seen through the window.

Marionette watched the Staff Bot get a little closer before sliding down and kneeling behind him. Mike tilted his head forward and devoted full attention to listening for the approaching bot and guard, when he felt Marionette's arms wrap protectively around his middle and squeeze onto him. The puppet clutching him like on might a security blanket, one that they weren't willing to risk losing. He smiled for a second at that.

The Security Bot, it was likely Smitty, rolled past the station and continued on. Mike released a breath he was holding and mistakenly thought they were in the clear. So, he was startled when he heard the wheeling noise growing louder again, and that slowly grew into dread when it rolled up to beside the charging station and stopped.

"What the hell? There's no way it can see us," Mike thought. The Security Bot started to slowly roll in front of the station, its light glinting off of the window.

"I think it can sense me," Marionette's voice slipped into his mind. He sounded just as startled by the revelation. "I don't understand why, but…"

His thoughts fell silent as they heard Natalie's footsteps outside.

"What's up, Buddy?" she asked. To her it must've looked like the bot was staring at a closed charging station.

The Security Bot reangled itself and leaned in, staring at the charging station for a long moment and processing. So close to finding them and Mike began to feel his palms starting to sweat. It wasn't even out of genuine fear for his life but just the dread of getting caught. An unwanted and perhaps unwarranted surge of adrenaline pounding through his veins as they got so close to getting caught.

Any second now it could find them, it could see them, and it would all be over.

…But it didn't. It didn't see them, it didn't open the door, it didn't even shine its flashlight in.

It just set off its alarm.

Mike swore under his breath at the loud siren-like noise that blared from the Security Bot. The following sound was less abrasive but still an alarm nonetheless, droning on as it began to wave its arm and signal its distress.

"What?" Natalie asked in disbelief. She walked up to the door before suddenly turning away. "There's nothing in there, Smitty. Come on, let's go."

That sudden shift in tone from curious to direct in a second signaled that she must've either seen something or figured out a second late what was in the charging station. Mike couldn't feel relieved, so he just felt embarrassed.

She couldn't get the Staff Bot away from the door either, apparently. It sounded like she tried to physically pull him away, but Smitty was steadfast, twitching his light around and flagging that there was something there. Natalie continued trying to coax the bot away, but it kept putting up a fight, adamant that it sensed something and refusing to budge.

"I have to teleport out!" Marionette warned before suddenly vanishing. His arms disappearing from around Mike and his presence leaving the charging station. He didn't have to explain that it was to mislead the bot.

Natalie watched as Smitty suddenly craned its neck upwards and then shifted directions to now to a little circle under the escalators, which she had to step back out of the way of. It then passed and started to go towards the escalators before returning back to the charging station and flagging again, then returning to the little circle under the escalator. Following something but unwilling to be led astray.

Mike appreciated that Marionette was the patient one, because he would've been frustrated by now. He already was, hearing it come back, dreading the possibility of being stuck in this tube all night.

And right when it seemed like this was the worst-case scenario, it got a whole lot worse.

"What's going on up there?"

Natalie must've heard the footsteps coming, but between the station and the alerts of the Security Bot outside he didn't. Just from the double-tone alone he knew it was an animatronic, a female, and a very irritated sounding one.

"Nothing, Roxy! We're just having a little technical malfunction. False alarm," Natalie called back. That didn't stop them from coming up, and from the two sets of footsteps he knew it wasn't just one.

Which it wasn't, but the one Natalie was facing was Roxanne Wolf. She looked irritated, though this wasn't anything new. She sent a scowl towards the circling bot.

"What's wrong with it? Why's it just spinning around like that?" she asked.

"I don't know. We were just doing our patrol and he started doing this. Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Natalie assured.

"If you were going to take care of it, you should've done that before I got here," Roxanne snapped. "Do you know what it's like to finally get a moment to yourself and have it ripped away by back-to-back security flags. Flags that I only got because my raceway is over there? But I guess you wouldn't understand, sitting in a cushy office all night."

Natalie's moment of silence betrayed that she was likely offended, but she didn't risk lashing back or arguing with the animatronic.

"Roxy, I do not think-," an unfamiliar voice started to interject before being interrupted.

"I didn't ask what you think," she shut down. "…Wait…"

It was that suspicious tone that tipped Mike off that she noticed something. Thinking she might've caught a glimpse of something in the window- though he wasn't sure how with her being on the other side of a planter and him under the window- he tried to get down further and against the wall closest to her, to avoid any chance of being detected.

He never expected to hear her start sniffing and the thought that she could suddenly made him aware of how much he was sweating under this hoodie. Not to mention the hoodie itself smelled like crawlspace and potato chips. If she could actually smell him then he was in serious trouble, and the fact that she started to slowly step around the planter started to suggest that she could.

"Roxy, what is it?" the unfamiliar voice asked. Considering its baritone voice and gentle tone, Mike assumed it was Freddy Fazbear himself.

"I smell something…" Roxanne warned lowly.

She took another step around the edge of the planter when suddenly- and Mike was going solely off what he could hear- the Security Bot must've suddenly rolled at her and ran into her. She gave an, "Ugh!" and shoved it back with an enormously loud clatter. Probably knocking it over in the process. "Get off!"

"Hey!" Natalie warned. She knelt down to try and help get the bot back up. A few heavy steps that nearly shook the ground signaled that Freddy went over to help her, thumping again as he knelt down. Natalie huffed and began, "Look, I get that you're upset, but you can't-." She then cut off abruptly. Mike didn't know if Roxanne shot her a look or Freddy quieted her or if she had seen something, and frankly that was the least of his problems when his hiding spot was compromised.

What he didn't know was that she had been struck silent when she looked back at Roxanne and caught sight of what was hanging above her. There were what looked like white wires hanging from the ceiling. Wires that came around the edge of the escalator above and clung to the ceiling before lowering down right above Roxanne's head, creeping down towards her. Natalie could even see them moving.

Because they weren't wires, they were strings. Blowing as though in a light breeze but in actuality reaching towards Roxanne as she finally located the source of the smell and narrowed her gaze at the charging station before stepping in close.

"Roxy, no!"

When all of a sudden Freddy barreled forward and jumped in front of the charging station, hand thumping against the window to hold the door in place. Mike stared up at the large hand and was half surprised the glass hadn't cracked.

"I just remembered!" Freddy began in a frantic rush. "I know what you are smelling. There was an… incident in this recharge station yesterday."

"What?" Roxanne actually sounded startled, a sharp contrast to her abrasive tone up until now. She recovered quickly though, and from the sound of it had backed up a step or two. "What are you talking about?"

Freddy's voice turned somber and regretful. "Yesterday afternoon a child was separated from his parents while they were visiting Fazer Blast. He must have gotten lost and… unfortunately… once they had found him… he had violated rule number four in this very charging station."

Roxanne went so far as to step back in recoil and gave an audible sneer in disgust. As though she herself had been violated by the possibility of smelling this broken rule. Understandably, if rule number four was the same one Mike remembered.

"I am afraid so. I was warned by the employee who was unfortunate enough to have to clean it out," Freddy explained. He then turned his attention to Natalie. "He told me that he would be putting a warning up to not use the charging station until it has been properly sterilized. Perhaps that explains why your companion Staff Bot is acting so strangely. He is reacting to the warning as though it was a threat! In all intents and purposes, until it is thoroughly cleaned… it is."

"Oh… That makes a lot of sense, actually. If I would've known that I wouldn't have brought him over," Natalie played along. "No harm no foul, I suppose."

The strings had hesitated when Freddy started talking and now, they began to recede back up towards the ceiling, only to hesitate when Roxanne spoke again.

"That can't be it," she protested with confusion. "That doesn't smell like- ugh, I know what a rule four smells like. That smells like a sweaty truckdriver."

Mike knew she was just being overdramatic, but cautiously sniffed the hoodie just in case.

"Hmm, I suppose it could have been the worker who cleaned it up. He had been assisting in Fazer Blast and running quite a bit before we were told of the missing child, and he used his uniform shirt to clean up the mess. Let me check," Freddy said. Mike only had long enough to duck his head down as the bear looked in, but then looked away once more. "He must have come back for the shirt because it is not in there."

"You could have left it at sweaty employee, Freddy. I didn't need that mental image," Roxanne said with disgust. Finally fed up, and seemingly believing Freddy, she turned away with a flick of her tail. "Whatever, I'm out of here. Just shut that thing up so I don't have to," she said, pointing back to the downed Staff Bot. She sauntered away muttering about how nobody could do their jobs right.

Now it was just Natalie and Freddy, with the latter coming back over to her and the Staff Bot and offering, "Let me help you."

"Thanks," she said, and then the two lifted the Staff Bot onto its feet. Though Freddy did most of the heavy lifting. The whole time Smitty was giving the 'can't get up' alert, but once he was back on his wheels he started circling again, only to abruptly stop a few seconds later, after Natalie groaned but before she could voice any complaint.

Smitty seemed a little confused- an understatement after everything. It no longer did circles, but it still seemed to be looking around, and when Natalie tried to lead it away again it looped around and stopped at the charging station again. This time it only made a single flagging buzz. No longer in a panic, but still unwavering in its resolve that something was there.

"I don't know what to do about this. It's like he's stuck," Natalie said.

"Stuck…" Freddy repeated. He hummed thoughtfully. "…Shine your flashlight into the Staff Bot's right eye a click it on and off quickly twice, then do the same in the left eye. That should reset the path of a stuck Staff Bot."

She decided it was worth a shot and reached in between Smitty and the station to do as told. She clicked into both eyes and with the completion of the second, Smitty gave a small sort of registering noise. Finally, it turned away from the recharge station and back towards Natalie to stare at her attentively. She took a few steps back towards the escalator, beckoning it, and it obediently followed just like normal. Even keeping its flashlight lowered when facing her.

"It worked! How did you know that?" she asked.

"I cannot remember. I believe I might have read it somewhere?" Freddy said pensively. He moved his eyes like he was thinking about it, but he couldn't search out an answer. "Perhaps it was in one of the manuals I read."

Mike made a mental note to remember this, because he knew it would come in use in the future.

"Well, if you find it, give it to me. I could use tricks like those for guys like this," Natalie said appreciatively. "And thanks for the help."

"It is no problem, Officer Vanessa," Freddy chirped. "Will you be returning to the lobby?"

"Just to drop off this guy, then I'll be doing rounds."

"Then allow me to escort you! Just in case you need any further assistance. Or company," he offered. To which she agreed, and not just for her own sake.

Natalie glanced up to see that the strings were gone entirely. She wondered if Freddy had seen them too but did not ask, instead starting back towards the elevators. This time Smitty followed loyally behind her, along with Freddy himself.

Mike was finally able to take a deep breath without being afraid that someone would hear and tried to slow down his heartrate. So very close to getting caught. It was exhilarating in a way, but he was stubbornly determined not to take enjoyment out of it. This whole thing had been a bad idea. Not that the shutter would've been better; he should've just circled the escalator cartoon-style and would've avoided the whole thing.

Even though he was expecting it, he flinched when Marionette was suddenly popping in beside him and smoothly snared his long arms around him again.

"Roxanne Wolf has a guardian angel watching over her… and his name is Freddy Fazbear," the Puppet said. His voice had a dangerous edge to it, but the way he latched onto Mike so protectively was much less intimidating. "You smell fine, by the way. Only moderately stressed."

"That's great because I started sweating bullets the second she started sniffing around," Mike remarked. He sighed and put an arm around Marionette's back. "Let's give them a minute to get to the elevator and get out of here."

The Puppet nodded against him. His mask was cool, and Mike turned to rest his face against it. It wasn't just the adrenaline or the hoodie, he realized. The air floor in this charging station was adequate but stale. He wasn't going to suffocate, but it already felt like it was warming up since he got in here. So much for machines and chrome being cold to the touch.

Maybe it was because it was on his mind, but Marionette smelled nice, like the fabric refresher spray he frequently used to help mask the pizza scent that stuck onto everything that spent too long in Foxy's. It was a soft, clean scent, and didn't make him smell like he climbed out of the dryer. It mixed with a lingering sweet vanilla scent, probably from frosting from baking or the pizzeria.

It was comforting. Everything about Marionette usually was, but especially now. Though that could've been the lull of coming down from adrenaline making everything so intense. Not that Marionette was practically buzzing without it. It was clear from his tone to his touch that he had been exceptionally concerned. It wasn't a matter of getting caught or risking injury, it was a matter of reaching that threshold where Marionette would've stepped in that was the real risk.

Mike reached up to soothingly caress the side of his mask. Marionette softly warbled and pressed his face further into his hand, his own cupping it, and his eyes sliding shut only to pop open again when Mike slid in and kissed him on the neck. The warbling grew in volume and wavered in pitch as he began to slowly kiss up his neck and along the edge of his mask.

His own warm lips peppered along the white porcelain and briefly grazed over a stripe before taking his own lips. Marionette gave a quiet keen and pulled him in close.

"Mike~," the Puppet's voice flowed into his thoughts. "You almost just got caught and the others are waiting on us," he warned. Funny how his voice could be so explanatory and sensible while he still so eagerly kissed back. Fingers slipping under and knocking back Mike's hood so he could comb them through his hair. "She must be gone by now…"

Mike hummed in agreement. "Just a little longer," he thought and Marionette likely heard. "Then we stop, and we'll pick this up later."

Marionette nearly trilled at the promise, which he covered with a sigh and tilted himself in further. His porcelain lips were starting to heat from Mike's own and he eagerly pulled in until they were chest to chest. He hadn't broken that protective hold, with both hands now moving to cup Mike's face to keep them together, fingers tracing the jawbone as they did. Breaking apart for only seconds in between so that he could get quick breaths of air.

Mike wasn't sure what felt better, the risk or the knowledge that the likely most powerful animatronic in this whole place was currently held up in his grasp. It wasn't something he thought of often, but it was a pretty thrilling realization.

What wasn't was when Marionette abruptly wrenched them apart and sat upright as he listened, because Mike knew instantly that it meant something was coming. This was confirm with the thumping echoing through the atrium shortly after.

"Christ, it's the bear," Mike guessed. It matched Foxy's description at least. "…Probably racing over here to ask if Foxy can come over and play."

"I certainly hope so. I would hate to have to smack him around after saving your bum," Marionette remarked. The joking didn't disguise the slight distrust in his tone. He had a hunch Freddy would come back, but not so quickly or eagerly. He noticed a small smirk had replaced Mike's frown. "What's that look mean?"

"It means there was a couple of words in that last sentence that shouldn't go together," he retorted. "You wouldn't believe the mental image I got."

"That's your own fault," Marionette tsked. Amused for a moment but quickly returning to his previous bothered state. "You know he won't leave without answers. We should've made a run for the daycare while we could."

Mike knew he was right, especially when he heard Freddy coming up outside, and sighed. "I know. I got carried away-."

"You can come out now, Captain," Freddy quietly called into the recharge station. "Roxy has left the atrium and Vanessa is back in the lobby. The coast is clear!"

Mike sat there for a second before slowly looking over to Marionette. "He thinks I'm Foxy… Right." He gestured down to the hoodie matter-of-factly in realization. He sat there considering what to do for a moment, then started to stand.

Marionette grabbed his sleeve to stop him momentarily before pressing his fingers into his arm. His voice flooded into his mind once more.

"Don't tell him I'm here. Not yet."

Mike nodded and Marionette let him go, watching closely as he slid open the door and stepped out.

Freddy was initially standing with his back towards the charging station, so that he could look out at the atrium and keep watch. He started to turn around to face the man.

"I was wondering if you would- Oh!" The surprise was obvious, if not from his voice than the way his eyes widened upon seeing a human's face instead of a fox mask. "I… My apologies, I- I thought you were someone else," he said, flustered.

The fact that the bear didn't immediately take a swipe at him or demand to know why he was there both relieved Mike and made him equally suspicious. He kept his guard up.

"Who, Foxy?" he asked. Freddy fumbled over his words and Mike raised a hand. "Relax, I work with Foxy. I know what's been going on."

"Then… you must be Jeremy! It is wonderful to meet you! Foxy has spoken about you many times," Freddy said with a perk in his voice. "I am Freddy Fazbear!... But I am sure that you already know that."

"No, I'm not Jeremy, but I'm friends with Jeremy. I'm… friends with Foxy too. To a lesser extent," Mike said, deciding to hold back on giving out even a fake name in this situation. He already could barely remember the one he had given on the radio, and he didn't necessarily want it linking up with video footage.

"Ah. My apologies then," Freddy said warmly. He seemed to become a lot more comfortable once he knew he worked with Foxy, not even questioning if Mike could've been lying. "But does that mean- Is Foxy here too?" His voice rose with excitement and his ears twitched a little.

"Fraid not. That's why I've got this," Mike said, pulling at the hoodie's baggy chest. Freddy didn't say anything, but his shoulders seemed to slouch a little. "But who knows. Foxy might still find a way down here."

"I hope he does… Well, erm, I know he should not, but I do enjoy our time together," the bear said. "But then again, I must ask…" He crossed his arms and got a slightly more interrogative look. "What are you doing here?"

That took Mike a little by surprise. Not the fact that he was asked, but the fact that Freddy had a look that reminded him dead-on of one Clay Burke would've given him. A low static warning started to come from the escalator above along with an occasional twang. Freddy looked up with a tilt of his head, unable to recognize the noise and thus not especially unsettled by it.

"Not until a sock monkey drops on his head," Mike considered. He assured the bear, "I'm just taking a look around. Foxy told me about the place and I thought, what the hell, why not see it for myself?"

Freddy looked down at him and his face softened considerably. "Is that so? Well, that is fine by me. I was just worried that you were preparing to vandalize the Pizzaplex… Foxy did so on his first night here, but I managed to talk him out of it."

That wasn't exactly what had happened from Foxy's words, but considering how Freddy was framing everything, he might've actually believed that.

"But you must be more careful. I am not sure if Foxy told you, but the other animatronics do not know of his visits to the Pizzaplex, and they will not be nearly as welcoming to a late-night guest," Freddy warned. "Fortunately, I too was signaled by the Security Bot, as this charging station is also located outside of Fazer Blast. Otherwise, I would not have been here to help, and it was already a very close call."

"Believe me, I know. Foxy told me all about what he's seen going on in here. That Staff Bot just had issues," Mike defended. He toyed with the idea of pulling out his taser to show Freddy, to make it very clear if Freddy was tricking him that he wasn't to be taken lightly, but then decided that it would be best to hide his hand. To not play his cards too easily. "Well, thanks for that. You really saved my 'bum'."

"It is no problem! Any friend of Foxy is a friend of mine! Hopefully," Freddy said with a smile. Then pausing as though he was waiting for something.

But he was going to have to keep waiting, because as interesting as Freddy was, and as reluctantly curious as Mike convinced himself he wasn't, he knew that Charlie and the others were still waiting at the daycare, and that was with some kooked out sun that acted like Ennard- which didn't bode well for anyone.

That added with the fact that hallway through the conversation, Marionette had appeared in front of the railing a few feet behind Freddy and was staring at him. After that warning static earlier, Mike might've assumed he was standing guard- and he probably was, but that wasn't all. His expression was much more curious than the protective static earlier would suggest. Studying him closely, trying to make sure that Foxy's recount had been correct.

But Mike understood why. In a way, he was trying to do the same thing.

Mike considered himself a skeptical person and a relatively decent judge of character. At least, he could usually see when someone was faking and when they were putting on an act. He had seen animatronics act docile in an attempt to hide a sinister demeanor and almost every time he had reasonable suspicion beforehand. Freddy didn't have those same tendencies. His movements and directness felt genuine.

But Mike couldn't help but be suspicious when he had fallen for the Old Man Consequences ruse hook, line, and sinker. He couldn't let himself fall for that again, so the best he was going to give Freddy the benefit of a doubt and say it was too soon to tell. Keep his guard up and pay close attention to the animatronics; that's pretty much what he was good at.

But again, Charlie and the others were alone in the daycare.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to get over to the daycare before 'Blondie' shows back up," Mike said. He started to walk past, keeping his guard up as he did, testing if Freddy would try something behind his back- knowing there was a looming mime behind his back to cover for him. One who vanished but was always there. "Catch you on the flipside… Or in a couple of hours when I end up setting something else off," Mike added.

"Allow me to escort you there," Freddy offered. He quickly thumped up beside Mike, coming up on him so fast that it made him immediately step back in response. Freddy noticed and did so as well. "I would gladly accompany you, just in case you run into trouble with anyone else."

"You sure? You don't have to."

"I insist!" Freddy said. "And it is no trouble. I would just be returning to my room otherwise."

"Yeah?" Mike asked. He thought back to what Marionette said about the enclosure, about the place being no more than a zoo, and he felt concern creep up past the guard he had up. "Foxy said that they make you stay in your room," he said, asking without directly asking.

Freddy's face visibly fell. "They… encourage that we stay in our room…" he answered.

"Foxy said they locked your door," Mike pointed out. Freddy responded with a noncommitting, but likely confirming, hum. Mike then remembered and asked, "Wait, if your room was locked then how did you get out here?"

"When we are flagged by security our green rooms are unlocked. That way we can address the problem without having to… unnecessarily disturb the others," he said. He made it sound like a curtesy to the animatronics, and Roxanne herself seemed to voice this in her frustration at getting called, but Mike could tell this wasn't a decision to benefit them. This was a measure to keep them from wandering, something they must've learned from the old Freddy's.

But did Freddy truly believe what he was saying? All Mike could go off of was what Foxy told him, and if that was the case then he was likely making excuses for them. That eased up Mike's suspicion of him more than any favor or friendly banter could've. After all, this was the one who supposedly helped that kid escape, so he deserved some credit. This was Freddy, not Fredrick.

"Well, if they're not going to care then I don't. Let's go. You can tell me what's going on with the wall over by Rockstar Row on the way," Mike invited.

"That? There was a minor wiring issue in the wall, but we have been assured that it has been fixed and that the wall repair should be finished in only a matter of days," Freddy explained. He perked up considerably, walking almost jauntily beside him, even while his footsteps clattered so loudly. He moved pretty easily for something Mike assumed weighed three times as much as he did.

"Having electrical problems in here?" Mike guessed, remembering the state of the breaker room.

"We require a substantial amount of electricity. Not just us, the entire building: the arcades, the charging stations, even just keeping the lights on. All of that requires frequently maintenance. Myself included… Has Foxy- Have you heard of the, erm, 'incident' on opening day? During the show?" Freddy asked, his initially proud and informative voice faltering into tentative embarrassment at the end.

"You mean about you passing out on stage? Yeah, we heard. Foxy knows," Mike said. Freddy looked a little startled before covering his face with a hand and groaning, ears lowering.

"I was afraid of that…" he sighed. "It was not my shining moment… Who am I kidding? It was a disaster! And on all of the nights it could happen…"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It happens," Mike said. After a moment that slow smirk started to spread once more. "In fact, it happened to Foxy. He once fell off a porch and into a kiddie pool full of balls in front of a whole birthday party."

Freddy looked to him in surprise. "He fell into a… what?"

"A kiddie pool full of little plastic balls in front of a whole audience," Mike said, definitely smirking now. "And he dragged his brother in with him."

"He never told me that!"

"If you don't believe me, look it up. The video's floating around online."

Freddy's mouth had dropped open in surprise, but then closed as his eyes alit with mirth. "Now he never said anything about that," he said. "I might have to see it for myself. Just to make sure it was not another pirate."

"You better believe he wishes it was- I was there, saw it with me own eyes! The mighty Cap'n Foxy capsized into the mighty blue plastic tub," Mike said. The bear chuckled warmly, with laugh rumbling through his insides like he was hollow, and Mike's smirk softened into a more natural smile.

They stayed in a semi-comfortable silence until they stopped to wait for the security door to open. That was when Freddy spoke again.

"I did not catch your name," he said.

"I didn't throw it," Mike casually returned.

"Huh?... Oh, I get it! That is a good one," Freddy congratulated. He turned back ahead. "But do know that I will not tell if you do."

Mike gave a non-committal shrug sort of thing but didn't offer it. Freddy didn't ask again. Maybe he would by the end of the evening, and maybe by then Mike would change his mind.

Maybe by then Marionette would show himself to Freddy instead of hovering twelve feet behind him. Or maybe he would at least figure out why he was so reluctant to do so.

Chapter Text

Charlie and her friends didn't leave right away. In fact, she was determined to hide on the escalator and wait until Mike and Marionette were free so they could meet up again. Then came the alarms, and then a period of a Security Bot circling around and Natalie trying to get it to leave, and it was finally at that point that Jessica dragged her out by the arm.

"It looks like they're going to be stuck there for a while," she said as they slipped under the security door with John and Carlton. Charlie might've been more worried, but it was clear from Natalie's efforts that she was going out of her way to not bust the two, so it was probably a situation they would have to slowly weasel out of. She would give them ten minutes to handle it and then come back and do something if they were still stuck there.

Beyond the security door was a small passage broken up by stairs and ramps, both illuminated, with a curved ceiling that was decorated with a starry pattern. It ended in another security door that entered into a room with a fountain, the entrance to the daycare. John was leading the way towards another rolling door, one that had the words "Superstar Daycare Pick-Up- this way!" painted on the wall beside it, suggesting it was the right direction.

As they got closer, they started to hear the sound of muffled music coming through the closed door.

"Is the music supposed to be on?" Jessica asked warily.

"Yup," Charlie said. "Natalie warned us about it."

Any questions the blond had were answered when John stepped close enough to trigger the door and they were flooded with the bouncy music. If that and the bright lights weren't jarring enough, then the faux-gold sun statue in front of them definitely did it. John stopped under it and looked up at it with his hands in his pockets and his brows furrowed. Charlie walked over and stood beside him.

They stood there for a long moment backed by the inappropriate music and looking at an exceptionally scary clown statue when John finally looked over and asked,

"Is it too late to go back to El Chip's?"

This got a laugh out of Charlie. A real laugh, one backed with ringing, but she didn't know if it was from true amusement or the weird secondhand embarrassment she felt standing in this place.

They walked past the statue and towards the turnstiles that led deeper into the daycare along with a slide leading into the play area proper. While the others were looking in, Charlie fell back and pressed the call button on her radio.

"Anybody there?" she asked.

"I'm here!" Jake greeted. "How's it hanging?"

The lack of response from Mike meant he and Marionette were probably still cornered in the atrium. She stole a quick look at a clock up on the wall and started the ten-minute timer right then.

"We just got to the daycare. We're right under the, uh…" Charlie looked up at the equally frightening Moon statue on the other side of the Sun statue and almost lost her train of thought. "…Terrifying moon statue."

"Great! Just, uh, one second… Hold on, let me just…" It sounded like he was moving stuff around on the other side of the line.

Meanwhile, the others were looking around at everything. John had walked over to try the turnstiles and was unsurprised to find them stuck in place.

"Locked?" Carlton asked. John nodded and the redhead hummed, then sent a look down at the slide. Jessica was looking at it too and their eyes raised to meet. She sent him a flat look.

"Don't even think about it," she said.

"I'm thinking about it," he replied.

"Do you have any idea how much bacteria's crawling on this stuff? This is like the one guaranteed place where you'll get dysentery without water," Jessica forewarned. He started to edge towards the slide, likely more to mess with her than out of intense desire to do so. "Not to mention you'll probably get stuck, in which case we will have to leave you," she warned again. Carlton started to slowly kneel. "Carlton, I'm telling you no."

Carlton sat down at the top of the slide.

"No," Jessica mock scolded.

"Please, Mom."

"You get up right now, young man." Jessica crossed her arms and sent him a much less amused look. "Before the security lady walks in and calls your dad."

"What's going on over there?" Jake asked. Almost half-heartedly, like he was half-listening. Though Charlie he was shocked he could hear it at all. Yes, her thumb was on the button, but they weren't being loud.

"It's nothing. Carlton's just pretending like he's going to go down the slide," she answered. She didn't expect much of a reaction.

"Don't let him do that! Tell him not to do that!"

Charlie was genuinely surprised. She wasn't the only one either, because he was loud enough over the radio that the others heard too. John coming over to stand alongside Charlie again while Jessica and Carlton looked back from the slide.

"Uh, I don't think he's really planning on it," the Security Puppet said. "Why? What'll happen if he does?"

"Nothing will happen, it's just…" Jake trailed off for a second. Hesitating on that tone before lowering his voice and mumbling through the speaker, "The Daycare Attendant's in there."

Charlie exchanged quick glances between John and Jessica. Carlton looked up at statue of the moon before very quickly pulling himself back out of the slide and to his feet. After considering it for a moment, Charlie lowered her own voice.

"Jake, I need you to tell me now. Is the Daycare Attendant dangerous?"

"No!... No. He's just… fussy. A stickler for the rules. Don't bother him and he won't bother you."

Normally this would've done a poor job to convince her, but it instead only grew a suspicion whose seeds were already sewn by Marionette. She only hesitated to get those thoughts together, because already knew what she was going to say.

"We won't go in there. Just be honest with us, okay? We're not here to hurt anything, you've just got to let us know where our boundaries are," she said in an assertive but assuring tone.

"Thank you. I appreciate it, and I will." There was relief in his voice. "…So! If you could just climb over the gate right there, we can begin our tour of the daycare!"

Charlie looked up from the radio to see that John had a suspicious and questioning look on his face. Suspicious towards Jake, questioning towards her. She gave a little shrug and walked over to the gate that she easily climbed over. She waited for the others to catch up before they started walking down the length of the daycare, getting a vantage point where they could see over the large room.

"This music's starting to do a number on me," Carlton confessed. That might've not been the only thing from how he kept looking around and behind them.

"I can't believe I'm saying this… but I kind of like it," Jessica admitted with a little smile. "You know what it reminds me of? Tatertots."

"It does sound like that! Man, I used to love that show. I had that Halloween episode where Russel and Violet get lost in the woods behind the house on tape. I bet I could recite the whole thing," Charlie said

"Violet was such a little brat. I loved her," Jessica said fondly. "My favorite episode was the one where she gets the life-sized dollhouse and thinks the doll's plotting against her."

Charlie turned to the door they were coming up on and noticed John watching with his subdued smile. "What about you? Did you ever watch it?" she asked.

"A couple of times. I was more of a Castles and Covens kid," he said.

"I remember." Charlie got a touch of a teasing smile on her mask. "I remember your magic coat."

Nobody ever truly forgot the year where John walked around wearing a jacket twice his size because his kid-self thought it made him look like a wizard. Nobody had really forgotten it, but nobody had remembered it in years until Charlie dredged it back up in one fell swoop. Fortunate for her that she still wore cheekiness well or he might've been mortified.

"That's a shame," John replied.

She jingled a little and walked ahead so she could look through the window beside the door. Inside was a party room already prepared with tables topped with plates and party hats, just waiting to be filled. There was an illuminated screen in the back projecting a cartoony picture of the ocean and a lighthouse, fitting with the Kids Cove theme she had seen already.

"Ironic that they chose an ocean theme," Charlie flatly remarked. Jessica gave a hum of agreement, equally as impressed.

"So, I'm guessing you're at the private party rooms by now. How it works, or how it's going to work, is that parents rent a room in advance and choose add-ons. You pick the room that fits your party, the cake size, pizza toppings, with or without balloons, favors, and then you can even pay extra to have one of the Glamrock band members come and wish you a happy birthday. There's five, ten, fifteen-minute intervals for that too. It's crazy."

"Crazy expensive?" Charlie guessed.

"That too. I don't know the exact numbers but judging by the whiteboards downstairs with party plans on them, they're making a killing off of them. Or going to."

"Freddy's has been known to do that," John muttered under his breath. A sentiment that the rest of them could've readily shared.

"How's… business been so far?" Charlie dared to ask.

"It's hard to tell. There's plenty of people lining up to have their kid's birthday here… but it was closed today because there was a band malfunction on the first day. Go figure."

"That good, huh?" She didn't mean for her voice to audibly fall, but it was hard to contain her disappointment. She knew the place was going to be successful, but it still worried her. Especially now with their seaside themed playground.

Jessica picked up on it and put an arm around her before steering her away from the window and leading further down the walkway. They soon turned the corner and were walking the stretch directly in front of the daycare. A couple more party rooms were lined up along the wall, these being larger, and some even connected with each other. All ready for the eventual to flood in and fill their seats.

Charlie decided to look out towards the daycare and caught a glimpse of something yellow disappearing behind the top of the wooden daycare door. She stopped in place and stared where it had been, knowing they were being watched.

Jessica, who still had an arm around her, noticed the hesitation. "What's up?" she discreetly asked.

"Not much," Charlie said, "but we're being watched."

"Figured as much. You don't usually guess exactly where someone's standing," Jessica remarked. Charlie hadn't considered it at the time, but knew she was right. They continued on.

Unknowing that there was a storm brewing just on the other side of that door.

The Daycare Attendant had dropped down the moment he was seen and now sat crumpled against the door with his hand pulling and pushing in his spines to assist in keeping not the smallest sound from slipping out.

Because he wanted to scream the moment he had seen that. There were supposed to be people coming into the daycare. Troublemakers staying after hours, yes, but normal people. Nearly kids! Just big kids wanting to hang around the daycare and look at all the party rooms and just be a spectacle to observe and exist with.

There wasn't supposed to be an animatronic in their midst. Let alone one that looked like… that. The white mask, the soulless eyes, just a slightly different shape but the same haunting visage-!

"What am I going to do?! What am I going to do?!" he whispered frantically, popping up to his feet to pace behind the cover of the door. "What's it doing he-ere?! Whyyy?! Don't panic, it's just- it's just-!" He fell silent to listen and caught wind of the conversation, making out a few choice words. "It's just heading to the theater?! No, no, that can't- why would it…?!"

He slowly turned his head and stared at the balcony. This whole thing was a ruse; he knew what it really came for.

Sunny let out a soft little gasp and shrunk in on himself. Blinded by panic and paranoia, and the itch of his own programming, he knew he had to do something. But he couldn't just skip on out there and confront them! He knew what it was capable of. He had to do something, he was desperate to do something, but he couldn't think of any options that weren't barred by his rules.

Unless, of course, the rules suddenly went bye-bye.

The Sun slinked around the security counter and popped up on the other side. He reached over the top and walked his fingers down and around until he found what he was looking for. His finger circled the naptime button.

Before he suddenly realized what he was doing and yanked his hand back.

"No! I can't do that!" he whispered scoldingly. His points twitched anxiously as he held his hand to his chest. "Bad, bad idea! If he finds out I-I-I'd…"

He tilted his head up to stare at the balcony again. Behind him he focused in on the chattering of voices both from and outside of the radio. His hand tightened painfully as he felt himself slipping.

Then he spun back around and slammed his hand on the button before he could think rationally once more. In an instant the lights died and suddenly everything felt a lot clearer. He knew exactly what he wanted to do.

Back on the second floor, the group was approaching the last party room door before they would reach the theater as their guide filled them in on the details.

"The Fazbear Theater is the real highlight of the daycare. They play cartoons, there's Staff Bots who come out and perform, and there's been talk about even letting the St. George community theater put on performances there. Isn't that neat?... It's a lot neater when you're here all the time and could use something new to look at. The Staff Bots leave a little to be desired-."

At that moment, the lights suddenly died and the whole daycare was thrown into darkness. A few star shaped lights illuminated on the walls, but it wasn't nearly enough to see well with. At least, for anyone other than Charlie. Her night vision still managed to support her well, but that didn't make the sudden darkness anymore jarring. She still had brought a flashlight that she quickly turned on.

John and Carlton had both brought flashlights too. John's a small, square one sized to fit in his jacket pocket and Carlton's an old clunky one of his father's that he tied to his belt. Jessica just had her little keychain flashlight, but betwixt the three there was enough light for them to get their bearings as well as Charlie had.

"…Oh no."

The amount of anxiety that suddenly filled Jake's voice instantly put Charlie on edge. She lifted the radio to ask him,"What happened?"

"The lights went out," Carlton flatly answered.

"Oh, really? I didn't notice. I just thought it got dark all of a sudden," she sarcastically replied. Not even giving him the courtesy to turn around and show him the disapproving frown on her face. She huffed static and spoke into the radio, "How much danger are we in?"

"What? No, you're not in danger!" He tried to laugh it off. Even it sounded strained. "This happens all the time. It shouldn't happen, but it does. No big deal!"

"Look, I already know something happens in here when the lights go off," Charlie said sternly. "What is it? Is it that the moon comes out? Is he hostile?"

"…I'll get the lights back on. I sure I can, I'm right beside a huge fuse box. Just sit there and don't go anywhere."

Charlie's non-existent brows raised as she slowly lowered the radio. "Huh… Well, I guess that answers our question," she murmured.

They stood there for a long moment before John slipped up between Charlie and Jessica, who had moved back in beside her. He leaned in and murmured to them.

"Did you hear that noise after the lights cut out?" he whispered to them. Both turned to listen while he made sure to keep an eye out over the room. "Right after the music cut out, there was this creaking metal sound that came from inside the daycare… and it's been quiet ever since."

"No," Jessica said quietly, warily, but Charlie then gave a slight nod.

"I heard it."

That wasn't the only thing they heard either. Shortly afterwards there was a strange whooshing noise from out towards the daycare and both Carlton and Jessica shined their lights out towards it but could see nothing. Even Charlie, who could see better in the dark, hadn't seen anything. She knew they weren't alone… but then again, they never were, she mused as she remembered the glimpse of yellow.

But before she could even consider voicing her suspicions, Jake came back on the line. This time he didn't even try to hide exactly what he was feeling.

"Okay, so I can't get the power on from back here. So, what I need you to do is just turn around, go down the stairs, and take one of the downstairs doors out. It'll take you into Kids Cove, right back into the atrium. I promise." He hesitated a moment before quietly adding, "I'm so sorry about this. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"I figured as much," Charlie said, her voice holding little blame. She then looked between John and Jessica. "Did you both catch that?" she asked, knowing very well that they did. Not just the directions but the sudden shift in mood as well.

John held a solemn selection, Jessica a more concerned one as she nodded.

"Sounds good to me. Heck, I don't even know why we left El Chip's. That's where the party's at," Carlton said, or rambled on the edge of nervousness. Then went rigid as he heard a soft thump from behind him. He slowly turned and brought his light around to fall on the source of the noise. "…Oh, that's- that's just… Wow." A soft pattering and jingling sound followed. "That's so much worst," he almost squeaked out.

Charlie heard the thump immediately but didn't see the source until she got past John and found herself standing beside Carlton in equal aghast.

It was the moon animatronic from the statue. Its arms and face illuminated in a soft blue glow so that it would've been visible even without the flashlights, and yet a sharp red glint from its eyes cut through both. Framed above a wicked smile. Its hands and spiderlike fingers spread out on the floor to hold its weight in an uncomfortably framed handstand while its legs circled its own body, feet pattering on the floor. Jingling and ticking as it did so.

It came to an unceremonious stop midway through a spin, then twisted until its legs were dangling above its head. It lowered itself further and turned its hands around to rest its head on them.

"My, my, do my eyes deceive me…" it hissed through sealed teeth. "…Or is that a puppet with no strings? Lost little puppet far from her box. Discombobulated. Disobedient. Discontinued."

It crackled out a wicked laugh that matched its frozen smile. Its face began to slowly turn as its fingers tapped against it.

"I know what you're here for, Little Miss Puppet…" he lulled. All of a sudden, his face spun and snapped back into the correct position. "And you can't have him."

"Wait, hold on. I didn't come here for anything! We were invited by Jake!" Charlie defended. Moon made a disconnect rattling and a vocal growl at the name. Evidently it didn't help her case any. "…I'm guessing you turned the lights off?"

"Charlie, I don't think this is a great time to ask questions," Carlton muttered out.

"We get the message: you want us out of here. Fine. Just let us by and we'll be out of your hair," John tried to offer. The Moon didn't acknowledge this offer, let alone even turn its head in his direction. "All you have to do is let us by."

"Rulebreakers and tresssspassers don't get to bar-ter their way out of pun-ish-ment," the Moon said in a mocking singsong. It was a very bitter sort of tone, bubbling anger just beneath the surface. "Security can have the rest of you. As for you, Miss Puppet, it's time for a nice, long nap… I already have a box waiting for you."

This was enough to make Charlie go from creeped out to actually afraid. Just the tone of it sent a spike of panic through her. She reflexively lifted the radio to her mouth and pressed the call button. "We need help-!"

Right then the Moon decided it was done toying with them and proceeded to barrel straight for them. Still in a handstand as it raced towards the group.

Carlton yelped and started rapidly clicking the button of his camera as he took a step aside. Not far enough apparently as Moon crashed right through him and shoved him painfully aside and into John. Charlie had turned and started to run, able to get out of reach before the Moon could grab for her only to suddenly be yanked by the jacket and dragged, half stumbling into the nearest party room by Jessica.

The room was tight, and they only had a second before Moon was through the doorway and in pursuit. Charlie was forced to run between the table and the wall to escape his grasp, only to have the jester suddenly shove the whole party table back in an attempt to block her way. Something that barely worked, with her clamoring over it. He looked like he was about to do the same when Jessica smacked him over the back with a metal chair.

He buckled only momentarily, but then his limbs seemed to reverse, his head tilting back and face spinning around to look at her directly, and he grabbed ahold of the chair. He wrenched it from her grasp, flipped it, and chased at her. In seconds he had her shoved to the wall, pinning her to it with the bars between the chair legs.

"NO HITTING!" he scolded through his graveled voice. She pressed back on the wall wide-eyed, staring up at exactly how much taller the Moon was. He twitched, shoulder rolling as though in pain. "I'm putting you…" He leaned in over the chair, face so close that it nearly brushed the tip of her nose. "In time out," he gritted.

But before he could follow through on this threat, the room suddenly filled with music. Music box music ringing out a frantic version of 'Ring Around the Rosey'. Both looked over in time to see a white face and a black blur before Charlie completely tackled into the Moon. Her weight and speed just enough to send him staggering before both fell in front of the open doorway.

Now atop him, she got out her taser and raised it above him, pressing the button to release a warning spark. A scare tactic, a threat that she hopefully didn't have to follow through on. A threat that she didn't have a chance to follow through on because suddenly he twisted one arm around her other one and pulled her in flush before fighting for her other arm. She got one knee on his thigh and another leg up to try and pry herself back again.

Which wasn't working at all until a second pair of hands came from behind the Moon and started grabbing at his upper half. It was John who was looking to hold the Moon down. This had the exact opposite effect. Instead, the Moon suddenly spun its torso, twisted up John's arms, and started subduing him. All while wrapping his legs around Charlie and trapping her. Temporarily rendering her taser useless unless she wanted to shock John and herself too.

The radio fell out of her jacket during the scuffle and Jessica picked it up while trying to pry one of the puffy pants covered legs off of her. Even with the scuffle beside her she identified two voices coming though.

"Wait, wait, don't do this! Stop!" Jake's panicked pleas.

"What's going on?! Charlie?!" and Mike struggling to yell over him. Considering the circumstances, he was the one Jessica was more relieved to hear.

"Oh, thank God!" she cried. She used her whole bodyweight as leverage to drag back the leg and Charlie finally pried her way out, falling flat on her back in front of the Moon. Jessica swooping in to pull her back farther. "Where are you?!"

"Outside the daycare door! It won't open! I've got Freddy Fazbear himself trying to lift the thing and it won't budge!"

"Can Mari warp in?!" she asked desperately.

"Not into a place he can't see or hasn't seen before!"

Or that was what he assumed considering that Marionette was disappearing and reappearing and going absolutely feral directly behind Freddy Fazbear who must've heard him, but was too busy on a knee, trying to physically force up the security door to even spare a moment to look back. Or perhaps just knew better than to do so.

At this point the Moon, who was pinning John down and had just gotten Carlton off of him by elbowing him in the gut- so hard that he fell against the railing- decided to turn and make another grab for Charlie. Turning and lifting onto a knee like he was about to pounce until John noticed loose wires on the back of his head and grabbed for them, yanking them. The Moon let out a pained cry and whipped his arm back, grabbing John by the shoulder and yanking him forward.

In seconds their positions were reversed with John dragged in front of the Moon and its illuminated arm hooking around his throat. Not tightly enough to choke him, but enough to show that he could start at any moment. His large hand atop and dwarfing John's head as he slowly turned it to face Charlie, as did his own. A wordless challenge and a silent threat, waiting for her to make a decision.

All the while Charlie could hear Jake's voice calling out over the radio.

"Don't hurt him! Just turn on the generators in the play tunnels! That'll shut off the naptime protocols, turn the lights on, and unlock the main door! There's five of them, you just have to follow the wires! Please!"

That was the solution, to forcibly turn on the lights and that would presumably stop the Moon. Maybe she could do it. She was quick, especially in tight spaces, but he would no doubt be on her heels. Though she would still do it in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the position that he had John in, threatening him unless she gave herself up… Because he was only interested in her. He was only chasing her.

She suddenly had an idea, but it hinged on whether or not the Moon was bluffing about John and truly did only want her. There was another way to use herself as bait without having to hand herself over, and when she heard a noise and glanced aside to see the door to the theater started to open, she knew what the plan was- and could only hope Jessica knew her enough to figure it out.

"You can have him," Charlie said and then bolted for the theater without another word. Leaving her friends and even the Moon staring after her in disbelief.

"Feh! Some friend," the Moon grumbled. Then, as Charlie had hoped he would, he shoved John away from him with disinterest and darted after her. Flipping his head back in the process and yelling back at the three, "Stay out of the daycare or it's night-night forever!"

John, figuring out Charlie's intentions, clamored to his feet and was about to pursue when Jessica grabbed him.

"We have to get these lights on!" she reminded.

"What about Charlie?!"

"The only way we're going to be able to help Charlie is to get these lights on and stop that psycho! We already tried piling on him- surprise! It didn't work, did it?" she asked. She had a point and by then Carlton was already running back down the way in the direction of the slide, so John sent one last look back at the theater before following.

"How can we trust Jake about the lights? He led us right into this!" John called while running.

"We can't, but that door didn't lock until the lights went out and Mari's the only one who might have a chance taking down that moon guy!" Jessica pointed out. "We need that door open and we need him here yesterday."

John couldn't argue with that. Perhaps Carlton had figured it out too, as he asked no questions and threw himself straight down that slide legs first. They had to find the generators before the Moon got ahold of Charlie.

Meanwhile, Charlie had dashed into the theater and nearly ran into a Staff Bot waiting on the other side of the door. Not a Security Bot, thankfully, but some sort of blue and purple themed maid bot. Charlie barely dodged it and kept running as it came up where she had once been lifting and waving its arms to try and stop the Daycare Attendant. He didn't even stop, he just spun-stepped around it and was shortly after Charlie.

She ran through an archway and found herself on an upper floor overlooking a theater stage just downstairs. She continued striding down the length of it, hearing the pattering footsteps on the carpet behind her. She neared a turn at the end of the stretch leading to the stairs that led into the lower section.

On the opposite wall right before the stairs was looked like a pirate themed movie poster, save with cartoon pirate-dressed versions of the Sun and Moon on it and the words "Sun and Moon on the Seven Seas" plastered beneath them and the mound of treasure they stood on. Ignoring how suspicious having them dressed as pirates was, Charlie was more concerned by the fact that the frame of the poster was rattling.

Something was thumping against the back of it, she realized as she skirted past and down the stairs. Something was banging on the other side of the door, trying to force its way out, but it was hard to focus on that when the nasty giggling of her pursuer was soon between her and said poster. She came out in front of a metal grate blocking her way directly into the theater and a path left and right. Left looked clear, leading into the directly theater, so there she went.

The Moon chose to forgo the decision entirely and scaled the grating in seconds before dropping down on the other side. Charlie coming out on the opposite side of the hallway and running down the stretch behind the seats- or the modest benches that replaced them. Even with the brief glimpse Charlie got while running, she could tell the theater was built for a younger audience.

She got to hall on the other side of the theater in seconds and started inside only to have the Moon skid in front of her at the other end, this side lacking a barrier. She turned and went back the way she came, but he was quick, right on her heels in seconds, so she took a sharp left and went around the corner looking for anything to defend herself.

There was a small counter with concession items there- a mini-popcorn maker, a couple of tiny popcorn buckets, and a spinning candy display with little bags of yellow and blue Sunnydrop and Moondrop candies hanging off. This was her only bet and she grabbed it and swung it back into the jester. It was flimsy, the whole thing practically fell apart on contact and he flinched more in surprise than pain.

She expected him to catch her there, but instead he let out an anguished cry and dropped to his knees, hastily picking up the fallen backs. "Clean up! CLEAN-UP!" he hissed in frustration.

Programming, Charlie recognized it the moment she saw it and knew she could capitalize on it. Such as she would right now, turning and breaking into a run. She took another sharp left, the same way the Moon had gone, and through the hall into a second set of stairs leading up towards the second floor. She hastily hurried up them, being as careful as she could not to trip and knowing doing so would cut everything short.

She was only six steps from the top when she heard a familiar ticking and stopped abruptly, noticing exactly what direction it came from. Less than a second after she did, the Moon suddenly slid into the doorway in front of her.

"What?!" she cried in disbelief. He laughed at her confusion and lunged for her, with her turning and racing back down the steps before he could grab her. She missed one towards the end and tumbled down the rest, recovering fast enough to spring forward and back to her feet before running out into the theater once more. She sprinted across in front of the stage when she suddenly noticed that she wasn't hearing him behind her.

Charlie stopped and spun around with her taser out and, like she expected, the Moon was not behind her. Which meant that he was planning something. She stayed in the center of the room and continued to cautiously look around before starting to inch to the side towards that metal grate, preparing to follow back to the same stairs she had originally came down and hopefully buy more time. Or go the other direction she hadn't earlier and find a place to hide.

Charlie finally took the plunge with a few steps only to hear the jingling return, from directly above her.

She skirted out of the way just in time for the Moon to hit the ground hands first, into a roll, and then popping up onto his feet at the end. Those red eyes and that grizzly smile faced towards her as she backed towards the stage. He raised his hands in a grabby motion and began to creep in, to which she immediately snapped up her taser. This slowed him but didn't stop him.

He was too close to turn and run without him pouncing. Besides, there was little point running circles around the theater anyways when the goal was to stall and hope the others could get the power on.

"Let's just talk about this!" Charlie tried to rationalize. "Nobody needs to get hurt!"

"I agree," the Moon replied. Though that tone suggested a hidden double meaning. "No more running, little puppet. You must be exhausted," he rumbled. He began to tilt his head back and forth, his face beginning to slowly rock in rhythm.

"I could keep running but I thought maybe instead of chasing me around all night we could- we could work this out now." Charlie felt a little funny, but she chose to ignore it and press on. "I don't know what you think I'm doing here or who you think I am, but everything I said is one hundred percent true. We just came to snoop around, which yes, also isn't great, but it's a lot- it's- it's a lot less bad than whatever- whatever you were thinking."

She was having trouble focusing on her words a little. Something was definitely wrong and now she noticed his rhythmic swaying. "…What are you doing?" she bluntly asked.

"I know what your kind is made for. They lure in other animatronics like they're hung on strings. They play dress-up with souls," the Moon hissed in accusation. After a brief hesitation he began to sway again, his face still continuing to twist as he did so. "But you, you must be so tired. So late at night, little Miss Puppet. Imagine a nice warm box." She started to talk, and he shushed her, "Shh, no, no. It's sleepy time now. Unruly animatronics must sleep…"

The red light disappeared from his eyes but was replaced by a flickering. So quick and wavery that it almost more like it was glittering, or glistening. Whatever it was it immediately started to hang on her body, holding her eyes captive and sapping at her, entrancing her, but instead of lulling her the realization startled her enough to snap her out of the hypnotic state. Charlie ripped her eyes away.

"Stop that!" she cried. Her guard down, he suddenly made a jump for her. She just managed to step back and thrust the taser forward, only to have him duck aside and grab her wrist.

Soon they were in a tug of war over her only weapon. She staggered back and he followed suit as though in some sort of clumsy dance. She could've released the taser and probably pulled free but realized now it was probably the only thing keeping him back in any regard. His fingers pried at hers while the other hand shoved back her opposite shoulder to extend and weaken her reach.

Charlie was still struggling when she noticed a stack of barrels nearby and turned them in that direction. She could only hope it would work like the spilled candy had.

"Don't you DARE," the Moon warned.

That answered that question, and she defiantly kicked it over in his direction. He gave another frustrated yell, this time much more irritated and intense, and punctuating it with a tight twist of his fingers.

"AUGH! Clean up, clean UP!" he yelled. His body twisting and writhing in place as though he was fighting it. It didn't matter how many times he looked at her, his face kept trying to twitch back towards those barrels.

She managed to get her other hand under his and push it back off of her shoulder, but his fingers clamped tightly to hers and refused to let her go any further. He twisted her hand abruptly causing her grip to release on the taser and would've possibly broken her hand if she was still human. He clenched it in his own and swung back, and before she could make a second grab it was sent careening behind him and clattered against the metal grate.

The Moon now had the upper hand: her hand trapped in his and his red eyes staring down at hers, where he could so easily start the hypnotic flickering once more.

Until a spotlight suddenly popped on above them and bathed them both in light.

Not just that spotlight, actually, but numerous lights around the theater. They just happened to be standing in front of the stage and under the brightest light in the whole theater, which was likely why the Moon went rigid.

His expression hadn't changed but the way his red pupils twitched signaled something going on underneath the surface. Though that wasn't the only indication. There was an increased winding noise and the illumination in his face suddenly went out, as did the blue glow in his arms, leaving him nearly grey in color.

For all of a sudden, the Daycare Attendant lurched back, arms going rigid at his sides, staggering and leaning back like he was about to fall, yanking her forward in the process. A flush of yellow took over his chest, arms, and his face. His face that suddenly and uncontrollably spun before a halo of yellow points popped out of his head. Turning him from the Moon into the Sun in only a matter of moments.

He snapped his head down to reveal that his once red lit eyes were now a milky white. He stared at her momentarily, her leaned forward with her hand trapped by his, and then suddenly came to his sense with a yelp and yanked back his hand. Leaning back again with his hands up beside his face which, if not frozen in that constant smile, might've portrayed either shock or maybe even fear.

Charlie pulled back as well, more capable of showing her surprise in her blank stare. She didn't let her guard down though, instead watching to see if he really had just flipped personalities or if this was some sort of ruse.

"I-I-I-!" he started to stammer. His voice had changed too, reverting from the grisly, gravelly one to one that sounded very similar to Ennard's, if only a slightly different pitch and tone. He yanked off the nightcap that was now hanging off of a point and stuffed it somewhere into his back. "Uh- UH… G-Good mornING?!" he fumbled out.

Charlie really wished she could think of something clever to say but the whole thing had left her speechless. Not the Sun though, as he continued to frantically babble on as he threw himself down to frantically pick up the barrels.

His half-baked attempts to explain himself were suddenly cut off by a loud banging from upstairs. The clatter of what sounded like a door opening, but it was from the opposite of the entranceway- not that there were doors that way anyways. Charlie recognized immediately where it had come from; that shuddering poster frame that she had passed at the top of the stairs. Something had broken out and was now racing down the stairs.

The Sun made a squeak of panic and grabbed at his points. "Oh, no, no, NO, NO, WAIT!"

What came down the stairs and stood on the other side of the grate was the last thing that Charlie could've expected and just the sight of it startled her.

Or the sight of the mask it wore did. It was a hideous thing, the mask. White and oval shaped with features drawn in thick black. A wide, wicked smile faded with time, black smudged around one eye and the other being totally darkened out. The one that wasn't was open to reveal a glassy blue optic peeking out, with the mask somewhat tilted on its face. There was staining around its mouth that only helped to blur the lines of its faux features.

It was also wearing a black coat, or cape, or a plastic tarp from how frayed the material was around its arms and around the edges. A bizarre and otherwise inappropriate sight in the Pizzaplex, but clearly animatronic. Before she could take in anymore of the details, it darted to the left and ran down the same hall to come out into the theater.

Charlie started to back up while the Sun continued to frantically yell, "No, no! What are you doing?! Stop!"

But the animatronic came around the corner and started to hastily make its way down, almost stumbling over itself, and Charlie took a step back in preparation to run.

"Wait! It's okay!... I'm not going to hurt you," the hideously masked animatronic assured in a gentle, familiar voice. She was legitimately shocked.

Because she knew Jake wasn't a human, but she could've never expected him to be this.

"If you would just let me explain… This isn't what you think," Jake sadly and apologetically said. He continued to slowly approach as to not scare her off.

He might've not scared her, but he utterly terrified the Sun, who only stopped anxiously grabbing around with his hands to run over and grab him by the arm to stop him. "What are you doiiiing?! If anybody sees you-!"

"What am I doing?! What are you doing?!" Jake argued. He partially pulled his arm back and the Sun's point tilted guiltily. "I told-!" Jake caught himself and continued again in a low voice. "I told you to leave them alone."

"I was going to! But that was before tha-a-at came into the picture!" the Sun whispered back while gesturing an arm wildly towards Charlie. "Do you see what she is?! White and black and striped all over, and tear marks down its face?!" He lowered his voice to the faintest hiss, blocking his unmoving mouth with a hand. "It's a Puppet."

"So? That's no reason to turn off the lights and start running around like a nutcase!" Jake said louder. He then started to reign himself in, rationally spelling out, "If anybody out there tells the human staff what you did, they'd… You'd be down in Parts & Service. We know that much."

The Sun's body language seemed to softened with his shoulders falling. While Jake was clearly still upset, he eventually reached out to rub an assuring hand over his shoulder.

This was the worst time to break up an already tense moment, but Charlie knew it wouldn't be long before the others got in here and she needed to get what information she could in case the two ran off.

"So…" They looked at her at the same time. "What IS going on here?" she dared to ask.

"Sorry, I'll explain everything. This is all- No, quit that- There's a lot more going on, I promise," Jake explained, having to physically yank away from the Sun who still continued to dog him as he continued down the ramp.

She noticed he had a slight limp in his gait, the cause of which became abundantly clear when he came around the corner. One of his legs was like a basic endoskeleton's, not too different from the ones from the original Freddy's, while the other was a slender grey one wrapped in duct tape with a simple foot. It only took a few seconds of looking over the rest of the body to realize that the endoskeleton one was the odd one out.

She as she started studying his strange body structure and started trying to make sense of it, there was the familiar noise of a sliding security door upstairs. Accompanied by an automatic voice:

"Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Fazbear Theater! The show is finished for tonight, but feel free to drop by the automated teller to purchase early tickets for tomorrow's programming!"

Upon the sound of hasty footsteps, Jake started to recoil a few steps and looked up towards the second floor. Sunny whispered a soft, "Ugh! No, no!" and threw himself forward to shield the other animatronic. Charlie reacted immediately.

"Don't come in!" she yelled up. "I've got it under control, okay? Just stay out there!"

The fact that it was only one set of footsteps made her wonder if it was Mike. Something that was all but confirmed when she turned back to reassure Jake and Sunny and saw Marionette pop into existence against the wall behind them. From the lit pupils and the dead silence, he was likely on the hunt, but he managed to hold himself back long enough for Charlie to get a word in.

"It's okay. None of us are going to hurt you two, and we're not turning you over to the staff. We wouldn't do that even if we weren't breaking and entering," she said. She paused and then added, "You don't have to be afraid of me just because I'm a puppet."

Marionette's tone shifted immediately. He looked between the two animatronics, and it didn't take him long to do an assessment on the one, who was very clearly out of service. The context clues were bringing him up to speed rather quickly.

"We're not afraid of Puppets. He is," Jake defended, gesturing back towards Sunny who was still standing arms spread in front of him.

"D-Don't throw ME under the wheels on the bus!" Sunny snipped back. He dropped his arms dramatically at his sides and looked back towards the second floor where he proceeded to unflinchingly stare, waiting for any sign of movement.

Jake patted his back and softly pushed him forward to slide behind him, only to have an arm hook back to stop him from going any further, which he wrestled with a few seconds before Charlie had enough mercy to step forward. Sunny's head snapped to stare at her out the corner of his milky eye while Jake managed to reach over his arm to offer his hand to her.

"I think we might've gotten off on the wrong foot… Okay, forget that. This has been a really bad first impression and that's all on me," Jake said apologetically. His voice brightened desperately, "Let's start over: Hi, I'm Jake."

Charlie had been sizing him up since she noticed the oddity about the leg and in the process, she had noticed something that the mask and coat distracted her from.

The garish mask and tatter coat aside, the rest of Jake's body was remarkably familiar. His only other clothing were a pair of tattered, possibly shoddily tailored red and yellow striped shorts, so most of his body was left open to her to sneakily examine. That was when she noticed more things of note. The color scheme, the molding of his chest, the rounded head behind the mask- even the tilt of said mask giving away the eye location, the arms, even the height and shape.

Even the hand that was offered to her, which was what finally confirmed her suspicions when she realized it matched the one currently trying to hold him back.

He was the exact same model as the Daycare Attendant. He was another Sun.

"Wight wasn't lying about scrapping an animatronic…" Charlie thought but kept it to herself as she managed a slight smile and willingly took his hand to shake. "Charlie."

Jake seemed relieved at the gesture. As soon as they were done shaking, he gestured his hand towards the Sun, "And this is-."

"And you-!" the Sun turned on his heel to face her fully. "Can call me Sunny! Or Sunny Dee, or Sunnydrop, Mister Sun, or just Sun! Anything under the sun!" he chirped. Maybe it was from his face, but that suddenly bubbly tone didn't help her shake the feeling that he was watching her very closely.

She almost glanced over at Marionette but caught herself before she could. He continued to just loom behind them before eventually popping behind the gate when Jake turned his head, as to not get caught on the edge of his vision.

"I wasn't trying to lead you and your friends into an ambush. Sunny wasn't even supposed to bother you. That's why I asked you not to go into the daycare, because Sunny was in there and I didn't want there to be any issue," Jake explained.

Sunny let out a discontent little noise and brought his other hand up to fuss with the frill of his collar. Guiltily, very aware that he had broken his own rules.

"And then the lights went out," Charlie finished.

"Right. And then the lights went out…" Jake said. His tone suggesting that he knew exactly how the lights went out. Sunny decided to feign innocence, hooking an arm around Jake's and planting the hand on his own hip.

"There's only one rule in the daycare: keep the lights on! Unlessduringnaptimebutthatdoesn'tcount," he said with a tiny hand wave. "Mooney Moondrops is such a Grumpy Gus when he wakes up early."

"Yeah, I got that impression when he put my friend in a chokehold," Charlie flatly remarked. Sunny went rigid as Jake turned to stare at him, head tilted in disbelief.

"Oh, well, he was, uh…" Sunny squeaked. He slowly turned his head to look towards Jake, who mimicked a sigh and turned away.

"In case you haven't noticed, he's a little over-protective," he muttered.

"Only when there's strange unclassified Puppets walking around!" Sunny tensely defended.

"I told you they were okay," Jake reminded.

"Oh? Before or after they tried to go down my slide?" Sunny asked, pulling back his arm so he could cross them defiantly.

Well, this was uncomfortable. This was Marionette unloading in the bathroom all over again, except this time both parties were right in front of her so she couldn't very well book it out of there.

"So, you two are… close," Charlie guessed, just trying to break it up. This seemed to work as the Daycare Attendant rocked up on the balls of his feet.

"Oh, we're veeery close," Sunny assured. His smile actually matching the expression in his tone. He hooked an arm around Jake and pulled him closer, pressing his cheek to where his would be. "Best friends forever and together ever after!"

Though Jake had earlier seemed frustrated, and probably still was, he was willing put his arm around Sunny and reassuringly pet over his shoulder. Charlie was getting a "very close" vibe from it all.

"Riiight. So, why did you tell us to come here then?" Charlie asked.

"To be honest it was so I could… watch you," Jake sheepishly admitted. She was sure she didn't make a face, but he acted like she had. "I know that sounds creepy. I've just been stuck hiding here for a long time and the opportunity to talk to someone new and listen to them exploring was really tempting. That was the whole plan, I swear. I even was telling the truth about the radio; I don't know how it picked up your frequency."

That was a little reassuring. Not entirely reassuring, but a little better than nothing.

"What about you? Guess that 'dad works at Freddy's' wasn't true?" Jake asked. His voice held little suspicion, just curiosity, unlike Sunny's sudden silent stare.

"It's sort of true. My dad used to work at a Freddy's, but we're just here to look around. We heard about some weird things going on and wanted to check in," Charlie explained. "Have you two seen-?"

"Betcha heard about that kiddo who got stuck overnight and wanted to put him in something," Sunny said matter-of-factly. There was no missing that implication; even Marionette looked startled by it.

"I'm sorry, what?" Charlie asked.

"Too late! He already slipped out the backdoor!" Sunny said with a happy little chortle. Sweeping his arm back and poising it off at nowhere in particular.

This time Jake was seeing a look on Charlie's face, one of shock and mortification, and he decided to quickly step in.

"Speaking of doors, you're going to have to get out there to let her friends out of the daycare. Whichever ones went in and turned the power on," he also said matter-of-factly.

Sunny froze up for a second before throwing a hand to his head. "YOU'RE RIGHT! And I- I left my art supplies out! They're gonna vandalize! Oh no, oh no!" He looped his arm around Jake's and began to pull him back to the ramp. "Come on, come on, we've got to get you back upstairs!"

Marionette drifted away from the grate and around the corner at the end of the hall to hide amongst some white boards and alongside a dormant Staff Bot. One dressed in a cyan and black tux top with a bowler hat. He continued listening.

Jake looked between Charlie and Sunny like he was going to protest, but then after spending a long moment looking towards Charlie, he sighed and defeatedly turning back towards his sun-themed companion.

"Okay," he agreed. He started to go along with him, Sunny seemingly noticing his disappointment and softening his grip, so he wasn't outright dragging him. They weren't getting away that easily though, and Charlie followed behind.

"So, you've seen Puppets before, Sunny?" she asked.

"Ehhh… I've seen a Puppet before," Sunny answered vaguely, like he really didn't want to answer the question. Entirely oblivious to the fact that they were likely walking right up towards that same puppet.

"But none here," she clarified.

"Nope! The only puppets here are mine for puppet shows and the ones we make in arts and crafts!~… GCK! I forgot about those big kids and my art supplies! Oh, they're gonna get into the black! They're gonna get the black everywhere!"

"Sunny!" Jake gave him a gentle shake of the arm. "They're not interested in your stuff."

"They might want to get even with "Moon"," Sunny fussed with air quotes. Jake gave a slight chuckle and pushed him towards the stairs. Sunny grabbed his hand again as they stared heading up. "Nope! Not getting rid of me that easily!"

"Or me," Charlie thought. She watched the few get steps and considered what to ask. Sure, she was curious to why Jake was the way he was, but there were more important matters to deal with. "Have you two seen a rabbit?"

Both came to a very sudden stop, Sunny higher on the steps and their hands still linked. Jake slowly turned his head to look back over his shoulder while Sunny continued to stare ahead.

"A rabbit?" Jake asked. "…What kind of rabbit?"

"She's a woman in a white rabbit costume who's been sneaking around the Pizzaplex," Charlie explained.

He hesitated a long moment before saying, "Yes, I've seen her." Sunny's hand tightened painfully on his.

Charlie's eyes widened a bit. "You have?! Do you know who she is or how she's been getting in?" she asked.

"I know that… she usually hangs out around the lobby… I don't know how she gets in, but this place- it's not that hard. Foxy the Pirate's gotten in a few times. He's not even a current Freddy's character… And, I mean, you got in."

"Actually, we hid and waited for the place to close," Charlie admitted.

"She might be doing that too." Jake got a soft tug and continued to follow Sunny up the stairs. "Sorry, I'm not trying to be dodgy, but… rabbits are touchy subjects around here."

"…There's no Bunni up in Bunny Bowl, is there?" she asked knowingly.

"How about: it wasn't Bunny Bowl when they first built it," he murmured back. Another firmer tug signaled Sunny's discouragement and he continued along behind him. "But yeah, that's the story."

As they continued up the stairs, Marionette hovered back out behind the grate. He didn't dare enter the stairwell but now he listened from nearby. Everything the two had said was concerning. Not only these confirmations about the rabbit, but the confirmation that at least one animatronic here had existed for a while. That Sun had to have seen him back at the old Freddy's, so who had he been?

He tried to think of everyone he put back together- he had to be one of them, he guessed- but he couldn't think of any who fit the bill or could've spontaneously become one of these animatronics for some reason. It was curiously confusing.

There was a wheeling noise behind him and Marionette turned around to see that the Staff Bot had rolled out and was now staring face-to-face with him. They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Hello. Hey, hey. How is it going tonight?" the Staff Bot suddenly asked. "I just rolled in here, and boy are my wheels tired."

Thankfully, it was obviously a recording or else they might've just had another massive problem. Instead, Marionette gave it a slight smile and started to drift back to get a little distance. It rolled forward to close the space again, much to the Puppet's confusion. He moved closer to the stairwell and leaned to peek up it. Charlie was saying goodbye to Jake outside of a door- a door that had looked like a poster frame earlier.

Jake was apologizing, Charlie was assuring him, and Sunny was trying to get the two separated, just short of dragging the out-of-service bot through the door.

The Staff Bot bumped into Marionette's side, and he gave it a somewhat wary look and softly pushed it back. It pushed back against his arm, trying to wheel up as close as it possibly could until he was forced to hold it back by the shoulders.

He looked up again and was relieved to see Charlie now standing outside the closed door, just staring at it. Probably had just had it abruptly closed and was left reeling after everything she had just went through. Marionette teleported to the top of the stairs alongside her. The two exchanged a look before he suddenly pounced forward and wrapped her into a sudden, tight hug. She was surprised he held out as long as he had and hugged back.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. I just got chased around a little bit. Not that bad," she assured.

"I heard what happened over the radio, but I couldn't get through the door… I haven't been so scared in, goodness, months!"

That actually got a snicker out of Charlie. Maybe it was from the stress or the fact that this was such a common occurrence, but she found it funny. Marionette must've caught on as he chimed a little and hugged tighter.

"I'm okay. I handled myself," she assured. She then remembered something and patted down her jacket. "I left my taser downstairs, but yeah, other than that I have my act together."

"You're going to have to go down there with Mike then. There's a Staff Bot down there who's getting a bit too friendly with me." His face fell with a flat, almost exasperated look. "They've been crazy about me in general lately."

"You mean the one that caught you in the atrium? What happened with that?"

"I'll tell you later," he said tiredly. He spared a glance back towards Mike who was walking over towards them. "After we get everyone else and get out of this daycare."

"Let's go get the taser," Mike offered. He started down the stairs, pausing to stare at the Staff Bot who was doing circles at the bottom of the stairwell. "Huh, you weren't kidding. Look at that."

"Are you sure?" Charlie asked. He looked back to her questioningly. She had a touch of a teasing smile. "Are you sure you don't want to split up? Third time's the charm."

"Very funny. Let's go."

This wasn't exactly the best plan, but it was better than getting stuck in a sealed-up daycare all night. So, once it became clear that the door wasn't going to open to them- with the button controlling it red and unresponsive- they decided the only way out was the way they came in. Which was why John and Jessica stood beside a ball pit and listened as Carlton tried to climb up the inside.

"I think I'm at the last turn!" Carlton called with a grunt. He wasn't, there was actually one last turn before he made it to the top, but he was awfully close considering how slick it was. Jessica's pants were still wet from when she slid down, but thankfully it smelled like some sort of sanitizer instead of anything funky.

"I don't know if I'm going to make it up there," she remarked to John.

"We can throw a rope down," he offered. "A chain of jackets or something." There was a whooshing noise nearby and he started to look up. "Did you hear-?"

All at once a tall, yellow form landed onto the cushion floor beside them. Jessica gave short cry in surprise while John just stared wide-eyed and started to raise his fists when he recognized that what was standing beside him was their attacker from earlier, just now yellow. Sunny tsked at the slide before hopping the wall into the ball pit and smoothly climbing in.

Carlton was starting to wrap his head around the last turn to see the top of slide. He had just cracked a smile of triumph when fingers suddenly wrapped around his ankle. Then with a sharp tug he started to get dragged right back down, and no matter how he tried to stop himself he couldn't fight the sudden weight as he was dragged right back down. Released at the last second before he slipped halfway out, legs in the ball pit.

He started to push out the rest of the way only to have a grinning, yellow face above him.

Carlton yelled a little and pushed back into the slide, only to be grabbed by the jacket and pulled right back out.

"Aww, playing around in the ball pit? I guess you really are a bunch of big kids!" Sunny teased before pulling him out. "Well, up and out! The daycare is CLOSED."

Carlton waded through the ball pit wide-eyed, slipping out his camera and, as Sunny skipped by towards the door, he managed to snap another picture of him. The animatronic didn't notice, stopping alongside the door and crossing his arms and tapping his foot to punctuate his impatience. The three hurried after him, still keeping a distance and exchanging uneasy looks, assuming this was some kind of trick.

Sunny pressed the button and leaned back on the door to swing it open. "Time to say-!"

And came face to face with Freddy leaning against the opposite door with his arms crossed.

"AUGH!" Sunny cried, grabbing at his chest and his non-existent heart.

"My apologies. I did not mean to startle you," Freddy said.

"These better not be your friends!" Sunny cried with embarrassment, pointing back in at the three.

Freddy leaned forward to look around the door and his eyes widened. When the man, Mike, referred to 'kids' being in the daycare, he had assumed they were actually children. From his guess they couldn't have been more than a few years younger that he was. Definitely adults, if just on the younger side.

"In fact…"

Freddy was taken aback by a finger poking him in the chest and looked down. Sunny hummed and walked his fingers up Freddy's stomach until they reached the slot for his stomach hatch. They slowly slipped in and then pulled it open, him shoving his face in to look.

The only contraband Freddy was carrying was a couple of bags of chips and a baggie full of tokens.

"Erm, Sunny?" Freddy asked, flustered by the sudden intrusion. Sunny's shoulders slumped and he drew back out, letting the hatch close behind him.

"Okay, okay," he said. Then he popped back against the door and looked in at the three. "Okay, boys and girl! It's time to say bye-bye for now!" He gestured his hands out towards the daycare lobby. "Get out~!"

Jessica almost dared to look offended, but then shuffled quickly by followed by John and Carlton. Both of which were now staring at Freddy instead of Sunny but trying not to walk too closely to either. After getting a message through the radio, Jessica started hurrying to the stairs and John was soon on her heels to find Charlie.

Carlton started to follow when he hesitated. After a moment of consideration, he spun around, pulling out his camera, and snapped one more picture of the two animatronics. Sunny gave an impatient huff and made shooing motions. The redhead gave a thumbs up, turned on his heel, and hastily rushed after his friends. His heart pounding at how close he just got to blowing it all. Ennard better be grateful for putting his neck out for these.

Freddy pushed off the door to follow when Sunny suddenly reached out and pushed him back.

"Wait," he said. He slowly leaned back towards Freddy, keeping his eye on the back of the young man climbing the stairs. "About… The Rulebreaker."

"You mean-… The, err, child who stayed over?"

"I mean Gregory," Sunny hissed. Freddy's eyes widened as the Sun turned to face him. "I know you were hiding him. You carried him out of here." Freddy gawked at him momentarily. "If he comes back don't let him around the Puppets!"

"What?" The only puppets Freddy knew of were Sunny's puppet theater puppets. Perhaps Gregory had made a mess of them. "I will try not to?"

"And-!" Sunny interjected, leaning in closer. "Keep him away from that woman dressed like a rabbit."

Now that had Freddy reeling. Gregory had mentioned a rabbit woman before he had left last night, the one that had gotten away before Freddy had seen her. He had believed Gregory though had been especially confused about the idea that someone dressed as a rabbit would be here at the Pizzaplex. The thought made him… very uncomfortable.

"I understand," Freddy said. He straightened up. "But he is not in the Pizzaplex… and I doubt he will return."

"We'll see…" Sunny said cryptically. He then pulled the door closed and disappeared inside the daycare once more.

Freddy looked at the door for a long moment before turning to walk towards the stairs.

Then the door flung back open behind him.

"And take these!" Sunny called. Freddy turned around in time to have a couple of shoes bounce off of his chest. The Sun gave him a waggled-finger wave, "Take care, Mister Bear!" and shut the door once more.

Freddy blinked, then crouched down to pick up the shoes, smiling a little as he recognized them as the ones Gregory had lost. He opened his chest and put them carefully inside.

Just in case.

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