Author's Note:
Well. It had to happen eventually….I'm Announcing a Hiatus. Think of this as a Season Finale for now. I need a two week break as I'm doing a major project for my job and also need time to plan things out. I didn't think I'd get this far with my story but well…I did.
Secondly, I'm going to do something called "Side Stories" which will be spliced in between the main chapters. They are one-shot prequel Drabbles that explain things about the lore in Dark Rebirth (since some events are different from the games Canon and can't all be squeezed into the main narrative). The first (SIDE STORY: REGRETFUL SON) will be centred around the life and (un)death of Micheal Afton, A narrative of the events of Sister location to Pizza Sim.
Follow me on my Instagram (rosescentedabyss) for Memes and FNAF Content as well as updates on Dark Rebirth
Anyway, enjoy the chapter and bye for a time being!
Location: Parts and Service Room
Time: 4:28am
"Mike?" Charlie lit up at the sound of his voice, "Is that really you?
"Yep. In the flesh. Or should I say spirit?"
Both of them giggled at his bad joke.
"Honestly, I'm glad that I'm not a zombie anymore but well…being a ghost still isn't as fun as being a human…"
"That's true." Charlie nods, her laughter dying down.
"And I see that you're still in the same body." Mike acknowledges, gesturing to the Puppet, "why not move on to another one?"
"I like it. He's always watched over me since I was young and well, I find it hard to let go of…".
Mike chuckled again, finding it oddly adorable that Charlie talked about the Puppet like it was her favourite soft toy.
"So Charlie, care to explain what you talked about with Henry?"
–
As that occurred beyond the repair room, Gregory remained focused within its walls, carefully rearranging and replacing Chica's damaged and crushed parts in an attempt to get her back into top shape as best as he could.
The claws that he controls from the console reseal some cracks and gives her a new faceplate. Gregory wipes a small bit of sweat off his hair and smiles at the fact that Chica's repairs will be finished soon. He was already two-thirds of the way done and now all he had to do was set a couple more things before testing her from the console and —
"Hello Gregory," Henry greets him, "Mike told me you needed help?"
"Hm?" The boy turns around to face Henry who had phased into the walls to reach him, "I…didn't tell him that but thank you for coming. I kind of do need help actually".
"What seems to be the problem?"
Gregory and Henry discuss Chica's mechanics for a while and what could be causing some of her parts to not function correctly as the futuristic technology and parts that the animatronics were built from was different and yet similar to what the two of them were used to.
Henry examines and points out to him what was causing certain issues and Gregory listens and obeys, working with the older man and the claw machines above him to fix Chica until he's certain that her wires were connected and aligned in the correct order. Furthermore, Grgeory also figures out that he can get HandUnit to assist him as well by stating vocal commands.
While working with Gregory, Henry started to reminisce about the times where he and William worked together as equals, sitting in their workshop and discussing how to make their animatronics as functional and lifelike as possible. William would usually do the engineering for his machines while he was the more creative genius behind the animatronics character's designs and Bios. However, he helped out William where he could since he had also studied engineering as a side class and wondered if Gregory was experiencing similar memories.
"And with this, we can go to the final testing phase…"
Gregory starts by pressing the buttons. However, one wrong move causes Chica to jolt as if she had an electric shock and suddenly twitch in a jerky manner.
A flicker of a memory starts up again and he starts to feel a little uneasy about this one…
Gregory blinks, once, twice and then sees Chica suddenly replaced with something else. Something more horrifying: There's a man in the Springbonnie costume and he's twitching and choking madly. Screaming for help. It's not any man though, it's William. Gregory could see his bloodshot and wife Hazel Eyes gazing into him. Gregory shuts his eyes and backs away.
"Gregory? Are you alright?" Henry asked the boy who suddenly collapsed to the floor.
Something backstage goes horribly wrong. Everyone in the room heard it. An unholy screech. Like someone had been stabbed to death.
The screaming continued as Henry rushed to the room and he gasped at the sight in horror. One of the employees had gotten hurt and was bleeding inside the Springlock suit but it wasn't just any employee: It was William.
"Henry it hurts. Help me!" Gregory calls for him, "It hurts! It hurts!"
The boy's arms flail in an attempt to grip onto Henry's body or hands for support to stand up but all they do is pass through the older man much to both of their dismay.
"What hurts?" Henry crouches down, "Can you tell me?"
Henry couldn't see it but Gregory was once again hallucinating wounds being etched onto his skin by invisible needles and blood was spilling everywhere…
"The needles. They're in my skin! I don't want to die. Help me!"
It clicks then for Henry, what Gregory is screaming about.
Oh no…. He's remembering that day…
"Gregory, You're not William. This isn't Fredbears. You're not being Springlocked. Snap out of it". Henry orders, his voice wavering in fear, "Please try to think about something more pleasant. Like the beach or I don't know, the arcade?"
Henry admitted to himself that he was thinking of places that William was happy at and not Gregory as he had no idea what Gregory's happy places were.
His words don't reach him. Gregory can't calm down. He's too deep into the memory. Henry tries to hold the boy and give him a hug but as usual, his hands only phase through Gregory's body. Henry tries again, futilely attempting to make any form of contact with the boy but he can't do it. This inability to comfort the boy physically was a painful reminder that he was a literal ghost from a past that was long gone and he feels helpless as he watches the boy spasm, desperately wanting to shake or hug him out of his trance but he couldn't due to his current state.
What else could he do?
Henry takes a deep breath and says something he doesn't want to:
"William, I brought you flowers. They're lavender. You know, your favourites".
On the hospital bed, William blearily gazed at his best friend. Permanently etched on his hands (along with the rest of his body which couldn't be seen as it was covered by a hospital gown) were twisted, uncannily shaped scars.
"Henry? You came to visit me?" William looks away from the window, which had a decent view of a forest full of Wisteria trees, to face his best friend.
"Of course." Henry smiles at him while placing the flowers near the vase at the side of his bed.
From the glass panel behind Henry, William sees a woman with round glasses and dyed red hair scowling at him.
"Henry, why is She here?!" William strained his voice angrily, "You know I don't like your sister!"
"I'm so sorry Will," Henry apologised, "Jen was in town and she followed me to buy some groceries earlier. She also insisted on coming with me to see you".
"What for?"
"To see if you were doing ok? Everyone's concerned about you, you know that right?"
"Henry, your sister hates my guts. I bet she's probably here just to spite me from the outside".
He stares back at Henry's sister whose scowl had faded but now, her arms are folded and eyes were trained on him warily.
"Please tell me she's not going to come in…" William whimpers.
"Don't worry. She won't. It will just be the two of us."
The brown-haired man sighed, reclining back into his pillow and stared at the ceiling so that he wouldn't have to see her intense, disapproving gaze. "What a relief."
There's silence for a while as Henry places the lavender in the vase beside William who then lifts his left scarred hand and frowns at it in disgust.
"Henry, do you think I'm still beautiful?"Gregory asks Henry in William's tone of voice on that day.
Henry stops rearranging the flowers in the Vase and turns his head to face William.
"Of course, why wouldn't you be?"
"You're not lying are you?" William stared at him.
"Not at all".
"My wife…she looked at me, my broken body and she thought I was vile and disgusting." William whined, "I'm afraid she won't love me or want to have sex with me anymore after this…"
"That's untrue." Henry shakes his head, blushing a little at those last words, "I think you still look good despite your scars…"
Henry grabs his left hand to reassure him and squeezes it.
"So prove it to me: Kiss my hand." William dares him with a grin.
Henry tilts his head questioningly, "If that's what will get you to stop hating yourself, sure".
Henry kisses his hand like how a gentleman would kiss a lady. Outside, Henry's sister, Jen was rolling her eyes at the both of them.
THUD!
The figure of the Puppet slams itself into the sealed door before squeezing her tendrils into its edges, attempting to get in.
"Dad, I heard screaming. Is Gregory ok?"
Henry looks at Gregory who has calmed down somewhat, taking deep breaths on the floor, curled in a foetal position.
"He's having a panic attack and I'm trying to calm him down. He'll be ok Charlie." His father smiles warmly at her, "How are you and Mike?"
"Oh, I told him what I told you and then he told me funny stories about different things that happened at the Pizzaplex. Like how he almost got Freddy retired because he sang a very inappropriate song".
"Apple Bottom jeans boots with the fur~" Mike sings rhythmically, snapping his fingers to the beat while ignoring what was going on in the cylinder, "The whole club was looking at her~"
"Right…." Henry reacts disgustedly at Mike's inappropriateness, "You keep chatting with him. Gregory and I are going to finish up with Chica soon…"
Charlie nods and goes back to Mike who's still at the same place he was at when he first talked to her. Once again, she exits the Puppet for a while, showing her human form to Mike.
Henry looks back to Gregory who is currently hugging his own body, stimulating the comfort he needed for himself.
"I'm never going to escape my fate am I?" Gregory shivers, "No matter what I do, I can't get away from William's memories. Am I going to repeat the cycle again? End up just like him?"
"I don't think so." Henry shakes his head, sitting beside the troubled boy, "people end up becoming the way they are through different circumstances. Yours may be different from William's so there's a chance you won't end up like him at all".
Gregory is silent for a few seconds.
"Can I confess to you something?" Gregory asks.
"Sure."
"I didn't want to tell you this but… ever since I met you, Mike and Charlie, William's memories have been flooding back to me a lot. It started off as a small trickle and now, they've become an endless waterfall in my head. I remember a lot of things now and I don't like it."
"Do you want to tell me what you remember? Maybe sharing them with me could help get that stressful load off your mind?" Henry suggests.
"William has some positive memories but most of them are negative. It would be hard to tell you all of them in one go." Gregory huffs, "Is there anything specific you want to know?"
"Alright….Did you find out why he became the way he was?"
"No. I have all his memories of London, some memories of his childhood but … almost no specific memories show me how he became what he was…" Gregory is stressed out.
"You said almost no specific memories. Tell me more about those ones." Henry scoots closer to the boy, "The memories that clued you into what possibly caused William's shift in…personality".
"Well…he got into a car accident he had when he was a teenager. He and his college friends went recklessly joyriding and they crashed. No one survived except for him." Gregory explained, "However, he was trapped in a coma for months and well, that near death experience made him rethink life in a lot of ways…Also coincidentally around that time, his Father died and he had inherited his research about Remnant".
"Huh…Interesting. So William's research about Remnant wasn't something he discovered himself?"
"Not entirely. His father had researched the basics of it. He was a Paranormal researcher of sorts I think and his research was like a stepping stone for William's own ideas on how to use of Remnant later on because of the theories he had was that Remnant could grant people immortality but this aspect wasn't researched on well enough until…well you know".
"Yeah…." Henry bitterly shook his head, "So did William become obsessed with immortality after two near death experiences? Like he hated that feeling so he swore to never die again and went down the path he did?"
"I…guess…" Gregory shrugs and shifts his sitting position a little.
"You guess?"
"It is one of the many reasons he had for wanting immortality but I don't think it's the real reason why. I may be his copy but strangely enough, his motivations and personality are still an enigma to me…"
The boy takes a deep breath before speaking his next words.
"Henry…" the boy trembles, "The memories that trouble me the most by far are those of the missing children: I hear their screams and see the tearful eyes of every kid he murdered, begging me to spare them. I see their bloodied corpses in the machines we built and the distressed faces of their parents, blaming us for our neglect…"
Henry notices a worrying exchange of Gregory's 'I's and 'We's. It was as if he was already having trouble separating himself from William already.
Gregory places a hand over his heart, "It hurts me to feel these things and I don't understand how I— William could do all that: Abusing his own son, deceiving you, killing those children and lying to their families with a smile and without a single shred of remorse…"
"I don't either…" Henry sighs, pushing a lock of hair behind his ear, "William was always my best friend and once I took off my rose coloured glasses to see his true colours, to see the monster he was deep down…it hurt like hell. However, I really want to believe he was never always like this at the beginning".
"I'd like to as well but I also have memories of William being naturally cruel even as a kid." Gregory reveals, "Like when his parents weren't watching, he killed the family dog and also his neighbour's rabbit. You know what he said to himself? He said he felt good about it. This is why I'm scared…am I naturally just going to grow up to be a bad person like him?"
Henry's hopes are nearly dashed by this sour revelation but he merely shoves it out of his mind, offering another perspective: "Even if that's the case, I'll say what I said earlier: I still believe William could have become a good person if he was raised better or had better circumstances in life as there's a chance that he only became the way he did due to a buildup of bad circumstances like the deaths of his children, that springlock incident you just experienced and his wife leaving him."
"Maybe." Gregory entertains that notion, "I'd like to believe that too. That I'm not the monster people say I am. That I can change and become better…"
Henry smiles, glad that he had inspired some hope in the boy.
"Can I confess something too?" Henry asks.
"Sure."
"If I was still alive, I would have gladly adopted you."
"Really?" Gregory questions.
"Yeah." Henry states rather happily, "I would have raised you right and would have been good friends with Charlie".
"Woah." Gregory halts him there, "I think that's being a bit too optimistic. I don't think Charlie would be happy that you adopted the man that killed her but…alright".
The two of them awkwardly laugh together at the silly idea.
"In all seriousness though," Henry ceases laughing, "I promise you Gregory that once we defeat William and free the children, I'll set you free. I want you to live, to develop new memories that aren't related to Him and start a new life without the baggage of your past one. More importantly though, be adopted by a more loving family".
Gregory gasps excitedly at the promise, "Do you mean it?"
"Absolutely."
"Thank you Henry."
"Good." Henry rests a ghostly hand on Gregory's shoulder, "Now let's get back to fixing Chica. We're almost done…"
—
Location: Parts and Service Room
Time: 4:41am
Charlie continued to be entertained by Mike's stories. However, Mike knew he couldn't avoid the topic he truly wanted to talk with her about forever so the moment she calmed down, he brought up what was weighing on his mind:
"Hey Charlie, what did Gregory tell you about him?"
"He told me he was a boy who got separated from his parents. Why?"
"Ah, lying again…" Mike frowns, "shouldn't have expected him to tell you the truth anyway considering what happened between the both of you before?"
"Before?"
"Charlie, that boy isn't Gregory Miller. He's using someone else's ID. Would you like to know who he really is?"
"I guess so…" Charlie nods uncertainty.
"Gregory Miller is William Afton." Mike lets out the truth bluntly.
"That, that can't be…" Charlie stutters, "is this some kind of joke Mike?"
"Nope. I wish it were one of my bad jokes but…it's not. The man who strangled you and ruined so many lives is indeed that child working on Chica in the repair room".
Mike steps closer to Charlie and laughs darkly, "You know, it's funny if you think about it: A child murderer getting reborn at the age of the very victims he murdered and now, he's nearly as helpless and weak as them too. It's a bizarrely fitting punishment for him to be honest".
Charlie takes a step back from Mike, feeling stunned and in denial, "I don't know whether to believe you but if what you're saying is true, then why are there Two Williams?"
Mike sighs, "You see, my father got bored as a digital ghost or whatever, wanted to be human again and so what did he do? The bastard went and made himself a new body in the form of 'Gregory' here. However, annoyingly enough, the body gained a conscience, tried to run from William and instead he ran into us".
"You can't be serious." Charlie still denies, "That boy can't be a copy of that monster…"
"Oh really? Didn't anything strike you as odd about 'Gregory'? His eyes? His hair? Perhaps even a smile like mine?" Mike emphasises his point by doing a similar grin to his Father.
Charlie looks at the child and compares Gregory's features with what she recalled about William. They had the same hair colour, the same eye colour and that smile he had given her earlier…. The last thing she saw before she died was that unsettling smile.
"So if that boy is that horrible monster," Charlie's rage began to boil, "why are you and my Father helping him?!"
"We don't want to." Mike explains, "We're just using him until we can find the children. Once that's done, we will kill him along with Father. You can restrain him and I'll land the killing blow."
"That's not good enough." Charlie's rational thoughts are consumed fully by rage and she phases back into the Puppet's body, possessing it, "He needs to die, right now!"
The Puppet's eyes now glow a bright, hot white.
"Charlie don't be rash –"
Mike's warnings came too late. Charlie had already charged towards the Repair room and Gregory was walking back to them.
—
"Okay Mike, we're done. Chica's still taking a while to boot up because of the damage but Freddy's going to stay with –"
A black shape slams into Gregory and drags him away to a corner ahead before he can cry for help. It pins him to the floor, one tendril on his throat and the rest of the body on top of him.
"You were with your parents when everything went black huh?" She repeats Gregory's lies back at him derisively.
Gregory splutters, "C-Charlie…what… going on?"
"Mike told me who you really were, 'Gregory'. Or should I call you by your real name: William!"
Gregory stops struggling for a moment, experiencing terror at the realisation that one of his worst fears had come true: Henry's daughter now knew who he truly was.
"Charlie, I can explain!"
"There's no need!" Charlie's tendrils curl further around his throat.
Gregory shoots a cold look towards the ghostly man in the purple shirt who has just caught up with the two of them.
"I'm sorry." Mike winced, "I didn't know she'd be this violent"
"No shit she would be! William killed her up close and personal!" Gregory chokes out furious. It's then followed up by words from another memory, "You're a really useless child you know that!"
'Ah no why did I say that?! These memories are getting out of control!' Gregory panics.
Mike goes into shock for a second before balling up his fists, his expression transforming to one of animosity, "Call me that again why don't you?"
"Hey Mike," Charlie cuts in, "Why does William here keep referring to himself as a different person?"
"Gregory here is…delusional but we put up with it." Mike's tone is spiteful, "He wants to think he's someone else."
"To pretend he didn't commit any crimes?" Charlie asks sardonically.
"Pretty much".
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gregory objects, "I'm not William. I'm not him at all!"
Charlie tightens her grip on his neck, constricting his throat with her arms like a snake, "You lie just as well as him! You knew who I was the moment you saw me, didn't you?!"
Gregory remains silent because he's struggling to speak but also because it's true.
"Figures." Charlie sneers.
"I'm… sorry…" Gregory weakly chokes out again, "For everything he did to you and those children".
"Oh It's too late for that William." She shouts his true name scathingly, "Several decades too late!"
Under the tightening pressure, Gregory tries to think of a backup plan: He could stab Charlie with the knife in his pocket but that would make her hate him further. Another idea was to use the Fazer Blaster to stun her in the eyes and get away…but then immediately, he realised it wasn't with him anymore! He'd lost it in the Loading Docks after Chica surprise grabbed him by the wrist as the action caused him to drop the laser gun which bounced off the floor before sliding under one of the tables…
'Dammit!' Gregory thinks to himself. 'How else can I escape?'
"Gregory!" Freddy yelled, "I'm coming to help".
Henry walked briskly alongside Freddy, having informed him about what was going on in the corner after seeing what Charlie and Mike were doing to him. Upon nearing the body, Freddy tries to tug Charlie away from him but the Puppet's grip and body is extremely flexible and oddly enough, difficult to hold on to…
William Afton walks along the long corridors of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria in the direction of his office. At the door, he pulled out his keys which hung on his belt beneath his navy blue suit but before he can sift through it to find the right key, he has an uneasy feeling that something is near him. Or at least is getting close to him.
He takes a quick glance behind. Nothing is there…maybe he'd just imagined —
William's line of sight is instantly shrouded by a figure wrapping itself around him and its arms grabbing onto his neck. He lets out a loud shrill, dropping the keys in his hands in shock.
The glowing white eyes of the Security Puppet gaze into his menacingly.
Still keeping eye contact with it, He tries to get it off by using his arms to pull its body away but to no avail. The fabric was suffocating Him.
"Bloody… hell". William chokes out weakly.
"CRIMINAL!" the Puppet shrieks accusingly in a monotonous voice.
William stopped struggling for a moment. He swore he heard a girl's voice come from it as well….
"CRIMINAL!" It repeated again. Yep, a girl's voice definitely rose alongside the robotic one. And he knew who it belonged to!
"Charlie?" William croaks, "it can't be. I killed you…".
The arms tighten around his neck more, constricting his windpipe to prevent him from talking or screaming. Suffocating, Willliam attempts to get his knife from the pocket but realises that he'd left it in the office he was trying to get into.
Whoops.
"CRIMINAL!" The Animatronic shouts again.
William tries using his own body to slam it into the wall but it doesn't budge either.
"CRIMINAL!" The Animatronic ceaselessly repeats that single word with more and more vehemence.
Last but not least, he attempts to pick up the keys from the ground, only for the Puppet to wrap itself around his hands and nearly break them.
"CRIMINAL!"
'Shit I'm running out of options. What else can I do?'
Searching his memories desperately for an idea, William recalled that the Puppet had a Switch somewhere on the back of its neck and that triggering it would shut off its attack mode if it ever got too aggressive with attacking intruders or criminals or worse, attacked the wrong person by accident.
William grinned evilly, he had found a solution!
Desperately, the Founder reaches for its abdomen and fiddles around its soft parts until finally, he feels it: Flicking the secret switch at the lower right side of its body, the Puppet goes motionless but still remains active and William retreats backwards from the animatronic, gasping for air on the floor.
From behind, two employees walk past William and check on the Security Puppet which is now lying limp but still active and definitely still staring at William with its white eyes.
"Oh my God! Mr Afton! We are so sorry for this…" One of them, an Irishman named Jack, apologised to him while the other, Marcus, carried the animatronic in their arms.
"What happened?" William questioned the two of them sternly while adjusting his tie, "You'd better have a good explanation for this…".
"Well," Jack twiddled his fingers together, "We were testing the Security Puppet's functions but for some reason, the moment it caught sight of you, it suddenly went berserk because it registered you as a criminal?"
William grins widely for a second before bursting into laughter, "Do I look like a criminal to you?"
"No Sir. You aren't a criminal." Jack bows respectfully.
"That's great to know so…" William gestures to the Puppet, "Please fix this animatronic or lock it in a box. It's lucky I remembered the secret switch on this thing…"
"Indeed. Thanks William."
The two employees bow at him and then walk off. William stands in front of his office but finds himself unable to go inside now, disturbed by the voice he heard alongside the Puppet's.
'Could Charlie be…alive somehow in that animatronic? It sounds crazy but then again, I've read that ghosts can roam the earth when they die under tragic circumstances…Fascinating, might have to investigate that animatronic more later…'
Gregory quickly returns to reality from the flashback on the verge of death and instinctively, he reaches for the underside of her torso and flicks the switch there with his hands. Charlie immediately stops her assault on him. Gregory scrambles a good distance away, gasping for air much like William did all those years ago.
Charlie frantically screams as her body disobeys her and she becomes as still as a statue, staring at him with horror and hatred with the Puppet's glowing white eyes. Freddy grabs her up by the waist despite knowing she was already paralysed.
"Mike was right…YOU ARE HIM!" She bellows her statement almost demonically as she once again emerges from the Puppet, her usually cheerful face warped by scorn and malice.
Gregory feels distraught and cries, "That's not true. It's not true at all! I'm Gregory!"
Abruptly, a noise emerges from somewhere. It's metal clashing against metal. Charlie and Gregory turn to the noise's source: The Computer Monitor's display has suddenly changed to display footage of Gregory viciously destroying the mini music man from earlier, grinning savagely as he does the deed of hacking it to pieces and saying the words he said to the child he killed.
Gregory cringed. Of course William had to show her something to prove his point.
"If you aren't him. Tell me what that is." Charlie coldly gestures to the small screen, "You took that robot apart like you did to those children. Just so their bodies would fit into the animatronics…"
"No no no…" whimpers Gregory, "I lost control of myself that time as I was lost in a memory. I'm not…I'm not like that".
"You sure look like you were enjoying it." Charlie keeps watching the footage, "Did it feel good?"
"No."
Mike spots Gregory's hands shaking again.
"Oh my God." Mike gasps in genuine shock, "You actually enjoyed it. You enjoyed killing that robot. You're sick!"
"No I'm not!" Gregory vehemently denied. His hands are currently shaking more uncontrollably even though he tries to stop.
"I know when you're lying dumbass. Your hands are —"
"Okay fine. So it felt carthathic to stab that thing to death ok?" Gregory confessed, "I'm well aware that I have an issue and I've been trying to hide it but I don't want to feel joy when I kill or hurt people. I just…"
Gregory finds himself out of words as hate-filled eyes gaze into his soul. Only Henry and Freddy stare at him with concern (and a hint of fear).
"Sorry I need to calm down." Gregory sits up and walks backwards more, "I'll just be above the Repair room where the blueprints are. Will be back in about 5 mins".
"Don't you dare leave now!" The girl snarls. "Do you know what you did to my life? My dad's life? You. Ruined. Everything!"
Gregory is halfway up the stairs, when Charlie hurls the second half of her insult at him.
"You. Shouldn't. Even. Exist. William Afton's a poison that corrupts everything that he touches and you're no different! Allowing you to live any longer would be a mistake".
Those words hurt Gregory to the core but he can't show it. Not now. He can't crack under the pressure this easily. Not when the night was almost over.
"Charlie…" Henry emphasised her name sternly, "Enough."
Charlie turns her head 180 degrees to face Mike and Henry who are in Freddy.
"Dad. Help me press the switch. Please"
"Don't." Gregory, now above, commands, "Not yet. Not until SHE promises not to attack me when the switch is flipped".
"As if." Charlie huffed.
"Good. So neither of us are going to turn it off." Gregory turns away and walks up the stairs.
"Get back here!" Charlie let out an ear-piercing screech, "I'll kill you! I'll slit his throat!"
"Charlotte! Stop it." Henry reprimanded his daughter.
Their voices fade away as Gregory hides near some blueprints and boxes above and hyperventilates. His hands continue to shake, not because of his lies but now, more due to anxiety. In an attempt to calm himself, he grabs some blank sheets of paper on a table and crumples them until they become scrunkly white spheres.
'Don't cry…Don't cry.' Gregory restrains his tears. 'Stay strong and you can leave them by dawn".
A belt strikes a boy in a room with a fireplace. A man towers above a child while behind him, a woman with cold eyes watches the man strike him again and again, silently and sternly.
The clone clutches his head, thinking he's seeing another one of Mike's abuse sessions but much to his surprise: It's William as a child being beaten up by his own father. Gregory found it spooky (but not surprising) that William looked identical to him as a child (or is it more he looked identical to William?).
"This is what you deserve for standing up to me boy! Remember this beating well. You will do as I say next time!"
William sniffles, snot and tears dripping down his nose and eyes. He chokes out a sob, his throat hoarse.
"Even so, I refuse to listen to you this time Father. I refuse to break off my friendship with Henry. I understand he's what you would call a 'commoner' but he's the only real friend I've ever had, a person I can be honest with and I love spending time with him. Even if you have to keep beating me up, I'll still see him with or without your approval."
His father is silent, hands preparing to hit his face another time while his mother carries on giving him the cold shoulder. William gazes at them, his body trembling in fear. He knows he has to pick his next words very carefully….
"You know, you never let me have anything I want and I don't often ask for much from the both of you so please, just this once, allow me to keep this single person in my life." William bows his head in submission, "He makes me happy and you want me to be in a good mood right? So that I don't fail my studies or at life?"
There is a long pause as his father and mother come to a decision in their heads. Gradually though, his Father makes a move: Scowling at his son while putting his belt and hands away.
"Very well William, I'll let you keep your friendship with Henry but only if you stop crying this instant. Your tears make you look pathetic…"
'Huh? So William also came from an abusive family. Explains a lot. Abuse is just an endless cycle with the Aftons. And he seemingly cared for Henry too. That's another big surprise. It may prove that Henry was right after all…that William just had bad circumstances in life…"
As Gregory ponders whether to ask Mike and Henry if they knew all this or not, the visage of William Afton emerges from a screen he hadn't noticed beside him on the wall.
"Hello. Sorry to break up your little angsting session Little Will but I've come to deliver a message".
"Fuck off." Gregory swears, "And don't call me that. I'm not in the mood".
"Ah so you don't want to hear about the Monty Gator Golf Pass I have then? That's a shame".
Gregory looks up and locks eyes with William, "I'll get it from Chica's room".
"Can't." William tells him chidingly, "It's expired. I checked earlier while in Chica's body."
"You're lying."
"If you don't believe me, then look at it for yourself later. After you do, meet me at the Theatre on the second floor of the West Arcade. I'll give you what you need but in return, all I require is that you let me have a heart to heart conversation with you."
"Oh and furthermore," William sweetens his offer, "if you come, I might even kindly give you the location of the missing children and all the other children I've kidnapped".
Gregory perks up at William's last sentence, "I have no idea what you're plotting but you'd better not pull any tricks."
"No promises." The murderer smirks before vanishing.
Sighing and plucking up his courage, Gregory then returns to Freddy and the Puppet. He still felt broken and unwanted but he made a promise and so needed to free Monty for Freddy and the children for Mike and Henry before he could leave the Pizzaplex so he carries on for now, wiping his fears and tears away and hoped that what awaited him beyond this night was something better.
—-
"What's taking him so long?" Charlie whines, "I can't stay here anymore. Mike, don't just stand there! Help me!"
"No can do".
"What? Why are you of all people obeying him?" Charlie questions him, surprised.
"As much as I hate to say it, we need his help and you can't kill him".
"Can't you find some other child to help you?
"Would like to but children who can see ghosts are extremely rare." Mike says simply.
"I can't imagine what you've been having to put up with this night; being stuck with a child version of Him!"
"Believe me," Mike ruffles his hair, "it's been…kind of a headache".
That was a lie to himself of course. He was developing a bit of a soft spot for the boy but … he couldn't allow himself to have that. Especially because of what he planned to do to him afterwards.
"And you've just kept on obeying your Dad like this throughout the night?"
Mike is obviously affected by her statement, wincing as he crosses his arms, "It's not like that".
"Oh really? The last time you had your 'father-son' time with William, you told me you set him on fire! Now it looks like you're following him around like a puppy following its owner!"
"Stop, both of you." Henry gets irritated at the two of them, "It's not even been 5 minutes yet. Let's just wait for him to get back in silence. Good grief, dealing with you two is like dealing with rowdy teenagers back at the Pizzeria".
Henry then turns his head to address his daughter directly, "Charlie, I'm not saying you should forgive William but you also shouldn't become so hate filled towards him that you end up like…them".
"Cass?"
"Yes. You knew her right? She absolutely hated that man. Even before she became a ghost she bullied the man non-stop. Then again, William kind of deserved it but ummm that's not the point I'm trying to make. The point is that I know Gregory may be well…identical to Him in some ways but I think you should give him a chance. If he were a heartless monster, he would have already shut you down and destroyed the Puppet instead of putting you on safe mode."
Charlie sulks. "If he was decent, he would have let me kill him rather than let him live as a monster for another second!"
Henry shakes his head hopelessly, wondering if he could ever convince his daughter and Mike to turn their rage away from the boy before dawn.
"Alright everyone, we may have to go to the West Arcade." Gregory informs them flatly as he finally descends down the stairs, "Monty's Pass is there."
"How do you know?" Mike asks with suspicion.
"William told me while I was upset." Gregory states flatly again now standing in front of Freddy, "Now let's move and hope this isn't a trap".
"Wait, what about me?" Charlie tried to wriggle free from Freddy's grasp but couldn't do it as her movement functions were still disabled.
Gregory stares at her grumpily, "What about you?
"I can't move you psycho!" Charlie yelled the obvious at her murderer's clone.
"You can. Just don't think of attacking me and you'll move again. However, you won't be able to flip the switch yourself as the Security Puppet's programming won't enable it to do so." Gregory offers her the safe mode instructions for the Security Puppet that he recalled earlier. Then, remembering another certain paragraph of the instructions, an idea shines in his head.
"Come to think of it, Henry, the Puppet was meant to protect kids with the green wristbands on them right?"
"Yes." Henry verifies.
"Therefore shouldn't Charlie and her animatronic be protecting me?" Gregory presents his green wristband again in front of Charlie's green eyes which went wide with fury.
Her nostrils flared, "Are you making fun of me?! Even if you are a child, that rule doesn't apply to the likes of you!"
Gregory strikes back at her in return, "So then you really aren't any different than William, are you? Resorting to brutal murder so quickly … you're not a protector; you're a killer!"
Charlie was now absolutely outraged, "What?!"
"It's true isn't it?" Gregory snarled, his fury rising to meet hers, "I recall you killing those guards at Fazbears who did nothing wrong except seemingly look like the man that killed you and because of this, you got retired and locked away. You're no different from that man. You just pretend to be".
Another question came to Gregory then: "Is that why you never bothered to reveal yourself to your father and tell him what happened before you went on your little rampage?"
"I wish I could have met my father…if I didn't have amnesia and also knew who my killer was in the first place!" She seethed.
"Given what you could do, it's not like finding your killer would have been a problem: You could have slowly figured out the identity of your killer first by observing everyone in the restaurant, gathered enough evidence that William committed the crimes and then, found an opportunity to dump said evidence onto someone trustable to have William arrested." Gregory suggested, "But nope, instead you told the souls of the children in the animatronics to murder any guard they saw on the slim chance that all you could move on to the afterlife as soon as the right one was dead! I mean…didn't you ever think that your idea to immediately kill anyone who looked like the man that murdered you was screwed up? You have to face it Charlie: YOUR hands are stained with the blood of innocents, just like mine!"
Henry heard the venom and despair in Gregory's words and had to put a stop to both of them before things got too out of hand.
"Gregory, we have to go. are running out of time…" Henry reminds him, pointing at his Fazwatch.
"Ah well…I tried." Gregory shrugs, "If you're not going to cooperate with us and kill me, I won't flip the switch".
"I love you Charlie but…I agree with him." Henry admits sadly.
"I don't believe you…Are you forgetting you're siding with the man that killed me?!"
"But he's not William Charlie. He's not the monster that killed you."
"What are you talking about? He has his eyes, his grin, his … everything. Don't tell me you're as delusional as he is!"
"Charlie…I'm not delusional. Sure he may look like him but…"
Henry finds himself lost for words. Was he delusional? Maybe but he couldn't help it. He was always the sort of man who saw the best even in the worst of people. Especially if they happened to be serial killers unfortunately…
Seeing that Henry's unable to continue talking, Gregory decides to aid him by continuing to speak from where he trailed off.
"What he says is true: I look like him, I have some of his personality traits but…I don't want to be him. I never asked to be made. However, because I do, I want to be better than him. I want to be a good person. I want to make up for all the pain and sorrow he brought to all of you which is why I'm helping Henry and Mike. Please believe me."
Henry stares at Gregory and notes William was always able to sway negative conversations to a more positive note and so hoped the boy could pull it off here…Alas, it seemed he needed more practice with it…
"William a selfish murderer and monster through and through." Charlie growled at him, "Gaining immortality by killing others is all he wants to do. He was never meant to be good! And you, you're just meant to be a costume for that monster. Why should I believe you want to be different from him?!"
"Charlie, that's enough! I raised you better than to bully other kids like this. Gregory here is going to be merged with my former best friend and once he does, he'll be gone forever. Charlie, If you abandon him to his death; then Gregory's right: You are as bad as William. Are you so hateful that you're willing to sacrifice innocent lives for revenge … again?"
Charlie shakes her head in frustration.
"But that's not a child! That's— Argh. I'm leaving. I'll go find the kids on my own!"
"Charlie!" Henry calls for his daughter but she is not willing to listen to any more of her Father's or the clone's words anymore and falls back into the Puppet body, swiftly slinking away into a nearby open vent.
"Charlie…"
"Sorry. It's my fault. I drove her away…" Gregory apologises, "I was too harsh on her".
"We both were. It's alright…She needed to hear it anyways."
Suddenly, Gregory hears large but quick footsteps headed their way from behind. Gregory and Freddy turn around and feel relieved. It's only Chica who is currently up and running, having watched the intense argument from behind the scenes.
"Hello Gregory~" Her chirpy, bird-like voice greets him, "it's good to see you're all safe and sound. Freddy told me everything and I wanted to interfere earlier but Freddy said it was best that he handle this with you all for now so I stayed behind and watched. Still, I feel bad for you and Charlie. I wish she would forgive you…"
"So you've been watching? And you know who I really am?" Gregory asks her.
"Yes. But…I don't think of you any different."
"Thank you." Gregory smiles, feeling good that he'd hopefully found another companion who wouldn't judge him for being William Afton, "Are you feeling better?"
"I feel as good as ever." Chica confirms, "Thank you for saving me".
"No hard feelings about being thrown into the trash compactor?" Gregory smiles nervously.
"Nope." She beams at him, "I'm sorry I tried to bring you to William. Freddy explained the situation to me and I heard that William was awful to you…among other things.
Chica clapped her hands, "Hey, maybe after we defeat that man, I'll treat you to as much free pizza as you can eat at the Pizzaplex? Would you love that little boy?"
"Free Pizza?" Gregory brightens up at the news, "Hell yeah!"
"Chica, don't get too carried away." Freddy reproaches her, "you have to get approval from the company first before you treat Gregory to anything".
"Bah, There's no need. It will be our little secret." Chica cheerfully squeals, "No one will find out unless he tells".
"Thank you Chica." Gregory nods, "Do you have a Dance Pass by any chance?"
—-
Location: Chica's Room
Time: 4:52am
"Oh no…" Chica bawls, staring at the bright pink paper in her hands, "The Dance Pass has expired".
Gregory and Freddy frowned. William wasn't lying this time at all.
"Are you serious?" Gregory groaned, "there are no other ways to get them? I don't want to go into William's trap…."
"Maybe you can check with Roxy to see if she has anything." Chica proposed.
"Good idea." Gregory presses the Roxy's contact on his Fazwatch.
"Hi Roxy, do you have any Dance Passes? Or just any passes for Monty's area?"
"Sorry kiddo. I only have Passes exclusive for entry to my Raceway only. Sorry about that".
"Ah I see… thanks anyway".
Gregory ends the call on his Fazwatch, "Ok..everyone, back to the original plan: We have to go to the West Arcade".
"We don't have to." Henry says, "We can find another Pass somewhere else in the Pizzaplex".
"But how else are we going to find and free the missing children? Wasn't that your goal?"
"Don't tell me you're planning to straightforwardly ask William where they are?" Mike snickered.
"I am." Gregory answers Mike with a serious tone, "And I'm well aware that William's a liar but, I think all of us can get the answers we want if we confront him directly. One way or another, I'll get him to tell us the truth".
"But what if you're just walking into a trap?" Henry asks concerned.
"Well…that's what I have Freddy for".
"Ummm actually, there's something I should let you know: I can't come with you to the West Arcade Superstar".
"What? Why?"
"I have a programming bug that has yet to be fixed. When I step onto the West Arcade dance floor, I cannot stop myself from dancing uncontrollably and I won't stop dancing until my battery dies".
Mike wheezes at the memory, "You should have seen it. It was hilarious".
"Dammit," Gregory swears, "He must have picked that place to meet me as he knew you couldn't follow me there…"
"However," Freddy continues, "Chica should have no issues with accompanying you to the West Arcade."
The Giant Bear looks towards the bird lady, "Chica, would you mind protecting and caring for the boy in my stead for now?"
"I'd be happy to." Chica says pleasantly.
"Even so, I'd still like you to transport me to the entrance at least." Gregory hugs Freddy.
"Of course Superstar." He pats him on the head, "We shall at least go there together".
"Before that though, can we go back to the Loading Docks? I lost my Gold Fazer Blaster there while I was scuffling with Chica. I think It fell under one of the tables…"
"Not an issue either." Freddy nods, "We'll go back there first and find it together".
—
Meanwhile, Charlie slithers like a snake through the vents, feeling betrayed and all alone, she begins to reflect on what happened earlier.
She should hate Gregory, utterly despise him as much as Cassidy did because they both believed William Afton was nothing but a Soulless Devil and yet…she found she couldn't hate the boy fully.
William Afton's eyes were empty, devoid of life and soul. Even before he killed her, she felt the heartlessness behind his smiles. On the other hand, despite being the same person, the smaller William's eyes were full of life and had a childlike spark to them. They were human and oddly enough, that disturbed her.
CHAPTER 26 END
CHAPTER 27 TITLE: REMNANTS LEFT BEHIND
Preview: Gregory goes to confront William in the West Arcade to find the answers he needs, only to end up discovering much more than he intended.