Author's Note:

Well. This is a surprise. I'm ending my hiatus a week early. Also, I don't usually talk about personal matters here but … my dog Brownie passed away yesterday and well, I'm feeling grief and depression.

It affected the way I worked and I made some reckless decisions in the past week.

However, writing this fanfic as well as your likes and comments has helped me cope with the sadness in my life (despite the dark themes the fanfic touches on at times) and I hope that this fanfic has positively impacted you as well in a sense.

Anyway, enjoy the current chapter.

FYI: The Layout of the West Arcade and Theatre in the upcoming chapter is different because…it's an AU and frankly was hard to describe due to how large the place was.

Location: West Arcade - Theatre

Time: 4:49am - Earlier

"Well, is it ready?" William questions Vanny in the darkness of the Theatre.

"It's all set up but…I don't know if it's entirely functional".

A dim light on the stage displays the partially humanoid shape of the transfer device.

"Stop worrying Vanny. We've been preparing for this months before we started the cloning process. It's going to work, I have faith in it." William boasts, "Now get into position. I'll lure the boy here".

His servant in the rabbit costume nods, activating the illusion disc she placed on the transfer device to conceal its presence before activating the one on herself for the same purpose.

Then, before William left to find the boy, he whispered a spiteful statement to Vanny from within the earpiece in her rabbit mask.

"You know, I hope my Vessel will be very afraid during the transfer as that brat is going to pay for all the trouble he's caused me tonight…"

—-

Location: Utility Tunnels - Shortcut to West Arcade

Time: 4:53am

Chica follows behind Freddy as he leads them forward with Gregory curled up safe and sound within his stomach cavity. Meanwhile, Henry and Mike informed the boy and Freddy of what Charlie had told the both of them on the way as well and they reacted with horror and surprise to the new information.

"So William and Vanny have been using my friends to kidnap and possibly kill children in the Pizzaplex?! And everyone, including me, has been oblivious to his actions for the past months?!" Freddy exclaims with a large amount of guilt tinging his voice.

"And furthermore," Gregory adds on, "the souls of the Missing Children may or may not be trapped within some kind of weird…creature that Afton now controls as well?"

"Pretty much." Mike confirms.

"We can think about how to handle these things one at a time later." Henry proposes, "For now, just rest until we reach the West Arcade".

After that, Gregory was left to be lost in William Afton's memories again. He sees grey London skies, a garden full of lavenders and servants in a mansion catering to his every beck and call. He hates it. He needed a distraction.

"Henry, when should I tell a lie?" Gregory asks randomly while in Freddy as he transports them to where they need to be.

"That depends…" Henry begins, "Little white lies are ok such as 'I was late due to traffic'. However, lies that will have severe consequences are not ok. One example is…what you did with Roxy earlier. Sometimes we tell lies to make ourselves feel better as well and that's ok too because it's meant to inspire a sense of confidence in you, even if it's false".

"Yeah, like how you keep calling yourself 'Gregory' despite the fact that you're William Afton." Mike jeered.

"Screw you." Gregory swears, his right fist hitting the metal sides of Freddy. He feels a brief pain at his knuckles and, immediately noticing what he had done, he apologises.

"Oh erm…sorry about that Freddy".

"Gregory. I thought we talked about not swearing! You shouldn't say those things at your age." Freddy reprimands him, seemingly angrier at the fact that the boy swore rather than the fact that he accidentally hit him from the inside.

"What age exactly? Toddlerhood?" Mike snarked.

"Shut up Mike".

"Aww the 2 week old baby is cranky."

"Listen, I've been up all night dealing with all this…chaos when I should have been sleeping. Of course I'm not in a good mood! Especially when I've had to deal with you and Him!" Gregory snapped. He was so close to saying something he would regret if Mike didn't stop bullying him like this.

"But I would have thought that you would have gotten used to me. After all, I was the only pawn left for you to love and use after your favourites died because of me!" Mike lets out a dark and sad laugh, "You always told me it was my fault they were both dead and you're right. I'm a killer like you which is why I'll have no trouble killing you once–"

Mike stops. He didn't want to babble his plan. Not so soon. And definitely not in front of Gregory.

"Once what?" Gregory challenges him to continue his sentence, "Say it!"

Henry claps his hands once to get their attention. "Quit it. Both of you. I only want us to get to the West Arcade in peace".

From inside Freddy, Gregory clenches his fists and stuffs them into his pockets, "You're lucky you're a ghost Mike. I've had the urge to hit you several times in one night."

"Ah, now there's something my father would say and do." Mike grins wide.

"Mike, I thought you were getting along with him better?" Henry questions with disdain.

"Sorry, I guess old habits die hard." Mike says without a hint of an apologetic tone, "Also I can't help it. He's so easy to annoy".

Gregory rolls his eyes inside Freddy as he makes a left turn. However, the second he does, Chica squawks out a warning.

"Freddy you're making a wrong turn it's the next lef—"

Freddy enters a room with multicoloured tiles by accident and is greeted with the sight of several lifeless Endoskeletons staring blankly at or away from him. Some hung from the ceiling from hooks while others were propped around with no rhyme or reason. The Giant Bear suddenly stops, feeling perturbed.

"Hey Freddy, why did we stop?" Gregory lightly taps his chest cavity from the inside.

"I have never been allowed in here before…" Freddy murmurs, "This room must be where I was born. Look at all these Endos…They are all the same".

Freddy opens his hatch to show Gregory the Endoskeleton storage room.

"Have I always been Freddy? Am I just Monty or Roxy with a different shell? What if I'm not the first Glamrock Freddy?" His usually warm voice grows anxious with each passing question. "Are there more of me at other Pizzaplexes or Pizzerias? Do we feel the same? Am I special? If I am mass produced, am I still art?"

Gregory feels equally perturbed and conflicted about the questions Freddy just asked.

"I don't know! I'm a clone of a child murderer and even I'm confused about my own existence. I don't want to have William's murderous urges…Hell! I don't even want to be associated with that man. It's not fair that I have to share whatever terrible things he was responsible for because I'm his copy. It hurts…hurts because it makes me feel like I don't deserve to live even though I'm trying my best to be nothing like him".

"That was a very profound confession of your feelings, Gregory." Freddy comments.

"Yeah…"Henry gives a sympathetic look towards the clone, "it was".

"Okay great talk." Mike cuts into the awkward mood, "I think we should get out of here before you both spiral further into an existential crisis."

"Agreed." Everyone replies in unison to Mike's suggestion.

—-

Location: Pizzaplex- Corridor

Time: 4:55am

Charlie exits the vents to find herself next to a mirror in a bathroom. She didn't know how far she had gone from her father, Mike and the monster that killed her but it was far enough she felt.

Looking at her reflection, she thinks about Gregory's awful words, about how she was terrible as William and the insistence that he wasn't the man that killed her and concluded that she found the clone strange, not because he seemingly had a much more empathetic personality than William but something was wrong with his soul too. It felt…off somehow but she couldn't figure out what it was. She wished she could have asked her father or Mike about it but perhaps she would do it if she encountered them again…

"That boy claims he doesn't want to be William. That he isn't him. How absurd." Charlie shakes her head as she talks to herself, "He can't run away from what he really is but…what if he's telling the truth…what if I'm wrong and maybe my father is right? His eyes…they weren't malicious or empty…"

"No. He's a monster." The digital voice and face of William manifested before her in the mirror. "Believe me, He can't fight it, his urge to hurt people. I'll ensure he turns out to be just like me".

Charlie takes a step back in shock.

"Oh, little Charlie … What's happened to you, dear? Talking to your own reflection? Has the isolation been getting to you over the past few years?"

"That's not it." Charlie denies, "I'm perfectly fine".

"No. Something's clearly the matter, Charlotte." he leans in closer to Charlie from behind the glass, "Why don't you tell old Uncle William what's wrong?"

From a crack in the wall, Charlie sees a black, wiry tentacle slither in followed by two more.

CRACK CRACK CRACK

Small bits of the wall fall away. Charlie still didn't know what that monstrosity was exactly but it felt dangerous to confront such a giant creature that held the souls of the children and Elizabeth alone and so, she made up her mind to flee.

"I know what you're thinking Charlie. Don't run." William seemingly reads her thoughts, "These are your friends. They just want to see you."

"What have you done with them and the other children you kidnapped?" Charlie cried.

"They are with me on their happiest day." William simply answers, not giving away anymore details, "You can be a part of it too along with Henry".

"No. You're not getting your hands on me or my Father you liar!"

With that, she swifty slinks away out of the bathroom and into another vent within the Pizzaplex. William can only watch her leave with disdain, ordering the black tentacle to retreat for the moment.

'The lack of trust I get from people is what I get for being a compulsive liar I suppose. Ah well, time to meet with my clone and see if he'll be more…receptive to what I'm offering…"

—-

Location: West Arcade - Entrance

Time: 4:58am

Gregory pretends to sleep as he hears Mike and Henry conversing just outside.

"Henry. I don't like how you've been so fixated and protective over 'Gregory' this entire night like Freddy. Why can't you see that he's a monster?" Mike bitterly asks, "You're just going to repeat the same mistakes if you keep enabling him just like you did with my Father in the past!"

"That's because…Despite everything he did, a part of me will always love William and I'll admit, I'm stubborn like you: Where you think he was always a monster, I always felt he was someone who went down a dark path. A part of me always wanted to believe that there was a shred of good in him and this boy, he's living proof of William's humanity. I want to raise him into the kind of person my friend could have been. Hell, I would even adopt him if I could".

"Eugh!" Mike gags, "I feel so uncomfortable with the idea of Him calling you 'Daddy'. What the fuck is wrong with you? First you make out with my Father while you're both drunk and now you're willing to adopt a clone of the man that murdered your daughter and backstabbed you?!"

"Nothing's wrong with me Mike. I just…really love who William used to be before".

"Oh," Mike raises an eyebrow, "So you only like Gregory because he's a reminder of the William from your past?"

"Yes, I mean – No!" Henry looks at Gregory who's supposedly asleep, "I mean…maybe. That's partially the reason but I am trying to see Gregory as his own person even though his face admittedly makes it difficult to separate him from, you know who…"

Gregory frowns with his eyes shut, listening to the conversation as doubts begin to form in his mind. Where Mike resented Gregory solely for being his father, Henry was seemingly on the opposite end: Loving Gregory solely for resembling the best friend he lost.

'Does Henry really care for me at all? Or does he ONLY care about me because I'm William as well?'

Before Gregory can mull on this further, Freddy announces their arrival at the West Arcade.

"We are here Superstar".

"Huh? Oh thank God." Gregory rubs his eyes, faking an awakening from his sleep and hops out of Freddy's chest compartment. Walking forward, he gazes up to see the massive 80s style neon sign which read "Fazcade: The West Arcade". Personally, Gregory found the tagline a bit redundant. Additionally, it was missing a 'z' due to some kind of glitch preventing the word from lighting up and thus, the words only came out as 'Facade'.

As if sensing the boy's arrival, the lift then opened invitingly for Gregory. However, just as he was about to take another step forward, Henry phased though and stood in front of him.

"Hang on a second. I think I should follow you."

"Oh sure. Go defend William since that's what you do best anyway!" Mike growls, crossing his arms, "I'll stay right here'.

"Uhh…Did Mike and you have a fight again while I was asleep?" Gregory feigns ignorance.

"We did but anyway, please, let me follow you Gregory." Henry pleads, "I don't like this at all and…it feels like a trap".

The boy shakes his head, "I want to confront William myself. And don't worry, I can protect myself with a Fazer Blaster."

"I won't make a noise, I promise and…I'll just stay in your Fazwatch."

"But what if William senses you with me? If he does, he might not tell me the location of the Missing Children".

"I'm not sure if you noticed but I know how to cloak my presence from people and other ghosts. Mike taught me how to do it, says it was something he learned by accident…"

In the distance, Chica once again observed Gregory communicate with thin air. She was well aware he was talking to a ghost thanks to Freddy's quick explanation earlier but to any sane person who didn't know about his ability, he'd look nuts. "Uhh Freddy, which ghost is Gregory talking to?"

"That would be Henry Emily."

Chica tries to recall what she knows from the historical database since she currently has no access to it. "He's one of Fazbear's original Founders? Right?"

"You are correct."

"And what does Henry want?" Chica asks Freddy quizzically.

"He wants to go with Gregory but he's scared that William will know he's there and – Oh Chica?"

"Yes Freddy?"

"Henry came up to me and just told me he has approval to follow Gregory and is now asking if he can latch onto you for a while so that he can accompany the boy. Will that be okay?"

"Sure."

Instantly, a black haired man materialises in front of Chica.

"Oh. You must be Henry Emily. It's an honour to meet you".

"How do you know who I am?"

"I know your identity from the Fazbear Historical Database. They kept most records of you but not…Him".

Henry had a slightly downcast expression on his face as he heard that last bit, "That's sad but understandable. Anyhow, let's get going".

Chica then follows behind Gregory as they enter the lift and Gregory turns around to face Freddy. Mike was nowhere to be seen, having vanished as he did not want to see them off.

"Goodbye and good luck Superstar." Freddy waves them goodbye as the lift closes, "Oh, and when you see the DJ, say hello for me!"

Then, pressing the topmost button, Gregory, Henry and Chica ascend to Fazcade.

—-

Location: Fazcade: The West Arcade

Time: 5:02am

Gregory was always nervous to be out of Freddy, especially now when he felt like he was walking straight into a trap but it wasn't like he had a choice…

"Don't be nervous. Me and Henry will be here to protect you". Chica ruffles the hair on his head.

Gregory blushes. He liked it when people petted him on the head.

The bloodied remains of a blonde girl in a pink dress lay within the yellow bird animatronic. Hands in a purple sleeve slam the metal compartment shut.

Gregory takes a step back out of shock from the memory he was having.

"Gregory? Gregory?" Chica says alarmed, "You ok? Did I pet you too roughly".

"Huh?"

"I sensed your anxiety increasing."

"I'm ok." Gregory smiles at her reassuringly despite the shaking of his hands.

"Your hands—"

"I'm just cold." the boy stated firmly, "I'm okay…really".

"How about I help you find a jacket later? We have a lot of ones for the winter weather".

"Sure." he nods, faking a smile "Let's do that".

DING

The lift doors split wide open, revealing an abstract gold statue 8 feet ahead of them along with the rest of the West arcade's scenery.

"Woah".

Gregory didn't know what he was expecting to see in the West Arcade but it definitely wasn't something like this.

On the left were a flight of five steps that led to a platform containing a row of several arcade cabinets and just a little further, was a wide spiral staircase that led up to the second floor. Meanwhile, on the right was a massive dance floor and from that direction, he swore he could hear a very audible, snoring sound.

Flashing, rainbow-coloured lights girded the dark walls, and silhouettes of the Glamrocks stood out on lighted panels. There were strange luminescent, tunnel-shaped holes in the Arcade's various walls above and below, which was rather odd … but Gregory didn't question it.

In fact, the whole place reminded him a bit of the various disco clubs that William had visited as a teenager, a teeanger who was going through an embarrassing experimental Punk/Emo phase at the time.

William Afton downs an entire bottle of whiskey, holding it in fishnet gloves. His hair was long, tied in a ponytail, and he was dressed head to toe in black. On his shirt was an image of a skull with roses adorning it and smeared on his eyes, was crudely drawn black eyeliner.

"Oi guys watch me do a flip".

The reckless teenager walks confidently towards the colourful floor and attempts to flip, only to immediately fall over his own feet. He struggles to get up. From behind, his friends laugh out loud at his antics.

As Gregory stifles a chuckle at this memory, his eyes widened as he and Chica walked closer to the statue as now, he finally recognized the gold statues were imitations of Freddy and the other Glamrocks, all posing together and looking utterly awesome! Gregory's wide grin showed itself as he fully took in his surroundings. Similar to the Daycare, Gregory felt like he would really want to come back to the West Arcade someday!

When he wasn't in life-threatening danger, that is.

Chica was happy that he was enjoying this place but also felt…a little unsettled with the child's smile and after a few seconds, Gregory stopped admiring the statue to turn to look at Chica who was now staring at him with a concerned expression.

"Chica? What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing. I was just thinking maybe we should try not to make too much noise as we go up the stairs. DJ Music Man gets cranky when he's awoken before 9am".

"DJ Music Man? Was this the person Freddy mentioned earlier?

"Oh the DJ isn't a person. He's an animatronic like us". Chica gestures to the sound of the 'Breathing' that Gregory was hearing the moment he stepped in.

Cautious, Gregory goes closer to the right side of the West Arcade and approaches the source of the noise, only to stop walking partway as he realised it was coming from a MASSIVE sleeping behemoth resting within the shadows of the alcove-like Stage. Upon closer inspection under the stage's dim neon glow, he also realised it was similar in design to the small spider robot he killed hours ago but less creepier and now, much more terrifying since it was Giant sized. He felt like waking it now would be like waking a slumbering dragon.

Gregory takes a step back and whispers to Chica a little louder than he expects, "What the heck? That's the DJ?!"

"Shh, speak softer. The DJ has good hearing".

Gregory looks back at the giant animatronic in disbelief as he walks backwards, returning to Chica.

"Umm that's not a DJ! It's a spider, and a huge one at that!" Gregory whines, "I don't like spiders very much".

"Awww. He's friendly. He won't hurt you".

"Are you sure about that?" Gregory uncertainty asks. "Almost everything has tried to hurt me since I escaped from William. Wouldn't be surprised if he corrupted him too at some point as well".

"I'm sorry." Chica mutters.

"No no don't be. Let's just walk up, talk to that bastard and get–".

"Wait, hang on, hang on." Henry ejects himself from Chica. He looks drained and exhausted. Which was…weird.

"What's up Henry?"

"Possessing Chica was a bad idea. That corruption that William placed is still in her and...I'm starting to feel weaker around it. I'm just going to possess your Fazwatch again if that's alright with you".

"Sure."

With that, Henry detaches himself from Chica and enters the Fazwatch. After that, Chica and Gregory proceed up the spiral staircase.

—

Finally arriving at the top, Gregory sees more arcade cabinets that line the trail to the big neon sign that advertised the theatre's location.

Taking a few steps forward, he immediately sees an arcade cabinet that's familiar and yet also, confusing. It's a video game called 'Doctor Scraptrap' which has the face of a Rotten Springbonnie with a Lab Coat on the cover.

"What the hell?"

"What is it?"

"Why did Fazbear'smake a horror game about William Afton in his ugly rabbit costume when they wanted nothing to do with him? Did they even know it was him?"

"Sorry, I have no idea." Chica responds.

"Come to think of it, Charlie did mention the employees burned his corpse…"

The man in the robotic rabbit suit takes heavy steps to his secret warehouse, having been nearly beaten to a pulp by his zombie son.

Turning on the lights, he then steps in front of the mirror there and yells at the damage he received, seeing that his cranium was exposed to the elements, his left hand missing and even more parts of his suit were peeled off of him, exposing his innards and rotted flesh.

"Fuck I look awful. Worse than I usually do. My head looks like a Peanut!" He grits his teeth, "Ugh my son is going to pay dearly for this when I see him again".

Gregory lets out a large burst of laughter from that flashback much to Chica's concern.

"You ok?"

"I'm fine. Oh my god I have to share this with Mike".

Quickly, Gregory taps his Fazwatch.

"Is Mike there Freddy?"

"Yes?" Mike responds instantly with a bored voice, "What is it?".

"Hey Mike, you remember what William looked like when you found him lying outside that alley?"

"Yeah? He was worse than usual and one hand short, courtesy of me".

"And his exposed head kind of looked like a Peanut don't you think?" Gregory adds, "I thought that was hilarious".

There's silence on the other end until suddenly, Mike lets out a loud "Hah! Oh my god he did have a peanut head. Hahah".

Henry meanwhile was keeping quiet so that William wouldn't sense him and he was right to have kept himself silent at this moment in time.

"Shut the fuck up. Both of you." William's face abruptly manifests on the screen of the Doctor Scraptrap arcade cabinet, "Anyway, dear Vessel. You're almost here…Look ahead".

As William's face fades, Gregory's attention is drawn to said direction where he sees the theatre entrance a short distance away from him, shrouded by a purple curtain. He knew this because the big sign above it displayed 'THEATRE' in loud, bold, neon green words. It couldn't get more obvious than that.

Additionally standing behind said curtain and waving at him, was a creepy, cartoonish-looking, anthropomorphic yellow rabbit with bulging purple eyes and a permanently wide grin. It resembled the Logo William always presented himself with but now, it was far creepier now that it had a physical presence. Not even the addition of the sparkly purple jacket full of stars could make it appear trustworthy.

The yellow rabbit then stops waving and beckons Gregory to come inside the Theatre.

"Ahhh—Mmmff–Mmmff."

Gregory, alarmed by the sound of Chica struggling, turns around to see her being grappled by the Daycare Attendant in his Moon form. One of his hands held her close to him while the other was enclosed over her beak to prevent her from letting out that screech that would disable it.

"Hey! Let Chica go!" Gregory screams at him.

"Don't worry Little Will," The murderer assured him from the speakers above the theatre entrance, "This is just a precaution. I'll let her go only if you come inside the theatre and have a chat with me. No harm will come to her if you do."

Gregory is distrustful but with his current size and strength, he can't do much and there's no way the knife would have an effect on someone as large as the Daycare Attendant.

Thus, taking a deep breath, Gregory turns away from Chica and takes anxious steps towards the Theatre…

CHAPTER 28 END

CHAPTER 29 Title Preview: Remnants of a Dead Man

Summary: Gregory and William have a conversation which leads the boy to discover a shocking truth.