Author's Note
Tbh, I feel like this chapter is a bit rushed but this was the best I could do for this week. Anyway, Enjoy.
Location: Fazcade
Time: 5:25am
The Daycare Attendant drags Chica along with him to a place that is a distance from the theatre. She's still trying to activate her screech but can't as the Attendant's left hand clamps over her beak tightly.
"Lemme go!" Chica attempts to cry out but it comes out more as "lmmmmggghh".
"Sorry but these are William's orders." The Daycare Attendant's right index finger closes in on the button atop her forehead, "Goodnight."
Out of the darkness, a black shape emerges and knocks into the Attendant who stumbles backwards and lets go of Chica unintentionally as the shape retreated back into the shadows and Chica, now freed, lets out a yell that affects the Attendant's operating system.
"No no noooo…" Moon screams as he temporarily shuts down.
Stepping back from the Moon, Chica looked around for the figure that aided her, "Charlie? Was that you?"
"Yeah. I've freed you. Get out of here. Now." Charlie commands warningly.
Chica shakes her head, "Not without Gregory."
"Are you serious? You know who he is. So why help him?!"
"I don't know much about Mr Afton but I don't think Gregory is like him at all. And we were designed to protect children like Gregory. It wouldn't be right for me to abandon him".
"Very well." Charlie slinks back into the darkness, "I'm going now. There's no way I'm working with that murderer…"
Chica looks around for a while until she finds a light switch that turns on the lights of the second floor. When the Attendant wakes up a few minutes later, he's automatically transformed into Sun form. He looks around confused.
"Where am I? This isn't the Daycare!" the Attendant whips his head around wildly. "Chica? What are we doing here?"
Chica does her best to recount to him the strange events that have been transpring as told to her by Freddy.
The Daycare Attendant was well aware of the Glamrock Animatronics and was usually friendly to them whenever they'd drop by. However, they weren't really close friends per say as, despite living in the same building, their statuses as celebrities made it almost impossible for them to interact frequently. Nonetheless, much like Freddy, nearly everyone of them was considered the Attendant's close friends.
"A ghost of a serial killer? Cloning? Old animatronics?" The Sun-faced Attendant felt as though his circuits in his head were getting tangled, "I don't get it but I do get that bringing that Gregory kid to William is not a good idea. Problem is that me and my…other half feel compelled to do it".
"Ah, that's because of the corruption he's infected us with but don't worry, Gregory can help activate your safety mode so that you don't feel compelled to bring him to William".
"Alrighty then, I'll help you find the kid but he's not coming back to my Daycare!"
"Why?"
"He's a naughty child that needs to be taught some manners." The Daycare Attendant states crossly, "He grabbed and waved a knife at me before proceeding to shut off the power."
"The knife I… partially believe but the power shutdown? It's been happening every hour at your place due to some glitch right? I don't think it was entirely his fault".
The Attendant is silent for a minute as he replays the events that occurred in his head, "Fair enough. Let's go find him".
—
Chica attempts to pry open the now shut theatre doors to no avail.
"The Theatre entrance is locked! What if William already has him?" Chica frets.
"Maybe we can try to get to him via the backstage area?" The Daycare attendant advises. "That shouldn't be too far from here".
"Good idea."
While they walk towards the other end of the Fazcade, Chica spots a small shape running away fearfully, already going down a different flight of stairs towards the direction from where they entered. She also sees him tap the watch on his wrist and at that instant, she picks up the signal which calls her towards him.
"Chica, are you there?" Gregory asks her while running.
"Yep. Safe and sound." Chica chirps happily.
"Thank goodness. See you at the lift".
Chica and Sun follow the boy who is going down the stairs but as they do that, the lights suddenly go off. The entire Fazcade went dark save for the small emergency neon red and purple lights that now lit the entire area.
Sadly however, this amount of light wasn't strong enough to keep the Attendant from transforming into his other self again.
"Oh no, Oh no no….AHHHH!" He trembles severely, metal parts shaking, "Run Chica! I'll try to hold him back for as long as I can. Or do that scream on me again".
"You sure?" Chica asks, concerned.
The Daycare Attendant nods. His specially-designed clothes were already morphing to a dark blue to reflect the switch of personality occurring.
"Alright then. I'm sorry I have to do this again…" Chica apologises.
—
'What the heck? A Blackout?!' Gregory thinks as he keeps running to the lift, following the neon lights below him. 'This better not affect our exit out of here'.
"Great job," HandUnit's voice announces from the speakers above, "Safety protocols deactivated. Pram Zapped. Brun DJ Protocols. Reticulating Splines".
Gregory had no idea what those last few things meant. Stopping at the buttons which no longer glow yellow, he presses them multiple times to get the doors open but to no avail.
"Henry. Can you do something about this?"
"Sadly No." The ghost regretfully informs him, "The power is gone from the lift entirely. Without it, I can't do anything".
"Argh! Hopefully there's another emergency exit in here somewhere".
Gregory taps his Fazwatch again. Only to realise he can't get a signal at all. Luckily however, Chica runs right into him.
"Gregory!"
"Chica." Gregory breathes a sigh of relief, "It's good to know that you got away but…how did you get away from the Attendant exactly?"
"Charlie rescued me. She told me to go but I couldn't leave you both behind".
"That's…very nice of you to think of me Chica." The boy blushes a little, smiling at Chica's words, but then remembers the reality of their predicament, "but anyway, do you know how we can get out of here?"
"There are several exits around this area but all of them are electrically powered doors. If there's no power, then they won't automatically open for us".
"So you're saying there's no way out." Gregory concluded for her, "Are you kidding me? What kind of dumbass designed exits to work this way?!"
"Beats me." Henry shrugged.
"Isn't there another way out? Like vents?"
"Yes but those are easy to get lost in and I can't fit in there like you can." Chica notifies the boy with sadness in her voice.
"So if we can't leave by the vents or emergency exits, are there really no other ways we can get out of here then?"
Then, almost as if offering a solution to Gregory, HandUnit's robotic voice then spoke again from above: "Please reset circuit breakers in all zones to restore power to the West Arcade. Three zones remain: Janitorial service. Arcade. Arcade."
It was a…vaguely worded solution to say the least but still, it was a solution to their current predicament.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about those." Chica remembers, "We just have to find circuit breakers, reactivate them and then, once the power is back on, we can get out from one of the exits".
"Great, do you know where they are?" Gregory asks, feeling relieved.
"Erm…kinda. Can you still access the digital Fazmap on your watch?"
Luckily for them, he could. Chica points to him the areas where the Circuit Breakers are located. The first was somewhere near the Stage area where the DJ rested, the second was in one of the bathrooms and the last was located in a wide storage room on the second floor.
"Great. Let's go." Henry says confidently, "Hopefully we don't encounter William or that rabbit lady".
As they make their way to the first circuit breaker at the dance floor, they hear a thunderous rumbling sound coming from above them. Gregory looks up to see the DJ climbing on the ceiling of the Fazcade and into one of its many giant holes in the wall.
"What the Hell? Chica, it's moving on the walls." Gregory freaks out, "I thought it was only confined to that stage!"
"Well, he usually is buuutttt…because he views the blackout as a possible security breach, he's programmed to patrol around the Fazcade until he finds the culprit".
"And ummm, what does he do when he captures the culprit?"
"He just catches them and holds them until the cops arrive".
"Ah so might do the same to me except instead of giving me to the cops, he'll just deliver me to that Bonnie Trap the second he's possessed by William." Gregory sighs, "Just great".
"What do you mean by 'Bonnie Trap' Gregory? Bonnie hasn't been around…not since Monty…erm…dismantled him".
It clicks for Gregory then, why Freddy was so hesitant to share what transpired with the purple rabbit that resided in the Bowling alley.
"Oh Chica I'm…sorry to hear that. I didn't know that happened to him." Gregory expresses genuine sadness, "I think after he was dismantled, William got a hold of his parts somehow and they're being used as the device that's going to transfer his soul into mine".
Chica gasps, "That's awful….Do you think we can still save him?"
"We will." Henry assures her, "But first, we have to get out of here".
Gregory finds the first circuit breaker next to a wall near the left side of the stage and pulls the lever. Its lightning symbol flashes a green colour, signalling that it has been activated.
THUNK THUNK THUNK
Looking up again, Gregory sees the DJ scuttle out of another hole that was lower above them and descends down the wall towards where they are much like an actual spider would.
"A song was requested of me and now, I play it!" The DJ's whimsical voice loudly declared.
Intense rave music began to play as Gregory and Chica made a break for it, now being pursued by the musical spider monster from the ground and the sides (although Gregory also does wonder how it's able to defy gravity like that, climbing up walls and such…).
—
Meanwhile, above, Fake William (in his mechanical bunny body) and Vanny are feeling similar tremors back in the theatre.
Despite being unable to access the security cameras due to cutting off electrical power in the arcade, the Fake William could still picture the terror on Gregory's face as he was chased by the DJ.
"You know, the DJ could be very useful to have under my command. Just a shame he can't leave the area." he grins, "I would have liked to use it to frighten my Vessel more."
"Why are you so happy about seeing yourself afraid?" Vanny asks curiously as she finishes the repairs.
"It's what he deserves after avoiding me for so long. I don't understand why this brat doesn't just give in".
"Maybe he gets it from you"
"Very funny Vanny".
"I was being honest. You don't give in easily either…"
—
The boy and the big bird hide, ducking behind arcade cabinets as the DJ scans the area for them. Searching left and right before deciding they were no longer around the section he was gazing at, the DJ moved forward into the next hole ahead which was green in colour, the rave music following him inside and reverberating around the walls.
Gregory peers out from behind. Once Gregory felt ascertained the DJ was fully inside the tunnel and had gone somewhere else (judging by the lack of noise it was making), the boy dashed out to the next location just ahead with Chica behind: A unisex bathroom.
Gregory explores around until he spots it in a staff closet full of brooms and boxes. Pulling the next lever, the circuit breaker activates with a satisfying 'clunk' sound.
'Alright one more.' Gregory grins enthusiastically at the prospect of being able to leave this place. As he's about to exit however, rave music abruptly starts up again as one of the massive, cartoonish looking gloved hands of the DJ bursts through the bathroom door and grabs him when he least expects it.
Gregory screams as his small body is pulled out with ease. He barely has any wriggle room to get his knife and soon, he finds himself staring face to face with the DJ.
"Hey! Keep it down would ya!" The Giant Spider complains as it once again begins playing the same rave track from before.
Using its second hand, it tries to seize Chica as well but she's more careful and when the other hand enters, she exits the bathroom the moment it comes in as its forearm was too thin and not blocking her way out at all. She rapidly climbs the Music man and surprisingly, easily knocks over his large headphones with a simple punch, exposing the holes on its sides which were meant to be his ears.
Then, Chica belts out a screech into them, disabling the DJ who powers down instantly and his hand drops Gregory three feet off ground.
"Whew." Gregory breathes a sigh of relief after he lands safely, "Thank you Chica".
He gazes at the DJ that's now the equivalent of unconscious for the moment.
"Hey Chica, I've been wondering, how long do animatronics usually stay deactivated when they're hit by your screech ability?" Gregory asks out of curiosity.
"Depends." Chica shrugs, "Usually 3 or 5 minutes".
"And how long does your voice take to recharge? If it needs to of course".
"About 2 mins".
"Very good to know." Gregory keeps this in mind.
THUD THUD THUD
The two of them are alerted to the sound of heavy metal clanking and a large, bulky green shape in the distance.
"Hey little guy! Where are you?"
"Let's go." Gregory whispered. The boy grabs Chica and pulls him with her. The boy had no strength of course but Chica allowed him to pull her along anyway.
Standing behind a Photobooth now to catch his breath, Gregory asks chica for the location of the last circuit breaker.
"The last one is located in a storage room where broken Arcade cabinets and some other items are kept for repair. The door should be just…" Chica points above them. "there!"
"Really, we gotta head up the stairs again?" Gregory gripes.
The two of them head up, only to find themselves staring at two humanoid figures with rabbit heads who were awaiting them at the theatre entrance. One was larger, purple, entirely machine and had pinpricks of light that glowed purple while the other rabbit was smaller and had large eyes that glowed a brighter red.
"B-Bonnie?" Chica looks at her former friend in fear. What the boy said was true. His body was being used by William.
"Ah Vessel, You've changed your mind already? How sweet!"
Suddenly, Bonnie glitches, shimmering, and transforms into a bright yellow rabbit with a purple bow tie.
"Let me embrace you".
Vanny and William charge towards them.
"Chica. Chica!" Gregory pulls her arm persistently, "The storage room!"
"Oh right…" she snaps out of her shock. This time Chica takes the lead and runs with Gregory in tow. She's running fast but the boy refuses to let go with his captors closing in on them.
After a while, they reach a red door and, opening it, they find themselves instantly in front of the last circuit breaker. Chica barricades the door by using her strength to push a nearby box right in front of it, preventing William and Vanny from entering while Gregory went to turn on the final circuit breaker
However, what made Gregory nervous was the COLOSSAL gaping hole that was above and right next to it.
'I don't like the look of that hole. I know the DJ is going to crawl out of there but I just have to turn on this thing and then quickly, Chica and I can run or hide from it'.
The boy activates the last circuit breaker and, all at once, the power returns to the Fazcade. The lights above them shine brightly and light up the storage room but, as Gregory predicted, the DJ indeed emerged from the collosal hole beside them with its earphones placed back on.
What he didn't predict, however, was how instantaneously it would arrive.
THUD THUD THUD
The DJ swiftly scuttled out of the hole and, at first, he looked like his usual self. But all of a sudden, he twitched once and its appearance slightly altered: Its mouth 'frothing' virtual bubbles and void-like eyes becoming a neon purple.
Its head shifted straight towards Gregory in a rapid motion.
"Where do you think you're going?!" The Giant Spider snarls, now with a more British accent this time.
Gregory gasps and his eyes widen as he comes to the terrifying realisation that, despite the lack of a network, the Fake William had still somehow managed to transfer himself into the DJ based on his proximity to it from behind the door!
With no other way out for now, Gregory and Chica are forced to run in the only direction available: Forward Right.
As they run, they find that they are hindered by several broken arcade cabinets and items strewn about haphazardly and worse, the DJ was right behind them, its tremendous weight making the floor below their feet shake intensely.
The tremors it was making caused them to falter, their movements slowing a little as they tried to maintain balance while running.
"Hey Chica, since you blocked the door, do you know if there's an exit up ahead?"
"I hope so!" Chica exclaims nervously.
"You hope so?!" Gregory exclaimed nervously in return.
"Ah there it is." Chica sighed in relief, "Whew, I panicked a little for nothing".
Gregory stared ahead. There, just past the 17th row of arcade cabinets was a metallic grey exit door! Exuberantly, they both sprint towards it and are elated to find that it opens automatically and immediately, they find themselves in some kind of Bot assembly room. Chica then turns behind, seeing the control panel for the door nearby, and swiftly taps some buttons on it, setting the metal door to a 'permanent lock' mode.
Gregory and Chica hear the Possessed DJ howling in fury, banging on the walls on the other side, before suddenly going quiet after a few minutes.
"You think they're gone?" Gregory pants, collapsing against a nearby wall on his knees in exhaustion.
"Doubt so. I think it's best we leave straightaway." She points to the right to a red-coloured door.
"Sure. Let's get back to –" Gregory's stomach grumbled loudly. He looks at her, flushed with embarrassment.
"Dammit. I'm kind of hungry again."
"No worries." she beams, getting an idea, "There's a lot of food stocked up in around the Mazercise. Food that isn't junk of course. We can meet Freddy there."
She squats down, facing her back towards Gregory, "Climb on."
Gregory climbs onto Chica's shoulders and she stands up again, piggybacking him out of the room and towards her domain.
"So what do you want? There's pizzas, pancakes, ice cream…"
As the bird lady continues to chatter on and on about the different food stocks in the Mazercise fridge, Gregory finds it ironic that all the types of food she was listing to him still technically counted as junk food.
—
"Luck really isn't on our side Mr Afton." Vanny laments to the Gold Rabbit on her smartphone screen, "He got away for the 5th time and it's nearly 6am".
"Don't despair yet my dearest Assistant." William smirks, "I have one last trick up my sleeve."
From her phone's speakers, an audio track plays: It was a recording of Mike briefly mentioning his plans to kill Gregory.
"That's perfect Mr Afton. But why didn't you show it to him earlier?"
"You don't get it Vanny, I like the drama. Which is why I'm going to wait for my Vessel, Henry and Mike to reunite so that I can play this big reveal at an opportune moment…".
CHAPTER 30 END
CHAPTER 31 TITLE PREVIEW: TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY
Summary: Mike has a tense confrontation with Gregory that leaves both of them with regrets.