Mable: Here we are again! The night drones on and the threats still loom… But before we continue, there's a few responses for guest reviewers.

Marionettey: Good question! Lefty is actually not sentient; no soul and only basic programming. Marionette could've talked down Ennard, perhaps the other animatronics, or at least say something to cause them to back off, but Lefty doesn't hear or register any of that. It's an empty machine. That makes it quite a bit more dangerous in its own way.

Osofan: Thank you for the stunning review! 8D I saw it after I woke up and was so inspired that I immediately continued work on the chapter, and got quite a bit done that session. Thank you so much for that!

Anyway, time to continue. The poll has been updated once more and now we move on to the continuing nightshift. Enjoy!

Can't Go Home Again

Chapter Ninety-Three

Foxy had finally gotten him where he wanted him. His back was pointed to the fox, his focus was on a different vent, and he was totally off-guard.

The standoff between Foxy and Springtrap had become something of a game of cat and mouse, with both participants taking turns switching the roles. Springtrap had been in pursuit when he had suddenly become interested in one of the vents. If Foxy's hearing was correct, there was something running in the adjoining room. The low hum of something electronic was a giveaway that someone was probably in there. Knowing what he did, Foxy could only assume it was Mike.

Of course, he didn't have to worry about Mike, because Foxy had no intention of letting Springtrap go further. He shifted in the vent and shoved himself out feet first. In one smooth motion he landed and leapt forward again, bringing his hook down in one sharp swing. The hook dug in at Springtrap's neck and yanked him back in one sharp motion. The rabbit staggered back as the hook easily slashed through his nearly molded exterior. As soon as Foxy's hook came free, Springtrap swung around and clocked the fox in the side of the head.

It was just enough to stagger Foxy and the Springlock suit was on him in a heartbeat. He tried to fit his hands around Foxy's neck, and apparently didn't realize that this wouldn't do much of anything. The fox growled and grabbed ahold of Springtrap's ear before yanking him down and lunging to dig his teeth onto Springtrap's head. The rabbit yanked its head back and blocked with its arm, which Foxy was more than glad to bite down on. He then began to yank back his head and tore into the fabric of the arm, nearly ready to tear it apart, even as Springtrap swung at him again.

At this time, Marionette arrived at the adjoining room and climbed far enough into the vent to see the fight. He could also hear the sound inside of the vent that Springtrap had been trying to get into and had a suspicion that he knew what was inside. Before he could act on either of these, a hand of wires grabbed onto his leg and smoothly went to pull him back out. Marionette allowed Ennard to do this and turned to the other animatronic once he was released to explain the situation.

"The vent to the right sounds like it leads towards an office or something like it. Mike might be in there. I need to get in there, but I don't want Golden Bonnie following me in. We need a plan," Marionette laid out.

Thankfully, Ennard perked instantly with an idea. "I can do that!" The Puppet looked confused at the wording and the amalgam explained. "He hates me. Almost as much as Baby does. I'll go around this way and come out of that vent. He'll come after me, Foxy will be free, and you can go find your playmate." He turned to the other vent to go around while Marionette felt a tinge of embarrassment.

"That's… One word for him, I suppose. We do occasionally play together," Marionette timidly admitted. Though he immediately regretted it when Ennard answered.

"Aww! That's adorable! Just don't let him play too rough with you. Ha ha ha!" Ennard laughed boldly as he climbed into the vent. He then rather bluntly, in the say jovial voice, added in, "I hope he doesn't get me this time. He always goes for my face." He soon scooted into the vent, leaving Marionette to wonder if the earlier comment was innocent or if Ennard was insinuating something a little less innocent.

Back in the room, Foxy was shoved back the corner with an arm holding his neck. It left him in a vulnerable position, especially as Springtrap leaned in and stared down at him. Foxy snarled and dug his hook into the arm holding him and wasn't entirely surprised when the rabbit seemed to entirely ignore it. As though he had barely swatted him even though his hook was lodged into him. The captain growled and twisted his head with the intention to slide free of the rabbit's grasp, to which Springtrap's arm only pressed tighter into his neck.

That was when there was a shuffling and banging in the vent beside them. Both Foxy and Springtrap looked over in alarm as a masked head slid out of the vent, staring at the two of them. While Foxy was more confused than anything, mostly because of the mask, Springtrap's reaction was immediate. His eyes slowly widened, and he focused in on the wire-bound animatronic now staring at him from the vent. Even if he hadn't identified the mask, which he would've since they had been sharing these vents for days, he recognized the familiar blue eyes. Springtrap's focus locked onto the new animatronic.

Foxy was caught off-guard as Springtrap suddenly threw him aside against the wall. The fox animatronic grunted and fumbled to keep from falling all the way onto the floor. In an instant, Springtrap silently turned on Ennard and barreled towards the vent. He threw his upper torso onto the shaft and reached for the clown, who just barely managed to draw back away. Springtrap drew back only so that he could climb fully into the vent and follow in hot pursuit. Ennard responded by exiting the vent and hustling into the next, effectively leading the rabbit away.

"Blimey!" Foxy exclaimed as he listened to the newfound chase. He was just about to follow when Marionette suddenly slid through the other vent. Foxy was immediately relieved to see he was alright and no longer toting around the suit. "Oh good, ya ditched the bear! Was getting' a little worried that ya got stuck back there." Marionette tried to hold in a shudder. "I'm goin' after Springtrap and… I can't believe I'm sayin' this, but another Freddy recolor, for the love of gold." He started to climb in the vent when Marionette rushed to grab his arm.

"Wait," he begged. Instead of talking outright, he decided to communicate silently, out of risk of Springtrap or Baby somehow hearing. Or anyone else who could be listening. "It's not safe. Baby's in here too." As Foxy turned to him in alarm, Marionette continued, "She's not like Ennard's Baby either. She will fight back." Yet while Marionette seemed more concerned with the danger, Foxy's thoughts changed to suspicion.

"Why would Baby be here…?" Foxy murmured as he looked to the ground.

"It's likely she was in Afton's the entire time… But of course, how Chance found and brought her here is another story entirely," Marionette answered. He then sent a glance back towards the other vent. There was something running inside, and he could only assume it was the sound of a computer being manned by Mike. "Ennard will lead Golden Bonnie away."

"Ennard ain't gonna distract him long enough. We've got the whole night relying on Ennard not falling to pieces," Foxy added in. He slid out of Marionette grasp and started into the vent once more. "Go find Schmidt. I'll be fine, I know what I'm doin'. Least, I know better than Ennard." The Puppet wanted to stop his sibling, but he knew that he was correct. Not to mention that it wasn't fair to leave Ennard alone in the situation, especially when Baby could easily change gears and start hunting him too. Foxy disappeared into the vent and Marionette was left alone.

Back in the office, Mike had heard the continued fighting in the next room suddenly halt. It had been a jarring change, one that put him on edge. Silence wasn't usually a good thing when the motion detector indicated that there was still an animatronic looming in the next room over. One had already seemingly disappeared earlier when the five movements suddenly became four, but Mike couldn't rule out two animatronics still being in the same room. Which seemed to be the likely case, as he swore that he heard Foxy talking.

Suddenly, there was quick movement in the vent to his right. He didn't even have much of a moment to react before he was greeted by someone coming through.

To Mike's immediate relief, it was Marionette leaning through the opening to the vent and peering down at him. Marionette's stoic smile brightened in relief and he chimed in delight. "Here you are! Thank goodness you're alright!" He reached out and eagerly cupped Mike's cheek before tugging him closer and eagerly pressed his mask against Mike's forehead. He trilled happily as he held his companion close. Mike reached out to return the gesture, tracing a thumb over his rosy cheek, but still stayed on guard at anything else incoming.

It had been some time into the night and Mike had began to worry that something had happened, as Marionette should've gotten there sooner. "You had me scared for a minute there," Mike admitted. From Marionette's chime of amusement, he probably thought Mike meant him coming through the vent. He slid inside the small office, only now drawing back while still caressing Mike's cheek. He seemed almost reluctant to draw fully away, though noticed Mike glancing over to check the monitor and followed his gaze.

"Looks like Chance is about as honest as everyone else who worked at Freddy's," Mike remarked as he looked over the movement detectors across the vents. His eyes narrowed in growing suspicion. "Up until the last moment he was here, he still swore up and down that this wasn't a Freddy's situation. He's hiding something."

Marionette's free hand tightened in concern as he glanced away. He considered telling Mike about what had happened with the bear suit, which would be a clear example that something was terribly amiss. He then decided to wait; they couldn't risk getting distracted just yet. Marionette slid his hand off Mike's cheek and moved behind his chair as to watch over him and rested his hands on the guard's shoulders. At least he could protect Mike now. It was enough to pacify him for the moment.

"He is. Baby's here as well," Marionette forewarned. "And that would be the real Baby, not Ennard in a fake body… Although he's gotten his hands on a rather unusual Freddy mask."

"Can't be any worse than the one he's already using. Was he out there with you?" Mike inquired. Marionette agreed, and Mike studied the layout of the vents closer. "Then I'm guessing the fighting was Foxy and Bonnie, which means that these three heading up that way must be them," he pointed out as he watched the motion detectors turn on and off. He then turned his attention to the left side where a lone detector was triggering. "Then that means this one coming for us is Baby. Let's see if I can 'deter and misdirect'."

He flicked over to the audio tab and turned it on towards one of the rooms near the back corner. If she headed back there then she would possibly then run into Ennard, Springtrap, and Foxy. This could possibly distract them all for at least a little time. "Apparently it plays some sort of audio that lures them away. Doesn't seem to work that well."

"Audio…" Marionette hummed thoughtfully as he remembered the children noises from earlier. After all, some of them did sound almost Balloon Boy-like. "Did you play the audio earlier?"

"Yeah, near what I thought was Foxy. Starting to have my doubts now," Mike answered.

"And did you play it through the center room?" Marionette asked as he pointed over his shoulder. "I'm assuming that's the pizzeria itself. Can you play it from in there?"

"Nah, I played it from the top right corner. I can't even click the center." To punctuate this, Mike clicked around the middle room to show that he couldn't. This confused the Puppet for a moment, but then a slow, chilling realization started to wash over him. "Why? Did you hear something?"

"Yes… Foxy and I heard children from the center room," Marionette revealed. Mike briefly paused and the Puppet continued, "We thought maybe they were recordings, but there was movement too…"

Mike abruptly turned to look back. His blue-grey eyes were widened in growing panic; a sign that he too was realizing something terrible. After a moment, he explained what that was, "…Chance said at six o'clock the doors would open and I could leave through the pizzeria." A pizzeria that now possibly had children in it. Marionette continued staring back as he took it all in. "Did you see a door?"

"There was a security door just like the ones at Freddy's," Marionette quietly admitted. "Foxy heard the children through the door." They both had the same revelation.

At six o'clock the security door- or doors if there was another on the other side- would open and give access into the pizzeria. Not only would Mike be able to walk into the pizzeria where there might be children, but so would the dangerous animatronics running rampant in the vents even as they spoke. This also could suggest that Chance had trapped children in the pizzeria, possible distracting them with trinkets and games, and was now using them as a pawn in some elaborate scheme, as with the animatronics and security guard.

"The children…" Marionette started, but then cut off in horror. "There could be children…"

"This is insane! Why would Chance set up all of this?!" Mike blurted out. His face then tightened in suspicion and growing concern. "Unless… Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but do you think Chance would try to frame me?" he asked. "Chance can't think that any of them, excluding Foxy, are going to be safe around kids. He could be setting this up so that it looks like I did something, since I'd have to walk straight through to leave… Like some sort of twisted rehash of what happened back at Freddy's."

This could've raised questions about whether William was framed, but those thoughts were quickly shot down by both before they even voiced them.

"I'm not sure why Chance would intend to frame you of all people… But that doesn't mean that Chance might not be trying to replicate the murders," Marionette partially agreed. He was only growing more concerned every moment. "Some people deal with past trauma in… Very unhealthy ways." How one would deal with a horrible event by replicating the event was beyond him, but it seemed possible.

Mike turned back to the monitor. "Either way, we can't let that happen. We'll just get over there first before it turns six and… Damn it." Bringing the motion detectors up showed the same, singular animatronic moving towards their location. It had slowed down from the noise but had not gone to investigate. "Baby's still coming this way. Let me shut some of this off." He turned off the ventilation and again tried the audio, though now closer to Baby's current location. The other animatronics moved to the location, but Baby still paused and then pressed on.

"She must've been who was over here earlier. She's a stubborn one," Mike muttered under his breath. He continued to let the audio track play with the ventilation off, but nothing seemed capable of the coming animatronic. In the last moment, when Mike could hear her moving around in the vent, he shut off the computer and pointed his flashlight down the shaft. "Let's hope this works a second time." Mike had his doubts, especially when he continued to hear movement.

Without any warning, Marionette suddenly jolted in front of Mike and blocked the vent. The attempt to keep the office silent was suddenly outdone by the frantic 'Pop Goes the Weasel' pouring from the Puppet's music box. He guarded the vent for only a few seconds before starting to climb in. Mike couldn't tell if he was forcing Baby back or was outright going to attack her but decided quickly that he preferred to keep the striped one close. Before Marionette could fully disappear into the vent, Mike caught him by the lower leg, and tried to keep him from going any further as he checked the motion detector.

Marionette didn't continue any further into the vent and instead kept his standoff with Baby, who had retreated into the other room. She stared him down, green eyes on white lights, but finally retreated through another vent without a word. She didn't have to say anything for Marionette to know that she would be back. He let his music slightly diminish as he drew himself back into the vent once more. If not for the second vent he had to worry about, he would've just continue to lie in wait for whatever else wanted into the office.

The Puppet smoothly slid out of the vent and moved back behind Mike again, keeping his hands firmly on his human companion's shoulders. "I am worried about Foxy, but he's capable of handling himself for the moment. I think I'm better off staying here with you and keeping an eye out for if Baby returns," Marionette explained. He squeezed the human's shoulders tighter and protectively hovered over him.

"There's nothing more flattering than having siblings fighting over me," Mike managed to quip playfully. It was hard to be playful when he was so on edge, but he managed. It was one of the few things he had at his disposal. He wiped at his forehead and started to unbutton his jacket further. "Is it just me, or is it boiling in here? It shouldn't get hot that fast from shutting off the vents." Marionette plucked off his hat and lightly fanned him with it in an attempt to cool him down. "Thanks," Mike nearly panted out.

"I don't remember it being this hot in the other vents. Then again, the ventilation could've been on," Marionette said as he watched the blinking on the screen. "What kind of Pizzeria is this? Its in the dead of night and yet its pumping heat in like a pizza oven!" Even he felt the modest bit uncomfortable. He wasn't too bothered by temperature, so him feeling uncomfortable had to signal a high temperature. The fanning slightly helped Mike's case, but it soon became apparent, once he started sweating down his face, that he couldn't keep up with this.

"Screw it, I'll risk the sound," Mike begrudgingly caved as he turned the ventilation back on. Almost immediately the temperature started to drop. "Baby's going to have a direct beacon right to us, but at least I'm not going to pass out of heat stroke at night, in a pizzeria, in the closest thing to winter than you can get in the desert." Though his eyes then moved to the HandUnit. He snatched it off the desk, "In fact… If we've got everything on anyways, why don't we see if Fritz's plan holds any water? There's got to be something on this computer worth finding."

He fumbled to plug it into the tower hidden under the desk. During which, Marionette straightened in alarm. "Someone's coming…" he forewarned. Mike shot back up and went to the audio panel.

"Right or left and how close?" Mike asked. The motion detectors would just waste precious time to load.

"Left vent again, in the room… Could be entering the vent now." There was a dull thump in the left vent. "…And there she comes," Marionette added in as he dropped the hat back on Mike and approached the vent. Mike was quick to turn on the audio recording in the far corner, even though he suspected that it wouldn't work. Soon, Marionette was slipping his torso into the vent and preparing to again ward off any animatronics. This was promptly cut short when he came face to face with the deformed looking Freddy mask.

"Well, hello aga-ain!" Ennard crackled as he stared in at Marionette. "Took me long enough to find you. What's in there?"

"Mike's in here," Marionette forewarned. Again, he wasn't sure how far he trusted Ennard with Mike. "It's the office observing the vents. He's going to see if there's a way for us to get out through the doors."

"Great! The sooner the better!" the clown chirped. He then turned his head to try and see past Marionette. "Office… Is that why isn't making all that noise? You can hear it echoing all the way from the back."

"It's the ventilation system," Mike called over as he wiped his face on his sleeve. Being how boisterous Ennard was, it wasn't too hard to hear him and respond. "It's hot as hell in here. I don't know what circle of hell this is, but it's whichever one is a literal oven." He then decided to check the motion detector and waited for it to load. Meanwhile, in the vent, Marionette decided to spread their discovery to Ennard.

"Ennard, there may be children in the pizzeria," Marionette forewarned. "We think that this might be a setup so that us- the animatronics- will attack the children that are being kept in the pizzeria."

"…Children?" Ennard quietly drew out. "Children…" His blue eyes briefly dropped, glanced around, and then raised once more. "I can't be around… children… I'm not safe." There seemed to be a growing anxiety and the breathiness and tightening of wires became more apparent. "How do we get out? I won't go near another child."

Yet while Marionette was trying to calm down Ennard so that they could rationalize a plan, Mike suddenly watched as the motion detector forewarned of an animatronic in the next room. The sound of it entering the vent soon followed and Mike turned towards the vent, his back to Marionette, and shined his light down the shaft. He caught the briefest glimpse of movement at the end as the animatronic drew out of the light.

Then there was a hushed voice echoing down towards him. "I hear you in there… Will you please let me in?" the female voice coaxed with false gentleness. Mike was reluctant to believe that an animatronic that wanted in so badly was that innocent. He turned on the audio once more as he kept the light down the vent. He then leaned back towards the Puppet.

"Mari, head's up. Baby's camped out over here," Mike warned as he kept his gaze on the vent. "Still doesn't like the flashlight. What shame that I just replaced the batteries," he mentally added with the slightest of a smirk. At least he had that little bit of a victory.

Marionette turned his head back towards the office. "Baby?" As soon as the questioning word slipped out, Ennard reacted by sliding right back out of the vent and disappearing. Marionette looked after him with confusion for a moment before he realized that Ennard had fled. Marionette gave an unenthused sigh, "At least he blocked the vent for a few minutes."

Without another moment to wait, Marionette drew out of the vent and smoothly hovered around Mike, while telekinetically nudging the human to the monitor. It was a silent signal to continue working, to which Mike did. He watched for the other three animatronics and turned on the audio near them and tried to coax them to the other side of the center room. Marionette leaned into the other vent just slightly and stared down at Baby further in the vent. Baby's false sweetness was gone immediately.

"You again. You are persistent, aren't you? First that broken mound of wires and now a faceless technician… I wonder, would you protect anything that crossed your path?" Baby snipped as she glared down the shaft at the striped being. "You could be taken advantage of. You could make some enemies you wouldn't want." As soft as her voice was, she was clearly threatening him. She became only more intrusive. "Do you even know who he is? Do you even know what he's done? Or why he's here?"

"He's mine," Marionette answered. Mike couldn't remember Marionette ever sounding this threatening, if not counting the usual blare of music and the one or two moments when they first met. It only was clearer considering the current absence of his music, and it was a stark reminder of how daunting the usually welcoming puppet could be. It was just enough to send a shiver through Mike, but it wasn't one of fear, not if his sudden focus on the conversation was any indication. Let alone the urge to have Marionette back in his grasp.

"You can't keep him to yourself forever," Baby forewarned as she slid back further into the vent. "There are many of us and only one you. You can't block him on all sides."

"I can," Marionette disagreed. "I don't intend to share." His grip tightened on the edge of the vent as he unflinchingly stared her down. Mike knew it was a serious situation, so he hid his growing grin.

Finally, giving a frustrated noise, Baby yanked back out of the vent and disappeared. He felt for her and could tell that she left the adjoining room and only then lowered his guard again. He looked back over his shoulder at Mike, "She's gone again, but she will be back." There was a tinge of annoyance in his voice, signaling his disappointment in the animatronic. Mike could understand it; it wasn't like Baby was what he had hoped for either. That being said, Mike wasn't exactly surprised in how Baby turned out.

"That's a lot of talk for someone whose weakness is a flashlight," Mike remarked as he turned on the HandUnit. His eyes stayed on the vents and noticed one of the animatronics breaking from the three and moving towards the left side of the middle room. From the way the chance continued with the other two, he assumed that it wasn't Springtrap, and it couldn't possibly be Baby that quickly. He turned on the audio by the moving animatronic and looked back down to the HandUnit, where it was looking for a name to be inputted.

"Oh good, Fritz muted this thing. That alone wins him the hero of the day reward," Mike quipped as he tried to type in his name. Whatever he got in on the slightly glitchy keyboard was obviously enough as it started unlocking more options. Mike immediately noticed the 'unlock computer' option. "And he's already set it all up. I'll be damned." He tapped on the option, to which led to a loading screen. After a few seconds it popped to one percent, revealing that it alone wouldn't be a quick feat. Seeing that the computer was still running with it plugged in, Mike set the HandUnit aside.

"Yeah, so whatever's coming is just about to get here," Mike pointed out with a weary exhale. "I'll hit it with the flashlight. You just stay close, alright? I don't want Baby or the others trying to lure you into a trap."

"A trap wouldn't work on me," Marionette insisted with brief amusement. Though right afterwards realization struck and his voice dropped, "Or… If it did then I wouldn't fall for it a second time."

"Especially when it's random animatronics throwing themselves down a vent shaft," Mike quipped. He looked back with a playful smile and caught a glimpse of a brief look of unsureness before it vanished. A questioning look framed his own face until it was interrupted by some banging further down in the vent. He waited for it to get closer and then flashed the light down the vent shaft. He was rewarded with a short cry.

"Gah! That be fryin' the servos!" a familiar voice called out. "What ya doin' in there?! Tryin' ta blind me?! I already be workin' with one eye!" It was very apparent that it was none other than Foxy. Relief spread through both Mike, who turned the light back off, and Marionette. Foxy soon popped his head out of the vent and looked around the room. "Lil' small fer an office, ain't it? Yer gonna have to scoot yer seat back."

Mike reluctantly slid the office chair back into the corner as Marionette moved in front of the other vent. Though Foxy climbing in had crushed the already small space to a much more uncomfortable size.

"This office be tighter than Davy Jones' locker! 'Bout as hot as it too," Foxy exclaimed as he looked down at the desk that was taking up nearly half of the space. He then looked around at the walls. "There ain't even doors! What didya do, Schmidt, lower in from the ceiling?"

"I came in from the back, but Chance made sure to lock it behind me," Mike explained quickly before getting into the more important topic. "Long story short, there might be kids in the pizzeria and Chance might be setting us up for some sort of reenactment of the original Missing Children Incident. All we have to go on is that door in the center, the security door, opens at six. It's also our only escape out of here. Mari's got Ennard helping us, but if Baby even breathes in the area he'll split. Also, Baby's here, but you've probably already seen her."

"Aye, Mari told me. This I got me a glimpse when she passed by," Foxy agreed. "She's lookin' a bit worse for wear. Ain't very social, but that might be 'cause I had my hook jammed in Spring Bonnie's back." While this might've been a joke, Marionette was less than enthused with hearing about Baby once more.

"Baby's been trying to get in here. I've warned her more than once, but she will be back." He crossed his arms and sent a glance towards the computer and HandUnit. "…I didn't ask if she remembered being our sister, but I'm going to take a guess and say that she doesn't. Or if she did, she's not interested in it." He then sent a casual point over to the HandUnit. "Four percent."

"Wow, we might be able to use that eventually," Mike sarcastically quipped. He then sent a glance at the computer, still on the motion detectors, and noticed something. "Hold on…" He tugged himself in close and lightly bumped into Foxy who proceeded to try and squeeze into the back of the room to feel for the sealed hatch.

Marionette looked between the computer screen and Mike. "What is it?" he asked in growing concern. He reached out and laid a protective hand on Mike's arm. "Is Baby coming back?"

"It looks like… Two of the animatronics are chasing the third one," Mike pointed out. He then gestured to what he meant, "See? They're tailing the one. It's almost like they're trying to cut it off and corner it. I'm going to take a guess and bet that it's Ennard." As Mike explained this, the motion detectors started to nearly go wild as the animatronics continued to move. One of them cut off the way to the upper route around the pizzeria before the one they were chasing could get there, then seemed to move in with the second chasing animatronic coming from below.

"That be me bet too," Foxy agreed. "Ya shoulda seen Spring Bonnie lose its mind when it saw Ennard pop up. It be the closest to real life Moby Dick that we're gonna see." With that Foxy started to climb back into the vent. "I'll go see if I can go spear the white whale."

"As much as I don't want Ennard to get mauled by Baby, the last thing you should- What happened to your legs?" Mike's voice dropped into flatness as he looked over in time to see Foxy's now fabric-less legs as the animatronic continued climbing into the vent.

"Unbelievably, Foxy did that to himself," Marionette quipped with slight jovialness through his growing concern.

"…And somehow I'm not surprised," Mike murmured back as he watched Foxy disappear. More of less, he was positive that Foxy's willingness to go rescue Ennard was probably an excuse to get back in the fray. He dreaded asking the Puppet if he was going to do the same. "Are you going with him or are you planning to stick around?"

"I'm going to stay here with you," Marionette affirmed as his hands returned to Mike's shoulders. They tightened their hold with the slightest tinge of desperation. "I'd rather make sure you're going to stay safe."

"Remember, that's a two was street," Mike answered back. "I know I'm a sitting duck in here, but as long as you're with me I'll do whatever I can to protect you. Even if all I have to brute force with is an office chair." While Marionette chimed at this, Mike was serious in what he said. He had no intention in letting either Springtrap or Baby get a good grip on his puppet, regardless of what that took. Marionette slid down and wrapped his arms around Mike's shoulders in an embrace. He rested his head on Mike's as they watched the monitor together.

It was going to be a long night for all of them.

Including Ennard, who had just managed to get himself into the worst situation. Instead of risking to take a sharp left earlier, he had continued forward to get distance from his followers. This unfortunately led him right into a corner. Behind him Baby was starting to catch up with him and going back into the last room to escape would stick them in the same room together. Even though he was faster, he didn't want to get that close to her. Though the second route led him to an equally terrible fate as he could already hear Springtrap coming through the further vents.

Suddenly Ennard was trapped between a rock and a hard place. He backed towards the corner of the corner, reaching out to grab ahold of a ladder against the wall that seemed to lead to nothing, and looked between both rooms. Baby was already entering the vent shaft and slowly moving towards him. She must've known he was trapped, as she was taking her slow time. As though she just intended to block the vent.

"You must feel special getting all of this attention," Baby pointed out to him in her faux soothing voice. "You're like a birthday cake on a platter, all ready to be sliced into and divided up to everyone. I wonder… How big of a slice does he want?" There was a growing banging as Springtrap entered the other vent and started to climb through. "It sounds like he wants the whole cake to himself… But that's okay. I'm willing to share." Ennard had a bad feeling that meant that Baby was going to continue blocking his escape.

It was right when Springtrap was climbing out of the vent and Ennard was giving a garbled warning when they were all interrupted. The sound of nearby laughter echoed through one of the closer rooms. Not just any laughter either, but the sound of a child's laughter. Springtrap paused midway out of the vent and cocked his head to try and discriminate whether it was really a child or a recording. Though Ennard heard no discrimination; he immediately felt the full force brunt of need.

Ennard let out a garbled groan and shuddered as he resisted the urge to follow the call. It was especially difficult now that he knew there were children somewhere here, but he struggled to try and reign himself in. His wires twisted so tightly that they began to hurt. A gnawing curiosity grew, along with the urge to seek out the source of the laughter, but he stood his ground. He could feel the programming crawling through his body and coaxing him out, but he refused to move from his spot, and tightened his wire fingers onto the bolted ladder.

"It isn't real, Dummy. It's fake laughing," Baby lightly scolded. Ennard wasn't sure if the comment was directed to him or Springtrap. "They aren't here yet. The pizzeria isn't open at night." Yet knowing what he did, Ennard was nearly trembling. Baby seemed to notice and looked him over, studying his movements, and then started to come to her own conclusion. "Unless… They are here?... Children?"

"No chi-childrrren," Ennard denied. His voice spasmed and threatened to collapse under the strain of holding back. He thought of escape, he thought of warmth, he thought of Scott, and he continued to resist.

"You're lying," Baby accused. Though this growing frustration changed to her own sort of whirring gasp, "…I have to see. I have to know for sure." Suddenly the sound of laughter was much more interesting than standing there guarding the vent. She drew back into the vent again and soon disappeared into the next room over. A small part of Ennard recognized that he probably needed to stop her, but he could barely stop himself, let alone his constant tormentor.

Unfortunately, Springtrap wasn't nearly as interested in the prospect of finding children as Baby was. While she scurried off to look, he turned his attention back on Ennard and continued climbing in. Meanwhile, the amalgam was continuing to rival his own programming. He had a way out now, to follow through Baby's vent, but he couldn't trust that he would be able to resist the sound if he was closer to the source. Not to mention that if it was fake, then Baby would certainly turn on him yet again and reignite the chase once more.

In the moment that Springtrap rushed him, Ennard's last bit of resolve finally snapped. In a fury of frustration and defensiveness, Ennard turned on Springtrap and struck. The two collided into a flurry as Springtrap tried to rip at the amalgam's wires, which preceded to wrap around his arms in response. The amalgam then grabbed him by the arms and delivered a harsh shock, which caused even the springlocks inside Springtrap to seize and stiffen. Ennard used this second to tackle the suit to the floor and then pinned him to the metal below.

Springtrap seized longer as Ennard attempted to slip his wires into the suit with the full intention of forcibly attacking the locks that held it together. Before he could, Springtrap managed to rouse, yank his right arm out, and struck Ennard in the head so hard that his mask fell off. If anything, this just made the crazed amalgam even more unstable, as he then leaned down and bit onto a piece of Springtrap's ear. The rabbit kneed him in the chest and a bundle of wires fell loose. The amalgam bit the piece of ear clean off.

This was where Foxy found the two of them. He climbed through the vent just in time to see Ennard and Springtrap savagely tearing each other apart. All while Baby was nowhere to be seen. Foxy wouldn't deny that he was moderately impressed by the fight, but was now stuck with the uncomfortable realization that he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't exactly want to risk getting into the center of this and as long as the two were fighting each other they weren't putting anyone else in danger… So, it was a viable distraction for a little while.

In the end Foxy decided to just wait and watch. He deserved a break and was curious to see who would come out on top. If it was Springtrap then he would step in. If not, then he would be slightly impressed by Ennard.

It would still be the highlight of the evening either way. Foxy already knew that much.

Mable: I volunteer that anytime Springtrap and Ennard are fist fighting, we start calling it an 'Entrapment'. XD I don't know why we would name such a specific occurrence, but it's too good of a pun to pass up.
The next chapter will come sooner than Mike or Mari will ever want. The night is not over.