Gregory didn't think he would have another encounter with either of the two robots so soon, never mind initiating the interaction, but pff here they are. Truthfully a very small part of him is giddy with the anticipation of finally letting go of the fear that still remained, however that was drowned out by the prospect of something going wrong. Not for the lack of trying to remain positive, but sometimes he sort of wandered to a more morbid state of mind.
He felt Roxanne suddenly come to a stop, swiftly putting together that they must have arrived at their destination. The muffled sound of lone electric guitar strings could be heard from the other side, every now and again pausing then resuming. He swallows the lump in his throat, waiting for the telltale sound of Roxy greeting her friend, only for nothing to happen. She softly speaks so only he can hear.
"Is there anything else you want to say before we go in?"
"...Hope she doesn't get too jumpy." He simply said. She nods in agreement.
Roxy wordlessly knocks on the door, with the expected result of the strings coming to a stop.
"I'm fine Vanessa, you can continue your round." Chica called from behind the barrier, then resumed her small scale playing.
"I guess you don't want to speak then." The wolf feigns walking away just before the sound of rapid stomps make their way to the door in record time. It wasn't so amusing for Gregory who strengthened his grip on Roxy. The door almost flew off its hinges when Chica burst through, making the boy hidden in Roxannes fur already regretting his decision to rip off the bandaid.
"I didn't expect you to visit! Please excuse the mess, if I'd known you were coming by I would have tidied up a bit!" The chicken exclaimed before ushering her friend inside. Gregory couldn't help but be a bit disoriented from the chickens pushy behavior, doing his best holding back any sounds that could've given away his position.
"Sorry, I guess?." Roxanne stuttered out as she stumbled into the room, pushing down any yelps from the hidden childs grip.
"What brings you here? I thought you would put yourself on lockdown after whatever happened last night." Chica practically throws herself onto her couch and pats the seat next to her, to which her friend awkwardly sits.
"Why would I do that again?" The chicken tilts her head in confusion.
"Well there is a massive hole in your raceway along with a totaled cart. You went on tantrums for far less before."
"...I forgot about my raceway. However, what happened was out of my hands."
'Was it really?'
"Oh? So you lost control and crashed?! You're not suffering any long term damage, right?" The wolf sits up straighter.
"Hey, no need to go there. I never crash, especially on my own track." Chica wilts at her offended tone.
"Then how did it get so broken? Those carts can't operate by themselves." Roxannes eyes widened slightly.
"Well…that's the thing. Malfunctions weren't the only prob–concern we had to deal with. There was also a…lost kid trapped inside the PizzaPlex." She stayed silent for a few moments to let the info sink in, whilst her friend struggled to think of an appropriate response.
"Who–what– why was there a child locked in?! Did they safely make it home?!" She thumps herself on the head before Roxy could respond. "What am I saying? Of course they did! No lawsuits were filed in the last forty eight hours." The jumpy robot quickly rationalized to herself.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but there was no legal action because there was nobody on the outside who cared about him. In fact, from what I've learned and put together, he didn't even have a home at all." The dam Gregory was holding back began to crack, the quiet sniffles being just loud enough for Roxanne to hear.
'I'm sorry Greg, I don't want to bring up bad memories. But she needs to understand.' She continued. "So, with Freddys approval, I…kept him." The chicken is stunned.
"...Is the child okay? Where is he?"
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to rush him. He isn't in the condition for your kind of…affection." Chica felt a bit offended at that notion, complete with putting her hands onto her hips.
"What is that supposed to mean? I am perfectly capable of interacting with literally any kind of child." The wolf winced.
"He is not just another child. He was forced to fend for himself for however long it has been…and now he can't. I found him at the crash site, not long after it happened." She didn't elaborate any further. Thankfully Chica put two and two together.
"Oh…I see." For the first time since she was created, she couldn't think of something to come back with. Roxanne decided now would be the moment to ease the sniffling child out of his hiding place.
"You can come out now." She whispered to him. The boy allowed himself to slowly slip out of her fur and onto the seat. Chicas jaw dropped at the sight of him, he must have been really important to Roxanne if she allowed him to so much as touch her fur. However that surprise is overshadowed by the extensive bandaging all over him. His pained and uneasy expression hurt her mood a bit, but she persisted to inch closer to him. She is barely able to resist the urge to glomp him.
"Hey there. What is your name?" She starts to speak much more calmly, he fidgets under her soft gaze. It is clear how uncomfortable he is with her nearby, and it upsets her a bit, but nothing she hasn't dealt with before. "That's okay, I'll start. My name is Chica."
"I know." He mumbled. Scooting as close as he can to Roxanne.
'Already I can tell he is a tough one to crack.'
"Do you want to tell me yours?" He hesitates for a short period.
"I-I'm Gregory."
"That's a nice name. Um, how was your time here so far?"
"It didn't start off so great, what with your malfunctions and my little stunt at the racetrack. But today is much better in comparison."
"I can't imagine how it must have been, but at least you seem to be doing good now." She eyes the bandages once more then hisses to herself. "At least as well as you can be I mean."
'Nice going bird, way to forget his condition'
"You don't have to be so modest; I've been told WAY worse before." Neither animatronic could believe what he just said.
"W-What?"
"Yeah, I've been called every nasty name ever invented in the English language before. I know I look like garbage, you don't have to sugarcoat it." A snarl forms on the wolfs face, but keeps silent to let the interaction continue.
'It isn't about you right now Roxanne. Let them talk.'
"That's awful! Who would do that to a child!" He looks off to the side with a forlorn expression.
"You'd be surprised, I mean, not all people were that bad. But it always ended with me being sent to the same orphanage if I got too trusting. I hated it there." Chica felt something she never felt before. She couldn't think of it as anything else but…anger.
"That is so…so…unbelievably cruel! I've heard a lot of things from kids and adults here, be it to my face or otherwise. But I've never had the displeasure of meeting a child so…hurt." Chica is doing her utmost to keep a lid on her negative feelings. "Please forget all of that, you will never be treated with such disrespect as long as you're here with us. That is a promise. And if some adult treats you badly, so help me–" She takes deep breaths to lower her temperature. "Can you ask you a more personal question? How old are you exactly?" The boy is confused by her seemingly random question.
"I'm nine, why?" The outrage from both robots once again skyrockets, though they don't show it.
"You act so mature for your age, most of your peers would be jumping up and down in excitement. Yet I can see that even if you could, you wouldn't."
"You're right. I wouldn't." She puts her hands on his shoulders.
"So now I have to ask, will you ever allow yourself to be a kid? To have a childhood worth remembering?"
"I-I want to, I really do, but right now I can't. Not until I know the crazy lady is gone for good." She leans back like she has been threatened.
"Crazy lady? What does that mean?"
"W-When I snuck in here, I apparently attracted the attention of some psychopath, a-and now she wants to kill me. I don't know what makes me so special compared to other kids, but now I have to constantly look over my shoulder because of my desperation for food and shelter." Small sobs start to flow out from him. "Why is everything so unfair?"
Anger is quickly replaced with sorrow. Roxanne nuzzles the top of his head, reminding him that he is no longer in this alone. Chica doesn't know how to respond to that, she has never met a child who was so broken before.
'What did the world do to you?'
"Well from now on, things will be different, and for the better. That I can guarantee. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She decides to steer the subject as far as she can from anything negative. "Now tell me, is there anything you need, right now?"
"Um, nothing comes to mind. I can let you know if something does." Roxanne decides to butt in.
"Actually Chica, could you find an outfit he could use? I don't think this will last much longer." Gregory looks down towards his clothing, then realizes she is right. The amount of damage they had sustained was painfully obvious, and that is before factoring in all the stains, dirt, and dried blood that has become a part of it. He suddenly felt very embarrassed, shrinking in on himself.
"I know the perfect set for your little pup, I'll be back in a jiffy." She skips out of the room to her desired location. The wolf is bewildered by her choice of words.
'My little pup.'
She hugs Gregory, who then leans further into it. He sighs out his stress and dozes off, the pressure of the chickens presence fading into nothing, never to return. She smiles as she positions him to lay down on the couch, with her sitting besides him once she ensured his comfort.
'I like the sound of that.'
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
AN: Bit of a battle with myself on how to go about this chapter, but I think it worked out just fine in the end.