As Michael settled beneath the warm, cosy covers, he closed his eyes, gradually drifting to the sweet embrace of sleep. An odd sensation coursed through his body, akin to that feeling of falling within a dream. However, he dismissed it and didn't pay too much attention to it. He was too tired for that.

"Mike…Mike…"

Michael groaned, a feeling of irritation gnawing at him. He despised being woken up, especially when he was about to fall asleep. In a silent protest, he simply ignored it, hoping that the source of the disturbance would relent. It was probably Evan.

"Michael!"

Feeling a cold hand repeatedly slapping his cheek, Michael finally gave in and, with a begrudging sigh, reluctantly opened his eyes. "What—" He began, ready to snap in annoyance, but his words faltered. His eyes locked to the source of his disturbance.

His eyes widened, and he blinked rapidly, his jaw agape. He rubbed his eyes, as if to assure himself he wasn't seeing things, and blinked again. Right now, in front of him, a pair of vibrant green eyes that were filled with worry and confusion.

"M-Mum?!" Michael stammered, his voice laced with a mix of shock and confusion. "I-Is that you? W-What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing! I just woke up in this place with everyone else here!"

Right in front of him stood his mother, Clara, with her high-bang ginger hair cascading loosely, as if she had been on the verge of heading to bed. She was dressed in a blue nightgown adorned with a cute cat illustration with the words, 'Nyah!' on it, the fabric reaching down to her legs. Her feet were cosily tucked into pink slippers, each adorned with fluffy rabbits. Clara's bright green eyes were fixed on him, filled with a mixture of worry and confusion.

Michael's gaze swept around the room, observing his surroundings. His mouth formed an 'O' as he realised where he was. He wasn't in his bedroom, nor his house. He was back at that place. He was back on the comfortable blue settee with his younger siblings sandwiched between him. His best buddy, Charlie, was on the green settee with her father, Henry. His father, William, was on the purple one in front of him.

He couldn't help but notice Charlie drooling on her father's shoulder. Typical.

"Oh, we're back here…" Michael murmured under his breath.

His mother's brow raised in confusion. "Back here? You've been here before?" She asked with a hint of bewilderment.

"Uh, yeah..." Michael's voice trailed off, but then he felt a comforting warmth envelop him as his mother's arms wrapped around him. His eyes widened in surprise as she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Michael…" she whispered, her chin resting on top of his head, "I missed you so much. I missed all of you." She added, kissing his head and cheek repeatedly.

Michael felt something wet make contact with his hair. 'Uh, oh,' he thought. His mother was unleashing her most dangerous weapon, a phenomenon no child wanted to bear witness to. A crying mother.

He slowly slid his arms around her, accepting the embrace, realising it had been a long time since she had held him this way.

His mother hadn't hugged him like this in a while, not since she had left for her trip. His father, well, he wasn't home too often, but Michael could tell he was trying to change that now, attempting to be more present in their lives. The moment was bittersweet, a mix of comfort and longing for what they had lost.

Clara hesitantly pulled away from the embrace, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "I'm sorry *sniff* I just got a little too emotional." She confessed. "I'm just happy to see all of you."

A small smile tugged Michael's lips, his hand scratching the back of his head. "Y-Yeah, I missed you too-"

"Clara?!" A voice called out, their voice filled with shock and confusion.

They both turned to the source of the voice, both knowing full well who it was.

"What are you-" Before the voice could continue, he was tackled into a hug. "Oh, William…I missed you so much…" Clara said before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Michael's nose wrinkled. 'Ew…I feel like throwing up...'

After a while, Clara pulled away and locked eyes with his blue eyes. "O-Oh, sorry. I must've gotten a little too excited." She chuckled nervously. "Anyways…where are we exactly?" She probed, eyes darting around the room.

Just at that moment, William realised he wasn't in his office, nor his home. His eyes landed on the large TV screen that seemed way too advanced for his time, especially compared with the animatronics that he and Henry created. "Oh, we're back here…" he murmured, his words hanging in the air, easily audible to everyone present.

"W-Wait, you've been here too?!" Clara asked, wanting to know where the hell she was.

"W-What's going on?" a small, groggy voice piped up. One Clara immediately knew.

"Would you guys keep it down? I'm trying to have my beauty sleep," another voice chimed in, its tone distinctly feminine and bearing a slight undertone of authority.

Michael grinned. "Good morning, sleepyheads!" he said, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. Elizabeth groaned. "Don't worry, you may not be a morning person, but the sun is, and it's here to remind you!" He said with a playful remark.

Evan laughed at this, while Elizabeth on the other hand didn't. "I just managed to drift off and you're waking me up?!" She complained.

"Well Liz, it would appear that we're in the same boat." Michael added. Elizabeth wiped her eyes, her green eyes staring at his blue's, frowning. "How are you sure that it's morning?" She inquired. Michael shrugged, a grin on his lips. "Just a gut feeling."

"Lizzie, Evan. How are you both?" Their mother asked.

"Like shit—" Elizabeth paused, her eyes widening as she stared at her mother. "M-Mum?!" She said in shock, "W-What are you doing here?"

"Wow Lizzie, you've grown since the last time I've seen you!" Clara pointed out.

Her eyes widened, "R-Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you're now half an inch taller!"

Elizabeth's shoulders dropped, her expression a mix of surprise and a touch of letdown. "J-Just half an inch, huh?"

"Mummy!" Evan said, jumping into his mother's arms. Clara embraced him, picking him up gently. "How's my little one today?" she asked with a warm smile. "Oh, and look how tall you are! Has your father been taking good care of you?" Evan frantically nodded. "And you Elizabeth. Where did you learn that foul word?!" Her gaze fell onto Michael, her brows furrowing, shooting him stern glare. "Was it Mike?"

Michael raised his arms up defensively. "H-Hey, I did nothing wrong!"

Elizabeth's gaze fell onto Michael, a grin forming on her lips. "Yeah, it's all Mike's fault!" She said, pointing her index finger towards him.

"Oh, is that right?" Clara said, settling down next to Michael, placing Evan on her lap. She then seized Michael by the ear. "H-Hey, I'm innocent, I didn't do anything!"

"What are you guys babbling about? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep!?" A disgruntled voice chimed in.

Charlie woke up and noticed the peculiar situation before her. Her gaze fell on Michael and his mother. Her mouth formed an 'O'. "Oh…ummm. Hello, Aunt Clara."

"Oh, Charlotte! How're you?" Clara inquired, a gentle smile on her lips. She then narrowed her eyes at Michael, intensifying her ear-pulling. "Has Michael done anything stupid recently?" She probed, a little menace in her tone.

"O-Oh, I'm doing fine, thank you," Charlie replied, her gaze landing on Michael, who appeared to be in a predicament. As much as she wanted to say yes because it would've been amusing to see what would happen, she decided against it. "Um, not that I know of, Aunt Clara. Everything's been great, as far as I can tell." She answered in a polite manner.

"Hm, if you say so." Clara said, freeing Michael's ear. He grabbed it in pain and shot a glare at Elizabeth, who was studiously avoiding eye contact with him.

"Oh, Clara, Long time no see!" Henry greeted. He surveyed the room before speaking. "Oh, we're back here."

"Could someone please shed some light on what's happening here? One moment I was in bed, and the next, I woke up in this place," Clara inquired with a touch of desperation in her voice.

Henry hesitated for a moment, struggling to find the right words for this situation. "Oh, um…"

Charlie, ever so blunt, cut to the chase. "Basically, we were kidnapped in our sleep by an Old Man," she stated matter-of-factly, a grin on her face.

Clara, her confusion apparent, blinked in disbelief. "O-Oh, really?"

Henry couldn't help but facepalm, his fingers rubbing his temples. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he muttered. "*Sigh* Charlotte, I believe we already had this kind of conversation before…."

Charlie, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh. She tilted her head, shrugging, her smile grew even wider in amusement.

"Kidnapped? That's…" she paused, her eyes glancing around the room. "Believable…but you're telling me that we were all kidnapped together at the same time? You know that I'm not in Utah?" Clara said with a hint of scepticism.

"That's what I said!" Elizabeth chimed in.

Charlie narrowed her gaze towards Michael and William. "You guys didn't think of telling her?"

"Well…it's not like she'll believe us." Michael muttered.

William sighed. "Okay, bear with us here."

. . .

"Okay…so you're telling me that an Old Man magically brought-" "Kidnapped." Charlie corrected.

"...Kidnapped us here in our sleep so that we could watch the future…?" Clara asked, her voice laden with hesitation and disbelief.

Henry nodded, nervously scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

. . .

Suddenly, Clara burst out laughing. Everyone watched her in silence. It wasn't like they weren't expecting this kind of response.

As she wiped a tear from her eyes, she quipped, "Okay, where are the cameras? Is Jermey Beadle going to suddenly walk into this room? Will the settee give out, sending me to a Japanese game show?" Her laughter filled the room, as her disbelief turned into amusement.

The rest of the group exchanged glances, and nervously, Charlie chuckled along with Clara. It wasn't the reaction they had expected, but her sense of humour lightened the strange atmosphere in the room

As she finally calmed down, she observed their expressions, noticing that they were unchanged. "Ha…ha…. Oh, you're all serious?"

They all nodded.

"Ha...ha... real funny, guys..." Clara said, her tone filled with sarcasm. But the unchanging expressions of the group made her eyes widen in realisation. "O-Oh, you're all... you're all not joking, are you?"

They nodded once again.

Her hand went to the back of her head. "W-Wow, that's pretty…bizarre." She muttered.

"Trust me, it really is." Charlie said with a grin.

Suddenly, the front door opened and entered Old Man Consequences. They watched as he surveyed the room.

"Good, it appears that you're all awake and well." The red man said.

Clara tightened her hold on Evan, who let out a small squeal from the pressure. "W-Who're you!" She said.

"Hello, I'm Old Man Consequences, and I'm the one who brought you all here." OMC replied.

Clara raised an eyebrow. "That's…an interesting name."

"That's what I said!" Michael chimed in.

"I guess you're all ready then." OMC said, getting ready to leave.

"W-Wait, is this really happening?!" Clara exclaimed, a slight panic in her voice.

"Yes, it is. Also, you're all allowed to sit anywhere you want." OMC said before leaving.

They all watched in silence as he left.

"So…does anyone want to sit with me?" William asked, a tinge of hope in his voice.

"I'm staying where I am." Clara said, pulling Evan closer to her on her lap.

William deflated. "O-Oh, okay then. I guess I'll sit here, by myself…again."

Henry couldn't help chuckle at this. "Don't worry, William, I'll sit with you." He offered, getting up and walking towards William.

"Charlotte, you don't mind being alone, right?" Henry said, a small guilty look in his eyes.

Charlie laughed, waving him off. "It's fine." She said, turning to Michael's direction. "Is there a spot left for me?" She asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Well…I guess if you fit." Michael responded with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Charlie's brow raised, and she placed a hand on her hip, giving him an amused look. "Are you calling me fat?" She said, her tone of light-heartedness as she attempted to squeeze herself into the limited space.

She sat at the end of the couch beside Elizabeth. "Thanks," she replied, squeezing herself in the spot.

"Ow…I'm getting crushed here!" Michael complained as he found himself being squeezed from both sides.

Charlie chuckled before picking up Elizabeth, eliciting a small yelp, and settled her on her lap. She then grabbed Michael's arm, pulling him closer, allowing more space for his mother. Extending her right arm across the backseat above Michael and securing her other arm around Elizabeth's waist, Charlie created a more comfortable seating arrangement. "Isn't that better?" She asked, letting out a relaxed sigh.

"So…are we really going to see the future, or was that Old Man just crazy?" Clara asked, a hint of doubt in her voice. Michael nodded. "Yeah, we are. I know that it sounds pretty…surreal, but we all had the same reactions when we initially came here, so let me assure you that this is real and really happening."

"I see…" His mother said, nodding her head slowly, doubt all over her face. "So, you've all been here before? What did you see?" She inquired, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

As Clara asked the question, she couldn't help but notice a collective stiffening in the group and a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere. It was clear that whatever they witnessed wasn't fully sunshines and rainbows. Their reaction conveyed a sense of unease, causing her to feel a mix of concern and nervousness on what's going to happen next.

"Ha…Ha…. What's with those faces? Did…did something bad happen?" She questioned.

…

"W-Well, Aunt Clara, you see, um," Charlie stammered, shifting in her seat, her trembling hand finding Elizabeth's, interlocking her fingers with hers for support.

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "We…learned some things. Things that'll happen in the future." Charlie drew a shallow breath, her words coming out as hesitant fragments. "I, um, I don't know how to say this but…." As she continued, tears welled up in her eyes, her voice quaking with emotion.

Clara's eyes widened. 'Was what they watched that bad?'

Charlie wiped the small tears that formed with the back of her hand and sniffled. Feeling Elizabeth's grip tightening and Michael rubbing her back, she continued.

"We…We learned that Lizzie goes missing in the future…or possibly worse… dead ." She began, glancing at Clara. Clara simply sat there, seemingly frozen in place. Like her mind was processing what she just said. "That's not all…" she swallowed and licked her lips, her fingers clutching Michael's wrist, her grip almost desperate, as if afraid he might vanish. Michael pried off her trembling grip before holding it firmly on his own.

"W-We watched Michael …" Charlie struggled to find her words. How could she tell someone's mother that they watched their son die, especially a horribly gruesome one. After a deep breath, she continued. "We watched Michael die."

As she finished speaking, a shudder cursed through her entire body as she unintentionally pried her hand from Michael's, and wrapped her arms around Elizabeth, burying her head into her shoulder.

Since the day they watched Michael get scooped, she's had recurring dreams of those moments. Michael's agonising screams, his mangled organs dangling grotesquely from the scooper. Sometimes, her nightmares took her back to that moment, however this time, she was accompanying him, where she was just a helpless observer, unable to save him . The way she begged him to stay awake and not to leave her. His blood stained her hands and nails. She would always wake up drenched in cold sweat, sometimes even sobbing. Her father would attempt to comfort her, saying that they're just dreams and how they're not going to allow this to happen. She would even sometimes call Michael in the very early hours of the morning to ensure that he's still there. He would always listen and talk to her until her racing heart slowed, her breaths steadied, and until her tears finally evaporated. She would always think that she's being a burden, but he would always reassure her that she isn't, and how Evan and Elizabeth are having the same problems, but not as bad as her.

Noticing Charlie's tremors, Elizabeth shifted and wrapped her smaller arms around her shoulders, offering a small kiss on her temple in a comforting gesture. She then buried her head in her chest while Charlie stroked her hair between her fingers. Michael joined in, gently rubbing her back in a soothing rhythm.

Clara's world seemed to unravel before her very eyes as the words sunk in. Her usually composed demeanour shattered, her body frozen in a stillness born of shock. Her mind struggled to process the grim reality painted by Charlie's words. It couldn't be true! But Charlie was crying and she didn't get to see that everyday. Her eyes darted around the room until her green eyes landed at William's blue ones. His very expression confirmed everything Charlie said was true.

"How…How did he die?" Clara inquired, her voice devoid of emotion.

Charlie glanced up from Elizabeth's shoulder, her arms still tightly wrapped around her smaller body. Sniffling, she answered. "T-The animatronics…they used a machine to…" She closed her eyes, Michael squeezed her shoulder, encouraging her to continue. "T-They used a machine designed to scoop out an animatronic's endoskeleton on him." She explained, her words laden with the horror of the memory.

Clara tightened her hold of Evan. Her breath hitched, caught in her throat, a suspended moment of silence as if shock had momentarily stolen the very sound of her voice.

"Was…Was it quick? Was it… painless?" Clara asked, her voice cracking.

Charlie remained quiet, Michael's blood-curdling scream playing in her head as the scooper missed its initial mark, ripping into his side. She held back a sob.

"Oh... I see," Clara responded, her eyes darkening as she came to terms with the grim reality of what had transpired.

…

"That's not all…" Elizabeth finally spoke, shattering the silence that had settled in the room. Clara turned her gaze toward her daughter, her face a mask of anticipation.

"Those... Those monsters," Elizabeth's voice quivered with anger as she gritted her teeth, "A-After they killed him —the reason they used the Scooper was so that they could climb inside of him … controlling him like he was some kind of puppet!" Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, cascading down her cheeks, mingling with her anger and grief. " He didn't deserve it…" she muttered. A lump formed in her throat, trying to swallow it back. She didn't want to cry again, she already cried enough.

Charlie's embrace tightened, planting a kiss on Elizabeth's head.

Clara's eyes widened in shock as she listened to what just came out of her daughter's mouth, her expression a reflection of the turmoil she's feeling inside. Her hands, at first trembling with the shock of the revelation, stopped. Feeling a smaller hand over hers. It was Michael. Her fingers brushed lightly against Michael's hand before interlocking her fingers with his.

However, she couldn't help but pull him closer, her need for his closeness a testament to the amount of time they'd spent apart. She pulled him into her arms, head buried in her chest, her hand running through his hair. She smiled, remembering the times he told her not to touch his hair because "she's ruining his natural curls." She'd always laugh when he'd say that. Surprisingly, he didn't resist.

Her touch was gentle, comforting. He felt comfortable. Too comfortable and had the urge to fall asleep. It felt more comfortable than his bed since he knew no matter what…she would always keep him safe.

With Evan sitting on her lap and Elizabeth nestled on Charlie's, Clara's embrace expanded to include all of them. She drew them close, her protective instincts extending to her children she'd been separated from for too long.

As Clara held them all close, Michael couldn't help but notice his mother's slight tremors, and in response, his embrace tightened around her. However, a pang of guilt coursed through his veins. Before they had even started watching the events of the future, he had already inadvertently caused three people to cry. Not to mention, they were all girls. 'Do I have the ability to cause girls to cry?'

…

William and Henry couldn't help but feel left out. Henry glanced at William and asked. "So, what do you think we're going to watch?" William glanced at him. "I hope they explain why my animatronics are like this. I know that my future self knows something." He said.

Suddenly, the large screen turned on, startling everyone and gathering their attention. Clara released herself from the embrace, ready to watch whatever is going to be thrown at her.

The screen flickered to life, showing from the point of view of a pair of eyes staring at what looked like a dining room.

"W-What is this? What are these sounds?" Clara asked, feeling uncomfortable.

"That looks like Freddy's, right, William?" Henry asked, to which William nodded in agreement. "Not only that, I think we're looking through Freddy's eyes." William said, knowing from the many times he wore his Spring Bonnie suit.

An assortment of eerie sounds filled the background, setting an unsettling atmosphere. The gaze behind the Freddy mask shifted slowly, turning right towards Bonnie, his eyes swallowed by the darkness. The view panned to the left, landing on Chica, her static form holding a cupcake in her hand. Both animatronics stood stoically on the stage, their figures barely visible from the darkness. After a while, the screen suddenly flickers, the sound of eerie static resonating, shrouding the room in an unsettling vibe. Then, a curtain of darkness fell over the screen, the only words visible, "err" in the top left corner.

. . .

"Okay…can someone please explain to me what that was all about?" Clara questioned, drawing the quivering Evan closer to her chest.

"Honestly, I'm just as clueless as you are." Michael scratched his head. "All I know is that it's definitely at Freddy's, but that's about it."

Charlie shook her head, frustration clear in her voice. "I mean, could they have been any less vague?"

The screen lit again, showing a car parking in a large empty parking lot. It appeared that it was at midnight as they watched a man stepping out of his car. This man had short golden hair, light brown eyes.

Michael furrowed his brows at the man. "Huh…he looks very familiar."

Charlie also furrowed her brows. "Yeah, he does…"

They watched as this man, no older than 18, stared ahead at the large sign of a building.

The group's eyes widened as they saw what was written.

There was a huge neon sign with three almost familiar characters waving with the big words. Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.

"Freddy's? Are we finally going to see why Freddy's shut down?" Henry asked.

Clara, who had been listening intently, couldn't hide her surprise, her eyes widened. "Wait, Freddy's got shut down?"

"Yeah, we were all pretty surprised too," Elizabeth chimed in. A grin appeared on her lips. "You should've seen Daddy. He was completely flabbergasted."

Charlie furrowed her brows, staring at the sign. "Are you sure it's the same Freddy's? The characters look…a bit different. Not to mention the building is bigger and the location isn't familiar to me."

William narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, you're right. It's not the same Freddy's. Either that, or we just changed how they look."

They watched as the man entered the restaurant and they were taken aback to find a vastly different scene from what they had expected.

"Whoa, this doesn't look like Freddy's at all," Charlie remarked.

"Yeah, I guess we opened a different restaurant for some reason. Maybe this is after the original Freddy's." Henry speculated.

"You probably opened a new one for the money," Michael offered bluntly. His mother quickly elbowed him. "What? It's not a bad thing." He complained, rubbing his arm.

The mysterious man took in a deep breath before exhaling. "Ah, yes, the beautiful smell of greasy pizza."

He looked around, the first thing his eyes landed on was a small, chubby, human-like animatronic with a round body, peach-coloured skin tone, large blue eyes, an orange triangular nose, red-brown hair, and a toothy grin. His cheeks were rosy red and he wore a red and blue vertically striped shirt, a feature that undoubtedly confirmed that he was a child. He was currently holding with his stubby, thin, fingerless, round hand a large, red-and-yellow striped balloon, while on his other hand, he held a large rectangular sign that read, "Balloons!"

"Huh, what a weird animatronic." Elizabeth said.

He couldn't help but have the urge to kick the balloon kid. However, he stopped himself as his gaze landed on a man staring at him through what looked like the prize counter.

He approached the man at the prize corner, intending to offer one of his many greetings. However, before he could say anything—

"I'm Matt, everybody loves me! Give me Faztokens and I'll give you prizes!"

His expression turned quizzical, his eyebrows arched, and he managed an awkward half-smile as he attempted to make sense of whatever he just said. "Well, nice to meet you, Matt. The name's Jer—" He paused, taking a step back from 'Matt.' There was something…off about him.

Matt was tall, with tanned skin, brunette hair, and brown eyes. He sported a grey shirt, a brown necklace, and a bracelet on his right wrist, complementing his blue jeans that reached down to the floor and grey sneakers with red laces. Yet, what caught his attention was the unnaturally wide, forced smile plastered on Matt's face, an aspect that felt disconcertingly out of place.

He backed away, going into the hallway. He gave him a quick glance, seeing that he was still staring at him with that wide smile. 'Jeez, and people say I'm weird.'

. . .

William folded his arms on his chest. "Wow…that's one creepy son of a bitch."

Clara's eyes widened and her mouth hung open. "William, how could you say that!" He gave her a glance before shrugging. "Well, am I wrong?"

She raised a finger, her mouth opening and closing before sighing in defeat.

He walked in the long hallway, where a sign was hanging on the wall, displaying.

Security Office

Party Rooms

Parts & Service

He then reached the end of the corridor, where… a longer hallway was, and in front of him was a door that read, Parts & Services. The door was slightly ajar and curiosity got the better of him. Glancing to both his directions, a mischievous grin formed in his lips as he pushed the door open, only to collide with a tall man, sending him tumbling on his butt.

Rubbing his head, he muttered an apology and glanced up, his brown eyes meeting a pair of piercing blue eyes. His pupils dilated and eyes expanded in sheer surprise.

The group's eyes widened in shock, their jaws gaping open.

"Michael?!" He exclaimed.

"Daddy?!" Elizabeth blurted out..

"Yeah, it is father!" Michael said

"Are you certain it's him? he looks… a bit different," Charlie observed, studying the man who bore a striking resemblance to Michael's father.

Michael glanced at her, "Yeah, I'm positive it's him. He just looks a bit… thinner… and a little sleep deprived."

As the name "Michael" reached the man's ears, his eyes widened momentarily before returning back to normal. "I've no idea who this 'Michael' is." He stated, a heavy British accent in his voice. He pulled the hem of his shirt that had the badge on it. "The name's Dave. Dave Miller. I'm the dayshift security guard."

"Oh…" He said, slowly rising back to his feet. "Sorry, you just look a lot like an old friend of mine. You even have the same accent as him."

Suddenly, something settled in Michael's mind. "Wait… how does he know my name?"

Charlie glanced at him. "Maybe he knows you from the future. Or perhaps you know him but he's all grown up now," She suggested. "Didn't you mention he looked familiar? Plus, he claimed that you're a friend of his." Michael nodded. "Yeah, I suppose so…"

At that moment, Henry realised something. "Wait… William, why on earth are you a day shift security guard?!"

William opened his mouth but then closed it, sighing and shrugging. "I'm just as baffled as you," he admitted "All I know is, there's a chance it might not be me."

"Maybe Dad has a twin brother," Evan chimed in.

"..."

A small smile formed in the corner of Clara's lips. "Good thinking, Evan." She remarked, her hand reaching out to ruffle his hair.

Dave eyed him. "So, are you the new night guard?" He asked. He nodded, winking and giving him the thumbs up. "Yep, yep. You're looking at him all right!"

Henry chuckled. "Looks like someone's pretty thrilled about their new gig."

"Yeah," Michael agreed. "I just hope it goes smoother than what happened to me."

Clara froze, remembering what they told her what happened to future Michael. With a hesitant breath, she extended her hand and grasped his, intertwining her fingers with his own. His response was immediate—a reassuring, firm squeeze that brought a small smile to her lips.

Dave furrowed his brows, shooting him a weird glance. "Alright then…. Every night, head to this room and switch off the power. After that, make a dash to your office." He instructed, gesturing towards the desk sitting at the far end of the long hallway.

The new night guard stared at the distant office. "That's an odd spot for an office…"

The guard's eyes slowly drifted past Dave and into Parts & Service, where he saw a familiar-looking animatronic. "Could it be…?" He murmured, moving past Dave and into the room. A gasp escaped his lips as he dropped to his knees, hands outstretched before him. "Sir Bonniebel the II?! What happened to you? You're missing your face!" He spun around, another gasp escaping him. "Lady Chicanella Poultyrton! Sir Farley Farfox The I!? And the main headliner himself, Sir Fredrick Fazbear The II?!"

The group recoiled in horror, their eyes wide with shock. "Jesus! What happened to them?!" Henry exclaimed. "Bonnie, his face—it's torn off! And his arm's missing!"

"They look decommissioned… withered. Just how many years has passed?" William pondered.

Clara, feeling Evan trembling, drew him closer. "C-Can we talk about this later, please?" She politely asked. William hesitated but nodded. He needed to know why Freddy's shut down….

However, laughter filled everyone's ears. Their attention shifted to the source of the laughter. It was Charlie, who was covering her mouth, stifling her laughter. However, she couldn't take it and burst out laughing. Everyone stared at her in disbelief.

Charlie wiped away her tears, smiling at them. "S-Sorry, I know this is serious and all, but did you hear what he called them—" She attempted to suppress her laughter again, failing miserably. "S-Sir Bonniebel The II, Lady Poultrytron, and Fredrick—" Her laughter bubbled up once more, filling the room.

. . .

Michael couldn't help but realise that the new night guard acted the same way as one of his friends.

Dave glanced at the night guard who was dramatically crying and rolled his eyes. "If you're wondering what happened to them, they were apparently too scary… and ugly ." Dave explained, his words tinged with bitterness. "So, they opted to create a new line of animatronics based on toy designs they used to sell."

William glowered at the screen. 'They dare call my creations ugly?!'

The guard's gaze shifted to the right, past Sir Farley Farfox The I, landing on a peculiar machine. "What's that?" he inquired, pointing at the contraption. A faint smirk crept onto Dave's lips. "That's the machine they use to fit a suit onto an Endoskeleton," he clarified. The guard raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought it was more like a torture device…" His voice trailed off as his eyes wandered to the corner of the room, where a familiar yellow rabbit suit sat. Its fur appeared slightly weathered, but its signature purple bowtie remained intact.

William grinned. "Good, Bonnie's still in decent condition." He muttered.

His eyes fell on the other suit next to Spring Bonnie, where a yellow bear sat—

He halted, his body tensing and freezing, eyes widened in horror. "I-I think it's best if I go," he stammered, seizing the keys from Dave's hand and flicking off the power, casting the building into pitch darkness.

"Huh… that was odd." Charlie remarked, noting the sudden shift in his demeanor.

As he hurriedly departed, Dave observed with a concealed smirk, barely visible in the darkness. "Let me offer you a piece of advice," he uttered, pausing the man in his tracks. "Keep that Music Box wound up." Then, almost in a murmur, "Thanks..." The man mumbled before making his exit.

"That totally wasn't ominous at all." Elizabeth commented dryly.

Walking down the dimly lit corridor, the man maintained a stoic expression, yet his heart pounded against his chest. His head felt foggy, his vision blurring, the echo of his own footsteps filling the lengthy hallway—

SLAM

The abrupt noise jolted him out of his trance-like state, causing him to shake his head. 'They must have left,' he reasoned internally. 'Calm down...' His expression regained composure as he attempted to steady himself.

. . .

The man strolled into his office, settling into his leather office chair and spinning around. Pulling his hand up, he glanced at his watch, letting out an exaggerated gasp. "Mine oh my! T'is very late, I dare say." As the hands of the watch struck 12 AM, he pursed his lips. "I'm very not well-rested

RING…RING…RING…

"By Jove! Who in god's name could be ringing me at this ungodly hour! …Ah, well, one mus'nt ignore thee tele. But before I attend to that…" He reached into his pocket, retrieving a yellow badge proudly displaying the name "Jeremy Fitzgerald."

Michael and Charlie both choked on the air. "JEREMY?!" they exclaimed in unison, taken aback at this revelation.