To have such a wonderful party where everyone could forget their tensions and past for a moment and just enjoy the moment together…This gave Gron hope. Perhaps it wasn't the end yet, perhaps not. Things will finally get better. Perhaps now his prospects were hopeful. William always said that no matter how difficult his path seems now, there will be something to look forward to in the end, even if it is not clear now. Gron wanted to believe this, too, but his hope wavered after separating from Lynda and Charlie. Until now.

Alison Bairren invited them to an interview where they could talk about a career at Fazbear Inc for both William and Gron. His invitation did not come without a surprise, however. Alison claimed that he is more than happy to see both of them at the same time after studying their track records, despite the different positions the two applied to. He promised that this talk won't be particularly formal and that he is convinced of their talent but now wishes to get to know them better. So far, it seemed like a perfect opportunity, even though Gron couldn't help but suspect something about it.

At the named time, he found himself coming to Fredbear's Family diner once again. This time, he didn't go into the restaurant itself, though it was clear that it was bustling with visitors. Even from the streets, Gron could hear Fredbear's loud singing. The children who got the lucky chance to visit it today must have been overjoyed.

"Welcome to Fredbear's, for you we dance and sing! It is our joy to welcome you to…" His voice got interrupted, becoming slower for a moment while growing fainter, almost withered and distorted in its sound. It became a moaning of a wounded animal that was suffering for months, if not years, pleading for death inevitable that still remained out of read. "Here lie your graves…Our cold mortal embrace."

Gron recoiled in fear, eventually shaking his head frantically and looking away. It was just another one of his twisted dreams and flashes, nothing more. He shouldn't think about it, shouldn't care, it's all in his mind anyway, it can't hurt him, it…

Gron tried not to listen, yet every time he turned away from the restaurant, he felt that a dreadful shadow followed in his footsteps, clutching his elbow with its dirtied claws, waiting for a perfect moment to strike and slaughter him. It was always so close, yet every time he tried to look around to find it, the shadow dissipated after a single moment of flashing before his eyes. He couldn't even see its form; it was so fleeting, so distant, so faint…Only the eyes that were colored in a hue of dark silver remained a constant, watching him and waiting.

He couldn't stomach this any longer. Gron rushed to the nearby building that housed the offices of Fazbear Inc, the very place where Alison resided, and wished to have a talk with them. Gron knew that he would look incredibly suspicious if he was in such haste, but it was worth getting as far away from the shadow as possible. Even if it will always be quicker than him, even if it cannot be avoided…

Once Gron reached the building, those nightmares finally paused and allowed him a respite. The offices were up to the best of standards, and everything was impeccable as employees walked among white walls, carrying papers with speeches, sketches, and lists while discussing their jobs with each other; there was much to be done for all of them. Some of them gave Gron an odd look when they noticed how worried and casually dressed he was, but most hardly paid any attention.

"Hello," Gron asked the one closest to him, causing the man to look away from his papers and give the jester an intrigued look.

"Hello, did you want anything? You don't seem like one of ours."

"I was invited by Mr. Bairren," Gron explained. "Could you please tell me where his office is?"

"On the floor above this one, look in the middle of the hall."

"Many thanks."

Gron thanked him hastily and made his way upstairs. He wasn't sure what the time was; it wasn't unlikely that he was already late, hardly a positive first impression to make on his future boss. Gron was absolutely certain that William was here already, so perhaps both were waiting for him.

When he finally reached the office, his suspicions were immediately proven correct. Alison sat at his neat desk stacked with paper on a black chair with his cane standing by its side. He was talking about something with William, who sat in front of him in one of his favorite suits colored in a dark purple hue. The moment Gron entered the room, however, all attention was turned toward him.

"Ah, here you are!" Alison exclaimed in a welcoming tone.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late…Traffic was a nightmare today." Gron sighed with shame, but Alison seemed not to care at all.

"Do not worry. I have all the time in the world when it comes to meeting new employees." Alison reassured him. "Come, sit down, and let's discuss our prospects, shall we?"

"Yes…Of course." Gron spoke in relief as he sat on a chair by William's side.

"You alright?" His friend asked with caution.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm alright." The jester responded hastily while focusing on Alison, who was eager to begin.

"You aren't too late, really; your friend Will arrived only a few minutes earlier. We didn't have time to discuss much, but isn't now a perfect time?" Alison smiled and examined his guests in silence for a moment. Afterward, he leaned on the table in front of him, taking a breath. "So, tell me…Why do you want to work at Fazbear Inc?"

William and Gron looked at each other in silence, as if beckoning for the other to speak, but in the end, it was Gron's friend who spoke first.

"Two reasons, most of all. I have a lot of experience working with animatronics and other technical marvels, and the ones in this pizzeria are among the most impressive, as I've told you already." William explained with intrigue in his voice.

"Yes, they are impressive…You speak from the heart, do you? I assume this isn't a ploy to get you a place in our company…" Alison said doubtfully, but this was the moment when Gron spoke up.

"Believe me, William would never sugarcoat or pretend to say something he doesn't actually believe…" He chuckled. "Not even with the closest of his friends."

"Not to speak in absolutes…" William sighed. "But yes, Gron's right about me."

"Brutally honest, then? A respectable quality, for sure, especially for one who has to maintain an important position." Alison responded with admiration. "So, I assume you want to learn more about our animatronics?"

"By working and maintaining them, yes, I believe that's what the job entails. And as you've already seen, no doubt, my children are immense fans of the show and the characters. I'm sure this would not be the last time they would be your guests."

"Ah, yes, that much I've seen…Always such a sweet realization, knowing how many fans our show has. And to think that such a grand idea originated from but a few drawings…But I'm getting ahead of myself. I have looked over your contract work, William, and I am most certainly impressed. Your customers are impressed and have nothing but the best to say about you. It would be a boon to have a man such as yourself in our company." Alison said with an impressed tone, almost too ready to accept William.

"I wouldn't consider any of it perfect, to be honest, but thank you nonetheless."

"And you, Gron Takaliken? Why did you choose our company?" Of course, this was an expected question. The truth was, working together with his friend was one of the major reasons, but of course, this wasn't what Alison wished to hear. Granted, there was more.

"Well…" Gron took a deep breath, trying to focus. "I am an entertainer, first and foremost, and I like seeing children smile, you know? After all, someone has to brighten their day from time to time." Sometimes Gron wondered if his desire to bring joy to others was a twisted way of easing his pain. After all, seeing people be full of happiness must be worth something…Sometimes it was. "It wasn't my first company where I worked, but so far, this seems like the perfect opportunity to do it."

"Indeed, you couldn't have made a better choice," Alison reassured him. "And your recent employers speak highly of you, as well. You would be a welcome addition to our crew. The animatronics need time to charge, after all, and someone has to entertain children during this time." Alison noted before allowing another smile to appear on his face.

"Alas, there are also things in your track record which I would clarify before taking you in…" Alison spoke with a suspicious voice, immediately making Gron shiver. He knew of what had happened. Of course, he did.

"First of all, I believe you two were suspended from a college after your actions resulted in a fire at your boarding accommodation…" He described those events with interest and even a certain level of excitement in his voice. "Tell me, how did that happen?"

"Well…I think Will can tell that one better." Gron spoke as he turned towards his friend.

"It was because of me, really. While I was studying, I also tried to pursue some other hobbies…More inventive ones, if you will. I have always been fascinated by technology, and the rapid progress mankind is making with it nowadays, so I wanted to create something of my own. One of my passions has been a machine that will be programmed to cook for myself, Gron, and a few of our old friends. Such experimentation wasn't allowed, but I did it anyway." William sighed. "I was so close to success, but then during one of the test runs, it just had to mess it up…!"

"And you say it caught a fire?" Alison asked calmly.

"Yes…Not my most proud moment. Thankfully, none died, but a few were injured, and they had to call the firefighters in. I was suspended, expectedly…Gron didn't have to. I don't know why he told them the truth."

"Because that was just fair!" Gron spoke up. "I was the one that helped you with it and wanted it to succeed, I had a part in this, and it would be unfair if it was just you who had to bear the brunt." It seemed natural for Gron at the time, even though William hardly understood it. He couldn't stand aside while his friend received a punishment that both of them deserved.

"So you would stand up for your friend, then?" Alison wondered.

"I would, yes."

"Commendable, absolutely commendable. If you are able to show similar loyalty to the members of our company, that will be absolutely priceless." Alison said with pride, which put Gron into a temporary state of security. For a moment, he believed that he wasn't going to talk about a far worse incident, yet it was inevitable. "There was another matter, however…I take it you are diagnosed with Schizophrenia." Alison looked at Gron, forcing him to nod reluctantly.

"Yes…"

"I've been told, however, that you're safe, and this will not at all impact your work. Is that correct?"

"It never did since I was released."

"Good…" Alison nodded. "And the incident that occurred with that security guard?" He continued sternly.

"I…It was different back then; I didn't see the need to diagnose, thought I could handle it myself until it was too late…"

"Why are we discussing this?" William interjected. "You've seen how good of a job Gron does. He is not a threat to anyone."

"I am making sure, as any employer would." Alison retorted. "How exactly did it happen? Or I suppose the better question is…" He made a pause, still maintaining suspicious intrigue in his voice. Gron could swear he saw sparks emerge in Alison's eyes. "How conscious was it?" Now he had to replay those events yet again, to think about this dinner when the hallucinations became too powerful to ignore. Sheer nausea and disgust Gron felt, the uncontrollable pain. Everyone around him became twisted, monstrous versions of themselves, even his family. Their melting bodies and horrifying eyes filled with blood, their animalistic claws, and torn skin…He remembered running away, unable to stop himself, unable to cope with pure disgust. His own hands shook. They transformed into the ones of a beast; he didn't feel human anymore, but rather like some rabid freak whose sanity eludes him. And then a guard came to check on him, forcing Gron to unleash all of his fury upon the man he saw as a monster. He didn't remember what followed, but he was told that he attacked him like a wild animal, tearing his skin and wounding him until he was pacified.

"I…I wasn't able to stop myself back then. The images and voice, they were…Too real." Gron's lips quivered as he spoke in a pained voice.

"I see…" Alison continued to speak calmly.

"But it is different now; everyone I talked to or worked with can attest to that."

"I believe you," Alison responded. "As long as you can keep yourself under control and give the children the entertainment they need, it will be fine. I don't think a few complaints are enough to do my business any damage." He explained with confidence. "I expect you will do this job to the best of your ability, will you?"

"You have my word," Gron swore with relief; now he finally realized that someone was giving him the chance he longed for so much.

"Spectacular," Alison responded. "If that is the case, I see no reason to deny you entry whatsoever. You will be a great addition to the family…As for you, William, I would have something very important to ask of you if you prove yourself."

"And that is?" William asked with intrigue.

"The technicians that constructed Fredbear and Spring Bonnie are talented without question, but they…Don't have any more time to work on others, unfortunately, and if this restaurant chain is to expand, we must bring all of our characters to life."

"You want me to work on the next animatronics?" William spoke with disbelief, while Gron couldn't help but be happy for his friend; such a wondrous opportunity is rarely encountered so seamlessly.

"You wouldn't refuse, would you?" Alison smiled faintly. "It's a great, after all, and an opportunity for you to create a true masterpiece. The original four, the characters every child knows…Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, they will be your designs if you so wish."

"That seems like a perfect job for you." Gron smiled at his friend, finally giving him the resolve to nod.

"You're right…When it comes to it, I will work to the best of my abilities, Mr. Bairren."

"I do not doubt it…And please, call me Alison." The businessman smiled once again. The decisiveness in his eyes showed that he already knew what to do next.

"Welcome to the family."