Henry braced himself for yet another night.

Just when he thought he was getting the hang of it, getting used to the chaos of the four animatronics constantly trying to reach his office, an event so unpredictable and horrifying occurred that Henry felt as if the real world began to crumble around him. Even with the knowledge he had, seeing an unhinged animatronic murder a teenager in cold blood and traumatizing countless visitors by ripping the skin of another person off defied all logic and reason. As Henry sat at his desk, the realization slowly crept towards him.

This monster was called 'Ennard' and 'The Anomaly' in the news, and it made all of Hurricane tremble in less than a day. Even though it snuck into the restaurant from the outside, it was enough to annihilate any business prospects of the restaurant. Not a single soul except occasional policemen showed up there. Adding onto the Bite of 87 and the rumors spread about the company, those might be the final days of Fazbear Inc. Henry didn't have time to talk to Lockjaw since the incident, but he would certainly be delighted. Perhaps he could shed light on the nature of this Ennard…After all, those were the only two known animatronic anomalies, the ones that obeyed no one but themselves.

He also couldn't stop thinking about William's pain and his revealing his sorrow to Henry. At first, he only felt anger and disdain for Will. He was nothing but Alison's obedient servant and played a key part in dooming countless innocent lives…But Henry saw that this was not something he chose. He was forced into it by Alison, a man willing to threaten children to achieve his psychotic goals. If Henry still had anyone to protect, he would've done the exact same. He had an opportunity to pretend that he had morals…But when people's loved ones were in grave danger, morals often became flexible.

But there was no time to think about that when the animatronics still hunted him.

As Henry expected, Foxy was the first one to move out. Over the last nights, he proved himself to be the most ravenous and aggressive animatronic of them all. There was no mistake to be made when it came to his motives, even though Henry still couldn't understand the reasons why he was so eager to kill him. So much so that he would repeat the same actions again and again in an attempt to quench his rage. He charged once again, forcing Henry to use the flashlight to force Foxy away. He retreated, but the night guard knew that he would try this again during the night and for the nights to come.

He might have been the most unhinged of them, but some others have proven to be quite a thorn in Henry's side, as well, Freddy being the most notable of them. He was silent on the first night, but the second one marked him beginning to wander around and make his way toward Henry, sometimes through the halls, sometimes through the vent. He was harder to understand, just like Chica. Both tried to get into his office, but Henry could force them to leave with something as simple as putting a mask on…If only it didn't make it so hard to breathe and did not restrict his ability to see, Henry might have kept it on throughout the night's entirety.

He heard Freddy's heavy steps echoing in the distance, causing Henry to immediately check out the cameras and look for the animatronic bear. He saw him on the edge of the hallway camera, slowly striding towards the darkness, getting further away from the stage. He was by far the heaviest animatronic; his metal limbs left markings on the floor underneath him. Henry imagined the animatronic hands clawing his face and tearing it apart in a fit of rage…It would be a painful and agonizing death; even thinking about it made Henry shiver.

All the more reason to fight.

He couldn't focus on Freddy for too long; however, Henry soon heard the echoing sounds of a bird that attempted to sing. It didn't sound nearly as smooth or enchanting as when Chica was on the scene; the programming must have prevented her from singing at night. However, Henry could still make out some distant words that formed in this cacophony.

"Let's…E-e-eat…"

The night guard checked the cameras and saw Chica crawling in one of the vents. She was quicker and more aggressive than during previous nights, causing Henry to feel all the more exhausted. He was prepared; however, he just needed to put on his mask in due time…Just as Chica was about to get out of the vent, Henry put it on him.

He saw the animatronic rise above him and stare at him while reaching out with her yellow hand…Henry desperately tried to keep calm and distract himself from his predicament with whatever other thoughts emerged in his mind. He wondered if her color was similar to that of Lockjaw before a few years of roaming the Underworld with a corpse inside stained him.

As expected, Chica could not go any further while Henry wore his mask, and eventually, she retreated back into the hall. A part of him wondered about what she would do if he were to take the mask off right before her…Kill him there and then? Screech in a fit of fury before making him suffer? All for the crime of working here? Perhaps they considered him a roadblock on their path to freedom?

Henry was about to take his mask off, but he saw Freddy standing in the hall, this time getting even closer. Chica usually went through the vents, but Freddy didn't seek alternative ways, instead storming the office in the most direct possible way. He couldn't take the mask off yet, even though Henry already felt like he could barely breathe. This mask suffocated. It forced him to grasp for every single flow of air he could grasp as sweat poured down from his skin. Freddy stood in the hall for a good few minutes now without daring to turn away. Did he resist the programming as well? Henry shivered at the thought.

Unlike Foxy, who must have been designed to react to flashing lights, Freddy and the others had no such weakness. If he were to get into the office, all Henry would be able to do was to run. At least he would be prepared for that…

But he was not prepared for what happened only moments after. Another silhouette emerged from behind Freddy's back, Foxy. Henry had to fend him off countless times, but never before did he see him emerge so swiftly. Freddy, who was much taller than the fox, covered his approach and caught Henry completely off-guard. Did those two work together to bring him down? Each new night became harder and harder to survive.

Henry's shock played a cruel joke on him; the few seconds that he could've used to grab the flashlight lying on his desk got wasted, leaving him at the animatronic's mercy. Foxy focused on his target with incredible precision and rage in his eyes, channeling his inner hatred and spite. He was about to claim him, plunge his metal hook into Henry's flesh…But he never got the opportunity to reach him.

Bonnie leaped from the nearby room, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, and pushed Foxy away from his course, forcing the ravenous animatronic into the adjacent room, ending up making both of them disappear before Henry's eyes and giving the guard just enough time to grab his flashlight. Henry stared at the hall with shock and disbelief in his eyes, trying to not let the flashlight fall down from his hands.

Did an animatronic just…Save him?

…

Watching Henry spending his nights amidst the dangerous animatronics became an amusing job for William and one of the only ways to properly distract himself from the poisonous thoughts that prevailed in his mind. To see him so eager to fight for his life when the four children were still conflicted about what they should do to him.

William felt like the snake that he was, knowing where exactly those recordings would go.

The soul inside Foxy was the most aggressive, just like when it interacted with William years ago. Now, it tried to kill Henry at every opportunity, so much so that, for some reason, the mask did not stop him. And Bonnie, on the other hand…He was quick to rush in and defend him, even when this meant going after one of his own. Perhaps it was Liam's soul that resided inside the bunny animatronic? Would he still be able to recognize his own father even when he changed his face? William looked into Stein's research, there must have been some commonality, some aura he would feel…Perhaps there was truth to his theories, after all. Either way, as the night drew to a close, it was time to finish off his watch and prepare those recordings for transportation right into Alison's hands.

There truly was nothing left of William's soul.

…

"I forgive you."

Chris's soft, kind voice echoed in Mike's ears as he saw his waning image amidst the light. For a moment, he thought that he was completely alone, consumed by the darkness of the rotting alley he drowned in, back into the Underworld, back into Hell itself. But it was different now, very different…All of this was a dream, but now it was over. Mike was in his house again; he could see the fading colors of its walls emerge on all sides around him and Chris…His beloved brother. The one who be wronged so much, the one whose life he stole in a manner so unceremonious and cruel. The mockery, the mutilation, this endless pain…And still, he forgave…

The dream was over.

When Mike felt a connection to the animatronic's eyes again, all this illusory joy was gone without leaving a trace. He was a soul in the body of a half-broken animatronic who just fell into this forsaken alley, a place of dirt, trash, and rot. Perhaps that's where he deserved to be…But at least he was in control. Mike couldn't feel Chris's influence just yet; he must have grown tired, giving Mike a chance.

All that he said to Chris was truthful. He did not want to hurt him or force his control upon him, but there was no other way. As Mike made the body move its limbs and slowly stand up from the wet molded ground beneath it, he thought of how Chris must have felt. Broken, betrayed, tormented, all of those feelings were valid after all that happened…But he killed Lamar, a good person at heart who made a mistake and desperately wanted to correct it. Chris might not have known it, yet still…It was for the better to take control of him.

"Mike…" The boy's pained voice echoed in Mike's mind. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you home, Chris, just like I said I said I would." The teenager said sternly as he took another step, allowing his determination and resolve to gradually grow.

"Do you…Want to take everything from me? Even after you've killed me…I know you liked making me suffer, but not that you'd go that far." His voice grew louder. "I hate you, Mike…I hate you."

"Chris…It's fine if you do. I deserve it in your eyes. I know why. But I want to save Father and Liz from whatever shadow this freak company cast over them while you would rather just go around killing my friends because of what we did! One is clearly more important than the other, and you don't understand this…Because you're still a child, Chris, and you had to deal with the responsibility you weren't prepared for. But now I can take it, and you can rest easy…I promise I will take care of all of us." Mike swore, knowing how much Chris would hate him for this. It was not an easy decision to make, but it was necessary. They can solve their feuds once the likes of Alison are dead and buried.

"No, Mike, you were supposed to take care of me while I was still alive…And you killed me!" Chris screamed and let a powerful, energetic wave that felt like an electrical charge shocking Mike's metal body. It was so sudden that he could barely do anything to resist it. The animatronic fell on the ground, and with most of his regained power extinguished again, he had no choice but to crawl…Mike couldn't feel his legs; Chris must have regained control of them, only metal arms to drag himself forward while the light of his strength was fading.

"I am not…Doing it…For me…How can you not understand this?" Mike pleaded in a last desperate attempt to call on Chris's common sense. "We can still save them. We just have to…"

He was met with haunting silence and immense power, which forced Mike to slowly close his eyes; he felt on the brink of collapse again. If he gives up, Chris will regain control and continue his killing spree, while Mike will have another pathetic failure to grapple with.

Suddenly, the push halted.

"Who…Is this…" Chris's scared voice echoed in Mike's mind as a large shadow arose over the amalgamation. Mike tried to raise his head up and try to get a glimpse. He saw a tall and dirty animatronic with a golden tint, and a familiarly nightmarish face that he had seen while he was still alive.

"So this is the fabled 'monster'?" The animatronic said with visible disappointment. "I expected more from someone who attacked Fazbear Inc. in such a…Spectacular fashion."

"Lockjaw…"

"And you are Mike, I assume?" The animatronic asked.

"How does he know?" Chris spoke with shock.

"Quiet, let us talk!" Mike said quietly before forcing himself to stare right into Lockjaw's eyes. Was his appearance Mike's bane or salvation? At this point, he struggled to even think of what might happen next. "How did you find us?"

"Us?" Lockjaw wondered.

"Well…"

"You never covered your traces. The police may be stupid enough to be lost, but I was on your trail the moment I heard of what happened in the pizzeria." His voice gleamed with cathartic joy. "The last establishment Alison clung onto finally fell…You have done me a great, great service, and I couldn't help but become curious. You emerged from Afton's bunker, right? In Mike's skin…So tell me, who are you?"

"It's me, Mike…"

"As I thought, then," Lockjaw said with surprising grief echoing in his quiet voice. "I am sorry that you had to go through this…This wasn't your battle to fight, but someone had to take initiative."

"I'm not alone…My brother is here, too."

"Chris? But how is that possible?" Lockjaw said with wonder.

"It's a long story…I'll tell you if you do something for me."

"Don't test my patience."

"I just want you to answer one question…Honestly." Mike stared him into the eyes. "Are you Gron?" Those words made Lockjaw pause for a moment. He looked over the mangled animatronic lying before him as if carefully considering his next move. Mike couldn't imagine what was going through his head, but he hoped that the enigmatic monster would prove to be reasonable…Lynda believed in him. Perhaps he should, too. Eventually, Lockjaw extended his hand.

"Come with me, 'nephew'. We have much to discuss."