"Superstar…" the controlled Freddy called as he bent down to search under another table for his target. "I grow tired of this game… why don't you come out so I can give you a big hug…"
No response and no sign of the boy under this specific table, so Freddy straightened up and lumbered to the next one to search that one. Just a few tables away from where the animatronic was looking, Gregory watched from the shadows. He knew he needed to make his move now or he'd end up getting caught and killed. Looking at Helpy, Gregory gave the little bear a nod to signal it was time to start the plan. Helpy saluted and scampered off to another part of the party room, carrying Gregory's Fazcam.
"Gregory…" Freddy began only to pause as he heard some sort of commotion nearby. The big bear grinned menacingly as he rose to his full height and looked toward the direction of the noise. "There you are…"
Freddy began sprinting in that direction but instead of finding the human child as he expected, Freddy found Helpy. He barely had time to process that he'd been tricked before the little bear pressed the button on the Fazcam he was carrying, directing the bright flash at Freddy and blinding the larger animatronic. Freddy shouted in surprise and rage as he stumbled back. As the large robot waited for his eyes to recalibrate, Gregory sprinted out from under his table and charged at the animatronic, taser sparking as he turned up to nearly full power.
"Sorry about this Freddy…" Gregory said sincerely as he jammed the taser into the bear's back. "But it's the only way I can save you!"
Freddy let out an ear-bleeding screech as the electricity burned through his systems and sparked across his casing.
(In the heart of the lair, the possessed Mike jerked and yelped as the ghost within him experienced some painful feedback from the fragment of his soul controlling Freddy.)
Gregory almost jerked his hand away at the noise but stayed strong as he couldn't risk the bear remaining a threat. After a few agonizing seconds, the bear slumped forward and dropped to the ground, successfully shut down. Gregory just stood there, trembling slightly as the reality of what he just done and the danger he had been in hit him hard. Helpy whistled and looked at Gregory concerned, miming tapping a watch to remind the boy they didn't have much time. Gregory nodded and quickly approached Freddy, pulling out the protective charm.
"Please… Please… Please work…" Gregory begged as he tied the charm around Freddy's neck. He didn't have the tools or the time necessary to make sure the virus was out of Freddy's code like Mike had done with the others and Gregory was kind of afraid to even try least he accidentally lose his friend forever. All he had was the charm and the hope that it was strong enough to cut William's control over the bear.
The charm glowed brightly and pulsed as it fought with the 'virus' and Gregory feared for a moment it was going to shatter like the one Freddy had had before. But after what felt like an eternity, a magenta-looking smoke was expelled from Freddy's body and absorbed into the air around them. Once the smoke cleared, the charm glow died down though it didn't disappear completely as it still worked to keep Freddy from getting repossessed.
Gregory's slowly rising hope was replaced with fear as Freddy groaned and started to get up. Gregory couldn't but scramble under a table to hide just to be safe, snatching up Helpy on the way. The two watched silently as Freddy sat his head and rubbed his head like he had a bad headache, letting out a confused and worried, "What happened? Superstar? Where are you?"
Hearing Freddy's normal voice and seeing his proper blue eyes was all Gregory needed to launch himself into Freddy's arms. Freddy was surprised but, caught the child easily, changing his hold into a hug when he noticed Gregory was crying. Gently running his fingers through the boys' hair, Freddy asked, "What's the matter Superstar?"
"William… he… he…" Gregory couldn't bring himself to explain, just holding on tight to Freddy.
Freddy was about to ask some clarifying questions when his memories of what happened finally cleared up and it took all his effort not to shove Gregory away in guilt and horror. "Oh Superstar… I'm so sorry…"
"Not your fault…" Gregory assured with a sniff, protective anger starting to replace his other overwhelming emotions. "It's all William's fault! He's the one that's hurt you and all the others! We can't let him get away with it!"
"You're right Superstar," Freddy said, his own anger rising at what he had almost been forced to do. Standing up with Gregory still in his arms, Freddy added, "Let's find the others and make sure William can't hurt anyone else!"
"We won't let him hurt anyone ever again!" Gregory agreed viscously, wiping away his tears. With renewed determination, the two left the party room and back into the maze.
Blood stained Mike's hands and splashed across his face as the bear bit down on his brother's head. Mike felt detached from the image of his brother's limp body hanging from the dripping jaw, partially because the nightmare was sending feelings of shock and denial through him and partially because this was the dozenth time that Mike had had to see the image since William had trapped him this nightmare. Screams filled the air and rose up from his own throat as the true horror of what happened struck his 'dream' self and the imagined guests of the diner. But even as panic and please don't let him be dead! was sent flooding through him and his body was forced to move forward in a vain attempt to free his brother from the robot's jaw, Mike's eyes and senses were scanning the edges of the nightmare to find a weak spot that he could escape through.
He had to get out here and stop William before any of the others were hurt.
Having been resurrected by a Dream Demon, Mike had greater control and influence over minds, especially dreams and nightmares. While he normally has very little influence over his own dreams and nightmares when he's experiencing them naturally, this was different. This place was a product of his mindscape and that means he had a real chance of breaking out. He just needed an opening…
Suddenly the dream shuddered as something disorientated William and his hold on this place.
Mike didn't know what had distracted William and at the moment he didn't care. For he could feel the nightmare's hold on him loosen ever so slightly and the edges began to fray. Mike jerked his body away from Fredbear and his biggest regret, forcing himself to the weakening barriers of the nightmare. His movements were sluggish as the nightmare tried to reassert itself, but Mike refused to let himself remain trapped a moment longer. Summoning the claws that were present on his true adult self rather than the nightmare's child form, Mike dug into the barrier of the dream and tore it open.
The nightmare destabilized completely and Mike soon found himself crawling out of Fredbear's gaping mouth and back onto the floor of his mindscape. Trembling slightly from the effort, Mike quickly glanced around for any Shadow Bonnies that William might have stationed here as lookouts or guards. There was none, whether William had been confident enough in Mike's prison not to have left in the first place or if whatever had caused the disturbance had made them dissipate didn't matter.
Mike was free and William had no idea that was the case.
Grinning in satisfaction at knowing he finally had the advantage over William now, Mike summoned his tablet and took off to another part of his mindscape.
"Look out!" Cassidy warned needlessly as Toy Freddy swung a punch at Dipper. Dipper didn't bother responding as he ducked under the punch and grabbed onto the extending arm. Twisting his body, Dipper used the animatronics' weight and momentum against it as Dipper threw the bear over his shoulder slamming it into the ground of the walkway.
Dipper didn't have time to enjoy his accomplishment as he had to duck under Mangle's attempt to bite his head off. Dipper dodged a second attempt and continued running on the walkway. Mangle let go of the higher walkway it had been hanging to the underside of and landed on the walkway Dipper was on with a heavy thunk as Toy Freddy also began to rise to his feet. The two began to chase after Dipper, joining the already massive crowd of animatronics that were chasing after the man.
"You're not going to be able to keep this up forever…" Cassidy commented as she floated alongside Dipper, glancing at the man's sweat-covered brow and heavy breathing. "I hope you have some sort of plan because my powers are kind of worthless in here!"
"I do…" Dipper huffed, eyes focused on the path ahead of him for any animatronic that might be coming at him next. "And I'm almost ready to-"
Dipper cut off as there was a nearly unnoticeable tremble in the pocket dimension Dipper was trapped in, indicating William's concentration had wavered for a moment. Realizing this was an opportunity that he couldn't pass up, Dipper began messing with the controls of his magnet gun. The gun began to whine loudly, sounding like it was getting ready to explode. Without hesitation, Dipper turned around and tossed his gun toward the mob of animatronics chasing him as the gun began to glow and spark wildly.
Just as the gun hit Toy Freddy in the face, the gun exploded, sending a crackling wave of energy out in every direction. The animatronics all sparked and spasmed as the wave hit them, the energy overriding their circuits and a few even shutting down completely.
"Well you managed to stop a few of them, but now you're down your best defense you dingus!" Cassidy scolded as she looked over the destruction. "And we're still trapped in here!"
"Not for long!" Dipper said with confidence, scanning his surroundings quickly and carefully. "It takes mental effort to control all those illusions and to have so many abruptly compromised should break William's consternation enough for- There!"
Dipper pointed at a glimmering light in the void below them that hadn't been there before. Without hesitation, Dipper jumped off the walkway and began falling towards the glimmer, making Cassidy yell in surprise before she hurried after him. The wind rushed past Dipper as he fell faster and faster, but he kept his gaze locked on the glimmer that was getting closer but beginning to shrink.
"Dispellere!" Dipper shouted, holding his hand out towards the glimmer as magic energy glowed in his eyes and around his hand. The glimmer froze for a second before rapidly growing as the pocket dimension was torn asunder.
For a moment, all Dipper and Cassidy could see was white before they suddenly found themselves back in the security room, Dipper going into a controlled fall to keep from getting injured.
William was standing not far from him, leaning heavily on the security desk and groaning slightly as he held a hand against his aching head. William looked up as Dipper jumped to his face, saying with a sneer, "You think-"
William was cut off as Dipper landed a solid punch in his jaw and sent Mike's body staggering back a bit. Winding up for another punch Dipper said, "I have heard enough of your worthless offers and threats! You'll either get out of Mike's body willingly or I'll make you!"
Without even waiting for William to respond, Dipper lunged forward.