Mable: Before we begin, I have news! Some friends of mine have been making an Audio Drama Adaptation of Can't Go Home Again! I can't post a link here, but the Youtube Channel is TJs Radio Show if you want to check it out! There's already three episodes ready for listening! ^_^
Also, Enjoy!
Going Home in a Box
Chapter Eighty-Eight
Freddy was waiting for them to show up. He knew they eventually would and paced his room waiting. Occasionally he peeked out through the curtains, saw nothing, and returned to pacing.
But eventually he heard footsteps outside of his door. He straightened himself up, shaking his fists in a silent pep talk- "You can do this!" – and approached the door.
It opened to reveal even more technicians than were heading into the daycare earlier. Some faces he didn't even recognize in the back, but Natalie- Vanessa was not with them any longer.
But Chaz was, leading the pack to his door. The man's face flushed and his expression deadly.
"Is he in there?" Chaz asked.
"Sun and or Moon? He is not."
"Where is he?"
Chaz's voice grew harsher. Like he was right on the brink of losing his temper. Normally Freddy might've been intimidated, but not today. Today he felt frustrated himself.
"I told you. I took him to Parts and Service," Freddy said matter-of-factly. He crossed his arms. "He should be down there lying on the repair chair as we speak."
"He's not."
"Oh, then he must have gotten up and left. Well, that is great! That means that he does not need repairs."
"This isn't about repairs, Freddy. This is about containing a dangerous animatronic," Chaz growled.
"Well, then you are wasting your time. Both because he is not here and because Sun is not dangerous. Nor is Moon."
"We're getting nowhere with this," one of the technicians muttered. "Isn't there a manual override?"
"Not unless he's on the chair," Chaz snapped back. Then glared back at Freddy. "Don't you do this, Freddy. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Tell us where he is or so help me, you're not seeing that stage again."
Freddy was taken aback by the threat. They were serious, he realized. Very serious.
"Sunny was just overwhelmed. One fall in the daycare should not be held against him. Especially since he did not fall on any children!" he defended.
"This isn't about him falling down, goddamnit! This is about him killing someone and hiding their body! I'm not putting up with this today, Freddy! I just found my best friend rotting in a crawlspace; I'm not going to sit here and have you blow smoke up my ass!"
In a split second it was as though Freddy's world had come to an abrupt halt.
He couldn't have said that they found… they couldn't have found… it couldn't be…!
"Why don't we just lock the room-?" one of the technicians started to interject.
"Shut up! I'm handling this!" Chaz quickly shot down. "You stand there and look like you're doing something."
"Somebody… Somebody was killed?" Freddy quietly asked.
"Yes, Freddy. Somebody was killed," Chaz relayed. Finally starting to get his anger under control.
"But it- it could not have been Sun?!"
"He was the only one who could've done it. The only one who would've done it."
Freddy was utterly shocked. He stood there, mouth agape, staring blankly ahead. Chaz began to quickly lose his patience again.
"Okay, Freddy. Here's the deal," he said. "We are locking this room. We are going to go check the cameras and if I find out you did what you said, fine, you're good. If I found out you're lying, then we're going to have problems. And if you see him again, you better tell us. I swear to God, Freddy, if you cover for him- you better not cover for him. You better not if you know what's good for you."
This could not be happening. He had heard of the history of deaths at Freddy's, Foxy had made him aware of that, but here? Now? And Sun was behind it? No, he couldn't be! But they didn't care. They didn't listen.
What was good for him… that was a threat. That was a promise that if he got involved again that he would be dealt with accordingly. Freddy recognized what that threat could mean. They could shut him down. They could replace him.
Yet instead of being fearful, Freddy was suddenly filled with something else: anger.
"…No," he said. He stood to full height and glared down at Chaz.
"No what?"
"You will not speak to me like that! I am Freddy Fazbear! My name is on the building, my face is above the door, and I deserve respect!" Freddy proclaimed, thrusting a finger in the air.
Some of the technicians looked scared and some confused. One guy actually snickered, baffled. Chaz's face steadily grew redder.
"You sealed Chica's mouth closed, you replaced Roxy's eyes inadequately, you never found nor repaired Bonnie, and now you unjustly accuse Sun and Moon without even knowing if they are truly guilty! Now I am deeply sorry for your loss, but I will no longer tolerate being threatened. And I will certainly not tolerate you threatening the ones I love! We are people too!"
The technicians, Chaz included, were rendered silent for a long moment. Freddy almost thought he had gotten through to them.
But then one of them spoke up.
"You're not- Freddy, you guys are robots," one of the technicians at Chaz's side said. Likely because Chaz was stewing. "Any of us could go in with a computer and change what you feel about anything. You're just… You're a robot. You know that, right?"
He sounded like he was talking down to Freddy. That ruffled Freddy more than if he would've started yelling.
"That is not true. I know how I feel!"
"No, it is true. That's why you think you're Freddy Fazbear when you're just an Endo wearing a Freddy shell. You're not the real Freddy Fazbear. T4here is no real Freddy Fazbear, you're just… you're an animatronic. You perform for kids." The technician paused before continuing, "Now, we've got reason to believe that the robot pretending to be Sun hurt someone-."
"He could not have!"
"Freddy, we know he did."
"He was wrapped up in a daycare blanket and shoved in the- hell, we've all been chased around or threatened by Moon!" another, Grady, said. "He's been threatening us since before we opened! Nobody can work with him, and the one guy who did is dead."
"We can bring back the Sun," another technician tried to gently talk down. "There's just something wrong with this Sun. You'll have your friend back, okay?"
"N-No! That is not okay! This is my Sun! I love him!"
"Freddy," Chaz said. "I'm not putting up with this shit today. You help us or you're out. Suits coming off, Endo's in the furnace, total replacement. I am not screwing around."
"You cannot do that," Freddy interjected, almost fearfully.
"We're going to do that."
"LIKE HELL YOU ARE!"
A look of fear hit some of the technician's faces as Monty came storming up. He grabbed the velvet rope and yanked it and the poles aside, nearly hitting Grady in the process, and took a stand beside Freddy's side.
He crossed his arms tightly. "Ya'll think ya can get away treating us like this?! We're the whole reason you lot have a job! And you listen loud and clear, I ain't some robot." He pointed a claw threateningly. "I. was. A. HUMAN!"
"God, not this again," Chaz pinched the bridge of his nose. A couple of the other technicians looked equally exasperated while many others were becoming increasingly anxious.
"Yeah, this again! See?! Ya don't control us as much as ya'll think you do! But you'll know someday. Ya'll will." He lowered his head, glaring overtop of his sunglasses. "When you die on the job, we'll see what ya'll wake up in."
"Was that a threat?"
"That's a promise," Monty growled. "And don't think about shuttin' me down. My pinkie finger's worth more than any of ya'll!"
"What's going on over here?!" Roxy yelled as she came storming over, Chica on her heels.
"These chumps are threanin' Freddy!" Monty called.
"They are threatening Sun too! They plan on shutting him down!" Freddy chimed in.
Chaz was looking like he was about to lose it. The technicians behind him were looking increasingly nervous.
"What do we do now?" Stanley muttered to some of the others.
"Just sit here and screw around for twenty minutes. Make sure Sun gets a chance to hide somewhere where we can't find him," Grady sarcastically remarked.
"What about the built-in trackers?" the nicer technician asked.
"They don't work on him. They always say the daycare even when he's not in there."
"This is ridiculous! You're over here harassing us like common criminals when we're the headlining act! What do you do?!" Roxy accused.
Chica nodded defiantly with her hands on her hips.
Things were about to boil over if the look on Chaz's face was indication. He looked like he was about to snap. He was at his limit.
When suddenly, a Staff Bot rolled up on the scene.
"Alert! Alert! The Daycare Attendant has been located in: Monty's Gator Golf."
"What's he doin' in there?" Monty muttered.
"Freddy." Chaz turned back towards Freddy, pointing a finger at him. "I want you in your room, and I don't want you coming out or letting anything in. Do you hear me? All of you, back in your rooms."
"You can't talk to us like that! We're the stars!" Roxy snapped.
"No, Roxy. It is fine," Freddy interjected. She looked to him in surprise, and he looked to Chaz. "We will stay in our rooms. Go find Sun. If you can."
Chaz didn't appreciate the challenge but was preparing to leave with the technicians, a few even preparing to standby in Rockstar Row to keep an eye out.
Freddy was banking on the Staff Bot being a ruse by Jake and, sure enough, once the technicians were in the process of leaving the Staff Bot waved before wheeling off.
His pride and feelings were hurt, but provoking the technicians further would be useless. Instead, he welcomed his bandmates into his green room. They, catching the drift, followed inside.
Soon they were seated and arranged in the room. Freddy was sitting on his couch with his head in his hands. Monty was lounging on the couch beside him with a hand on his shoulder but was otherwise leaned back chilling, his arm hanging over the other armrest. Chica was sitting on the floor with some of the pillows, hugging the big bowtie shaped one, while Roxy was standing and pacing a little. Her leg twitch acting up.
"And that was when Monty heard and came over to assist," Freddy finished his recounting.
He had told them everything… with only one exception. Instead of telling them he had left Moon with Bonnie, he simply said that he had hidden him in the basement where he couldn't be tracked. It wasn't entirely a lie.
"Ah heard 'em all the way from my room," Monty said. "Buncha twig-armed meatheads."
"Do you think Moon actually did it?" Roxy asked.
Freddy shook his head.
Chica got a confused look and pointed toward Monty questioningly.
"Ah did until they came up and started pushin' us around. They wouldn't care about a worker like that unless there was somethin' to hide. Forget it, I think it's an inside job."
"I think I must be- Or one of us may have been…" Freddy began.
"What?"
"One of us may be that technician," Freddy said grimly.
His bandmates stared. Chica lowered an eye lid so it looked like she was cocking a brow.
"…Okay, fine. I must be that technician," Freddy said defeatedly. "I… I never told you all but… Recently I have remembered memories of chasing Vanny, that rabbit woman, to the daycare. But I cannot remember ever doing so, or ever truly seeing her."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Roxy asked.
"It was hard to even know what I was seeing…"
"Well, that changes things. It was that sick psycho, Vanny! She's got to be behind this!" Roxy proclaimed. Chica nodded with determined agreement.
"But nobody will believe me if I say anything," Freddy said.
"They will if we drag her right up to them. I might not be able to see her anymore, but I'll be able to smell her. Trust me, running around in that cheap patchwork suit's going to work up an odor. I narrow her down, we Faz-pile her, and we hand her right over to the police! And not the technicians, because they suck and she'll just sneak away again."
"You sure that's a good idea?" Monty asked. Then he twitched a little and got up. "Forget that, that's a damn good idea. Rabbit season's comin' early tonight!"
He heaved himself up from the couch before giving Freddy a more firm pat on the shoulder.
"Hey." Freddy looked at him and he pointed back. "Don't let 'em get in yer head. You're as real as any of them."
"Thank you, Monty…"
"Are you going to be alright while we go hunt?" Roxy asked.
"I believe so. Do not worry about me. I am much more worried about Sun taking the fall for this."
Chica stood up and pointed to herself and then to the couch and Freddy. She would stay with him.
"Alright, then let's move." Roxy turned and strode towards the door. Until she tripped over the edge of the steps and stumbled. "OWW! Stupid-!"
"Watch that first step," Monty said.
"Ugh, shut up."
The two headed out, leaving Freddy and Chica on their own. Her taking Monty's place at his side as he sunk into his hands again.
What a dreadful situation. He hoped that wherever Gregory was, he was far away from this.
…
Cassie groaned as the claw slid off the Roxy plush and returned to the chute with nothing in its grasp. "This sucks."
"Yeah, they do," Gregory agreed.
Him half watching her try to beat the claw machine and half fiddling around with his brand-new Sun and Moon action figures. He really had to save tickets to get them both at once, but it would've been weird to only get one. Now all he needed was Chica and he'd have a full set. He did his best to look nonchalant about the whole thing.
"Want to go play some Asphalt Crashers?"
Cassie gave an indecisive hum, eyeballing that Roxy plush. It was one she didn't have, with a Roxie Cola mini-plush stitched to its hand.
"Ooor do you want to try again?"
"One more time," Cassie swore. She fished more tokens out of her sparkly change purse and dropped them in.
It went as well as expected.
"GAH!"
"You know, you could stick your arm up in there and maybe grab it," Gregory hinted.
Cassie sighed. "That would be stealing." Sighing like she lamented that fact.
"You probably paid more on the tokens than the plush costs anyway… Wait, hold on. Someone's coming."
Gregory caught sight of man in Pizzaplex coveralls and quickly hurried off somewhere. Cassie looked over to see the man approaching and recognized him immediately as Uncle Chaz.
"Hi, Uncle Chaz!" she said with a wave.
At first, she planned on asking him for help with the machine. Maybe he would know a special trick to winning or something. But the grim look on his face changed her mind. Even when he smiled it seemed fake; he looked like he could cry at any second and she had never seen him cry.
"Hey, Sweetie. We're going to have to head home, okay?" he said.
"But what about Roxy? I was supposed to hang out with her," Cassie asked, clearly disappointed.
"Some other time. But she knows and she's not upset. There's just some… stuff going on and we need to head home."
"…Oookay…" Cassie said unsurely. She could tell something was up but decided to go along with it, if only because Chaz seemed sad. She waved off towards Gregory, "Bye, Gregory! I'll see you later!"
Gregory, who was hiding behind a basketball machine, reached out an arm to wave. "See ya!"
Okay, so everyone was acting a little weird. Cassie shrugged that off as well and followed along with her uncle out of the arcade and down the long way to the parking garage.
She noticed what looked like a stretcher being wheeled across the atrium with something covered up on it. Maybe someone got hurt during the repairs? She wanted to ask Chaz, but something about how solemn he was made her decide against it. Maybe she didn't want to know.
Unaware that eventually she would have to.
…
"And then that werewolf looking guy came in and told her they had to go."
"That was definitely Chaz," Freddy rumbled. He tapped his chin thoughtfully and looked up towards a corner. "He must have paused his pursuit of Moon to get the girl out of there without making her sign the waiver. But I am sure that Casey will return!"
"It's Cassie."
"Oh, my apologies. I should have remembered; it is very common name. And very familiar! Is she a frequent guest?"
"I think so?"
"Ah, that explains it. But just in case, please make sure to remind me again before you introduce us."
"Why were they chasing Moondrop anyway? And what was everyone freaking out about?" Gregory asked.
Freddy looked away guiltily. "I am… not sure."
Gregory was unamused. "Freddy, you're lying. You always lie bad."
"That is not true! I will have you know, I lied easily and effectively today when I was carrying Sun out of the daycare. I told them at least twice that I was taking him to Parts and Service!"
"Did they believe you?"
"…No… Well, they might have. They simply did not care."
Gregory gave him an unimpressed look and Freddy sighed.
"Very well, Gregory. I should tell you the truth. Even if you may be too young to hear it, I do not want to keep something like this from you," he said.
He knelt in front of Gregory and looked him in the eye with sadness in his own. Gregory had a confused and borderline worried look.
"Gregory, there was, umm… There was a man who went missing at the Pizzaplex some time ago. Everyone thought he had quit, or that is what they were saying, but nobody knew where he went. Today they found his remains hidden underneath the elevator," he said grimly.
"Remains? You mean like a skeleton?! Cool!"
"Gregory!"
"Oh, sorry. Not cool," Gregory said apologetically.
Freddy was both mortified and endeared. To be that young to not know the true horrors of death, and Freddy here, having entirely forgotten if he had even died at all. There was something ironic about that, but Freddy didn't really have anyone nearby to muse to about it. Maybe he'd call Foxy later-
Oh dear. He had forgotten about Foxy. He surely wouldn't take this news well…
"But, uh, what's that got to do with Sunny and Moondrop? Do they think he did it?"
"Unfortunately, yes. Moon has had a… strained relationship with the technicians, and the one who went missing was his personal attendant. Worse still, they found him wrapped in a blanket from the daycare…"
Now that Freddy was saying it out loud, it did seem awfully suspicious. Perhaps he had been too quick to-.
"But there's tons of blankets in the daycare! How are they sure it was him? It could've just been someone who stole a blanket from the daycare, like Vanny," Gregory said.
Hearing Vanny's name again instantly reassured Freddy.
"You are right, Gregory! And the daycare is the closest place to get blankets to the lobby, and perhaps the easiest in the Pizzaplex!... But how did Moon not see them?"
Gregory hummed and thought for a long moment before snapping his fingers. Or trying to, it was more just the motion without the snap.
"Maybe it was somebody who works here and they scrambled his mind! Erased his memories using some sort of machine!"
"Perhaps the Parts and Service machine! Yes! And that would explain Moon's great fear of it! Gregory, you are a genius!"
"Eh, I learn from the best," Gregory said with a shrug and a smile.
"D'aww!"
"So… what do we do?" Gregory asked. "We can't let them take Moondrop."
"We will not. He is safe with Bonnie for now, so all we can do is hope that Roxy and Monty can find the real perpetrator, Vanny."
"Do you think Vanny's the one who kidnapped all those kids back at the old Freddy's?" Gregory asked.
Freddy's eyes lowered with worry. "I… am not sure. She was not, but she may be connected to him…"
There was an eerie silence before Freddy perked up.
"But we should not worry about it now. Show me your new action figures! I would love to see them."
Gregory knew Freddy was looking to change the subject and, in this case, decided to let it slide since it seemed to be more for him than trying to shelter Gregory.
"Okay, but uh… So, remember that I only heard about this Moondrop thing right now," Gregory forewarned. He then slipped off his backpack and got out his two new figures.
Despite everything, Freddy took one look at Gregory's new Sun and Moon action figures and gave a rousing laugh.
Gregory's cheeks turned a little pink.
"Oh Gregory, congratulations! I know it must have taken you ages to collect all those tickets," Freddy said proudly. He reached out a hand and Gregory gave him Sun, which he began to carefully maneuver in his hands. "It is a very good likeness! Very high quality."
He made the little Sun wave with a small chuckle, and a slightly sad look in his eyes.
"You wanna… I don't know," Gregory began hesitantly. "Do you want to… play with me?"
Freddy's eyes alit with surprise. Gregory and he had played many arcade games in the Pizzaplex before, but when it came to Gregory's toys, he was usually private about it. Almost like he was embarrassed to have anyone see him playing with them. Freddy recognized this as a huge sign of trust.
"I would love to!" Freddy said gleefully. "Who should I play?!"
"How about you play you and Sunny?"
"That I can do! I do a very good Sunny impression," Freddy said. He made a throat clearing sound. "Ho ho ho!"
Funny enough, other than the pitch, Freddy actually did a pretty good Sun impression.
"Here, hold Moondrop and lemme go get the others," Gregory requested. Freddy took Moon and he hurried into the backroom to get the others.
He tossed his backpack into his little tent and scrounged up his action figures before going to run off, only to catch a glimpse of a reddish glow up in the open vent.
He came to a sudden stop and stared at it, thinking maybe it was Vanny. Dreading the thought of her creeping out until he noticed the light fading back, and the soft sound of something moving. And jingling.
"Moondrop?" he called.
There was silence.
"Moondrop, I know it's you," Gregory called. Though he didn't, which was why he still stood within running range.
It was the low grumble from inside the vent that finally caused Gregory to let his guard down and step forward. There was a light patter and some shifting inside the vent before Moon's head all but rolled free.
"Shhhh. Quiet, Moonwort. It's just me," Moon said. He kept his voice especially low. "We don't want Freddy knowing I'm here."
"Uhh…" Gregory said guiltily.
Moon tilted his head before dropping it at the sound of Freddy's thumping footsteps approaching. Moon then lifted a hand in exasperation to which Gregory defensively gestured to the Fazwatch and shrugged.
"Sorry, it was kind of a reflex. I didn't know you were hiding."
"I'm not hiding, I'm just…" Moon sulked further as he heard the door clunk open. "Lying low…"
"Gregory?" Freddy came waltzing in and spotted Moon half out of the vent. He gasped, "Moon!"
"Yes, it's me," Moon said. He side-eyed Gregory. "Such a quick trigger finger, no wonder- omph!"
In an instant Freddy bolted up and pulled Moon out of the vent and into a crushing hug before he could even find his footing. He almost shoved himself back out of reflex before stopping himself and instead just dropping his arms, giving into the hug. Eventually even returning it for a long silent moment.
"I was so worried about you, Moon. Are you alright? What on Earth happened?" Freddy asked.
"I'm fine. I was just… overwhelmed. Overloaded and I must have shut down. The last thing I remember was being in the daycare and then… waking in the basement."
"With Bonnie," Freddy finished.
"Yes, that was an experience," Moon said. "It was good to speak to him again… There were many things that needed to be said." He sighed, "But I couldn't abandon Jake… Or you two."
Freddy didn't pry. There were more important questions to ask.
"Gregory… could you give us a moment alone?" Freddy asked.
"I mean, I could. But I already know what's going on, so you don't have to hide anything," Gregory said.
Moon shirked in a little as he realized that Gregory likely knew exactly what was going on. Freddy was a terrible liar, and he hated lying to Gregory.
"…Very well then," Freddy said.
He then took Moon by the shoulders, much to his surprise, and looked into his eyes.
"Moonlight, I am about to kiss you," Freddy said in a low, sultry voice. "Please prepare yourself."
"W-What?" Moon choked.
"Okay, I'm going!" Gregory immediately turned and strode right out of the back room. "Go nuts!"
Freddy watched him go and waited for the door behind him to close before turning to Moon.
"We need to talk."
"…Freddy, that was downright devious," Moon said, genuinely impressed.
"I cannot lie so I must get creative," Freddy brushed aside. "I would never hide anything from Gregory, but I need you to be honest with me now. I need you to tell me the truth."
Moon's heart could've dropped to the floor and smashed into millions of pieces. Then he might as well have rubbed them into his non-existent tongue for good measure with how painful the words would be to get out.
"I will… tell you everything I can," Moon swore.
"Andrew," Freddy begged. "Please."
"What do you want to know, Freddy?"
Freddy hesitated for a moment to think of where to begin, and steeled his nerves with a sigh as he got straight to the point.
"Did you hide that body?"
There was a painfully long pause. Every second of if hanging heavy, punctuated by the growing ticking of the Daycare Attendant's mechanics. He was nervous.
And then the answer came.
"Yes."
Freddy's heart might've joined Moon's on the floor. The devastation in his eyes were clear and Moon turned his head away with shame.
"Did you… kill him?" Freddy whispered.
"No!" Moon vehemently denied. He snapped his head back to look him in the eyes. "Freddy, I… I can't tell you what happened that night, but you must believe me, I would've never-!"
He was cut off by another tight hug. Moon squeaked under the motion, returning the hug with a desperate cling of his own. As though he was frightened that Freddy would suddenly rip away and storm off.
"That is all I needed to hear," Freddy murmured.
"Will- Will you turn me in?" Moon asked. His voice shaky and uncharacteristically fearful.
"Of course not! You are my Sunshine and my Moonlight. I trust you. I believe you."
Moon gave a sigh of relief and exhaustion and squeezed the bear tighter.
They stood there for a few minutes just holding each other.
Then Moon eventually patted Freddy's arm and drew back.
"I need to go."
"Where are you going?" Freddy asked worriedly.
"To find Jake. He went to hide up in the Prize Counter. We may be able to make ourselves a hideout on the roof."
"Good. You could escape if you were cornered," Freddy said. Though he seemed more than a little distracted. Though Moon was too.
There was still tension in the air. Moon wondered if it would ever feel normal again after this.
No, he realized. It wouldn't. Every time they were together, they would feel it. Every time they were together, Freddy would think of the fallen technician.
Just like Moon did.
He couldn't bear it any longer and turned back towards the vent.
"I have been taken offline so we will no longer be able to exchange messages. If you call for me, I won't hear you, but I will be back later to check up," Moon explained. "…I… I will slip into the daycare after closing to gather our things, but I don't expect to… ever go back."
"Oh, Moonlight…"
"It's fine." Moon forced himself to recover. "I'd rather live."
"Be very careful. I am sure they expect you to return to the daycare," Freddy warned.
"Tch, of course. But little do they know that there's more than three ways into that daycare. I can count off seven off the top of my head alone," Moon said with feigned confidence. He waggled his fingers at the bear. "Take care, Papa Bear. Watch our little Star."
Freddy was silent, pensive.
Moon started to climb up when Freddy grabbed his ankle.
"Wait."
Moon slid back out of the vent to look at him. "Yes?"
Freddy beckoned him down. Moon tilted his head questioningly before dropping back down. He looked back expectantly, and Freddy looked uncertain for a moment, considering his actions.
He closed his eyes and nodded, goading himself along, before opening them again. Then he reached out and took ahold of Moon by the upper arms.
"I would feel terrible if I lied to Gregory."
And before Moon could question what he meant, Freddy pulled him in and pressed his mouth to his and kissed him.
It was a clunk of plating on plating punctuated with a spark like static between them. It shouldn't have felt warm. It shouldn't have felt so overwhelming, or inviting, or alive, but it did. It felt real, even with it not being what someone would consider a real kiss.
Moon's points popped out. First being a faded and colorless before flickering yellow. His whole body flickering its colors as he mentally malfunctioned. He felt alive. He felt good.
Freddy finally drew back and opened his eyes to see the show of colors dancing across the jester's body. He was concerned for a moment, but then brightened as he realized it wasn't another true glitch.
"Andrew," he begins. His voice low and warm. "You are the most important person in my life other than Gregory. You are my guide in the darkest of nights. I would be lost without you, and nearly losing you today made me realize how truly important you are to me… I need you. Gregory does too."
Moon managed to get control of himself. Or at least get his colors to stabilize- even if they were glowing at full brightness.
"I-I need you too…" he murmured.
Freddy's eyes softened sadly. "…But you may need to leave the Pizzaplex to survive, and if that is the case, I want you to. I would rather let you go than lose you."
Moon looked down somberly, his points slowly drawing back in.
"I don't think things have gotten that dire just yet," he said. He looked back up at Freddy. "I will be in the Prize Counter or the basement, and if I go anywhere else it will be here."
He reached out and took Freddy's head in his hands, guiding him down so he could press his grin to his forehead. It tingled the same way the kiss had.
"I won't leave without you."
Freddy wasn't sure why those words sunk in so harshly. Without you- Freddy knew he couldn't leave the Pizzaplex. It frightened him to think that he was holding Moon back when he could. When Jake could. When Gregory could. But he didn't express his fears.
He caught Moon's hands as they left his face, giving them a final squeeze before letting Moon go and watching him climb into the vent. Moon gave him one last quiet wave that he returned before crawling away.
Freddy watched that vent for what felt like ages before trudging out into his green room. Gregory was waiting on the couch, but he could've easily been listening.
"Moon has left to find Jake," Freddy said with a sigh. "He may not be back tonight. If he is not, then I would be happy to step in as your bedtime storyteller."
"Okay, but I don't need a story. It's not like I'm a kid who can't sleep without one," Gregory added.
"Of course not. But it is very relaxing."
There was a long moment of tense silence. Gregory could tell Freddy was upset and fiddled with his one-legged Roxy action figure, trying to think of what he could do to make it better.
"So… can we still play?" he tried. It had made Freddy so excited before, maybe it would again?
He was relieved when Freddy perked up a little bit.
"Of course! Now, where shall we begin?"
Freddy sat down on the floor across the little coffee table attentively, ready to lose himself in a game of make-believe.
It almost felt familiar.
…
Natalie shuffled into Foxy's right as it was closing. She had been playing along with Ness up until then, having kept them both distracted while trying to keep an eye on what was going on in the Pizzaplex. As far as she was aware, the authorities were never called, but the body had been removed so perhaps they had been there while they were back at the salon getting their nails done.
She walked into Foxy's with rainbow highlights, electric blue nails, and a thousand-yard stare that she hadn't been able to shake since the confrontation in the lobby. With a plastic bag dangling from her fingers.
Fritz had been cleaning by the doors after he locked them and noticed her as she walked up and opened them for her.
"Hey!" he greeted. He looked her over. "Oh wow, you look great! Let me see."
Natalie smiled and turned around, posing and flicking her hair so he could get a good look at the colors.
"Thanks, but don't get too used to it. It's only temporary," she said.
"Better enjoy it while it lasts then," Fritz said.
He playfully scooped her into a hug from behind and gave her a kiss on the neck. Right on her ticklish spot. She laughed despite everything, uncontrollably, and gently bumped him in the middle with her elbow to get him off. He let her down, largely reluctantly, and got another kiss from her. Now on the lips, which she returned.
But once he let her go, still with an arm around her, he realized that something was off. She was smiling but there was obviously something amiss. If her out-of-it look as she was walking up wasn't any indication. It was a look like something had spooked her.
Considering that she spent the day with Ness, that was a notable look.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" he asked with concern.
Natalie inhaled with a hiss and patted his arm. "Let's sit down."
"Oh no."
"You're going to want to sit for this," Natalie warned with a little smile.
He escorted her to a table in the middle of the room, right where everyone else could listen in. Which was Natalie's intention as well, this was an announcement that everyone was going to have to hear and, sure enough, moving to the center of the room caught their attention.
Mike was wiping down the claw machine glass to get the greasy prints off when he saw them coming over and somehow, he knew just from that silent walk that something was about to go down. He slowed his work and turned his attention fully towards them.
"Hey," he signaled Jeremy who was using an old toothbrush to clean out some buttons on an arcade cabinet. When the blond looked up, he nodded towards the table. Jeremy leaned around the cabinet to look.
Even Charlie lifted open her box to listen in, looking over with concern.
"So, what happened?" Fritz asked as he pulled out the chair for Natalie.
She sat down with a heavy sigh, setting the plastic bag down on it as she waited for him to sit down. Then turned to him once he had and dropped the bombshell.
"They found a body at the Pizzaplex."
She heard and barely felt the faintest woosh past her. She knowingly looked up to see Marionette now standing above her. His eyes alit with little pinpricks. Beating Mike to the table by a good few seconds.
"Where?" the Puppet asked.
"Under the elevator."
Mike swore under his breath. Of course. Of course Marionette knew that smell.
"He was wrapped in a blanket from the daycare. They think Moon did it," Natalie explained. "Because it was his technician. The one who went missing."
"The one from that tape I found in the basement?" Mike asked.
"Probably."
Marionette briefly looked downward as though considering it.
"And he's been missing for months…
Marionette looked to her again.
"Which means he probably is Freddy," Natalie added.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the table, save for the low hum of static coming from the Puppet himself.
And then… Marionette dropped.
The thump of him landing on the side of the table got Natalie's head shooting up and Mike shouting a concerned, "Whoa!"
But Marionette hadn't entirely collapsed, he had just suddenly and violently landed on his knees. His head landing on the crook of one bent arm on the table while the other dropped limp at his side.
Mike was quick to his side. He initially hooked his hands under his arms to lift him up, but then after a second decided not to. Instead, just moving his hands up to rest on them.
"Are you okay, Hun?" Natalie asked gently.
Marionette gave a listless nod into his arm.
"We knew this was a possibility," Mike said. Like this wasn't the absolute disaster that they both had been dreading from day one. Inwardly panicking and outwardly struggling to keep a cool composure because this wasn't about him, and he couldn't make it about him.
"I knew the second I stepped into that elevator," Marionette hollowly said.
"…Yeah, me too," Mike solemnly agreed.
He squeezed the Puppet's shoulders, and Natalie reached out and patted his head.
The fact that she hadn't even mentioned the elevator didn't go over her head. The fact that she didn't correct them didn't go over theirs.
That was when Foxy came walking up. In an unexpected twist he, the one who often flew off the handle at any of the Pizzaplex's disasters, was remarkably calm about the whole thing. And entirely unsurprised.
"It's all good. Least ya ain't under the table," Foxy assured.
"You don't seem shocked," Mike remarked.
"Neither do you," Foxy lightly retorted. There wasn't much fire in either's voice. He sighed. "It's Freddy."
"You're certain?" Marionette quietly asked, barely turning his head to look up at him.
"Aye. Freddy's been having memories pop-up. Knows a few technician tricks. Has to be him," Foxy said firmly. He trusted Freddy's gut instinct and this timing; it made too much sense. He nodded towards the plastic bag. "What's that?"
Natalie started pulling out tapes and listing them off. "A Rocking Christmas Carol, Faz-Babies Hit the Big Screen, Freddy in Space: Blast Off, My Day at the Pizzaplex starring I don't know-."
"Sounds like they tried to pay you off," Fritz half-joked.
"It was Wight who pawned these off on me, he might've been."
"How'd he take all of this?" Mike asked, a little suspiciously.
"A wreck. Remember Chaz? The technician was his brother-in-law. He tore Wight a new one."
"Good," Foxy said gruffly.
"What about Ness?" Fritz asked.
"She seemed a little spooked, but I don't know…" Natalie trailed off as the phone started to ring.
Everyone's head snapped to it and stared warily at the ringing phone. Finally, Jeremy started to walk over to it.
Only to have Tabitha push through the kitchen door and answer it, oblivious to the tense conversation in the dining room.
"Foxy's Pirate Cove! How can I help you?" Tabitha greeted in her cheery phone-voice.
She paused and arched a brow, scrunched up her nose, and listened in utter befuddlement.
"Alright, I'll get him." She pressed the phone into the crook of her neck and called over. "Foxy, it's for you. It's Freddy Fazbear."
The way she said it she both sounded befuddled and totally over it. Foxy headed over and took the phone to answer as she returned to the kitchen.
"Blimey, that's some good timing there, Fredbear. Ahoy!" he answered.
"Good. I wanted to make sure you were closed first…"
Freddy's voice was much more solemn than usual. Foxy sighed and matched tone.
"What's on yer mind, Freddy?"
"Foxy, they found a body in the Pizzaplex…" Freddy lowered his voice. "And I believe it may be mine."
And Foxy had called it.
"A'ight, stay calm. First and foremost. Deep breath- er, whatever. Ya know."
"I am alright. I feel much more calm that earlier."
"Aye, that's good." Foxy made a noise like a sigh. "…Freddy, there's a good chance that is yer body." Freddy was silent on the line. "How're you feeling?"
"Honestly? I know it is terrible to say, but… relieved."
It took a weight off Foxy's shoulders too. "How's that?"
"Well, I had a hunch. I knew that I could not be a mindless machine alone!... Also, earlier today I got in a fight with some technicians. I did just as you said and stood my ground, you would be very proud! But… they were insistent that I am, well, not a person. Despite knowing that they were wrong it still bothered me…"
"Forget them. They don't know nothing except how to be Freddy's lapdogs… Err, the business. Not ye. Yer somebody, Freddy. Ya were and ya still are," Foxy said firmly.
"I am. I know I am. I must be!" Freddy said with determination. "That must be my body, and Moon did not kill me!"
Well, that outburst of confidence took an unexpected turn.
"They think Moon did it?" Foxy asked. Remembering what Natalie said but wanting to hear it from him.
"Unfortunately, yes. They have been searching for him, but he is alright. I helped him escape."
"Good. What did Moon say?"
"He said that he… he hid the body. But he did not kill the technician, and I believe him! There is something he is not telling me, but I know from the bottom of my heart that Moon would not do this!"
"He's coverin' fer someone else," Foxy said without a doubt.
This took Freddy by surprise. "…You think so?"
"I know so… Freddy, there's somethin' I never told ye. Not because I was hiding it, but because I, err… Well, I forgot."
It was the truth. He meant to tell him in person, but then the next time he showed up the Glamrocks wanted to hang out and it slipped his mind. Something that important slipped his mind- specifically because he just hadn't wanted to think about it. It never seemed like a good time. Next time, he would think. Next time never came. Until now.
"The night Jake, Moon, an' Gregory snuck out o' the Pizzaplex they dropped by here comin' back from Michael's. They said-."
"They- They did what? Jake, Moon, and Gregory snuck out of the Pizzaplex?!"
"Erm, we'll get back to that. Stay with me, Freddy. When Jake and Moon swung by here, they told Mari an' Mike that Vanny ain't workin' alone. She's got some sort of spirit hauntin' her, one that goes by the name 'Bunny'. 'pparently Jake and Moon go back real far with him. He gave 'em their bodies. If Moon's coverin' fer anyone, it's the Bunny."
"Moon did not mention Bunny... He has never mentioned a Bunny."
"Don't hold it against him, Freddo. I'm thinkin' he might have reason to be afraid," Foxy said. "Where's Moon now?"
"Up in the Prize Counter with Jake. But I am hoping he will return to hide with Bonnie once morning comes. That is where I hid him so that the technicians and Staff Bots wouldn't find him."
"Wait a minute, hold the phone. Did you say Bonnie?"
There was a painstakingly long pause as Freddy realized what he had said. So much for not telling anyone about Bonnie. Now he had told three people- Gregory and Foxy directly, and Moon by carrying him down there.
Well, there was no point lying about it now. "…Yes."
"Bloody 'ell, Freddy! Ya found Bonnie?! When were ya gonna tell me that?!"
"I wanted to, but I promised Bonnie that I would not. He is in a very damaged state. If anyone found him, let alone anyone unsavory, he would be in danger. They could take him to the furnace…" he whispered the last part.
Foxy couldn't very well be upset with him two seconds after admitting that he forgot to tell him that Jake and Moon had previously warned about some shady Bunny fellow.
Wait a second.
"…Freddy."
"Yes?"
"What's the chance we're talkin' 'bout the same person? That Bonnie's Bunny?"
"He could not be! Bonnie warned me about Vanny. He said that she has been searching for him. I believe him, as he is… he is in a very broken state. He cannot move from the recharge station he is in."
"Why'd ya take Moon down to be with Bonnie then?" Foxy asked.
"Because nobody can track Bonnie. The Staff Bots had been programmed to seek out Sun and Moon, and Bonnie's current location is the only entirely blacked out zone that I am aware of."
Well, that made sense, but Bonnie suddenly showing up at the same time this Bunny character became a problem was downright suspicious. Maybe he was just judging it on the rabbit thing, but still.
Foxy stole a look back. Jeremy was standing nearby and gave him an almost apologetic smile when he saw him. The others were still at the table, with Charlie joining to offer her support to Natalie and Marionette. No chance of asking him to come over and chat with Freddy. Not much of a point of it.
"Foxy?"
"Still here," Foxy said. "…Think you could introduce me to Bonnie one o' these nights?"
"I… Hmm…" Freddy considered it for a long moment. Bonnie was afraid of being caught, but Foxy wasn't attached to the Pizzaplex's system. He wouldn't expose him unintentionally or not. "…Perhaps I could! I am sure Bonnie would appreciate meeting you. I have told him all about you!"
Oh, that could either be a good thing or a very, very bad thing. But at this point he had to see him for himself.
"Aye, it's a plan then. As soon as things cool down over there."
"It may be a while before things return to normal…"
"Eh, not as long as ye think."
Foxy would be surprised if the Pizzaplex wasn't reopened by next week. He wouldn't say that to Freddy though. He already had enough to think of.
Apparently, Freddy thought so too as he suddenly changed the subject.
"In lighter news, you will not believe what Gregory and I did tonight!"
"What's that, Fazbear?" Foxy asked, voice softening up a little.
He listened as Freddy told him all about Gregory and his action figures, about them playing together, about how proud he was of Gregory opening up more to him. Despite the catastrophe today, Freddy sounded so happy, and Foxy couldn't help but be thankful for that little tyke giving him something to hold onto. Something to live for.
No wonder Freddy wasn't afraid of his own death. He saw it as a validation. Foxy didn't know if he was ever that strong and he admired Freddy for that.
He really cared about him.
…And he was terrified for him.
But between him trying to cheerfully chat on the phone and everyone looking distraught over the news, he would keep a stiff upper lip and not say a word. Just accept Jeremy's one-armed hug and listen to the bear on the other side of the phone.
…
Abe kicked off his shoes and stretched out on the couch. It was a little short, but it was nice and plush. Way more welcoming than any of the couches at the Pizzaplex, or his car seat for certain. He almost fell asleep right then until Tommy interrupted.
"Hope this is enough," he said. He was bringing a blanket from the bedroom and tossed it to him.
"Are you kidding? I've been sleeping in my passenger's seat. This is way more than enough!" Abe assured. He spread it out over him and huddled up underneath. It felt super-soft, though maybe he was a little biased.
Tommy gave him a cocked grin as he leaned on the back of the couch. "Well, here's a little more. Fridge's open for business if you want a late-night snack. Have all ya want."
"Thanks."
It was a tempting offer, but he felt bad taking food from Tommy. It was enough giving him a place to crash. He'd maybe take something small, but he wasn't going to empty his fridge.
It had been hours since they left the Pizzaplex and most of the evening had been not talking about or thinking about it, and he hoped that would continue once Tommy went to bed. He watched him leave with a call of "Goodnight!" before rolling onto his side and sinking into the pillow.
This was so much better. He didn't have to worry about anyone catching him. About someone peeking on him through the windows or waking up to a cop tapping on one. He could just relax and sure enough, he soon fell asleep.
Only to wake up some time later to a noise nearby.
Abe cracked open his eyes and shot upright, only to slump against the couch again when he remembered where he was. He rubbed his eye and looked around in the dark for a clock, eventually spotting one on the wall above the television and seeing that it was about one in the morning.
He heard something in the kitchen.
Abe could've assumed it was Tommy, but looking over at the doorway he found the lights off and immediately grew paranoid. He slowly got up from the couch and snuck over, leaned in, and flicked on the light.
And there was Tommy sitting at a small table eating a sandwich. He jumped and whipped his head back to see Abe standing there.
"Abe, yeesh! Warn a guy!"
"Sorry! I-I was just… thought I heard something." Apparently, that was Tommy. "…Why were you eating in the dark?"
"Didn't want to wake you up. And not much to see except the wall," Tommy shrugged. He pushed a chair out with his foot, gesturing for Abe to come over and sit down.
Abe walked over and sat down across from him.
"Sorry for waking you up."
"No, it's okay. I'm a light sleeper," Abe assured. "…What about you? What're you doing up? Other than eating a sandwich."
"Eh, I couldn't sleep."
"Did you have a nightmare?"
"No, just thinking." Tommy took another bite of his sandwich- it looked to be a baloney sandwich with lettuce and cheese- and chewed and swallowed before holding it out. "Want one?"
"I don't want to put you out."
Tommy took another bite of his sandwich before setting it on his plate and getting up. He headed over to the fridge and quickly got out the ingredients to throw together another sandwich.
While he watched him work, Abe started to feel guilty. Tommy returned with the second sandwich on a paper plate and handed it off to him.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
"…Y'know, I'm sorry I put you on the spot."
"Don't worry about it. It ain't that hard to throw one of these together."
"No, not this. I meant about staying at the Pizzaplex..."
"Oh… Eh, don't worry about it." Tommy shrugged it off. "I didn't want to leave you behind anyways. You get stuck in a room with someone for a couple'a months, next thing you know you're a little attached."
Abe smiled at that.
"And before you ask- eh, again- you can stay here as long as you want and it ain't a problem. I don't have a girlfriend, I've got no prospects; a roommate's the highlight of my year."
Though Abe had gotten the message loud and clear earlier, it was nice to hear it reiterated again. It was okay that he stuck around, he wasn't cramping on Tommy's life.
Though that brought up questions of its own, mostly about Tommy himself. Most of their friendship was based around their job. In fact, Abe wouldn't have been able to confidently call it a friendship until now. Before today it was just a work partnership. Abe knew some of Tommy's food preferences, watched him fail flirting a few times, and knew his opinions of any topic that came up in conversation, but nothing of his life outside of the Pizzaplex.
Well, if they were going to be living together it only seemed fair to fix that.
"How'd you start working at Freddy's?" he asked.
"I bounce around. My uncle owns a handyman company out east and pretty much the whole family works some part of it. But not me. I wanted something more than to waste away at a shop that wasn't mine. So, headed out to Cali, things don't work out, started wandering around, and ended up at the Pizzaplex because they pay bank."
"Wow."
"Eh, I wasted my youth."
"Me too…" Abe muttered. Then he realized what he said and quickly fumbled. "No, wait. I don't regret helping Mom. I just, you know…"
"Believe me, I know," Tommy sympathized. "You're a brave kid."
"Tommy, I'm pretty sure we're the same age."
"I'm pretty sure I've got a year or two on you."
"I'm pretty sure I've got a few inches on you."
"Now you take that back. You haven't seen me with my boots on."
Abe chuckled and Tommy gave a dismissive noise and continued eating. Abe smiled, and then that smile started to falter, and the worries crept up.
"What, uh… What are we going to do if we lose our jobs? You're not going to lose the apartment, right?"
"Don't worry about that. I've got money squirreled away."
"Good… Not that I'm saying- I mean, I'd get a job as fast as possible. I wasn't trying to say that I wanted you to support me. I just… this is a big deal."
"Eh, not that bad."
"This is really bad," Abe admitted, running his fingers through his russet hair.
"Eat'cha sandwich and stop askin' so many questions," Tommy said. A small grin showing that he was joking around, but there still being a firm insistence.
So, Abe put an abrupt halt to the chattering and picked up and bit into the sandwich. Maybe it was just because he was hungry, but it was the best sandwich he had in a long time. Definitely because he was hungry.
"And don't worry so much," Tommy tacked on once Abe had his mouth full. "Things'll work out. After all, you've got me in your corner."
Right. He wasn't going this alone anymore. Even if it was just a couch to sleep on and a sandwich, it meant a whole lot more than that.
It meant that he could count on Tommy. And if that was the case, maybe he was right. Maybe everything would be okay.
…
He had never seen Leandrea cry like that. She would've still been weeping so hard that she was heaving if not for Cassie, who she turned all her attention on comforting. Cassie was still in shock; she didn't believe it. Honestly, Chaz didn't either. Seeing is believing, he supposed.
Though part of him wished he had stayed overnight with the clean-up crew to look for the Daycare Attendant, he was glad he was here. Well, not glad, but this was where he needed to be. Even if he was currently on his phone down the hall, he was there. He was with his family. That's what Ray would've wanted.
He knew it was a risk to tell them before they identified the body, but… he knew that was Ray. Even decomposed as much as he was, that was Ray.
And he hadn't heard a peep out of Fazbear Entertainment, or even from the police, since he left the Pizzaplex.
"You need to record everything you can now. Trust me, they're already trying to erase everything that happened," said the voice on the phone.
Chaz knew he was right. He rubbed his eye with one hand while holding the phone with the other.
"I don't even know where they took his body."
"…Oh."
"Oh, what?"
"Nothing, just… keep on them about that. You don't want his body mysteriously going missing again. You might not see it again."
"They wouldn't."
"They would. Trust me, if it's anything like the Freddy's I knew, they'll do anything they can to make the situation disappear."
He didn't want to believe that either, but he knew he was right. He had a lot more experience with the company than he did.
"Did they make you sign anything?"
"Not yet. I got out of there before any of that went down… But I won't be surprised if they show up on my doorstep shoving papers in my face."
"Remember, you don't have to sign anything. No matter what they say. Just don't."
"I won't," Chaz sighed, his voice catching a little. "I should get back to Leah and Cassie. Thanks for your help."
"Don't mention it. If you need anything, just call me… And Chaz… I'm really sorry."
Chaz was too. He was the most remorseful man in the world right now and there was nothing he could do. Nothing but hold on for the rest of the family and get to the bottom of this.
No matter what he had to do to get there.