Little Lost Robot

by Yarrby

Summary:

Foxy, newly awakened at the Pizzaplex, stumbles upon an old friend. Freddy is not ready for the unexpected reunion.

Written for a friend!

Notes:

• For Vague_King.

So I wrote this before Ruin but changed some things to kind of fit, all you need to know is the following:

Gregory found Foxy shoved in storage somewhere

Foxy's still getting up to speed on things, especially concerning the lack of Bonnie

Chapter 1: Discovery

“So where are we going tonight?”

“To find treasure and plunder all that be left unfound. And ye need to call me Captain, Greg. We talked about this.” Captain Foxy the Pirate Fox, treasure hunter and explorer extraordinaire, insisted yet again.

Gregory, his charge and appointed swabbie, winced and nodded. “Sorry, Captain.”

“Arr, don’t ye worry yer head about it. Ye’ll get in the habit soon enough.”

“So… Captain.” Gregory tried again. “Where are we going tonight?”

“Glad ye asked!” Foxy gestured towards the darkened Pizzaplex. “Anywhere our hearts choose! That be the beauty of it bein’ after hours, Greg, we don’t have to bother with crowds or buyin’ tickets or impatient mothers that don’t want ye tellin’ their kids about the finer arts of keelhaulin’ or waitin’ in line, none of that, the world be our oyster!”

“Uh.” The kid took a minute to let the words wash over him. “So… where?”

“I were thinkin’ of doin’ some bowlin’.” Foxy conceded.

It was one of the few entertainment sections of the Pizzaplex Foxy hadn’t been to yet, not since Gregory had discovered him in storage and woke him up. Once he had been brought up to speed, met the new animatronics, and remembered old ones, Foxy had been taken on a carefully guided and curated tour of most of the facilities. The ones he hadn’t been shown were now being explored in the solace of night with Gregory and his trusty flashlight to light the way.

“Oh, I don’t know, Freddy doesn’t like to go there. Captain.”

“Well, it be a good thing the bear ain’t comin’ along then, ain’t it?” Foxy lazily waved his hand in the air as he steered the boy towards Bonnie Bowl.

“I don’t think he wants me going there after hours.”

“What Freddy don’t want don’t matter now, yer with me, and as Captain I be in charge.” Foxy reminded him. “Besides, we’ve been all over this place and ye ain’t complained yet.”

“I’m not complaining, I”m just saying that Freddy says that-”

“What Freddy says don’t matter. Now come along before them security bots try to get us in trouble.” With that Foxy hustled his companion along, leaving no room for arguments.

It was easy to find the bowling alley and even easier to pop open the metal gate that blocked the entrance. With instinctual nonchalance Foxy strolled right in, hand in his pocket and hook gesturing for Gregory to follow.

“Come, lad. Who knows what awaits us behind these doors!”

Silently Gregory followed, hesitating slightly at the threshold. Impatiently Foxy herded him further into the bowling alley, not stopping to look at the image of the rabbit that cheerfully gazed down upon them.

When he had first come to his senses, still dusty from storage, Foxy had asked about Bonnie. Freddy and Chica had done their best to explain the rabbit’s absence. It had been an accident. No one was at fault. They couldn't fix him. There was too much damage. Those were the canned responses Freddy and Chica had said when asked.

One night Bonnie had simply left his recharge station and went towards Gator Golf. Monty remained quiet on what happened next, though after some pestering he admitted he couldn't really remember the details and frankly didn't want to.

Corporate sent out a memo that Bonnie was out of commission and that was that. No explanation given, Monty was promoted to Bonnie's spot in the band, and life moved on.

Foxy had mainly agreed not to speak of it because no one would entertain the subject. But kids still occasionally asked him where his First Mate Bonnie was, wondering when the rabbit would return, and the bowling alley was still open for business. It was hard to move on when reminders were constantly being shoved in his face.

“Now.” Foxy said, shrugging off the unpleasant feeling of a friend long disappeared. “Let’s find some treasure.”

“Well… here are some bowling shoes.” The kid held up a pitiful souvenir.

“Aye, those be shoes. Put ‘em on and see if ye can find any better prizes back there.”

“What are we looking for anyways?”

“Greg, me lad, ye got to have some faith that there be somethin’ good here.” Foxy chided. “Has yer Captain ever steered ye wrong?”

“Well, there was that time in Roxy Raceway with the fire-”

“Hush, we ain’t speakin’ of that no more.” Foxy quickly shushed. “And ye promised ye wouldn’t tell the bear.”

“I didn’t mean to, but Freddy wanted to know why my shorts got scorched and I couldn’t think of a good reason why.”

“Arr, I ain’t mad. We’ll think of a better cover story if we end up with a similar situation here.”

As Foxy headed towards the lanes he heard the kid grumble about unnecessary fires and lies. Soon enough Gregory would learn the fine points of risk and reward and the even finer points of having a good alibi. For now the kid was doing a decent job at keeping him company and that was all he could ask for.

Well, there was something else he could ask for. Foxy lifted up his eye patch, rubbing at his eyes, and peered down the rows of lanes.

“Greg, come here a minute.”

“What is it? Uh, Captain.” The boy joined his side.

“Ye’ve been here before, aye?”

“Yeah. During the day.”

“Ye ever been through that door?”

“What door?”

“That one.” Foxy pointed to the end of the last lane. A door, presumably locked, bore a “Staff Only” sign.

“Oh. No, ‘cause I’m not staff.” Gregory shook his head.

"Y'see, Greg me lad, the sign says 'Staff Only', sure, but that don't mean we can't be havin' a quick peek." Foxy reassured him. "They just slap the sign on anythin' they don't want the kiddies to be messin' around with."

"But I'm a kiddie- er, kid." Gregory's hesitation was waved off.

"Arr, sure, but ye be with Captain Foxy, and Captains get clearance to wherever they please to be, and yer me swabbie so ye get the clearance too. Now help me open this up."

Together they pulled and prodded at the door, Gregory wiggling the handle as Foxy shoved his hook into the gap, and with a sudden BANG it flew open. The two were sent sprawling across the lane, Foxy just barely turning out of the way before he squashed the poor kid.

"Well, let's see what treasures we found." Foxy dusted himself off. "Oh, wait, I lost me eye patch, where'd it go-"

“Hey, there’s a whole nother room back here.” Curiosity won over the boy and drew him in, leaving Foxy alone in his search. “More than just a closet or some staff room.”

“Shout if ye find anythin’!” Foxy called after him, digging around in the gutter for his beloved eye patch. A proper treasure hunt should not involve losing a favorite article of clothing.

"Uh… Foxy…." Gregory's voice wavered through the open door.

“There ye are, ye menace, thought ye could escape ol’ Foxy.” Out of the corner of his eye Foxy could see the light of the flashlight bouncing around. He picked up the eye patch and put it back in place, making sure it was arranged just so, then turned to see what Gregory had found.

"What'd ye find? Somethin' worth all this trouble I hope." Gleefully he entered the room, peering over the top of Gregory's head and following the shaking beam of the flashlight.

The first thing he noticed was how incredibly dusty everything was. The door had been stuck shut, probably unused for quite a while, with no humans entering to keep the place tidy. Several discarded bowling balls were left lying around, broken through shelves and denting the wooden floor. Nothing of interest and certainly nothing to be nervous about.

Then the light of Gregory's flashlight fell upon the floor, revealing a very familiar blue.

Everything else went hazy, as if the peripherals had been plunged underwater, and all Foxy could see was the very friend he had been told over and over had been gone.

But Bonnie wasn't gone. Bonnie was here. Buried right under the feet of liars, of apathetic creatures that couldn't be bothered to hope for a chance of revival.

The light had left. The kid disappeared into the darkness. Foxy let him go. It wasn't the kid that deserved the brunt of his rapidly rising wrath.

Bonnie was in a terrible state. His poor friend had been torn from limb to limb and discarded like trash to fester in the dark. Blank eyes stared up into his own, devoid of the life Foxy desperately searched for. Bonnie was lost, left alone for far too long.

No matter. Foxy would never leave him again.

**********

Freddy had not been keen on letting Gregory wander the Pizzaplex at night, not even after the animatronics had been repaired and restored, but he was practicing restraint. He had personally investigated the Pizzaplex and made sure that the staff had taken care of all of his concerns.

Maybe Gregory could be trusted. After all, he technically wasn't alone. Foxy was with him, and like the others he had been programmed with children's safety in mind. Sure, the pirate was a little… lax with the rules, but he would never hurt a child.

And Freddy had to admit that having an evening to himself was very needed. He loved the crowds of kids that came to visit him daily but at night he enjoyed the calm peace that settled in with the comfortable silence.

Chica had encouraged him to kick back and watch some mindless tv, even going through the trouble of setting him up with some reality shows to start with. The plots were hard to follow but that didn't matter, he was reclined and very comfortable and looking forward to an evening of nothing to do-

"FREDDY!" There was the universe working against him.

Quickly Freddy opened the door to see Gregory about ready to knock it down. He had heard the boy's yell clear through the door.

"What is it Gregory? Are you hurt?"

"No, no, but you have to come help, it's- it's Foxy, he's- he's-"

"Gregory. Calm down. I cannot understand what is wrong." Freddy knelt down and put a comforting hand on Gregory's shoulder, searching for any obvious injuries. "What is happening with Foxy?"

Gregory's hands trembled around the flashlight. "He's… he found- oh, Freddy, he found- he found…."

"Please, you can tell me."

"Bonnie." Gregory blurted. "Foxy found Bonnie and now he's going crazy! You have to help, I can't get near him-"

The words were lost in shock. Freddy slowly stood.

"What did you say?"

"It's Bonnie, we found him."

"Are you… are you certain about that?"

"Yeah, please Freddy, we have to go back, Foxy's lost his mind!"

It felt like a dream. Freddy was aware of Gregory pulling at his arm, getting him to move, and he followed dutifully. It was too much to hope for Bonnie to be found. Better to focus on the reality of Foxy being in trouble. That was far more believable.

His disapproval grew as Gregory led him towards Bonnie Bowling. Foxy was known to roam but Freddy had hoped he would have known not to bring a child past the security gates.

"Gregory, you should not have come here after dark." The disapproval was something he could latch on to, though he dutifully followed the boy to the end of the lanes.

"That's not really important right now Freddy, not when-" Gregory came to an abrupt halt. "He's right over there. I- I don't want to see him."

"You do not have to. Wait here for me." Freddy assured him, making sure the child wasn't about to run off again before heading through the open door.

The air was stagnant in here. Not many came through this way judging by the thick layer of dust, disturbed only by the recent arrival of the fox and boy. Freddy tread carefully. A faint voice met his ears, alerting him to the company waiting around the corner.

“Don’t ye worry Bon, don’t ye worry, I be here, Foxy’s got ye.” The whisper was loud in the otherwise silent room. “Just- just don’t think about bein’ in here no more, I promise ye’ll never be lost again, that be me promise to ye- Foxy never goes back on his word, mark me words-“

Freddy was able to get close enough to get a good view. Immediately he regretted it.

Foxy was huddled on the floor, rocking back and forth over a bundle in his arms. A bundle of wires and metal. A blue bundle. Freddy knew that blue very well.

“Ah, ye’ve missed a lot, me matey, ye have, but now yer here and I’ll be sure to catch ye up to speed….” The fox ceased his babbling and went completely still.

Freddy waited.

“What d’ye want?” Foxy growled, turning to look at Freddy over his shoulder.

“Gregory told me you had- that you had found something.” The words didn’t come out as calm as he intended them to be.

“He ain’t some THING.” Foxy spat, holding the mangled mess closer to his chest. “He’s BONNIE.”

“Yes.” Freddy choked. “Yes- you- you found Bonnie.”

Or what was left of him. With Foxy covering him it was difficult to see just how much of Bonnie he had found, but what was dangling towards the floor between his arms didn’t inspire much hope.

“He’s been here a long time.” Foxy’s eye never left Freddy’s. Every movement was tracked.

“Yes. Too long. I am so-“

"YE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK FER HIM!" The accusation was little more than a guttural scream. “YE LEFT HIM TO ROT ALL ALONE!”

“No, we did not know, we did not-“

“Ye did NOT do ANYTHIN’.” Foxy’s claws dug into the broken seams barely holding what was left of Bonnie’s shell together. “And now ye won’t, ye won’t have him, ye won’t lay a finger on him, not while I live and breathe, I’ll stop ye from losin’ him again-“

With each breath Foxy rose higher and higher until he was standing at his full height, Bonnie clutched in his arms. He wasn’t tall enough to tower over Freddy but he made up for it with such a ferocity it stopped Freddy’s approach.

“I will not take him from you.” The bear assured him, trying to squash the instinct to run forward and take the rabbit from his arms. “But we must take him to parts and services-“

“‘We’ must do nothin’, ‘cause ‘we’ ain’t doin’ anythin’, I ain’t lettin’ ye- ye ain’t touchin’ him- GET BACK-“

Freddy had just enough foresight to step back before he was bitten. A piece of metal fell from Bonnie’s shattered torso and clattered to the floor. In an instant Foxy was crouched again, angling his body over it in case Freddy tried to go for it.

“Please, Foxy, we have to get Bonnie to parts and services. We might be able to help him, but you have to trust me.”

“Oh, like Bon trusted ye to find him? How long did it take before ye decided he weren’t worth lookin’ fer anymore? A week? Less? How long before ye moved that green bastard into his room?” Foxy’s accusations were pointed, aiming directly at Freddy’s guilt. “ANSWER ME YE COWARD!”

“It was not like that. You do not understand-“

“I will NEVER understand.” Foxy hissed.

“We looked for a long time. We looked everywhere. I never forgot Bonnie.”

“Then WHY is he HERE.”

“I do not know. Honestly, Foxy, I truly do not know.” Freddy stepped forward again. “But I do know we can help Bonnie-“

“I SAID GET BACK!” Again with the snap of the teeth, this time making contact with Freddy’s arm and nearly biting through the metal.

Freddy once more retreated, drawing his arm up against himself. Thankfully it was only surface damage but it would need repair.

"Just try." Foxy growled, hackles raised. "Ye won't take him from me, not without losin' yer own limbs."

Freddy didn't doubt that.

"Please." Freddy lowered his voice, keeping his movements slow. "I want to help Bonnie."

"Ye don't, ye left him to rot, yer all liars every last one of ye and if ye so much as think about takin' one step closer I'll rend yer hands from yer limbs."

The words, quiet and flat, were followed by Foxy going completely still again. No longer did he have the amiable sway of an ambling pirate. This was a predator preparing every muscle to spring into action and strike in an instant.

Freddy stopped trying to get to Bonnie. Behind him he could sense Gregory lingering in the doorway, having drawn closer during the confrontation.

"Gregory." Freddy spoke quietly to the boy. "Go get Chica."

"But-"

"Go. Now." He spared a glance at Gregory and tried to look reassuring.

Gregory finally obeyed and ran off, leaving Freddy alone to deal with the present danger. He turned to find that during the conversation Foxy had taken Bonnie further into the room, eye gleaming in the near darkness and fixed entirely on Freddy.

There was no use following him. Bits and pieces of Bonnie littered the floor along the trail Foxy had taken. Any more movement and the only thing left of the rabbit would be a memory.

Instead Freddy leaned against the wall and waited. Foxy had been right: he had given up in his search for Bonnie, believed the staff when they told him there was no use looking for him any more, and left his friend to collect dust right under their noses. Did he have the right to try and bring his friend back after abandoning him?

“It be alright, Bon. We’ll… we’ll get ye back.” Foxy’s muttering picked back up. There was an odd warble to his voice. “And… and we’ll go sailin’, we’ll f-find some treasure, we’ll… we’ll….”

He did not continue that train of thought. There was more shuffling, a clang, and quiet. Freddy leaned forward for a better look.

The single yellow eye in Foxy’s head glowed dim. The fox swayed back and forth, seeming to be rocking Bonnie’s body tenderly, but upon closer look it seemed involuntary.

Freddy was contemplating this when familiar footsteps echoed down the hall. Noticeably there was an absence of smaller footsteps, hopefully indicating that Gregory had found a safer place to stay while the Foxy situation was resolved.

“Freddy?” Chica’s voice was quiet, delicate in the tense air.

“In here.” Freddy inched back towards the doorway so she could see him. “Please be careful.”

“What’s going on? Gregory said- oh, Freddy, it’s not true, is it? Did… did Foxy find…?” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.

“It is true.” Freddy pulled her aside out of Foxy’s line of sight. “He has found him.”

Chica gasped, hands flying up to her mouth. “How?”

“I do not know. But we cannot wonder about it right now. Foxy is not… being cooperative. We cannot help with him in this state.” Freddy raised his arm to prove his point.

“Oh, Freddy, that looks awful.” Chica reached out to touch the torn metal.

“It can be repaired.”

“Let me see him. Please.” Chica whispered. Freddy wasn’t sure who she was referring to.

“Stay behind me.”

Together they crept back into the room, Chica behind Freddy, and silently observed the fox. Not much had changed, though his swaying was becoming more erratic and the eye had darkened. The words were an unintelligible mumble.

Chica let out a small noise of distress. Foxy’s eye snapped up, hook waving menacingly in the air.

“Don.. don’t ye think about it. Mean it.” The fox growled, staring past Freddy and Chica entirely. “Kill ye. Dead. Rip ye from bow to stern.”

“Oh Foxy….” Chica whispered.

As soon as they stopped advancing Foxy dropped his gaze back down to Bonnie’s body, forgetting his previous threat to eviscerate them. His hook scraped across the ground as he settled Bonnie across his lap.

Freddy kept himself angled between Foxy and Chica, his torn arm a reminder of what would happen if they tried to take Bonnie by force. Still, as they stood there and stared at the ghost from the past, it took everything Freddy had not to run forward and wrench him from Foxy’s arms.

“I have an idea.” Chica suddenly broke the silence, tugging at Freddy’s intact arm to draw him out of earshot.

“Yes?”

“Foxy’s low on power. If we wait long enough he’ll shut down.”

“How can you tell?”

“His eye’s dim. And the swaying, I’ve seen it before.”

“Can you tell how much longer we will have to wait?”

“Not long. Then… then we can take Bonnie.” Chica hugged herself. “Oh, Freddy, I had no idea-”

“Neither did I. We can discuss it later.” Freddy cut her off before he lost the last of his resolve.

They didn’t have to wait long for Foxy’s power to dwindle. Unfortunately the animatronic seemed to understand their intent, for he had climbed to his feet, dragging Bonnie with him, and attempted to push past them to the exit.

“YE’LL N-N-NOT KE-KP M-ME FROM S-S-S-S-” Foxy’s roar was a stuttered mess, eye flashing on and off, Bonnie trembling in his arms.

“Foxy, please-” Chica reached out to him to steady him.

“NO!” Freddy had a fraction of a second to pull her away, throwing his already injured arm up to block Foxy’s terrible teeth.

The sound of tearing metal and sparking of wire was overshadowed by Chica’s scream. Pain bloomed all throughout Freddy’s sensors as Foxy wrenched his head back and tore a decent chunk of metal and wiring out, the momentum nearly knocking Freddy off his feet.

“Foxy- stop!” Freddy pushed at the fox’s face to get him to let go but it only served to make the teeth bear down even harder.

“Let go!” Chica came up behind Foxy and grabbed at his coat, barely dodging the hook that swung her way. Her interference caused Bonnie to slip in his arm and drag across the ground with a terrible screech of metal.

“Please Foxy, please let us help.” Freddy begged through the pain. It didn’t matter how mangled he was, he had to get Foxy to stop so he could help Bonnie, Bonnie who had gone without help for far too long….

The hateful light in Foxy’s uncovered eye dimmed. The pressure behind the bite lessened. Slowly the pirate swayed on the spot, Bonnie dangling in his arm.

“B… Bon….” The word was muffled in Freddy’s arm.

“Yes. We need to save him.”

Slowly, painfully, Foxy released his hold. WIth a stuttered sigh the pirate collapsed, taking Bonnie down with him. Chica fell to her knees beside them both.

“He’s out.” She confirmed, carefully checking Foxy’s darkened eye.

“Good.” Freddy winced as he carefully pushed the mangled pieces of his arm back together. “We must take Bonnie to parts and services.”

They had to leave Foxy behind in the dark. Thanks to him practically dismantling Freddy’s arm it took both Freddy and Chica working together to carry Bonnie to parts and services. Once Bonnie was securely in the chair, laid out for them to see, did they finally take a moment to truly feel what they had gone through.

Freddy collapsed into a nearby chair, staring solely at Bonnie. Even if he had wanted to look at his arm he couldn’t. The sight of his dearest friend’s corpse hurt too much to look away from.

“Freddy. We need… we need to fix your arm.” Chica’s voice was gentle, her touch on his torn metal even more so.

“Fix Bonnie first.”

“That will take time. I can’t do it alone, I need your help. You’ll need that arm.”

“I am alright-”

“No, you’re not! None of us are!” Chica’s face broke his line of sight, anguish plastered across her features. “We just found the corpse of our friend that we had written off as gone, just look at the state of him Freddy, I can’t believe he was in the bowling alley all this time-”

Her speech broke off into a strangled sob. Carefully Freddy gathered her up into his arms, trying so hard to hold on to his own composure for both their sakes. Bonnie’s vacant face stared back at him.

“You are right.” Freddy said, still staring at Bonnie. “I cannot put Bonnie back together until I am fully functional.”

Slowly, once they had both calmed down enough, Chica and Freddy set about repairing the bear’s arm. Neither commented on the ferocity of Foxy’s bite or the pure hate in his eye as he did so. They would eventually have to retrieve Foxy from Bonnie’s tomb, but for now they had to focus on what they could.

Chapter 2: Business

Summary:

Everyone is busy. Foxy's still grumpy and Monty is very confused.

Bonnie was stable. It had taken hours to sort out the mess of wires and metal, but compared to convincing Freddy to repair himself it had been a piece of cake.

Chica took a breather in a nearby chair and eyed the bear. Freddy's arm was still visually a mess but it was functional, and the second he had been able to use it without pain he had set about starting Bonnie's repairs.

Thankfully the parts and services computer could handle most of the delicate work. After all, it had built them in the first place. Though it would still take time, time that left them to wonder just what would wake up in that table.

Would Bonnie come back? Physically, yes, but mentally? Chica didn't want to think about it. Freddy certainly was considering every possibility, judging by how intently he was staring at the rabbit.

"Chica." Freddy interrupted her thoughts. "How are you fairing?"

"Oh, about as well as can be expected." She tried to keep it casual. "But I think we've made a good start, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes. It is good we have started the repairs." His words were distant.

"Freddy, you know I'm here for you every step of the way." It was a statement designed to pierce the walls he was steadily building up between them.

"I know, Chica. Thank you." Freddy's expression was carefully controlled. "There is one other matter we need to attend to. We will need to get Foxy to a recharge station. We cannot leave him in the bowling alley."

"I can move him." Already she was on her feet, anxious to do something that wasn't sitting and contemplating the reanimation of the corpse of her dear friend.

"If you are able to, that would be much appreciated. I do not wish to leave Bonnie."

"I'll have Roxy help. But you need to take care of yourself too. Make sure you recharge."

"I will." Freddy answered automatically.

Chica knew it would be a losing battle, one that she did not have the energy to fight, so she let it be for now. Bonnie was stable, Freddy wasn't mangled, and now she had more important things to attend to.

She made it back to Rockstar Row in record time. Predictably she was greeted by a familiar wolf, the exact one she was hoping to find waiting for her.

"There you are." Roxy stood outside her room, one hand on a hip and the other wielding a curling iron. "Thought you ran out on me. You know, my time is just as valuable as yours-"

"Roxy, I need your help." Chica interrupted. There was no easy way to do this so she decided to take the simple route. "Foxy and Gregory found Bonnie's body, Freddy tried to take Bonnie to parts and services, Foxy attacked Freddy and lost power, and after he collapsed Freddy and I took Bonnie to be repaired."

"I… what?"

"I need your help getting Foxy out of where we found Bonnie so he can properly recharge."

"Uh, why do you want me, why not ask Freddy or Monty?"

"Freddy's with Bonnie. And Monty… do you really think it's a good idea to get him involved with this?"

"He's gonna find out eventually. He's a big dumb lug but he's not blind."

"I know, I just… want to make this simple for now. And I trust you."

"Fine." Roxy tossed her curling iron into her room. "But if Foxy tries to attack me I'm gonna kill him."

"He won't. He's completely out of power, he can't even wake up right now."

"What made him attack Freddy anyways?" Roxy huffed. "I thought that stupid pirate liked everybody that gave him the time of day."

"I don't know." Chica sighed. "He was really upset that we hadn't found Bonnie. Even though… even though he was in his bowling alley all along."

"He was?" Roxy gave a low whistle. "That sucks. To think Bonnie was right next door this whole time, that's insulting."

"I know!" Chica fought back the rising outburst. "We didn't try hard enough, we could have found him, but we didn't and Foxy has every right to be mad. It's like we just gave up looking."

"Well sure, but is that gonna do us any good?"

"What?"

"I mean, yeah, we probably could have found Bonnie if we looked more, seeing as Foxy of all people was able to just stumble across him, but playing 'what if' is stupid and pointless. Foxy can be mad but he can't be a jerk about it." Roxy shrugged.

"But Bonnie-"

"He's dead, he doesn't care how long it took you guys to find him. He'll just be thankful to be alive when he gets fixed."

"You haven't been here as long as me. You don't understand how Freddy, Foxy and I feel."

"You're right, I don't. So I can see this from an outsider's perspective. And my perspective is that if you keep feeling guilty then you and Freddy are gonna wallow in self doubt forever while Foxy goes feral, which is a waste of everyone's time."

The words were harsh but rang true. Chica took a deep breath.

"Thanks, but sometimes you can be really rude, you know."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't say anything if I didn't care." Roxy gave her a more sympathetic smile. "Let's go get the feral fox, throw him in a recharge station, and get back to Sleeping Bonnie."

Sleeping Bonnie. That was one way to put it. Of course, Roxy hadn’t seen Bonnie sprawled there in the dark, seen the open, vacant eyes-

“Hey, Chica.” Roxy patted her shoulder. "Come on. It's gonna be ok, I promise."

It was a long walk back to Bonnie Bowl. Ever since Bonnie had disappeared Chica had found no reason to visit there, only passing by on the way to somewhere else in the building. Once she had caught Freddy standing outside, silent, as if waiting for the rabbit to come out to meet him. It had been a sight she hoped to never see again.

And now here she was, visiting Bonnie Bowl not once, but twice, to rescue her friends. To think that earlier she had been planning on simply hanging out with Roxy for their weekly Girls Night.

"So Foxy really attacked Freddy?" Roxy broke the silence between them.

"Yeah. He bit Freddy real bad on the arm. Tore right through the metal and wires."

"Wow. And people call me a drama queen."

"Well he and Bonnie were close before… before they were decommissioned."

"Sure. But you won't see me stooping to that low of a level if something happened to you."

"Thanks?" Chica tried to spin that as a compliment but thankfully was distracted by their arrival.

"So where is the feral idiot?" With zero hesitation Roxy stepped into the bowling alley. "Stuck in a gutter somewhere?"

"No, there's a room- uh, over here, behind the lanes." Chica guided her past the empty lanes. "I don't know why he wanted to come this way in the first place but it's so good he did."

"Sure, but then he messed it up by going completely nuts." Roxy picked up a bowling pin, hefting it in a hand. "I swear if he wakes up…."

"He won't. Come on."

Foxy was right where Chica and Freddy had left him, keeled over on the floor like a discarded toy. The little light that made it back to the room glinted off of the tips of his golden teeth.

"Look at that." Roxy nudged him with a foot. "You can see bits of Freddy in his teeth."

Chica's stomach dropped. There, between the gold and white teeth, were unmistakable pieces of golden metal.

"Does Freddy even still have an arm? You know, I bet Foxy's jaws are super strong from all the exercise they get from his non stop yammering-'

"Roxy, please." It was too much. Chica had to get out of this room before she started to scream.

"I'm just wondering." Roxy crouched down and prodded the fox with the bowling pin. "You know, when he's not parading around like an idiot he's actually kind of-"

"Uuuuugh." The groan that came out of Foxy tore through the sentiment. In a flash the teeth snapped towards the bowling pin, just barely missing Roxy’s hand.

Both Roxy and Chica backed away in horror as the uncovered eye flickered to life. The mashing of his teeth echoed through the room, the remaining pieces of Freddy in his mouth splintering with sickening cracks. Foxy’s motions were slow, stuttered, hampered by the low power in his system, but fueled by a misplaced anger that was now turned towards them.

“WHERE BE BONNIE?” Foxy roared, eye rolling every which way.

“Foxy, wait, we’re here to help you-“ Chica

“AAAAAAAAARGH!” Roxy leapt into action, swinging the bowling pin in a way that deified all bowling regulations. It caught Foxy upside the head with enough force to spin him around in a full circle. Without missing a beat the wolf was upon him, latching onto his back and snaking her arms around his neck.

Well here was a predicament. Chica quickly pressed up against the wall as Foxy flailed around in an attempt to dislodge Roxy from his back. The hook narrowly missed snagging Roxy’s face, waving dangerously through the air, but the wolf held on.

“Roxy, don’t kill him!” Chica ducked as they staggered closer. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing“

“I’d say he darn well knows what he’s doing!” Roxy grunted.

Foxy let out a stream of curses that would make even the most hardened sailor blush. Briefly Chica wondered how he was even capable of such speech when they all had child friendly sensors installed in their vocal processors, but compared to the other actions Foxy was exhibiting that was the least of the worries.

There wasn’t an opening for Chica to step in and help. After a minute of observation it was clear that she wasn’t needed. Roxy rode Foxy like a demented horse, arms locked around his neck and steering him around the small room. The fox was struggling to stay upright, mouth biting at the air in between spewing curses, but he was losing the fight. All Roxy had to do was hang on until her feet touched the ground.

“Ye… ye bi… blurgh.” Foxy wheezed, knees hitting the floor. The light in his eye darkened again.

"NOW he's down." Roxy panted. She let his body fall to the floor with a careless crash.

"Is he dead?" Chica gasped. Surely she didn’t just watch another one of her friends deactivate-

"No, of course not. I just made him go to sleep like those guys do on those shows I watch with Monty sometimes." Roxy occupied herself with straightening out her messed up hair. "Which I wouldn't have had to do if he was actually asleep like you said."

"I thought he was! He wasn't moving after he fell to the floor. It must have been… yes, he must have been still and quiet enough to charge some power on his own without recharging at a station."

"How on earth do you know that?"

"Well, Mazercise is all about exercising, and you need to be aware of your energy to exercise longer, as well as know how much you can regain during breaks in between sessions, it’s really easy to-“

"Nevermind, this sounds like a lecture." Roxy kicked Foxy's side. "I trust my method."

“Let’s get out of here.” Chica knelt down next to Foxy to turn him over. Briefly she waited to see if he would wake up again but Roxy’s method seemed to do the trick.

“Ugh, he owes me for this big time.” Roxy grunted as she slung his arm over her shoulder.

“I’m sure he’ll be grateful we’re not leaving him here.” Chica took the other arm. Together they heaved him to his feet.

“Yeah, I’ll believe that when I hear his appreciation from his own filthy mouth.”

“Wonder how he can say such awful things without being censored?” It was a trivial topic but Chica needed something, anything to focus on besides the lingering worry about Bonnie.

“I don’t know but I want to know what he did. What’d I give to be able to tell some of those punk kids what I really think.”

“Roxy, those are children!”

“Well they can be little jerks. And I want to be able to tell them that to their faces.”

It was hard to argue with that. Chica had seen her fair share of unruly kids and obnoxious parents, and yes, she had wanted to tell them off from time to time, but she hadn’t wanted to insult them as badly as Roxy did. She had tried to learn to be patient, though no one was as patient as Freddy.

“I hope Freddy’s alright.” Chica said to herself. It had been so hard to leave Freddy alone to watch Bonnie, but she wasn’t going to ask him to abandon his dearest friend to retrieve Foxy.

“Sure he is.” Roxy replied. “He didn’t have to fight this idiot.”

“Roxy, he’s left in the basement staring at the body of his closest friend.”

“A friend that we’re gonna wake up again. One that’s just sleeping and not trying to eat him.”

Chica remained quiet as doubt creeped in. It would be too easy to think that there was a chance Bonnie wouldn’t wake up again.

“Look, you can’t tell anyone I said this.” Roxy muttered, peering around Foxy’s head to stare Chica in the eye. “But Freddy isn’t a weak little bear. He’s strong. Yeah, it sucks that he’s got to watch over the body of his friend, but he’s the only one that can make sure Bonnie is repaired. So stop worrying about him because you don’t need to.”

“Oh, Roxy-“

“Nope, nuh uh, we’re not having a moment here on either side of the stinky unconscious pirate.” Roxy interrupted, jostling Foxy uncaringly.

“Ugh.” Foxy groaned. Thankfully he did not wake up.

"Where does Foxy even recharge?” Roxy changed the subject. “I've never seen him in a station.”

"Um….” Chica paused. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him in one either.”

“You’re not telling me he hasn’t had an actual recharge since he’s been brought back to work?”

“I… well, I hope not, but honestly out of all of us I’m not surprised that he’s the one that can get by on little to no recharge.”

“Well why are we bothering to charge him up now? Why not just wait for him to wake back up again?”

“Because he’ll keep waking up upset. He needs more rest to sort himself out.”

“There’s never going to be enough rest in the world to sort him out.” Roxy muttered.

Chica sighed but mentally agreed. Foxy, upon reawakening, seemed more unruly and wild than he had before he had been put into storage. It was easy to write off as his usual pirate flair but the events of tonight were making her think there was something more to it.

“So where are we taking him?” Roxy continued. “I’m not hauling him around all night, he’s way too heavy for his own good. You’d think he’d be lighter since he’s such a shrimp.”

Again Chica held her tongue, not wanting to point out that Roxy and Foxy shared the same basic body model and were basically the same weight. Instead she steered them down towards Rockstar Row.

“We’re not putting him in my room.” Roxy stated.

“We’ll put him in mine.” Chica assured her. “I’m not going to be sleeping anyways. I have to help Freddy with Bonnie.”

“I’ll make sure Foxy knows he owes you big time. And that he doesn’t mess up your room.”

“You’ll keep an eye on him?”

“I guess. Can’t leave the loser alone with all your things. He’s a pirate you know.”

Chica giggled. It felt odd given the circumstances but it was welcome. They finally made it to her room, through the door, and none too gently shoved the pirate fox into the recharge station.

“Now that’s an evening I’ll never get back.” Roxy announced as she locked the door from the outside. “He’s not coming out until I say so.”

“Probably for the best.” Chica agreed. “When he wakes up he’ll be confused, he probably won’t understand what’s happening.”

“Oh I’ll make him understand.” The words were growled. “He won’t be allowed to leave until he does.”

“Just… please don’t make him need parts and services. We need it for Bonnie.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Roxy made herself comfortable on the couch. “Go help your rabbit. I'll take care of Foxy.”

Chica cast one last look at Foxy, who for all appearances seemed to be perfectly serene and fast asleep. That would be a problem for later. For now she had more important things to attend to.

********

Freddy did not believe in ghosts. Children would ask him, particularly around Halloween, if he believed and he would assure them that they had nothing to fear regarding the supernatural. Ghosts were simply stories, and the dead did not rise.

But that was before Bonnie returned.

Freddy shifted in his seat. The creaking of the chair was unbearably loud compared to the quiet whirring of the computer fixing his friend. Thanks to his and Chica’s efforts the computer was all set up and well on its way to reviving Bonnie, leaving Freddy with nothing to do but sit and think and wait.

Memories lingered just out of reach. If allowed he could lose himself in the memories, both good and bad, and shuffle them over and over in his mind to wonder if he could have done something different. If he had just been there, been more attentive, been more aware, maybe he wouldn’t be there watching Bonnie’s body on the table.

He couldn’t allow himself to only remember the good moments without focusing on the bad. Part of him knew it was silly to punish himself like this, that there was no use dwelling on the past, but when left alone with his thoughts he couldn’t help it.

The computer beeped. One of the lights flashed green.

“Outer repairs complete.” The computer announced.

Freddy stood, slowly approaching the table. Bonnie’s outer casing was indeed repaired, the gashes mended like new, and missing metal replaced with brand new parts. Unpainted at the moment but whole.

It was a welcome sight compared to the mangled mess he had been before. Freddy pushed the button to activate the next stage of repairs.

“Starting next sequence.” The computer stated.

Freddy sat back down. If he looked away, leaving Bonnie visible to the corner of his eye, he could pretend that the rabbit was simply sleeping. Maybe he could get some sleep too. After all, Chica had told him he needed it. They still had work in the morning.

That was another issue. With the start of a new day came the start of a new shift, and with the arrival of the human staff there would be questions. Bonnie’s reappearance would be noticed and would have to be explained.

The explanation would have to be later. For now Freddy felt enough weight on his shoulders, enough to bring him over the edge if he let it. Thankfully Chica would return soon to help him-

“Freddy, you haven’t been sitting there this whole time, have you?” As if summoned by his thoughts Chica returned, hands on hips and a worried look on her face.

“No, I have gotten up.”

“Well… how is he?”

“The outer repairs have been completed.” Freddy brought up the diagnostics on the computer. “Now the inner network repairs have begun.”

“How long will that take?”

“It is uncertain but I would estimate a day.”

“What about the staff? They’ll be here in the morning.”

“We will need to hide him until he is able to be brought back online. Perhaps my room. If he is discovered by the staff we will simply tell them that we have found Bonnie and are repairing him. They… they will not deactivate him.”

“No, they won’t. None of us will let that happen.” Chica put a hand on his arm reassuringly.

“What about Foxy? Did you retrieve him?”

“Yeah, we did. He’s recharging in my room while Roxy watches over him. He… was still angry.”

Freddy did not respond to that. It was too much to try and anticipate what Foxy would do once he was fully charged.

"So when do we need to move him?" Chica asked.

"In an hour he will be stable enough to be disconnected and moved without undoing the repairs that have been done."

"Good. So we have an hour to rest."

"I do not wish to leave."

"We won't. But we're going to sit over here where it's more comfortable and try to get some shut eye."

Before he could protest Chica was steering him over to the far corner. From here he could still see Bonnie but it was less intrusive, as if Bonnie was just in for routine maintenance and he and Chica were simply waiting for him to finish. The harsh overhead light did not reach this corner, allowing them both peace in the comforting dark.

Freddy would not sleep. Though with Chica curled up next to him he would allow himself to relax a little more.

*****

Montgomery Gator was having an odd day. The night before was unusually quiet, with only one interruption by Foxy and the kid wandering by on their way to Bonnie Bowl. He wasn't invited but even if he had been he wouldn't've gone.

Being in the bowling alley made him mad. No, not mad. Uncomfortable. Which then made him mad. To stave off the anger he had retreated to the catwalks above Gator Golf, idly watching down upon the silent golf course and trying not to think of a certain rabbit.

He had been there all night long and well into the morning. Foxy and Gregory did not return.

Now today was odd because everyone seemed too… fine? Everyone was working as normal (except Kid's Cove, which was closed for the day) and so far as Monty could tell there was nothing to be weird about. So why was he so uneasy?

"Mr. Monty?" A kid wearing a pirate birthday hat tugged at his arm.

"Yeah little buddy?" He was thankful he could hide his concern behind his glasses. "What is it?"

"Why's Captain Foxy gone?"

"Uh…." It wasn't totally out of the ordinary for Foxy to be gone, especially if the pirate fox had done something impressively stupid and had landed himself in parts and services. "He's just out… catchin', uh, fish. He'll be back."

"Oh. But when?"

"When, er, the fish are gone. Look, kid, he'll come back when he comes back. You got me, and I'm way more impressive than that guy!"

"I guess." The kid adjusted their pirate hat and sighed before returning to the golf course.

Ouch. Monty looked around to see if maybe there was someone else he could pawn this kid off on. Over by the wall were a couple of staff members in what looked to be a deep conversation. No matter. Monty didn't care if he was interrupting.

"So yeah, there was someone definitely using parts and services last night, though we didn’t find anything to- hey Monty, what's up?" The woman stopped mid sentence upon his approach.

"This kid doesn't want me.” Monty grumbled. “Where's Foxy?"

"He's out for the day. You're his replacement."

"What'd he do this time?"

"It's not important. What's important is that you make this party go well for the guests."

Monty didn't argue. No point when it was clear the employees didn't know anything. Whenever they said something wasn't important it really meant they had no clue. For all he knew Foxy was off in his stupid little cove drinking pilfered beer and shoving off all his duties onto whoever was unlucky enough to get them.

Though that didn’t make sense. Foxy loved his stupid pirate parties, especially when there were kids around to do idiotic pirate stuff with, so him missing this party wasn't normal. Maybe he finally fell off his ship and busted himself up too much to function.

The party went as well as Monty could make it. The kid definitely wanted the annoying pirate but was pacified by the superiority of Gator Golf.

As soon as the party was over Monty headed backstage to prepare for the evening show, catching up with Roxy and Chica along the way.

"Yeah, he's still locked in." Roxy was saying. "No way was I gonna let him loose on the kids with that attitude."

"Well, I need in there tonight. I barely have enough energy to make it through the show." Chica groaned.

"I'll move him after we're closed." Roxy glanced back to see Monty following them . "Hey, how was the pirate bayou party?"

"Fine. No thanks to Foxy. Where's he at anyways?" Monty grumbled.

"Idiot ran out of power so he's recharging. Actually, I need your help with him after the show."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because if you don't I'll tell everyone what that little girl called you last week. Y'know, the one in the sparkly purple tutu that really took a liking to you for some reason."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh what was it? Little liza-"

"FINE."

"Guys, please." Chica intervened. "Things are tense enough as it is without you fighting."

"We're not fighting." Roxy assured her. "This is how we communicate."

"Well Freddy and I would prefer it if you communicated a little less aggressively. Just until we're done with- until tomorrow. Please."

"Fine. Try to take it easy, alright?" In an unexpected display of empathy Roxy abandoned her demands and helped Chica over to her dressing table to get ready for the show.

Something was wrong with this picture. Freddy had appeared, looking as exhausted as Chica, and both were quiet and whispering together about who knew what. Roxy was being nice and kept looking over at him and if someone didn't tell him what was going on he was going to throw his bass into the wall-

"Places, everyone." Freddy straightened up, activating his always winning smile, and took his place on the rising platform.

It was easy to step into performance mode. They had rehearsed so many times they could play blindfolded, and their automatic programming kicked in to cover any gaps in skill. So even though Freddy, Chica and Roxy seemed preoccupied with whatever else was going on they still were able to keep up and perform flawlessly.

Monty still didn't like being onstage most nights but tonight he really wasn't feeling it. The others were acting weird, Foxy was who knew where, he felt anxious for no reason, and all he wanted was to retreat to his catwalks and mull it all over until something made sense.

Which was exactly where Monty headed as soon as the show was over and the Pizzaplex closed. Unfortunately he hadn't made it two steps out of his green room before Roxy caught him.

"Hey, I'm not done with you." Roxy called to him.

"Too bad, I'm not your maid or butler or whatever."

"Get your scaly butt over here now." Roxy growled, then paused. "Please."

That made Monty turn. "What'd you say?"

"Look, I really need your help." Roxy's words were unusually soft. "Chica and Freddy are busy and I can't do this by myself."

"What're they doin’?"

"I can tell you once we get Foxy situated." Roxy headed to Chica's room, gesturing for Monty to follow.

"Hold on, what does this have to do with Foxy? I thought he was lost or somethin’."

"No, we just didn't tell the staff where he was. He's been in Chica's recharge station all day."

"You're tellin' me that he's been loungin' around all day while I've had to take over his stupid pirate birthday party?" Oh that was it. Monty was going to punch him in his stupid well rested face.

"Yeah, you can punch him later." Roxy knew him all too well. "But I need you to help me move him to Gator Golf in one piece."

"Oh no, absolutely not. There's no way I'm lettin' him in there-"

"Monty, we need to. It's the only place the three of us can hang out where we can lock him in and not worry about the damages."

"The damages? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you trash the place all the time. They're used to repairing it. If Kid's Cove or the Raceway got trashed there'd be actual consequences."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that when Foxy loses his tiny mind and bites whatever's in front of him it won't get him deactivated. The staff'll just think you got mad again and fix things without question. Now get in here."

Roxy pulled at his arm to bring him into the room behind Chica's green room where her recharge station stood. Inside was, as promised, Foxy. A very secured one judging by the literal chains looped around the door.

"Why's he locked up like that?" Monty asked. There had been too many questions today for his liking.

"Because he's pissed and I didn't want him to get out. But with both of us here he'd have to be beyond stupid to try anything."

"You sure he's smart enough?"

"Look, if he tries to bite or run just hit him over the head. I know you've been wanting to since you first met him."

"Great." Monty sighed and cracked his knuckles. "I still don't want him in Gator Golf."

"I know. But we don't have a choice. I'll tell you why once we get him there, I promise." There was that kinder tone again, only reserved for when she was really desperate.

"Fine. But you owe me one. Both of you do."

"Sure, sure. Now… he's probably going to try and bite when he gets out. He was pretty mad going in there."

"Let him try."

"Alright." Roxy started to undo the chains.

The door opened with a faint hiss. The pirate fox inside also hissed, but much louder and accompanied by a string of colorful curses that even Monty was impressed by.

"AVAST YE BLITHERIN' BUNCH OF LIARS AND- ARGH-" Gracelessly Foxy fell head first onto the floor, assisted by Roxy's well placed foot.

Roxy immediately pounced on him. In a familiar WrestleMania move she looped an arm around his neck and pinned him in place. Monty, having been on the receiving end of such a move, almost pitied the fox. Almost.

"Now listen." She said, motioning for Monty to pick up the chains and bring them over. "We're not having a repeat of what happened last night. You're going to cooperate."

"Last night? What be the time- no, where're ye keepin' me?" Foxy's hook scratched against the floor as he tried to throw her off. "Get off me back ye wench!"

"No. Not until you promise to behave yourself. Monty, tie him up."

She didn't have to tell him twice. With pleasure Monty locked the chains around the struggling fox and held the ending loop in his fist.

"I'll be doin' no such thing, yer a pair of mutinous no good bag of bildgerats and ye can't talk to yer Captain that way- what in the blazes-" Foxy abruptly stopped his struggles as he head landed in a discarded pizza box . "How the hell did I end up in Chica's room?"

"Chica and I put you in her recharge station. You're welcome by the way." Roxy tested the chains, nodding in satisfaction as they remained secure. "Are you going to listen to what I have to say?"

Foxy grumbled but lessened his flailing.

"Good. Now, you can't stay here, Chica needs to recharge. So we're going to Gator Golf to have a talk."

"Like hell I am, I've got to be gettin' to Bon, I know yer in cahoots with the bear- augh!" Foxy's eye nearly bulged out of his head as Roxy squeezed.

"You are coming with us. Now."

There was no room for arguing. Between Monty and Roxy they managed to get Foxy upright and moving, Monty pulling him along on the chain like some demented pet.

A pet that wouldn't shut up. Foxy yammered on and on about how everyone apparently lied to him about some bon, whatever that was. Even yanking on the chain and making him trip didn't stop the flood of nonsense.

The trek to Gator Golf seemed to take a hundred times longer than usual, but finally they arrived to their salvation.

"Oh my god we're finally here, shove him in and lock the door." Roxy had her hands over her ears and was clearly pained.

"And when I get out of these chains- which I will don't ye be thinkin' ye pulled a fast one on ol' Foxy, 'cause ye haven't- I'll give ye both a floggin' that'll make even the most hardened o' souls beg fer their mothers- hey, no, don't-"

Monty shoved Foxy through the door and slammed it shut. They could still hear him rattling and rambling on through the metal.

"Now are you gonna tell me what's going on?" Monty demanded.

"I need a minute of quiet. My ears are numb." Roxy complained. "Can we get up to the catwalks from out here?"

"Yeah, c'mon." Monty led her to a side door. The staff had tried to lock it to keep him from going up but he had broken the lock enough times they finally gave up. In a minute they were sitting up high in his favorite spot, looking down upon Gator Golf in all its glory.

Down below Foxy had given up trying to convince them to open the door and was currently looking for a way to get his chains off, unaware he was being observed from above.

"How long do you think it'll take him to get those off?" Roxy wondered as she made herself comfortable.

"Dunno. They're pretty strong chains. Where'd you get them?" Monty settled down next to her.

"In the Raceway's garage."

"Oh." Monty picked at the paint flaking off the railing and flicked it down towards Foxy, who looked around wildly for the source of the intrusion. "So why's he actin' all feral and stuff?"

"UNCHAIN ME AND TELL ME WHERE ME BON IS YE UNGRATEFUL, ROTTEN, SCOUNDRELY PIECES OF SH-"

"Last night Foxy and Gregory were exploring the Pizzaplex." Roxy smoothly spoke over the pirate's curses. "They ended up finding something in Bonnie Bowl. Something big."

"Uh huh." She was giving him that look he didn't like. It was the look she gave him before she told him something bad. "Well what'd they find?"

"They found-"

"BONNIE IF YE CAN HEAR ME I'M COMIN' FER YE!" Foxy bellowed.

"Wait, did he say Bonnie?" The pieces were slowly falling into place. "Is that what 'bon' is?"

"Yeah." Roxy sighed. "He and Gregory found Bonnie's body, Freddy and Chica went to help, Foxy went nuts and bit Freddy and passed out from low power, and then Chica had me help contain Foxy while Freddy started the repairs on Bonnie. And now we're here."

"Uh…." Monty let the words wash over him. "Huh?"

"Bonnie's been found- FOXY NO!" Roxy leaned over the railing to shout down at the fox, who had managed to break a floor light and was attempting to use the jagged glass to cut through the metal chains. "I gotta go get him before he offs himself."

Suddenly Monty was alone. Alone with the terrible realization that his past ghosts were rapidly coming to haunt him. The whole Bonnie Situation was one he had firmly shoved into the far back of his mind and stubbornly refused to acknowledge, and now all of those feelings of guilt and terror were clawing their way back out.

It was not his fault it was not his fault it was NOT HIS FAULT-

"Monty!" Roxy called from below. "I need your help!"

Anything to get him away from the hauntings of his mind. Immediately he was down on the ground floor, tearing towards a wrestling pile of canine animatronics. Easily he grabbed Foxy around the middle and hauled him clear off his feet.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Monty roared right in his ear.

Foxy froze in place.

"Thank you." Roxy set about untangling the live wires Foxy had managed to wrap around his leg. "I swear if you managed to offline yourself just as Bonnie came back online Freddy would never forgive you."

"Where be Bon?" Foxy did not struggle, mainly due to Monty's unyielding hold, but the gator could feel the fox's seething.

"He's being repaired. You aren't going anywhere near him until Chica and Freddy say so."

"The bear don't deserve to have him. Not after leavin' Bonnie to rot alone in the dark right under our noses."

"Yeah, well, like it or not he's in charge and I don't really care about your opinion." Roxy dismissed. "Not after you tried to eat us. Ease up there, big guy, his eye's nearly popping out of his head."

Monty eased his arms a fraction. Foxy wheezed a response but no actual words came out.

"So we are going to sit tight here until Chica gives us an update. We are NOT going to go running around the Pizzaplex trying to find Bonnie or Freddy, we are NOT going to destroy anything in the process, and we are NOT GOING TO BITE ANYONE FOXY I SEE WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO DO.”

Monty squeezed again to prevent Foxy from latching his teeth onto his arm.

“Eeeyaaaaugh.” Foxy whined.

“That better be a yes ma’am.”

Monty ran Roxy’s words though his head. Bonnie was found. He was with Chica and Freddy. Bonnie was found. Foxy was upset and trying to attack Freddy. Bonnie was found. Roxy was making them stay here to cool off. Bonnie was found. Bonnie was fo-

“Monty!” Roxy was shaking him.

“Huh?”

“Let him go.”

Monty looked down. The animatronic in his arms was shaking, weakly trying to paw at his unrelenting hold. Slowly he released Foxy, who staggered away from him and took refuge over by the fake foliage.

“Good job big guy.” Roxy patted his arm, all her previous vitriol gone. “Let’s take a break, ok? All of us.”

“Ain’t goin’ anywhere near that one.” Foxy muttered, massaging his chest and glaring. He stalked off to a far corner to collect himself.

Monty turned and headed off to his own corner, claws flexing and itching to destroy something. That’s what he always did when the world became too much. It was all he knew how to do.

***********

Bonnie was back on the table. During the day he had been hidden behind Freddy’s room, away from the prying eyes of the staff, and retrieved as soon as the doors closed to the public. The entire day had been one long, anxious, agonizing wait.

Now it was almost time for Bonnie to come back to them. Freddy would not have believed it if he did not have the computer there to tell him. Bonnie had been mostly repaired and would be ready to activate soon.

Chica, who had forced him to recharge for part of the night, had watched over Bonnie until it was her turn to do the same. She had left him at Bonnie’s side, promising to return before the rabbit woke up.

There was such confidence in her voice. There was no ‘if’, just when, as if this whole situation wasn’t some fever dream. Freddy wasn’t sure which side he wanted to be on. Of course he would give anything to see Bonnie again, to have his dearest friend back, but how would he explain why he didn’t find him? Why no one was there to save him from his fate?

And the whole Monty situation. There would not be enough preparation time in the world to prepare for that conversation. But it would happen, given that Bonnie would want to know why the gator had taken his place on stage.

There was also Foxy to deal with. The pirate could hold a grudge like no other, and Freddy felt he was justified for being upset despite Chica insisting that he had been in the wrong for attacking them.

The computer beeped. Freddy activated the next sequence. There was no turning back now. Bonnie would wake up soon and they would all face the music.

“I am so sorry, my friend.” Freddy told him, taking the opportunity to speak while the rabbit could not hear him. “I wish I had done so much differently. Hindsight does not help but it is all I have. I hope that one day you can forgive me for what I failed to do.”

The shade of blue that decorated Bonnie was his favorite. So bright, so brilliant, complementing the red and purple of his ensemble. Bonnie always stood out to him no matter what he looked like, but this look was the one Freddy always preferred.

“Things are so different now. I hope you can understand why we have made these changes. The others do.” Freddy paused. “Well, not Foxy. But he has not been awake for as long as we have. And I feel he is stubborn enough to choose to ignore reason.”

The computer beeped again. Freddy pressed another button. A countdown started, giving him ten minutes before his entire world changed again.

Part of Freddy hoped that Chica would not return in time for Bonnie’s reawakening. That part wanted Bonnie to open his eyes and just see him, see his dear friend and let him explain everything that had happened. They could have that one moment, just for the two of them, before it all went to hell.

But the other part of Freddy, the kinder, more empathetic, scared part, needed Chica there with him. He couldn’t face Bonnie alone. Not after what had happened.

“Freddy? Are you ready?” And there was Chica, fresh from recharge and looking as anxious as he was. “In just a few minutes we’ll be done.”

“Yes. You are back just in time.” Freddy took her hand, guiding her over to stand next to Bonnie, ensuring that they were both in his line of sight. “I am glad.”

Five minutes now. Freddy checked the computer again and again to ensure that everything had gone right.

Four minutes. There was a faint glow to Bonnie’s eyes as the systems rebooted and accepted power.

Three minutes. Bonnie’s fingers twitched, the electricity flooding through limbs that had been motionless for far too long.

Two minutes. Chica took hold of one of the hands, either to steady herself or Bonnie, and waited.

One minute. Freddy took the other hand, feeling the warmth of a body being brought back to life. There was no going back now.

The computer beeped. Bonnie blinked and turned to look at him.

“Bonnie?”

Chapter 3: Bonnie

Summary:

A rabbit returns. Foxy has a terrible idea. Monty needs to vent.

He couldn’t move. Sounds were muddled, filtered through layers of static, barely comprehensible to his ears. Occasionally the dregs of what could have been a voice drifted close enough to vague comprehension, only to be snatched away before he could actually puzzle it out.

Looks like he was left adrift in a sea of uncertainty. That’s what Foxy would have said. A pang of sadness hit him at the memory of his dear deactivated friend. Foxy had been gone for a long time and yet it still hurt to think of him.

All he could do was rest and hope that whatever was keeping him in such a state would let him up. Sure was dull lying here… wherever here was.

A beep. Briefly he surfaced.

“I… rry… ien….” Someone was speaking from very far away. He recognized that voice, he knew he did, but he couldn’t place it. “... one… giv….fail… do.”

Sorrow. The words were unclear but the emotion carried through. He drifted along on it, swept back into the darkness to ruminate on the fact that someone was sad for him. But why?

Sea of uncertainty indeed. If this was going to go on for much longer he was going to lose his mind.

Suddenly he was rapidly ascending from the pit of darkness, his sensors activating one by one by one, sending him from the foggy abyss all the way back into the light of the living. It felt like his mind was crawling up towards activation, slowly and steadily bringing him back online, and he willed the process to go faster.

Someone was holding his hand. His fingers twitched. Another hand took it, gently squeezing.

Beep.

He was free.

Blinking, he turned to look straight into the eyes of Freddy Fazbear.

“Bonnie?”

Hearing his name brought the world back into focus. Bonnie blinked again, drinking in the sight of his friend, a part of him wondering why it felt like he had been starved of the sight.

“Freddy?” The name came out as a croak. What happened to his voice?

On his other side someone gasped. With a tremendous effort he turned to look on his other side, surprised to find Chica clutching his other hand to her chest and shaking. She would be crying if she could, but instead just held his hand and shook.

"Do not be worried." Said Freddy, who all but tackled the rabbit as he moved in to hug him. "I am here. Chica is here. We are here for you."

"Oh, Bonnie, it's so good to hear your voice." Chica hugged Bonnie's arm, the only part free from the literal bear hug.

"Uh, it's great to hear you too, I suppose.” Bonnie gasped as literal dust came out of his vocalizer. “Freddy, can you ease up a little?”

"Oh, yes, I apologize." Freddy released his hold just enough for Bonnie to be comfortable but nothing more.

"How do you feel?" Chica's voice was suddenly very light and cheery. "Anything we need to know?"

"I don't think so? I feel fine.” The way they were looking at him was troubling. “Guys, are you two alright?"

"Of course we are." Freddy, who was half draped across him, smiled in what was supposed to be a reassuring way.

"Why yes." Chica, still holding Bonnie's hand, smiled wider. "Don't worry about us, it should be you we're worried about."

"Did something happen?” Bonnie asked. “You guys are acting awfully strange."

Freddy opened his mouth to explain but Chica quickly cut him off.

"Why, no, nothing in particular. You just had a long repair and slept for a while. But we're so happy to see you're awake and ready to go!"

"Yeah, I feel a little stiff." Bonnie wiggled his ears and toes, the only parts not being hugged by an animatronic bear. "Might just be Freddy though."

“I am sorry. I do not mean to cause you further harm.” As Freddy finally removed himself Chica’s words sunk in.

“Wait, what do you mean a ‘long repair’?” Bonnie asked. “How long have I been here? What happened?”

“Oh. Uh.” Chica glanced at Freddy. “There was an accident.”

“An accident?” The world tilted as worry flooded through him. “Are you two okay? What about Monty and Roxy?”

Freddy flinched. Chica took a deep breath but the bear started speaking.

“They are just fine. You were the only one that was injured. But you have been repaired and brought back online, which is something to be celebrated. No, please, let me finish.” Freddy held up a hand as Bonnie started to ask another question. “We will tell you everything but for now you need to rest. If you will allow it I would like you to come to my room and recharge there.”

“Well, sure, but won’t my room be fine?”

“Uh… it was damaged too.” Chica said, staring down at his hand and tracing her fingers on his palm. “Freddy’s is safer for now.”

“Safer- guys, what happened, I need to know.”

“I promise we will tell you everything.” Freddy repeated. “But I can see that your power levels are dropping already. We will not be able to tell you until you are fully charged, or you will just fall asleep before we can finish.”

Bonnie took a second to assess himself. Freddy was telling the truth. Though he had just woken up he was already feeling terribly sluggish. Whatever accident he had been in must have knocked him out for longer than he thought. A week, two weeks maybe. It would take a couple rounds of recharge before he was back in business.

Briefly he wondered who was covering for him in the band, if anyone. Maybe Monty finally graduated from Bayou Boy to Glamrock Gator, wouldn’t that be a sight.

“Monty and Roxy are okay?” He asked again.

“Yes. We’re all just fine.” Chica patted his hand.

“You do not need to worry about them or anyone else.” Freddy smiled again, though Bonnie could see it was strained.

The world was growing dim. Stubbornly Bonnie clung to consciousness.

“I want to see them.” It was suddenly important that he lay eyes on his friends. Something was missing and he needed to be reassured that he was not lost.

“You will. For now you must rest.” Freddy, still holding his hand, squeezed it gently. “I will be by your side when you come back online.”

Chica said something, probably equally reassuring, but it was lost to him. The darkness closed in once more, dragging him back under.

***********************

Freddy’s smile faded as Bonnie’s eyes closed again. Wearily he placed Bonnie’s hand on the table, motioning for Chica to do the same. Wordlessly they retreated to their secluded corner, taking a minute to hold each other before speaking.

“Bonnie is back.” Freddy rested his cheek on top of Chica’s head, trying to find solace in her presence. “We have brought him back.”

“We did, we really did.” She squeezed him back, still trembling. “I’m so happy but feel so… I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I understand.” He was truly happy, how could he not be, but it felt like he was at the top of a roller coaster about to take the plunge. Though he did not know where the track led. “Chica, did you notice something off about him?”

“What do you mean?”

“He has not asked about Foxy.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.” She pulled away a little to look him in the eyes. “He asked about Monty and Roxy and us but not Foxy, why?”

“I believe that Bonnie does not understand how long he has been gone for. In his eyes it has only been a couple of days.”

“Instead of an entire year.” Chica covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh, Freddy, what are we going to do? So much has happened, he’ll be so confused when he finds out.”

“We… will not tell him all at once. Perhaps it will be best to ease him into things. We have already reassured him that all is well. That was not a lie.”

“No, but what about Foxy? If we let him see Bonnie now he’ll tell him everything.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes, I do.” Chica nodded. “He’s never been able to keep anything from him, at least not when they were both… around.”

Inwardly Freddy calculated just how much trouble it would be to keep the already enraged Foxy from the one he considered his ‘best matey’. His eyes drifted down to the freshly repaired arm, still able to remember how painful the bite had been. But imagining the pain, the confusion in Bonnie’s eyes if told he had been gone for an entire year, a year in which no one was looking for him… that hurt worse.

“We will need Roxy’s help.” Freddy decided. “Foxy will be allowed to see Bonnie but perhaps now is not the best time.”

“What are we going to tell them?”

“I will leave what you tell Roxy up to you. She is trustworthy. As for… Monty….” Freddy took a deep breath. “I do not wish for him to see Bonnie. Yet. So far as Bonnie remembers Monty is still a young man from the bayou that plays the banjo. To see him dressed as a Glamrock with Bonnie’s bass would raise too many questions.”

That was a weak cover for his true feelings about Monty and his role in Bonnie’s life. Chica could see right through it, he could tell, but she was kind enough not to say anything.

“I’ll talk with Roxy and see if she can babysit Foxy a little longer. Maybe… maybe we can distract him with Girl’s Night?” Suddenly she laughed, looking surprised. “Sorry. It’s not funny. Just… imagining him getting his nails painted… it’s funny.”

“It is quite a funny image. Perhaps you and Roxy can lend your hands in repainting Bonnie once he is awake again. There are some… marks that were not fully painted over.”

That was an understatement. Across his chest were still visible lines where he had to be pieced back together. It was fine detail work that the computer could not do, work that was usually done by hand, but hadn’t been prioritized for activation.

“Yeah, I can do that. For now should we get him to your room? So he can recharge?”

“Yes.” One step at a time. They could do this.

**********

It was a mutiny. They were all mutinous bastards, every single one of them, and he was practically marooned in Gator Golf of all places.

“Traitorous rats.” Foxy muttered, heading deeper into the fake foliage.

“Don’t go too far!” Roxy called after him.

“Wench.” Who was she to think she could keep him imprisoned in this plastic tropical hell? He’d find a way out, he always did, even when deactivated he eventually found his way back home.

Somewhere in the jungle the gator was having a fit. More like a rampage, judging by the sounds of it. Foxy deliberately headed in the opposite direction of the destruction, rubbing at the dent in his chest from where Monty had nearly squeezed him in half. It was a good thing Roxy stepped in and told the gator to knock it off, he supposed, otherwise he’d be out of commission before Bonnie could even see him.

“Can’t be treatin’ their Captain this way, it be an embarrassment. It’ll have to be the brig fer all of them.” Foxy continued his narration as he searched the walls for any unlocked exits. “Damn it all, that wench be too good.”

Roxy had done too good of a job locking him in. Not that he’d let her know. She had clobbered him over the head with a bowling pin, wrestled him into submission, chained him up, and locked him in this plastic leafed prison, all without his permission. It was embarrassing.

WHAM. The floor beneath his feet shook. On instinct Foxy ducked.

“Monty, what the- WATCH IT!” Roxy yelped as a wooden cutout of the gator sailed over her head.

Montgomery Gator was not doing well. At least, Foxy didn’t think he was, judging by the sheer amount of damage he was inflicting on his own golf course. Odd behavior from a bandmate of Bonnie’s.

Though Foxy didn’t really know Monty all that well. When Gregory dragged him out of storage and brought him back online he had been terribly surprised to find Bonnie gone and replaced with a gator. Montgomery Gator and Roxanne Wolf were brand new to his eyes, not unwelcome, but very unexpected.

Of course now they were all acquainted with one another, though there clearly was a history between Monty and Bonnie that, despite his best efforts, he had not uncovered. Judging by the amount of damage Monty was doing, he was feeling a lot of things about Bonnie’s return.

Back to the matter at hand. Foxy eyed the nearest exit, unfortunately located on the other side of Monty and Roxy. If only the Pizzaplex had granted his many requests for a proper cannon for his ship, if only, he could then blast his way through the door. Even a battering ram would do.

A plastic log soared through the air, smashing into the wall with a satisfying spray of shards. The wall rattled upon impact.

“You big lug, you’re gonna get your ass hauled to the basement if you take me out!” Roxy screamed, scrambling out of the way.

“Hmmm.” Foxy scratched his chin with his hook. Pieces were falling into place.

Well… There was his way out. Sure, the idea was stupid, probably would get him dismantled, but his Bonnie was waiting for him and he’d willingly lose a limb or two if it meant they could see each other again.

Foxy crouched down in the leaves, hoping that Roxy would momentarily forget she had x ray vision and not look his way. Probably would be better if he had more time to fine tune his plan, particularly for what would happen after he managed to get out of this room, but surely the adrenaline would carry him through.

Just had to get a little closer before starting the ruckus.

“I’m comin’ Bonnie.” Foxy murmured, making sure his eyepatch was on tight. Time to go.

***********************

It wasn’t his fault.

Fake greenery easily tore apart under Montgomery Gator’s grasp, easily shredding everything that was unfortunate enough to be in his way, ripped to pieces with claws that were not his, were never his, yet were used by him in terrible, terrible ways-

It wasn’t his fault.

Something had slithered up inside his mind, disregarding his affections, ignoring his wails of dismay, forcing him to use those claws and tear, tear, tear through what had been his dear friend, how could he do such a terrible thing-

It wasn’t his fault.

Roxy was trying to speak to him. Over the roar in his mind he could faintly hear her voice, though her words were lost in the urge, the need, the instinct to destroy everything in his line of sight. He was consumed with an itch that could only be scratched by raking his claws through every inch of the hell he had found himself in.

It was his fault. That’s what Bonnie would say once he found out the truth. A year of silence from the rabbit would be broken and Monty would be… what would he be? Already he was living in his own prison, forced to live out his dreams in the worst way possible. This was not what he wanted when he first started admiring the Glamrocks. All he wanted was to be part of the band, not be the reason they were torn apart.

Throwing the log was satisfying. A little bit of the rage subsided as the walls rattled. Roxy was shouting again. Maybe… maybe he could talk to her a little. At least figure out what to do with the damn fox that she had made him babysit.

Yeah. Maybe Roxy could help him figure out what to do about Bonnie. Monty shook the splinters out of his claws and straightened, trying to pin where Roxy’s shouting was coming from. It was hard to tell exactly with the ringing still in his ears, his head pounding from the barely subsided rage-

Suddenly his world became a flurry of red and orange. Pain bloomed from a joint in his side. Without looking Monty took a swing, hitting only air as his attacker ducked deftly out of range.

“C’mon, ye lizard.” The words came from somewhere behind him. “Hit me like one of them cardboard cut outs litterin’ this cheap dump-”

The words weren’t really insulting, but the pain in his side was enough to make him furious once more. Monty picked up the nearest object and hurled it in the direction of the voice, disappointed to hear it crash into the wall and not his target.

“Missed!” It was the fox, Monty was sure of it. He’d recognize that shrill laugh anywhere.

“Leave me alone!” Monty growled. “Or you’ll regret it!”

“Oooh, I be sooo scared. Quakin’ in me boots if I had ‘em.”

If Monty had a rational side he would simply ignore the words. The hook, however, could not be ignored.

“AAAAAAAUGH!” Monty roared as the hook snagged his knee, threatening to tear out the joint. How the fox was so damn fast was beyond him, but it wouldn’t matter in a minute.

“Yer a disgrace. Can’t believe ye took Bon’s place, yer about as smart as a bag o’ dead fish, what in the world were they thinkin’ givin’ ye that bass- oh, oh no-”

That did it. Foxy, in his insufferable boasting, had placed himself directly in the line of fire. Monty hefted a bench and shotputted it at him, putting all his might behind the throw with no regards to how he would fare from the impact.

This would be his fault. Monty was prepared for the consequences if it meant Foxy would shut the hell up.

*****************************

“Roxy, I need you to watch over Foxy again. No, Freddy and I need you to. For Bonnie. Please. Yeah, that sounds desperate enough” Chica repeated to herself as she hurried to Gator Golf. She had stopped by her room to find her recharge station empty, as promised, and had checked Roxy’s room before heading to the next logical place Roxy would be.

This was after placing Bonnie in Freddy’s recharge station. It had been so difficult to leave the sleeping rabbit behind, to once more leave his side, but she had a new mission. Freddy could watch over him while she dealt with Foxy.

Was this the right decision, keeping Foxy from seeing their friend? It wasn’t going to be forever, sure, but it felt… wrong. Though not giving Bonnie time to come to terms with all the time he had unexpectedly lost was also wrong. Foxy wouldn’t understand that immediately telling Bonnie he had missed an entire year would not do him any good. The pirate was cheerful, charming, but far from delicate.

Roxy could keep him busy. She was very good at keeping Monty occupied, so why not Foxy too? In fact, they were probably all hanging out in Gator Golf right now, waiting patiently for her to return and give them news about Bonnie, oh she could not wait to tell them that he was alive and active again!

The neon glow of Gator Golf was a welcoming beacon. Happily Chica jogged towards it, her excitement over sharing the good news overshadowing her apprehension of having to tell Foxy to hold his horses.

The doors were shut. Chica rattled them, puzzled, and stepped back to see if there was a staff entrance nearby. Maybe Roxy locked it to keep Foxy from escaping. Smart. But now she needed in.

Muffled shouts made her pause, It sounded an awful lot like Foxy’s boasting. Slowly she backed away, propelled by pure instinct that she didn’t have time to ponder.

BAM. The entrance to Gator Golf exploded in a shower of wood, plastic and metal. Chica threw herself to the ground and covered her head as something hurtled through the air, crashing into the ground and rolling limply across the carpet.

Roxy’s scream rang in her ears as she bolted to her feet. The thing that had crashed through the door was far too familiar.

“Foxy!” Chica stumbled over the remains of the wall and whatever decorations littered the floor.

“Uuuugh.” A groan let her know Foxy was still online. Amazingly he staggered to his feet, arms flailing as he sought to find his balance.

“I’m gonna tear your head off.” Through the doorway came Monty, closely followed by a frantic Roxy.

“You’re not! Stop being an idiot and listen to me- Listen!” Roxy pulled at his arm, managing to temporarily halt his stead. “Foxy’s an idiot but he can’t be a dead one- Chica?”

“Uh, hi.” Chica, arm still held out towards a swaying Foxy, waved awkwardly. “Everything okay here?”

“I’m gonna murder him and then yeah, I’ll be just fine.” Monty snarled.

“You’re not, you already threw a windmill at him, you’re even.” Roxy growled, tugging at his arm and forcing him to look at her. “Drop it.”

“You threw a what at him?” Chica stared at Monty’s hands, at the debris and dust coating them.

“Not important.” Roxy told her, flipping her hair out of her face. “It’s Foxy fault any- WHERE DID HE GO?”

Chica felt her stomach drop. In the two seconds they had taken their eyes off of him he had bolted.

“We have to find him, we can’t let him see Bonnie.” She insisted.

“Is Bonnie back online?” Roxy asked, still holding on to Monty.

“Yeah. He’s back.” Chica glanced up at Monty briefly, trying not to stare too long. “But it’s complicated. He’s… he doesn’t know what happened. Or how long he was gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he thinks he’s only been asleep for a couple of days, maybe a week. Not….”

“A year.” Monty muttered, face eerily calm.

“Yeah. I told him he was in an accident but none of the… finer details. He doesn’t know that Foxy’s back, or that Monty’s part of the band.”

“Well that’s just great.” Roxy huffed. “And I assume you think Foxy’s going to tell him everything and ruin whatever plan you and Freddy have to ease Bonnie back into place.”

“Exactly.” Chica sat down on a nearby bench, putting her head in her hands. This night was not going how she planned, but how could it? How could any of them have anticipated that all of this would happen?

“Monty.” Roxy spoke softly. “Do… what you need to do. I have to help Chica find Foxy before he messes all of this up.”

There wasn’t a response from Monty. Silently he turned and headed back inside Gator Golf, tail dragging against the ground.

“Monty’ll be alright.” Roxy said, placing a hand on Chica’s shoulder. “He’s stronger than he looks. Well, emotionally. Physically we know what he can do. What a mess.”

Weakly Chica laughed.

“Come on, let’s go find Foxy before he messes all this up.” Gently Chica was pulled to her feet. “And I’ll lock him up again and you and Freddy can help Bonnie get up to speed.”

“Thanks. I really mean it.” Chica hugged her, trying to pour all her relief into the gesture.

“You’re such a sap.” Roxy hugged her back. “You owe me for having to put up with Foxy and his idiocy. As for Monty… well, it’s my job to take care of him, so don’t worry about that.”

“Okay. You’ve got a deal.” Mood boosted, she straightened and turned to face the rest of the Pizzaplex. “Now… where do we start?”

“I’ve got an idea.” Roxy tapped the side of her eye. “He won’t be able to hide for long.”

Chapter 4: Revelations

Summary:

Foxy's a stinker. Roxy and Chica figure things out. Monty's lost. Freddy and Bonnie have a chat.

The gator had a killer arm. Foxy would have to remember that next time he got it in his mind to aggravate him. Something in his left knee was clicking every time he put weight on the leg, his vision was fuzzy, and his hook was bent out of shape.

"Argh, ye ain't as young as ye used to be." Foxy muttered to himself. "Can't be pullin' stunts like that no more."

Back in the beginning, when it was just him and Bonnie and Chica and Freddy, things had been less complicated. More fun. Those had been the days when everything was new and adventurous and the Pizzaplex was still finding its feet, and the four of them were working hard to ensure the future would be bright and cheery.

Then little by little the cracks began to show. Foxy himself had always been a bit twitchy, he couldn't deny that, but under Freddy and Bonnie's guidance he mostly was able to keep things under control. Until the incident with….

Well, it wouldn't do well to dwell on his own past mistakes. Gregory had pulled him out of storage, he'd met Roxy and Monty, and now he'd get to see Bonnie again.

Ah, Bonnie. There would be so much to tell him. According to the others Bonnie already knew Roxy and Monty and their additions to the Pizzaplex, but he would definitely be surprised to see that Monty had taken his place in the band. Not to mention all the remodeling and the return of yours truly.

"First thing be first." Foxy hobbled down the hall as fast as he could go. "Need to get away from Roxy and her cursed eyes. Who in their right mind gives a wench like that the ability to see through anythin'?"

If it was just Chica or Monty coming after him he could evade them, no problem, but with Roxy… her eyes would be trouble.

“Where do ye hide from a wench what can see through walls?” He muttered to himself.

The answer was simple: there was no hiding from Roxy. So if hiding was off the table, that meant he would have to keep her looking somewhere else, so that her eyes were searching in the wrong place while he made his getaway.

If only his damn leg wasn’t so messed up. Foxy paused to hit it with his fist, sighing when it didn’t fix the problem. He’d have to go to parts and services soon. Though that was probably where Bonnie was, so he’d want to go there anyway. Just had to keep Roxy and Chica off his trail long enough for him to limp down there.

“How’n the hell am I to do this?” Idly he looked around for inspiration.

Surprisingly the universe answered his query. The answer lay before him plain as day. With a slightly maniacal grin he limped towards his savior, wishing that he’d be able to see her face once things were set.

********

This was turning out to be an exhausting night. Roxy longingly pictured her room, quiet with the curtains drawn, and mentally cursed the stupid pirate fox for the millionth time.

“Thanks again for helping me with… well, with everything.” Chica told her yet again.

“Yeah, well, if it wasn’t you I’d be watching WrestleMania right now, so you’re welcome.” Roxy huffed, pausing to peer through a wall. “Beginning to wonder why we ever let the fox out of the storage closet.”

“That was Gregory that found him, not us.” Chica reminded her. “And don’t say things like that, it’s wonderful having Foxy back with us.”

“Too bad the kid didn’t find Bonnie first.” She muttered, turning away from the wall. No fox there. “Are you sure we can’t just let Foxy run around and fall apart on his own? What’s so wrong about him talking to Bonnie?”

“There’s nothing wrong, exactly.” Chica peered into a trash can. “But Bonnie’s going to have to be caught up on a LOT and that includes the fact that Foxy’s back. And, uh, well, Foxy’s not exactly delicate when explaining things.”

Oh didn’t Roxy know it. The man could drown a person in a deluge of idiotic nonsense.

“So we don’t want to overload Bonnie with Foxy’s ramblings.”

“Yes. And last time Bonnie saw Foxy was years ago. Before you and Monty arrived.”

“What’s that about anyways?” Roxy turned her gaze down a hallway. “I know Foxy was decommissioned but no one’s ever said why.”

“We… don’t really know.” Chica admitted. “It’s kind of like how Bonnie just disappeared. One day Foxy was in the Cove, and then next we were told he was decommissioned.”

“They kept his posters and stuff though.”

“Yeah. We were told to tell the kids that he was off promoting his movie.”

“So his disappearance wasn’t like Bonnie’s.” Roxy observed. “Because you were allowed to talk about Foxy. With Bonnie… he was basically erased. None of us were allowed to talk about the rabbit.”

“When you put it like that, yeah. I guess.” Chica hugged herself. “But we don’t have to think like that any more! We have Foxy and Bonnie back and that means everyone is back together.”

Roxy absently nodded, mind miles away. Foxy had been intentionally put away but not erased from the Pizzaplex’s history. Bonnie, however, had been replaced and purposefully not mentioned to the general public. Whatever it meant, however, was lost on her.

Honestly she didn’t care if Foxy found Bonnie and told him everything but she did care about Chica and promised to help her, so that meant she would be finding this dumb fox before he could cause more trouble.

Thankfully their luck was about to change. Roxy peered through a wall and grinned at what lay on the other side.

"There he is!" Roxy hissed. "Just around the corner."

"What's he doing?" Chica tiptoed up next to her and whispered in her ear.

"Just standing there like an idiot. We'll get him on the count of three. One. Two. Three!"

Together they leapt around the corner, Roxy aiming high and Chica aiming low. It was not a practiced maneuver, merely one born out of pure desperation to stop him from causing trouble yet again so help them he was a menace-

Foxy literally snapped in half with the force of their combined tackle.

"Wh- aaaaaaaa!" Chica screeched as Foxy's legs splintered in her arms.

"HE'S DEAD!" Roxy screamed, juggling his flat head in her hands.

Wait, flat?

Roxy paused in her screaming to assess the situation. They had found a Foxy, though not the real one. A cardboard grin smiled up at them.

"That little son of a- oh he'll really be dead once I get my hands on him."

It soon became very apparent that Fazbear Entertainment had far too many cardboard cutouts of Foxy. Everywhere they turned there was another one, placed strategically in every place they thought Foxy would try to hide, stand, run to, or linger.

"Where did he find all of these in such a short amount of time?" Chica wondered as they opened a closet to find another Foxy smiling at them. “And how did he find the time to place them all before we got here?”

"I don't want to talk about it." Roxy growled. "This shouldn't be working, I should be able to tell if it's him or not!"

“Look, how about we stop looking where we think he’s going to be and try and think of where he might go knowing that we’re looking for him?”

“That sounds backwards but sure. Where do you think?”

“Honestly I thought maybe the Cove, since that’s his turf, but he’s also so determined to find Bonnie I don’t think he’d go there….” Chica trailed off, pacing around in a circle to help her think.

“Well he couldn’t have gone too far on that leg. And if he’s not up here on this level… maybe he went downstairs?”

“Where downstairs?”

“Parts and Services makes too much sense. So… probably there.”

“But we weren’t going there because that was too obvious!”

“Yeah, well, we were giving Foxy too much credit.” Roxy sighed. “With him crashing through the wall I thought he’d be more injured but if he can run on that leg then maybe he did have time to put up those stupid cut outs and then make it down there.”

“Only one way to find out.” Chica squared her shoulders. “After all of this is said and done I don’t want to go to Parts and Services for a very, very long time.”

“Agreed, and I haven’t even been down there for all the stuff with Bonnie.” Roxy started towards the atrium.

Together they traveled in silence, saving their energy for running. There was a noticeable lack of stupid cardboard Foxy’s this way, leading Roxy to believe that he had intentionally set up the others to keep them as far away from here as possible.

A quick trip down the elevator and they were outside the door. Roxy looked through the wall and sure enough there was a Foxy shape on the other side. It was far too still though.

“Well?” Chica whispered.

“I can’t tell. It might be more cardboard.” Roxy whispered back. “But I’m tired of this so I say let’s just barge in and beat the crap out of whatever’s on the other side.”

“Uh… sure, but if it’s really him we need to be careful. The teeth, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just go.” If he tried to bite her again he wouldn’t be left with any teeth.

With all of her annoyance and frustration she kicked the door open, immediately darting inside and planting herself between their prey and the doorway. Chica took up position next to her, arms raised and ready to grab at whatever version of Foxy they were after.

Turns out they didn’t need to fight. The actual Foxy was sitting on the floor, seemingly sleeping with his back against the wall and his legs splayed out in front of him. One leg sat at a terrible angle. As they approached he opened his eye and frowned.

“Ye weren’t supposed to find me so fast.” He complained.

“Well you did a very good job keeping us off the trail.” Chica praised him. “In fact, if you hadn’t taken a break here we probably would still be looking for you.”

Roxy stared at her. Why was she giving him positive reinforcement? Surely she was just as mad as she was at having to chase him all over- No, wait, there was a purpose for this. Foxy no longer looked hostile, instead pleased with himself at having fooled them both.

“Argh, I wanted to keep runnin’ but me leg says no. Also thought Bon would be down here, given his… condition upon me findin’ him.”

“He was. But Freddy and I moved him to somewhere he could recharge.”

“And ye ain’t tellin’ me where, I supposed?”

Chica sighed and shook her head, opening her mouth for another painfully pleasant explanation. They were babying him too much. That was enough: it was time for them to lay down the law.

"You can't see him." Roxy stood over Foxy, hands on hips.

"Ye ain't the boss around here, missy-"

"Shut up and listen to Chica then, I know you like her well enough to hear her out."

Foxy opened his mouth, shut it, and blinked up at the chicken.

"Look, Foxy, we know you care about Bonnie." Chica knelt down next to him. "And of course you'll get to see him. But right now… he's still trying to figure things out. He doesn't know that he's been gone for a whole year."

"He… he doesn't?"

"No, he thinks it's only been a little while. He thinks you're still decommissioned."

Foxy's gaze turned to the floor, confusion replacing the angry sneer. Chica continued.

"Freddy and I want to ease Bonnie into all the changes that have been made since he's been gone and, well, that includes you being back." She put a hand on his shoulder, glancing warily at his teeth. "Can you give Freddy and me a couple of days to help Bonnie?"

It was a tall ask. Roxy could see the struggle going on in that mind of his as he mulled it over.

"Days?”

“It’s just so we can make sure Bonnie finds out the truth slowly. It’ll be better for him, I promise.”

“Fine. The bear can have a day or so to get him caught up to speed. But I ain't sittin' around in the dark fer any longer'n that."

"You won't have to." Chica smiled.

"So… where am I supposed to go while yer chattin' with Bon?"

"Oh, well… I was thinking maybe you could hang out with Roxy?" As soon as she said the words both canines exploded.

"What? I've had enough of him, he smells as bad as his attitude." Roxy protested.

"Oh aye, yer one to talk, I've had enough of the sight of ye fer a lifetime, yer personality be as ugly as yer face!" Foxy fired back.

"Say that again and you won't have eyes to look with-"

"Try me, I dare ye-"

Chica sighed. Though the argument was short lived, for as soon as Foxy stood to get up in Roxy's face his knee gave out, sending him headfirst into her arms.

"Ugh, get off of me!" With Chica's help she hauled Foxy onto the repair chair. "You're such a mess, probably worse than Bonnie-"

"Don't say that." Foxy snapped, hook digging into the chair. "Don't ye be talkin' about what ye don't know."

"Ah, Roxy, let's just get Foxy repaired so you two can get situated." Chica leaned over and squeezed Foxy's hand reassuringly, but he had gone quiet and closed his eye.

"Fine." Roxy glanced at her, a rare expression of regret momentarily fleeting across her face before quickly being replaced with annoyance. "Probably have a pre set setting on this thing just for you anyways, since you're down here all the time."

"Hmmph." Foxy pointedly turned his head away.

"Yeah, go ahead and sulk, you know I'm right." Roxy muttered, tapping away at the computer. She paused in disbelief. "Wait, I'm right? There's a whole routine just for you!"

This caused Foxy to open his eye, rolling it over to the computer somewhat sheepishly.

"Aye, uh… might be in here a fair few times fer inconsequential reasons." He admitted. "But we don't need to be tellin' the bear or Bon about that."

"That's the most believable thing you've said all day." Roxy snorted, activating the repair program.

"What do you want to tell him?" Chica took hold of the conversation before it could delve into Roxy's endless accusations. "Bonnie, I mean."

"Dunno." Foxy laid back and stared up at the ceiling as the repair arms whirred to life. "Ain't sure what all he's missed. I remember gettin' the shock of me life when Greg woke me up. Couldn't believe how much this place had changed from when it were just the four of us."

"It got a lot better." Roxy said.

"He'll be happy to have you back." Chica squeezed his hand again.

"Are ye and Freddy talkin' to him tonight?" Foxy asked.

"Maybe. Though he needs to recharge. I'm letting Freddy take the lead."

"Mmm." Foxy winced as his knee was adjusted back into place. "Just don't keep him in the dark fer too long. He'll hate it if ye do."

There was a pain in his voice that kept Roxy from commenting. Chica seemed to notice it too, leaving them all to sit in silence as the computer worked on the repairs.

**************

It was silent in Gator Golf. The sound system had been damaged during the rampage, bathing the destruction in an unnerving silence that only amplified the creaking and shuffling of Monty as he wandered through.

He was tired. Destroying things took a lot of physical effort. Though he didn’t feel like his muscles were tired, it was more his brain that was begging he go to sleep and forget everything that happened.

But he wasn’t going to forget, was he? He had tried so hard to forget that night, the night Bonnie disappeared, that he couldn’t remember what was truth and what he had made up.

“This is a load of crap!” He picked up the remains of a bench and tossed them out of his way.

Why did Bonnie have to be found? Things weren’t going very well anyways, not really, but now it was going to get worse, Bonnie was going to find him and murder him for murdering him-

No. Monty sighed and sat down among the splintered golf course decorations. No matter what he had to hold on to the thought that while maybe he did destroy Bonnie, it wasn’t him in his right mind that did it. Something had taken control and made him do it. That didn’t make him feel any better.

Sullenly he looked down at his claws. It was for music, they told him. So he could play the bass better. Monty didn’t want to play the bass, not if it meant Bonnie had to be replaced, he didn’t want to be a Glamrock, he wanted- he wanted-

What did Montgomery Gator want?

“I wanna be alone.” That was a lie.

But what he really wanted he could not have. Bonnie would find him and hate him and want him gone, and worse still, it would be for the best.

What would Roxy do? She’d tell him to stop being stupid and stay put, he was part of the band and he was worrying for nothing. Bonnie couldn’t hurt him like he had done to the rabbit, there would be no concern over him being decommissioned and thrown into a storage closet in the bowling alley-

Hang on, how did Bonnie end up there? Did he move the body after… after what happened?

“Why can’t I remember anythin’?” Monty groaned and held his head in his hands.

There was a shape of a memory lingering just out of reach, taunting him with knowledge he didn’t even want. Yet as hard as he tried he couldn’t reach it.

“This is hopeless.” He growled, trying to muster up enough anger to distract himself from the guilt creeping in.

No success. Monty was simply too weary to distract himself any more. Silently he curled up as small as he could, closing his eyes and trying to control his breathing.

Either the staff were going to find him in the morning or Bonnie would come for him. Only a matter of time before his fate was decided. Monty could only hope that when the time came he’d be able to figure out what to do.

************

Bonnie’s recharge cycle was far too short. Freddy had barely had time to make himself comfortable on the couch and close his eyes before he was being shaken awake by the rabbit.

“B-Bonnie.” Freddy gasped, nearly falling off the couch. It was like seeing a ghost after all this time.

“Sorry.” Bonnie drew his hand away from Freddy’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You… no, it is a welcome sight. I am just not used to seeing you again.”

“Well, surprise!” Bonnie smiled. “You get to see me all the time now.”

“I do, and I am so grateful for it. But why are you not asleep?”

“Something’s messed up with my internal clock. It thinks it’s 6am.” Bonnie tapped his head. “But that can be easily fixed. For now I want to hang out with you.”

“But of course.” Freddy made room for him on the couch. “And you are feeling well?”

“Yeah, just a little fuzzy. Feels like I’ve been asleep forever.”

“You… that is… yes.” He carefully scrutinized every inch of Bonnie he could see. The major repairs were completed, yes, but the cosmetic ones would need to be installed before Bonnie could go back into the public’s eye.

The public. Would corporate let Bonnie return? They had been so keen on erasing Bonnie from the Pizzaplex, maybe they wouldn’t want him back, maybe they’d decommission him properly like they had done with Foxy, maybe Freddy would only have these brief moments with Bonnie before losing him again-

“Freddy?” Bonnie broke him out of his thoughts. “Are you alright?”

“I… am tired. It has been a long day.”

“Tell me about it. Feels like I’ve been asleep for longer than a week!” Bonnie’s laugh was hollow. “But that’s just silly, isn’t it, Freddy?”

Freddy caught his eye and knew it was hopeless. Somewhere he and Chica had slipped up and Bonnie knew that something was wrong. He was such a clever rabbit, that Bonnie. There would be no use trying to drag it out any longer.

“Bonnie….” He couldn’t lie, Bonnie knew him far too well. “It has been longer than a week. Things have changed.”

“What has changed?” Bonnie’s eyes searched his own, putting a hand on his knee.

“I do not want to overwhelm you-”

“I need to know, Freddy, you can’t keep me in the dark forever. Sounds like I’ve spent too much time in the dark as is.”

The words were spoken far too casually. Freddy could not help but flinch, an action that was immediately picked up by Bonnie.

“Look, I have to know.” Bonnie continued. “Why don’t you tell me what happened? Or start small. Just tell me something, anything.”

“I… I will try. But it is not easy.” Freddy sighed. “I do not want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I’m not a child, Freddy. I can take it.”

“Well… perhaps that would be a good place to start.” Anything to cling to that wasn’t the subject of Bonnie’s demise.

“What?” Bonnie took his hand away. Freddy immediately took it into his own.

“Oh, there is a young boy that I have befriended. That is something that has changed. His name is Gregory. You will meet him soon, he usually visits once a week.” Yes, talking about Gregory was a safe subject. “When I first met him he was inside my stomach hatch. I… do not know how he got in there but he has not been inside since, I can assure you.”

Bonnie gaped at him. Freddy took this as permission to continue.

“Everyone was experiencing malfunctions at the time, but with Gregory’s help we were able to fix them. There was minimal damage to the Pizzaplex, though the others are not as fond of Gregory as I am after what he did to them. We are still working on their relationships. Thankfully Fo- Thankfully things are progressing well, in fact I think that soon we will-”

“Slow down, hold on.” Bonnie squeezed his hand and shook his head. “You have a kid?”

“He is a child, yes. That is my friend. He now lives with Cassie, another child that has befriended Roxy, but he frequently visits. Once things are settled I will introduce you two.”

“When did this happen?”

“A couple of months ago.” As soon as Freddy said the word ‘months’ he knew he had made a mistake.

“Months?” Bonnie repeated. “Freddy, you have to tell me- how long have I been gone?”

“I… I do not want to hurt-”

“I’m more hurt if you don’t tell me.” Bonnie leaned in, staring him in the eye again, leaving Freddy no room to look away. “Freddy, please. I need to know.”

This was it. He would have to tell him and see the hurt in his eyes firsthand.

“A year.” Freddy told him. “You have been gone for a year.”

*******************

A year. Bonnie heard the words, saw the honesty in Freddy’s eyes as he said it, but he couldn’t process it.

It couldn’t have been a year. He could remember last being aware of things as if it were yesterday. Surely if he had been out for a year he would have felt something.

His eyes darted around Freddy’s room. Only now did it occur to him that things were missing. Posters and pictures depicting the two of them together were taken down, the cards he had made Freddy for holidays and birthdays were absent from the walls, as if every trace of him had been erased. Slowly Bonnie stood and paced the room, searching for any sort of sign that he had existed in this space.

“Freddy, where are the posters?”

“I was instructed to take them down.” Freddy’s eyes were so sad. “I did not want to. I did not want to hide you but we had no choice.”

“And… and everywhere else?”

“I am so sorry Bonnie.”

“What about the bowling alley? My green room? Are those gone too?” How could they do this to him? He was a beloved member of the band! Surely fans had asked about him?

“The bowling alley is still intact. It is still called Bonnie Bowl.”

“Oh sure, they keep my name but they don’t want people to know what I look like anymore?”

“Well, there is an old image of you. The purple one-”

“GREAT!” Bonnie threw his arms in the air and paced some more. “FANTASTIC. Let’s erase every trace of me so people forget EXCEPT for that one, love it, wonderful-”

“They have not forgotten.” Freddy remained sitting. “The children still ask about you.”

“Then why have I been gone for an entire YEAR?” The panic was setting in, along with a myriad of questions he desperately needed answers to.

“I-” Freddy paused, hands balling into fists. “It is… It….”

“Freddy, please, tell me.” Bonnie begged. “Don’t make me ask over and over. I can tell you want to tell me, you used to tell me everything, there were no secrets between us, remember? Has that changed too?”

“No.’ The answer was quick. “That has not changed. I simply… cannot find the right words to properly explain.”

“Then give me simple answers.” Bonnie pulled back the curtain and peered out the window, though it was too dark to see much. “How did I end up deactivated?”

“That… is complicated.”

“Fine. What was the last thing I did before I was deactivated?”

“What do you remember?”

“I remember….” What did he remember? Now that he was truly trying to focus on it he found the memories slipping away.

It was after hours. He had been bowling, alone. Not unusual for him, he usually bowled a game or two before joining Freddy for the rest of the night. But instead of heading to Freddy’s room like usual he had gone towards… where had he gone?

“Gator Golf.” Bonnie continued. “I was bowling and then went to Gator Golf. But I don’t remember why. It’s all so hazy now.”

“It has been a long time. It is not surprising you do not remember that night well.”

“Do you?”

“No I do not. I was not there that evening.” Freddy stared at the floor. “I wish I was. I should have been with you.”

Bonnie sighed. Despite his anxiety and his anger at being misled he could not find it in himself to be upset with Freddy. It was not his fault, Bonnie knew that, and he also knew that Freddy would have done everything he could to fix the situation if he could.

“I know you would have if you could.” Bonnie told him. “But why was I gone for an entire year? If something happened in Gator Golf wouldn’t Monty have seen something?”

Now that was the wrong thing to say. Briefly Bonnie saw a flash of anger in Freddy, a burst of rage that subsided as quickly as it came, the only indication of such an emotion happening being the claws that were digging into the couch cushions.

“I. Cannot. Say.” Freddy said through clenched teeth.

“What has happened to Monty?” He asked softly.

“The Pizzaplex required a bass player for the show.” Freddy sounded like he was reading his own death warrant. “I could not persuade them to search any further for you, not after a month had passed and ticket sales were declining. Bonnie, I am so sorry, I should have continued looking. It pains me deeply to admit that I found myself moving on. We- I could not find you. So I let you become a memory.”

The words stung. The words themselves weren’t what hurt, but rather the pain with which they were said. Freddy, sweet, kind, wonderful Freddy, was blaming himself.

“I doubt you let any of that happen.” Bonnie turned back to the window, straining his eyes to see further down Rockstar Row. “But you didn’t answer my question. What has happened to Monty?”

“He has… been changed.” Freddy said slowly. “They wanted him to play bass in your absence, especially since you had been teaching him to play, but his body at the time was not equipped with the necessary upgrades to play. So he was… modified.”

Cold horror washed over him. Briefly his mind flashed to Monty as he knew him: a gangly, small little bayou boy with a mop of red hair and an earnest look in his eye that was instantly endearing. Prone to upset when he struggled with the bass strings, but always thankful for the chance to practice with the Glamrocks and quick to pick the instrument back up again.

There had been potential in Montgomery Gator, the boy from the bayou. At the time Bonnie just didn’t know how much.

“I would like to see him.” Bonnie turned to the door. “Now.”

“That is not a wise idea-”

“You can’t keep me here.” The words came out more harsh than intended. “Freddy… I’ve been gone for too long. I need to see everything and everyone.”

Freddy took a deep breath, not meeting Bonnie’s eyes. Slowly he stood and opened the door, waiting for Bonnie to take his first steps out into the new Pizzaplex.

Never had he felt more apprehensive as he did now. This was his home once, long ago, and now he was back, though it felt like he had never left. Automatically he reached out for Freddy’s hand.

“Let’s go.” Bonnie said, gently pulling Freddy to walk alongside him. “Together.”

Chapter 5: Explorations

Summary:

Bonnie takes a tour. Freddy does his best to navigate the situation. Roxy babysits.

“So.” Bonnie bounced on the balls of his feet, anxious to get moving. “Anything you want me to know before we head off?”

Everything. He wanted to know everything. Bonnie could see it in Freddy’s eyes. The poor bear was trying to rally himself and failing miserably. He couldn’t even muster up a small smile.

“Well how about my room?” Bonnie tried. “I guess if they got rid of everything about me that also means my room? Wouldn’t make sense to keep it around if I wasn’t around to meet and greet people in it. That’d be the first thing I’d get rid of if I were trying to get rid of me..”

He was well aware of how light and painfully cheerful he was sounding, and how it was clearly distressing an already stressed Freddy. Yet if he approached this with the appropriate amount of trepidation and anxiety he wouldn’t make it.

Yes, he was scared, confused, and anxious about being functionally dead for a whole year, but the best way he could cope was through sharp humor. That’s how he got through Foxy’s deactivation and how he’d get through his own.

Though he couldn’t stand Freddy being so sad. Bonnie squeezed the bear’s hand in his own.

“Let’s go. I can handle whatever we find, I promise.”

Freddy sighed. “Your room was changed. Monty moved in so his fans could meet him along with the rest of us. It is not something that I wanted.”

There it was. Not surprising, seeing that Monty had effectively replaced him. Though seeing the green neon glow instead of his own signature bright blue was mildly disturbing. It felt like only yesterday he was walking down Rockstar Row, the memory of his own greenroom vivid in his mind.

Now… now he was walking through dim memories that had been altered ever so slightly, just enough to unnerve him. His eyes flicked back and forth across the walls, searching for posters and memorabilia that had been removed and replaced with Montgomery Gator.

Funny thing, replacing a rabbit with an alligator. Surely there had been some push back? Hadn’t there been at least one kid that preferred a cute, cuddly bunny over a scaly, scary reptile?

Not that Bonnie himself found Monty scary. Hard to when Monty was an eager, bright eyed little gator that was nuts about music. Though looking at the posters of the current Monty it was hard to reconcile that this was the same gator.

“Monty got bigger, huh?” Bonnie commented as his eyes fell upon the giant golden statue of him. “Didn’t just have to take my room, but also my build too?”

“He underwent extensive upgrades.”

“Bet he enjoys being as tall as the rest of us now.”

“I would not know. He has not mentioned his feelings about the upgrade.”

It was obvious Freddy didn't want to talk about Monty. Before, when Monty was still a little gator playing the banjo in the bayou, Bonnie had invited Freddy to join in on their jam sessions, and the bear had gladly accepted. Bonnie had always been the bridge between them. Without him there he wondered just what Freddy and Monty’s relationship had turned into.

Roxy’s room was the same. Chica’s too. That was comforting to see. But his room….

“That's definitely different.” Bonnie whistled. “Puts the ‘green’ in ‘greenroom’, huh?”

“Yes.”

Bonnie squinted at the portrait of the new Monty. Something in particular was bugging him but he couldn't parse it out from all the revelations he was going through one after the other.

“Where is everyone?” He finally asked.

“I do not know where they are.” Freddy answered unhelpfully, purposefully so. “But I imagine Chica is resting.”

“Well, is Gator Golf still around?”

“Of course.”

“Then that’s where we’re going.”

“Bonnie, I do not think we should go there.”

“I know, but I want to rip off this band aid now. Everything’s going to be a surprise until I do.” And he needed to see what had happened to Monty with his own eyes, before the endless posters and depictions of him started to become disturbing.

“How about we go to the bowling alley first?” Freddy suggested. “Revisit your domain.”

That was definitely something he wanted to do. Maybe Freddy could relax a little too if they went there first.

“We’ll go there first.” Bonnie nodded. “Has anything there changed?”

“Not as much. Though it has been quieter without you around. I have not been there for quite some time.”

“It's still open though?”

“Of course. The ice cream parlor is very popular.”

“Who performs on the stage in there?”

“No one. It has been closed for the year.”

“But it's still there?”

“Yes.”

“Then we can start shows there again. Once corporate knows I’m alive.”

“That will be a great day. I will be sure to be there for your first show.”

“Well I hope so!” Bonnie playfully nudged his shoulder. “I hope you can be by my side for everything.”

“I will. You cannot get rid of me if you tried.”

Finally there was a smile. They made their way to Bonnie Bowl, with Freddy catching him up on the little aesthetic changes that had been made along the way.

“While there have not been any new attractions added in your absence they have removed your posters and signs.” Freddy continued. “Chica thinks they are in storage somewhere in the basement. Gregory, though I have discouraged him from exploring down there, has told me he has yet to find anything.”

“He seems like an interesting kid.”

“He is a lively little boy. I look forward to you meeting him soon. Once you are settled in, of course.”

“You said you met him when everyone was malfunctioning?”

“Yes. That was a terrible time. Without Gregory's help I do not think we would have been able to recover.”

“What happened?”

“A virus. One that I do not fully understand, but… but it is over with. We are all functioning once more.”

Well that was a subject Bonnie wanted to know more about, but like many recent subjects Freddy was obviously reluctant to discuss it.

“But you’re all better now?”

“Yes. That I can assure you of. I would not let Gregory visit if it was unsafe for him to be here.”

“Good. And he visits once a week?”

“Normally, yes. With Cassie. She is Roxy’s friend.”

“Did Roxy wake up one day with that kid in her stomach too?”

“No. Cassie’s father is a mechanic here. And Roxy’s stomach hatch is far too small for a child to fit into.”

“Right.”

“She is also more polite. Gregory is still learning how to… play nice. But he has much improved! He and Chica are friends now, along with- with Roxy, though she will not admit it. Monty has let him golf from time to time. So now it is your turn to meet him.”

“Freddy, I promise you don't have to worry about me not liking Gregory. If he's your friend then he's already mine too.”

“That is very reassuring to hear. You have been easier to convince than some of the others- oh, we are here!”

Bonnie Bowling stood before them, just as inviting as Bonnie remembered. This was his home away from Rockstar Row, his domain, and already his hands itched to knock down pins with strike after strike.

It felt like only yesterday since he had walked through here. According to his memory it was only that, but as he wandered in further he could see the little changes that had been made.

Corporate certainly did their best to scrub every image of himself from this place, except for the aforementioned old purple image. Sighing, he did his best to ignore that relic of the past and investigated the lanes.

Yes, all was as it should be, though the bowling balls he could see were in desperate need of polish, and who in their right mind let the kids wear street shoes on the floor, it would take forever to get the scuff marks out, that's why there were bowling shoes for a reason-

Bonnie glanced up to see Freddy watching him with a pained look on his face.

“Something wrong?” Bonnie asked. “Besides the state of the floor here?”

“It is good to see you here again.” Freddy told him. “I- I did not think- I had always hoped-”

“Come here, teddy bear.” Bonnie hugged him close. “You don't have to explain.”

They held each other for a while under the neon glow, quietly taking in the moment, until Freddy was ready to let go. The bear could not cry, none of them could, but he took a shaky breath and visibly straightened.

“It will take some time for me to get used to this.” Freddy explained. “But it is a very good thing to get used to.”

“Good. I need you back in action so we can form our bowling league again.”

“Just that?”

“Of course not!” Bonnie laughed. “But a year is far too long for me to be away from these lanes.”

“There will be plenty of time for that. Chica and myself would be delighted to join you.”

“We’ll get Roxy and Monty in on it too.”

“Yes.” The enthusiasm slipped.

“How about we go find them?”

“I do not know where they will be.” Freddy repeated from before.

“Gator Golf seems to be as good a place as any to start with. And I’d like to take a look around the Atrium.”

“Very well. If that is what you want.”

It was, though it was hard to leave his beloved Bowling Alley. There would be time to visit later.

The Atrium hadn’t changed much, that Bonnie was happy to see. Though onstage there was an enormous projection of Monty among the Glamrock band, clearly replacing him, and once more all traces of blue rabbits were erased.

Briefly he paused at the sign to Kid’s Cove, feeling the familiar pang of Foxy’s sad departure. No matter how much time had passed Bonnie would never forget his friend, the shock of the fox’s sudden disappearance, left wondering just what happened to him and if he would ever see him again, feeling more and more hopeless and resigned as the days, weeks, months, years went by with no sight or sound of him-

Oh.

Bonnie turned, seeing Freddy simply staring at him. This was how Freddy must have felt when he was gone. Losing not only Foxy but Bonnie too, left uncertain as to who would be next, never knowing when or if there would be a reunion… it had to have been torturous. If Bonnie had been in his place and lost Foxy and Freddy he would have found it unbearable.

Immediately he was in Freddy’s arms again, holding him tightly. Freddy didn’t say anything, his sagging posture and soft sigh all that was needed to convey the absolute weight of it all between them. Silently they held each other until Bonnie was ready to let go.

“I’m sorry.” Bonnie whispered. “I’m sorry you had to go through this twice. Foxy, me, it’s not fair.”

Freddy still remained silent, eyes darting towards the Cove. Clearly he did not wish to speak of Foxy. Bonnie didn’t blame him, not when that absence still stung after several years. Though he had been brought back from the dead, as it were, it did not seem like Foxy would ever return to them. Best to leave the Cove and move on to the living.

Gator Golf was their destination. A quick trip down the connecting hallway and they had arrived, immediately met with a terrible sight.

“What happened?” Bonnie gasped. Freddy ran up next to him, standing slightly in front of him as if to protect him.

The entrance to the golf course was, for lack of a better word, pulverized. Debris was strewn all over the carpet, bits of shattered golf and swamp decor littering the area and making it difficult to navigate. It was absolutely silent here. Bonnie’s ears strained for any sort of sound, finding only the soft, faint ambient sea noises echoing down the corridor from Kid’s Cove.

“We have to check on Monty.” Bonnie made to stride forward but was stopped by Freddy, who had suddenly become an immovable wall.

“No. It is not safe.” Freddy’s hand gripped his shoulder.

“But Monty-”

“It is not safe.” The grip grew tighter.

“Well we have to do something!”

“I will alert the staff. You cannot be here when they arrive.”

“I’m not just gonna leave you here-”

“Bonnie, you cannot be seen by the staff. It is already a risk having you on the security cameras. If they see you before we are ready, before you are fully repaired and back in working order I- I do not want to know how they will react. Please. Please, do not make this more difficult for yourself. I- I cannot lose you again.”

It wasn’t just the staff Freddy was worried about, Bonnie could see it in the bear’s eyes, noted how they kept darting back and forth across the shredded foliage and splintered cutouts of smiling golfers, but he couldn’t press the issue.

Bonnie’s head started to swim. A low power warning flashed across his eyes, his system displeased at the strain on his systems after waking up with such a low charge. Spending a year effectively dead had not been kind to his internal battery.

“Fine.” Bonnie managed to push aside the warnings and regain himself. “I’ll head back to your room.”

“I will be right behind you as soon as I report this.” Already Freddy was turning back to the destruction, silently sending a message to the staff about the sight.

The soft swells of sea sounds brought Bonnie down the hallway into the Cove. He hadn’t been here in a while, obviously, but even before his own disappearance he hadn’t found it in himself to come to visit without Captain Foxy around. The place seemed so lifeless without the boisterous fox bouncing around telling stories of treasure hunts and grand adventures on the sea. The Cove was a hollow shell of what it once was.

Though now it was clear that kids were still visiting. There were bits of plastic treasures strewn about, cheap trinkets and stickers that someone handed out as prizes. Maybe the Daycare Attendant had taken over? They were neighbors, after all. Foxy had helped out in the Daycare from time to time when the place had been overrun with kids, so maybe Sun had returned the favor.

Had anyone visited the bowling alley in his absence? It was still in operation during the day but had anyone stopped in after hours? Bonnie hadn’t had the chance to ask. New questions were cropping up every minute, spurned on by his own memories of how he felt when Foxy first disappeared.

Abruptly he was met by another cardboard cutout of Captain Foxy, making him jump. There was another question. Why was Foxy’s imagery still around when all traces of Bonnie had been erased? Why were they promoting an animatronic that had been gone for years?

Something rustled from behind the ship, where Foxy had long ago carved out a little hideaway for himself. Bonnie's heart leapt in his throat. Surely it wasn't- it couldn't have been, not after all these years-

But he himself had unexpectedly returned from the dead, so why not Foxy?

Silently he crept forward, on full alert as a magnificent head of hair emerged from behind the ship. This was it, it had to be him-

No. Unless Foxy had returned, turned silver and developed a figure in the year Bonnie was gone. Bonnie tried not to let the disappointment show.

“Bonnie!” Roxy froze mid step, mouth agape.

“Roxy!” Bonnie immediately greeted, noting how wide her eyes grew at the sight of him. The wolf was utterly, completely shocked to see him. Had Freddy not told her that he was back? Surely Chica would have. “It’s so good to see you. I heard that… well, that it’s been a while. A whole year.”

Roxanne Wolf, while not one of his closest friends, was still a sight for sore eyes. She was a beloved bandmate and still a friend, though the look she was giving him was strangely apprehensive and not at all welcoming.

“Welcome back. I heard you were still in recharge. What are you doing here?” She asked, eyes darting all over him.

“Freddy was showing me around so I could see what’s changed, it’s so good to see you- is that alcohol?”

“This?” The six pack she had been trying to hide behind her back was brought out. “Yes.”

“My absence didn’t hit you that hard, did it?” It was a lame joke, though he didn’t expect her to frown quite so heavily.

“No. But I did miss you.” Still frowning, she tucked the beer under her arm and looked around again. “Where’s the bear?”

“At Gator Golf. Where’s Monty? Is he alright? We saw that it’s destroyed- did you know? What happened?”

“Easy, rabbit, one question at a time.” Roxy did not seem nearly as alarmed as she should have been. “Monty’s fine. It was an accident. Sort of. But the staff can clean it up. I know this is all hard to adjust to but we’re also adjusting.”

Her words were aggravatingly cryptic. Behavior too. Bonnie sighed and tapped his foot.

“Well where’s Monty? I want to see him. It’s been far too long.”

“I don’t know. But he wasn’t damaged in the accident.” The beer sloshed as she impatiently shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “You really should be with Freddy.”

“He told me to go back to his room while he reported the damage to the staff- hang on, if you were there why didn’t you report it? What’s going on?”

Roxy sighed, expression softening a fraction. “Monty’s going through some stuff. But it’s nothing you can help with right now. You need to focus on Freddy and Chica and- hey, you alright?”

Her words were slow to reach his ears. Inwardly he checked his battery gauge, perplexed to find it reading high. That, along with his internal clock, apparently wasn’t working as well as it should. Unsteadily he reached out towards her as the floor suddenly shifted beneath his feet.

“You’re still pretty messed up, huh?” Roxy propped him up with her free arm.

“Yeah. Being dead for a year’ll do that to you.” Bonnie blinked, shaking his head as the ground became stable once more. His battery read 170 percent, which he knew was very wrong.

“Ha!” Roxy laughed. “I see you haven’t lost your dumb sense of humor.”

“And you haven’t stopped being all… this.” He vaguely gestured to her. “I’d come up with something wittier but, y’know, I’m a bit preoccupied with everything else. Though the alcohol is new.”

“Yeah, well, there are some changes around here.” Roxy prodded his back, forcing him to move. “Come on, I’ll get you to Freddy’s room before you collapse and freak him out even more.”

“So you really did miss me?” Bonnie took careful steps back into the Atrium.

“I said I did, didn’t I?”

“You just don’t seem very excited about running into me.”

“Well what do you want? I’m not the type to jump for joy. But it sucked not having you here. The bowling alley was far too quiet without you cheating all the time.”

“I have never cheated at bowling!”

“Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.” She held out a hand to steady him as the floor tilted again. “You’re gonna make it back to Freddy’s room, right? I don’t want to have to carry you around tonight too.”

“I’ll make it.” Something about her words stuck with him though. “Who else have you been carrying around?”

“What?”

“You said ‘carry you around too’, who is the ‘too’ about?”

“Oh. Chica.” Roxy prodded him again to get him to move faster. “She’s been so worried about you she hasn’t been recharging. I threw her in her station as soon as I could.”

“Oh.” Unlike with Freddy it was much harder to tell if Roxy was lying or not.

They turned the corner to Rockstar Row, beginning the trek to Freddy’s room. Out of habit Bonnie paused in front of what used to be his room, only to stumble forward with Roxy’s gentle prodding.

“Must be weird, seeing Monty there.” Roxy quietly commented.

“Yeah. It really is.” Admitting it out loud hurt less than he thought it would.

“You know he didn’t want to replace you.”

“I can’t imagine he would want to. Though a lot seems to have changed.”

“Some things have. But some things haven’t, not really.” Roxy patted him on the shoulder. “I’m sure Freddy’ll help you figure the rest out.”

“Maybe. Though he seems to think I can’t handle hearing everything at once.”

“Hmm.” The beer sloshed again as Roxy steered him to Freddy’s room. She pushed open the door and gestured for Bonnie to go in.

“Thanks for helping me out.” It was clear he wasn’t going to get much else from her. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise.” Finally she smiled at him, lightly punching his shoulder. “Don’t go wandering off and make me hunt you down too, alright? Having you gone for a year was bad enough.”

There was that ‘too’ again, Bonnie noted as she left him in Freddy’s room. Just what had she been up to? The drinking was concerning. Foxy used to drink, though not all the time, and even less so when Bonnie got on his case about it. If Roxy had picked up the habit somehow he’d have to try and quell that before it got out of hand.

But for now he couldn’t do much but go recharge. As much as he longed to continue his explorations his battery now read 2 percent, a number far different from the previous 170, and he couldn’t risk collapsing and having Freddy find him sprawled on the floor like the corpse he had previously been.

That was another question. Where did they find him? Who found him? He assumed Freddy but now he had to question everything.

Later. He would have to question everything later. His battery screamed a whine in his ears, his legs shook, and he barely made it to the recharge station before collapsing back into the darkness.

***********

Foxy owed her big time, Roxy decided as she hurried back to her room, beer cans sloshing in her grasp. All this sneaking around was beneath her.

But it was either sneak around the Cove to retrieve Foxy's hidden stash of booze to shut him up or listen to him whine about how he was imprisoned in her room with nothing to do. Going to the Cove and digging around the ship was a much needed break from his endless lamentations.

Though running into Bonnie had not been part of the plan. Seeing him standing there had been a shock, as if being faced with a ghost, and it didn't feel quite real to her to be walking and talking with him so casually. No wonder Chica and Freddy were freaking out.

Quickly she unlocked the door to her room and darted inside, shutting out the weirdness of the night. There would be no more excursions tonight if she could help it.

“Here.” She tossed the beer over to the pile of blankets on her couch. “If you spill it you’re dead.”

“Ain’t wastin’ a drop, mark me words.” Foxy drawled from his blanket cocoon. “Thankful ye ventured out to get me some in the first place.”

“Yeah, well, don’t expect me to do that again any time soon.” She settled into her chair with a frown. “Did you take all of my blankets?”

“Arrr, it weren’t cozy enough with just the one. Ye wenches got a lot of blankets, ye do.”

“Don’t call me or Chica a wench. And if you’re going to stay here you have to behave.”

“Show me yer articles and I’ll oblige.”

“My WHAT-”

“Rules, woman, rules!” Foxy ducked under the blanket as she turned a murderous glare towards him.

“I swear, if you’re talking about any other sort of ‘articles’ I’ll personally shove you back into that storage closet the kid found you in.”

“I don’t want to be here any more’n ye want me here, ye know that?”

“Yeah. But it’s better you’re here for now.”

“Sure. And not reunitin’ with me best matey, me best friend who I ain’t seen in years, kept away while the bear gets to parade him all around-”

“We’re not going over this again.” Roxy threw a pillow at his head, immediately regretting it as it was added to the copious pile around him.

Foxy grumbled but settled down, cracking open a beer and guzzling it down without a word. She had turned on the television for him before she had gone out and was mildly surprised to find him watching a show about stupid people trying to live in outrageously tiny houses.

Satisfied that he wasn't going anywhere, she turned to her mirror and set about cleaning herself up. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him continuing to drink. Whatever. If drinking and watching stupid tiny house hunting people kept him occupied she'd put up with it for now.

Five beers later and he was berating said stupid people.

“Dunno WHY ‘s always th’ backsplash what sells houses.” He slurred, pointing his hook at the television. “‘s never th' ones with CHARM.”

It was amazing how a robot could get drunk. Roxy made sure the door was locked and the curtains were firmly shut, just in case Bonnie decided to unexpectedly roam and find an intoxicated Foxy back from the dead and yelling at tiny house hunters.

“How about you go to sleep?” She suggested.

“How ‘bout ye lemme see BON?” There he was again, back on the forbidden subject.

“I'm not going over this again.”

“I jush- I jush MISS him. Nuh like Fred, nuh like tha’, buh in me own way.”

Something wasn't right. There was no way the beer would get him this drunk. Forcefully she pried open the blankets wrapped around him, revealing a large glass bottle tucked up against his side.

“Where on earth did you get this?”

“In me hatch. ‘s always got sumthin’. Bon never liked it.”

“Yeah well I don't like it either.” The empty bottle was removed, along with the beers. “Alcohol makes you stupid and useless.”

“Useless wif o’ wifou’. I died an’ Bon died anyways. No helpin'- no helpin’ tha’.”

“You need to go to sleep.” She could tell that his mind was going down a dark path. “When you wake up and can think straight we’ll talk to Chica about seeing Bonnie. It's stupid trying to keep you away from him.”

“Dun wanna scare him.”

“Yeah, well, I think he’d find you more pitiful than scary right now.”

Foxy pulled the blankets back up to his chin and slumped further into the couch, scowling blearily at the television.

“Hate this.” He whined.

It was difficult to tell if he was talking about the show or the situation. Probably both. Roxy switched the channel and settled in, keeping her eye on Foxy as his eye slowly drifted closed.

*********

Gator Golf was a mess. Freddy carefully picked his way through the splintered remains of the security door and stepped inside, letting his eyes adjust to the low light.

Yes, he would alert the staff, he was a bear of his word, but he did not say when he would do so. It pained him to let Bonnie wander back to his room alone but he didn't have a choice, this was his only chance to talk to Monty alone before Bonnie insisted on seeing him.

Trying to find the gator in a smashed jungle was proving difficult. Not only was everything green, perfectly hiding the green animatronic, but the normal pathways were covered in smashed scenery and confusing Freddy’s mental map. Perhaps up from the catwalk it would easier, though he had to find his way over to the stairs first-

His eyes caught a flash of red among the rubble. Freddy crept closer to find the animatronic he had been searching for, curled up behind what remained of a windmill.

“Montgomery.”

“Huh?” Monty lifted his head, jumping slightly. “Freddy? What’re you doin’ here?”

“What happened?”

“I, uh, Foxy was bein' difficult-”

“I do not believe Foxy is capable of doing this much destruction on his own.” Freddy put his hands on his hips and waited for Monty to find his words.

“Nah, he didn't.” Monty admitted. “But he was part of it.”

“And Roxy?”

“She was yellin' mostly.”

“Has anyone been hurt?”

“Nah.”

“Good.”

“Why’re ya here?” Slowly Monty uncurled a little, still on the ground, and rubbed the back of his head.

“Bonnie is awake.” Best to be blunt. “He is aware he has been gone for a year.”

“Uh huh.”

“He will want to see you.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You also know I have reservations about this.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

“And it is in his best interest- what?”

“I don't know if it's a good idea for me to see him.”

Freddy paused. This was not how he thought this conversation would go. Monty and Bonnie were close before… the incident, and it had always been assumed that if Bonnie had returned Monty would want to see him immediately. Freddy had spent so much time thinking of how to delay the reunion he hadn't considered if Monty would want it to happen either.

“Oh. Well.”

“Yeah.”

“That is for the best, considering….” Freddy let that thought trail off.

Monty was a pitiful sight. Curled up in as small a ball as he could muster, with shreds of plastic leaves and dust of smashed decor in his hair, he did not resemble the epitome of rock and roll all the posters portrayed. But it was dangerous to underestimate Monty, to assume that he was harmless, not after what had happened to Bonnie.

Though what had truly happened to Bonnie was still unclear. Monty claimed not to remember despite being the obvious culprit. Bonnie had last been spotted in Gator Golf and the day after his disappearance Monty was upgraded to replace him. That was not a coincidence.

Briefly Freddy glanced down at the gator’s hands. It was all too easy to picture flecks of brilliant blue paint staining those claws.

“I don't remember what happened.” Monty whispered. “I’ve tried but I don't.”

These were words Freddy had heard before. More than anything he wanted to believe Monty, to think that maybe it really was an accident, but the vision of Bonnie's lifeless body, torn apart and discarded on the floor, demanded a culprit.

“Eventually Bonnie will see you once he has recovered. He will have questions. He will want to know what happened.”

“Didja tell him anything?”

“No. Chica has told him he was in an accident.”

“That's good.” The relief on Monty’s face was immediate.

“But I will not lie to him. When he asks who did it I will tell him the truth.”

“Y-yeah. I understand.”

“And it is not up to me to decide what he thinks of you after that.”

“No. I ain't. What- what are you gonna do now?”

“I will notify the staff and tell them Gator Golf needs to be cleaned up.”

“That's it?”

“Yes. I suggest you go to Parts and Services for any potential damage you may have done to yourself.”

Freddy turned and left before Monty could argue. There was too much for him to mull over, now that the conversation had taken such a turn. Monty wanting to stay away from Bonnie was unexpected but not unwelcome, but it was also going to make it all that more difficult to insist that Bonnie stay away from him.

Maybe it was best to try and rest for now, Freddy thought to himself as he headed towards his room. Take this one day at a time. Bonnie’s internal clock needed repairs, which meant that probably his battery and other systems would too, and it would be best to make sure the rabbit was in tip top shape before alerting the staff to his miraculous return.

As he passed by Roxy’s room he noted the curtains were firmly tied shut. Briefly he wondered if that was where Foxy was hiding, noting that that too would have to be addressed. The concerns and revelations were piling up high, maybe too high for Freddy to address alone, but for now he was the only one that could manage it.

Best to rest for now, that’s what he had to keep telling himself. Freddy quietly opened the door to his own room, noting that Bonnie was safely tucked away in the recharge station. With a quiet sigh he settled back down on the couch, right back where he had been when this whole rollercoaster had started.