Chapter Text
Gregory liked to think he was just like any average kid. He had a home, a family, took educational classes, and of course, spent time at the local Mega Pizzaplex.
Average...if that meant your home was in the said building and your family was an animatronic rock band, with your classes being taught by a local daycare attendant with a sun for a face.
Gregory's life was far from normal, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He loved racing with Roxanne, golfing with Montgomery, getting takeout with Chica, and spending time with the closest thing to a dad he'd ever had: Freddy. Living inside the Pizzaplex was probably any kid's dream, and Gregory was proud to say he was living it.
The process of it all still confused him, though. It had been almost three months since the dreadful first night, trapped inside with no one to rely on except Freddy, miraculously not infected with the virus. The morning afterward, workers arrived to see three mostly-destroyed animatronics, a very dirty Freddy greeting them, and a random kid hiding in his stomach hatch. The building had gone into lockdown, with an investigation and sweep and complete renovation of the basement following. Everyone was relocated to a Fazbear Entertainment warehouse for a few weeks while repairs took place; Gregory was included since he refused to stay with anyone other than Freddy, and the boy was in no hurry to get going. Workers checked in often to make sure he was taken care of, collectively sharing the responsibility of his wellbeing.
Whoever decided to build the property on top of that old pizzeria location was a dumbass—Gregory overheard some company officials talking. He started to gather that the decisions of this company were not always the greatest. For the time being, he was just glad everything that could have been down there was dealt with. The idea of old supposedly-haunted stuff below his feet never stopped being nightmare fuel.
After the Pizzaplex was safe to be reopened, Freddy and the newly-fixed and debugged animatronics moved back in. Gregory's living situation had been a topic of discussion, and it was ultimately agreed that he would stay under the care of those at the Pizzaplex, much like his prior stay at the warehouse. The boy didn't mind—heck, he was happy he was able to stay with Freddy; it was the others he initially worried about.
It took some time and reassurance, but eventually, Gregory mustered up the courage to meet them correctly for the first time. As it turned out, none of the animatronics had any true desire to hurt him. Chica apologized what seemed like a hundred times; Roxy close to that amount, as well. Monty hadn't said he was sorry quite as much, but the boy could tell he regretted his actions. Gregory ended up apologizing to them, too, since he was responsible for their severe damages that night. None of them held any grudges—for reasons unknown to the kid—and forgave him immediately.
With confidence and trust newly restored, Gregory was ready to start his life at the Pizzaplex with everyone.
Well, almost everyone.
There was still someone missing. Someone who had been missing for quite a while…
The first thing Gregory noticed when he woke up was Freddy sitting beside him on his bed. He would usually greet him good morning, but the bear seemed lost in thought. His metal features resembled a pained expression, with eyes staring aimlessly at something on the carpet.
The boy yawned, "Freddy? Are you okay?"
"Gregory! I did not notice you were awake," the orange animatronic responded, attention turned to the kid beside him as his gears lightly hummed. "How did you sleep?"
"I slept alright, not very many nightmares."
"I am glad," Freddy said, the familiar grin back on his face. "Chica and Roxy are in the kitchen if you would like some breakfast."
When Gregory was first told he would stay at the Pizzaplex, some adjustments were made to the animatronics’ rooms. Internal hallways connected them all, and a small, private kitchen was installed, easily accessible for staff and bots to use for Gregory.
The boy nodded, climbing out of bed to find some clothes. Once he was ready, he and Freddy walked hand-in-paw out of their room towards the shared kitchen. Even now, the boy could see his guardian's ears were more droopy than usual. Something was up.
The two had just turned the corner when shouting caught their attention.
"Roxy, be nice!"
"Why? We all have a right to be upset today, Chica! You know this!"
"We should at least try to be cheerful!"
"How can we!? It was a year ago today-"
"What happened a year ago?" Gregory asked from the doorway, not realizing he had left Freddy standing in the hallway, looking off to the side. The wolf promptly shut her mouth, not speaking another word. Her brow was furrowed, same as Chica's, except she didn't attempt to smile at him.
"Hi, Gregory! Don't...worry about that. There's no need to dwell on it," the other bot said, face faltering at the end of her sentence. It was amazing how much emotion these robots could convey, Gregory thought. For bodies made of metal and plastic, they sometimes seemed more human than machine. "How about some food? I was gonna make some bacon and eggs."
"That sounds nice," a deep voice joined in as a paw rested on Gregory's shoulder. Freddy motioned to a seat at the large dining table before heading for an open one himself. Gregory took the space next to the bear, opting not to ask any more questions for the time being—the day had already gotten off to a less-than-ideal start. Roxy was scowling at her plate, Freddy was fiddling his thumbs, and Chica was silently grilling food on the stove. Apart from the occasional sizzle from a pan and turning of gears, the room was quiet.
Until a certain gator burst into the kitchen.
“Is that bacon?” Montgomery asked, unaware of the atmosphere.
“Oh- yeah, it is! Just a minute and it’ll be ready,” Chica responded, a slight shake in her voice. Monty took a seat on the other side of Gregory, across from Roxy. He looked around, expression worsening as he took everything in.
"Hey, kid," he whispered to Gregory, "how 'bout a walk with me after breakfast, huh?"
The boy nodded just as a full plate was placed in front of him, and he started eating.
"Why was everyone upset, Monty? What happened a year ago? Why won't anyone tell me?"
"Woah, little guy, slow down with the questions," the gator said as the two walked down the outskirts of Rockstar Row. Gregory was seated on Monty's shoulders, arms wrapped around his metal head.
"But Freddy and Chica and Roxy were sad! You were sad!"
Monty sighed, pausing in the middle of the walkway. It was empty, apart from the occasional guard here and there getting ready for the Pizzaplex to open. They would wave and immediately return to their tasks as if nothing was wrong.
"...Ya really wanna know?"
Gregory nodded profusely, determined to learn what was hurting his friends. His family.
Monty lifted the boy up and back down to the ground to look him in the eyes, "Well, one year ago today… Bonnie was decommissioned."