Tangle

Chapter 19 available here:

Ghosts of the Past Episode 1: Chapter 19 | FandomChapter 18 available here Freddy kicked the old…freddy-fazbears-pizza.fandom.com

As Freddy ripped the planks off the sinkhole, he discovered many wooden platforms he could use to jump down to reach Gregory. As he leaped down, his stomps echoed throughout the chasm he was attempting to navigate.

"Oh! This was poorly designed..." Freddy said to himself as he leaped on one platform that was particularly unstable. He felt the shaking beneath his metallic feet, accompanied by the creaking of old wood. Then, it snapped.

Freddy went on a drop down the rest of the dark chasm, his screams echoing the abyss. Suddenly, he was stopped in midair by a large, metallic tentacle wrapping him within its embrace.

"Oh! What... who's holding me?" Freddy asked, fear laced into his voice.

A large body made itself known to him, a giant heap of metal with animatronic parts in the mixture, just as Gregory described. The head of the amalgamation reared itself. The head was that of a white bear animatronic mask, with purple stripes. The eye sockets were glowing red with an angry passion, and it seemed to be staring right into Freddy's soul.

"What... ARE you?" Freddy gasped.

All of a sudden, the beast lowered the arm Freddy was held in. The bear animatronic felt his feet being planted on the ground. Then, the Blob released its grip.

"Huh? You are letting me go? But, I thought you were going to kill me?!" Freddy demanded.

The Blob shook its head. Then, it pointed down to a hole to Freddy's left. A yellow light illuminated the space around it. Below, there was a concrete floor. Gregory was lying on the ground, back up. Broken planks of wood were covering his body. A pool of blood was forming beneath him, as a result of his injuries. Towering over him? The Daycare Attendant animatronic.

"It seems I have caught a child out of bed! At LAST... I am going to put you in time-out. Goodnight!" Moondrop crooned, as he raised a knife in his tiny, spindly hands.

Freddy couldn't stop himself. Fury clouding his mind, he leaped into the air, intent on crushing the Daycare Attendant. However, as he was landing, the Attendant yanked Gregory up by the hair and leaped back with the boy in hand. Meanwhile, the bear animatronic crashed feet-first into the ground.

"Oh! It looks like Fazbear has come as well, JUST as Glitchtrap said. It is time to PERISH," the Moon animatronic growled hungrily.

Freddy stared at the red glow emitting from the machine standing before him. It was evident that bloodlust completely overtook the animatronic, overriding every function it had. Gregory was caught up in the sick embrace of the Moon, barely awake. Freddy's heart dropped looking at the helpless child, dying with little hope. All he wanted was a warm place to stay, somewhere to call home. Freddy promised Gregory the world, and he let him down.

"Something wrong, Freddy?" Moondrop taunted, shaking the bleeding form stuck in his grip.

He knew that Freddy was feeling grief in the midst of the circumstances, and the Daycare animatronic derived a sick sense of pleasure seeing this.

"Take ME instead," Freddy blurted suddenly.

The Daycare Attendant's brow raised in surprise. A mixture of smugness and surprise took over his expression.

"I'm sorry?! WHAT did you say?" the animatronic said, despite knowing full well what Freddy wanted.

"The boy doesn't deserve this. I do. So whatever you're going to do to him, spare him, and deliver that fate upon ME instead," Freddy said with conviction.

Time seemed to freeze as the Moon animatronic stared at the boy in contemplation of the deal he was being offered. The fate of two souls were in his hands. A venomous glint began to cloud the Daycare Attendant's smile as he neared a decision.

"Come to me, Fazbear," Moondrop said with an ill tone of triumph.

Freddy spared no time walking over to the spindly animatronic, taking Gregory from its grip. Then, he laid the boy down on a nearby cot.

"He's free. Now, you are MINE!" the Daycare Attendant exclaimed.

The knife he was holding in his hand that was meant for Gregory, he turned on Freddy instead. Swiftly, the blade impaled itself into the bear animatronic's eyes.

"AH! I cannot see!" Freddy exclaimed.

Darkness completely overtook Freddy's vision, as he stumbled with no guidance. He felt spindly hands reach into his eye sockets, reaching around for something unknown to Freddy. Moondrop's fingers wrapped around the Endoskeleton head.

"Now... the Essence needed for the restoration, is right here. I have you now, Freddy Fazbear!" Moondrop exclaimed with glee.

Then, with a swift flick of his hand, he snapped Freddy's head off. The bear animatronic collapsed to the ground.

"Finally, I can bring back the Maker. Here I come, Master!" Moondrop exclaimed. With blue material laced in his knife, Moondrop ran to a vent on the wall opposite where Gregory and Freddy were. He had everything he needed, after he succeeded where the others failed.

~~~

Gregory was drifting slowly in and out of consciousness, as he felt blood seeping out of his body, with any remaining strength departing with it. There was no hope left for him. Whatever ritual Glitchtrap and the Daycare Attendant were doing was going to succeed. Freddy was destroyed and Officer Vanessa had no clue what was happening, or what he would even do about it. There was also that strange creature outside the room that would kill him if he tried to escape. All Gregory could do was hope his own death was painless.

"Freddy..." Gregory whispered.

The bear animatronic's broken piece of his head was laying on the floor. The rest of the body was sitting against the wall, motionless.

"Wake up, please..." Gregory begged. Still, Freddy wouldn't move.

As Gregory was fruitlessly hoping his companion would heed him, in the distance, he heard a sound not unlike a recharge station opening. Then, he heard loud, metallic footsteps.

"Huh? Is there an animatronic down here?" Gregory wondered aloud.

All of a sudden, a metallic blast door on the other side of the room was opened, and the metallic footsteps heard in the distance were much closer.

"Well, well, well... the only child to EVER escape me, lying before me. Gregory, isn't it?" a cold, raspy voice declared. His volume was abrasive and loud, similar to Freddy with Chica's voice box.

"Who, who are you?" Gregory asked.

"I am called, Glitchtrap, or Springtrap, but since this is personal, YOU may call me, William!" the voice responded with glee.

The owner of the voice made himself visible. Gregory tried to turn himself over so he could see this new individual, but two cold, metallic hands scooped up the boy and pinned his back to the wall, giving Gregory a look into the eyes of his new foe.

Glitchtrap, or William, had glowing purple irises in his sockets, took the form of a rabbit animatronic, and looked as if he had been rotting for decades. All Gregory could smell was a rotting corpse, old burns, blood, and all kinds of indescribable scents. The rabbit persona that William took on was that of a yellow rabbit, but rot had turned him dark green, and in some places, it was just endoskeleton. Flesh and bone were also visible on the inside of his costume. The mouth of the animatronic was made of old, human teeth and gums.

"I've rotted for years, then they tried to destroy me once and for all. I was trapped in the digital realm. Then, I met Vanny. I molded her mind into something that looked like ME. I took over every animatronic here, including Freddy. But he ESCAPED me. Do you know why?" William asked, with a venomous tone.

"No, I don't..." Gregory gasped. He was being truthful in the regard that he didn't know his friend as well as he thought.

"Through Vanny, I sensed something was, off, with Freddy. He was helping you. Then, I discovered something SHOCKING- Freddy Fazbear is a GHOST.” Of who? My son, Michael!" William explained. Shock was laced through every word. As he said this, Gregory's eyes widened.

"WHAT?! Wait, you mean from the Tale of Five?!" Gregory exclaimed.

"YES. Very good!" William laughed.

Gregory scowled at the entity, furious at the lack of remorse for anything that he has done. Noting this, William smiled, as if he was trying to be sweet, but Gregory could detect every ounce of poison that was about to leak out.

"You know, Michael tried to use you to stop me from coming back, like a tool! Many times, he endangered your life with no regard for you. He had you kill all his friends in order to reach ME. He doesn't care about you, and look where that got him. Dead, on the floor! But I can HELP you, Gregory. You can be mine, and I can reward you beyond imagination! What do you say?" William offered. Gregory's jaw dropped in shock, although barely, since his muscles were already weakening.

"No!" Gregory gasped, vigorously breathing as he said so.

"No?" William replied, as if he had misheard the boy.

"There's a reason Freddy did all he could to stop you. You're a MURDERER! You killed children back in the '80s, and you are killing more of them to come back! I know you tried to kill Cassie and I, and you did everything you could to take my life tonight. You wiped my mind and left Cassie orphaned, and for us to die on the streets!" Gregory yelled. Although his voice was weak, his heart was strong with anger.

"Oh. I see. You'd chose that PATHETIC friend of yours, that STUPID animatronic, and that traitorous night guard, over I, who has ENORMOUS power. Well, I am going to have to KILL you, boy. But before I do... I'm going to give your full memory back, and I'm going to make sure you die in pain from the memories of the past, and in pain from what I am about to enact upon YOU," William yelled angrily.

He grabbed Gregory by the head, and smashed him into the wall. Suddenly, it felt like death was reaching for the child's very soul, trying to bleed him out to reach it. Gregory let out a yell of pain.

"We're just getting started! You CHOSE this," William screamed with a venomous joy. An unseen force knocked Gregory's face up, blacking him out.

A blur of visions overtook Gregory's mind, rushing at him like a storm. These were memories that William had erased, but were now coming back.

~~~

Gregory remembered sneaking into the Pizzaplex a year prior, looking for shelter similar to what he was doing now. Only this time, it was during the day. The boy rewatched himself walking through the Daycare, but finding a girl sitting in a party room by herself, crying her eyes out. A tanned girl with brunette hair tied back in a bun was sitting in a corner. Makeup was leaking down her face around her eyes. Gregory say himself asking if the girl was okay.

"Hey, are you alright? What's going on?" Gregory asked.

The girl revealed her name to be Cassie, and she talked about how nobody showed up to her birthday party. Gregory saw himself giving her a pass to Rockstar Row, then asking her to keep it a secret.

Then, he saw himself getting trapped in after hours, being hunted by Monty in the lower levels. Cassie came to find Gregory with her father, only for the father to be killed by Monty. He remembered passing out due to Glitchtrap's influence, and him and Cassie both being sent to the orphanage when discovered by authorities.

~~~

When Gregory woke up, he had all his old memories back, and the fake ones were gone. He was confronted by William, still holding him up against the wall.

"Oh... I remember it all. You MURDERER. I was already homeless before I met you, but Cassie had a family. And you took it!" Gregory exclaimed angrily.

"I will deal with her in time. But now? You are going to die, boy!" William spat.

The old animatronic began to wrap his fingers around Gregory's neck, prepared to choke the life out of him. But before he could do that, from the ceiling, the lid to a manhole collapsed to the floor. The roar of a beast then erupted outside of the walls of the room.

"Huh... NO. They aren't supposed to be awake so soon!" William screamed.

Before he could say anything else, metallic arms burst into the room through all kinds of manholes, both in the floor and the ceiling. Somewhere, in the distance, the screams of Moondrop could be heard. Whatever beast was outside the Ruins, got to him.

"Hey! OVER HERE!" Gregory yelled at the top of his lungs. This took all the strength he had, because as soon as he said this, he began to breathe laboriously.

"Oh no you DON'T," William growled angrily. He tried to choke the boy to death, but a metallic arm from above ripped the rabbit animatronic away.

"NO! Help me!" William pleaded. He was holding on to the ceiling, trying to stay in the room. However, his efforts were fruitless. William slipped and was yanked up above, to a terrible fate.

As soon as William and the Blob were gone, Officer Vanessa jumped down into the room from another hole in the ceiling. She found Gregory bleeding to death on the ground.

"There you are! Listen, it's time to get you out of here," Vanessa said soothingly. Just as she said this, Gregory passed out from exhaustion and loss of blood.

~~~

"Is he okay?!"

"Gregory has lost tons of blood. It will take some time for him to recover fully from his injuries."

"When will he wake up? I need to talk to him!"

"I do not know. The authorities are investigating what happened at the Pizzaplex as we speak."

At that moment, Gregory's eyes opened as he slowly regained consciousness. He discovered himself to be in a hospital bed, bandages wrapped all over him and blood trickling into his body via an IV. Watching him, was a doctor, his assistant, and Officer Vanessa.

"What... happened?" Gregory said groggily.

"You, sir, have taken quite a hit. You've been sleeping for a full fifty-five hours. Officer Vanessa told the police everything that happened in the Pizzaplex from her perspective, and let's just say it's quite shocking! Thankfully, you are in good hands, and if we have our way, you won't have to enter the Pizzaplex ever again," the doctor said.

"She... told you?" Gregory asked.

"Yes, she did. After all that happened since Fazbear Entertainment's existence should have told us something was going to go wrong with THIS Establishment as well. I think we are going to let you two speak alone," the Doctor replied.

The atmosphere of the room grew cold as soon as the doctors departed. Vanessa had a very grim look on her face. Something was wrong.

"Something went wrong, didn't it?" Gregory asked.

"I'm afraid so. Roxy, as well as Bonnie, an older animatronic, has been discovered, and as expected, both were completely destroyed. But they managed to fix Monty," Vanessa said with a sigh.

As soon as Vanessa finished her sentence, all Gregory could see was red. Anger clouded everything inside his head. After ALL that happened, with the murders, Bonnie, and the brainwashing of animatronics, Monty got off scot-free?!

"They saved Monty?!" Gregory demanded.

"Yes. I tried to convince them out of it, but they say they need the revenue from his character, and they didn't want to waste any money on destroying his presence in the company! Unfortunately, he won't be going anywhere," Vanessa replied.

"Well, what about Freddy and Chica?" Gregory asked.

"They managed to repair Chica. She's waiting to see us back at the Pizzaplex. As for Freddy? It's complicated. They don't want to go down to the Ruins to get him, so we have to do it ourselves. The damages he incurred overnight aren't unfixable, thankfully! But it's gonna be tough," Vanessa said.

Gregory sighed out of relief. Freddy and Chica were still alive and within reach! However, he wondered about what was going to happen to HIM. Gregory went into the Pizzaplex nearly three days ago looking for a place to stay, since he was on the streets. Then, he met Freddy. Vanessa tried to kill him while she was under the control of Glitchtrap. But she was freed, Freddy and Chica were there to help, and William Afton vanished with the Blob. That left Gregory on a hospital bed with nowhere to go back to.

"Well... what happens to me?" Gregory asked.

"I still have my job, and if I really have to... I'm going to adopt you."

~~~

Cold and dark. Those were the two most fitting words to describe the place where Freddy was stuck. Ever since the Blob took William Afton, the power for the Sinkhole and below was totally cut. William Afton was imprisoned in the underground room where he had been stored for the past several years. Only now, Freddy was there to accompany him.

Freddy was in no better shape. The Blob barely managed to rejoin his head with his body, but the bear animatronic was still blinded. With no physical ability for either animatronic to move, all they could do was sit in silence.

However, it wasn’t long before someone would break the awkward air of quietness.

"How did you come back?" Freddy asked as he looked at his father.

Moondrop blinded the bear animatronic, but there were many Endoskeletons that had been brought down and destroyed. Freddy used their eyes to see.

"I used Vanny to use the Endoskeletons to trap and kill the children, then we had the Endos destroyed for the Essence needed to bring me back. My old ways have proven to still be effective..." Afton answered dreamily.

"Well, it all lead to this. You lost all your power in the digital realm, and the both of us are trapped down here in this place. The Blob has total control over you now, and if you misbehave, I could easily have them take you away! So, are you happy?" Freddy demanded. Afton merely laughed at Freddy's words.

"Ha! You really think either of us will remain here? Michael, if you TRULY knew your old man, you would understand that I ALWAYS come back! There's nothing that could stop me, and Henry, bless his soul, is proof of that," Afton retorted.

"You got what you wanted, didn't you? You are in your suit now, back in the physical world. Just like over thirty years ago. But back then, they didn't know what you truly were, so you escaped! But now, everyone knows EVERYTHING about Fazbear Entertainment's past. If they ever find us, you are going to BURN. How does that make you feel, Father?" Freddy demanded.

Instead of a smug grin, a dark expression overtook Afton's expression. Under all the dirt and grime, as well as the most fear-inducing appearance, there was still fear for something, but for what, Freddy had no clue.

"Michael, you may have brought me down, but there are FAR greater powers at work here. Remember that."

Chapter 18 available here

Ghosts of the Past Episode 1: Chapter 18 | FandomChapter 17 available here Vanessa looked at the…freddy-fazbears-pizza.fandom.com

Freddy kicked the old door down, which erupted in a cloud of dust and cracked metal and concrete. The sound of wood breaking was also heard.

"Well, this is a rather off putting place..." Freddy muttered.

Beyond the doorway were three slates of metal that served as steps leading to a lower concrete floor. The way forward was made up of concrete and wood. Metal chain link gates guided through a path to a small, gray maintenance elevator at the end.

"That elevator is going to take us below to the Ruins. It may not survive another trip back up. I'll stay behind so I can try to fix it or open the shaft for us to climb," Vanessa informed.

"Very well. Knowing your current mental state, you certainly aren't ready to go. Gregory and I can deal with Glitchtrap," Freddy agreed.

"Okay, but promise me one thing..." Vanessa added. Freddy's ears perked up.

"Oh?" he asked.

"Protect him. PLEASE," Vanessa begged, glancing at Gregory.

In that moment, the feeling of dead in Vanessa seemed to vanish. The thought of Gregory making it out alive warmed her heart, because it would be one less death. Just another drop of innocence preserved.

"I will. Don't worry," Freddy said quietly.

Vanessa gave one last smile, then turned around and walked back into the brightness of the Pizzaplex. Freddy and Gregory walked to the old elevator at the end of the room. Chainlink gates on either side of them formed a path to the lift.

"So... down there is where we have to go, huh?" Gregory asked, his voice quivering as he spoke. The thought of facing dangers worse than anything in the Pizzaplex shook him, the memory of the night's events fresh in his mind.

"Yes. I will do all in my power to protect you. I do not know what lays ahead. But no matter! You won't be harmed on my watch," Freddy swore with conviction.

As they made it to the old elevator, the doors slowly opened, making sounds of metallic grinding as it cracked open. The clamp on the elevator doors were completely covered with a dull orange substance, known to be rust. The inside of the elevator reeked of ash and charcoal.

"This elevator has seen some signs of a cleansing, with fire... we should be careful. It might collapse beneath us!" Freddy warned. Gregory sighed, deep in thought. He had a mission to accomplish, even if it meant doing what he dreaded the most- going alone.

"I'll go first. I'm lighter, and if I make it down, at least I can continue. If you go first, the elevator has a possibility of having a break..." Gregory volunteered.

"Are you sure? It is dangerous to go down there alone. Your life is endangered now more than at ANY other point last night! I don't want you leaving my watch," Freddy protested.

"I'll be fine," Gregory insisted. Freddy sighed unhappily, but nodded his head nonetheless.

Gregory walked into the small, rusted elevator. When he walked in, he found a dull, shine-less silver panel on the wall, with plastic, white arrow buttons. A multitude of chips in the paint was visible. Gregory pressed the down arrow. As soon as he did this, the doors let out a metallic groan, as the doors slid shut. Many stops occurred, signifying the damage the lift acquired over the years.

The elevator began to creep down the shaft, when a sudden lurch briefly sent the elevator falling. A loud, metallic screech was heard as the elevator raced, then slowed down again.

"Oh!" Gregory yelled in surprise. The ground beneath him shook as the lift stopped. He slipped and collided with the metal ground, the sound of slams erupting through the chasm.

"Gregory! Are you okay?" Freddy asked through the FazWatch.

"I'm fine. I think the elevator has some problems... you might want to be careful coming down..." Gregory warned. On the other end of the watch, Freddy sighed out of relief.

"Okay, go on ahead of me, but only for a little bit. I will join you momentarily. Proceed with caution, Gregory!" Freddy instructed.

The door to the elevator let out a loud groan, as it slid open in a bumpy fashion. Gregory stepped out of the elevator, coming into contact with the dirt of the ground. Surrounding him were walls of dirt and debris. The ground was made up of dirt, mud, and concrete. The roof was rusted metal, and various supports were holding the Underground up. Behind Gregory, the elevator shaft was visible as it ran up through the ceiling.

"Wow! This place is huge," Gregory said, his voice echoing and reflecting off the walls.

"Really? I will be down to join you soon. The larger it is, the more unpredictable it is. Be careful, Superstar!" Freddy said on his FazWatch.

~~~

Freddy awaited the lift's return to him. The old machine was very difficult for even Gregory to navigate down, so he wondered just how much better he could do. As Freddy stood, facing the decaying elevator door, he could do nothing but think, as he waited for the lift, about how mysterious this place was. The dangers of the Sinkhole, no matter what, would leave a mark on both him, and Gregory.

The animatronic's eyes narrowed as he thought of the young boy, orphaned on the streets. He sought refuge in Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, only to be dragged into this MESS. Freddy grimaced at the implied thought of William Afton, the entity that has caused terror for the boy, and murder of other children.

Soon, the elevator reached the top of the shaft, and the doors creaked open. Freddy took a step into the elevator, but the moment he did, the floor beneath him fell down. The metal floor fell loose with a "SNAP," sending the animatronic on a free fall to the ground. as Freddy fell down the narrow shaft, the air blew and chopped around his metallic body as he closed the distance between him and the ground.

"NO. Gregory, I am in trouble!" Freddy exclaimed as he dropped, hoping to reach the boy's watch. The bear animatronic hoped that the boy would hear him and somehow come to his rescue. Freddy was going to hit the ground, but he needed to remain functional.

That's when Freddy noted the elevation mechanisms on the walls of the inside of the shaft. Just before Freddy could hit the ground, he grabbed one of the metal poles on the wall, instantly breaking his fall. Then, he jumped from his position, landing safely on the ground on his metallic feet.

"Well, that was close!" Freddy said. at that moment, Gregory chimed in via the FazWatch.

"What happened?! Freddy, are you OK?" Gregory asked frantically.

"I am fine, Superstar. I just need to escape this elevator shaft. Fortunately, there is a maintenance hatch that will open the door from the inside. Just give me a few moments," Freddy responded. As soon as he said this, he turned to a panel on the wall next to the elevator door, with a rusted, steel plate covering the box. Freddy removed the plate and cut some wires in the box. As soon as he did this, the elevator shaft doors opened.

"There you are!" Gregory shouted as the door slid open. From the outside, he ran into the lift and grabbed Freddy's hand, attempting to pull him out.

"I am coming, Superstar!" Freddy said in a reassuring tone. The animatronic tried to ease Gregory, in spite of the circumstances the pair were in. Not now, not EVER, would Freddy allow something to happen to his friend.

The two began to walk on the dirt ground, stepping through piles of mud. The splashing of the water echoed through the chasm, but the dirt muffled their steps as they went through. Making a few twists and turns through a maze of walls made of debris, they slowly approached their destination. Freddy felt his young companion needed to further know what he was in for.

"Gregory, there are many other things about this place you need to know. The ultimate secret of this facility is what it once WAS. Everything was supposed to end here, but it didn't... I'm not sure what is happening here, but we have to find out, for the sake of the children..." Freddy said quietly. Gregory frowned as he was at a loss for knowing what the bear was referencing.

"What it once was? You mean, an old Freddy Fazbear's?" Gregory guessed.

"That is EXACTLY what I mean. And a very special way, this establishment was different from the others..." Freddy replied, absentmindedly. Then, he exhaled out of a strange emotion that Gregory could only call regret.

"If we make it out of this, I will tell you EVERYTHING I know. You have to learn what Freddy Fazbear, what I, truly am. Your life has changed too much to turn back. It's only right that I help you come to grips," Freddy promised.

A strange silence hung over the two as they continued navigating through the underground Sinkhole, to reach what Freddy wanted to show. In this sinkhole, both of their fates would be determined.

"Uh, Freddy, what's that?" Gregory asked suddenly, drawing Freddy out of his thoughts.

Overlooking the two was an old, rusted building. This red structure resembled a pizzeria, only, debris and grime littered the body. Above the entrance to the Pizzeria, was a red neon sign that read, 'Freddy Fazbear's Pizza Place.' Below that sign was a set of red double doors, like in the Pizzaplex above. Freddy's eyes narrowed as he stared at the building confronting him.

"THIS, is where everything will be decided. This is the end."

~~~

"This is the end," Freddy said, his tone laced with finality. Gregory frowned. Nervousness overtook him as he speculated over the kinds of things that could go on here.

"What's going to happen in there?" Gregory finally asked, fear evident in his tone. Freddy looked down at the boy with a grim look in his eyes.

"We are going to confront someone I know. I won't put this lightly- he is INCREDIBLY dangerous. It is our mission to bring him down! I will do everything I can to protect you, do you understand?" Freddy explained.

A shiver ran down Gregory's spine, but he nodded his head in understanding. As he did so, Freddy pulled on the door handle, opening the building up for the pair. As soon as he did, loud creaks were heard from the hinges. They had not been used for years, and the unpleasant groaning from the metallic pieces showed it.

"This place is OLD," Gregory remarked.

"It is! Now, let us go in," Freddy replied.

As the two walked forward, they ended up in a large, open room, which was supposed to be the dining area. The floor was covered with dust and ash, making the tiles practically indistinguishable from the dirt and grime outside. The walls were a dull red, also a result of aging. In the middle of the ground, was a gaping hole, yellow tape barricading the entrance from everyone else.

"Yellow tape? Someone was down here before... weren't they? Someone from the Pizzaplex," Gregory questioned. A frown crept down Freddy's face, feigning the animatronic's confusion as to who it could have been. Vanny would not have left any trace of her presence. Who possibly could have investigated the Ruins before Freddy and Gregory? And, Gregory pondered, what made this hole more dangerous than the rest of the underground?

"We need to go down. I will go first, because I am stronger and more capable than you. Naturally, that calls for me to lead the way," Freddy volunteered. As he said this, he easily broke the yellow tape with Monty's claws that Freddy repurposed to be his own. Behind the yellow tape, poorly placed planks of wood were covering the hole. However, the wood had a gap in it, with a rope running down to the bottom.

"Actually, you should go first. I may be too large to fit on the rope, so I will find another way down," Freddy commanded. Gregory nodded his head. Then, he walked onto the wooden floor, treading carefully until he reached the rope.

"I think it goes pretty far down," Gregory said in a concerned tone.

"You are looking at about a 100 feet fall," Freddy clarified.

Gregory took a sharp breath, before finally wrapping his hands around the rope. As Gregory slid down, his hands felt like they were being charred. The rough fibers that made up the rope formed numerous deep cuts on his fingers, resulting in bleeding around the finger tips and the palms. Still, to not drop down tens of feet and die, Gregory maintained his grip. Slowly but surely, he reached the bottom.

"Ow..." Gregory gasped as he stared at his hands.

He took a moment to analyze his surroundings. The area he was in was almost pitch black, with some light coming in from a hole covered by wood. On the sides of the room, Gregory could barely make out wooden supports and platforms he knew he could never jump down. However, to his right, Gregory saw something extremely disturbing.

"Uh... Freddy, come in!" Gregory whispered into his FazWatch.

"What is the matter, Superstar?" the bear animatronic questioned.

"There's a giant pile of metal cables down here. I don't know what this is, but I don't like it!" Gregory replied urgently.

The metallic pile of cables appeared to be a hundred feet tall. Strange metallic limbs that appeared to be old animatronic parts were attached everywhere. Masks of many different animatronics were resting in the amalgamation, and the head of the body was that of a white bear. Red lights glared from the eye sockets, and giant grunts and sighs were heard, which gave Gregory the conclusion that it was asleep.

"Oh, my GOD. I- this thing is huge," Gregory gasped.

"Hold on, I will be with you soon. I found a way to get down! Try to find an escape," Freddy advised.

As Gregory tried to sneak out of the small dungeon he found himself in, he ended up on the hole covered by the wooden planks, which broke beneath his feet. Gregory let out a yelp as he fell to a concrete floor while on top of broken wood, ravaging his body with cuts, impalements, and scratches. A small pool of blood formed beneath him.

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?!" A monstrous voice growled. With what little energy Gregory had left, he forced his chin up, in order to see the abomination that was the Daycare animatronic.