Day 5Bx1 - A Pair of Troublemakers

"Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker!"

With a disgruntled wave goodbye Gregory left you and Bonnie behind. Moon likewise waved though with slightly more enthusiasm. After all, he liked the two of you. What he was with now was more...troublesome.

Gregory knew the plex inside and out, all over. He didn't even need a map to know the route to go.

Of course the last time he was forced into this situation he was with an unstoppable machine like Freddy. This time he was with...Moon.

He sighed. This was going to be a long trip.

The two walked in silence. Gregory's attention was on the watch. He was checking routes and scanning through the notes to see if there was any sign of Freddy.

Sure, the plex was on lockdown, network down but Gregory knew how the watches worked. In times like these they operated like walkie-talkies. If Freddy was in range, the watch would pick up. Unfortunately there was no response, no matter how many times he called.

He looked up, the two of them were at the top of the daycare now. He was looking around, careful of any bots. While this also reminded him of last year's events the he had figured out the bots to be far more aggressive than last time.

On his person, Gregory had a laser blaster, a flashlight and a barely functional Fazwatch. While communication was down it still worked for other functions. He also had his phone of which he could text you from.

Moon wasn't carrying anything specific though he was wearing his scarf. It glowed slightly in the dim plex. Moon wasn't prancing as he usually did, instead walking normally. A side effect of his unwillingness, perhaps. Gregory didn't mind it. It made Moon look more 'normal'.

The hallway was dimly lit, the usual colours and neon lights had changed to shades of red and black. After all, the plex was in 'lockdown' mode. Moon's eyes and Gregory's flashlight lit the way.

Gregory checked his watch again. He needed to go from the daycare to the main entrance then reach parts and services. He decided to go through Rockstar Row to get it. It was still possible Freddy was fine. He plotted the course in the watch.

Moon noticed Gregory's attention turned to the watch. He should be watching his surroundings, not that stupid watch. Moon thought, disgusted. A malicious idea creeped into his head, smirk growing wider.

In Moon's path was a cardboard cut-out of him. Pretending not to see it he kicked it aside. This startled Gregory who instinctively drew his blaster.

"What's wrong? Scared?" Moon taunted, smile palatable in his words. "Maybe you should stay back in the daycare." He said sarcastically.

"Huh, I thought you didn't want me there." Gregory sheathed the blaster. "You said I'd just dirty it." He shot back tauntingly.

"You little brat." Moon stopped and faced Gregory. He poked the boy in the chest. "You' lucky I have to babysit you otherwise I would put you right in time out!" Moon spat. Though his face had a smile, his narrowed eyes indicated differently.

"What's your problem? I haven't even done anything." Gregory asked. He was just as annoyed as Moon.

Moon went closer to Gregory as the two's eyes clashed. "Yet." Moon eye's narrowed. "You broke the rules, nearly burned down my daycare and then track dirt into it! You should be in time out for..at least a full day!" Moon moved back, folding his arms.

Gregory stepped forward. "Oh, will you get over it! That was a year ago. I didn't even cause the fire!"

"You still broke the rules!" Moon shouted.

"You-Sun attacked me first! I was just trying to escape!" Gregory shouted back.

"Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker." Moon shot back, shaking his finger at the boy.

"Yeah well at least I'm not some clown weirdo!" Gregory shouted back.

"You take that back, troublemaker!"

"No, weirdo!"

"GregorBZZT" A robotic voice said from afar. Before Gregory could even process it, Moon grabbed him and set him behind him. He looked ahead.

Now Playing...

Artist: Oreiko

Song: Mr. Worldwide Takes a Trip to Hell

Link: https://youtu.be/5xF63yL03PQ

Towards the end of the hallway were two corrupted maintenance bots. Like the others they had the same contorted and violent looking faces. Gregory peered out from behind Moon and drew his blaster. Both security bots were charging towards them, one carrying a mop and the other a wet floor sign.

"You get the left, I'll get the right." Gregory said, tone going more serious.

"Fine." Moon said. Using a scarf as a lasso he swung it. It latched onto the mop, wrapping around it. Moon yanked bank causing the bot to fall forward. it hitting the ground. Sure it was on the ground Moon pounced upon it.

Gregory took a step back as he watched Moon become like a cowboy with his scarf. Though Gregory didn't say anything, he was impressed. He didn't watch for long though as there was another bot.

While Moon was preoccupied, Gregory aimed and, closing one eye, fired his laser directly at the other bot charging him. It was a direct hit in the bots eye and the robot stopped. Due to the bots speed its momentum propelled it forward. Blinded and hurdling towards Gregory, the boy just moved out of the way as it smacked into a nearby wall.

He looked to Moon as moon eviscerated the bot, prying open its back and ripping the wiring right out. The bots lights flickered off. It was slain.

Gregory looked back to his robot. He'd never seen them roll that fast before. The momentum with the wall had definitely caused structural damage to it. The bot was out though not completely destroyed. At best it was just temporarily knocked out, worst something was knocked loose.

Ah well, not my job to fix it, Gregory thought.

"Are you okay, child?" Moon asked, getting up. As if they're angry conversation didn't just happen, Moon's whole tone had changed.

"I'm fine. Are you alright?"

"I am."

"Good work Moon. That was...kinda cool." Gregory said.

Returning to normal, Moon scoffed. "Humph. I don't need praise from a troublemaker."

Gregory cocked his head, crooked smile forming. "Troublemaker? You're the one that just destroyed that bot. (Y/N) said not to." He was always quick to reply.

Taking in what Gregory said he looked to the destroyed bot. Then he looked to Gregory. He started to jump around. freaking out. "OH NO! I did! Ohnononno!" He ran to the bot, trying to get it up again. Moon had ripped out the back wiring and repairing such a thing was beyond him.

He felt terrible. Then it hit him. Normally Sun would have been there to hold him back. But he couldn't hear Sun and hadn't been able to since the start of the night. For the first time, he was alone. The reality sunk in.

Still panicking that his moral compass had disappeared and that he himself was now a troublemaker he grabbed Gregory.

"You can't tell anyone about this! I-I-you can't tell (Y/N)!" He said, voice losing the deep attitude it had earlier. Gregory didn't understand at all why Moon was freaking out.

"Okay, okay, just put me down."

Moon dropped the boy and looked to the destroyed maintenance bot. He couldn't screw up again. What if he got decommissioned because of this?

Watching this display, Gregory just shook his head. He preferred that Moon destroyed the bot. He didn't understand Moon's moral conundrum. Above all, he still didn't trust Moon. He shrugged it off and left the panicking daycare attendant.

He had a plex to save. He checked his watch again. Proceed to the main entrance. Putting away the blaster for now he continued, the darkness providing good cover.

Moon was so worried he didn't even see Gregory walk away. He turned back to see Gregory now several steps ahead of him. Your voice echoed throughout Moon.

"Protect. The. Boy."

"Gregory wait!" Moon ran to Gregory.

"What now?"

"We have to go together."

"I thought you didn't care about troublemakers."

"I-well-I..We have to go together." Moon was confused and ended up just repeating his previous line. There was a logic error that he would have to figure out on his own. He, himself wasn't sure how to explain it to Gregory.

"Are you okay?" Gregory asked. He felt slightly sorry for the animatronic.

Moon sighed. "I'm just...just a little confused." Gregory had an idea how Moon was feeling. Maybe he just needed to change the subject.

"Let's just focus on getting to the system. We can figure out the rules later."

"Y-yes. L-lets." Moon nodded and the two continued.

Reaching the main entrance it was a far cry from how it looked both in the day and normally in the night.

Instead of the bright colours Gregory and Moon were used to it was replaced with a depressive outlook. Gone were the bright lights of the entrance, most of the coloured lights been replaced with shades of red, glowing black and grey. It was a stark reminder the plex was indeed, in lockdown.

The fake palm trees, usually sparking gold under the light looked dull and bleak. The large screens that depicted the advertisements and photos of the plex read ' LOCKDOWN MODE', 'NO SIGNAL' or some technical jargon neither Moon nor Gregory understood.

Some were even distorted, the incorrect resolution having been applied. The logos were working fine, though now looked massively out of place.

Gregory was surprised. Even during his 'escapade' last year the plex wasn't like this. He looked to the statue of Freddy. It looked especially ominous in the absence of the neon lights. It glowed red. Gregory gulped. He hoped Freddy wasn't affected. Likewise, Moon was unsure. Even he hadn't seen the plex lit up like this.

Moon scanned around for any sign of hostiles. He detected a few maintenance bots, including one fallen over at the bottom of the steps. None seemed to be keen on making a move against the attendant or Gregory.

Gregory was focused on the statue, so much that he tripped on something.

"Oof."

Gregory picked himself off the ground. Moon stopped as he waited for Gregory to get up. He considered asking if he was okay but shrugged it off. Kids been through worse, he thought. He continued to stay on alert for any corrupted bots.

Moon stopped as he waited for Gregory to get up. The boy looked at what he had tripped on, shining a flashlight on it.

It was a kitchen knife. A rather large one at that. Gregory looked around. It looked to just be the one knife. He bent down and picked it up. The boy recognized it instantly.

At first sight the presence of the knife worried him. It gave clear indication that a certain someone was lurking in the plex. The knife was one that a chef would use. On second thought, it would be one less knife for that person. He decided it would be better if he kept it.

He held the knife in his free hand, flashlight in the other and caught up to Moon.

Moon took notice to the knife instantly. This set off an alarm within him.

No child should be carrying something as dangerous as that!, he thought.

"Hey! Put that down!" Moon said. He was starting to worry Gregory would hurt himself, his daycare instinct having taken over.

"No way, I need this."

Moon tried to grab it but Gregory dodged.

"Children should not be carrying knives!" Moon hissed. "Put. It. Down."

"I'm barely a child anymore. I need it to protect myself."

Moon's eyes narrowed. "You have to follow the rules!"

"Or what?"

"I'll tell on you! I'll tell (Y/N)."

"Well, I'll tell on you!"

Moon was aghast. "Y-you wouldn't dare!"

"Not if you don't tell on me, I won't."

"B-but it's dangerous! You could hurt yourself." Moon dove to try and grab it again. Gregory dodged.

It was clear to Gregory this wasn't going to work. He sighed. "If (Y/N) is okay with it, will you let me have it?"

"(Y/N) would never agree! But, fine. J-just don't tell on me." Moon said, slightly worried Gregory would rat him out.

Gregory texted you explaining the situation. A few seconds later you agreed, adding nothing extra. You didn't see the issue, after all this wasn't Gregory's first time in the situation. You trusted him.

Gregory showed Moon the message. At first the attendant was surprised but then relented. "Fine. But don't blame me if you hurt yourself, humph."

"Can we go? We're wasting time."

Moon nodded and the two continued. As they walked Gregory thought about Moon. He and Sun were always strange to Gregory. While he had no problem hanging out with any of the Fazbear 4, even the DJ, the attendant was always distant. Maybe it was the fact the daycare was for kiddies and he thought himself above that. Thinking back on it, Sun was the only one in the plex that didn't try to kill him. Aside from Freddy. And even tonight, Moon hadn't done anything to harm him. As Gregory pondered he also realized that maybe Moon wasn't trying to harm then either. Just put him in 'timeout'.

But then he did help out Sun as penance back then. He cleaned his room. Gregory guessed that Moon hadn't found the gesture well-meaning. At no point did he ever really apologize. What if that was all it took?

"Look, I'm sorry I messed up the daycare." Gregory said as they walked. He didn't look at Moon when he said it.

Moon look surprised at Gregory. He turned his head slightly, expecting more. A few seconds of silence later, Gregory also said. "And I guess for burning down the daycare. Not that it was my fault." He muttered the last part, hoping Moon didn't hear it.

Moon blinked a few times, as if he was trying to process what had been said.

"R-really?" Moon stopped. "You really mean it?"

Gregory stopped too and sighed. "Yep. I'm sorry."

Moon wasn't expecting this gesture at all. He was surprised beyond belief.

Moon stepped back suddenly, stammering as he did. "W-well that doesn't make us even." Moon became flustered. While under normal circumstances he would have accepted the apology, in his mind this made Gregory more 'moral' than himself. After all, he destroyed a bot, Gregory only knocked his out.

He had to be lying, Moon thought.

"What do you want then? A handwritten letter?" Gregory asked, amused at Moon's suspicion of him.

Moon wasn't sure what to say. Sun has chastised him before for refusing to forgive Gregory. He never thought he'd get this far.

"Y-you are going to listen to me and follow the rules. Then we will be even."

"Okay." Gregory said. He started to walk again, having grown impatient at the lack of progress. Moon followed.

"First thing. Get rid of that knife!" Moon said. He felt in control now.

"No. (Y/N) said it was okay." Gregory refused. Much as it made him feel like a certain someone he felt safer holding it.

"W-well fine. But you will follow the rules-and help me find Sun after this."

"Huh?"

The two had made it to the lobby. The daycare was far behind them now and the main hall was coming up. The top of the lobby was empty sans the destroyed bot you had stolen the battery from. Gregory and Moon paid it no mind.

"Sun. Help me find him." Moon said. Gregory stopped again, unsure of what Moon was asking.

"But he's-you are Sun." Gregory turned his head slightly.

"No-I-I mean I can't hear him. After (Y/N) and Bonnie summoned me I haven't been able to hear him. You-you will help me, fix me. Find Sun." Moon said confusedly. Gregory understood what he meant even if Moon had trouble explaining it. He wasn't exactly sure what he could do but he was confident.

"Sure. I will help you find Sun after this." Gregory held out a hand to shake. Moon accepted and the two agreed.

A pact was formed.

The two continued walking. They passed the Fazcafe. Gregory took a brief look inside. Though dark he didn't see anything inside it.

He was surprised at Moon's submission to him. Was that really all it took?, Gregory thought. He raised an eyebrow. He felt slightly bad for not having apologized sooner. The fire still wasn't my fault, Gregory thought.

The two entered the main hall. It was all quiet but there were a few corrupted bots patrolling it. While the main lights were showing red and light grey, the logos of the attractions looked normal enough. Those signs were unaffected. The room had a reddish-haze to it.

As the two walked towards Rockstar Row, Gregory couldn't help but feel he was being watched. Moon also took note of the ominous presence nearby, but couldn't pinpoint its location.

Something was watching them.

The next chapter will be titled Not By The Hair On My Chin!