Chapter 3. A new beginning.
November 18, 2023 at 6:52 PM
Notes:
A significant deviation from the plot begins with this chapter.
Gregory, after a moment of thoughtfulness, went towards the pass, where he found a “completely inconspicuous gift with a pass”, behind which a group of 4 animatronics, namely Roxy, Freddy, Monty and Chica, was painted on cardboard in cartoon style. Gregory had ambivalent impressions of this view of them after all the events that had happened to him, but still he liked this image. So… Back to business. Accordingly, after receiving the pass, the boy immediately headed towards the turnstiles and finally went inside. He called Fazbear.
Gregory: «Freddy, I went through the turnstiles. What to do next?»
[Freddy: «Got you. Now you have to find a terminal to improve the pass. It should be in one of the toy stores»].
Gregory: «Accepted. Went on a search…»
The boy stopped talking and was about to look for a passage to the left store, in which the aforementioned terminal was located. There was also a front entrance, but it was closed with a lattice, so he had to go around. But, as always:
Chica: «Gre-e-e-gory?..» – she spoke softly, continuing to search for the boy in the same room where he was.
«Oh my God!» – Gregory said in his mind and quickly hid behind a baby carriage: «How did she end up here? And wait… How does she know my name?» – he thought, but he couldn't figure it out yet.
The boy wasn't far from her. Several meters separated them. In very big fortunately, the animatronic didn't see him and at the same time the boy could see her from his hiding place. She had just stopped to inspect the perimeter.
«What have done to you?» – thought Gregory: «No emotions… I saw you at the performance, yeah?.. Where is now the concern with which you used to look at Freddy?»
Chica: «I'll take you to your parents!»
The boy got angry at these words and, rising abruptly, said loudly:
Gregory: «Uh! I don’t have any pare!..» – without saying anything else, he finished with a fading tone.
Oh! He shouldn't have done it… Another chase ahead of time!
Chica: «What?!» – she started up and straightened up, looking questioningly at the boy.
Okay… Maybe not for nothing… Um… Forget it.
Chica: «How?..» – before she could finish, she shuddered a little, after which she slouched again and an empty look returned to her.
Chica: «I found you!»
She walked in his direction, slightly extending her arms in his direction. The boy didn't expect such a complex of reactions from an animatronic, but now there was no time to think about it. He ran to the escalators and then found himself on the second floor. Then the boy hid in one of the photo booths. Chica also ran after him, but stopped on the second floor near the escalator. She lost the boy again.
Chica: «Where are you? Do you want some candy?» – she spoke as she passed from the back of the photo booths.
Fortunately, she went to the right escalator and went down to the first floor again.
«So… I'm safe», – Gregory's mind was racing: «What was that just now? I should have been caught by her by now because of my own lack of concentration. But… … Wait… Really… am I right? Yes! This confirms my hypothesis! It was the same with Roxy! And yes, something or someone is controlling them now, but somewhere in the depths there are “true they”! Ha! My lack of concentration played into my hands!»
Gregory was very happy about it. He just had to figure out how to get them out of this state.
«So, wait… And why Freddy isn't the same as them? Where does the immunity to this kind of virus come from, if you can call it that?.. There is something in him that initially prevented something from taking possession of him… But what?»
He decided to call Fazbear. Fortunately, communication with him was always established very quickly.
Gregory: «Freddy! Can you hear me?»
[Freddy: «Yes. What happened? Have you found the terminal yet?»]
Gregory: «Not yet, but I'm here for another question…»
[Freddy: «Which one?»]
Gregory: «Well…»
The boy thought for about 3 seconds about how to ask the question correctly.
Gregory: «Just… Chica, Monty and Roxy attack me. This is exactly an attack, please note! I also noticed that they all have a rather cold-blooded look at me in every sense, but they didn’t have this before and during the performance. Chica even excitedly ran up to you after you fell on the stage, and on her face, there wasn't an empty look, as now, but a worried one. It feels like they were infected with something… And it even seems to me that you also suffered a little from this virus. But the question is – why don't you attack me?»
After that, 5 seconds of silence began on both sides, but they were interrupted by the Fazbear.
[Freddy: «This is all really weird… Are you sure about what you saw?»]
Gregory: «Yes…» – he said reproachfully.
After that, there were another 10 seconds of silence, which, this time, were interrupted by a boy:
Gregory: «Freddy? Are you there?»
[Freddy: «Uh?.. Yes»].
The boy began to strain this situation a little. About 3 more seconds of silence passed, after which Fazbear finally spoke:
[Freddy: «I'm starting to remember today's performance… Yes. There was something strange this evening. I abruptly received a task that I needed to grab… you? Yes. Everything falls into place. Looks like you're right, Gregory»].
Gregory: «And why did you switch off and didn't come at me?»
[Freddy: «This assignment was contrary to my protocol. I can't harm the visitors and, accordingly, this caused a paradox that reached the level of a fatal error. And now I'm running in safe mode. Wait… What about my friends? They really following this assignment?..»] – he paused for a long moment: [«It is… bad…»] – said the bear with a note of sadness at the end.
The boy felt sorry for his friend and therefore he decided to cheer him up by telling him the situation with Chica, which happened recently due to his lack of concentration. It took about a minute to explain the situation to the Fazbear. After that, the animatronic spoke:
[Freddy: «Firstly, be careful next time! She could have grabbed you! Secondly, I am glad that they are still with us to some extent. Third, why did not you tell me earlier that you don't have parents? Are you sure about this, Gregory?»]
The boy thought about it a little, but then said:
Gregory: «Um… I don't want to talk about it yet… This is a difficult topic».
[Freddy: «Okay, Gregory… Anyway… it's good that they are still with us!»]
Gregory: «Yes!» – immediately he switched: «I really don't quite know how to get them on the right track, but…» – the boy paused: «Listen up! You've known them for a long time! We can try to influence them psychologically together! You're almost like people! It should work on you! At least, I hope so very much. We can try to run them in safe mode! Or something like that».
[Freddy: «Um… Like people?»] – animatronic said resentfully.
Gregory: «Um… I mean. Well, don't be offended! I just don't know who else to give as an example. Well, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to offend you. I… I wanted to say that you have a very high level of AI. Understand me?»
[Freddy: «Okay. I understand. I don't blame you, Gregory. We may be animatronics, but we also have emotions. Although… what am I doing? You did not say anything bad. Sorry about that. These are my problems already»], – at the end he said with a sense of guilt.
Gregory: «It's okay. I'm not holding a grudge. We all understand together! You know… After all, it is because of this that you are all so much loved. You are really cool!.. Ahem… But that's so – I got off the topic. In general, can you help me bring them back to their former lives?»
[Freddy: «Of course! I am extremely grateful for what you are going to do. You know… You're an interesting boy, Gregory. I rarely see children who worry about others more than themselves. Well done, superstar!»]
It was uncomfortable for the boy to hear such pleasant words from the animatronic in his address, so he decided to cut the topic:
Gregory: «Um, I just want to see them in a normal state. I don't need anything else», – he said awkwardly.
[Freddy: «Yes… That's what I like about you»], – he said calmly and affectionately.
The boy was confused and couldn't say anything more. The animatronic seems to have seen him from the inside. The boy, of course, did not like it very much when he was praised excessively. He knew that this was his weakness, so he always tried in every way to get out of this situation.
[Freddy: «I will help you in helping my friends! He-he!»] – in a mischievous voice, he said at the end, and then continued seriously: [«But for now – go to the terminal to improve the pass. Otherwise, we won't be able to go anywhere. Then report it to me»].
Gregory: «Um… Okay. Will be done!»
The boy finished these long pleasant and at the same time embarrassing negotiations with Fazbear. Having gathered his thoughts, he looked out of the photo booth and, having made sure that Chica wasn't there, went towards the store with the terminal, simultaneously considering a plan to return animatronics to normal life…