Misplaced Trust

Chapter One: Sunshine and Rainbows

Gregory was stuck in the Mega Pizzaplex.

Well, it could be worse. He could be stuck in a murderer's hideout.

The boy searched the dark entrance area of the Mega Pizzaplex, finding a giant pillar a few yards from either side of him bedecked by electronic advertisements. A ticket booth sat some ways away flanked by long rows of barred entrance machines–probably the ones requiring cards or tickets to enter. Roped fences created a long, twisting path before either ticket booth. With the left side being devoid of anything that could help him, Gregory continued on the right. After passing a few stands and another pillar, he found a pedestal with the whole animatronic gang stretched above it in a cartoony style pressed against a wall. "GET A COMPLIMENTARY ENTRY PASS!" The bold ribbon arched above the cartoony characters. Glowing neon lightning bolts pointed down at it, their multicolored light shining on the leaves of fake plants pressed up against the walls on either side.

Hopeful, he ran up to the maroon pedestal. Something this important-looking wouldn't have a limited supply. Right? An opaque box decorated like a present sat joyfully before him. When he flipped open the lid on a hinge and stuck his hand inside, he had a slight difficulty in getting the very last shiny black card left inside. It, like presumably every pass, declared its name, the name of the Mega Pizzaplex, and a cartoon image of Freddy and Friends.

He abandoned the pedestal and ran around to the absurd amount of entry stands. The card beeped on the scanner and the little gate opened.

Gregory's Fazwatch activated. "Well done, Superstar. You have accessed the lobby," Freddy declared as Gregory made his way into the next section. The bandages wrapped around Gregory's arm from a vent mishap in Rockstar Row brushed against the entrance stand. The taupe and checkerboard ground shone under the dull multicolor glow of faraway neon lights. "Unfortunately, that complimentary entry ticket does not allow you to enter the pizzeria. You can find an upgrade machine in Customer Service."

Gregory started to speak but choked on his words upon seeing something move before the giant fountain before him.

A tall robot that was probably supposed to look faintly humanoid but also as a simplistic robot rolled around on two combined wheels, one robotic arm held up with an embedded flashlight, and big block sensors with a raccoon mask painted around them on its face shadowed by a security cap. It rolled back and forth, searching the rather small area. But worse than the creepy robot was the white, pink, and green shape that lumbered around the fountain. Thankfully, Chica's back faced him and her head, resting on her shoulder, pointed away.

Just as Gregory got down and started to sneak across the floor to the nearest shop, the robot stopped and spun in a slow circle. Gregory winced as the beam of light skirted his shoes. The bot kept moving away from him. Could it only "see" something that stepped in its light? Weird.

When Chica walked up a set of stairs on the other side of the fountain, Gregory tried to go into the store closest. Unfortunately, a grate pulled across it, barring him entry until he could find a way to unlock it. The store on the opposite side–labeled "Faz-pad" with steam coming from the top–also barred him entry.

Maybe there were doors on the second floor?

Wait. Where was Chica?

Gregory looked around, but she neither wandered the floor nor on the stairs. He looked at his watch and poked through the menu until he got to the "CAMS" tab. Although most of the cameras were inside the shops, a couple viewed the floor above him and his floor. Chica meandered from the left stairs to the right and stopped, staring listlessly at the double doors leading to the Superstar Daycare. The thought caused a flicker of excitement to spark inside of him. If Freddy was nice despite all the other animatronics being evil, then Sun and Moon would definitely be good!