Help Needed

Chapter Twenty: Predawn Challenge

Gregory's flashlight ran over the hallway to Roxy Raceway. "We'll need to get her to listen to me without getting in front of me."

Chica hummed and said, "You shouldn't use one of the go-karts. She's so competitive, you'll only make her mad." She tapped her beak. "Unless you get into a friendly competition with her, somehow."

Monty nodded. "Yeah! We can't race with her. I bet havin' a racin' buddy would make her night!"

Yeah, a racing buddy with his head still attached, hopefully. Gregory stopped as they came across a split path and raised his flashlight to the shutters blocking him from the beauty salon. He switched the flashlight to his other hand and tucked Bonnie under his arm and held out his cupcake charm. He clicked it a few times and approached the shutters. An arrow marked the floor pointing to the door.

Chica gasped. "Another arrow! Oh, where is this going?"

Monty grunted. "Arrow? Another one? What's goin' on?"

Gregory stepped closer so the shutters would open and allow them passage. "Vanny marked special places and made notes with UV stuff. Like her hiding place above Fazerblast, your guys's rooms, and the Daycare. Vanny must be hiding something here, or there's something important to her." A desert stone pilar broke through the ground. Red painted the right wall.

Chica glanced back. "Oh, now that you put it that way... should we be going?"

"Yeah, of course." Wooden beams and spiky plants guided his way. "Glamrock Salon" was scrawled in curly red letters outlined in gold on the wall.

After passing through another set of shutters, they came to a desert landscape with a road between themselves and a beauty salon. One S.T.A.F.F. bot patrolled the road, barring them entry. Gregory could wait until he passed and darted across the road. However, he noticed the bot stopped near the end of the road before the bend that led further in, turned around, and kept moving. He held his cupcake over the ground, finding the arrow curve and point toward the back of the salon. He signaled for Monty and Chica to wait.

Gregory passed by soda machines, rocket toys, and some places he could hide within until he skirted around to the front of the Beauty Salon. Through the massive glass windows and doors, he could see a salon with rows of long chairs by mirrors and sinks, racks of merchandise making a square corner blocking off couches from the rest of the room, a pedestal with camera equipment near it, and a center bar splitting the place in half with a cash register in the front. Another bot patrolled this place, driving in a circle around the inside of the salon.

Gregory took out his Fazerblaster and shot it in the face.

It stopped in its tracks with a small shiver, its light pointed aimlessly ahead. "Warning: tampering with Fazbear Automated S.T.A.F.F. will result in the suspension of your membership."

He stuck his tongue out at the thing.

Gregory skirted around it and ran to the end of the room and through the only door not labeled as a bathroom or exit.

The background was cluttered, but interestingly enough a single arcade cabinet stood. "Princess Quest" was printed on the gray machine with red trim. A gold and yellow princess with a lantern walking painted on the side of the machine. Currently, numbers and letters flashed, on the screen. When he shined his cupcake charm light, an arrow pointed directly to it. He clicked off the charm and stuck it in his pocket. A strange feeling came over him. This thing... did not belong here. But it needed to be here.

"I found it," Gregory said and approached the machine. "It's the Princess Quest game."

Beep! [Oh, good! We can leave, then!]