AN: This story is based on the 2D Bendy and Ink Henry AUs created by shinyzango and themarginalartist respectively. Both can be found on tumblr.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bendy and The Ink Machine, only my own OCs.
The warm days of Summer had long since given way to the brisk cool air of Fall. The trees are ablaze in bright oranges and deep reds. Halloween is a few weeks away and the children are abuzz with excitement.
Halloween fell on a weekend this year. This meant that the adults in the community could throw a little party outdoors for the neighborhood kids. It was safer than letting them wander the streets and collecting candy from complete strangers.
June was happy that Henry and Bendy could join them for the festivities this year. She loved seeing the pure joy on her nephew's face whenever he encountered something new. Even though this was his second Halloween, he acted like it was his first. His joyful mood was infectious.
June had another reason for inviting her brother to the party and it had to do with a certain, lanky ink demon. She knew she couldn't keep him away if he decided to show up so she needed a little backup to keep things under control, hopefully.
The girls had been telling him about the spooky holiday for the past few days. They showed him books, tried to tell him scary stories (although most of their stories weren't really scary, Ben seemed to humor them), and told him what costumes they wanted to wear.
Ben seemed amused, if a little confused by the premise of the holiday. It became even more evident when he asked her about it. It was hard to tell if he was just curious or excited about scaring people. June could have sworn his smile took on the form of gleeful mischief when Beth told him about the Trick or Treating.
"Sooo, people like to be ssscared?" Ben sat cross legged on the living room floor and played with Cloudy. He wiggled his fingers in front of the kitten as it nipped at his ungloved hand.
"Um-" June knew she had to be very careful with her answer. Ben tended to take what she said literally. She didn't want him to misinterpret anything. "Sometimes, especially when you know you're not in any REAL danger." She tilted her head slightly. "Well, some of us anyway."
Ben chuckled softly and June just shrugged. "Most of the fun comes from dressing up. For one night, we can be whatever we want." She waved her hand at the pile of fabric on the couch.
"Annnythinggg?" He was still playing with Cloudy, but she had his undivided attention. She hasn't seen him this curious about anything before.
"Yup. Anything you can think of. From superheroes to monsters! All you need is a little imagination!" June wasn't prepared for the reaction she got. Ben's head shot up and he was staring at her. A low growl escaped his clenched teeth. The little kitten scurried off of his lap and hid under the couch. The room grew cold and she could see his inky shadows crawling across the floor.
June found herself taking an involuntary step back. The demon's hands were balled into tight, shaking fists at his sides. If he wasn't sitting on the floor, she was sure he'd try to grab her. "B-Ben! What's wrong?"
He didn't mean to. He really didn't. It's just that, for a brief moment…she reminded him of Joey. That bit about 'imagination' really set him off. He reacted badly, he could admit that. So now he had June staring at him with wide, fearful eyes and Cloudy hiding from him. He felt awful.
June watched as Ben's whole body froze for a few seconds. The growling completely stopped as his shoulders sagged, he lowered his head, and seemed to curl in on himself. There was vulnerability in the way he sat there. June approached him cautiously and asked if he was okay.
"Sssorry." June sighed and reached under the couch for the frightened kitten. The poor thing was shaking and mewling softly. She really couldn't blame it. They never knew what might set the demon off and asking him got her a fat lot of nothing most of the time. June knew he wasn't very talkative, but sometimes she really needed to know what he was thinking. She was surprised by his apology.
June reached out and hesitated for just a moment before placing her hand on Ben's head. She suppressed a shudder. He always felt so cold. The demon turned towards her and she held the kitten out to him. June placed the kitten in his gloved hand then sat down on the couch. He sighed and held the ball of fluff close to his chest.
The silence stretched on for a few minutes as June worked on the kids' costumes and Ben ran his fingers across Cloudy's fur. She learned that he needed a moment to calm down and he would talk when he was ready. Sure enough-
"People like monstersss?" Ben was staring at her again. "Even ifff they are…ssscared of them?" June got the feeling he wasn't talking about Halloween monsters.
June smiled softly and continued to fiddle with the fabric in her hands. "Sure, we might be scared of monsters, but we can grow to like them as well." She chuckled softly. "Even I have a favorite monster." June ran her fingers through her hair and glanced at him. "It's...werewolves." she whispered.
Ben's grin grew lopsided and he chuckled at her confession. In spite of what happened earlier, he felt better. He wasn't sure how she did it, but it was hard for him to hold onto his anger when she was around.
Just then, Sarah and Beth ran into the room. Beth asked why they were laughing and June told her they were talking about Halloween. At the mention of her favorite holiday, the little girl's face lit up.
"Hey Ben, you're coming to the party, right?" she was practically bouncing from foot to foot. Since Bendy was coming, Ben should come along too. She knew he would have a lot of fun.
Ben shrugged and tried to look like he wasn't interested. June knew better. He just liked watching Beth get worked up.
"C'mon Ben!" Beth whined. "It'll be fun. We can go Trick or Treating and stuff!"
Ben shook his head. "I don't have a cossstume."
"What?! You don't need a costume!" Beth waved her tiny hands at him. "You're scary enough without one."
Ben huffed. He chose to take that as a compliment.
"Since everyone will be dressed up-" Sarah said softly, "everyone will think you're wearing one too."
Ben pretended to think about it before agreeing to come to the party. He missed the thoughtful expression on June's face.
Sarah had a good point. No one would think twice about someone like Ben walking the streets that night. He'd look like any other person in a costume from far away. And if that could work for him, then maybe…
June grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. She had a plan, but she wanted to keep it a secret from the girls. If this didn't work out, the kids would be none the wiser. This all hinged on whether she could get Ben to cooperate. The demon was in good spirits so maybe he'll do her a solid.
June took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to ask the demon a favor. She knew Ben would be returning to the Studio soon, so she pulled him to the side.
"Hey Ben?" June looked nervous. The demon tilted his head. "C-Could you, um, do me a favor?" June held the letter out to him…
-The Studio-
Life in the Studio was very strange, especially when you were aware of it. Ever since Norman was brought back from the ink, his mind had been as clear as it was before he was transformed by the ink.
He knew he wasn't the only one too. Sammy was no longer the fanatic he used to be. Norman felt bad for him. He had a form that didn't match the kind, but sometimes grouchy, music director. He was too tall, had too many sharp teeth, and couldn't speak. Even with all that going against him, he never snapped at them. Whenever his spirits were down, he'd stand at his organ and loose himself in the old tunes he wrote for the cartoons. If they couldn't free themselves from the ink, the least they could do was give the former prophet his old form back so he could speak again.
Sometimes Alice had her lucid moments, but her mind had been fractured and warped to a degree that she no longer knew how to be herself. It was sad to see the once bubbly voice actress argue with herself when she got really stressed out. The things Joey said and did to her in the past, scarred her so badly, that not even a third trip through the ink could fix her. Still, she didn't let that stop her from going through the books their former boss left behind. She was the most determined to free them from the Studio.
Life in their old workplace would have been depressing if it wasn't for the letters. Beth and Sarah. Two little girls that managed to look past the monsters they had become and befriended them. Norman looked forward to the letters the children sent them. They wrote about school, the movies they've seen, and the colorful leaves they collected. It was that little bit of normalcy from the outside world that brightened their day.
Norman got concerned when he heard about the demon showing up at June's home. Just like Henry, they were all worried for the family. They had no idea what he was planning. Alice combed over the books to find something that could help, but they had no luck.
You could have knocked Norman over with a feather when he got the first letter from the kids mentioning the demon. It seemed 'Ben', as they called him, liked hanging out at there place. The girls didn't seem afraid of him at all. They actually befriended the son of a bitch! Norman shouldn't have been surprised. It seemed like a Ross family trait from the way Henry took in a little ink demon of his own.
Now that he thought about it, the whole studio could sense when the demon wasn't around. The air of the place seemed less oppressive in a way. Sure, the demon left the trio alone (as long as they stayed out of his way), but he never failed to make his presence known. Ben stuck to the bowels of the building while they stayed on the upper levels.
So imagine their shock when the demon was standing near the screening room on the first floor. Norman faced the creature with his arms crossed over his chest. Sammy stood back, shielding Alice from the demon's unseen gaze.
"Ben." Norman said coolly. "Why are ya here?"
The demon chuckled and held out his gloved hand. There was a soft click from the inner shutter of Norman's projector. It looked like an envelope. There was a few ink stains here and there, but it looked like it was in good shape. Norman didn't know what the demon wanted.
Ben hissed, "Take ittt."
Norman let his arms slowly drop to his sides. It didn't look like a trap. If the demon wanted to attack them, he would have done it by now. The projectionist plucked the envelope from the demon's outstretched hand. He didn't take his lens off of the creature in front of him as he opened the letter.
For the second time that day, Norman was surprised. The handwriting was familiar. He was sure the demon couldn't fake this. It wasn't the first time June had written to them. She was the one that told them about the situation with her family and the demon. What she wrote this time, left him stunned.
Dear Norman, Sammy, and Alice:
I asked Ben for a favor and I hope he gives you this letter. Halloween is less than a week away and my neighborhood will be throwing a party for the kids. I would love it if you three could come. I know it sounds crazy! But, everyone will be in costume. I think you guys will blend right in.
Now I haven't told the girls yet, in case you say 'No'. But I'd really love for you all to be here. It would be a great surprise for the girls and you can leave the Studio. At least for one night. It'll be fun.
If you say 'Yes', Ben will bring you with his portal. He gave me his word that he won't hurt any of you, so if you can't trust him, you can trust me. I hope to see you all soon.
Yours Truly,
June
Norman glanced up from the letter to see the demon staring at him. It was hard to stand this close to him and now worry he might attack you. Still, he looked like he was waiting for a response.
The projectionist backed away from the demon until he was close enough to show Sammy and Alice the letter. The angel took it from him and read it quietly.
"She can't be serious!" Alice huffed. Sammy read the letter over her shoulder, then hissed softly. He gave Norman a questioning tilt of his head. The projectionist shrugged.
"It's tempting. For one night, we can leave this place. We can walk the streets and no one would give us a second glance." Alice looked less than convinced while Sammy looked like he was warming up to the idea. "…'sides, if June is putting her trust in him…I guess I can too."
Sammy nodded. He agreed with Norman. Alice just shook her head. She was sure they lost their damn minds. The projectionist faced the demon. "Tell her we'll be there."
The demon's smile stretched a little wider before he turned on his heels and walked away.
OoOoOoOoO
Ben had walked in on June one evening while she was dipping apples into some sort of sticky concoction he didn't recognize. One was reddish and the other was brown. The apples themselves were coated in the stuff and had a stick going through them. They glistened in the light as they sat on a metal sheet.
Ben's curiosity was piqued and he tried to take one, but June lightly slapped his hand away. June chuckled. "Don't even think about it Ben. This is for the party." It was something she did when Jason tried to sneak a taste of her food before it was done. She was so busy making sure the apples were well coated and nothing was burning that she didn't think twice about doing that to him.
Ben wasn't even upset. He was more surprised than anything else. He had seen her do this to the father. It was a playful side June rarely used around him. Probably because she thought he'd get angry and hurt her. He really didn't want her to feel that way. He liked it when she got distracted and let her guard down. For a brief moment, she treated him like everyone else.
He sighed and waved his hand at the trays. "Wwwhat are theyyy?"
June picked up an apple that was coated in the brown substance. She rolled it through a bowl of chopped nuts. She held it up and told him that it was a caramel apple. Then she pointed to an apple with a glossy red coating. That one was a candied apple.
June picked up both trays and placed them in the refrigerator. With her head buried in the fridge, she said, "They need to cool so the shell gets hard." She closed the door and looked around as though she forgot something before heading towards the sink. June patted Ben lightly on the forearm as she brushed past him. "I'll save you one. I promise." Again, she was so distracted, she didn't shudder when she touched him. It was nice and he wished she was like this more often. Ben chuckled and left June to her work.
-In The Lower Levels of the Studio-
The demon was gone. Every creature in the lower levels could feel it. They scurried out of their hiding spots and roamed the halls without fear of getting dragged back to the ink. They had no idea where the demon went and frankly, they didn't care. It was some of the few times they could relax.
Charlie, one of the Butcher Gang clones, was wandering around a long abandoned office space. There was very little ink in this area with just a few splotched on the walls and hardwood floors. Doors that had been locked at one time had long since been broken into. The contents of some of the rooms had been strewn all over the floors. It was one of the few quiet spots down here and a good place to hide from the demon.
The ink creature plodded down the empty hall, his plunger leg making a soft clopping sound as he went. His trusty pipe wrench swung at his side. He rarely had to use it though. Maybe on the occasional searcher that he felt like harassing or a spider that happened to cross his path. It was completely useless against creatures like the projectionist or the demon. Still, he couldn't see himself without it.
Charlie wandered about the hallway alone with only the clanking of pipes accompanying him. He swung his wrench from side to side, tapping it against the yellowing walls. He was the only one here at the moment. After awhile, it got rather boring. So far, nothing managed to catch his attention. And then, he heard a strange sound.
He froze in place and listened. It sounded like it was coming from a shelf further down the hall. Charlie made his way slowly down the corridor, his wrench hefted above his head. He would be ready if something tried to get the drop on him.
A tall wooden shelf was situated at the end of the hall. From what he could see, it was filled with old film reels, cans of bacon soup, and bottles of ink. There was a muffled clinking noise coming from the top shelf. Charlie tilted his head slightly. From what he could see, there was nothing but cans on the top shelf. And yet, the noise persisted.
Charlie grumbled. He wanted to see what was making the sound, but the shelf was too high. He looked around until he found a wooden crate sitting in the doorway of one of the rooms. He pushed it over to the shelf and put his pipe wrench on the floor so he could climbed on top of it.
The twisted toon came face to face with a row of cans. The clinking noise was coming from behind them. He pushed the cans of bacon soup to the sides and he could just make out something all the way in the back of the shelf. Charlie reached in and his hand brushed against something cold. He grabbed it and pulled it out.
It was a large, glass jar. The jar with filled with clear fluid and something swam in it. Charlie held it close to his face to get a better look. It appeared to be an ink slug. Seeing one of these things down here wasn't unusual. What WAS unusual was to see one floating in a jar. It even had a strange red ring around its 'neck'.
Charlie watched as the poor soul swam around in circles. A tiny voice niggled at the back of his mind telling him something was wrong. That whoever put this here might come back. The toon ignored the voice. He was amused by the slug's frantic movements. Maybe he should keep it as a pet.
Charlie chuckled and tapped the glass with his fingers. The slug continued to swim in circles. He laughed and shook the jar violently. The slug banged against the glass before floating limply to the top. Charlie gasped. Was it dead? He must have killed it.
The twisted toon held the jar closer to his face and squinted his good eye to see if he could get a better look. The slug looked lifeless until it put on a burst of energy and hit the glass! This startled Charlie and he dropped the jar. His arms wind milled as he lost his balance and fell off the wooden crate. The jar hit the floor with a loud crash. The glass shattered with fluid spilling all over the floor.
Charlie landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him. The toon was so dazed, he didn't notice the slug slithering towards him. He blinked the spots out of his eye as he struggled to sit up. He shook his head and looked around. He was still alone. No one heard him fall. Charlie stood up and hobbled over to the broken glass. The slug was gone.
Charlie scratched the top of his head. He looked around, but it was no where to be found. Maybe it dissolved when it hit the floor. It was probably too weak to survive outside of the liquid it was swimming in. That was a shame. He really wanted to keep it as a pet. The toon shrugged and went to pick up his pipe wrench. He failed to notice the slug clinging to the back of his jacket.
Charlie bent down to pick up the wrench when he felt something cold and wet slither up his back. He screamed and twisted his upper body as he tried to grab what was crawling on him. His fingers would brush against the slimy thing but he couldn't grab ahold of it. The dampness reached the back of his neck. Just as he was about to squish it between his fingers, a sharp pain behind his head caused his body to seize. Charlie's good eye rolled into his head and he passed out.
The twisted toon laid on the floor for a few minutes before he began to stir. He slowly sat up and shook his head. Charlie reached behind his head and touched a damp spot and a small hole at the base of his skull. When he pulled his hand back, it was coated in ink. He growled and rubbed his hand on his coat. The toon grabbed his wrench, got to his feet, and stumbled down the hall. There was some place he needed to be.
OoOoOoOoO
Henry arrived at June's Friday evening. Bendy couldn't wait to get there. Ever since he heard June was making a costume for him and the girls, it was all the little toon talked about.
As soon as they stepped over the threshold, the girls hugged him and practically tackled Bendy. The little group was talking a mile a minute. The adults could barely make out what was being said. All they knew was that they were excited for tomorrow.
June gave him a hug and Jason patted him on the back. Henry noticed how tired June looked. "You alright Juney?"
She smiled and rubbed at her eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Been working on the costumes and stuff. And maybe I've been worried about Ben…"
Henry frowned and was about to say something but Jason interrupted him. "You made it just in time fore dinner!" Jason ushered everyone into the kitchen. Henry glanced at his sister. She shrugged and smiled tiredly. He supposed they could talk later.
After dinner, Jason sat in the living room and watched television with the kids. Henry took this time to speak to his sister.
"Juney, what's wrong? You look worn out."
She gave him a tired smile. "Ah, it's nothing. Making those costumes took more time than I thought."
"C'mon sis, that can't be the only thing."
June's eye twitched. Her brother knew her too well. She sighed and stared at the wall. "Ben will be there. I just hope everything goes off without a hitch."
Henry reached across the table, took her hand, and squeezed gently. "Don't worry about him. I'll be keeping an eye on him." He shook his head. "I don't like this, but I'll make sure things won't get out of hand."
"Thanks old man." She giggle at the playful glare he gave her.
Charlie finally made his way to Linda's office. He had to stay out of sight of the ink demon or risk being dragged back to the ink. He had work to do and he won't let that monster stop him.
All of Joey's books were gone! Charlie moved around the desk. He opened every draw and found nothing. All of the materials related to the ink was gone. He snarled and kicked at the desk with his good foot. Someone took it all. Without those books, he'll be trapped like this forever.
Charlie started to panic. Did the demon take it? He doubted it. The creature didn't show any interest in its own creation. Maybe Henry took it? No. He would have never backtracked here. He was too concern with getting his family out of here. That only left the inky trio…
Inky veins began to spawn on the walls of the room. The ink demon was coming! Charlie ducked under the desk just as a figure shuffled passed the doorway. The toon listened as the demon's footfalls grew faint and the inky veins disappeared. He waited a few more minutes before peaking over the desk.
That was too close. He needed to find those books. If Sammy and the others took them, they wouldn't be down here. They feared the demon too. That only left the upper levels.
Charlie would wait until he was sure the demon was gone. He was going to get what rightfully belonged to him.
OoOoOoOoO
It was late in the afternoon and everyone was getting ready for the party. June had took her trays of candies apples and put them on a table the parents were setting up outside. There were an assortment of candies, cupcakes, and cookies on the table. They even had a giant punch bowl sitting there. Her neighbor would drop a few pieces of dry ice into it to make in bubble like some sort of witches brew. The kids were going to love it.
One neighbor even set up a haunted maze in his backyard. He hired some of the local teenagers to dress up in scary costumes and scare folks as they moved through the maze. Ben should get a kick out of that.
Mr. Murphy, one of her older neighbors, didn't give out candy this year. Instead, he wheeled out a small piano onto his porch. He would play music throughout the night.
Front lawns had skeletons, pumpkins, and cobwebs all over them. Fairy lights were strung through the bushes and trees to give the areas a ghostly glow as it got dark. Things were turning out great.
June rushed back into the house so that she could help the girls with their costumes. She was very proud of the work she did. All that time and effort was about to pay off. She made sure to grab her camera.
June and the girls were the first to come downstairs. They all decided to dress up as their favorite characters from the Wizard of Oz. Sarah was dressed like Dorothy, complete with powder blue farm dress and ruby red shoes. She even carried a small whicker basket.
Beth wanted to be the good witch. She wore a white dress with sparkling frills that June sewn on. The shoulders were puffy, she had a little crown on her head and held a wand in her hand.
June decided to be the wicked witch of the west. She refused to put green makeup all over her face. She used a little as eye shadow. That was as far as she'd go. She wore a long, black dress, a cape on her shoulders, and a pointed hat on her head. She even carried a broom.
Bendy ran down the steps and came to a stop in front of them. June was surprised that he wanted to be the scarecrow. Looking at it now, it was the perfect fit. He had on a fabric top and bottom that looked purposely stitched together. June made sure to put patches of materials here and there. There was soft straw sticking out of the neck and sleeves of the outfit. He even wore a large, floppy hat with more straw sticking out of it on his head.
"Thanks aunt June! This came out great!" he did a little dance to show off the boneless way he could move. She had never seen him so happy.
Jason and Henry were the last to come down. She started to laugh.
Jason took his long, red hair and mussed it up a bit to look like a mane. He had on cat ears, makeup on his face to make him look more lion like, and a tail trailing behind him. He turned in a circle to show off the tan jacket and blue jeans he was wearing. "What? You know I look good as a lion." He waggled his eyebrows and that made June laugh even more.
Henry had silver face paint with black lines going down the mouth and up the eyes. He found a suit made of a shiny, silvery material, and black shoes. He even had an axe slung over his shoulder. His version of the tin woodsman looked pretty good.
"You guys know I'm bringing my camera, right?"
Henry rolled his eyes but couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "Of course you are."
June fussed over the kids' costumes a little more as she waited anxiously for Ben to show up. It was almost time for the party to start and she wanted to leave together.
A soft splashing sound could be heard as an inky portal formed on the far wall. They all watched as Ben stepped through.
The girls faces lit up. "Ben, you're here!"
He chuckled and moved to the side to allow two other figures to step through.
The girls and Bendy gasped. "Mr. Norman?! Mr. Sammy?!" They ran up to the inky beings. "You're here too!"
"Well, we heard you guys were havin' a party." Norman chuckled. "Your mom invited us and we couldn't say no to that!"
Beth looked back as the portal closed. "Alice isn't coming?"
Ben hissed softly and Sammy shook his head. "Nah. The angel wasn't feelin' up ta it." The truth was, she didn't want to get anywhere near the demon.
June watched as the children talked a mile a minute. They were so excited to show their costumes off. Speaking of which, she grabbed some stuff and approached Sammy. He didn't look like he was wearing a costume. She found a way to fix that.
"Hey Sammy, I have something for you." She held up the longest trench coat she could find along with a large tan fedora and a beige scarf. "These should help you look like you're wearing a costume."
Sammy leaned forward and let June wrap the scarf around his neck until it also covered the lower part of his face. He slipped on the trench coat and placed the fedora on his head.
"Lookin' good there Sammy! You look like a detective out of one of those mystery books." It was true. The coat covered him up nicely and if he needed to open his mouth, the scarf would hide the teeth. He seemed pleased with how he looked as well. He took June's hand and squeezed it.
"You're welcome Sammy." Standing this close to so many tall figures, it should have been intimidating for her, but it wasn't. June was just happy to get them out of the studio for at least one night.
"Alright guys, the party's about to start!" Jason opened the front door. "Lets get goin'!". The group filed out of the house. The sun had set and the night was slowly creeping in. Little children and their parents were already heading for the snack tables. June got out her camera and was taking pictures when she noticed Ben wasn't with the group. He was standing on the porch. He kept looking around as he rubbed his hands together. The demon looked nervous. June walked back to him.
"Hey Ben. Are you okay?"
His smile looked a little shaky. "Are you ssssure about thisss?" He really was nervous. June took his gloved hand and patted it softly.
"It's going to be fine. I promise." She tugged on his hand. "Now, c'mon. They have some yummy cookies on the table over there."
Henry watched as the demon followed June. He got a little worried when a group of children ran up to them. They were amazed as they complimented him on his 'costume'. June just rolled with it while Ben stood there, looking shocked. Hard to believe this was the same creature that tried to kill him and Bendy so many times. Still, he'll keep a watchful eye on Ben, just in case…
Alice sat on a couch in the break room. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stared down at a stack of books and letters that were sitting on a small table close by. She was the one that combed through Joey's books the most. The angel would get frustrated at times because his writing would ramble to a point where it didn't make any sense. It was like he was speaking in code or something. Sammy and Norman tried to help, but even they couldn't make heads or tails of the stuff. She found it hard to concentrate on what she was doing right now because her thoughts were somewhere else.
Alice couldn't believe those fools went off with the demon. For all they knew, it could have been a trap! As soon as they stepped into his portal, he'll drag them back to the ink. Well good riddance! If they were stupid enough to put their trust into that monster, then they got what they deserved. She didn't need them, she'd find some way to free herself and leave this place behind!
"You don't mean that…" a small voice in the back of her mind chided her. It was true. She was just angry that they left her. She just couldn't bring herself to get too close to the demon. Alice touched the ruined side of her face lightly. He hurt her and she was scared that he'd do it again. She just hoped the others will return soon. She hated being alone…
A loud clatter from outside the break room startled her. She was sure she was still alone in here. It might be a searcher. They sometimes wandered to the first floor. Alice stood up, grabbed an axe that was leaning against the couch, and walked out of the room. If it was a searcher, she'll just scare it off.
She looked up and down the hall but didn't see anything. There wasn't even an inky puddle on the floor. Alice hummed and walked down the hall. She held the axe in both hands and she peaked into the rooms she passed. So far, no searcher.
Maybe one of the film reels fell off the shelf or there was another pipe burst somewhere. That happened from time to time. Alice stopped when she reached Henry's old drawing desk.
She felt silly now. There was nothing here. She was just jumpy because the boys were gone. She sighed and turned on her heels. Maybe she could distract herself with one of Joey's book.
Alice didn't hear someone run up to her until it was too late. Something hard hit her on the back of her knees and she fell to the floor. She dropped the axe as she tried to break her fall. The angel looked up to find a Charlie clone standing next to her. He brought his pipe wrench down on her head, knocking her out cold.
Charlie stood there, staring at the unconscious angel. He was surprised to see her skulking around up here, but he couldn't let this opportunity pass him by. He leaned over her and opened his mouth wider.
The back of his mouth bulged. The bulge burst and an ink slug with a red ring around it's 'neck' emerged. It landed on Alice's back and wriggled until it reached the back of her head. It disappeared into the mass of her black hair. Charlie swayed on his feet before falling over. His body dissolved into a puddle of ink.
The studio fell silent for a few minutes. Alice began to stir. She slowly sat up and groaned. She reached behind her head and felt ink running down the back of her neck. She made a disgusted noise and wiped her hand on her dress. The angel stood up and stretched her arms over her head.
"Mmm, it's so good to have a real body again." She ran her hands up and down her body, admiring her curves. She stopped when she felt a tear run down her cheek. She wiped it away with some annoyance. "Aww, don't cry Angel. This is only temporary."
Alice picked up her axe and sauntered back to the break room. Just as she thought, all of Joey's books were here as well as some letters. She picked one up and began to read. Then she picked up another and another. Each letter she read left her flabbergasted.
"I don't believe it! June made friends with the demon?" Alice plopped down on the couch. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "How in the hell did she manage that?!" She threw the letters on the table. "How long have I been gone?"
From the dates on the letters, it's only been a few months. June must have done something to get the demon to obey her. Maybe she found a better way to enslave him than the collar she used on him. It made her angry that someone accomplished something she couldn't.
"It doesn't matter." Alice picked up one of Joey's books and thumbed through the pages. "Once I get what I want, I'll be free of this place. They can all go to hell for all I care!"
The night was going a lot smoother than she thought. Ben was behaving himself and even seemed to be having fun. Kids bombarded the inky beings about their 'costumes'. Norman managed to be very vague, telling the children that they were method actors and they couldn't give away their secrets. The kids weren't satisfied with that answer, but there was nothing they could do about it.
The girls and Bendy were given little bags to store their candy while they grabbed a cupcake here or a cookie there. The little toon loved the way the punch bubbled and belched out smoke. It was pretty good too!
Sammy and Ben wandered over to the snack table. The ink demon hovered over the plates of cookies. There were so many types that he didn't know where to start. He took one of each type to try them all. They were all so tasty! He thought he might melt into a puddle of ink on the spot.
Sammy found a chocolate cupcake with orange icing on top. He gingerly picked one up. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. He lowered the scarf enough so he could take a bite. If he had visible eyes, they would be rolling. It had been years since the last time he had anything close to a chocolate cake. Not since someone stole one from his office! He never found out who did it too. The cupcake was so good! He wondered if they would let him take a few home. He was sure Alice would like them.
Norman, well, he didn't have a mouth. He didn't bother hanging around the snack table. Instead, he was showing his projector off to a group of children. He even had one of Bendy's old cartoons loaded. He was shining the image against the sidewalk and even got the sound to travel through the speaker on his chest. The kids were amazed and the parents were curious. He knew they weren't expecting it to actually work. He dodged a lot of their questions. He was sure they wouldn't believe the truth anyway.
After they were done, Beth wanted to check out the haunted maze.
"I dunno Beth." Sarah was rubbing her hands together. "It looks really scary." The sound of thunder and screams could be heard coming from the direction of the maze.
"We'll be okay! I'll come with you." Beth put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Please? I don't wanna go without you!"
Sarah didn't know what to do. She didn't want to go, but she didn't want to make Beth sad either! A light tap on the top of her head had her looking up. Ben was smiling down at her. He shrugged and tilted his head towards the maze. "The Ssstudio is ssscarier."
Beth giggled. "He's right! We made it through that creepy place okay. This maze will be a piece of cake!"
Bendy was hopping from foot to foot. "You were really brave back there. You can do this!" the little toon's pie cut eyes were wide and shining.
"Um-" Sarah was looking back at everyone. They were right about the studio. The maze couldn't possibly be as scary as that. Still…Sarah reached up and took Ben's hand. "C-Can you come with me?"
The small child was looking up at him with wide eyes and a small, shaky smile. She took his hand without fear and wanted him to come along? He couldn't say no to such a small request.
Beth cheered and asked Sammy if he wanted to come too. The ex-prophet shook his head. He turned towards the sound of a piano playing.
Beth shrugged and grabbed Bendy's hand. "Okay, let's go!" She ran off pulling the little toon behind her. Ben chuckled and followed close behind. He looked down at Sarah. She still looked scared so he lightly squeezed her small hand. She looked up at him and nodded. They headed for the start of the maze.
June looked on anxiously. She wanted to go with them, but she had to help give out to treats. She didn't have to worry for long. Jason and Henry came to her rescue.
"Don't worry June-bug. We'll look after them." Henry smiled and Jason gave her a 'thumbs up' before heading over to the maze.
"Thanks guys!" she yelled as the two walked to the back of the neighbor's house.
Sammy found himself in front of a modest little home. There was an older gentleman playing a piano on his porch. It was small and had wheels on the bottom. The sound it made was well tuned. He could tell it was well taken care of. As he approached the home, the man turned to him.
"Hello there." The man adjusted his glasses and looked him up and down. "My my, you are a tall fella!"
Sammy reached out and touched the top of the piano. "Do you like 'er? This here's my baby. I've had 'er for many years." The ex-prophet ran his long, clawed fingers over the keys lightly.
"Hmm, do ya play?" Sammy nodded. The old man's expression grew thoughtful. "Would you like ta play some'em?" Hen nodded again. "Heh, not very talkative, are ya?" Sammy shrugged.
The old man got up slowly and gave Sammy room to sit down on the stool. The ex-prophet pushed the stool towards the older gentleman. He was too tall to sit on it comfortably and he didn't mind standing. Mr. Murphy took the hint and sat down.
Sammy brushed the keys lightly before playing a single note. A single note evolved into an upbeat melody. The old man tilted his head. "That tune. It sounds familiar." He closed his eyes and tapped his feet to the beat. He even started humming along. "Yeah, yeah. I remember this. It came from an old cartoon from back in the day…"
Sammy turned towards the old man slightly. His reaction made him happy. It's been years since he played something like this for another person, let alone someone that recognized the music.
"Things were simpler back then. The cartoon were whimsical. They made ya happy during a time when the country really needed a reason to smile."
Sammy agreed with him. Back then, the schedules were brutal and Joey was a slave driver, but the end results always brought joy to the masses. It was nice to hear that from another person. So, he continued to play unaware of the small audience forming behind him.
The maze wasn't really a maze. There were very few twists and turns within. Skeletons, giant spiders, and other creatures covered the walls and corners. There were speakers hidden behind fake spider webs and sheets that were suppose to be ghosts. Spooky howls, screams, and thunder blared from them. The real scares came from the people dressed as monsters. They hid in the corners or blended in with the decorations and jumped out when you got too close.
Ben found it quite amusing. If this is what passed for 'scary', they needed to take a quick trip to the Studio. He'd show them what scary really was.
Sarah and Bendy were having a good time. They squealed every time a person in a costume jumped out. It ended with them giggling and moving on to the next scare.
Sarah would jump every time someone lunged out at her. She would squeeze Ben's hand and he would squeeze back, letting her know that everything would be alright.
They ran into one person that took the scares a little too far. He jumped out at Sarah dressed like a zombie. Instead of a quick scream and backing off, he kept coming closer. He tried to reach out to her and Sarah hid behind his leg. Ben had had enough when he heard a whimper from her and the zombie laughed.
A deep growl worked it's way up Ben's throat. The zombie stumbled back as the demon got right into his face. The zombie backed up until Ben had him pinned against the wall. He was actually shaking. "H-Hey man, it was just a joke!" the zombie stuttered.
Ben slowly shook his head. "That wasssn't funny." He loomed over the man. Sarah was still hiding behind his legs. "Apologizzze!" he hissed.
"W-what?" the zombie was shaking badly now.
Ben slammed his fist into the flimsy wall by the zombie's head. He leaned in so close that there were only a few inches between their faces. His cold, inky breath caused the man to flinch. "Apologizzze to her."
The zombie looked down at the frightened little girl. "I-I'm s-sorry. I didn't mean t-to scare you so badly." The man shut his eyes when the demon moved his hand. The zombie startled when Ben patted him on the head.
"Gooood." He held out his hand to Sarah. "Come." She took his hand and they moved on, leaving a very shaken zombie behind. Sarah tugged on his hand to get his attention. "Thank you." She smiled up at him. The demon chuckled, "You'rrre welcommme."
"Did you see that?" Jason whispered to Henry. By the time they entered the maze, the kids were way ahead of them. They thought Ben was causing trouble until they heard what he said.
"I don't believe it…" The demon actually stood up for his niece. Sure, he intimidated the guy, but he didn't hurt him. That really surprised him.
There was no more trouble as they reached the end of the maze. The home owner gave everyone a small bag of candy for being brave enough to make it through.
Ben sat on a bench with Sarah on his left, Beth and Bendy on his right. He popped a few pieces of candy in his mouth and listened as Sarah told the others what happened. It was kind of funny the way she told it and it made the rest of the group laugh. Seeing their smiles made him happy for some strange reason.
Before all the children went home for the night, they organized a lively game of Hide 'n Seek. The children hid and Ben went looking for them. His inky shadows stretched across the ground as he stalked down the street. Every time he found a child, they screamed, and ran away when he got too close. He growled and chased them.
Henry shuddered as memories of the demon chasing him through those tight hallways came flooding back. Ben ran just fast enough to look like he was going to catch them. He never did. It was all just pretend. The kids were having a great time running from the "monster". Henry thought it was all strange.
"Man, I'd never thought I'd see the day when the demon played with children." Norman stood next to Henry. They watched as Ben took a playful swipe at the giggling children. "Heck, I never thought I'd see the outside of the studio again."
Henry ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry Norman."
The projectionist waved his apology away. "Aw hell, you have nothin' ta be sorry about." He sighed and seemed to be staring up at the sky. "You're sister gave me a great gift. I got to spend one night out of the studio. I got to be around people and not scare them." He pointed to a house across the street. "Look at Sammy. Listen to the music he's playin'. I haven't heard those tunes in years."
He chuckled softly. "You have a very special family. Never forget that."
Henry stared at Norman for a moment. He tried to absorb what he said. He was right. Ben had grown attached to his sister through very strange circumstances. Beth and Sarah had made friends while trapped in the Studio. And he created a strong bond with Bendy himself. All things considered, they were pretty lucky. "Yeah, you're right."
Soon the party began to wind down. The adults cleaned up the tables of treats. June managed to save a few cupcakes for Sammy to take back with him. She figured he'd share some with the angel. She noticed how much he loved the chocolate ones, so she made sure she grabbed a couple of those.
Everyone was standing on the front lawn. Sarah was talking to Norman about the movies she had recently seen. Beth and Mr. Murphy listened to Sammy play the piano. Jason and Henry were laughing as they told each other funny stories about work. And Ben was standing on the porch, watching everyone.
June walked back to the porch and stood next to the demon. "Hey Ben." He tilted his head towards her. "Did you have tonight?"
His smile grew wider and nodded. "Yesss."
She held out a caramel apple to him. "Here. Just like I promised. I saved you one." The demon chuckled and took it from her. He studied it for a moment before biting into the sweet treat. He hummed as he savored it.
June waited for him to finish. She knew he would be heading home soon. "Sarah told me what you did for her in the haunted house. Thank you for that." The demon just smiled.
June's expression grew thoughtful. "Ben, come with me for a minute." The demon followed her down the steps. She rounded everyone up and asked Mr. Murphy if he could take their picture.
Everyone lined up with Ben, Norman, Sammy standing in the back. June, Jason, and Henry stood in front of them. The girls and Bendy stood in front of the adults. Mr. Murphy instructed them to get a little closer so he could fit them all into the picture. "Now, everyone say, "CHEESE!". They shouted the word just as a flash went off.
June thanked him and took the camera back. Jason and Sammy helped Mr. Murphy push his piano back into the house. The girls were ushered back into the house with Bendy close behind. Sammy tried to give back the trench coat but June said he could keep it. She smiled and said it looked good on him. He agreed.
Once everyone was back in the house, Ben opened a portal. It was time to head back to the studio. The girls said their goodbyes to Norman and Sammy with a promise to write them more letters. June thanked them all for coming and Henry said he'll keep in touch.
All three figures disappeared into the inky portal.
OoOoOoOoO
The portal opened up on the first floor of the studio. Sammy and Norman stepped through and it closed behind them. "I guess the demon is going back to his haunt." Sammy shrugged and headed for the break room.
They found the angel sitting on the couch, pouring over Joey's books. She looked up at them and smiled crookedly. "Well, well, well the boys are back. Had fun?"
Sammy nodded and handed her a bag full of cupcakes. "June thought you might like some of those." Norman sat next to her as she pulled a cupcake out of the bag.
"Aw, that was sweet of her." Alice said in a sing song voice. She dipped her finger into the icing and sucked it off the digit.
"You should have come with us. It was fun!" Alice rolled her eyes. Norman pointed to the books. "It was better than tryin' ta figure out Joey's cryptic writings."
Alice clicked her tongue. "I think I'm finally making some headway with these." The angel tapped her temple with the tips of her fingers. "You just have to know how Joey thinks."
Sammy hissed and Norman chuckled. "The only one that knew how Joey thinks was his sister. They were both crazy!"
Alice narrowed her eyes at him. "Yeah…crazy." She picked up The Illusion of Living. "Anyway, I think I'm getting close to something." She traced the gold lettering with the tips of her fingers. She would find the keys to her freedom even if it took a sacrifice or two.