Impish Animator

A Bendy and the Ink Machine Story

Chapter 11: Things Aren't Going As Well As Joey Hoped

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked and Henry paled as he tried to think of a way out of his accidental slip of the tongue. "I mean I know the boys bicker about who has the spotlight-"

"Hey!" Both the ram and demon exclaimed, looking at the angel, who continued.

"But people do know about them, so what do you mean?"

"A-Alice…" Boris managed out nervously. "Please, now's really not the time…" Henry saw that there was an opening for him to push past the two angels and run out of the room. He took a step forward but a jolt of pain caused a startled gasp as Henry collapsed to the ground, Henry wincing as his face connected with the floorboard. "Henry!" Boris exclaimed as the wolf scrambled over to the child, the two angels rushing over. Bendy just frowned, unsure of what just happened. "Henry! WHat happened?"

"M-My legs…" Henry managed out weakly.

"Are you injured?" Raquel asked. Henry was quiet before sighing, though Bendy noted it sounded of defeat.

"No...there's still times my legs hurt…" Henry mumbled, earning several confused looks as the boy propped his arms under his head looking away from everyone. "And it gets too cold and I get too out of breath to do anything..."

"Then you should rest." Raquel said sternly, though he felt a strange nagging at the back of his mind as Henry scoffed.

"If I just rested every time I was in pain, then I would've done nothing in my life, I would've just let it control me…" Henry was quiet for a moment before he chuckled softly. "That was always the difference between me and Joey…"

"What do you mean?" Alice said, furrowing her brows. Bendy had gotten slightly closer, trying to not to look interested. Henry turned his head and looked at the toons, figuring that he had nothing else to do.

"Joey never understood why I was willing to push myself too hard…I just didn't want to let what happened to me to be the only thing people knew about me…And I could never understand why Joey didn't get it, why it seem like he was just willing to let it control him…I mean he didn't sit around all day, but I remember that if it involved a lot of walking, running, or anything like that, he didn't like to do that, and even if he came along, he'd always be making sure I was ok-it was borderline smothering..." He sighed softly. "We both we're stubborn I guess...I was just too stubborn to think that Joey would never change…" Henry sighed.

"Henry…" Boris whimpered. "I'm so sorry…"

"Nothing to be sorry about." Henry muttered.

"B-But it isn't fair!" Bendy snapped, surprising everyone by the outburst. "You shouldn't been hurt! Y-You shouldn't have gotten sick! And Y-You shouldn't have felt like that about Joey! You shouldn't have left! Y-You s-shouldn't f-feel a-aband-" Bendy couldn't finish as his monstrous form trembled and spilt ink everywhere, in near-hysterics. Henry just sighed softly, like he was talking to a child in tears, not a cartoon demon.

"Life isn't fair, sometimes Bendy, but it doesn't always mean that the world is awful."

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Joey made his way back to his office, his footsteps making an eerie echo, the only sound distracting him from his thoughts.

"Even if the ink caused this, Bendy would've sensed Henry despite the size…" Joey muttered to himself. "I mean, I was the one to summon Bendy, but he was Henry's creation from the beginning, so he would be more in tune with Henry and his emotional state then me…" Joey sighed as he shook his head. "But at least I managed to keep Wally from being a nuisance...though I have a feeling that it's going to be a short victory; he was fighting back that last bit…" Joey sighed as he moved past Sammy and some of the searchers, the Music Director being particular about being the one to lead, despite his rather slow speed. Joey merely rolled his eyes, muttering something about Sammy being a 'prima donna' as he rounded the corner before stopping and he pursed his lips; in front of him was a large ink spillage preventing him from simply getting to his office. "I swear I had this hallway cleaned last time…" Joey rubbed his temples as he gauged the distance and whether or not it would be worth to ruin his pants to just wade through the ink. Joey made a slightly dramatic sigh before deciding that he could live with mildly inky pants and started his way back to the office.

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"Henry dear...what's the matter?" Henry's mother asked gently, getting a shrug.

"I think Joey's trying to take your job." Henry's mother made a surprised snort.

"What are you talking about dear?" Henry sighed and sat across from his mother.

"He keeps asking me if I'm ok, or if I need anything, or questioning if I'm up to do something, and it's weirding me out! But I don't want to not hang out with him, cause he's fun when he's not being a worrywort!" Henry vented, his mother nodding along.

"Have you told him that you're fine?" Henry nodded. "Ah, I see…well, perhaps Joey isn't quite used to not having to worry about someone." Henry looked at her in confusion and she chuckled softly. "I suppose Joey didn't bring it up to you then,"

"Bring what up?" Henry's mother leaned closer to her son.

"You know how Joey is often at the principal's office?" Henry nodded. "Well, his father is principal," Henry's jaw drop as he realized that's why the principal and Joey shared the same last name and why the other kids avoided Joey, yet never made fun of his friend. His mother resisted laughing at her son's expression and continued. "Oh Henry, you take after your father awfully well, but back to Joey; you see, it's just been him and his father."

"What happen to Joey's mother?" Henry's mother shrugged.

"No one really knows. She just up and left, and no one seen her since…" She trailed off, gauging the reaction before continuing. "So most, if not all the time, Joey's had to fend for himself...so maybe he's treating you like that because it's what he's used to." Henry's mother gently patted Henry's hand. "I'm sure Joey will ease up on it eventually. He just needs some time and patience." Henry nodded slowly.

"I am good at waiting…" His mother smiled and pecked him on the forehead.

"And that's not a bad thing sweetheart. Especially when there's something in the kitchen waiting for you." Henry's eyes lit up, the glumness gone in a flash at the thought of his mother's baking, his mother happy she could help him feel slightly better, though she made a mental note to bring up her son's concerns to Joey's father next time she saw the man.

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A new story, and a sort-of AU of my AU, but either way Enjoy!