Disclaimer: Welcome to the last chapter of chapter 4, everyone! This marks the start of the hiatus until chapter 5's release, and the start of a ton of revising on other stories.

Masked Freak: I always respond to reviews. You don't have to apologize for anything. I wasn't angry, just explaining where the idea came from. All of the gamers I watch never referred to 'Bendy' as anything else, so I came up with the nickname.

ultima-owner: You mean Bertrum? Yeah, it was definitely a shocker, but it was a really great fight. Really creepy, and unless you didn't get the ax right away, you'd be stuck running around for a while.

Hourglass Cipher: I enjoy making readers feel feelings. No matter what story it is, as someone who's strong with empathy, it's a talent of mine.

RainbowCelin: Probably should've let you known last chapter that those questions I asked you were rhetorical... I think that's the word. In terms of Inky, it's more on who he really is: a monster, or a corrupted human. As for Bendy, I directed that towards my story. How I included Bendy, and what his story is in the studio. I've already included all cartoons Meatly released in the flashback chapters.

TazmaniaLizard: Warm bath? More like a sit down with a therapist. She's going to have nightmares about ink for weeks.

I own Kate, and everything else is not mine!

"Speaking"

Thinking

"Reading"

The walk back to the control panel was tense. Bendy and me didn't talk to each other, but I was fine with that. We didn't have to speak. After all we had been through since he chose to stick next to me in, after finding me at the elevator unconscious, he had managed to snap some much needed common sense back into my head. Sure, he was a huge pain and I couldn't stand his attitude sometimes, but he was... I enjoyed his presence. Without Boris, who was still trapped with Alice, Bendy was the only sane person I could be with. The only other being who wouldn't kill me where I stood.

And he... he wouldn't kill me. He said so himself, remember? I pulled down the fourth switch, and looked to the demon himself. "Hey... wanna do the honors with me?" Bendy's brow rose in surprise, and with a stretched grin, grabbed the fifth handle with me. He was realistic, and yet those cartoon features were still there. His gloved hands brushed against mine, and even with how odd they appeared, they still felt like normal cloth. Just like Boris, he was a mirror image of what he was supposed to be.

The reminder made me tighten my hold, the motivation of my objective kicking back in stronger than ever. Together, we pulled it down, hearing the final door open up. I let go, heading off in its direction with the demon at my heels. "Ready for this, kid?" He asked as we entered the small new area. It wasn't a huge room, bearing a size similar to where those creepy puppets were stored. But what lacked in size was made up for what the space held in store. Several cartoon themed carts were on a track, with brick arching walls and an inky message that read "turn back" on the other side from us. The doors that opened up to the ride further down the track bore a skull with narrowed empty sockets, which... didn't really help the tense feeling still hanging in the air. Foreboding, really.

"... y-yeah. I'm ready." I sounded so unprepared in that reply. It didn't help that there was a creepy audio recording playing evil laughter in the background too. "So, we just... step inside?" I nudged the cart with my shoe, seeing a faint layer of dust on it.

"Yep. Got any other plans?" Bendy walked around it, and climbed in on the right side. He was still too short, barely letting his head come up over the safety bar. It would've been funny if I wasn't so stressed, tired, and angry. "C'mon."

"Coming, coming." The ride creaked under me as I took my seat beside him, and I lowered the bar over our laps. "Alright, Alice. Let's do this."

A giggle answered the statement, and with a jolt, the ride was set into motion. I unexpectedly gripped the bar, despite not being in danger yet. Just her voice alone was now enough to set me on edge. "As you wish. Now, the ride truly begins, Kate."

The skeleton doors swung open, letting us enter. Where some bricks were missing to reveal black holes, were filled with glowing yellow cartoon eyes. Clearly not anything living but simply decoration, but it was enough to annoy me. It looked as if they were following us as we went by. "Come in, and pretend it's all just a bad dream." Alcoves held the remains of ink monsters, cages and barrels sat along the walkways of the ride, and silly cardboard ghosts and skeletons popped out from behind tombstones. At every turn, every attempt for the ride to spook me, I kept my eyes on the speakers above me. Where Alice's mocking words flowed from, trying to get to me.

"It's a funny thing. How so much can fall apart so fast. We never really had control of the studio. Either you in someone's pocket, or you were putting someone into yours." I noticed Bendy avoid staring at a boarded up alcove with his name on it on his side of the track, his grin downcast and upset. Boris' shadow was plastered on the wall up ahead, but it was obvious it wasn't ours. That would have been far too easy. "I just wanted what was promised to me. I just wanted to be beautiful! Surely you can understand that."

The shadow was created from a Boris plush and a spotlight on the floor. How cruel, I scowled. If I had the same amount of naivety as when I first entered the studio, I might have actually believed what I saw was real. "Kate... why are you here? We're all dying to find out." Honestly... that was something I wanted to know myself. I received dad's letter, asking him to return to Joey Drew Studios after 30 years. I had saved my dad from avoiding whatever was being planned in this insane building. But... but with everything I've seen, with everything I'd learned already... what was the goal? Why was dad asked to return? And did Alice only know my name, because I said it in a conversation with Bendy, or was it something else...? She seemed to know who I was. But am I looking too far into that? "Do you just enjoy the terror of the drop into hell? Because if that's the case... hang on tight. I've got a surprise..."

"That ain't good," Bendy mumbled as we passed through another skull door. I nodded dumbly. Every single conversation with the corrupted Susie just left me even more confused. A small right turn led to another door, and through that... was a scene that could rival that ghost mansion ride from Disney.

Boarded up windows, and picture frames with ghoulish figures with flickering yellow eyes. Candles mounted high on the walls, with a crystal chandelier in the center. Bags of an unknown substance were stacked underneath with several boxes, as the track ran around the edge of the room. The floor beneath those was tiled, while the walls themselves had a strange floral pattern of light brown and black. Everything in the studio was colored to that of a 30s cartoon; given the choice of color in their animations, and the cartoon characters themselves, it would make sense. I just missed that splash of bright light. Blue, or red, or yellow.

There was even an organ on the side of the wall, right across from the entrance and the exit of the room. Candles were strategically placed on it to avoid spilling over and catching fire, with their wax melting onto the dusty wood. In the corner was a Bendy statue, collection large cobwebs. "Hey, Bendy? I... I don't feel so good." The toon looked up to me, confused at my statement. "Something... something's not right."

Bendy seemed to catch on, face suddenly much more serious than when the angel was taunting us. "Yeah. I feel it too." His hands tightened around the bar, copying my actions from earlier. "Get ready." The exit opened up to reveal a pitch black hallway. Ah... so that's the drop. "Here we g-whoa!"

"AAH!" The two of us yelled in alarm as two massive hands clamped down on our cart, stopping us in our tracks. Stitches were clear on its gloved hands, and stepping back into the light was... "Boris!" Wh-what had Alice done to him!? A metal frame was wrapped around his neck, holding his head upright with a hoop at the top. His entire body had metal pieces sticking out of its trembling inky form. He was no longer stable, and with those crosses on his eyes... he died. Boris died. I... I didn't get to him in time.

Boris tilted his head, studying us before readjusting his hands. The vehicle rocked as he lifted us up off the track, stepping forward, and threw us far across to the other side of the room. Bendy and me hit hard, the bar breaking open and sending us tumbling to the floor. My muscles twitched, and I rolled over to my hands and knees. I-I couldn't do this. I could kill a thousand searchers, b-but Boris!?

"Meet the new and improved Boris!" Alice declared gleefully, as my friend let out a roar and charged towards us. His now enlarged arms swung with each step, showing no sign of slowing down.

"Move!" Bendy grabbed my wrist, and dragged me out of the way as Boris collided with a table close to us. The wood turned to splinters on contact, scattering on the floor where we initially stood. My legs found themselves back underneath me, and I stumbled in keeping up with Bendy.

"I took what I wanted, and in return, I gave him so much more! And this time," she continued as the toon and me backed away. "There's no Ink Demon, no escape. And if Boris isn't to be your demise... then your pal there will certainly get the job done for me." At that comment, Bendy growled darkly, actually taking me by shock. The demon did get mad, yeah, but wh-what did that mean? Wh-why would Bendy kill me!? "Boris, tear her apart! Leave nothing!"

"Bendy, I-I can't do this! I can't kill Boris!" I shouted, tears starting to form in the corners of my eyes. My Boris, my friend, sh-she did this to him. Killed him. Removed vital parts, and twisted him into some Frankenstein monster. Who cared if I sounded weak! Who cared if I sounded desperate! I wasn't going to kill my friend!

"Doll, pull your head together!" Bendy snapped. His hand was still on my wrist, and I just noticed that his grip was even tighter than before. W-was it the fact he was pulled into this fight with me, or was it what Alice said? "That ain't your Boris anymore! If you don't fight back, you can say goodbye to seein' Henry again."

"B-but-!" Bendy yanked me across the room to behind a couch, just as Boris came barrelling through again. The boxes and bags were scattered across the room, nothing being stable in his rampage. Bendy quickly released my wrist, now red from his hold, and slid his glove over his arm abo-a Gent machine! It's the the same method he showed me before!

"Get a weapon and fight. You wanna save yourself and everyone, you gotta know when to cross a line."

"B-but I can't-AH!" Boris came running straight at me from the side, having caught us off guard, and I soared across the room. My back, already aching from every fall I'd taken, from the elevator fall to falling several stories at the start of my journey, struck the wall. A gust of breath left my lungs on contact, with small drops of saliva. Every nerve, every part of me screamed in agony, but the impact shook my head and rattled my senses. I-I couldn't think straight. All I could do was lie there whimpering and hissing in pain. Bendy stood back where I was just seconds ago, stunned. Eyes wide, and not believing what he had seen. Every time he had been with me, he had seen me get hurt. When I was coming to after being knocked out from the fall earlier, I could hear how panicked he was about me. I never knew if it was because he was possibly using me, or because he missed having someone to talk to, but the emotion was there. All of those times though, he would snap back to his normal sarcastic and demeaning behavior. But as I blearily looked at him as Boris shoved past him, forcing him to move... something I had never seen before crossed his face.

Pure. Raw. Anger.

With a howl, Bendy dashed forward as Brois lumbered towards me, still too inured to get up. With a leap, Bendy latched onto Boris' back, hands around the pipes embedded in his back. The wolf gave an animalistic shriek, trying to grab at Bendy. Nothing seemed to shake him off though. Bendy, with small but extremely sharp claws poking out from his gloves, slashed and hacked at Boris' back. Inky streams flew from the gouges, as the little demon strove to take down the monster.

I laid there, frozen. Terrified. I had seen Bendy mad. Mad at me for assuming he would go back on his promise for keeping an eye on me. Mad at going after Boris, despite it possibly killing me in the process. There, right in front of me... was something that shook me to my core. And that scream. There was only one other creature in the studio I knew could make that sound... and he succeeded in driving me insane as I searched for a way out. He sounded... just like Inky.

Boris stumbled about the tiled portion of the room, knocking over and into things as he fought to pry off the demon. Keeping a hand on the wall, I climbed to my feet once again and inched along the edge of the track to the Gent machine. Boris... Bendy needed my help. H-he couldn't do this alone. I wanted to-I needed someone to be there for me right now, and someone n-needed me. If I couldn't make it for him... I'll make it for Bendy. Now tha-that Boris was that... I had no choice... but to fight.

The pipe fell out of the machine, and I snatched it up before it could hit the floor. Bendy had finally been caught in Boris' meaty hands, the wolf having pried the demon off of his back, and showed no sign of letting go. His small frame was wrapped in a fist, floating head bobbing above it just where his neck should've been. Even without the neck though, I could see the black flush on Bendy's cheeks, struggling to breathe. The enraged demon struggled against his binds, but it was fruitless. Boris roared, the sound pushing the demon's head back, and threw him across the room and into the organ. The pipes bent on impact, emitting a ghastly moan and a cloud of dust.

"Bendy!" I shouted. I have to act. Boris slowly turned around, locking his dead eyes on me. I have to act NOW! I snapped to the side, just as Boris rammed into the wall right beside the machine and leaving a large dent in the old wooden wall. Sliding back on my dress shoes, I gripped the pipe with two hands, and lashed out. Letting go with one hand, I swung as hard as I could, right across his back. The impact created was not deep by any means, but the length stretched from the top of his shoulder diagonally to the lower part of his back.

"NO! No! No! No!" The one strike was all I needed, as Bendy managed to wear him down enough for me to finish the job. A torrent of ink flowed from his back where we combined our attacks, and as Boris struggled to hold it together, he collapsed onto his back. Alice's shrieks came from the speakers, but I didn't even heed them. My friend... my friend was dying in front of me... and it was-no.

N-no... it wasn't my fault. It was hers. It was Alice's. I... I did what I swore I'd do. I swore I'd find my friend, and I did... at least now, he was f-free from pain. "Why can't you ever just die!?"

"You're... you're free now, Boris," I whispered, holding one of his fingers in my hands as tears began to form in the corners of my eyes. His head slumped to the side, staring up at me. Could he see me? I didn't know. B-but he needed this. He needed to know I was there, there for him in his last final moments. "I-I promised you... I promised I'd get them out, right? I-I will. I'll get them out. I-I will! I... I...!"

Something brushed against the side of my face, and I noticed that Boris had removed his other hand from his chest as an inky puddle formed underneath him, and used his index finger to swipe at the water on my cheek. A faint smile was on his face, as his form started to shake and quiver. Starting from his feet, and spreading up to his head, Boris began to turn pure inky black. The silent 'thank you' was clear in what remained of his almost expressive face, and I almost started sobbing again. I kept his hand in mine, as he kept his other hand by my face, until... until he finally left this world, melting away into the floor just as every other creature I had battled. But he... he was no monster. He was my friend. Now...

Boris was dead, and... the tears finally ran without any sign of stopping. "B... Bori-"

"Katherine, look out!" Bendy's sudden shout made me snap upwards, as a fierce cry came from ahead of me. Alice, sprinting through the open doors of the exit, flailed her arms ready to strangle me to death. Her fingers were extended, and just as Bendy had done with Boris, was more than ready to attack with the fierceness of a wild animal. Just as she was a foot away, I could hear the footsteps of Bendy running behind me to try and get to me first. But it was no use. Hands extended, it was clear that the angel was going to get to me first. I brought my arms up around my head, ready to block the attack. My pipe was abandoned across the floor, leaving me without a weapon.

This was it. After being forced into killing my friend, I was going to be strangled to death. Burying my face in my little blockade, I waited for the feeling of sharpened nails to sink into my skin, and rip my throat out. I was-I was going to di... die...?

Alice had... stopped. I lowered my arms hesitantly, and I found her staring down at her chest. To both of our shock, right in the center... was a machete. The blade was run through her body like butter, stopping her in her tracks. Choked gasps escaped her deformed mouth as the weapon was pulled out, and Alice placed a hand on the hole. Her eyes looked from it, to me, until finally she collapsed on the ground off to my side, just where Boris previously was.

"What... what was... you?" In a black dress and bow just like hers, with green covering part of it around the middle, a green belt and strap around her chest and going over her shoulder... was Alice. Alice h-had the machete. Bu-but this wasn't my Alice. Sh-this one was complete. Not deformed, or c-corrupted in any way. And right behind her, thumping a pipe into a mechanical hand... was Boris, with a narrowed look that showed he was anything but happy.

Alice and Boris... killed by...? Wh-what was...? "B-Bendy, I'm g-gonna... gonna..." faint. Overwhelmed and injured, I went and fainted in front of everyone. Hehe. I've lost... count of how many times... I passed... out.

Here you go, everyone! That marks the end of chapter 4. Next time, we get into the epic finale!

I'll be posting an update on when we get close or if anything that I can write a short chapter on pops up. Until the next time!

Angel