Inked in Mystery
Chapter 6: Surveillance and New Encounters
The next morning, Aiden gets up after finally sleeping a full night after several weeks of nocturnal escapades. Bendy and Boris agreed with him to come and see them during the day rather than during the night. But at breakfast he looks sullen.
« Aiden? Is everything okay? » Jeckle asks, kneeling in front of his chick who seems lost in his thoughts, playing with cereals in his bowl.
« Yeah ... it's just ... I think Keffan isn't very happy that I made a new friend. »
« He's a little jealous, I think. » Heckle smiled as he approached. « You've known each other since you were babies and you've always been poked together. »
« That's probably it. He was already a little jealous when you became friends with Candice, Roger's daughter. » the slender magpie adds stroking the head of his boy. « Do you know what you could do? After your breakfast, you'll just have to go see him and you'll explain yourself, we'll meet you at Gandy's place. »
Aiden thinks and what his parents say isn't stupid. With a small smile, the little magpie jump to the necks of his parents and hug them tightly.
« I love you! » he chirps before letting himself fall back into his chair to swallow his breakfast.
Once his cereals are swallowed and his plumage is brushed, the little chick flies to the house where Gandy, SourPuss and Keffan live and knocks on the door. He vaguely hears Gandy shout: « Keffan? Can you go open, kitten? » Then nothing - until the door opens on Keffan. The white-haired kitten is first surprised to see the chick then glares at him.
« What do you want? » he growls.
« Kef '... I ... »
« Who's that, kid? » SourPuss asks.
« It's nothing, it's just Aiden! »
« Keffan, please! We need to talk! »
« Oh, you don't have enough of your 'new friend'? »
Aiden gets angry, grabs Keffan by the paw, pulls him out of the house and closes the door.
« But it's not possible to be jealous like that! » the magpie stammers.
« Maybe I have my reasons, no? To explain your escapades to your parents, you say that you made a new friend! And this friend is who!? A demon! A monster dripping with ink that's probably tucking you in order to eat you, and you'd rather go to his studio than play with me EVEN during the day! »
« I don't prefer him to you! I love you both the same way! Keffan, Bendy needs help. He's dark because he have been betrayed, but I swear he's kind. And no matter how great he is, my best friend is you! »
Keffan, who was sulking until then, calms down and turns to Aiden. He seems really worried about losing his friendship with the Tunman.
Sighing, the kitten tells him:
« Aiden, frankly you worry me. »
« I swear to you that Bendy isn't dangerous. But I still need some time to convince him that I can help him, and as soon as you see him, you'll understand. But in the meantime, I can swear on the head of my parents that he will never take your place. »
The little magpie opens his arms, asking for a hug. The kitten sighs but he goes to his friend and hugs him. He holds back his tears but he feels that the embrace of the chick is sincere.
« Do you promise? » Keffan asks, trying to hold back his tears.
« Paintbrush, paint, eraser and pencil. If I'm lying, let's dissolve my chin! » the magpie promises.
Keffan smiled, finally feeling reassured.
« Aiden! » Heckle calls, cutting short the moment between the two friends. « Come here! We have to go to the studio! »
« I'm coming, daddy! » the chick smiled. « See you later? »
« I don't know when Daddy and Papa Cat are going to the studio. » the Tunman kitten answers, shrugging his shoulders. « But I can ask Daddy if I can go alone. »
« Great, I'll see you here! »
With a large arm gesture, Aiden runs away and jumps on his father's shoulders, clutching his father's head in his little wings as Jeckle smiles as he strokes his son's cheek.
Keffan smiled as he watched his friend interact with his parents before returning home. But as he silently closes the door, he hears SourPuss and Gandy speaking in a low voice.
« I can't believe they refuse to take Keffan to their school! » the cat says indignantly. « He is the most calm and kindest child I know! »
« Yes, but he's a Tunman. » Gandy sighs. « And we are Toons besides being his parents, I don't think they're really bad, but like so many humans, they only know the Toons as jokers who make gags constantly. I cannot blame them for being cautious. »
« Maybe ... but they must get to know Keffan instead of judging foolishly! Keffan could very well have been educated by Humans if they didn't throw this little one as trash! »
« You don't need to get so angry, SourPuss... We're going to find a school that wants Toons. »
« Oh yes, and where? It's been weeks since you make a tour of schools near animation studios! » the TerryToons cat rattles, astonishing Keffan who at the same time learns why his dad was so absent lately. « And what do you have in response? 'You know, your child, given his condition, the unstable side of his genes, doesn't seem to be appropriate for our school! Do you try schools for color kids?' No but what else? If we listen to them, Keffan would be like a plague victim! »
« SourPuss, stop ... » the goose sighs, seems to be close to tears.
« And that's still the nicest! You don't know what they told me near the WarnerBros studios? 'My school isn't a zoo or ToonTown! I refuse to take that thing support in my school!' » he rage without notice the small Tunman trembling by listening to what the humans think of him while Gandy refrains from crying. « And with that one near the Disney Studios 'It's forbid that a Toon or a Tunman enters this establishment!' What is this regulation of racists yet? »
« I know it hurts you, just like it hurts me, but we cannot change the world. » the Toon try.
« Wait, you haven't heard the best! » the cat gets upset. « I went to see the MaroonStudios because Roger and Jessica are working there, it would have been handy if we had been unable to get the little one to school. Do you know what they said? 'I won't keep this abomination with the children I care about!' No, but you believe that! »
Suddenly, the cat is silent when he hears crying. He turns, without noticing the kitten running away (furious and tearful), and sees Gandy, arms on the table and face hidden in their hollow, body trembling. It reminded him of the days that preceded the Gathering of the Council before he could adopt Keffan with the permission of the other Toons. His son was so unique that no one seemed to want to give him a chance. The Toons Council had accepted that he became one of them, but the Humans simply refused this child, born of one of their own, and this prevented his child from bonding with other children outside the Toons children. His Human side needed to see other Human children but his Toon side scared the Men who repelled him like a leper and none of the Tunmen survived the eradication of the species in 1945. Keffan was unique!
« Sorry, Gandy. » SourPuss sighs as he approaches the goose, forgetting for a moment his fear of rejection. « I know you want the best for Keffan. I care about the kid as much as you. I'm his second guardian, his uncle ... but I consider him as my little one. I care about him as much as I care about you. »
Gandy stands up and plunges his teary eyes into those of SourPuss, hoping. The cat blushes as he realizes what he has just said.
« Um ... well ... I mean ... uh ... »
He is suddenly silenced by the hands of his episodes fellow who grabs his cheeks. The usually calm goose suddenly seem furious ... then he burst out laughing.
« How foolish you are! You still haven't understood that I feel the same for you? »
Without giving the cat time to understand, Gandy pulls him close to him and sticks his lips against those of the cat. He is first frozen on the spot... before hugging the goose in his arms. Their relationship had always been friendly until then but for years, he had loved Gandy in secret. Their great difference of species seeming to be an insurmountable obstacle... then Keffan had arrived and bound them even more, even though he had never dared to take the first step. But now, he knows that Gandy will always be there for him, just as they will be there for their little kitten who will go through many complicated moments in his life as a hybrid.
Keffan leaves home, furious. He had heard his two dads talked about school at the Humans World. ToonTown had everything except a school. The Toons didn't really need to go to school because they learned everything on their job but now many Toons were born. Not drawn but born! Therefore, they needed an education ... but no school accepted them. Suddenly, Aiden's words echo in his head.
« Bendy says humans are lying to us! They exploit us! They are only liars! They only belittle us as if we were just toys! The creators lie to us, Keffan! They lie to us! »
« It's not true ! It's not true ! » the kitten enrage, getting angry after everything that comes close to his claws.
He scratched trees, spoiled flowers, kicked pebbles (missing Jerry and Tweety who passing nearby) and ran off on all fours, his eyes full of tears. He didn't like Humans because of his mother, but he couldn't believe they were what the Ink Imp claimed. Humans couldn't be so bad.
Suddenly, the kitten bangs against someone and falls to the ground. When he opens his eyes, he is surprised (even horrified) to see that he just hit one of the members of the Toon Council: Felix the Cat! The black-and-white cat recovers ideas in place and straightens his head to see the little Tunman in front of him.
« Hey ! Keffan! What's happening to you, boy? » he smiled.
The kitten looks away, ashamed of hitting a member of the Toons Council. Felix notices the dark look of the child and it is far too strange for a child of this age. Standing up, the Toon cat approaches the little one and raises him gently.
« What's the matter ? You are very dark for a child Toon ... »
« I'm not a Toon ... » Keffan mumbles, his eyes filled with tears. « In fact, I am nothing at all. »
« Why do you say that ? » The Black Cat indignant.
« I'm a bastard ... » the kitten sobs, thinking back to Bendy's words the first time he saw him. « I am not a Toon entirely and I am not human enough for men to accept me as one of them. Daddy has been to all the cities that have a studio to see if I could go to school and ... they all refused. I'm too human to be a Toon actor or any other Toon job and I'm too Toon to be able to mingle with humans, even for school! »
Keffan can't help but cry. Felix sighs and kneels before him.
« Hey, Keffan. It's true that you're not completely Toon ... but never say you're nothing! You are a Tunman! A being born from the union of two universes that everything opposes. »
« What if I don't want to be this being? » the little one gets annoyed before sulking.
« I can understand that this is hard for you. » the black and white cat smiled. « But you know, it's been seven years since Gandy dared to face the others to give you a chance to live while many would leave you for dead. Paul Terry and ToonTown asked us, the members of the Grand Council, to choose. And we decided you were a Toon, like all of us. Even if many don't understand it, you and I, we are one! »
Keffan raises his head to see Felix smile at him. Like many Toons Cats, he had a pretty strong connection with the little Tunman. Maybe it came from the feline side of the boy... but anyway, Felix can't stand to see tears on the cheeks of a child (especially that he was going to be a father in a short time). With a delicate gesture, he wipes the saltwater pearls, making the boy smile, then he takes him by the shoulder and drags him into ToonTown, humming:
As you go through life you'll see
There is so much that we
Don't understand
Keffan observes the other Toons who have fun and laugh. All this is very usual for Keffan, but this time, everything seems dull to him. He feels Felix caressing his head and looks up at the black cat.
And the only thing we know
Is things don't always go
The way we planned
The little Tunman seems undecided, misunderstanding how the Toons who are always so happy can be worried about not predicting everything about their future. When recording episodes, they had a script to follow and there, and only there, they had to really predict everything. At ToonTown, predictions were rare. The kitten suddenly hears two cries: a ''BipBip!'' and an ''Arriba Arriba Andale Arriba!'' with a playful Mexican accent. Two of ToonTown's fastest Toons, Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales, run past them, certainly having fun seeing which of them is the fastest ... but the wind they cause topples over the little Tunman.
But you see everyday that we'll never turn away
When it seems all your dreams come undone!
The two Toons stop immediately and then they come back to them. The bird helps Keffan to straighten up and the mouse starts to run quickly on the body to dust him under the amused look of the cat and the laughter of the little one.
We will stand by your side
Filled with hope and filled with pride!
Once Keffan clean, the two Toons greet their fellow and then resume their race shouting happily. Felix lowers his eyes to the little Tunman who allows himself a small smile by watching the two 'Toons-rockets' disappear in the distance under the laughter of others.
We are more than we are
We are one!
The kitten looks at Felix, intrigued. The black cat smiles and leads Keffan after him into ToonTown, climbing trees like normal cats. Keffan's feline instincts force him to follow the adult ... but he sighs by perching on the branch of an old trunk above a small pond and humming as he watches his reflection.
If there's so much I must be
Can I still just be me
The way I am?
Can I trust in my own heart
Or am I just one part
Of some big plan?
A shadow suddenly falls on him, forcing him to raise his eyes to see Felix who perched on the trunk at his side and who looks at the sky with a melancholy smile by resuming:
Even those who are gone
Are with us as we go on
Your journey has only begun!
The Toon cat lowers tender eyes on the little Tunman.
Tears of pain tears of joy
One thing nothing can destroy
Is our pride deep inside
We are one!
Ruffling Keffan's hair, Felix leapt from the stump and ran away on all fours. The little amused Tunman rushes after him and pursues him in the city of Toons. Some grumpy ''old guys'' look at the half-Toon with disgust ... but the vast majority got used to seeing this little half-human half-Toon and smile, greeting him with big arm gestures.
We are one you and I
We are like the earth and sky!
One family under the sun!
Felix leads Keffan to the TerryToons Studios (knowing that anyway, his parents would find him there) and then stands up, turning to the child with a big smile.
All the wisdom to lead
All the courage that you need
You will find when you see
We are one!
Keffan is intrigued by the words of Felix, as if he really had trouble understanding it... but the black cat Toon smiles and kneels before him.
« As long as you are here with us, Keffan, you will be one of us. One day, you will understand. » the cat says before hugging the kitten.
The little half-Toon purrs, reassured that he doesn't have to understand everything today. Felix gives him a light lick (or what's called a cat kiss) that makes him laugh, then the Toon stands up and walks away. But before going out, he said to the little kitten:
« If you ever need to talk to someone other than your parents, don't hesitate to come find me. »
With one last smile, he leaves the studios, leaving Keffan sitting on the steps of his dad's caravan.
Aiden mutters, looking up to see that Eddie Valiant is still watching him. The detective is sitting not far from him and, as soon as the chick moves the slightest feather, the eyes of the Human follow him attentively. What bad luck ! His parents (and the new Big Boss Bill) had asked Eddie to keep an eye on him for where he was going. So it would be him the 'nanny' until they have answers by the detective.
« Damn, he annoys me! » he blows hard enough for the human to hear.
« Do you need help, kiddo? » he asks as he looks up from the newspaper he's leafing through.
« No, that's good, Mr. Eddie. » the little magpie sighs, taking out his notebook and scribbling.
He isn't careful to hide it because (he hopes) the detective doesn't know Bendy. Valiant might not have been very young anymore, but he wasn't old enough to meet Bendy... especially since the Toon had never left his studio.
Suddenly, he hears a voice with a light hair on the tongue that cries happily:
« Hey ! Eddie! »
All turn around and see a Toon who came to the studio quite often even if he wasn't even working there: Roger Rabbit, the star of the MaroonStudios. He often came to TerryToons Studios because his daughter (who happily holds his hand) had friends here.
« Ah! If I was expecting to see you there, you! » the detective smiled. « What are you doing here, Roger? »
« I don't have a babysitter for Candice today so I thought about bringing her to TerryToons Studios to play with Aiden and Keffan. »
Taking advantage of the distraction, Aiden gets up and runs to the exit ... except that Eddie notices it.
« Excuse me, Roger! » the human exclaims, rising with a bound to follow the fledgling under the intrigued gaze of Roger and Candice.
« What's up, dad? » the little girl asks.
« I don't know ... » her father mumbles before following his detective friend.
Seeing that he is spotted, Aiden bifurcates to the boxes and, seeing Keffan on the steps of Gandy's caravan, he runs to his friend.
« Keffy, Keffy! » he calls, taking the attention of Tunman.
« What's the matter with you? » he wonders as he sees the little magpie panicked.
« I have a big problem! »
« Oh? What kind ? »
« The ''human detective annoying'' kind! » the young bird grumbles, pointing behind him.
Keffan raises his head just in time to see Eddie (whom he has sometimes seen at ToonTown) who enters the room looking for something or someone's gaze ... and the human sits calmly as soon as he spots Aiden.
« Hey, what's he doing here? » the kitten wonders. « Did something in the studio? »
« No ! He's here for me! » the chick whispers in a low voice.
« Huh? »
« Well, Dad, Mom and Bill asked Mr. Eddie to watch me to see where I was going. »
« Ah! Your getaway at DevilLand? » the Tunman growls.
« Stop! He's not like that! »
Keffan looks at Aiden with an air of saying, ''Of course, I believe you''. Even though the fledgling assures him that Bendy doesn't want them any harm, his first encounter with the imp remains stained in his memory.
« Keffy, believe me! You have to help me make a diversion so that Bendy can be notified! »
« And you want me to do what? That I stitch Aunt Aglae*'s dresses and dance the Hula? »
The little magpie refrains from giggling.
« Oh no ! There, you dream! » the kitten bursts. « I'm going to find something else! »
Keffan thinks, looking for what might help his feathered friend ... when he thinks of something that touches him even though he wasn't born at the time.
« Okay ! Place to the artists! » he smiled, cracking his knuckles.
Eddie watches the Toons waving to prepare for their episodes and sees Roger arrive with his daughter ... when Keffan walks over to him with a face he wants neutral. Planting himself in front of the Human, the little Tunman asks:
« Is it you, Mr. Eddie Valiant? The Human detective who helps the Toons? »
« Yes it's me. »
« Tell me, is it true that you don't help the half-Toons before? » he adds innocently.
Everyone chokes on hearing the child's ''innocent'' question (even Aiden is frozen on the spot) then turns to the Human. The detective is frozen on the spot, his eyes fixed on the little one, shame readable on his face. Squeaking his throat, he answers:
« It's true ... in 1945, I didn't do anything to help half-Toons ... »
« Why ? You don't like them? A Tunman hurt you? It's not very nice to not have helped others because of one! That, in general, is the bad guys doing that. »
Candice frowns as she looks at Keffan, wondering what game the Tunman is playing ... when Eddie comes out of the studio stomping, missing shoving his friend Roger and the little one. She watches her godfather leave before turning to Keffan who calmly returns to the caravan where Aiden is waiting.
« Dad ? What's up with Uncle Eddie? » the girl asks, intrigued.
Roger bites his lip, worried when he sees the face of his human friend. Kneeling in front of his daughter, he forces a big smile to reassure her and says:
« What if you went to play with your friends, Princess? Dad's going to talk a bit with Uncle Eddie and he's coming back to get you. Okay ? »
Candice finds it weird but she smiles and nods. The rabbit rubs his nose against his little wonder's who laughs happily before getting up to run after Eddie. The little rabbit-human looks at him until he leave... then she walks away into the studio, happily hopping, looking for her friends from TerryToons studio.
Aiden watches Eddie go and turns to Keffan.
« Haven't you been a little hard there? »
« Hey ! To great evils the great remedies! » the kitten replies, shrugging his shoulders. « And then, that's all I found to make him leave! »
« Yeah, but here you almost treated him as a murderer. »
« I'll apologize to him later. With a sad look and beaten puppy eyes, it will go by itself. »
« Yeah ... anyway, thank you! And I'm counting on you to cover me! » the fledgling smiled, flapping his wings to fly away.
« Huh? Are you going right now? »
The chick doesn't answer him and takes off, flying to a skylight. He turns and, after a slight sign to his friend, he comes out like a thief. Keffan sighs as he watches Aiden leave the studios.
« But of course, I'm covering you ... » he mumbles, chasing a strand of hair. « He'll kill me, that kid. »
« Oh yeah ! It won't make a big loss for the stage! » a girl's voice laughs.
A voice that Keffan recognizes and that he would have liked not to hear, especially now! But when he turns, he does indeed face Candice Rabbit!
Smiling, the girl with long red hair leans towards Keffan.
« What are you doing, Keffy? »
« Nothing, Candice ... » the kitten grunts.
« So why do you say Aiden is going to kill you? »
« Don't you have carrots to eat? »
« Come on! Tell me ! Please ! » she chirps.
The kitten growls. He and Candice got along as a dog and cat (well ... cat and rabbit) and often quarreled, especially because Candice always jumped on him…. well, she always jumped everywhere (probably because of her rabbit side) ... but Aiden and her were very friends. Not as much as the two boys but close enough, surely ''because'' of the fact that they are both Baby-Born-Toons. And since he had sworn to say nothing to the parents ...
« First, you must swear you won't say anything! » he exclaims suddenly, frightening the half-doe.
« Oh okay! Okay ! Brush, paint, eraser and pencil! If I denounce, dissolve my chin! » she promises before sitting on the floor, her elbows resting on her knees and her head in her hands, waiting for the rest.
Keffan sighs. Why did she have to surprise them?
Later, after long explanations, the two children (half) Toons go to the accursed studio. Like Aiden, Candice isn't very worried about the pace of the studio. She is about to enter through the front door but ...
« Stop it, silly! » Keffan indignantly grabs his arm. « Come in by the door, it's the best way to get Bendy and I'm holding on to my skin, ok? »
« Ok ok! Sorry ! But how do we get in? »
The kitten takes his wrist and takes her with him to the old air vents of the studio.
« So cool! » the little rabgirl* smiles. « It's like a spy story! »
Candice begins to hum a tune smiling and annoying the Tunman.
« Don't you want to shut up five minutes? » he mutters.
The girl looks up like a princess by smoothing her red dress and continues to move forward.
At a bend in a corridor, she straightens the yellow blue spotted bow that she tied in her hair when Keffan freezes in front of a screened opening.
« Pst! Candice! Come see ! There ! It's him ! Bendy the Demon! » he fumbles.
The girl runs to the gate and sees the little black and white Toon humming while leafing through old files. His gaze then falls on the photo frame of the office and he grabs a brush (which he passes beforehand in his mouth) to add black paint on the face of one of the characters who surround them, Boris and him. Candice is subjugated. Like Aiden, she can't believe that this little devil is a monster ... but Keffan knows what he saw.
« Now we're out! » the Tunman kitten trembles. « If he spots us, he's eating us! »
The Half-Toon runs to the exit... but Candice catches his tail to keep him close to her. Except that by feeling his tail be taken, the kitten fels and spits with fear trying to cling with his claws.
« But calm down, big dumb! » the girl peeves. « I'm the one who holds it, your tail! »
« OH COME ON! WHY DO YOU AND AIDEN NEVER PREVENT WHEN YOU DO THINGS LIKE THAT ?! » the boy gets upset.
« Because ... oh and you wouldn't understand! After all, you're only half-Toon! » she laughs, pinching his cheek.
« That it! Take me for a fool! » the kitten growls, trying to scratch her.
Suddenly, they hear noise, like a jostled chair. As Keffan tries to escape, Candice rushes to the gate ... and bursts out laughing.
« Is that your monster? » she hisses.
Intrigued, the Tunman approaches ... and freezes seeing Bendy play like a kitten following a ray of light.
« I'm dreaming here ... » Keffan suffocated as he watched the scene.
Bendy continues to play with the beam of light that Boris and Aiden (hidden behind the door) move around the corners of the room. The imp isn't even aware of the chick's presence until he hears his chuckle. He stops immediately and turns to see his only two friends.
« Aiden! » he smiles as he straightened up.
He runs to Boris and takes the fledgling to give him a hug. In the pipe, Keffan is so captivated that he presses on the grid to see better ... except that the piece worn by the years give way under the weight of the two children. In a cry of fear due to their sudden loss of balance, Candice and Keffan fall heavily into the office, startling the three Toons present. Bendy poses Aiden and starts to roll his back while dripping with fear ... but when the cloud of dust falls, he is surprised to see only children.
« What, what does that mean? » he mumbles without understanding.
« Candice? Keffan? » the young bird is surprised, attracting all eyes towards him.
« Hi Aidy! » the little rabbit-human chirps ... before being elbowed by Keffan to silence her.
Both of them turn to Bendy. The little Toon seems completely lost.
« Can you explain, Aiden? » Boris indignantly.
« Well... um ... » the chick stammers as he walks over to his friends from ToonTown. « Bendy and Boris, ... Candice Rabbit and Keffan Goose! » he presents with a forced smile before turning to others. « Guys, ... Bendy and Boris! »
« Hi ! » the little human rabbit happily smiles as Keffan prepares to flee.
Boris smiles at the children's little faces (Aiden embarrassed, Candice joyful and Keffan scared) while Bendy seems indignant. Trembling, he moves away (dripping the ink from his forehead) and then runs out shouting (in a trembling voice):
« Liars ... ALL THE LIARS! LIARS ! »
« Bendy wait! » Aiden screams trying to catch up but Boris catches up with him without a word.
Without a word, he makes him understand that Bendy must be alone. But the chick then turns to his friends, annoyed.
« Good work for presentation, guys! Especially you, Kef! I thought you were afraid of Bendy! »
« Well, what am I supposed to do when Miss Sautillons roasts us and asks where are you going? » the kitten gets upset, pointing the little Rabbit behind him. « She would have harassed me with questions and alerted parents! And I can't lie! »
« Do you know what she says to you, Miss Sautillons, Tunman? » the girl is annoyed.
Boris gives a little laugh, the bickering reminds him of those between Bendy and his ''episode enemy'' Alice Angel. As an angel and a demon, they struggled with each other and fought constantly. Except that, very quickly, his smile disappears thinking back to Bendy who must have felt betrayed by the sudden entrance of Aiden's friends.
Meanwhile, Roger had finally found Eddie in the place where he never wanted to see him again: in a bar on the same street as the TerryToons Studio. He walks up to him with a frown and intervenes just in time to stop the Human from starting his drink, putting his gloved hand on the glass. Eddie (although he recognizes this hand) is surprised. He looks at Roger and then looks back at the ground with a sigh.
« Eddie! » the rabbit suddenly makes. « All this way! »
« It helps me to retire. » the detective defends.
« No, it's the opposite ! It only delays it! Eddie! If you want this sentence to go away, you have to face it! And you already did it once! What's stopping you now? » Roger Rabbit asks.
Eddie rubs his eyes and sighs.
« That's the half-Toon kid, isn't it? » the rabbit asks. « It was just a question, Eddie. » he said, trying to reason with the human.
« Yes, but ... you were there too! You heard it! This tone of voice, full of ... accusation and ... anger. » Eddie said in his defense.
He still looks down and then he goes on:
« I committed genocide on a whole species! » he whines suddenly.
That surprised the Toon who doesn't waste a second to comfort the detective.
« What are you still talking about, Eddie? It's not you who eradicated the Tunmans! It was Doom! » Roger reasoned.
« YES BUT I LET HIM DO! » Eddie rages suddenly. « I abandoned them ... to a horrible destiny. I had dropped the half-Toons. I had dropped the Toons. I had dropped Dolores then everyone ... even Teddy ... I had dropped everything. » he cries suddenly, hiding his face in his hand.
Roger wanted to tell him that it was just the day he was trying to recover from his brother's death ... but the more he thought, the more he thought it wasn't a good approach. Then he finally got an idea! He taps the human's shoulder next to him, catching his attention.
« Come with me ! You have to meet someone! » he said, walking to the men's bathroom.
Eddie follows him, although very little convinced by where the rabbit went. But who knew what the Toon was hiding? Roger opens the door and gestures for Eddie to go inside, and that's what he did.
Once inside, it was dark because the switch was outside the toilet. But maybe that someone preferred black (and toilet).
« It's a Toon-like creature. It can't die from blows or injuries. Okay, it's a little more eternal than us, but just like us, humans are afraid or don't know how to understand it! » Roger's voice explain in the dark, intriguing Eddie. « Every being has one and sometimes we ask for answers to our questions! » Roger answers before turning on the light.
Eddie jumps a little by the change of lighting then he looks in front of him the mirror then approaches to be finally face-to-face with this creature who resembled him traits for features: his reflection.
For a moment, Eddie is lost. Roger smiled as he watched his detective friend.
« So ? What do you see here and now? » the rabbit asks.
« Seriously? » the human mumbles before looking back into his reflections. « Here and now, I see a poor fellow who has become embroiled in sorrow to the point of letting down those he had sworn to help when they needed him the most. »
Roger sighs and slaps Eddie on the arm, moaning:
« But what a flap-joy you are! Stop a bit of seeing everything in black! » the Toon gets indignant, jumping to hold on to his friend's arm and be at his height. « Me, what I see is a great friend, always ready to do anything to help the Toons but who often needs to be reminded that he isn't alone despite what he believes. And also, a man who often tends to take the Toon woes as his fault while he has nothing to reproach himself. »
Eddie frowns ... then he realizes that Roger was trying to show him that despite everything that had happened to him in the past, he was still the same. His actions could still be questionable and he had locked himself into loneliness and sorrow at Teddy's death, refusing joy and laughter, but deep down inside he was still Eddie Valiant. The Human Detective who works with the Toons, offering them Justice just like Humans. Seeing that his friend finally understands, the Toon rabbit returns to the floor with a smile.
« Keffan didn't think badly. He is just a little boy who wants to know who he is and where his role in this world is, like all the little Born-Toons. Except that him, he has a human side that crumples! Besides, perhaps you could help him to understand that side! I'm sure he'd love it! »
Eddie smiles ... as he rethinks why he ended up facing Keffan in the first place.
« Oh shit ! » he exclaims, without thinking of the Toon next to him, as he comes out of the toilet.
« Hey ! Eddie, what's wrong with you? » Roger shouted following him.
The detective comes out of the bar running without paying for his drink (which he didn't even touch), followed by the Marron Studios rabbit. Except that the owner of the bar isn't for consumption (even if not consumed) free.
« Hey ! You didn't pay me! »
Roger stops dead, furious, then returns to the bar. He grabs the glass and says:
« Wait! Must consume before paying! »
Then he throws the contents of the glass at the bartender's face.
« HERE ! And keep it, your additive dirt! » he grumbles, resting the empty glass. « HEY ! EDDIE! WAIT FOR ME ! » he adds, running after his friend under the laughter of customers watching the bartender wiping his face grumbling.
Eddie returns to TerryToons Studios as fast as he can and then looks for Aiden everywhere. In the studios, in the boxes, in the cupboards with accessories, but impossible to find the little magpie. Arrived in front of the caravan of Gandy Goose and SourPuss, he looks for Keffan... except that he sees no trace of the Tunman. No more than he saw Candice when her goddaughter was still jumping around his neck as soon as she saw him. Gandy then leaves his caravan with a script in hand ... when he is stopped by Valiant.
« Hey ! Gandy! Have you seen the little ones here? » he asks to the goose.
« The little ones? »
« Aiden, Keffan and Candice! Didn't you see them? »
« Well... Keffan must be somewhere here! Felix told me he brought him there but for the others, ... »
« He was alone in the studio? » the human is astonished.
« Well ... he must have heard the conversation between SourPuss and me about the school and ... »
« CANDICE ! »
Both jump at Roger's yell. The rabbit frantically searches for his daughter, whom he can't find.
« CANDICE ! CANDICE, MY PRINCESS ! WHERE ARE YOU !? »
« What is happening ? » Bill gets indignant as he walks in, followed by Heckle and Jeckle.
« The little Candice Rabbit has disappeared. » Eddie says.
« What? »
« And Aiden? Where is he ? » Jeckle worries.
« Surely with her! And I bet you Keffan is with them too! »
« Keffan? » Sourpuss is surprise, approaching. « But what does that mean? »
« It means that as soon as they come back, it will be necessary to watch these three! » Eddie mumbled, thrusting his hands into his pockets, feeling that he was far from finished with this affair if these three fellows had allied themselves.
At the SillyVision, Aiden and Boris (followed by Keffan and Candice) quietly enter Henry's office. Bendy is there and draws softly with the ink flowing from his finger as big black tears run down his cheeks. The little magpie cannot stand to see tears on his friend's cheeks, especially knowing what he had previously experienced because of Joey Drew (Candice and Keffan having been informed), he runs to the little imp.
« Bendy ... »
« Leave me alone ! » the Imp whispered.
« Bendy, I didn't lie to you! I swear ! Keffan and Candice came from themselves! What do you believe ? That I would have become your friend to hurt you? »
« Why not ? » the Toon growls, turning to Aiden by wiping his tears, leaving some big black spots on his cheeks. « The last time I trusted someone, he destroyed everything I had! All I loved! ALL ! »
Aiden jumps a bit ... but Bendy begins to cry, hurt by his dark memories. He was tired of those memories and betrayals that led to his abandonment and forgetfulness of all! Not to mention the Toons who mistook him for a monster when he was the victim.
Candice bites her lips then thinks... before plunging her hand into her hammerspace to get out a pretty bouquet of pink flowers. Smiling, she gives a light tap on the wall to warn of her presence and then advance.
« Here! Sorry to scare you! » she said, holding out the bouquet. « But it was I who forced Keffan to lead us here. I didn't want to believe him when he told me that Aiden was playing with a 'Demon'. »
The kitten hides more behind the door, still uncomfortable... when Bendy grabs one of the flowers of the bouquet. He looks at him for a moment, sniffs at it... then (to Keffan's astonishment) he eat it. Aiden chuckles a bit at the sight on Candice's face that seems intrigued by this reaction of the devil.
« Bendy is a vegetarian! » he explains. « He only eats flowers and vegetables! »
Keffan freezes and turns to Boris, who laughs softly, shaking his head. Candice then smiles and, placing the bouquet on the floor, she squeezes Bendy in her arms, surprising the imp who misses spitting his flower.
« Me too, I love the flower salad! You'll see ! We will be great friends! »
Keffan chuckles as Aiden and Boris burst out laughing. Bendy is a little lost a few seconds... then smiled by patting the head of the rabgirl.
Boris (recovering from his laughter) then gently push the little Tunman to his friend imp. The magpie and the human rabbit smile and quietly encourage him to go away to leave them alone, face-to-face. The kitten nervously takes his tail and sways on his feet. Bendy stands there watching him, waiting patiently ... then the little half-Toon begins to mumble:
« I'm sorry, Bendy ... I ... I didn't judge you very well without knowing you and... in fact, I was jealous of you because Aiden was constantly coming to see you ... but I didn't want to believe it was because you really needed help... Aiden told me what the Humans did to you and... I understand you want them... so ... since I'm a Tunman ... »
Bendy suddenly cuts him off by grabbing the little one by the shoulders, staring at him intensely with a neutral air ... before hugging the child into his arms. Keffan is surprised by this reaction and ...
« You're not like them... » Bendy smiled as he pulled away to see the child's face. « You have the soul of a Human but the heart of a Toon. You are like all of us, a Toon. In fact, now that I understand your fear, I tell myself that you and me ... »
« We are one ? » Keffan finishes.
Aiden and Candice frown, intrigued... but Bendy and Boris smile, pleasantly surprised that such a young child is able to understand that. But at this moment, the words of Felix become clear in the mind of the Tunman. Despite his own differences, he was like any Toon despite his human side. And so him, Bendy or any ToonTown Toon, they were one! One and the same heart that sought only one thing: happiness for them and for others!
After spending some time introducing themselves and discovering the episodes of the little dancing demon, the three littles of ToonTown go back to the TerryToons studios. But as soon as they walk through the studio door, someone shouts:
« HEY ! Here they are ! The little ones came back! »
The words are barely pronounced as a red flash emerges from the boxes and rushes to the little ones, catches Candice and holds her tightly in his arms. The lightning turns out to be Roger Rabbit, overjoyed and in tears to see his daughter safe and sound.
« Candice! My princess ! Don't scared me like this anymore, sweetie!« he sobs, covering his daughter with kisses.
Keffan and Aiden look at each other giggling ... when the little magpie finds himself caught in his mother's squeeze full of sobs and the kitten is also choking in his dad's arms.
« But where were you, all three of you? » Heckle indignantly rejoins his husband and son.
All the children look at each other then Aiden turns to his parents and, seeing Eddie coming behind the Toons, the little magpie answers:
« I asked to Keffan if he could distract Mr. Valiant while I went to tell the situation to my new friend. They wanted to meet him and he is very shy ... »
« But who is this new friend? » SourPuss insists ... before Gandy calms him down.
« Aiden, my little man! » the goose intervenes approaching the chick, leaving the kitten with his 'new' lover. « We have nothing against you making new friends but ... we are your parents and we are worried about you. So, if you could introduce him to us ... »
« NO ! » the three children exclaim.
The adults around them jump of surprise... but Aiden is recovering quickly.
« Uh ... in fact... he's very shy and he's not coming out of his studio. I already had to prepare him a lot for meeting Keffan and Candice, it will take me a lot more time to convince him to meet you all. But I promise you he's nice. We risk nothing. »
The other two nodded, smiling. Adults aren't convinced by the children's words, but neither Aiden nor Keffan really knows how to lie. So, they have no reason (and no desire) to force the little ones to tell them who their new friend is. But Eddie is determined to find the end of the story.
This is chapter 6 of "Inked in the Mystery" and the meetings between Bendy, Keffan and Candice. And add a great song of the "Lion King 2" and FINALLY Gandy and SourPuss become a couple ^^
Well, I admit, with Foxiso we were a bit hard with Eddie ... but I liked this scene and we wanted to show that Roger and Eddie are now very friends (Eddie is even the godfather of the little Candice) but that Eddie sometimes needed help to cheer him up. And some rabbit to prevent him from becoming alcoholic again ^^
In your opinion, now that the three little ones are friends with our little dancing devil, will Eddie find the end of the story? Is Bendy safe? Will they succeed in convincing him that they can help him find his place in the Toons?
Answers ... in the next chapter ^^
...
Ah! I forgot that! Notifications rated *
* It seems to me that Gandy's girlfriend in "The One Man Navy" is named like that.
* Shortcut of "rabbit-girl"
See you next time :D and leave a small comment (free but which encourages me: D)