Inked in Mystery
Chapter 8: What a paradise in ToonTown!
The next morning, Aiden gets out of bed, still holding Bendy's stuffed animal in his arms and flies out the window. He doesn't want to add anything to his parents. They don't want to listen to him, thinking that the devil had brainwashed him. So if he was talking about what Joey had done to Boris, he was sure they would take him for a liar or they'd think Bendy told him lies. They had to see it to believe it. He had to tell his friend that they had been discovered and that they would have trouble coming to see him.
But hardly is he outside that he falls on his parents.
« Where did you think you were going, little boy? » his father smiled, amused to know his son as well.
The chick tightens his stuffed toy, knowing that his parents might want to destroy it. Jeckle seems a little saddened to see almost fear in his child's eyes ... but he keeps a smile on his beak.
« Aiden, sweetheart... today, we decided to stay with you a little. Besides, we will try to spend more family time, chick. »
« No need ! » the boy replies, still furious with the slap of the day before (which always hurts him when he thinks about it). « In addition, you have episodes to turn if you don't want to disappear. »
« Don't worry about that, my boy! » Heckle smiled, despite Aiden's furious glare. « We will always continue to shoot our episodes. But today, we are enjoying our family! And you become big now. It's time for you to find your place in ToonTown. »
Aiden frowns but his mother catches him in his arms and, after placing a kiss on his cheek, he smiles:
« You will be a great actor when you grow up! »
« But you must understand how lucky you are to be a Toon and live here in ToonTown! » his father adds.
Without further explanation, the two magpies move away in ToonTown.
After a few meters, they stop in front of Gandy Goose's and SourPuss's house. Heckle goes to the door and is greeted by SourPuss. He whispers something to him and the cat responds with a big smile as he raises his thumb.
« Gandy? Keffan? It's time to go! » he calls.
The goose and the kitten Tunman come out, one with a big smile as we usually see but the other seems a little lost. He looks up at Aiden and questions him but the chick can only shrug. He doesn't understand what their parents want to do. Suddenly, they hear the voice of Roger Rabbit.
« HEY ! Friends ! » he cries happily, followed by Jessica and Candice.
The girl holds her Alice Angel doll with one hand and her mother's hand with the other. As soon as she is close enough, the boys question her with a look... but the girl shrugs, completely lost. The three ''fathers'' mutter each other before turning to the children (Jeckle having put Aiden on the ground).
« Well ! » SourPuss smiled. « You must be wondering why all three of you have been brought together, right? »
The little ones shrug their shoulders and look at each other, expecting perhaps a collective 'shouting'... but Roger smiles, declaring as if it was the biggest news of the century:
« Today, we will make you discover all the wonders of ToonTown! »
« But Dad... we know all ToonTown! » Candice exclaims. « We were born there all three! »
Keffan gives him a look that says, « Don't you forget something? » forcing Aiden to giggle as the rabgirl puts her hand on her mouth to hide an embarrassed smile.
« Sorry, Kef '... »
« You ''think'' to know all ToonTown, children! » Heckle corrects. « But there are many things you don't know yet! »
« You are the next generation of Toons! » Jeckle adds. « Those who will carry our voices even if many of us disappeared! »
« You will accomplish great things! » Gandy enthuses, hugging his boy.
« But for that, you must learn where your place is in our city. Come on! Forward! » Roger concludes, coaching the children after him.
The three little ones look at each other, forcing their eyebrows, unable to understand what their parents want to do to them... when Aiden stops. In the distance, he sees the SillyVision tunnel, sad, barricaded by new boards. His heart sinks as he thinks of Bendy, forgotten by all and flees like the plague while he was the victim. Clutching his Bendy plush, his paws begin to direct him to the abandoned tunnel... when Jeckle takes his hand.
« Come, sweetheart. Let's go with the others. » the magpie smiled.
The chick is forced by his mother in the direction followed by others but his eyes don't let go of the tunnel before it disappears from his field of vision.
At ToonTown, they all go about their usual business, singing, dancing, working happily or playing, having fun, taking advantage of their Toons status which allowed them all these stunts that can be deadly to a Human and sometimes chaining gag on gag. Suddenly, someone whistles to draw attention to the small group that is coming. The children look at each other, intrigued, and Jeckle leads them to the colorful and happy crowd.
Dear children,
Make way, make way!
The Toons move away and smile at the little faces of the kids (though Aiden can see they are shaking and scared looking at his Bendy plush). Heckle strokes his boy's head to make him look up.
Littles ones, it's time you knew
The city of ToonTown is
All you need!
Taking advantage that the parents and the Toons around them begin to behave like Toons, laughing and dancing, the three little ones try to flee... except that Jeckle notices them quickly and catches them before being joined by Roger.
Parents take their children to the neighborhood where the greatest ToonTown dancers live, such as the Fantasia Hippos or some characters from the Merrie Melodies* or Silly Symphonies*. Roger smiles watching the little ones and sings:
The dancers are practising
They dance to an ancient song
The Toons start dancing and singing with the parents. Aiden and his friends are trying to escape again ... but they are stopped by three of ToonTown's most famous Toons: Disney Mickey Mouse, LooneysToons Bugs Bunny and Felix the Cat.
Who needs a new song?
This old one's all we need!
The three Toons lead the children into the crowd, wanting to make them dance with the others, annoying the three friends.
Wishing to really bring them back the smile and the joy, Gandy leads the children to his 'mother', the goose Petunia*, and offers them to make drawings, knowing that the children adore that.
This tradition is our mission
And dear children, there's so much to do!
However, instead of drawing something to color like all other children Toons, Keffan, Aiden and Candice all draw a portrait of Bendy with them, dancing and singing in ToonTown. The two geese refrain from screaming and look at each other, worried. SourPuss sighs when he sees this and decides to bring the children elsewhere.
Making laughter and have fun
That's all you need!
The cat decides to bring them to Geppetto, the Disney woodcarver, thinking that making sculptures with the old character and his son-puppet will change the ideas of the little ones. Candice (with her usual good humor) runs with Pinocchio (whom she knows well) and starts to paint a doll with him.
We share everything we make!
We make!
Keffan finds himself with Jiminy Cricket perched on his shoulder and (as Aiden next to him) begins to carve a toy in the wood.
We joke and we make great toys!
The kitten smiles as he paints his toy ... but the three adult Toons freeze as Aiden paints his Bendy sculpture in black and white. Pinocchio is intrigued by the sculpture while Candice and Keffan smile.
For the Humans who love us back!
Aiden takes advantage of the parents talking to lead his friends out whispering: « We should go back! » Except that the parents notice them and each of the children is caught by one of his parents.
Don't walk away!
Deciding that it was best to separate the children to prevent one of them reminds the others the devil, each couple moves away in ToonTown with his little one.
Keffan is driven by his parents to the studios of the WarnerBros, where many of the last Tunmans hid themselves before Doom found them and exterminated them. They pose the kitten on a seat and we bring him a photo album in which the kitten discovers some pictures of the Half-Toons who preceded him.
Keffan, stay on the ground now!
The Tunmans will need a chief
And there you are!
Kef' frowns, wondering if they're trying to caress him in the direction of the hair, and sighs as he lays back on his chair, thinking of the many dances he could do with Bendy at the SillyVision studio rather than listening these hacks made to flatter his ego.
Meanwhile, in the Disney studios (those thanks to which the Maroons Studios were still working despite the death of the director), Candice took advantage of a moment of inattention of his father to try to escape and run to the SillyVision studios.
There comes a day
When you're gonna look around!
However, her parents quickly noticed her absence and Roger catches up his daughter and brings her back to the studio by carrying her on the shoulder under the amused eyes of Jessica and Baby Herman.
And realize happiness is
Where you are!
Candice sighs, careful to keep her Alice Angel doll with her (her father had already tried to destroy her when the girl had let go). And to say that she could learn ballet or swing time with Bendy rather than stay at Disney studios to see princesses she saw as much as she wanted ...
For his part, Aiden had been brought to the Walter Lantz Productions studios* where one of the stars, the famous Woody Woodpecker, decided to come and show him all the advantages of the Toons who live in ToonTown (although the chick seems to be in deep boredom).
Consider the hammerspace
The characters that accompany Woody (such as Chilly Willy, Andy Panda or Wally Walrus) catch the child and lift him to Woody.
The what?
Woody takes the little one smiling, having fun to get out of his hammerspace anything and everything.
Oh can you believe?
We use everything we want
That's all we need!
Ortensia (wife of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit) approaches the little magpie with a big smile. As a mother of 420 rabbits, she knows she would give everything to protect them. Even if her husband couldn't stand Universal anymore (because of Charles Mintz who had snatched him from Walt Disney, using him as a slave), the black cat kept good contacts there. Then, as soon as she knew that the chick would be brought there, she had gone there.
Even Humans can't do better!
We're bringing them joy and fun!
The cat tickles the baby bird's belly, making him laugh and let go of his stuffed Bendy. Heckle takes advantage of this to take the toy and goes away discreetly.
We make happiness happening,
As we are their second sun!
Aiden then notices that his stuffed Bendy has fallen and he looks for it everywhere... when he sees his father about to throw it into the fire. Distraught, the chick flies away and, from a perfectly executed move, recovers his stuffed toy. Under the stupefied gaze of others (who thought he had finally returned in the right way), he tightens his stuffed Bendy as if his life depended on it.
And what about Toon physique ?
Our own remady !
Aiden takes advantage that his parents and others turn their backs to flee, returning to ToonTown ... except that Oswald catches up with him and entrusts him to his parents who ran to catch him.
ToonTown gives us what we need!
The two magpies smile by moves Aiden away from his goal as the chick sighs as he observes the tunnel in the distance.
And no one leaves...
Several days later, sitting in front of his house, Aiden sighs as he watches his parents smile at the neighbors who all come to see him smiling, all trying to make him drop this demonic stuffed toy.
That's right. We stay
We're safe and we're well provided
And when we look to the future
There you are!
Aiden turns his back on them and sulks as he presses Bendy's stuffed toy against his heart, restraining himself from crying ... when he sees his two friends: Keffan and Candice. Hidden behind an inert shrub, they wave to him to join them. The chick takes a quick look at his parents who continue to sing with the others.
You'll be okay
In time you'll learn just as I did
The magpies then lower the eyes to their little before freezing when seeing that the rascals managed to get the trunk.
You must find happiness right where you are!
The Toons are all looking at each other but no one can find the chick ... when Roger and Gandy come in their turn, looking for their own child. Looking at each other, they understand that the little ones found each other and spun.
Meanwhile, the three friends managed to escape ToonTown to join the SillyVision. After several days without news, Bendy had begun to worry and then was angry (thinking he had been cheated a second time). But as soon as the three small faces are back in his field of vision, he calms down and runs to hug them.
« You scared me ! I thought something bad had happened to you! » the little devil growls.
« It's a bit like that ... » Candice sighs.
« What do you mean ? » Boris exclaims, approaching.
The little ones look at each other, uncertain ... then they explain.
« We had to wait for the parents to turn their backs to run away and come here. » Aiden sighs after clearly explaining everything.
Boris sighs before turning to Bendy. The Demon, sitting on a chair, shakes as he stares at the floor. He seems disturbed. Now the Toons knew he was alive but since they are convinced that he is a monster, he is afraid. And if they decided to make it disappear? To alarm the Humans so that they come to the studio with solvent and thinners to make them disappear? Big black tears line his eyes and fall heavily to the ground.
« We just came to reassure you, Bendy ... » Candice sighs. « We didn't forget you ... »
« And we won't forget you, it's promised! We'll find a way to make them see you're like us! »
« No need ... » the Toon muttered, wiping his tears.
Straightening up, he walks up to the ''Dancing Demon'' poster and thinks about what he's doing in this episode. The children are lost, but Boris understands. From birth, Bendy had been different. He was born on Halloween on a full moon night and, if it wasn't for Henry, he would never have taken his first breath. And even after, Bendy had never known how to behave as Joey wanted. He was a demon ... but his heart was gold and he behaved like an angel. He was often scolded for that, but Henry was still there to cheer him up ... until he left. From then on, Bendy had taken refuge in what he loved most in the world.
Huffing a calm air, the darling devil starts to dance. Gently, as guided by a strange and uncontrollable force, he performs the most delicate steps, gently spinning ... and as the steps, his sorrow goes away. A smile appears on his face and, in a calm and gentle voice, he sings:
I love dancing with elegance,
Light and almost in a trance ...
Because that makes me happy
Ha!
Being with them isn't a need!
Candice, Keffan and Aiden look at each other before joining the Devil and trying to imitate his dance. Bendy opens an eye to see them and smiles, continuing under Boris's tender gaze.
If ToonTown is scared of me,
After all, it's their own choice!
But once you know what you like
Well, there you are!
Bendy sighs as he feels his heart lighten up, then turns to the children, falls to his knees and hugs them.
You are not like the others,
Stubbornness and pride
Mind what he says but remember
You may hear a voice inside
Aiden smiled, happy to see that Bendy was smiling again, though he could not see them as often as they wanted. Even Keffan and Candice smile, reassured. Bendy even has fun ruffling the kitten's hair.
And if the voice starts to whisper
To follow your very own choice,
Littles ones, that voice inside is who you are!
Relieved, Aiden jumps around Bendy's neck, promising without a word that he won't forget him.
Except that when the children leave the studio, they are stunned to see a Toon in front of the tunnel, leaning against the wall, showing that he has been waiting for a while. A black and white Toon with a large tail provided and known for its bad smell (even if the latter is a gag).
« Pepé? » Aiden wonders. « What are you doing here ? »
« I could ask you the same question, petit oiseau. » The Looney skunk with his french accent as he straightened himself up (with a simple impulse on the wall) before approaching them. « What are you doing here ? It's dangerous ! »
« No more than anywhere else. » Candice replies, shrugging her shoulders.
« Hey ! We're talking about Bendy! » the adult Toon indignantly.
« Have you ever seen him, at least? » Keffan provokes.
« Of course not, but ... »
« So how can you know him? » The chick gets upset.
Pepé is about to answer ... but he is unable to do so. He hesitates a few seconds ... then he replies:
« Bendy is a demon! Everyone says it ! »
« Maybe but everyone says that you perfume with Camembert No. 5 when in reality you smell nothing! » Aiden gets angry, seeing the opportunity to make a connection between the Looney and their new friend.
Pepé freezes, the pain evident in his eyes. Indeed, every time someone sees him, he moves away as quickly as possible, when, as soon as the episode was over, the skunk immediately got rid of that vile odor that was used as a gag to his episodes.
« Bendy is like you, Pepé! » Aiden says. « People judge him because of the ''On-dit'' but he isn't like that! »
The Looney seems upset ... but little Candice takes his hand.
« Come ! If you see him, you will understand! » she smiled as she dragged him to the studio.
Keffan and Aiden look at each other, wondering how the little demon would react, before following them.
Pepé trembles slightly when he sees the state of the abandoned studio, but the little ones hold his hand to keep him with them. Arrived in front of Henry's office, Candice opens the door and shouts:
« BENDY ! BORIS! We have someone to introduce you! »
The skunk is shaking, trying to stay calm, but when the devil Toon appears out of the office, he feels his heartbeat go faster. Seeing the new Toon, Bendy turns pale and hides behind the door, pale and shaking. Suddenly, to the great shock of Pepé, a wolf ghost crosses one of the walls and appears before them. Seeing the adult, he gets between Bendy and the group growling.
« No, Boris! » Keffan alarms, rushing towards the wolf to calm him down. « Everything is fine ! Pepé is a friend! »
« You want us suffocated or what !? » the so-called Boris suddenly annoyed. « You don't know that skunks are moving stink balls! »
Pepé feels stabbed in the heart, even if it was common as ''insults ''. Seeing his reaction (even if the Looney used to hide it), Bendy calms down and leaves the office. He approaches slowly, passing Boris and the children to get close to the skunk and watches him closely, just like the other Toon. Everyone sees the pain of the other even if it is hidden by a mask. Boris calms down when he sees the body language of the devil is serene.
« Bonjour... » Pepé muttered, trying to make contact.
« Howdy ... » Bendy answers.
In fact, they don't know how to contact because of the apriori. Seeing that no one will take the first step, Candice leaves the room with Keffan and they bring back a reel of film and a projector. Quickly installing all the material, they project on the wall the episode ''The Dancing Demon''.
As soon as the music starts, everyone turns to see the happy little Bendy dancing, first on swing time then on the classic in a tutu. Pepé observes, incredulous, as Bendy begins to smile, crying. This episode was one of his favorites because of the dance. The rhythm of the classical dance scene leads him to resume the dance. The skunk observes that surprised ... but the tears of ink, that's one thing that the Inky Toons like Bendy, Betty and all the old Toons of the time could not invent. The false tears (as in the episodes) were white to remind the clear of the real tears but their real ones were made of ink, black and thick, leaving traces on their cheeks clearer. Bendy's tears were true as was his dance. Pepé sighs, unable to believe that he was stupid enough to judge without knowing, as humans do with him.
After a little talk and the situation was explained to him (with the proof of the mutilated body of Boris), Pepé feels even worse. Looking up at the dancing devil, he sighs:
« I'm sorry ... if I had known the truth, I ... »
« It isn't your fault. » Bendy mutters. « You couldn't have known. Especially if you have never met Joey. »
The mention of the name is internally raging the devil who starts to boil, dripping his forehead. The Looney recedes, intrigued.
« Pourquoi do you dribble like this? »
Bendy wipes the ink running down his face, sighing, bringing everything back to his head.
« It's full of ink. » he explains calmly. « When I'm calm, I'm fine. I can stabilize my body. But when I have an emotion too strong, I dribble. It's as if the ink absolutely wanted to go out. Besides, my tears are much thicker than before. »
The four ToonTown Toons look at each other and sigh. In ToonTown, everyone was unaware of the truth or veiled his face by saying that Humans could not lie to them.
« How could anyone believe that a Toon has gone so crazy? » the skunk annoyed.
« Mind you, that's not the biggest problem at the moment. » Keffan sighs.
Everyone turns to him, intrigued.
« What are you talking about ? » Candice wonders.
« The parents ! » the kitten answers, drawing the annoyed sighs of his friends. « They want to shut us up in ToonTown and, even if it's been hours since we left, they are too scared to pick us up. »
« It's true ... the time we calm them, we'll have trouble coming here. » Aiden sighs, clutching his stuffed toy in his arms.
The children and Bendy sigh, disappointed and sad to have to put their friendship aside to calm the adults of ToonTown. Pepé observes that, thinks a few moments ... then smiles.
« I think I have an idea, les petits amis! » he exclaimed, drawing all eyes towards him. « Your parents want to put you in the ToonTown standards to make you forget Bendy. So why not make them believe they are successful? »
Aiden, Keffan and Candice look at each other.
« But even if we do that, they will not let us go. »
« Before yes ... but now you have an ally! » the skunk smiled. « I will help you ! Your parents think me in the camp, thinking I'm going to help them make you forget Bendy ... but once a week, I'll ask your guard and we'll all three here at SillyVision. What do you say about it ? »
The little ones look at each other then smile before shouting in chorus: « Brush, paint, eraser and pencil! If I lie, dissolve my chin! » under the laughter of adults.
Therefore, in ToonTown, each of them, the children play the ''model children Toons''. Candice makes gags with her father and dances with her mother, Keffan behaves like a little Toon kitten of his age and Aiden was once again the fledgling gambler and joker that he has always been (with the Toons as with the Humans). All are pleased to see that their Toonitudes lessons have borne fruit.
Look for the bare necessities
Why would we want to change?
We've got the happiest city!
And that is really a chance !
Pepé often hung out with the children, managing to reunite them without the parents knowing it. Otherwise, he would often go to ToonTown and play with each child around the others.
All ToonTown believe in us !
That's right !
Everyone believe !
The skunk and children were even amusing that others don't see their little game.
ToonTown gives us what we need!
And no one leave!
Dancing with the first Disney princesses, Candice makes her sweet little girl Toon back to earth and 'sane' to reassure her parents (especially her father).
So here I'll stay!
My home, my people beside me!
And when I think of tomorrow
There we are!
Keffan smiles as he looks at the photos of his predecessors and (though he doesn't see how it would be possible) he promises to serve as a leader for the future Tunmans arriving at ToonTown.
I'll lead the way!
I'll have my people to guide me!
We'll build our future together
Where we are!
His two dads are also very proud of this turnaround more than welcome. That way, their son wouldn't think about Bendy anymore and finally find a place in the Toons society!
Meanwhile, Aiden is careful to hide his plush and all his drawings, making his parents believe that he has completely forgotten the dancing demon in order to get his freedom again.
Cause every path leads you back to
Where you are!
After several weeks of separating the children (except Pepé, who was acting the nanny of the three children), they all thought the kids could hang out together again. Today is the first 'official' day when they see each other again after weeks! The three friends take their hands and smile as they walk through the other Toons.
You can find happiness right
Where you are!
Where you are...
All ToonTown thinks finally see the end of the ''Bendy crisis'' as some called it. But they didn't know that the kids were now and more than ever decided to get Bendy out of his studio and prove to everyone that he is not dangerous but just sad and suspicious.
Meanwhile, in the world of Humans, one night in Los Angeles, in a small apartment, a human sleeps peacefully. His short dark hair combed impeccably despite his sleepy movements and his eyeglasses are neatly folded over the edge of his bedside table. Suddenly, he starts grunting and struggling slightly. He begins to mumble: « Bendy ... Bendy ... »
In his dream, the man (then standing in a huge field of flowers, dressed and wearing his glasses) hears a Toon laugh. A laugh he knows but, in his dream, he turns his head in all directions, seeking the source of this laugh. Suddenly, he hears footsteps behind him. He turns around and sees a little black and white devil with a big smile running to hide behind a tree, laughing like a child.
« Bendy? » the human is astonished. « How is it possible ? Since then, you should have disappeared! »
He's trying to catch up with the little devil... when he hears his laughter behind him. Turning, he sees the little black and white Toon sitting in the middle of the flowers making a bouquet while whistling. Looking up at the Human, he begins to smile even more. The man looks at him, intrigued.
« How can you still be there when everyone has forgotten you? » he asks.
The man's gaze is hateful but he is especially surprised. Bendy pushes a little chuckle like a child (which seems annoying the Human) and picks a dandelion right in front of him. He raises his head towards the man with a big smile and blows on it, sending the flying seeds in the eyes of the Human under the laughs of the little darling devil.
« Cursed miserable devil! » the Human rage. « I should have finished what I started at the studio instead of running away with others! Do you hear me, Bendy!? » he roared, turning to the little Toon. « I WILL RIP YOUR HEART! AS I DID WITH BORIS! »
As mad, he throws himself on the little dancing demon, ready to strangle him with his own hands ... but when he opens his eyes, he is surprised to find himself in his room.
« A dream ? » he wonders before running his hand through his hair.
He suddenly feels something slimy on his chest. He puts his hand under his pajama shirt and take it out covered with ink. He frowns and retrieves his glasses while standing up. He goes slowly to the window and watches the city stretching before him.
« 30 years ... it will be almost 30 years since that happened. » he mumbles, observing the fresh ink on his fingers. « But there, the heart no longer beats reflex like 30 years. He beats with hope. It can only mean one thing... »
Straightening his glasses, he turns to the only picture still present on his past as an animation studio director. We see him, straight and proud, next to a dark haired man with ink on his fingers and face and with two Toons: a wolf in white overalls and a devil with a white bow tie. Clenching his fist, he seems to have absorbed the ink ... and smiles with a psychopathic air.
« Bendy is still alive ... »
Beside the photo, we can see a badge that he wore in the studio at the very beginning so that everyone knows who he was, just what becomes the name associated with SillyVision: Joey Drew!
Here! :D Chapter 8 was very quick to write so here it is already ^^
Moana's song "Where we are" seemed to me ideal for this chapter and the situation then I did it. It may not be the biggest song of the movie but it's nice for this kind of situation :D
Pepé has joined our friends and now helps them to see Bendy in secret. But something of the past comes back: Joey Drew! By the way, the actor I chose to represent our sick director is Mister... Johnny Depp! What will that say?
I have nothing against this actor on the contrary! I love it! And I'm sure of sure he would make us a fu****** good Joey Drew!
Ah! I forgot the notifications noted *
* Merrie Melodies: Created by WarnerBros Studios
* Silly Symphonies: Created by Disney Studios
* Petunia Goose: The one we see in the episode Spring Fever, a kind of remake of Gandy the Goose where the mother seems much closer to her child. With Foxiso, we thought she could have kept this role with Gandy, especially when he wanted to adopt Keffan.
* Woody Woodpecker's first production studio under the direction of Universal Pictures
Here it is: D And don't forget to leave a little comment to encourage me :)
see you next time: D