Gale-Dragon: More changes to Chapter 5! Let's see how many you readers can catch the changes I've made (provided you've played/watched the game)?

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Miraculous Adventure in Joey Drew Studios.

Chapter 5 pt 2: The Last Reel of Truths.

~}i{~

The pathway to the Administration Offices was currently blocked by metal shutters, that didn't seem like they were going to open any time soon. So that path was currently out, but a look to the left side of the area revealed where they needed to go.

"Film Vault! Perfect!" Plagg exclaimed as he zoomed off in that direction, as the rest of the team followed. The black Kwami phased through the closed door, causing Sammy to pause for a bit to register what he just saw. There was a single Miracle Station that was off to the side. Something to bookmark for later, but that also meant that only two could be inside... The Heroes glanced up to see a walkway above. That might be a good place for them, Kwamis, and AI could hide if needed since they have the capability to do so even without being in their hero personas. Kim opened the door to the entrance to the Film Vault and everyone moved in. They saw Plagg staring at a doorway under a sign that read "Film Vault" with a film reel right over it that had ink flooding the other side of the door. Somehow... Not much of a surprise to the group... ... ... Is it bad that these kind of things are starting to feel normal?

"Now that's interesting," Markov stated as he looked over some kind of strange plumbing puzzle that seemed connected to the door, somehow. The AI scanned the structure before he said, "This mechanism is missing three pipe pieces." He looks between the pipe puzzle and the blocked door before asking, "I wonder if fixing this will drain the ink blocking the Film Vault door?"

Adrien gave a small shrug when he said, "Given the track record we've been getting so far, pretty sure it will. But where are we going to find the pipes that we need?"

Sammy placed a hand to his chin when he said, "As annoying as it might sound... We might have to search the area for the pipes we need..." The former Music Director shifted his weight a bit as he fidgetted with one of his overall straps with his hands.

That was when Tikki signalled everyone from inside a side office next to the pipe puzzle. They trooped inside the space, it was a little cramped with all of them inside, but they managed to fit. It was a little too obvious that the office was made to house one person. An Audio Log was sitting on top of the only chair in the office. Markov agreed to record the Log in Max's place before Tikki pressed the Play button on the Log.

The familiar voice of Thomas Conner's voice filled the air. It felt a little weird hearing the voice again now that they knew that he was Tom Boris. The voice started speaking when the Audio Log played, "Progress Report to the Gent Home Office. Client: Joey Drew Studios. Although we're making progress, the client's expectations keep changing. What started as a machine to simply mould life-size figures now seems to be teetering on the edge of magic more than engineering. Although, Mister Drew remains convinced that they are the same thing." The group glanced at each other as the voice continued speaking, "The process of running the cartoon film through the machine for the figure to imprint upon themselves is going well. We've had several near successes."

"Wait a second?" Adrien vocalized before asking, "Is he talking abo-"

But was interrupted by Thomas Conner's voice adding in, "One weird note, the first figure ever created was a failed attempt at the likeness of the character called "Bendy". Since that time, no other attempts of this particular figure have emerged. And the one that did, I dunno, there's something just- Hey don't play with that!" Everyone blinked at the sudden shift of tone by the stern voice. Then the sound of something familiar was heard coming from the Audio Log, and the group knew exactly what that sound was.

"Th-the Ink Demon?!" Marinette gasped out the moment she recognized the familiar growl of the Ink Demon. But why was his voice on this Audio Log?

That was when they heard Thomas Conner's voice emit from the Audio Log, "That's not a toy!" Then a sound similar to a mousetrap was heard and then the Ink Demon gave a quick yelp in pain. Thomas Conner's voice came back on with, "See, what did I tell you?" Whatever made the mouse-trap sound now sounded like it was being removed and the sound of the Ink Demon whimpering. The group looked at each other as they all huddled closer to the Audio Log just in time for Thomas Conner to say, "You're more like an overgrown toddler than a cartoon character. This certainly proves that you're not the Bendy character that Mr Drew wanted. Ah, better dress that before it gets infected, uh, if you can get an infection. Either way, it's best to get that wrapped, it'll make both of us feel a little better." The sounds of footsteps were heard and then the sounds of something being rummaged before the footsteps were heard again. "Might as well turn this off too," Thomas Conners voice said before the Audio Log ended with a click. Markov stopped recording and labelled the Log accordingly.

The group was quiet for a good solid minute before Marinette finally said, "Did Mr Conner just say that... The Ink Demon was... Made to be a life-size version of Bendy? And that this Ink Machine thing was... Made to create real life-sized models of cartoon characters?"

Tikki floated over to her holder when she said, "That seems like the case... But why would anyone want to do something like that?"

"Life-size," Markov muttered before asking, "Or Lifelike?"

Kim looked at the AI and asked, "Is there a difference?"

That was when Markov explained, "I remember seeing a picture of a Bendy costume for the amusement parks where I found Ms Benton's Audio Log. You know like one of those concept arts when making costumes or outfits. I remember that the picture had a post-it note that asked "But can we make it even more lifelike?" and it looked like Mr Drew's handwriting. But to get from more lifelike costumes to bring the cartoons to life... ... I hope I'm not alone in finding no logic to that."

Kim shook his head when he said, "No Markov, I'm with you on that... But from what Mr Conner said in this Audio Log, it sounds like Mr Drew was expecting the Ink Demon to BE a replica of the character Bendy or something like that. But instead, he got an oversized toddler who seems... Curious about everything around him... *Now in a thoughtful tone* Like an actual toddler..."

Sammy gripped his right overall strap nervously when he said, "You may have a point there... It does seem like... Joey was trying to, I guess, bring the Studio's characters to life somehow but it didn't turn out that way... Wait... *Realization* That means that The Ink Demon isn't a former studio worker or Bendy himself! He's something else entirely! Therefore, he wouldn't have known who Henry is! Or who Henry was to the Studio!"

That was when Adrien looked at Kim, Marinette, Markov, and the Kwamis when he said, "If so then... Why would the Ink Demon even care about... Either of the Studio's creators?" There was a beat of silence before the blonde said in a soft tone, "This is also bringing up a whole new slew of questions that just makes you wonder..."

Plagg was the one who threw in the comment, "One of them being "Why the Ink Demon would even Hate Mr Drew THAT much?" if he isn't anyone from the studio or Bendy himself? I mean, this new information just threw our previous theory about him right out!"

That was when Tikki added, "I'm going to agree with Plagg on this one, which is something that rarely happens. But... How does a creature that seemed to have the mentality of a toddler turn into something as monstrous as the Ink Demon? That kind of progress doesn't exactly happen overnight..." Her antenna dropped a bit as she realized what she said before adding, "And what happened to the others that have fallen prey to the Studio..."

Markov couldn't help but say, "There has to be more to this than what we already know." The AI glanced over the work desk in the cramped office before he added, "There seem to be multiple key points of information that we're currently missing." The AI was quiet for a bit before he finally said, "I seem to have a sensory bug that indicates that finding these missing pieces are the key to escaping the studio."

"Sensory bug?" Sammy asked in confusion.

"Markov's term for "gut feeling", since he doesn't have a "gut" to use," Marinette explained as everyone squeezed out of the office.

They all trooped back into the foyer, still digesting the new information that they found, where they spotted an Ink Maker in the upper right corner of the area. The Kwamis flew over and investigated the device.

"Hey, guys! This Ink Maker can print pipe parts!" Plagg shouted excitedly as he happily waved at the others to come over. That was when Tikki said, "And it can make the parts we need!" As the group looked over the dial of the Ink Maker.

"But where can we find the Thick Ink we need for this?" Kim asked as he looked around the immediate area.

Sammy watched the teens, AI, and Kwamis started searching before he said, "You... Seem to already know what to look for to make this device work... I take it that... You experienced more horrors after your run-in with me..."

Plagg poked his head out from behind the chairs in the foyer when he said, "Yeah, found out about the Ink Maker after your girlfriend tried to take Tikki, me, and Buddy Boris after she dropped the lift with us in it. *Scoffed* For a so-called Angel, she's been acting more like a devil." The red Kwami whacked the black one over the head when she snapped, "Plagg! Now is NOT the time to bring that up!" Plagg rubbed where he was hit when he said, "What? He asked." That was when Tikki scolded with, "Not about that LAST comment!"

That was when everyone heard Sammy asked in confusion, "Girlfriend? What are you talking about?"

The younger members of the group and the Kwamis glanced at each other before Marinette said, "Weren't you and Susie Campbell together when you worked here? You know, before the place went to hell."

Sammy's mood seemed to brighten a bit when he said, "Oh, Susie was just a friendly co-worker. She's a nice girl, a bit naive but she was a sweetheart. She was Alice Angel's original Voice Actress, but Joey thought Allison was a better fit for the role." He rubbed the back of his neck when he added, "I didn't want Joey to replace Susie, but he assured me that he got her another voice acting job at Archgate. I wouldn't have agreed to replace her if Joey hadn't had a job lined up for her."

The rest of the group glanced at each other with a suspicious look gleaming in their eyes. Something about what Sammy said just didn't sound right. Just didn't line up with the information that they already had...

That was when Kim asked, "Mr Drew told you that he got Ms Campbell a voice acting job at this Archgate place?" Sammy replied with a "That's right," before Adrien asked, "So you wouldn't have agreed to replace Ms Campbell if she didn't have a job lined up?" Sammy nodded but it seemed a little obvious that he was confused by their questions. Marinette placed a hand to her chin when she asked, "Did Ms Campbell know about this Archgate job?"

Sammy placed his hands on his hips when he said, "Joey said that he told her after having to break the news about Alice Angel and he told me that while she was sad about losing the part of Alice Angel she was ecstatic about the opportunity to work at Archgate Films. He wanted to tell her in person rather than through the company memo." He sighed before he commented, "I'm glad she managed to get out of here before the Ink took over." Sammy then notices how the rest of the group was looking at one another at what he said and he then asked, "Judging by your reactions, I'm guessing that you have a different view on what happened?"

This was going to be one heck of an explanation... But Markov presented Sammy all the evidence they have gathered about what happened to Susie Campbell and what she had become within the walls of Joey Drew Studios. Sadly, that also means what she did to the other Ink Creatures as well... And what became of her fate in the end...

To say Sammy was close to having another nervous breakdown was an example of the word "Understatement".

"WHY?! WHY?! WOULD JOEY DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO SOMEONE LIKE SUSIE?!" Sammy wailed in distress as Kim managed to get him to one of the chairs in the seating area to sit on.

Marinette placed a comforting hand on Sammy's shoulder when she said, "Given what we know so far, we were speculating that maybe Mr Drew used Ms Campbell's love of the Alice Angel character to make her a willing test subject for the Ink Machine, and turning her into Alice Angel. However... We are debating on how much of what she did was because of the Ink's influence or if it was her own actions... I truly am sorry about this, it must've been a strain on your relationship with her when she was replaced."

"I just... Just thought she was busy with her new job to write to us..." Sammy got out as he buried his face into his hands rested his elbows on his knees. "I was... Happy for her... That she was doing what she loved even if it was someplace else... But... That was a lie... Joey... He... He lied to not only me but the others and Susie herself..." the former music director sniffed out before wiping away a few tears before adding, "I... I should've been more suspicious of what Joey was telling me. It was too well-timed now that I think about it... Too perfect... But he knew Nathan, so it wasn't hard to think that he asked him for a favour..."

"Who?" the teens asked in confusion. Sammy quickly explained that Nathan Arch was the owner/founder of Archgate Films, also known as Arch Gate Pictures. Adrien commented that he's heard of Archgate Films, but he did add that there was some scandal that happened when his mother and aunt were kids that cause them to shut down. When asked what the scandal was, Adrien shrugged and stated that his mother told him that it was a bad scandal that Archgate Films couldn't recover from.

Plagg felt a little bad about what he said earlier when he said, "I'm really sorry about what happened to your girlfriend. I kinda wish we could've done more to help, but... We didn't have much of a choice in the end..."

Sammy was still a bit upset over this new information, but he was calmer now when he said, "No, I understand... You're still learning that Purifying thing and you didn't have a chance to find out if it would work on her..." That was when the former music director realized what Plagg was referring Susie as and quickly got out as he waved his hands in front of him in a flustered tone, "B-b-but she wasn't my girlfriend! She was just a friendly co-worker!"

Kim folded his arms in front of his chest when he stated with a sly smirk, "Oh, "Just a Friend", hm? Where have we heard that line before?" Marinette, Markov, and the Kwamis then stare at Adrien with a smug look on their faces. The blonde's cheeks turned pink when he realized that they were staring at him before he said, "I am never going to live that down even after we get out of here, aren't I?" A collective surge of "Nope," "Doubt it," and "Negative," filled the air in response.

Marinette turned her attention back on Sammy when she said, "Mr Lawrence, according to all the evidence that we've gathered, we thought that you and Ms Campbell were in a relationship." Tikki and Markov then went on to list all the little lines that Twisted Alice said and the tone that was used when Susie talked about Sammy in the Audio Logs.

Sammy was quiet for a bit before he said, "I was... Unaware of her feelings towards me... And I can understand how you kids thought that from her side of things..." He then rubbed a hand over his head when he added, "I feel like an idiot for being so oblivious."

Adrien felt a little self-conscious when he glanced at Marinette and said, "You're not the only one in that category... Urg, looking back, the signs were literally right there in front of me."

"In huge, bright, neon colours," Kim said with a cheeky smirk. This got him a "KIM! NOT Helping!" from a flustered Adrien and a blushing Marinette, which only made the smirk on the taller teen's face bigger. Sammy watched the teens have their little 'Argument' before he managed to crack a small smile a the scene before him.

Even after all the horrors that have happened to them, all the sick and twisted information that they have unearthed, these kids were still able to smile, laugh, tease, and comfort one another.

The Kwamis, meanwhile, were looking around what appeared to be a check-in office when they came across a lever. Both pulled the switch down and caused the metal gate to the Administration Offices to slowly creak open. The Kwamis phased through the glass to rejoin the group as they made their way into the now open pathway.

As they made their way further in, they heard the familiar sounds of a Buchter Gang Member. The group quickly moved against the wall as Adrien quietly peered around the corner to see a Piper hobbling away from where they were. "Not these guys again," the blonde grumbled under his breath. That was when he suddenly realized before he stated in a hushed tone, "Shit! I think we lost our weapons when we fell into the feathers!"

Kim couldn't help but ask in a hushed tone, "But couldn't you two take them down easily as Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

That was when Marinette whispered back, "Yes, but don't forget that we're trying to get through this without destroying more Ink Creatures than we need to. Don't forget, they were people at one point..." The group takes a few steps back when they heard another Butcher Gang Member coming. She then states in a hushed tone, "But having a little more defence right now might be a good idea."

Adrien nods before they slowly walk back into the foyer without alerting the Butcher Gang Members of their presence. After a quick transformation into their usual Super Hero personas (and after Sammy having an awestruck moment), the group went to planning on their stealth mission to find the Thick Ink. Since they don't know how big the area is, and Sammy doesn't remember the layout of the office areas, they reluctantly decided that they would have to split up. The Walkie-Talkies made noise when they were used, they decided to use their built-in Communication option in the Hero Weapons.

This time around Chat Noir insisted that Kim and Markov stay with Ladybug while Sammy stays with him. The others knew why the Black Cat Holder wanted this grouping, but none gave any signs of protest, especially Sammy. It was then agreed that both would take one of two paths, Ladybug's group would take the path to the right while Chat Noir would take the path to the left. They would also agree not to attack the Butcher Gang Members if they could help it.

Once one Butcher Gang Member hobbled by the group was about to split until they heard another Butcher Gang Member coming closer from the other end. So they quickly and quietly hustled into an office right in front of them and made sure to close the door behind them, so there would be no evidence for the Butcher Gang Members to act. In the office, they found another Audio Log on a little coffee table that was illuminated by a lit candle.

Markov signalled that he was ready to record before Chat Noire pressed the play button. The familiar voice of Joey Drew filled the office, much to everyone's displeasure. The Audio Log played the tape when the charismatic voice of Joey Drew said, "A small memo to all administration offices! Rumours have begun to fly that we simply can't tolerate any longer." The group glanced at each other in confusion at this line. What rumour? The Log continued, "The idea that the company is in some form of financial difficulty is untrue and a slanderous lie against us!" Now the group had a look that practically screamed 'Huh? Wait... What?' The Audio Log continued as the charismatic voice said, "It's also been known to me that some backroom incompetents are not trusting in my leadership. As leader, I'm always steering the boat, guiding our destiny. Looking at the big picture. No need for you people to worry about such complicated things. Just do whatever it is you do and trust your leader... Which is me." With that, the Audio Log ended with a click. Markov stopped recording as he looked at the others.

Sammy was the first to speak when he said, "I... I don't remember hearing this... "Memo" before, but... I remember talking to Grant about us being in the red again... I... I do remember him asking me to... Talk to Joey about cutting back on whatever this "Secret Project" thing he was working on because it was taking up more than half the budget again... I thought he might've been exaggerating, but given how often it was happening..."

Kim then said, "It also sounds like some of the other workers were starting to catch onto Mr Drew and his lies. And he was trying to cover up those lies with more lies while trying to convince the workers that he's got their backs. *Now in a suspicious tone* Just like how Lie-la tries to "convince" the others how sorry she is that she "missed" an event that she was "so looking forward to with everyone" because she "suddenly had some super important thing that she had to do for some famous person or charity" and couldn't join them..." The tall teen then looked at the others when he asked with that tone of suspicion still in play, "Does anyone else find it a little strange that Mr Drew and Lie-la are a little too much alike? I mean, even if they are somehow related, THESE many similarities is just... Weird..."

That was when Ladybug said as she placed a hand to her chin, "You're making a good point, Kim. If Mr Drew is somehow related to Lie-la and is her grandfather, then it makes sense if she has a few or most of his more prominent traits, but... The more information we find on Mr Drew, the more commonalities we find between him and Lie-la..."

Markov glanced at Ladybug then the others when he asked, "Are you suggesting that more than genetics are in play with this Mr Drew and Lie-la connection?"

Chat Noir couldn't help but add, "I was thinking the same thing when I, uh, "had my conversation" when I was out of commission." Yeah, he told Team Psi about his conversation with the Spirit of Henry Stein and what he learned from him. Most of the information was useful for their quest, but the rest they still didn't understand.

"This Lie-la person is the one who tricked you into coming to the studio, right?" Sammy asked the teens and AI. When they nodded in response, the former Music Director then asked, "I take it that she did more than just lying to everyone, didn't she?" The rest of the group nodded with sour looks on their faces.

Kim raised a hand when he said, "I'll admit to being one of the idiots who believed her lies at first, but once I caught on to those I realized just how much she's been manipulating us..." The tall teen sighed before he said, "I might not be the smartest of our class, but... Even I started noticing a pattern to Lie-la's lies."

Markov commented that he had already categorized all of Lila's lies as well as the severity of those lies. "Uh, can we put that on the back burner right now? Because we need to find out if there's Thick Ink around here without alerting the Butcher Gang Members," Ladybug said before she told Sammy that they'll fill him in about Lila and their theories about her when they're not in any immediate danger.

Once they made sure that there weren't any Butcher Gang Members in range, the group split as they took different paths to find their target.

Ladybug, Kim, and Markov quietly were able to navigate through the section they chose without running into or alerting the Butcher Gang Members that seemed to be on patrol. But Chat Noir and Sammy... Yeah, they seemed to pick the path with the slowest Butcher Gang Member that they had to slowly and quietly lag so it wouldn't notice them, but thankfully it wasn't one of the brightest.

Chat Noir thought they were making some progress until Sammy suddenly grabbed him from behind, covered his mouth, and pulled him into a nearby room. As Sammy quickly and quietly closed the door Chat Noir bit him on the hand that was covering his mouth. The former Music Director gave a quick, muffled yelp before he released the cat-themed hero, who was already readying his weapon. Chat was about to shout at the ink man about knowing he would turn on him when he heard the sound of another Butcher Gang Member getting closer. Both Chat and Sammy peaked out of the office they were hiding in to see another Butcher Gang Member hobbling into their limited view. The Butcher Gang Member that was already in the hallway turned to see the oncoming member. The two Ink Creatures made a chattering sound to each other before they continued on their routes.

The door to the office was quietly closed all the way as Chat Noir looked at Sammy, who started fidgetting between the hand that Chat bit and one of his overall straps, in uncomfortable silence. After a minute passed in the quiet, Chat finally asked, "So... You heard the other Butcher Gang Member coming?" Sammy gave a timid nod at the question. Then Chat said, "And instead of warning me and possibly alerting both of the Butcher Gang Members, you acted... By pulling me into this office while trying to keep me quiet..."

"I'm... Sorry for... Startling you... But I... I didn't want them to... Hear or know... That we were there..." Sammy got out softly as he fidgetted with one of his overall straps.

Chat Noir returned his baton to its dock as he rubbed the back of his neck. He was thinking that he might've been a little harsh on Sammy Lawrence, but... Yeah, sometimes the past can affect the present even if it isn't thought about. "Uh, thanks for having my back..." Chat Noir said in an awkward tone as he glanced to the side. Sammy gave a small short nod in response.

(Going to shift where all the Audio Logs are in this for plot convenience).

The two looked around the office to see if there were anything that they could use. The only thing that they could find was an Audio Log. Chat Noir picked up his baton and activated the recording feature (that it had for some reason) as Sammy hit the play button. The familiar sound of Wally Franks' voice filled the office when the Log played, "So turns out it's my lucky day! I got to cleaning some of the offices around 2 a.m last night. And what do you think I find on one of the chairs? A big freaking chocolate cake. Just sitting there! Practically yelling my name! You know? I work hard! I earn my pay. Every darn dollar. But you know what this company's missing? Little, benefitting perks. And this here cake? It's a perk! Hopefully, no one finds out what I done. 'Cause if they did, I can tell what would happen. I'm outta here." With that, the Audio Log ended with a click.

Chat Noir turned off the recording feature on his baton before Sammy said, "That was... Strange..."

"How so? It sounds like something Mr Franks would do," Chat Noir said with a small shrug as he docked his baton. He then said as he folded his arms, "From what we learned from his Audio Logs, he's cheery, mischievous, pretty smart, but a little lazy. Though if the chocolate cake was as big as he's implying, I doubt anyone would be able to resist that."

Sammy shook his head when he said, "No, I'm not surprised by his behaviour described in this Audio Log. It's Wally after all. I was talking about the cake he found in one of the offices."

Chat Noir tilted his head to the side when he asked in confusion, "Okay? What about the cake is bothering you?"

Sammy fidgetted with one of his overall straps when he said, "That it was there, in any of the offices." He let go of his straps as he moved his hands in an explanation motion when he added, "Joey had this rather strict "No Food" policy for the offices. He claimed that it was to prevent rats and bug from setting up house and save money on cleaning." The former Music Director paused briefly as he looked at the hero. Chat Noir made a "Go on" motion. Sammy took a deep breath before he said, "But I knew that some of the employees had some small snacks hidden in some of their desks. I looked the other way on those as long as they were careful about not leaving any evidence, but an entire cake... There's no real way to hide that without notifying anyone about its presence and at 2 in the morning..."

Chat Noir caught onto what Sammy was implying when he said, "You think someone purposefully left the cake there, in plain view, at that hour for someone to find? Why?"

Sammy placed a hand to his chin when he said, "At that hour... It had to have been Joey. But as to why..." He looks at Chat Noir when he said, "I'm not too sure." Sammy then waved his free hand a bit when he added, "Plus using a cake for this "skit" is weird? A cake, especially a big one, is pretty pricey, especially when we were on a rather tight budget. It's just so strange that Joey would waste money like that."

Chat Noir thought about that for a bit before he finally asked, "Mr Lawrence, do you think that Mr Drew was... Specifically, testing Mr Franks? Or at least someone on the night shift?"

Sammy shrugged when he said, "It's not beyond the realm of possibilities... But still... Why "test" anyone like that at all?" That was a very good question...

~}i{ Elsewhere Inside the Studio }i{~

Max groggily opened his eyes. He gingerly rubbed his eyes with his left hand as he slowly moved into a sitting position without hitting his cast. He glanced around the area to see where he was. It looked like some kind of well-worn bedroom. 'Did they find another safe house while I was asleep?' Max wondered as he carefully stood up from the make-shift bed. He then started looking around the room before. 'Where's my pack and phone?' Max wondered when he realizes that he didn't have either item in immediate view or on his person.

He peaked out of the room to see another well-worn area, but it appeared to be some kind of living room this time. 'Where are the others?' Max wondered as he looked around the area. The furniture, a couch and a small table looked old and well-used and upon closer inspection, they looked like they have been carefully fixed with some duct tape and some well placed wooden sticks or boards. 'Someone wanted these to last,' Max noted as he looked around for his friends.

Max then spotted a door that looked like it was on its last leg. 'That looks like it's been used a lot,' He thought as he walked up to the door. He then thought as he placed his right hand on the nob, 'But why would someone use this room more than the bedroom?' Max carefully opened the creaky door, a little scared that the door would fall apart if he opened it too fast.

Max froze at what he saw inside the room if it could be called that.

Max looked all around the room when he thought, 'This... Looks like... Some kind of cross between a full-blown police investigation and an intricate conspiracy board.' And that was basically the room, every cm of the room was covered in some kind of collected evidence or ink writing/drawing. Max looked over a nearby desk and picked up a black hardcover book entitled "The Illusion of Living. An Original Joey Drew Memoir". Max rolled his eyes in annoyance at this as he placed the book down and that was when he noticed that someone carved the word "LIAR" on the back of the book with some kind of sharp object. 'Guess someone knew Mr Drew was a liar,' Max thought before he looked over the "Evidence" on the wall.

That was when Max realized that all the writings were only in capital letters and there were a lot of misspelt words. 'That's weird,' Max noted as he looked over the "Evidence" again. He then thought, 'I don't recall any of the Missing People Reports involving Joey Drew Studios saying that there was anyone under the age of 14... But whoever wrote all of this seems to have at least a lower elementary school education, maybe the 7 to 8-year education group range at the most...' As Max looked at all the "Evidence" he couldn't help but wonder how this person was able to collect all this data while being trapped inside the studio. All that HAD to have taken a LOT of time and effort to gather, indicating that whoever filled this room has been here for a LONG time.

Max was starting to feel a little uncomfortable in this room, so he left. He made sure to carefully close the door before looking around the area again. 'Where is everyone?' Max wondered as he scratched his head in confusion.

Suddenly, he couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him as he rubbed his right arm with his left hand as he glanced around again, hoping to see anyone. But he was the only one there. 'Something isn't right,' Max thought before he continued his exploration of this safe house... At least he was hoping it was a safehouse.

~}i{ Still Inside Joey Drew Studios, In the Administration Office Area }i{~

Ladybug, Markov, and Kim quickly ducked into a connecting hallway office to avoid a Butcher Gang Member that they heard coming towards them from ahead. This is where they found another Audio Log on a little coffee table. Markov activated his recording function as Ladybug pressed the play button. They couldn't help but groan in annoyance when they heard the voice of Joey Drew yet again.

The Audio Log simply played the recording as the voice of Joey Drew said, "Listen, Tommy, I know you boys over at Gent are doing your best, but I'm paying for living attractions, not weird abominations! Whatever that grinning thing was I saw wandering around your office, you better keep it locked up! And I mean now! I realize that it was the first attempt but imagine if the press caught sight of it! Might scare off investors!"

'Wait! Is he talking about the Ink Demon?' the three thought at the same time.

That was when the voice of Thomas Connor was heard saying, "Is that your only concern about this whole thing?" Ladybug, Kim, and Markov glanced at each other before they moved just a bit closer to the Audio Log as the voice of Thomas Connor said, "I mean, yeah, the kid looks a bit frightening but that's it. He's harmless and just curious about the other workers. And he doesn't need to be locked up like some monster. He just needs to be watched." The three looked at each other in confusion. Was Thomas Connor talking about the Ink Demon too?

They heard the voice of Joey Drew make some kind of clicking sound, like a click of a tongue, when the Audio Log played, "Are you honestly thinking that that thing is like a child or something? Urg! Just keep it someplace where no one can find see it!"

That was when the voice of Thomas Connor said, "Come on Mr Drew, the kid's not hurting anyone and doesn't want to. He just wants to learn what's going on around him. Listen, I get that he wasn't what you were hoping for, but as you said, it was only the first attempt." Was Mr Connor saying that... The Ink Demon was... Originally... Harmless?

The Audio Log quickly switched to Joey Drew's voice when it continued, "Maybe you're just missing an element in this whole thing." That didn't sound good...

The Audio Log then played Thomas Connor's voice, which seems to be peppered with suspicion, "And what would this "Element" be?" Ladybug, Kim, and Markov weren't liking where this Log was heading.

Their suspicions were answered when Joey Drew's voice said, "The first attempt had to be a failure because there wasn't any soul for the creature to have. So let's just give the next one a soul. After all, I own thousands of 'em!" With that, the Audio Log ended with a single click. But Ladybug, Kim, and Markov continued to stare at the device in shock.

After a good minute or so, Markov finally said, "I... Believe... We just found proof that Mr Drew... Conspired to "take the lives" of others so he may put them into his "cartoon creations" to make them "Life-like"..."

Kim grimace when he said, "Urg! That is just... Twisted!"

Markov realized that he left the recording app on, so he quickly turned it off before Ladybug said in disgust, "Ug! Yeah, agreed!" The red-clad hero then placed her hand on her chin when she said in suspicion, "But... I doubt anyone would be willing to just let their souls be ripped out of them..."

That was when Kim said, "Wanna bet that Mr Drew didn't tell them the whole story when they signed up for that? Or if they even signed up for it..."

Ladybug folded her arms when she said, "Maybe... But... What happened to the Ink Demon during this?"

Markov quickly analyzed the recording before saying, "Judging by what was said, it seems like... Mr Connor was... Defending the Ink Demon..."

Kim looked between the AI and Ladybug when he said, "It also sounded like Mr Connor did see the Ink Demon like a little kid." The tall teen then added in concern, "And it also sounded like he cared about him too, so I doubt Mr Connor would've just left him with someone like Mr Drew..."

Ladybug then said as she looked at the two, "Agreed... Something must've happened between when this Audio Log was made and before Mr Connor left the studio with his future wife to make him leave the Ink Demon behind with Mr Drew... And the fact that the Ink Demon went from this harmless, curious child-like creature to the terrifying monster we've come to fear... Damn! We're still missing a lot of critical information!"

That was when Markov added, "You are indeed correct... However... From what we have already learned, there is a rather high probability that the missing information will either be equally unpleasant and illegal or more-so..."

Ladybug took a step away from the Audio Log and glanced at the door they came through when she said, "Given the trend to the information we've been finding, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case..." She glanced out the window of the door to make sure that no Butcher Gang Members were approaching before she said, "Coast is clear. Let's keep moving." Kim and Markov nodded in response before they three quietly left the hallway outlet as they continued their mission.

It took a good couple of minutes, but the teams managed to regroup in front of the office of Joey Drew. It was hard to miss the office in all honesty, there was this big sign that read "Office of Joey Drew" with a star in the negative space in the 'O' in Joey.

"Subtle as a wreaking ball..." Kim commented sourly as he looked up at the sign.

Markov noticed what looked like a fountain of some sort next to the office and wondered, 'I wonder what this is for?' Before everyone quietly trooped into the rather luxurious but aged looking office. They noticed the film reels with the studio's logo on the wall behind the office desk, not that they could miss that either. Markov raised a virtual brow when he asked, "Is it necessary for that to be in here?"

Chat Noir couldn't help but comment as he quietly closed the door behind them, "Given the ego of the guy, not too surprised he would do this kind of thing." He then placed a hand to his chin when he added in suspicion, "Just like Lie-la again..."

Sammy glanced at the group when he asked, "I take it you've been, comparing Joey to this Lie-la character a lot, haven't you?" Markov commented that they have noticed a lot of identical behaviours and traits with every new piece of information they find, so they couldn't help but note the similarities. Sammy cringed when the AI mentioned Lila's physical attack on Max, but that was when the former Music Director noticed the wording when he asked, "Hold on, "Physical Attack"? Are you saying that she has "attacked" someone without being physical?"

Ladybug let out a small growl when she said, "She tried to make our classmates think I was this "utterly jealous" person because she tried to convince them that she had this *mocking tone* "Oh so amazing life with Every Possible known famous person" *Normal tone* just because I wouldn't fall for her lies and called her out on them." She folded her arms in annoyance when she added, "She also completely ruined my friendship with Alya and practically turned her into an attack puppet." Chat Noir placed a comforting hand on Ladybug's shoulder at this. It made her feel a little better.

It didn't take them long to notice another Audio Log on the office desk. Markov turned on his recording app as Kim pressed the play button. Great... Another Joey Drew Audio Log...

The Audio Log whirled as it played the tape, "I know how much this part means to you, Susie. Alice means a lot to me too. All my characters do! In fact, I'll let you in on a little secret. I too really believe my characters are more than just drawings. They're alive. They're a part of us. And I want people to know them as well as I do. I want people to be able to shake their hand, spend an afternoon with 'em. Love them. Susie, I'll be straight with you. I'm putting together a small project. A little ceremony. If it works, a lot of dreams will come true. And I want you to be a part of it. I want you to bring Alice to life once again. What do you say?" With that, the Audio Log ended with a click.

The office was in silence for a good minute before Markov said, "I believe... This proves that my hypothesis is indeed correct... And I don't feel happy that it is..." Kim noticed that the AI was slowing his propeller down, so he quickly cupped his hands under Markov to catch him before he fell. The AI moved his claw to pat the tall teen on the hand as a thank you when he noticed a glow from the Seeing Tool. So Markov held the glass up to look through it, Kim managed to look through it too. Sure enough, there was a Hidden Message over the studio logo.

"Who is the man behind the monster?" Kim read the Hidden Message out loud. When he realized what was written, he grimaces when he added, "Two guesses on who THAT message is referring to."

Sammy clenched his fist when he spat out, "Two guesses is way too many! Joey that bastard! How can he do that to someone he knows!" The teens and AI could understand the former Music Director's rage. Although, Ladybug, Kim, and Markov might want to wait until they regroup with the rest of Team Psi before they shared the Audio Log that they found just before meeting up.

After everyone calmed down, they heard something that sounded like a squeaky faucet being turned on and it sounded like it came from right outside Mr Drew's Office! The group quickly exited the office to see the fountain spewing thick black ink into the drip pan below.

"Uh, how'd that get turned on?" Chat Noir asked before he shook his head and added, "You know what, forget it. Let's just grab the Thick Ink we need and get back to the Ink Maker so we can open the Film Vault." Everyone agreed as they made their way to the Ink Fountain.

"Damn!" Sammy vocalized at what he saw. Out of all that ink, there was only one glob of Thick Ink. That means that they're going to have to make multiple trips here to get more Thick Ink while dodging the Butcher Gang Members... That wasn't going to be fun...

As if on cue, all three Butcher Gang Members appeared into view. They all growled when they spotted the group, then they charged at them.

"Shit!" Ladybug uttered as she signalled the group to take evasive action as she grabbed the glob of Thick Ink. They all avoided the Butcher Gang Members as they hustled back towards the Administration Office Entrance. "Kim! Markov! Mr Lawrence! Get to the Miracle Station! Chat and I will drop the Thick Ink into the Ink Maker and we'll have to take care of these guys!"

Kim grabbed Sammy by the hand as Markov activated his thrusters and they bolted ahead of the Heroes, both of whom were trying to hold off the Butcher Gang Members as long as they could without killing them. Not an easy task if the heroes were being honest, but they were a hell of a lot easier to hold back than the Ink Demon.

The moment Markov and Kim, who was still dragging Sammy, burst out of the labyrinth of the offices, they immediately bolted towards the Little Miracle Station. The tall teen quickly threw open the door to the station before shoving Sammy in before he and the AI squeezed themselves inside the now cramped structure. Sammy held Markov in his arms, so the little fella wouldn't accidentally nick anyone inside with his copter blades, as Kim quickly closed the door to the Miracle Station.

The moment the door to the Miracle Station was closed, Ladybug and Chat Noir burst into the area with Piper, Striker, and Fisher hobbling close behind them. The red-clad hero rushed over to the Ink Maker and dropped the Thick Ink into the slot for ink. Ladybug quickly turned the handle to activate the Ink Maker as Chat knocked the Butcher Gang Members to the side. A pipe in an L-shaped popped right out of the Ink Maker. That was when the black cat hero shouted, "Bug! we better get some pla-"

Suddenly, inky webs covered the entire area, closely followed by the unmistakable sound of a heartbeat.

Ladybug and Chat Noir froze in both shock and horror as they realized that the Ink Demon was practically on top of them AND the fact that the Ink Webs seemed to be pressing the Butcher Gang Members down so much that they burst into puddles of ink (1). Once the shock wore off, the Heroes quickly looked around the immediate area for any signs of the Ink Demon. They spotted him on the walkway above. The heroes readied their weapons to fight, in case the Ink Demon were to leap down and attack. But... The Ink Demon only walked from one side of the upper offices to the other and didn't even notice anyone on the floor below.

Ladybug and Chat Noir remained battle-ready until the Ink Demon disappeared, along with the ink webs and heartbeat sound. The adrenaline still hummed in the heroes' ears for a half minute before they sank to the ground in pure relief. Another half-minute later, Kim, Sammy, and Markov peeked out of the Miracle Station and asked if the heroes were okay.

After a few calming breathes, Ladybug said, "Yeah... Just let us let the adrenaline clear our systems before we do anything else." She then looked at the newly formed pipe when she added, "On the up-side, at least the backtracking isn't going to be a hassle this time around..."

Chat Noir's ears drooped when he said, "But the downside..." Ladybug, Kim, Markov, and Sammy lowered their heads a bit, knowing full well what the black-cad hero was going to say.

"I'm being serious, what was Joey thinking?" Sammy asked, finally breaking the silence, as he hugged Markov closer to his chest. He then said, "Susie, Norman, Thomas, Allison and all the Lost Ones... They're all victims he's used this Ink Project on! Did he even think about what would happen if this "Ink Project" failed?!"

Chat Noir kept his gaze down as he and Ladybug stood up. The black-clad hero then added in a solemn tone, "Another Lie-la parallel... Both are just so full of themselves and believe themselves to be the smartest person in the room that the possibility of one of their ideas failing is unthinkable to them... And look what happened because of that egotistical arrogance..." Chat Noir pointed at Sammy when he said, "Mr Drew's caused not only you and the other workers an unspeakable amount of pain and horror, but also the thousands who were unfortunate enough to come into this studio." He then pointed at Ladybug and Kim at the same time when he said, "While Lie-la's caused strife, mistrust, broken friendships and who knows what else she has done before she came to our school but I'd bet it's a high number..."

"Wouldn't surprise me if it were the case with her, in all honesty," Ladybug stated as she glanced at the ground. She then added sourly, "And given just how ready she was to threaten me for calling her out for her lies, I knew I wasn't her first victim."

Kim put those facts together as he grimace again when he said in a disgusted tone, "I can't believe I haven't thought of that after finding out she was a liar, but yeah, she had to have done that sort of crap before!"

Markov couldn't help but add, "I am more curious as to why any incidences involving Lie-la hasn't been noted in her school record? I had to scan them when Max and I digitized all the school record, remember? If she has caused any similar incident that involved other students "attacking" her or faking the injuries to get the accommodations she wants, then those had to have been in her record. But I don't even recall seeing anything like that in her record, or even the schools that she had attended before ours... Which was a little odd considering that one of her biggest claims was that she travelled a lot for her mother's job... Meaning that she either lied about moving around a lot or she had somehow managed to alter her school record without alerting her mother or any of the school staff from her prior schools..."

Sammy waved a hand when he said, "Okay, I know I'm out of my element in this kind of thing and I don't know how schools are run now, but isn't it standard to inform the parents of any incidences involving their child if something happens at school? I mean, they do have her home address and home phone number on file, right? Plus, isn't it standard for schools to transfer a student's record to the school they're going to be attending afterwards?"

Ladybug placed a hand to her chin when she said, "Well, they have "a" address and "a" phone number for her mother but... Considering all the "medical conditions" she has, I'm sure our principal had to have called Lie-la's mother AND doctor..." She clicked her tongue in anger when she said, "I'm sure she somehow intercepted the paperwork for her emergency contacts and school record to edited them so she'd be the one to get those calls so she can confirm whatever lies she tells and prevent our school from calling her prior schools, all while keeping her mother in the dark about what's been happening at her schools. At least until Halloween..."

That was when Chat Noir said, "Given what Mrs Rossi said before we lost contact with the outside world, Lie-la pretty much manipulated her mother as much as she did our classmates." He let out a growl when he added, "What kind of person does that to someone who loves them..."

Sammy couldn't help but respond with, "I think you already know the answer to that one..." He looks to the ground when he muttered, "As do I..."

~}i{ Outside the Studio }i{~

As the police investigation on her daughter continued, Mrs Rossi received a lot of calls from the schools that Lila had attended in the past. An officer was there to take note of/recorded these calls for evidence, but that quickly became a half dozen helping the poor mother taking ALL the calls from those schools... Not to mention find out more harsh truths about her daughter...

"And all these incidences just stopped as soon as Lila switched schools?" Mrs Rossi asked the person on the other end of the call, who was currently on speaker for the police officers to hear and note.

"Yes, they did," the person on the other end of the call confirmed. They then added, "We have already talked with the student's parents about those incidences and got their side of the story after you and your daughter moved away. We've tried contacting you to get your side of things and hopefully clarify a few things, but for some reason, the number we had for you on file was no longer connected and all of the emergency contacts weren't even in service."

'This sounded familiar' Mrs Rossi thought before she asked, "But you have contacted the number you had for me on file before, correct?"

"That is correct," the person on the other end of the line confirmed before saying, "We used that number to call you to confirm that Mrs Rossi had to miss Fridays because she needed to be in the hospital for her ongoing treatment for tuberculosis. We later called the doctor's number on file and she confirmed it as well. Ms Rosssi then brought in the doctor's notes that we later added to her file."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Mrs Rossi had to do a double-take on what was just said. She then got out in shock, "You mean that your school DOESN'T have a three day weekend?!"

There was a beat of silence when the person on the other line then said, "No... Our school week is Mondays through Fridays, unless it's a major holiday or teacher planning day, just like any other school as stated in our school's policy book that all new students receive and should've given to their families to read..." The person on the other line then asked, "Madam, does Lila Rossi have any breathing problems that require her to be absent from school every Friday? Or any medical problems that would impede her from participating fully in school activities, particularly Physical Education or School Sports Events?"

Mrs Rossi buried her face in her hands when she got out, "No... Lila is physically healthy... Has been since she was six..."

The police officer taking note/recording the conversation took pity on the poor woman and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I see..." the person on the other end of the line vocalized before saying, "The student that Ms Rossi accused of bullying her... They said that Ms Rossi was lying about tuberculosis because their cousin had it and the medical treatment was completely different from what Ms Rossi was claiming... And thinking about what the teacher informed me, Ms Rossi started claiming that the student started bullying her because of this soon after..."

"Mio Dio (2)! How was I not able to see what she's been doing?!" Mrs Rossi got out, but from the tone she used... It sounded like she didn't mean to say that out loud...

To Mrs Rossi... She now felt like she completely failed as a mother...

~}i{ Back Inside Joey Drew Studios }i{~

As soon as the last blob of Thick Ink was dropped into the Ink Maker, the rest of Team Psi managed to make their way down. The moment they were in range, Buddy Boris quickly hugged the teens while Norman, Allison Angel, and Tom Boris were visibly able to relax a little bit.

A minute later, they slid the last pipe into place. As soon as that happened, the ink blocking the door to the film vault drained almost immediately.

Before they continued on their mission Ladybug told the rest of the team that everyone needed to be up-to-date with the information that was gathered here. So Markov played the recorded Audio Logs in the order that they were found while Chat Noir played the one he and Sammy found. Allison Angel, Buddy Boris, and Norman were obviously horrified by Joey Drew's outright willingness to... Use the souls of others to further his outrageous goal. But Tom Boris... He was harder to read... It kinda worried the teens and AI a bit...

That was when Tom Boris made a motion, asking if Markov could play the first Audio Log again. The AI nodded and complied.

The recording ac such. "Progress Report to the Gent Home Office. Client: Joey Drew Studios. Although we're making progress, the client's expectations keep changing. What started as a machine to simply mould life-size figures now seems to be teetering on the edge of magic more than engineering. Although, Mister Drew remains convinced that they are the same thing. The process of running the cartoon film through the machine for the figure to imprint upon themselves is going well. We've had several near successes."

Adrien's voice was heard saying, "Wait a second? Is he talking abo-"

But was interrupted by Thomas Conner's voice adding in, "One weird note, the first figure ever created was a failed attempt at the likeness of the character called "Bendy". Since that time, no other attempts of this particular figure have emerged. And the one that did, I dunno, there's something just- Hey don't play with that!" Then the sound of the Ink Demon's soft growl was heard.

That was when Marinette's voice was heard gasping out, "Th-the Ink Demon?!"

That was when they heard Thomas Conner's voice emit from the Audio Log, "That's not a toy!" Then a sound similar to a mousetrap was heard and then the Ink Demon gave a quick yelp in pain. Thomas Conner's voice came back on with, "See, what did I tell you?" Whatever made the mouse-trap sound now sounded like it was being removed and the sound of the Ink Demon whimpering. The voice of Thomas Conner was heard saying, "You're more like an overgrown toddler than a cartoon character. This certainly proves that you're not the Bendy character that Mr Drew wanted. Ah, better dress that before it gets infected, uh, if you can get an infection. Either way, it's best get that wrapped, it'll make both of us feel a little better." The sounds of footsteps were heard and then the sounds of something being rummaged before the footsteps were heard again. "Might as well turn this off too," Thomas Conners voice said before the recording ended with a click.

Everyone looked at Tom Boris, trying to see if he would react this time. And he did... Just not the reaction they expected...

Tears fell from Tom Boris' eyes as his whole expression contorted into a combination of shock, dismay, sadness, and horror. He sank to his knees as he clenched his head in realization as the tears flowed down.

"Tom?" Allison Angel vocalized as she knelt next to her husband. She placed a hand on his shoulder when she asked in concern, "Do you remember something? Something bad?"

Tom Boris' fingers dug into his head when he opened his mouth. To everyone's surprised, they heard the sound of a worn gravelly voice say, "Hu...Hu... He... He wa...Was... Ha...Harm...L-less! He was... Like a toddler!" His arms then flopped down into his lap when he added in a soft sad tone, "Drew said... It was... Because he had no soul..."

The rest of Team Psi glanced at each other before they sank to the ground to sit. Chat Noir was the one to ask, "So you knew what he was doing before you left the Studio."

Tom Boris shook his head when he said, his voice slowly returning to the same voice that was used in the Thomas Connor Audio Logs, "Not... Exactly... I... I knew that... That he wanted to try... But I drew the line there... I... Told him that there... Was no guarantee that it'll work... And that... These were... Were lives he was playing with... As far as I knew when I left, that was where the whole thing ended..."

"Until you came back, huh," Kim guessed. Tom Boris nodded solemnly at the statement.

That was when Norman asked in a bit of a hesitant tone, "And... What about the Ink Demon?"

Tom Boris shook his head vigorously when he said in a rather angry tone, "That thing can't be Benji! Benji was... Was this curious kid! He... Might've looked frightening, but he was harmless! And he's..."

The rest of Team Psi looked at each other in confusion before Ladybug asked, "Who's Benji?"

Sadly, Tom Boris said, "It's what I named the first Bendy figure that the Ink Machine made. I had to call him something besides "kid", or the other things that some of the other workers called him. I knew calling it "Bendy" would be a bad idea, so I used the name "Benji". It's similar enough to "Bendy" yet you can hear the difference."

Sammy fidgeted with his overall straps when he asked, "I think I might know the answer to this question, but... What happened to Benji?"

Tom Boris closed his eyes in regret when he said, "His... Form wasn't stable..."

Allison Angel squeezed Tom Boris' shoulder when she asked, "What do you mean by that?" Although judging by her tone, she had an idea.

Tom Boris slumped a bit when he said, "I... I tucked Benji in his bed with one of those Bendy dolls, one that didn't squeak, before I headed home like I always did... But when I came back..." He wiped a few tears with his non-mechanical hand before he said, "His bed and the Bendy doll he kept was covered in ink... I... I thought it was some kind of joke, so I looked everywhere for him..."

"But you didn't find him..." Chat Noir said as his ears drooped.

"No..." Tom Boris said sadly before adding, "I... Couldn't understand what happened..."

That was when Buddy Boris tapped the floor in mores code. Chat Noir translated, "Did... Joey... Drew... Tell... You... That... Crap... A-bout... Him... Be-ing... Un-stable?"

Tom Boris frowned when he said, "Yeah, he did. He tried to be subtle about it, but I knew what he was trying to do! He "Implied" that Benji was unstable because he had no soul." He let out a sigh before he said, "I mean, Benji was a first attempt at making the studios' cartoons real and maybe there were some underlying problems he had that I didn't catch, but... *Shakes head* When I realized what Mr Drew was trying to manipulate me into helping him with "gathering the souls" for the Ink Machine!" All of Team Psi grimace at that. Tom Boris took a deep calming breath before he said, "To get him off my back... I told him I'd think about it."

"Did you?" Markov asked, more out of curiosity than anything.

Tom Boris shook his head when he said, "No, but I was more thinking about getting out of there before that bastard figured out that I wasn't playing any part in his "project" or wanted to work for him anymore." He signed again before he added, "Guess he decided to continue that "project" without me..."

That was when Sammy said, "So if Benji is gone, then... Joey had to have made another attempt at making a Life-size Bendy, but something went majorly wrong during that."

Chat Noir couldn't help but say, "If that's the case, then..."

Norman finished by saying, "Who is the Ink Demon that's been terrorizing the Studio and took Max?"

Allison Angel was the one to say, "It has to be someone from the Studio that KNEW that Henry was the Real Creator and that Joey was a liar."

That was when Ladybug asked, "But... Who would know both of those things?"

Chat Noir then asked, "Not to mention, who hates Mr Drew enough to want to kill him on sight?"

Everyone on Team Psi looked at each other at these question.

~}i{ Elsewhere Inside the Studio }i{~

"Guys?" Max called out through the safe house as he looked around again. He then called out, "Mari? Kim? Markov? Adrien? Norman?" When there was no response, Max was now starting to panic.

'I looked everywhere in this area and they're not here!' He quickly looked into what looked like a study for the 4th time, now just hoping he could see a glance at his friends. That was when he realized, 'I looked everywhere but... I haven't found anything that would serve as either an entrance or an exit to this place...'

If there was no way to physically get in and out of this "safe house"... How'd he get wind up here? Alone?

Max was so engulfed in his thoughts as he simultaneously tried to calm himself down while trying to think of all the logical possibilities he could have gotten in this "safe house", he didn't notice that the wall behind him became coated in black ink. Nor did he noticed the Ink Demon walking through the Ink Portal. Max didn't even notice when the Ink Demon walked closer and just stood behind him. He didn't know that the Ink Demon was there, until...

The Ink Demon let out a soft growl.

~}i{~

To Be Continued in Chapter 5 Pt 3: The Last Reel of Battles.

~}i{~

1) In this section of the game, the Ink Demon does appear on the balcony above (just walking across, don't worry, he's not going to go after Henry in this part) after you put the first blob of Thick Ink into the Ink Maker. He can destroy the Butcher Gang Members for you if you lure them into the Administration Lobby after you grab the first blob of Thick Ink, but you HAVE to put the Thick Ink into the Ink Maker AND activate it to spawn the Ink Demon's Ink Webs. Just make sure you're aware of the Butcher Gang Members while you are depositing the Thick Ink, they can still hurt you before the Ink Webs takes care of them. After the Ink Demon takes care of the Butcher Gang Members for you, you can get the last two blobs of Thick Ink you need without worry.

2) Mio Dio is My God in Italian.

~}i{~