Chapter 6:
The group was silent as the stared at the cartoon corpse lying before them, unsure of exactly how to react. Nino was the first to come out of his shocked state and took a step closer.
"This is a pretty cool set up," Nino said with an easy smile. "It's so realistic!"
Nino turned to the others only to find them staring at him in disbelief.
"Come on you can't really think this is real do you?" Nino said, gesturing to the dead wolf. "It has to be some sort of prop like they use in movies."
"Yeah…" Alya nodded slowly, clinging to Nino's logic. "It has to be fake. I mean, there's no such thing as living cartoons after all."
Henry pushed himself off the wall as he calmed down. He wasn't sure whether Boris was real or not, but he wasn't going to find out by standing around. Adrian and Marinette did not believe Nino's logic, the scene looking far too real and gruesome for a simple set. Plus the negative aura that just seemed to be emitting from the studio itself only served to convince them that there was something more sinister was going on. They could also swear that they could hear whispers coming from the ink dripping down. They didn't voice their concerns, but their hands did drift to where their kwamii's were hidden, subconsciously seeking comfort.
"Maybe we should get out of here," Adrian finally spoke up, tearing his eyes away from the display in front of him. He felt Plagg nudge against him under his shirt, actually agreeing with Adrian for once.
"Yeah," Marinette agreed, looking paler than normal. "I don't like this at all."
"But we're so close to getting the Ink Machine started," Alya protested, her usual confidence returning. "We can't give up now! Come on Marinette, you've faced down an angry Chloe, surely a Halloween prop isn't going to scare you off."
"This isn't even in close to the same thing," Marinette scowled, glaring at Alya.
"I promise we'll leave soon," Henry promised, going over and picking up the wrench that had been sitting in Boris' gapping chest. "Just as soon as we get the Ink Machine going we'll get out of here. Whether or not Joey decides to show his face."
Adrian and Marinette reluctantly nodded and followed as the group went back to the break room with everything they found. Approaching the closest pedestal, Henry took out the Bendy plushy and put on top of it. As soon as the Bendy plushy rested on the pedestal, it sank down slightly as a loud click filled the air. The same process was repeated for each of the pedestals.
"Now we just need to get the ink flowing somehow," Henry said once the last object was in place. "There should be a switch around here somewhere, and then I can start up the main power."
"Wasn't there a switch back in that theater room?" Alya recalled, thinking back. "Back where we found the Bendy plush?"
"Your right," Henry smiled, congratulating Alya. "Let's go."
The group made their way through the various hallways and just as they were approaching the theater room, a Bendy cut out peeked out from behind the corner before pulling back, startling the group.
"Alright Joey," Henry said sternly, rounding the corner. "That's eno-"
Henry cut off as there was no one around the corner, only the cut out leaning innocently against the wall.
"Where'd he go?" Nino wondered. Before anyone could answer, the project flickered to life and showed a test film of Bendy dancing.
"I really don't like this," Marinette murmured, holding onto the person closest to her. She was so nervous that she didn't even realize that it was Adrian that she was holding onto.
"I'm sure it's just old equipment," Henry tried to assure, though he didn't sound nearly as confident as he tried to portray. The teens followed Henry as he walked around the projector and pressed the flow button. A rumbling filled the air followed by a large crack. Ink poured down from the broken pipe near the ceiling and pooled onto the floor.
"This is what that dude must have been talking about when he said the machine was messy," Nino said, looking up at the pipe. "If burst pipes were always like this, no wonder he wanted to leave."
"No kidding," Alya agreed in disgust, lifting her foot out of the ink. "This stuff is nasty. I'm never going to get this out."
"Come on," Henry called to the others as he made his way around the still streaming ink. "We should be able to start up the main power now."
The group happily left the theater room and made their way back to the switch. Henry flipped it, but, outside of a few lights turning on, there wasn't that much of a reaction.
"I guess that wasn't so bad after all," Marinette commented, relaxing and feeling slightly foolish for all her fears. "I guess I was worried for nothing."
"I was hoping for something more dramatic," Alya sighed in disappointment. "Still, let's go check out the Ink Machine to see if it's working now."
"Just stick near me and don't get to close to it," Henry instructed, taking the lead. "It is still a large piece of machinery and I don't want you accidentally getting hurt."
The others nodded as they followed, rumbling of machinery getting louder as they walked. As they got closer to the Ink Machine, the negative aura Adrian and Mariette had been feeling seemed to increase with every step.
"Guys! We need to get out of here!" Marinette said, panicking slightly.
"We will," Henry acknowledge, not realizing just how scared Marinette was. "Just after… What the?"
The door the Ink Machine was now boarded up, though they could still see the Ink Machine through the planks.
"Maybe we should leave," Alya finally agreed, as both she and Nino began to feel nervous. Henry didn't appear to hear her as he walked closer to the boards. Just as he was about to lean in for a closer look, something large and black popped up and attempted to grab him.
"What the!" Henry shouted as he stumbled back, the others screaming at the appearance of the creature. "Bendy?!"
Though the creature did share some similarities with the cute cartoon devil, it was far too large and its grin more predatorily. It seemed to be staring at them through its ink covered face as it's clawed hands continued to reach for them.
"Run!" Adrian commanded, snapping the others out of their shock. They all began scrambling for the exit, though their progress was significantly slowed as boards broke, pipes burst, and ink poured from the walls, flooding the floor. The ink demon's aura seemed to stretch out after them, creating inky veins on the walls and ceiling. The group didn't dare look as they ran, their fear pushing them faster.
"I can see the exit!" Alya shouted as the rounded a corner and insight of the open door. The group began to hope that they would be able to get out of this alive when the floor collapsed under them, dropping them into the darkness below.