Oh hey look, the first shorter "Present Time" drabble! Also the randomized music puzzle for this one is based on the very first one I had to do... it really annoyed me so much just how much back tracking I had to do.

Anyways hope y'all enjoy!

"I'm… getting too… old for this," Henry panted softly as he back tracked for the sixth time to the projector room. Forget how ridiculous Joey could be with making things complicated, Sammy Lawrence was just as bad at this point in Henry's opinion. Then again Henry shouldn't have been to surprised… Sammy always had a thing for his music, especially his piano.

Which was why it annoyed Henry so much in trying to find the right notes to play on the damn thing to open the sanctuary while the projector runs. Not to mention his added frustration of having to run from the drum straight to the piano for two specific notes then make a final run to the Bass. It was just another thing to add to his growing list of problems with today in general. The old animator was just feeling done with the day… but also a lingering sense of fear still from everything as well.

It also didn't help ease that latter feeling from the number of Bendy cutouts that seemed to increase each time he messed up… it also really felt like something the toon demon would do just to spite someone. Just sit back and enjoy watching them mess up so many times, and even secretly move things to make them feel paranoid. Though one thing Henry was glad for with the cutouts… none of them seemed to be trying to interfere with what he was trying to do or actually trip him up, like the real Bendy.

It added a sense of unease for the old animator, but also a pang of sadness. He just wanted to see his real little buddy again, not things that held his image. Henry also wanted to apologize to the little toon so much and tell him how much he missed his and the rest of the toon's company.

Then again… Thirty years is a little too late now isn't it? Henry thought with a long face as he sat down to catch his breath before attempting another marathon. He pulled out the picture he drew when he first got there and carefully unfolded it.

The happy faces he drew for the cast felt so out of place in how hellish this studio seemed to be now. The old animator started to feel fresh tears starting to fill his eyes as he stared at his rough drawing.

"I'm so sorry guys…" Henry's voice shook at his apology. He really wished things could be like back then… he really wished he never got drafted for the war in general.

The sound of two piano notes playing snapped Henry out of his reflections and left him confused. Was he going insane from all the notes he was trying to play?

Just as he was questioning it he heard them again, played at a slower pace this time. Henry could pick up that one was a higher note, the second was lower but it still wasn't at it's lowest. Somewhere in the middle maybe?

Wait… Who's playing the piano down there? Henry thought after trying to mull over the note's pitches. Pulling himself up quickly as he could he gazed over the recording room… and saw only the Bendy cutouts down there and whatever… or whoever it was that played the piano had vanished without a trace.

Deciding to take the cautious route, Henry put the drawing back into his pocket and hefted his ax up to investigate the recording room. Once he did return to the room, thankfully not running there this time, he found it was still empty… except for a single cutout still being there unlike every other time he entered. This one was in front of the piano and staring at him like the others… but to Henry it was strange how it wasn't up in the booth like the others or even in one of the chairs like before.

He cautiously approached the cut out, seeing nothing out of place or even the slightest hint of movement from it as he did.

"... Were… Were you playing that earlier?" Henry questioned his gaze turning from the cutout to the piano for a moment. Silence was his only answer… as to be expected by this point, but still it got Henry thinking. He went up to the piano and hit one of the high note keys, then the other few out of curiosity until one sounded familiar to him.

Is… this one of the note's I need to play? Henry thought while turning his head to try and look at the Bendy cut out. The old animator practically had a heart attack when he saw that it practically appeared right next to him just as he was looking for it.

"JESUS CHRIST!" Henry screamed, one hand slamming onto the piano for support, a few notes screaming out from where his hand landed, and the other clutching at his heart from the scare. The old animator took a few breaths, calming himself down from the scare for a moment before speaking out with an annoyed tone.

"I'm not as young as I used to be Bendy! My heart can't take your spooks as easily!"

Silence was all he was met with once again, and Henry felt much lonelier right there. He felt like this place was really getting to him by this point. The old animator swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he went back to the piano and tried to find the second note he had heard. His mind replaying the two notes and comparing them to what he was trying to find.

It took a little bit but he finally found the two that echoed what he heard. Just to be sure he played the two at least two more times and finally nodded… then took to taking small pieces of paper from the lingering sheet paper on the ground and placed them on top of the keys he needed as a reminder. He was about to go back up to the projector booth, mentally preparing himself for another marathon, but paused and looked back to the Bendy cutout that remained where it last was.

"... Thanks Little Buddy."

Henry then left the room to the projector room… not noticing the smallest amount of ink forming on the cut out and making the ever present mischievous smile look into an almost sad looking smile.