A/N

Hey y'all! Welcome to chapter three. I don't really have much to say in this chapter, except that this is where we get introduced to the Chaos Entity, Harley's Guardian. Hope you enjoy the chapter, and have a good day/night :)

Three

The Ink was impatient. The human was slow to wake, leaving the Ink waiting. The Ink knew that the human needed it to survive down here, but it had never been good at waiting. The Master had commanded it to watch over this human, why was a mystery to the Ink, but it always did as its Master commanded.

The Ink Demon was a cunning and ruthless master, and yet he was benevolent when he wanted, and for some reason, this specific human had caught his senses. The Master was not one to make angry, and so the Ink waited.

The Ink waited for what felt like an eternity, yet it knew it was only a couple of hours. As it waited, the Ink studied the human. From what it knew, the human was likely female, by the way its frame was molded. The Ink watched as the human breathed, each one slightly less strained than the first.

The human stirred silently, but the Ink could see her trying to scope out her surroundings. The Ink was pleased. It had been given a smart human to pair with then. Good. It wouldn't do for the Ink's own intelligence to be wasted on something that wasn't even slightly intuitive or clever.

As the human continued to watch its surroundings, the Ink slowly made its way towards her, sinking into the human's skin when it had finally found a Point of Grounding. The Ink knew that the human was aware enough to know that something had infiltrated it, and yet the human did nothing. She just layed there, waiting for something to happen.

It didn't take long for the bond of the Pairing to form. As soon as the connection was made, the Ink knew that something about this human was different. Harley was special for reasons yet unknown to the Ink, but it was determined to figure out what it was that made the human so important to both the Ink itself and to the Ink Demon.

Harley knew she wasn't alone the moment she felt her conscience returning to her. There was another presence in the room, she felt it shifting around at her back. So far, it hadn't done anything, but still, that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous.

The woman kept her senses on whatever it was that was near her, trying not to let it know that she was very much aware of it. She startled slightly when a slight warm sensation crawled along her arm, seeming to get warmer and warmer. What was weirder (more so than everything that had happened to her thus far, anyway) was the feeling of it sinking into her skin.

She didn't really know how to describe the feeling, but it was bad, nor was it good. Whatever it was that had happened made her feel warmer inside, and she seemed to get a sudden jolt of energy. Harley felt like she was stronger, she felt almost powerful, if that was something to be described, anyhow.

Around her, the room seemed to almost brighten, getting more detailed as more of whatever was surrounding her sunk into her body. She could almost feel whatever it was in her veins, like it had actually become a part of her. As Harley studied the room, she couldn't help but think that the stuff that had merged with her body was the ink that seemed to just leak from the walls of the building.

Just as she was slightly starting to relax, something in her seemed to decide that it hated her. There was another presence in her head. The presence itself wasn't necessarily volatile, but it wasn't all together friendly either. It was starting to look like the ink that had merged with her was doing something to her, making her feel strange. And not in a good way.

Had this been what her grandfather was on about? If it was, why in the living hell did he think it'd be a good idea to send his twenty-three year old granddaughter to this hell hole?

Something in her mind shifted, making new memories form in her head, giving her an idea of where she was and just what she'd been through. Harley suddenly had the assumption that the ink that had molded to her body wasn't exactly what you would call inanimate. Although, with how things were going today, she had a feeling that the ink wouldn't be the only thing that wasn't as it seemed.

A noise sounded from down the hall, something that sounded like a guttural growl. It made the hairs on Harley's neck and arms stand up straight. Suddenly, the presence in her head became almost more tangible. Like she used to be under water and now she was coming out from under the waves.

HIDE

Harley didn't know why, but she immediately followed the command of the unknown voice. Whatever it was that had bonded with her, it was helping her, and the woman had a feeling that she'd need all the help she could get. Wherever the hell she was, anyway.

The woman quickly looked around the room, ducking into the hallway just behind her. The hall led to yet another room, only this one had two things in it. Some kinda box-looking thing and an ax. Harley eyed the weapon before shaking her head and moving towards the box. It was just big enough to let her slip in. She couldn't help but notice that the box was made specifically so that someone could hide in it, should the need arise.

And with how frantic the voice had been, whatever it was that was down here was more than just dangerous.

The woman waited in the little closet for who knew how long. Just outside the little window that the box had, Harley could see the inky surface of something much larger than her. From what she could see, the ink that was around the walls seemed to disappear as the thing came closer to her, like it was sucking in the ink itself.

She didn't really know how long she was stuck in the closet, but it didn't feel like very long. As soon as the noises from down the hall stopped after the creature left, Harley slowly opened the door to the closet. Looking around cautiously, she finally stepped all the way out, eyeing the hallway she'd come from.

There was no way in hell she was going back to the original room, and she had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to get back to the surface of the studio. If she was even still in the studio building.

So, after taking one final look at the room around her, she started walking down the path to her left, stopping to take the ax with her. So far, the presence in her mind that had warned her of the drawing danger hadn't said another word. Maybe because it wasn't at its peak in power? She assumed that was the reason, anyway.

There was no true way to tell how long she'd been traveling, by the time she reached the Music Studio. Just before the actual entryway was a large sign that claimed it to be the Music Department, but the sign looked to be covered in thick black ink, the liquid slowly dripping onto the floor.

The Music Studio was where Harley found the first audio recording, from someone by the name of Sammy Lawrence. She recognized that name. Her grandfather had always like the music director of Mr. Drew's. He often said that after a long day, he and Mr. Lawrence would go to the break room for a quick drink before bidding each other farewell. They'd had a good relationship, both as friends and as fellow employees of Joey Drew.

Pressing play, the audio recording clicked on, static filling the slight void between the start of the recording and Sammy Lawrence's words.

"He appears from the shadows to rain his sweet blessings upon me. The figure of ink that shines in the darkness. I see you, my savior. I pray you hear me. Those old songs, I still sing them. For I know you are coming to save me. And I will be swept into your final, loving embrace. But, love requires sacrifice. Can I get an amen?"

The audio recording seemed to cut off abruptly, the ramblings of a man long gone echoing in its wake. The hairs on Harley's neck stood on edge once more. She didn't understand why until another voice rang out in the room, coming from nowhere and yet everywhere all at once. Sammy's voice.

"I said, can I get an amen?"

Harley turned quickly, trying to figure out where the voice came from. It was impossible. No one else was in the studio aside from her. Well, her and the ink that had taken her body, she supposed.

What in the ever loving fuck was happening? First the weird ass room she woke up in, plus the Ink Machine, and then the Ink that melded to her, and now this resounding voice of a man who didn't even exist anymore. And, to make matters worse, for some reason, she wasn't freaking out. Hell, she managed to stay somewhat calm and rational when she had to hide from a creature that she couldn't see, when she was told by the Ink that had invaded her mind.

She felt like she needed to sit down for an eternity to even try and comprehend what was happening to her. And why her grandfather had sent her of all people to scope this place out. It was maddening, and not in a good way.

Unfortunately for her, and her very confused brain, she had a feeling that she wasn't gonna be able to just sit and rest. Not for a long while yet. And she was proven right only a few minutes later.

Harley had her back turned. It wasn't even for very long, maybe a split second to try and see if she couldn't find a way into the recording studio. She really should've known better, especially with how things had been going in the studio so far. It was the noise that had gotten her attention, just before her leg was impaled with something sharp.

The woman yelped, looking down at her leg, only to see a mass of ink had formed at her feet. It was almost human-like, but the likeness stopped at the torso. The pain in her thigh just above her knee was the Ink Creatures teeth sinking into the fragile skin. Hissing, she tries to shake the beast off, but it's no use. Without a weapon, she wouldn't really be able to get the damned thing off.

Harley paused in her efforts for a moment. She couldn't help but facepalm herself at her stupidity. She had an ax right in her hand. Had this realm messed with her that much, that basic thought was hard now?

With a yell, the woman swung the ax up behind her head before bringing it down hard and fast onto the back of the Ink Creature. While it didn't make the damned thing vanish, it did seem to stun it. Another swing to the Creature's head brought the thing down. Harley watched as it seemed to dissolve back into an inky puddle. That's when she noticed that the ink around her seemed goopier than it had in the rest of the building, bumbling like it was boiling.

More Ink Creatures were forming out of the bubbling ink, moving towards her surprisingly quickly. Suddenly, another Ink Creature formed to her right, and she felt a shock of heat run across her shoulder blade. The Creature that formed molded itself into a wolf-like shape, taking a strong stance in front of the woman, forcing the other Inky beings to fight the wolf.

Harley had a feeling that the wolf before her was the same presence she felt in her mind. The wolf itself was making quick work of the Ink beings, sharp fangs snapping the necks of each Ink Creature. When it was over and done with, the wolf didn't even seem to be breathing harshly, doing nothing but slightly licking one of its paws.

The wolf turned towards the woman, walking slightly closer to her.

"What are you?" Harley asked, her voice quiet from awe and slight fear.

The voice returned to her mind, the wolf meeting her eyes.

I'm what's known as an Ink Entity. I was assigned to you when you first came down here. I'm a protector of sorts, and my task is to make sure no harm befalls you. You may call me Chaos.