#Cloned’s Batim Fanfics

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 16: Erase

Summary:

Some things you just can't erase.

Rating: G/PG

The Ink Demon crouched down before the cell towers, gouging marks into the dirt floor with his claws. He could still feel the harsh lacerations of the electrical currents piercing his skin. The last time he had felt such pain was outside the cycle... however long that was.

The towers stood silently by- an ominous beacon warding off potential intruders against what might be locked inside the Gent headquarters. The memories of Wilson's tampering brought a vivid image back to him. His heart began to pound as he finally dropped his gaze from the structures. What was this foreign feeling?

He looked down at his hands to find sizable marks in the floor. No, that couldn't be possible. He wasn't... scared. Was he?

He growled, casting a resentful glower toward the towers. His muscles grew taut as if he expected the towers to spark back to life. How could he be certain they wouldn't? The only course of action to make certain of that was to destroy them. Yes, that would make this feeling go away.

Before he could pull himself to standing, footsteps echoed down the open space toward him. Without even needing to turn around, he knew who it was. "Audrey," He acknowledged shortly, never taking his attention off the cell towers.

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you," Audrey replied, coming up to stand beside him.

He stepped to the side. Audrey had a habit for getting too close. It was rather bothersome that she didn't appear to be afraid of him anymore.

"What are you doing down here?" Audrey murmured, following his gaze. Ink found her tone to be unreadable.

”Thinking,” He answered with a rumble. His claws were just itching to tear those looming pillars down to the ground.

”You seem tense,” Audrey commented and stepped in front of him. He loomed over her, but her face was void of any trace of fear. Her golden eyes scrutinized him with a notable frown.

”I’m not.”

”Your posture says otherwise.”

”Drop it, Audrey.” His patience was already wearing thin.

”What’s wrong?”

”Nothing—“

”You never come down here. Why now? Is there something bothering—“

The Ink Demon thrust his face just inches from hers with a sharp growl. Audrey took a step back, sudden fear in her eyes. “I’m here to get rid of those,” was all he gurgled as he shouldered past her. Don’t show weakness.

He could feel Audrey’s eyes trained on him from behind as he paused in front of one of the towers. A haphazard wall had been constructed around it in the form of a barrier with only the tip of the towers poking out above it.

He bunched his muscles and leapt. His claws sliced into the metal with a sickening screech as his momentum brought him back down to the ground.

Piece by piece he dismantled the wall until the tower and its control panel were uncovered. He prepared his final assault before his body froze in place. His mind wanted to move, but his limbs wouldn’t comply. What was wrong with him?

Audrey suddenly moved past him, pipe in hand. With a cry of exertion, she brought it down in an arc over her head. Sparks flew out of the panel as the wiring grew exposed.

Taking that as encouragement, he slashed his claws into the metal. Soon, the tower was a mess of ripped steel and cut wires.

Audrey stepped back, panting from the endeavor. He was about to make his way over to the other cell tower before Audrey called his name— well, his namesake. “Bendy?”

The Ink Demon hesitated and looked over his shoulder, prompting her to continue.

”I know you don’t trust me… and I know you don’t want to talk about it. But… I know what happened to you here.”

He felt a rush of that strange, foreign feeling run through his inky veins. With a growl, he accused, “How would you know? Were you there?”

Audrey’s eyes widened and she held up her hands in protest. “No! Of course not! Remember? I came here last cycle to find the End Reel. I found some audio recordings lying around. And… well…” She trailed off and ducked her head.

He was partially thankful she didn’t complete that thought, though he wouldn’t tell her that. The Keepers had done irreparable damage to his body, as to his mind. The very inkling of them and the nightmares lying inside that factory made his skin crawl. Was he scared after all? Him? The king of this studio?

”I know you’re hurting,” Audrey resumed gently. “But this studio, it’s an example of how you can’t change the past. If I could turn back time to stop Wilson and what he did to you, believe me, I would. What is done is done… Now all I want to do is help you. But I can’t do that if you don’t let me.”

He dug at the dirt absently with a claw. Audrey was a rather peculiar creature, wasn’t she? Even after all she’s seen here, she’s still willing to help everyone. To help him of all beings. Why? What did she have to gain from it? Did he even deserve it after all he’s done? After all he went through?

He struggled to control his breathing as flashes of the past swarmed his mind. He needed to lash out, to prove his strength. Surely that would be enough to keep his own demons at bay. 

Audrey set a soft hand on his shoulder. He flinched but didn’t shy away.

”I won’t push the matter,” she conceded. “But if you ever want to talk it out, I’ll be here. For now… why don’t we wrap things up? I think some demolition is in order. Who knows, maybe we can turn this place around?”

Ink was momentarily taken aback. She was rooted in her conviction to keep reaching out to him, even if most days he was dismissive of it. It was odd to have someone share the burden of his pain.

Audrey led the way over to the other cell tower. He slowly followed, lost in his own thoughts. Maybe he couldn’t erase what happened to him, no matter how hard he fought it or pushed it down into the back of his mind. But Audrey was extending a hand to him, claiming promises of a better future. Could he really trust her? The daughter of Joey Drew?

He watched as she went to work trying to knock down the wall and moved to help. 

In time. He’d observe her and make a decision then. But even now, the seed of hope had already been planted. Maybe the cycle had a light at the end of the tunnel after all.

[rapono-writes-stuff]

Projects I'm working on or am actively planning:

Red red red, why am I not dead? ch.7 (Carrion)

Started

Finished the first chunk of the chapter (everything leading up to perspective change). Having some difficulties deciding if I should scrap some scenes that were supposed to happen before the end of chapter 6 (changed order for better pacing), or try to rework them into it. Also dealing with the fact I've had to go wildly "off-script" since some stuff the original to doesn't fit with the fic retelling/doesn't make sense imo.

Out of your depth (Subnautica)

At least 70% done

Same Subnautica fanfic I was working on before, just changed the title. Old concept that's been a brainworm for years, that I've been slowly chipping away at. Nicknaming it the Transfuser AU. Getting close to the end of fic, just currently trying to write a high action scene while making sure what happens both makes sense and is easy for the reader to follow.

Your Coworker is a monster ch.4 (FNAF)

Started

Accidentally forgot this existed (thanks ADHD, very cool) until someone recently left a comment on it. Currently trying to figure out the pacing for the next chapter (how much should happen without ruining the pacing or making it boring), as well as planning how to pace the rest of the fic. (I am not the best at pacing long fics/not very good at slow builds so please pray for me 😭)

Nightmares do come true [title not final] (BATIM/BATDR)

40-60% done

Also accidentally forgot this existed (thanks ADHD, very cool). Sequel to Keep your friends close, and your demons closer. Got stuck forever ago and then unintentionally abandoned it. Despite not leaving any notes to self, managed to recall a bunch of my plans while ranting to friends about having not left notes for future me. Replaying/rewatching bits of the game to try and make sure I don't make them ooc before I start writing again.

The Graveyard Shift ch.3 (FNAF)

Still in editing/art piece not started

Massive roleplay I did with my partner being converted into a fanfic. While everything is technically already written, still in the process of editing the next chapter-sized chunk into fanfic material. Currently dealing with rewriting a scene that is inconsistent with things later established in the story, and with it also trying to fix a plothole that comes up multiple times throughout the story.

Are you one of us? [title not final] (Pizza Tower)

Planning

One of the fics from the poll of Pizza Tower fic ideas (Peppino loses the boss battle chase and gets adopted by the clones). Probably the most likely to be finished out of the remaining 3, but I've put it on the backburner in favor of working on the above.

My cell can fit two [title not final] (Pizza Tower)

Planning

Another more dark leaning fic (like Peppino's Day Off, but probably darker?). Without spoiling too much, Fake is locked in their boss room, and has been horribly mistreated. Peppino enters to retrieve the key, but is then locked inside until he finds said key. Peppino is forced to deal with the mistreated Fake whether he wants to or not, trapped inside with them. Also on backburner in favor of working on above fics.

[mwolf0epsilon]

20 questions!

Tagged by @corvod , this should be fun!

How many works do you have on AO3?

35 written works.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

589,410 exactly.

What fandoms do you write for?

Currently it's just Star Wars stuff.

What are your top five fics by kudos?

-The Joey Drew Studios Unused Reel Collection (BATIM drabbles) -Of Clones and Collateral Damage (TCW Whumptober drabbles) -There's a War Out There (TCW Whumptober drabbles) -The Frog Trooper (TCW fic where Dogma is turned into a frog) -In Which Fives's Coping Mechanism Accidentally Saves a Galaxy Far Far Away (TCW fix-It fic where Fives gets into a ridiculously situation)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to comments but sometimes when I'm in a bad funk I end up forgetting for a while. I just think it's nice to respond to anyone who was nice enough to leave their thoughts.

What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I am currently working on it :)

What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Definitely The Frog Trooper!

Do you get hate on fics?

Hmm, I haven't seen anything super negative yet and hope I don't in the near future...

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Very rarely and I don't usually share because it's a little embarrassing...

Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

When I was younger I would daydream about crossovers constantly, but putting it into an actual fic would be a little hard to keep up with.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not yet I haven't, and hope it never happens.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope.

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

In my DA days I did. But due to changing accounts I lost my parts of that fic, which I think my co-writer is still angry about to this day despite the situation that lead me to changing accounts being pretty difficult...

What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Depends on what I'm feeling, but right now I'm quite partial to Hogma (Hondo Ohnaka x Dogma) and Alphobi (Alpha-17 and Obi-wan Kenobi)

What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

All of my WIPS go through that process so I can't really name any for sure, because you never know...

What are your writing strengths?

Probably dialogue. I get really into it, more so than the rest of the story ^^;

What are your writing weaknesses?

Pacing, structuring and the occasional grammatical slip-up that comes from English not being my native language.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've written some Portuguese and Spanish dialog on occasion. But in star wars fics thus far I've sprinkled Mando'a here and there. I think it adds flavor because you can't expect everyone to speak english. That's not how it works.

First fandom you wrote for?

I honest to god can't remember. I was writing fanfics since I was a tiny kid with no real archive.

Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

The Frog Trooper is my pride and joy, and I am honestly happy it's one of my top 5 hits.

No pressure tags: @british-hero , @milfcutlawquane and @gaeasun

[nash-bby118]

BATIM Fanfic: A Different Tune - Chapter 4

Notes: A certain someone comes back this chapter! 

There really isn’t much to be warned about or anything. Same ol’ Rated T for swearing like the others were. 

Sammy practically stomped down the dark hallway. He hated this. He hated that his Lord had betrayed him and tried to kill him. Not to mention how he was STILL stuck in that prison of a body!

“What did I do, my Lord!?” He wanted to call out so badly but feared what monsters would attack him down there. He usually stayed in the Music Department so he wasn’t sure what all was down there.  

Granted, he had an ax on him but after what Bendy did, his body was still taking time to reform itself.

Sammy was about to continue ranting when he stepped up to where the broken elevator was. Glancing to the side, he saw his little sheep from the night before.

“What’s a little lamb doing all the way down here?” He wondered, feeling a little angry that the sheep seemed to still be alive and had managed to survive all the monsters in the studio.

Walking up to her, Sammy knelt down and began to stroke her face. She was still breathing, he could tell by her chest moving, but she seemed too exhausted to wake up.

“Hm…” Sammy hummed. ‘Maybe I can try again? Yes. My Lord will set me free if I tried to sacrifice her again.’

With that thought in mind, he set the ax down and picked the girl up, getting ink all over her clothes and right side of her face.

--- A short time later ---

Dani woke up with a groan. Her head aching much worse after that fall in the elevator.

“What…happened…?” When she opened her eyes, she tried to raise her hands to rub them but found something was holding them back. “Huh?” Now fully awake, Dani glanced down and saw she was strapped to a operating table like the Boris and Butcher Gang clones were. Her ankles and wrists had metal straps around them and there was another around her waist.

“What the Hell!?” Dani questioned, feeling very afraid.

She remembered that Alice had taken Boris- Oh shit! Where was the poor wolf at? Dani knew she had to go and find him. But who had taken her and where was she at? She didn’t think Alice would want her since all she wanted was Boris…

Looking around, she was in a small room flooded with ink. The table was down and not standing upright like most of the others she saw were. But it was making it hard to see parts of the room.

Panic started to set in when she realized she was trapped.

“Come on!” She whined as she tried to break out, suddenly getting a second wind and a burst of energy.

“Ah ah…” A male voice said in a scolding way. “You don’t want to be a bad little sheep, do you?”

“Oh no…” Dani muttered when she recognized the voice.

“Hello, little one.” She didn’t see it but she could tell Sammy was smirking behind the mask. “This time, I will succeed.”

Moving her head to the left, she watched as Sammy walked out from the shadows and approached her. Standing beside her head and staring down at her as she felt her breathing stopped for a second.

“S-Sammy? You’re alive?! How did you get down here?” She asked him some questions, surprised he had answered them quickly.

“I am. Seems not even death could set me free. I came down here to look for my Lord, to ask for forgiveness. I found you instead, however, by the elevator which seems to be broken. Looks like we’re both stuck down here now.” He chuckled darkly. 

“Oh well…I’ll love to stay and chat but I kind of need to go find Boris.”

“You’re not going anywhere. You escaped once, little sheep. But you won’t escape again. I’ll make sure of it.” Sammy glared.

“Why do you want to sacrifice me?” Dani asked. “Bendy tried to kill you last night! I’ll honestly stop following him if I were you. I mean, whose to say he could set you free to begin with?”

“You shut your damn mouth!” Sammy growled, hitting a button near him.

Dani watched curiously, wondering what the button would do.

A few seconds later, she got her answer. A bolt of electricity raged through her body, causing it to jump upwards, but the strap over her waist kept it from jumping very far.

She was barely able to let out a yelp let alone a scream. Which, to be fair, wouldn’t be smart. She really didn’t want Bendy or anything finding her in a way that would make it easy for them to kill her.

Even though it was only for a second, Dani found herself breathing heavy and trembling.

“I don’t ever want to hear you disrespect my Lord again! Do you understand!?” Sammy yelled.

“Y-Yes!” Dani flinched. “I’m sorry. I just…”

She tried to think of a good way to put it. There was no way she wanted to get electrocuted to death. Or mauled by a ink demon. Not when she had to find Boris so they both could escape.

“Spit it out, lamb.” Sammy said in a cold way.

“…I just think maybe you’ll have better luck…” Might as well try this. Maybe he’ll set her free…? “…trusting a human more than him?” She said the last part quickly.

Instinctively, she closed her eyes and moved her head away from him, expecting to be electrocuted again.  

However, pain didn’t come. After a moment, she opened her eyes, confused. Looking back up to Sammy, she saw him staring down at her  through the mask like how he was but he was silent. And his hands remained at his side, not going for the button.

“S-Sammy?” She whispered, fearfully.

Was this a joke? Did he want her to open her eyes and feel safe for a moment before hitting the button?

“Sa-” Dani started but was cut off.

“What did you just say?” Sammy was quiet but she heard him loud enough.

“I uh… said that you might have better luck trusting a human more than him?” She said slower this time, still feeling tensed and expecting some form of pain.

Sammy moved his head away, like he was concentrating on what she had said to him. His silence did scare her though. He could very well turn around and brutally murder her right here and she has no way of escaping.

“That’s all I want…” He muttered after a few minutes of silence.

“Excuse me?” Dani asked.

“I just want to be human again. That’s why I need to sacrifice you to my lord. So he could change me back.” Sammy replied.

“But…he might not do that. He already tried to kill you once. Do you want that to happen again?” Dani then noticed how his body had completely reformed before her eyes. “…And get your body all screwed up?”

Sammy glanced down at himself, seeing his body back to normal.

“Sammy, I’m really sorry you’ve been trapped here for so long but killing me isn’t the answer. Let me help you. I’ll…” She trailed off. “…I’ll give you the human interaction that you so desperately need. Isn’t that better than nothing?” Dani’s tone was quiet and just loud enough for him to hear.

“…Yes.” He said, keeping the same tone as her. “I would love nothing more than to interact with a human and find out how much the world has changed. Maybe even staying here forever? I do need that sort of company again. Heh. It‘s funny, yah know?”

‘I didn’t say I’ll stay forever but at least we’re getting somewhere.’ She thought to herself.

“What’s funny?” Dani found herself asking.

“I hated distractions…and just about all of my fellow employees. Strangely, those are a few things I remember of my old life. But now? I long for having human friends and companions again.”

“Oh.” She muttered.

“I know I was strict and mean to a lot of them. Especially those in the Music Department but… if I could see them again, I’ll apologize for it. You never know how much you care about someone, or a group of people in my case, until they’re all gone.” Sammy said, feeling hurt as he remembered some things that he did.

“How many lost their lives here?” Dani couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“Too many to count. God only knows what Joey did to himself after he was done murdering and trapping us all here.” Sammy started to sound agitated.

“I’m truly sorry.” She said, truthfully. “It’s awful that you’ve been stuck here for so long. And trapped like this. If I knew how, I would’ve changed you back already. Doesn‘t help that your mental health seems to have taken a very hard turn for the worse.”

“It isn’t your fault, little sheep.” Sammy slowly lifted a hand and began to pet her head. Unconsciously, Dani began to tilt her head in his inky hand, like a dog that was kicked by his owner and wanted comfort. No longer caring about the ink in her hair since she had so much in it already. A little more wouldn’t hurt. “If anything, it was all Joey’s fault.”

Dani took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, liking the comfort she was getting. It was relaxing. Now she knew why dogs liked being pet so much. But when she opened them, whatever energy she had earlier slowly disappeared as exhaustion took over her body once more.

Then the panic came back and she started to breath heavy.

‘No! Stay awake!’ Her mind screamed at her.

“Hm?” Sammy hummed, noticing the little lamb had tensed up suddenly and was breathing quickly. Too quickly for his liking. “What’s wrong? Please calm down, my little sheep.”

“C-Can’t sleep. Afraid…” She could barely get words out as she felt a panic attack coming on and her eyes began to tear up.

“Sleep.” Sammy commanded in a calm way as he continued to pet her head, ink starting to form a pool under her head. “You have no reason to be afraid. Not anymore.”

“B-But-” Sammy put his other hand over her mouth and shushed her.

“You aren’t a sacrifice anymore.” Could she believe that? “Just rest your head, it’s time for bed. I’ll make sure you wake in the morning…friend?”

“…Yes…” Was the last thing she said after he removed his hand from her mouth before closing her eyes.

As she went back to sleep, Sammy continued to pet her head until she was completely out. Then he grabbed a nearby rag and wiped the ink from her mouth and little from her face and head.

‘Was she really my friend now?’ He wondered. ‘After everything I’d done to her? I need a human companion so badly… but I can’t force her to stay here forever… can I?’

After cleaning her up, Sammy went and sat down in a nearby chair.

He’ll have to watch over her until she wakes up again. Sammy could only imagine what all she’s been through since the night before. Hell, he was genuinely surprised she had survived all the monsters and made it down as far as she did.  

For a moment he wondered how she got down there before remembering the elevator…and that angel singing in the distance. He wasn’t sure if the angel wanted to harm her but he’ll make sure she doesn’t.

Because this girl is his friend now. Not even Bendy can get away with hurting her. Not after all he did to Sammy himself.

“Sheep sheep sheep…” Sammy whispered quietly. Singing the tune to himself as he watched his friend sleep.

He decided to take the restraints off later when she was awake again. Then they could travel to higher ground together.

--- Meanwhile ---

Boris was shaking with fear as Alice dragged him deeper into the studio. He was tied up now and only hoped his new friend would find her way to him. But with all the turns, stairs, and corridors they were going down, it seemed unlikely.

He knew she would try to go after him. But he didn’t want anything to happen to her. Boris didn’t want her to suffer the same fate that he and all the other employees suffered through. Now they were all trapped in this eternal Hell. With him constantly on the run so he wouldn’t get taken apart.  

But there was one thought constantly finding it’s way back into his head;

‘I wish I got outta here when I had the chance.’  The voice echoed.

DUN DUN DUN! Surprise! 

I always liked the theory that Wally is Boris so I decided to add it to the story. Will Dani make it to him? Who knows! However, I might do a ‘bad ending’ chapter (It doesn’t involve Wally... not this one anyway...) to this one with Dani and Sammy. It’ll likely be posted before the next one... whenever I finish it. 

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 3: Hoax

Summary:

Sammy defies Wilson’s news. His Lord, the most powerful and influential being in this realm— dead? Impossible.

Rating: G/PG

”Children of the machine, have we not suffered enough? Our Lord has been slain, from the hands of an outsider. Will we suffer this injustice?? Will we bow our heads to a false ruler?? Or will we stand by our Lord? Will we search every corner of this world to find him, if alive-- as I can feel he is?? Heed my words, sheep. The Ink Demon is not dead. He is still with us, waiting to free us from our inky prisons. We must free him! We must usurp this threat to our sanctity! We must free our Lord!”

The Lost Ones gathered in the city streets below Sammy chorused their agreement, holding their weapons and fists high. Axes and pipes held at the ready, his followers were devoted in their cause. And what was their cause? Bring back their savior, the one who will finally put an end to their ink-stained hell— The Ink Demon.

Sammy’s fingers curled tighter around the axe’s hilt. There was no time to dither about. From the moment one of Wilson’s posters had been strewn up in the music department, Sammy knew he had to act. The visceral hatred towards this outsider had come to a head, and Sammy had his followers to back his conviction.

Such faith egged him onwards towards Wilson’s hideout. The man was rumored to hole himself in behind the boarded-up entrance of the Gent Factory.

Peculiar, he couldn’t recall when this location had sprung up. Had it always been here? Merely tucked away and veiled from prying eyes? Or was there something more to it?

Sammy reached the wooden boards and held up a hand for his followers. They obeyed the unspoken gesture— such loyal little sheep they were.

The musician brandished his brass axe with the back of his hand before bringing it down on the boards. It cut through smooth as butter. With a bit more demolition, there was enough room for him and his followers to flood into the next room.

Wilson was right there. Not hiding like he had anticipated, merely standing at the top of the steps with a malignant gleam in his eye. Two mechanical beasts flanked him, their spotlights scouring across him and his group like hungry dogs. Perhaps he had made too much clamor in the street. Not ideal cover for a sneak attack.

Sammy pointed the tip of his axe toward the man. “Blasphemer! What have you done to our lord?” He demanded, his voice carrying across the wide-open ceiling.

Wilson regarded him coolly with that same glint in his eye but refused to speak. 

How dare he look down on him like dirt! He was the Lord’s prophet, not a position he took lightly by any means. What he deserved was respect.

Sammy gritted his teeth. “For all the lies and false promises you circulated across this inky hellscape, it is time for you to pay the price, my little sheep. Our Lord is calling for us, even now. Can you hear him? I can still feel his presence. He will come for you.”

Wilson regarded him with an almost pensive expression, like he was only a lab rat for him to study. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the Keeper at his side lunged for Sammy. Rivulets of red raced across the Keeper's chest in a burst of color that had the musician briefly stunned.

In a rush of adrenaline, Sammy just barely managed to bring his axe down atop the Keeper's hand. The mechanical horror screeched, a sound that pierced his eardrums like nails on a chalkboard. It uncurled its other arm-- it had two of them? Sammy was grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air. His axe clattered against the floorboards. The weapon wouldn't be able to aid him anyhow, the Keeper had a grip like iron.

As he kicked and thrashed, his anger came to a full boil. "Heed my words, outsider! You do not know what you've done; Bendy will rise again! Our Lord would not abandon us! So kill me if you must! My words are true!"

Wilson appeared to chuckle at that. His followers watched helplessly; not wanting to risk their own skin for his sake, obviously. No matter. He would be a sacrifice. A sacrifice in the name of his savior.

"Kill you? No," Wilson finally croaked with a wicked sneer. "I have a different plan in mind, my dear Cycle breaker."

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 11: Melody

Summary:

Sammy's trial today was getting unruly and inexperienced musicians-in-training to carry a simple tune.

Rating: G/PG

"My Lord, if you please, do not pierce the drum head. We do not have any extra," Sammy muttered shortly. Of course it was an honor to be in his savior's presence, but he didn't expect for him to have such a disregard for fragile instruments.

"What?" The Ink Demon growled. "Where's the fun in that? You told me to hit the stupid thing."

"Gently, Ink," Audrey corrected for Sammy. The artist sat next to him, violin resting under her chin. She ran the bow across its strings, causing a high-pitched sound to pierce their eardrums. She quickly stopped. "... Sorry, everyone."

"Perhaps he needs some mittens," Allison piped up from behind the microphone.

"Good luck with that. You'd end up with a severed hand," Alice snorted from beside her.

"Who would like to try that idea?" The Ink Demon purred, tapping his claws against the drum head.

Sammy pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting nowhere with this lot. Only Boris remained at attention with his flute. The wolf was capable of carrying a tune, thankfully. Meanwhile, Tom lurked by the in corner, refusing to participate but actively watching this disaster commence.

Bendy kept bouncing in his chair next to Henry with his tuba. "Come on! Are we going to get back to it or what?"

"If you all would cut the chatter, we might be able to," Sammy answered in exasperation. They had too much to get to, and they were barely five seconds into the song. An hour had agonizingly rolled by with little to no progress.

"How can we? These note sheets hardly make any sense," Henry replied, squinting to try and read the fine print. They had only reviewed it five times already. Sammy sighed.

"You've never played an instrument in your life, Stein?" Alice challenged and moved to stand next to Sammy.

"We went over this--" Sammy began before Bendy raised a hand.

"Sammy? Which is this? A treble cleft or a staff?" He held up his music sheet toward Sammy.

"Pretty sure that's a staff, Bendy," Henry chimed in at the same time Audrey added, "That's a cleft." Both artists stared at one another in confusion.

Something ripped. The Ink Demon stood behind the torn-up drum head, his claws still embedded in its surface. "... That was an accident."

Sammy felt like ripping his hair out-- not that he even had any to begin with. This was nothing like his previous life. The musicians he had worked with at the studio were experienced, more or less.  At the very least, they knew the basic roots of sheet reading. His goal was to conduct them, keep them on track, and help correct mistakes when needed.

However, looking back on it now, Sammy never missed the constantly changing deadlines and overwhelming pressure he faced as lead musician. He'd spend days working on the perfect piece, only for Joey to come in a screw it all up claiming "It doesn't fit my vision". Many nights he had stayed up reworking an entire composition before the next morning.

He made music, he loved music. Sometimes he needed a reminder of that. This wasn't Joey's music department anymore. It was his. Perhaps he can learn a bit of patience in time.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 12: Copy

Summary:

Sometimes copies have errors.

Rating: G/PG

Sometimes copies have mistakes. Your printer runs out of ink or the cartridge gets jammed. You don't get what you bargained for in the end, nor what you expected. Words barely float on the paper; sometimes you'll get blank sheets.

Toying with the very forces of nature on the brink of magic... It takes trial and error. Lots and lots of trial and error.

First, it was Bendy.

The cartoonish imp had been fed through the machine in reels and spat out as a lopsided abomination. It wasn't what Joey wanted. It'd scare off the kids; more importantly, the investors. Its smile was all wrong, one of its gloves was missing, it dripped ink everywhere— the list went on and on.

It was wrong. And that wasn't just Joey's opinion, it was Thomas's and Gent's as well. The only reasonable course of action was to toss it aside and try again at a later time...

The copy was sealed in the closets and locked rooms throughout the animation studio as plans to fix it were underway. When more drastic measures were applied, he had even resorted to putting it in a chained ice box. He wished he could forget the mistake; could you blame him? 

None of the copies had ever turned out right. They were full of imperfections or weren't quite akin to his vision of them. Years went by and those dreams were left to rot inside the machine itself.

He was left a bitter, lonely old man... That was until he concocted another plan, in a similar vein to his first but completely different in other aspects. Perhaps he could make his own family. Not quite a copy, but something artificial.

There were a few mistakes. What was to be expected? One day, he was successful. He was given his daughter, a shining light in his otherwise dreary world. She was perfect in his eyes, regardless of her creation. He named her Audrey.

He tried his best in raising her until it was his time to leave this world.

Years later, Audrey discovered the copy. Rather than turning a blind eye at his suffering, she accepted him. She didn't see a mistake-- she saw someone trying to navigate the situation he was thrust into. It would take a lot of work, but she’d get there.

Audrey did what Joey could not... She took care of him.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 13: Bow

Summary:

Audrey loved trying out new bows.

Rating: G/PG

"Papa! Papa, look!" 

Joey looked up from his coffee mug and set down his newspaper. Audrey was skipping into the living room, all bright smiles and energy. In her hands was a large blue bow with white polka dots. He remembered buying it at the store for her a week or so ago. Or was it two? The days seemed to blur together these days.

”I see,” Joey said. He didn’t quite understand what she was getting at here.

”I want to try something new! Could you do my hair, pa?” She asked hopefully with puppy dog eyes.

Joey rubbed the back of his neck. “Me? I don’t know the first thing about that, Audrey.”

His daughter appeared a bit crestfallen at that admittance. “Please? I saw a girl wearing a bow in her hair. It made her look like a princess!”

”But you already are a princess,” He chuckled and ruffled her hair.

Audrey snickered. “I know! But please? Could you try?”

Joey sighed and set his mug on the coaster beside him. “Alright. I’ll give it a shot.”

Audrey squealed in delight and ran off to grab a brush and hair ties from the bathroom. She pulled up a chair from the living room, handed him the bow, and sat down. She kicked her legs back and forth in glee.

Joey never really paid attention to women’s hairstyling. Surely it couldn’t be that hard, right?

He began brushing out the tangles. Audrey’s hair had a natural bounce to it, so straightening it was out of the question. He then examined the bow. Somehow he would have to clip it into her hair. How was that supposed to work?

“Use one of these,” Audrey suggested, somehow sensing his confusion. She deposited a hair tie into his hand.

Joey grouped two strands of hair together and tied them back. Oh, so that’s how that worked. He set the bow’s clip through the hair tie and fluffed out the bow. “There. Want to go see?”

“Yeah!” Audrey didn’t need to be told twice and raced for the nearest mirror. The smile he received made the harder days more worthwhile.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 8: Line

Summary

Joey had crossed the line more than once.

Rating: G/PG

Tried a bit of a different style with this one. Based off the song Wildflower by Billie Eilish

”Things fall apart and time breaks your heart I wasn't there, but I know

…

Did I cross the line?”

The Polaroid photo lay pinned on the cork board amongst an endless array of bills, notes, and phone numbers. Black ink smeared across the subject’s faces, turning it into an eerie art project.

The office had been ransacked. It was chaos, but organized. Frantically written notes, yet lengthy and precise in content. At a glance, you’d find the crazed drawings of a mad man. A man once fueled with novel ideas, now fallen into despair.

A conman.

A liar.

A traitor.

Joey Drew, founder of the once renowned studio of the same name. A place bursting with creativity, a hope for unheard voices to finally take the limelight.

What a fool you would be to believe such a thing.

Horrors unlike any other had sunk its claws into the foundations. It tugged at you, lured you in. It fed you false promises, no more real than the grandiose goals of your employer. 

You would be hysterical.

Something as insignificant as an ink droplet would warp you, change you into what you feared becoming most. Hatred. Cowardice. Anger. Such poignant emotions… All weaknesses of the human condition.

In the blink of an eye, your humanity would be stripped from your being. Your soul now belonged to the demon roaming the halls. It smiled at you, a plastic expression no more genuine than Mr. Drew’s gratitude.

And to think this all started with just a pencil and a dream…

A story that unfolded not by Mr. Drew’s hand, but by another. A man whose name had all but faded to obscurity. Henry Stein.

He was supposed to save us. He would bring this nightmare to an end. Wouldn’t he?

You wanted to go home. Where was home? All you could remember was the machine, this prison. Your memories were like distant planets, blurry at first glance yet impossible to ever dream of reaching.

Something creaked behind you, breaking the silence. You jump and whirl around. You had gotten too comfortable, too careless. You should’ve seen the inky tendrils weaving up the walls. You should’ve paid attention to the sound of your heart pounding in your ears.

The demon was already behind you, breathing down your neck. You reach for the nearest weapon.

Too late.

End of the line…

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 10: Exhibit

Summary:

Audrey takes her brothers to the aquarium.

Rating: G/PG

“I can’t begin to thank you enough for this, Cassie. We really appreciate it,” Audrey said, grabbing Bendy’s hand before he could wander off. The imp seemed to pout at the gesture. They’d only been inside their local aquarium for a few seconds and he was already trying to get into trouble. Sounds like Bendy alright.

Ink hovered nearby, trying his best to look disinterested. Probably grouchy due to her waking him up from his late afternoon nap.

”Think nothing of it, Rey,” Her strawberry blonde companion smiled. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, her side swept bangs already falling out of its hairband. “I’ve got security scouting the perimeter, and the rest of our late-night employees are gladly sharing some drinks in the break room. They won’t be out for at least an hour or so. Which means… you three have got this place all to yourselves. With a secret behind the scenes tour, might I add.” She winked at Bendy. The toon was practically radiating with uncontrollable energy.

”What about the cameras?” Ink scoffed, looking up.

Cassie decided to ignore the concealed venom in that inquiry. “Won’t be any problem. They’re down because of maintenance repairs. Which, is my way of saying I deactivated them for tonight.”

”Are you really sure about this? I feel awful not paying for anything,” Audrey piped up, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

Cassie dismissively waved her hand. “Eh. You help out around here on enough occasions. Think of this as your reward between good friends.”

”Come on! Are we going to explore or what??” Bendy impatiently interrupted, tugging Audrey forward. She stumbled to try and keep up with him.

Cassie led the way towards the first set of viewing galleries. Various fish in all shades of color wove in and out of a miniature coral reef bursting with life.

”Ooo,” Bendy went up to the glass and planted his face against it, as if that would give him a better angle.

”Is he going to do that at every exhibit we come across?” Ink grumbled from behind.

Bendy momentarily looked away from the clusters of dancing fish to blow a raspberry. “We never get to do stuff like this! Let me be excited!”

Audrey felt a stab of guilt at that statement. As much as she wished, it was hard to sneak two inky demons through the city. There were many wonders she wished they could experience. They only knew the studio after all.

Cassie leaned against the acrylic and crossed her arms. “Any one of them catch your eye?” She asked Bendy.

”Nemo,” was Bendy’s immediate response.

”Nemo would make a rather menial meal,” Ink remarked teasingly. Audrey raised an eyebrow at him and couldn’t help the snort that escaped her.

”No! No eating the fish!” Bendy shrieked with an annoyed look.

”How about we go see a creature that would make a meal out of you?” Cassie challenged Ink with a snicker. “Well, they might actually mistake you for one of their kind.”

”That’d better not be an insult,” Ink gruffly replied. Audrey’s curiosity was piqued, coupled with concern for her friend’s safety. Was she being genuine or playful? It was hard to tell with her.

They passed by a few more viewing galleries. Audrey and Ink had to corral Bendy forward if he got too distracted or lagged a bit too long in one area. She didn’t want him to miss out on anything before they had to leave. 

Eventually, they stopped underneath an acrylic dome raised a few feet above their heads. Various fish and shark species swam around them in the clear blue waters. Bendy was busy admiring the view when Cassie pointed at a shark with black fin tips and scraggly teeth. “See? That’s you,” she said to Ink.

Her older brother finally seemed interested in the outing. “Really?” He asked a bit skeptically.

Audrey felt a shark fit. Framed as monsters in Hollywood, but quite solitary and docile in reality. Well, unless it mistakes you for a seal. Deadly on the outside, but intelligent on the inside. Though Audrey wasn’t going to explain that to him. He looked far too happy being compared to the king of the ocean!

”Yeah. Unless, of course, you’d want to be that,” Cassie pointed at a round fish with small spines and doe eyes. Audrey quickly shielded her mouth to muffle her laughter.

Ink was about to reply when a shark swam past the fish. Startled, the fish puffed up like a balloon.

Audrey couldn't help the laughter that escaped her this time. Ink growled in contempt. "Oh? Then I guess that's you," He pointed toward a sea turtle gliding by with a piece of lettuce in its jaws.

"Touche," Cassie admitted and crossed her arms.

"Guys! This way!" 

Audrey whirled around. Bendy was making his way towards a sign reading "Dolphin's Cove!"

"Bendy!" Audrey shouted in exasperation. How did he get around so fast??

Bendy impatiently waited at the top of the stairs until they had all made it. "I take it you're ready to see some dolphins?" Audrey asked.

Bendy nodded enthusiastically and looked ready to shoot off like a rocket when Cassie piped up, "Actually... How would you feel about coming face to face with one? And I'm not talking about from behind the acrylic."

~

A trio of dolphins headed over to the edge of the pool at Cassie's beck and call. One popped its head up and blew a puff of water through its blowhole.

"They're bigger than I thought," Bendy marveled, crouched on the edge of the pool next to Audrey. The dolphins made a series of clicks and crowded together. They were laser focused on Bendy and Ink; inquisitive, yet cautious.

"Reach out your hand and they'll come to you," Cassie instructed, hauling over a bucket full of ice and frozen fish. That seemed to spur the dolphins forward with greater confidence.

Frankly, Bendy didn't need to be told twice on what to do. Audrey was certain he'd pet every creature in this aquarium if given the chance. One of the dolphins came to him and sniffed his gloves before setting its snout against his flattened palm. Audrey did the same to hers, gently rubbing its muzzle like a house cat. It gave a happy whistle and leaned in, followed by more clicks and vocalizations. Its skin was slick to the touch with powerful muscles hidden underneath.

The last dolphin was hovering in the water in front of Ink. To her amazement, the mammal smiled tooth and gums. Ink seemed taken aback as Cassie laughed, "Echo loves mimicking people. She's highly intelligent... And don't worry, she won't bite."

"I'm not scared," Ink grumbled and moved his palm towards the water. Echo tilted her head and moved closer. Rather than allowing him the opportunity to pet her, she gave his palm a firm, powerful headbutt. She sunk back into the water with just her head poking out, looking quite proud of herself.

"Echo, that's not what we've practiced," Cassie scolded and handed Bendy a fish. "Be good for our guests." The dolphin appeared to laugh in response.

Bendy tossed the fish up into the air and watched as his dolphin snapped it up into his jaws. He clapped. "Encore, Encore!"

A few minutes passed as the dolphins performed various maneuvers throughout their habitat. They were even allowed to see their daily training regime and take part in instructing the dolphins. Echo continued to be a bit of a nuisance, no thanks to Ink's encouragement. Cheeky little thing.

"Alright, boys. I think we should wrap things up. We don't want to keep the employees here long," Audrey said and rose to her feet. She glanced over at Cassie with an appreciative nod. "And thanks again for this, Cas."

"No problem. Maybe next time, we could swim with the sharks. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Ink?" She teased.

Ink finished patting Echo on the snout, seemingly distracted. "... What was that?"

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 7: Projection

Summary:

Heidi has a gift for the Projectionist.

Rating: G/PG

These next few prompts may be on the shorter side, this upcoming week is going to be busy! Please bear with me.

The Projectionist was always drawn to the shadows of the studio. It was an innate feeling, and one that took him to the deepest depths where few dared to venture. Here, he frequently spent his days in a maze of winding hallways and pools of ink. Only the projections thrown up against the wall kept him company, unless he had a sparse visitor or two of course. 

A faint ring diverted his attention from a projected picnic scene. It was the elevator.

Someone was down here.

The Projectionist sloshed through the puddles towards the center room in a mix of tension and curiosity. A Lost One with a bow tie around her neck and a crinkle in her eyes was waiting at the base of the stairs. His limbs slackened at the realization that there was no immediate danger. Heidi was the closest thing he knew to harmless; having wandered down here one day with her daring explorer friend.

She bounced on the balls of her feet and waved him over. "Morning, Shutter! How are you today?" Heidi asked.

The Projectionist whirred in response, mostly in objection towards the nickname. Oh well, it couldn't be helped. She was going to use it one way or another.

"I have a surprise for you!" She continued and reached into the overflowing satchel just barely hanging on by a thread at her hip. She pulled out a compact camera and a shiny film reel. "Audrey took some pictures of the outside world! We just figured out how to transfer it to a reel! Would you like to take a look? I figured you might enjoy it."

The Projectionist's gears clicked. The outside world? He hadn't given much thought to that. All he really knew were the studio's depths. It was the only home he knew.

He stepped forward and tilted his head as a sign of acceptance. Heidi removed the present reel and replaced it with the new one. Instantly, flashes of color were thrown against the wall. Greens and browns of trees mixed with a rich blue. Puffs of white dotted the sky in varying shapes and sizes. Pink tulips and clumps of lavender danced in the wind.

The next slide was of a small orange critter with triangle ears, pink nose, and a tufted tail. He had never seen a creature so peculiar. It reminded him of the Ink Demon in a way, only with slitted eyes and fluffy fur. 

A pebbly shore stood in stark contrast with a foaming sea-green ocean. A bright yellow orb sank below the horizon, painting the sky with vibrant oranges, yellows, pinks, and blues.

What was it like? To see something other than pools of ink and rotting wood?

The Projectionist went through each and every photo, frequently backtracking as he noticed more and more subtle details. 

Heidi silently stood by, still bouncing on her heels as she observed the projections. "Brilliant, aren't they?" She finally asked.

Brilliant. Yes, it was. Suddenly his world got bigger. It was somewhat scary, and bright. But it was also filled with bursts of color... and life. Life outside of the studio, of the shadows.

He hoped one day he'd be able to see it.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 14: Steam

Summary:

What's hiding in the steam?

Rating: G/PG

You pause. Sweat beaded at the top of your brow. It was miserable in the boiler room. Steam puffed out of one of the cylindrical vessels, illuminated by the flashlight you had brought with you.

Just what was the purpose of having a boiler room in this studio anyways? They didn’t have any water. Heat and electricity were the only plus, which is why you had decided to venture out of your hideout. The lights had blinked out, and the closest fuse box was stationed somewhere in this room— according to a map you had stolen from the city.

You take a step. The wood creaked. Steam screamed out of the pipes like a tea kettle. You jump.

You need to be on guard. Who knows what was lurking down here? You angle your flashlight to get a better look at the path in front of you. Several boilers were lined up in a row, wires and tubes snaking across the ground.

You head forward, eyes scanning the walls for the breaker. Time was ticking. The longer you stay out, the greater chance you’ll get caught.

Steam hissed out of a pipe to your left. Gears clicked in the darkness. Something shuffled at the edge of the light. You quickly direct the flashlight towards its direction. Nothing.

You swallow down your growing unease and kept going. The fuse box was just up ahead. All you had to do was fix it... however long that would take.

A chitter and scuttle sounded to your left. You turn the flashlight. Again, nothing.

When you turned back around, a spider with sharpened daggers for legs and a wide, gaping maw sat perched across the fuse box. One of its feet dug into the metal, sparks leaping out of the exposed wires underneath.

Your grip slipped and you dropped the flashlight. The sound of glass shattering was deafening. The lights went out, plunging your world into darkness.

The arachnid chittered, making your skin crawl. You turn on your heel and run, fighting your way through the darkness. Your shoulder rammed into a boiler, heat racing up your upper arm. You scream and stagger to the side, wrapping your hand around the throbbing burn.

A rapid succession of taps hit the grated floor. Something sharp jabbed you in the side, followed by ominous chirrups.

Your adrenaline pushed you forward, ignoring the now bleeding laceration on your rib cage. You fought past obstacles, never missing a beat as you felt around for the exit. At this point you had bruised your shins and singed your fingers more than once. The pain hadn’t quite registered yet, or at the very least it wasn’t at the forefront of your mind. 

You rammed into a wall. The impact had you slightly seeing stars, while your fingers grazed past its surface. There was a gap to your right and you could just barely make out what could be a door frame. Aha, finally!

The spider hissed. One of its knife-like feet caught you in the leg. Well, it was now or never.

You unhook the axe attached to your waist and bring it down in an arc. The weapon made contact with something thick, like bone. The spider screamed.

Heart pounding in your chest, you lunged for the door and felt around for its handle. The moment your fingers grazed the brass handle, you pushed it closed. A weight pushed back on the other side, stalling you. In the dim light, you could see one of the spider’s legs sticking out into the hall. It didn’t seem to get the hint, hmm?

You dug in your heels and fought to keep the spider at bay as you sliced again with the axe. The spider retreated with another mournful cry as you slam the door shut.

Finally, you sank to the floor. Your heart gradually began to ease as your body ached with pain and exhaustion. Well, that plan was a bust. There’s no way in hell you were going back in there just to flick on some lights.

You would have to head to one of the lower levels if you wanted proper shelter and power. Perhaps you could rummage around for some gauze and bandages. Injuries in this studio were practically a death sentence. And you weren’t ready to die.

[nash-bby118]

BATIM Fanfic: A Different Tune AU - Chapter 3

Note: Basically a shortened version of Chapter 3. Next chapter will be better and will be posted in a few minutes. 

Hours later, Dani woke up and rubbed her head as she slowly sat up on the infirmary bed. Wasn’t very comfy but it was either that or the hammock and Boris seemed content with sleeping in it.

After stretching, she checked her phone and saw it was now 10 A.M.

“Whoa.” Her eyes widened. “I was more exhausted than I thought. Hard to believe we were here at around 7:00-7:30 P.M. and it’s now morning.”

After grabbing her MP3 off of the floor, she got up and walked out of the room towards the table Boris was sitting at with her phone in her hands. She tried to text and call someone but still no luck.

She didn’t hear any police walking around so what the Hell? Did her friends not get help and leave her to die instead?

“Of course I wouldn’t have service now with being deeper in the studio and all. Couldn’t even get it on the main floor.” She mumbled to herself but loud enough that Boris heard.

As she sat down, Dani put her MP3 on the table and she looked up to finally seeing Boris staring at her devices in a curious way. She glanced down at both of them and realized he probably never saw something like it before.

“Oh. You never saw a smart phone or a MP3 player before. Did you?” She asked him and he shook his head.

Checking the percentage on her phone, she noticed she still had close to 70% left. No harm in showing him some stuff. Right?

“Come over.” Dani motioned him over. “I’ll show you it.”

As he did, he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a question on it.

“What year is it? I don’t remember anything after the 1950s.” 

“It’s 2017.” Dani replied, making him give her a startled look.

“That long!?” Boris wrote. “I can’t believe this! I didn’t know that much time has passed! Explains how far technology seems to have come. Right?  What are your things with you?”

“Well, this is a smart phone. You can call, text, play games, send and receive email, use the camera in it, and all sorts of other stuff.” She held up the bigger device then pointed to the other on the table. “And that’s a MP3 player. It plays music and can hold a lot of songs. You can even text and do mostly everything but call on it too.”

“Can I see the camera? What is this… text, that you speak of? And email too?” Boris questioned.

Dani began to show him what texting and email was. As well as some social media accounts and games she had on her phone. After showing him how to call someone on it, she ended with the camera.

“Smile!” She held the camera up. After taking the picture and showing it to him, she continued. “Congrats! You took your first selfie!” She giggled then showed him the other side of the camera too and how it can switch and even record video.

After she was done showing him everything on her phone, she decided to do the same with her MP3 player. Skipping over everything similar that it can do like her phone and going straight to the music.

Boris pointed to her ear buds as she unplugged them from the device.

“Those are to make sure I’m the only one that can hear the music playing so I don’t disturb others.” She then showed him a few of her favorite songs.

About a hour later, she had made some bacon soup for them, still unsure how old it actually is but she was starving and didn’t know when she would eat again.

As they ate, she answered more of Boris’ questions about life nowadays and how much the world has changed. 

Dani decided to stick with the new technology stuff so she didn’t have to go into all the history and other things that had happened since the 1950s. As well as other happy stuff.

“I wish I could leave this place.” Boris suddenly wrote.

“Can’t you? Or are you worried about what people might think about the whole cartoon character being alive thing.” Dani asked.

“That. And I don’t know if I can leave this place. The ink machine… it’s sort of trapping me here.”

“Kind of like what happened with Sammy?” She asked and he nodded.

“We’re all trapped here really. Only one that can leave is you. Speaking of which, why don’t we head out?” Boris suggested and she agreed.

Once all of her stuff was back in her pockets, she started cursing herself for not bringing a small purse at the very least. Then they headed out the door and into the hallway.

As they wandered through the dark hallways, she decided to use a nearby flashlight so her battery wouldn’t die faster on her phone. Eventually they had to be separated so Boris could open the door.

Dani walked through the toy department, hoping she would find Boris again soon. She couldn’t help but squeeze and listen to the pleasant squeaking noise that the plushies made. It made her want to bring a Boris one home and maybe even a Bendy and Alice too.

She found another recording and listened to it, feeling like the voice sounded familiar to her.

‘But it couldn’t be.’ She laughed to herself.

After a few minutes found herself in another room. The lights went out and she stopped in the middle of the floor as…someone was singing a song right when the screens turned on.

“I’M ALICE ANGEL!” A figure jumped up and banged on the glass as she screamed at her.

Dani’s mouth dropped, unsure of what she saw as she started to shiver in the darkness.

"I see you there. A new fly in my endless web. Come along now. Let's see if you're worthy to walk with angels.” The female voice chuckled.

Soon, the lights turned back on and the door that had been shut before was now open.

Slowly, Dani walked through and came up to two different rooms. An angel and a demon path? Which one should she take?

‘Hmm I had enough ink for a while.’ She shuddered, looking at all the ink in the demon path.

Going over to the other room, she jumped when she heard a door shutting nearby. Figuring it was the other room, she continued on without looking back and pressed the ‘play’ button on the recording on the couch.

“Everything feels like it's coming apart. When I walked into the recording booth today, Sammy was there with that... Allison. Apparently, I didn't get the memo. Alice Angel will now be voiced by Miss Allison Pendle. A part of me died when he said that. There's gotta be a way to fix this!”

“Well… that sucks.” She muttered. “What a way to be told you’re being replaced by someone else.”

Dani continued on her journey and felt relieved when she came across Boris the Wolf waiting for her with a pipe.

“Boris! You scared me to death! I see you found something we can use to protect ourselves with?” She said as he handed the pipe over.

A few minutes later, they were in the elevator and that… Alice Angel continued to talk to her.

"You're so interesting... so different. I have to say, I'm an instant fan. Looks like you've got a date with an angel! Come to me now. Level Nine. Just follow the screams.” The voice rang out in the air.

With nothing else to do, Dani decided to do what she said since she sounded and looked dangerous.

“Go on, step out of your cage. There’s a whole twisted world out here.” Alice giggled.

Dani walked down the stairs, stopping to listen to the recording left by Thomas. Then she went up to the door that Boris proceeded to run through once it was opened enough.

“Boris wait!” She called for him.

However, she quickly came to a stop when she saw what he was staring at after running after him.

“Oh God…” Dani stared at the Boris and Butcher Gang clones. She recognized them on a poster she saw just a little bit earlier before being attacked by one of them.

As she took a few steps forward, Alice continued.

"Look around. It took so many of them to make me so beautiful. Anything less than perfect was left behind. I had to do it. She made me.”

“Who?” Dani asked, knowing she wasn’t going to get a response.

Leaving Boris staring at his clone, she gradually made her way to the other side of the room, finding another recording left by Susie sounding… happier. Definitely before she found out about being replaced.

Then she went into the next room, unable to stop herself from stepping forward and staring at the creature getting electrocuted.

She did stop walking when Alice started speaking.

"Hm. Now we come to the question... Do I kill you? ...Do I tear you apart to my heart's delight? The choices of the beautiful are unbearable. How's a girl to choose?” She chuckled as Dani stared at her. “Take this little freak for instance! He crawled in here... Trailing his tainted ink to my door! It could have touched me! It could have pulled me back!!”

Dani tilted her head at what sounded like a voice change.

‘That’s… odd…’ She thought.

“Do you know what it's like? Living in the dark puddles? It's a buzzing, screaming well of voices! Bits of your mind, swimming... like... like fish in a bowl!” Alice continued. “The first time I was born from its' inky womb, I was a wriggling, pussing, shapeless slug. The second time... well... It made me an angel! I will not let the demon touch me again. I'm so close now. So... almost perfect. Yes. I will spare you. For now. Better yet... I'll even let you ascend and leave this place. If you will do a few eensy, weensy little favors for me first. Return to the lift, my little errand girl. We have work to do!"

“Okay…” Dani muttered, doing as she was told and going back to the lift, but being stopped to grab a plunger.

She did have a feeling of relief when Boris was already there waiting.

--- A few hours later ---

It took a while but she eventually did all of the errands Alice wanted her to do while hiding from Bendy and fighting any other monster that appeared to her.

As they slowly ascended upwards, Alice continued to speak to her before she started screaming again.

Dani’s legs began to shake as she tried to hold on as the elevator dropped suddenly and Boris was cowering in the corner.

All the while, Alice was screaming about how he was the ‘perfect�� Boris and that she wanted him.

“I need him! I need his insides so I can be beautiful again!”

‘Ew.’ Dani thought.

“Now give him to me! Better yet, I’ll take him! Once. Your. DEAD!!”

Dani closed her eyes as she fell backwards and hit her head. When she wakes up again, she’ll be surprised if she doesn’t have any sort of brain damage or a concussion.

---- A short time later ---

“Huh? What?” She mumbled as she was shook awake.

When her eyes cleared up, she saw Boris looking afraid and shaking her shoulders. Boris? What was wrong with him?

She blinked and her headed started to hurt and her vision started to get blurry again.

The last thing she saw was a figure coming up from behind Boris.

“B-Boris.” Dani said, trying to get him to turn around.

But he didn’t. He kept his attention on her as Alice came up and grabbed him from behind.

Dani couldn’t help but start shaking and yelp when she saw Boris getting dragged down the hallway.

Despite her head hurting, she tried in vain to get up and go after them. After standing up for a second, she immediately fell back down.

“Boris…” She muttered as she closed her eyes.

A whine slipping out of her mouth as her eyes began to tear up.

“…Please forgive me.” And with that, she fell asleep.