#Cloned's Bendy Fanfictions

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 6: Drop

Summary:

A few things seem to carry over with each cycle. For Henry, the fear of plunging into dark depths was one of them.

Rating: G/PG

“Let’s hope Allison and Tom are near the bunker this time,” Audrey chuckled, papers nestled in the crook of her arm.

Henry strode next to her at a leisurely pace. When was the last time he had done this? To merely take his time with no fear of danger closing in behind him— well, for the most part. Many things had changed ever since Audrey had come to the cycle, many good things. And they’d continue working hard to keep things growing and improving. 

First thing on the bulletin of course of action today- Bring some files from the Gent building to Allison and Tom’s bunker for examination and safe keeping.

“I wouldn’t mind missing Tom’s sour snout so early in the morning,” Henry remarked lightly, carrying two cups of steaming, black coffee.

“Oh, come now, Henry. He’s not that bad,” Audrey glanced over with a smile before taking a right at the fork in the hallway. “He’s just a bit… stone-cold. Like my brother.”

Henry grunted in agreement. Sometimes he couldn’t quite grasp that the Ink Demon-- and by extension, Bendy-- was related by blood to Audrey. They quite factually couldn’t be any different from each other than they already were. But Audrey had seemed to make some form of progress with him, as did Henry. It was a nice change not to be stalked everywhere he went— except, of course, when the Ink Demon found it necessary to tease him. Henry hadn’t been sent back to the Dark Puddles for quite some time; not an experience he fondly missed.

“If I recall correctly, it’s just past these doors and we’ll take the elevator down towards the bunker’s level. Spotting it is always a fun game,” Audrey instructed, side stepping a hole in the flooring.

“We can thank Heidi for that,” Henry acknowledged. They headed past a set of double doors and reached the elevator. Audrey pressed the call button and the two waited in comfortable silence. The only sound came from the creaking gears of the elevator as it rose from the floor below. The doors slid open with a ding!

It was in a far better shape than the older models he had come across in the studio. Audrey stepped in, coaxing Henry to follow suit. The doors slid shut. They were cornered in on every angle. It was a tight fit and impossible to see outside as they began to descend.

His heart suddenly began to pound like a bird fluttering restlessly in its cage. Sweat beaded on his brow. With a trembling hand, he reached up and wiped it away.

The world seemed to drip away like a melting oil painting. He was falling, falling fast. A pit formed in his stomach. How far down did this studio go? Boris was there, huddling against him with his head in his hands. Over the screeching of gears and acrid tang of metal, Henry could faintly hear the wolf whimpering in fear.

Henry reached for him and wrapped an arm protectively around his shoulders. He would protect him, now and after the crash— if they survive. “Boris, look at me!” Boris kept his head in his gloves.

”You’re gonna be okay, Henry!” A voice echoed. Henry chanced a look around. That didn’t sound like Alice.

Then, the impact sent them sprawling onto the floor. Henry hit his head against metal. The immense pain was brief before he passed out.

When his vision finally came too, Boris was shaking him. He groaned. His head was pounding. Ink rolled down from his forehead, obscuring most of his vision in his right eye.

A figure approached. No, he’s been here before. Over and over again this had happened— hadn’t it?

Henry shakily reached up and clutched Boris’s arm. He tried to speak, but the pain was too great. Then, Boris was wrenched from his hand and dragged into the darkness. He wanted to scream, to fight back. But he couldn’t make a sound.

”Henry! Henry!” As he laid his head against the ground, that voice sounded in his ears as clear as day. Perhaps his swimming vision was making him delusional…

”Henry! I’m here!”

He closed his eyes and opened them again. He was with Audrey now, the coffee mugs lying shattered in pieces across the grated floors. The young woman stood before him, brows furrowed in worry. With a hand, she turned and repetitively pressed the button to open the sliding doors.

He couldn’t breathe, he was suffocating. He clawed at his chest. What was wrong with him?

The doors finally opened. Audrey set gentle hands on his shoulders and steered him out and over towards a wall in the hallway. She then sat him down and moved to sit across from him.

”Henry, focus on me. Breathe.” She took a deep breath and let it out. She repeated the action continuously until Henry forced himself to catch on.

His chest gradually eased, and his limbs slackened and lost their tension. He focused on Audrey and her breathing exercise until he could breathe normally again.

”Is there anything you need?” She asked softly, golden eyes scanning his features.

”Water, please,” Henry croaked. His throat was dry, and his hands were still a bit clammy. His stomach churned, an unwelcome effect of a sudden onset of nausea.

Audrey reached into her satchel and pulled out a canister of the liquid bliss. She handed it over and Henry began to involuntarily chug it.

”Feeling a little better?” Audrey asked as he handed the empty canister back over to her.

”A little. Thank you, Audrey… I don’t know what came over me…” Henry murmured and ran a hand through his hair. Those thoughts, they were nothing but a distant memory of past cycles. Boris was safe now, spending most of his time hanging around Heidi or a Lost One named Dot.

"What's important is that you're okay now." Audrey gave a thin smile. "I had a friend at work do the same for me once. I got too overwhelmed with deadlines and started to panic. It's thanks to her I know how to deal with sudden attacks such as this."

"I'm sorry," Henry apologized. He was supposed to be the level-headed one around here. Audrey had enough on her plate as it was.

"Don't apologize," Audrey shook her head with sympathetic intonation. "We'll be here to help you get your bearings if you ever need it, Henry. For now... why don't we take the stairs?"

[ghostie-ghoulie]

Hey there! I'm Ghostie-Ghoulie. I have had this app for years and always wanted to post, so here I am!

Currently, I'm obsessed with anything Until Dawn or Resident Evil related. I can't ever shut my mouth about them.

My content will either consist of possible art or my fanfiction about certain fandoms I enjoy.

This is an 18+ blog! So, if you are a minor, please, in the most polite way possible, leave my page.

These Fandoms that I am a part of happen to be:

Until Dawn

Resident Evil (a personal favorite)

Horror movies (Ghostface, Hellrasier, Chucky, IT, Etc)

The Wolf Among Us

Mortal Kombat

Cyberpunk

Arcane

Team Fortress 2

Star Wars

Star Wars: The Bad batch

Ghost (band)

Sallyface

Bendy And The Ink Machine

Spiderman (mostly the spiderverse movies)

Dark Deception

Devil May Cry

More fandoms can be added later!

I will write Smut, oneshots, small imagines, and multichapter stories. I'm a sucker for smut, so you're gonna get that out of me once I finally get the hang of it.

Important note: I only write XReaders for now. I know that might suck for a lot of people, but it is something I heavily enjoy. I know people don't like it (Y/n, I'm looking at you), but the stereotypical cringe XReader stories that drive me up a wall will not be here. I will try my hardest to make the apperence vague, but personality might be a challenge. Though, hey! Everyone needs their practice. I can't go writing an emotionless reader, eh?

The readers I write for will mostly, if not entirely, be gender neutral or feminine. I'm sorry if this is a major letdown, but I do not trust my abilities to delve into a male reader just yet. I most write for male characters in general, and as love interests, but I can write for women when it comes to romance. I am both for ladies and gents.

Another very important note: I have a major history regarding mental health. Stress comes to me easy, and with stress comes heavy burnout. My brain gets fried, and my creativity goes down 6 feet under. All I ask is that you be very patient with me until I recover. This might mean small breaks or long breaks. Requests may be hard to handle, but if I'm ready, I'll think about doing them. You are able to send in asks! I may not be able to do full requests, but maybe some thoughts for a writing I could possibly start off with.

I am very understanding when it comes to emotional and mental related things because I have experienced my fair share of dealing with it. These topics will show up sometimes in various writings. If these bother you, worry not! Warnings will be placed.

This is a page friendly one towards everyone. I do not stand for hate of any kind. Sure, we're through a damn screen, but I still won't tolerate it. So please, no hate or arguments. If opinions differ, it doesn't mean we need to clash.

Characters that I could possibly write for consist of:

Until Dawn

Chris Hartley

Mike Monroe

Josh Washington

Matt Taylor

Resident Evil

Leon Kennedy

Karl Heisenburg

Luis Sera

Jack Krauser

Albert Wesker

Devil May Cry

Johnny Cage

Vergil Sparda

Dante Sparda

Nero sparda

Mortal Kombat

Syzoth (Reptile)

Tomas (Smoke)

Bi-han (Sub-Zero)

Kuai liang (Scorpian)

Liu Kang

Cyberpunk

Johnny Silverhand

Viktor Vektor (he needs more love and attention. I love him sm)

Team Fortress 2

Spy

Sniper

Medic

(Possibly the rest)

Star Wars

Captain Rex

(Probably will write for a bunch of clones, tbh)

Hondo Ohnaka

Darth Maul

Darth Vader

Boba Fett

Din Djarin

Hunter

Crosshair

Tech

Wrecker

Echo

The Wolf Among Us

Bigby Wolf

I think that's all I've really got for now. More of course can be added later to masterlists. I'm just giving you good ideas on who I would love to write for.

(I will probably reform this because damn it looks jumbled, but hey, I'm inexperienced with actually posting on Tumblr.)

[cartoonstxrys]

Introduction Post✨

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Hey there fellow humans, I’m Steph, I’m Aromatic and my pronouns are She/Her! Welcome to my blog where I post about random memes I make or just reblog fanfiction and fanart.😋

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Fandoms I’m into

Cartoons: 

Invader Zim 

Steven Universe 

Mao Mao Heroes of Pure Heart 

Transformers Prime

Amphibia 

Star Wars (and the Clone Wars animated series) 

Transformers Animated

Over The Garden Wall

Video Games: 

Five Nights at Freddy's

Dark Deception 

SCP Containment Breach

Cookie Run

Danganronpa (THH, 2GD, v3KH)

Bendy and the Ink Machine/Bendy and the Dark Revival 

One Night at Flumpty’s (1-3)

Webseries:

Hazbin Hotel

Helluva Boss

Murder Drones

Creepypasta

SCP Foundation

The Walten Files

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Random Facts About Me

Jesus is my helmet! 😋

I’m Autistic :3

I’m 18

ShockBlurr (Shockwave x Blurr) is my biggest discomfort ship :)

My current comfort characters: Monokuma, Lucky the Rabbit, Funtime Freddy, Withered Bonnie, Penny the Chicken and Banny

Characters I kin: Star Butterfly, Mabel Pines, Pinkie Pie, Funtime Freddy, Ibuki Mioda, Jack Skellington, Millie, Cherri Bomb

Cartoon Romantic F/O's!

Fern (Adventure Time)

King Scorm (Legends of Chima)

Lord Hater (Wander Over Yonder)

Zim (Invader Zim)

The Beast (Over the Garden Wall)

Starscream (Transformers Prime and Transformers Animated)

Frobo (Amphibia)

Penumbra (DuckTales)

Adagio Dazzle (My Little Pony Equestria Girls)

C-3po and General Grievous (Star Wars the Cone Wars, both 2D and 3D)

Entrapta (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

Monokuma and Korekiyo (Danganronpa Franchise)

Horror Games/Video Games/Webseries Romantic F/O's!

Withered Bonnie (Five Nights at Freddys 2)

Springtrap (Five Nights at Freddys 3)

Nightmare Chica (Five Nights at Freddys 4)

Nightmare (Five Nights at Freddys 4)

Circus Baby (Five Nights at Freddys Sister Location)

Funtime Freddy (Five Nights at Freddys Sister Location)

Scrap Baby (Five Nights at Freddys Pizzaria Simulator)

Molten Freddy (Five Nights at Freddys Pizzaria Simulator)

Scraptrap (Five Nights at Freddys Pizzaria Simulator)

Glitchtrap (Five Nights at Freddys VR)

Sunrise/Moondrop (Five Nights at Freddys Security Breach)

Sammy Lawrance (Bendy and The Ink Machine)

Porter (Bendy and The Dark Revival)

SCP 049 (SCP Containment Breach)

Laughing Jack (Creepypasta)

Lucky The Rabbit (Dark Deception)

Mama Bear (Dark Deception)

Bon (The Walten Files)

Red Guy (Don't Hug Me I'm Scared)

Licorice Cookie (Cookie Run Kingdom)

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Please DNI if you are:

Homophobic

Transphobic

Pedophilia

Zoophilia

Rape Sexual

Dreamsexual/Dreamgender

Mean/Toxic 

Racist

Pro-Shipper (You fuckers are mentally ill :)

Pro Life

and if your blog has NSFW/Fetish content (not including NSFW fanfic blogs)

And DNI if you support:

The Webtoon series: “Boyfriends” 

The horror game “Your Boyfriend”

Five Nights at Anime and Fap Nights at Frenni

Abuse/Abusers

Incest

Selfcest Shipping

Pro-Shipping

Shipping real life people

Groomers

Non-con fanfiction

@Downerette (for your own sanity don't search them up on A03)

Fanfiction where the reader is in a toxic/abusive relationship with the character they are paired with

and Techer x Student relationships (That makes me feel very uncomfortable) 

You will be blocked!!!

Also if you’re a fan of “Love Taste Toy Chica” DNI either (I don’t want you here :)

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KKFOS Incorrect Quotes Series:

1. I'd never get to insult anyone!

2. 20% don't care

3. Do you mean literary or figuratively?

4. I'm getting my Mars Bar

5. I’ll decide on the way there

6. Incredibly fast at math

7. Have I threatened you before?

8. Give me your credit card

9. Who would you save?

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

Online Friends List! ^^

@wxlby

@sleepygamerotaku

@deepnutaismydoor​

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

That is all, God bless you and thanks for reading! 😊💕

[i-eat-cars-and-berriesss]

Hello, welcome to my blog! My name is primarily KD, but I also go by Kaciro. I'm an Indo-Caribbean, who is straying from labels rn but I identify as a bisexual. Somewhere, somewhere I'm on the ace spectrum. I'm here and I have sporadic, chaotic interests. I love my dog, that is the first thing you oughta know about me!!! Oh, and sometimes I touch on my culture and roots. Everyone probably knows me for my unhinged, decent posts + incorrect quotes but I'll try to keep this more generalized. but you def will catch me straying into specific fandoms (like Disney). 💫 Pronouns: She/Them but Fae/Faer will do too. 🍄 My Carrd (finally!!!) 🍁 I have tons of things that I’m associated with as a multifandom lover. I have improved this blog from before/can interact better, so I'm proud of that. ALSO, Send me asks for fun lmao

(Btw I love the color blue💕💕, if you can, ask why)

🚶🏽‍♀️👈Get thee gone from my gate, thou jail-crow of Mandos if you are a (DNI List):

Dream stan

Boyfriends stan

Homophobe, transphobe, biphobe, panphobe, aphobe, or lesbophobe (or queerphobe in general!!)

A terf

Truscum/transmed

Racist

Pro-endosystem

Pedo/MAP

Xenophobe/don't support xenogenders and neopronouns

Anti-religious/have prejudice against any religions

Pro-religion/obsessed with it

Sexist (misogynist/support misandry)

Ableist

⚡️Fandoms⚡️:

FNAF (yes, the entire franchise)

Bendy & the Ink Machine (my childhood!)

Incorrect quotes (is that a fandom? idk)

Classical and modern literature

TF2 (im a gaymer)

Mandela Catalogue

The fandom of "Liking fictional and irl people (Con O’Neill, Henry Cavill, and Peter Steele)" (not really romantic)

PoTO

MXTX/Danmei

Baki the Grappler

Ancient Greek Mythology

TSOA

AHKJ/Madagascar

Horseland

Bluey

PJO

Nimona

Warriors (Erin Hunter)

HTF

LotR (Tolkien's writing in general actually)

OFMD (out of that era but relevant?)?

Aesthetics/Stimboards

Dnd/Fantasy

JJBA (part 3)

MTV Downtown

Hatfield & McCoys

Encanto (2021)

Bollywood (my heritage, bby)

Fanfiction (mine mostly)

Dead Dove fics/very angsty fics

Memes

Disorganization of Shrek!! (he is love he is life, he is everything)

Some opinions

Mostly shitposting and reblogging

Rambling

✨Occasional fandoms that are not a main focus✨:

Paleontology

AoT

Courage the Cowardly Dog

TWD

WoF (Tui Sutherland's works)

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Avatar (James Cameron)

DHMIS

TMA

Marvel & DC

Winx Club

King of the Hill

Clone High

Rivals of Aether (Lovers of Aether)

MLP

Miraculous Ladybug

Xenofiction (Ice Age, The Lion King 1994-ish stuff)

Genshin Impact

Writing (my own writing, sometimes horribly-made smut)

Sally Face

Animals (dogs specifically)

Star Wars

South Park

WwdiD

DoaWK

Rick and Morty

Lemon Demon

Vivziepop’s series (sometimes, i used to be huge fan)

Tokyo Revengers (eh)

Always Sunny in Philadelphia 

House of Wax/Slashers

Night in the Woods

Bojack Horseman

Monster Prom

💦Who I would simp for (if I can admit) :

Lan WangJi from Mo Dao Zu Shi

Sauron from Tolkien's Works

Asterius from Hades (2018)

Izzy Hands from Our Flag Means Death

Red Guy from Don't Hug Me I'm Scared

Zeke Yeager from Attack on Titan

Gabriel from The Mandela Catalogue

Kakyoin Noriaki from Jojo's Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders

Kaeya Alberich from Genshin Impact

Lisa from Genshin Impact

Glamrock Foxy from Five Nights at Freddy's: SB

Godrick the Grafted from Elden Ring

Death from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Miguel O'Hara (Spider-man)

🍪Comfort Characters:

Simba from the Lion King

Ballister Boldheart from Nimona

Mort Mordecai from Madagascar

Bonnie from Five Nights at Freddy's

ahhh, this is crigne but know that LWJ 🐰 and Sauron 🌋 came before any other of my blorbos lol. i do write time to time, so read those snippets on my ao3! now enjoy yourself, running thru my blog! enjoy this bullshitery and have a good day!

Also, new and better ao3 account with my Hae~ and pinterest and twitter 🌸

Update: keeping to myself to finish fanfic projects I’ve started. I've been simping real hard for a stoner, so I may be a furry... sorry not sorry about liking the freaky bastard Godrick tho. also getting back into reading and picked up danmei. Good luck to me.

[naysaltysalmon]

Nay's Writing Commissions

Hello, my lovelies! I am finally reopening my writing commissions now that I'm settled at my new house! I’d love some extra money to help cover moving costs and I’m unemployed after undergrad haha. I’ll only be keeping them open until the end of August, and I’ve been dying to see what ideas people have been wanting to get from me. So if you have any ideas you want written, contact me soon!

Base cost is $20 per 1000 words, with options for follower discounts! There is also a $15 fee if the commission is NSFW (does not apply to tasteful nudity) or if the commission requires research. Cost is in USD, and I accept payment through Venmo and PayPal.

I will write pretty much anything, including but not limited to:

fanfiction

original fiction

ideas with your OCs

ideas that address controversial topics

stories in any written style (i.e. any pov, any amount of dialogue vs. description, script format, etc.)

NSFW

gore / violence

angst, fluff, and anything in between

pretty much anything you can think of

I reserve the right to refuse an order for any reason – but I will write just about anything. Simply ask me!

Follower Discounts

I offer discounts for followers based on word count, as seen here:

So final prices would look something like this:

Fandoms

Anime:

Fullmetal Alchemist

Hunter x Hunter

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

My Hero Academia

Banana Fish

Cowboy Bebop

Dororo

Demon Slayer

Vinland Saga

Hajime no Ippo

Mob Psycho 100

Castlevania

Land of the Lustrous

Blue Exorcist

Black Butler

Movies/TV/Books:

Luca (2021)

Star Wars (i.e. the movies, Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

DreamWorks movies (i.e How To Train Your Dragon, The Road to El Dorado)

Ghibli movies (i.e. Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle)

Disney/Pixar movies (i.e. Aladdin, Ratatouille)

Middle-earth / Tolkien universe (i.e. The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit)

Harry Potter universe

Avatar universe (i.e. Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra)

Video games:

Nintendo games (i.e. The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Super Smash Bros.)

Assassin’s Creed

The Bendy series

Cuphead: Don’t Deal with the Devil

Team Ico video games (i.e. Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian)

The Spyro trilogy

GRIS

Transistor

And many others! DM me if you’re curious whether I can write for a fandom you don’t see here. It’s more than likely I know something about the fandom/series and I can do something with your idea~

How to Commission Me

Simply send me a DM on Tumblr (@naysaltysalmon), a PM over FFN (Nayru Elric), or email me at nayru41@gmail.com!

I ask for 50% of the cost upfront, and then after I send you the first half of your commission and see if you have any feedback for me, I will ask for the remaining amount before I send the completed piece.

I will post your commission on my FFN and/or AO3, or keep the story private for + $3 at your request.

Previous Works for Reference

Phantom Tail [short fic for Luca (2021)]

Trust me like you do [commission for Banana Fish – TW: r*pe]

Gateways to the Heart [commission for Demon Slayer]

Always There [commission for My Hero Academia]

If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. I look forward to getting your commissions soon!!! 💖💖💖

[inkdemonapologist]

What's going on with Wally Franks in your AU? I had trouble following the game, and the wiki seems to say that he quit the studio and retired without ever learning its darkest secrets, but I think you have him as one of the escapees (turned into a Boris?)

Okay I have a lot of rambling thoughts about the ending of the game if youre curious but I'll stick those at the end. As far as Escape AU goes:

Yes, Wally was a Boris clone! He did not fully get outta there; he's the murdered Boris at the very beginning of the game. Dying doesn't really seem to stick for ink creatures in the Studio, so he was able to come back -- but since he spent most of his time in the Studio [glados voice] really busy being dead, he doesn't have the years of trying to survive an inky hell that the others have; he just has that one really bad time where he was turned into a cartoon and murdered, and some weird and probably equally upsetting memories of briefly waking up from death. He never wandered the studio and was never sent to the puddles, so he has some real bad nightmares/insomnia now but is otherwise doing okay in his day-to-day life, and has no trouble speaking. He's probably able to hold down a job before too long!

Mostly Wally is there because I wanted Wally to be there, and I haven't fully sorted out the LORE for him in Escape AU (I don’t know if he never left or if he got lured back), but if you're interested in trying to sort out some of the canon associated:

So basically what I've gathered as someone who is obsessed with bendy and has watched all the cutscenes and all that but hasn't actually played the game and was real late to the fandom, TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT:

- The game leaves things a bit ambiguous

- There were, in the original game, a lot of hints that the Boris you befriend in the Studio is Wally. (He’s sorta handy, kinda cowardly, likes food -- and we get an audiolog dedicated specifically to letting us know that Wally will straight up steal your cake off your desk; they’d be a good match!) There's several reasons it makes a kind of narrative sense and it was the prevailing theory before DCTL came out, but it was never confirmed one way or another.

- Two smaller things I’ve seen connecting Wally to Boris: the wrench you pull out of a Boris' chest, and the "Who's Laughing Now" written on the wall beside him being a really neat hint once you get to the audiolog where Wally complains that everyone is acting too serious for a cartoon studio and should crack a smile now and again. (this is most of why I went for the dead Boris as Wally)

- in Dreams Come To Life, Buddy is (spoilers) transformed into a Boris at the end, and it's commented on how perfect he is, implying he may be the "perfect Boris" you befriend in the game. The Boris in Boris and the Dark Survival is referred to outside the game as "Buddy Boris" and, since he has a safehouse, there's an implication that BatDS bridges the gap between DCTL and BatIM. The fact that Henry keeps affectionately referring to Boris as "buddy" becomes a fun retroactive “coincidence,” but also all the various implications that Wally sure would have made a good Boris now go nowhere. It ended up feeling like a retcon.

- in the end of the game you can see letters to Joey from Allison and Wally, implying they (and Tom) are alive and well and continued their lives after the Studio shut down, which is interesting since, uh, Allison and Tom are also now toons???

- there's a popular interpretation (called the Story Theory I think?) which I encountered in Adobe-Outdesign's analysis, that what this apparent contradiction means is that the "sketch dimension" (the cartoony world where most of the game takes place) is actually a story created by Joey using the Ink Machine, populated with alternate/fictional versions of the employees of the studio. So the Real Allison left, but in this story Joey’s writing, she didn’t. Henry-the-protagonist might not be the real Henry Stein; instead he's just one of Joey's characters, based on his IRL friend. Etcetera! So in real life, Wally retired, as his letter indicates. But those fictional versions are still real people, real consciouses, because the real ink machine that Joey really has hidden in his apartment is bringing Joey's story to life. I like the interpretation a lot as a take that fits the game well but also I have no idea where DCTL fits in this. IS DCTL PART OF JOEY'S STORY OR DID ALL OF THAT REALLY HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE??? IF THERE'S A LOOP IN DCTL (as slightly implied by Dot) ITS A STORY RIGHT??? WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS FRANCHISE

- the alternative interpretation to this is that somehow Allison and Tom (at least, if not others) got lured back to the Studio after she sent her letter -- after all, she's still keeping in touch. I tend to assume this is what’s going on in most fanfiction and AUs that have any possibility of escape, since you’d presumably want the employees to actually be themselves rather than Joey Drew's Weird Friendfiction brought to life. The impression I've gotten in this version is that sending them to the Bendy Dimension gives Joey control over the script there, so instead of creating people for his fictional retelling, he's forced his actual employees to play out this story, but I don't know that I've seen this fully spelled out

SO THATS, UH, SOME OF THE RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFO I THINK

Before running into the much more coherent Story Theory, my own attempts to make sense of the ending went in the exact opposite direction; that rather than Joey's apartment being a brief step out of the Story and into the Real World, that Joey's apartment is something of a dream, where Henry and Joey, of course, imagine the world that they know, even if they're not actually in it anymore.

I also REALLY liked the theories linking Joey to Bendy -- Bendy may have been created without a soul, but that doesn't mean one can't get, y'know, shoved in there... or that maybe a soul could be possibly stolen and absorbed by a creature who lacks one........ yknow..... it could happen. I like the idea that Ink Bendy's shifts in behaviour towards Henry reflect Joey's conflicted feelings towards his old friend (which is still there in the Story Theory version, it's just symbolic instead of literal).

So you defeat Beast Bendy and suddenly Joey is there, finally, in a place that looks like the real world but certainly doesn't feel real. The calendar in Joey's apartment cycles through the month of August but never moves past it, and I can't shake the idea that Joey could be just as trapped in the cycle as Henry, also never quite deviating from his own script, only briefly appearing in a memory of his own apartment when Henry releases his soul from the demon he created.

I don't know that this could ever shake out enough to be any sort of Actual Theory, but in my brain it's still kind of the background of Escape AU because it's a premise that makes it possible for the employees to actually be themselves. So, the cartoon studio is real, but the things that show up in Joey's apartment might be hit or miss as to whether they're a memory from Joey's real apartment, or if they're imagined wishful thinking on Joey's part.

[sineala]

I was going through an 2009 era livejournal post where it was mentioned that most of Tony's relationship were 'sexual form of self-flagellation'. With that out I love Whitney/Tony in a relationship, is there any way you can see that working out?

Oh, man, anon. This makes me regret that I have not yet posted the story that was going to be my Cap-IM RBB last year, because I literally have a 150,000-word answer to this question in the form of fanfiction. The short answer to this question is: no.

(The longer answer: HELL NO.)

If you want me to get more complicated than that, I will say that, in all fairness, there is an era of canon in which I could have seen Whitney/Tony actually working out. But that eventually ended, and for me there's a point of no return after which any chance of this being a good, healthy, or lasting relationship becomes impossible. And since then, Whitney's grasp on reality has gradually declined to the point where I don't think that she's currently mentally capable of seeing Tony as anything other than someone who could be a personal possession of hers, a thing, an object, a prize, rather than as a living human being with his own agency. (Basically, Marvel seems to have taken a look at her and thought, "Wow, she's crazy," and it's... kept getting worse. And worse.)

Let me now provide a brief summary of the Whitney/Tony relationship, because I went and read at least fifty issues so I could write the story that none of you have read yet. Anyway. This got long enough that I think I will use a Read More.

So Whitney first appears in comics way way back in Tales of Suspense v1 #97, and continues appearing in early Iron Man v1, where she meets Tony for the first time, but also has a bunch of feelings for Jasper Sitwell. (Note to MCU fans: Sitwell is not secretly Hydra. He is a big nerd, though.)

The Whitney/Tony relationship really kicks off in Iron Man v1 #17-19, one of my personal favorite arcs, in which a LMD Tony builds attempts to become Iron Man (this is always a good plot) and Whitney kidnaps Tony because she initially thinks he's the LMD, and she's working with Midas, who wants to use the LMD to infiltrate SI. It's great.

By this point Whitney has incurred her Tragic Facial Scars and has her mask, but Tony doesn't care about the scars and, as we see in #19, is clearly interested in her anyway. He's very sweet.

She appears a few times after that, basically leaves him for Sitwell, and then comes back in a big way in Iron Man v1 #91, posing as Krissy Longfellow, his new secretary. Whom he asks out, yes. Eventually Tony finds out who she is, and by Iron Man v1 #104 or thereabouts, they are definitely in love, Tony takes her to a house he grew up in, and also Whitney reveals that she knows that Tony is Iron Man. Which she is fine with.

Then they kiss very dramatically, and it is the most unintentionally-hilarious kiss I have ever seen, because neither of them take off their masks:

I like to yell CLANK CLANK whenever I read this.

By the next issue, #105, they are very seriously together:

They are together for about ten more issues, and this is the era of canon where I think it honestly could have worked out for them. Sure, Tony is contemplating abandoning being Iron Man and an Avenger, so he'd have to come around on that, but this is when they were at their healthiest, generally speaking. They were in love. They were happy. They were happy right up until #116, when Count Nefaria (Whitney's father) died, and she blamed Tony for her father's death and left him:

So I think that was pretty much it for their shot at having a stable, healthy relationship. Because after that Whitney basically... is evil. And I think there could be, as you say, an element of "sexual self-flagellation" in there, because Tony does still care for her as a person, although I don't see that he's necessarily interested in a romantic relationship with her again. He just wants her to be good again. He wants to help her be the good person he thinks she can be, but after this point she pretty much starts to lose her grip on reality, and I don't think she's capable of being that person.

Every subsequent appearance of Whitney in volume 1 was later retconned as being a clone (because comics gonna comics), but every time she shows up in it it's basically to seek revenge for the death of her father (who of course comes back to life, but that's comics for you) and also to get Tony back, because no one else could possibly love him as much as she does. She tries to kidnap Bethany Cabe. She works with Obadiah Stane against Tony. She tries to bodyswap herself into Bethany to get close to Tony. You get the idea. These are not the actions of a particularly stable person.

But one of the more agonizing things about Whitney -- at least, one of the things that I assume is most agonizing to Tony -- is that she could have been good. Maybe she can't be now, but at one point the capacity existed in her, and we know that because one of her clones, Masque, is in fact a very good person. Toward the end of volume 1, Masque actually ends up joining the Avengers. And I would think it's very hard for Tony to know about Masque and not think that Whitney could have been her, that there's some way he could have helped Whitney become that person, if only he'd known how, whether or not that is actually possible for him to do. (Hint: it's not.) I think he blames himself for not being able to save her. Maybe that's more of the same self-flagellation.

Meanwhile, Whitney does things like lock herself in a bunker in Nevada with a bunch of her clones, which does not strike me as a great move, sanity-wise. In The Nefaria Protocols in v3 (Avengers v3 #32-34, Thunderbolts v1 #43-44), she teams up with the Avengers to fight her father, but she's not sure whether she can trust them at first.

Avengers v3 #33 is actually really sympathetic toward her; the whole thing is narrated from her POV:

Eventually she ends up attempting to betray the Avengers and get them all killed, and she is stopped only when Masque shows up and sacrifices herself to prevent her doing so, at which point Whitney decides maybe she should save the Avengers after all before leaving. I think this is probably the nicest that canon has been to her in years, and she still nearly murders all the Avengers in the process.

After that she has a few other appearances, the most salient of which is probably World's Most Wanted (Invincible Iron Man v1 #8-19), in which, as we all know, she kidnaps Tony and is generally obsessed with him. Here in Invincible Iron Man v1 #16, Tony is in the middle of having his brain deleted and yet he still remembers that Whitney is not the best person, and she would really like to run away together with him because she apparently thinks that's a thing that's going to happen:

She shows up again in Bendis' run and as far as I can remember she's portrayed pretty similarly there. She's trying to steal magical artifacts. She and Tony meet up. She tries to kill him. The usual. There's a nice splash page in Invincible Iron Man v2 #2:

Her most recent relevant appearance is actually, if you can believe it, a few months ago, in Doctor Strange: Surgeon Supreme #5 and #6. Someone has been stealing magical weapons from Strange and selling them on the black market and -- surprise surprise -- it's Whitney.

(I was actually very surprised, yes. She is, uh, not typically one of Strange's villains.)

Whitney, you see, wants to be loved:

So she's selling all these weapons because, yes, she wants to be loved. By Tony.

What the hell, Whitney? How exactly is that going to work?

Anyway, Strange needs to neutralize the magical weapons, and to do that he needs to enter Whitney's mind to find the code that will do that, and, well, this is what the inside of Whitney's mind is like:

Her mind is one hundred percent made up of her obsession with Tony. This is it. This is her brain. She is a mess. She is out of touch with reality.

And you'll never guess what the code is. Or maybe you will.

She thinks that she's in love with Tony. And she thinks that this is what love is. And she is very clearly not okay.

Because Strange is a doctor and is determined to try to help people, he offers her a new mask that will heal her:

Whitney declines:

She runs away. And that's the last we have seen of her.

So, yeah. Based on all of this, I am of the opinion that Whitney/Tony cannot possibly work out at this point in canon, because -- although she still believes she loves him -- she is very obviously no longer mentally capable of understanding what love actually is, and she's not looking to change that. We have literally seen inside her mind, so we can in fact know what she thinks. She just wants to possess Tony. And that's not going to be good for anyone.

Would she have been better than this if she'd stayed with Tony instead of leaving him when her father died? Maybe. We can't know. A lot of her instability seems to revolve around her inability to possess Tony, and, well... she would have had Tony, so maybe that wouldn't have happened. Or maybe she would have become consumed by possessing him even more. There's no way to know. And given that she's capable of this kind of break with reality, it's also possible that if it hadn't been Tony, it might have been something else entirely as a focus for her delusional thinking, and at any rate she's clearly not interested in receiving the psychological help that she definitely needs.

Man, do I love reading about her, though. And someday I swear I will post this 150,000-word fic about why they should never, ever, ever get back together.

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

Spider-Man: Life Story #4 Thoughts Part 3: Pathetic Parker

Aaaaaaand finally....let us discuss you know Peter Parker.

Or the stand in for him in this mess of a mini-series.

Positives should be gotten out of the way first. I like the new Spider-Suit’s look. I’ve liked all the suits’ looks so far.

Okay cool we’re done now with positives.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo...Peter is dating Jessica Drew huh.

Hahahahahahaha....fuck off.

Jessica Drew technically speaking existed in the 1960s but only because Bendis picked a random girl from a Ditko issue and decided he would make her his new original character (who was a rewritten Jessica Drew stand in...) Jessica Jones...which happened in the 2000s.

Remember how I said the Stark thing was remixing stuff from the 2000s and how this probably references the Ultimate Clone Saga?

Well between that stuff, the inclusion of Parker Industries, a obvious reference to Slott’s ‘No One Dies’ buzz word, and now Jessica Jones Zdarsky has entirely collapsed the ONE consistent thing about his writing in this series.

You can read my past posts on this series for more detail, but in a nutshell, this series is utterly convoluted in it’s premise and confused in what it wants to be.

However the ONE utterly consistent thing about it was the fact that it remixes elements from Spidey stories that happened in the decade each issue was covering.

Until now.

Now in fairness Parker Industries was a 2010s thing that debuted in the 1980s. I let that one slide a bit because I guess the idea was if Peter age 30 had money and time he could have a company by age 37 which would be in the 80s. Okay I guess.

But with all that other stuff...this issue isn’t remixing 90s stuff it’s remixing 90s and post-90s stuff so what the fuck is the conceit of the story again?

It’s anything Zdarsky wants whilst mostly remixing stuff from every decade per issue oh and Spider-Man ages in real time I guess and mentions various wars.

I (and others) have talked about how this series is fanficion. A time honoured tradition of fanfiction is the wacky indulgent ships that occur.

In professional works though these are best avoided, see MockingSpider.

That’s what Jessica Jones and Spider-Man being a couple is. Yeah she had a crush on him in high school.

Now tell me anything else that’d serve as a basis for their relationship instead of her being with Luke?

How the fuck did this even happen? At least with Peter and MJ you have canon as a roadmap. In this series...nothing. Peter and Jessica just hooked up somehow in the last 11 years!

What’s so insultingly asinine about this ship is that it emphasis another person who is conspicuous via her absence.

So...where the fuck is Felicia!

I know that the important life events of Spider-Man can be debated up to a point.

That point doesn’t cover though whether Black Cat is relevant of a mention or not across his ‘life story’.

No shit of course she is!

But she wasn’t mentioned in the 1970s when she debuted. She wasn’t mentioned in the 1980s when she became a regular. She wasn’t mentioned in the 1990s.

Surely in a world where Spider-Man’s marriage to MJ falls apart and he’s dating a private eye that should be fucking Black Cat not a character who wasn’t even invented until 10 years later! I mean c’mon Black Cat BECAME a private eye in the 1990s!

And wouldn’t that have been way more dramatic too?

In the 1980s instead of Peter being allegedly addicted to a costume or neglecting his family to clean up radiation or asking his wife to kill him if he turned into a brain munching alien the root of their break up involved his affection for Felicia?

I mean c’mon the symbiote was framed as a response to a mid-life crisis, a sexy platinum blonde who actually wants to hook up with Spidey not Peter isn’t prime real estate for a story about a superhero’s mid life crisis? Even the Incredibles did that!

And wouldn’t that have been more worthy of drama in this issue than literally 2 panels of Jessica Jones establishing they’re shagging but also he’s neglectful and she dumped him. I mean at that point you might as well have just had her be a private eye he hired and dropped the romance completely it served no purpose at all.

One aspect of the story that I will praise Zdarsky for even if I think he got it right by accident is that without his family Peter couldn’t keep on going as Spider-Man.

MJ, May, etc, they keep him together, he needs people, he’d fall apart without them.

Running out of gas as he did in this story could be seen as a reflection of that depending on future issues. Or it could just be he’s old and tired and don’t you know all superheroes would feel that way at age 48.

Too bad that seems rather at odds with issue #3 where he was a neglectful jerk.

Another problem inherited from issue #3 was the issue of Peter’s diminished prowess in his old age.

Remember how he wanted the symbiote to stay ‘relevant’ because he was slowing down.

Okay so it’s been 11 years later, he’s held onto Parker Industries and...he’s just accepted he’s gotten slower and weaker.

Remember how issue #3 implied he had a nano-weld suit.

Okay so he’s had 11 years to improve on that tech and...he hasn’t.

In fact his current outfit looks less high tech even.

Now brace yourselves because I’m about to do something nuts and call upon Dan Slott continuity as reference material.

In Slott’s run Peter with HORIZON labs and Parker Industries tech was able to whip up a variety of costumes for himself. These included nanotech.

In fact his MAIN suit in ASM volume 4 was nanotech armour that came complete with all sorts of gadgets.

Are you telling me that a Peter Parker with even greater years of scientific knowledge and experience, with even more time and resources, across 11+ years NEVER made technology like that?

He NEVER invented tech that could offset his diminished powers?

Seriously?

IRON MAN had strength enhancing armour in the 1960s and that technology got illegally distributed to countless people, hence we got Armor Wars. Even that aside there is countless inferior technology that could increase strength, speed, agility, etc, let alone protect from knock out gas.

But Peter in LF is such a jackass he...never employed this. He never considered this. He just let himself grow weaker and more vulnerable?

Either he’s stupid or he’s a sellout on Ben and May’s morals of responsibility because he had a death wish hence he never upgraded.

I mean Jesus Christ the Hobgoblin found a way to make the Goblin serum SAFE. Peter couldn’t investigate that avenue as a way to spike his power levels? Friggin Norman Osborn was in his 40s when he got the formula and it made him almost on par with Spider-Man.

It gets even stupider when you consider Peter hands over his mantle to Ben Reilly.

Ben is physically the same goddam age as Peter. In fact considering he clearly doesn’t crime fight as much as Peter does or else ‘Red Mask’ would be more famous, Peter if anything would be in better shape. So Peter is giving the mantle of Spidey to a less experienced, weaker 48 year old man who’s ALSO got diminished strength and speed.

But it gets worse.

He doesn’t just hand the mantle of Spidey to Ben. He hands Parker Industries over to him. You’d think this is a case of him passing it on to his relative Ben Reilly right?

Nope.

He wants Ben to...literally become him.

Peter wants Ben to literally pose as him forevermore and run his company.

This is the most gamebreakingly stupid thing in the entire issue.

Ben having Peter’s notes doesn’t mean he’ll be able to pose as Peter.

He doesn’t know the in jokes Peter has with people. He has 0 experience of running a big company.

He has less scientific knowledge and experience.

He will be way worse in business negotiations because he hasn’t got the measure of people.

And he’ll be seriously stressed out because unlike Peter who just knows this stuff Ben will have to study for a lifelong performance as Peter Parker every moment of every day.

Not to mention is no one going to notice the sudden disappearance of Ben Reilly?

Didn’t he have friends or colleagues of his own like Lori from the start of the issue?

Peter starts the comic determined to not allow Parker Industries to fall into the hands of the war profiteer Tony Stark but by unloading his entire company onto Ben Reilly he’s placed it in a hugely vulnerable position that makes it MORE likely that it will be absorbed into Stark International.

Oh and of course there the teeny tiny problem of PETER AND BEN NOT LOOKING ALIKE!

Now realistically Peter and Ben Reilly, having lived such different lives, would look similar yet different, like identical twins. Identical twins might look the same at age 1 but they really wouldn’t at age 30 if one of them was a desk jockey and the other was a soldier.

But you know artistic licence and suspension of disbelief can bypass that.

What cannot be bypassed is when Mark Bagley is drawing both characters on the same page in the same panel and you can tell that they clearly look different to one another. Their faces, hair colour and hair styles are not the same.

Did Peter’s notes include the correct shade to dye his hair too?

But the biggest aspect of this which is betrayal pornoigraphy for Peter’s character is between handing over the reigns of Spidey and P.I. to Ben...how...the...Hell...is...that...at.all...responsible?

He claims that he can’t give up his responsibility but he can ‘shift it to where it matters’.

What a crock of shit. That’s some lame ass lawyer talk for giving up and letting someone else do your job for you.

In the 90s Clone Saga Peter’s retirement was justified. He had impending parenthood as a responsibility and he and his wife had nearly broken in recent months. In Spider-Girl he got his leg blown off and had a 2 year old child to care for.

In this? His ex-wife and children are doing just fine without him as far as we know but the city still needs Spidey and P.I. still needs Peter Parker.

So no, retirement under these circumstances is irresponsible and utterly unjustified.

Not to mention wouldn’t BOTH Peter and Ben being heroes be more responsible? Or at least have Ben take over hero work and Peter runs P.I., possibly training Ben up.

There is also this bullshit that because Peter is so loud and public Ben could never live up to his potential.

I’m sorry but what is it with the Spider-Man fandom’s obsession with the idea that success = owning your own business.

As if that is the one and only way Peter or Ben could fulfil their scientific potential. Why not work for Reed?

Why not work with a Think Tank?

Why not start up a company in a different country and establish that Ben is indeed Peter’s relative. He already had his last name in issue #2!

Hell the argument that if they both started up companies and 2 Spider Heroes showed up it’d raise questions doesn’t consider the ideas that:

a)      Ben could WORK for Parker Industries, thereby allowing Peter to be in the lab as he wants or Ben handle the lab work

b)      They could SHARE the Spider-Man identity, which if anything would help maintain their secrecy

 Finally this issue (and the last one) on the recap page and at the end of the story pushes some toxic, dated, bullshit narratives regarding MJ:

a)      That it was grief alone that hooked up Peter and MJ

b)      MJ is Peter’s Plan B

c)       Peter cannot be married/have kids and be Spidey

d)      MJ wouldn’t stay with him if he’s Spider-Man, hence he only regains his family by retiring from Spidey

 I’ve seen an assessment of this story that argues that issue #3 as the halfway point was the low point from which the character will gradually fight back.

In a sense issue #4 goes along with this idea. Peter is at his lowest in issue #3 and his happier by the end of issue #4.

But the narrative structure of this series, wherein each issue is a snap shot of his life in each decade leads me to think that we’re unlikely to have 2 more issues of ending on gradually happier and happier notes.

Rather I think this issue is giving a pretence of happiness before it comes crashing down next issue and then in issue #6 we will get our happy ending or a bittersweet exit.

Regardless writing these long ass posts has actually soured me even more on the issue.

It’s another shit show I’m afraid.

P.S. The solicit read:

“THE REAL-TIME LIFE STORY OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES! Spider-Man’s life enters the 1990s! The COLD WAR is no longer cold as PETER PARKER returns to a world gone MAD! But will he let that madness infect HIM and his family?”

Where the fuck was any of that in this story?

Peter didn’t have a family, Peter didn’t return from anything, and the only madness to be found was in Ben and Otto.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 4: Umbrella

Summary:

Bendy and the Ink Demon don’t quite know how to deal with Earth's rain.

Rating: G/PG

A droplet splashed onto the Ink Demon’s forehead and rolled down the side of his cheek. He hissed and shook it off in agitation.

Another droplet landed. Then another. Soon he was pelted relentlessly by rapid spatters.

The demon recoiled, accidentally bumping into the imp trailing behind him. Bendy staggered and flailed his arms to avoid falling onto his back.

”What? What is it?” He asked, more concerned and inquisitive than annoyed that his older brother had nearly bowled him over. 

“Ink is falling from the sky,” He muttered shortly, looking up at the dark gray clouds. He knew what those were; Audrey had pointed it out to them a few days ago. What he didn’t know was this realm rained ink. Odd...

A droplet hit his nose, causing him to involuntarily sneeze. He hadn’t seen it coming; was it possible that ink could be transparent?

”It’s not ink, it’s water,” Audrey piped up from his other side. The artist wore a comfortable floral sundress coupled with a large hat. The Ink Demon thought it looked stupid given its size, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. The sun sat obscured behind the clouds now, what was the use in wearing it? 

Another droplet hit him on the head. He snarled and shook it off.

Bendy giggled at him. “You look like a dog!” He stopped as a few droplets pelted his forehead. “…”

”That’s what you get,” Ink gruffly responded, raising a hand to try and shield himself. The droplets were beginning to rain harder when Audrey reached into the picnic basket nestled in the crook of her arm. She retrieved a dark blue rod with fabric attached at its end. She undid the strap keeping it confined, and suddenly, the object unfurled above her head to create a miniature shelter. Ink leaned forward and sniffed it out of curiosity.

”Is that an umbrella? I think my cartoon counterpart had one on a poster once,” Bendy inquired with shining eyes as he reached out to touch it. The toon had a habit of touching anything he didn't understand, for better or for worse-- two days ago he tried bringing home a wild raccoon.

”Sure is. Huddle close, it’ll save us from the worst of the downpour,” She advised. Ink didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly ducked under the umbrella, most of his body being spared from the rain. He had to be cautious as to not pierce the fabric with his horns. Bendy hopped up into Audrey's arm to make more space, and she used her free hand to hold him at her hip. 

Audrey seemed to struggle on her tiptoes in holding both Bendy's weight and making Ink's posture more comfortable. He reached over and wrapped his clawed fingers around the length of the umbrella. She glanced over at him questioningly for a moment but appeared to get the hint and let go.

Ink raised the umbrella higher above their heads. Audrey and Bendy scooted closer. He uttered a soft grumble to express his displeasure at the close proximity. He liked his space, almost as much as he liked to nap beneath the sunlight streaming through the open curtains in the kitchen. 

Audrey had always made certain to provide him extra pillows, while Bendy would occasionally pop in to bring him snacks. He had always played ignorant in noticing, but deep down he appreciated the small sentiments— even if he sometimes berated himself for thinking such things.

The rain had picked up, droplets bouncing off and rolling down the slanted canopy above them. It was a soft sound, but one he could hear quite clearly. Bendy laughed and reached out a gloved hand to catch a few and shake them off. Audrey watched him with a gentle smile, wrapping her other arm around his back.

…Perhaps he could tolerate it.

“Shall we get going?” He asked after several moments of silence; minus the rain drops.

”Of course. There’s a gazebo up the path. It’ll provide better shelter until it dies down some. It’s only a small pocket of rain clouds,” Audrey nodded, turning her attention on him. 

Her smile never faltered.

“Can I play in the rain?” Bendy chirped, looking up at Audrey. “It looks fun!”

Audrey seemed torn and momentarily at a loss for words. “Well, I suppose…”

Lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. Ink visibly shrunk back at the noise while Bendy squeaked and curled deeper into Audrey’s embrace. “Ne-Nevermind…”

”It’s alright,” Audrey soothed, rubbing circles on his back in an attempt to placate him. Then, she reached over and set a hand on Ink’s shoulder. “Let’s get going.”

The touch was gentle and soft. Sometimes it annoyed him, it was a foreign feeling after all. Her thoughts and feelings were hard for him to deconstruct, and he didn’t even know if he wanted to in the first place.

Ink led the way, per Audrey’s advisement on directions. The wind had begun to blow at an angle, a soft spray of water speckling each of them. 

The gazebo lay up ahead, a small round oak structure with a copper roof and intricate woodwork fencing. He shielded them until they were safely inside. By now, the rain had stopped blowing diagonally.

”This should be good to hole up in for a while,” Audrey said, setting Bendy on the ground. She glanced down at the soaked hem of her dress and muddy flats in disdain.

”Is it safe from the light?” Bendy asked, sticking close.

”Copper is an excellent conductor for electricity. We’ll be fine,” Audrey consoled and set the picnic basket on the floorboards.

Ink hovered nearby with the umbrella, uncertain as to what to do next. Audrey looked at him and held out a hand. “Here. It’s bad luck to open an umbrella indoors.”

”We’re not indoors,” Ink replied shortly but handed the umbrella over.

Audrey chuckled and glossed over his tone, much like she usually did. “It’s just a superstition. People say it can invite ghosts into their home.”

”That’s stupid,” Ink said at the same time Bendy chirped, “Sounds spooky.” The two demons looked at one another.

Audrey closed the umbrella and laid it against the entrance. "While we wait things out, who's up for a card game to pass the time?" She reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a deck of cards.

"Again? Didn't Ink almost tear the cards in two last time?" Bendy laughed and flopped down onto the ground next to her.

Audrey began to deal out some cards before she glanced up expectantly. "Would you like to join in, Ink?"

He gouged small marks into the boards below as he contemplated his options. The rain drops pattered rhythmically off the roof, such a pleasant sound if it weren't for the memory of it speckling his skin. Leaves gently crackled underneath the grumble of croaking thunder. If he really had to be stuck somewhere, at least it was with these two.

"Perhaps I can spare one game..." 

[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 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.

[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 15: Draft

Summary:

Jane has a bright new idea... She just hopes it can make the cut.

Rating: G/PG

Jane's pencil danced across the page like a pirouetting ballerina. Her lunch lay abandoned at her side; leftover tuna salad wasn’t too appealing anyways. She had just gotten into the groove of a new design, and the inspiration was practically spilling out of her and into the lead on the paper. Eating could wait.

A little curl here, some shading there. Maybe she should add a hat. What kind of hat? Jane couldn't see her creation being the type to wear any sort of cloche. A dress was also out of the question, Carley was more practical than that. She was a part of the butcher gang, after all. Or, going to be.

Jane eventually decided on a bowler hat. She adjusted the hair to resemble horns; it definitely matched Bendy now. 

What was next? She carefully crafted a sleeveless top and pants, somewhat resembling Boris's overalls. Perhaps she could throw in a bit of lipstick like Alice Angel wore. Finally, she blocked out her oversized boots and spent at least five minutes fixing her gloves and fingers.

There. Perfect. She had her final draft. Jane held it up and admired her piece with a bright smile. Now all that was left to do was submit her idea to Mr. Drew. Her heart gave a little flutter. She hoped he liked the idea.

The page was ripped from her hands. Jane whirled around to find a trio of her coworkers snickering at her drawing. They'd been doing that all week, and she had learned to block it out after a while. But now, they'd decided to confront her.

"So this is what you've been doing all week," The curly haired brunet holding the page sneered at her. "Is this your little fan project? You're really still at it?"

"Give it back, Daniel," Jane snapped icily and lunged forward. He stepped back and held it out of her reach.

"It's never going to work, Jane," Kim piped up, batting her false lashes at her. "Best not to waste your breath, hon."

"Carley will work," Jane combatted and reached up on her tiptoes to try and snag the drawing. Daniel was a full foot taller than her and barely even had to try warding her off.

"You're not special, Jane," Daniel replied. "Nor is your little cloudy friend here. Mr. Drew isn't going to bat an eye at this. You think we haven't tried? He doesn't listen to any of us."

"She's a ghost," Jane corrected, fighting hard to hold back tears. She wouldn't give them the pleasure of seeing her reaction. Was that true? Would Mr. Drew not care?

"Oh, that's cool," Richard complimented, eyes glued to her drawing. Daniel and Kim shot him a poisonous look. He quickly ducked his head and shut his mouth with a squeak.

"We're just trying to help you out here, Jane. This isn't going to work. Better to crush those dreams before they even start." With that, Daniel crumpled up the drawing in his fist.

Jane felt like her soul had been stomped on. Daniel tossed it onto the ground with a dismissive side glance. "Look, it's amusing. Cute, even. But big ideas are... not for you." With that, he turned and sauntered back to his table. Kim followed him like a lost puppy, giggling all the way. She was such a suck up...

Richard eyed his friends before reaching down and picking up her drawing. Jane steeled herself for more humiliation.

The young man only straightened out the drawing to the best of his ability and gave it a smile before handing it back to her. "Um... I think Carley is pretty cool," He said lowly, if a bit sheepishly. "I think you should show it to Mr. Drew."

Jane blinked. Was she hallucinating? "What...?"

"Your idea," He clarified with a bit more confidence. 

"Oh..." Jane murmured and held the drawing closer to her chest. So she wasn't imagining that. "Thank you."

Richard brightened up a little and the tension in his face faded. It only lasted for a split second before a shout made him stiff as a statue.

"Rich!" Daniel was staring at them now with an irate grimace. Kim was looking over his shoulder in curiosity. "Your food is getting cold."

"Coming!" Richard called before giving Jane a light smile. "Good luck.”

Jane was left standing there, frustration, despondence, and relief mingling around in her head. She looked back down at her drawing. The wrinkles threw off her proportions and angles, but Carley was still there despite it all.

One day Carley would come to fruition. Maybe not now, maybe not a month from now… But one day. She wasn’t going anywhere until it happened.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 5: Secrets

Summary:

Thomas hated keeping secrets from Allison. But maybe this one was for the best.

Rating: G/PG

The ink was beginning to seep through the cracks. Thomas was having to spend hours a day patching the holes and restructuring pipes. It was practically all he did these days. The ink machine required his persistent attention if it was ever going to work. 

As the days went on, he was starting to grow more and more uncertain. What Mr. Drew wanted was nothing short of a miracle. He was a mere humble engineer, not a magician. Yet of course, he got stuck trying to make this impossible task come to fruition. Just his luck.

He muttered under his breath, wiped the sweat from his brow, and reached for the wrench. Looked like another bolt had gotten lose under the pressure overloading the pipes. Just another problem he needed to work around.

There came a soft knock from behind. Thomas looked over his shoulder to find Allison standing below the doorway. Her blonde curls cascaded around her shoulders, perfectly complimenting her soft features, rosy cheeks, and subtle makeup. Despite the goings on of the studio, her white and blue buttoned up dress remained as pristine as when she had ironed out its imperfections the morning of.

"You're still here? Most of the studio have already departed for the night," she announced in velvety cadence. She stepped into the room and carefully skirted the edges of some ink puddles scattered across the floor. 

"What about it?" He replied back gruffly, turning his attention back toward the machine. "Why aren't you home yet? You should be resting."

"I could say the same for you, Tom," Allison replied shortly, never losing that light tone. Thomas sighed. He knew where this conversation was going to go. He fetched the wrench and begun to tighten the bolt. His fingers grew slick with ink, making it harder to properly grip the screw. Exhaustion mixed with frustration, and he finally dropped the wrench with a scowl.

"Tom," Allison was suddenly beside him. Her hand touched his shoulder, causing him to involuntarily relax at the contact. "Maybe you should take a break. Mr. Drew wouldn't want you working yourself to death."

Thomas snorted in faux amusement. That wasn't remotely close to the true. The deadline to get the machine done kept changing. No matter how many roadblocks he hit, Mr. Drew always kept pushing and pushing. He never listened to him. He was too blinded by his own vision.

Allison didn't need to know that. As far as she knew, this was just an invention to help the animator's get ink more efficiently from their work desks. Only Joey, Thomas, and the Gent corporation knew it went so much deeper than that...

"I mean it, Tom," Allison continued, her conviction hardening. "Aren't you tired?"

"I've had several overtime shifts. I'm alright."

"What about sleep?"

"I get five hours at least."

"Have you been eating?"

"Enough."

"Tom." Allison's tone had lost all its previous composure. "I'm worried about you! You need to start taking care of yourself."

His shoulders sagged. He was tired. He was starving. He was fed up. Of course she would've picked up on it eventually.

Her brows softened. She reached over and wiped a smudge of ink from his cheek with a petite, gloved hand. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just worried. What's so important that you work yourself to the bone? That's all I ask?"

Thomas leaned into her touch. It would be far simpler if he could unclog the pipe and let the ink flow, so to speak. But messing with the confines of science and technology was something he didn't want to drag her into.

"I just want to get this machine to finally work. It's been a thorn in my side ever since Mr. Drew hired me," He grumbled lowly. "Every day, something in this studio goes wrong. And I have to be the one to fix it."

"There's a lot of weight on your shoulders, dear. You deserve to have a break," Allison replied, reaching out with her other hand to pat the brass machine. A hollow echo gently bounced off the walls. "I'm sure your friend here won't mind if we go out."

Thomas blinked. "Go out?"

Allison smiled. "Why, yes. Why don't we head to the cinema? It would give you proper time to unwind and settle before you get some well-deserved rest. It could do you some good."

Thomas glanced over towards the ink machine. It was silent, inanimate. But it had a certain draw to it that Thomas couldn't quite put his finger on.

"I don't know, Allie..." He muttered hesitantly.

"Well, I will decide for us then," Allison smirked with a flourish and rose to her feet. "I'll go freshen up, and you can finish here. I'll meet you at the cinema uptown in an hour."

"Allison..." Thomas began with a sigh.

Allison was already halfway towards the door. She spun on her heel underneath the doorway, excitement practically radiating off her. "One hour. Don't keep me waiting," She chirped exuberantly. Then, she was gone.

Thomas murmured to himself as the weight of his responsibilities pressed in on him in her absence. He wouldn't keep her waiting. Never. Before then, he needed to get that bolt tightened.

[clonedchaos]

Machine Memories- Day 1: Nostalgia

Acknowledgements:

Well, here we are! Sorry I’m late to this event! Dang, it's been ages since I've written for Bendy content on any of my socials... So, I wanted to preface this fic by saying that Eclipse and A Small Bit of Kindness aren't going anywhere, I promise. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, feel free to skip to the next paragraph or first chapter below the cut) There has been a lot going on these past few months and I'll talk more about it once those stories update. I'm not done with Bendy content-- far from it actually! I just have a bit of a hard time focusing on one specific story for too long or I get burnt out. So, as an apology, I'm doing Ink Demonth from Tumblr to try and get the gears turning again. Nothing too long or too big, just short little snippets-- that is of course unless I get super invested on a prompt and get carried away. Given my track record, I'm definitely not promising this will be done in one month; I'd be lucky to get it done in two! 

And, as an added note, I'm dedicating Machine Memories to my best online friend @mister-magic. Thanks for sticking around so long, especially given how bad I am at updating things and have a habit of bouncing back and forth through fandoms. It really means a lot that you think I'm a good writer, even if most days I don't feel like I am. Taking the time to chat with me or let me ramble about my interests even if for a few moments has done a lot for me. So, thank you. (And go check out his work if you haven't, he's very talented!) :3

And I'm also dedicating it to those that know me from my other Batim fics and are still curious to know what comes next despite another unforeseen hiatus on new chapters. The support really does mean the world to me and keeps pushing me forward, and I wish so much that I could keep up with updating. I feel awful for not updating things for like 5-6 months...

Anyhow enough with the rambling, I hope you enjoy! I'm excited to see all the Ink Demonth has to offer! And go check out halfusek on Tumblr, they're hosting this event! <3

Summary:

Audrey takes a break from the hustle and bustle of work to unwind at her local park. Familiar sights and smells just might dredge up a few recollections of her past...

Rating: G/PG

A park bench in the sun was the perfect place for Audrey to stretch her legs. She had gotten out of bed bright and early and eager to start the day, unaware of what disaster awaited her the moment she stepped into Archgate.

“Audrey, did you send those panels to Richard? He’s been on my case all morning” this, “Audrey, would you be a dear and take this to the writer’s department?” that. Audrey didn’t quite understand why these multitude of tasks were being thrust upon her— unless it stemmed from her desire to help her coworkers. She had been in a jam on more than one occasion, whether that be due to art block or struggling with looking at a scene through a different perspective. The least she could do was return the favor to aid her department.

She hadn’t realized how exhausted she was until she quite literally collapsed into her chair. The magnitude of leftover panels she had to complete by the deadline formed a miniature mountain on her desk. Audrey sighed a weary exhale. Well, she’d better get to work.

To her utter surprise Nathan Arch popped his head in thirty minutes later, claiming he was checking up on how the new episode was coming along. All bright eyed with a warm smile, that’s how he always greeted his employees.

Audrey stiffened— she had barely gotten through a fourth of her work! Nathan scrutinized her menial pile, then glanced to her flushed cheeks and slumped shoulders. Was he going to be disappointed in her presumed lack of work ethic?

Mr. Arch just guffawed with a rosy cheeked smile. “My, Audrey. You seem like you could use a breather.”

And that’s how Audrey had ended up lounging on a park bench during work hours. The sunshine warmed her skin, coupled with a pleasant breeze that tickled her cheeks. She sneezed. The flowers were in full bloom this time of the season, which irritatingly meant pollen was out in full force.

A small group of kids ran past her, kicking a soccer ball between themselves. It was a whirlwind of chatter, rapid movements, and lots of excitement.  

Audrey’s gaze slowly observed the scenery before her, absorbing all its sights and sounds. A couple a few feet away stood with arms linked as they observed the rows of flowers lining the sidewalk. The man plucked a vibrant daisy and set it in his lover's blonde hair. A squirrel skittered up a tree, bushy tail twitching to and fro as it searched for nearby predators.

"Mommy! Mommy look! A birdie!"

Audrey hypnotically turned her head, her mind not quite meeting with reality. A few feet away a woman was holding hands with a young girl. The child was adamantly tugging her mother towards the creature in question. With a terrified squawk, the raven beat its jet black wings and lifted into the sky.

The child was left distraught with tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. Her mother frowned sympathetically, reached down, and raised the girl up to sit on her hip. “Oh, honey. You have to be gentle…” Her soft voice faded as she strolled out of earshot.

Audrey could hear faint giggling as reality seemed to fall away before her. A faint inkling of a memory began to worm its way into the limelight.

She was here many years ago. She‘d walked this same path… with her father. Audrey closed her eyes. The sight was so vivid and palpable, as if she could reach out and touch the past.

”What’s that, papa?” She had asked, enraptured by a small cluster of drooping blue petals. Her heart had been alight with wonder— it was the first time she had been to a park before! So many new smells, faces, activities, and sights just waiting for her in such a small corner of the city.

”Ah. That’s a bluebell. Beautiful, isn’t it?” Her father rumbled as he crouched down in front of the patch. He lifted one of the flowers with a finger. "Don't worry, it's healthy. This is just how they grow."

"Blue is my favorite color!" Audrey had bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. In the present, she wished things were as simple as they were back then-- when the only troubles she had were trying to pick a favorite color without "making the other colors jealous".

Now... Now things were different. Her father-- if she could even call him that anymore-- wasn't the man she thought she had known throughout her childhood. Audrey wrung her hands in her lap as she moved her gaze to stare at the concrete below. Her heart ached with longing for the simpler times. Her life was more than a mess, it was quite literally a disaster.

She missed their occasional walks in the park. She missed their daily breakfast collaboration-- Audrey had once accidentally got a pancake stuck on the ceiling one morning, prompting her father to let her stick to mixing the batter. When storms brewed outside and lightning sent her scrambling out of bed in a panic, she had always found solace with her father. Even though she knew she shouldn't... she missed him.

Audrey looked up at a small flock of birds winging south. A gentle breeze brushed her cheeks again. Despite the bittersweet recollections, Audrey wasn't despondent over the present. Though she had lost her father, she had gained a new family; one that was seeming to grow more and more every time she stepped into the Ink realm.

Henry was always a good level-headed friend she could vent her problems out to; reliable too. Allison was adept at making her way through the labyrinth of hallways and was always up for a good sparring match to sharpen Audrey's skills. Tom was a bit brash and gruff, but she knew the wolf meant well. Heidi and Porter were always a delight to see, and they loved pulling Audrey into various shenanigans and pranks they wanted to set up around the studio.

But the one person whom she felt she made the most progress with so far was the Ink Demon himself. He had taken to rooming with Audrey in her apartment whenever he grew tired of the Ink Realm. The demon wasn't exactly the easiest roommate, nor was he always friendly-- he kind of reminded Audrey of a stray cat learning to grow accustomed to the indoors. But he had certainly come a long way; he wasn't trying to kill her for starters.

They were both made by Joey Drew via the Ink Machine. So in a way, that meant they were kin. She had lost her father but gained a brother.

Hmm…

Perhaps the Ink Demon would appreciate a scene like this, whether he would admit to it or not. The memories she held of her father, as tainted as they might be now, it was part of her history. It helped make her into the young woman she was today; one that was adamant on looking towards a brighter future.

Maybe it was finally time to make some new memories...

[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.