#also yeah I want to see more Boris/Buddy

[reel-fear]

Bendy And The Power Of Representation

So those graphic novel pages huh? Seems I posted my cover post at just the right time because literally minutes after I was informed the preview pages came out and uh. This is Buddy and Norman!

Oh dear... I'll put the full graphic novel pages down below but I have so much to say on how awful this is it'll need several posts. However, right now I want to mostly talk about representation and briefly touch on why it's so damn important + inform others about the current shit Mike and Meatly are saying about the books n such.

Now note: All the things I'm saying below are based on my personal experience, maybe some people don't care about seeing the representation of their identities in the media they consume. Maybe some will think I'm merely being dramatic and I might be but I'm not lying when I say I personally believe being represented and seen in the media you consume can be one of the most wonderful feelings in the world.

Look I'm not here to argue with people who think that Norman in particular was never meant to be a person of color, I would argue he is very coded but the points I'm making here are not about how Norman particularly had to be black. The point I want to make is the lack of diversity in our cast in general and how Norman's design has heavily dwindled it considering most people [including myself] rightfully assumed he was at least one of three black characters in our cast. Not according to this though and looking at the the rest of the pages our chances of seeing any kind of decent diverse character designs dwindle more.

So firstly... Buddy a character who has been said to experience discrimination for being Jewish, lacks any kind of ethnic features at all. That's... Cool but yeah I think this shows a rather grim future for the character designs as a whole.

Also, Norman... As I mentioned he was largely assumed to be black due to his southern dialect, his voice, and other factors. But nope, he's a generic white guy. With... Gross looking hair tbh...

Sadly this is not the first time the topic of poor representation has come up concerning Bendy either.

[note how he disregarded the other mentioned minorities and specifically cites LGBTQ+ characters]

This sucks as a response but sadly considering Mike's recent behavior it seems to fall in line with the Bendy team's general lack of care towards representing anyone who isn't straight and white.

So how did Mike respond to all of this? Well...

TDLR - "Who cares if the Graphic Novel we're selling to our fans for full price sucks, we now no longer consider the books canon."

This is horrible, I know Mike and Meatly are only really in this for the money, the fact BATIM is in the state that it is proved that, but they really couldn't have been less obvious about it?

So basically when it benefited them, AKA when it meant people would have to buy the books to understand important lore like Boris' identity... [the character you spend all of chapter 4 trying to rescue] They were considered canon... At least the author sure thought so.

Hell even in the tweet Meatly made here he doesn't say the books aren't canon, he just says they're not needed to understand Bendy's world. Now Mike is using that as a shield instead of doing the right thing and saying "You're right, the poc in our fanbase deserve better we'll have it fixed right away!" Like most reasonable people would considering how his studio has literally been accused of bigotry, poor rep, and general lack of diversity before. Why risk making more people avoid this franchise?

Also just... Imagine how insulting it would be to be an author who helps flesh out so much of this world and gives its characters depth like NONE of the games have managed to do, filling in plot holes, creating a timeline for events, etc... Then because they couldn't bother to change the graphic novel for ur story to be better they instead throw out all ur writing and declare it non-canon.

If I were her to put it bluntly I'd feel insulted and horrible. Why make her do all the work of making sure her works align with the timeline and game's canon if they're not part of it?

I can't speak for her obviously but Meatly and Mike know of her account, so speaking out against this could very much risk her being fired or at least not allowed to work on Bendy anymore... So I would take all her tweets on this situation with a grain of salt. She very much is not in a position where she could be honest if she was against this.

So with all that history now, the question I'm sure many are wondering is... Why does this even matter? Who cares how diverse the characters are when it doesn't affect the story?

Well for one thing, if you think like that consider having more empathy for your fellow human beings but also it does affect the story. One of DCTL's themes is about the bigotry of the period it is set in.

Now the Bendy team has managed to make the discussion of this book centering around their bigotry which is ironic in a way I almost find funny... Though this entire thing is just a bit too hurtful and upsetting to find any humor in, at least for me...

But another thing is representation can bring people such joy when it's done with care. It really shouldn't be understated how far it can go to make people feel more comfortable in their own sense of self to have a franchise choose to represent them and their experiences. I know this from personal experience.

Now if you've been following me for a while, you know I'm a big fan of Transformers. I no longer engage with it much due to baggage from the fandom's awful treatment of me, but before I left I remember being able to witness the release of Transformers: Earthspark first few episodes.

These introduced the Maltos the family who meets the Transformers and serve as our protagonists and guess what?

It's a family of Filipinos!

Now look I'm not Filipino, but I am half Mexican and I have a lot of love for that part of me. So seeing the representation of any Spanish culture in this franchise I loved made me so happy! I remember just watching the first episode I was happily telling my partner how fun it was to see people like me and my family in a world I love!!

But it didn't end with the Maltos in fact... There was another character who spoke to me, their name was Nightshade. Their pronouns are They/Them and they spoke about it on the show! Not just mentioning it and moving on but actually sitting down to speak about their experiences...

This clip in particular really turned them into an absolute favorite among fans and well... I'll let you see it for yourself.

This scene... Fills me with a joy I cannot describe. It is the creators of a franchise I love telling me they see people like me and find the stories of people like me important enough to include in this series. There really is nothing like being able to say there are Non-Binary characters in a franchise I have so much love for. I was far from the only one too.

This is amazing, this is wonderful, this clip and character were moving to so so many people and...

This is a joy the Bendy creators have no interest in giving their audience. They don't care how you feel as a queer and/or black person, which... Hurts...

I... Discovered I was trans while in the Bendy community... It was where I learned the word Non-Binary and started using it for myself. To me Bendy will always have that connection... But the devs themselves seem to hate the idea of being forced to actually represent that in their games... And I still haven't really gotten over that pain or betrayal if I'm being honest.

So...

With Norman now being portrayed as white here, we are down to two black characters. Thomas [who Meatly has claimed is white in the past] based on a vague conversation with Sammy in DCTL they could easily ignore... And Jacob.... A book exclusive character which according to Mike means he is non-canon.

If we don't count Thomas' vague talk with Sammy about disrespect as confirmation he's black [which the devs don't seem to think so] then we have one black character in all of Bendy... And he recently got retconned into non-existence. Great.

Look... The Bendy fanbase has always been full of wonderfully diverse designs for the staff and even more diverse people creating them. Bendy's fandom was built with the work of queer people from all kinds of places.

If the Bendy team continues to show how little they care for anyone who isn't straight or white... I wonder who they are counting on to buy this book or in general financially support their franchise?

I know right now, I am furious, I am hurt and I most certainly don't feel like buying a book that's currently just a massive fuck you to the fans and I hope I've expressed why I feel this way in an easy-to-understand way here...

Either way, I will not be forgetting this anytime soon and I hope the fanbase does the same. Maybe just maybe, if there's enough backlash to this series of horrible decisions they'll learn better.

Right now, it's kinda of our only hope for a better future, and if you know any poc who are into Bendy right now... Maybe consider making sure they're feeling okay.

I know from experience how much this sort of thing hurts, to have the creators of a world you love straight up tell you they don't intend to fix the fact no one in their stories represents your identity or life...

What I'm trying to say is...

This is a really low point for Bendy and its fans... Even more for the poc who have to witness such ignorant and careless attitudes from Mike and Meatly towards their feelings.

Please don't forget them when you discuss these tweets or this situation. That's exactly what Mike and Meatly want right now.

For them to be unrepresented and therefore... Unheard.

[doodle17]

Some DR theories that made me realize they should've hired me to write the Bendy Lore

I'm just gonna dive right in okay? Okay. First things first:

Audrey is not a Drew.

At least her soul isn't. Hear me out, why did all those failed attempts call Joey, her "father" uncle? That's not just some- weird flaw I don't think. Also, it has been proven time and time again that you cannot, I repeat, CAN NOT create a perfect living thing from the machine without a soul. Ink Bendy is a perfect example of that

One of the first things we hear the Ink Demon say is "A voice... A soul..." Why would he say that if Audrey was just made completely out of ink. It doesn't make sense.

Which is why, I think Audrey isn't a Drew. She's a Stein. This will come back later it is crucial to my next theory, I promise, so I'm quickly going to talk about:

"Everyone is just an ink copy"

See that? That's bullshit right there. I've already said you can't make a perfect thing unless it has a soul inside of it, unless you excuse the searchers and lost ones.

I really do think that Henry, Allison, Tom etc. Are all the real people. Henry is an interesting case, however.

I think it's in scraps of paper hidden in the Employee Handbook (the original one) saying something about how an employee was worked to death. Literally, found dead at their desk. Who's to say that wasn't Henry?

Joey could have had plans for an ink clone of Henry but was unable to execute it. So? Use the real Henry's soul for the copy. There ya go. It could possibly explain why some of Henry, and characters like Sammy, have their memories so jumbled up.

Now back to the topic of Audrey, what if Henry had a daughter? Joey always wanted a family, right? Seeing Henry have what he didn't definitely would have pissed him off.

So, if we were to assume that when Joey invited people over, like Allison, he could've totally sacrificed them to the machine. What if he invited Henry's daughter? And with her he could finally get what he's always wanted.

Audrey is Henry's daughter's soul

We learn that once your soul is trapped/bound to your character, you start to lose your memories, and even have false ones replacing who you really are. It happened to Buddy as he slowly forgot who he was, and started becoming more like Boris, until Buddy had seemingly faded away completely.

It could explain why Audrey has no memories of her childhood. Why she doesn't remember where she came from. Because she's not supposed to.

Audrey is really Henry's daughter, but her soul is now inside a different body, and believes she's Joey Drew's daughter instead.

Speaking of Joey, let me bring up my other theory:

Memory Joey was lied to as well

I know people think memory Joey is lying, and, while, yeah he totally could be, what if he doesn't even know he's lying?

Remember that Joey most likely made Memory Joey, and he could have told/made him to believe in everything he tells Audrey. The reason reason he seems so genuine in what he's telling us is because he was made to be that way. BUT remember when I said that you can't make something perfect without a soul? Remember how I said real memories can be replaced by false ones?

That could have happened to Joey. What if with his dying breath he became Memory Joey? He doesn't even remember who he really is or all the terrible things he's done because he designed himself to be the perfect "doesn't murder his coworkers for experiments" kind of boss, who made a few oopsies, but can easily be forgiven.

I hope this doesn't come off as ramble-y and doesn't make sense fam, but I swear this would have been a MUCH better concept

I love Dark Revival, don't get me wrong, but there is no way that none of the people we meet are just copies.

And I know there's a reason all the failed Audrey's called Joey uncle... That wasn't just some minor mistake...

[halfusek]

Imma be honest with you, Joey felt like a consistent a-hole character in batim, dctl, and even his bioography.

It feels a bit odd he was made more... Redeemable in batdr. Sure Wilson did mess things up, but Joey created the broken system, to begin with- I still love how he brushes Buddy off after Buddy DIED and got turned into a Boris. It feels so in character with what they had going. I did see your answer to one ask, and yeah, Audrey feels a bit off, I think it is because he got jealous of Henry's family, but even then, he feels like one of the grey characters when lore-wise, he's an antagonist, he did the bad.

... Tho I will be glad batdr didn't do Joey as dirty as SB did with William Afton-

he is supposed to be an asshole and look

there is nothing wrong with the idea of him having a redemption arc

its the execution of it thats bad and the story kinda trying to force portraying what hes done at the end of his life as good when its... not really??

also contrasting that with negative portrayal of basically any other character is just pretty in bad taste if you ask me

like have you noticed how Every employee tape in batdr makes it seem like theyre unlikable people or somehow flawed while we are being fed the joey drew is not that bad crap

because ive noticed

memory joey can be quirky all he wants and thats fine but im not buying that real joey made anything right by the end of his life

[boris-themenace]

.

True, maybe Boris wasn't exactly bosom buddies with Stoker (yet); but one had to be blind to not see that he was a pretty cool guy. He was always up for talking to people, was really friendly and, so far, they hadn't seen him being disrespectful with anyone. Boris didn't know about any of his possible flaws. And, considering they went to the cinema every week, even if they rarely if ever met Stoker outside of that particular context, they liked to believe they had a good judge of character.

"I get that," they nodded. "Best days at Rewind are also the ones with just the right amount of customers. When there's too many, things become sort of overwhelming, you know? Yeah, you know." Back when they first started, they had feared those big release weekends and those snowy days, when all people wanted was to cozy up at home with some hot beverage and a good movie. The townsfolk would flock to the video rental and start complaining when both copies of their favorite movie were already rented, even if there was nothing Boris could do. Now, though, they had learned to manage crowds a bit more easily.

At the good news, Boris grinned as well, and quickly tapped the counter with both hands in sheer excitement. "I tell you, it's going to be amazing. By the way, you get free tickets when you work here as a clerk, right? When I worked here sweeping and cleaning, all I got was a discount on popcorn purchases." That wasn't one of the reasons they decided to quit in favor of Rewind... But it certainly helped. They would have liked a little more appreciation for their work, after all.

It wasn't uncommon for Stoker to be seen as a bit of a drop kick, but they were actually so much more than that - as were so many who were looked down upon; human beings were incredibly complex, after all. Stoker had a heart of gold deep down, even while they were far from perfect, and an easy way to see that they weren't all bad was when catching them at work. Stoker had been dedicated to his job at Reels for years now, and he was truly passionate about it, too, enjoying a customer facing role and being incredibly fond of films. He certainly wasn't perfect - and arguably, he might have slacked off more than his co-workers cared to see - but he'd certainly done enough to win friendships with some customers, and that was enough for Stoker.

Seeing Boris immediately made him smile; they were a favourite of Stoker's, particularly out of the most frequent movie-goers in town. "It's going," was all he replied with, implying that it had been neither good nor bad. "It's actually been the perfect amount of busy. People are coming in, but I'm not swamped; gives me time to chat to them, you know?" They explained. At the mention of Misery, Stoker's smile turned into a large, mischievous grin. "They have," they wiggled their eyebrows excitedly. "But you didn't hear that from me," they chuckled.

[hello-im-not-a-possum]

YEEHAW IT’S MIDNIGHT WHICH MEANS IT’S AUGUST 1ST WHICH MEANS INK DEMONTH SO I CAN FINALLY POST THIS NOW:

1. Pride

Diversity win! There is not a single cishet in the hivemind of ink creatures (To their knowledge) that you slaughter on a daily basis to make yourself beautiful! AKA: Possum has a fuck ton of LBGT+ headcanons regarding the BATIM cast and is happy to use this DeMonth prompt to indulge them. (Set before the loop starts, but after Buddy Boris meets/befriends the lost ones.)

Malice flicked through the channels of her cameras, trying to find more prey in her territory, and stopped when she saw a gathering of the lost and the searching (and exactly one Boris, the most perfect one she had ever seen.) in the Heavenly toy’s lobby, their prophet was brazenly sitting on the side of the waterfall as if he did not fear the ink when he should have.

Her ears steamed with anger as she saw that group, it was far too large for her to deal with on her own and too far away from the Projectionist’s grounds for her to manage to lure him to them. But on the bright side, she could learn some important information from them, after all, with how casually the prophet was sitting and gesturing and how the other freaks in the crowd were responding, this was clearly not one of his normal sermons.

(“I still find it rather funny that almost none of us are straight and that the few straight ones among us are trans, it’s like all this time we thought we were sheep hiding away in wolves’ clothing among wolves, unaware that the “wolves” were simply other sheep in hiding as well!”)

[Funnily enough, I’d rather be a sheep than a wolf, I think it makes more sense for me to be an animal that’s helpful to others but also easily scared.] The Boris wrote on a typewriter. [Or at least, I wish I had some kind of input on what I am, but I doubt I’d make myself an animal…]

(“Speaking of which...”) The lost one next to the wolf whispered in his ear as she looked over his typing. (“How are you holding up, Buddy?”)

Instead of typing, the wolf drew himself shrugging and put a bunch of question marks around him, then stuck the drawn-on paper in his typewriter and added to it.

[It’s hard to think most of the time, Boris always seems stronger when I’m alone, but I know the Ink demon will find us if I stay with you, this hunger is driving me crazy, and I just wanna go home. But on the bright side, I don’t have to deal with periods, chest pain from binding, or people condescendingly calling me ‘Miss Lewek’ anymore.]

She turned on the sound in that room, watching them like one would watch a Tv drama, but what she heard caught her off guard.

“So as long as we’re being honest about ourselves with each other…” The lost one stood up and pointed accusingly at Sammy. “Were you and Joey and a thing all along before the machine came into the picture!?”

If she was drinking water, she would’ve spat it right back out. Sammy, with Joey?! In the latter’s dreams, maybe! Even a few of the other lost ones looked shocked at the question, the Boris even gasped loud enough for it to be audible.

“Technically yes, but not by choice, mind you.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

What the fuck indeed random lost one. The angel wished that she didn’t hear that, but now that she couldn’t unsee it, at least it made a little bit of sense in hindsight. After all, in her eyes, they were awful enough to deserve each other.

“...Why?”

“It’s just, well... somebody had to keep his eyes from wandering to the lambs- err- younger, more naive, less experienced employees, not children (to my knowledge). And at the time, I really thought that he did at least care about me beyond our work relationships, at least a little bit…  But from what I’ve seen, I believe the only things he had ever truly loved were himself, and the idealized versions he had made of other people. His ‘dream versions’ of them, if you will.”

“And this whole time, I thought he was running off with Susie with all those lunch dates! Or where the three of you all… yaknow, *together* together?”

 “Not knowingly… However I wouldn’t put it past Joey to cheat on people. As for Susie... I did like her, maybe even love her in a way, but I doubt I could ever love her in the way she wanted me to love her, and-or love her carnally. I don’t even think I could fake it like I could for Joey, she was never signing my checks and wasn’t holding that over my head so I’d be too disgusted to even try.”

Malice was almost about to march down there herself and push him into the ink, but she knew this troupe all too well, and knew that sometimes this place worked on story logic, he’s now going to say something that alters the context of that statement enough to not justify her going over there and slam dunking him into the ink.

“Now that I think of it, I don’t think that I’ve ever loved… anyone in that sense. I can’t think of a single person or situation where the idea of doing that is anything other than gross at best. In fact, there was someone who was close to me a long time ago, someone who, while I have long forgotten now, would perhaps even be what one could consider a soulmate. Even then, the mere thought of doing that with them still makes me queasy…” The prophet sighed. “I suppose I am simply meant to remain alone in religious celibacy. A relationship of that kind would interfere too much with my worship anyway.”

"Ahh fahr foehck's sake... I can't believe dat it's dis foehckin stupid..." A more lucid, absolute giant of a searcher in the back of the crowd slapped his forehead.

“It?” Malice repeated curiously. “Huh… maybe it and I had more in common than we thought.”

“You're clearly a sex-repoehlsed asexual, you doehmbass! literally everyahne who's ever been in de dark poehddles at de same time as you figured dis ooeht befahre you ded!” He shouted through cupped hands. “celibate people are people who WANT sex, boeht dahn't poehrsue it fahr variooehs reasahns, dey ARE NAHT people who are desgoehsted wit sex to de point where dey legitimately throw oehp and feel 'ahrreble after doin de nahrmal vanella stoehff! Stahp foehckin foehckin people when you're clearly naht cahmfortable wit it, and you and future partner..s? 'll be 'appier wit yooehr rahmantic poehrsuits!”

The searcher, upon realizing that he had furiously sworn at the Prophet, their leader, the one who does not fear anything within the studio, not even the deepest depths of the dark puddles, and most terrifyingly of all; the former music director, he slinked into a puddle within the crowd in fear of being the target of reawakened ancient wrath. Everybody else looked back and forth to the prophet and back at the searcher who spoke out as they remained in stunned silence, even their eavesdropper was worried for his fate, even if in her case she feared how the show would end rather than his outcome. Surprisingly, and luckily for him, the Prophet broke the tense silence by laughing in that caught-off-guard tone of it.

“While you were rather… crude about it, what you’ve said does make a lot more sense then Joey being so bad at sex that he turned me away from men altogether, even if it is funny to assume that he was.”

“A-aye… and I can't believe dat you wrahte an entire foehckin sahng abooeht it! 'ow ded you naht get fired fahr dat?!”

“Good question, I wish I could remember the answer…”

[Maybe you had blackmail on Drew?] The Boris typed out and handed to Sammy.

“Yeah, maybe because you used to be so close to him, you saw skeletons that Joey would want to keep in the closet” His lost-one friend added.

“Like HIMSELF!” A voice from the back added, making the others in the room burst into laughter.

With the tension in the room gone, the group just went back to talking about either journeys they took to become comfortable with themselves, or the various past relationships that they had, or wished they had or in some peoples’ cases, all three.

Malice continued to watch them bitterly. It was as if they had either forgotten what the outside world was like to people like them or they simply didn’t care, and she wasn’t thinking about the ink that made up their bodies. Part of her envied how freely they had talked about themselves and each other, part of her felt like she had been smacked across the face, and a third part of her felt lonely. All of them seemed so happy telling their stories and building each other up, and here she was hiding away with her own story that she had wished to bury.

However, there was no iron clad law stating that she couldn’t tell them her own story. In fact, maybe if she came out of her own cage, made Sammy understand that big part of why voicing Alice was so important to her, made sure that it understood that as the very first explicitly female character she voiced, that Alice Angel was more than a beloved character to her, that she was a part of her, the biggest symbol of her own femininity, then maybe it would recognize the error of its ways. Maybe it would see how devastating it would be to be shunted aside without notice in favor of someone newer, prettier, ‘more feminine’...

She shut off the camera and thought it over, and she made up her mind. While she still didn’t want to share her story with everyone, Sammy needed to know it. Whether the Prophet liked it or not, she was going to pay it a visit.

[shirtlesssammy]

5x21: Two Minutes to Midnight

Then:

The End is Nigh

Now:

Davenport, Iowa

We begin this episode with Pestilence paying an ailing woman a visit. He’s riddled her with more diseases than she can handle. What an experiment!

One Day Earlier

At Bobby’s, Sam’s getting an earful from Dean about his plan to say yes to Lucifer. Dean gets a call from Cas. Dean wants to know where he is --they all thought he was dead. He’s in a hospital. He’s not one for conversation at the moment, but does tell Dean that he just woke up in the hospital. Dean tells him their next step: get Pestilence. 

For Hospital Bed Science:

Cas groans in pain and tells Dean he can’t fly anywhere. He’s thirsty, and his head aches, and he has a bug bite, and he’s all so very... Dean finishes his thought with, “human”. Cas needs money for pain meds and travel expenses. 

Also, he stops Dean from hanging up and says that he owes him an apology. “You are not the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be,” he confesses. Dean’s awkward about such a solemn apology. I’m soft about how soft this moment is. 

The brothers head out to scope out the convalescent home where Pestilence chills. They knock out the security guard to watch video footage of the place. 

Eventually Sam notices the camera flickering with one person. They head out to find him. 

As Pestilence is taking care of Cold Open Celeste, a demon comes in to warn him about the Winchesters. He’s upset over what they did to his brothers, and wants revenge. The demon reminds him he’s not supposed to hurt “the vessels”. He doesn’t care and starts hurting everyone in the building. 

Sam and Dean start coughing, and struggle to keep walking. They both collapse outside Pestilence’s door. They’re now riddled with disease, just like Celeste. While the boys struggle on the ground, Pestilence gets to monologue a bit about the frailty of humans. 

Enter one VERY human-like angel. Yeah, poor Cas is just as affected as the Winchesters. Pestilence laughs, “There's not a speck of angel in you, is there?” Cas then lunges at him, and cuts his ring finger right off. “Maybe just a speck.” Oh Cas, you badass. Never change. 

The demon attacks, and he knifes her. Pestilence disappears, but not before ominously stating, “It’s too late.” 

And now they have three rings. 

At Bobby’s, Dean asks for some good news. Bobby tells them that Chicago is about to get hit with the storm of the millennium. Three million people are going to die. 

GOOD NEWS, Bobby! Or as Cas deadpans, “I don’t understand your definition of ‘good news’.” 

Bobby points out that Death will be there. They still need his ring. 

Sam wonders how Bobby knows all this. Enter Crowley. 

Bobby admits to selling his soul to Crowley. Dean demands that Crowley give it back. Sam wonders if Bobby had to kiss him. Bobby denies it --but Crowley’s got proof. Of course. 

Crowley won’t give back Bobby’s soul as insurance that the Winchesters won’t kill him. I mean, I kind of have to side with Crowley here. He’s being REALLY generous even considering giving back Bobby’s soul. Bobby sold it fair and square. He’s getting information from Crowley in return. 

Later, by the Impala, Dean and Sam talk. Sam admits that he has his doubts about his plan as much as the rest of them. “You, Bobby, Cas...I'm the least of any of you.” Like, OUCH, Samuel. We deep dive into Dean’s self-worth issues on the regular, but let’s just pause and reflect on the younger sibling right now. 

Sam’s all they got though, so they have to try. 

Crowley interrupts the broment with news about the world. It seems that Pestilence was spreading Swine Flu, and Sam’s old buddy Brady’s company was cranking out the vaccine --only it was full of Croatoan virus not a cure. If this vaccine is distributed nationwide, it’ll all be over.

Cas and Bobby pack up the van. Cas is...moody. He mourns the loss of his angelic might. The only thing he has available to him now...is a shotgun. (Starts humming) Bobby tells him to quit whining and load the truck. 

The teams finish packing for their respective hunts. Sam waxes nostalgically about the simpler days of hunting monsters. Dean doesn’t think it was ever simple. Crowley interrupts and presents Dean with Death’s own scythe (in travel-sized form). 

Crowley urges Bobby to stand up and get ready to fight. He reveals that he inserted a little healing clause into Bobby’s soul deal that healed Bobby’s paralysis. Bobby stands up triumphantly. 

Later, Sam, Bobby, and Cas drive towards the Croatoan virus operation. Cas reflects on Sam’s idea to toss himself into the pit along with Lucifer. He thinks it’s a solid plan. 

Cas passes along some new intel about the archangel prize fight: Michael has taken Adam as a vessel. He warns Sam that failing to control Lucifer means that the apocalypse will happen, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Oh, and “there’s also the demon blood…” Sam will have to drink gallons of blood in order to be strong enough to contain Lucifer. BLEGH.

The next morning, they lurk at the distribution facility. A truck tries to leave and Cas takes out the driver and jams the gate controls. Sam and Bobby head into the warehouse, only to find that the demons have already infected some of the workers with Croatoan. Sam races off into the warehouse to save (uninfected) civilians. 

Dean and Crowley enjoy their first date, tracking Death to a little warehouse.

There’s a lovely clip where Crowley mentions that the area is swarming with reapers, and we get a reveal…

Crowley zaps into the warehouse, discovers that Death isn’t there, then meets Dean outside again. He suggests hightailing it out of Chicago and waiting for the next doomed city in order to find Death. That’s not good enough, though. Dean wants to find a way to save people, even if they can’t track down the Horseman. While Dean despairs, Crowley peers into a little pizza place and then heads back to Dean. He found Death! With his work done and not even a high five to show for it, Crowley zaps out of there.

Back at the warehouse, Sam’s finishes evacuating the uninfected civilians. Just as they think they’re home free, Sam gets attacked and Bobby’s gun jams. Enter Castiel, who shoots Sam’s attacker and says, “Actually these things can be useful.” 

For Angel with a Shotgun Science:

Dean creeps through the pizza parlor, which is full of dead patrons and waitstaff. Death’s scythe heats up in his hand and, agonized by the red hot handle, Dean drops it. The next thing he knows, his Death super-weapon is safely by Death’s side. 

Death sits at a table savoring a piece of pizza, and invites Dean to join him.

Dean wants to know if he’s about to die, but Death informs him that he has other plans for him. Death quietly reminds Dean that he’s as old and vast as the universe. No biggie though. Dean’s a bacterium, practically, but it’s fine. Death serves Dean a slice of pizza and I desperately long for some good Chicago deep dish. 

Death says that he’s as old as God, and maybe older. “At the end, I’ll reap him too.” (And while I appreciate that they didn’t kill Chuck in the traditional stabby manner, I’ll always mourn that we didn’t get to see this line fulfilled in one of the finale’s endless montage sequences, and that Billie didn’t survive to do the job.) (Boris, huddled in the corner: Death didn’t reap Chuck because he won, and the story isn’t over yet...)

Anyway, Dean’s appropriately awed by Death’s power. “This is way above my pay grade,” Dean mutters. Death reveals that he’s been waiting for Dean to catch up to him - Lucifer’s spell has prevented him from directly seeking out the Winchesters. “I’m more powerful than you can process, and I’m enslaved to a bratty child having a tantrum,” Death spits. Preach! Death proposes depowering Lucifer’s Death weapon. He’ll hand Dean his ring willingly.

“What about Chicago?” Dean asks, ever the hunter.

Oh, Chicago can survive. Death likes the pizza. He hands Dean his ring and tells him that he has to do whatever it takes to trap Lucifer. “You’re going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit. Now, do I have your word?” Dean takes the ring as Death issues one final warning. “You know you can’t cheat Death.”

Back at Bobby’s, Dean looks at the rings. They’ve got all four of them and together, they form into a magic little bundle of rings. Bobby finds Dean for a little heart to heart. 

Dean reveals that he lied to Death - he’s not okay with Sam tossing himself into the pit. However, Bobby thinks that Death may be right about Sam’s plan being their best option. Bobby watched Sam save all the civilians in the factory before they blew it up, and he thinks that Sam can handle it. “Sam will beat the Devil, or die trying. That’s the best we could ask for. What exactly are you afraid of? Losing? Or losing your brother?”

O, Quotes:

I don't understand your definition of good news

We'll catch Death in the next doomed city

Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started to get snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of its diapers. I'm old, Dean. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

[inkabelledesigns]

Bendy: Dreams Come To Life, but as an Isekai?

Okay, so I’ve had this idea for a few weeks now, and I want to ramble about it. So late one night, I was chatting with my friends, and I threw something down in our ideas chat that a lot of us jumped right on. 

What if you had a story where someone from modern times woke up in the body of Sammy Lawrence, within the context of DCTL? 

This lead to a long series of discussions, and I think I have a grasp on what I want to create now. I’ve got a prologue ready and a first chapter in the works for a fanfic, but I need to go and reread DCTL to make sure I’m remembering the details right. 

https://www.definitions.net/definition/isekai 

So what is an isekai? I wasn’t too familiar with the term before chatting with folks about it, but this link should give you an idea as to what it is. Some isekai stories focus on a character that is transported to a fictional world, but others will put them in the role of a character that already exists in that piece of fiction, which is closer to what I’m doing. You ever heard of that manga where some guy was reincarnated as Yamcha in Dragon Ball Z, and then drastically changed Yamcha’s role throughout the series because he knew everything that was going to happen? That’s kind of what I’m doing here. 

My story focuses on 24 year-old Samantha Lorenzo, an animation nerd who obsesses over BATIM with her roommate, Janet Fey (credit to @fiddle-dee-dee777 for the names, it’s a clever parallel!) Sam is an active theorizer who loves picking apart the Bendy lore, while also being a huge nerd for stuff like DnD and classic films. She’s read up to the ending of The Illusion of Living and is currently working to pick apart the details, when out of nowhere, her life is flipped upside down. She wakes up one morning in the body of Sammy Lawrence, within the time that DCTL takes place, a little before Buddy shows up. Once she realizes that this is in fact not a dream, she tries to prevent Sammy from getting drenched in ink and protect Buddy from his inevitable downfall, but that’s far harder than it seems. 

On the flipside, 1946 Sammy Lawrence wakes up in the body of a recent college graduate, confused as to where he is, why he’s wearing a nightgown, and generally having an existential crisis until Janet comes to his rescue. Jan takes care of Sammy while he’s in Samantha’s body, which forces him to acknowledge that, as far as they’re concerned, he’s a fictional character. So while Samantha is trying to save everyone, Sammy and Jan are unraveling the mystery of how this happened, how to fix it, as well as indulging in various shenanigans. 

Bottom line: It’s a damn fun story, and I don’t want this one to be something I fizzle out on, because it’s just such a good time. But in order to be confident in it, I need to really hammer down what happens in DCTL, it’s been so long since I’ve read it that I forgot some things. Like I’m here questioning if I’ve put the infirmary in the right part of the building, the building layout is so hard to keep track of for someone as directionally challenged as me (and if you know of anyone who’s mapped it out, please send it my way, I’d really appreciate it). Obviously I’m not gonna be completely canon compliant, it’s a fanfiction, I’m allowed to have a little fun. But at the same time, I wanna make sure I’m doing this media justice.

There are a few things I’d like to get out of the way. Big one: I’m including Jack. I don’t know at what point Jack is out of the picture, since we get no mention of him in DCTL, but we know he’s alive in 1943, which is only three years before. I want him to be there, hell, I’d love to have a moment where Samantha unknowingly prevents his death, but we’ll see. That’s the other thing about this fic. I dunno if you guys have noticed, but I’m a nutcase when it comes to Bendy. A lot of what I’m putting into Samantha definitely comes from my own over-analysis of this world, where she’s looking at it as trying to give these characters the best ending possible. This girl is packed with all the knowledge that I have of this franchise, and she’s gonna use it to her full advantage to manipulate the outcome. But knowing the world of Bendy does not mean knowing the day-to-day lives of these characters. As I’ve discovered in starting to write this, Sammy Lawrence not knowing where the bathroom is in a place he’s worked at for a long time is kind of sus. XD So part of the challenge is getting Sam to accept that this is more than a story, these are real people in-world that she’s tampering with the lives of. 

The last thing to note is that I want to make it hard for Samantha to prove she’s not Sammy. At first, I want her to just appear to be a bit off, but hey, Sammy’s quirky, so it could just come off as him having an off day. But part of living in Sammy’s body means dealing with some lingering things from him, such as his skills as a musician and feelings towards some of the characters/subjects. So when asked to prove that she’s somehow not Sammy, it’s really, really hard to be convincing. One moment I had in mind was Jack coming out and asking her the time signature on one of his favorite pieces to prove it, and she blurts out the right answer and quickly covers her mouth in horror. 

I’ve also considered playing with other characters having nightmares of things they couldn’t possibly have experienced, which starts to put some things into question. And this has its pros and cons. Buddy having nightmares of being Boris? Oh god that would be fun to write. But then possibly having Joey learn what’s coming? Oh that would affect things a lot. That’s one of the things I’m eager to play with: Sam has to be careful of who has what knowledge when it comes to what’s going to happen in the future to these characters. Certain characters learning things and sharing them with others could be incredibly dangerous. 

So yeah, that’s my rambling about a fanfic idea that’s currently in the works. Thank you for indulging me! I’d love to talk about it more and bounce ideas around, so hit me up if you’re interested in chatting. Goodness knows I’ve had fun sharing it with my smaller groups (and a huge thank you to all of you for indulging my craziness on this, I really appreciate having you along for the ride!) 

But of course, I gotta tell you the title. Right now, I’m calling it Nightmares Are Reality, a nice parody of Dreams Come to Life, I think. I look forward to exploring this nightmare with you!

[inkdemonapologist]

Forever ago @inkyteeth made a comment about Escape AU Sammy hiding the mask from the others at first as a “guilty comfort” and tHAT FEELS, SO CORRECT I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since

so I guess I wrote a small thing?????? hints of Jack x Sammy

[Familiar, 1437 words] [also on AO3]

Sammy hasn’t let go of old habits, much to Jack’s dismay.

-----

Strike the match carefully, so your fingers don't catch. Light the candles, quick and precise. There was an order to light them in, there was a soft song hummed alongside it. 

It was familiar. Sammy still liked the smell of smoke long after he quit, but in the abandoned Studio it had become something different; a comfortable routine, one of the few times the ink inside him didn't cry out so loudly, didn't press him with demands and guilt and fear and the desperate need for devotion.

He knew he was doing the right thing.

Only, now...

Sammy put out the match, though it would not light on his fingers if it got too close. The candles were arranged in front of nothing, but he knelt before them anyway. The mask couldn't sit over his face properly without obscuring his vision and pressing into his nose, so it was pushed up and to the side; he could see what he was doing through its mouth.

The god, the monster these candles were meant to revere was gone, was false, was never listening in the first place. He pulled the mask down a little. Unsteady breaths took in the smell of the candles and hands clasped hard to suppress their shaking. He didn't pray, strictly speaking; at most, a whispered "please" that was never directed to anyone specific nor clarified in any way.

There was no reason for any of it. There was no ink in his mind. But the guilt and the fear and the need remained.

"...UH. ...Sammy...?"

He tensed and froze at the voice in the doorway, his eyes darted in that direction but couldn’t see much and processed nothing. He knew he was caught and his instincts poised to run, scrambling off the floor but there wasn't anywhere safe, there was nowhere small enough to hide and Jack's wheelchair blocked the entire do---

Oh, Jack.

OH. JACK.

He seized up again. He was caught, Jack knew now, would he be punished, should he hide it, no it's too late to hide it, what was his lie -- now that the thinking part of his mind had switched on and he had to make an actual decision, he could not get any part of him to settle on an action and stood perfectly still, backed up to the wall, mask still too far over his eyes to make out Jack's expression.

"Sam, you, uh... you there?" The voice was... careful. Unsure how lucid his friend was.

"...in a room-sharing situation, it's considered polite to knock." Sammy huffed and reached back to pull off the mask with an irritated grumble, then dropped lightly to the floor to put out the candles.

There was a sharp sigh from Jack. Sammy couldn't tell if it was angry or relieved.

He wheeled into the room, stopping off to the side of the makeshift shrine, thoughtful enough to not block Sammy in, and watched quietly as the musician snuffed out flames between his fingers and gathered the candles, with his mask and a small pack of matches, and started shoving everything into the bottom drawer of their dresser. He would need to hide it all later, now that Jack knew it was here. Wavy blond hair fell into his eyes, pulled askew by the mask, but he could feel his face heating up underneath, self-conscious and nervous. He didn't have to explain himself. What explanation did he even have?

"So… what's this?"

Sammy fell still and silent for a long moment. "....it used to give me clarity. I'd hoped it still would."

There was an uncomfortable wincing "ehhhh" from Jack as he smoothed his moustache and put his thoughts together. "Sammy.... are you still hearing from that fella?"

He shook his head, stiff and mechanical.

Jack did not look comforted. 

"I wasn't praying," he snapped, though it had all the bite of an injured animal. "Just... doing something familiar."

"Gotta be honest, I wish you wouldn't." Jack's voice came out strangely quiet, and Sammy looked up, surprised, and regretted it immediately at the mix of fear and worry in Jack's eyes. He'd seen that expression before, more than fifteen years ago, when Jack found him in the sewers, when he was unable to keep the mania out of his own face, gaunt and sick and sweating ink.

"This is why we shouldn't room together," Sammy hissed, eyes back down as he shoved the drawer shut. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just lighting candles."

"Lighting candles? You're kneeling at a, a, a shrine in our room and telling me it's not for the demon, while you're still wearing that thing's mask. You think I can’t tell that’s fishy?" Jack threw up a hand, exasperated. "You want Wally to catch you in here instead? Henry?"

"Henry gave me the mask!" It came out sharper and louder than he'd expected, and he immediately recoiled, looking down, a hand raised to shield his eyes. "Henry knows," he mused softly. Soft like the voice he used to use when the band had exactly one take to get this right before he snapped. Like the voice he used to use when he walked the abandoned halls. He looked up, past Jack, to nothing in the distance. "Everyone who escaped the Studio needs something to protect them. Who protected you, Jack?"

"Hah," Jack said, "You did."

Sammy nodded, gaze still looking out at something that wasn’t there. "And Allison? And Connor."

"Each other. She's good with weapons and he packs a punch."

"Susie?"

"Alice,” he said, a wince in his voice. “Didn't do a great job, though."

"And the one who used to be Boris?" Sammy had not heard anyone use an actual name on that kid since they'd escaped.

“Buddy?” Jack paused, thoughtful for a moment. "Resourceful kid, I guess, but you know... call me biased, but I think writing that book saved him. He had a purpose, a reason to keep trying."

Sammy finally dropped his head to look the other man in the eyes; his own eyes intense, pale blue and wide. The madness the Studio left him with hadn't dulled his gaze one bit. "And what of the shepherd, my sheep? My protection, and my purpose."

Jack sighed softly. "This godawful religion."

“And my flock is gone and my saviour is false. I have nothing!” Sammy’s carefully spoken words grew sharper and sharper. Something hurt and angry vibrated underneath his voice. “I gave everything to that monster, and now I must find pieces of myself in the wreckage!”

“You’re getting a little prophet-y,” Jack interjected, in the tone of voice you’d use to let a friend know they’d left a button unbuttoned or got something in their teeth. 

Sammy stopped, blinked, and slumped forward with a frustrated sigh. 

“Look… yeah, you got hit hard. But you’ve got to find a new purpose here.”

“I am trying,” Sammy hissed.

And that could be the end of it. They’d played this out before, and it could play out the same again -- Jack worried, aware there was a problem but unable to see the reason, Sammy’s empty promises as he hid ink in his desk, demanding privacy that Jack was loathe to deny, and Jack would leave him be, trying his best to keep his worry shut up in his own head. 

He didn’t particularly care for the ending of that path, but a different ending meant… this needed to go differently.

“...Jack.” Sammy had not stood up, still kneeling in front of the closed drawer of their dresser, hands clasped and fidgeting, head bowed so that his hair hid his face. “I am... frightened of Bendy. I’m not really free of Him. He doesn’t speak to me any longer, but I hear a ghost of Him anyway; I don’t want to call out in a way He would hear. But… I have to do something to quiet my mind. The mask is safe,” he whispered. “The candles are safe. Let me have a respite.”

The other man frowned in thought. Silence stretched; not uncomfortably. It was needed.

“Yeah,” Jack said finally. “Yeah. I got you, Sam.”

Slowly, he came up beside him, hesitantly offered a hand on his shoulder, and Sammy took it, reaching up to lace his own fingers into Jack’s, leaning his head against the arm of Jack’s chair. He shouldn’t. The times when they held onto each other like this were gone, a foggy memory of a time before ink, when Jack would pull him down from fits and spiralling thoughts and back into music.

But it was familiar.

[mwolf0epsilon]

If you could remake batim into an outlast/resident evil type survival horror game, what would be your ambitions for the characters/creatures?

Someone's been studying my taste in horror games, good call Anon.

Honestly if I could remake Bendy and the Ink Machine into a more intense horror game I'd definitely take aspects from resident evil, but would keep the shock value to a minimum.

I consider BATIM as more of a subtle horror deal. With exposition being a little more Bioshock-y in terms of piecing together the story through audio logs and exploring the environment. Visual horror is good stuff for giving your mind space to piece stuff together, and fill in the general gaps to our own ability. I like exploring nooks and crannies, so imagining the horrors of Joey Drew Studios through bits and pieces I caught in my peripherals would absolutely make me embelish it more than what we're actually given in canon, so scenery and storytelling visual cues are a must to allow for a good theorizing experience!

Of course no horror game is without some good scares and tense moments, which I can easily offer right here through a few easy picks of my favourite rouster of horror elements that could be applied to certain characters:

The Ink Demon - The Demon itself has this missed opportunity of being a bigger threat. It pops up occasionally but you end up easily overcoming your fear of it by simply knowing where the nearest miracle station is (even it's Beast form is easy to deal with by exploiting the map layout). I say make the demon more like RE2make's Mr.X with just a hint of RE3make's Nemesis, and you'd have something worthy of being feared by the whole studio. Couple that with limiting the miracle station's placement in certain zones, and increasing encounters, and you get an enemy that forces you to think quick on your feet.

The Projectionist - Remember Half-Life: Alyx's distillery? Oh yeah baby, I'm going there! Make the Projectionist as tangible a threat as Jeff. Force the player to be in close quarters with the hulking beast that is the Projectionist, without a way to fight back. Tense stealth zones can do wonders if you know where to place them in a game. Eliminate the Butcher Gang stealth mechanic in favour of actually trying to navigate a zone where you need to be spacially aware, otherwise you'll get a very angry Projector man on your case. And for the love of god give us options on how to deal with him besides a Tommy gun that we might not be able to unlock.

Twisted Alice - Less protagunism on her part in one singular zone. Make her more mysterious, have her appear earlier as this unknown force that may or may not help you out at first (Think Ada Wong in RE2make or Atlas in Bioshock). Have her manipulation skills actually explored in more than a bunch of fetch quests. Make the Demon and Angel path choices more impactful (give us a way to save Buddy Boris after so much effort but maybe increase difficulty if we do so? Make it worth our time).

Sammy Lawrence - Multiple stage encounters. I don't mean just drop him in as is to fight Henry, I mean, degradated him further and further with each fight as a means to show his wavering faith and stability. The final encounter could end with him actually becoming a proper horrifying ink monster? Give him a form that fits his distorted voice in chapter 5. Look at any instalment of Resident Evil transformation sequences for reference. Don't rob Sammy of a better fight than getting his mask yeeted off and then a cheap shot from behind.

Allison and Tom - Introduce them earlier. Have them as a presence that you want to seek out to get help from. Don't just throw them in without context because, while the studio is confusing, there should be hints that they're around and surviving. Give them presence and maybe some quests to earn their trust. Trust systems can be very helpful in certain horror scenarios! It also gives room for more choices.

Bertrum Piedmont and Lacie Benton - You know what would make Bertrum's boss battle better? More stages to it! You know what could make that possible? Lacie helping her boss out for old times sakes. I've already pointed out multiple stage battles could work well, so rather than stretching them out like I suggested with Sammy, why not make Bertrum's a real amusement park experience?

Brute Boris - Provided we'd get a chance to save Buddy Boris, make the good route fight harder by having Alice construct a much more threatening version of Brute Boris out of multiple Boris clone corpses. Otherwise in the bad path you'd just need to tweak a few things, like item accessibility and environmental advantages to complete the fight.

Joey Drew - Give us the option to fight him, regardless of if we can or cannot beat him. Let us get a taste of revenge if only just briefly before being thrown back over and over again. Depending on choices the fight could be more menacing or not.

That's about it in terms of mechanics I'd employ for a reimagining of Bendy and the Ink Machine. As you can tell it's less on the Outlast front and more on the horror survival/adventure survival spectrumthat Resident Evil and Bioshock are known for.

Here's hoping BATDR is as spooky and intense as TheMeatly keeps telling us! Might make these ideas seem like child's play... Or not. We'll have to see won't we?

[fishylife]

Street Dance of China, Season 4, Episode 7

- The figures make a return!!! I love them, they are so cute.

- Anyway, it’s cute that each of the teams have kind of a common room to chill. Helps with the team atmosphere, I think.

- Yixing playing the flute/pipe that has a gourd at the top. I recall seeing a video where he’s played it before, so the production crew probably got it so that he could show off a bit.

- The fact that Han Geng’s having a cooking class is just reaffirming my beliefs that Han Geng would be the best captain to have if I was a contestant. They have the most fun.

- Yibo is so super serious though. While the other teams are chilling, he’s already thinking of his redemption plan. I’ll be honest, it feels....a little too tense. As a captain, I think he needs to take time for his team to relax and regroup.

- My boy Yixing recruited my boy MT-Pop T_T He gave him the Baymax to accompany when he’s feeling lonely because apparently MT-Pop said that he missed home often T_T Also Yixing was watching for MT-Pop’s expression except he was emotionless and Poppin’C was like no, don’t worry, he’s always like this XD I thought that Baymax suited MT-Pop too because he likes monsters so I think it’s not a reach to guess that he likes superheroes and comics and cool characters. Also, like Baymax, MT-Pop is also friend-shaped. Anyway, I wonder if he was feeling emotional here because he missed home ;_;

- Yixing gave Momo the CUTEST cat lamp T_T

- In the captain interview, Momo asked Yixing if his stomach was alright. I saw in some behind-the-scenes photos that Yixing had a bad stomach that day, so I guess that was why he was so disappointed with his performance. I’d initially thought it was his back problems (because he was shown getting some back massages/chiropractic stuff done to his waist in other behind-the-scenes footage), but I think the back/waist stuff is something that’s been going on for a longer time.

- Lmao Nelson being like “I know girls, they love that cute stuff” XD And he noted how Momo seemed more comfortable with Yixing. To be fair, he’s onto something, I am girl and I love cute stuff and dudes that make me smile. (Though in the end, Momo chose Yibo)

- I thought it was cute that Momo was talking through the wall to MT-Pop, asking if he’d already chosen his team. I love the friendships between the dancer contestants v.v

- Yixing gave copies of his Lit physical album to the Gogo Brothers...all of the fans who couldn’t get their hands on a copy are gonna be mad haha.

- Yixing’s team tried to surprise Gogo Brothers when they joined their team ^^;;

- This is as wild as Yixing is going to go lol. He was waving the scarves being all “WOOHOO!!”

- Yixing and Han Geng’s teams shouting for Bozi across however many rooms made me laugh XD Especially because Bozi is such a stoic dude.

- Yixing’s relief at having recruited Bozi. As we know, he doesn’t have much confidence in recruiting dancers.

- When Bunta and Henry had their interview they were being all “HEYYY MY GUY!!!!” Very buddy-buddy. And then Henry to his team was like “I’ve never talked to Bunta.” The art of faking it gets you far.

- For the contestants who get to choose between two or more captains, they get an extra blind box with a little doll in it. I wonder what that is. It’s so cute, I want one v.v (I love dolls)

- The rejection on Han Geng’s face XD Is this the first time he’s been outplayed?

- In addition to getting everyone on his team to sign the card, Yixing also asked Rei from Gogo Brothers to come with him to recruit Bunta, and it worked in the end.

- Yixing turning the party into a concert being like “MAKE SOME NOISE!!!”

- Not gonna lie, the performances aren’t the best, probably because they’re just for funsies anyway. It doesn’t bother me that much though, at least they look like they’re having fun. As a wise man once said, fun must be always.

- OMG YES YIXING. He went full memery on this XD

- There’s so much going on here. The song they danced to was a famous song by Xiaohudui (a Taiwanese boyband). When questioned about their choice of music, Yixing was like “yeah, we’re an international boyband!” We know Yixing is super serious so the fact that they did this cheesy stuff is supremely surprising but also SUPER AWESOME. The other captains were like “you were too serious!” but the reason why this worked was because they were serious tbh. As Psy once said, dress classy, dance cheesy. Anyway, I’m a fan. Look at how fabulous they are.

- Yibo’s team danced to the Huluwa song. Look at Liangliang’s hair lol.

- You can’t see this very well but Bouboo carried Yibo away in a fireman’s hold.

- So this is how Han Geng’s gonna play it, huh

- There’s just A LOT going on here

- Henry getting lessons from Xiaoji on how to have swag (ft. Xiao Jie as the teaching assistant).

- Yixing kept being like “ge, watch the expression!!”

- You can tell who did and didn’t get their hair done just by looking at who is wearing the headphones properly. Also, I used to be super whatever about cat ear headphones, but now I am so down for them. I want a pair of cat ear headphones even though I never use headphones (prefer earphones).

- Ok this is cute. Xiao Jie is trying to explain the passage to Bouboo in English, but Xiao Jie’s English is a bit limited. At this part he was trying to explain a watermelon to Bouboo and was like “it’s an apple but it’s bigger and it’s green.” Han Geng and Yibo are just having a ball. Look at how big Yibo is laughing? Boy never laughs like that.

- Somehow Bouboo understood Xiao Jie’s English, and then Bouboo was like “your English is very Chinese” which prompted another round of laughs. He would know, he’s probably been around a lot of Chinese people trying to speak English to him.

- Yo, Rochka’s Mandarin pronunciation is REALLY good. He’s really good at replicating the tones.

- Henry, San’er, and Rochka turned their final answer into a song XD

- Yixing tried to game the system lol. Instead of reciting the whole passage, he picked the easiest words. It wasn’t totally perfect, but his method allowed the players to focus on key words instead of memorizing the small details and preposition words. Smartest catboi (y)

- We already knew Henry was good at piano (I know he has at least RCM Level 10, probably has his ARCT too), but he’s also appropriately showy about it.

- OMG ROCHKA SINGING 月亮代表我的心 (ft. Henry harmonizing)

- Now Boris!

- Of course this mf had to whip out the violin.

- Okay so I kept seeing that clip of Yixing dancing to the sexy dance with Ibuki and Qiao Zhi and I had no idea what it was from. NOW I KNOW.

- Henry is SO MEAN he keeps bullying C-Lil and telling him that if he doesn’t do well he has to go home. STOP BULLYING HIM!!!

- The captains keep roping in team members to do the dances with them haha.

- Waiwai was saying how she’s never seen Bozi and Qiao Zhi smile while breaking and yet they look like they’re having a ball learning the sexy dance.

- Yibo did some magic tricks. Something I’ve noticed is that Yibo is actually quite good at public speaking. He makes very few mistakes, barely uses any filler words. Anyway, his first magic trick didn’t quite work, but the rest of them did (y) 

- Han Geng performed a dance that he said he learned when he was very young. I remember when he was still doing stuff regularly with Super Junior, people would ask him to show off the ethnic dances that he’d studied. This performance was exactly that, plus some added shenaniganery at the end.

- I really liked Ma Xiaolong and Rochka’s performances. Ma Xiaolong is such a good singer? Like it’s not just the skill, but he has creativity when he sings. As for Rochka, his performance was just so much fun. He was a good singer too but he also brings such charisma.

- Really sorry to hear about Zyko’s sister :( I can’t be mad, he needs to go home. He looked so down too when he was calling Han Geng. All the best to his family :(  I did really love Zyko on the show. He was so open minded and so easygoing. All the best v.v

- I’m glad that the other contestants got to see him off (AC, Ibuki, Rochka, Ma Xiaolong). Rochka looked so sad. He strikes me as a sympathetic guy, so I don’t doubt that he was troubled by the news too.

- Not gonna lie, the news about Zyko kind of brought my mood down. It’s not that the show is “ruined,” it’s just the idea of his sister being so seriously hurt that’s hard swallow for me. I can’t believe how Zyko must be feeling. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to watch the rest of the show, I guess the news was just a stark reminder that we live in the real world. 

[ressyfaerie]

I’d like to request a Brooklyn x Tyson fic! I recently had the idea of Brooklyn developing a crush on Tyson, since he was the first person to try to be his friend. But I couldn’t think of how to write this myself. I’m curious if Tyson could come to return the feelings of someone who almost killed someone so dear to him.

Okay uh- I got really carried away with this one! Man it was good! I formed a lot of opinions as I wrote this I hope it’s to your liking! You mentioned if I thought Tyson could return the feelings of someone who almost killed someone so dear to him so I added a bit of that spice in there! Hope you enjoy :) It sorta turned into a full fic WHOOPS. Anything in * are Tyson’s private thoughts!

The party was a great success. 

Mr. Dickenson was very impressed with his work. He had made a great area under the bridge beside the small BBA headquarters, well headquarters is putting it nicely, it’s a decent sized shack. 

So he was understandably nervous when he invited all the teams to a large summer party.

To his surprise, almost everyone showed up, it brought a massive smile to his old face.

The Bladebreakers helped a lot, Hilary hung up lanterns and decorations, Kenny and Max catered food, and Ray and Tyson sent out invites and dealt with the technical stuff. 

“Wow even Kai came!” 

“Of course Kai would come you crazy old man.” Hiro stood beside Mr. Dickenson with his arms crossed, not exactly happy to be there. 

“Of course? He’s a loner isn’t he?” Mr. Dickenson questioned.

“Not since the fall of BEGA, he’s stuck to the Bladebreakers like glue. It’s annoying seeing him in the Dojo with his friends whenever I go there.” 

“It’s nice to hear the words ‘Kai’ and ‘friends’ in the same sentence.” Mr. Dickenson smiled ignoring Hiro’s previous statements.

“Even Brooklyn’s here!” Mr. Dickenson clapped his hands together with glee looking into the crowd at the flash of orange hair.

“Yeah being a rebel as usual.” Hiro rolled his eyes.

Brooklyn was smiling while talking to members of the white tigers. Everyone seemed to be on edge with his team's appearance, but since BEGA it seemed to be mutually decided to let them back into the beyblade community, forgetting the past. 

“How’s he doing?” Mr. Dickenson’s eyebrows knit together in concern. 

“Alright. Training him is tough, as usual. He’s on meds now, and seeing a psychologist. I would like to say he’s getting there, but he’s not even close.” 

Mr. Dickenson nodded, acknowledging, but not showing any emotion, he didn’t know what emotions to show or feel, he tilted his head realizing that’s how Brooklyn thought all the time.

He finally decided on a response. 

“He looks happy.” 

Hiro shrugged, “we will never truly know. Boris did a number on an already ill child.” 

“The BBA is always here for you when you need it.” 

Hiro gifted him a warm smile, “Thanks Stanley, that means a lot. To me and also Brooklyn.”

On the other side of the room, Max and Ray hung out by the buffet table, finally full they sipped some juice out of plastic containers. 

“Isn’t this a party.” Ray mouthed the words into the juice cup while glaring at Brooklyn talking to the White Tigers. 

“You jealous he’s talking to Miriah? Just go over there and ask her to dance.”

Ray spluttered coughing up some of his juice, “Wha-? No! I’m just angry he’s really here in general-”

“Don’t lie Ray.” Max grinned. 

“Look- Look at all the people dancing Max, there’s no room and- Aren’t we spying on Tyson anyways?” 

“We can do two things at once.” Max took an elegant sip.

“Okay- How many people has Tyson danced with again?”

“Lost count again Ray? Keep up Buddy.” Max laughed while slapping him on the shoulder, causing Ray to again splutter his juice. 

Max surveyed the crowd, “a lot of people, but as predicted he’s been more flirty with the guys.” Max shrugged his shoulders with a know-it-all attitude. 

After Tyson inadvertently came out to Max and Ray the other day they decided it was their mission to help Tyson with his sexuality, a party with tons of dancing was the perfect opportunity.

“He was the most flirty with…” Ray trailed off trying to remember, suddenly concerned with the number of guys Tyson had danced with. 

“Oliver.” Max snapped his fingers.

“Yeah but Oliver’s already dating someone so he doesn’t count.” Ray rolled his eyes. 

“Wait what’s our goal here for tonight?” Max asked quizzically, knowing full well what they wanted to do. 

“To get him to kiss someone of course!” 

“Alright calm down it will be done by the end of the night.” 

Tyson was tired from dancing so much. He barely knew how to dance and yet tonight he felt like an expert. He went back to a table and grabbed his cup of punch gulping it down. He looked down at his outfit he chose, it was much different from what he would regularly wear, a little more revealing and mature, he liked it. 

Tyson was aware of the inner turmoil going on inside himself. Mentally he didn’t know where he belonged, he felt it before the BEGA championship and now he felt it bubbling over, so much that he accidentally got Ray and Max involved.

*Ah, damn it.*

Tyson just wanted to keep dancing, dancing and socializing was keeping his mind off everything.

*I’ve almost danced with everyone here though-*

“Hey Tyson! Dance with me?” Emily was blushing a bit when she asked.

“Yeah? A pretty girl like you? Of course.” Tyson cringed when he couldn’t tell if he meant it or not. 

He gently grasped her wrist and brought her to the clearing where everyone was dancing and without touching began to dance. 

“Dancing with the world champ, I wanted to do it once, while I had the opportunity.” Emily blushed a bit, mostly out of embarrassment, if anyone asked *not* admiration. 

“Well here you are.” Tyson grinned while grabbing both her hands and swinging them back and forth in an awkward yet cute dance. 

She giggled a bit, however was immediately interrupted by a deep sophisticated voice. 

“Tyson? Can I take you away from this pretty lady?”

Tyson turned his head, not expecting the shine of Brooklyn’s earring to catch his eye.

Tyson’s jaw dropped a bit, he could not vocalize an answer. 

Brooklyn placed a hand on his chest and made a slight bow, “may I have this dance?” 

Tyson directed his attention back to Emily who simply nodded and pointed his hands in Brooklyn’s direction. 

Brooklyn grasped his hand and waist in a very formal way, Tyson wasn’t expecting it, he brushed it off as maybe being the only way he knew how to dance. 

“Nice to see you again Tyson.” 

Tyson grinned slightly, he looked *really* good. Tyson decided to start a conversation before the silence got weird. 

“Last time I saw you-”

“Things were weird.” 

“Yeah.” Tyson tried to laugh but it came out a bit high pitched for his liking. 

Brooklyn chuckled, but it came out more of a deep growl. 

Tyson bit his lip just a bit.

*Woah, okay, no- He might be the best looking guy here but he’s- Brooklyn.*

“Tyson? Are you alright?”

“Yeah! I-I’m fine. Are you um-”

“Just ask.” 

“Are you okay? Since the tournament I mean.”

“I’m alright. I wanted to talk to you Tyson, specifically to thank you.” 

Tyson tilted his head as a silent ‘why’? 

“You really helped me. You were the hand that took me out of that dark place, and although I have a long way to go, you started it, without you I would still be with Boris- or not, you know, here.”

Tyson blinked a few times.

“So, thank you Tyson, for saving me.” 

“You’re um- Welcome.” Tyson slowed his pace to gently move back and forth.

Brooklyn grasped his hand harder and pulled himself closer to Tyson.

“What can I do for you in return?” He grew a sly look on his face.

Tyson’s eyes grew wide.

*There’s no way he could know- No? No way? Unless he was talking to Hiro- No even Hiro doesn’t know-”

“Tyson?” 

“Y-Yeah?”

“You’re doing it again.” 

“Sorry…” Tyson mumbled looking down at their shoes. 

“You know…” Brooklyn took his hand off Tyson’s waist and placed a finger under Tyson’s chin forcing him to tilt his neck to look at him. 

Brooklyn took a deep breath and laid out his thoughts just barely above a whisper. 

“I kind of want to kiss you…” 

Tyson’s whole body turned to ice, no fire, no he turned into a ghost? The feelings his body were trying to signal his brain were all jumbled and he couldn’t figure out what to do, or what he wanted to do. 

“I-” 

“We could sneak out, just for a few minutes, if that’s what you want.” Brooklyn changed his entire demeanor instantly, trying to appeal to Tyson’s tastes.

It worked. 

“Yo what is going on over there?” Max whispered to Ray while spying on Tyson and Brooklyn across the room. 

“I’ve been wondering the exact same thing.” Ray mumbled in a worried tone. 

“I have mixed feelings about this…” Max put a hand over his mouth deep in thought. 

“I mean- Would it hurt? If he dated Brooklyn I mean?”

“Dating! Ray!” 

“I mean- Kai would be pissed but Brooklyn’s not exactly *evil* just…”

“Mentally ill? Unpredictable?” Max started listing at max speed. 

“Hey Max it’s not his fault he’s mentally ill. After working for Boris he must have suitcases of trauma.” 

“His special attack is called ‘King of Darkness attack.” Max rolled his eyes. 

“Okay, you got me there, but what are we going to *do* about it?” 

Max hovered in place thinking, unfortunately while they were thinking about it, Tyson and Brooklyn disappeared. 

“Ah fuck-” Ray stammered. 

“Like you said Ray, not like we could do anything about it.” 

“Tyson and Brooklyn though? I think I heard he was pissed at Hiro, could he be doing it to get back at him?” Ray pointed out with a worried expression. 

“We know Tyson he won’t do anything dangerous, if anything he will just experiment with Brooklyn maybe kiss a bit-”

“What.”

Ray and Max both turned on their heels to confront the familiar voice, their faces read fear, after all it was the one person they didn’t want to hear from. 

Kai stood there mouth agape for a few moments managing to pool together his thoughts.

“What. The. Fuck.”

[theepsizet]

Let’s talk about Allison and Tom

There’s been a discussion regarding these two characters: an Alice and her Boris and there’s also been a lot of theories regarding them and/or their identities. So this post is basically me slapping my thoughts on the table. And here it is:

Allison Angel and Tom!Boris are in fact Allison Pendle and Thomas Connor. But you can’t take everything about them presented in BATIM for granted.

This theory first came from this video by MatPat, whose main subject was to discuss Henry and even had good backing reasoning/evidence for his status and what-he-is in-game. He also mentions how Allison and Tom’s names aren’t on coffins and therefore can’t be Allison Pendle and Thomas Connor. If anything, they’re actually soulless; Joey was unable to get their souls.

First problem: MatPat completely glosses over a detail confirmed by Joey in Chapter 5 from this audio log:

“Listen Tommy, I know you boys over at Gent are doing your best, but I'm paying for living attractions, not weird abominations! Whatever that grinning thing was I saw wandering around your office, you better keep it locked up tight! I realize it was a first attempt but imagine if the press caught sight of it! Might scare off investors! And in response to your previous memo: If you claim your failures are because these things are soulless, then, damn it, we'll get them a soul! After all, I own thousands of 'em!”

Did you get that? The reason Ink Bendy is off-model is because he doesn’t possess a soul. If they were soulless, Allison and Tom would look... pretty demonic. But they’re not; they’re on-model, resembling their cartoon counterparts near-perfectly (the biggest difference is, of course, their attire such as Allison’s ponytail and dress and Tom’s robotic arm)

Second problem: He never explains why their names are Allison Angel and Tom. MatPat doesn’t elaborate on this fact and just calls them that and moves on with the video.

So, my take. The game files reveal unused secret messages, and these messages do in fact reveal that Allison and Tom’s names are absent; confirming that they don’t have coffins:

(originally posted by thedreamfisher)

So, they’re alive, right? Well...

In Chapter 4 there’s an audio log labeled “Untitled”. The entire audio log is just somebody gruesomely transforming into an ink monster, most likely a searcher if one goes off of the moaning. According to the game files, its Grant Cohen. Not to mention, in the first BATDR gameplay trailer, look what happens to Audrey’s hand when she uses her power:

(originally posted by thedreamfisher)

When Audrey uses her power, her hand changes. It literally turns into ink. Both these scenarios confirm that killing people and stuffing their souls through a machine isn’t the only way to reincarnate people as living cartoons. My theory is that at some point, Allison Connor exchanged enough letters with Joey that he could convince her and Thomas to return to the studio. Similar to Henry, they became so exposed to the ink that it literally transformed them into perfect toons. They were then reborn from the ink produced by the Giant Machine (we’ll get back to this). The dark truth is that, Allison Angel and Tom!Boris are Joey’s best outcomes from his experiment. Not to mention, Allison says this to Henry:

“I... I honestly don't know my name. So they call me Alice.”

“He [Tom] just seems to respond to it [his name].”

It’s a fact that the ink corrupts the mind. Sammy’s Hot Topic Q&A confirms that his memory deteriorated, and considering that these answers come from when Sammy is The Prophet, it wouldn’t be too unlikely to conclude that the ink did this to him. So, when Allison and Tom were reborn, the ink corrupted their minds so much they basically became amnesiac.

Speaking of reborn, notice what Allison says when talking about the ink in general and why she can’t come with Henry for the final battle:

“...you don't want to touch the ink for too long. It can claim you, pull you back.”

“We can't! We're not like you, Henry. If we go in there, well... a drop of water in the ocean is never seen again.”

It wouldn’t be surprising that they were born out of the bigger ink machine (and we have now officially come back to this). Given its size, the smaller one — the actual one, the one that — wouldn’t be able to produce enough ink to fill entire caverns (the underground levels). It also makes a lot of sense given the context: too much ink would make them unable to fight back, and too little wouldn’t do much effect at all. Both would literally become a drop of water in the ocean if they went with Henry. Not to mention that the first phrase is similar to part of Twisted Alice’s monologue when Henry enters her lair:

“Take this little freak for instance! He crawled in here... trailing his tainted ink to my door! It could have touched me! It could have pulled me back! Do you know what it's like? Living in the dark puddles? It's a buzzing, screaming well of voices! Bits of your mind, swimming like, like fish in a bowl! The first time I was born from its' inky womb, I was a wriggling, pussing, shapeless slug. The second time... well... it made me an angel! I will not let the demon touch me again.”

Now, here’s what I mean when I say you can’t take every word of there’s for granted. The truth is that it’s entirely clear what their motivations and there are several instances where things seem highly suspicious regarding these two:

In Allison and Tom’s hideout, Allison’s graffiti contains a list of levels that are crossed out. If one reviews the cutscene at the beginning of the chapter, it is revelated that throughout Henry’s time as prisoner, the levels are listed and then crossed out, as well as more of her drawings being inscribed onto the walls. It’s almost like they’re looking for something

There’s, weirdly enough, graffiti of the Seeing Tool outside the Administration Lobby. Were they done in that level before? If not, why is it there?

Considering that both of them are pretty experienced around the studio (Allison does know what the Lost Harbor is, and is a professional swordsmaster), Allison doesn’t even use her sword to slice off the boards of the prison cell door. Tom even has an axe and doesn’t do anything.

Tom starts off completely distrustful and treating Henry through spite. He almost immediately becomes part of Henry’s side.

Allison asks Henry to lead the way down the floorless hall. Even after she calls out his name, she doesn’t really grab on top him; she just let’s him fall (although this statement is confusing on its own as Henry falls way to fast for him to look up and see their reactions; its probably not even possible to see their reactions without hacking)

(originally posted on this page and this page of the Bendy wiki)

@thedreamfisher​ suggests that they could be manipulating Henry. and to be honest, yeah... that’s exactly what they’re doing. Why they’re doing it, though, is difficult to pin down, but my theory — yes, that is the theory part — is maybe because of one obvious fact: Henry isn’t like them at all. Allison even says this is why she and Tom can’t really trust them, and Twisted Alice confirms he’s “so interesting... so different...”. Compare this to the way Allison talks to Audrey in the BATDR trailers (this and this). She’s a lot more open, honest, more like a mentor and willing to tell her a lot more than she would to Henry, possibly because she resembles that of a lost one (why Henry’s avatar is completely invisible when hacking and what is a subject to debate for another time).

Allison knows Henry is different and may be manipulating Henry because she wants to turn off the machine. Tom too. Why do you think she calls him “the hope [she’s] been waiting for” and tells him that he “[can] set [them] free”. But, here’s the catch: this doesn’t make them bad. There’s been a number of theories that they’re bad people, but this manipulation only shows they have good intentions; if anything, they’re more of the most basic, generic definition of antihero.

And this makes even more sense when the conversation between Buddy Lewek, Allison Pendle, and Thomas Connor is reviewed in Chapter. It’s a lot of dialogue, and I’m not going to copy and paste the entire thing, but the most important anecdotes is that they hint to have more knowledge of the machine and its functions than the average employee. They also imply two things: they seem to be aware of Susie’s fate (most likely what happened after Joey gave her an offer hinted in audio logs in Chapter 4 and 5) and that they can’t stop Joey at all. It’s hinted by Allison that she and Tom both needed the job, and that they committed to his decisions because of the pay. Tom mentions how Joey treated him well, and Joey claims from a memo to clipped in the Joey Drew Studios Employee Handbook that he’s fascinated by Allison and her personality.

So... yeah. That’s it. Feel free to comment.

(One-finale note: The idea/credit of Allison and Tom being born out of the bigger ink machine and the manipulation aspect all goes to thedreamfisher. Do not give me credit for this idea) 

[binbogummy]

How do you think Kamal and Boris would react to fk being scared of the dark?

So sorry again for the late reply and thank you for the request! I had alot of fun with this and may have gotten a bit carried away.

(Also, like I always say; this is meant to be considered platonic/familial)

•Kamal probaby already knew just by watching you. He's a pretty perceptive guy but also isn't the kind of person to care much about the stuff he figures out. Sure it's kind of a silly fear, but hey, he's afraid of stairwells so who's he to judge.

• Boris on the other hand is pretty oblivious and that plays to your detriment at first.

• One day Boris had gotten a new shipment of seeds and had been working non-stop to get them planted. He had a late night but you waited up to walk him home like you usually did, despite the growing unease in your gut as the sky got darker.

• By the time he had finally finished up the moon was out and the street lights were aglow. You had fallen alseep in the back room and were awoken by him gently shaking you, "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead, sorry for the wait. It's time to head home!"

• As soon as the two of you stepped out the door your breath hitched and you backed into him. He quickly raised his hands to catch you, gently holding you by your shoulders and lightly shepherding you onto the street for a couple steps before letting go.

• The only light that was offered came from the street lamps above, creating ominous looking paths down the sidewalks on either side of you. It was almost more unnerving than complete darkness.

• He didn't seem to notice your discomfort at all but did comment on how late it. He even asked if you just wanted to head back to your place instead of staying out any longer and walking him home.

• You're quick to object, almost frantically grabbing his hand when he began to step away. No way were you walking home alone, or at least you'd try to avoid it as long as you could.

• Boris jumps in surprise when you cling to his hand so suddenly and looks down at you with concern. When you realise what you're doing you quickly apologize and attempt to back away only for him to grab your hand in return and begin walking happily. "Okee! Let's get going then, shall we? Kamal's going to be worried if we take to much longer."

• If he had thought anything about your little freak out it seemed to have already left his mind.

• Despite the darkness that surrounded you, you had to admit having Boris there was quite the comfort. You were walking slower than usual as you cautiously took in your surroundings and Boris adjusted his speed accordingly.

• He hadn't let go of your hand since you started walking and he seemed to quite enjoy the activity, even attempting to intertwine your fingers at one point but couldn't do it comfortably with the size difference. He instead just opted to wrapping his thumb around your wrist while his fourfingers easily encompassed the rest of your hand.

• His grip was firm but gentle and during moments of silence he would hum softly. For a little while you completely forgot about your fear and just took in his presence as he walked with a smile.

• You're snapped back into reality when your hand was released so Boris could begin fiddling with his keys. You had finally arrived back at Kamal's place and once it was unlocked, he held the door open for you to step inside.

• The two of you are greeted by a tired looking Kamal as he lethagically mulled over some paperwork.

• After a bit of conversation and Boris explaining why you got back so late, Kamal stands, stretches and turns to you. "It is pretty late ain't it? Maybe it would be best for you to crash here for the night, pal? No point in sending you out by yourself at this hour and I think I'm a little too tired to drive right now."

• Before you can respond Borsi stands up excitedly and clapped his hand together.

"We can have a sleepover!"

"Yeah sure, that." Kamal snickers and looks to you sympathetically, "You up for it, little buddy?"

Thinking it over for a second you nodded happily, "I think I'll take you up on that, thank you, Kamal."

• Boris squeals excitedly and lifts you off the ground for a second before his face flashes with an idea and he quickly puts you down. "I'm gonna go make snacks! Don't go anywhere! Okee?" You can tell he's joking about that last part but he still peeks back around the corner after heading to the kitchen, pretending to make sure you're still there.

• You and Kamal share a look and he wordlessly points down the hall with both hands. You get the message and give him a wave goodnight that he returns before heading to bed.

• If it's really late, Boris won't keep you up for long. Just long enough for the two of you to eat and watch some tv.

• After that, he'll offer to let you stay in his bed while he sleeps on the couch. You firmly deny his offer, insisting that you couldn't do that but you appreciate the thought, he really was a sweetheart. After a small back and forth Boris eventually relents when you insisting you'll be fine.

• Boy were you wrong. It hadn't even occurred to you until now that you didn't have your usual set up. Would it be rude to keep their living room light on all night? It was bright enough to be seen on from both of their rooms, even from under the doors. You eventually settle on leaving the tv running. It's not quite bright enough to comfort you but it's better than nothing.

• You spent the next two hours curled up on the couch, trying to keep your gaze focused on the tv. Normally the sight of Kamal's house brought you comfort, but right now it felt like you were floating in some sort of void with the dim light of the tv that illuminated the couch acting as your lifeboat.

• A few more minutes passed and you were spooked out of you already anxious trance by the sound of footsteps. "Flower, still watching teevee? It's no good for u this late you kno!" When you turned around you saw Boris standing at the end of the hall rubbing sleep from his eyes. He was also slurring his words a bit, something he did when he was angry, upset or tired. He walked up to the couch and leaned over you to grab the remote. "U can watch all u want in the morning I promisee".

• You panicked and grabbed it before he could, holding it tight to you chest, "N-no! I-I mean, just let me finish this episode, it's getting really good--I'll get some sleep right after!" Boris glanced at the tv then back at you with an eyebrow raised. You looked back to the tv and finally remembered what you had been watching for the last hour...the shopping channel. "There's...there's uh...a really good deal for...nonstick skillets coming up.."

• Your strange behavior seems to have woken him up a bit and and he looks down at you sadly, "Is everything okay, y/n? Was...was the sleepover too much?"

• You're quick to sit up and assure him that that isnt the problem, everything would be fine it's just that, well...

• "Oooh, so you do not like the dark?". You nodded, looking down in shame, it was such a stupid fear. "Well that makes sense! I--!" Before he even finishes speaking a look of realization crosses his face and he scrambles over the couch to the other side of the living room to flick the light on. As soon as he does he turns to you with worry, "Is--is that better? I'm sorry for turning it off :-("

• You stand up and assure him that it wasn't his fault There's no way he could have known and even if he did, it'd be silly of you to expect him to keep all his lights on just so you can sleep. You laugh a little bit, "I do miss my night light though."

He tilts his head in confusion, "Night-light?"

"Yeah, you know. Those little lights you plug into a wall socket. Not bright enough to bother you but enough to see in the dark. They're...usually used for little kids". You rub the back of your neck in embarrassment.

Boris's face light up, "Oh, I know what you are talking about! C'mere!" He grabs you by the hand, pulling you up off the couch and leading you down the hall to a door adorned in art of flowers and smiles. You can only assume it's his bedroom.

• He looks at you expectantly, motioning to his door and you take that as your queue to open it. When you do, you're met with what looks a bit like a kids bedroom, in the colorfullnes of it at least. The lights are off but there is a warm glow that leaves everything clearly visible.

• His bed is huuuge, but that's to be expected. To the right of it on the wall he has two night lights, one of a smiling tooth and one of a flower. On the left side of his bed was a night stand with a dimly lit lamp. Not only that, but looking up at the ceiling he had to have at least two-hundred of those glow in the dark stars.

"I do not mind the dark, but I like to read at night." You're once again snapped out of a trance and you look at him a bit baffled but smile anyway.

"Your room's pretty cool, Boris."

He seems pleased by your approval, "Thank you! It can be your room for tonight too!" Before you can protest, he shushes you. "It'll be like a real sleepover this time! I'm gonna pick out a bedtime story to help you fall alseep, go get comfy."

• You don't get another chance to protest since he's already looking through the large bookshelf that's sitting up against the wall to the left. You don't move from your spot near the door but you can make out some of the book titles that rest in it. Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and even a few by H.P Lovecraft. He wasn't a fan of horror persay, not horror movies at least, but he enjoyed the older novels. There were also quite a few books on flowers and even some on farming odly enough. It was all very Boris.

• After pulling out what he thought was an acceptable choice, he walked over to his bed and climbed in. His smiles at you expectantly again and patted the spot beside him, signaling you to come sit with him.

• After a moment of hesitation as you process the silliness of this situation, you relent and climb in beside him.

• He pulls the blanket up over the two of you and takes extra care to tuck you both in properly. It really seemed like he knew what he was doing as he went through the motions with a determined look on his face. This earns a laugh from you and a confused look from Boris. After he was satisfied with his work, he setted back down in his spot and began to read out loud.

• You forgot how nice it was to just listen to someone read as you drifted off, or maybe you never new in the first place. Either way, you were out like a light in less than thirty minutes.

[tiny-smallest]

day steventeen - distractions

Rating: G Characters: Bertrum, the toons, brief Sammy Warnings: Description: The toons are bored and seeking something to do. Bertrum wishes they’d leave, but he ends up regretting making that apparent.

Also on AO3!

---

Bertrum’s turn, finally! :D

---

"No."

"But it's really cool!" Bendy cooed, half laying on the table, feet off the floor, chin in hands as he stared at the little model buildings, riveted on the center tower.

"I don't care. You can't touch it." Bertrum looked over his shoulder from the bulletin boards and the copious posters, notes, blueprints, and concept drawings pinned to them to give the little devil a glare.

"You're not even using it right now- ooOOOOOO IS THAT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE!" Bendy had spotted one of the concept drawings for the completed tower. "THAT'S SO COOL!"

Breathe. Calm down. Do not strangle the little gremlin. No matter how much he's inviting it.

"Oh gosh Bendy- there's really no point in playing with them, though." Boris tapped his forefingers together. "We should just leave."

"We're bothering him," Alice came right out and said. Bertrum heaved a quiet sigh of relief that someone, at least, understood without having to be told. 

"We're annoying," she added quietly, and suddenly he felt a lot less relieved.

"No," he huffed. "But you are loud. I have work to get done. Revisions to do." He turned around fully and did not like the pang in his gut from the vastly different body language going on with the three than had existed a minute ago.

"You want a nice park to play in sometime, don't you?" he coaxed, gesturing with a sweep of his hand back at the bulletin board. "Won't it be nice to leave the studio?"

Boris blinked, ears flopping to the other side of his head as he tilted it. "... But we can't."

Now it was Bertrum's turn to be confused. "Wait, doesn't someone take you out now and again?"

Alice shook her head. "Too dangerous."

"Yeah, there's superfans who stalk the woods tryin'na find the studio." Bendy poked a little at the tower, previous chutzpa gone. "Someone might see us."

“... And there’s no plans on how to introduce you to the public someday?”

“Not that we know of,” Boris mumbled.

... Did Joey really make three people of a brand new species without factoring that in? Did he really?

The sentiment must have started to show because all three shrank away from him. Bertrum sighed and drew a hand down his face. 

No time for this now. No time for any of this right now. He needed to find his quiet place. The zone. He needed to get back on track (Eugh accidental pun, he thought as his eyes snagged on the Buddy Boris Railway concept art) and store those thoughts for later and get these three out of his room...

Without upsetting them further.

"There you are."

Bertrum's hand lowered in surprise at the voice- it was only vaguely familiar to him, but more familiar than it might have otherwise been.

He didn't have much to do with the music department given his line of work, but Sammy Lawrence's voice was rather impossible to not know in some fashion, given the amount of use it got in yelling Joey's name all the way from the music department itself anytime a pipe broke. Or anytime Bendy did something obnoxious.

Actually that's not happening as much anymore, is it. Hm.

"I've been looking for you," Mr. Lawrence scolded as he crested the top of the stairs, his stern face a bit softer than Bertrum expected as he stood there, hands on his hips, surveying each toon. "I found more coloring books for you and, Alice, I found that book you've been wanting to read. You'll need to take care with it though; it's a library book."

"You found it?" Alice's face lit up, and her halo, more literally, as she bounded over to Mr. Lawrence, stopping just short of hugging his legs. "Oh thank you, thank you! Where is it?"

"My office." Yet another surprise. "... If you three want to stay awhile. That's up to you."

"Yes please!" they all said in unison, Bendy hopping down from the table and Boris's ears perking considerably. They all flashed him smiles as they walked by, hurrying down the stairs.

Mr. Lawrence sighed and stretched, giving a nod to Bertrum before following after them.

... Maybe Bertrum should ask Mr. Lawrence a thing or two-

A timer went off and he nearly jumped, grumbling once he remembered a moment after that embarrassment that he only had a few more hours before his meeting with Mr. Drew.

He could ask him. He should. But first he should get back to work.

Maybe, if he didn't want to rip Mr. Drew's head off during the meeting too much, he'd remember to ask him some questions of a not-strictly-work nature.

Bertrum righted the model tower Bendy knocked askew and turned back to his blueprints.

[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

A weird little Bendy AU here

You know to me personally I feel like I suck as AU’s. Okay that sounds crazy. Considering I’ve made some such as the Bendy sequel AU and that’s wonderful. 

But I mean AU’s that.....seem creative or so. Yet I’m hard on myself and not to sound stupid. I’m not like a lot of folks who make countless AU’s. When swimming with my family today. I had thought of something kind of fun but crazy.

It was a Resident Evil AU for Bendy And The Ink Machine.

While the idea sounds creative at first. But when I was thinking about it. It’s basically just the same game in a way. But the best way to look at it is, “If Bendy And The Ink Machine was inspired more by Resident Evil than Bioshock”. 

Just had to make this wonderful joke I’ll show at the end of this.

But basically it started off with the idea that Joey Drew Studios is basically the Spencer Mansion. While New York is Raccoon City. Where we have Captain Henry Stein and Private Audrey with maybe some others looking into the old studio. With Henry having some history because he was an old animator before taking up military training.

Yes I’m putting Audrey from Dark Revival in this. Audrey and Henry’s relationship is something similar to Barry Burton’s and Jill Valentine’s relationship. Almost like a father and daughter like relationship too. When they get in the studio they are separated. 

You have Henry being Chris’s/Leon’s story where you have Buddy Boris and Perfect/Toon Alice as his companions for his story. Audrey is basically Jill’s/Claire’s story where she is joined by Tom The Wolf and Allison Angel. 

While Henry’s scenario is more tougher because he’s a veteran basically. Also a bit like Chris’s story in the original RE. While Audrey’s scenario is much more easier. Where you have characters like Tom and Allison who are fighters and can help give you any weapons or anything. 

Basically during Henry’s scenario, while Boris and Alice help you out with some things. You are the one mostly protecting them. 

Both characters have similar enemies like Ink Bendy the Ink Demon himself, Sammy Lawrence, the Projectionist, and especially Twisted Alice. In Henry’s story she wants Buddy Boris but also Perfect/Toon Alice back. While in Audrey’s story, Twisted Alice will meet her and Allison at one point while Tom is some where else. She holds Audrey and Allison at gunpoint with the Tommy Gun and kidnaps Allison because she views Allison as the best chance of making her perfect. With now Audrey and Tom having to save Allison before she gets killed. 

The endgame is basically Joey Drew but along with Ink Bendy I suppose. With him being a Tyrant like character or Nemesis. See it’s basically almost the same rules and game. But I changed certain things. 

There isn’t much to this AU. Including I have thought about putting my own Bendy human characters in this like Cassie, Gunnar, the Cybill sisters and whoever else. Yet I have wondered should I put this in 1998 like RE 0, 1, 2, 3 and Code Veronica? Or should I just put in in modern day? Yes BATIM takes place in 1963. But I’m just having a little bit of fun with my stuff. There was the idea of having Buddy and Dot being the Leon and Claire. But I had them stick with well...their fates.

I should make a post talking about the idea of Dot becoming a Perfect/Toon Alice in my Bendy stuff.

This is just an idea of if Bendy And The Ink Machine leaned more into survival horror. Where you have different stories and scenarios with Henry and Audrey. 

Yet yeah that’s what I wanted to share. I just needed some inspiration. But also here’s this funny image I made. Because since Henry Stein is the Chris Redfield/Leon Kennedy role. While Audrey is the Jill Valentine/Claire Redfield role.

Joey Drew is basically the Albert Wesker of this AU. So here’s a funny image showcasing of Joey after he got some what killed by Ink Bendy. But he gained new powers.

You can laugh. I laughed a bit when I put those glasses on him. XD

After I put the tags, decided to put a title.

[hello-im-not-a-possum]

13. Trust

It’s not fun to be put into a situation where the only person you can count on is the person who wants to kill you, nor is it fun to have to be put in a situation where you have to trust the person that you really want to kill, but Henry and Malice don’t really get a choice in the matter. (Set in an AU Where Allison and Tom capture both Henry and Malice alive.)

When Malice came charging at Henry, she was stopped by being tackled into unconsciousness by an almost identical angel.

His assumed savior hoisted her body up with ease, while the Boris with the mechanical arm had glared at both of them.

Henry tried to explain the situation to the newcomers, but the angry looking wolf simply ignored him as he walked up to the man and whacked him out with the pipe.

Both the angel and the Animator woke up in a cramped, tiny, makeshift prison while one of their kidnappers was singing and painting on the wall.

It was very tense and awkward when that happened.

Malice was clearly pissed off about sharing her cell with Henry (the man had similar opinions on the arrangement as he was rightfully upset about what she did to his Buddy Boris), but the animator could tell that she also seemed scared, outright terrified, of their captor.

While he wasn’t her biggest cheerleader, he did see some flickers of Susie still in there, there were still glimpses of a woman who poured her heart and soul into her role, and loved every minute of it until her betrayal broke her. Seeing the fallen angel so scared, and dare he say, helpless in this instance, reminded him of that tape in the Angel side room.

��Everything feels like it’s coming apart…”

His own heart broke when he first heard that tape, while he had never seen Susie get her role as Alice, he did see her voice some of those talking chairs, dancing chickens, and other minor roles. She always seemed to have fun with them and if Sammy didn’t pick her for Alice first, then he would’ve asked her himself.

The animator reached out, then hesitated, wondering if it was better to try to comfort her or to give her space.

The one who broke the silence between the three was the free angel who noticed that Henry was up when he moved.

“I know her, but who are you? Why are you here?”

“I was invited by an old friend, and now I can’t leave.”

Malice rolled her eye and muttered something under her breath.

“Then you know more than we do. One minute we don’t even exist… just… thoughts. And the next minute, this place.”

“Henry.” Malice whispered in his ear as she grabbed his hand. “I know I’m the last person you’d listen to, but don’t fall for her act! I know her, and I know she’s no better than Joey...”

Henry nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to the captor angel.

 “Are you gonna let us out of here?”

“She’s dangerous and down here, strangers aren’t good things. How can we trust you?”

“If we’re so dangerous, then why lock us up instead of killing us when you had the chance to?” Malice spoke through gritted teeth. “Why bother with the cage at all?”

The other angel stayed silent as she did not have an answer, leaving the other two in silence as well.

-----

It’s only for a few hours. No need to worry, I won’t go far… Only up to level six. Just stay here. Keep an eye on them, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise.”

The Boris menacingly slapped the axe against his palm while watching over the pair, Malice refused to look him in the eye as he did so.

-----

“You’re drawing him again?” His cellmate asked curiously.

“Yeah, it’s just… I miss him. He was one of the only good things about this studio.”

While he was focused on his work, he did notice the twinge of guilt cross her features before her face fell into thought.

“...If it makes you feel any better, he’s not truly gone. The ink probably spat him back out a while ago and he’s probably wandering the studio looking for you.”

Henry raised an eyebrow.

“What makes you think that?”

“He disintegrated when you defeated him. Have you ever noticed that when you die, you come up somewhere else and you don’t find a corpse of yourself laying around the spot you were killed?”

“Come to think of it… I have noticed that.”

“When the Ink’s done with people, it leaves their bodies alone. When it’s not done with them, then if they die, it disintegrates their bodies and spits them out of the puddles somewhere else.”

“I have a feeling you know this from a lot of experience…”

“How very observant of you.” She deadpanned.

“Thanks, it’s a strong suit of mine.” He also deadpanned.

-----

“Henry? Susie?”

Malice shot the ‘clueless’ angel a glare as she set two bowls of bacon soup on the edge.

“Here, you two must be hungry.” She sheepishly looked down at the bowls. “Sorry, it’s all we have.”

The free angel turned and walked away while the Boris put his arms around the bowls, turned to glare at them, knocked the bowls onto the floor, and made a threatening gesture before leaving himself.

“They never planned on giving us the soup anyway.” Malice whispered to Henry. “It’s just their ‘good cop bad cop’ routine; “miss goody-two shoes” is the good cop who generously gives us dangerous monsters some of her and her guard dog’s limited portions of endless soup, while the “Mean wolf” is the bad cop who knocks over the soup and threatens us, out of her sight, but not out of her earshot.”

“Huh, ...Did they lock you up before?”

“No, I just know what they’re like; the happy little Bonnie and Clyde couple…”

------

“I know you’re watching me, it’s just... a little creepy.”

“It’s not like we have anything else to do.” Malice muttered under her breath.

The animator would’ve stayed silent, but as he watched his vocal captor write on the walls, he noticed how similar her own handwriting was to the messages on the other walls.

“You’re the one who writes on the walls!”

“Everyone does that.”

“-We all do.” The captor angel interjected as if she did not hear her prisoner. “For some poor souls down here, it’s the only way they can be heard. But you don’t want to touch the ink for too long! It can claim you… ...pull you back. That’s how I met Tom. I was messing with things I shouldn’t have been and he... ...he was there.”

“Why do you call him ‘Tom’?”

“He just seems to respond to it.”

“Well I don’t think he’s very fond of either of us.”

“Let me show you something...” She approached the cage. “A while back, I was mapping out one of the upper levels… ...when I noticed something reflecting off a piece of glass. I held up the glass, looked through, and on the wall behind me was a hidden message! Right there! In plain sight! So I kept looking, and found more and more messages everywhere in the studio! But you can’t see them with your eyes. Only through this! Take a look!”

Malice scoffed dismissively as the freed angel handed Henry the seeing eye tool.

‘SHE WILL LEAVE YOU FOR DEAD.’

“I don’t know who’s leaving them, but I think they know how to get out of here.”

“Where does it all lead to?”

“Nowhere.” she sighed. “I followed them for a long time... just leads me in circles. I don’t think I’m meant to leave this place Henry, but maybe… you are.” 

“And yet, you keep him locked up like a little bird…” Malice muttered.

“Alice, please let us out of here.”

“...Tom thinks you’re both dangerous.”

“Of course.”

“And what do you think?”

“I… I think… ...you’re the hope I’ve been waiting for. Go to sleep, maybe tomorrow will be better.”

-----

“I Hope you’re not taking everything she says at face value.”

“She seems harmless enough...”

“That’s what she’s trying to do- Look, I know you don’t trust me, and I can’t say I blame you for that. I don’t expect you, or WANT you to trust me. But Listen to me when I say this: I ended up as what you see me as BECAUSE I trusted her. Don’t make the same mistake I did, Henry, if you really want to get involved with her and make it out unscathed, then keep your guard up.”

Henry gestured for Malice to come closer and held the seeing glass up to show her the ‘SHE WILL LEAVE YOU FOR DEAD’ message.

“...Did you write this?”

“Yes Henry.” She sarcastically droned. “While I was working to achieve my perfection and setting up Bendy land’s obstacles, I went down to the secret lair of my worst enemy aside from the Ink Demon, both risking my life in the process and putting my goals into jeopardy, and wrote that message in invisible ink, just on the off chance that if she’d capture both of us alive instead of killing me.”

“I see.”

-----

“That was really stupid Tom! You shouldn’t have gone out there! Now that he’s seen you... it’s only a matter of time…” She grunted through adjusting his arm. “before he finds us here.”

She then waved at her captives, something that Tom noticed and began threateningly slapping the axe against his hand again.

-----

“We can’t just leave them! Not with the Ink Demon right outside the door!”

“What’s going on?”

“He’s coming. We have to move on.” A loud rumble echoed above them as Malice curled up in a corner praying for her safety. “Tom! We have to let them out!”

She pulled on the boards, Tom shook his head.

“...I’m Sorry.”

“No you’re NOT! DON’T LIE TO ME!” Malice Snapped. “YOU HAVE A SWORD! HE HAS AN AXE! IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT EITHER OF US EVEN THE TINIEST BIT, YOU’D CUT THE SHIT AND CUT DOWN THE BOARDS!”

Alice hesitated, but ran anyway, with Tom close behind her. Leaving them to their doom.

Malice fell to the ground and started to cry, she was shaking violently and saying things that Henry couldn’t make out because she was bawling so hard, but he could definitely make out the words ‘Ink Demon’ and ‘We’re going to die’ here and there.

“Alice?” He put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. “Alice, we’re not going to die here.”

“How…” She sniffled. “How do you know that?”

“Well, I think you’re going to have to trust me on this, but...” He held up the seeing eye tool, showing her the messages in their cell itself. “I think whoever’s leaving these is trying to help.”