Chapter Text
Bendy dropped his head on the table.
“Bendy! Are you alright!” Boris gasped at the loud thunk.
Bendy sighed. “Yeah, Boris. Sorry. This is just getting stressful.” The wolf made a sound of agreement. The pair had gotten a room on the hotel side of the casino. The two beds were soft and warm, the rug was full and comfortable, and the bath and shower were berries. It even had a television. Still, the pair couldn’t relax. They had cracked down on the task at hand, getting the two sides of the old page translated. Oddswell and everyone else that had been at the throw-together clinic was relying on them. It didn’t help that almost as soon as they got in that Bendy had another nasty ink attack. He had taken the pain med that the doc had given him. It had taken the edge off, but Bendy couldn’t come close to calling the attack handled. More like ‘survivable,’ but at least he hadn’t exclaimed anything to distress Boris this time.
The demon sighed again and turned his head to look at the books and papers of scribbled notes and crossed out sections. So far, they had gotten one side figured…maybe. It was really difficult because the ‘important’ parts of the machine translated to such ridiculous and mundane things that the boys were sure they couldn’t be right. A doll, a cup, and a musical instrument, so far. They couldn’t even figure out what the instrument was. Bendy was sure the instrument part was right and the ‘musical’ part was wrong. Then again, the doc said the doll was translated right. What kinda cussing machine was this? It completely threw Bendy.
“Maybe, we should take a break?” Boris suggested with his ears against his skull. He had shadows underneath his eyes.
“I don’t know if we can.” Bendy hated to admit it. He lifted an arm and fiddled with his goggles, his head still on the table. “We’re still close to the city. I don’t know how long we can stay here before things get hairy.” Boris slumped a little in his seat, but didn’t argue. The wolf simply nodded and pulled the page closer to him. Bendy bit his lip in guilt. To add to the frustration, the page hadn’t mentioned anything about locations. It hadn’t said anything about where to find the machine or these parts. With each new paragraph the boys’ desperation and anxiety grew. If the other side didn’t have anything on where to find the parts, that would be it. They would have nowhere to turn. Completely up a creek without a paddle. Boris was adamant that the answer was in front of them. Bendy wasn’t so sure.
He pulled the translation over to himself and looked it over. His eyes itched from staring at it for so long. What time was it? He didn’t know anymore. They showed up early in the day. It has been dark out for a while now. Maybe he should call it and let them just sleep. He was really tempted. The problem was every time he stepped away, the reminder that it wasn’t done would be an itch in the back of his mind. He had been carrying this thing around with him for a month and it was the owl’s dying wish he take it. He couldn’t help but be curious. Add the fact that it was an ancient machine and the demon’s mechanic side kicked in, trying to figure out how it worked. Bendy contemplated the chance of his going mad with said conclusions.
With the application of the doll, differing sizes, ages, and families will no longer matter. The treatment will be applicable to all living beings. One will have to beware the singular use of the doll. The connection it can have with the form it takes is as real as the doll being an extension of the individual. To use the doll as a singular function is to give it a physical part of the individual where the doll will imprint and change shape to reflect the one it has part of. It is as simple as a drop of blood, a hair, or claw and so forth. With the doll in the form of the individual, one can enact their will over the imprinted individual. Pain and damage to the doll will give the same pain and damage to the imprinted. Yet, fixing the doll will also fix the imprinted, as long as the individual is alive. There is a limit, and it will only fix physical damage, not illness. This is not the intended use. In application with the machine, the doll will change to the form of the individual without the use of the part of the individual. Thus, the danger of an effective full imprint is diminished. The doll will remove the problem with application to the treatment. The individual’s body will accept the treatment, no matter the species of the individual.
Now, with application solved, there are the processes of the actual treatment and the parts needed to do so. Then, the steps to assemble the parts in order for the desired cure.
In the function of the cup of living water the agent will have the needed cleansing affect. It’s effect, on its own, is a temporary revitalizing of the user. In use, it can cure small aliments completely, and in a large application, seems to reverse aging, but again, this effect is temporary. The solution the cup produces never seems to run dry. It will, however, stop production when not in use, thus entering a hibernated like state. The cup also seems to have an addictive problem after continued use. It is advised to avoid using the cup repeatedly in a singular fashion. In application to the machine the living water has a purifying affect to the individual’s system. It is one part of the two that restores the individual to the original health before they were tainted. It is the needed step between the removal of the taint and the restoration of the individual’s system. There is the solution to the temporary aspect of the cup’s solution in the use of another part mentioned in this section. Without the cup there will be no way to completely depose of the ink and restore the individual. The ink will return to the tainted if it is not cleansed.
In the application of the instrument one is advised caution. The notes of the instrument when applied to the machine in a sense ‘stuns’ the illness. This will cease continued break down of the individual’s systems and functions. The instrument has a hypnotic affect though and seems to react to emotions as a catalyst in heighten awareness and reaction. In singular use anger, sorrow, joy, hunger, emotion and physical reaction become overwhelming. This easily leads to madness for the individual affected. Application to the machine does not completely remove the side effects, but they are proven to be temporary and dampened. Yet without a way to stop the processes of the ink there will not be a way to completely remove it from the individual. The risk is benefit above the temporary discomfort to the individual. Nah, in comparison to the suffering of the illness, it is a simple choice for the tainted. The revitalizing steps remove any lingering problems of the cleansing process.
Bendy sighed. This was one wacky machine. Still, it was the treatment and that fed Boris’ hope. He couldn’t wrap his head around these items and just mentally threw them up in the category with the weird floor and window symbols at the school. Obviously, it was magic shenanigans. That was good enough for him. At least it was for now. He’d see how it went when they tried to build the damn thing. Bendy heard a light thump across from him. He looked up to see Boris had fallen asleep with his head on the book.
Bendy smiled and put down the papers. He stood and stretched, his back and shoulders popped. “C’mon bro. I think it’s time we call it quits.” Boris muttered unintelligibly, but didn’t fight his brother as he helped the wolf stand and get ready for bed. After changing and brushing teeth, Bendy pulled the covers over Boris. The wolf sighed in bliss and a small smile spread across his muzzle. Bendy’s lip twitched up at the cute expression. How long had it been since Boris thought to use his puppy expression? The demon kinda missed it. They had been running for so long now with no time to really unwind. At least, that’s what it felt like. He knew there had been breaks, but in the blur of memory he couldn’t really recall them. Boris was still a kid in a lot of ways. Bendy hoped that neither of them forgot that fact.
“Night bro.” He murmured and flipped off the lights. It only took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Bendy decided he wasn’t quite ready for sleep. Still in his day clothes, he silently left the room and made his way down the lavish hall. He wandered the extravagant building, looking at the soaring ceilings, tasteful décor and offered services. He passed a few beautiful patios that overlooked a back garden before the forest and rolling hills overtook the area. A perfect romantic scene at sunset, he thought. He went down one of the wraparound staircases to the first floor. There, the noise of other conversations and laughter could be heard. If Bendy wasn’t mistaken there was also a band playing jazz.
(Insert music here)
He watched the groups of late night partiers and couples enjoy their evening with dance, drink, and gambling. He wasn’t paying close attention to where his feet were carrying him, so he was surprised when he found himself back at the bar he had occupied the last time he was here. He looked around in hidden nervousness for the biased dame or the dark man with the tall hat. To his luck, he seemed alone in this corner of the casino. Most were by the dance floor and the open card tables. The pool table sat silently in the center of the room. One couple sat in a booth in the corner, but they didn’t seem to notice anyone but each other.
Bendy decided it couldn’t hurt none to have a seat and get a drink. Nothing alcoholic, just a fizz-wizz before bed. He waited silently at the bar for a moment. He glanced at the couple. They were giving each other sappy looks over their drinks. The guy said something, and the dame giggled prettily. Bendy raised a curious brow. It looked like a third date. He’d never been able to get that far with a dame before. Something always came up, and it wasn’t like there had been a huge selection in Sillyvision to begin with. That, and he had his responsibility to his bro. Though, now that he was older it would have been easier to have a relationship. But with him and Boris on this quest it didn’t seem like Bendy had any hope of a good date. He sighed and turned back. What a bummer. He finally got out to the world only to be too busy to have any fun.
The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. “What’ll ya have?” He looked up just in time to make eye contact with none other than the biased barkeep from before. Her business smile dropped when her dark eyes left the glass she had been cleaning to look at him. “Oh.”
Bendy sighed and dropped his chin on the counter. He just couldn’t get a break! The woman inhaled to speak, but Bendy decided to cut to the chase. “Okay, look. I know ya hate my guts and rather never see me again. How about you get my drink, and we can pretend we didn’t see each other?”
The beautiful woman huffed through her nose. “What do you want to drink?”
“A chocolate fizz-wizz, please,” Bendy said. She turned to make the drink. A tense silence fell between them. Bendy watched her work with half lidded eyes, his face blank of emotion. He noted, odd enough, that the same warm feeling had appeared again. It must be coming from her, he figured. Last time, he figured it was just because she was such a knock out, and he was whipped with her looks. This time he knew better and his interest was gone. Despite that, she seemed to give off this inner light that was warm, calming, and gentle. It was like a cozy fire in a winter storm. The feeling reminded him of something else, but he couldn’t really put his finger on it.
She slid the drink in front of him and grabbed a cloth to clean off the counter. Bendy watched the bubbles dance up the drink with the same emotionless expression. What was he even doing here? Why did he agree to this? Sure, he was sick and this machine with a promised cure was like hanging a can of bacon soup in front of him, but…could he really believe that a doll and a musical instrumental were going to cure him? He had always wavered with his belief in the bird professor that started all this for him. Now, here he was doubting Wilson’s sanity and in length, his own. If they called it quits and went home, would those cup bozos stop chasing them? Would Boris be safer if they did that? If they had to get arrested, could Bendy convince them that Boris wasn’t involved in anything and to let him go? Bendy doubted he could afford to quit now.
The demon sighed heavily and took a gulp of his drink. He spat it back up immediately and started coughing. The woman that stood off to the side turned to look and burst into laughter. Bendy gagged and tried to wipe the disgusting bitter taste out of his mouth. “Agh! What is that? Did I just drink tar?” He stuck out his tongue again and shook his head back and forth. He started wiping his tongue on his sleeve. “That’s so nasty!”
“What? It’s a fizz-wizz.” She chuckled and stepped up to him.
“That,” he pushed the glass away, “is an abomination!” She raised a brow and picked up the drink. She looked at it for a second.
“Oh! This is the black licorice flavor!” She gasped and lifted a hand to her cheek in surprise. The cheeky smile on her face didn’t disappear.
“Black licorice! Who would make such a flavor? What is wrong with people!” Bendy demanded while he choked. The girl laughed again. She had a beautiful laugh, like softly ringing bells. Bendy would bet his tail spike she had a great singing voice. “You did this on purpose!” Bendy accused with a chagrined smirk.
“Did not!” she gasped. “They’re right next to each other! It’s an easy mistake to make!” she defended with the same smirk.
“Oh no. That was planned! You pulled a fast one on me.” Bendy found himself smiling. Why wasn’t he ticked? Usually this would make him angry, but there was something about that look in her eyes and the warmth she gave off. He was already so stressed, why make it worse? He might as well laugh instead. Even with the disgusting aftertaste, he had to admit it was a good prank.
She turned to remake the drink. She glanced over her shoulder. “You’ll never know,” she said in a cheeky tone. Bendy laughed. He never expected this from the dark dame that had yelled at him last time. The drink was replaced and Bendy cautiously sipped it. When the familiar sweetness tickled his taste buds, he quickly swallowed a few mouthfuls to wash away the bitterness of the other flavor.
“Stars. I needed that. Thanks, doll-” Bendy quickly cut himself off, remembering last time. He didn’t want to repeat anything. She had somehow put him in a good mood. He didn’t want it ruined so quickly. The woman seems to pick up on his nervousness instantly.
She looked back at the counter to clean up the mess Bendy had made. “Shouldn’t you be mad?” She wasn’t looking up at him. She was focused on the spilled, sticky soda.
“No?” Bendy raised a brow. Though, normally he would be. He decided to explain himself. “I haven’t had a good laugh in a while. It’s been even longer since I’ve suffered a good prank.” A thought came to him. She would expect the worst from him. Like last time, when he grabbed the shmuck’s wrist. He rested his elbow on the counter. “Did you expect me to yell at you?”
She shrugged. “Or curse me or maybe declare revenge.” She turned to get a new rag that wasn’t sticky and continued to clean up.
“Oh, there will be revenge. A prank war is exactly what I need.” Bendy's smirk teased. The woman narrowed her eyes and didn’t return the smile. Bendy swallowed and realized that in her perspective, that could be really bad. “Nothing over the top, though. Just something as harmless as licorice.” Bendy lifted the glass for another sip. The woman tilted her head and continued to work behind the counter. There was a breath of silence between the two. Thinking of bad moments, her boss had dragged her off to his office last time, hadn’t he? How much trouble had she gotten into?
“I hope you didn’t get in much trouble last time,” Bendy started. He saw her tense. “I didn’t mean for you to get in trouble. I just react to stuff like that.” He shrugged. He wouldn’t apologize for hurting the scum, but he was sorry she seemed to pay for the whole ordeal. At least she hadn’t lost her job over it. She was scrubbing the glass she was cleaning a bit harder than necessary. Silence fell again when she didn’t respond. Bendy could practically see the mood falling. He sighed into his drink and took another gulp. It wasn’t up to him if she didn’t accept his peace offering. Why was he even trying? He usually dismissed the jerks that decided to hate him for something he couldn’t help. She shouldn’t be any different…right?
She finally sighed and put down the glass. She looked Bendy in the eye. She hesitated. She seemed unsure on what to say. Bendy waited patiently, curiously even, and watched a fire of determination light in her large dark eyes. “Can I ask you something? It’ll sound rude, but I don’t have anyone else to ask.” She was staring at him intently. Bendy blinked and thought about it for a moment. It was probably something racist. He could deal with that…maybe.
“Okay,” he decided. “But only if I can ask a question afterward.”
She pulled back and pursed her lips for a moment before nodding. “Okay.” There was another long pause as she bit her lip thoughtfully. Bendy took another drink and swished the fizz-wizz around his glass. “So, are all demons polite so they can get what they want? Or is it just you and Mr. Hat? I mean, why use manners at all?” Bendy’s eyebrows flew so far up they hit his goggles. He hadn’t expected a question like that. Sure, it was racist, but manners? Really? Wait a second!
“M-Mr. Hat?” Bendy asked. His tail flickered back and forth like a cat’s.
“My boss. You met him last time you were here,” she explained and put a hand on her other arm in obvious discomfort.
“That guy was a demon!” Bendy’s jaw dropped and his back straightened. He nearly dropped his glass.
The woman’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know!”
“No!” Bendy said, shaking his head. “How could I have known?”
“It’s obvious! How could you not have known!” She stared at him in disbelief with her own mouth hanging open.
Bendy put the drink down. Better not to make another mess, he figured. “He’d be the first demon I’ve ever met! I don’t exactly have a long list to compare him to.”
“What! B-but what about your parents?” The girl’s thin brow knit together in confusion, and she took a step back.
“Never knew ‘em. I grew up in a dinky little town in the middle of nowhere woods.” Bendy frowned. So, he was a demon. Did all demons act like that?
“You grew up here on the surface?” she asked.
“What? You thought I crawled outta hell?” Bendy turned his frown on her. She flushed and looked away. Well, that was answer enough.
“What the heck,” he muttered to himself. “The guy was a demon?” He lifted his glass and took another gulp, finishing it. Well, it explained the darkness that had been clinging to him. Stars and moon, that guy had been scary. Another demon, what a weird thought. Bendy knew he was a bit of a rare character to meet, but he always figured it would be easy to spot another. He guessed demons could come in many shapes and sizes too. What had been with that fear he had felt in the guy’s presence? Was that normal? The woman just stared at him in a daze. She seemed to shake herself out of it when she heard the clink of Bendy’s empty glass on the counter.
“What’s your name?” Bendy asked as she reached for the glass. She looked up at him in surprise.
“What?”
“You asked your question and now I’m asking mine,” Bendy said in a slightly sour mood. He didn’t like not knowing the answers to these questions, but he wasn’t gonna go look for this Mr. Hat to ask. If that’s what it felt like to be around another demon, Bendy was fine never meeting another one.
“But you didn’t answer mine,” she pointed out as she cleaned the glass. She looked down at her hands and said in a dismissive tone. “Doesn’t seem to matter anyway, so you can forget it.” She changed her mind.
Bendy frowned. She seemed to be giving him the cold shoulder again. He sighed. “I don’t know about other guys, but I’m polite because my brother and another friend of mine wanted me to be nicer to people.”
“You don’t have parents, but you do have a brother?” she asked with a raised brow. She didn’t look up at him.
“Yeah,” Bendy answered. His tone was clipped. He didn’t want to talk to this dame about Boris or Sasha. “So, it’s your turn.”
She glanced up at him and down again. “Alice.” Ah, Bendy remembered that now. He had been too focused on the bigger demon at the time.
“I think I get to ask another, since you asked a bunch of questions,” Bendy said. Alice frowned and dried off the clean glass. “What’s your problem with demons? Have you dealt with a lot of them, or is it just the stories?” Bendy asked, truly curious. For him, it had always been rumors and stories. He hadn’t met anyone that had a personal problem with a demon (unless they'd had an issue with him, of course).
She scowled. “That’s more than one.”
“You had way more than one.” Bendy smirked.
“It was only a couple,” she said.
“Yeah, right.” Bendy snorted. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are ya gonna answer?”
She tilted her head up in fake thoughtfulness. “Uh no.” She smirked. “I’m not.”
Bendy snorted. “Well, that’s rude.” Her head snapped over to glare at him. Bendy hid a yawn behind his gloved hand. “Whelp, it’s late.” He hopped down from the stool and put his hands in his pockets. “Thanks for the drink.” He glanced over his shoulder to her. “Doll.” She sneered. “See ya around.”
“I hope not,” she said. “Sir,” tacking on the title as an afterthought.
Bendy bit his lip to hold back a chuckle. He wandered back to his room. He found himself both annoyed and entertained. That Alice girl wasn’t as bad as he'd thought. No girl with a laugh like that could be that bad. His unanswered questions still turned in his head. What had made her so cold there at the end? And then his mind went to Mr. Hat. Was he Black Hat? That was the name of the casino. It’d make sense.
The guy had been nothing but pleasant, yet the energy that had come off him was dark and threatening. Bendy shuddered. He really didn’t know anything about other demons. His culture was Sillyvision, and his family was Boris. That had always been enough for Bendy. The only weight he had ever felt were the town folk's biases and his dark talent. It was one of the many reasons he didn’t use it much. He had wanted to seem more normal. Normal people couldn't make shadows dance around like puppets on strings.
Now Bendy couldn’t help but be curious. The older demon hadn’t said anything, but Bendy wondered if he had threatened Bendy to leave using his own dark Talent. If he did, why? Did demons not like each other? Bendy had no clue. He sighed and rolled his eyes. It didn’t really matter.
He quickly went upstairs and down the hall to his room. He opened the door and silently changed and collapsed into the bed. They would only be here for another day or so. He didn’t have to worry. As he drifted off, Bendy’s mind played with ideas of harmless pranks. Something that wouldn’t make a mess or get the girl in trouble. He wanted something that would surprise her and make her laugh.
Bendy put his empty bowl in the sink. He licked his lips. Golly, he loved bacon soup! He rinsed his bowl out and pushed his chair back under the table. The sound of Mickey Mouse’s circus playing on the television drifted to the demon’s ears. “C’mon bro! We have to get to work. Pete isn’t gonna give us a lunch break if we’re late.” He heard shifting behind him, but the television remained on. Bendy felt a small twinge of annoyance. “Ya know they’ll play it again sometime, bro. We gotta go.” He turned around to find the living room empty. “Boris?” Uneasiness slipped down his spine like icy water. He headed to the wolf’s room to find it completely trashed. “Boris!” he called and turned around to see the living room was equally destroyed. Boris was nowhere to be seen. He turned to rush out the front door. There, in front of the entrance, stood Wilson. The owl looked at him sorrowfully. Bendy stopped dead in his tracks. “Where’s Boris!” he demanded.
“I warned you,” the owl said sorrowfully. “You are endangering everyone you meet.”
Bendy clenched his fist. “What?”
“You’re not serious enough. You’re the only one that can do this, and you won’t be strong enough.” Wilson shook his head in remorse. The owl stared down at the scarred floor. Bendy furrowed his brows in shock.
“W-what?” He shook his head. “I don’t have time for your riddles! I have to find my brother. Move!”
“You’ve already hurt people.” Wilson turned sharp eyes up. “I told you to keep watch and you didn’t. I told you to keep it safe. You aren’t.” Wilson lifted a hand and pointed at Bendy.
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand!” Bendy scowled. “Get out of the way!”
“And it’ll be the ones you care about most that are paying for your mistakes.” Wilson took a step forward.
“What have I done?” Bendy demanded angrily. He didn’t understand what this bird was going on about. He had to go find Boris. Wilson moved his hand to point behind Bendy.
“Get to the ink machine. Or else,” Wilson warned gravely.
“Ben-dy,” a voice gasped behind him. Bendy spun on his heel. He gasped. Boris was on his knees, doubled over as blood pooled around him. His arms wrapped around his middle.
“Boris!” Bendy dropped next to him. He put a hand on the wolf’s shoulder. “What happened? Are you okay? How did you get hurt?”
The wolf looked over at him with eyes full of pain, fear, and betrayal. “Why wouldn’t you believe him?” Boris suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed.
“Boris!” Bendy wrapped his hands around his arm and shoulder to turn him over. Boris’ eyes gazed blankly upwards. “BORIS!” He wasn’t breathing.
“Find the machine.” Bendy looked up, his face suddenly inches away from the bleeding Wilson. Bendy lurched back. Wilson’s body was bent, like after the car accident. His spine and legs were twisted and blood ran down his ruffled feathers. Bendy heard the roar of flames around them. “Find the machine.” A hand closed around his wrist. Bendy looked down to see dead Boris’ gaze turned on him. “Find the machine.” The wolf’s voice was double layered with Wilson’s. Bendy shouted and tried to pull away. “FIND THE MACHINE!”
Bendy shot up in bed, gasping. He looked around the unfamiliar room in panic. He noticed Boris in a bed next to him and calmed down a little. That’s right, they were in a hotel room. They went to the Black Hat Casino, near Toon Town. He sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest. He rested his forehead on his knees and took a few deep breaths. Stars. On top of everything else, Bendy didn’t need nightmares. His breathing calmed, and he got up. There was no way he’d be able to continue sleeping. He went to take a shower. He didn’t think about the nightmare. It was just stress.
When he stepped out and got changed in a fresh shirt and pants, he found Boris was awake.
“You’re up,” Boris said, perking his ears.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” Bendy muttered. Boris smiled. “Go get cleaned up. We’ll get breakfast and finish this translating nonsense.” The wolf bounced up and headed into the bathroom. Bendy sat and looked down at the papers. He was not excited to spend another day working on this. The demon decided right then and there that no matter the outcome of finishing this thing, he was going to go dancing tonight. The music had been good the night before, so why not? He could really use the unwind. But not now, he had just started the day and had to finish this. He glared down at the sheets that seemed to separate him from a good evening. He tapped his finger against the paper impatiently. He sighed and turned on the radio to enjoy some tunes.
(Insert music here)
He found something upbeat to snap his fingers to as he waited. He remembered the book Boris had given him forever ago. He pulled it out and began to read. It took him a moment to remember where he had left off.
Excitement raced through him, from tip to tail as he got to part he had left off. Felix was making his way through the ancient Temple of the Jaguar to find the Slab of Siriah, the lost princess. His tail flicked happily with the adventure. Felix had escaped the various traps that surrounded the ancient treasure. He almost gasped when it was revealed that the podium in the middle of the room, that was supposed to hold the item of interest, was empty. Felix didn’t have time to contemplate the situation as a sudden rumble overcame the old structure. The roof was falling in and the great cat adventurer only had minutes to escape before getting crushed.
“Hey, bro.” A hand touched Bendy’s shoulder. Bendy yelped and jumped an inch out of his seat. Boris pulled his hand back. His ears fell back a bit, and he smiled apologetically, showing the tiniest bit of his fangs. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
Bendy huffed and put down his book. “No worries, bro. Ready for breakfast?”
Boris nodded excitedly. “Golly, I am. I’m starved.” Bendy smiled and stood.
The two went downstairs and went to the wide dance floor and gambling room. Past the tables was the buffet. There were plates of eggs, bacon, fruits, hot cakes, waffles, syrups, hams, sausages, and muffins. More food than either boy had ever seen laid out before. The night before had been as equally startling to the two. Their humble lives never exposed to such grandeur. Bendy had been assured that hotel guests were welcome to the food for free. Boris was still having difficulty believing it. He had asked a dozen times if it was okay for him to take a plate…then another…then a dessert…and so on.
“So, breakfast is okay?” The wolf checked, just as Bendy thought he would.
“Yeah, bro. Dig in.” Bendy smiled. He watched as Boris’ mouth watered, and he filled a plate with a large pile of everything. Bendy did the same and the two found a booth in a far corner that gave them some privacy. Boris went to fetch them some drinks as Bendy went to get utensils. He had just sat down when his younger brother rushed up to him.
“Bendy!” Boris exclaimed. He had a paper and a flier in the crook of his arm as he put down the glasses of milk.
“What? What’s up bro?” Bendy asked worried.
“Look!” Boris slammed the flier on the table. Bendy noticed that the wolf’s tail was wagging a mile a minute. His ears were up, and his eyes were bright with excitement. He grinned. “Look what I found!” Bendy leaned over to see the flier. It was an advertisement for a circus that was coming to Toon Town. As soon as Bendy saw the name he knew why the wolf was so thrilled.
Mickey Mouse’s Traveling Circus for the whole family!
The image was of the mouse himself grinning in a circle of little bunnies that held instruments. In one corner was the duck and the other had the dog that also performed in the shows.
“Can we go Bendy! Please!” Boris begged. Bendy searched the advertisement. The arrival date was in a few weeks. They couldn’t afford to wait around for the circus to show up. The likelihood that they would still be around when the mouse showed was slim, but then again, they seemed to be sticking around for a while. They could get back in time to see a show.
Bendy looked up to see Boris giving him the biggest puppy eyes that Bendy had ever seen. Sun, moon, and stars! Bendy blinked and then looked away. He didn’t even know Boris’ eyes could get that big! He had missed that? Why had he missed that? He was absolutely insane if he'd missed this manipulative torture! He sighed and looked up again.
“I can’t promise anything, but we’ll try and get back in time to see Mick, alright?” Bendy said. Literal stars appeared in the wolf’s eyes. “Stop looking at me like that!” Bendy laughed and then yelped. He was suddenly lifted into a tight hug and swung around.
“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Boris hopped around, happily hugging the demon tightly. Bendy couldn’t help laughing at how ridiculously happy Boris was.
“Boris.” Bendy was able to get out from being thrown around like a rag doll and laughing.
“Sorry.” Boris instantly stopped and put Bendy back down.
“Hey, Boris. Who’s the smartest wolf?” Bendy asked.
Boris grinned, his tail still wagging. “I am!”
“Got that right, bro!” Bendy grinned. “I know you’re excited, but we better eat this food while it’s hot and get this work done. We don’t want to miss the circus.”
Boris nodded excitedly. The two sat down and enjoyed the great food. Boris chattered excitedly about the chance he had to meet his hero. Bendy smiled. He was happy to see Boris so excited. The last time Bendy had seen him this enthusiastic was when the two had found that old television and took it home to fix up. He had been wagging his tail so fast that Bendy thought it might go flying off.
Bendy looked over the paper that Boris had brought him. It seemed in the wolf’s exhilaration, he had completely forgotten that they had made the front cover again. This time it talked about how they had been spotted on campus and seen breaking into the doc’s house. Bendy flushed at being caught. Who had seen them? There hadn’t been a soul on the street! Then Bendy remembered Red’s reaction at catching them in the house and the embarrassment at trespassing in the first place waved over him anew. If only they had waited a few more minutes on the stupid porch!
The article went on to explain the capture of the doc and that there had been no sign of the brothers. It brought up some of the doc’s past with the university, but nothing in more detail that Bendy didn’t already know. It also didn’t mention Red or the other patients, to Bendy’s frustration. Were they okay? Did the cops do something with Granny and Steven? What had those damn dishes done to Red?
The paper didn’t answer any of his questions. It just made them seem more suspicious and put the doc in an even worse light than before. Bendy sighed and pushed it aside. Still, no one here seemed to give them a glance. After watching the place last night, Bendy wondered if this place was housing some of the big mooks of the underworld. With how everyone seemed to mind their own business, that seemed to be the case.
Soon breakfast was over and the two headed back to their room to finish their work. It was long and grueling. There was a moment when Bendy had put ‘link’ instead of ‘part’ and that had made the sentence really confusing. They had to keep trying to reword the structure of the sentences to have it make any lick of sense. There were several times when one or both needed a break. Boris would flick on the nice television and find either Mickey or some other program and Bendy would turn to his book. Yet the responsibility and Oddswell’s instructions would always draw them back to the table, no matter how aggravating or slow the translation process was. Finally, near the last rays of daylight, the other side of the page came together into something readable.
As with the work of the musical instrument, the cog is an item that must be used with caution. This is the part that in context of the treatment, ‘kills’ the illness within the individual after it is stunned and before it’s cleansed. The cog is a particularly dangerous item that even within the machine can be extremely dangerous if it’s fixed wrong. The placement and insertion of the part will be explained in the next section. Never the less, the cog’s reality warping seems to counteract the illness in a way like nothing else. The explanation as to why, is still behind the comprehensive mind. There are many theories discussed in later sections, but for the narrative in this particular segment, know that it works and without it there is no way to remove the illness without killing the tainted individual. On its own, the cog is an extremely dangerous item that distorts the very cognition of others. It is actually unclear if it only acting on the mind and senses or if it truely does distort the very fabric of this plain around it. Regardless, the effect on the sufferer is the same, absolute madness. Some individuals have even disappeared after acquiring the part. It is for these reasons that one must practice the utmost care when handling the cog.
The last part in treatment is the tool. It is to repair and replace the damage the illness has caused on the tainted individual. It will essentially return the corrupted portions that were cleansed to self-sustaining functions. This solves the temporary solution of the cup and saves the individual from the pain of their failing bodies after the illness is removed. In application of the machine, the tool is at full capabilities and any risk it possesses is gone. Individually, the tool is still a repairing item, but be wary, the tool will only be able to restore to the knowledge of the one wielding it. For instance, if the tool was taken to a battlefield in the hands of a medicine man, the lives of the warriors would be spared due to his vast knowledge of the body and its functions. Yet in the hands of one of the warriors, who knows not the functions of the body, it would not resort the vital functions of the organs that the warrior is unaware of. The tool also has an application in fixing and repairing the machinery and anything it is applied to as long as the wielder has the wisdom to exercise it. Do not use it in ignorance.
The machine has been carefully crafted and is able to balance out these items and their unique and individual qualities into a functioning cure for the illness. Not only the removal of the corruption, but also the complete and almost instantaneous recovery of the tainted. In practice three hundred and sixty and three souls have been saved. The placement of the items and the application of the proper runes have proven to be imperative to the function of the machine as a whole. The parts do not counterbalance or cancel out the effects of each other in their entirety, though there seems to be some form of reaction. Same in the application of the improper runes. The runes are the best protection of the negative effects from the parts and the balance of the machine as a whole. The wrong rune could bring about the worst case, especially in the workings of such dangerous individual items of the arcane type.
Any mishandling of the parts or misplacement of the runes could, in the best case, kill the individual seeking treatment. At worst, distort the machine and surrounding area it to a grotesque landscape of desolation beyond any description possible. Any being in the location would be forever lost to powers beyond comprehension. For this reason, assembly of the machine must be-
After that it cut off. Bendy sighed and leaned his chair back. He stared up at the ceiling. The air in the hotel room was stale and depressing. Neither brother was willing to comment, even though Bendy was sure they were both thinking it. There was no location of the machine or the parts listed anywhere. There was no direction for them to go. They had hit a wall.
Bendy glanced over at Boris. The wolf was staring at the table with his ears down. He looked like a kid that had dropped his ice cream. He had been so excited just this morning. Bendy truly hated this. His brother shouldn’t look this torn down. It was all this stupid illness fault. Bendy was so tired of all this. Getting their hopes up again and again, just to have that hope dashed in front of them. Couldn’t they get a break? What god did Bendy anger to have this stupid sickness?
“We better write that letter to the doc and let ‘im know that we didn’t get a place to go,” Bendy said. His voice sounded too loud in the quiet.
Boris blinked and then looked up to Bendy. “Okay. Can I write Miss Sasha too?”
Bendy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had forgotten they were supposed to be writing the club owner. She would dish him a piece of her mind if she knew he had forgotten. They still didn’t have any good news to send her. He certainly wouldn’t know what to say. Boris might have a better idea. “Yeah, sure bro. Let her know we made it to the city and we’re doing okay.” He guessed that would have to be good enough. “You remember the code we send to the doc?”
“Yeah.” Boris nodded. “I tell them we’re going to grandma’s house, right?”
Bendy nodded and put his chair back on all fours. He took a deep breath. “I’m gonna go get a drink. You wanna do anything downstairs, bro?”
Boris shook his head as he pulled a couple of blank sheets of paper toward him. “I’ll just watch some programs when I’m done with the letters.”
“Alright. We’ll send ‘em in the morning and go from there, I guess.” Bendy stood and tugged a wrinkle out of his shirt. “Don’t wait up for me.”
“Okay,” Boris said, focusing on writing and giving Bendy a small wave. Bendy headed out the door and down the hall. Would he live long enough for them to start searching? The dark thought surprised Bendy as it crossed his mind. Sure, the ink attacks were painful and terrifying, but the doc’s medicine helped with the pain, he tried to comfort himself. They now knew about the parts of the machine that actually made a cure possible, but everything was so magical and out of his realm of comfort…If he and Boris didn’t get it perfectly, then they could destroy everything around them? That was if they even found the machine and parts in the first place! This was all so ridiculous!
Stars, he really needed that drink.