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[inkyrealities]

An Unholy Bargain

Normally, I simply ignore all the stuff from Chapter 5—because theMeatly made one stupid-ass decision too many—but there is one exception to that policy. And that exception...is if Henry created the loop himself. Safe: C2 characters, C3 characters, Wally, Lacie, Buddy, Dot

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Before we begin, I would like to dedicate this work to several other BATIM fans I have encountered during my time in this fandom:

@bendy-and-buddies

@cozylittleartblog​

@disneyphantomlover

@doodledrawsthings

@dreamnoteprincess​

@englishbreakfastandquills

@inkyheartsaskblog

@queenofcats17​

@shinyzangointeracts​

@squigglydigglydoo

@star-going-supernova​

@zephyre-eastwind

Thanks for all the stories you’ve written, fanart you’ve drawn, and inspiration you’ve given your fellow Bendy fans these past few years. May your muses remain alive for many years to come.

Now, on with the show!

Henry had lost count of how many times he’d done this. Over and over he’d made the trek downward, fought the beast, then hit rewind. At first, he’d been the only one who knew there was a time loop in effect, but after a while, he’d allowed Boris and Alice to go back too. When they asked why he was putting himself through such torment, he smiled.

“If you can’t beat ‘em, make ‘em give up.”

Now he was ready to show them exactly what he meant. Two loops ago, he’d released Malice—or Lily (short for Lilith) as they now called her—so when the next loop started, she remembered everything, and after Henry promised she’d get answers at the end, she agreed to help them. As such, it was not two, but three creations of the Ink Machine who accompanied him as he approached the door to Joey Drew’s office for what would be the last time. Opening the door, the animator entered alongside his companions, and called out.

“Joey Drew, I’ve come to bargain!”

(BATIM)

“Joey Drew, I’ve come to bargain!” Those words, Joey now knew, had been spoken by Henry more times than he could count. Every single time he entered the office, from his first attempt to slay the brutish monstrosity that was once Bendy, he said those same words. Over and over, the confrontation had played out the same—the Ink Demon would turn into his ‘Beast Bendy’ form (as it was doing now), Henry and his companions would fight and be forced to slay it, Joey would lecture him—and it would always end with Henry shutting his eyes, making a counterclockwise gesture, and everything rewinding back to the start.

“How? How are you doing this?”

“My little secret,” Henry said with a slight chuckle.

Beast Bendy snarled, eager to lash out at Henry, but Joey didn’t release him from the pentagram as he was too busy stalling for time, trying to keep the cycle from repeating yet again.

“You can’t possibly keep this up forever!”

“Are you really willing to take that risk?” Henry shot back. “I’ve already done this song and dance God knows how many times, and I’m willing to stay trapped in this loop until I get what I want. Killing me won’t do you any good either—at best, I’ll just come back again, and even if it sticks, no one else here knows how to undo it.”

“But...but what about your friends? Would you let them continue to suffer for eternity?”

“Pain’s an old friend,” Boris replied calmly.

“If we’re stuck here, then so are you,” Lily added.

“We’re not your prisoners—we’re your jailers,” Alice continued.

“And if I have to give up any chance of escape to keep it that way,” Henry finished. “Then so be it.”

“No!” Joey screamed, panic evident in his voice and on his face. “Set me free! I...I command you!”

“Do you honestly think you can order me around, like when I was working here?” Shaking his head, Henry folded his arms and gave his former boss a glare of defiance so intense, it almost made him tremble in fright. “No, Joey, I’ve come to bargain.”

Joey let out a defeated groan. “What do you want?”

“Let the Toons—all four of them—leave with me, and never bother us or any of the other Sillyvision Survivors ever again. Do that, and I’ll break the loop.”

The last lingering doubts about Henry’s plan evaporated a second later as Joey took out a small vial of acetone and poured its contents onto the floor. A mournful howl escaped the beast as ink began to pour off it, drawn to the puddle of solvent. In seconds, all that remained in the pentagram was a softly weeping Bendy. Nodding in satisfaction, Henry approached the little demon and gently picked him up.

“Come on,” he said, turning to his companions. “It’s time to go.”

Watching them depart, Joey fell to his hands and knees, head hung in despair. All his planning, all his manipulation, all his work had been for naught. Right from the beginning, his efforts had been doomed. Now the story had reached its end. Henry had won.

(BATIM)

“So how many ‘Sillyvision Survivors’ are there?”

“Aside from me?” Henry started counting on his fingers. “Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, Grant, Lacie, Buddy, and Dot. Might be a few others, too, but if there are, we haven’t run into them yet.”

“Do...do you think Susie will like me, even after what I’ve done?” Lily asked worriedly.

“I’m sure she’ll understand,” Alice, now in her ‘traditional’ form, reassured her sister. “She knows what kind of man Joey was, and she knows that Henry’s a good judge of character.”

“You‘d still be in there if he didn’t see some good in you.” Bendy, seated between Boris and Alice in the back, nodded and jerked his thumb at the building they’d just left. “He wasn’t gonna leave that place without savin’ everyone he could.”

“That’s why I held off on allowing you to remember,” Henry added. “I needed to figure out who could still be saved.”

Lily allowed herself a small smile, reaching up to touch her newly healed cheek. “You know, it’s kind of strange not having gashes or scars any more. They were there for so long, I...sort of got used to them.”

“I’m sure it won’t be strange for long,” Henry said as he started the car. “And if you don’t get used to it, maybe we could get you a tattoo or something. Now, who wants me to put on some music?”

And so, with the morning sun rising off in the distance, the upbeat singing of the Jackson Five emanating from the speakers, and the knowledge that no one else would ever enter the old workshop again, the five of them drove away, leaving the house of twisted and broken dreams behind forever.

[inkyrealities]

Update: Allison is no longer asterisked, Henry now has his canon last name, Norman is the example for explaining asterisks.

Safety List

Given how I got into the game prior to Chapter 3′s release, there are some things about it/fanon that make me incredibly upset. I have since compiled a ‘Safety List,’ which applies to all my fanworks, and should be noted if you wish to write or draw things for me/receive a writing or art prompt from me.

Basically, if a character is listed as ‘safe,’ it means they escaped Joey’s madness, and remain unharmed. An asterisk means that the character’s safety depends on the verse and/or necessity (ex. Norman is safe in some verses, but if his presence is required, he is not).

Please note that if I hear about new characters, I will add them to the list.

Safe: Henry Stein, Wally Franks, Sammy Lawrence, Susie Campbell, Norman Polk*, Shawn Flynn, Allison Pendle, Thomas Connor, Grant Cohen*, Lacie Benton*, Daniel ‘Buddy’ Lewek*, Dorothy ‘Dot’*

Not Safe: Joey Drew, Jack Fain, Bertrum Piedmont, Murray Hill, Abigail Lambert

[inkyrealities]

Boris and the Dark Survival Trailer

A trailer for a movie version of Boris and the Dark Survival, based on the trailer for Thor: Ragnarok.

Safe: Wally, Sammy, Susie, Shawn, Allison, Thomas; possibly Lacie, Buddy, Dot

Other Influences: HATIM AU, Ink Henry AU (2D Bendy AU spin-off)

(Shots of the tunnel from the Chapter 5 teaser, the break room, and the Ink Machine room.)

Boris (v/o): A lot’s happened since Joey died.

(Cut to Boris leaning to look a doorway, holding a pipe in one hand and a wrench in his mouth, much like the preview poster for Chapter 3.)

Boris (v/o): I’ve been doing my best to stay alive, and at the same time...

(Shot of Boris looking at a pile of Butcher Gang corpses, with one of his previous bodies strapped to the back wall, positioned to look like he was crucified.)

Boris (v/o): ...I’ve been on a journey of self-discovery, which led me to meet you.

(Cut to Boris holding his pipe as he apprehensively watches a metal door. Without warning, a hulking humanoid made of ink, vaguely resembling the Kindly Beast logo crashes through, only to sway unsteadily and begin shrinking. Boris drops the pipe and runs over, catching the Ink Beast as it finishes reverting to Henry. “I Am Me” by DAGames begins to play as the aforementioned logo appears. Shot of the C3 Malice jumpscare. Cut to Boris, Henry, and Alice seats around the table in the safehouse.)

Boris: We call her Malice.

Alice: She was Joey’s first attempt at bringing me to life.

(Shot of Malice striding down a hallway, singing Lonely Angel. Cut back to Boris, Henry, and Alice.)

Henry: You’ve changed quite a lot, Alice.

(Cut to Alice in her normal form, surrounded by Searchers. She closes her eyes and is ensheathed in ink, growing and changing shape. Emerging as her Chapter 4 self, she draws her sword and prepares to fight. Cut to Henry and the Toons.)

Alice: I’ve grown up.

(Shot of Henry in Ink Beast form tearing through a horde of Butcher Gang clones. Shot of the Demon Path ending from Chapter 3, only with Malice in the Ink Demon’s place.)

Malice (v/o): I have the stage now, and I’ll remake this studio in my image.

(Shot of Malice standing on a balcony, with the Prophet next to her. Shot of an ink flood rushing down a hallway, on-model versions of the Butcher Gang fleeing from it. Cut to Boris and Henry in the music department foyer.)

Boris: The only way out of this studio is through her.

Henry: Let’s get the band back together.

(Shot of C4 Alice slashing through Searchers and Butcher Gang clones. Shot of Ink Beast Henry landing on a Bendy statue, shattering it and shaking the floor. Shot of Bendy cracking his knuckles and grinning.)

Bendy: This is gonna be fun.

(Shot of Boris and Bendy fist-bumping. Shot of Brute Boris roaring as he stomps forward. Ink Henry roars back and they start fighting. Cut to Bertrum with two Lost Ones.)

Bertrum: Give us a show, won’t you?

(Shot of the Prophet cocking the Tommy gun. Shot of the Butcher Gang brandishing weapons taken from their clones. Shot of Malice and an army of Searchers.)

Malice (v/o): I don’t care what anyonesays!

(Shot of the Projectionist and several Lost Ones looking up at something with alarmed expressions. Shot of the elevator falling, with Bendy clinging to Boris for dear life.)

Malice (v/o): Iam Alice Angel!

(Shot of the Projectionist opening the door to a Little Miracle Station. As Bendy emerges, the Projectionist reaches up and takes the projector off, revealing Norman’s exhausted, yet still smiling face. Cut to Malice pinning Boris against a railing with a sneer on her face.)

Malice: Who do you think you are to defy me?

(Cut to Boris in the doorway of Joey’s office, wisps of what looks like black mist rising off him and eyes glowing.)

Boris: Let me show you.

(Shot of Ink Henry, Boris, Alice, and Bendy standing at one end of a wide open room, with Malice, the Prophet, and Brute Boris on the other side. Cut to title card.)

BORIS AND THE DARK SURVIVAL

(Cut to the quartet outside the haunted house.)

Boris: I don’t know if I can take her on alone.

Henry: You’re stronger than you think.

Bendy: Besides, we’ve got your back.

(Shot of Ink Henry and Ink Bendy charging at Beast Bendy.)

*****************

‘Casting’:

Thor: Boris (played/voiced by Anthony Rapp/Christian Kane) Loki: Bendy (voiced by Greg Cipes/Kevin McHale) Hela: Malice (played by Ali Larter) Bruce Banner/Hulk: Henry (played by Ewan McGregor/Matthew Morrison) Valkyrie: Alice (played by Jenna Ushkowitz/Hayden Panettiere) Heimdall: Norman/Projectionist (played by Dule Hill) Grandmaster: Bertrum (played/voiced by Hugh Laurie) Skurge: Prophet (played by Jim Parsons) Surt: Beast Bendy (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) Odin: Joey (played by Timothy Hutton/Liam Neeson) Korg & Miek: Butcher Gang (voiced by Gilbert Gottfried [Charley], Dee Bradley Baker [Barley], Lauren Tom [Edgar]) Fenrir: ‘Brute’

For the record, the Ragnarok mid-credits scene has no equivalent—those who survive the movie have a happy ending.

[inkyrealities]

For Chapter 1′s 4th anniversary

Thought I’d share this and get it out of my system.

First, for context:

Now, my response:

[inkyrealities]

‘Age of the Ink Demon’ Trailer

Or, a trailer for a live-action BATIM movie, inspired by the first and third trailers for Age of Ultron.

If you have any casting ideas, don’t be afraid to let me know. Also, if anyone wishes to create fanart of this, you have my approval. Just be sure to provide credit and links.

Notes: -The Toons and monsters are not created from humans, with one exception (you’ll see who it is at the end). -Joey is not a bad guy here, in case it’s not obvious. -As is the case with all of my works (with one or two possible exceptions), the end of Chapter 5 is not canon.

(Shots of various rooms throughout the studio.) Ink Demon (v/o): There’s something I want to show you... (Shot of a bubbling ink pool. A cartoon glove suddenly breaks the surface. The camera pans over to a wide-eyed Joey.) Ink Demon (v/o): You through you could control me... (Shot of the Ink Demon climbing out of the pool. He grins wickedly at Joey, who backs away in fear.) Ink Demon (v/o): But I’m not your little devil darling. (‘Can’t Be Erased’ begins to play. Shot of Henry staring at a Boris corpse in horror. Shot of Bendy scrambling to escape from something, though all that can be seen is a shadow. Shot of Boris cowering in fright. Shot of Alice fending off Searchers with a katana.) Joey (v/o): I wanted to bring Bendy and his friends to life... (Shot of the Prophet turning his head. Shot of Joey gingerly stroking Bendy’s head.) Joey: ...but in doing so, I unleashed something terrible. (Shot of the Projectionist and Malice looking at the Ink Demon. Shot of numerous Butcher Gang clones shambling towards Henry and Bendy. Shot of Henry and Joey seated on the bed in the safehouse.) Joey: There’s nothing wrong with dreaming, Henry. Henry: But there is a lot wrong with making deals with demons. (He pauses, looking over at Bendy, who is playing cards with Boris.) Henry: Real ones, I mean. (Shot of Henry standing waist deep in ink, his eyes glowing as he screams in pain. Shot of the Projectionist charging forward. Shot of Malice striding confidently through Park Storage. Shot of Joey putting a hand on Henry’s shoulder.) Joey: Protect them. Henry: I will. (Shot of ‘Boris’ stomping forward. Henry motions for the real Boris to stay back. Shot of Alice attaching a mechanical arm to Boris, the latter’s left arm having been severed.) Bendy (v/o): It’s not the Ink Demon who will set us free. (Shot of Henry grabbing his axe.) Text: IT’S TIME (Shot of Henry and the Toons taking the elevator down, all looking determined.) Henry: No Toon gets left behind. (Shot of Malice kneeling on the floor, covering her face as she weeps. Henry approaches her, and as she looks up at him, he holds out his free hand. After a moment of hesitation, she takes it.) Henry (v/o): Not even one. Text: TO BELIEVE (Shot of a wall, on which silhouettes of the Ink Demon killing the Prophet can be seen. Shot of Joey prying off a panel with a crowbar, exposing an orb glowing with a hellish light. Shot of ‘Bertrum’ activating. Shots of various pipes bursting, unleashing a flood of ink. Shot of Malice holding an ink heart in one hand. As tears roll down her cheeks, the left side of her face heals, and her left eye changes to match her right, both having pie cut pupils.) Ink Demon (v/o): We’ve written your fate... (Shot of the Chapter 1 jumpscare.) Ink Demon: ...and it can’t be erased. (Shot of the Ink Demon going into ‘Beast Bendy’ mode. Henry and the Toons move into a fighting stance, weapons at the ready.) Text: BENDY AND THE INK MACHINE (Shot of Audrey, suspended in a coffin-shaped incubation device with her eyes closed. Without warning, they suddenly open.) Text: XX/XX/XXXX.

[inkyrealities]

Updated to include Abigail Lambert

Safety List

Given how I got into the game prior to Chapter 3′s release, there are some things about it/fanon that make me incredibly upset. I have since compiled a ‘Safety List,’ which applies to all my fanworks, and should be noted if you wish to write or draw things for me/receive a writing or art prompt from me.

Basically, if a character is listed as ‘safe,’ it means they escaped Joey’s madness, and remain unharmed. An asterisk means that the character’s safety depends on the verse and/or necessity (ex. Sammy is safe in some verses, but if his presence is required, he is not).

Please note that if I hear about new characters, I will add them to the list.

Safe: Henry (Walters), Wally Franks, Sammy Lawrence, Susie Campbell, Norman Polk*, Shawn Flynn, Allison Pendle*, Thomas Connor, Grant Cohen*, Lacie Benton*, Daniel ‘Buddy’ Lewek*, Dorothy ‘Dot’*

Not Safe: Joey Drew, Jack Fain, Bertrum Piedmont, Murray Hill, Abigail Lambert

[inkyrealities]

BATIM Rewrite Project: Appendix

Some additional details

Original Characters

-Aaron Kimball: The band conductor. He’s something of a suck-up, especially to Sammy. After being turned into an ink monster, he comes to believe that he is Sammy, and that by serving the Ink Demon, he will either be returned to human form or transformed into a full Toon like Lauren. When Henry encounters him in Sammy’s sanctuary, he takes the form of a human-serpent hybrid. Defeating him requires you to cut off the end of his tail, which will render him vulnerable.

-Lauren Blondell: Joey’s former secretary. She wanted to be the voice of Alice Angel, but Joey didn’t consider her ‘worthy of the role,’ and gave it to Allison Pendle after Susie Campbell quit. Outraged, Lauren became actively hostile towards everyone besides Joey, while trying to convince him to give her the role. Eventually, after Allison quit, Joey tricked her into thinking she’d get her wish, only to throw her into the ink. She emerged as Malice, and vowed to prove her worth by becoming the ‘true’ Alice.

-Floyd Ferguson: A projectionist being trained as Norman’s replacement for when the latter retires. He has a penchant for gossip and snooping, the latter of which leads him to discover what Joey’s been doing. To keep him from talking, Joey throws him down an elevator shaft and drops a projector on his head. Later on, the Ink Machine revives him as the Projectionist.

Original Allies

-Critias Frog: A globetrotting adventurer. While not especially book smart, he is rather worldly wise, and enjoys telling stories about his travels. He is loosely inspired by the Leviathan, and his name comes from one of Plato’s dialogues regarding Atlantis.

-Gideon Golem: A hermit and gentle giant. He doesn’t anger easily, and prefers to avoid fighting, but will do so if necessary. He is loosely inspired by the Behemoth and also by the Golem of Jewish lore.

-Rosie Raccoon: A smart-aleck gadgeteer. She enjoys tinkering, though many of her gadgets cause Bendy and pals to end up in a jam. She is loosely inspired by Rosie the Riveter and Rocket Raccoon.

-Greta the Witch: A sweet-natured, yet slightly clumsy witch. She views the main trio as older siblings, especially Bendy. She uses German words to cast her spells.

-Ovid Owl: A snarky bookworm. He considers Bendy and his antics to be an annoyance, but is not outright antagonistic to him or his friends. He is loosely inspired by Ziz.

Essences (Soul Fragments)

-Bendy the Dancing Demon: Wally

-Boris the Wolf: Thomas

-Alice Angel: Susie

-Critias Frog: Shawn

-Gideon Golem: Norman

-Rosie Raccoon: Lacie

-Greta the Witch: Allison

-Ovid Owl: Sammy

[inkyrealities]

Attention BATIM fic writers

As some of you may be aware, I have often made prompt requests on Tumblr, usually in sets of two or three. I have quite the list of prompts I’d like to put out there, but I have one major problem: finding the right folks to submit them to. This is primarily because I have two very important rules when it comes to BATIM stories:

1. I need to be sure that certain characters are safe, meaning they got out before things went to hell. My safety list provides a reference for whom I usually keep safe myself, but if it’s easier, I am willing to simply provide who I want to be safe on a case-by-case basis.

2. Chapter 5, or at least the final part of it, is not canon. Let me tell you, I was not happy with the lack of a happy ending, to put it mildly.

If you are willing to follow these two simple guidelines, or know someone who would be, please let me know. You would not believe how many prompts I’ve thought up, and I have no desire to overload any particular person with such.

[inkyrealities]

BATIM Rewrite Project: Chapter 5

Here’s Chapter 5!

IMPORTANT: Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, and Lacie are all safe. They got out in time and NEVER returned to the studio.

CHAPTER 5: THE LAST REEL

Synopsis: Alice explains how Joey tried to get out of losing his soul by placing the studio in an anti-time field, making it so that time would not exist within the building and thus preventing Joey from dying. In order to escape, Henry and the Toons will have to destroy the four guardians keeping the field in place:

-The first guardian is found on Level K, and takes the form of an inkwell monster called Dewey. Defeating him causes him to drop a normal inkwell.

-The second guardian, located on Level 9, is a can monster called Canoodle, who leaves behind an empty bacon soup can when defeated.

-The third guardian, a chest monster called Chester, appears on Level P, and produces a film reel once defeated.

-Finally, the last guardian is a taxi monster called Gaskette, who can be found on Level J and yields a gear.

Once all four guardians are defeated, the final level—Level S—becomes accessible. To enter Joey’s office, the items dropped by the guardians are placed on a set of pedestals outside. Inside, Joey is waiting, and after ranting about his motives and calling Henry a traitor, he calls forth the Ink Demon to attack. While the Toons keep the Ink Demon preoccupied, Henry destroys the seven projectors located around the room. Doing so causes the Ink Demon to collapse in pain. Joey will then fuse himself with the Ink Machine’s core before facing you himself. To defeat him, Henry must strike him nine times.

As soon as Joey is beaten, the Ink Demon regains his bearings and assumes his true form. Instead of attacking however, he thanks Henry and the Toons for defeating Joey, and releases the souls of all those who didn’t escape before dragging the mad studio director off to Hell. The chapter ends with Henry and the Toons taking a hidden elevator back to the top floor, and Henry opening the door leading out of the studio.

Characters Introduced:

-Appearing: Dewey Inkwell, Canoodle Can, Chester Chest, Gaskette Taxi, Joey

Flashbacks:

-Alice’s breakdown: Joey creates the anti-time field and enchants four objects, turning them into the guardians.

-Joey’s monologue: Joey makes his bargain, but secretly plots a way to get out of holding up his end. Later, he binds the Ink Demon to his will, turning him into his slave.

-Ink Demon’s speech: Various prior events, seen from the Ink Demon’s point of view.

Other Notes:

-The lowest levels of the studio correspond to the ninth circle of Hell, reserved for traitors. Each floor represents a different ring of this circle, in descending order:

+Level K: Caina (traitors to kindred)

+Level 9: Antenora (traitors to country)

+Level P: Ptolomaea (traitors to guests)

+Level J: Judecca (traitors to lords and benefactors)

+Level S: The center of Hell, where Satan is imprisoned for committing treason against God (considered the ultimate sin)

-The guardians are monstrous versions of the enemies from Nightmare Run, who are intended to represent the Malebranche, a troop of demons. In Inferno, the Malebranche operate in the eighth circle, but I decided to place them here instead.

+They can be defeated in any order, but if you defeat them in order of which floor they are found on, you will be able to listen to Henry’s tape.

-Joey’s fusion with the machine is meant to parallel the depiction of Satan.

-Alice uses her katana from canon, while Ovid wields a Tommy gun.

-There are several tapes, all of which are optional and contain lore:

+Lauren’s tape: Lauren, now transformed into Malice, talks about being in the ink, and how she turned into Malice. She then declares she will “become the true Alice,” and prove she’s better than Susie and Allison.

+Wally’s tape: Wally finally gets fed up and says he’s turning in his resignation notice at the end of the day.

+Henry’s tape: Same as canon.

-Mid-credits scene: Henry and the Toons happily watch the completed versions of some of the old shorts. Bendy falls asleep with his head on Henry’s lap as the camera shifts to a sketchbook with ‘H. Stein’ written on it.

-Where Are They Now: Wally

+Wally: Doing voice work at another animation company, relationship status unknown

[inkyrealities]

BATIM Rewrite Project: Chapter 4

Now for Part 4!

IMPORTANT: Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, and Lacie are all safe. They got out in time and NEVER returned to the studio.

CHAPTER 4: COLOSSAL WONDERS

Synopsis: Emerging from the stairwell on the lower floor of Level H, Henry and his companions find themselves on the first level of Park Storage, where the equipment for a planned amusement park is kept. Grant, now in the form of a Lost One, appears and offers to guide them through if they will put an end to Joey, to which Henry agrees.

As they trek through the second level, they encounter other Lost Ones, who offer advice on how to get through obstacles like the carnival game puzzles. Unfortunately, they also run into new enemies, in the form of the park’s animatronic characters. In addition, many of the pipes in this level burst and must be repaired to move forward, which is accomplished by enlisting the aid of Rosie Raccoon. Rosie is found by the roller coaster, attempting to get rid of a horde of Swollen Searchers. Once Henry gets rid of them all, she joins him.

In their search for the stairs that lead to the third and final level of Park Storage, the party encounters Bertrum, whose soul is bound to a merry-go-round/octopus ride hybrid. Upon his defeat, Greta the Witch is freed and joins them. As they reach the final level, they are ambushed by the Ink Demon, but manage to escape into the haunted house. Lauren is waiting for them with a creature she calls Geryon, composed of an old Boris corpse fused with the still-living Butcher Gang members. She leaves them to face Geryon, who is defeated by pulling the Butcher Gang free and then destroying the corpse, which melts into ink and leaves the keys to the stairway down to the lowest levels of the studio. The chapter ends with Grant departing, as Ovid Owl and Alice appear.

Characters Introduced:

-Appearing: Grant, Lost Ones, Rosie, Bertrum, Greta, Ovid, Alice

-Recordings/Flashbacks: Lacie, Allison

-Mentioned: Buddy, Dot

Flashbacks:

-Bertrum: Bertrum attempts to kill himself in order to avoid the same fate as his staff, but the Ink Demon catches him and imprisons his soul in one of the rides. The demon also traps Greta inside a hidden compartment in said ride.

-Wally’s tape: Wally, Buddy, and Dot chat in the break room. Dot mentions that Joey seems to be actively manipulating people. Buddy mentions that several employees have gone missing. The next day, it’s revealed that they both quit.

-Allison’s tape: Allison sees Joey talking to Lauren, acting in a way that seems almost like he’s trying to seduce her.

Other Notes:

-Park Storage corresponds to the seventh and eighth circles of Hell, referenced in the following ways:

+In the seventh circle, Violence, sinners are punished by being immersed in boiling blood (violent against others), turned into trees (violent against self), and being rained upon by fire (violent against God and nature). The Lost Ones (who are similar to the Searchers, but more human-shaped and non-hostile) are intended to represent the violent against self, while the punishments for the violent against others and the violent against God and nature are represented by the pipe bursts.

+The eighth circle, Fraud, is mostly represented by the messages on the wall, indicating that Joey was viewed as a liar, having exploited others’ passions (panderers/seducers), engaged in black magic (sorcerers), made empty speeches (hypocrites), refused to give credit where due (thieves), and actively turned several of his staff against each other (sowers of discord).

-Grant’s role in this chapter is similar to Virgil, Dante’s guide in Inferno and the first part of Purgatorio.

-Geryon is named after a monster that appears in Inferno, referred to as the Monster of Fraud. Dante imagines him as being a beast with the face of a man and a body combining traits of a dragon and scorpion.

-Rosie can use the concentrated ink collected in this chapter and the previous one to upgrade the party’s weapons. She does not have a weapon herself, instead using her claws and tail.

-Greta uses her wand to fight and remove obstacles.

-All of the tapes in this chapter are strictly for lore purposes, and include the following:

+Lacie: Lacie discusses how the animatronics give her the creeps, and how she wouldn’t be surprised if they were haunted.

+Bertrum: Same as his second canon tape

+Allison: Allison says that Joey seems to have something planned for Lauren, but while she doesn’t know what it is, she can tell it’s bad, and that he’s simply using Lauren. She then declares that she intends to leave.

+Wally: Wally reveals that Joey appears to be manipulating his staff towards some unknown purpose. He mentions that the ones who told him this—Buddy and Dot—are quitting, and that the next chance he gets, he’s going to follow them.

-Post-credits scene: Joey watches from his office, occasionally glancing down at a sheet of parchment. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a contract for his soul.

-Where Are They Now: Lacie, Buddy, Dot

+Lacie: Working at a more successful park, relationship status unknown

+Buddy and Dot: Married and expecting a child, both have successful careers

[inkyrealities]

Time to Set Them Free

A parody of NerdOut’s Endgame song Whatever It Takes. Henry, Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, Grant, Lacie, Buddy, and Dot all got out in time, but Henry, Norman, Grant, Buddy, and Dot returned to help Joey set things right (the rest are doing fine). Warning: This is a bit long. ————— (As the piano introduction begins, we see shots from the first trailers for Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5. Cut to the Sillyvision Survivors [Henry, Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, Grant, Lacie, Buddy, and Dot] quitting in ones and twos. Cut to Joey watching a car pull away.) Chorus: With axe in hand, we make our stand. Our goal is plain to see. Make real your dreams, just start up the machine. You know we must believe. Time to set them free. (Cut to Henry, Buddy, Dot, Norman, and Grant standing outside the studio, Henry holding Joey’s letter.) Grant: Of the Joey Drew crew, we’re among the twelve last, But only five came back to confront the past. The devil nabbed our colleagues and he turned them into monsters, Then he went and twisted their minds through the words of a false prophet! (We see the remaining staff being turned into various ink monsters. Cut to Aaron [the band conductor] donning a mask made from a Bendy cutout.) I’ve learned that history can’t be erased. All the memories of the lost ones, yeah we got them all on tape. So let’s put an end to the demon’s Gospel of Dismay, We’ll free their souls from this hellish prison of black, white, and gray! (Cut to Norman and Boris wading through a flooded hallway, the ink up to their knees.) Norman: Prayers, can I get an amen? Toons trapped deep in the devil’s den. Gotta get them out, we’ll find a way To let the Toons see the sun, we won’t die today. (Suddenly, the Projectionist appears. Norman and Boris run, the former firing the Tommy Gun at the monster. Eventually, he shoots out the lens, blinding it and letting Henry deliver the killing blow with his axe.) Monsters want our souls, they just won’t let us be. Even my projector is alive and trying to kill me. So flow the ink, we cannot be stopped, wow. Tell me who’s laughing now. We’ve got a shot, it’s time to turn the lights out. (Cut to Buddy, walking down a hallway with Bendy at his side, when they are ambushed by several Searchers.) Buddy: Walking alone through the halls There’s blood on the walls Can’t ignore the demon’s calls So many of our friends What did it do to them? (Tears well up in his eyes as he dispatches the Searchers.) Don’t know if Joey’s earned a second chance But hope to atone drove him to call us five back Give the devil his due You know that dreams do come true! (As the last of the Searchers disappears into ink, he picks up Bendy and continues his trek. There’s a brief shot of the Boris corpse from the Chapter 1, followed by scenes from the second Chapter 5 trailer.) Chorus: With axe in hand, we make our stand. Our goal is plain to see. Make real your dreams, just start up the machine. You know we must believe. Time to set them free. (Cut to a third-person view of the chase scene from the end of Chapter 2.) Henry: Is escape possible? Well, we have to try. Yet even so, I still find myself wondering why Why the demon forced me to run and hide Devil darling’s become something I don’t recognize. (Cut to Henry, Buddy, and Bendy hiding inside a Little Miracle Station. Henry pulls Bendy into a reassuring hug as Buddy peers out, only to jump back as the Ink Demon pounces. Thankfully, the door remains shut.) But we will not let this horror show be televised From the depths, we will arise We won’t bend or break, so don’t bet on our demise We are alive—immortalized! (Cut to Dot standing on a catwalk, looking down at a vat of ink. We see images of Matt [Bendy’s voice actor], Rick [Boris’s voice actor], and Lauren [Joey’s secretary]. This is followed by Lauren laughing wickedly as she emerges from the Ink Machine as Malice.) Dot: Twelve survivors, all that’s left Matt, Rick, and the rest, I can’t forget Won’t leave ‘til we can bring them home Those little Toons we love and know (We see shots from the second Chapter 4 trailer. Cut back to Dot, closing her eyes and diving into the ink vat. A moment later, the true Alice surfaces, looking the way she does in game.) I will not bow before a fake Just one path left to take No, I’m not afraid to pay the price, My soul to give Alice life! (Cut to Joey sitting with the others in the safehouse, looking remorseful. Henry, Bendy, and Boris attempt to comfort him.) Joey: Listen, all I wanted was to give my characters life Everything that happened is my fault, so I gotta make things right Get them outta here, there’s a way, I know I just have to believe Only takes a pencil and a dream But I got to think of how we’re gonna bring the devil down! (Cut to Joey in his office, watching Henry, Buddy, Norman, Grant, and the Toons enter a secret elevator. The moment they’re gone, the Ink Demon breaks down the door. Joey turns to him, a sad smile on his face.) Like the prophet says, for love, sacrifice is needed The beast wants to claim my soul, he must be cheated. I’ll give up any chance I had at freedom to keep the Ink Demon bound. Rewind! (A pentagram drawn in ink on the floor lights up. Everything resets to how it was before the arrival of Henry and company, with one difference—the Toons are no longer present.) Chorus: With axe in hand, we make our stand. Our goal is plain to see. Make real your dreams, just start up the machine. You know we must believe. (Know we must believe.) (Cut to the outside of the studio, where Henry, Norman, Grant, Buddy, and the Toons are watching the sun come up. Wally, Thomas, and Lacie’s vans pull up, with Sammy, Susie, Shawn, and Allison on board. Henry takes one last look at the studio as he and the others get in. As the song ends, we see the vans drive away, leaving Joey Drew Studios behind for good.) Chorus: With axe in hand, we make our stand. Our goal is plain to see. Make real your dreams, just start up the machine. You know we must believe. (You know we must believe.) Time to set them free. ————— Notes: I imagine the characters as resembling the designs of Aileen-Rose, as her art tends to have sort of a Disney-ish feel to it. -Character matchups: +Grant as Captain America: Grant is voiced by Will ‘DAGames’ Ryan, who wrote Build Our Machine, possibly the most famous BATIM fan song in existence. In Whatever It Takes, Captain America is voiced by JT Music, who wrote another popular BATIM fan song called Can’t Be Erased. +Norman as Thor: In Whatever It Takes, Thor is voiced by FabvL, the only other singer to have a BATIM song (don’t know about Divide, who did the chorus, but he wouldn’t count anyway). Likewise, Norman is the only other in-game character who only appears as a recording (I’m not counting the Projectionist as an appearance). +Buddy as Hawkeye: Hawkeye did not appear in Infinity War, and Buddy only appeared in the tie-in novel. +Dot as Black Widow: She is the only female character to return, and like Buddy, she only appeared in the novel (prior to Endgame, neither Hawkeye nor Black Widow had a movie of their own). +Joey as Iron Man: This version of Joey is a good guy, trying to make up for his mistakes, not entirely unlike Tony. +Henry as the Hulk: The Hulk is the only option left. XD -If anyone wants to do a comic or video of this, be sure to credit me! :)

[inkyrealities]

Update: Sammy is no longer asterisked.

Safety List

Given how I got into the game prior to Chapter 3′s release, there are some things about it/fanon that make me incredibly upset. I have since compiled a ‘Safety List,’ which applies to all my fanworks, and should be noted if you wish to write or draw things for me/receive a writing or art prompt from me.

Basically, if a character is listed as ‘safe,’ it means they escaped Joey’s madness, and remain unharmed. An asterisk means that the character’s safety depends on the verse and/or necessity (ex. Sammy is safe in some verses, but if his presence is required, he is not).

Please note that if I hear about new characters, I will add them to the list.

Safe: Henry (Walters), Wally Franks, Sammy Lawrence, Susie Campbell, Norman Polk*, Shawn Flynn, Allison Pendle*, Thomas Connor, Grant Cohen*, Lacie Benton*, Daniel ‘Buddy’ Lewek*, Dorothy ‘Dot’*

Not Safe: Joey Drew, Jack Fain, Bertrum Piedmont, Murray Hill

[inkyrealities]

Updated to include Daniel ‘Buddy’ Lewek and Dorothy ‘Dot’ (last name unknown).

Safety List

Given how I got into the game prior to Chapter 3′s release, there are some things about it/fanon that make me incredibly upset. I have since compiled a ‘Safety List,’ which applies to all my fanworks, and should be noted if you wish to write or draw things for me/receive a writing or art prompt from me.

Basically, if a character is listed as ‘safe,’ it means they escaped Joey’s madness, and remain unharmed. An asterisk means that the character’s safety depends on the verse and/or necessity (ex. Sammy is safe in some verses, but if his presence is required, he is not).

Please note that if I hear about new characters, I will add them to the list.

Safe: Henry (Walters), Wally Franks, Sammy Lawrence*, Susie Campbell, Norman Polk*, Shawn Flynn, Allison Pendle*, Thomas Connor, Grant Cohen*, Lacie Benton*, Daniel ‘Buddy’ Lewek*, Dorothy ‘Dot’*

Not Safe: Joey Drew, Jack Fain, Bertrum Piedmont, Murray Hill

[inkyrealities]

Important Notice for BATIM Rewrite

I don’t know how many of you have read my BATIM Rewrite Project, but I have already posted Chapters 1-3 on Archive of Our Own, and also here. Before I can rewrite Chapter 4, however, there is a very important question I answered, one that will affect C4 and possibly C5:

SHOULD THE BUTCHER GANG SURVIVE?

While I will be consulting a few other folks off-site, I would like to hear your input. I will be open to input until 9/28 at the latest, at which time I will make my final decision.

Here are the Tumblr versions of each chapter:

Moving Pictures

The Old Song

Rise and Fall

Until next time!

[inkyrealities]

Reblogging here partly as a test, and partly because I’m frustrated.

STOP PUTTING BATIM VIDEOS IN THE SIDEBAR, YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKERS!

The Problem With Youtube’s ‘What to Watch’

You know how irritating it is when you tell someone to put you on a do-not-call list, but then you keep getting calls from them? That’s how I feel about Youtube’s ‘what to watch’ selection process.

When you go to a video’s page, there’s a sidebar with other videos, some recommended for you, others just there. Much to my extreme irritation, I keep seeing videos related to Bendy and the Ink Machine there, which I DO NOT WANT TO SEE. I have repeatedly told Youtube (through feedback) to stop putting those videos there, but they keep popping up, and it is making me very, very angry.

If anyone knows a way to make this stop, please advise me.

(For the record, while I am somewhat interested in Cuphead videos, that is not a reason to put BATIM videos in the sidebar.)

[inkyrealities]

BATIM What-Ifs

These are just some what-if ideas I have. If you would like to write a story with one of these, I would prefer that Wally, Sammy, Susie, Shawn, and Thomas are safe (meaning Joey doesn’t get them AT ALL/they are otherwise kept out of harm’s way). Other characters may be safe if desired, and if you need a way to keep the aforementioned ones safe, I can offer suggestions. If you are not willing to do so, you can still write it, but do so without tagging or @-ing me in a post (that is, do not use @____ in the post), as I am very sensitive about keeping those five at minimum safe.

-What if the Toons and monsters were created from animals?

-What if, instead of wanting to be ‘set free’, the studio’s inhabitants wanted Henry to join them?

-What if ‘Alice’ was a tsundere?

-What if ‘Bendy’ and/or ‘Alice’ were actually on Henry’s side all along?

-What if the ‘studio’ was actually a mental world?

-What if the studio and its occupants were more cartoon-like, and Henry simply couldn’t see how they really looked?

-What if the ‘studio’ was actually Joey’s Ironic Hell?

-What if the Toons were more like the animatronics in the Five Nights at GMOD videos?

-What if the monsters were once other Toons?

-What if Henry was creating the time loop (a la Doctor Strange or Homura from Puella Magi Madoka Magica) in order to save all the Toons?

-What if the ‘studio’ was actually a witch’s barrier (from Puella Magi Madoka Magica)?

-What if, instead of his former staff, Joey used the denizens of Rapture (from Bioshock) for his experiments?

-What if the monsters were something akin to the Shadows from the Persona series?

[inkyrealities]

BATIM Rewrite Project: Chapter 3

And here’s part 3.

IMPORTANT: Wally, Sammy, Susie, Norman, Shawn, Allison, Thomas, and Lacie are all safe. They got out in time and NEVER returned to the studio.

CHAPTER 3: RISE AND FALL

Synopsis: Boris reveals that there are nine other Toons who were brought to life besides himself and Bendy, and that the eleven of them were created from small fragments of soul—small enough to not cause serious harm but large enough to develop into full souls—though he does not know which fragments created which Toon. He agrees to help Henry and Bendy, and gives Henry and Bendy a new axe and a mallet, respectively, while equipping himself with a wrench.

The trio leave the safehouse where they were recovering, and marks their way to the toy department. On Level G, a recording made by Shawn Flynn reveals how to unblock the assembly line, enabling them to find Edgar hiding inside. Edgar tells them that ‘a scary lady’ (identified by Boris as a woman named Lauren Blondell), is responsible for Boris’s repeated deaths, and that she sabotaged the toy department elevator so they can’t go any further down. In order to get it working again, they will need to find a set of power cores.

The first core is found by a recording of Lauren, which reveals that Allison Pendle took Susie’s place when the latter quit. With it, the party gains access to Level A, where they find Charley and Barley with the second core, and that the third core is being guarded by a horde of Swollen Searchers. Edgar mentions that Critias Frog has something that might help. Returning to Level G, the party finds Critias, who gives them an ink collection tool that can be used to obtain concentrated ink from the Swollen Searchers (and is the only way to destroy them). He advises them to collect as much as they can, as it will come in handy later, and joins them. Back on Level A, after Henry obtains the third core, Lauren’s voice can be heard over an intercom. She accuses Henry of “trying to steal from me” and unleashes a horde of Searchers and Butcher Gang clones. Once they are defeated, a tape by Grant can be heard, in which he talks about how the studio is in financial danger and wonders why Joey had the Ink Machine installed in the first place.

The party descends to Level I, where they find Gideon Golem. Gideon tells them that the final core is being guarded by the Projectionist, and agrees to go with them if they can defeat him. Doing so yields not only the final core, but a tape in which Floyd Ferguson talks about being a “collector of secrets,” and mentions his suspicions that Joey has a particularly juicy one. Reaching Level H—the final level accessible by the toy department elevator—Henry and company have to find the key to the stairwell leading further down, which is hidden in one of several ink hearts scattered around the level (the specific heart is randomly determined). However, once the door is unlocked, Lauren appears in person and tries to make off with Boris. The chapter ends with Henry, Bendy, Boris, Critias, and Gideon fleeing down the stairwell as the Butcher Gang holds Lauren off.

Characters Introduced:

-Appearing: Whistlers, Swollen Searchers, Butcher Gang, Critias Frog, Lauren/Malice, Floyd/Projectionist, Gideon Golem

-Recordings/Flashbacks: Shawn, Grant

-Mentioned: Allison

Flashbacks:

-Finding Edgar: Boris is strapped to a table as Lauren approaches, surgical knife in hand. Later on, Lauren places the resulting corpse on display upstairs in the animation department.

-Lauren’s tape: Lauren finds out that Joey chose Allison to replace Susie as Alice’s voice actress, and flies into a rage, as she wanted that role herself.

-Grant’s tape: Grant argues with Joey about finances, saying that if he doesn’t take steps, the studio will end up in the red.

-Floyd’s tape: Floyd catches Joey sacrificing an employee to the ink. He attempts to flee, but Joey throws him down an elevator shaft, dropping a projector on his head to make sure the job is done.

-Lauren’s appearance: Lauren awakens in the ink, and is immediately assaulted by the screams of Joey’s victims. She emerges from an ink puddle as a shapeless blob of ink. Horrified, she returns to it, only to emerge from the Ink Machine as a mass of ink shaped like Alice.

Other Notes:

-The toy department has five levels—L, G, A, I, and H—corresponding to the second through sixth circles of Hell: Lust (Luxuria), Gluttony (Gula), Greed (Avaritia), Wrath (Ira), and Heresy, respectively. Each level’s enemies are intended to represent the corresponding punishments.

+Level L: The Whistlers (small hornlike objects with lips that push the party members back with gusts of air but otherwise do no damage) represent the lustful, who are thrown about in a storm akin to how they were controlled by their passions.

+Level G: The Strikers and Swollen Searchers first appear on this level, and are meant to represent the gluttonous, who are trapped in mud (Moreso in the case of the Swollen Searchers)

+Level A: The Pipers and Fishers first appear on this level, and are meant to represent the greedy, who are forced to fight each other with heavy weights. Likewise, they will fight each other if they don’t see Henry or his companions.

+Level I: The Projectionist is fought on this level, and is meant to represent the wrathful, who are trapped in the river Styx. Likewise, the level is flooded by a knee-high pool of ink.

+Level H: Level H is actually split into two floors connected by a stairwell. Coffins line the hallways of both floors, although the ones on the lower level are on fire. This is in reference to how the heretics are trapped in flaming tombs.

-Weapons:

+Bendy: Mallet

+Boris: Wrench

+Edgar: Plunger

+Charley: Pipe

+Barley: Fists

+Critias: Syringe

+Gideon: Crowbar

-As Critias hints, the concentrated ink does come in handy during Chapter 4.

-There are a few other tapes that can be found, though they are not required and simply contain lore.

+Wally: Wally mentions that several employees have gone missing, and says he will quit if it keeps up.

+Thomas: Thomas says that Lauren accosted Allison, calling her various horrible names and making her cry. He comforted her and suggested that she leave with him, but she was uncertain, as the role of Alice could go to Lauren. Although Thomas doesn’t understand why she’d be so concerned about that, he admits he doesn’t want to leave without her.

+Norman: Norman expresses concern about Floyd, fearing that he will get into trouble with all his snooping. He ends by mentioning his upcoming retirement, and that Wally wants his input on a cake.

+Joey: Same as in the game.

-Post-credits scene: Lauren straps the Butcher Gang members to a table before opening a cupboard filled with ink vials. Elsewhere, the Ink Demon looks out at a horde of enemies.

-Where Are They Now: Shawn, Allison, Thomas

+Shawn: Married with three children, still makes toys.

+Allison and Thomas: Married with one child (expecting a second); both have successful careers.