(1) Ink Distortion (BATIM/EPICMICKEY)

17- Submerged

       Jiminy found himself accompanying the Disney Brothers, Bendy, Gus, and the Wasteland Detectives in Walt Disneys office. However, they didn't have much time to look around, as Mickey and Oswald were already at the table, hastily punching in numbers and letters into the passcode bar.

They constantly muttered back and forth. They had tried everything, and were about to give up, until Gus suggested they look in his notebooks.

It had to be written down somewhere, right?

Before Bendy could process Gus's suggestion, everyone was everywhere. Frantically flipping through books. Lazily tossing them to the side when nothing was found, and reaching for the next.

We're not gonna get anywhere, doin' this! Bendy thought, as he closed one of the notebooks he skimmed through.

It wasn't filled with anything of interest. Just business plans, and doodles of Mickey and Oswald. There was the occasional Minnie and Donald Duck, too, which was a fresh relief from the toons he had been stuck with for Disney knows how long.

Jiminy happily helped everyone, flying up to higher shelfs, and getting books for those who couldn't reach, but even he seemed tired and weary, after the first, Bendy looked at the clock, Gah! Hour and a half!

People were getting slower, and the hope that was in their eyes slowly faded. It wasn't long before people began suggesting they stopped.

"TAP! TAP"

There was a sharp knock on the door, and Mickey was the one to open it. He immediately cried out, before dashing out, swinging the door wide behind him.

The bewildered toons, including Bendy, followed in hurry. The toon that had knocked on the door was one of the guards, who had a mixture of, fear? Worry? Something, on his face.

At the end of the hallway, was Mickey, frantically harping over something two guards were carrying. The closer they got, the more they could see, and by golly was it a shocker.

The two guards were hoisting up the inky body of Dale, the head investigator. There were many gasps of shock coming from the detectives, as they all approached.

"D-Dale! Oh Golly, what happened?" Mickey squeaked, as he inspected Dale. The toon wasn't in very good shape. He looked injured, and was covered in what was unmistakably ink.

"Mickey, sir-" Dale wheezed, before heaving a coughing fit. Bendy was almost certain he would cough a lung out.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Oswald yelled to whoever would listen, and panic broke out.

There was a lot of yelling, and running, and screeching. Toons yelling back and forth at each other. Toons trying to talk gently to Dale, while others were screaming at him over the commotion.

It was a wreck, and everyone moved outside, the only light coming from the castle, and the setting sun.

Bendy didn't like the noise, the bright lights. It hurt his head, more than it should've. Bright lights.

Bendy remembered the restraints holding him down onto the wooden table. He was thrashing around so much he was certain he'd given himself a few splinters.

The light shining above him, was blinding. It was an operation. An operation Bendy didn't consent to. It wasn't long before he was subdued, but the man didn't wait for the demon to fall unconscious. He began sawing into him, and Bendy felt all of it.

Bendy stumbled back, clutching his chest. Where a scar should've been, but there was no scar. There were never any scars.

No, imperfections.

      The smell of burning, inky flesh wafted through the air, and Bendy didn't know if it was real or in his head. The dizziness squeezed his stomach. He fought for his consciousness, but his world blurred, a ringing in his ears blocking out all sound.

• • •

Silence. Why was it so silent? He felt himself in a quaint state of peace. Breathing in the clean air.

Thoughts swimming slowly in his mind. Floating around in a meaningless bubble.

Suddenly, the bubbles bursted, one by one.

His self awareness grew stronger, and sounds faded into his mind.

The sound of a siren, and the sound of panicked voices.

The voices were yelling at him, one of which Bendy recognized as Gus. The ink toon didn't bother trying to make out what he was saying.

Slowly, he felt the grip of two toons, Gus included, holding Bendy in place. Bendy only saw their feet, when he opened his eyes. Hyper aware of his calmness, he tried to recall how the two toons reached his aid. The voices continues to shout at Bendy, but it was all muffled in the Ink Demons head, until...

"Bendy!"

"Bendy!"

Bendy's mind jolted, and he was no longer submerged in the depths of his mind.

"A-aye Gus! Careful!" Bendy shook off Gus, who had been violently shaking him.

With a lingering headache, Bendy examined his surroundings. Did he pass out? The sirens were still there. He felt his stomach churn, and his heart rate accelerate.

"Bendy! Are you okay?" Jiminy's concern only continued to raise Bendy's alarm.

Bendy choked on his own breathing, and he was pulled back away from the scene. Bendy realized they were outside the castle. How they got there? Bendy didn't remember.

The Demon hardly acknowledged the toon who dragged him back. The other toon, who was one of the paramedics, set him down on a curb, and began talking calmly to him. Bendy tried his hardest to pay attention, but everything seemed sort of, drowned out.

"Bendy! Bendy, can you hear me?" The paramedic spoke slowly, but loudly.

Bendy nodded his head, the slight movement making him dizzy once more.

"I need to pay attention to me, okay?"

Her voice was strangely calm. Bendy wondered how long she had done this. Do you have to be in medical school to be a paramedic? Or do you-

"Bendy!"

Bendy snapped back into reality. His attention on the girl, who held Bendy upright by the shoulders.

"Bendy, listen very carefully."

Bendy swayed a bit, and gave a sound of acknowledgement, afraid any sudden movement would make him vomit.

"We're taking you to the hospital."

Bendy looked behind her shoulder, and saw two paramedics, wheeling a stretcher towards them.

"Wha, what? No!"

"Bendy, breath in, and out."

"N-no! I don't wanna go to some, damn hospital!"

Bendy attempted to resist the paramedics, but found himself relaxing on the bed-like structure they called a stretcher.

He vaguely comprehended the transition of the purpling sky, to the white ceiling of the ambulance. The wave of exhaustion he had been suppressing washed over him, and Bendy was submerged in a peaceful sleep once more.