AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This was written before the release of Chapter 4, and is set in a (probable) AU where Sammy and Susie are still alive, albeit in their respective monstrous forms. The Ink Demon is a hybrid of Bendy and Joey with some self-awareness, corrupted by evil and power.

(And yes, the title is a Cuphead reference. It seemed to fit.)

Guided by the dim, flickering light of a candle, Henry slowly traversed the labyrinth of ink-stained walls and creaking floorboards that were once Joey Drew Studios, venturing towards the room he knew to be the Ink Demon's Lair. As always, he clutched his axe tightly in his other hand, ready to wield it if necessary, but hoped on this occasion that he'd have no need to use it. If things went down the way he was planning them to, their meeting would be a lot more... civil.

Reaching the door of the old foley recording studio that the demon had claimed as its own, Henry drew a deep breath, braced himself, and pushed it open with a sudden shove. The speed was vital: if it heard a slow creak, the Ink Demon would have time to formulate an attack. His intention was to take it by surprise - and he succeeded.

Turning its head violently at the sound of wood thudding against the wall, the demon emitted an piercing screech, and charged towards Henry - fangs beared, and inky claws pointed and ready to seize.

"Joey."

The name was said in a flat tone - matter-of-fact, no trace of panic or fear. The sharpness of it stunned the demon, and it froze, staring up at Henry with its large, glowing eyes blazing through the ink. Seeing the aged animator standing there calmly, daring to look it in the face, it let out a low, deep laugh, and slowly straightened itself up in the manner of a man - two legs forming out of its dark inky figure.

"So... you've figured it out, eh, Henry?"

The voice was a strange hybrid of different tones. Part of it was definitely the voice of the Joey that Henry had worked with all those years ago, but it seemed to be overlaid with the happier, squeaker, almost-melodic voice he'd used for Bendy in the talkie cartoons. The undercurrent, however, was a dark, unnerving echo... the voice of something unearthly. Unholy.

"Come on in," said Joey, gesturing with a wave of a dripping claw. "Make yourself comfortable, old pal. I'd have baked you a cake if I'd known you were comin'."

As Henry stepped further into the room. Joey slunk past him towards the foley stage. There, atop a pentagram, was a chair that had been covered in solidified ink in order to resemble a hellish throne. Joey placed himself upon it in the manner of a king, giving court to the peasant Henry, who refused to sit down and simply stood there in his presence.

Typical, Henry thought. Still, he always was an egotistical little bastard.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Joey purred.

"Why, Joey?" Henry asked, in that same unflinching tone from before. "All this... why did you do it?"

The demon jerked in an action that resembled a shrug.

"Success comes at a cost, Henry," he replied off-handedly. "The gods made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"But why them? Why the employees? They were your friends! They were loyal to you! What did they do to deserve any of this?"

"Every achievement involves some sort of... sacrifice."

Henry hug his head.

"Sammy..." he muttered. "I saw Sammy down there - singing his old sheep songs."

"Ah, my loyal little prophet," Joey said, almost whimiscally. "He actually thinks his Lord is going to set him free. Ha! He revers me more now than he ever did before. How can I let go of that?"

"And Susie," Henry went on. "Alice Angel... I'd know that voice anywhere. What the hell did you do to her, Joey? For Christ's sake, didn't you mess her up enough when she was alive?"

"You have to give somethin' to get somethin', Henry," Joey replied flatly, waving a claw dismissively. "The toons needed a human body to inhabit... to act as their framework. I offered myself for Bendy, of course. As for Susie - well, she was already convinced she was Alice Angel... I simply made her dream come true."

He grinned.

"Because that's what I do, old pal."

Henry could feel his hands beginning to tremble with rage - his fingers tightening around the axe. One good, quick swing, and he could finish this.

But then... who could say what would happen to the others?

No. It wasn't worth the risk. Exhaling heavily, Henry forced himself to relax, and lifted his head to meet Joey's glare once again.

"And it's not just them," he went on. "Norman, Allison, Shaun, Grant... everyone. What about their dreams, Joey? Theirfutures? Futures that you robbed from them?"

"What futures?" Joey hissed. "You mean insecurity and panic when they became unemployed because the studio collapsed? Hell - I had to do somethin', Henry! Who are you to judge me? You weren't around when the shit really hit the fan! By then, you'd already run off, like a rat fleeing a sinkin' ship! You abandoned them!"

Pulling himself back, he let out a low chuckle.

"Still," he said, "at least now, they'll be together forever. One big, happy family - just like we were when we all worked here."

Henry sighed - turning the axe over and over in his hands.

"You're right, Joey," he muttered. "I did abandon them back then. But I won't abandon them now."

Intrigued, Joey cocked his head, looking down at the little man standing so proudly before him.

"And what exactly do you plan to do?" he asked.

Much to his surprise, Henry flashed him a small, thin smile.

"You always liked a good deal, didn't you, Joey?" he said. "A man who knew a bargain when he saw one. Well, I'm prepared to offer you the chance of a lifetime."

Leaning back upon his throne confidently, Joey clasped his dark paws together - his claws pointed upwards in a pyramid.

"Go on," he purred.

"Sammy and Susie," Henry continued. "They loved each other, Joey. You knew that, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," Joey replied. "Everyone in the damn studio could see it."

"Then let's play a little game, you and me," Henry told him. "Just like we did in the old days. Give Sammy and Susie their humanity back, and let's see if they carry on from where they left off."

Joey scoffed.

"That's a bit one-sided, isn't it?" he hissed. "I mean, come on, pal - what's in it for me?"

"If they fall in love again," Henry told him. "then you let them go. You let them, me and all the other employees go - return them to the way they were. But if they don't..."

He hesitated, his voice wavering. The pressure of having Joey leaning over him to hear what he said next didn't exactly help the situation either.

"If they don't?" Joey prompted.

"Then... you get me," Henry said. "Forever. In whatever form you wish. I mean, to be surrounded by loyal followers - anybody with a bit of power can see to that. But to have your rival, a traitor, trapped in your grasp for all eternity - well, wouldn't that be the perfect revenge?"

Joey smirked.

"Indeed it would," he admitted. "All right, Henry. You're on. But I have some terms."

"Name them."

"Well, first - I ain't changin' Sammy and Susie back to the way they used to be just yet," Joey cackled. "I mean, let's not count chickens before they hatch, huh? But, I'll give them some of their memories back. Just a few. Give you a little somethin' to work with."

"Fine."

"And second - I ain't waitin' forever for them to get all lovey-dovey again. They have to do it in three days."

"Ten."

"Six. Final offer."

Henry knew that number wasn't a coincidence. Six had strong connotations in witchcraft and demonology - especially when three of them were together. Perhaps Joey was hoping it would help things swing in his favour. Still, it was leeway.

"Very well," he replied.

"And lastly," Joey hissed. "I want proof. I ain't just goin' to take your word for it that they're back on the love train. They're gonna have to kiss. And no half-hearted pecks, either. I'm talkin' a real, true-love smooch. The second they do that, then the curse is lifted, and everyone goes home, happily ever after, the end."

Cockily, he extended a demonic paw to his former friend.

"What do you say? Have we got a deal?"

Without a moment's thought, Henry seized the paw, and shook it - his own hand completely enveloped by the sticky, inky appendage.

"Deal."

As a satisfied Joey began to cackle madly, ink flooded the walls of the studio, and the ground trembled beneath Henry's feet - the floorboards giving way, and sending him tumbling into the darkness below.

Leaning back on his throne, Joey buffed his claws against his chest, and sighed.

Sure, he was sacrificing his little prophet for the sake of this bet, but he still had the Projectionist and other creatures firmly under his spell - within his power. With the Bendy cutouts, his all-seeing eyes, dotted around the studio corridors, and with the help of his remaining legions, he stop any sort of lip-lock between Sammy and Susie the second they started making goo-goo eyes at one another.

As for their restored memories... well, he'd never said anything about them all being good ones.

Still, it would be fun to see Henry try to set them back up - and fail at it fantastically. Gods knew he could use some amusement after thirty long years.

Chuckling contentedly, Joey sank away into the ocean of ink that had formed around his dark throne. This was going to be too easy.