The Archives [a BATIM Fanfiction]

The Loop

How does he...
Ok, Henry.
How would you end this story?

Henry looked around the first level. He was... still up here.
He had different memories, too.
Different.... thoughts.
Like they weren't his.

Henry shuffled over to the front door, being careful of the awkward gap in the floor. He opened the door.
There was a long, black tunnel. Then it stopped.
There was no escape.

Henry bit his lower lip and turned away, staring down into the large gap in the floor. He his stung. His chest aches
Henry leapt down into the broken floor, falling down it for just about the millionth time. He even let out the short cry like he had every other time. Henry crashed into the floorboards, then blacked out.
Dead, Tunnel, Alive.
That's how things seemed to work for Henry. Except when he had emerged from the inky abyss he... felt a little different. A lot lighter. It was hard to explain.
Something cold and wet trickled down his forehead but- he didn't care at the time.

Henry walked with his hands in his pockets towards the music department, looking for any sign of- anyone, really.
He opened the gate, and flipped on the power switch. Henry heard a noise.
He went to investigate, but he wish that he hadn't.
Inside the band room was, well, the band.

Allison nervously walked down the stairs, the new Boris guiding their way to the lift. Tom and him seemed to get along well- with their hands, of course.
Allison didn't know exactly who the second Boris was, but she hoped they were... decently sane.
Sammy shuffled alongside Allison.
"Do you think Henry is alive?" He asked quite loudly, making Tom and the other dog look back at him.
Sammy shrugged, "I mean it's been a while, hasn't it? Shouldn't we be- worried for him?"
Allison snickered, "Since when do you care for anyone down here?"
"Hey! I have a heart, you know. A cold, inky one, but it's still there!"

Tom held up his hand. Everyone stopped.
"What is it, hun?" Allison asked quietly. Tom smiled a little.
There were soft whimpers from the shadows. Like someone was crying.
"Have I caught your attention?" Alice spoke softly through speakers.
The second Boris dove into Tom, trying to hold on to him. He was scared, obviously.
Alice- Susie giggled through a muffled sob. Her breath hitched and she hiccuped before continuing.
"Nothing ever goes as planned down here," She said coldly, "Ahead is the lift, I've set it for the Music Department. Feel free to leave whenever... unless you'd... like to pay me a small visit out of pity."
There was a slam, then Susie seemed to have disappeared.

Allison sighed, "I'm going to go up to her."
The second Boris turned around quickly, shaking his head and waving his hands.
"He's saying don't-"
"I know what he's saying, Lawrence."
Sammy held his arms up, then backed off to the side.

Tom lovingly stared at Allison.
"I know, I know. I'll be careful. I just want to... see what she's up to."
With a few hugs later, Allison was marching her way up to Susie...

"Another! It's another!" One of the ink people cried out, pointing to Henry. Henry flinched, looking around at all of them.
Lost ones, he called them. There were at least twelve of them.
Well... thirteen, as well as Jack the searcher.
The 'band' all happily waved at Henry, then went back to moping and chatting quietly. He didn't exactly know what they were talking about or who they were, but at least they had their memories. And we're happy... ish.

Henry stared over at Jack and another lost one. This lost one, among many of the band members, looked different. They had more of a face, and had wiped off the ink over their mouth. He even had a little jacket... probably stolen. Or made of ink.
Jack caught Henry's gaze, and quickly went into the ground. The lost one reached for Jack, then looked up.
Henry slowly walked over, trying to not seem like a threat.
"Hello," Henry said with a small smile.
The lost one gave a cold glare, then sighed.
"Hi," They said. He said. They had a masculine voice. Sounded... familiar.
"Grant, is it?" Henry asked again, sitting beside Grant.
He nodded.
Henry folded his arms, looking around. The lost one followed where Henry's eyes looked.
"Sammy seemed to be worried about you earlier," Henry said quietly. The ink man turned toward him.
"What?"
"Well, he just," Henry shrugged, "You two sounded close. He seemed worried about you in a way."
"Where is he?"
"We got... separated."

"Susie," Allison said softly, knocking on the large metal door. It opened slowly.
Allison didn't know where she were to walk, nor how she would get to the other Angel. She stepped in, her inky heels clicking on the wood.
The door shut behind her after a few steps.
Susie walked from the hallway as Allison approached.
They both froze still.
"He ruined me," Alice spoke softly, "I thought he could fix me... I was a fool.."
Allison stared at the other, her eyes wide in fear and... well, pity.
She did feel bad. Susie was a pretty woman when they first met. She had a better voice for Alice, too. Why Joey had fired her, she didn't know.
"Did... Henry not work out?" She asked quietly.
The other girl shook her head. "The ink demon. He came in at last minute... he claimed that he could fix me better than Henry... he took him. Left me like this..
"But," Susie said now, sniffing, "Maybe... you could fix me." She smiled, "After all, we do have the same face."

Allison jumped as Susie longed for her. She kept her teeth clenched, and tried to grab Susie and push her away.
The other angrily grabbed and clawed for her face, trying to do something. Allison was more confused then scared.
She grabbed hold of the other Angel and pushed her away.
"Susie!" Allison exclaimed, "Stop it, just stop! Calm down! You've got everything all wrong!"

Susie's eyebrows furrowed. "What?" She snapped, "What do you mean?"
Allison gently held her face, then rubbed her thumb on one of the large gaps in her mouth. She moved down some ink, seemingly covering it up. She did the same for the other side, then started to pull at the ink making her face all bubbled up.
Susie stared at the other. Confused. She had tried pulling at it before. Why... why was...
"Your ink is unstable from Bendy,"
Allison decided to explain, "So I'm able to remold you... and... there! You look like me now... minus the one eye and your wounded chest and the- well, a lot..."
Susie raised her hand to the large stab wound above her bow, "Are you sure..?"
"Doll, look in a mirror."

Susie hesitated, but then grabbed for Allison's sword. Al reached to stop her, but then she had a thought. She knew what she was doing.
Susie stared at her reflection in the small blade. Her mouth gasped open. She did look almost like Allison.
Susie looked up at her, then down again at the blade. Susie grabbed her long, inky hair, then sliced it off.
Ink fell down her shoulders, and left her with hair that fell right bellow her chin.
"Thank you," She said with a genuine smile.
Allison nodded, and held her hand out for the sword.
Susie slowly placed it back into her hand, then watched the other spin it then rest it on her hip.
"Would you like to come with us, Angel?" Allison said softly.
Susie's eyes widened. "Me?"
Allison nodded. "Yes."
Susie tapped her fingers together, then nodded furiously.

"I'd love to."