Just a Happy Ending

The Deep, Dark Truth

Henry entered the throne room and the door promptly slammed behind him, locking the others outside. He turned to the grinning demon on the old high-backed chair. The throne had been pushed back against the far wall, and a circle was drawn where it used to sit, taking up most of the middle of the room.

Bendy lounged on the throne, his tail lazily swaying back and forth. He had a dangerous grin on his face. "Well, well, well. Ya made it back, old man. Congratulations; ya want a medal?"

Henry glanced around the room, looking for a potential escape route if needed. "I was hoping for a chance to talk."

"Talk's boring. Besides, you an' I got a... special bond, ya know?" Bendy hopped off the throne and started toward Henry, "Wouldn't 'cha prefer a little soul-to-soul? Up close an' personal?" he spat the last word.

"What do you want from me, Bendy?" Henry asked. "I did what you wanted, I passed your test."

Bendy's head tilted. "Test? Oh yeah, that was said." He started pacing along the circle's diameter.

"Bendy, please," Henry pleaded, "Talk to me. What were you so afraid of in the cave? What else do you want?"

Bendy barked an 'Ah!', then stood in the middle of the circle and stared Henry down, grin widening. "I want your s- help." Bendy's head twitched.

Henry noticed, "My... what? My help?"

"That's not..." he twitched again, then lifted a hand to his face, "He's still... help."

"Something's wrong, isn't it," guessed Henry, taking a step toward the circle.

Bendy's free hand was thrown up toward Henry, "Yes! No!!!"

"No, something's been wrong, Bendy. Believe me, I've noticed." Henry took another step, "You've been acting strangely this whole cycle.

Bendy tensed and he snarled at Henry.

Henry put his hands up, "I'm not here to fight, Bendy. Please, I just want to know how to help you." He took another step.

"Stay away!" Bendy pleaded, his two-tenored voice making itself more obvious.  Ink started bubbling up through the floor and his body's ink ran.

Henry took another step, now at the border of the circle, "I'm here, Bendy! What's going on?"

"Go away!"

Henry shook his head, "No! I'm not making that mistake again!"

Bendy gripped his head and emitted a layered, warped screech.

The doors behind Henry slowly opened, pried apart by Norman. The others squeezed between the doors and stood behind Henry, unsure of what to do.

Sammy studied the symbols of the circle. "That's... Henry, those are mind and soul transfer symbols."

Meanwhile, Bendy had calmed down slightly, though his limbs and head were still twitching. "You... brought the others?"

Henry looked at his friends and allies behind him. He smiled and turned back to Bendy, "I did. As many as I could. We're all a part of this, Bendy. We're all stuck here and we all want out. We can be free, you understand? You can be free if we work together!"

Bendy's head violently shook. "No! You don't get to be-! Liar!" he cried, his voice warping even more.

"I've never lied to you, Bendy!" Henry responded.

"An' he's never lied to us!" added Norman.

Allison nodded, "That's right! He promised to set us free, and he hasn't stopped working toward that goal!"

Buddy barked.

Sammy gestured at the group, "We're proof that he's keeping his promise!"

"All that's left is you, Bendy!" Henry finished.

Bendy held his head, his expression shifting between rage and despair, "You don't understand! No! I will not let go! Liar!"

Henry took a step back, visible confusion in his eyes. "... Bendy?"

"Get out!" Bendy snapped. He shoved the inklings and toons to the edges of the room with inky Wanderers. His wild eyes locked onto Henry. "You!" Half-melted clones spawned around Henry and grabbed him. "You're the one I want!"

The clones pulled Henry up to Bendy in the middle of the circle, then forced him to kneel. They pulled his arms back and to the sides. Bendy's grin stretched too far as he harshly grabbed Henry's chest with one hand, and his head with the other.

The circle's spell activated.