Bendy and the Imp's Survival

Episode Five: Stuck In Time, Stuck In Place (Part 2)

(It's my birthday today. Happy birthday to me)

Blitzo wasn't sure if he should be afraid or annoyed. He'd just been imp-napped by a raving ink creature that was wearing one of those fuck-forsaken cutout heads for a mask and weird overalls that barely covered his upper half. The guy would not shut up about a "heretic" taking the form of his "lord" and how he was so confused about "false idols" appearing everywhere yet he vowed to destroy them.
First of all: Blitzo wasn't a false idol. He was an imp. It's not his fuckin' fault he happens to vaguely resemble the demon character who's face is all over the place.
Second of all: the fuck is a heretic?!
If there was one good thing about this it was the fact that the guy was built like a weightlifter, so at least Blitzo had something to look at while he ignored his ranting. Eating the eye candy, one might say.
The imp's throat seized again as he held back another coughing fit. The taste of ink coating everything from his tongue to the back of his throat made it hard to so much as swallow. He spat up a bit of the stuff, catching the raving ink creature's attention and making him turn towards him.
"You have already come into contact with him," the creature noted.
Blitzo raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'him'?"
"My lord, of course! He must have laid a blessing upon you."
Blitzo made a weird hacking sound, something between a scoff and laughter. "You think this is a blessing?! I feel more like I'm dying! There's rocks in my chest, I can barely breath as it is, you have NO IDEA what this feels like, you can't SERIOUSLY tell me you think this is a GOOD thing-"
"I know very well what it feels like," the ink creature cut him off. "The lord's blessings are cruel."
"Sure, pal. If this is a blessing, I'm Mary Poppins-what are you doing?"
The ink creature had grabbed what looked like an inkwell and was coming towards him. Blitzo forced his stubborn legs to move and scrambled back against the wall. "You keep that shit away from me! I've had enough of that for one day!!"
"Do not run away."
"FUCK RIGHT OFF!"
Blitzo lashed at the ink creature with his tail, making it take a startled step back. His victory was short-lived, however-the ink creature stomped on his tail to stop him from going any further and kept him there with it as it pulled him closer by the front of his jacket. He tried turning his head away from the inkwell only for the creature to grab his throat, forcing the bottle's neck into his mouth when he gasped for air. He found himself inhaling ink for the second time that day.
For a scary few moments, Blitzo couldn't breathe. Even when the ink creature let him go he had a hard time drawing in air. His stomach lurched, his throat burned, his eyes watered, he couldn't see or hear, let alone breathe, what is happening-
Then, just as soon as it happened, the effects faded away. Breathing came easier, his sight came back, he was remarkably clear-headed and even his limbs were more co-operative (as shown when he fell back onto his arms and they didn't buckle under his weight). Blitzo blinked in surprise, felt himself over and looked back at the ink creature. "What...?"
"His ink heals as well as kills," it replied as if that was an answer.
Whatever. He was alive, that's all he cared about.
The ink creature helped him to his feet and regarded him thoughtfully. "I'm not sure my lord would take kindly to me killing a blessed creature," it said to itself. "I suppose I will have to let you live..."
"I'm glad that's your deciding factor," Blitzo growled as he dusted off his coat.
"You must understand. There's been too many-"
The rest of what the creature said was drowned out by the familiar howl of an enraged Hellhound. Something tall, mostly grey and furry crashed into the ink creature and sent them both to the ground. Loona crouched over the ink creature with fury burning in her eyes and heat waves coming off her body with enough force to make the poor thing under her literally melt.
"Wait!! Loona, wait!" Blitzo pulled his daughter off the ink creature as she snapped and snarled. "Don't! Not yet! Let up!"
The Hellhound looked down at him, shaking with anger. Blitzo hugged her and started humming. Slowly but surely, Loona's shivering lessened and the temperature or the room lowered.
"Now I'm very glad I spared you," the ink creature she'd pinned mumbled.
"Don't push it, pal," Blitzo warned. "You'll be lucky if I can calm her down when you keep talking."
Millie was the next to come in, her ink creature friend on her back. She noticed Blitzo hugging a shivering Loona and wisely decided to wait until he let go before tackling him into a hug of her own.
"You have to stop disappearin'!" She scolded him. "I thought we were on our own!!"
Blitzo freed one of his hands and patted her head. "Don't worry, Millie. I'm not going anywhere!"
"I couldn't be that lucky," Loona groaned, rubbing her temples like she had a headache. Blitzo ignored that comment.
"You look...Familiar to me." The ink creature sat up and moved away from Loona, though it seemed to be more focused on Millie. "That face...It resembles..."
Jackie groaned, catching the creature's attention. He seemed to be explaining something to the creature in his own way. The ink creature stared at him for several long seconds before speaking again. "Your friend...Was here before you?"
Millie nodded.
"What did he look like?"
Millie's description of Moxxie made the ink creature slowly grow tense. The moment she described him as her husband, it laughed in that short little "I fucked up" kind of way. Blitzo cocked his head and tapped MIllie's shoulder to stop her (which was a good thing, since if she continued it sounded like she may break down in worried tears). "You said he was here before us?"
The ink creature nodded.
"Where is he now?"
"Probably with the other souls." The ink creature moved away from Loona like she would kill it after it finished. "In the time loop."
"Time loop?"
"He means he's dead," Loona growled while rolling her eyes.
Millie's shoulder slumped as she sighed in relief. "Then he's back in Hell..."
"That's a good thing?"
Blitzo ignored the ink thing in favour of helping his daughter to her paws. Millie took it upon herself to explain. "It's where we're from. We're imps-we were born there. Since we don't really have souls per se, if we ever die for whatever reason we end up going straight back down."
The ink creature made the "I fucked up" laugh again. Loona was the first to catch on to his tone. "Tell me, big guy...What happened to Moxxie anyways?"
The other two imps turned to him. The ink creature backed up to the wall. "I...I had to feed my lord."
Blitzo stepped up next and grabbed the front of his suspenders, yanking him down to his height. "So what. Did. You. Do?"
The ink creature stumbled over it's next words before spitting them out. "Lured him in towards the false idol."
"AND?"
"Those that are eaten by my lord get tied into the studio's curse."
Millie made a horrified sound. Blitzo winced slightly. Eaten by that ink demon...What a way to go.
"So...He's still in the studio, then," Loona tried to sum up.
The ink creature nodded. Blitzo let go and started towards the sanctuary door. "Excellent! Then all we have to do is find him and get the fuck out of here-"
"You won't find him."
Loona started snickering as Blitzo groaned. "Again with this cryptic shit. You just said he was here, asshole!"
"Yes, he is, but-it's very difficult to explain."
"Try! In plain fucking English, where the fuck is my employee?!"
The ink creature pulled Jackie over to it, almost like he was a source of comfort. Millie bristled and almost made her way over to him when Loona grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Let him talk," she seemed to say.
"The studio's curse...Is difficult to explain," the ink creature started. "There is a time loop within these walls. There has been for 70 years. Several of my sheep are in that loop, unable to be freed. But the lord must be fed."
"Your friend is within that loop. That...That thing was an insult to my lord. Insults must be put to rest. Wherever it is, whatever it is...I hope it's suffering."
"Wow." Blitzo raised his eyebrows. "You really are an asshole."
"Who is this 'lord' you keep talking about?" Loona asked.
The ink creature somehow held a wistful look. "The Ink Demon."
The remaining members of I.M.P shared a look. Loona grabbed Blitzo's arm and pulled him out of the sanctuary to duck behind the wall. "Can I talk to you?"
Blitzo rubbed the place she had been gripping when she let go. "I don't think I have a choice in the matter."
"You don't."
"All right, all right. What is it?"
Loona started to speak, then seemed to think twice about it. She lay her ears back and looked back at the sanctuary. Blitzo touched her arm to get her attention. "You're worried about Moxxie."
"I'm worried about you!" Loona snapped. "Moxxie's dead, he's already at home! You were on your last legs back there, then you vanished into thin air-suddenly you're fine?! What happened?!"
"To tell you the truth...I don't know." Blitzo rubbed the back of his neck. "I really don't understand what happened back there. The guy, he shoved ink down my throat, made me swallow some-and now I feel like I haven't missed a day."
"You DRANK INK?!"
"I didn't have a choice, Loona! He literally shoved the shit down my throat!"
Loona pinned her ears back and glared back at the sanctuary again. Blitzo knitted his fingers together and watched her for a moment.
"We'll leave soon," he said at last.
"'Soon'?" Loona's attention snapped back to him. "Why 'soon'? I'm leaving now, fuck the rest of you!"
"Where will you go, Loona? There's no way out!"
"There is!" Loona bristled slightly. "I'll steal your map if I have to! I'm leaving, I don't give a fuck what the rest of you do!"
"Loon-"
"HE'S DEAD, DAD!!" Loona's shout made Blitzo flinch. "Moxxie is DEAD! You are DYING! If you want to get yourself killed over him, fine, but I'm leaving!"
"I'm not getting myself killed over him!"
"THEN WHY ARE WE STAYING?!"
"Because-bec-"
Blitzo gagged harshly and grabbed at his throat. Loona backed off slightly with a worried whine as he coughed up ink. The Hellhound looked like she was both repulsed of him and terrified for him.
Blitzo held back the rest of his coughing fit and reached out to her. She took his hand and helped him to his feet, then flinched when he suddenly hugged her. Her warning growl only made him hug tighter.
"I'm not going anywhere, sunshine," he promised. "You've got me for a while yet."
"Guys?"
Millie's voice started Blitzo into letting go and stumbling back. Loona rubbed her eyes harshly with a growl. "What?!"
Millie held up her buzzing phone. "It's ringing."
"...So answer it."
"Hang on." Blitzo stumbled slightly as he made his way over to Millie. "I thought it was fucked because it got soaked in ink. How is it ringing?"
Millie shrugged in honest bewilderment. Loona now seemed slightly more interested in their conversation as she cocked her head slightly. "The screen's not lighting up..."
"Answer it," Blitzo urged. Millie seemed somewhat reluctant but shrugged slightly and tapped where the answer touch button would be before bringing it to the side of her head.
There was a brief silence before Blitzo heard a muffled familiar voice. Millie's eyes widened, then welled up with tears. Her voice was practically a whisper when she spoke. "Moxxie?"
"That's Moxxie?!" Blitzo held out his hand. "Give me the phone!"
Millie took a step back from him and rubbed one of her eyes. "Moxxie, sweetie, where are you?! We can come find you! What happened-we just ran into this guy who said he saw you-fed you to an ink demon-??"
"Millie! Give me the phone!"
Loona grabbed it from the imp's hand and managed to get it on speaker. Moxxie's voice came through the phone clear as day, albeit shaky like he was holding something back.
"-never thought I'd hear your voice again," he was saying. "Are you safe? Are you in a group?"
"She's with us," Blitzo said. "You're on speaker now."
"Sir! Thank Satan, she's with you. Listen-" Moxxie cut himself off to clear his throat. "You have to get out of here. It's not safe."
"We kind of learned that," Loona said as she rolled her eyes.
"Is that Loona?"
"We'll explain later!" Blitzo spoke quickly, cutting off the Hellhound. "Where ARE you, Mox? What happened? Why did you vanish? What's going on with your phone-how are you calling Millie?! Her phone is broken yet you're still getting through!"
"I-I-I don't know." Moxxie's voice shook again. "I was-I was going back for my gun, then I got grabbed-dragged straight through the wall, I think I passed out, I don't remember-wound up tied up and then got fed to this-this thing, this...Ink demon-I thought I died but then I woke up again in the same place that wasn't Hell-he cut off my tail and now it's repaired-"
"Just like that crazy ink guy said," Loona mumbled.
"You MET him?!"
"We kind of...Ran into him," Blitzo said.
"Get away from him! He'll get you all killed!"
"Oh we're getting away." Blitzo tossed the phone to Loona and started going back for the ax. "Keep him on the phone!"
"Stay on the line," Loona warned.
"I-I'll try. I can't stay out here long, Boris will get worried a-and the Ink Demon will find me. I already have to keep my voice down..."
"Who's Boris?"
Blitzo missed the rest of that as he ducked inside the sanctuary for their ax. Jackie and the other ink creature noticed him rush out again and followed him out. The three caught the tail end of the conversation again-one that was cut off due to the sound of something slamming over the phone.
"Aw crumbs," Moxxie whispered. "He's back."
"Who's back?"
"Give-Give the phone to Millie!"
Loona looked a bit worried, but obeyed. Millie practically grabbed it out of her hand and took it off speaker to keep the rest of the conversation private.
"Moxxie, don't hang up!" She pleaded. "We can find you! Just tell me where you are!"
Blitzo leaned against the ax, watching as she grew confused.
"Level what? Level...Level 11? Where is that? Okay, well-I haven't seen an elevator. There's only stairwells. Where? With who? No-don't hang up! Who is 'he'?! Moxxie, stay on th' line!"
Blitzo and Jackie shared a worried look as Millie pressed the palm of her free hand against her eye. "I love you too," she said weakly. "Please stay safe..."
Presumably the call ended with that, since the imp dropped her phone and buried her head in her hands. Loona let her lean against her with nary a warning growl or even bared tooth. Blitzo hummed worriedly before clearing his throat and starting to speak when the ink creature beat him to it. "I told you so."
He couldn't have said a worse thing. Loona lay her ears back and started to tell him off as Millie stiffened.
"You..."
Loona hushed at Millie's whisper. The ink thing looked around. "Me?"
Millie practically exploded, lunging for the guy and making Loona have to hold her back. "YOU MURDEROUS PIECE OF BURNIN' RAT SHIT!! MY HUSBAND IS SCARED AND ALONE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! WHERE IS HE?!!"
The ink creature stumbled back in surprise and raised it's hands to try and pacify her. "Listen, I-"
"Buddy?" Loona pinned her ears back and snarled when the ink creature looked to her. "Shut up."
"Look, Millie, let's not gut someone just yet." Blitzo set the ax down and slowly made his way over to Loona and the struggling imp she held. "We're going to find Moxxie. I think I know where he may be. Settle down, okay? Please?"
Millie glared at him like he'd personally offended her. Loona tightened her grip. The fire slowly faded from Millie's eyes as her rage lessened.
"Thank you. Let her go, Loonie."
Loona dropped her. Millie grumbled something unfavourable as she dusted herself off. Blitzo turned to the two ink creatures behind him, one of which wisely flinched back a step. Jackie groaned in worry and stood in front of the other one like his small stature would protect it from Blitzo.
He wasn't moved.
"You." Blitzo motioned Jackie's buddy closer. "Come here."
It nervously obeyed. Blitzo crossed his arms. "What's your name."
"Sammy."
"Sammy what."
"I...Don't know."
"Well, Sammy I-don't-know, my name is Blitzo. Now that we're on a first-name-basis, you can tell me what the fuck you did to my friend."
"I already told you-"
"Yes, yes, something about your bullshit lord. I want details! You must have done something!"
Sammy somehow managed to look nervous despite the mask obscuring his face. Blitzo tapped his foot impatiently as the ink creature seemed to be mulling over his next words. "Any time now, Sam."
"There is...One thing."
"What."
"I can probably attempt to get you in after him..."
"But HOW?"
Sammy went quiet again. Loona was the one to speak up this time. "You don't know how it happened, do you."
"All I know is that souls that enter the Ink Demon get stuck in the studio's curse with him."
"Yes, yes, studio curse-that's another thing! What the fuck is it?!"
"A time loop." Loona crossed her arms. "I remember him mentioning it."
"A time-" Blitzo shook his head. "No. No. No one else is getting trapped in that if I have a say in it."
"But Moxxie's in there alone!" Millie argued.
"He's not alone, he mentioned someone named Boris, he'll be fine!"
Millie winced slightly but stood down. Blitzo rubbed his temples to ward away the incoming stress headache.
"The grimoire says something about time loops," he said after an awkward silence. "I never paid attention to it because I wanted the earth portal spell, but I know it exists. It has a spell for causing one and a spell for shutting one down."
"So we need the book," Loona summed up.
"Yes, we need the book." Blitzo sighed. "And...it's still in Hell."
"Back at square one," Millie worried.
"Not quite."
Sammy's voice made Blitzo look up. "If this spell shuts it down, someone should go and alert your trapped friend that help is on the way, no? After all, it would be better to keep him in one spot so you know where to find him after the loop is broken."
That did make sense, as much as Blitzo hated to admit. "No one here is crazy enough to-"
"I'll go."
Millie's voice made Blitzo flinch. He shook his head, she nodded.
"Millie, no! If you get permanently stuck then we're really screwed!"
"Someone has to tell Moxxie help is on the way," Millie said stubbornly. "I'm goin'."
"Great. Then what are Loona and I supposed to do, wait until you somehow get across that you made contact with him? He could be anywhere by now! Heaven-he could be dead! AGAIN!"
Millie crossed her arms stubbornly. "I'm goin' to find my husband."
"Let her go, Blitzo." Loona stood beside Millie as if to physically back her up. "She can find her husband. He'll listen to her better than you anyhow."
Jackie made his way over to Millie as well, standing beside her and even copying her crossed-arms pose. Sammy was next, though he seemed a little more unsure of himself. Blitzo's shoulders slumped.
"Fine," he relented at last. "Go. Seek him out. Tell him help is coming. How do we go about this?"
"It will not be easy," Sammy said. "The lord has to consume her."
"He has to WHAT?!"
"He has to eat her, Blitzo," Loona said bluntly.
Blitzo looked to Millie. All of a sudden she didn't look so sure about her decision. "Are you sure you want to do this, Mils?"
The imp started to shake her head, then sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Yes," she said bluntly. "Let's get this over with."
"We will have to draw him in."
Blitzo turned to Sammy. "How do we do that?"
"Loud sounds are a good start."
Loona raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Blitzo, who shrugged. "We're in an orchestra room," he said bluntly. "You do the math."
It didn't take long for her to get the hint. "You!" She snapped at Sammy. "Keep that sanctuary open. Millie, get somewhere safe-or unsafe, in this case, since you literally want to die."
Blitzo couldn't help grinning as the Hellhound cracked her knuckles. Jackie groaned in a questioning way as Millie shooed him over to the retreating Sammy.
"Blitzo...Let's make some noise."