Bloody Ink (Discontinued)

12: SillyVision Inc.

POV: Susie

We were all gathered in the main lobby. Allison was next to me, holding my hand. She wanted to attend the press conference and didn't give me a choice in the matter. It amused me considering I had planned on attending the conference anyway. It was exciting, Hailey becoming the new boss. It felt right. I wanted to know what she had planned for the studio.

Exactly at 2:30, Hailey walked in. Rebecca was at her side, holding her hand. Both my relationship with Allison helped me get over Hailey completely. The past three weeks allowed me to develop a more sisterly love for Hailey. So I had no jealousy whenever I saw Hailey and Rebecca. Instead, I was happy for them.

Hailey was grateful to have Rebecca's support. She looked at her first, then at us. "Bonjour everyone," she greeted. Her voice was clear, yet nervous. "Merci for coming here. Now, I have taken a liking to speak with a mix of Française and Anglaise, but I am aware that not everyone is familiar with the langue française."

"French Language." Rebecca clarified. "Now remember what we talked about darling."

"Oui ma chérie," sighed Hailey. "For everyone's convenience, I'll be speaking in plain English for the rest of this press conference. Also, I'd appreciate it if you called me Hailey instead of 'Ms. Stein'. Understood?" All of us nodded. "Wonderful. Now, before I talk about my plans for the studio, I'll answer a few questions." She pointed to a random reporter. "You."

"Hailey, is it true you are the true creator of Alice, Boris, and Bendy?"

She nodded. "That is correct. I also created the Butcher Gang." She pointed to another reporter. "Yes?"

"How exactly did you meet Joey Drew?"

"I was working at a cafe in my hometown. It was a slow day, so I was doodling on the job out of boredom." Hailey replied. A few of us, myself included, chuckled at her comment. "Anyways, Joey came in that day and caught me. I ended up agreeing to talk with him during a lunch break. He saw I had a gift, and offered to make me his business partner. Sure it was odd of him since I was only 19, but he gave me the chance to make my dream of becoming an artist come true."

"What caused you to leave in the first place?"

"When we started this place, Joey promised I'd get recognition for my work. That people would know I created Alice and the others. Three years later, I learned he lied to me. He stole credit for my work. I felt hurt and betrayed for it. So much I couldn't remain here any longer. Seven years after that I got a letter asking me to visit. You guys know the rest of that story."

"Rumor says Alice is your favorite. Is this true, and if so, why?"

"Alice Angel is my favorite," confirmed Hailey. "However, Bendy, Boris, and the Butcher Gang are special too. Bendy was my first cartoon character, and his success made all of this possible. Barley, Charlie, and Edger are light-hearted parodies of three of my relatives. My grandfather Marley, my uncle Crowley, and my cousin Edwin respectively. Boris is a loving tribute to a dog I had as a kid, and is even named after him."

She sighed, a faint smile on her face. "Alice Angel... where do I start? She's inspired by an imaginary friend I had as a little girl. After Bendy and Boris, I dreamed about her for the first time in years. After that dream, I wanted to share her with children so they could adore her as much as I had. So I decided to turn her into a cartoon character."

I always loved hearing this story. "That's not what you said to Joey though," I giggled.

Hailey laughed. "Susie's right about that. I was too shy to admit that to him. So instead I told him she'd be a counterbalance to Bendy's mischievous antics and Boris's easygoing nature. She'd want everything to be done right."