Chapter 11

                                          To Gain Is To Lose, To Lose Is To Gain

 

Could the Ink Machine alone truly end the war?


I thought as I flipped through the cameras via the remote to a TV in the room, after we made it back here, we have to have something to be able to see through the perspective of the cameras lenses to see what's going on.


As I flipped through the fixed cameras via remote, I could see each location of the studio, especially one containing the Ink Machine, Henry, Joey, and most of the Cartoons and workers watched the camera feed.


If what Joey said is true, then yes, it has to be, he was the one who started all of it by turning on the Ink Machine first after he 'killed' Boris, then I managed to shut it down before I was killed. That was a short while before Henry came in and before Kiki woke up and turned on the Ink Machine, causing the population of the Searchers to increase, and a couple of hours before you came and had a close encounter with the Monster version of Bendy. Ireland reminds me through her telepathy, for a few hours, Ireland's been inside my body for some reason, I was reasonably still in shock after all that had happened thus far, while I was getting the hang of using hammerspace, I still failed to adapt at being a Cartoon.


Then again, I was still shocked about managing to suddenly sic a large hammer on Bendy, which would NOT have been possible if I were my wizardly self, but considering how cartoons and their logic worked, it's fine. Reasonably, everyone and even Henry were shocked of this discovery, apparently I'm a quick learner of Cartoon Logic, and everyone still is shocked about Joey's survival, it makes one wonder how a mere human could survive being dragged into an ink pool by Monster Bendy.


But as of now, I wouldn't dare wonder about it as nearly everything going on in the studio made no sense, I gave up trying to make sense of EVERYTHING hours ago, I can't wrap every single thing around my mind after all. Even I have limits, and according to Alice, even though I'm now a Cartoon, I can still get hurt, that much is true, I still have my sense of what's right and wrong, I know what can kill a human, may it be falling off a cliff, hung by the neck, etc, etc...


In other words, even though I discovered I was much more physically resilient then I was as a wizard, I can still die, but as much as I had questions and planned to save them till the end of this, one stood out to me.


I remember Ira and the show she was a part of, I never forgot her, in fact, even now, I still love her, but for her to become forgotten, and for her to be bitter and aggressive now, she's not the Ira I remember. That is true, as a kid, I sort of grew up watching Ira and her show, but still, the one question remained, how are we going to deal with Ira with her looking to take my heart?


If she took it, I'm dead, but she'd be able to exist again, if you've been a forgotten Toon long enough, you'd probably become cynical, bitter, and possibly willing to do anything to exist again, too. She doesn't know that I'm one of the few fans of her that stayed loyal to her, not to her current self, but rather her old self, one of the few fans who still cared about her, and willing to try to find another way.


It had been a short hour ago when I realized that Ira was forgotten by almost everyone, I felt bad for her, even though she's out to take my heart and essentially come back to life with it.


" Guys, look! " Boris points out, we stopped flipping through cameras and stopped on the one with the Ink Machine, in it, we see the room flooded with ink, and Monster Bendy chuckling to himself before he leaves the room.


Then the camera went out.


" That's not good... " I thought out loud.


" No, it isn't, if Monster Bendy knows where all the cameras are at, then we are in trouble. " Joey points out.


" We need a distraction, something or someone to turn Monster Bendy away from the Ink Machine. " I said, knowing full well that if what Joey's got in mind is going to work, we need to get Monster Bendy out of the room somehow, would luring him away work?


" But if we send anyone over there, Bendy wouldn't be merciful, and if we send in an object or something to lure him away, he'd see through the ruse and break it to pieces. "


" But if Bendy saw me, he'd take the bait. " An idea began to form in my mind as everyone suddenly flipped.


" Amber, no, if Monster Bendy OR that forgotten Toon saw you, who knows what they'll do to you, who knows what they'll make you do after losing your heart to them! "


" Amber, don't go there, please! "


" We can't afford to let him catch ya! "


" Amber, it's a bad idea to let you go after what happened, it's clearly a suicide mission, don't go there! "


Much to my surprise, everyone protested, then again, everyone had a reason to protest, if I lost my heart, not only would it be game over for me, everyone else would technically become sitting ducks.


Reason being, as I WAS a wizard, I had access to many kinds of magic, except for black magic of course, and since I'm just now unable to use magic and now capable of using Cartoon Magic to an extent...


...Then he'd make me do everything he'd command, even if it involved hurting all Ireland and I cared about, if I go and get the timing wrong and get caught, everyone would fall because of my mistake.


" But if there's anyone coming after me, it's Monster Bendy and Ira, they would only fall for it if they see me all 'alone', there is a way for us to get to the Ink Machine, but I will need your help. "


Amber, are you sure you'll get this right without getting caught by Bendy and Ira? If you get captured, then everyone will be in much bigger trouble then ever before. Ireland spoke to me through telepathy, I knew this to be true, I sighed as everyone soon became silenced as I convinced them to listen to what I have in mind.


....I'm sure, I know what I am doing now, I may not have so much experience with Cartoon Logic, but I'm confident that this will work, but we need to do this right entirely.


I had thought so to Ireland whom remained in my body as I made sure that Ire or Monster Bendy were not listening in as I began to tell them what I had in mind as after all, somethings are explained with Cartoon Logic...



I walked around in the flooded room, I knew what Joey knew, if he thinks he'd get the others to all come to the Ink Machine to tamper with it, he's got another thing coming.


Ira gave me a weird look as I giggled while I boarded up the one entrance leading into the room, and the Ink Machine that Joey needs to 'tamper' with.


" What is this for? " She asked, annoyed.


" I knOW whAT my 'crEAtoR' is up TO, he hoPEs to end thIS war uSIng the Ink Machine, aND -giggle- if hE doES wHAT I thINK he's GOing to DO by coMIng here wiTH Amber and Kiki, he's going to be in for a surprise.  "


" So we're baiting them to come here with that Cartoon woman? "


" Exactly, iF thEY aLL coME HeRe, it'll All -giggle- Be OVeR for THeM! "


" So if you grab Amber in, or miss and you bust the boards down, it's a win-win! Thank god you are a genius if only for once, Bendy! "


Almost as if on cue, we heard footsteps coming towards the room flooded with ink, the instant we saw the shadowy figure of a Cartoon, we knew Joey had done and dug himself a grave.


" I take it you're Amber? " I couldn't believe it, Amber had decided to come by herself here?


What she is doing isn't just being reckless, it's downright suicide.


" Of course I'm Amber, I'm also the Cartoon you're looking for, Ira. "


Now how did Amber know Ira? I thought she told me EVERY one had forgotten her.


" How do you know my name? "


" Because I remember you, Ira, I remember the show you had before it all came crashing down, I loved your show as a kid and I grew up with it, and even now, I'm still one of the few fans who remember you. "


" You are? " Amber nodded, I can see that she's clearly freaking out right now underneath that 'brave' expression on her face, she's not going to be holding onto her free will anymore after this.


" WhY DiD YoU CoMe -giggle- HerE? "


" To tell Ira how much I loved her and that there is always someone who cares about her, no matter the situation, I still care about her, I know she's lost her heart, I know what must be done if she were to exist again. "


Is it really true? Is Amber finally giving up and seeing things our way?


I was about to make a move to come to her when I heard Bendy's voice, my naive self's voice.


Amber! No, don't do this!


It's TOo laTE, noW!


" Well? Aren't you gonna take me? I'm who you're after, right? " For some reason, Amber was egging me and Ira on, like she wanted us to come over through the boards and drag her to the room with the operation table that once had Boris on it.


" Well, this Cartoon's willing to give me her heart, why not go ahead and get her to the operation room? " Ira said, having the hammer ready in case anything were to go wrong or if I were to fail. After I made sure the naive version of me would not take back control, I instantly broke down the boards and rushed over to her, she simply stared at me with a defiant look on her face as I picked her up.


" Go ahead, do it, tear my heart out! " Amber spat, I merely grinned in delight, finally, things were going my way for once without much trouble!


" WiTH PleaSurE... " I giggled as I took her to the operation room that had the table in the room, the table was stained with ink, after I placed her on the table, I started putting the harnesses on her ankles and wrists to keep her on the table. Just so she wouldn't escape, not so easily as I'm certain that Amber's newfound Cartoon Logic and friends wouldn't be able to save her right now, especially since things are going my way.


" Ira, guard the Ink Machine, leT -giggle- nOboDY gET anYWhErE NeaR it! "


" Oh, I will, no promises though. " The reason for this is just in case Joey decided to send anyone to tamper with the Ink Machine, if Joey or Henry get anywhere near it or something of a sort, we're in trouble.


" Bendy, are you sure you really want this? " Amber asks out of the blue, I looked at her as I put the last harness on her neck before nodding.


" But would you really be happy if you achieved your goals? It would most likely be very lonely here. " In an instant, I felt a pang hit me within, for once, Amber did have a point, I'm not sure what game she's playing, but I do not like it one single bit.


" OF couRSE I wOUlD BE-- "


" But you seemed....hesitant, with how you seemed so bent on getting my heart for Ira...did you want someone like me to be a tool to your own means? "


" YeS. " Amber sighed before she went to ask me why, nothing was going on as of yet as I finished making sure she wouldn't be able to get off the table.


" So yOu'LL do EverYThinG -giggle- I sAY, and IrA WiLL eXisT agaIn, yOU HaVe somEThiNG I WANT, AnD ThAt is WhAT yoU ArE CapAblE of, AmBeR, yoU'LL LoVe beiNG evIL! "


" But is that all there is to it? For whatever it is you want from me, may it be my magic, or my ability to feel how others felt, I can't use those abilities, not while I'm a Cartoon, if you take my heart, I'll die. "


" NoT unLEsS you ThiNK lIKe a CarToon, -giggle- little wizard! " I turned my back to her as I went to attempt to find a scalpel and a few other tools needed to tear Amber's heart out.


" Ahh, so you know what I was, or rather used to be, it wasn't easy trying to hide my true nature, especially if there are people declaring magicians as witches and then burning them. "


" WelL, I'M soRRy. " I sighed, strangely feeling something being off, my naive half is struggling to regain control of this body, if I let him, he'll let Amber out, and then I'd be at Ira's merciless hammer attack.


" It's alright, it's not your fault, if anything, it's partly my fault for not being able to do anything about it, it's my fault for not being able to do everything I can for those who fell victim. " Soon, I found the scalpel, and I grinned once more as I walked over to Amber, she looked up at me, still wearing her defiant expression as she began to sweat nervously.


" Is TheRe -giggle- OnE LasT ThiNG TO SaY beFoRe YoU GiVe Me YouR HeaRt? "


" Yes, there is one last thing, I care about you just as I care about Ira, I know you're in there somewhere, please, wake up, please, come back-- " I placed the pointed part of the scalpel on her neck, making her even more nervous as I chuckled, so she wanted to use the last of her time to try to get me to lower my guard.


" NiCe Try~! " I giggled as I jammed the scalpel into her stomach, making her hiss in pain, only to stop when I heard Ira grunt, and sounds of footsteps coming over towards the Ink Machine. The instant I heard the footsteps, and the instant I got the scalpel in Amber's stomach, my head hurts, instantly, the naive little me took control as the ink fell off, a rumble was felt.


" Amber, are you okay?! " Instantly, the naive little me went over and attempted to free Amber from the restraints after getting the scalpel off her, he was having difficulty doing so as there's not much time.


" I-I'm alright, j-just help them keep Ira pinned down! " He was very reluctant, seeing how much pain Amber was in, she was struggling to stay conscious as ink flowed out of her injury, he wanted to help her.


Another rumble was felt as Ira was heard screaming, I felt my influence over my weak self weaken, instantly, I attempted to take control of him again to no avail, Amber gave him a convincing smile. Soon, he left the room to help Henry and the others, he and I saw that Joey had messed with the Ink Machine, he had done it to the point where it seemed to be working a bit differently then before. That would explain why I'm suddenly failing at possessing little ol' me, Ira was unconscious, and she had bruises on the top of her head, likely from Kiki and the others giving her a no mercy beatdown.


The Ink Machine glowed brightly, before it suddenly took Ira into it, and then the ink in the room suddenly went and grabbed the little devil, and pulled him into the machine, instantly, it clicked.


Before I knew it, I slowly start to lose consciousness, soon, as I very nearly lost all consciousness, I decided to give my naive half one last warning....


" NoTHInG WiLl DeStrOY mE, NoT FoR GooD! "


Afterwords, everything went to black, and that was the last thing I saw.