Buddy's POV Whoever was at the door didn't reply. They just knocked again, but harder, as if demanding the door be opened rather than asking to come in. "I-I'm not opening the door unless you tell me who you are and why you're here." They just laughed. Their voice was deep and raspy, yet almost childish. Definitely not Bendy, but the voice still sounded familiar. "Aww, is the little doggy scared? Heh, I know the door isn't locked. I could walk right in if I really felt like being rude to get what I want." "What do you want?" "A favour. I'll tell you how you can help me if you just open the door, and then you'll be paid quite handsomely by the boss... Perhaps with your freedom?" I froze. Whatever they want can't be too hard to achieve, right? Besides, I'd do pretty much anything to be free. I opened the door, as the unknown person was revealed. He was tall, probably around 7 to 8 feet, not including his stupid hat. His eyes were gone, just sockets with X shaped stitches covering them. He had to duck slightly to walk in. Asher. Great. "I knew you'd come around to it, Buddy. "Ugh, just- What do you want Asher?" "A real simple deal. You bring your 'friends' to the Ink Demon's lair, and you get paid with freedom. Simple as that." "Oh no... You- You're working with Bendy...?" "Yeah, I didn't want to. But he promised me great power if I complied, so I did. Sometimes you gotta take risks to seize what you want, Bud." "I see." "So... You in?" I considered the options in my head. If I do agree, I'll be gone from here forever, but I'll have to deal with the guilt. "What will happen to them?" "Well uh, he didn't give me much info. All I know is Aubrey will be tainted by the ink, probably taking Sammy's place as a servant of sorts. Who knows what'll happen to him, though. But, as I said, you gotta take risks to get what you want, and sometimes others pay for your benefit. It's just life." While I tried to decide, he stood there incredibly patient. He picked up a bacon soup can, gagging at the expiration date and quickly setting it back down, taking a very formal position with his hands folded behind his back while he waited. "I know it's a tough decision. I understand." "Will I get my old body back?" "Ah, the million-dollar question... There's a strong possibility the answer to it is yes." He smirked, holding his hand out to shake. "So, it's a deal then?" I stared at his hand, hesitant. After a few minutes of thinking, I sighed and shook it. "It's a deal." "Excellent." He bowed, taking off his hat, and turning into a small puddle of ink, and disappearing through the cracks in the floorboards. Aubrey's POV Even after I told him I promised, he hesitated. "You'll be fine, Sammy. Nothing bad will happen to you, and even if it did, I can help." He nodded and took it off. For a moment, nothing happened. "Do you feel better?" "...What? I'm fine, idiot. Why is my mask off?" "NO, DON'T PUT IT BACK ON- You- Something started happening to you- You were acting weird- I thought it was the mask, and I was right- But what matters now is you're okay-" I smiled and hugged him without thinking. "I- Why are you hugging me now? If anything you're the one being weird." "Oh god, I'm sorry-" I let go and tapped the floor, mad at myself. "Uh, just don't put the mask back on, okay? Besides, you look perfectly fine without it. I don't know why you felt like you needed it in the first place--" "Uh- You're still being weird. Stop it-" "AHA, WELL LET'S JUST GO BACK TO BUDDY AND GET SOMETHING TO EAT- I JUST WOKE UP AND HAVE HAD A HELL OF A DAY SO FAR-" "Sure, just- Just stop." "YESSIR-" "That's not stopping, weirdo-" "Aha- Ahem- Sorry-" (continued below)
He shook his head and we got up to leave. When we got back, Buddy was leaning on the wall next to the door, looking thoughtful. "Oh, hey guys--" He turned around to face us, startled. "Sammy, uh- If you don't mind me asking- What- Um, what happened to your face-" "Oh my god. This is why I wanted to put it back on, Aubrey. Because some people are inconsiderate jerks." He crossed his arms, clearly offended. "Buddy, that wasn't very nice-" "I'm just asking? I mean, he only has one eye, and he doesn't have a mouth-- WAIT, HOW DO YOU EAT??" "THAT'S FOR ME TO KNOW, AND YOU TO- WELL, NOT KNOW- ACTUALLY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT WORKS- I mean, come on, it's better than me having no face at all like I used to." I wanted to hold my questions back so I wouldn't seem rude, but I couldn't help myself. "Wait, you used to not have a face at all? That's actually really cool! How did you get your eye?" "Uh- I- You're the first person to think that- Uh, I think I died or something and came back from the Ink Machine, and happened to have an eye? I don't remember-" "Cool! What's the Ink Machine?" Buddy started preparing bowls of bacon soup for us while he explained the Ink Machine to me. "Oh wow... This Joey guy seems like a real trash pile." "Yeah. Pretty sure he's dead now, though." When he finished, he set the bowls down and we started eating. Halfway through our meal, he stopped for a second. "Are you guys... Like- Together...?" Sammy almost choked on his soup. "WHAT? OH, NO- WHY WOULD YOU- NO-" I just laughed. Buddy put his hands up, startled by Sammy's abrupt response. "I'm just curious, dude- I mean, you came in here yesterday seemingly having a couple squabble, and then Aubrey finds you, comes back after like, 30 minutes, and suddenly you don't have your mask on anymore? I'm just saying." "OH GOD, WHY WOULD YOU-" Me and Buddy just laughed at him. "He has good points, Sammy." "THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, I-" haha cutie.
