Let Darkness Come

[Katrielle Layton]

They trekked back into the darkness, Shackles carrying the unconscious woman on his shoulder while Bendy swung the severed head he had claimed around by the spine. "So, Bo, what were you talkin' about earlier?" The imp asked, half-rhetorical.

"We were talking about our life back at the workshop," replied the wolf, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"And what exactly brought that up?"

Torinin slowed her pace to walk in between the two cartoons. "I waaaas mostly curious aaaas to how you even existed. Your friend here said that you lived outside your show before you even came here, so we asked for details." She leaned in to whisper into the demon's horns/non-existent ears. "Aaaaand let's just saaaay your origins might maaaake things aaaa little more optimaaaal for you and Boris."

Bendy beamed at the revelation. "Gee, you sure know how to flatter a guy."

The bird lady shook her head and rolled her eyes, a smirk playing on her face as much as having a beak for her mouth would allow. The moment passed, and then her face turned serious. "Enough joking around-- now thaaaat you got the brute work done, we'll need to go over some etiquette for when you meet with Draaaaculaaaa."

Bendy huffed and crossed his arms. "Etiquette? Etiquette is for goody-two shoes and brown-nosers!"

"Aaaand evil rulers thaaaat prefer to run aaaa tight ship," she added, her tone suggesting that she had this conversation several times. "Try to imaaaagine how tight he needs to run things to keep everything in line when the majority of his troops aaaare mostly thinking of their next meaaaal."

"That sounds like a lot of work," he acquiesced.

"Right. Aaaand it would maaaake aaaa greaaaat first impression if you aaaadded aaaas little to his workloaaaad aaaas possible."

"So how would I do that?"

"Be quiet, only taaaalk when greeting him or when aaaasked. Don't aaaargue with him. Aaaand don't give him demeaaaaning nicknaaaames."

"I'll try," Bendy chuckled, "but no promises for the last one."

Torinin sighed. "Fine. Don't saaaay I didn't waaaarn you."
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The darling devil had to admit that this vampire guy had great taste when it came to architecture; blood-red roofs and turrets sat upon triumphant, gray towers, its windows glaring down at the group as if the castle itself was alive and watching them. Monsters of all shapes and sizes patrolled the walls, staring at the group as well. Torinin waved a hand at them and the guards went back on their patrols.

"Ain't this place awesome?" The imp asked Boris, voice brimming with glee.

"I guess." The lupine paused to look up at the foreboding structure. "It's... really big."

"Drac needs to keep his armies somewhere," the ink monster commented, only to receive a glare from the bird lady for his efforts.

"Okaaaay, boys. Aaaare you reaaaady to go in?"

"Let's do this!" Bendy said, answering for his wolf friend before he got a chance to speak.

Word count: 7,122/8,000