Ink City/Recap/S1 Into the Woods

In hopes of finding some answers or some way out of Ink City, Heloise turns her scientific eye upon the forest stretching along its eastern border. When all her attempts to gather information with robotic probes fail, she decides the best way to expose its secrets is to venture inside herself. But of course, no self-respecting Genre Savvy villainess would dare head into the woods alone... not when there's an entire City of desperate, displaced people willing to risk their own lives in hopes of escape.

So she informs others of her intent, and gathers a party of willing volunteers. At the appointed hour, most of them show up. As her closest friend, Dr. Chipotle Jr. naturally shows up, along with the ever-irritating Yakko Warner... Despite their grim history together, Mordecai and Benson both insist on coming along as well, as does their recently arrived friend Rigby. Eleanor Lamb and Megavolt also show up before Heloise decides she's sick of waiting and leads them into the woods.

At first, the unlikely party makes good progress, hampered only by the usual personality clashes. Yakko banters playfully, getting on Heloise's nerves, while Mordecai decides to put his communicator's record feature to good use by filming everything.

...However, after a slithering vine gives her a Jump Scare, Heloise offers everyone some REAL weaponry from her own supply. Mordecai grabs a machete, Benson takes a chainsaw, and Yakko, after some prodding, reluctantly accepts one of her hammers. Chipotle swears to protect her from any other 'snakes'... but when the vines return and disarm her, his attempt to retrieve her laser puts HIM in harm's way, as he's snared and dragged off! Naturally, everyone chases after him...

...And follow the vines back to their source: a HUGE Man-Eating Plant. Though seemingly unconcerned by their presence, a powerful jolt provokes him into throwing Chipotle back at the group and snapping at them. After all, they came barging into HIS home so aggressively... Introducing himself as Audrey II, he claims to have been living in the forest a long time... long enough to have learned plenty of interesting information... But he's been so HUNGRY, with so little to eat~

Though Heloise doesn't catch on at first, Yakko and Phoenix do, and both would rather just leave. But Hely refuses, and when Phoenix angrily tells her what the plant's hinting at, she smirks and suggests they feed it Yakko. But before she can act upon that, Benson acts first -- grabbing her, he forces his tormentor towards Audrey, trying to sacrifice her to save everyone else.

However, Chipotle intervenes. Snatching her to safety with his robot arm, he opens fire on Audrey... but the plant responds by cheerfully disarming him. Literally. As he falls to the ground, he drops a container holding his guacamole monster, which Heloise notices and unleashes... only to watch Audrey take a big, fatal bite from it.

And then Mordecai stops filming long enough to act. By ripping her away from Chipotle and throwing her towards Audrey II. And then he starts recording again.

Once he's finished eating, Audrey II gleefully offers them answers... or tantalizing tidbits of answers, anyway. Such as the fact that there's a wall deeper in the forest, one they aren't all that far from now... He also broadly hints that they'll be meeting whoever's in charge soon, and that the reason they all bleed ink is because they're all animated here.

Despite Eleanor's misgivings -- none of the others seem emotionally prepared to cope with Heloise's death -- they press forward, Audrey still crooning and leering behind them. Soon, just as he said, they reach the wall, and Yakko runs ahead, touching it.

"Mayor: STAY AWAY FROM THAT!"

With that, a pulsating ink blot appears behind the group. Introducing himself as the Mayor, he claims to be the one responsible for their being trapped in Ink City. And while he's been entertained by how poorly their trip's gone thus far, he's none too pleased with Yakko poking the Fourth Wall. So when Yakko does it again, he causes their surroundings to shift, growing FAR more foreboding... to say nothing of the swirling black abyss that yawns open beneath their feet.

According to him, though, the portal's actually a way out! A really terrifying-looking one, that sucks Chipotle and Phoenix in before they can react. Witnessing this causes Rigby to completely break down, and he opts to willingly step into the vortex, along with Benson.

The rest decide to head back the way they came, into the now infinitely more hostile forest, which has come alive with oozing ink monsters. At first, they simply watch the intruders... but keep moving closer and closer, showing no fear. Finally, when one grasps at Mordecai's arm, he responds by punching it in the face -- and that provokes the rest into attacking.

Though Audrey II starts helping out, the numbers are simply too vast, and one by one the survivors start falling. When Veser falters, Audrey throws him right into the midst of a swarm... and Eleanor takes a gut shot while momentarily distracted. In the midst of all this, Yakko doesn't break. He snaps. Hely's hammer in hand, seventy years' worth of mallet gags take on deadly new meaning, while Megavolt stands above the fallen Eleanor.

"Megavolt: Alright, you inky sons of bitches... Let's Get Dangerous."

When the fighting grinds to a halt, the two of them are the only ones still standing. Beaten, bruised, and bleeding ink, but alive. Though as it sinks in just what he's done, Yakko can't help wondering if it was even worth it. Megavolt's attempts to console him don't help much, either: as he points out, they have to be prepared for more things like this to happen in the future, as they'll surely have to deal with the Mayor again...

This Event includes examples of:
"Eleanor: ...Pfft Hahaha Forest is the name of this place?"
 * A God Am I: So claims the Mayor.
 * Batter Up: Phoenix brings a baseball bat along in case they meet any bears.
 * Beware the Silly Ones
 * Big Damn Heroes: Dr. Chipotle tries, he really does...
 * Break the Cutie: Rigby, Rigby, Rigby. Along with everyone else, but Rigby simply shatters.
 * Rigby's character is a cutie?
 * Chainsaw Good: Benson's Weapon of Choice when Heloise offers armaments.
 * Deal with the Devil: Audrey II's offer for information and aid in exchange for a meal.
 * Does Not Understand Sarcasm:

"Mordecai: This is for, you bitch."
 * The Dog Bites Back
 * Dwindling Party
 * Entertainingly Wrong: Megavolt initially thinks the vines are just a sign his old pal/teammate Bushroot is skulking around the woods. This takes on a darker twist when Eleanor states that friend or not, they'll have to cut him down if he stands in their way... and Megs agrees.
 * Everything's Worse with Bears: Phoenix is very concerned about the possibility of running into bears in the woods.
 * Exact Words: The abyss that the Mayor claims will take them out?
 * Fed to the Beast
 * For Massive Damage: Megavolt exploits Audrey II holding onto Mordecai's machete by zapping it with as much electricity as he can muster. Unleashing this actually knocks him out for the rest of the confrontation.
 * The Heartless: The ink monsters.
 * Heroic BSOD: Most of the group gets hit by this after Heloise is Eaten Alive. Eleanor points this out, but keeps it together herself... until she learns of Phoenix's fate.
 * Hoist By Her Own Petard: Not only did Heloise bring along people she'd previously murdered as 'Meat Shields', once she learned what Audrey was after she immediately wanted to hand over Yakko.
 * I Choose to Stay: Mordecai thought the Mayor's portal would take everyone back to their own worlds. When he finds out he used Exact Words instead, Audrey notices his shocked reaction and asks why he didn't jump in if he thought that was the case. Mordecai doesn't answer.
 * I Gave My Word: The reason Eleanor BSOD'd over Phoenix's death: she'd promised to protect him.
 * Improvised Weapon: Benson brings several modified lawn tools along as potential weaponry.
 * It's Quiet... Too Quiet: Said word for word by Yakko shortly after entering.
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Eleanor is very cold, blunt, and to the point, but she still looks out for the rest of the group as best she can, despite knowing she can't protect everyone.
 * Just Eat Him: Audrey seems more interested in getting the group to willingly offer one of their own to him than just gobbling up all comers. He does, however, gleefully chomp Chipotle's guacamole monster.
 * Just Shoot Him: Phoenix calls for this even before Audrey makes his offer.
 * Kitchen Sink Included: When Heloise breaks out the weaponry, Yakko makes the familiar joke. No kitchen sink actually appears, however.
 * Late to the Party: Veser catches up to catch the tail end of the confrontation with Audrey.
 * Let's Get Dangerous
 * Not So Stoic Or Above It All: When everyone is in shock following Heloise's death, Eleanor bluntly states they should turn back since they're all too weak to face death. She also makes clear that she simply can't protect everyone; anyone unwilling to fight is just dragging the group down. Later, she suffers a fatal lapse in concentration upon realizing she couldn't protect Phoenix.
 * Sadistic Choice: Step into the foreboding whirling vortex that the Mayor claims will take you safely back to the City, or take your chances in the increasingly hostile forest?
 * Samus Is a Girl: Megs is rather startled to find out Eleanor isn't a robot.
 * Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Rigby when he eventually just... gives up.
 * Slasher Smile: Heloise, when she twigs to Audrey being a carnivorous plant.
 * Symbol Swearing: Benson starts doing this after Mordecai finishes what he started.
 * This Is for Emphasis, Bitch:


 * Thirteen Is Unlucky: Heloise had thirteen volunteers for the party. Not everyone showed up to make the trip, however... and those were arguably the lucky ones.
 * Throwing Your Sword Always Works: Zig-Zagged: Mordecai throws his machete and hits Audrey right in the stalk, but the plant isn't phased and tugs it out with one vine. However, this gives Megavolt a shiny metal conductor to work with...
 * Unsound Effect: camera camera camera.
 * Villainous Rescue: Audrey II helps fight the Mayor's hordes. Unfortunately, he also opts to get back at Veser during the battle...
 * Wham! Episode
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Phoenix and Rigby call Benson out when he nearly kills Heloise... and Mordecai as well once he succeeds.
 * Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises: Heloise naturally gets this expression after seeing Diego disarmed.
 * Wrong Genre Savvy: Heloise thought she was prepared...
 * Yank the Dog's Chain: Talking to each other help Phoenix and Rigby cope with witnessing Heloise's fate... and Phoenix falling into the Mayor's abyss is enough to completely break Rigby.