Slides in here, hands you a chocolate uncrustable n dusts myself off.
Hi hello hey hi :D
I saw you were interested in my lil personal au, aye?
Well. :)
I'm here to drop this off and run like its a bomb on your doorstep.
Anyhoo!
Off The Rails In Inkwell!!!!!
The Joey Drew Traveling Extravaganza (usually shortened to Joey Drew TE) isnât just a circus; itâs a production that rolls into town on a customized, ink-black steam train. They only hit Inkwell every few years, so when they arrive, itâs the biggest event on the island.
The main trio from the show are bendy, boris, and alice, who are very good at what they do and very put-together on stage and extremely questionable off stage. like âsmiles for the crowd, emotional duct tape backstageâ levels. they perform, they bow, they vanish behind curtains that are a little too heavy for just fabric.
then youâve got the cup bros who are beloved locals, loud, and immune to showbiz smothering. Mugman gets emotionally invested way too fast and cuphead treats reality like a puzzle box he is absolutely going to shake until something falls out. They get tangled up with the troupe mostly by accident. mostly!
(Cuphead breaks some shit n Bendy almost ends the damn guy xD)
thereâs a scarf involved. it means nothing. it means everything. depends who you ask and when you ask them.
:P
boris is the emotional support backbone of the operation. alice is trying very hard to be seen correctly and failing in a very glamorous way. bendy is fine and not spiraling and nobody is allowed to check. mugman is kind in a way that causes long term consequences. Cuphead keeps touching things he was not meant to FUCKING TOUCH.
The backstage is its own ecosystem. costume guy is one bad thread away from a monologue. stagehands know more than they say.
lelele...
OH!
And the main cast intros!
(Except Joey, cuz. well i don't wanna give out so many spoilers!)
Bendy (28) â The "Main Event"
As the showrunner, he is a charismatic perfectionist. He will "stop at nothing" to ensure he has the spotlight. He can be impatient when things go wrong. Mischievous. ;3
Onstage: sardonic, razor-sharp smile, untouchable, carefully choreographed chaos.
Offstage: hyper-aware, exhausted, fragile in ways he hides beneath smokes and bowties.
(someone get this man some rest ToT)
Boris the Wolf (24) â The "Dog/Wolf"
Bendyâs younger brother. He is loyal and laid-back, often serving as the emotional anchor for the group. Heâs pretty smart, but just a lil slow, and easily follows Bendy's lead, but heâs remarkably skilled at fixing things backstage and playing the upright bass. Just don't get between him and his lunchâhe gets "cross" when his meals are interrupted. heh, Detachable limbs used for chores n mischief.
Alice Angel (22) â The "Rising Star"
Bendy's daughter figure. (DO NOT COME AT ME FOR THIS. SMH.) She is sweet and happy-go-lucky during her performances, but behind the scenes, shes a bit less,, 'dumb' blonde? (shurgs as a blondie myself) She often acts as the "sensible side" of the trio, reigning in Bendyâs chaotic ideas. She has a touch of a "diva" streak regarding her appearance, but her charm and "heavenly" voice keep the audience coming back.
Cuphead (23) â The Thrill-Seeker
He is the show's biggest fan of the high-energy jazz and dancing. Heâs reckless and greedy for excitement, often trying to mimic Bendyâs stunts. Despite his "troublemaking" nature, he is brave and kind-hearted, always willing to help his new show-biz friends if they get into a scrap with the locals.
Mugman (23) â The Enthusiast
He is the more perceptive and detail-oriented of the duo. He loves the soulful songs and music theory behind the show. While heâs a man who loves the magic of the theater, heâs the one reminding Cuphead not to spend all their coins on tickets. He is compassionate and becomes fast friends with Boris over their shared cautious natures.
Elder Kettle (60? 70? idfk...): Heâs the one who initially warns Cuphead and Mugman to stay away from the "city folks" with their ink-stained clothes. However, after meeting the "loyal and laid-back" Boris, he realizes theyâre just hardworking kids and starts bringing them homemade snacks (much to Boris's delight).
The Butcher Gang (The Specialty Trio, all in their 40s): These three are the opening act. Charley is the fast-talking "manager" of the trio, Barley is the gruff sailor who handles the heavy lifting, and Edgar is the nimble acrobat. They treat Bendy, Boris, and Alice like their own younger siblings/their kidsâmeaning theyâre the first to start a bar fight if anyone disrespects the troupe.
:)
Sammy Lawrence (uhhhh middle aged. Like. 38 or smth ToT): Sammy is the troupeâs visionary Costume Designer. He doesnât care about the music or the scriptâhe cares about the silhouette. Heâs often seen with a measuring tape draped around his neck and pins stuck in his mouth. He is incredibly dramatic and treats every stitch like a holy relic.
He is the only person allowed to "boss" Bendy around, usually while forcing him to stand still for hours during fittings. He treats Bendy like a living canvas, occasionally getting frustrated when Bendyâs fidgeting leads to him ripping a seam or getting ink on a fresh white bowtie.
Bucky "Buddy" Vance (oh look my Oc- hessss 31 :D):
He's the Engine Room Mechanic, (and Sammy Lawrenceâs anchor to reality.) Grounded. Observant. Quietly kind. The kind of person who doesnât need to be in charge because people listen anyway. He keeps the train running, the lights on, the engines breathing. He understands the machine not as magic, but as something that must be respected. This makes him invaluable in a troupe full of artists and toons who treat reality as flexible. XD
Oh and some fun facts to chew on :D
Who joined first to last:
Joey Drew (Founder)
Bendy
Boris
Alice Angel
The Butcher Gang
Sammy Lawrence
Buddy
Backstage Crew (changes on route!)
Cuphead & Mugman (temporarily(?))
Alice sees Bendy as a father figure, she just feels the need to make him proud of her so BADLY. He is. He always will be. :)
In the backstage chaos, Boris has a small, dented metal locker. Taped inside the door is a grainy, sepia-toned photo: a teenage Boris, looking gangly and happy, with a cheering cup perched on his shoulder. Itâs labeled "Inkwell Isle, come back again!"
Amidst the high-end greasepaint and "Star" telegrams, Bendy has a drawing tucked into the corner of his mirror. Itâs a bit crinkled. It shows a blue-clad kid holding hands with a cartoon demon. While other fan art is just black ink, theres actual⊠color.
Toons are kinda.
Okay so, a toon next to a toon is a different size then a toon next to a human okay?
Like. Bendy is a SMALL guy, he's short as hell. Next to Boris that's very very obviously true. But next to humans? Hes average height, maybe a bit shorter.
Boris is a large sized toon ykyk? Next to a human, he's a fucking GIANT.
Thankfully toon logic means toons can infact change their height so they don't scare tf outta kids or smth xD
Alice sees Cuphead and Mugman as "the little brothers she didn't know she needed," though sheâs younger than them!
Bendy spent the first week of knowing the brothers trying to figure out if their handles were "removable accessories" or "limbs." He eventually tried to hang a coat on Cupheadâs handle, which led to the first (and only) time Cuphead tried to headbutt a demon.
Because the B-siblings are ink-based, they get "sluggish" and thick when it's cold, and "runny" when it's hot. On a hot Inkwell afternoon, Bendy looks like a melting candle. Mugman once panicked and put a napping Bendy in the Elder Kettleâs icebox to "solidify" him, only to find a very grumpy, frozen-solid demon an hour later.
Boris can pull his own arm off to reach things under the stage or scratch a hard-to-reach spot on his back. Cuphead thought this was a cool trick and tried to pull his own arm off to impress Boris. He ended up in a sling for a week.
Cupheadâs favorite way to be near someone/Boris is the "Handle-Hook." Heâll run up and hook his handle onto Borisâs belt loop or suspenders and just "hang" there like a backpack while Boris walks around. Boris doesn't mind; he just treats Cuphead like a very talkative, ceramic piece of luggage.
Buddy is the only one allowed to make the coffee. If Joey makes it, itâs 90% sugar. If Bendy makes it, itâs 90% ink. If Sammy makes it? It might as well be art supplies. xD Buddy makes it "Normal," (thank aphrodite xD,)
Sammy doesn't really drink coffee; he drinks a terrifying mixture of ink and melted candle wax. It gives him so much energy that he can sew an entire tuxedo for Bendy in under twenty minutes, but he talks so fast that only Bendy and Buddy can understand him.
(toon logic i guess lol)
Aliceâs halo isn't just a prop; itâs physically attached to her head, but it floats. Cuphead once tried to use it as a ring-toss game while she was napping. He got three rings on before Alice woke up and had to be restrained before she broke that cup XD
This AU may or may not have Sea Angel/Angel fish (Cala maria x Alice angel :3)
aaannnndd last but not least!
alignments!
BENDY â Chaotic Neutral (borderline Chaotic Evil-ish sometimes)
Why: Heâll bend (heh) all rules for the people he trusts or the stageâs integrity. Can be sarcastic, mischievous, and unpredictable. Melt, manipulate ink, or sabotage logistics if neededâbut always with someone or something he cares about in mind. Heâs not truly EVIL; he just doesnât care about âpolite societyâ rules.
MUGMAN â Lawful Good
Why: Obsessed with rules, morality, kindness, and doing the right thing, even if he doesnât always know the best way. Very conscientious. Doesnât lie easily. Will protect others, follow structure, and attempt to mediate chaosâbut prone to panic when rules and reality diverge.
CUPHEAD â Chaotic Neutral
Why: Pure chaos energy wrapped in curiosity. Pattern-loving, problem-solving, but reckless. Does things because he can or because itâs fun, not necessarily ârightâ or âwrong.â Moral compass exists in pieces. Occasionally heroic, occasionally mischievous, occasionally catastrophic.
BORIS â Neutral Good
Why: Protective, loyal, deeply caring, but doesnât care for hierarchy or authority unless it aligns with morals. Calm, measured, the emotional ballast. Will literally put himself in danger to shield others, but wonât create unnecessary chaos.
ALICE ANGEL â Lawful Neutral / Neutral Good
Why: Diva mask + stage presence = Lawful Neutral. She follows professional and social codes of the stage but genuinely cares for her peers.
ELDER KETTLE â Lawful Good
Why: Guardian figure. Rules-based, cautious, protective. Follows his moral code religiously. Will adjust after observing patterns but generally very structured in action.
THE BUTCHER GANG
Charley â Chaotic Neutral: Talks fast, acts fast, protective but unpredictable.
Barley â Lawful Neutral: Follows his own code: protect the troupe at all costs, enforce the rules of street theater.
Edgar â Chaotic Good: Acrobat, mischief-maker, but his chaos usually benefits friends.
SAMMY LAWRENCE â Lawful Neutral / Neutral Evil tendencies (if threatened)
Why: Rules for art, silhouette, and aesthetics above all. Will âattackâ anyone who threatens his designs or the stage. Masked devotion to craft, obsessive, sometimes terrifying. Neutral Evil only surfaces when the stage or art is in danger.
BUDDY â Neutral Good / Lawful Neutral
Why: Practical, steady, the human anchor. Follows rules for safety, but improvises when necessary. Will do whatâs morally right but rarely acts first; prefers support, repair, and guidance.
JOEY DREW â Lawful Neutral / Neutral Evil shades
Why: Legacy-focused, obsessed with the âtheatrical soul.â Can be manipulative, controlling. Not outwardly malicious, but sees people as tools for vision. Occasionally collides with Sammy or Buddyâs moral sense.
Chews on my uncrustable and slides away.
Oh my God theres so much info im getting fed so well
Theres so much to uncover to this au its so AOAUAUEIEIEOOAOAS
I DIDN'T THINK THEY'D BE A TRAVELLING CIRCUS THAT'S SO COOL (inspired by a certain webtoon perhaps?... Wink wink)
Also I genuinely forgot Sammy existed so WOW I LOVE THE FACT THAT HES THE COSTUME DESIGNER
The dynamics between the cast is so interesting and I hope there'll be more soon
Also is that pupcup and blueink and sea angel I see?... đ
The toon physics... Youre getting the fattest kiss on the cheek for that
AISISKSJEJEHHAHSBSNSJS I CANTW AIT TO SEE MORE CONTENT OF THIS AU SOON KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Also I love buddyđ„č
Hey. What about the scarf.
