Ink City/Recap/S3/E2 In Hely's Head

Heloise had hoped that, with the City restored, everything would revert back to what passed for normal. Her Paint-induced mood swings had come an end... but instead of feeling refreshed and relaxed, she just felt... tired. Weeks had passed since she'd worked on an invention, or even had any new ideas... like she'd lost that creative spark.

As if that wasn't bad enough, she'd started hearing a strangely familiar voice. She couldn't place where it came from; there was just this nagging sense that she'd heard it before...

And it said such odd things! Most of it was praise, like "I'm so proud of you!" and "You've helped to make this City what it is!" ...But... as it came more and more often, it began apologizing: "I'm sorry, but your time is running out."

Half-convinced she's losing her mind, she privately calls her only real friend in the City, Dr. Chipotle Junior and confides in him. She also offers the only explanation she can come up with -- that Ladybird and the Freak are somehow responsible. Though he isn't quite convinced, Chipotle agrees to help investigate, and plot revenge against whoever's responsible.

Because she can't just be going crazy, right...? Someone must be responsible; someone they can punish... maybe that will get her creative mojo flowing again!

Thus, Chipotle builds a bunch of tiny, four-legged spider-bots to spy on everyone they come across, searching for any proof of her nemesi' plotting. While he does discover a few secrets, most of his spyders are quickly discovered, and Hilarity Ensues. At least, until his original targets find out and come wreck his lab.

Hoping to defuse the situation before it gets any worse for her only friend, Heloise convinces her two adversaries to meet her by the Pier. Accusations fly, but just as Hely's starting to accept they're not pulling some sort of elaborate prank...

"Hehehe... This has turned out rather amusing, hasn't it?"

...An inky figure emerges from the ocean, taking the form of a constantly dripping, partly faceless girl in lacy black and white clothes. Giggling at their confusion, she claims she was only trying to prepare Heloise for something... but first, she want to reintroduce somebody!

With her words, Heloise's lost memories come surging back... just in time for Jimmy to emerge from the ocean.

As the two embrace (and Chipotle fumes), the Strange Girl finally starts answering the barrage of questions. She's the Mayor's Consort, who claims to have a special connection with Heloise, Jimmy, and a few other residents. And the reason she put Hely through all of this... the reason she kept saying how proud she was and apologizing... was because it was time for her to leave. Time for Heloise to leave Ink City behind, and return to Miseryville.

The news is met with mixed feelings. Chipotle immediately protests, while Yakko gleefully eggs her on and Mordecai bluntly accepts it. Still, the Consort seems sympathic to the former, and gives the two Mad Scientists time to say their farewells. The two embrace... and Heloise discreetely slips him a folded-up blueprint, for a plan she never got around to putting into action in Ink City. Exchanging a few final barbs with her two adversaries, she goes to Jimmy's side, then follows him and the Consort into the waves...

...Leaving Chipotle to mourn the departure of his first friend and closest companion in the City, and Yakko to realize he never returned that stupid hammer.

This Event includes examples of:

 * And There Was Much Rejoicing: After everything she's done, Yakko and Mordecai are thrilled to see her go. The most respect Yakko can manage is biting back scathing commentary while she's embracing Chipotle.
 * Broken Bird
 * Damned By Faint Praise: Some of the compliments her voice gives her can be interpreted this way, such as "You've made this City what it is!"
 * Deliberately Monochrome
 * Elegant Gothic Lolita: The Consort's username even Lampshades her fashion style.
 * Epic Fail: Chipotle's attempts to secretly spy on their enemies not only backfires hard enough to alert Yakko and Mordecai, but almost everyone else his spider-bots come across too.
 * First Guy Wins
 * First-Name Basis: The fact that Hely is the only one who calls Dr. Chipotle by his given name of Diego is highlighted here.
 * Gaslighting: What Heloise believes her enemies are up to.
 * Go Out With a Smile
 * Hearing Voices: Heloise, obviously. Ren's also revealed to still be haunted by the voice he picked up during the World Split.
 * Hopeless Suitor: He knew she saw them as Better As Friends, but all the same...
 * I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia: Heloise's memory loss is finally reversed once the Consort announces she's brought someone special along. The Consort blithely admits causing the block in the first place.
 * Official Couple
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The Consort was only trying to prepare Heloise, not wind her up even more.
 * No Sympathy: Yakko has none. Not for her.
 * The Scapegoat: Heloise blames Mordecai and Yakko because she can't think of any other explanation.
 * So Proud of You
 * True Companions