|°°|BATQFTIM|°°|

°°Chapter 16: Arriving°°

"!"
Felix woke up startled, he glanced around and realised he was still on he boat and he relaxed but his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest.
"Just a dream. . . It's just stress."
Felix stood up, fixing his coat and hat, seeing some of the others were still asleep but Mickey and Oswald awake,"Morning, Felix. Sleep alright?", "Mhm. How far are we?", Boris smiled,"We just need to keep going this direction, we should be hitting land real soon.", Felix nods, Mickey made them drinks from the lower deck and Oswald turned to Felix,"You sleep okay?", "Yeah, just a little startled is all.", Oswald nods, still a little worried but was keeping his eyes in front of the sea in front of him,"Tea, Felix?", "Thank you.", Felix took the cup from Mickey and it felt nice to have a drink.

~

"LAND-HO!!"
Bendy pointed from the bow of the point, there they saw land coming closer towards them.
"Looks like a building is here too, guess it was just some ways from Inkwell.", Cuphead faceplammed, Mugman was giggling as he did so,"We could have saved so much trouble if we had just used our heads!", "Maybe next time fill your head with milk, not alcohol.", Cuphead glared at Bendy,"You little piece of Shit!", Bendy just flipped him off as the land became more clear to them.

~

"Hm, how interesting."
Felix jumped off the boat, looking around,"This looks like an Island, but it looks like a street with the road and broken off street lights.", Bendy shuddered,"So, this use to be apart of a town? But then how did it get detached from the mainland?", Mickey shrugged,"Magic possibly, but still doesn't explain especially this was a. . . An animation studio?", they all were off the boat, looking at the decayed and ruined building, it looked like it was barely standing and it seemed like ink was. . . Covering parts of the building and ground?
"Uncle Mickey, you think the friendly inkling is inside?"
"I dunno. . ."
Felix stepped forward, trying the door handle and expected it to break off but it was firm and locked.
"Locked. That's surprising, seeing as the handle nor the door gave out."
"I got this!"
Bendy lept forward, taking out something and playing around with the lock.
. . .
*Click*
Bendy opened the door,"Heck yeah!", "Where did you learn to pick locks?", Bendy looked at Felix, giving him a long stare before edging inside,"Door's open, let's go find the machine, yeah!. . .", Felix sighed, rolling his eyes as they all enter the building.

=

"Well yeah; Call this right from a horror movie."
Mickey was surprised,"This whole place was how studios looked back then, you know back before digital animation became big, people would have to draw each frame by hand and then it would be played on a projector.", Boris smiled, Mugman walked over to a projector and turned it off and on,"Woah! Guess we get a history lesson!", Oswald looked around, it looked like this place was in a hurricane or some people left in a hurry.
Could it have something to do with why the place was cut off from the mainland??
Then footsteps were heard.
They froze, immediately Felix opened his bag ready to throw something, Mugs and Cups hot their finger guns charged, Oswald had the paintbrush ready-
"May, May. I haven't had guests in what feels like forever."
Oh. . .
It was just a human male. . . In a bathrobe?
"Uuh. . . Who are you?"
He smiled, holding his hand out,"Why, I'm Joey Drew. I own this building and or establishment.", they lowered their weapons,"Do you. . . Live here?", "Imdeed I do, sorry if you were taking a boat trip and stumbled upon this old place, living alone is quite peaceful and. . . Anyway, what can I do for you travellers?", Bendy and Boris looked at one another, then at the man,"Have you ever heard of the Imk Machine?", "Of course I have; I'm the one that bloody created that thing!", Bendy's eyes lit up,"You did??", "Of course! Right this way, I'd be glad to give you all a tour!", so Bendy, Boris and the Cup bros followed him with uncertainty and with their guard up.
. . .
Felix turned to Mickey,"Think you should have the bag, just in case.", Mickey was surprised,"You sure?", "Yeah, stay with the child and we'll make sure they're okay and this Drew isn't what I'm thinking.", Mickey nods, taking the bag from Felix as he goes after them,"Brother, stay safe.", "I will, I promise just keep her safe.", "Bye, Papa. . .", Oswald followed Felix, Mickey sat the bag on the chair and took a moment to collect himself more and let some information settle down.

=

"You think he's trustworthy?"
"No. . . Sean mentioned someone Drew and we needed to kill him, makes me worried about following or trusting what he says."
They were catching up with the others, Felix was making a mental note of the place and noted the pipes all over the place and it still looked like this place was trashed in attempt of getting out of the building.
*Bang*
They jumped, turning around,"What was that!?", ". . . Just a pipe bust.", Felix sighed with relief,"Thank Goodness, sorry I'm still jumpy.", "It's fine that scared me too-"
Then turning to walk on, they were face to face with some ink monster with large eyes, large mouth and seemed to be a cat 10× their size!
Opening it's mouth, it revealed several sharp teeth in it's mouth.

~

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Bendy, Boris and The Cup Bros froze, hearing distant screaming,"What was. . .?", "The pipes must have scared them, I apologise for that this place ain't in the shape it use to be.", they continued to follow Joey Drew down the hall.
"Welcome; To The Ink Machine!"

=

"Uncle Mikey. . .?"
Mickey turned to them,"Yes? What's wrong young one?", "Someone's crying. . .", they pointed down the hall, Mickey listened closely.
. . .
"!"
Mickey picked up the bag, slowly approaching the sounds with his brother's child close while also taking Felix's bag with him.
"Hello?.  .  . Who's there?"
It seemed to be coming from the animation room?
Why there??
Was there someone else in here other than that Joey guy???
"W-Who's there!?. . . Who are you. . .?!?"