An Inkwell's Stain //BATDR Fanfiction\\ [Female Reader]

Chapter Sixty-Nine [An Explorer's Final Stand]

You're just a pawn... What makes you think some lowly sinners can help you defy me?

The Ink Demon stepped back to allow the remaining Lost Ones to attack you. One ran up to you, and you prepared yourself for a rough battle. A grappling hook grabbed at the back of one that had charged at you and pulled them back. Your favourite and strangely satisfying laugh erupted into the room, and you saw Porter just down from the balcony and flow over to you.

'Porter!' you yelled with joy, seeing him run up to you. 'Fancy seeing you here, kid.' He lassoed another Lost One by the neck and snapped it in half. 'Looks like you got yourself into trouble... nothing you can't get out of!' He giggled and you smirked. Raising your Gent Pipe, you were ready to strike down anyone who came in your way.

One woman ran up to you, reaching out her hands to grab your neck, but you maneuvered out of the way to the left and swung to the right, knocking her winded and onto the floor. Porter took down one after another, making use of his weapons, his surroundings, and even the Lost One's weapons themselves. It surprised you how skilled this golly old fellow was at such a horrid thing like murder... but then you remembered you were ten years old. Strange things happen in strange places...

'Wait a minute, I know that aura... is that Robert in there?' Porter said surprised, looking at the surveying Ink Demon. You laughed and replied, 'Somewhat.'

'Well, Robert's been trying to kill me for a long time! We've been pals forever, then!' He laughed his signature laugh before stabbing his grappling hook into the fleshy skin of a female Lost One. 

Suddenly, someone claws into your back and you fall forward with a pained gasp. Porter immediately stops what he is doing and throws the female Lost One - who is still attached to the grappling hook - into your attacker, knocking them unconscious. He lowers his hand to you as he pulls out the grappling hook from the woman. 'Thank you.'

'No problem.' He smiles genuinely at you, before surprise and pain registers on his face. You are confused before you look down to see an axe was driven through his back and impaled him. 'P... Porter... PORTER!' You scream, lunging your pipe at the head of his attacker. He was dead in seconds at your rage. Allison saw what had happened and brought her weapon to rain fire at any Lost Ones who came to finish off the job. 

'Porter, no... I... I'm sorry!' He fell to his knees as he gently glided his fingertips along the sharp edge of the axe in his stomach. 'Heh... heh...' he coughed. and you looked in dismay at his injury. He wouldn't make it. 'Gotta hand it to you, Y/N... You're a good fighter.' He placed his shaking hand on your cheek, and you realised tears were running down them.

'Keep that up for me, okay?' Porter looked up at the ceiling. 'I... I have one more favour to ask of you, bud. Could you do one for an old klutz like me?' You sobbed and held his hand that was rubbing your face. 'Anything...' you choked out, giving him a sad, sad smile. 'Please... let me see my little granddaughter again... she reminds me so much of you...' He coughed, and you remembered how much he wanted to be free. Did he have a granddaughter back at home?

'She was adventurous... kind... really clumsy!' He choked out a weak laugh, and you lunged into a firm and tight hug. He groaned in pain, but sank into it. 'You're just like her... please let me see her again...'

'I could never keep her from you.' You placed your mutated left hand on his back and closed your eyes. 'Goodbye, Porter...' you whimper as the tears start to dry. 'Goodbye, Y/N... Say bye to Robert for me.' Porter's body sank into the floorboards, and you felt his soul travel up above. You knew he wasn't going back to Earth, but you knew he was going to be at peace. That's all that matters.

'Y/N!' Allison yelled from above, and you saw many Lost One's coming at her from the balcony. 'I can't keep firing down there!' She yelled before bringing Alice's tommy gun up to aim at her attackers. You looked to the next set of Lost Ones who came at you. Alone, you fought on... making sure to watch your back.