Showtime Showdown (Reversed Story, BATIM + SB)

Chapt. 1 |☆| Part 4 - This isn't Wonderland!

Vaulting over the pipe, Bandit's boots slipped ever so slightly on the floors.

The walls were starting to drip inky black, the ceiling even moreso.

Running as fast as he could and shielding the dolls on his body, Bandit stumbled slightly as a deafening KRA-KHSH! signaled the escape of whatever was about to follow behind.

The entire studio seemed to quake around him as he ran, the floors becoming harder to wade through as the ink pooled and rose, yet he did his best to fight back a wince at his likely ruined boots as the potentially towering beast behind him crashed into the wall before scrambling after him.

He whipped around another corner,
CRASH!
And narrowly avoided whatever it was.
He turned the next one, now in the main room-
KRAKK-CLATTA-CLATTA!
And heard it crash into the stack of drawers, yelping at such a close call.

With a corner just a few steps ahead, it should've been safe just to whip around to the exit, but he caught a glimpse of a hole in the floor and felt his heart drop to his stomach.

Whipping around the corner, he reeled up before trying to fling himself across.

Almost.. almost...

"GOT IT!" Bandit cheered as he gripped the splintered wood, trying to pull himself up and yelping as- when he placed his foot on something- it was knocked loose from the slightest kick, sending him lower down as he yelped in protest.
"Nonono!! No, nonope no--" Bandit yelled, feeling the ground quiver as the beast's steps thudded slowly behind him.

His grip slipped, just a bit.
"AiieeEEP!!" Bandit squeaked, scrambling to try harder, grab on tighter, push himself just a bit more.

But the wood was becoming slick, coated in ink as it spilled off the edges and narrowly missed him. And with the massive shadow over him now....

Bandit's grip slipped, and he let out a cry of shock as he was sent spiraling down, down and down into the dark depths, past plank and pipe and ink, too fast to catch even the slightest glimpse of the shadow now looming over the hole.

SPLASH!

Just as quickly as he fell, he landed hard on the ink-stained floor.

But Bandit was alive.

Feeling short of breath, he laid there for a moment, before slowly pushing himself up and scrambling to the open doorway.

His feet slipped once, twice, on the slick ink covering the floors; but he leaned against the wall with a heavy breath as he paysed at the top of the steps.

"We.. gotta keep goin'..." Bandit muttered, checking to make sure all the plushies were still there, which- fortunately for him, they were. "An' fast."

Climbing down the steps, Bandit stumbled slightly, breath hitching when he nearly fell.

Yeah, he'd be alright, but here-- he'd just come face-to-face with something terrifying moments ago, and didn't even get to see it outside of a hand.

So, slowly, he made his way down.

...And sighed in relief as he caught a glimpse of a door, between the cracks of the stairwell's partition wall.
It wasn't open much, just a crack, but anywhere would be better then this right now.

Stumbling a bit as he approached the door, Bandit took a pause to gather himself.

..And then, it was time to move on.