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

Chapter Thirteen: An Inky Klutz

The door in front of you had a lock chained to it, but it was nothing your Pipe couldn't handle. Swinging it, the chain knocked off instantly and the lock fell to the ground. One you stepped through, you noticed a gigantic hole in the floor, dividing you from where you wanted to go. You head over to it and examine it. 'I wish I could jump that far. I bet Justin could do it...'

Justin was a boy from your class, he was athletic and always volunteering whenever sports was involved. In high jump tournaments, he would always win. Perhaps he'd be just as good at long jump... you never signed up for long jump tournaments, so you didn't know. You honestly thought of him as a show-off, but he was friendly enough. The closest thing to a friend you'd get other than your mother and your drawings, perhaps the elderly folk you'd say "Hi" to every now and then as well...

Stop it, he's not important right now. Walking around you notice a big rolling door with the words, "Animation Alley". 'Oh, so this is Animation Alley...' you took note of it, and then noticed a strange contraption on the side of the door. "Card Exchange" was written above it, so you peered into it for a closer look. You needed three necessary tools to make what looked to be a card with the words "GENT" on the top. Thankfully, you had a battery casing, a toolkit, and some parts to make it.

Following the instructions laid out for you, you conjured up the card. Holding it in front of you, you peered at it curiously. I made this... You turn to the rolling door, but you could not find a card insert to open it. What is this thing's purpose then? You look over the instructions and find: "Grants one-time access to Safe & Sound lockers". Safe & Sound lockers? You recalled seeing a locker with those words on it earlier. Retracing your steps, you found it staring at you, waiting.

You inserted the card, and the locker burst open. With quick thinking, you took as much as you could from the locker. Chocolate nuts, Parts, Batteries, Casings, nineteen Slugs, and a note.

"[REDACTED] Keep looking [REDACTED] you'll [REDACTED] Notice [REDACTED] absurdities."

How fascinating... the note was covered in ink, and only a few words showed themselves. Is this a clue? You folded it up and tucked it into your pocket for safe keeping. Suddenly, the locker shut, making you step back at the screeching slam it made. Is it only for a certain time frame? Weird...

You noticed the trolley after walking around for a while and pushed it out of the way so you could get into the other room. A simple lever stood alone in the room, and you immediately knew it opened the big rolling door to Animation Alley. Perfect! You swung it down and heard the whirring of gears at the door slid up, revealing to you the next area.

'Who opened the door?' a Lost One asked another from the other side, making you shrink down and hide behind the corner. 'I don't know. The lever is on the other side, how am I meant to know?!' The other sounded frustrated, yelling at the other. 'Don't yell at me just because you need to let off steam!' The other cried back pushing him to the side.

You slowly stand up again to move away, because they started to move closer. But a bacon soup can got in the way of your foot, making you trip and fall backward, a loud thud sounding.

Foolish move, benevolent soul...

The voice called, it gurgled and twisted, clear in your mind. Who are you? You aren't the Dark Puddles... The sudden screech of a female Lost One charging at you jolted you back into reality, and you blocked their swing of their bat with your Gent Pipe. 'Don't make me do this, please...' you said to her, pleading with your eyes. 'Weakling...' she replied, swinging her bat towards your head, which you dodged.

You sighed, and grabbed her arm with your left hand, trying to drag her down to make the kill fast. But she started to shriek in agony and her body melted down. You saw your hand was burning, glowing as she fell. 'No, NO WAIT-' She was falling, and the other Lost One just stood and watched in horror. She melted down into the floorboards, and you cried out, 'I'm so sorry! Please, no!' The Lost One snapped out of the daze and charged at you, anger in his eyes.

'I didn't mean to-' He swung at your head, knocking you down onto the ground. You twisted your body around to lay on your back and made your leg fly up and hit him between the legs. He crumbled and groaned in pain and you winced. You headbutted his forehead to get him to roll off you, then you jabbed your Gent Pipe into his stomach. He screamed in pain, so you quickly drew it out to end it quickly.

His eyes dulled and you felt tears run down your face. 'I'm so, so sorry about her... I didn't mean to...' You rested your hand onto his face, and allowed positive thoughts to fill your mind, his soul leaving his body. 'I swear on my life, I didn't mean it...' He was nothing more than a lump of ink now, but at least he was at rest. You couldn't say the same about the girl.

Well done, Y/N...

The Dark Puddles spoke, making you hold your head in pain. 'Go away!' you cried out, waving your arms in the air, as if to hit the voices away.

We're proud...

'No...' you called out. Anger rose in you. 'Take those stupid powers back, I don't want them!' You screamed these words, praying it would emphasise them enough to get them to listen. Their presence drifted away, along with your headache.

You growled and punched the floorboards in anguish. Standing up and getting your bearings, your look toward Animation Alley.

Keep going.

The voice called, the mysterious and alluring voice that you wished to know of. The single voice that didn't hurt you, that didn't make you kill people. You listened to him.