Chereads / Hollow Time (A Hat in Time X Hollow Knight AU) / Chapter 5 - (Friends in Overgrown Places)

Chapter 5 - (Friends in Overgrown Places)

Hat Kid continues her journey though the nature covered land collecting geo and finding new creatures which are just going about their lives while others are trying to kill her in more ways than one. She comes across a big fluffy bug which becomes hostile towards her. She slashes it up and it falls to the ground then begins to shake. "Uh oh." Hat Kid dives out of the way and the bug explodes, getting dirt on Hat Kid's outfit. "Not like my outfit was clean anyway."

She comes across some green bubbling water. "It appears to be water but looks nowhere near safe, I should test it somehow. I could grab a grass bug and toss' em in but that seems unnecessarily cruel. I'll get a hostile creature, that sounds justified." She gets a fluffy bug's attention and it comes charging at her. "Alright agility training, don't fail me now." She flips forward in the air; hitting the charging bug midair into the mysterious water. She lands and quickly looks over to see the bug shriveling up and sink. "Well I can conclude that it ain't pecking safe for me."

Hat Kid notice's a large cave with sharp teeth like bones sticking out as if it were a mouth. She walks into the cave, weapon in hand. She spots another small cave with more mouth teeth. She spots and picks up a book. "Timewatch, scan contents of book."

"Scanning contents... scan complete." The small cave rumbles and six eyes light up inside and whatever's in it lets out a loud nasty growl. Hat Kid drops the book and retreats without hesitation, stumbling as she runs away screaming. Hat Kid trips and falls down a tight pitfall, leading her to crash through a white looking spirit. She gets up feeling dread and self anxiety but it slowly fades. She precariously inspects a large shell which gives her that anxiety feeling again and decides to continue though the greenpath once more.

Hat Kid starts climbing back up the way she came when she spots a weird creature stalking her and she feels the magic presence once again. "Hey, you up there, who are you?!" The creature sprints away out of her sight. "Wait a millisecond." She chases after the figure, rustling through lots of grass and thorns. She finds the creature standing below her and decides to jump down.

The creature speaks in a calm tone, "I can feel you shaking, young one, although you are not prey; you are no hunter. I did understand what you said earlier but you probably can't understand what I'm saying now anyway."

"Oh, but I can understand you." Hat Kid says stepping forward.

The creature points her needle weapon at Hat Kid. "Come no closer... who are you?"

"I'm Hat Kid, and you seem civilized, who are you?"

The creature thinks about what to say next. "I am Hornet, princess of Hallownest."

"Oh, a princess, like royalty?"

"Yes, like royalty... but that's not worth anything in this kingdom anymore. Hat Kid; would you care to spar?"

"Gladly, Hornet, maybe you can teach me something."

"Like what?"

"Like how you move so fast, is it just a natural ability with your species?"

"Well child it is just my species but also my weapon which pulls me forward should I wish when I throw it, may I ask why you wear that cape, because it serves you no extra mobility."

"Huh, oh my cape, it's a time traveler's standard issue, the color of my cape and hat stripe are yellow, matching my rank among other time travelers."

Hornet looks very confused at Hat Kid who has a pleasant smile on her face. "I'm not going to question the time traveler thing right now but do all of you have a cape and might I say large hat?"

"Well, my friend Bow Kid, which by the way; don't tell anyone, isn't her real name, like how mine isn't actually Hat Kid. Bow Kid has a blue bow and blue skirt, representing her rank among the time travelers. I don't mean to brag but... yellow is a higher rank than blue."

"Good to know, Hat Kid, now then... "Garama!"

The wind picks up, blowing Hat Kids cape around. Hornet dashes at Hat Kid, "Shaw! Block my attacks." Hat Kid raises her guard and starts blocking Hornets strikes. The 2 go back and forth striking each other's sharp weapons. They both pause out of breath as the wind dies down. "Well done child, you held your own, I have a bit of a gift for you even though it was not mine to begin with."

"What are you, because you give off an unnatural godly presence?" Hat Kid asks, full of puzzlement.

"I guess my father's genes give you that presence huh, do not worry about it though because it is of no importance."

"If you say so, Hornet."

"I see, well then child, I must be on my way as I try to protect these lands from a variety of creatures while also hunting down creatures like this one." She points to the hollow shell on the ground. "They could mess up everything under the right circumstances."

"One last question, Hat Kid... what is it time travelers do?"

"Umm... that's a long answer; we help keep a certain unexplainable balance on worlds and dimensions, I'm no fighter, I'm supposed to solve problems by manipulation of time but this place blocks any kind of magic engineering of that sort and I wound up here by accident so I don't have a way out at the moment. Time travelers aren't even supposed to come here because we aren't able to help by messing with time..." Hat Kid starts tearing up, "I just want to go home."

Hornet looks around and Hat Kid walks up to her full of sorrow. She hugs Hornets head because of her height.

Hornet comments, "I do wish I were taller... or you; shorter." Hat Kid lets out a small giggle. "Child, I believe you will find your way home and possibly help this kingdom some way somehow because it is your duty, even if you are not able to do it the normal way, this kingdom has been in ruins for some time now so don't feel as though you have to save it anymore." Hornet pats Hat Kid on the back and Hat Kid lets go, backing up. "Here is the gift I promised you, child. It is a mothwing cloak, may it serve you well."

"Thank you, Hornet." Hat Kid utters, wiping away tears.

"It is only meant for vessels but I believe you can make it work, you are a time traveler after all."

"Not right now I'm not." Hat Kid complains. "See you in another time, Hornet." Hornet throws her needle into the air and disappears into the green nature.

Hat Kid, once again alone and full of false confidence, puts on the mothwing cloak and walks in circles making poses to see if something happens with the cloak. "Forget it." She starts heading down deeper until she comes to a large canyon full of thorns and spiky shelled flying bugs. "This is basically a dead end for me." She hears some rustling behind her and not just the normal amount, this time the ground is shaking. "Guess I'll die." A massive creature made of moss with big orange eyes comes out of the ground roaring and charges at Hat Kid. She sees a platform not too far across the canyon that she can not make even with her diving skills if she tries. "Peck it, I'll die trying." She gets a quick running start while taking a look behind her to see the creature gaining on her.

With a leap of faith she dives to the platform with her arms out and is met with a burst of distance by her mothwing cloak. Unprepared, she tumbles on the ground and sees the massive moss charger fall off into the large thorns to which it explodes into many small creatures who get impaled. "Ouch, to me and those creatures." Hat Kid decides to test her cloak again by continuing across the canyon. She dives again and flips forward landing on her feet. "I hope I can control the distance because I might totally overshoot with this cloak." She manages to get to a high wall, she dashes up, flipping and grabbing the edge, pulling herself up with a grunt. Hat Kid spots a bench made of wood and sits down to rest. "I'm so tired, I need to get back to my ship and take a long comfortable nap... and maybe have a cookie." She hears light splashing in the nearby building and peeks inside from the edge of the entrance. She spots a creature who appears to be painting. "Hello... painter." She calls out.

The creature turns it's head. "Hello there, come in friend, I'm not sure how you got here but you look harmless enough."

Hat Kid walks in and examines his painting while he talks. "My name is Sheo, and I'm a paint master; formally nail master, what do you call yourself." The paint master asks.

"I call myself Hat Kid... most of the time anyways."

"Nice to meet you Hat Kid, why have you come here?"

"Well Sheo, to tell you the truth, I've got nowhere else to go." Hat Kid says with her head to the floor.

"Well I suppose my home here is a place for those without a place to go. Hat Kid, I must say I like your cape and cloak."

"Thanks Sheo, and I like your painting of that skull."

"Thank you Hat Kid, you should paint with me, it will take your mind off things for a bit." Hat Kid nods with acceptance and walks over to an empty canvas.

"I'd say I have some good experience with artistry, resulting in some very unique portraits. Most are self portraits but others are of friends, acquaintances, and even enemies." She says while striking the canvas with paint. Sheo stops painting and watches Hat Kid do her thing without her noticing.

After some time, Hat Kid paints herself on her home planet with her parents and her friend Bow Kid. She wipes away a single tear from her frowning face. "I see your passion in the way you brush, Hat Kid, you channeled your feelings in your paint strokes."

"I doubt you can see something like that, Sheo."

Sheo gives off a displeased look which turns to enthusiasm. "How about I show you then." Sheo walks to the entrance. "Step outside with me, Hat Kid."

She puts down her paintbrush and picks up her weapon, following Sheo. The paint master and lost child come to a training dummy. "Watch me, child." Sheo swings his brush at a distance missing the dummy. "Ummm, Sheo... you missed!" She face palms. "Not to mention you're using a paint brush." She mutters under her breath.

"Relax yourself child, what's the rush? Watch me again." Sheo puts his brush on his shoulder and his body starts to shake.

"Woah, Sheo, are you ok?"

Sheo swings his brush full of power; creating a great slash which knocks over the dummy. Hat Kid drops her weapon and puts her hands on her face with her eyes and mouth wide open full of surprise. "I... uh... Sheo... how did you do that?!"

"You must channel your passion and energy, Hat Kid, let me show you."

After some physiological explanation and nail positioning with Hat Kid, she is able to perform the great slash. "Only use the great slash when necessary because it is meant for my kind and similar others, your species may not have the same reactions with constant use, please be wary."

"Would you paint something for me because I need a rest?" Hat Kid says all dreary.

"But of course, what do you have in mind?" Sheo says with a comforting voice. Hat Kid hands him her mothwing cloak.

"Say no more child, go rest on the wood bench." Sheo goes inside and Hat Kid sits down to rest. Hat Kid sleeps on her side and sees the orange mist roaring in her mind. "Ahhhh!!" She awakens yelling.

Sheo comes running out, paintbrush in hand. "What happened, are you under attack?"

"No, I'm ok, thanks."

"Hmm, well I finished painting your cloak." Sheo hands the cloak to Hat Kid who puts it on.

"Yellow, like my cape, it's perfect, and the purple outlines are a nice addition; I owe you a cookie, Sheo." Hat Kid takes her cape and collar off. "I'm sorry to ask this of you Sheo but could you quickly outline my collar in purple." Sheo, without a word, begins painting. Within a minute the collar is now outlined in purple. Hat Kid cuts the cape off of the collar and attaches the newly painted mothwing clock to the collar with webs. She puts her cut cape into her hat.

"Before you go, Hat Kid, take this great slash charm, it is just a mark to signify you know the great slash."

"Why would I need to show off what I know?"

"You may come across my two brothers... wherever they may be; the charm will show my trust in you with the knowledge of the great slash."

Hat Kid pins the charm to her hat and says goodbye walking off to the surface, preparing to get back on her ship.