Chereads / Hollow Time (A Hat in Time X Hollow Knight AU) / Chapter 21 - (Just Two Kids Fighting)

Chapter 21 - (Just Two Kids Fighting)

The two time travelers keep on following the Vessel through the forest to wherever it may take them, hopefully to the timepiece.

"I wish you could speak and tell us where we're going, little vessel." Hat Kid says.

"Kinda reminds me of someone when they were younger, hmm?" Bow tells Hat Kid with a smug look.

"Yeah... well... it was my choice so peck off."

"I see your attitude is still intact."

"Only around you." Hat Kid says giving a smug look back.

"Still the same old Hat Kid I see, tch-".

Hat Kid and Bow follow the vessel to the edge of the forest. The Vessel begins climbing the dusty slope wall it fell down when it first arrived at the forest. Hat Kid and Bow climb with the Vessel.

"Watch where you're climbing, Vessel. My hair is getting full of dust." Bow Kid whines.

They reach the top to find the vessel sitting near the train tracks.

"Uhhh... what are we doing here, little vessel?" Bow Kid asks.

Hat Kid sits next to the vessel.

"Girl; what are you doing?" Bow asks confused.

"The voices in my head say this vessel knows what it's doing... so I'm trusting them for once." Hat Kid tells her.

Bow sighs in shallow frustration. "I guess we got nothin' better to do." She sits down next to Hat Kid.

The three sit while Hat Kid takes a nap and Bow messes with her timewatch. After a fair amount of minutes, the tracks begin shaking and startling Hat Kid with a frightening wake. "The rifts collapsing!" She blurts out trying to catch her breath.

"Easy there, girl." Bow says patting her fellow time traveler.

Ghost takes Bow Kid's parasol and gestures the girls to grab onto it's hand. "Hey, I took that from you fair and square!" Bow complains at the Vessel while it continues its gesture. They grab onto its void black arm together with slight confusion and a lot of trust.

The Conductor's train comes roaring in from the distance. As it gets closer, the Vessel slowly raises the parasol into the air. Bow's eyes slowly widen as she realizes what's about to happen. Hat Kid is caught totally off guard as the vessel shoots the hookshot onto the top of the train as it speeds past. The three are carried into the air and pulled to the roof of the train as Bow Kid laughs through the air while Hat Kid's adrenaline sky rockets for a moment.

They land on top of the roaring train and the Vessel hands the parasol back to Bow Kid. "Oh, why thank you." Bow says with a smile.

The aggressive wind blows the Vessel and Hat Kid's cloaks back wildly. "I wish I had my dad's goggles to keep this air out of my eye." Hat Kid says looking around for a split second. Hat Kid's hair floofs blow in the wind as her and Bow follow the Vessel forward as it makes it to the front of the train. Bow prepares to jump down with the Vessel but is grabbed by Hat Kid. "I'm sure we'll see the Vessel come out at some point, we shouldn't interact with the Conductor, Bow."

"Why not? He's our friend." Bow asks dejectedly.

"It's best if we leave his memory of us as children. We don't want to cause any more complications in that area. We've already broken the rules by not having wiped our friend's memories of us when we first came here all those years ago!" Hat Kid says trying to remind her friend of what is at stake.

"What about Snatcher, we've already said hello to him and his minions."

"Snatcher and his minions are an exception. They're ghosts, they don't exactly affect time."

Inside the front of the train, the Knight gets the conductor's attention and pulls the gem out of its void body. It hands him the gem it stole from the Empresses who tried to steal it from the train. "Oh it's you, you little Knight. I'm glad you're returning what ya stole, good on yeh. I'll let you off with a warning, now shoo, scram, you're fired from your movie role!"

The Knight walks out of the train car and looks up at Hat and Bow Kid. It reaches its arms up at two girls who are squabbling.

"I still don't think he- oh." Hat Kid says, noticing the Vessel waiting for some help up. She reaches down and gives the vessel her hand, pulling it up.

After a bit of a ride, the train comes to a stop at a station. The Knight hops off and begins a walk with the girls following. The Knight comes to a stop at the dock and takes a seat on the wood deck.

"Are we waiting for a boat? Who knows when that'll come, we need something immediate." Bow says.

"I agree with Bow this time, little Vessel, we can't just wait around again."

Hat Kid looks to the horizon to see an island far in the distance. "Hey, Bow, you can sense the timepiece on that island too, right? It's a very faint pulse from here but..."

"Yeah, I sense it, it's definitely there." Bow replies.

"So how are we getting across because..." Hat Kid pauses.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna make you try and swim that far." Bow assures Hat Kid.

Bow Kid takes a ponder around and sees a hot air balloon slowly fly overhead. "Perfect!" She says. Bow Kid aims the parasol to the hot air balloon and grabs hold of Hat Kid. "Grab onto one of our legs, little vessel." Bow says.

The Vessel latches onto one of Hat Kid's boots. Hat Kid laughs and Bow rolls her eyes. "Figures." Bow says.

The hookshot shoots and latches on to the bottom of the hot air balloon basket. The hookshot starts pulling them up but gets stuck, leaving them hanging in the air.

As soon as they're over the water, Hat Kid gets anxious. "Ok, this isn't that bad, just lots... and lots... of water below..." Hat Kid holds on tighter to her co-worker.

"Relax yourself, girl, we're doing just fine." Bow tells her anxious friend.

"I just need p-peace and tranquility!" Hat Kid says trying to calm herself.

"We'll be at the island in... eventually." Bow tells Hat Kid nervously.

"Ohhh, I wish we waited for the boat." Hat Kid wails.

The Knight climbs up Hat Kid and hangs on the back of her shoulder and snuggles her face trying to give comfort.

Hat Kid sniffles. "Thanks, little vessel." She gives it a low smile.

They arrive at the island but before they reach dry land, a colorful laser is blasted from the top of the island. One of the beams heads for the balloon and punctures a hole in it, causing it to descend towards the water. Bow detaches the hookshot and the three plop into the water just at the edge of the island.

"Water! Water! Bow, help!" Hat Kid cries out.

"You're okay! The island is like 50 meters away, come on." Bow tells her, frustrated at her complaints.

Hat Kid whimpers as she does her best to quickly swim to shore. They get to the dry land and Hat Kid shakes in fear on the dry sand.

"Gee... is being in water that bad for you?" Bow Kid asks.

"Y-yes!" Hat Kid says with her eye twitching.

"Well, you're ok now so come on, get up."

Bow spots a small campfire in a shallow cave and drags Hat Kid over to it so they can get warm. Bow Kid looks around the cave walls and sees anti-mafia drawings. Hat Kid sits up to see rain start coming down outside the cave.

"Oh... rain! That'll calm me down, hehe." Hat Kid giggles and goes just outside the cave where the gentle rain can hit her.

"You don't like being in the water but you like being in the rain?" Bow asks.

"No, I don't like rain... I love it. Being in large amounts, not to mention deep; waters for so long is really what makes me anxious."

"I don't get it." Bow say's in confusion.

"Never said you had to." Hat Kid says fed up.

"Alright! Let's just get to the top of the island where that beam came from and fix this mess before it gets worse." Bow says.

The three get as high as they can on the island and get in a cannon which launches them to the very top which is held up by a water geyser.

They enter the mafia HQ to find no mafia; but a mustached girl with a mysterious covered up creature. "Good job on the laser beam and barrier around the planet. Now how do I create a castle with this timepiece?" Mustache Girl asks the creature.

The creature stops talking to the girl and sees the time travelers and vessel walk in.

Hat Kid notices Mu. "Of course you're the problem." She says to herself.

Bow Kid notices the other creatures' many eyes inside its hood. The creature takes off with haste out another exit.

Mu notices the Vessel. "Oh, hello, Ghost, glad to see you again... although you're with... tHeM." Mu says with disgust.

"Who was that; that just ran away?" Bow asks Mustache Girl.

"They say they're a time traveler. They told me exactly who you 2 really are and who you work for. Your organization is the reason my home island has all the mafia ruining it!"

Hat Kid looks at her with surprise. "Okay, I don't know who that was but I won't lie to you. What they said is true. Also, I never did tell you how nice I thought your mustache was." Hat Kid tells Mu with a smile.

"Oh, why thank you I... no, stop talking, Hat Kid. You time travelers are all bad guys!"

"I can't believe I have to hear this lecture again." Hat Kid mutters to herself.

"Why are you antagonizing her, Hat Kid?!" Bow asks.

"Wha- I just complimented her!" Hat Kid complains.

"You know you didn't mean it." Bow says with an annoyed look.

Mu looks to Hat Kid. "I thought you didn't want to be a crime fighting time traveler?"

"I don't fight crime, through sacrificing your home town to the mafia, it keeps the peace on the rest of this planet. I help keep balance, if you want a justice system then try to make one. But not a dictatorship with timepiece power!"

"How did you know I was planning on doing such a thing?" Mu questions.

"That's because something similar like this has happened before." Hat Kid says.

"What do you mean this has happened before?!" Mu asks.

Bow Kid steps to the side and sits on a casino stool, leaving the Vessel next to Hat Kid. "This is gonna be a while." She says with a sigh, rubbing her eyes.

Hat Kid thinks for a moment. "Uhhhh... how do I explain the complicated process that I did... Oh, that's right. I restored this planet to the way it was after your brief reign of terror. I then collected all the timepieces on this planet. I wiped everyone's memory of your reign of terror, I was only able to wipe your memory to the point where you last remember me defeating the boss of the mafia, though I would have preferred if you didn't remember me at all. Something about your brain just didn't allow-... could you possibly have a sen-"

"Stop talking already!" Mu screeches, throwing the timepiece at Hat Kid. Hat Kid frantically catches the timepiece and gives a sigh of relief.

Mu lunges at her but the Vessel jumps in her way, unfortunately the Vessel's effort was in vain as the two ram into Hat Kid, knocking everyone to the floor and shattering the timepiece.

The three wake up in a cosmic sky of blue and purple.

Hat Kid notices Mu holding onto the timepiece. "It's just one timepiece, what can she really do?" Hat Kid says with doubt to the vessel.

The Knight hops on the back of Hat Kid. Mu starts shooting beams of cosmic light at Hat Kid. Hat Kid runs around, cloak dashing, trying to find an opening. Hat Kid shoots back with some of her own shade souls but Mu teleports around. "Ohh; that really drains me." Hat Kid says panting. "We're just kids!... Can't we resolve this peacefully?!" Hat Kid asks desperately.

"You're no kid, just look at yourself!" Mu points out to her.

"Hey! I'm only 17 in your ages; okay. Still considered a kid by your kind! She yells at the mustached girl. "I don't want to use any lethal force on her but what choice do I have?" Hat Kid tells the Vessel.

The Knight taps the badge icon of the dash slash on her hat. "I just said no lethal force!" The Knights taping intensifies. "Fine fine, I'll try to knock the timepiece out of her hands without breaking it or something."

Hat Kid runs around charging up a dash slash. She charges at Mu when she thinks she has an opening but has a beam shot straight at her. She doesn't have time to react except for her eyes widening. Before she is blasted, her entire body and the Vessel's are turned to void for a split moment and they pass right through the deadly beam.

"Woah, what!?" Mu says shocked. With Hat Kid approaching and Mu in shock, Mu has no choice but to jump in the air to avoid a dash slash. The Knight jumps off of Hat Kid's shoulders and tackles Mu in the air, knocking the timepiece out of her hands.

The timepiece floats in the air and Hat Kid grabs it while the Knight holds Mu down. "Let go of me, Ghost!" Mu squirms.

Hat Kid hits a few buttons on her timewatch and the timepiece flashes, distorting everyone's vision.

The three wake up piled on each other with Bow Kid still sitting on the casino stool.

"Haha, what a puny tumble that was, pfft." Bow laughs.

Hat Kid quickly disables the time barrier around the planet then rapidly tosses the timepiece to Bow. "Hey, Bow, heads up!"

Bow Kid catches it in a panic. "Don't do that, you peck neck!"

"Can't help it, I live dangerous."

"Your dangerous is going to get you killed one day."

"Pfft, if I die... it'll be on my own terms..." Hat Kid says, getting a chill down her ponytail bone.

Hat Kid looks over to Mu on the floor. "The one nice thing that came out of your mouth was my nickname which I promptly adopted, so thanks for that. I asked Bow Kid what she thought and she loved it; which gave her the idea to create the nickname Bow Kid for herself."

Mu lifts her head up off the floor. "What are you even talking about?!" Mu gets angry with her words, "Even with the power of time on my side I couldn't make things better... twice. You time travelers think you all have the right to control others' fates?"

"I'm sorry the mafia took over your island home, but we allowed it for the sake of the rest of the planet to be mafia influence free."

"Well you did a terrible job, I'll say." Mu's voice becomes sadder, "I thought you would be my friend all those years ago when you were also a child... but you only ruined everything." Mu says, her voice jittering in exhaustion as she face plants.

Bow Kid walks over to Mu, picking her up and putting her over her shoulder. "You're a danger to yourself and others, little girl. You're coming with us for now." Bow says.

"Ugh, do we really have to bring her?" Hat Kid grunts.

Bow ignores her friend and heads out the door. The four head outside in the rain which is now pouring down.

"I wanna say goodbye to Snatcher and the minions... and I want to take the long way in the rain." Hat Kid tells Bow with a smile.

"Uhhh... alright. I'll take Mu and wait in the ship for your return. This is probably safer in your guys' hands." Bow says handing the timepiece to the Vessel. "Don't know why you wouldn't just teleport up and then back down closer but that's your business not mine." Bow says tapping some buttons on her timewatch and teleporting away with Mu in her arms.

The Vessel looks to Hat Kid and Hat Kid looks to the Vessel. Hat Kid gives the Vessel a crazed look and it gives her its usual blank stare. "How about you give that to me, little vessel?" Hat Kid takes the timepiece out of the Vessel's hands before it even has a chance to react. She puts it into her hat for storage. "My hat's a lot bigger on the inside than you would think."

Hat Kid and the vessel make it back to the Subcon forest without conflict... for once. "So exactly how sentient is your species?" Hat Kid asks the Vessel; only to receive no response. "Is this what it was like trying to talk to me when I was little? What a pain for people that must've been. I feel kinda bad... but not really." The void duo approach the rest of the Hallownest gang and Snatcher.

"The crisis is over and it's time to return to space, my bug friends! By the way, what did you do with the Empress, Snatcher? "

"We just dumped her back into the metro where she belongs, hahaha."

"Good on you, Snatcher. You didn't seal her soul."

"Thanks, kiddo." Snatcher replies to his BFF.

"I'll come visit again someday, Snatcher... if I don't die soon that is." Hat Kid and the Snatcher share a heartfelt hug before her, the Vessel, Hornet, and Snappy teleport back up to her ship.