Masked (A Hat In Time)

Sign This, Please

Hey, guys!

So it turns out that the hiatus that I kept talking about...well, that may not happen.

I'm not sure what's going on right now, but complications have been added that are somehow in my favor. So I might get to update more often! Yay!

No promises, though. I don't expect this to last, and my schedule will be pretty shaky. But I'll try my best, if it means updating for you guys.

Anyway, y'all ready for arc 2?

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The night was hard for Bow Kid. Every few minutes she was tossing and turning, caught in the midst of a nightmare.

Jaide's face turns from anger to regret to horror as the last of Bow Kid's strength disappears, her shirt alight in green flames.

The Outlander wearing her mask and a psychotic smile, countless shadowy hands reaching for her.

Tears streaking down her face. The timepiece in her pocket. "Please."

Please what? Bow Kid kept asking. What bad thing will happen?

But the version of her that was crying never responded. She turned away.

Wait! She reached out to her copy. What happens if I don't?!

And then she woke up in a cold sweat, tears in her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. She lay there for a while, trying to catch her breath and calm herself down.

After a while, Bow Kid pushed herself to her elbows. Her head throbbed, protesting her movements.

She glanced at Hattie lying next to her. Her friend was still sleeping peacefully. At least Bow Kid hadn't disturbed her. One of them was already having a rough night as it was.

She climbed out of the bed they shared, dropping softly to the floor. Quietly, she snuck from their darkened room and out into the main hallway of the ship. Even the Rumbi was quiet at this time of night.

Bow Kid stopped in front of the vault holding the timepieces.

What bad thing will happen? What happens if I don't?

It was terrifying to think about. What could happen? She kept thinking about what Jaide said.

If you do whatever the flower shows you, you prevent whatever disaster is to come in your future.

Something....bad's going to happen?

Not unless you heed the flower's warning.

With a shaky hand, Bow Kid opened the vault.

The timepieces glinted back at her, glowing slightly in the dim vault. Bow Kid reached in and pulled one out. The power of it hummed underneath her fingertips.

Bow Kid closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She was heeding the flower's warning. She was doing what Jaide and the flower said. She was going to prevent the disaster in their future.

Everything...should be okay.

She shoved the timepiece into her pocket and closed the vault door. Then she turned and headed back to bed.

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The two girls landed in Subcon, right outside Snatcher's home like normal. What wasn't normal, however, was that they could hear voices drifting from inside.