A Hat in Time !~OneShots~!

😁Never forgotten | All x writer

I just got a random idea, 'cause I'm trying not to give myself writers block again.

It had taken a mere 4 years. Gears for Breakfast came with an idea. From that idea, they designed this world and it's inhabitants to their liking. They made sure to divide the world into various landscapes, binding adventure to each one.

No more than 4 years. 4 years before the empire melted. Before a shadow queen and a snatching spectre realized their sorrow towards one another. Before two birds finally put their differences aside and went back to their film careers for fun. Before islanders and terribly bad cooks finally came to terms with the other.

This world had existed in disharmony for a little less than 4 years. Before she came along. She had taught them all a lesson they were unbelievably grateful for. It was not Hat Kid who saved their world. It had never been, for it was her who saved them all indirectly. She fixed them. However, the game's coding was not quite pleased with their behaviour. They were supposed to play their roles in addition to Hat Kid's story, no matter their mindset. The code took their rejection for disobedience. It's inability to understand angered it. And so, 48 months passed and all hell broke loose.

"Stay huddled together, darlings! We'll survive, I'm sure of it. She must still be somewhere." Grooves tried to reassure the group of pro- and antagonists, who fearfully sought comfort in one another, standing on a peak in the middle of the sea. Around them, everything came tumbling down, making way for green 1's and 0's. Their savior! They needed her! Conductor twirled her Console-Brace around in his claws. "She has ta still be 'ere! Oth'rwise this lil' thing woulda dissapeared!" Then, as Queen Vanessa shrieked and the brace's green laser appeared, uncalled for whatsoever, he turned around.

She stood. Unmoving as the ever so wide world of the game came crashing down upon them. Closing one eye, she intently took measurements of the distance between her and the group. Then, she stuck up a hand. With the force of a race motor, the Console-Brace shot out from Conductor's grasp. "Fool! You're going to die if you stay there!"

"And you're dying regardless," were her last words, before she turned and pressed the dark green oval button. Out came the game's console, filled with coding errors. She took a breath and teleported herself before the group. She turned and tried to output code, but the console wouldn't let her.

"Guys, I need you to be the NPC's we all know. Con, Grooves, try your best to pick a fight with one another. Snatcher, go and establish some deals with the others. Vanessa, I can't seem to find any action for you here, but try thinking of something. Mafia Boss, I need you and Mustache Girl to irritate each other as much as possible. Understood?"

Everyone nodded and began spreading their usual vibes. Surprisingly, each region had a character that slipped into their roles with staggering ease. This made it a lot less complicated for the others and soon, everyone seemed back to their old selves. This paused the game for a moment. That moment was enough. Carlijn began calling out lines of code, changing every one of the character files. The small circle of world that was still intact, stopped falling apart. The code came to a standstill. She smiled and began calling various skits and environments, succesfully broadening their horizons. In awe, the characters looked around. "It's working! Keep it coming, kid!" Snatcher called out, as Conductor yelled: "Ye can do it! Ye can do it, lass!" Carlijn, who was recalling code quicker and quicker, began glitching wildly, green 1's and 0's projecting themselves upon her silhouette. All around them, pieces of their world clicked like a puzzle. Their home. Rebuilt.

BANG! They cheered and turned to-. Carlijn was gone.

Silence reigned. "Darling..?" No response. "Kid..?" Still nothing. Jumping into the boat, Snatcher drove the others back to Mafia Town and called for islanders, owls and penguins to search for her. He and Vanessa searched the beaches and cliffs, the boss and his men canvassed the area with houses, together with MU. Meanwhile, the nomads went looking on the docks, Grooves and Conductor surveyed the geiser and the goats stayed on the square.

"Lass? Ah feel like she be 'ere somewhere." "Darling? Please come out of hiding..." The owl and the penguin slowly scanned their surroundings, until Grooves' eyes landed upon her. "Carlijn!" the two yelled out in unison, jumping and running up to the platform with the cannon to Mafia HQ. She sat on the edge, staring down emptily.

It was only when she heard the two yell, that she looked up. "Oh! Hey guys..." "Carlijn? You saved us!" Grooves exclaimed in astonishment at her neutral voice. Conductor added: "Are ye nae happy?" "Happy about having to leave you all? Not quite."

"Woddah wot?!"
"Whaaat?!"

"I figured... Listen. I've changed the code for you. All of you. But not for myself," Carlijn sighed, turning and sitting with her legs crossed. She gave the two a soft frown, as Snatcher, who finally found them, asked: "Why wouldn't ya, kid?! You have a home here for heavens sake!"

"Because I can't..." Slowly, her body began to disintegrate. "See? The code is getting rid of me as we speak... I can't stop it. And no, this goes beyond your capabilities, Snatcher." The purple spectre, who was about to snap his fingers, stopped. He and the birds exchanged worried glances and Grooves asked: "Will you return, darling?" She shrugged in response and looked to where her feet once were. "Snatch?" "Yeah, kid?" "Can you gather everyone here?"

-

"Greetings, all of you. Here I am. Well, about 75% of me anyways." Gasps were heard as Carlijn spoke. "I can not deny it any longer. Sadly, Gamez has to announce her departure from this world." People began to whisper and cause quiet chatter. "The code is erasing our diva as we speak. Unless anyone has a better idea, we'll have to bid her farewell."

Before anyone could respond, Conductor stepped forward and spoke. The crowd listened with wide eyes. Carlijn didn't hear it. The code had taken her ears. It was done. She would be gone.

A little more than 4 years. She was never forgotten.