Masked (A Hat In Time)

The Puppeteer

Ah, finally, the puppet master!

We meet the one pulling the strings.

A question for you readers:

If two halves go up against each other, who would win?

Would they fight on forever since they're both halves, and therefore are on the same level?

Let's see.

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Before Hattie could process what was going on, Snatcher lunged at Moonjumper again. The blue ghost moved backward again, summoning several red strings at his fingertips. He sent them reaching for Snatcher, but Snatcher weaved between them.

It was a little surprising. Snatcher hadn't fought like this when they had to fight him. He never really got up close and personal. He stayed away when he could, making sure the kids couldn't hit him. But now he was directly in Moonjumper's face.

Hat Kid watched a bit more. Snatcher slammed a blue vial over Moonjumper's chest, getting blue liquid all over Moonjumper. Moonjumper cried out, and he tried to do something with his strings, but Snatcher was just too close.

The strings looked like they were more of a long-range thing. So Snatcher was exploiting Moonjumper's weaknesses!

She grinned, adrenaline rushing through her. Hattie gripped her umbrella tighter. She switched to her Sprint Hat, wanting to use her weird surge of energy for something. Hattie sprinted toward Moonjumper and Snatcher, her umbrella at the ready.

Snatcher must've heard her coming because he moved out of the way, leaving a blue-stained and furious Moonjumper right in her path. Hat Kid leaped up and slammed her umbrella right in his face.

Moonjumper's yell of pain was muffled underneath her umbrella. Before Hattie could maneuver and swing again, Moonjumper suddenly vanished. He appeared again about five feet away. He'd teleported just to get out of Hattie's reach.

"Ha!" Snatcher laughed his loud, boisterous laugh. "Good job, kid!"

Hat Kid beamed up at the ghost, feeling strangely proud.

Moonjumper scowled. More strings appeared at his fingertips. Snatcher started to move forward, but Moon raised an arm, and the strings shot out for him. They wrapped around him and threw him back. Hat Kid watched as Snatcher managed to burn through the strings and catch him in midair.

Suddenly she felt something wrapping around her wrists and ankles. Hattie glanced down and watched, shocked, as strings tightened around her limbs. She yelled and tried to pull away, but their grip was tight.

Hat Kid could feel the bottoms of her eyes and lips prickling with weird energy. She cringed, trying to fight it. A weird fog was settling over her brain.

Was this what controlled the servant? She had to fight it.

Fight for me, Moonjumper's voice whispered in her brain. Hat Kid's hand steadied on her umbrella. Fight for me.

No! Hattie gritted her teeth, trying to fight away the brain fog. Why would I wanna help you? You're a jerk! Plus, I'm not turning against Bow. She's like, my sister.

The strings tightened painfully around her wrists and ankles. Hattie cried out again. The fog slipped over her mind.

Suddenly the strings snapped. With nothing holding her upright anymore, Hat Kid fell forward. Before she hit the ground, though, a soft hand caught her. Bow Kid helped Hattie back to her feet. Hat Kid smiled thankfully.