Masked (A Hat In Time)

Finally, Some More Answers!

Wow, I am great at naming my chapters.

Anyway, what about that twist, huh?

I'm sorry. I can't write an AHiT fic without the prince being there. But at least now you know why I was so vague about that "servant" character- and I can stop being vague!

Happy days.

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"You." Bow Kid jabbed the tip of her umbrella in the prince's face. "How are you alive?"

He winced, looking anxious to be confronted. "Please don't point that at me."

After a moment, Bow lowered the umbrella. She may want answers, but she didn't want them badly enough to have to threaten the prince. He already looked nervous enough.

Now that the fight was over, Snatcher had picked up the half-conscious body of the prince and teleported the kids back to his home, leaving Moonjumper behind. "It's not like he can leave, though," Snatcher had explained with a scoff. "Moonboy's trapped in the Horizon."

When the girls had asked why Snatcher had shrugged. Then he went to his chair and opened his book, ignoring everyone else. Hattie and Bow waited for the prince to wake up, and now here they were, demanding answers from him.

"Yeah, how are you alive?" Hat Kid repeated. She looked wary, and Bow Kid knew she was thinking the same thing. Was the prince created from a time rift somehow? Was he a time anomaly? Would they have to fight him again to get their lost timepiece back?

Hattie pointed at Snatcher. "Weren't him and Moon formed from- y'know, you? So...how?"

From his chair, Snatcher laughed humorlessly. "I hate to quote Moon, kiddo, but he said we were halves of the deceased prince. And does he-" he flicked his tail at the prince- "look deceased to you?"

Bow Kid frowned. Okay, the snoodle had a point.

The prince smiled, tapping his lips meaningfully. "I'll be perfectly honest with you. I'm not sure if I can entirely describe this as living," he began. After another moment of consideration, he sighed. "I'm a doll."

Hat Kid and Bow Kid stared at him. "A what now?" Hattie asked.

"A doll," the prince repeated. Despite his smile, the look in the prince's bright yellow eyes was of exhaustion and anxiety.

"How?" Both kids asked at the same time.

He thought some more, looking troubled. "I-I don't know," he said solemnly. "All I know is that Moonjumper created me."

"He did what?" Snatcher asked suddenly, looking up from his book. Before the prince could answer, however, Snatcher scowled and looked away. "Ugh, he and I need to have a talk."

The prince's eyes widened. "Please, don't hurt Moonjumper!" he blurted. Snatcher gave him a look, and he scrambled to explain. "I-I mean...when Ma- sorry, Moonjumper- was controlling me, I was somehow able to feel what he felt."

Snatcher looked skeptical. The prince continued, a faraway look in his eye. "There was a lot of anger and hatred, but deep beneath that, there was a lot of sadness. Regret. I believe his intentions were only misplaced, not that he truly meant harm."

They all thought about that for a moment. Bow Kid could tell that everyone was doubtful. From what she'd seen of Moonjumper, he'd seemed like a pretty big jerk. Snatcher believed that too, and he knew Moon better than the kids. But if Moonjumper was the prince, it was understandable that the actual prince believed in him. After all, the prince seemed like a pretty nice guy. What if Moonjumper was also a nice guy, deep beneath all the jerkiness?