Where Time Stands Still

Interlude: Dead Bird Studio

A/N: Funnnn fact! There are quite a few details from the original draft that made it into this one. Protagonist Bow, Mu's entire character motive, and some details about MJ and Timmy that will be revealed eventually, to name a few. Still, every single one of these details (Besides Protagonist Bow) had to fight and adapt to make it in as the story changed, and every single one (including Protagonist Bow) was questioned at least once while writing the draft for the final version.

But this pecking scene.

I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because it's a minor detail. Maybe because it's funny. Maybe I was just trying to bring up the word count.

It was undisputed. It was the one thing from the original story that made it in, no changes, no questions asked.

And I don't know why.

---

Bow unlocked the vault and opened the door. She picked out a timepiece and held it in her hands for a moment. It felt light, smooth, and cold. She observed it, watching the sand float around in it, preparing herself for what she was about to do.

Bow was going to give a timepiece to someone who clearly couldn't be trusted with one. And she was doing it willingly.

A million possibilities sped through her head. It was going to go horribly. Mu would break it, abuse its power, do something that would make everything go wrong and leave Bow with even more trouble to clean up. She shouldn't do this. This was an awful idea.

Bow shut the vault, turned around, and looked at Mu. "This is a timepiece. You are going to use it for respawning and respawning only. No other purpose. Do I make myself clear?"

Mu nodded. Bow could see she looked nervous.

"Alright. Basic etiquette. Once you have it on you, it should start working immediately. If you ever get to a point where..." Bow trailed off. How can she even explain this? Respawning has been so normal to her that she forgot it was basically dying. "...where your health drops to zero and you... well, you die. Then the timepiece will work its magic and bring you back."

Mu nodded. "I know."

Bow guessed her confusion registered on her face, because Mu explained herself. "When you and I fought, every time I ki- um... every time you died, I felt things rewind. So I kinda... took some guesses and figured it out."

"Oh." Well, that made things a bit easier. Bow steeled herself against her concerns and held out the timepiece. "Here. Treat this with the utmost precaution and don't do anything dumb."

"I will." Mu took it and held it in her hands for a moment, then slipped it into her cape.

Bow took a moment to calm the negative thoughts whirling around her head. It was too late to turn back. Now, it was up to Mu to prove herself. "Great. With that settled, to the studio!"

She ran to the engine room and brought Mu down to Dead Bird Studio using the telescope. "The next rift is somewhere in here," She said. "As a heads up, sometimes it gets a bit loud."

Bow opened the doors and entered. The room was large, with a high ceiling and white walls. Ahead of her was the reception desk, to both sides were a big door. Against the walls were trophy cases and posters of movies, one side with western movies and the other futuristic. Several owls and penguins were milling around.

"Hey, Bow Kid!" A voice to her left called. She turned to see an owl on a bench waving at her.

"Hey Tawny! Nice to see you again." She walked over. "Tawny, this is my-" Acquaintance? Business partner? Person who really wants to help despite Bow not entirely trusting her though she is a bit grateful for the help?- "friend, Mu. Mu, this is Tawny. Tawny was one of the owls on set with me while I was an actor here."