Hat Kid's eyes widened as she quickly looked for a place to land in this now-hazardous area. All around where the beautiful blue ocean flowed? Lava.

Lava was spouting and flowing everywhere in Mafia Town. Some of the buildings were even submerged in lava. Some unlucky Mafioso men were dealing with burning behinds, trying to get to higher ground.

Hat Kid then spotted a familiar Mafioso. The glasses one that was scared of her when she fell in a mud puddle. She quickly opened her umbrella and hovered to the observatory platform. Some Mafioso men were huddled together at the same platform for refuge as well.

"Oh, look at mess! This is terrible!" Once Hat Kid landed, the glasses-wearing Mafioso turned to her, desperation in his eyes.

"Child with hat! Please, you must help us! Someone turn on all faucets in Mafia Town...same faucets that control the town volcano!"

Whoever thought that was a good idea? Plugging in giant faucets around town that flow hot lava from a volcano.

The Mafioso noticed her judgemental expression and added, "We only added faucets to ward off volcano lava. Was it you that turned them on?" Hat Kid shook her head no. She has seen those faucets around but never thought of turning them on. Her focus was mainly getting her Time Pieces.

"No? Mafia think he saw little girl turn on all faucets." Hat Kid's eyes widened. Mustache Girl. She looked out at the burning town and Mafiosos in peril. Of course, she would go so far as to burn this town to the ground if it meant getting rid of the Mafia. Don't get Hat Kid wrong. The Mafia are jerks and what they did wasn't nice, but they don't deserve to burn in lava or have their mush sold in jars. It just never sat well with her.

"Little hat kid, can you save Mafia Town by turning off all faucets? Please? If you close all, maybe water start flowing again." He and a couple other Mafioso men looked at her with pleading eyes. They seemed really desperate.

She eventually let out a sigh and nodded to them, showing a small smile. The Mafioso men clapped with a smile. The one wearing the glasses said, "Good luck, child. And stay on wires. Lava is very hot and painful."

Hat Kid nodded and started walking across the wires. This was taking her tightrope walking to a whole new level. Now instead of sidewalk or water below her, there was lava. A few Mafioso men around the area started directing her to one of the faucets while trying to stay on the rooftops or hang on for dear life.

She spotted one nearby, just sticking out of a two-story building above the marketplace. She hopped down and tried to push it right. It did not budge. With a huff, she whacked it with her umbrella out of irritation. To her surprise, it actually turned the faucet knob. She gave it a couple more whacks and it turned off. The lava stopped flowing from it.

With an accomplished smile, she climbed up and headed to the next one. She then stopped, seeing it way out in the lava ocean on its own platform. There were only a few platforms she could jump across to get to it. With a shaky deep breath, she started jumping her way across. The platforms were unstable and close to falling down into the lava. This only made Hat Kid more anxious.

But she managed to keep her footing and reach the faucet. She whacked it a few times with her umbrella and shut it off. Now getting back, she managed to hop on the same platforms. Her landing was almost short when about to reach the jagged rocks and she yelped, quickly catching herself.

Sizzling was heard when she pulled herself up and she glanced behind her. She yelped, seeing the tip of her cape was on fire, and quickly stomped on it. The fire was put out and she exhaled with relief.

Just across a patio was another faucet. She reached it easily and turned it off with a few whacks from her umbrella. Just down by the docks, she spotted another. Turned that one off. Then she spotted one on the other side of the lighthouse, sitting in the middle of the lava ocean. She sighed and went down to the part of the beach that wasn't submerged with lava.

A few floating barrels and some dangerously close wiring. That was her way of getting there. As she carefully walked along the wiring, she kept her gaze forward as she was sweating. Being this close to lava was overbearingly hot and she had to focus on not passing out. Once she saw the faucet, she immediately hopped off and whacked it. Once it turned off, Hat Kid took a deep breath and went back the way she came.

The last one on the Bell Tower. Hat Kid did not realize how dehydrated she was until she stumbled her own feet. She can't stay conscious for long. Shaking her head, she put on a determined expression and climbed up to the tower. She then fell onto the faucet and turned it off.

The lava then began to disappear as the geyser started spouting out water again. Hat Kid tilted her head up, feeling the cool mist and little droplets fall onto her face. A satisfied smile showed as she appeared more awake. She headed back to the observatory spot and noticed all the Mafioso men moved up to the Mafia HQ building. She hopped in the cannon and joined them.

She was surprised by the warm welcome she got when she landed. Banquet tables and cheering Mafioso men clapping for her. The glasses-wearing Mafioso man shook her little hand with his large one while saying, "You did it! Small child save Mafia Town! Now Mafia no longer need to eat lava for breakfast...amazing!"

Hat Kid chuckled a bit at that. Pretty sure that if someone ate lava, it would be like eating some toxic hot soup. Their tongues would pretty much melt. The Mafioso then held out, to her surprise, a Time Piece.

"Please. Take this as trophy. You are truly hero of Mafia Town!" Hat Kid's eyes sparkled and she smiled, taking the Time Piece. The Mafia cheered for her and Hat Kid smiled brightly, holding her Time Piece up with pride. Feeling like a hero is officially one of the best feelings in the galaxy.

A small figure peeking out from around the building huffed. They tucked their hood up and grumbled.

"Some hero. She's helping the Mafia. That just makes her a bad guy." They then turned to another figure behind them, all tied up. "Speaking of bad guys…"

"I've got something special planned for you." The Mafioso man's eyes widened with fear as the figure chuckled darkly, approaching.


Hat Kid felt sweaty and gross from that mission, but happy she was able to help out. Even if the Mafia are jerks, no one deserves to have their home taken from them.

...Home. Hat Kid looked up at her main monitor screen. 7 Time Pieces out of 40. She still wasn't going to get there anytime soon. She let out a small sigh and took off her hat.

"Glad you're back, pumpkin!" Hat Kid looked up and saw Cooking Cat exit the kitchen. "I'm just preparing dinner. Say, do you prefer steak or-" She stopped, seeing Hat Kid.

"Wh...what happened, dearie?" She headed down the stairs and went right up to her. Land sakes, she was sweating up a storm. She looked really tired, hot, and her cape was a bit burnt.

"Mafia...lava…" was all Hat Kid could muster. Cooking Cat sighed. She knew that setting those faucets up would only cause trouble.

"Say no more. Come on, let's get you fixed up." She guided Hat Kid into the kitchen and set her down at the table. She then went to the sink and dampened a washcloth with cold water. She set it on Hat Kid's forehead, having her hum with a small smile. It felt soothing.

"Keep that on your head. I'll grab you some water." Cooking Cat went to the cupboards and grabbed a tall glass, then back to the sink to fill it with fresh water. She handed it to Hat Kid and she drank it greedily.

"Good, just stay hydrated, little one. Now, I must know for dinner, do you prefer steak or salad?" Hat Kid finished the glass and looked at her.

"Steak?"

"I see. Well, I do hope you won't go around feasting on any flesh then." With a small smirk, she gently rubbed Hat Kid's head and went to the stove. Hat Kid gave a very tired chuckle to that.

"...Cooking...cat?"

"If it makes it more simple, dear, you can call me Cookie for short. My nieces do so." Hat Kid smiled a bit, finding the thought of little kittens calling her Cookie adorable.

"Okay...Cookie? How come...you're cooking for me…? I can do it myself…"

"Well, consider it a sort of "welcome to our planet" gesture. Besides, you seem so busy doing whatever it is you're doing down there that I've gotta make sure a young lady like you is eating plenty."

Hat Kid decided to leave it there, but she quietly appreciated the care. Back home, she mainly tried to cook for herself. Emphasis on tried. There was this stranger back home that taught her how to cook a few things, but she's still learning.

A large plate of steak was then placed in front of her. Hat Kid's eyes sparkled. It looked really good to eat and it smelled amazing. Cookie smiled as she watched the child eat away at her cooking. Seeing her enjoy her food reminded Cookie of what she loved the most in her job.

Once the steak was gone, Hat Kid's eyes drooped and she began to fall asleep. Cookie noticed this and picked her up. "Alright, let's get you to bed, little one."

Carrying a sleepy Hat Kid into her room, she set her on her bed. The power was still off, so it was pretty dark in Hat Kid's room and the doors took some prying. Setting her hat on the dresser, Cookie rubbed Hat Kid's head. She smiled a bit, happy to feel that it was less hot than before.

"Rest well, buttercup. You deserve it."

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Two chapters in one day? I'm really getting creative lately, huh? Of course, all you guys looking into this and sending supportive messages is amazing. I believe you guys are helping with this motivation, so thank you! x) Anyways, this chapter isn't too long and it's pretty late for me. I should be sleeping by now, but I wanted to get this up. We're coming close now to the next part of the planet: Dead Bird Studios. Also, Cooking Cat is like a mama cat. So sweet. x3 Anyways, until next chapter! ;)