Hello! Welcome to Act 1-2, did you enjoy the last chapter?
I hope you did!
It's starting any moment now, maybe get yourself a drink while we're at it.
Act 1-2: Hope Blossoms in Despair
Hat Kid happily carried over a huge stack of books in her arms, Dropping them in front of a desk where Ruby was sitting and studying.
"Thanks. Wow, you're really strong! How'd you carry over all those things?" Ruby said in awe, Surprised by Hat Kid's unreal strength.
She shrugged in response, It was just natural for her.
Hat Kid was now looking over Ruby's shoulder as she looked at the book she was reading.
It wasn't really interesting, Though. She would need to find a book for herself!
With a new objective clearly in mind, She left Ruby in search of a interesting book to read.
She looked through the huge bookcases, Blue eyes searching for an interesting name.
Hmm, Some old fairy tales... No.
Some sort of a history book? Blegh. But she did need to know about the history of this place...
Some novels... Maybe later.
After she spent some time picking out interesting books for herself, she returned to where Ruby was studying, and sat right next to her.
"Oh! Are you studying too?" Ruby gladly gave her the space to read, so she gave her an appreciative smile.
Alright, Let's see how interesting this book really is.
It was just an ordinary book with interesting looking images, especially with all those shiny crystal looking things. Maybe they were only on this planet, she had never seen them before!
She opened the book and quickly found out that those crystals were indeed called Dust, and that they were a source of energy for all of... Remnant? So that's what this place was called, Huh.
Interestingly, Dust seemed to have some sort of magical energy depending on the type of the Dust, such as Fire Dust making an explosion when treated incorrectly.
Hmm, maybe she could use them. What if she were to use it to make another Rumbi? Maybe this time with ice-cold air conditioners! She would love to have something like that after visiting a hot planet.
Though it wouldn't end up well, if the machine was to malfunction, it would explode in a beautiful and deadly shower of ice.
And that wouldn't be good.
Maybe she'll look further into it later.
Alright, onto the next one!
She put the book away and opened up another from the stack of books right next to her, this one had some information about Remnant's Faunus people.
Oh, people had some cute looking ears and cool horns, even lizard tails! She bet she would be able to find a cat one as well, just like in the Nyakuza Metros!
Actually, nevermind. The Empress there was a jerk, and even tried to kill her for the time pieces.
Ah well, these cat people shouldn't be too violent, right?
Right?
She sighed, Closing the book.
She looked to the side, watching Ruby who was very focused on the book she was reading.
She leaned over, looking at the book she was reading. Maybe this one was different?
She was surprised to see that Ruby was reading something about the Grimm, scary monsters that roamed around this world.
The hatted child pointed at the picture of a giant black scorpion, staring at Ruby as if she was asking a question.
"Oh! That's a Deathstalker, it's a giant Grimm, and also it's reaalllly dangerous." The reply she got was enough to scare her.
She hated scorpions and spiders. They always scared her with their awful amounts of legs! And now there were giant scorpions and spiders?
Oh, This wasn't going to end well.
She shivered a little thinking about them, then pointed towards another picture, this time, it was a wolf-like creature with really black fur, and some white plates that seemed to be made of bones, just like the one that boar monster had.
"That's a Beowolf, one of the most common Grimm you see around. Doesn't mean they're weak, though." Ruby explained, Making her hum as she absorbed another piece of information.
She wasn't really willing to fight these monsters, but juuust in case she had to.
Of course, she and Ruby sat there for a while, asking and answering questions.
It was calming compared to the previous situations they were both in, so she enjoyed it as much as she could.
After learning a little bit more about the Grimm, Hat Kid yawned as she slumped on the table.
It was a really long day, and she never had any sleep yet...
Ruby also rubbed her eyes and stood up.
"I think I'm going to borrow some books to read on my bed, you should sleep. You look really really tired!" Hat Kid pouted when she heard that, but nodded nontheless.
Maybe the chat with Ozpin could wait for a day...
But where was she supposed to sleep? Her face scrunched up thinking about that, and Ruby noticed it while she was gathering some books.
"Do you... have anywhere to sleep?" Ruby sheepishly asked, and Hat Kid shook her head. She never got any message from Ozpin regarding where to sleep.
She wasn't so sure if she could sleep on the floor, either.
"Oh! Why don't you come over to my dorm, then? It should be like a big sleepover!" If she said she didn't like sleepovers, she would be lying.
But wouldn't she be taking over some of the space Ruby and others would be sleeping?
"Space?" She voiced her questions out loud, worried that the room might be too small.
"It's not that big of a room, but I'm sure we can make some space up. Come over, pleaseeee?" Ruby pleadingly asked her, and she was tempted to do so.
After awhile of thinking about it, her temptation won her over.
"I'll come over!" When Ruby heard that, she was overjoyed.
Ruby cheered in a sing-song voice and smiled brightly. "Yay! We can have cookies, read comics and play video games alllll night~!" Hat Kid liked the sound of that! Cookies were her favorite food, forever and ever.
With Ruby excitedly grabbing the books and leading her out of the library, she thought today might have been a good day.
Well, asides from what really happened to her. She was still worried about anyone taking the Time Pieces while she was gone from her ship.
If that power ended up in the wrong hands or went out of control, the entire world was in risk. And she wasn't planning to let that happen again.
Even if it cost her life.
Ah, well. Negative thoughts aside, she still had to look good for this sleepover.
Ruby happily guided Hat Kid to her dorms.
Hat Kid looked really happy that they were having something like a big sleepover! But did she really ask anybody on her team if she could bring over someone?
Oops, looks like she'd have to ask them now.
Shaking her head, Ruby glanced at Hat Kid who had a different hat from before, Huh? It looked like a red sun cap with white wings.
"Where'd you get that? It looks good on you, but weren't you wearing another hat before?" Hat Kid seemingly pulled out her original hat from inside her yellow cape with a smug face.
"Oh, how'd you even put it there? Weird.." she shrugged, it looked like she didn't know either.
Ruby dropped the question, though she had another thing to ask. "Do you have any other hats? Since your name is all about hats, and... you know." Hattie just smiled and nodded at that question.
"I'll show you some later!" Was her response, she supposed it was alright.
Oh, they were close to the dorms!
"We're here! Can you, uh, stay outside for a bit? Sorry, but I didn't think about asking my teammate's opinion..." She sheepishly apologized and thankfully Hat Kid nodded, signaling that she was okay with it.
"Sorry, I'll be right back!" Ruby opened the door and peeked inside, looking for her teammates. "Hello? Yang? Weiss?"
Yang wasn't in the room, and Blake was sitting inside, reading some books. "Yang went outside, and I haven't seen Weiss since last class." Blake barely spared her a gaze, never letting her eyes off the book.
"Oh, I was going to ask them something... maybe you know where Yang went?" Ruby asked her, and all she got in response was a shake of a head.
"Then can I ask you something?" Blake raised her head, staring at her. "What?"
"Uh, there's someone that needs help in the academy, and she needs a place to stay over... maybe she can use our dorms for just tonight?" Blake sighed and closed her book.
"Ruby, we barely have any space left in the room." Blake responded with a shake of her head.
"But.. what if I sleep on a chair or something? I can make up some space for her to sleep! Please?" Ruby pleaded to Blake, who just stared at her.
Until the door opened and Hat Kid peeked inside.
"I can sleep on a chair?" She silently suggested, and Blake seemed puzzled by her appearance.
"Ruby, you brought a child to sleep at our dorms?" But it wasn't anything too serious!
"I mean, the Headmaster wanted her to get used to the things around here, and I just wanted to help!" Ruby protested, dragging Hat Kid inside the room.
After what looked like a long train of thoughts, Blake replied. "We're waiting for the others, it's not a decision we can just make right here, right now." Okay! So she just had to do something about Yang and Weiss.
Hat Kid looked uncomfortable that she was the reason why Ruby was going through this.
"So... can she stay until Yang and Weiss comes back?"
"I guess I don't mind." She smiled at that, at the very least, Hat Kid gets to stay for a bit.
"Thanks Blake! Oh, make yourself at home. Yang would be here in a bi-"
Yang opened the door and came in. What a timing! "Oh, hey Rubes! I was so worried about you when- Wait, who's that?"
"Oh, that's Hat Kid! Headmaster wanted her to get used to the things around, so I decided to help her out!" Yang seemed confused that a child was in fact in her dorms, but it looked like she believed it for now.
"Fitting name. And you brought her in our dorms for...?"
"Oh, she didn't have a place to stay for the night." Ruby replied, Hoping that Yang wouldn't mind her being there.
"Oh, as long as she has a spot to sleep in, I wouldn't just abandon someone so cute 'n small!" Thank god.
Hat Kid smiled and waved at Yang, happily greeting her.
"Hey, name's Yang."
...
...
...
"Not much of a talker, are you?" Hat Kid shook her head, she didn't like talking too much. "That's cool, I like the strong, silent types, Ponytail." Ponytail?
Hat Kid raised her eyes at that, but shrugged it off nonetheless.
"Okay, I guess... do what you want?" Ruby told Hat Kid, climbing on her bed and opening the books she brought from the library.
"My little sis' is studying? Is it the end of the world already?" Yang seemed happy that she was actually studying for once, but what a way to ruin the moment.
Hat Kid was playing with some dolls in the corner, cute!
And Blake... was Blake. She was just reading her books just like usual.
Oh well, she supposed this wouldn't be too bad. She smiled as she opened the book and flipped the pages.
Hat Kid sighed as she put her dolls back inside her seemingly bottomless pockets.
...Don't ask her how.
Anyway, she was pretty tired and all, considering that it was very late.
She could hear snoring from Yang's bed, and Blake also decided to sleep as well, Ruby was silent, too.
Considering from how the sounds of the pages flipping stopped, she was probably asleep.
She laid down on a spot she made tidied up for herself, it was a spot with few pillows and a blanket folded neatly, resembling a small bed.
It was nothing like her usual bed, but it barely took up any space at all!
Also, it was really warm.
She sighed as the warmth of the blankets and pillows enveloped her, turning her sleepy the moment her head touched the pillows.
She would be asleep right now if it wasn't the worries inside her head.
How was everybody doing with her gone? Snatcher was not interested in Time Pieces at all since the last incident, and no one should be able to reach her spaceship again...
How was Rumbi doing? The red Time Rifts? The incidents Ozpin was talking about?
So many thoughts and worries flowed through her head, and although she wanted it to stop, she needed to think the situation through.
But her train of thoughts was stopped when the door creaked open, the bright lights of the hall filling the room.
But the lights weren't the thing that surprised her, it was the person that stepped in the room that surprised her.
It was Weiss, and she was slowly walking towards the bunk bed Ruby was probably sleeping in.
Since Hat Kid was in the dark corner of the room, so she wasn't noticed by her.
She raised the blanket that was surrounding the bed, revealing a sleeping Ruby with notes and open books surrounding her.
Weiss seemed surprised and... almost happy after seeing such determination inside Ruby.
She cleared her throat and shook her awake, resulting in a surprised Ruby who flailed her arms around.
"W-Weiss! I was studying, but I think I fell asleep! I'm sorry..."
Of course, not wanting to wake everyone else, Weiss placed a hand over Ruby's mouth, putting a finger on her own.
Well, too bad that she was already awake the entire time.
Weiss lowered her hand on Ruby's mouth, noticing something on Ruby's bed. "How do you take your coffee?"
"I-uh, I don't..."
"Answer the question!"
"Uhh, c-cream and five sugars!"
After a short question, Weiss sighed and ducked under Ruby's bed, quickly making a very sweet coffee Ruby was forced to request.
A moment later, Weiss offered a cup of coffee to Ruby. "Here."
How nice of her!
"Uhm... Thanks, Weiss." Ruby awkwardly thanked Weiss, and Weiss smiled in return.
After that, her expression turned into an apologetic one.
"Ruby, I think you have what it takes to become a good team leader." She apologized to Ruby, making her expression brighten up like a sun shining in the sky.
"Just know that I am going to be the very best teammate you are going to ever have!" Weiss declared to Ruby.
"Good luck studying, Ruby. Oh, and that's wrong, by the way."
Ruby rubbed the back of the head, sheepish after hearing her correction.
Now walking towards the door again, Weiss noticed the blanket and the hat placed in the corner.
But Hat Kid's smiling face was already hidden under the blankets, making her look like she was asleep.
Weiss turned back, staring at Ruby's bed once again.
"Hey, Ruby?"
Ruby peeked her head out from her blanket fort of sorts, staring at Weiss.
"I always wanted bunk beds as a kid. And also, you aren't very good at pretending that you're asleep." Oops.
With that, Weiss shut the door, and the room was silent once again.
That didn't stop the smile and happiness spreading on Ruby's face, though.
Hat Kid also smiled, happy that the two girls managed to work their problems out.
Only if she could have friends like that, so caring towards each other...
Shaking her head and cleaning the sad thoughts inside it, she closed her eyes and fell asleep for real this time.
She wasn't bothered until the morning sun woke her up that night.
She was rudely awakened by an alarm clock, ringing right next to her ears and almost making her deaf.
Of course, she aggressively reached for the clock, knocking the alarm clock over, and making it even harder for her to turn it off.
She grunted and reached for the umbrella by her sides, then swung it blindly.
With a satisfying CRACK!, the alarm clock went silent once again.
Much better.
And this was the reason why she placed such a ridiculous alarm clock inside her bed in the first place, she was so lazy that she wouldn't get up at all.
And placing a normal alarm clock in her room usually ended up in it being thrown against the wall, breaking it.
She lazily cuddled against the warm blanket, having tossed her umbrella to the sides after hitting the clock with it.
Just a little more...
"Hat Kid, you gotta wake up! We have to eat breakfast and go to class, and we can't just leave you here!" Ruby's voice shouted out as she was shaken awake, making her groan as she tried to throw her blanket over her head.
After a moment of struggling, the blanket was pulled off of her, and she was forced to wake up.
She groaned, pouting and giving Ruby who woke her up a half-hearted glare.
Of course, Ruby just smiled at her innocently.
"Okay, you're up! If you wanna use the shower, it's over there! Though Yang's already using it."
She groaned and shook her head, she didn't need a shower yet.
And she didn't like to, either.
"Uh, if you don't need a shower, I guess you can wait outside... Yang takes awhile to get ready."
"I always need to look good, y'know!" Yang's voice rang throughout the room, she was probably still inside the bathroom.
Well, it wasn't a bad feeling.
Softly smiling, she stood up and put her hat on, excited for what would happen today.
Of course, she now needed to find Ozpin and talk to him.
But why not have some fun while she was at it?
She smiled as she followed Ruby and her team to get some breakfast first before anything.
Speaking of which, Ruby's team was really cool!
Yang, Ruby's sister(who looked nothing like Ruby by the way), was a very energetic and cheerful person.
She liked to make some jokes that weren't too funny... But jokes were jokes.
And then there was Blake, a silent, book loving person who didn't really appreciate her being around.
But that didn't mean she was a bad person!
She even had a cute bow, and Blake didn't like her staring at it.
Maybe it was something personal of sorts? Whatever.
Then of course, there was Weiss and Ruby.
Weiss seemed like a kind person at heart, but no wonder why Yang called her an Ice Queen! She could be so cold sometimes.
Her glare scared even the Hat Kid! And she was really brave most of the time.
...Most of the time.
And of course, the leader, Ruby.
She seemed like she would make a good leader, she had really fast thinking processes!
And the best part, she was just so much like her. Excitable, cheerful, sweet-toothed, and also, they both loved to play video games.
Maybe she and Hat Kid could be a really good friend!
And lastly, she heard that there are other teams inside Beacon, which excited her a lot.
New people, more friends to make!
Anyway, she could feel her saliva overflow in her mouth as the smell of food entered her nose, making her legs move faster.
The dining hall was very well organized, four rows of long tables running down the hall, and benches to the sides of the tables.
It looked like a fantastic place to group up with friends, sharing and listening to each other's stories and sharing a laugh.
Of course, she just went along with the group she was in.
Hmm, what did she feel like eating today?
Oh! She knew, a bunch of sweet cookies!
"Oh, hey, Hat Kid! You came for cookies too?"
"Yup!"
After hoarding a plate full of cookies together with Ruby, she sat by the table where her team members were eating at.
"Where are you going to go now, Hat Kid? I mean, I don't think you like listening to classes.." Ruby asked her, and she surely didn't, so she opened her mouth to explain instead.
"I need to find Ozpin's office, but I don't know where." Ruby gave her an 'ooh' and quickly answered.
"I can guide you there, though I still gotta attend to the class, 'n stuff..." Hat Kid definitely appreciated it, but she could find his office herself!
...Or so she thought.
"Maybe you can excuse yourself from class just this once. It sounds like an important issue if she wanted to talk to the Headmaster." Weiss suggested. "Also, eat more like a civilized person, you dolt!" Ruby quickly cleared the cookie crumbs from her mouth, giving Weiss a nervous chuckle.
Of course, Hat Kid didn't really care about eating habits, already having devoured an entire plate of cookies.
She gave a small burp after she was finished, which made Weiss even angrier.
"You too! You need to eat like a-" Nope! She was having none of those.
She blocked her ears, hearing nothing but Weiss' muffled voice, probably angry at her.
She was starting to regret not buying the Mumble Badge.
Anyway, after a moment, Weiss huffed and turned back to her own meal, tired with her behavior.
She felt a little sorry for her, but this was how she ate all the time!
...Only if anyone was around to teach her.
Anyway, negative thoughts aside, it was a good meal.
It felt good to finally have some people to eat with.
Hat Kid yawned, walking out of the dining hall with Ruby and her teammates.
"Well, I guess you guys can go on... Weiss! Please give Professor Port some kind of an excuse, I don't wanna get into some kind of a trouble..." Weiss let out a small sigh, then nodded.
"I suppose I should look after my partner..."
"Thanks so much! Let's go, the Headmaster's office is over here!" Ruby smiled and started walking, Hat Kid following suit.
She didn't forget to give the rest of the group a wave, though.
Yang waved back, brightly smiling at her.
Weiss scoffed and turned her head away.
Blake gave a small wave, her gaze fixed somewhere else.
And well, she still needed to follow Ruby.
Turning around and sprinting just a bit to catch up with Ruby, she walked through the long hallways.
"Oh, right. Hat Kid, I wanted to ask you something." Ruby said as they were walking down the corridor.
Hat Kid gave her a curious gaze, What question was she going to ask?
"After you talk with the Headmaster, can you show me the hats you wear? I wanted to look at all of them!"
She smiled and nodded, making Ruby brighten up.
"Yay! Thanks, Hattie!" Ruby brightly smiled as she said, excited about just how many hats she had.
Hmm, now that she thought about it, maybe she could find new ingredients for a new hat, or something else.
Though her train of thoughts were cut off as Ruby and her spotted an elevator.
"Oh, we're here! I guess you can go in, Igottaruntoclassnowbye!" Ruby disappeared in a puff of rose petals, that was cool!
She could see the trail of roses running down along the hallway, Ruby was so fast!
"Boop!" Anyway, she tapped the button on the elevator.
After a moment, the doors opened, and she stepped in.
Well, it was time for a meeting.
"Welcome, Miss Hat Kid. I hope the students treated you well enough?" Ozpin said as she stepped out of the elevator.
"Yup!" Hat Kid answered with a smile, making Ozpin nod with a soft smile.
"Very good, sit, if you will." Hat Kid quickly followed, sitting on the chair across from where Ozpin was seated.
"Now, I think this is a very good time to continue where we left off." Hat Kid nodded, opening her mouth to ask a question.
"What kind of incidents?" Was the very first question, and Ozpin simply showed her a holographic image from his table.
It seemed like a picture of a completely destroyed town, but something was off.
Some things seemed to be... frozen.
As if they were in stasis, as if time was stopped.
Pieces of broken buildings and furniture floating around as if time and gravity was lost.
Glass, shattered into thousands of different pieces, slowly floating around the area.
And the most important part, she knew what caused this.
Her expression slowly morphed into a horrified one.
Oh, oh no.
She raised her shaky hands, pointing at the source of this anomaly in the middle of the town.
"That." It was a Time Piece, a broken, unstable, but yet, somehow in form.
From what it seemed like, it had been damaged and completely shattered apart, the unstable power that used to reside within it now covering the destroyed town.
But Time Pieces reacted violently to outside harm, especially physical ones.
The results? A half-shattered Time Piece, and certain destruction.
"This incident happened two weeks ago, caused by that Relic you pointed out." Ozpin explained with a sigh, sipping from his mug of coffee.
"I'm guessing you know of it?" She gave Ozpin a shaky nod, she had seen far too many accidents where a Time Piece was abused and caused destruction.
For her, this was all too familiar.
"Nobody made it out, we are not certain if they're alive, either."
She gasped, nobody... nobody was able to survive?
Then, she noticed a crucial detail inside the image.
The Time Piece had a drawing on the side, something way too familiar for her.
It was her signature.
The truth struck her like a train.
The Time Pieces, her Time Pieces.
It had killed dozens of people.
Her vision was beginning to get blurry.
With a shaky voice and tear-filled eyes, she barely managed to whisper.
"...H-How did it get there...?"
"The same way you arrived in, Ms. Hat Kid. Out of nowhere." Ozpin told her with a sigh.
This was bad, really, really bad.
Those unstable Time Rifts she got sucked into... it was possibly sending some leftover Time Pieces from all sorts of places.
And they were probably causing all sorts of troubles around here.
She needed to stop it.
And she needed to do it as soon as she could.
"Now, Ms. Hat Kid. I can assure you that these destructions are not your fault. Do calm down." She couldn't calm down! Not when her Time Pieces caused so much trouble and harm!
It was all her fault, again.
She should've just stayed home just like the failure she was.
"Failure."
"You are an outcast, nobody wants you around."
"You should have died in that accident with your parents."
She couldn't stop her tears from flowing down her face.
It was like this every single time she tried to just help.
She covered her face with her hands, silently sobbing.
She just wanted to help.
"If you want to help, Ms. Hat Kid... you can do so from now on."
Hat Kid gave Ozpin a teary and confused gaze.
He just smiled and continued.
"There are still more similar issues that need to be taken care of, and we could use your help to not let these mistakes happen again."
"So, will you help us?"
He was right.
She couldn't just give up here.
She at least needed to try.
She couldn't just abandon her last chance at redemption.
She had to do something.
"...I'll help. I have to." Hat Kid declared as she was clearing the tears from her eyes.
"I respect that decision, Hat Kid." Ozpin said as he watched her with a sad gaze.
"But, I don't want to burden you with taking care of such a job alone. It is our problem, not yours only, after all." Hat Kid sniffed and stared at him, meeting his eyes.
"I will send some of my students to assist you, as long as they remain safe." She rubbed her eyes and showed a small smile.
Although her eyes were filled with tears, she was still smiling.
"But, you will have to assist us in turning the tides against the Grimm that threatens the humanity." She could do that, maybe.
If she were to get something new... she would be able to fight some off!
She nodded.
"Very well, welcome to Beacon, Ms. Hat Kid."
"Since we do not enough room to get you a room for yourself, you'll have to take either team's dorms. I suppose you met them before?" She nodded to reply. "Very well, we'll have a bed prepared as soon as possible."
Ozpin then took another sip from his mug, putting it down with a 'clink'.
"Before you go, take one of these." Ozpin pulled out a weird looking device and put it on the desk, which she grabbed and inspected.
"It's a standard issue Scroll, and it's what I will use to contact you." Oh? So it was like a phone!
She smiled in gratitude, Ozpin softly smiling back in return.
"Oh, and do note that you need to take classes, Ms. Hat Kid." Oh, come oooooon!
"That's about it, you may go now." She pouted jokingly, then she waved at him.
Ozpin watched her enter the elevator, and the elevator doors closing.
"Is this really necessary?"
"We have to, Glynda. She's our only chance at solving this issue."
"She's just a child."
"I see a great soul within her."
"Ozpin, this is just not right! Sending a child to do all these chores for us, endangering her life?"
"Glynda, we have no choice."
"We always have a choice!"
...
...
Uh oh, Time Piece alert! Time Piece alert!
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed reading this.
Some explanations are in order!
The destroyed village was affected by one of Hat Kid's Time Pieces, which was corrupted as it went through the Red Time Rift.
We'll call these Corrupt Pieces for now.
Anyway, the Corrupt Pieces have a different property from the original.
Unlike the calm atmosphere the original Time Piece gives off, it's instead violent.
the Time Rifts? Well, it's not a thing for them.
When they receive physical damage, instead of creating a Time Rift, it just simply cracks.
Of course, when it does, It unleashes the unstable energy that used to flow within the piece.
And when it does, things don't get better.
Let's just say after a certain destruction of anyone that may be near, it makes some weird changes to the environment.
Such as: No gravity, multiplied gravity, inverted gravity, and much more.
Of course, Hat Kid knows how to take care of it.
She's been doing the job for years, after all.
But the fact that it wiped out a town? It didn't sit well with her.
Let's hope she's just alright after this...
Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter, and see you on the next one!