Hey, I know it's been a long time, but-

"You jerk!"

Ow! First off, rude. And for the second, I didn't give you the permission to be here, Hattie!

"You're a lazy bum, so I'll teach you not to be lazy!"

Ow, ow. Ow! Ow! Stop it!

What are you doing? Just start the chapter so I can stop being smacked with an umbrella repeatedly!

Act 1-5: First Assignment

Hat Kid went stiff as the elevator door opened with a 'ding', showing Ozpin waiting for her in his room. She walked inside, somewhat nervous.

"Ah, you're here. Please take a seat." She did what she was told to, hopping on the chair and wondering about what Ozpin would give as her first mission.

"Now, I'm sure you're quite curious about your first assignment. I think now is the time to tell you about it." Hat Kid shrugged, nodding and leaning forward to listen closer.

"You see, first year students soon will be going on a field trip to a forest called Forever Fall. Small issue is, there is a dangerous relic of yours located there." Hat Kid nodded. Probably another Time Piece. It was no problem!

"Okay! I'll go get them!"

"Of course, you will be going with the students and Glynda to ensure your safety. Think of it as a field trip." Ozpin finished, giving Hat Kid a small smile. She flashed a smile back at him.

"Sure!" Though they'd better stay away from the Time Pieces, though. The anomalies they were causing around Remnant were already dangerous enough.

"Well, that went quicker than I thought it would. Do enjoy the rest of your day, Ms. Hat Kid." "Yup!" Smiling, Hat Kid replied cheerily, leaving the room and pressing the button on the elevator.

"Boop!"

The elevator door closed, leaving Hat Kid alone in the small area. First assignment in planet Remnant! She was pretty excited about it.

Fetching the almost-complete doll from her seemingly endless pocket, she examined the Ruby doll. It was cute!

Just one detail was missing about it, though. Mainly the hood that was supposed to be neatly folded behind Ruby's neck. Maybe she could make it out of some spare clothing?

Thinking about the doll and mentally designing what the hood would look like, Hat Kid almost didn't notice the elevator door open with a 'ding' again. She quickly exited the elevator. Hmm, she could try to get some spare clothing! But she'd have to meet up with Ruby and her friends again before any of that. She had a few days left to prepare, anyway. Or... did she?

With clear plans for tomorrow set inside her mind, she happily hopped along the corridors of Beacon, not knowing what problems she would run into tomorrow.

"...I am unsure what I should tell you, she's a child. Ozpin."

"She's very capable."

"She is a child nonetheless! You can't just send her to... fight off the Grimm. It'll endanger the students as well!"

"I am sure Hat Kid can take care of herself. I've heard she is quite a brave one."

"...I am still worried about her and our students."

"We all are. Certain circumstances require... special solutions, however. And this anomaly is something we do need to take care of."

"I hope you're right, Ozpin. Because if you're not, then we'd be sending a child to her certain demise."

"Let's not worry about it any more than we need to. After all, we will have a busy day tomorrow."

Hat Kid blinked sleep out of her eyes as she slowly woke up from her spot.

...Huh? Everybody was asleep... And she usually didn't like walking up early. She turned her head to look out of the window while she was sitll lying down.

Much to her expectation, it was still dark, somewhat.

But she couldn't just shake off this weird feeling. It was like something was going to go wrong today. Very, very wrong.

She hoped that wasn't the case, as she pulled the blankets over her head again and closed her eyes, trying her very best to fall back asleep.

"Hey, kid. Looks like you got yourself quite beat up, huh? And here, I thought you weren't going to die any soon."

"...Bagh, as much as I want to swallow your soul whole right now, I want to watch you struggle for your life. A little bit more... You hear me, kid?"

"You get to live another day. Hooray, isn't that exciting?"

"So shrug it off, and get up! You've got a contract to finish."

Hat Kid was shaken awake by Ruby again that morning, and she was told to prepare whatever she could for the field trip.

So, she placed her hat on her head, then fetched her umbrella, proudly placing her hands on her hips and staring up at Ruby.

"...Um, is that everything? I mean, we are going to somewhere that might be, y'know... dangerous." She just nodded, smiling up at Ruby as she showed off her umbrella.

"I got this!" Even after Hat Kid exclaimed that she would totally be fine, Team RWBY didn't really seem convinced.

"I... that's not even something you can protect yourself with! It's an ordinary umbrella!" Weiss began, making Hat Kid frown.

It was no ordinary umbrella! It was specially designed to do... special things, like whacking stuff, or floating around with it.

And of course, grapple on something.

Hat Kid crossed her arms, then grabbed her umbrella with one hand, pointing it at a cookie jar that was in Ruby's hands.

With a smug smile, Hat Kid snatched the jar out of Ruby's hands using the hookshot attached to her umbrella.

"Woah! For one, cool! For two... Er, those are mine, kinda..." She simply shrugged before she took out a cookie from the jar, biting into one right away and handing Ruby the jar back.

Ruby seemed... Somewhat happy that she got the jar back. Though she had one less cookie now.

"...I suppose that means she can use it to defend herself?" Blake mumbled from the sides, gazing at her umbrella.

Yang shrugged. "Meh, it's cool."

"What?! You two can't be serious-" Weiss was cut off by Ruby's cheerful voice.

"I vote for yes! That umbrella is cool." Weiss grumbled after hearing that. "Wha- you- ugh- forget it! Just don't come crying to me after she gets hurt. I am not going to forgive anyone if she gets hurt!" Huh?

After Weiss said that, everyone was staring at her, including Hat Kid herself. That was... pretty out of character.

"What?! Can't I be a normal girl, too?" Said Weiss in a somewhat offended tone.

"...No way, I think Ice Queen is actually warming up to Ponytail right now..." Yang mumbled from the sides.

"Ohmygosh, Weiss, are you sick?! Does it hurt anywhere? Tell me!"

"Ruby! Xiao Long! You two are not helping!"

Hat Kid bursted out laughing after seeing that, and Blake hid her mouth behind a book as well. She was probably laughing. Probably.

Of course, like all nice things, it didn't last forever, as an announcement cut through the conversation.

"All first year students, please report to the Landing Site." A brief annoucement rang out, alerting the five.

"I think that's our cue to leave. Let's go, Hattie!" Ruby dragged her by her arms, pulling her along as Hat Kid hopped and skipped along excitedly. A new adventure!

The forest of Forever Fall was a beautiful sight to take in, especially from a Bullhead flying across it.

"Woah... This looks nice." Mumbled Hat Kid as she stared at the strange red forest below.

It reminded her of Snatcher's Subcon Forest, although it was... much more lively. So much more red and... leaves. It was so beautiful!

However, she couldn't shake off this nervous feeling resonating through her heart, warning her. Something was definitely wrong. She could feel it.

She recalled back to her conversation with Headmaster Ozpin, where he had told her that there was an anomaly close to the area... This strange sensation had to be coming from it.

And her hat was telling her that it was very, very dangerous.

It was practically screaming at her to stay away.

"When are we going down?" She hurriedly asked Glynda, who stared at her for a moment.

"Soon, be patient." Patience? No way. Her hat was telling her that whatever was down there was dangerous. It had to be taken care of!

"We have no time!" Glynda just shook her head.

"Ms. Hat Kid, be patient. I will not say this again." No way she was waiting here!

Grabbing her umbrella with one hand, she tore the door open with another. Her unnatural strength made it easy, at least.

"What are you doing?!" Shouted Ruby, standing up to stop her from doing anything dangerous.

But what needed to be done, had to be done. "I'll be okay!

"HAT KID!" She jumped off as Ruby shouted while reaching for her. She let the umbrella open soon enough, slowing her fall and letting her glide closer to her destination.

She just hoped that she was fast enough to prevent any harm before it was done.

Ruby was worried. How could she not be worried? Her friend, Hat Kid, had just jumped off the Bullhead without anything to protect herself with.

And when they had landed in the forest of Forever Fall, Ruby began convincing her team members.

"We have to go after her! Who knows What she'd encounter out there?! For all I know, a dangerous Grimm could be chasing her right now!"

"But... We have to do what professor Glynda told us to do! For all I know, she could be heading to help Hat Kid. How are we going to even find her in this forest?" Weiss argued. That could definitely be the case, but...

What if things went wrong?

"I agree with my sis'. we should go help our lil' Ponytail, she could be in trouble. Who knows what lives in this forest?" Yang! Ruby wanted to hug her for helping her out.

"I agree, as well." Blake! She was helping her out, too!

"...Fine. If you all want to get in trouble..." Weiss was grumbling when the decision had been made. She was clearly unsatisfied.

"If you really want, you could collect sap for yourself while we find Hat Kid... Y'know?" Weiss shook her head at her suggestion.

"No, thank you! I am afraid of what you would get yourself into yet again." Of couuurse. Ruby rolled her eyes, then smiled.

"Yeah, let's go help her out, then!" With Ruby's cheerful remark, Team RWBY began making their way through the red forest.

"Hah... Hah... Hah..." Hat Kid gasped for her breath as she sprinted through the red forest. She was getting closer to the anomaly.

If so, she had to run faster.

Until the wind stopped.

Hat Kid gazed around, spotting an anomaly larger than any she had ever seen. It was huge! So big that it would rival how big Vanessa's manor was.

Everything seemed to be frozen. Several large chunks of the landscape were floating around the entire anomaly, and the fall looked deadly. Deadly, as in a fall into absolute nothingness.

Strangely, it had created some sort of a pocket dimension around the core, trapping everything around it in a frozen passageway of time and space.

Now that she had a closer look, she could even see some monsters trapped in time! And trees, and roots, and leaves.

Good riddance, she never liked those monsters, especially the bigger ones. They were really scary. Though it was a big shame for the cool plants.

Hat Kid shook her head clear of any thoughts; She had to focus on the task at hand for now. Retrieve the Time Piece that was right in the middle of this anomaly!

Gripping her umbrella tighter, she scanned the area for a route she could take to reach the Time Piece. Alright, hop on there, jump off that and swing on there... A plan formed in her mind, and she backed off from the edge as she got ready to sprint.

Now with the Sprint Hat on her head, she prepared herself- "Hat Kid! There you are! Guys, I've found her!" Her head snapped backwards to the source of the voice. It was Ruby and her team! Hat Kid was sorta glad that they reached her, but not at the same time.

The environment here was too dangerous for anyone not used to them, and a wrong step could kill someone easily. It was just too risky! She didn't want anyone on Team RWBY to get hurt.

She gave up trying to make the jump, instead backing off from the edge and making her way to the members of Team RWBY, with all the chaos behind her back.

Without giving any time to ask a question, Hat Kit reached inside her pockets and fished out four guidebooks, giving it to the individual the team members. "What's this?" Ruby said in question. The guidebook's front page read:

How to fix Time Anomalies for friends!

When Ruby opened the guidebook, it was filled with so much letters that she almost fell over from just looking at them. "What in the... Why so many letters?!" Ruby cried out innocently. Yang simply threw the small book away when she had seen the letters. "I'm not the one for books." Yang said before Hat Kid interrupted her. She made a motion of flipping a page, which Ruby followed.

The next page showed a small comic book page, with Hat Kid as the protagonist. She hopped on each floating platforms, defeating monsters flying around and reaching the core of the anomaly that looked about the same with the one they were staring at. When Hat Kid in the comics reached the core of the anomaly, she reached inside and pulled out an hourglass, which fixed... Well, relatively everything wrong. "That's a little bit easier to understand, at least..." Yang mumbled out, and Ruby also nodded from hearing that.

"Are we supposed to follow what this comics does?" Nodding, Hat Kid smiled. Don't fall, reach the core, and recover the Time Piece! It wasn't hard. Just, dr... A tad bit deadly. Okay, maybe a little too much lethal.

"What happens if we fall down, though?" Blake questioned from the sides, in which Hat Kid responded with a small motion.

She slid her finger over her neck. "Oh." That had made things clear.

"Well, I definitely hope that won't be the case for us..." Ruby mumbled to herself as she looked at Weiss. "What?!" Ruby pouted. "You've got your glyphs! You could help us out, at the very least!" Weiss sighed, and faltered. "This wasn't even my idea-... You know what, fine! I'll help you all get across. Just don't come crying to me when we get in trouble for this!" Ruby cheered. "Yay, Weiss! You're the best!"

Hat Kid just smiled. Now? It was about the time to get this anomaly sealed.

Sorry for the cliffhanger and the long-lost update. Really! I was real busy on exams and real life issues, and of course, low on ideas.

Maybe you guys can forgive me for it? Please? I'm really sorry...

"Well, don't do that next time! I won't let you laze around while I do all the hard work!"

Oh, come on. Give me a break, will you?

"Nope!"