"Well, I think they were very rude!"

Despite guiding their party of three, Hat Kid moved at a slow pace, bracing herself for the meeting to come and trying to sort out her thoughts. It was difficult to begin with, but the snow women's refusal to join the fight and worrying behavior also continued to weighed on her mind. As such, she remained quiet as she tried to sort out their next moves while Bow and Kit closely followed her uncertain lead.

"It could've been worse," her friend offered with a shrug, "At least we didn't have to fight them."

"They still weren't exactly friendly…" the fox woman grumbled, "I can see why they like the cold so much. It suits their chilled hearts just fine!"

Bow laughed, "By the way… What ever happened to your ears?" When Kit hummed curiously at the question, she added, "If you used to be human, what happened to your old ears? You weren't born with those fuzzy ones, right?"

"Oh, those burned off a long time ago! See?"

It was hard to say whether how casually she said that or Hat's own gross curiosity made her look back, but the child glanced over her shoulder in time to see Kit brush aside part of her hair to reveal the empty place where a human ear should have been. Unlike around her wrists and ankles, there was no visible scarring: Instead, the piece was simply gone with the hair line grown at a more diagonal slope than usual. Hat and Bow both still grimaced.

"Does it hurt?"

"Oh no, I'm fine, really! Actually, I think I can hear even better than I used to. It's just a little harder sometimes to keep water out of them, that's all."

But it had hurt her. Hat Kid had seen it with her own eyes from Kit's memories. She could picture her now, writhing weakly in pain on a cave floor as the fire slowly consumed her from the inside out… The woman was either lying or she'd forced herself to forget again. Did it burn two new holes right through her skull to create those new ears? Remembering the ethereal glow that flickered from the cracks in her skin during their battle, she wondered if she even had bones at all.

Bow was quick to direct things elsewhere, drawing a hand upward, "Can I touch them?"

"Go ahead!"

Kit paused to bend down so the girl could reach, one of her fox ears twitching slightly at the unfamiliar prodding. Bow brushed the soft fur lightly, admiring how the strands reflected light off her fingertips, and giggled. Both girls momentarily wondered if they could ask for some of Kit's fur for the Badge Seller's work; however, given that he didn't mention her as a possibility and since she wasn't a true fire spirit, they dismissed the idea.

Hat Kid stared once more at the path ahead. Another red blur passed over them, picking up speed as it did so and moving with purpose. Finally, they'd been spotted—not that it mattered at this now. The path was starting to open up: They were close to the town now.

Moonjumper would be waiting.

Before, he actively appeared to try to avoid letting any of his subjects know that he'd trapped her in his palace. The outer walls were the only areas he'd left untouched during her escape. If they stayed in the village and made him come to them, would he still be reluctant to raise a hand against her in front of an audience? What if he now thought that she was enough of a threat to take the risk even if it meant wiping everyone's minds? What if he went so far as to lie to them already and make her seem like a danger to them?

It was too late for second-guessing. They couldn't turn back now and all of them at least deserved a warning. The young alien took a deep breath and resumed the march onward.

He couldn't have been more prepared for them. As they made it to the main strip of town, they found him waiting in the middle of the street to meet them with his arms folded behind his back confidently, his crescent mask as unreadable as always. Despite how the guard must've reported all three of them though, he still tensed when his gaze shifted to either Kit or Bow—possibly not yet knowing what to make of the newcomers.

The Dwellers didn't seem to know what to make of them either. While they'd gotten used to Hat Kid's presence overtime, three mortals in their realm seemed to be too much. They quickly moved out of the way at their approach, diving into homes, alleys, and other hiding spots. Hat Kid swallowed hard, unconsciously dragging her feet to slide closer to her companions. It felt like a standoff.

However, it didn't take long for a perky voice to break the worst of that tension—more like leaving a knife stuck in it rather than fully cutting through. "Hello! Sorry for intruding…" Kit greeted a little anxiously.

Entering the civilization—any civilization after so long—brought back her fit of nerves. She practically tried to hide behind the two girls as they welcomed themselves inside the walls, and it was likely only her small exposure to Subcon Village that prevented her from retreating altogether. As it was, against the timid stares of the ghosts who continued to eye them from every corner, she seemed to latch her hopes of goodwill onto the one figure that didn't run from them: The phantom ruler himself.

"You have a beautiful home! Are you one of the little ones' friends? I'm Kit, it's so nice to meet you!"

The woman's overly-energetic gushing appeared to throw him as much as it did the girls. It was then that Hat realized she'd never told her their history: Moonjumper was just another ghost in her eyes. Nevertheless, it played to their advantage, because to Moonjumper, the danger was now one trespasser less severe.

At first, it didn't look like he even knew how to respond for a change. He remained still in silent bafflement, then gave his head a faint shake to jar himself and floated a cautious step forward. "Yes, I'm the Moonjumper," he played along, "And no apologies needed, miss. Most every ghost or spirit is welcome here."

Behind the blank visage, Hat could almost see how hard he was studying them all. In the end, he seemed to decide that Kit was too naïve to even begin to think of him as an enemy and focused his eyes solely on the pair of children. Of course he already didn't trust Hat Kid, but Bow's eyes were also too knowledgeable, too understanding of the situation at hand. If he was going to strike at any moment, he'd go for the both of them first.

He was calmer than when she'd fought him. He'd had more than enough time to take back his ever-regal composure. Still, that potentially made him all the more dangerous now. Hat Kid braced himself against his steady gaze, thankful she could put up a strong poker face behind her own mask.

"I didn't think we'd have the honor of seeing you again, young lady. What brought you back?"

His tone remained pleasant, but she could still somehow hear the vitriol behind the specter's words. You should've known better than to come back here. Don't try anything. Outwardly calm or not, he was angry with her. He saw her as a threat to his fabricated paradise.

She also picked her words carefully, "I needed to see you again. I wanted to talk about Subcon."

Although she kept her voice low, Hat Kid didn't really worry about mentioning the name aloud since most of the Dwellers here thought they were in the real Subcon anyway. They probably wouldn't think twice about it.

"Anytime! What would you like know?" The pause before he spoke assured her that he understood what she meant, but twisting his own words waved away any remaining eyes on them.

She waited until those masked gazes had all drifted far enough away before she next spoke, "I don't know if or when she'll make it, but Vanessa is coming here. You need to help us fight her or brace for the worst."

There was another pause, a longer one now. Moonjumper tilted his head, as if sorting through the armada of information piled in his mind. Nevertheless, when he finally revealed an honest emotion, it was bafflement, "Who?"

That's right: He still didn't remember… Hat Kid could've screamed. If he'd even gone so far as to wipe her name from his memory, then how was she supposed to get through to him—nevermind without setting him off again?! She bounced in place out of frustration, struggling to keep her voice down as she insisted through grit teeth, "Queen Vanessa! You're girlfriend! You're ex! You need to think, Moonjumper, because if we don't stop her, she'll destroy Subcon and then she'll be coming for you next!"

She knew it wasn't that easy, but she also didn't know how to help him. Without uttering a single sound, he scoffed and turned away. To him, her warning was either the ramblings of a bothersome child or the echoes of things he'd shut out long ago. She tried again.

"You hate the snow women for a reason. Think about why! Think about the snow, the ice—it's coming this way! Think about the basement—!"

The girl reached out for him as he drew back, capturing a string of chains in place of his arm. At last, there was a reaction. The metal shackles clinked as they drew taut by the opposing tug, and Moonjumper's shoulders lurched in a sudden panic. A faint breath hitched and he swung himself around in a clawing motion, strong enough to pull himself free from Hat's grasp, but restrained enough to keep himself from hurting her in the process. He just stared.

"Why do you keep coming back…?"

"Please, you have to listen to me," Hat Kid looked at his desperately, not sure what more she could say no matter how much she scrambled through her brain to think of something. However, she was just a child. And she couldn't force those memories onto him, not when he painfully rejected them anytime there was a flicker of recognition.

Bow was in no better a position to help. Although Kit didn't suffer true amnesia, she looked at Moonjumper with a mix of confusion regarding his personal turmoil and something akin to empathy. For just a second, she looked down at her wrists and then wringed one of her small pigtails in both hands.

Then Hat Kid released a long, strangled cough that put them all on alert.

She curled around herself, hacking into her sleeve until the feeling could pass. Phlegm backed up in her throat and she snorted it back down, her mouth twisted into a firm line. Bow turned to her in concern and Kit placed a tender hand on her back, rubbing it in gentle circles.

"Did you forget about the ether?" Moonjumper asked, recomposing himself somewhat thanks to the interruption. It was impossible to tell what his true emotions were.

"No…" she cleared her throat, "I've just had a cold."

"You're sick?!" The fox woman exclaimed with newfound worry. The past tense didn't matter, "Why didn't you say anything? You shouldn't be up and about at all—much less out in the recent weather!" She rubbed the child's arms, as if that alone would put some heat back into her. "If I weren't like this, I could at least check your temperature… As soon as we get back, let's get you settled down. I-I'll make something tasty!"

Moonjumper considered the trio again, then offered, "I have a kitchen. We could continue this discussion in the palace. It's still our food, but there's plenty of fresh ingredients."

Hat Kid raised a brow at him. If they went to the palace, he'd have every opportunity to trap them in that labyrinth just like before. That's probably what he was counting on to deal with them out of sight. "I'm alright. It's not like I'm going to faint."

Sadly, keeping Kit out of the loop now meant that she also didn't know it was better to refuse, "Nonsense! We can't turn him down. All of this stress can't be good for you either. You can catch up and I'll cook!"

Bow Kid tried in intervene on her friend's behalf, "I'm sure it can wait—"

But the phantom prince cut in, "I insist."

The two aliens looked at each other. What were their chances if they accepted? After all, if it was possible, they needed to try to get Moonjumper on their side. If they followed him though, they'd have to place themselves at his mercy.

With just that one request, he'd turned the situation around on them. Now, they were the ones at risk of making a scene. They'd be the antagonizers refusing the offer of their ever-generous host, not to mention he hadn't given Kit any kind of reason to doubt him yet. In her confusion, she'd likely either be left futilely trying to pacify both sides on the sidelines or herself taken down early.

So, they copied Moonjumper by playing along for now.

Even when the four of them were alone, he didn't drop the pleasant act. Clearly, he wasn't willing to risk a three-to-one fight just yet by revealing his true intent in front of Kit—at least not without getting a feel for his new 'opponents.'

Moonjumper, Hat, and Bow sat together in the dining hall, eying Kit as she worked past the open doors of the adjacent kitchen. A strong, but inviting smell wafted in from whatever was simmering over a low fire. Hat Kid was glad they could watch her work, just in case the Horizon's visions kicked in. Besides, Kit was frazzled enough by the new environment and flying dishware that had zipped over to help her before the prince could bid them away from her terrified face. The kitchen was designed with old-fashioned equipment most likely from her era, but she still had to refamiliarize herself with it all.

In the meantime, the break did actually give the girls a chance to talk to Moonjumper openly about what was happening in Subcon Forest. Together, they told him everything that had happened over the course of the past few days and did their best to explain who Vanessa was once again without him erupting. They only really managed it by avoiding talking about his relationship to the queen altogether and instead focusing on what kind of person she was now.

He didn't seem to fully believe them, but at least he finally listened. Whether it was because he read their sincerity or that a part of him did recall enough to know that they weren't lying, he let them say their piece in thoughtful silence—leaning against the table with his chin resting on folded hands. Hat Kid adjusted herself nervously in her seat as she waited for him to respond. Bow kept her own fingers curled firmly around her drink.

Eventually, he muttered for them to recap, "You came in from Subcon's waypoint then?"

"Yes."

He sighed to himself, "I should've tried to block that passage years ago… No one has come through there in an eternity."

"You can thank the spiders for that."

"And you're absolutely certain the queen is headed in our direction?"

"The ice had moved pretty much everywhere, but Snatcher said it's definitely making a beeline for this place. We can't think of any other reason why she'd come this way."

Moonjumper went silent again. He tapped his laced fingertips against the top of his hands. Were he anymore motionless, he'd be mistaken for statue. When he did speak, his voice remained calculatingly steady, "You do realize that the Horizon is my priority. Even if you're telling me the truth, I have to stay and defend my home."

They nodded.

He leaned back in his chair, rapping the table with his knuckles, "You made a big gamble, returning to this place and coming forward to tell me that… All I can give you is some advice in turn. If you're looking for additional aid, ask the spiders."

Hat Kid stared at him quizzically. The spiders would likely want to protect their home just as much as anyone in Subcon, and would likely face the worst of Vanessa's storm since they were directly in their path; however, they didn't have the sense to be reasoned with. They were wild animals that attacked anyone on sight.

He elaborated, "They might be brainless bugs, but I promise you that there's always at least one intelligent spirit among their numbers: A Widowmaker. If you can recruit them, they might give you the additional strength you desire."

It wasn't exactly reassuring… Bow asked for the both of them, "How are we supposed to do that? Those things would try to eat us first."

"You'll have to be cunning. The desire to defend their borders won't be enough. Give them meat," Ignoring their horrified looks, he continued, "Pork usually does the trick: It supposedly tastes closest to human flesh. It's the smell you'll need to worry about, but if you gather some ingredients from the forest, I can create an oil to douse it with. They won't know the difference."

It was more than they could've hoped for. Hat Kid doubted that Moonjumper was using this as a means of sending them to their deaths. It was too cruel and inefficient for him. She allowed a small grin to creep up her face, "Thank you."

He wasn't finished, "After you leave, I'll seal off that waypoint. There won't be a way back, so don't risk crossing them a second time to reach this place. There's nothing I want over on that side, and I don't want you here. Do you understand?"

His words were cold, hurtful, but… understandable, coming from him. If he could do it, it was the simplest way to ensure that Vanessa didn't reach the Horizon: She'd cross all of Subcon only to reach a dead end. And it also cut him off from everything Hat had tried to drag back up for him…

She wasn't worried about Snatcher not being able to rescue the Dwellers that lived here someday. There was still the waypoint at the Alpine Skyline he could enter from, among countless others that neither of them had found yet. Maybe the goats wouldn't want to get involved, but, surely, they wouldn't let Moonjumper seal it—especially since it was directly tied to the Twilight Bell. She nodded again.

Moonjumper once more feigned hospitality when Kit appeared with hot bowls of stew and slices of some type of citrusy fruit. Clueless to the whole of their discussion, she was able to jump in with a smile—eager for a friendly stranger to talk to and mortified by her own informality when she finally learned that he was the local ruler. It didn't take him long though to put her at ease again.

Meanwhile, the girls ate their meal and spoke in short whispers to each other, only joining the pair of adults when their words were directed at them. Despite what she'd been through and all of her reservations, Hat Kid couldn't help but feel a little sad. She pushed the feeling down, accepting the warmth and comfort of the dish in front of her. After their short break, they had just one more task to do before returning to the mortal world.