Chapter 25: Cool Cruising
I yawned as I blinked the sleep out of my eyes.
"...Huh." I stated. "...I slept well?" No nightmares? No dreamscape dimension hopping? I actually felt a little concerned about that.
"Maybe it was just a rest day." I figured as I got up and put my shoes on. These clothes needed a wash at this point, but it was embarrassing to change with everybody else on board the ship. "Morning, Knit." No reply. "Knit?" I peeked over, and she wasn't in bed.
"Is she already up?" I wondered aloud as I went down to the main room. It was awfully quiet. Keep in mind this was Hat's ship we were talking about. "Hello?"
"Tie?" I looked down as Hat and Bow came out of the Captain's Room. "What's up?"
"Have you two seen Knit?" I asked.
"We've only just gotten up." Bow said.
Just then, Roombi came into the room. On his own.
"Morning Roombi!" Hat pet our little cleaner, before realising. "Hey, Roombi, where's Boss?" At that, the little Roomba shook itself with an unknowing look on its face.
"CC?" I called as I went into the kitchen. "CC, you in here?" No she wasn't.
"Where is everybody?" Hat questioned.
"I don't know." I admitted. "They couldn't have been taken. The alarm would have gone off."
"Maybe they left?" Bow suggested.
"Why though?" I added.
"Ooh! Ooh!" Hat perked up with realisation. "The Arctic Cruise! They must've gone on that!"
"All of them? Without telling us?" I questioned.
"Well, it's the only thing I can come up with." She admitted. "But Snatcher did say it was setting off today." I raised an eyebrow at just his name.
"We should check it out, then." Bow nodded. "Where else are there telescopes in the ship?"
Me and Hat looked at each other, before both saying: "Laundry Room."
How ironic. Hat didn't make getting there easy, what with how she rigged one of the washing machines to be the entryway as some kind of 'secret passageway'. But hey, my clothes got that wash I wanted as we popped out.
"We need to talk about installing a proper door, Hat." I said as I wrung out my tie. Thankfully our clothes dry quickly.
"But that way we get in AND get washed!" She argued.
I rolled my eyes as I looked through the telescope out the porthole. What I could see was the arctic of this planet, and a giant cruise ship docked at a metallic harbour. "That looks like an Arctic Cruise to me."
"Awesome!" Hat beamed. "I'll bet there's all sorts of fancy stuff!"
"Do you think we could have a little vacation too?" Bow questioned.
"Answers and Time Pieces." I told her. "And I think you mean holiday."
"Huh?" Bow questioned. "I mean vacation."
"Holiday."
"Vacation."
"Holiday!"
"Vacation!"
"Hat! Who's right?" We both cried.
She was already crawling out the porthole.
"...Vacation." Bow mumbled as she followed suite.
"Holiday..." I muttered as I jumped up and crawled out.
It was certainly a cruise, that was for sure. This ship was absolutely massive! And the attendees! I think nearly everything we'd encountered was there! Mafia members, Express Owls, Moon Penguins, Nomads, all boarding the ship!
Also it was called the S.S. Literally Cannot Sink. That was really...no wait, that was pathetically...I've got so much it all jumbles together, if that makes sense.
"It's Huuuuuuuuge!" Hat marvelled. "Why isn't our ship as big as this!?"
"That would be a bit TOO much." I told her.
"So many creatures are here!" Bow marvelled. Right, she hadn't met anybody before Subcon.
"Looks like you three finally made it." A voice called out.
"Boss!" Hat gasped as she ran over to the jar, sitting atop several suitcases.
"There you are, jar!" I said. "What's the big idea, running off in the middle of the night!?"
"Since you two do not know, being aliens, you have to book MONTHS in advance to get tickets to cruises like this!" Boss cried. "When me and Snatcher spoke yesterday, I was reminded of the cruise, and threw myself out the window at the first opportunity!...I had to have CC open the window."
"Thanks for leaving without telling us!" I cried.
"It was a rather...rushed plan. You all were busy anyway!" He argued. "Besides!...Do you know how humiliating it was to return to my Mafia members as nothing more then a bottle!? The shame!"
"...They seem happy about it." I gestured to the Mafia members literally weeping at the sight of him.
"Boss is back!" They sobbed joyfully. "Boss will protect us from fork child!"
"Yes...rather pathetic, aren't they?" He sighed. "But, I suppose I have missed them."
"Awwwww, you little softie!" Hat cooed.
"Your heart's grown three sizes this day, wherever it is." I smirked.
"Ha. Ha. You three had better not spoil this cruise for me! For any of us! I have learned that misfortune follows your footsteps!"
"Nice talking for something without a mouth." I commented. "Don't worry, we're just here for Time Pieces."
"And maybe a dip in the pool, possibly some dinner, perhaps some free towels-" Hat went on.
"Hey where'd Bow go?" I pointed out loudly to distract her.
"Awwwwww!" Turns out she was over there with some-
"Babies!" Hat squealed as she pounced on a little one and squeezed it. "You're adorable!"
"Um..." Whilst I was always up for cute things, these babies...well, they looked a lot like a certain yellow, eyeless bird, just smaller and without clothes save for nappies. One of them was even carrying a knife!
"Alright! Settle down ya wee leetle anklebiters!" Speaking of which, that voice..."What's gotten ye so excited all of a-...oh."
"Conductor!" Hat cheered.
"Conductor." I hissed.
"Who?" Bow questioned.
"It's you. Lassie...lad." He addressed us, pausing at me.
"Bow! This is Conductor! He's the bird I told you about!" Hat introduced her.
"That one? The one who threw knives at you!?"
"Yep!" Hat beamed all too proudly.
"Awful happy about that aren't ye?" Conductor huffed. "Well, what's a few knives between actors, eh?"
"A lot, actually." I snarled, switching to the Spark Scarf for good measure. I couldn't tell what he was thinking as he stared at me.
"I remember that! It's so embarrassing I passed out during that!" Hat laughed. "But you handled it, right, Tie?"
"Yeah. I definitely did." I nodded.
"...Laddie." He spoke. "Can you not go shooting off sparks with me grandson so close to your leg?"
I looked down and saw a little one clinging to my trousers, gurgling up at me.
"I'm not." I assured him as I picked up the baby. It giggled happily as I put it down with its brothers and sisters.
"Thanks." He spoke with restrained...something.
It was hard to discern what he was thinking, considering he had no eyes, but my thoughts immediately went to the fear that he was going to try and stab us in the back. Couldn't help it, and it had happened once before. I know it was wrong of me. But still...that downward spiral I went through in Subcon had begun the moment he threw that knife, after so long of restraining myself I had snapped against him and lost so much personal progress, he made me cry after I never wanted to again.
None of that made my anger build. None of it. It was the fact he cut her face.
"Come on, Tie! Let's go!" Hat said as she dragged me behind her and Bow. Me and Conductor kept looking at each other (I think) until I turned around and followed.
There was a long red carpet leading up to the ship, and on that carpet were seals wearing adorable little sailor outfits.
The closest seal turned to us and said: "Hewwo miss, miss and siw!"
"Hrghk!" I clutched my chest. 'It's so cute! My heart!'
"Pwease be cawful boawding!" It said as it hopped along, just before it fell over, and SQUEAKED!
'It's too much! Too...adorable!' I think I instantly gained instant diabetes from too much sweetness.
"Are you okay, Tie?" Bow asked.
"He's fine, he just gets like that with super cute things." Hat said.
"I'm okay now." I reassured them. "Just had to get used to it."
Continuing down a little bit further we bumped into a walrus. He seemed to be the captain judging from his uniform.
"Little young to be travelling, aren't you, pups?" He asked us.
"We're our own supervisors." Hat stated proudly.
"Mm." Was all he said.
As Hat and Bow continued, me and him looked at each other.
"You look tired, pup." He said. "Rough life?"
"Rollercoaster." I nodded. "You too, huh?"
"Could say that." He affirmed. "Keep keeping an eye on those two would you? I've got to manage the crew."
"It's a living." I replied.
He paused. "You take care, pup."
"You too." I said before following after them. I liked that guy.
Next we came to the cargo, a bunch of large crates all being loaded onto the ship. At least, there was an attempt to load them. The seals kept falling over and squeaking. They were cute as heck but couldn't do manual labour well.
"Hey, Tie." Hat spoke up. "Do you feel some magic coming from that box?" She pointed towards a large black box with drawings on it.
"Yep." I confirmed as we walked over.
"Hi, Snatcher!" Hat waved at the box.
"Oh, it's you three." His voice came out of it. "So you came after all."
"Why are you in there?" She wondered.
"Look, tickets are expensive okay?" Oh, so the big bad boss of Subcon can't even afford tickets and had to resort to hiding in a box? I will never let him live this down.
"Why didn't you tell us everybody else was here?" Bow called to him.
"What? You didn't know? Your loss." Snatcher shrugged in there.
"Oi, Snatcher! Where's Knit?" I spoke up. "I don't think she would come here like everybody else seeing as she wouldn't have a ticket after you two spent all that time together yester-is she in there with you?" Realisation struck me in the middle of that.
"...Hi, Tie." A meek, familiar voice spoke out,
"What's she doing in there, Snatcher?" I demanded.
"Oh come on! Little thing's never had a holiday! Thought I'd bring it along!" He still referred to her as an 'it'. "When's it ever gonna see a cruise like this, huh? I'm being generous here! If you're worried it's not making more costumes for you, work has gone on through the night!"
"I'm worried she's in there with you!" I spoke my mind.
"Don't worry, Tie! I'm okay!" Knit reassured me from inside the crate. "I took up Snatcher's offer that's all! I've never been on a cruise before!"
"They'll be fine, Tie." Hat tried to calm me.
"Perfectly fine!" Snatcher said. "So why don't you all skedaddle and leave us to be shipped on for free?"
"Mmmmm!" I screamed behind pursed lips as Hat dragged me away again.
"Come on, Knit's allowed to have fun, isn't she?" Bow asked.
"Not with him next to her!" I cried, exasperated. Why was it always only me worried about these things!?
"Oh, looks like they're taking tickets up ahead." Hat noticed.
"Excpet, we don't have any." I pointed out.
"Hmmmm." Hat's brain whirred as she looked at all the luggage being loaded on board, and all of the harbour tools that they could walk on. "Well then, we'll just get in another way!"
Using our platforming skills, as I also used the Bat Bow and Spider Tie Badge, we got onto the main deck of the ship without being spotted, except by a seal, but I don't think they cared.
"It's a real proper cruise ship!" Hat cheered at the giant deck, which had a giant pool in the middle right next to a bar, with several tables and chairs all dotted over the place. Several Mafia goons, penguins, owls and Nomads were already on board relaxing.
"It's a huge pool!" Bow gasped happily.
"Let's dive in!" Hat said as she hooked her arms around mine and Bow's.
"Wait, wha-!?" I gasped as she jumped into the water, pulling me and Bow with her. Only-
"It's cold!" Bow shrieked as we all surfaced. Keep in mind we're a resilient species, so for us to feel the cold, meant it was COLD.
We clambered out of the water quickly. "Why is the darn water so cold when it's already freezing out here!?" I yelled, but then I took note of all the seals and Moon Penguins. "Oh...right...wait, that's not fair at all for the rest of us!"
"Brrrr!" Hat shivered as she grabbed some towels to dry ourselves off. "Okay, no swimming then."
"M-Maybe we could try grabbing some lunch?" Bow suggested.
"Have you forgotten the reason we're here? Time Pieces?" I prompted.
"Oh come on, Tie! We deserve a little break!" Hat whined. "I know! How about we go get checked in, and then we can ask about the Time Pieces!"
I sighed. It seemed this was a compromise. "Okay, then."
We followed the seals pointing us in the direction to the main desk. During which we walked into a room with a freaking waterfall in it! And there was a garden too!
"A ship with a garden in it! And a waterfall!" Hat marvelled. "We need a garden and waterfall in our ship too!"
"I don't think that's possible." I shot her down, making her pout.
Just the journey to the front deck was difficult what with all the trolleys nearly mowing us down. But on the way there the Walrus' voice blared out over the ship.
"Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking...is this thing on?" His voice rang. "The ship is now setting sail. Please nobody fall off." That was a good sign...
We made it to the front desk intact to be greeted by more seals, where we signed in. And I waited for Hat to ask about the Time Pieces...and waited...and wai-
"Have you guys seen any hourglasses around here?" I prompted.
"Hmmm. Houwgwasses?" It pondered. "Hmmmm! Thinking vewy hawd!"
Just then one of the seals moved some luggage and revealed some broken glass and wood.
"Oh! That's wight! We bwoke one of those and hid it fwom the captain so he wouldn't be mad at us!" The seal stated proudly.
"It's...broken?" Hat gasped.
"But if a Time Piece breaks, shouldn't it just reverse time and restore itself?" I questioned.
"That's what's supposed to happen, yes." Hat confirmed. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
"So it's new! Oooh, exciting!" Bow marvelled.
"But it also could be dangerous." Hat said as she carefully picked up the pieces. "We've got to find the remaining pieces and fix it, pronto! Let's split up and search the ship!"
"Alright." I nodded.
"I'll go this way. Tie, you go that way, Bow, that way." She pointed to the various exits. "Okay, break! Poor choice of words, but you get it!" We all headed off in different directions.
The direction I headed in happened to lead towards the kitchen and...wow.
"Space, it's like a mosaic of sin!" I gasped.
Everything was either spilled or on fire. The seals were flopping around everywhere in futile attempts to cook. Even as an amateur cook this was vile to my eyes.
"Oops! Vewy swippewy!" A seal giggled as it slid past me.
"Welp, don't mind me." I manoeuvred around them and down into the laundry room, which was thankfully clean, save for the washing baskets slipping all over the place. I found a Time Piece shard in a washing machine of all things.
"I wonder why the Time Piece didn't reset time when it broke?" I pondered aloud. "I don't understand these things enough to even comprehend what variables needed to be in play to have this happen."
"You talk weiwd siw." A nearby seal commented.
"Look who's talking you adorably marketable cinnamon roll." I countered.
I made my way into the restaurant, where tables were sliding all over the place because the crew hadn't tied them down. Didn't seem to bother the people eating though, since I got another Time Piece shard out of a Mafia members lunch, so I just made my way up, and guess who I found?
"Howdy there, Tie!" CC greeted me.
"There you are, CC. We've been wondering where you were." I said as I walked over to her.
"Huh? Didn't you get the note I left you pinned to the fridge?" She questioned.
"Why would you stick notes to a fridge?" I questioned.
"Nevermind. Sorry you didn't get the memo then. What are you doing here all on your lonesome?"
"Time Piece piece hunting."
"You three should take some time off. Not having to cook is feeling real nice for me right now."
"Once the job is done I reckon."
"When you get all your fuel, then? I guess that's when you'll be going back home."
"I...guess we are." It suddenly occurred to me that yes, we would leave once we'd got all the Time Pieces back. It was fine all the times before, since we just had a quick pit stop on each planet. But this one? We'd been here for days! And met a lot of people. Mostly enemies, but some friends too.
"You thought about what's gonna happen once you go back home?" She asked.
"...Honestly? I don't know, CC." I admitted. "I was so confident about going home, before all of this. I thought I was prepared to go back home, conquer my past and make a new name for myself. Now...I've realised I really haven't made much progress with myself."
"Maybe I brought something up that's still a ways away yet." CC admitted. "But you'll find an answer. You're a smart kid like that."
"I hope so, CC." I said.
I somehow made my way down to the lower levels of the ship, the engine room in fact! I did find a Time Piece, but also something else; turns out this entire ships' electricity was being powered by a giant octopus! It's tentacles were pumping pistons constantly.
"Hello there little spark!" He greeted me. "I must admit, it's nice to have some company to brighten the mood. I hope I'm making things electrifying for you up there."
"Ah, you speak in punnish." Yes, I did in fact coin that, and yes, it was double-meaning.
"What's a little spark like you doing here? It's dangerous to charge in here!" He said.
"Official work business." I stated. "What about you? Who or what got you powering this whole ship?"
"It's a living that turns on the lights." He said. "Wasn't always like that. I was once a rather thunderous storm of the seas y'know. But that life didn't spark any friendships, and got a lot of bad folks wanting to snuff out my light. So I settled down my old ways and quick as lightning I had got myself a job powering ships."
"And you're fine living like this?"
"As long as I get paid my weight worth in grub to power myself, so I can power everything else."
"Seems like you've got your place in the world." I sighed.
"Brighten up, spark." He said. "I can tell you've got a brilliant light inside you that's waiting to shine."
"Uh...thanks." Can't believe an octopus was pep-talking me in puns.
"Now run along and enjoy yourself. I'll make sure your time is spine-tingling!"
"I get it, I get it."
After that I made my way back to the top of the ship. All the way to the top. This ship was pretty big! From here, I could see everything! Including Conductor sitting at the bar who I glared at. But no Snatcher or Knit. I could only assume they were in their own bedrooms at this point.
"My, my, been a while, hasn't it?" Badge Seller said as they appeared sitting beside me.
"Hey, Seller." I greeted them.
"You've certainly grown in the time you've been on this planet." They went on. "You're power is developing nicely."
"So you know about that, do you?" I asked.
"Yes. Even I cannot cross dimensions without causing some damage, but dimensions always make an effort to fix their walls." Seller said.
"Can you give me any advice on this?" I almost begged.
"No. I cannot comprehend what abilities you have, nor what they will become. Only provide." They said. "And see. I see power within you...and your captain as well."
"Hat?" I took notice. "What do you mean?"
"I cannot say." They admitted. "I just feel that the two of you have great power. What they are, is uncertain for now."
'I wonder what Hat's power is?' I thought.
"Anyway...perhaps you would like to buy something?" They offered.
"Real smooth, Seller. What have you got?"
"I have this Jetbat Badge that adds some rockets to your Bat Bow. 500 Pons."
"Deal."
I put the Badge on, and whilst it didn't change the bow itself, when the wings stretched out two purple and red rockets appeared on each wing. Giving it a test flap, the rockets immediately blasted out red fire that increased the elevation greatly, my flying speed was improved, and thanks to it I could hover in the air without floating down, except when I moved.
"Woo!" I cried after I did a loop around the top deck. "Thanks, Badge Seller."
"Quite alright." They nodded. "Take care, Tie."
"...I've grown on you, haven't I?"
"Best not to push your luck."
The three of us met back up in the Captain's room. No, not on our ship on the cruise. It was surprisingly technological, but that was probably thanks to the octopus down below. The Walrus sat in his chair as we gathered the pieces together.
"That seems to be all of it. Will this work?" I questioned.
"We can only hope." Hat said as she carefully pieced it back together, when I noticed something.
"Is that a new Hat?" I pointed at the green and black one on my Captain's head.
"Yeah! It's my new Time Stop Hat!" She showed it off proudly. "It allows me to slow down time!"
"What!?" Me and Bow gasped.
"Slow down time? It can really do that?" I said.
"Uh-huh! It's super useful!" She smiled.
'That's a really incredible power!' I thought as I stared at it.
Almost instantly, the cracks around the broken hourglass vanished, and the Time Piece restored itself.
"All fixed!" Hat beamed.
"Awesome." I nodded. "Hey, did either of you two see Snatcher or Knit on the ship?"
"Nope." "Nada." The two of them responded.
"Oh..." I mumbled.
"Cheer up, Tie! I'm sure they'll be fine." Hat reassured me.
"I'm not so sure." I admitted.
"Come on, let's go put the Time Piece back, then we can come straight back." Bow said.
Then their stomachs grumbled.
"For lunch?" Hat suggested.
"So long as you don't look in the kitchen..." I whispered.
We went back to the ship so that Hat could toss in the Time Piece, and waited a bit as Hat put some more Rift Tokens in the machine.
'It has the power to slow down time...' I stared at her head. 'Could that be linked to the power that Badge Seller mentioned? I'm pretty sure the magic of the yarn isn't powerful enough to create something like that.'
"Tie!" I perked up as Hat called me. "Could you go check the mail really quick?"
"Oh, yeah." I nodded as I put on the Spider Tie Badge to climb up the slide. "Guess we haven't checked for a while, huh?"
I shielded my face against the whirling winds of letters. You could seriously lose an eye in this room.
"Alright, then, let's see..." Finding a letter for us wasn't that hard. The world works in mysterious ways, so the letters just kind of find you, such as flying right into your face.
SMACK!
Like that.
"Hah!" I peeled it off my face. "Must be another letter to Hat...huh?"
This letter...it was addressed to me.
'I've never gotten a letter before.' I thought as I looked it over. It was a very lovely letter, had this floral tape all wrapped around the edges, and had a green wax print seal on it. Really fancy. It would almost be a shame to open it. But hey, it was my first letter.
I opened it as carefully as I could, and sat down cross-legged to read the letter. I carefully looked it over, taking in each word at a time.
"Ah..." I choked with a stupid smile on my face. "I'm really glad..."
From just that one letter, all my worries about the future didn't seem so bad anymore. I had some great people supporting me after all.
I slid back down the slide and wiped the tears out of my eyes as Hat and Bow came over.
"What is it?" Hat asked.
"It's a letter to me." I said.
"Really!?" Hat gasped giddily. "It's not spam or hate mail?"
"No. It's from a friend." I put the letter in my Hammerspace for safekeeping.
"A friend!?" She squealed with joy. "That's great! Are they nice? Are you gonna send a return letter?"
"Yes, and no." I responded. "This is a reply."
"Besides." I smiled. "I'll thank her in person. Somehow."
Jetbat Badge: Adds rockets to the Bat Bow, which allows you to glide faster, gives your double jump a boost, and hover in the air! Just be careful you don't crash!
Everybody boards the Arctic Cruise as our new arc officially starts! It's gonna be a short one, but it's certainly not filler!
Now, if this chapter comes off a bit later then usual, that's because I've been playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons recently, and it's just really great to play, especially with the country going into lockdown. It's great!
Now then, thank you to Konan720, Max waspace, Mr. Mega1423 and saltythebear for reviewing, and a big thank you to Fluffy Raikou-Sinful Snackbag for reviewing after being around since Chapter 8! Glad you do like this story!
Next Time: Gotta get things Ship Shape. See you then!
