Chapter 29: For the Sake of Space
"Tag! You're it!"
"Alright, you got me with that one." I admitted as I opened a portal and jumped through it to reappear in front of her to tap her on the shoulder. "And tag right back."
"Aw, shoot!" She playfully cried.
Tag was another game my captain liked to play. Only now it actually had some worth, since now she could use the Time Stop Hat to ridicuolously increase her speed and I could use the Paradox Pendant to teleport. It served as good practice for our new abilites.
"Manipulating time and space itself as if they were playthings..." I heard Boss mumble as he watched us with Roombi. "You two are truly terrifying."
"You love us, really." Hat said as she zipped in front of him and petted him before zipping away.
"More like you HAVE to like us to stay here." I popped my upper half out of a portal next to him and tapped his glass like he was a goldfish.
Knit was sitting in the middle of the control room knitting new costumes for us. She had returned to doing this shortly after we returned, and thankfully seemed happy. Her hair was now in two pigtails on the back of her head, the best I could do.
"Hold on, time out..." Hat said as she stopped. "I'm out of magic."
"Same." I admitted as I fell out of a portal next to her. "These things burn up magic like fire."
"It really is amazing you two can do that." Knit commented as she walked over to us. "The magic yarn is made to draw forth the wielders innate magical abilities. To be able to control time and space respectively, it's special, even for us."
"That's 'cause we're amazing!" Hat cheered, looping her arm in mine.
"You, okay. Me, subjective." I argued.
At that moment, the door to the Captain's room opened, and none other then Snatcher slithered into the room.
I retrieved my arm to fold it. "Well, look who's up."
"Oh, so that whole sequence of events wasn't a fever dream." He muttered. "It was a wide awake nightmare."
"Hey, Snatcher." Knit casually said, which hilariously made him cringe.
"What's IT doing here!?" He hissed.
"She lives here." I argued.
"You're keeping it!?" He cried, baffled. "Nnngh...seems like Moonjumper's personal flair is gone from it, but it still has a lot of magic in it...it could stab you in the back any day!"
"Like you did to us?" I glared.
"Brat, I can't believe I'm saying this; but I've learned my lesson." He sighed. "Killing you two is way more trouble then its worth. I'm the one who gets hurt. So forget putting effort in! I'm going back to ruling Subcon, comfortably!"
"In that case..." Hat leapt at him and hugged his tail. "You'll just have to be our friend instead!"
"Yeah. Come on, Snatcher...give us a hug!" Knit stretched her arms around his neck in a hug, though with a more malicious intent.
"You two let go of me!" He gasped. It was probably impossible for others to comprehend that he was being overwhelmed by two little girls. Very funny for me.
"Hey, is Bow alright?" I questioned suspiciously.
"The other kid? Still out like a light." He muttered as he picked the two off of him. "Relax, I don't have the energy or willpower to try anything right now. In the span of a week I've been beaten up by children, had my vacation ruined, and nearly lost my second chance of life. I just want to read a darn book..."
"And that was all it took to get you to learn humility." I commented.
"And gain a headache in the form of you three." He added with a grunt.
"Maybe deep down you truly appreciate us." Hat beamed.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no." He floated over to the window. "I'm out of here."
"Don't you wanna stay?" Hat asked. "We could have a slumber party."
"Yes, Snatcher...stay." Knit brandished one of her needles as she said that, which actually made me smile a bit. She could act evil when she wanted to be.
The shadow seemingly shivered. "No thanks." He opened the windows, then paused. "Er...thanks for patching me up. I guess." And he was gone.
"Tsundere." Hat smirked.
"A what?" Knit questioned.
"You'll learn in due time, I reckon." I shrugged.
We returned to our regular activities as me and Hat put in some more Rift Tokens into the gacha machine.
"Okay, colour or flair?" Hat asked me as she held up her capsule.
"I'm thinking flair. What about mine?" I questioned back.
"Colour, definitely."
"Okay then. One, two, three." We both opened our capsules and became enveloped in the smoke.
"Colour!" Hat cheered as she showed off her new bright red colours. "I win!"
"Not so fast." I said as I switched to the Cleaner Cape, which was now black in colour with neon purple edges and gear designs on it, as well as two purple 'V's acting as clasps. "Flair."
"Phooey." She huffed. "Kinda looks like Roombi." The robot beeped in agreement.
"Huh, it took on a form like that?" I held out the cape to examine it.
"Magic, when studied at all, seems to always be personal to the user." Hat figured.
"'When studied at all'?" I echoed.
"It's kinda pointless." She shrugged. "Magic is magic. Woooo~! It just haaaaappeeeeeens~."
"One-nil over science I guess." I mumbled.
"What a perfect time to pop in."
"Wait..." I looked behind us to see the familiar glitching figure standing in the middle of the room. "Badge Seller?"
"Badge Seller!" Hat waved.
"Badge Seller!?" Knit gasped.
"Who?" Boss questioned.
"Who!?" CC also cried as she came into the room.
"Quite a cosy ship you have here." Seller commented as their mask glitched out in different directions, which I think was them looking around. Freaked out CC and Boss though.
"What are you doing here, Badge Seller?" Hat asked as we walked up to them.
"Yeah, you usually wait on the planet for us." I narrowed my eyes. "Are you door-to-door now?"
"If only." They seemed to chuckle. "In case you cannot tell, I'm not one to stay in one place for very long, nor do I like re-treading old ground. So if I were to come aboard your ship, it would have to be for a very good reason."
"Um...do you two know this...guy?" CC asked.
"This is Badge Seller! They sell us our super useful badges!" Hat introduced them.
"Are they supposed to look like that?" Boss mumbled.
"Just the result of some mishaps. Funnily enough, don't regret a thing." Seller smiled...I think.
"So, what's so important that you come aboard now?" I got back on topic.
"It's you two, of course." Seller said as their mask turned to us. "I can sense it. You've both awakened some great magical power."
"Oh, you mean..." Hat switched to the Time Stop Hat, so I put on the Paradox Pendant.
"Yes, this is it." They nodded slowly and erratically. "You two may not fully comprehend it, but you've become quite incredible. I've been across time and space, broken a lot of boundaries, and people like you I find are quite rare."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Do you still not fully grasp it? Or is it so natural to you both that it does not seem that meaningful?" Seller wondered aloud before addressing us. "You two children have attained the ability to manipulate time and space respectively. That is no mean feat."
"Like I said, it's your magical power. The yarn just manifests it." Knit repeated.
"The girl is right. The accessories appear to be merely keys that unlock your power in various forms." Seller went on. "Badges, on the other hand, ADD magic to you instead of tapping into your own."
"Huh...gonna be honest, never thought I'd get the basics of Badge workings." I admitted.
"It makes them lose their mysterious charm." Hat mourned.
"I think the fact that magic exists is plenty mysterious enough!" CC commented from the sidelines.
"Yes, it's clear to me now that I'm face to face with you both." Seller seemingly ignored our comments. "Manipulators of two sides of existence itself...if I would have to coin you, I would say Hat is the Child of Time, whilst Tie is the Child of Space."
Hat's eyes immediately lit up at the titles.
"We're not calling ourselves those. Hat and Tie are enough." I said.
"Awww, but we could be like a crime fighting duo!" She argued.
"We're not cut out to be vigilantes." I denied.
"Might as well be after your rampages across the planet..." Boss muttered.
"More importantly..." Snatcher got our attention again. "How do you feel wearing those?"
"Like I can slow time." Hat said.
"Like I can teleport." I added.
"...Is that it?" They tried to coax.
We looked at each other and responded: "Yep!" "Pretty much."
"...Hmmm." They seemed displeased with that answer.
"What's up?" Hat asked.
"There is another matter I wished to discuss, apart from your abilities." Seller admitted. "About the stability of time and space."
"...Bit heavy there, not gonna lie." I admitted.
"What do you mean, Seller?" Hat seemed to take this seriously.
"Having travelled through countless boundaries, I've developed a certain...familiarity with how the universe works." Seller explained. "And something seems to be wrong."
"This moment, you two landing on the planet, and the Time Pieces you collect scattering, appears to be a very important point in our existence." They spoke. "You've recovered quite a lot at this point, and it all seems to be building towards some kind of zenith."
"What's a zenith?" Hat asked.
"It's...uh...I don't know." I replied.
"When something is at its most powerful or successful." Boss chimed in, making us look at him. "Hey! I know some things!"
"In any case, what this build-up is, I cannot say for sure. Perhaps it is some matter of time-space energy, or maybe just a prominent point in time drawing closer." Seller mused. "Perhaps you two get the feeling that something big is coming, at least?"
Me and Hat looked at each other. There was a little thought in the back of our minds, very small, but we could see it in each other.
"I thought so." Apparently they saw it too. "Because of this also, the boundaries of time and space are beginning to weaken, whether as a result of this, or in preparation for...something. The rules are beginning to get twisted."
"I guess that would explain why the shattered Time Piece on the Arctic Cruise didn't rewind time." Hat figured.
'That would also explain all my dimension-hopping dreams.' I thought. 'And that guy in the hoodie showing up here too...'
"I doubt you both obtaining such abilities in the midst of this is no coincidence." They went on. "Just with the possession of the Time Pieces alone, you already have some control over time."
"What can we do? Can we prevent what's going to happen at all?" Hat questioned.
"That I cannot say. I do not even know what it is that will happen." Seller admitted. "I believe the best possible outcome is to end it, when it eventually does happen."
"No pressure then." I shrugged.
"...Heh." Hat actually chuckled a little, before smiling at me. "Wait until the worst happens, huh? That's pretty normal for us, right?"
"I...guess so." I sighed. "If we can get our souls back we can save time and space, right?"
"Definitely!" She beamed.
"Can you two take this seriously!?" Boss cried, before Roombi rattled him around. "What's with you!?"
"I think this is how those two just deal with problems of any kind." CC said as she walked over to the jar. "And I think we've found just letting them do their thing works out, hmm?"
"I'll help out too!" Knit said as she wrapped her arms around my neck in a hug. "Even if it's something dire like that, I'll stick by you, Tie! And Hat, too!"
"Thanks, Knit." I smiled lightly.
"Suppose I shouldn't argue with your methods. You do get results." Seller slyly said, which made me wonder if they've been spying on us. "But, there is one last thing to discuss whilst I am here. That involves you, Tie."
"Huh?" I perked up.
I stood in the middle of the control room with the Paradox Pendant on whilst everybody else sat in the beanbags in front of the TV.
"So...how is this meant to work again?" I questioned.
"You're the one doing it." Hat pointed out.
"Since the boundaries of space are weakened, it should be easy for you to perform! Even though it is unnatural, there is no better chance for you to learn crossing dimensions." Seller explained. "The conditions for dimensional jumping are strict, but, in this place of familiarity for you, it should be possible."
"So, what exactly are the rules for crossing dimensions?" Knit asked, intrigued.
"No two versions of the same thing can touch, otherwise they both destroy each other." Seller stated a bit too bluntly.
"What!?" CC cried. "Tie, let's think this over!"
"Don't worry, CC! I'll be fine!" I assured her.
'Besides...' I thought. 'If there's something I can tell from what I've seen and from what Voice said, it's that there's only one me, even across dimensions. Like how Julia, Crowbar and...hoodie guy are unique to theirs. It's everybody else who seems to be a matching factor.'
"Though there are some loopholes to this." Seller continued. "It is possible for up to 50 selves to coexist in one space; under the condition they cannot touch. Though such methods elude even me."
"50 of these brats!?" Boss cried in genuine horror.
'50 Hats?' I thought and shuddered. One was enough.
"Even so, jumping dimensions perfectly and without damage seems to be a skill unique to you, Tie. If what you told me about Voice is true." Seller pointed their cane at me. "Even if it's uses are limited, you must test it out."
"Okay, well...where do I go?" I asked.
"What about that Julia's dimension?" Hat suggested.
'Julia's?' I thought on it for a moment...but it didn't sit right with me for some reason. 'I'm getting a feeling like she's busy. I don't wanna interrupt her...later then. So that leaves...Crowbar's, that Subcon I went to, and Sand and Sails...ummm...'
"What's wrong, Tie?" Knit asked.
"I'm just thinking." I told her. What could I do? What could I-wait!
'I'll go to that hoodie guys dimension!' I decided. 'And I'll finally get a name!'
"Okay, I've got an idea." I said as I held out the Paradox Pendant. 'I may not have been there yet, but if I remember what it felt like when he was here...' I concentrated for a moment.
Then, a dark pink star-shaped portal opened up.
"Did it work?" Hat called.
"I think so." I said. "I'm going in!"
"Be back here quickly!" CC called out.
"Okay!" I responded as I jumped through.
I flew for a moment, before I landed, stumbling a bit. 'Woah, woah, bit unsteady...phew, bit tired too, that really drained my magic. But yes! This is definitely a different dimension, and it's different from all the others so far! So it has to be...huh?'
I was staring at a brightly lit town over an expanse of grey, as nothing but stars lit up the sky above...that and a planet, sun and familiar ship.
"I'm on the moon!?" I cried aloud. "Why am I here!? I was aiming for the shiiiii-oh." I sat down. I was a bit more tired then I thought, the portal behind me already gone. "Well...I did it, at least." No, it didn't bother me I was way off, not at alllll what makes you think that?
'Guess it's not bad for a first go...is what I would say if I didn't do it better in my sleep.' I groaned in my head, staring up at the ship in the planets gravity. 'There's no chance that guy is hanging around here...does my teleporter get me back to the ship here?' I pulled the button out of my hammerspace and clicked it. '...Nope. Darnit.'
I thought for a moment. 'Voice told me that the ability to travel flawlessly is pretty special...though I don't really see what's so special about it. Why would so many people want to do this? To expand their horizons? To see the lives of themselves from a different angle? What would people like the CEO and Moonjumper do by using this?...Actually, maybe that's better left unanswered.'
"Stop right there you little squirt!"
"Hm?" I sat up and watched as some Moon Penguins were chasing one of Snatcher's Minions. One that was yellow and green, wearing a flat top hat. "Wait a minute." I stood up. "That's the Minion I saw in the other dimension!" She platformed up the buildings with the skills of one of our species.
"So sorry, but I'll be off now." She 'waved' at the flightless birds as she skipped over the buildings, right in front of me. "Oh! Hello!"
"Hey..." I waved slightly.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Sweetie!" She smiled...I think.
"I'm Tie." I responded.
"Hmm..." She pondered for a moment. "You're not from around here, are you?"
"How can you tell?"
"Sense of dimensional displacement. Gee, you must be pretty good to get here without damaging anything, especially when the walls are so weak at the minute."
"You know about that?"
"Yep. Not gonna stop me though!"
"On that note, why were those guys chasing you?" They still were, or attempting to at least, but they were having problems climbing the building.
"Oh, they're a little grumpy from my latest treasure hunt." She then pulled something from under her cloak.
"A poster?" It was of 'The Big Parade', the film that Grooves shot. It seemed the same as the one I remember...except for the guy in the silver outfit and exotic mask that looked like he was going to collapse.
"Cool, right? It's the only one they have here." She rolled it back up and slipped it back in. "It was the perfect adventure! Having fun with zero gravity! Getting something unique to this dimension! Being chased! So fun!"
"Shouldn't you have taken something like an Award?" I questioned.
"Why would I want to do that? There's loads of those and I can get all the gold I want from any Mafia Town. That's boring." She said. "But this poster is unique to this dimension, and there's only one of it now, which makes it a treasure! The best thing about seeing dimensions is discovering what's unique about all of them."
"Something unique to each one...I guess there is some merit in that." I nodded. "I'm...still new to this."
"That's okay. You just have to find value in something new you gain." The minion told me.
"Hm...oh, hey. Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure!"
"That guy on the poster, the one in the mask, do you know his name?"
"Oh, the oddity in this dimension?" Sweetie said. "He doesn't really have a name. At least, as far as I know. I call him Hoodie!"
"...Fair enough, I guess." I sighed. "I wanted to ask him myself, but I haven't gotten the hang of this yet."
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll work it out." She seemed to smile. "And hey! Turns out I got another treasure out of this adventure!" Sweetie said.
"What's that?"
"A new friend! Boop!" She poked my nose with the brim of her hat, before giggling and running past me as a golden portal opened up. "I'm off on more adventures! See you around, Tie!" She then jumped through before it vanished.
'Well I guess this wasn't totally off.' I thought. 'I'd better get back. Luckily it seems like my own dimension is an 'anchor' of sorts. I'll get back no pro-.'
I was blasted into the wall of a building.
"...Just my luck." I groaned into the concrete as I pulled myself off and dusted myself down. "Voice."
"Tie." They responded. They were standing there with their tuning fork casually slung over their shoulder. But behind them...was a gigantic fracture in reality itself. The air crackled dangerously around the dark green portal in the shape of a scar.
"It seems you've finally obtained the ability given to you from so much sacrifice." Voice said.
"Save the edgy talk." I sighed.
"Hey." They actually sounded offended. "I made the effort of coming here to talk to you y'know."
"And that effort being..." I pointed at the gash behind them.
"Yeah. That's what happens when someone who's not you tries to travel. Not pretty." I decided not to tell them that Sweetie also did it perfectly. "But now that the walls are weak enough, I can travel dimensions too. With a bit of force. Lucky for me though, the universe can't erase me like it did the others."
"Is that damage permenant?"
"It heals itself with time. But the universe still deems it harmful." They seemed to be right, as the gash was ever so slowly growing smaller. "I take it you've gotten a bit more understanding on what it is that's happening."
"Just the basics." I said. "What about you?"
"Oh, I've got a very good idea." Voice said. "See, there's a major point in these dimensions where everything culminates together into something that transcends time itself...can't tell you though, spoilers. I'm sure you understand."
"Not at all with how vague you're being." I grumbled.
"Let's just say we're both in for a wild ride." Voice used their weapon like a cane as they leaned on it casually. They seemed a bit more...playful? "In the meantime, I'm going to continue studying the effects of oddities amongst dimensions. You can do whatever you please with this power. After all! It's your universe given right!"
The scar behind them was growing smaller and smaller as they jumped back towards it. "Sorry this was so short, but don't worry! If we meet across dimensions, let's fight! Until then, see ya!" They went back through the scar as it completely closed.
"They seemed WAY to into that." I thought aloud. "Better head back before I make them worry." I concentrated, creating another portal as I jumped back through it and onto the ship. "Hey, I'm ba-"
I was suddenly glomped by Hat, CC and Knit.
"Oh thank the stars your alright!" CC squeezed me.
"You were gone for minutes! MINUTES!" Knit cried.
"I'm just happy you're back. Did you bring me a souvenir?" Hat asked.
"Can't...breath...!" And I thought Hat was bad! Thankfully they released me. "Hah...! I'm fine, honest. Just got a little sidetracked. That and this really devours magic."
"But you were successful." I realised Seller was still here. "You did keep me waiting though. I thought I told you I don't like to loiter."
"Hey, your choice to stay." I shrugged.
"Remember, you can only cross dimensions from this ship." Seller told me. "And no taking anybody, for fear of them being destroyed."
"Awwww!" Hat whined. "Can I at least cross timelines?"
"Try that for yourself." The masked figure suggested, which I could tell already put an idea in her head.
"Hold on!" I realised. "Knit is an oddity in this dimension, isn't she? She can come along."
"Really!?" Knit gasped happily.
"Theoretically." Seller agreed. "All that aside, you should still remember you have a job to do."
"Hey, that's my job." I argued. "Which reminds me; we're still missing Time Pieces other then the ones Moustache and Voice have..."
Seller actually seemed to laugh at this. "In that case, I'd prepare yourselves for Nyakuza Metro. Now, if you'll excuse me..." And with that, they vanished.
Finally this chapter is done. Sorry it took so long, but with this one we've gotten a bit more plot, bit of foreshadowing, and I've given a reason for all of the crossovers everybody's doing. You're welcome.
Now Tie, and by extension Knit, have the ability to cross dimensions, use that how you want. Right now though, time to focus on Nyakuza Metro! Yes, we are doing this one. I was on the fence about it for a bit with the whole virus situation, but it's Nyakuza Metro, it's gotta be done! Just might take a while for chapters to come out.
IMPORTANT! READ THIS! Now that I have your attention I'd like to give a thank you to Konan720 for this chapters image as always, this time of Marionette Knit which is just wonderful. BUT ALSO! A HUGE shoutout to 'winttiagloam' on tumblr for the AMAZING piece of art she did! It's a fully detailed piece of Tie and Hat versus Marionette Knit! Thank you so much! I love it and you did a super job! Everybody go check it out and give thanks!
Thank you to Konan720 (For both the review and, again, the art), Max waspace (The Jetbat Badge), Fighter33000, Mr. Mega1423 and Soy Sauce for Geese (They're best friends and nothing more) for reviewing!
Next Time: Nyakuza Metro? Maybe?
