Here's the third chapter of this bad boy. Still no reviews to talk about as of writing this.
Also yes, I really like my alliterations. It'll only get worse from here.
I touched down outside an extremely large building.
Huh. This place is Impractically large.
I mentally agree with Texty, as I crane my neck upwards in order to read the sign far above me.
'Dead Bird Studios'
I don't think you can get more foreboding.
Nahhh… I think you could pull it off. Just need several more puns.
A slight grimace flashes across my face at the mention of puns.
I decide to actually get off my butt and enter the building.
A short entranceway later, and I'm in what must be the reception to this place.
Hat Kid is talking to the receptionist and seems slightly cowled by them, while wearing 2 sets of sunglasses.
I snort lightly as I walk towards the kid, and tap them on the shoulder.
They spin round, arm reaching for wherever they keep that umbrella of theirs. Seriously, that thing is like their height. How does that work?
I just keep my rolling pin up my sleeve…
"Hey kid, are there any…" I pause for a moment to glance at the receptionist, "Any of those collectors items here?"
The kid nods, and motions to the doors, which can assumedly lead into the actual studio.
I nod in understanding, and glance around the area above me. There's a broken vent, seems easy enough to yank off and crawl through.
Good think you're slightly shorter than the average person right?
I guess it comes in handy in rare situations?
I ignore the receptionist as they say something, and I hop up onto the edge of the vent, yanking the cover off with one hand before climbing in.
The receptionist sighs, and seemingly begins to call something. The kid is barely a hop behind me, as I crawl through the vent, dropping down into the proper part of the studio.
The kid has a mad grin on their face when they think I'm not paying attention, they smother it when I more obviously look at them.
"Feel free to do what you want. I know precisely what I'm doing." I say to them, which seemingly confuses them.
I immediately take off, hopping down and around the penguin guard avoiding getting caught by them as I run ahead to a little platform, pulling the lever on it, sending me over to the other side of the studio.
I catch a glimpse of Hat Kid smiling as they watch the Disco Birds recording, and I make sure to send the platform back when I move off of it.
I sneak behind the director of what must be this alternate studio segment.
I wonder why these guys are all so against each other? They could probably make a masterpiece if they worked together.
I nod in agreement. A science fiction western film could either be the best idea ever. Or the worst thing since the common cold. It's half and half on that.
I suddenly stopped as one of the Owls turned to look at where I was about to be.
I sigh in relief as they don't see me, and I sneak past without being caught.
I never pegged you as stealthy.
I've never pegged myself as stealthy.
I walk around a cutout of a cactus, squeezing through a gap in order to not make any noise in the process.
I jump up and over a bunch of those owls, diving over another one who keeps turning back and forth between 'recording' and checking if the director isn't next to him.
I land and quickly yank the switch, flying off with the platform away from the owl.
Once again, when I get off it I flip it again, to ensure Hat Kid can follow if they want.
Why are you so careful with them?
They look like they're not older than 11, there's no practical way for them to do this stuff.
Mm. To be fair, they are alien, and also are more talented than you, mr… how old are you even.
I grind to a stop right before I step of the wobbly tightrope I've been walking across aimlessly. I wobble, but step onto solid ground before I can fall, and sit down on the edge to calm my nerve
Last I checked I was like, 18? But last I checked I also wasn't around 4'11 either. Wasn't I 5'3 when I arrived?
I think, if I was to guess, the world isn't used to having you here and is trying to make you fit a standard. So it's shrinking you to the tallest thing that's similar to your physique, which would be Hat Kid
…That was some word vomit, but I think I get it.
I stand back up, and take a bit of a running jump off my ledge down onto a sandbag being held up by a rope, hopping off it onto solid ground, scrambling to get past a penguin before it can see me.
I quickly rush across a wooden board and end up back in the wild west setup.
I step behind a cardboard cutout of a tipi tent, leaning around to see another platform with a lever and an owl.
Instead of trying to sneak past the owl to pull the lever and get back, I flip the switch which shoots the grappling hook I used against the Mafia Boss to grab the lever and yank it across, quickly rushing to get on it before it goes away.
It takes a bit of a leap, but I manage to get on before it goes away, still leaving a path for the kid to follow if they want to.
Back on topic, just because they're maybe 11 mr 18, doesn't mean that they're incompetent. I think you're doting on them. They're starting to grow on you, right?
…okay, so maybe I consider them to be a sibling that annoys me constantly and hates everything I stand for, but I think that's mostly because… uh.
You're sorta desperate for someone other than me to talk to here?
Yes. That.
I jump up and over another penguin watching a fence with some vague malicious intent towards it, diving to land next to a large fuse box and a bunch of penguins and cameras.
What are they even recording for? Intruders?
I shrug, letting my rolling pin fall out my sleeve into my grip, bringing it back to slam against the fuse box.
For a moment, the lights flicker out and the cameras turn off, giving me just enough time to rush past the penguins and cameras, and onto another platform, flipping the switch as I take a breather.
I pull my rolling pin back up my sleeve, and take cover behind the lever, as a penguin is staring out into the darkness of the unlit areas of the studio.
Faintly, I can hear the epileptic conductor who's making some science fiction stuff talk about a deal. I don't worry about it too much.
I wait for an Owl to look the other way, and run to the other end of the platform, just before he turns around.
Isn't it kinda weird that these guys' vision is so narrow?
Not kicking a gift horse in the teeth
I jump off the platform once it stops, right in between two owls, quickly jumping up above them into a hallway. I immediately jump and kick off the walk in order to get into a tiny nook in the corner of my eye.
Seconds after, a penguin moves through the corridor past my hiding spot, and I drop down, landing on the balls of my feet to stay silent and I run past him, jumping off of three sandbags in order to get onto solid ground, slowly walking my way up towards a golden movie trophy.
The owl-like bird stood there, seemingly distraught. Against all common sense, I walk towards him, and tap him on the shoulder. He jumps slightly.
"Hey, you seem kind of down. What's up with you?" I ask, tilting my head slightly.
You are scheming, you little fake innocent boy.
The things I do for my own amusement right? And hey, I'm no boy Texty! I'm a man!
I can hear Texty snort as the bird begins talking.
"Ah! Yur perfect!" The owl-like bird exclaims.
I blink
"Sorry what?" I say, incredibly confused.
He begins talking in wild fashion, "Listen, DJ Peck Neck hired some small girl to star in his movie, in order to make sure I don't win this years annual Bird Movie Awars! So yur gonna star in my films, or else I'll report you to the authorities you hear me!"
I gulp. Oh gosh, I've made a terrible mistake.
I still don't get why you censors your f-
PECKING
…self? Wha? Uh?
With Texty thoroughly confused, I nod at the conductor.
"Sure, just don't include any parades and we have a deal" I say, with a slight smile gracing my face.
He grins in a dangerous fashion, and I gulp slightly again.
"GOOD! Be on my train tomorrow!"
The now seemingly conductor then just walks a few steps before stopping.
"Oh, practicing showing off one of our new props too." He calls behind, throwing a… Time piece at me?
I quickly scramble to catch it holding it tightly to ensure it doesn't slip.
I give a half-hearted glare at him as he walks off, and a thought crosses my mind.
Texty how do we get out of here.
Try doing what the kid does and just hold the hourglass up?
I grimace at that uncomfortable travel method, but do as suggested in almost the exact same manner as Hat Kid.
A second ticks by, and I feel my body be yanked by the hourglass.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
I pant as I stand back in the main room of the spaceship, falling backwards onto the ground, as Hat Kid walks out of the kitchen.
"I got another Time Piecemajig…"
They walk over to my collapsed body and take the timepiece off of me, putting it in the vault in some way that I can't quite tell.
My vertigo from that awful travel method fades, as I finally manage to pull myself up and into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and drinking it quickly, before refilling it and walking back out into the main room.
"So uh. Did you ever happen to begin working with a, and I'm quoting here 'DJ PeckNeck?' Today?"
The kid nods, and seems like they're actually going to say something, before an alarm blares throughout the ship.
TIME RIFT DETECTED!
The kid instantly starts looking panicked, and at my questioning look throws some book at me. I catch it as they run off into the kitchen.
M'kay, so… "Time rifts occur when Time Pieces impact and only crack rather than shatter. When this occurs, a Time Rift is formed, which can destabilise the universe if left unchecked," wow that sounds serious, "Blue Time Rifts are less volatile, however Purple Rifts need to be dealt with immediately or risk permanent damage. These rifts are timeless on the inside, separate from the actual day night cycle"
Info dump much? But sounds like I'd be pretty useless, as the SunBoost badge would trigger both ways, giving me all the amazing abilities it provides, but also make me barely able to stand…
Guess we'll leave those to the kid until you can keep up without that badge.
I grimace, not happy with the idea of a child being in a place inside a legitimate rift in Time. Guess I just have to wait and see for once.
Hat Kid hops down from the bridge onto the blue Time Rift that's appeared.
They take some time to think about the person they've roped into helping them.
Honestly, it was his fault! He was so impolite to them, and…
Uhh.
Okay, so maybe she doesn't have any great reasons, but that's not important! He constantly pushes her away, and ignores what she tells him to do!
At Least he hasn't followed her into the rift…
Hat Kid climbs around the Time Rift with barely a thought. Their practice in jumping around having hardwired into their brain exactly how to move through the area for a long while now.
Are they friends with the boy? He seems really weird and the way he spaces out like he's talking to someone is really annoying.
But he is helping her get the Time Pieces back…
Hat Kid decides that he's okay. Maybe they can be friends soon! But for now, until he apologises for being so… mean!
Hat Kid grabs the Time piece, and the Rift fades. They hold the piece up and transport themselves back up to the ship, just as night begins to fall on the planet once more.
They come back to an already asleep whatshisname. Hat Kid snickers at the way he drools in his sleep, as they pry open the doors to their bedroom and get to sleep themselves.
Finally, we get to see Hat Kids perspective of Demond. Not that she has actually asked his name yet. Next up, Murder! On the Owl Express!
