And now this is where things get hectic. And by hectic, I mean we got a boss fight, yo!

But first, let's answer reviews:

1) OMAC001: Let's hope she enjoys it while it lasts.

And now to the chapter!

"HILDA!"

Johanna exclaimed that repeatedly as she search through the streets of Trolberg, with no signs of her daughter anywhere.

"HILDA!"

"What's wrong, Mrs. Hilda's Mum?"

Johanna turned around, and to her relief, it wasn't the police, but Hilda's friends: Frida and David.

"Oh, Frida, David, I'm glad to see you!" Johanna said. "Did Hilda by any chance go to your houses?"

"Nope," David answered.

"She wasn't at my house either," Frida added. "Why do you ask?"

Johanna frowned, and after a trip back to her house-to try stay calm maybe-she explained herself to the kids:

"When I woke up this morning, and went to check if Hilda was okay, she was nowhere to be found!"

"Hilda disappeared?!" Frida asked, nearly jumping off her seat.

"She didn't just disappear, she ran away!" Johanna answered. "You know those things they do in fiction where they use bedsheets as ropes to escape? Hilda did the same thing!"

"I've never figured out how that trick even works," David remarked. "I mean, even if Hilda found something to tie the bedsheet rope with, how was it long enough to help her escape? And how did she escape without anybody noticing her?"

"David, one of our friends escaped from her house and is nowhere to be found!" Frida chided. "We should be looking all over Trolberg for her, not pointing out the realism of a fiction trope!"

"True," David turned back to Johanna. "Did something happen that would've convinced her to run away?"

Johanna looked away with an expression of regret... one that turned into realization as she thought about it further.

"David, Frida, go back to your houses," Johanna got up and walked to the door. "I think I have an idea where Hilda might've gone to."

"You sure you don't need help?" Frida inquired.

"If she is where I think she is, then I'd rather have you two stay here in Trolberg," Johanna replied, taking a deep breath before opening the door. "Just... stay safe, alright?"

And with that, she left the house, the worried children following her behind.

After taking them home, Johanna walked through the streets of Trolberg until she reached her next destination: the library.

Though for some reason, the sign read "Librarby" instead.

Nevertheless, she walked inside, and headed deep into the place until she found the librarian: a fair-skinned woman with Black hair that faded into Purple tips, and who sported Grey clothes.

"Excuse me!"

The librarian stopped what she was doing and walked down the ladder, hopping off as she gave a little question:

"Hello, do you need something?"

"Yeah, Miss Librarian-"

"You can call me Kaisa."

"Okay, Kaisa... this place is the biggest collection of information regarding both normal and supernatural stuff, right?"

Kaisa lowered her eyelids. "This is a library, yes."

"And you're one of those people who are very well versed with not only supernatural phenomenons, but spells and witchcraft, correct?"

"I'm a witch, yes," Kaisa raised an eyebrow. "Again, is there something you need?"

Johanna scanned her surroundings, and once she verified nobody was seeing her, whispered to the librarian's ear:

"Do you know about something called... the Infinity Train?"

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back. "How do you know what that is?"

"So you know about it, great! I don't need to waste time explaining-"

"Nonono, you definitely have to explain this: how do you know what the Infinity Train is?!"

Johanna lowered her head and took a deep breath.

"Let's just say I have a history with it... and if my suspicions are right, Hilda is there as well."

Hilda giggled as she leaned at the side of Branch, letting out her tongue as her hair blew in the wind, kinda like what a Dog did whenever there was an open window in a moving car.

"Hilda, we're several meters above the ground!" Alfur pointed out worriedly. "Please go back before we fall off!"

"Relax, Alfur, I'm just having fun!" Hilda chirped as she crawled back. "I haven't had the chance to ride a Woff since I moved to Trolberg, let alone a Woff-Deerfox hybrid!"

Hilda turned to Helga. "How did that happen, anyway? Branch being a hybrid, I mean?"

Helga hummed. "That's a good question."

What came next was several seconds of silence, which were eventually broken by Hilda:

"And?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to answer my question?"

Helga giggled. "Oh, Hilda, sometimes, a question doesn't really have an answer."

Hilda pouted and folded her arms, prompting Twig to tickle her through licking her hand.

It was then that she noticed Helga staring at her with a little smile, causing her to lean back slightly.

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just that I'm relieved you're enjoying the ride," Helga faced the mountain again. "When I found you, you had this big frown on your face, like something had really made you upset?"

Hilda put her legs close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, looking elsewhere as Twig and Alfur looked at her with concern.

"Oh look, we're here!"

Hilda barely got time to raise her head before the impact of Branch's landing was felt, nearly causing her and Twig to fall off. Luckily, tightly grabbing Branch's fur was enough to keep them alive.

Helga promptly jumped off Branch's body, followed by Hilda and Twig doing the same.

"Thanks for lift, my dear Branch," Helga told Branch as the pair rubbed noses.

Branch gave an understanding nod, and once that was done, Helga and Hilda's group approached the door to the mountain.

And befitting a door that could be seen all the way to Helga's house, it was huge. Like, "three houses stacked on top of each other" huge. And it was also rather elegant in looks, holding several Golden tones and highlights that brought to mind the idea of a palace gate.

"Okay, so, what do we do now?" Hilda clenched her fists with excitement.

Helga walked up to the door, and knocked three times before walking back to Hilda's side.

"We'll be there in a minute!" an authoritarian voice boomed from within.

"And now," Helga spoke as she glanced at the startled Hilda and company. "We wait."

"Wait, what?!" Hilda exclaimed. "We can't just stand here and wait! We need to see the Woff King right now!"

Helga put a finger on her chin as she hummed. "Do we really need to see the Woff King right now?"

"Of course we do! That's the reason why we flew here in the first place!" Hilda snapped, stomping the ground as she added, "You said that if there's anybody here who can help me get out of this place, it's him!"

"I did say that, and I still believe that to be the case," Helga folded her arms and faced Hilda. "But I ask once again, do you really want to leave?"

Hilda gritted her teeth and growled, grabbing and pulling her hair as she stomped the ground repeatedly, all while Helga watch with a neutral expression.

Then, Twig rubbed her leg and whimpered, getting her attention so she could see his visible concern. This was enough to get her to calm down, and respond:

"No, I don't want to leave. But I have to! Mum's probably already awake, worried sick after finding out I-"

Hilda paused, then shook her head. "The point is, if I don't return home soon, Mum's gonna have all the reason she needs to ground me forever!"

Helga scratched her chin. "Is that really something she would do?"

"Ever since we moved to Trolberg, Mum's been constantly getting on my case, stopping me from doing the things I could back when we lived in the wilderness!" Hilda ranted, pocketing her hands as she added, "But I don't expect you to understand!"

Helga hummed, but before she could say anything, the door opened as a voice called:

"Visitors from the ground! The Woff King will see you now!"

"About time!" Hilda chirped and grabbed Helga's hand. "Let's go!"

The girls ran inside, Twig and Branch following them as the door slowly closed, slamming shut at the same time as the interior of the mountain lit up.

While the rocky walls and floor were expected, there were hundreds if not thousands of Woffs either in the air or resting on the ground

"Whoa!" Hilda giggled. "I've never seen so many Woffs gathered in one place before!"

"It really is quite a spectacle," Alfur said, taking a peek from Hilda's hair. "Although, where's the Woff King?"

"The Woff King will arrive soon," Helga remarked before facing Hilda. "In the meantime, could you let go off my hand, Hilda?"

The bluette looked down, and released Helga's hand with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Hilda reached for her back and took out a pen and a notebook. "I should probably try drawing this gathering while I still have time!"

Hilda opened the book... and at the lower left edge of the first page was a message that read:

For my sweet little artist. With love, Mom.

A melancholic look soon overtook Hilda's face, and she kept staring at the otherwise blank page for a moment, all while Helga, Twig, Alfur and Branch looked at her, some with worry, some with intrigue.

"The King has arrived!"

Hilda jumped slightly and hugged her notebook close to her chest as the king made their overwhelming entrance.

And by overwhelming, it meant Hilda was overwhelmed at seeing over a dozen Woffs tied together with their tails, their form somehow making a giant face.

"Oh wow," Hilda took a step forward. "It's like the Woff version of the Rat King!"

"Oh, great Fluffyness, it is I, Helga of the Cottage Down the Mountain!" Helga greeted while curtsing.

"It is a pleasure to see you visit, Lady Helga of the Cottage Down the Mountain," the mass of Woffs said as it bowed down... at least, it kinda looked like it. "And who might your oddly-similar friend be?"

"Hi, I'm Hilda!" the bluette chirped as she grabbed and lifted Twig. "This is my pet Deerfox, Twig! And the elf on my head's Alfur!"

"Uh, hi, your Fluffyness!" Alfur exclaimed, waving his tiny arm with a nervous smile.

The mass of Woffs stared at the group for a moment, squinting each of their individual eyes as Helga and company grew more and more nervous.

Until eventually, they answered:

"Very well! It's a pleasure to meet you, Hilda, Friend of Helga of the Cottage Down the Mountain, Owner of Twig the Deerfox, and Living House of Alfur the Elf!"

"Living house?" Hilda repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"You have come to our mountain to request an audience with us, have you not?" the Woff King asked. "Please, state your request, and we, the Woff King, will see if we can help you."

"Oh, well, long story short, I kinda... fell here after jumping into a train," Hilda giggled, scratching the back of her head. "I was wondering if you could help me go back home?"

The Woff King looked confused. "What is this "home" you are talking about?"

"Trolberg, it's a city located in-"

"We don't know any Trolberg, therefore, we can't help you get there," the Woff King bluntly stated. "However, we can help you get to the other worlds that connect our universe."

Hilda's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Simply put, there are many worlds connected to this one. Perhaps, as you travel them, you'll find a way to go to this fabled "Trolberg" you wish to return to."

"Sounds like the best shot we got," Hilda gained a smile. "So, can you help us?"

"We can. But only on one condition," the mass of Woffs leaned closer to Hilda. "You must prove to us that you can take care of yourself, for these connected worlds offer more than a change of scenery. They're filled with dangerous fauna, exotic creatures that could eat you if you lower your guard, all connected to a world that will pull no punches in testing you and your resolve!"

"Ye-he-heah! Now you're speaking my language, Your Fluffyness!" Hilda clenched her fists and raised them with an excited smile. "I've been taking care of myself when it comes to exotic creatures for a while now, so whatever you have to test me, I can handle it! Give me your best shot!"

Hilda's palm glowed brightly for a moment as Helga glanced at her with disapproval.

"Very well then! We shall put you to the test right here, right now!"

The Woff King's eyes glowed and shot an energy beam in unison, creating an energy sphere that slowly but surely morphed into a humanoid form.

One that resembled Hilda.

"If you can defeat this Woff version of yourself, you'll prove you really can take care of yourself, and thus can take on the dangers of the connected worlds," the Woff King stated. "But you must do it alone."

"I can deal with that," Hilda grabbed Alfur and put him on Twig's back. "Stay safe with Twig while I deal with this, Alfur."

Twig whimpered, flashing puppy-dog eyes as Hilda said:

"I know you wanna help me, Twig, but you heard the Woff King: I have to do this myself."

Twig lowered his head, and walked sadly to Branch's side, who crouched down with sympathy.

With that done, Hilda took a step forward, and the Woff King materialized a baseball bat for her to use.

"You may use this bat as a weapon for the fight."

"Well then, don't mind if I do!" Hilda said as she grabbed the bat.

The bluette grabbed the bat and swung it around for a few seconds before she gripped it with both hands, sporting a wide smile as she seemingly prepared for a homerun.

"And, begin!" the Woff King boomed with a loud voice.

Hilda screamed as she ran towards her Woff doppelganger, who stood in place as Hilda jumped high and spun once before swinging her bat.

However, not only did the other Hilda block the bat with one hand, but she then clenched her fist and punched Hilda's stomach hard enough to send her flying into a wall.

"Hilda! Are you alright?!" Alfur exclaimed.

The bluette slid to the ground and dusted herself before standing up.

"I-I'm fine!" Hilda lied as naturally as she breathed. "Trust me guys, I'll win this soon enough!"

But though her mouth said those words, her strained tone and gritted teeth betrayed her intent.

How did that thing hit me so hard?! Woffs are one of the softest creatures in existence and she's made out of them! How could something so soft hit so hard at the same time!?

Hilda didn't get her answer fast enough to react at Woff Hilda's sudden appearance in front of her, which she followed by kicking her hard enough to send her rolling to the side.

"The strength of the other Hilda is equivalent to the journey ahead," the Woff King explained. "You have to keep your guard up at all times, for the toughest of obstacles can come at the most sudden of times."

"I-"

Hilda was grabbed and pulled by Woff Hilda, who followed by kneeing her hard enough to make her spit... something out. Then, she grabbed and spun Hilda around before sending her high into the air, to everyone's shock.

Then, she sprung up to Hilda's side, and spoke:

"Will you surrender and accept defeat?"

Hilda, angered by the statement, gripped her baseball bat and swung it, yelling:

"Never!"

But as soon as the bat made contact with Woff Hilda, it snapped in half, with the doppelganger none worse for wear.

"Your loss."

Woff Hilda punched Hilda downwards, sending her crashing so hard, a crater was left at the crashing site.

Alfur and Twig quickly ran to the unconscious girl, and Alfur hopped into her chest, gaining a smile once he heard a heartbeat.

"Oh, thank goodness, she's still alive."

Woff Hilda landed safely on the ground, barely paying attention to Twig as he snarled and lunged at her. However, she dissipated back into the Woff King just as he reached her, the Deerfox quickly directing his anger towards the mass of Woffs instead.

"Well, we believe we've seen enough. It's clear that this Hilda cannot take care of herself. Therefore, if she is to go through the journey ahead, she will need help."

"What?" Alfur asked. "But I thought if she lost, then she'd remain here?"

"If I may, Your Fluffyness," Helga said, taking a step forward. "Why don't Branch and I accompany Hilda and her companions through their trip?"

"That sounds acceptable, but their safety will be your responsibility."

"I'm well aware of that, Your Fluffyness."

And with that, the mass of Woffs merged together as they floated to the ground, creating a door with an infinity symbol right on the center.

The door opened up as Helga grabbed and lifted Hilda in a bridal carry, Twig snarling at her the whole way.

"Well, time to get going," Helga sighed. "Hilda'll have more than enough time to rest where we're heading."

And with that said, the group walked through the door, which morphed back into the Woff King as soon as the whole team walked inside.