AHHHHHH I'm sorry this took so long! A hiatus happened. But after hearing the announcement of the upcoming Nyakuza DLC, I got reinspired and determined to keep going on this. I thank all of you for being patient with this. Anyways, enough rambling! Let us finally continue.
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Hat Kid mumbled in her sleep as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. With a yawn, she stretched and climbed out of bed, running her hands through her messy hair. She had a strange dream last night...at least it seemed like a dream. Something about Time Pieces. She swore she heard their normal jingle.
But after a couple moments of collecting her thoughts, she smiled a little and said to herself, "No, that's ridiculous." She knew before her journey, she started with 40. Then after her journey, she ended with 40. She didn't know anywhere else they could have come from. For all she knew, the sound of jingling could've came from the Time Piece she had on hand.
...But maybe to confirm her doubts, she should double-check. She grabbed her normal outfit, got dressed, and brushed her hair and teeth. Putting on her hat, she headed to the Main Lobby.
She walked up to the front desk and went on her tiptoes to talk one of the seals. "Excuse me?"
One of the seals looked down to Hat Kid and replied, "Hi! How can I hewp you?"
"I'm looking for a sort of...hourglass thing. It looks like this." She then held up one of her own Time Pieces to give them a proper idea of how it looks.
The seal's eyes squinted in concentration as he looked over the Time Piece. "Hmmm...whewe have I seen that...thinking vewy hawd…"
As Hat Kid waited for an answer, a seal behind her was pushing a cart with a large pile of luggage stacked on it. The seal then tripped over their own flipper and pushed the cart forward towards another large pile of luggage. "Uh oh!"
The luggage collided and fell all over the lobby. Hat Kid and the reception desk seal looked over to where the mess happened. Hat Kid then spotted something that was underneath the second pile of luggage that fell over and gasped. There were a couple pieces of shattered glass and wooden rims and base sitting around it. Hat Kid recognized the pieces. It was a Time Piece!
The reception desk seal spotted the pieces as well and said, "Oh! I wemember! We bwoke one of those and hid it fwom the Captain! He wouldn't be vewy happy if he knew we made a mess. We twied to cwean it up, but. Um. Hm. We didn't do a vewy good job...and we wost some of the pieces. I'm vewy sowwy, miss! Pwease don't be upset!"
Hat Kid was shocked for more than one reason. Not only is the Time Piece completely shattered, but there is actually another Time Piece! How was it possible though? She had 40. Her computer counted 40. Surely she didn't miscount.
Then again, maybe her vault popped open again and the Time Pieces escaped. Hat Kid groaned at the thought. That would mean she would have to search the planet all over again just to find her Time Pieces again. ...Maybe it'll be easier though since most of the people she has met here are her friends and/or possible family.
Hat Kid took a deep breath. Just as she started her journey long ago with one to help give her confidence to carry out her plan on getting the Time Pieces, she will start one now to start once more.
She walked up to the broken Time Piece and picked up one of the broken glass pieces. This damage seems serious. It's in more pieces than one, which in this case is terrible. "Maybe I can put it back together if I find the missing shards," she thought.
Judging by the size of the shards already here, she'll need to find about 11 of them. But even if she puts it back together, it won't work without its sand. She'll get to that problem when she reaches it though. Her main focus now is to find all the pieces and put it back together. Then she'll worry about powering it and fixing a possible Time Rift that may have occurred when it was damaged.
Hat Kid hummed, tapping her top hat. She could sense one shard close by. Looking up at the large fan air vents, she hopped up onto the piles of luggage and made her way to the vents. She spotted a faintly glowing glass shard jammed between one of the fan's blades and the vent itself. She cautiously pulled on the shard as hard as she could. But that only resulted in having a small cut appear on her hand from it scratching the broken glass.
When she gets it out, she should really not carry it in her pocket or even be grabbing it with her hands. Hopping down while holding her injured hand, she goes back up to the desk. "Um...do you guys have bandages and protective gloves?"
The seal looked worried, seeing her hand. "Did you get an ouchie, miss?" Hat Kid looked down and gave him a small nod. The seal then went under the desk and pulled out a roll of bandages. Hat Kid politely took it and thanked him as she began fixing herself up.
"If you awe looking fow gwoves, miss, you can check the kitchen." Hat Kid gave him a grateful smile as she finished wrapping the bandage around her hand. "Thank you."
Hat Kid decided to grab the gloves before she went around picking up broken glass shards. She looked to the air vent and said, "I'll be back for you later." She then headed to the kitchen.
Navigating through the ship, she eventually found the kitchen. Now the kitchen was nothing bad compared to the Mafia's kitchen, but it didn't look safe to be in. There were open ovens spouting fire every now and then, spills all over the floor, and messy dishes stacked on the countertops. The smell of the area wasn't horrid, but it did smell like various dishes were burning. Not a pleasant scent. Not to mention it was mildly hot in the kitchen. Most likely due to the fires.
She carefully went up to the seal wearing a chef's hat and asked if he had any protective gloves she could use.
"Oh yes! They'we ovew thewe. Hanging on the wack near the Lawndry Woom." Hat Kid looked over to where the seal pointed and spotted the gloves on a small hook. Hat Kid has seen gloves like those before; they were meant to be worn when using really big sharp knives. They'll be perfect.
Hat Kid grabbed them and slipped them on. Protected, she was ready to collect her Time Piece's shards. Speaking of, she did sense two close by. Looking around, she spotted a faintly glowing shard sitting at the top of a pastry shelf. That can't be proper food safety.
Hopping up carefully, she grabbed the shard. Now where to keep it secure is the question. She looked around the kitchen then spotted a sort of empty food container sitting on the countertop. Hat Kid smiled and grabbed it, then put the Time Piece shard inside. Sealing the container, Hat Kid put it in her pocket.
Now, using her top hat, she sensed the next one just outside the kitchen in the Dining Hall. She headed out of the kitchen and spotted a distressed Mafioso where she sensed the Time Piece shard. She walked up to the Mafioso, questioning why he looked upset. He had his hands over his mouth and he looked like he was in pain.
"Mafia bit down on something hard in this food! Child should take it back to kitchen. Please." Well at least he said please. Hat Kid looked at the dish on the table, which had a large piece of meat surrounded by lettuce on it, and picked it up. She nodded and headed back to the kitchen, tossing it in the sink.
As she did, she then spotted a Time Piece shard underneath the lettuce. With a small smile, she grabbed it and put it in the container. That clears out the kitchen and Dining Hall. Hat Kid decided to check the Laundry Room next since it was close by.
Going down the staircase, she looked around the large room. Due to the ship swaying, there were carts going back and forth across the room. She'll have to watch out for those. There were towering white shelves filled with clean bed sheets, towels, laundry detergent, and fabric softener. There were also at least 6 washing machines with 6 dryers to accompany them.
Hat Kid dodged the carts as she approached one of the active washing machines. She then realized it was on its wash cycle without detergent. That won't get the clothes clean. She has made that mistake once and that resulted in wet, dirty clothes.
Looking around, she spotted a bottle of laundry detergent. It was pink and had a baby seal on the cover with bubbles. Hat Kid grabbed it and put in the proper amount of detergent. As she was doing so, she then spotted something shiny in one of the clothing articles. She paused the wash and dug through the clothes to find a Time Piece shard. Squeaky clean too.
Pocketing it in the container, she began heading back to the Main Lobby to get the shard in the vent. But before she did, she sensed a Time Piece shard not too far away. She climbed back up the stairs and exited the kitchen. Heading to the side deck, she stopped at a restroom, closed for cleaning. A Moon Penguin was waiting outside it, looking anxious. Looks like he really needs to go.
Hat Kid rubbed her top hat, sensing a shard inside. But how was she going to get it? There has to be another way in. Like an air vent she can crawl through. Climbing over the wall onto a higher level of the side deck, she hopped down to the other side. No entrance to the bathroom there, but she did spy a wide-open air vent.
As she climbed up to crawl in, she stopped, seeing a shard sitting on the rim of it. She picked it up and pocketed it. That's 4 shards so far. Using her top hat, she sensed the next shard up on the Lido Deck. She climbed her way up and checked around.
While she was looking around on deck, a seal with a waiter coat went up to her and said, "H-hewwo miss! Can you hewp me with something?"
Hat Kid hummed. If it won't take too long, she was willing to help out someone in need. Besides, she can't really say no to the baby seal's cute face. She nodded with a small smile, which made the seal smile brightly.
"Thank you, miss! I need hewp bwinging the empty glasses from the tables to the bar, but I already dwoppeded some. Can you hewp me bwing the ones that aren't bwoken to the bar?"
Hat Kid nodded and checked the top level of the Lido Deck, where most of the tables were. She spotted 3 platters of empty glasses, one for each table. Hat Kid rubbed her hands together, knowing her balancing act is going to have to kick it up a notch.
She headed from table to table, picking up each platter and stacking it on top of the other. She wobbled back and forth, trying to keep the stack in balance. She then carefully hopped down and placed all 3 of the platters on the countertop of the bar. As she did, she then spotted a shard in one of the drinks. For a moment, she mistook it for ice. She was quietly glad she didn't overlook it more.
Carefully getting the shard, she put it away in the container. That makes 5. As she was about to head to her next destination on the ship to find more shards, she then stopped, seeing the Conductor sitting on one of the stools.
He was quietly sipping his glass, but he looked a little tipsy. Concerned, Hat Kid approached. Conductor didn't notice her at first as he turned to the seal and said, "Heyy...get me a Sinking Ship, oan the rocks. And make the good part a double."
Hat Kid carefully tugged on the Conductor's train coat sleeve to get his attention. He looked to her, a little dazed. At least he wasn't angry like the last time she encountered him when he got drunk.
"Oh, I didn't notice yer there, lassy. Out roamin', are we?" He gave her a small, goofy smile and tousled her hair. She moaned a little, annoyed by the hair tousle. It makes her feel like a little kid. Well, she is one, but it's still kinda embarrassing.
"Ye know, if yer after a drink, ah think they might have some wee bottles of juice. Yer a capable one, sure, but what ah'm having isnae fer young lasses."
"I'll...pass on the drinks. Where are your grandkids by the way?"
"They're already at the Daycare Center. The lil' blighters are being watched by the crew." He let out a small hiccup and chuckled a little.
"Alright...just make sure you take it easy on the drinks, please." She did not want a repeat of what happened last time.
He mumbled something incomprehensible and waved his winged-hand dismissively to her. Hat Kid accepted that as a confirmed response. Focusing back on the mission at hand, she headed below deck to check for more shards.
She sensed one just past the Captain's Quarter. Once she reached the hallway, she then spotted a shard...in the middle of an open broken hallway with an open flowing pipe. It was dangling dangerously close to the edge, close to falling into the water pit below.
Hat Kid carefully hopped onto the pipe and grabbed the shard, putting it away. Over halfway done. Next door was the Casino and she sensed a shard within. Normally, she was not allowed to be in a grown-up place like that. But if she wanted to put the Time Piece back together, she'll need to enter.
She carefully snuck in and looked around. There were a lot of colorful slot machines and poker tables in the blue-carpeted, glass aquarium walled room. There was a computer screen at the Casino reception desk that showed the Grand Prize to those who are lucky. 5 million pons. Hat Kid can understand why grown-ups would want to come here. With that many pons, she could probably buy all of Badgeseller's badges, upgrades for her ship, and a lifetime supply of pillows.
Checking with her top hat, she could sense the shard in one of the machines. She walked up to the slot machine, getting good vibes from it. She'll need chips to play though. Maybe if she asked nicely at the desk? No, they wouldn't just let a child gamble.
Hat Kid was about to come up with an elaborate plan to break the machine when she spotted a pile of chips on a nearby poker table. With a tiny mischievous smile, she went up to the table and snatched the chips. "Yoink!" She then dashed to the slot machine and inserted the chips.
"I'm feeling lucky." She pulled the lever on the side. As the numbers went flowing, a small bang then went off in it and a shard came out. "Nice! Got the prize I wanted." She put away the shard. Only 4 left.
She exited the Casino by climbing up to the next level, heading to the Grand Lobby. She sensed a Time Piece shard on one of the balconies. She climbed her way up to one of the balconies on the second floor and spotted the shard on her balcony. How she didn't notice it before was beyond her. She grabbed it and put it away. 3 more to go.
Heading back to the reception desk, she hopped up the luggage back to the vent with the Time Piece shard lodged in. She pulled with all her might and got it out without a scratch this time. Putting it away, she had only 2 left.
She hummed in thought on where to check next. Where hasn't she looked on this whole ship? Perhaps a balcony or below deck. She spotted an open door behind the reception desk and hopped over. With a quick apology, she slid down to the engine room.
The engine room looked more hazardous than the kitchen itself. Large air pumps and electricity at the floor. At the second floor of this room was...an octopus? He looked like he was running the whole thing, attached to the pumps and machinery.
Curious, she carefully hopped onto the pumps and up to the metal platform where the octopus stood.
"Excuse me?"
The octopus looked down and spoke in a deep, electric tone as he said to Hat Kid, "Watch your step there, spark! It'd be real shocking if you slipped!"
Did he just make an electricity pun?
He continued, "I'm positive they could make it a little safer down here, but I guess that'd really amp up the costs." He chuckled to himself.
Oh yes, he said electric puns. Hat Kid resisted the urge to chuckle. She's better than this.
"Anyway, it's nice to have a guest down here. Most folks don't appreciate the hard work I put in to keep the mood electric."
"Heh...yeah, well uh…" Hat Kid glanced around. "Any chance you've spotted a sort of glass shard around here?"
"Shockingly yes, right over there. I was wondering watt it was doing down here."
Oh these puns were going to be the death of her. She looked over to where the octopus motioned his large yellow eyes to. She spotted the shard laying on the metal floor not far from them. Once obtained, she said a quick thank you and got out of the engine room before the octopus (ex-staticly) tells more puns.
As Hat Kid exited out to the side path of the ship, just before she could question where the last Time Piece shard is, she heard crying. It sounded like someone was in pain. Now concerned, she hopped onto a safe boat tarp and bounced up to the pathway where the source of crying was coming from.
When she lands, she sees a seal on its side, crying in pain. Hat Kid's heart twisted up at the sight. She couldn't stand seeing something as cute as this baby seal in pain and tears. She immediately went to their aid.
"Are you okay, little guy?"
"I huwt mysewlf...will you take me to the captwain, pwease?" Hat Kid noticed the rolling carts nearby. Poor guy must've gotten hit when the ship was moving.
She picked up the baby seal in her arms and said, "Don't worry, I gotcha." She carefully heads forward, hopping around the deck to find the Control Room, where the Captain should be, steering the ship.
Luckily, it didn't take long to find the room. There were monitors that showed the main rooms of the ship and a two-way stairway that lead to the main control panel. The Captain was sitting in a revolving chair at the wheel while a few baby seals were on the side, making sure everything was functioning at the controls.
Hat Kid approached the Captain, setting the baby seal close by carefully. "Oh captain, my captain!" She then salutes as he turns around.
"Oh, it's you again, pup...what do you want?"
"I am sorry for taking your time, but this seal needs help." She points to the baby seal in pain. The Captain looked at the seal, then back to Hat Kid as he adjusted the cigarettes in his mouth.
"One of the crew hurt themselves again? What do I look like, a doctor? Kiss it better yourself."
So dismissive. That made Hat Kid's salute falter a bit. Shouldn't a captain be concerned for his crewmates health? Nonetheless, he gave her an order and she was going to do it.
She looked to the baby seal and questioned where it hurt. The baby seal put up his flipper, which had a small bruise on it. Hat Kid smiled a little and gently kissed the injury.
The baby seal stood back upright, feeling less pain in his flipper. "Thank you fow kissing my ouchie, miss! I feew bettew alweady! I fwound this shiny gwass, but it's all youws."
The baby seal then held out the last Time Piece shard Hat Kid needed. Hat Kid eagerly thanked the seal and pocketed it. Now she all the shards. If she could figure out where the sand is, it might get repaired.
"What are you doing going around collecting glass, pup?" Hat Kid turned her attention back to the captain and saluted once more.
"Well, sir, they are pieces of an important artifact to me that I needed to find. Now I just need to find some sparkling sand and I should be able to fix it."
"Spawkwing sand? Ohh, I wemembew cweaning that up! I still have the bag of it." He then pulled out a small bag of the Time Piece's sand. Hat Kid smiled and thanked the seal once more as she took it.
Now carefully, she assembled the shards together and poured the sand. The broken Time Piece began to shake and glow as it began to piece itself together. Then with a small burst of energy, it was repaired and back to its floating, glowing glory.
The seal said "Oooooh" in amazement while the Captain looked shocked by what he witnessed. What sort of strange magic was this pup holding onto?
Hat Kid smiled and pocketed the Time Piece, then turned her attention to the Captain. "It's a Time Piece. It's something I need to keep safe so that time won't get messed up. So...please don't try to use them. It'll end badly."
The Captain blinked, then shrugged, looking dismissive. "Eh, not interested. Long as that thing doesn't wreck my boat, you do whatever you want with it."
Hat Kid exhaled with relief. Now with that out of the way, she quietly looked to the previously injured seal and hummed in thought.
"Actually Captain, I have a bit of a request."
He gave her a questionable look as he let out a small puff of smoke.
"Could I perhaps help out around the ship?"