Chapter 23
After using the space rocket to return on earth, DJ Grooves led Arthur and an injured Hat Kid to his office inside Dead Bird Studio. The office was very different from the Conductor's: it was moon-themed with some DJ equipments and a disco ball was hanging on the ceiling. There was also a star-shaped mirror surrounded by a golden frame with a shelf under it that had different hair products and perfume bottles on it, and there were posters of DJ Grooves' previous movies pinned on the wall. Unlike the Conductor's room, instead of tons of bird movie award trophies, there was only one resting on a shelf at the corner of the room – which was visibly covered in dust and cobweb. The two children assumed that it was the one that DJ Grooves won during the 42th award as they remembered the Conductor's story.
"Here, you can sit on my chair, darling. I'll go get something to treat your wound," DJ Grooves said, allowing Hat Kid to sit on his chair behind the desk. The small girl gave the disco penguin a grateful smile before watching him go to his cabinet to look for something to treat her burn mark.
DJ Grooves returned seconds later with a green tube in his flipper. He pressed the tube, putting a strange gelatinous green liquid on his fingers, before setting the tube aside on the desk. Hat Kid looked at the substance with a curious expression.
"It's aloe vera, darling. It's gonna help you with your burn," the disco penguin explained as he knelt down the Hat Kid's level. He extended his flipper out to ask the young alien to give him her arm so he could see her wound. Hat Kid accepted and placed her injured arm on his flipper.
DJ Grooves examined the burn first, then he began to apply the liquid on it. Hat Kid winced a little due to the sudden contact and not to mention that the substance was a bit cold, but she let the movie director do his thing. After he was done, he pulled out a cloth pad from his pocket and gently wrapped it around the wound.
Hat Kid examined her bandaged arm in surprise. It actually stung less now. Whatever was this aloe vera thingy, it was super effective. She gave DJ Grooves a thankful smile and nodded in appreciation, to which he responded with a smile of his own.
The disco penguin picked up the tube of aloe vera and looked at it, before looking at Arthur. He remembered that the boy also had a burn mark on his leg, so since she treated Hat Kid's wound he might as well do the same with him.
"Can I see your wound, darling?" DJ Grooves asked Arthur.
"I'm fine," the young boy simply responded, waving his hand dismissively.
"Please, darling. It will help your burn heal faster and better. I promise you," DJ Grooves insisted.
Arthur looked down at his leg, unsure if he should let DJ Grooves take a look at it. He wasn't used to people wanting to help him, not to mention he didn't know how to feel about the disco penguin after what happened during the recording. It wasn't until he saw Hat Kid's pleading look that he decided to allow the movie director to treat his wound.
Sighing in defeat, Arthur said, "Alright," then rolled up the leg of his jeans, letting his burn mark in full view. DJ Grooves knelt down to his level and put some aloe vera on his fingers. He then applied the liquid on the wound, causing Arthur to wince slightly. However, the latter slowly relaxed after a few seconds.
The room remained quiet for a moment. Eventually, DJ Grooves had finished treating Arthur's wound. He then proceeded to wrap a cloth pad around it like he did with Hat Kid.
"Thanks," Arthur said appreciatively. DJ Grooves simply smiled at him before getting up. After a few seconds of silence, the twelve-years-old boy sighed and asked, "What the hell happened back there, DJ Grooves? I thought you said there was nothing harmful in your movie."
The disco penguin formed a sad and remorseful expression and said, "I-I'm so sorry, darling. I... I have no idea what went wrong. Neither the pyrotechnics or the firework rockets were supposed to do that."
Arthur cautiously read his face to make sure he wasn't lying just to cover his true intentions. However, judging by the movie director's expression, the way he reacted during the incident, and the fact that he just treated their injuries, it appeared that he was telling the truth. Arthur's expression softened, now convinced that DJ Grooves was different from the Conductor and truly was concerned about the duo's well-being.
"I had the engineers run a few tests during the afternoon and they said everything worked fine. Even the button, I tested it myself before the recording and it worked! I don't know why it didn't this time," DJ Grooves continued. "It's almost as if someone..." the disco penguin trailed off, slowly forming an angry look at the sudden realization.
"Someone sabotaged your set," Arthur finished the sentence for him as he tightened his fists angrily. Of course, it all made sense... Someone purposely increased the intensity of the pyrotechnics so the sparklers would go on the rooftop's flooring, replaced the firework rockets with homing missiles, and disconnected the emergency stop button. Indeed, someone attempted to sabotage DJ Grooves' movie! And the boy already had a very good idea on who the culprit is...
"I'd bet your afro hair that the Conductor is behind all this," Arthur concluded. That snake! Not only did that 'bird' or whatever he was put them in danger during this morning's recording, but he also sabotaged his rival's movie just to win? Arthur was so glad he cut his ties with him before. DJ Grooves nodded, agreeing with the boy's theory.
"I'll ask the penguin engineers if they saw him or spotted anything that could prove that he did it. Such act will lead him to being disqualified from this year's bird movie award," the disco penguin said through gritted teeth. He always disliked the Conductor and he knew that he could get pretty intense when it came to his movies, but he never thought he would step that low. Though the idea that the strange owl would eventually pull something like this had already crossed his mind more than once.
"Yeah, and that will surely and fairly ensure your victory for this year's movie award," Arthur said, crossing his arms. DJ Grooves nodded, then sighed sadly.
"Yes, but... after what happened tonight... I don't really care about winning anymore," the disco penguin said, surprising both children.
"You don't?" Arthur asked perplexed. DJ Grooves shook his head.
"No. I admit, after losing so many times to the Conductor, I wanted nothing more but to win this year's award, so I could shut that... owl or whatever-he-is's mouth for once and... to tell myself that my movies had at least something good in them," the disco penguin said with a glum expression. He walked up to one of his movie posters on the wall and stared at it as he continued talking. "All these years of being on a losing streak has been very hard for me and I even considered quitting the movie business more than once... I... I grew desperate. So desperate that I was ready to hire anyone to star in my movies. People who've never done acting before or even children, whether or not they were comfortable with it..."
Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a sad look. They really felt bad for DJ Grooves. Years of constantly losing and being humiliated by the Conductor must have been very demoralizing for him. It was impressive how he had been able to continue in the movie business despite all of the losses. They weren't sure if they would have lasted that long.
DJ Grooves turned around and looked at the two children with a warm smile, before saying, "But you know what made this year special? It's you, darlings."
"Us?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Hat Kid also gave the movie director a confused look.
"Yes, darlings! From the moment we met, you two were like a light coming to shine its way through the darkness!" the disco penguin said joyfully. He looked at Hat Kid and said, "Hat Kid darling, I saw how overjoyed you were to star in my movies. I watched you having a blast during Picture Perfect; you immediately bonded with your fans and they all love you. Like a true diva! And during The Big Parade, you looked so happy before... the incident. It truly brought a smile to my face to see how much fun you were having in my movies."
Hat Kid really felt flattered by the DJ's words. As a response, she grinned happily and gave him thumbs up with both of her hands. DJ Grooves then turned his attention to Arthur next.
"And you, Arthur darling. Well... I know that your movie preferences are closer to the Conductor's than mine and I saw how uncomfortable you were during the first recording..." he began to say, causing Arthur to rub the back of his head uncomfortably. "And yet, despite all of that, you sticked around. You were here to support your friend through all of my movies! She was the sun that provided the light, and you were the wind that pushed the clouds away from her. I'm really proud of you two, darlings!" he added with a smile.
Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. Proud? DJ Grooves was... proud of him? The only person who ever told him they were proud of him was his mom. To hear someone else say it as well... it's... wow. The yound boy didn't know what to say, but he didn't have to since DJ Grooves continued speaking.
"Tonight, I've realized something. Winning the annual bird movie award is not what truly matters... What's important is making a movie that you and the audience love. This is my true motivation and it's always been the case. My rivalry with the Conductor and my desperation to win clouded my judgement. It got me away from my true goal. From now on, I'm only gonna focus on making movies that I love and that my fans would love just as much!" the disco penguin said with a hopeful smile.
After hearing DJ Grooves' words, Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a knowing smile. He was right: it wasn't about winning or being the best, it was about making something you love. Arthur likes drawing and Hat Kid likes painting. They don't do this for fame or recognition, but because they love doing it.
Arthur glanced at the trophy on the shelf, then said, "I still hope you'll win the annual bird movie award, DJ Grooves. You deserve it." Hat Kid nodded in agreement, flashing an encouraging smile at the movie director.
"Thank you, darlings," DJ Grooves said, smiling at the duo appreciatively. "Anyway... Despite the incident, we've been able to get enough footage for the movie. The premiere will be tomorrow in the afternoon, same place as usual, if you're interested in watching it, darlings."
"Thanks but... after what happened today, I think we're gonna stay put for a while," Arthur said, looking at Hat Kid for confirmation. The small girl nodded. Even though she wished she could watch the premiere of 'The Big Parade' with DJ Grooves, she also needed some time to rest in her spaceship after today's events.
The disco penguin nodded and said, "I understand, darling. Just so you know, the Award Ceremony will be hosted at Dead Bird Studio in a week. I still hope to see you two there."
"Sure, we'll be there," Arthur said. Even though the last recordings have been quite eventful, the least they could do was come to the ceremony and see who the winner is, since they have played a big part in both directors' movies.
"Glad to hear it!" DJ Grooves said with a smile. "You can keep the movie prop you got. I hope it can make up for... what happened tonight," he added, referring to the Time Piece that Hat Kid got earlier.
"Thanks. Anyway, we should probably go and get some rest," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid nodded in agreement and got off the director's chair.
"Wait, darlings! Before you leave. Here, take this," DJ Grooves said, handing over the tube of aloe vera to Arthur. "Apply this on your wounds three times a day, and it'll heal up in no time." The young boy took the tube and stared at it for a few seconds.
"We appreciate it," he said before putting it in his pocket. "See you at the ceremony, DJ Grooves."
"See you, darlings," the disco penguin said.
As the two children headed towards the door, Hat Kid slowed down and eventually stopped in her tracks. She then turned around and ran towards DJ Grooves, before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. The disco penguin looked down at her with a surprised expression, but he eventually smiled and hugged her back.
After a few seconds, Hat Kid pulled away from the hug. She then ran back to Arthur's side and waved goodbye at DJ Grooves in the process, making the disco penguin wave back at her with a smile. Then, the duo left the office, leaving DJ Grooves to his thoughts.
For the next couple of days, the two children remained in the spaceship to recover from their injuries. They spent most of their days just drawing, painting, watching TV, and some other activities they could find around the ship. And of course, they made sure to apply the aloe vera that DJ Grooves gave them on their burn marks three times a day. They could already feel their wounds healing fast and the burns appeared to get less red every day.
The week was quite uneventful, aside from a blue time rift that appeared on the moon. Since Arthur's leg wasn't completely healed yet, Hat Kid went to seal it herself, while being careful with the burn on her arm. After climbing, jumping, and diving through platforms – and being strangely followed by a parade crew the whole time in the rift – the purple-hatted girl was able to retrieve the Time Piece, thus sealing the rift.
Also, the duo received the unexpected visit of Cooking Cat who came to check on them. After finding out about their burn marks, the cat chef grew worried and started asking questions, so Arthur had to explain what happened during their time in Dead Bird Studio. Following the explanation, Cooking Cat made sure to visit them every day, cooking them meals and making sure they were recovering completely.
After a week, their wounds were fully healed and Arthur could walk again properly. Right in time since today was the Award Ceremony. They were going to find out whether the Conductor or DJ Grooves is the winner of this year's annual bird movie award.
Honestly, the duo hoped that DJ Grooves would be the one who wins the trophy. The disco penguin only winned once, and he had been nice and caring towards them since day one. He deserved a second trophy. The Conductor on the other hand had forced them to be a part of his movies and – although he praised them after the premiere of 'Murder on the Owl Express' – he then forced them to run through his train to defuse a real bomb, got Arthur wounded, then he cheated by sabotaging DJ Grooves' latest movie, injuring Hat Kid in the process. Not to mention he won almost all of the trophies. So why would he need another one?
Arthur and Hat Kid jumped off the spaceship and landed in front of Dead Bird Studio. The first thing they noticed was a big amount of cars in the parking lot. Indeed, it made sense that a lot of people would come to see the winner at the Award Ceremony.
The duo made their way inside the studio and saw a lot of birds, owls and penguins alike, queuing inside the reception. Since they were movie stars, the two children were allowed to skip the queue. Upon making it to the front, the receptionist told them that the ceremony was happening inside the movie theatre.
Making their way to said room, they came across DJ Grooves who just exited the movie theatre. The disco penguin smiled upon seeing them.
"Hello, darlings! Glad you could make it to the ceremony!" he said happily.
"Hi!" Hat Kid said in a joyful tone, waving at the movie director happily.
"Heya!" Arthur greeted him as well.
"How are your injuries?" DJ Grooves asked.
"Much better. Thanks again for the aloe vera, Grooves," Arthur said gratefully.
"No problem, darling!" DJ Grooves said with a smile.
"Anyway, what are you doing here? Figured you'd be at the movie theatre to attend the ceremony by now," Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. DJ Grooves' smile dropped and he sighed sadly.
"Unfortunately... I lost, again. 'The Big Parade' didn't get a lot of success among the audience and only got 668 points. In total, I lost with 1532 points against 1680 for the Conductor," the disco penguin admitted in a defeated tone. Arthur and Hat Kid both looked down sadly. They really wished that DJ Grooves would have won despite the incident that occured in the recording of the last movie. It looked like the Conductor got what he wanted after all... which reminded them something.
"But wait, isn't he in trouble for cheating?" Arthur asked with a perplexed look. DJ Grooves shook his head and frowned.
"I asked the penguin engineers if they saw him around before the recording, but none of them did. I also had them check for anything that could tie the Conductor to the incident, but it seems like he made sure to leave no evidence behind. So... I wasn't able to prove that he did it," he explained.
"And let me guess, if you confronted him about it, he would just deny it. That cheating bastard..." Arthur muttered bitterly.
"To be honest, I don't even want to be around him right now. Especially not with that attitude he's pulling at the moment," DJ Grooves admitted with an annoyed expression.
Arthur sighed in exasperation and asked, "Great. What'd he do now?".
"He's been feeling very smug about his victory," the disco penguin said.
"I'd be surprised if he wasn't," Arthur remarked, rolling his eyes.
"No, I mean... he always acted that way before, but today he seems... more smug, more arrogant than usual. It's like something seems off about him, about the way he acts in general," DJ Grooves explained. Arthur and Hat Kid gave each other a confused and concerned look. It was definitely strange that the Conductor was feeling more smug and arrogant than usual. But then again, that must be because he got a better score than the previous years, despite being almost always the winner.
"What I'm saying is be careful if you go anywhere near him, darlings. He isn't really holding his tongue today," DJ Grooves warned them with a serious expression.
"Has he ever? I mean, this bird's got a big mouth and he never shut it," Arthur said jokingly, causing Hat Kid to giggle.
"Heh. Ain't that the truth, darling," DJ Grooves answered with a chuckle. "Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my office and wait for the ceremony to end. I'll see you soon, darlings."
"See you," Arthur said. DJ Grooves then walked away, leaving the two children alone in the hallway.
"Well... let's go see the Conductor I guess," Arthur said with a shrug. Hat Kid nodded.
The duo entered the movie theatre. At the end of the room, they spotted the Conductor on the stage in front of the big screen showing a countdown. Sure enough, he had the trophy of the annual bird movie award at his side. The strange owl was bowing proudly in front of a crowd of Express Owls who were cheering for him. The only ones who weren't happy were the Moon Penguins who remained quiet in the back of the crowd with their flippers crossed.
"Thank you, thank you! You're too kind! No, please, keep going!" the Conductor said to the crowd in a proud manner.
"He's so full of himself," Arthur whispered to Hat Kid, earning a nod from her. He then made a motion with his head to tell the young alien that they should get closer.
Moving past the crowd, the duo made it to the front row. The Conductor eventually noticed their presence.
"Oh! Laddie, lassie, it's you! And yer walking properly I see," the strange owl remarked, looking at Arthur's leg.
"Yeah, it took a week to fully heal. No thanks to you," Arthur said bitterly.
The Conductor only huffed and said, "Bah, it was just a mere incident. It happens." Arthur and Hat Kid glared at him. A 'mere incident'? They could have gotten killed in that train! Oh well, it's not like he cared anyway.
"Anyway, I did it! I won the annual bird movie award once again!" the strange owl boasted, putting his hand on the golden trophy and the other one on his chest proudly. "Imagine the face DJ Grooves must be pulling now! EH HE HE HE!" he added mockingly.
"Great. So that's what? Another piece of gold added to a huge pile of gold? Fantastic. I'm certain you won it fair and square," Arthur said sarcastically. The Conductor seemed annoyed by that, but he only grinned wider.
"I sure did, laddie," he said before pulling out a Time Piece. "Here, take this tiny, insignificant movie prop to match your tiny, insignificant efforts in securing my victory. You can probably sell it on eBird for dimes and nickels!" He then harshly tossed it at Hat Kid, causing her to let out a small "Oof!" as she caught it.
Arthur could feel his anger boil in his blood. How dare he? They helped him win the award and this is how he thanks them? By insulting them? DJ Grooves was right, the Conductor was insufferable today. No wonder he left the ceremony before the end of it.
"Hey, how about a 'thank you', jerk? We helped you win in case you have a short memory!" the twelve-years-old boy retorted angrily through gritted teeth, his fists clenched tightly. The Conductor only huffed and waved his hand dismissively.
"What? You're expecting more, or something? Forget it! Go! Shush! Get out of here! I never want to see yer ugly mugs again!" the strange owl shouted angrily, pointing at the exit. Arthur's jaw dropped in shock before he formed an angry expression. So that's it? After everything they had done for him, he just dismisses them without giving them a little credit? Bastard!
Hat Kid stared at the Conductor in shock. Tears began to form in her eyes, and soon she began sniffing. She met various enemies who called her mean names during her adventures and it never really bothered her, not even when she met Arthur for the first time. But hearing such words from a movie director whom she did her best to help through his movies and even started to appreciate before 'Train Rush'... it hurt... a lot. The small girl then ran away, pushing through the crowd of birds.
"Hat Kid!" Arthur called her as he watched her run out of the room. He then glared at the Conductor and angrily said, "You should be ashamed of yourself," before running after his friend.
As the Conductor watched him leave the movie theatre, his angry expression softened a little. Perhaps he went a bit too far by insulting them and telling them off... He shook his head. No, they deserve it. Hiding the truth about the props for their own needs. Well, it doesn't matter now...
'Tonight... things are gonna change and I'm gonna get back what rightfully belongs to me,' the Conductor thought with a wicked smile.
Meanwhile, Arthur ran through the studio, searching for Hat Kid. He asked any birds he came across if they had seen the purple-hatted girl. Thankfully, some of them have seen her and told the boy that she ran towards the exit of the studio. The young boy made his way to the reception and left through the double doors.
"Hat Kid? Where are you?" he called her name as he looked around the parking lot. Suddenly, he heard a sniffing sound nearby. Looking to his left side a bit further from the entrance, he spotted Hat Kid sitting against the wall, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head buried in them, with the Time Piece resting at her side. He was also able to hear her sobbing.
Arthur formed a sad look, feeling bad for the girl. He knew how it feels to be insulted, then thrown away like a meaningless empty can. He had the same reaction the first time he received insults from his classmates.
The twelve-years-old boy then narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth in pure anger. That darn Conductor! Insulting him was one thing, but Hat Kid as well? That he could not tolerate! He shook his head and sighed. Whatever. That arrogant bird-like moron got what he wanted, and they were able to get back all of the Time Pieces from this area. He was not their problem anymore. Arthur approached the still-sobbing Hat Kid and sat down next to her.
"Hey..." the young boy began to say to catch her attention. Hat Kid didn't move or look at him, but she stopped sobbing upon hearing him. "Listen, uhh... don't pay attention to what the Conductor just said. Obviously, he's got a big mouth and, from the looks of it, he's only good at opening it." he joked a little. Again, he wasn't very good when it came to comfort someone else, but he did his best as he tried to think carefully of his next words.
"But I want you to know... none of the stuff he said is true. You ain't insignificant or whatsoever," Arthur said, making Hat Kid lift her head up a little and look at him from the corner of her eyes. "I've known you for like, what, two weeks or something? And I've seen you do stuff that no ordinary kid or even adult can do. Pulling through dangers to retrieve the Time Pieces and keep them safe, sealing time rifts, saving people... And a kid of your age? You're, what, ten?"
"Nine," Hat Kid answered a bit quietly.
"Close enough. But what I'm sayin' is you're not just any little girl. Everything you do... not everyone can do it. You've got more guts than any adults combined," Arthur continued. At this point, Hat Kid had lifted her head up completely and looked at the young boy with a smile.
"We haven't always seen eye to eye, but... you're better than any of the folks I've met in my life. Better than I'll ever be... So you ain't tiny or insignificant," he said. He then smirked and jokingly said, "Well... tiny, maybe a little," referring to her height. Hat Kid stuck her tongue out at him, then giggled a little.
The small girl used her sleeve to wipe the tears off her face and gave Arthur a warm smile, before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him. The twelve-years-old boy froze and formed a suprised expression at the sudden gesture.
"Thank you, Arthur," Hat Kid said gratefully. Arthur remained still for a few seconds, before eventually relaxing and wrapping an arm around her.
"Don't mention it," he said, smiling at her.
The young boy was glad he was able to make her smile again, even if he wasn't the best at it. Come to think of it, it was way easier than trying to make himself feel better. The thought made his smile drop. Indeed, why was it so hard for him to tell himself that he was doing something good? Even after saving people in Mafia Town during the lava incident or helping Hat Kid in her quest to retrieve the Time Pieces and through moments like this? ...Well, because he knew that he didn't deserve it... He was no hero after all. Everything he does is only because he promised Hat Kid to help her retrieve her lost Time Pieces after all. Don't get him wrong, he would lie if he said he didn't care about her. He really does, it's just... he would never have done any of the good actions he did until now without her.
He shook his head, not wanting Hat Kid to see his sudden glum face and start worrying about him. She had better things to worry about after all.
"Alright. Let's get back to the spaceship and try to forget all this mess," Arthur suggested. Hat Kid pulled away from the hug and nodded.
The two children got up, then Hat Kid picked up the Time Piece she got from the Conductor and used it to get herself and Arthur back to the spaceship.
It was currently nightfall on Earth. The Award Ceremony had ended and all of the birds who attended it left to go home. The employees also left, leaving Dead Bird Studio empty and quiet. Well, almost...
Inside the building, DJ Grooves was stomping through the office hallways, and he was furious. Indeed, the Moon Penguins told him they witnessed the Conductor insulting Arthur and Hat Kid and refusing to give them any sorts of credit during the ceremony, causing them to run away. How dare he? Sabotaging his movie and humiliating him at the Award Ceremony was one thing, but mistreating his little divas? It was the straw that broke the camel's back! That's it! No more Mr. Nice DJ Grooves! This time, he was going to give him a piece of his mind.
The disco penguin made it to the door of the Conductor's office, which was slightly open and light was coming out, confirming that the strange owl was still inside. Just as he was about to push the door open, he suddenly heard the Conductor talking inside.
"Everyone's gone now? Good! Time to go on with the first part of me plan!"
DJ Grooves stopped in his tracks upon hearing that. Curious, he slightly pushed the door open but not too much. Just enough so he could take a peek inside without his rival noticing him. As he did, he spotted the Conductor behind his desk, taking something out of his drawer and holding it up in the air. The disco penguin then noticed that it was one of the props that the strange owl has been keeping for his movies.
"I still can't believe these hat-wearin', secret-keepin', greedy, no-good, dirty peck necks would hide the truth 'bout these magical props!" the Conductor said bitterly to himself. From behind the door, DJ Grooves raised an eyebrow in confusion. What was so 'magical' about these objects? They were just movie props! ...But then again, what kind of ordinary prop would fall from the sky and emit such bright light without any light source in them.
"Well, it doesn't matter. They've already got plenty of these Time Pieces for their own needs. It's no big deal if I just keep this one for myself and use it to rewind time," the strange owl continued with a smirk.
DJ Grooves looked down in thought. Time Pieces? Is that what they were called? And they... rewind time? It's almost hard to believe but... Wait, Arthur and Hat Kid knew about them and already have lots of them? Does that mean... that they belong to them? Is this the reason why they came to the studio in the first place and accepted to be a part of his movies? To get them back? But... why didn't they say anything?
The disco penguin's thoughts were interrupted as the Conductor said, "With it, I'll be able to go back in time and reclaim the trophy that I lost to DJ Peck Neck! And if anyone tries to stop me... well..." DJ Grooves' face grew pale as he watched the strange owl pick up a knife from his drawer. "They won't get a chance to. Heh... Ha! Haha! GWAHAHAHAHAHA!"
At this very moment, the disco penguin's jaw dropped in horror as realization hit him. This bird that he was looking at... it wasn't the Conductor anymore. It was a person consumed by greed, who is obsessed with winning and has gone crazy over power. Someone willing to cause any harm to those who stand in his way and would stop at nothing before his goals were achieved. This was bad... This was REALLY bad! The Conductor was going to use the Time Piece to change the past and it certainly won't lead to anything good. He had to warn Arthur and Hat Kid at once!
Slowly, DJ Grooves took a step back from the door and began to sneak away. However, he accidentally bumped into a broom that was placed against the wall, knocking it over and creating a noise as it fell on the floor.
"Whadda what! Hey, who's there?!" he heard the Conductor shout in alarm from inside his office.
DJ Grooves gasped and quickly ran away in panic. Oh no, now the Conductor knew he was here and was probably gonna go after him to silence him for good! He had no time to waste! He had to find a way to contact the two children! He had to warn his little darlings!
A/N: Hey everyone! So there it was: the Award Ceremony! And the Conductor is the winner as you all saw it, although it was no secret from the moment I revealed he was going to be the antagonist of the Battle of the Birds chapter section. But the Conductor is not off the hook, as DJ Grooves just found out about his little secret. I think you all know what's coming next, right? Exactly. The Conductor's Boss Battle! Get ready for it, folks!
Anyway, time to answer a few reviews!
To Katoptris12: Yeah, I always imagined DJ Grooves being so nice and caring towards Hat Kid. I mean, I saw his boss fight but it didn't really fit him in my opinion. I feel like the Conductor is best suited for the boss battle, although I like him too.
To Shadow Necro: Thanks! I really wanted to make some progress in my story, but at the time I was too exhausted by my temp job and therefore I felt unmotivated for a while. Now my motivation is coming back, slowly but surely.
To pokemonsora01: Thank you, I'm glad you like the story! I have the same opinion as you regarding the roles of the Conductor and DJ Grooves in the boss battle. And don't worry, I have a little something planned for the Conductor after the boss battle. ;)
To Snowballs FF: Thanks! Yeah, I didn't want Arthur to just be here in the story. I also wanted to make his role in the story important and make him have different interactions with the characters. I'm glad I managed to do that. Regarding the crow's formula. I knew that the formula on the blackboard was just scrambled letters and numbers like in an online form, but I never knew the name of the service. Good to know. About the boss battle, well, I'll let you see for yourself once I release the chapter. ;) And lastly, no, I'm not planning to add mods to the story. My story will stay on the vanilla game, with new scenes and different things I come up with. No mods though.
To Mad King C: Indeed, I always imagined DJ Grooves to have a caring side for Hat Kid (and Arthur in my story). Him as the boss of Battle of the Birds doesn't fit him in my opinion. And yeah, I've hinted in some of the chapters that the Time Pieces have something to do with Mustache Girl's behavior, as well as the Conductor. I'll add the full explanation in a future chapter.
To PatoMayo: Yeah, don't worry though. They were in good hands after the recording of The Big Parade. ;)
Alright! That's all for today, folks! See you all in the next chapter!