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A Cloak In Time's Trials

Chapter 35: Time's End - Part I

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The world was red.

The planet was entirely engulfed in volcanic activity. There was almost no land, except for volcanoes spitting out more lava, and there was a large mass of land on the very top of the planet, however. It was like a grand castle of gold. Somehow, the ship had remained untouched, but… with all the Time Pieces gone, the ship had gone dark, only using emergency power.

"Our home…"

Hat Kid was too busy being in shock, before she noticed a thud on the wall behind her. Cloak Kid’s hands were in his hair. He muttered and tried to piece words together as he sank to his knees. His breathing was getting rapid, but it wasn’t like Hat Kid knew what to do… At least, not this time.

This… It was like what happened before…

“I… I’m sorry…” Hat Kid mumbled. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Her voice got louder, but all Cloak Kid could do was whimper and shiver.

But then, suddenly, he spoke.

“Huh?”

Cloak Kid looked up, his form still shaking. He had panicked, almost hyperventilated. His hands shook as he held them in front of his face, but he had noticed one other thing…

He hadn’t coughed. There was no nausea or dizziness. The last thing he could remember was that white flower and the Alps.

“How long has it been?” said Cloak Kid.

“What?” said his shipmate.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“About… two days or so…”

And yet, he didn’t feel ill or fatigued. Was he… better?

Cloak Kid’s frame still shook as he stood, and his stomach dropped as he forced himself to look at what the planet they had explored had become. Tears were welling up in his eyes at the mere sight of it. His memory from last time was foggy, and would probably stay that way, but now… if it was like this.

There was a chance…

He had to do something!

“What happened?”

Hat Kid nodded and quickly told him everything that happened while he was asleep. She wanted to have one last hurrah before leaving, but bless her heart, she wanted to wait until he woke up to make a decision on their next move. There was no way she could have anticipated the Snatcher simply phasing through their shields with Mustache Girl, let alone her double-crossing him.

“All of them…?” Cloak Kid said.

“Well, I took this one back from the rift.” She took off her hat, taking out the singular Time Piece she saved. It was glowing, with a story to tell them.

There was an island with clear skies and seagulls soaring overhead. Among the people was a young girl with a mustache. She skipped past her neighbors and friends, a smile on her face, when a foreign ship approached the island.

Curious, the young girl ran up to the shore to investigate, seeing big broad shouldered men, stepping off the boat, wearing blue suits and red ties. A smile on her face, she welcomed them with a smile, when she was pushed to the ground, and the other men started harassing the other citizens. The girl tries to fight back, but her tiny hands were nothing but little pokes to the men.

The Mafia Boss had taken all the people's money, and they laughed at the girl, wanting to have them share their money with the people. It wasn’t long before the island fell into disarray.

With nothing left to do, she began to do everything she could to sabotage their plans, stealing barrels of TNT, and being a general annoyance to them.

However, she had lost everything, and was reduced to hiding in a cave with only a small fire to keep her company. The wall was marked with the words, “Mafia Sabotage” and tally marks underneath. Tears were in her eyes as she huddled by the fire.

"Whoa…"

Hat Kid had been so distracted by everything, that she had almost forgotten about all of that. Cloak Kid just sighed. He passed the hourglass back to her and tried to wipe away the tears as he saw the planet engulfed in flames.

"This is too far…" he said.

Hat Kid hugged the Time Piece. "But, Cloak-"

"Look what she's done, Hattie!" Cloak Kid almost shouted at her. "I know she's lost everything, but this is the same thing that happened to that man with the mask! To my grandfather! To us!" He gestured to the planet below them. "This is what happens to people when they mess with forces they don't understand!"

"B-But-"

Cloak Kid dashed into his room and was back in almost no time with his staff. Hat Kid’s heart throbbed against her ribcage. He had that look in his eye. It was the same one his grandfather had…

Before that knife was in the air…

"What are you doing?" said Hat Kid.

Her shipmate hopped onto the frame of the lobby's big window.

"My job."

"No, wait!" Hat Kid raced forward with her umbrella.

"Don't try to stop me!"

"I'm not! I'm coming with you!"

Cloak Kid locked eyes with the girl.

"No matter what we think, we have to fix this,” said Hat Kid. “And… I won't lose someone I care for again."

The boy pulled up his hood and tightened his grip on the staff.

"Okay."

The climate was hot to the touch as the two descended down towards whatever the planet had become. The skies were orange, but one could still vaguely make out the stars.

The two landed at the entrance where a huge line had formed and they were at the end of it. There was a golden statue of Mustache Girl, holding a scale and the other hand holding a ticket machine. It read a sign that said, "Take 1."

"#153," Hat Kid read from her ticket. But, Cloak Kid saw no need for the queue. Whatever purpose this was for, he didn't really care.

"Cookie, there you are!" Hat Kid said, walking up to the culinary cat.

"Glad you're alright, dearie," said Cooking Cat. "But it's boiling here."

Hat Kid looked ahead and saw that pretty much everyone on the planet had been gathered here.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. One minute I was fighting that girl and that dark noodle man, the next, I was here. Her voice announced up ahead, saying to ‘await your judgment.’ Maybe you could… skip the queue and find out?"

Hat Kid gulped. "Judgment." If she didn't hurry, Cloak Kid would soon carry out his. He probably would have if he had been in a better state back then…

But on Hat Kid.

The girl shook her head. She ran up ahead determined to stay close to her shipmate.

"I'd love to know who thinks they're big enough to judge me!" Hat Kid heard as she charged ahead. "So I've taken a few hundred souls - big deal."

Cloak Kid had his hands on his hips. "And get outsmarted by children twice?"

Snatcher growled, but the boy didn't even flinch.

"Hello!" Hat Kid exclaimed, pulling Cloak Kid behind her.

"Hey kid! How's that soul of yours?" said the Snatcher. "Still rattling around in there?"

"Yep."

"Listen, kid. Do us all a favor. Go check out who thinks they're better than us! And hit them!"

Before Hat Kid could respond, she already noticed that the boy had slipped away, going onward.

Everyone was here, even creatures that were incapable of speech, like the Dwellers and the small dark birds. The two raced towards the entrance determined to find their way in. Everyone was nervous, but Hat and Cloak Kid were on their toes. Time hung in the balance and in a sense, everyone was counting on them.

"This just like time island covered in lava. Only different."

"The boss'll get us out of this. DJ Grooves is a star, y'know."

"Mafia do nothing to deserve this! Mafia relax and live on island time. It 5 o'clock there, always."

"In hindsight, maybe I coulda done better with my life."

"This isn't my menacing, oppressive home!"

"Mafia not like to be judged. Make anxious. Sweat through suit."

"Smoke! Fire! Burning bright!"

"Not sure if being judged in crime or cooking. Not sure which is scarier."

"What are we being judged for? All our movies are wholesome action flicks!"

"We'll burn together! Soon, soon!"

"Since when is being spooky a crime!?"

Cloak Kid blew past the giant doors and Hat Kid followed him up a flight of red carpeted stairs. It was hot outside and it only looked like it was going to get hotter inside. Still, Cloak Kid showed no hesitation and raced inside. So, Hat Kid didn't either.

The inside was a grand hall… of lava and obstacles. How was anyone supposed to get past this place without their agility and abilities?! They used their hook shots to cross lava chasms and land safely on platforms. There were turrets, spinning around and shooting fire. The cannons from the movie sets at Deadbird Studio were repurposed for being used here. Cloak Kid could only assume that Mustache Girl had a feeling that they would come for her.

Once they were almost at the end of the gauntlet, they saw that people ahead were panicking. Even the Express Owls were losing their composure.

"Give me your back of the line ticket!"

Hat Kid ducked as a book flew over her head. Others were throwing punches and other things were getting thrown. Cats were scratching on the offensive.

“Mafia refuse to be judged by little hood-wearing brat!”

“Do you know who you’re messing with! I work for DJ Grooves! He’s a star!”

Cloak Kid growled. He whacked away a flying pot knocking it back at the assailant. Then, he caught a book, holding it tightly in his hand. It was a long way, but they finally made it to a pair of giant doors. There were voices on the other side. One of them was especially obnoxious.

“ENOUGH!” Cloak Kid shouted to the panicking crowd. They had gone silent from the pot shattering but his voice quieted any whispers.

“Nobody moves from this spot,” said Cloak Kid. “I’m going in there.”

"Wait."

Hat Kid spoke up as Cloak Kid placed his hand on the door. His eyes turned to the girl, a burning fire being seen in them. It was the same as his grandfather’s…

When he passed his judgment…

On that man…

“She’s violated the Laws of Time!” Cloak Kid said. “I have to do something! I warned her! Over and over again, but she refused to listen…”

“I know…” said Hat Kid. “But-”

“After everything she’s done, everything she put us through… you want me to-”

“I’m not saying to forgive her,” said Hat Kid. “Just… we can’t… you know…”

Cloak Kid leaned his forehead on the door.

“I can’t shirk off my duty…” said Cloak Kid. Even though… he had done so, already… Multiple times. “I’m… I can finally do something… I have to.”

Hat Kid sniffled. “Yeah, that’s why I came with you.”

“Hattie-”

“I can’t lose you, too!”

Cloak Kid’s pulled up hood was the only thing that made him feel safe from the pair of eyes on him. All of those eyes on him…

For as long as he could remember he knew: This duty wasn’t easy and it was dangerous, just like it was right now. It cost a lot. The knowledge of these mysterious items can cause one to seek infinite knowledge, but cause much grief. And finding that knowledge or power, or whatever, only caused sorrow.

Hat Kid had lost so much, even before she was involved in all of this. But, even then, her ability to use the Time Pieces without even being near them, was probably part of that potential his grandfather saw in her.

He’d be selfish if he threw away his life trying to stop Mustache Girl… but what about Hat Kid? His grandfather pulled her into all of this, without telling her everything… until it was too late. And despite all of that, despite him being a brat and blaming her for everything… She still helped him, even saved his life multiple times.

She didn’t deserve any of this.

But he had to perform his duty.

For once, he could not break the rules. He had to put the Time Pieces first. If he didn't, time itself would be lost to one girl.

Cloak Kid sniffled. He let go of the door, gripped his cloak and pulled down his hood.

“Colin,” he said.

Hat Kid jolted. She wasn’t sure if she heard that correctly.

“...What?” she said, softly.

“...My name… it’s Colin.”

Hat Kid’s jaw dropped, as Cloak Kid pushed the doors open.