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Chapter Text

Hop ~ Skip ~ Twirl

Hop ~ Skip ~ Twirl

The air of the Dead Bird Studio danced with electricity wherever the director went, and everyone who greeted and congratulated him could feel it. Express owls and moon penguins alike lined the narrow hallways, hoping to catch a glimpse or the rhinestone shaded eye of the winner of the latest Annual Bird Movie Award.

The atmosphere was alight with energy and joy; the typically nervous owls cheered as the movie director skipped his way down the hall, and the typically cool penguins seemed to snap their flippers in rhythm to some unheard, upbeat song he danced to. The director occasionally pointed his free flipper towards particular stagehands in appreciative acknowledgement, while a small, golden trophy in the shape of a movie camera rested firmly in the other.

He had finally done it.

He, DJ Grooves, had finally won his bird movie award trophy, after all these years! Well... his second bird movie award trophy, but it had to count for something, right?

Leading a mini-parade behind him, this was everything the penguin director had ever dreamed of; to be the winner of the movie award, to be adored by fans and crew alike, and to have his name written in the stars above! Showing up that rude, loud-mouthed Conductor was the icing on the cake! That owl(?) director had his fun in the spotlight, but now it was DJ Grooves' turn!

Heading towards the elevator door, he blew one final kiss towards his entourage as a kind of farewell, and entered, on his way towards his intended destination.

Still dancing from residual energy of his victory, DJ Grooves skid his way towards the boardroom of his penguin writing staff. Gleefully preparing himself for another onslaught of praise, the moon penguin director entered the room, and was immediately greeted (or swarmed) by his moon penguin editors, screenwriters, actors, stagehands, and other colleagues.

“Congrats, Grooves!” one of the penguins cheered. “You're the best!”

“Thank you, darlings!” DJ Grooves spoke with prideful humility, soaking in more of the praise he was given. “You're too much!”

This display of cheer and affection went on for several long minutes, before the director raised his flippers into the air. The cheering died down, and the crew backed away, forming a semi-circle in front of him.

“Listen, everybody,” DJ Grooves called out, “this year has been a fantastic year for us! All our hard work and determination has finally paid off, and I foresee we'll be able to take that energy and good fortunate to next year and the years to come!” The crew clapped their flippers at the director's announcement.

“I understand the last few years... haven't be so great to us,” he continued, the tone of his voice shifting. “We worked hard to make our movies the best, but we always came up short to the Conductor's own work. I, more than anyone else, know the bitter taste of disappointment.” Grooves paused, a sudden emotion starting to overwhelm him.

“In fact, had we not won this year, I might have... I might have just hung up my coat and thrown in the towel.” This got a shocked, worried reaction out of the crew at their director's confession.

“You mean you were going to retire?!” one moon penguin gasped. The moon penguins were no strangers to DJ Grooves' frustration and sadness at always being bested by the Conductor, but to learn he was ready to give-up altogether? That was a surprise to them.

“Yeah...” DJ Grooves solemnly admitted, but quickly picked himself back up, “but it doesn't matter now! DJ Grooves is still in the house!” The crew cheered at their boss' newfound vigor.

“This is only the beginning, darlings!” DJ Grooves continued, holding aloft the golden trophy above his afro'd head. “This trophy - this symbol - represents our struggles, and that no matter how bleak things get, we will have victory! Our path will only lead towards greater things to come, and I want no one else but all of you along with me for the ride!”

The wide smile across his beak, brimming at the edges, slowly faded away, replaced with a deep, sullen frown. It was as if a sudden deep realization struck him, hard.

“... except maybe the hatted darling.”

The room grew quiet and somber at the mention of the Hat Kid. It almost seemed like yesterday since the child from outer space dropped into their lives and helped DJ Grooves with his movies. In fact, if it weren't for her, he'd probably lose out the movie award to the Conductor, just like last year... and the year before... and the year before that... and so on. She was instrumental in securing DJ Grooves' victory...

... and he coldly brushed her off. The penguin director remembered being showered with praise and admiration for his victory. The girl was present, while the owl(?) director wasn't. So caught up in the hype, the penguin director handed over his last hourglass prop over to her, effectively telling her to get lost. Grooves remembered a look of deep disappointment behind the girl's sapphire blue eyes. She disappeared shortly afterwards, and he hadn't seen her since.

Grooves' giant eyebrows hung low on his shades, making the other penguins shift uncomfortably at this sudden shift in tone. All the energy that filled the room seemed to drain away, as the director glumly dragged himself towards the end of the boardroom table, seating himself down. He let out a deep, earthy sigh.

“Could I have a few minutes, please?” DJ Grooves requested, his voice little more than a whisper. “I need some time to think by myself.” Though giving worried looks at him, the moon penguins obediently filed their way out of the room, leaving DJ Grooves all by himself.

How could he have been for foolish? So selfish? How could he have treated the hat girl like that, even after everything she had done for him? She must hate his guts for brushing her off like that. The more he thought of it, the more depressed he got. Dark thoughts entered into his mind...

Was winning really worth losing the friendship he had made?

Grooves quickly shook his head at the thought.

“You can't think like that, Grooves!” he scolded himself, rising up from his seat, turning away from his doubts. “She helped you win this year's bird movie award, she can most certainly do so again next year! If she comes around again, you just tell her how much you appreciate all the hard work she's done, and that you'd be honored to have her work by your side once more. We can beat out that Conductor again!” The penguin flashed a devilish grin. “What I'd give to see his face at another victory!”

“Yeah, I bet it'd be pretty sweet!”

“Wha...?!” Grooves nearly squawked, spinning around towards the source of the unfamiliar voice. “Who's there?!” Scanning the room, he did not find a moon penguin or express owl. Instead, seated on the other end of the boardroom table, was a little girl. She looked very similar to the Hat Kid, except that she wore a red hood over her head, and seemed to sport a small, golden mustache on her face.

Do human children usually have mustaches? Grooves thought to himself.

“Who are you?” the penguin questioned with an air of suspicion. “What are you doing here?”

“Who? Me?” the mustached girl asked innocently. “I'm just a very big fan of your movies, and I wanted to congratulate you on your big win.” Grooves eased up at the answer.

“Thank you, darling!” he replied with appreciation. “It has been a lot of hard work these past few months, but the rest of the crew and I have gone above and beyond to make our movies the greatest the world has ever known!” The director paused in quiet reflection. “But to tell you the truth, none of it would have been possible without that girl with the hat.”

This got a reaction out of the mustached girl. For the briefest of moments, she almost looked... angry? Disgusted?

“Yeah... about that,” she spoke, the tone in her voice shifting to something of reluctance, “she's actually the real reason why I'm here.” The girl leaned in on the edge of the table. “She's been lying to you.”

“What are you talking about?” a confused DJ Grooves inquired. What reason would this girl come into his boardroom, only to smear the Hat Kid's name? He couldn't think up a possible answer before the red-hooded girl reached down under her side of the table, pulling something out from below, and slamming it down on the table.

It was one of his movie props: the shining hourglass piece prop; one of the props the hatted girl seemed to like.

“She's been holding out on you with these,” she answered, clutching the hourglass with one hand.

“How'd you get your hands on one of my movie props?!” Grooves questioned accusingly, his anger flaring.

“It's not a simple prop, Grooves. It's called a Time Piece, and they have the power to rewind time.”

Grooves had enough of this. First this girl barges in unannounced, lies about her intentions, slanders the Hat Kid's name, and now throws around tall tales about his props having magical powers?! Rising from his seat, the penguin director stomped towards the mustache girl, who did not flinch or recoil from this almost frightening display.

“Are you tryin' to pull my leg?!” DJ Grooves nearly screamed at the child, pointing an accusing flipper at her. The mustached girl merely give a small smirk at this display.

“You need a demonstration,” she offered, “don't you.” Taking the hourglass in her hands, she raised the prop into the air, and slammed it onto the table with great and terrible force.

CRACK!

In an instant that seemed like an eternity, the world around the two figures froze in place. To any outside observer looking in, it looked as if they were watching a movie on rewind, as the penguin director marched backwards back into his seat.

And then it was over, and the world resumed as normal. DJ Grooves rose from his seat.

“Are you tryin' to pull... my... uh... leg?” DJ Grooves tried to scream out loud, but stumbled on his words. He looked around, bewildered. Wasn't he just standing in front of the little girl a moment ago? Looking at the other end of the table, the girl, still sitting in her seat, held onto the now-dimmed hourglass in her hands.

And she wore a particularly devilish grin on her face, satisfied with the demonstration and reaction she had gotten.

“I'm... listening,” DJ Grooves conceded, setting himself back down on his seat.

Perhaps there was more to these Time Pieces than he had originally thought, Grooves thought to himself.

Chapter Text

Stomp! ~ Stomp! ~ Stomp!

The air of the Dead Bird Studio hung thick, like a dark storm cloud wherever the owl(?) director went, and everyone who crossed paths with him could feel it. Express owls and moon penguins alike did their best to avoid his wrath, steering clear of his warpath within the narrow studio halls. No one wanted to feel the fury of an angry loser of this year's Annual Bird Movie Award.

The atmosphere was tense and foreboding; the yellow-feathered director (usually screeching with anger over incompetent actors, or complaining about moon penguins or their boss) was deathly quiet as he marched down the halls. It was clear, though, to anyone watching that he was fuming; some even swore they saw puffs of smoke or steam billowing out from under his train operator suit. They said nothing to him (only quiet murmurs among themselves), and he said nothing back.

How could this have happened?!

How could he, the Conductor, have lost?! It felt alien to him, the bitter taste of defeat. And losing and getting 2^nd place to DJ Grooves of all people! It made him sick just thinking about it.

How could I have lost? he wracked his brain ever since the award ceremony. My movies are the best there is! That peck neck couldn't direct his way out of a wet paper maze!

The Conductor reached an open clearing in his side of the movie studio; it'd be a good place to vent and think of reasons for his loss. There were plenty of cheap props lying around the area. If he had to break something, at least it'd be easy to replace.

He was alone, now. Alone with his thoughts.

The Conductor did everything right as director, he thought. He gave directions to his actors to the letter, made sure his set pieces were top notch, his Owl Express train was running at peak efficiency, and the plot was air-tight. Yet he still lost... but why? Were people just no longer interested in his train heists and murder mystery movies?

No. Sabotage.

It had to have been sabotage. Someone, obviously working to undermine the Conductor's movie efforts, had to have been responsible for him getting 2^nd place, but who? The express owls? Hardly... they were too nervous and useless to try anything bold like that. The moon penguins? Unlikely... they were more interested in pleasing DJ Grooves and sharing in his presence. The crows? Doubtful... all they did was goof around and do peck-all to solve or do anything.

The owl(?) director couldn't take this anymore. The more he thought of possible suspects, the more dead-ends he faced. The more dead-ends he faced, the angrier he got, until he finally reached boiling point. His breathing became labored, and his vision started to blur. He couldn't keep this up, or his old body would collapse under the strain of his rage.

He had to break something. Anything.

Fumbling around for any prop he could get his trembling hands on, the Conductor grabbed the first thing he got a hold of, readying himself to break the prop.

“PECK NECK!” the Conductor screeched, throwing the prop to the ground, smashing it into pieces. Though it did little to quell his anger, at least he managed to vent it out without too much damage done.

Breathing heavily, the Conductor looked around, trying to figure out what he broke. Whatever it was, there were several large shards of glass that littered the ground now, and an object that laid face-down. He would have ignored the broken prop, ordinarily, and have a janitor clean up after himself, but there weren't going to be anyone coming by to clean up. And curiosity got the better of him. What did he break, he wondered.

Tiptoeing to avoid the glass shards, the owl(?) director reached down on the ground, picking up the unknown item. With the prop in his hands, the Conductor turned it over, and nearly gasped in surprise:

It wasn't a prop, but a cracked portrait of himself and the little Hat Kid (or lass, as he called her), standing in front of the Owl Express. He had his arm rested around her shoulders while she made V-signs with her fingers, and the two of them looked happy together. It had to have been the happiest he was in a long, long time. Of course, he didn't remember taking this picture; he must have been drunk at the time.

Was it the lass that cost me my movie award? a sudden thought entered the Conductor's mind. It seemed logical to think that, as her sudden appearance caused quite the stir in the bird movie world. A human entering into the Dead Bird Studio, meddling with the Annual Bird Movie Awards with her mere presence. It didn't help that she was taken under DJ Grooves' wing, becoming the star of his own movie, and helping him out.

It had to have been the Hat Kid to be the saboteur! It had to have been her! There was no other explanation!

...

No.

The Conductor shook his head of the thought. She couldn't have been the one who screwed him over. She did her best to make his movie the best it could be, and it was clear she wasn't trying to pick favorites. Then again, he did make high demands of the Hat Kid with his death-defying stunts, as well as recording everything without her knowledge...

... and the fact he'd been a total jerk to her the entire time.

“It was me...” the Conductor gasped, struck with sudden realization, “I was the one who sabotaged me own movie.”

It had happened again, he thought. His anger and obsession with winning his trophies had cost him personally, pushing away those who were close to him. He pushed away his family, his friends, his co-workers...

... and now he had push the little lass away, too, and she was never coming back.

The anger he felt not a minute ago slowly faded away, morphing into a deep, all-consuming sadness and misery that pained his heart far worse than his rage ever did.

Still gripping the broken portrait in his shaking hands, the Conductor fell to his knees, not caring if he was kneeling in glass shards.

He felt so small... so very small. And so very alone.

“Oh lass...” he murmured, barely a whisper, “... what have I done?”

Staring at the broken portrait of himself and the Hat Kid, the Conductor wandered near aimlessly within the basement of the Dead Bird Studio. Several of DJ Grooves' moon penguin staff passed by him, talking among themselves about their director's current mood, but he paid no heed to them. He was too deep in self-reflection to come up with any snide remarks to his rival's writing staff.

Right now, he felt like the biggest jerk in the world.

Thoughts of the little girl's boundless optimism and enthusiasm brought a small smile to his face; it reminded him of his youth as a little bird inspired to make movies, as well as a young director making his first movies. He held such passion and drive to making his movies the best they were, even if DJ Grooves was competing against him.

But now? Now making movies felt like a chore to him; he had went through the motions of it all.

The Hat Kid had the same energy he once had during his youth... and the Conductor promptly snuffed it out with his attitude, he believed.

The owl(?) director found himself along a hallway, littered with boxes full of different props, costumes, and movie scripts. A stack of film reels, almost as tall as him stood, rested just outside of a door. The Conductor knew that he must have been just outside DJ Grooves' boardroom.

The peck neck was notorious for being incredibly disorganized.

The Conductor considered his options. No doubt DJ Grooves was inside, basking in his victory. Part of him just wanted to walk away and not talk to the moon penguin, or march inside and yell at the top of his lungs. Neither option seemed pleasing to him. Not this time.

Stopping short of the boardroom, slightly opened, the Conductor took in a deep breath.

“Ye can do this, Conductor,” the owl(?) mentally prepared himself. “All ye have to do is to walk right into that boardroom, and right up to DJ Pec--- Grooves. If he starts rubbing his win in yer face, ye just give a big smile, a firm handshake, and tell him congratulations. Then ye can run home, and cry. That should do!”

Nodding with a smile, the Conductor reached towards the door to the boardroom.

“She's been holding out on you with these.”

The old bird recoiled with surprise at the unfamiliar voice - which sounded young and accented - coming from the boardroom.

“How'd you get your hands on one of my movie props?!” came an accusing voice he could recognize, though. Were the two having a conversation inside the boardroom?

Curious, the Conductor nudged the door ever so slightly, just enough to peer inside the boardroom. To his surprise, he saw DJ Grooves sitting on one end of the boardroom table, and on the other end was a little red-hooded girl (who oddly had a small mustache on her face). In the girl's hands, to his shock, was one of the shining hourglass movie props the two directors used in their latest movies.

The same ones that the Hat Kid seemed to like.

“It's not a simple prop, Grooves,” the mustached girl answered. “It's called a Time Piece, and they have the power to rewind time.”

“Time... Piece?” the Conductor muttered under his breath, careful not to alert the two parties of his presence. Continuing with his spying, he watched as a livid DJ Grooves rose from his seat, and stomped towards the small child. It put a smile on the old owl's(?) face, knowing that the penguin wasn't above losing his temper or getting angry.

“Are you tryin' to pull my leg?!” DJ Grooves screamed at the girl, who did not flinch in the slightest.

“You need a demonstration,” she offered with a grin, “don't you.”

What was the hooded girl planning, the Conductor wondered. He was answered by the girl raising the hourglass in the air, and smashing it onto the table. The hourglass immediately broke in two, emitting a bright light.

To the Conductor's surprise, the world around the two figures froze in place. And to his shock, he witnessed DJ Grooves starting to walk backwards back into his seat, like he was in a movie on rewind. Once the penguin director was back in his seat, the world around himself and the girl resumed as normal. DJ Grooves rose from his seat.

“Are you tryin' to pull... my... uh... leg?” DJ Grooves stammered on his words, dumbfounded and unsure on what just happened just now. All he saw was the mustached girl, now holding a dimmed hourglass in her hands, giving a confident smirk on her face. The moon penguin sat himself back down. “I'm... listening.”

“Those... Time Pieces...” the Conductor murmured to himself, taking in everything he just witnessed, “they actually do have the power of rewinding time... and I had that power in me hand from the start.” He paused in thought. “Was that the reason the little lass was so interested in them?” He peered back inside the boardroom, where DJ Grooves was still reeling from his experience.

“Convinced yet about the Time Pieces' power?” the mustached girl questioned, to which the penguin director gave a slight nod. “Well, it's yours now.” The girl slid the Time Piece from her side of the table to his, to which he caught it in his flipper.

“Well, thank you, darling!” DJ Grooves thanked the girl, but quickly raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because-” the girl hopped off her seat, walking towards a whiteboard in the room “-I sympathize with you. We're much more alike than you realize.” The red-hooded girl paused briefly. “Do you know anything about the Mafia of Cooks, Grooves?”

“Vaguely.” The penguin shrugged.

“Well, I used to live on my happy little island home, until they came along and took it over, turning it into Mafia Town. I stayed and fought those goons, but I'll admit-” the mustached girl frowned deeply “-it got discouraging fighting an uphill battle against the Mafia.

“Then Hat Kid came along,” she continued, “and told me she was looking for those hourglasses the Mafia had gotten their hands on. I wanted the Mafia gone, and she wanted those hourglasses. It made sense that we formed a partnership.” The girl gave a small, melancholy smile. “I even thought that we'd be the best of friends.

“But then I learned what the Time Pieces could do, and I wanted to use it to remove the Mafia from my home for good... maybe even become time-travelling crime-fighters with her.” Her mood turned sour. “Hat Kid, being selfish, wanted to hog all the Time Pieces for herself, not wanting to share any of it with those who need it! I made it my mission to find all the Time Pieces before she does, and rid the world of evil!”

The Conductor, still spying on the two, shook his head. No one person should ever have that kind of power, he thought. If Hat Kid was collecting those Time Pieces, it had to have been for a good reason – namely, to keep them out of hands like the mustached girl's. The owl(?) turned to DJ Grooves, who kept silent to the girl's story the whole time.

“If you're trying to find these Time Pieces,” the penguin questioned, motioning towards the relic in his flippers, “why are you giving me this one?”

“As I said,” the girl answered, returning to her seat, “I sympathize with you. I know what it's like to work against someone who's totally undeserving of what they got.” She leaned forward, a particular look gleamed in her eye. “Tell me: how many trophies did that Conductor win?”

DJ Grooves frowned at the question, answering, “Over three-hundred.”

“Three-hundred and eighty-five, to be exact,” the Conductor corrected him under his breath.

“And besides this latest one,” she continued, “how many trophies did you win?”

 The penguin director frowned even harder, lowering his head in shame. “Just one.” His answer was little more than a whisper. “Award 42.” The Conductor himself grimaced at the answer.

“Ugh... 42,” he spat out. “Not one of me finer years...” The year of Award 42 sat as a dark stain in the Conductor's movie career... in his life. Suddenly, troubling images of that fateful year flashed before his eyes; images of his train nearly being destroyed in a derailing accident, his wife threatening to leave him over personal issues at home, himself nearly collapsing on set from stress, and his props being stolen on a near daily basis. All of which culminating in him being unable to put his 100% in his projects. It gave DJ Grooves the win, and it broke the Conductor's own perfect winning streak.

It was a black stain on his otherwise good life, filling him with deep regret.

“And why do you think he won all those other awards?” the girl inquired.

“Because I make better movies than he does, little girl,” the Conductor remarked to himself.

“It's because he has cheated from the very start!” DJ Grooves snarled, slamming his flipper onto the table. “He's been manipulating everything to put himself on top every time!”

The Conductor could only gawk, nearly choking on his own rage. Cheated?! Did DJ Grooves just accuse him of cheating in the bird movie awards?! The Conductor was no cheat! Sure, he was loud, crass, and rude, but a cheater he was not! He paused briefly, considering the true meaning of the penguin's words. Did DJ Grooves think so little of him? Though they had their bitter rivalry, it was always assumed that the two had some modicum of respect for the other's work. It was clear, though, that the DJ thought nothing of the Conductor.

Why, he had half a mind to just walk right into that boardroom and up to DJ Grooves, and smack him right in the beak, but he stopped himself from doing anything rash. He continued to spy on the two.

“So now you know what you must do, right?” the mustached girl quizzed.

“I do.” DJ Grooves nodded, picking up the Time Piece in his flipper. “I'm gonna use this Time Piece to reclaim all the trophies that I deserve! Thank you, darling. You've opened my eyes... that Hat Kid has been selfish for keeping these gifts from me! I made her into a star, and this is how she repays me?!”

The Conductor looked on in horror. He wasn't looking at DJ Grooves. He wasn't even looking at a movie director. He was looking at a mad bird, drunk on power and self righteousness. He was looking at a vindictive creature with the power to manipulate time as he saw fit.

He was looking at himself - what he was, what he could have been.

Part of him told him to run away, but he remained put, wanting to know just how deep this bird hole went.

“There's just one other thing you need to do, Grooves,” the mustache girl informed him. “You can't let anyone know about this secret deal of ours. Not the owls, not the penguins, not that Conductor, and especially not that Hat Kid!”

“Don't you worry,” DJ Grooves assured her, “this will be our little secret.” He paused, his expression darkening. “But on the off chance the Conductor or the darling do find out about this last Time Piece, well... I'll be cooking up a big surprise for the two of them.”

“Lass...!” the Conductor gasped, horrified at the thought of someone willing to hurt his little movie star. He tried to back away from what he just witnessed and heard...

... and backed straight into a stack of film reels.

CRASH!

“Peck!” he squawked, vainly trying to keep the film reels from falling over, making more noise than he wanted. The owl(?) director held his breath, hoping and praying the two didn't just hear all that commotion.

“Conductor?” DJ Grooves called out.

The Conductor didn't waste time answering, bolting out from his spot, far away from the mad penguin.

“I've got to warn the little lass!” he cried out, speeding his way through the Dead Bird Studio basement. “I've got to warn her about the last Time Piece!”

Chapter Text

 Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap 

The Conductor nervously checked over his shoulder, as he frantically pressed the button for the elevator to arrive. At any moment, DJ Grooves and his moon penguin goons will round the corner, trapping the owl(?) director, and ensuring he doesn't squawk.

“Where are ye, elevator?!” the Conductor demanded in a panicked tone. It was never there when he needed it most.

Ding!

The elevator doors slid open with a hiss, and the old bird wasted no time rushing in. Pressing for the top floor of the Dead Bird Studio, the door slid back closed, and the Conductor started his slow ascent back to the surface.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He was alone and safe... for now. There was plenty of time for the Conductor to think over what he just witnessed, and what it meant for him and the bird movie awards.

The ability to rewind time, the Conductor thought to himself, and DJ Grooves has that power now! Though he was never a science fiction enthusiast, even he knew just how dangerous the ability to rewrite history was.

Should the penguin director fully use the power of the Time Piece, he could, at best, claim all the trophies that the Conductor had previously won. At worst, however, the mad penguin could affect history in such a way that could irrevocably change who people would be. The Conductor may not be the Conductor anymore. Peck... DJ Grooves could even wipe out the old owl's(?) very existence if he felt so inclined.

The thought of it made the Conductor shudder in horror. It was all the more reason he had to enlist the Hat Kid's help to stop the mad director. She seemed to know what's going on. All he had to do was get out of the Dead Bird Studio, and find a way to contact the little alien child.

“Peck...” the Conductor muttered under his breath, tapping his foot impatiently, “what's taking this elevator so long? Never took this long before.” The old bird froze in horror at a sudden thought.

Could DJ Grooves have had someone tamper with the elevator? Would the Conductor be trapped inside, left helpless as the moon penguin carries out his diabolical scheme? In a panic, the Conductor banged at the elevator door, hoping it'll open.

Ding!

Answering his prayers, the elevator door slid open, and the Conductor nearly fumbled his way out onto the studio floor.

The studio lights were closed, and there were no one else around the area. It must be closed for the night, the Conductor thought. Hopefully none of DJ Peck Neck's hench-penguins are around, either.

Taking no chances, the Conductor made his way through the empty Dead Bird Studio, keeping to the shadows in case there was someone else looking for him.

In the past, the old owl(?) would spend many tireless nights working on his movies, perfecting them well into the early morning without sleep or rest (it was overrated, anyway). Yet it always unnerved him seeing just how quiet and empty the studio could get when no one was around.

It was quiet... too quiet.

The tense calm was broken by the sound of footsteps coming the Conductor's way... accompanied by the light of a flashlight.

Someone was coming!

Thinking quick, the owl(?) director dove into the set piece of his, hiding behind fake bushes out of sight. Poking his feathered head out, the Conductor spied a small group of moon penguins on patrol, scanning the area with their flashlights.

No doubt they were searching for him.

Waiting for the penguins to pass by, with the coast cleared, the Conductor rose from his hiding spot, and continued towards the exit.

The old owl(?) ducked and weaved through his movie sets with ease; despite the near pitch blackness that enveloped the studio, he knew the layout of his side of the studio like it was second nature to him. That was one advantage he had over those moon penguins.

Spotting the exit to the reception area, the Conductor dashed towards the door, bursting through it with great speed...

... and straight into three moon penguins.

Waiting for him.

“Where do you think you're going, Conductor?” one of the moon penguins questioned ominously, snapping with non-existent fingers. The Conductor, nearly having his heart leap out of his throat, did his best to compose himself.

“I-I'm going home for the evening,” he answered, trying to hide the terror in his voice with an air of typical annoyance. “What's it to ye, peck neck?” He attempted to casually walk past the moon penguins, but they immediately blocked his path with a shove.

“I'm afraid we can't let you do that, Conductor,” another penguin responded. “We know what you're planning. We know you're going to try and cheat DJ Grooves out of another victory of his. He told us all about it.” The Conductor merely grimaced at the answer. Of course DJ Peck Neck would spread more lies about him.

“Did he also tell ye that he's gotten his flippers on a magical relic that'll mess around with time itself?” the owl(?) director attempted to reason.

“We're not listening to another word you have to say,” the third penguin spoke. “Grooves would never lie to us.”

“We don't want to make things difficult for any of us tonight,” the first moon penguin demanded, slowly starting to approach the Conductor. “So just come quietly, Conductor.”

“Or there will be... trouble,” the second penguin warned, brandishing a flashlight, waving it around like a makeshift club.

The Conductor felt cornered. The three moon penguins slowly approached him, wielding flashlights like clubs, and they kept on snapping their flippers. He always found the moon penguins' flipper snapping to be annoying, but now it filled him with a sense of dread – like it would be the last thing he would ever hear.

The goons were either going to try and capture the Conductor, or kill him. Neither option seemed good for him.

That was when the Conductor remembered with a smile; he wasn't just a train operator, movie director, or actor. He was a stunt bird! And he did his own stunts. He would never trust one of his express owls to act as a body-double of his. They were terrible at stunts, anyhow.

Before the moon penguins could react, the Conductor rushed towards the trio, and jumped into the air, planting his foot in the middle penguin's face with a mighty stomp.

Thomp!

“YE'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!” the owl(?) director screeched, landing behind the startled and dazed penguin goons. He took this surprise opportunity to bolt towards the exit; the penguins didn't follow, too dumbfounded to react from what just happened (and one of them on the floor after being kicked in the face by the old bird).

Now outside in the empty parking lot, the Conductor looked around the area, trying to plan his next move. He knew it wouldn't be long before the moon penguins would recover from his little stunt and chase him again. With the pale Moon's light shining down on him, the Conductor made a decision, and ran towards the only safe location he could think of to avoid DJ Grooves' army of lackeys:

The Owl Express!

Racing towards the back of the studio, the Conductor made his way towards the makeshift train station built just for him and his train. His beloved locomotive was undergoing repairs from his last explosive filming session with the Hat Kid. Finally reaching the engine, the old bird checked his surroundings, making sure he wasn't being followed, and hopped into the steel machine.

Inside the locomotive, the Conductor shuffled his way towards the driver's seat of the train, pressing a multitude of buttons and throwing switches on the main control panel.

“Activate Safety Defense Mode!” he bellowed at an unseen person inside the train. The old owl(?) director was greeted with a series of beeps and whistles.

“Safety Defense Mode active,” the train's onboard computer responded, accompanied by the sound of metal scraping against metal.

In an instant, a wall of steel panels shifted along the outside of the locomotive, covering the windows and enveloping the Conductor in darkness. To anyone watching from the outside, it looked like the Owl Express had encased itself in a giant metal cocoon. No one would get in – no one would get out.

In the darkness, a new series of mechanical noises filled the void. Approaching the source of the sound, the Conductor's face lit-up as a collection of TV screens illuminated his face, one by one. On each screen was a security feed of a different part of his side of the Dead Bird Studio; each of them were recording through hidden security cameras the Conductor added years ago to try and catch a thief that had kept stealing his props. Though the thief was never caught, it did provide the old owl(?) director a good way to keep an eye on his express owls to see if any of them were slacking-off.

Or in this case, to see what DJ Grooves was up to.

Glaring at one feed, the Conductor could see the three moon penguins that confronted him were still in the reception lobby. The trio were soon joined by their boss and his entourage of penguins.

“Where is the Conductor?!” the penguin director demanded.

“H-he got away from us,” the moon penguin with a shoe print on their face answered sheepishly. “We think he got into his train.” Grooves merely looked away in disappointment, seemingly cursing under his breath.

“Let him hide away in his little chu-chu safe space,” DJ Grooves announced. “This night will be ours for the taking. Come, penguins! We're about to make... and rewrite history!” All of the moon penguins swiftly walked out of sight of the security feed, much to the Conductor's chagrin.

“What are ye planning, Grooves?” he snarled lowly. Though he hated to admit it, the peck neck had a point in one thing: he couldn't just sit by and do nothing while the mad penguin changed history.

He had to call the Hat Kid.

“Contact Her Spaceship,” the Conductor instructed the onboard computer.

“Attempting to find Her Spaceship now,” the computer responded, allowing a quick nod from the old owl(?). He had remembered the hatted girl talking about how she came from outer space, and that she had, somehow, named her spaceship Her Spaceship. The Conductor mentally kicked himself for trying to dismiss her stories as nonsense.

Surveying the numerous security feeds, the Conductor could not find DJ Grooves or his moon penguins anywhere. They were either on the penguin director's side of the studio (which didn't have any of the Conductor's hidden cameras installed), or they were being extra sneaky in their activities.

“Her Spaceship could not be found,” the computer announced. The Conductor could only groan at the computer's incompetence.

“Try again!” he snarled.

“Attempting to find Her Spaceship now.”

Nodding again, the Conductor returned to the security feeds. It was then he noticed several moon penguins shuffling about in his movie studio. And all of them were carrying wooden boxes. Adjusting the feed on one of the cameras for a better view, the boxes had series of letters and numbers printed on the top. The Conductor gasped in horror:

Those were his movie props! And the penguins were taking all of them! Knives, buzzsaws, chains, whips... all of them were being taken.

“Those dirty peck necks were the ones who kept stealing me props!” the Conductor growled out loud, slamming his fist onto the control panel. “I knew it!”

“Her Spaceship could not be found,” the computer announced.

“Try again!” the Conductor nearly screamed with rage and desperation.

“Attempting to find Her Spaceship now.”

Once again returning to the security feeds, the old bird spied on a group of moon penguins attempting to carry a suspiciously large wooden crate, but it was clear that they were struggling. Reading the serial number on top of the box, the Conductor nearly had a heart attack:

They were taking his bomb! The bomb that was meant for the Owl Express that the Hat Kid deactivated! An overwhelming sense of dread filled the old director, petrified with doubt over what DJ Grooves was planning with both the Time Piece and the bomb.

“Careful, you moon penguins!” the penguin director instructed the struggling lackeys, coming into view of the security feed. “You're gonna blow this place sky high!”

“Do you mind telling us why we're taking the Conductor's things?” asked one of the moon penguins.

“Keep carrying those props,” Grooves barked harshly, “and stop asking stupid questions! Now go!” Flinching slightly, the penguins scurried off with the box, leaving their boss behind.

The Conductor could only shake his head in disappointment. Was that how he acted towards his express owls? Was he that mean and cruel to them?

No wonder why the express owls must hate him. No wonder why the Hat Kid must hate him.

“Enjoying the view, Conductor?” DJ Grooves asked with venom in his voice, seemingly looking straight at the owl(?) director. “Good, 'cause it's gonna be the last thing you'll ever see before I take what is rightfully mine, and leave you with nothing!” Pulling a microphone from under his jacket, the moon penguin boss swung it forward the camera like a flail, cracking the lens. The Conductor flinched as the security feed for that camera cut to static.

Then another security feed turned to static.

And another.

And another.

Suddenly, all of the security feeds were replaced by static. The Conductor could only look in awe and despair at what just transpired, falling to his knees.

“He knew all about the hidden cameras,” he muttered breathlessly in shock.

Suddenly, the Conductor felt very small, the reality of the situation finally crashing down on him - the reality of his failure crashing down on him. The thought of losing his trophies seemed insignificant to him now, compared to everything else he stood to lose. His loving family... his beloved train... his friends (if he had any left)... his humble home... peck, his very existence...

His lass. His wonderful, hatted lass. He was going to lose all of them, and there was nothing he could do about it.

The aging Conductor crumbled onto the floor, gripping his head in shame. Though he was never one to cry, he now let tears run freely down his feathery face for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime.

He had failed. The Conductor had failed everyone.

“Her Spaceship has been found!” the onboard computer announced, drawing the Conductor's attention, “Calling now.”

Feeling his heart suddenly swell with hope, the Conductor sprung back to his feet, wiping the tears from his face.

“Maybe there's still a chance after all!” the owl(?) director remarked with a wide, pointy smile on his face, “The lass just needs to answer the phone.”

But the lass didn't answer the phone – not right away. Precious seconds turned into precious minutes, and the Conductor became more and more antsy and desperate. What if she doesn't answer at all? If she does, what if she doesn't believe him? He had been very mean to her, after all, and he did lose the annual movie award. To the Hat Kid, he'd come across as a sore loser, unable to get over DJ Grooves' victory.

The Conductor shook his head at the thought. He had to risk it. He had to try, peck it!

“Please pick up, lass!” he pleaded, now on his last legs, the feeling of gripping despair slowly returning to fill his form. Just as he was about to give up, his prayers were finally answered:

“Hello?” the voice of the little Hat Kid rang through.

Chapter Text

Crank Crank Crank

Hat Kid focused intently through her goggles on the panel before her, the wrench in her hand twisting in the loose bolt holding the piece of metal in place. When the bolt started to resist being turned, the hatted alien child nodded with approval, satisfied that it was firmly in place. Clicking a button on her goggle headpiece, her view of the panel zoomed out, eyeing for any more bolts or screws that needed tightening.

Ever since being stranded on this little planet, Hat Kid never quite had the opportunity to do any proper maintenance on her spaceship, Her Spaceship. Ever since she lost her ship's fuel source, the magical Time Pieces, access to parts of her ship had been greatly limited.

But now that the engine room was available again with the Time Pieces she retrieved so far, Hat Kid could finally fix-up any problems the main engine might have during the trip home. Once she collects all of her Time Pieces again, the rest of her journey back home will be smooth sailing.

Spotting the last loose bolt on the panel, Hat Kid immediately started to tighten it down with her wrench in hand. Once this gets bolted down, she'll have completed her maintenance on the engine. Just a few more twists of the wrench, and---

“You fixing that machine, sugar?”

Startled by the sudden voice, Hat Kid raised her head up in surprise, only to bang it on the panel she had been fixing.

“Peck!” she cursed in pain. Gripping her spinning head with a groan, Hat Kid pulled herself away from under the engine, replacing her goggle headpiece for her signature purple top hat. Sitting herself back up, the alien child looked up to see who else was in the room. Standing by the doorway was Her Spaceship's newest resident, Cookie the Cooking Cat. Close by the orange tabby cook was Hat Kid's robotic vacuum buddy, Rumbi.

“Hi, Cookie!” Hat Kid greeted the Cooking Cat. “I was just doing some maintenance on the ship's engine.”

“I can see that,” Cookie responded, eyeing the alien girl with a look of concern. “You alright, sugar? You seem... restless.”

“Restless?” Hat Kid asked innocently. “Why would you think that?”

“Cause you've been fixing up that machine a number of times, now,” the cat pointed out.

“A number of times...?” the young explorer asked in surprise. “How many times have I done maintenance today?”

“Designation Hat Kid has completed maintenance work on Her Spaceship's engine a total of – five times in the last few hours,” Rumbi computed.

“Five times?!” Hat Kid nearly yelped in shock at her robot buddy's answer, rising to her feet. She knew she often lost track of time when performing her tasks and activities, but five times? Shifting in her spot nervously, she could only give a sheepish look at the duo before her, blushing. “I-I guess I'm still coming off the excitement of the bird movie awards.”

“If you say so,” Cookie responded. She gave Hat Kid a skeptical look, but said nothing more on the matter. “Well, once you're finished, I got a fresh batch of cookies and a glass of warm milk with your name on it. Then it's bed time for you.”

“S-sure thing...” Hat Kid replied, taking out a stale cookie from her pocket and crumbling it into crumbs before Rumbi. Excited, the robot buddy immediately gobbled-up the cookie crumbs in his vacuum.

“I love chocolate-chip cookies!” he chirped happily. “Thank you, Designation Hat Kid!” The little vacuum robot rolled out of the room through the door to the main hub area. Cookie started to leave the room, but chose to linger for a moment, giving a last concerned look to her alien friend. Shaking her head, the Cooking Cat left the room, the automatic door shutting behind her.

Once she was left alone, Hat Kid let out a deep sigh. Cookie was right: she was restless. Ever since returning from the Annual Bird Movie Award ceremony, she couldn't take her mind off of what happened during that event. She tried everything to distract herself: playing video games, checking up on her acquired Time Pieces, playing in her pillow pile, testing out her new wardrobe, and sleeping. Nothing worked. Heck, even her favourite radio sleep aid, Deep thoughts with Mr. Hippo, couldn't help. Just when she thought she had put the ceremony out of her mind, it would always creep back in.

Honestly, she felt a deep uneasiness about the whole thing.

Sure, she had gotten the last of the Time Pieces back from the movie directors, but she could not shake this feeling that something was very, very wrong. It felt like there may still be a Time Piece missing down at the Dead Bird Studio, but she knew that couldn't be the case; she was assured that she was given the last of them as a gift prop. There should be no reason to be feeling this way, but she was.

Preparing to leave the engine room, Hat Kid caught something in the corner of her eye. On the wooden frame of the engine block was a collection of different photos of herself during her brief stint as a movie diva on the moon penguins' home city on the Moon. Most of the photos had her posing dramatically, wearing a wide smile on her face, or sporting double shades over her eyes. One particular photo, however, had her attention.

In the middle of the collage was a photo of herself, and besides her, having his flipper wrapped around her shoulders, was the moon penguin director, DJ Grooves. Both figures looked like they were having the time of their lives. Taking the photo in her hand, the young girl gave a soft smile, looking back at that happy memory. That happy memory she will never get back. Her heart ached.

It was at that moment that Hat Kid realized she wasn't feeling uneasiness, but hurt.

Hurt from being tossed aside when she was no longer of use, even after she was instrumental in helping DJ Grooves with his win. Hurt from being unable to make a friend with the moon penguin director, despite all the fun activities the two did together. Hurt from knowing that despite everything, DJ Grooves was no different from his rival, the rude Conductor; both were obsessed with winning their trophies, and would use anyone and anything to get what they want.

In fairness, Hat Kid's own main goal was to retrieve the Time Pieces she had lost so she could return home. She wasn't looking to make friends or memories at first, but something about this planet and its people attracted her. She wasn't sure what it was, but part of her wanted to stay and make friends.

Sighing sadly, Hat Kid let the photo of herself and DJ Grooves drop to the floor. There was nothing else to look back on, not at the Dead Bird Studio. There were still other Time Pieces scattered throughout the planet, but not at the Dead Bird Studio. Spinning herself around, Hat Kid prepared to walk out of the engine room---

Dring! Dring!

Hat Kid nearly jumped out of her skin as the antique phone besides the door sprang to life. Collecting herself, the girl looked at the phone with intrigue, its ringing now accompanied by an ominous tune she heard during the Conductor's murder mystery movie on the Owl Express.

Who would be calling her at this time? How would they be calling her at this time? She didn't even know if Her Spaceship could accept outside calls. She just thought the phone was an antique – inoperable, placed there to give a rustic feeling to the rest of the ship.

But here it was, ringing off the hook.

Taking the receiver in her hand, Hat Kid placed the device to her ear.

“Hello?” she answered. For a moment, she was only met with silence.

“The Annual Bird Movie Award was rigged,” a deep, heavily distorted voice responded. “It was an inside job.” Hat Kid instantly recognized the voice as the one who had tormented her during the murder mystery on the Conductor's train. Why would they be calling her now? And what was this about the movie awards being rigged? Was this some sort of informant?

“The winner knows about the power of the Time Pieces,” the voice continued. “He's been keeping one, and he's gonna break it. The truth lies buried underneath Dead Bird Studio. What goes on in Dead Bird Studio when no one is around?” Hat Kid stood shocked at what she was hearing. Awards being rigged? Time Pieces? A hidden truth? She tried to get a word in, but the voice cut her off:

“Blow the cover on this thing, lassie.”

Suddenly, Hat Kid knew who this was. There was only one bird who ever called her lassie (or lass).

“Conductor?” she responded.

Click!

Troubled, Hat Kid placed the receiver back on its phone stand, still trying to process everything she had just heard. Suddenly, she was left with more questions than answers she had gotten. Was the Conductor the mysterious voice the whole time? How did he get in contact with her in the first place? Was he even telling the truth? Part of her wanted to dismiss the Conductor's word as slander to DJ Grooves' good name. The owl(?) director did seem like the sore loser type who wouldn't get over a loss, while the moon penguin didn't seem like the type to hide anything from her.

Yet... Time Piece.

He called the magical relics by their proper names. For all the birds knew, the Time Pieces were just shiny looking movie props and nothing more. But how would they have known what they're really called, as well as what they're capable of? As far as Hat Kid was concerned, only she and one other person on the planet knew the truth about the Time Pieces. The alien girl shuddered at the thought of another person wanting to misuse the Time Pieces for their own ends.

This must have been the reason she was feeling so uneasy and hurt.

Shaking her head, Hat Kid made up her mind. Though part of her felt guilty for not taking up Cookie's offer of baked cookies, this was far too important to just ignore. If there was a Time Piece being hidden from her, she had to look into it. This was worth investigating, at least.

It was time to return to the Dead Bird Studio.

Chapter Text

Thud!

Landing in the empty parking lot of the Dead Bird Studio, Hat Kid checked her surroundings to see if there were any birds out and about, tonight. As she predicted, not a soul was to be found; only the pale Moon bore witness to her actions. Nodding, the alien child strolled towards the front door of the studio, which slid open as she approached it.

Odd. She figured that'd be one of the most important doors to be kept locked up during the night. Maybe one of the express owls forgot, or - more likely - the Conductor left it open for her. Regardless, an open door was an open door, and she was walking right through.

Strolling inside the Dead Bird Studio, Hat Kid found herself back in the reception lobby, now covered in darkness, and no birds to be seen. Letting her sapphire blue eyes adjust to the darkness, the hatted child scanned the area for a way in. She knew she wouldn't get lucky twice with easy access; the two doors to the directors' sides of the studio still looked like they were bolted shut for the night. Fortunately, the air vent just behind the receptionist's desk looked like it hadn't been repaired yet.

Easy access, she thought.

Hat Kid made quick work hopping on the trophy display cases and door frames to reach the open air vent. As before, the little girl crawled through with ease, until she found herself back in the studio area, also enveloped in darkness (save for the occasional forgotten light left on).

The first time she broke in, the two directors were in the middle of their respective movie shoots, barking out stage directions and orders, while their security guards patrolled the place for intruders. But now, with the place vacant of life, there were no bird directors to give orders, no birds patrolling the area, no birds to operate the set pieces, and no birds telling her that she shouldn't be here.

With how dead and lifeless everything looked, it almost seemed like no one had visited the studio in years. It all felt so eerie to Hat Kid.

Still, she didn't have to worry about getting caught by security.

Checking every nook-and-cranny of the studio, Hat Kid determined that everything had been left the way they were the last time she sneaked around, down to the horse cutouts for the Conductor's set piece and the turntables for DJ Groove's. Passing through the small cactus-covered passageway, the young girl spotted an elevator by the side.

Perfect! Hat Kid thought to herself. How did I miss that, earlier? If the truth was buried underneath Dead Bird Studio, the elevator should lead her directly towards it. The alien child approached the elevator---

Ding!

The elevator doors slid open with a hiss, startling the hatted child. They didn't normally do that, she thought. Usually, someone had to press a button to call for one to arrive. Someone must have called it for her.

Stepping inside, Hat Kid pressed for the lowest level of the studio, causing the doors to slide closed. With a jolt, the elevator began its slow descent into the depths of the Dead Bird Studio.

Now free to think to herself, Hat Kid's mind started to wander about. She thought about the last few hours: the Annual Bird Movie Awards, DJ Grooves handing his Time Piece prop to her, her restlessness, the Conductor's warning... everything. It all seemed... fishy to her. It didn't add up. Why would DJ Grooves willingly hide a Time Piece from her? He had no reason to. He seemed much more approachable than the Conductor ever was. She half expected that the moment the elevator doors opened, she'd find DJ Grooves standing before her, and then hand over the Time Piece to her with a smile. Then she could go back to Her Spaceship and have Cookie's freshly baked treats.

She hoped... she prayed the Conductor was lying, and that DJ Grooves wasn't hiding her Time Piece from her. She wanted to believe the moon penguin was the good guy in all of this!

Hat Kid shook her head. She was letting her bias cloud her judgment. She shouldn't be too quick to assume whether or not either the Conductor or DJ Grooves had her Time Piece. All that mattered was finding that last hourglass piece, if it was hidden underneath Dead Bird Studio in the first place.

Ding!

The elevator door slid back open with a hiss, and Hat Kid ran out. The room she entered looked like to be a cross between a storage space and a boiler room. Numerous rusted pipes lined the walls of the grungy looking space, electrical lines ran across the assumed bottomless chasms, and large crates laid scattered around the area. It looked like a dumping ground for unused props and equipment, only to be lost and forgotten about.

Hat Kid tiptoed to the very edge of the chasm, and stared down into the abyss, half expecting the abyss to stare back at her. The nervous alien girl forced down a lump in her throat as she crept back to more solid ground. It'd be a long drop if she slipped. There had to be an alternate path without falling into the infinite void.

Spying a doorway on a catwalk high across the room, Hat Kid started her way across the pipes, tightrope walking across the lines, and scaling the walls. There were several close calls, one with her misjudging the distance between her and the electrical lines, almost missing the line altogether. Clearly, whoever built this place must have made it to be as difficult as possible for her to traverse through.

The brunette girl eventually scampered her way towards the top of the room, catwalks and vent systems joining the walls. She breathed a sigh of relief, proud of her jumping and parkour skills. The doorway to the next room was just across the chasm, with several broken fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling, flickering. All Hat Kid had to do now was to use her hook-shot---

“Oh, I think we should just smash it, darling,” the muffled voice of DJ Grooves suddenly rang out from an adjacent room, difficult for Hat Kid to understand. “Although... maybe all that magic time juice---” The rest she couldn't figure out.

Was that DJ Grooves? Hat Kid thought to herself. She quickly shook her head. “Nah... had to have been my imagination.”

Pulling out her umbrella, the young explorer fired a grappling hook from the very tip of the parasol, grabbing and swinging onto the broken lights, one by one. With a flip through the air, she safely landed on the other side of the room, next to the door. She smiled ear-to-ear, proud of herself.

Passing through the door, Hat Kid was greeted with stacks upon stacks of wooden boxes towering over her like skyscrapers in a city. Examining some of the boxes, some had labels on them, like movie reels, scripts, props, etc. With the basement being largely forgotten about, and everything so poorly organized, it was a wonder how anything could have gotten done at the Dead Bird Studio.

Hat Kid began to scale the towering boxes, careful not to lose her footing with making her jumps. Reaching the top of the stacks, the alien child spotted what looked like moon penguin guards patrolling atop the catwalks and support beams. If she wasn't supposed to be in the main Dead Bird Studio the first time she broke in, she really wasn't supposed to be in its basement. She'd have to be careful not to alert them to her presence---

“I kept this Time Piece just for myself,” the muffled voice of DJ Grooves once again rang out from an adjacent room. “The little darling girl doesn't even know it exists. I don't think she'll miss it. She's got so many!”

“Did he just...?” Hat Kid wondered out loud, catching the penguin director calling the hourglass props by their proper name, but quickly shook her head again. “I... I must have been hearing things. Yeah...” She didn't sound totally convinced in herself, though.

Passing by the moon penguin guards unnoticed, Hat Kid further climbed up the room, spotting a passageway next to a platform. Hopping to the that raised platform, the girl ran through the tunnel, now finding herself in what looked like a private showing room; a mini theater with rows of chairs standing in front of a blank jumbo screen.

Who or what was this room meant for? Private viewings for family members of the directors? Staff members? Investors? She may have been in the movie business for only a short little while, but this sort of thing was way over her head.

Stepping out of the theater room, Hat Kid found herself inside of a studio corridor, the place littered with boxes, and doors lining the walls. Though most of the doors seemed locked, some of them were left open. A little poking around wouldn't hurt, she thought.

Going from room to room, Hat Kid entered into various dressing rooms, mini studio sets, boardrooms, storage spaces, and janitor closets. Even down here, it seemed like it was divided into spaces for both the owls and the penguins. She even found several movie posters of the movies she starred in, with the posters themselves bearing her likeness! Though she didn't remembered giving any bird her permission to use her likeness. Must be the reason why some of the posters give her a bigger nose, weird looking eyes, and the omission of her ponytail.

“Peck necks...” She frowned.

Hat Kid even found what looked like to to be the Conductor's bedroom within the studio. Though it hardly seemed like a bedroom... more like a trophy room. There was a single bed in the middle of the room, while the walls were covered with golden annual bird movie award trophies (save for two glaring empty spots). There had to have been well over 300 trophies in this room alone! She knew DJ Grooves had a terrible losing streak, but this was ridiculous! This was madness!

Does the Conductor really need all of these trophies? she thought to herself in disbelief.

Grimacing, Hat Kid left the Conductor's bedroom and entered into what looked like DJ Grooves' own bedroom, though it looked like it was his own personal dressing room, as well. The walls were adorned with coat hangers, hanging up some of the moon penguin's stylish coats and costumes (though some of the coats lay messily on his circular bed).

In the corner of the room, however, was a makeup studio with a mirror in front of it, and besides it were several newspaper clippings strung together in a mad, disorganized collage, tied together with strands of red strings. All of the newspapers were concerned with how each and every one of DJ Grooves' movies would bomb, different reviews that told the same thing of how bad his movies were, and paparazzi photos of the penguin director at his lowest (and most compromising) points. Some of the newspaper clippings laid thrashed on the ground.

Reading the clippings, Hat Kid's heart ached for DJ Grooves. He always seemed so happy and jovial around her when the two made his movies. She never imagined just how hurt he felt deep down – to be told that his movies were garbage and that he should retire from everyone around him. And to always lose to the Conductor, no less!

A thought occurred to her: could that be the reason he's holding the last Time Piece? To reclaim the awards he lost? Was this the truth she was told to uncover?

Hat Kid shook her head at the thought. No way DJ Grooves would be that desperate to use the Time Pieces for that! He was better than that! Better than the Conductor, at least.

Returning to the corridor, Hat Kid scratched her head. She was no closer to finding that missing Time Piece, if it was to be found. She explored all of the open rooms, with only locked doors blocking her path. Spotting a ventilation shaft on the upper levels of the hallway, Hat Kid hopped on top of some boxes, and onto the catwalk. The vents should lead to some of the locked rooms, she thought, as she began to crawl through.

“I remember seeing these hourglasses for the first time and thinking that there was something special about them,” the muffled voice of DJ Grooves rang out around the vents, “but I never imagined it would let me reclaim what I rightfully deserve!” Hat Kid chose to ignore what he said.

Reaching a drop in the vent, Hat Kid jumped down, finding herself behind one of the locked rooms. And before her was an elevator, blocked off by security tape. It must lead to the lowest levels, she thought. Tearing the tape away, the alien girl pressed for the elevator to arrive.

Ding!

The elevator door slid open with a hiss. For a long moment, Hat Kid stared into the tiny box, beckoning her to go in. Did she really want to do this? Did she really want to uncover the truth, no matter how awful it may be? Part of her wanted to just turn away and never look back, and she almost did. But the Time Piece...

She let out a deep, sharp exhale. This was it. It was now or never.

Steeling herself, Hat Kid entered into the elevator. The door shut itself behind her, and she began her slow descent into the great unknown.

Immediately, the little girl started to regret her decision, fidgeting in place, and sweating profusely down her forehead (though it could be because of how deep she was heading – any deeper, and she'd end up in the planet's core).

That was when her mind veered back into what she might find. Would she be walking into a death trap? She'd be very dumb for falling for such an obvious trick. It seemed that in one way or another, she most likely wasn't going to be leaving this studio without grievous bodily harm done to her.

This elevator's taking forever, Hat Kid thought, her stomach twisting itself into knots. Just get it over with, please!

Ding!

The elevator door slid open, and she was immediately assaulted by a blinding light. When her eyes took the time to adjust, she found herself in what looked like a colorful arena. Crowds of cheering moon penguins lined the raised stands on either side of the room. The arena floor looked more like the flashing dance floor of a discotheque. At the end of the room was a stage.

And on the stage was a dancing DJ Grooves...

... holding the shining Time Piece in his flipper.

“Look who we've got here, darling!” the penguin director greeted Hat Kid in a mocking tone. “I guess you found my little secret, huh?”

For her part, Hat Kid just stood there, sapphire blue eyes as wide as saucers, mouth dropped to the floor, and her whole body shaking and limp at the same time. Her mind ran a million miles a minute, forcing her to face the uncomfortable truth... the truth she had pushed against and denied the moment she had gotten the call:

The Conductor was right. DJ Grooves had been keeping a Time Piece from her.

Slowly, Hat Kid's trembling hands formed themselves into tight fists, her face becoming hot and red, and tears were stinging at her eyes, glaring daggers at the penguin who has just back-stabbed her.

“Give that back!” she demanded with a furious growl, pointing at the shining hourglass.

“No can do, darling!” DJ Grooves refused, stuffing the Time Piece into his red jacket. “This last Time Piece is all for me. If you want it, well... I guess you've just gotta come and get it!”

Without warning, the moon penguin director jumped into the air, letting out a wild screech from his beak, rushing towards Hat Kid at blinding speed.

Chapter Text

Boom!

Hat Kid had only just enough time to dodge DJ Grooves' attack, sidestepping his dive-bomb. The moon penguin didn't waste time, though, as he threw a flurry of quick swipes of his flippers towards the alien child. She could keep up with his punches, but only just barely, as she could feel the wind from his jabs.

One misplaced backstep, and Hat Kid suddenly found herself on the ground, scrambling from the mad penguin's onslaught. Seeing an opening, DJ Grooves lunged at the downed girl, his flipper raised for a karate chop. Scared and thinking quick, she pulled out her umbrella in front of her, blocking the director's mighty blow. Without missing a beat, Hat Kid threw her assailant off of her, throwing him off balance, before delivering a swing of her parasol to his face.

Thwack!

DJ Grooves' face twisted and contorted from the blow for a brief second, before hopping away. Both fighters stood their ground, panting; Hat Kid brandishing her parasol in her hands, and DJ Grooves staring down the girl through his rhinestone shades. Their thoughts were nearly drowned out by the booming music being played, the soundtrack of their battle.

He just attacked me! Hat Kid cried out in her thoughts. Why would he attack me?! She did her best to fight back tears of betrayal.

Sensing hesitation, DJ Grooves jumped around the arena, putting himself behind the young girl's back. The penguin director charged in with another dive-bomb, but Hat Kid, anticipating his move, leaped into the air as he landed, striking him with a well-placed homing attack of her own to his head.

Stumbling, slightly dazed from the sharp pain from the child's attack, DJ Grooves jumped onto his stage, then leaped into the ceiling above, out of the girl's sight. A moment passed, the penguin returned to the fight, now standing on a giant disco ball, dangling from the rafters.

“What is he doing?” Hat Kid murmured to herself. She quickly got her answer as the disco ball suddenly cut from its chain.

“Here we...” DJ Grooves bellowed, the disco ball he stood on crashing into the arena floor with a thunderous boom, “go!” The great force of the impact knocked Hat Kid off of her feet, sending her tumbling onto the ground.

Downed, the alien girl looked up seeing a giant shockwave from the disco ball barreling towards her. As quickly as she went down, Hat Kid picked herself back up, and hopped over the wall of energy. Landing herself in-front of DJ Grooves, the young explorer pulled out her parasol, and swung at the penguin director, delivering a mighty blow to his face and sending him spinning.

“How could you do this to me, darling?!” DJ Grooves cried out, massaging his face. “I made you into a movie star! I made your own passport, and this is how you thank me?!” Hat Kid let a deep gasp, her face contorting with rage to the penguin's words. How could she do that to him? How could he do that to her?!

With a furious battle cry, Hat Kid lunged at DJ Grooves with her umbrella, but he jumped out of the way of her attack, a sly smirk running across his face. Reaching into his coat pocket, the mad penguin pulled out a large, sharp knife, gripping it firmly in his flipper.

“Come take a look at this knife, darling!” DJ Grooves cried out with sadistic glee, jabbing the blade forward in quick succession as he chased down Hat Kid. Wasn't the Conductor the one who mostly dealt with knives? She couldn't ponder that thought; the knife in DJ Grooves' flipper most likely wasn't rubber.

Grabbing the brim of her top hat, Hat Kid transformed it into the Brewing Hat, a vial of explosive liquids appearing in her hand. Still being chased, the alien girl shook the concoction around until it started to smoke.

“Let me cut a little hole in ya, darling!” DJ Grooves cackled with a manic grin on his beak, closing the distance between himself and the Hat Kid. He was promptly met with an explosive vial to the face, causing it to burn with mild irritation. The penguin tried to swat away the smoke in front of him.

With this distraction, Hat Kid once again jumped into the air, landing a powerful homing attack on the penguin director. The force of the impact nearly made DJ Grooves topple over, but he regained his composure, seeing the girl return to her signature top hat.

“You've done it now, darling!” DJ Grooves called out, bringing his flipper to his beak, letting out a sharp whistle. “Start your engines!”

Hat Kid glared at DJ Grooves, confused. Engines? What was he talking about? Hearing the sound of cranking metal, the girl saw the wooden frames underneath the audience stands on either side raise up like garage doors, revealing secret entrances underneath the moon penguins cheering at the battle.

The sound of revving engines growled from within the revealed passageways, followed by headlights shining from the darkness.

“How many can you handle?!” DJ Grooves called out.

Out from under the stands, multitudes of moon cars shot out from the darkness. Hat Kid yelped as the vehicles for moon penguins zipped past her, some even swerving her way, trying to hit her. The alien child did her best to sidestep the reckless drivers; she even accidentally made some of them slam into each other, causing the moon cars to spin out of control with a deafening screech, disappearing in the other side under the stands.

When the last of the cars sped past the young girl, the stands closed up again like garage doors. Just how did DJ Grooves manage to get a moon car so deep down the Dead Bird Studio, let alone a traffic jam's worth? Hat Kid turned her gaze back to the stage, where DJ Grooves was starting to get agitated with the girl.

“Darling, darling!” the penguin director fumed, pulling out another knife from his coat. “You're so rude!” Hat Kid, anticipating another flurry of blades coming her way, readied herself with her parasol.

Suddenly, the lights and music died out, making a gasp escape from Hat Kid's mouth.

She was out of her element; the blinding lights had messed with her eyes, making it very difficult to see in the darkness. The only thing she could make out was the silhouetted figure of DJ Grooves standing before the stage, as well as the residual light glinting off of the knives in his flippers-

Wait... knives?

Before Hat Kid could wonder how DJ Grooves managed to acquire a set of knives on his person just as the lights turned off, the sound of unsheathed metal rang out. The girl caught the briefest glint of light as a knife came flying towards her, fast. Nearly caught off guard, the alien explorer just barely sidestepped the thrown knife as it whooshed past her head into the darkness.

That was too close, she thought. A second delay, and that blade would have cut into her. At least now she was ready for the mad penguin's attack.

Once more, the sound of unsheathed metal rang out, and Hat Kid could see the light glinting off of the flying knives coming her way. The alien child did a much better job with dodging the other knives; she hopped out of the way for the second blade, ducked under the third, and jumped away from the fourth.

She did not account for the fifth knife, though, as the blade tore into her coat, cutting deep into her side.

A sudden sharp and throbbing pain erupted from the side of her body, like a hot needle poking into her insides. Nearly crumbling to the ground, Hat Kid let out a quick shriek of pain as she clutched her wound. She felt something warm and wet on her hand. Daring to pull her hand away from the cut, the wounded girl looked into her palm, now stained a deep red.

Blood.

Her blood.

DJ Grooves drew blood from her.

Hat Kid stared at her bloody hand in shock. Her breathing became quick and shallow as she started to hyperventilate, the beating of her quickening heart boomed like thunder in her ears, and the rest of the world around her red-stained hand faded away. Tears of terror rolled down her cold, whitening face.

She wanted to cry out. She really wanted to, but the emotions got itself stuck in her throat. All she could manage was a stifled choke.

Hat Kid was no stranger to the occasional scrape; her adventures often had her come out with little scratches, cuts, and bruises. But now? This had to have been the most amount of blood she had ever seen in her life. Her blood.

Her blood!

Then the lights and music returned, and Hat Kid snapped back to reality in a jolt. Before her stood DJ Grooves, a particularly fiendish looking grin crossed his crooked beak as he stared at her coat, the spot now stained a near black.

“Did I hit you, darling?! Did that hurt?!” the mad penguin asked with devilish glee. “There's plenty where that came from!”

Hat Kid didn't answer, merely glaring at the penguin director. The terror in her aching body morphed into something she was not too familiar with; a red-hot feeling she thought she'd reserve for the most heinous of bad guys, but not for DJ Grooves.

For the first time in her life, she felt revulsion. Revulsion towards DJ Grooves. Revulsion for being tossed aside when she was no longer needed, despite everything they've been through. Revulsion for being lied to about the last Time Piece. Revulsion for being betrayed. Revulsion for being attacked. Revulsion for being cut.

He wasn't DJ Grooves. He was a peck neck.

With unmatched fury of an animal, Hat Kid lunged at the off-guard penguin, parasol in hand, and starting whacking and wailing away on him without mercy. With every swing, her body cried out in pain, but she fought through it. She thought she heard DJ Grooves pleading for her to stop, but she didn't listen. She thought she saw terror behind his shades, but she paid no heed to him, tears now streaming down her face.

With the last of her strength, Hat Kid delivered a final blow of her umbrella right in the middle of the penguin's face.

Crack!

Dazed, DJ Grooves hopped away from the drained girl, back to his stage. Both fighters were left sore and panting. The rage in Hat Kid began to subside, replacing it with an aching feeling in every inch of her body. The penguin, however, was left in shock and disbelief.

“My... my shades!” DJ Grooves gasped in horror, running his flipper along a large hairline crack that formed on his rhinestone shades. That horror quickly turned to outrage towards Hat Kid, a deep scowl crossing his beak. “Alright, darling! That's it! Time to bring out the big guns!”

The lights and music suddenly died out again.

Clutching her knife wound, Hat Kid readied herself for another set of throwing knives, but it never came. This made her very nervous; what was Grooves planning? She could hear the tiny footsteps of dozens of moon penguins scurrying about around her in the darkness, along with the sound of large, heavy equipment being dragged across the ground.

And then... silence.

A spotlight shined on a moon penguin on stage as he played a piano (despite lacking fingers). The air filled with the sound of soothing lounge music. This only made Hat Kid more tense. Another spotlight shined in the middle of the arena, a small table now occupying the space. DJ Grooves sat in a chair at the table, while an empty chair sat opposite to him.

“Let's have a little heart-to-heart,” the moon penguin offered without a hint of anger, gesturing towards the empty seat. “Have a seat, darling.” Hat Kid bristled at the offer, apprehensive.

First this penguin betrays and hurts her, but now he wants to have a friendly chat? The nerve of him! The young girl could smell a trap coming her way, regardless where or how it would get to her. She should just knock-out the director while he's not prepared, and take back her Time Piece.

And yet, looking at how sincere DJ Grooves was with his request, part of her wanted to believe him, for old time's sake. Despite everything he did to her, perhaps somewhere deep inside the mad penguin, the honest and reasonable DJ Grooves still resided within. Perhaps she could talk him into giving up the last Time Piece. At the very least, it could bring an end to this silly and pointless fight of theirs.

It couldn't hurt her anymore to try, she thought.

Still clutching her wound, Hat Kid limped over to the empty seat and sat herself done, wincing. DJ Grooves smiled at the young girl's cooperation.

“Ever since you arrived on this planet,” he explained, taking out the shining hourglass from his red jacket, “these Time Pieces have fallen from the sky.” Hat Kid focused in on the hourglass, as it swayed from side-to-side in the moon penguin's flipper as he told his story. It almost seemed to taunt her how so-close-yet-so-far-away it was to her.

“Now,” DJ Grooves continued, “I can understand if you feel they belong to you, darling. I understand. But did you know they allow for rewinding time?” Hat Kid nodded. She was more than well aware just how powerful and dangerous the Time Pieces were in just anyone's hands; it was one of the many reasons she wanted to keep them out of the hand's like DJ Grooves'.

Also... feel? Did he just reduce Hat Kid's ownership of the Time Pieces as nothing more than an opinion? How dare he?! The Time Pieces did belong to her! Indignant, Hat Kid opened her mouth to protest, but was immediately cut off:

“With one Time Piece,” DJ Grooves proclaimed, motioning towards the time relic in his flipper, “I could reclaim all the trophies that belong to me, darling. Every single trophy I lost to the Conductor, where he has cheated his way to victory.”

“You think he cheated?” Hat Kid asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“Oh, I know he cheated!” the penguin insisted. “I just know it! I mean... I can't prove it, darling, but I'm certain the Conductor has been manipulating everything to make sure I never win.” DJ Grooves grabbed onto Hat Kid's bloody hand, a look of deep desperation behind his cracked shades. “I just need one Time Piece to fix years of cheating and fraud. Can't you spare me just... one Time Piece, darling?”

Hat Kid stared soulfully behind DJ Grooves' cracked shades, before shifting her gaze away, deep in thought. She considered her options. Part of her wanted to help. She really wanted to help. The last time she refused to give up her Time Piece, she made an enemy with something she considered to being a close friend, leaving her deeply hurt over the ordeal. She never wanted to go through something like that again, especially not with DJ Grooves of all people!

And he was right, to an extent. He did make her into a movie star, and he made the passport to help her with reclaiming her Time Pieces. And she knew of the penguin's frustrations of always coming second best to the Conductor; her heart still ached for him. Perhaps if she did give him the Time Piece, could it lift him from his depression? Was he correct in thinking the Conductor was rigging the awards in his favor? She really wanted to believe him...

... but if she did, what's to stop him from asking for more Time Pieces? What's to stop anyone from asking if DJ Grooves set the precedent? Would he be grateful, or would he toss her aside like he did before? Would he merely use it to correct mistakes in the past if cheating was involved, or would he go mad with power and abuse the ability to rewind time? Would she be able to get back home?

The girl was torn, but in her heart, she knew the answer.

“I can't,” Hat Kid answered weakly, meeting her gaze to his. “I'm gonna have to say nope to that. I'm sorry.”

DJ Grooves, devastated by the girl's answer, looked at her in complete loss. “Wh- why not?”

“Because,” she explained, gripping her knife wound, “I made a promise long ago to never let the Time Pieces be misused for personal gain. Besides, they're also fuel for my ship, and I need every single one of them if I wanna have a chance to get back home.”

“S-surely you don't actually need every Time Piece, right?” DJ Grooves stammered, sounding more desperate than ever. “Surely missing just one Time Piece won't make or break your trip back home. Please, darling! Let me have this Time Piece! The Conductor's cheated me out of my trophies, and he's gonna keep cheating-”

“You lost fair-and-square,” Hat Kid commented, firmly, taking her hand away from his flipper, “and wouldn't all this be cheating?”

Perhaps she could have phrased that better, she thought, seeing as how DJ Grooves and the rest of the room went into shock. Even the lounge music stopped in shock, ending abruptly on a misplaced, sour note. Hat Kid could have sworn she heard something crack coming from DJ Grooves, whether it was his shades breaking further, or something inside of him snapping.

The mad penguin let out a low, joyless chuckle.

“Darling, darling, darling,” DJ Grooves fumed, the expression behind his broken shades darkening. “You're so persistently selfish!” The director slammed his flipper onto the table, causing Hat Kid to flinch slightly. “I brought you the stardom, and all I ask in return is just a single Time Piece... but you won't share?”

A horrified Hat Kid opened her mouth to protest, but the penguin continued, stuffing the Time Piece back into his jacket:

“Well, darling, if you want this Time Piece back so bad... come and get it!”

The spotlights died out, and Hat Kid could once again hear the scampering feet of a dozen moon penguins moving and dragging the heavy equipment. Alone in the dark, the little girl let out a disappointed sigh; it looked like her appeal to DJ Grooves' better nature didn't work, and that they'll have to go back to fighting.

Hat Kid's thoughts were interrupted by another set of feet scampering her way. Before she could even react, a hundred little flippers grabbed her, nearly tossing her around. She tried to fight back, but to no avail, being forced to the ground. She felt her chest tightening up... something was tightening itself around her chest. Suddenly, she felt a great weight being brought onto her shoulders. The feet of the moon penguins scampered off into the void around her.

Wincing, Hat Kid slowly stood back up, only to be assaulted by blinding lights from before. Looking down at her chest, the girl found a tightly locked harness attached to it, and on her back was what looked like to be giant sticks of dynamite strapped together in a bundle, connected to a antennae receiver on the top.

At that moment, a terrified Hat Kid realized that DJ Grooves had just turned her into a living bomb!

“Remember this bomb, darling?” the mad penguin asked sadistically. “I stole it from the Conductor's movie set. And now... it will be your demise!”

The bomb started its countdown:

Beep ~ Beep ~ Beep

Two minutes and zero seconds until self-destruct. Oh no!

Chapter Text

Beep ~ Beep

Hat Kid could only stand in the middle of the arena in stunned silence. She could hardly believe it. It seemed like only yesterday she was having fun making movies with two bird directors, reclaiming her Time Pieces, and having a close relationship with the penguin director, DJ Grooves.

But now? Now it all seemed like a fairy-tale. A farce. A lie.

If she had any doubts of the depths the mad penguin would sink to for the sake of her Time Pieces – her Time Pieces – even after lying to and injuring her, they were long gone the moment he had the Conductor's bomb forcibly attached to her. If it wasn't obvious before, it was clear now that DJ Grooves wanted her dead.

He was never going to give up the last Time Piece, a crushed Hat Kid thought, even if she agreed to help him expose the Conductor.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she nearly got hit in the face by a flying sawblade, ducking under it just in time. The young girl looked up to see DJ Grooves hanging onto one of the pillars by the stage.

“Better cover your ears, darling!” the penguin cackled madly, pulling more buzzsaws from his jacket. “This bomb is gonna be loud!” Throwing the buzzsaws to the ground, the circular blades embedded themselves into the dance floor arena, and - to Hat Kid's surprise - sprang to life! The metal disks rolled across the ground towards her, tearing it apart. With the bomb strapped to her body, as well as the knife injury from before, the girl barely managed to jump over the rolling saws.

Landing with a wince, Hat Kid clutched the wound on her side, parts of her pants now turning a deep crimson. She couldn't keep this up, she knew. Already, she was feeling fainter and fainter with every passing moment, blood seeping out her open wound. She had to find a way to end this fight quickly, or at the very least, find a way to deactivate the explosive on her back.

DJ Grooves hopped off of his hiding spot, soaring towards the alien girl in a dive-bomb. He landed with a thunderous boom, the whole place starting to shake. Hat Kid barely had time to sidestep his attack, hitting the mad penguin in the face with her bloodied parasol. The movie director leaped back away, massaging his cheek from the girl's strike.

With the umbrella still in hand, Hat Kid lunged at the moon penguin, but he jumped out of the way, and seemed to skate away from her with his platform shoes. The girl immediately gave chase, limping towards him.

“Catch me if you can!” DJ Grooves challenged, throwing another buzzsaw from his jacket like a frisbee towards Hat Kid, as she ducked under the flying blade.

Beep ~ Beep ~ Beep

One minute and twenty seconds until self-destruct. Better hurry!

DJ Grooves was wasting her time, Hat Kid knew. The mad penguin wasn't looking too good himself, the large ball of hair of his looking more and more frazzled by the minute, and his shades breaking further ever so slightly. He couldn't keep it up, either.

That must have been why he was keeping his distance from Hat Kid as he threw more and more sawblades her way: he was running the clock on the bomb. If he couldn't beat the alien child in a straight fight, he would let the time run and let the bomb explode.

Like a coward.

So far, the penguin director was doing a good job keeping his distance from the pursuing girl. With her side injury, as well as the heavy bomb attached to her body, Hat Kid could barely keep up with the fleeing moon penguin. But she had one more trick up her sleeve; touching the brim of her top hat, she transformed it into the Sprint Hat. A sudden surge of energy coursed through her body into her legs as the hat did its magic.

She now had the speed she needed to keep pace with the skating DJ Grooves, though each step she took further agitated her knife wound, sending sharp pains throughout her body. She'd just have to muscle through the pain, she thought.

“Tick tock tick tock!” taunted DJ Grooves, continuing to speed away on his platform shoes. Hat Kid, ignoring the penguin's taunting, hopped into the air, and focused on him with a homing attack, striking him in the back. The force of the impact nearly made the movie director trip on himself, but he quickly recovered.

Spinning around towards the little girl, DJ Grooves pulled out his wired microphone from his side, and - much to Hat Kid's surprise - started to twirl it over his head. The mad penguin immediately followed with swinging the microphone forward towards the alien child, like a makeshift flail. She was once again forced into the defensive, ducking and sidestepping his attacks as she backed away from his onslaught. All this moving around was starting to take its toll on the girl, as she attempted to catch her breath.

Sensing an opening, DJ Grooves swung his microphone-flail around, striking Hat Kid on the side, right where the knife wound was.

Thwack!

If being cut was painful to the young child, this was something else entirely. She didn't even register the pain for a moment, before her whole body went numb with agony. Hat Kid shrieked out, her ear-splitting cry echoing throughout the small room. Clutching her side again as she crumbled to the floor, the newly-agitated knife wound started to bleed out more, now bleeding onto the arena floor. Her vision was blinded with tears streaming down her face.

Smiling with sadistic glee, DJ Grooves hopped up into the ceiling, returning back down with a series of explosive disco balls on chains.

“Picture... PERFECT!” the mad penguin bellowed as the disco balls broke off of their chains, hitting the floor with a thunderous boom, sending out shockwaves towards the downed Hat Kid.

This time, she didn't have time to dodge the walls of energy, as the blasts sent the kid flying into the wall behind her with terrible force. The impact knocked the wind out of her body, as well as the last remaining bit of energy she had left. Hitting the torn arena floor with a dull thud, her hat was knocked off, transforming back into the top hat.

Hat Kid tried to get back up, but her body felt numb from all the pain and blood loss, and the extra weight of the bomb on her back proved too much for her aching body.

All she could do was hold herself off the ground slightly, reflecting on her defeat.

“It's over now, darling!” DJ Grooves proclaimed with cruel triumph. “It's curtains for you!”

Beep ~ Beep ~ Beep

Forty seconds until self-destruct. We're doomed...

Hat Kid tried to get up. She had to get up. She couldn't let the penguin win with her Time Piece, but her battle against gravity was a losing one, and she knew it. Her aching body wouldn't let it.

Her mind was flooded with the images of her friends. She saw Cooking Cat smiling at her before fading away. She saw Rumbi hopping up and down infront of her before fading. She even saw a familiar figure... a girl with a green wool sweater and a blue bow in her hair. The girl looked at Hat Kid with deep, purple eyes, and a smile on her face, before disappearing, too.

A sudden sinking feeling entered Hat Kid's aching gut that she will never see her friends ever again. See her family ever again.

She lost.

“When I use my Time Piece to change history and reclaim what is mine,” the mad penguin declared, “I'll be thinking of you, darling.” Hat Kid could barely pay attention to what the movie director was saying. The penguin's voice sounded muffled, drowned out with the cheering and music playing. Her vision blurred, all the colors surrounding her morphed into a sea of ugly grey, before being enveloped by blackness.

She was tired. So pecking tired. Maybe a quick nap could do some good...

...

“Lass! Over here!”

Who was that, Hat Kid thought. It sounded so... familiar. Craning her head up, the girl was once again assaulted with a hideous grey world, but a new detail shined through the bleakness:

A spot of yellow. Focusing in on the spot, the world slowly returned to her, and the yellow morphed itself into a figure she knew... morphing into a yellow owl(?) in a black train operator's suit.

“Conductor...?” Hat Kid murmured weakly.

“H-hang in there!” the Conductor cried out to the girl, leaning heavily on the rail in the audience stands. “I'll find a way to defuse the bomb!” The girl smiled weakly at the old bird's presence.

“Stay out of this, Conductor!” barked DJ Grooves, pointing an accusing flipper at the owl(?) director. “This is between me and the girl!” The Conductor paid no heed to his rival.

A strange feeling entered Hat Kid's body. Funny... despite everything she had been through, she still had one friend to count on, just as much as her friend counted on her.

With newfound strength, the alien child pushed herself off the ground with all her might. Despite the pain and blood loss she had suffered, Hat Kid was now back on her feet, a new look of determination written on her face and umbrella in hand.

“So you're back up, huh?” DJ Grooves commented, dumbfounded by the girl's persistence. “You're just like the Conductor, darling: you just don't know when to quit, do you?!” Hat Kid said nothing. Her words would be wasted on him at this point. The mad penguin chuckled darkly. “Fine. By. Me.”

The two combatants rushed towards each other, preparing for their last clash!

The Conductor looked in awe at the Hat Kid's and DJ Grooves' fight, the girl ducking and weaving past the penguin's onslaught, while she delivered powerful blows with her umbrella. The old owl(?) knew the girl was good at solving mysteries and hopping along falling platforms, but actual combat? Life-and-death combat? She was a pro at this! Shame it wouldn't last long.

The Conductor saw that the timer on the bomb strapped to Hat Kid was running out. Any moment now, the bomb would go off, taking everything and everyone with it. There had to be some way to defuse or deactivate the bomb before it was too late. Too bad all he brought from the train was his knife to defend himself.

The Conductor looked around behind himself, hoping to find something to aid in Hat Kid's battle. He was almost impressed that DJ Grooves and his moon penguin goons were able to throw together this little arena on such short notice, but he knew there must be some junk lying around from their neglect. Fortunately for him, the penguin audience were too focused on the fight to notice him snooping around.

The old owl(?) eyed something large and pointy on the back wall: a gigantic pair of scissors. Must have been some prop used in one of DJ Grooves' earlier movies, or was just regular scissors for the penguin director's ball of hair (he did always pride himself on his looks). What good would that do, though?

Then it hit him. Of course! It was so obvious! The pair of scissors could be used to cut the antenna receiver on the bomb, stopping the countdown. He could defuse it! All he had to do now was get the scissors.

Wading his way through the penguin audience – still enthralled with gasps and cheers with Hat Kid's and DJ Grooves' fight, the Conductor grabbed the giant pair of scissors, hoisting it over himself. It was much heavier than he had anticipated. Perfect. It should have the strength to cut the receiver. Careful not to draw too much attention to himself with the tool, the owl(?) director made his way back to the stands, propping the scissors onto the railing.

“My defuser is ready!” the Conductor announced to the Hat Kid, opening the large scissors. “C'mere!” The two combatants stopped in the middle of their fight. The alien girl looked at the old bird, a look of confusion on her face. Immediately, her face lit up with a knowing smile, eyes twinkling like stars, as she rushed towards the would-be defuser. She knew what had to be done.

DJ Grooves also came to the same conclusion, much to his horror.

“D-don't just stand there, penguins!” the penguin director cried out in desperation. “STOP HIM!!”

Beep ~ Beep ~ Beep

Ten seconds until self-destruct.

On command, the moon penguin audience sprung into action, throwing their small bodies onto the Conductor, grabbing him, doing everything they could to prevent from defusing the bomb. Though the old owl(?) did his best to shrug off his assailants, the horde of penguins made things very difficult for him. He was starting to lose his grip on the scissors, teetering on the railing.

9...

8...

7...

Hat Kid shook nervously under the giant pair of scissors, sweat pouring down her face. Time was running out on the bomb, and the Conductor was being swarmed by moon penguins. The scissors rocked dangerously up and down; it would either miss its mark, or cut her head right off. DJ Grooves stood in front of the girl, a look of preemptive triumph on his face.

“HA! The Conductor can't do anything, darling!” the mad penguin taunted maliciously. “He's an old geezer!”

6...

5...

4...

Buzzard?! Did DJ Grooves just call the Conductor a buzzard? He was not a buzzard! He is a director!

Enraged, the owl(?) director threw off the horde of moon penguins off of himself with a screech. Now free for a moment, the Conductor could finally get a good, solid grip on the handles of the pair of scissors...

3...

2...

1.

... and closed them with all his might.

Goodby---Snip!

Hat Kid kept her eyes shut tight, holding onto her breath. She didn't know what was going on now. Was she dead? She didn't feel dead, but how would she know? Daring a peek, the alien child saw that she was still in the basement of the Dead Bird Studio, still in DJ Grooves' arena, and – yes – still alive. The top half of the antennae receiver laid limp on the floor before her.

The Conductor had done it! He had defused the bomb!

Suddenly, the tight feeling on her chest loosened its grip, as the bomb's harness unlocked itself, sliding off of her body. A great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, in more ways than one. Hat Kid allowed herself a quick sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Conductor!” Hat Kid waved at the old owl(?) in the stands.

“Don't thank me yet!” the Conductor urged, fighting off a new wave of moon penguin goons. “Finish this fight, lass!” The girl nodded, turning her attention back to the penguin director, his beak left open in shock at the failure of his bomb scheme.

“Once again,” DJ Grooves started, “I have been cheated out of another victory. But it ain't over yet, darling! It's time for THE BIG PARADE!!” Suddenly, a group of nervous looking express owls landed around Hat Kid, each of them holding a knife in their hands. Making stabbing motions, the brown owls gave chase towards the alien girl.

If this was anything like the parade back on the Moon, Hat Kid had to keep pace ahead of the express owls – especially with those knives of theirs. She did not want to be cut again. Transforming her top hat into the Sprint Hat again, the young explorer kept her distance from her would-be assailants, but was nearly caught off guard when several studio lights started falling from the ceiling.

Her battle with DJ Grooves was either tearing the place apart, or he was throwing everything he had left at the girl.

... where was DJ Grooves, anyway? Hat Kid scanned the arena, but only saw express owls chasing her, and broken studio lights littering the ground. He couldn't have gone far, she thought. Was he hiding among the-?

“LASS!” the Conductor cried out, pointing to the stage with his free hand. “He's gonna smash the Time Piece!” Hat Kid's eyes followed towards the stage, and, sure enough, DJ Grooves stood there with the Time Piece in his flipper.

“It's too late now, darling!” the mad penguin cackled. “The win belongs to me!” Hat Kid gasped. She wouldn't have enough time to run over to the stage and stop the penguin director from using the Time Piece. Searching for something... anything to help her, she eyed a lone chain dangling in front of the stage. It must have been a leftover from the explosive disco balls from earlier. Perhaps...

Aiming her umbrella, Hat Kid fired her hook shot at the chain, catching the end of it, propelling her forward. She could end this fight once and for all! The alien girl readied a kick as she swung towards DJ Grooves, but the penguin director easily sidestepped her attack, nearly sending her crashing into the wall behind him. He let out a quick laugh at her misfortune

“Grooves! Please!” the Conductor pleaded as he fought off the moon penguin goons. “Don't do this!”

“There's no stopping this, Conductor,” DJ Grooves growled, readying to smash the Time Piece, “and there's nothing you can do to stop me!”

“Maybe I can't,” the old owl(?) replied, a knowing smirk crossing his pointed face, “but she still can.” Confused, the mad penguin turned himself around, and gasped in terror as Hat Kid – her umbrella still attached to the chain – swung towards him.

Catching DJ Grooves by surprise, Hat Kid raised her feet in front of her, and with the force of the swing, delivered her boot to the mad penguin's face with a mighty blow, sending him and the Time Piece flying.

Crack!

“I HATE YOU,” the penguin director bellowed out loud as his body flew in the air, “DARLING!!” After what seemed like an eternity, DJ Grooves' body fell to the arena ground with a flop, his shades – now broken in two - following suit.

Hat Kid landed back on her feet with a flip, wincing. Looking up in the air, the alien girl caught the magical hourglass as it made its way back down. The whole room (even the music) seemed to freeze in place after the girl delivered her mighty blow against the moon penguin. She smiled triumphantly as she held onto the time relic in her hand, though let out an exhausted sigh as she leaned on the hourglass.

She had gotten her Time Piece back!

Chapter Text

Flop!

The entire room stood still as DJ Grooves hit the floor, defeated. The cheering moon penguins grew deathly silent, staring in shocked at their downed boss. The pumping music that played during the battle died out. The express owls that were brought on by the moon penguin director immediately dispersed upon his fall. And even the Conductor could hardly believe himself in what he had just witnessed in the last few minutes.

The Hat Kid had won! She had reclaimed her lost Time Piece!

Looking at the young alien from the stands, the old owl(?) could see that while she was greatly relieved for the fight to be over, she was completely drained, leaning heavily on her shining hourglass to catch her breath. From all her jumping and running during the fight, as well as the injuries she sustained, it was no surprise that the Hat Kid would be a little wiped out.

Honestly, the Conductor was so proud in the little lass... and in himself.

The old director knew he didn't have to get involved; he could very well have stayed safe and sound in his Owl Express train, and would let the girl do all the work. It was a good thing he took a risk and helped out in the fight, though. Otherwise, DJ Grooves would have used the Time Piece to rewrite history, and the bomb would have gone off, with the lass... the lass...

The Conductor shook his head. He'd dare not think about what would happen to her if he hadn't intervened. All that was important now was that the Hat Kid was safe, and that she was victorious. Showing up that pompous DJ Grooves was the cherry on top.

“Good on ye, lass,” the old owl(?) commended the young child under his breath, a smile crossing his pointed face.

“DJ Grooves!” a moon penguin cried out from behind, wiping the smile off the owl's(?) face. “H-he's down! We have to help him!” The Hat Kid was too wiped out from her battle with the penguin director, he thought. She'd stand no chance against the army of penguins by their boss' side. The old bird had to think quick, before the lass could be set upon by hordes of penguins.

“Ye move a muscle,” the Conductor threatened, taking out his knife and brandishing it towards the moon penguins, “yer gonna have to deal with me!” As he predicted, the moon penguins froze in place at the sight of the crazed Conductor wielding a blade in their faces. Once he was satisfied the penguin audience wouldn't be a threat anymore, the old director tucked away his knife, and hopped the railing, landing in the torn arena below.

DJ Grooves struggled to get off the ground, his disastrous battle leaving him defeated and exhausted. The win was supposed to be his! The Time Piece was his to use to expose the Conductor for his cheating ways, and the little brat who supported him would be out of the picture. The old bird just had to get involved, didn't he? Things couldn't get any worse for the moon penguin, could they? Looking up from the ground, he could see an angry looking Conductor standing in the arena, staring down at the fallen DJ Grooves. And with his rhinestone shades now broken, he was unable to hide the terror in his beady eyes.

Things did get worse for him. Far worse than he could imagine.

“C-Conductor...!” DJ Grooves stammered with a yelp. “D-darli-”

“Don't ye darling me, DJ Grooves!” the Conductor sneered, venom dripping from his words. The penguin director immediately shut up, startled by his rival's shouting. Even the exhausted Hat Kid seemed quite alarmed by his outburst, letting herself stand off to the side. Her battle with DJ Grooves was over, while the Conductor's battle with him was just beginning.

Though it'd be less a battle and more of a massacre. The Conductor gave a pointed smile.

“Ye can do alot of things, Grooves,” the old bird remarked, slowly walking towards the downed and panicking penguin. “Ye can go around winning movie awards that should have gone to me. Ye can go around slandering me good name. Ye can even go around trying to rewrite history to put yerself up on top of things.” The Conductor was now barely an inch away from DJ Grooves. What was he up to? The old owl(?) scowled, grabbing the penguin by the collar of his jacket, bringing the two face-to-face.

“But don't ye dare hurt my lassie!” the Conductor screeched. “Our lassie! Ye got that, ye shade-hiding, microphone-twirling, platform-wearing, moon-jumping, afro-styling, eyebrow-shifting, drivel-spewing, TROPHY-STEALING, NAME-SLANDERING, HISTORY-CHANGING, CHILD-MYURDERING PECK NECK?!!” The enraged owl's(?) voice rang out in the room, followed by a deafening silence. The Conductor released his grip on DJ Grooves with a huff.

For the longest minute, no one said a word – too shocked and awestruck by the owl(?) director's words. Even the Hat Kid looked on with eyes wide as saucers as she leaned on her Time Piece. Only DJ Grooves, reeling from his rival's verbal undressing, could only attempt to say something, but the lump in his throat could hardly make a word come out.

Finally, the downed penguin lowered his head pitifully, his giant eyebrows sagging with him.

“You're right,” DJ Grooves could only murmur. “You're absolutely right. I got so caught up in my second victory, I... I let the fame go to my head. And with the Time Piece, I thought I could finally win back all the trophies you had taken from me... but I took things too far. I hurt the people closest to me... the people I cared about...” The Penguin raised his head towards the Hat Kid, tears welling up in his beady eyes. “Especially you, darling. I hurt you the most, even after everything you did for me. I... I'm so sorry.”

“Grooves...” the young girl murmured weakly, stepping towards the now crying penguin, the expression on her face unreadable.

“I'm so ashamed in myself!” DJ Grooves wailed, picking himself off the ground and running away from the scene, nearly tripping as he did so. His moon penguin crew, seeing their boss running away in tears, quickly followed after him from the stands.

“Wait!” the Hat Kid called out, attempting to follow the penguin with a limp, but was stopped by the Conductor.

“Let him go, lass,” the old bird urged, “I think he's learned his lesson.” With the moon penguins gone now, only the alien child and the owl(?) director were left in the ruined arena. A tense silence fell over the two. “Ye alright, lass?”

“I've had worse,” the Hat Kid fibbed, waving a shaky hand in dismissal. “Thank you for your help, Conductor. I'm sorry you didn't win the award.”

“It's alright, lass,” the Conductor remarked with a shrug, smiling. “I've won so many awards already. I think a loss every once in a while should do me some good. Keep me grounded. Humble. But I'll be winning next year's annual bird movie award! Mark me words!”

Another period of tense silence fell on the two, both shifting uncomfortably in their spots. The Conductor broke the silence.

“Listen...” he started, “I've been meaning to tell ye. I'm sorry for how I treated ye.” The Hat Kid took a moment to process the Conductor's words before her eyes widened in realization, a sad smile crossing her face.

“It's OK, Conductor,” she replied. “Really, it's OK-”

“No, it's not!” the owl(?) director cried out, grabbing the girl's trembling hands. “Yer a good lass. Ye done everything I asked of ye and more, and how did I treat ye? By threatening ye with jail, scaring ye so badly during the myurder mystery, nearly having ye blown up with me train, and just...” The Conductor choked up, fighting back tears. “... just being the biggest peck neck in the world.. to ye. I wouldn't hold it against ye if you hated me, so.”

“I... I don't hate you,” the Hat Kid answered. It was almost alien to her to see the Conductor - usually so confident and angry - look so sad and vulnerable. It made tears run down her own face.

“If ye can ever find it in yer heart to forgive this old bird,” the Conductor pleaded, now crying, “I'd be the happiest bird in the whole world! If ye ever wanted to star in me movies again, I'll make it up to ye, somehow. We can do things yer way, yer call. We don't even have to use me train... if ye don't want to.”

Any other time, Hat Kid would have just assumed the Conductor was just saying everything she wanted to hear just to placate her... only to go back on his word the very next moment. But something in his voice... his posture... he seemed genuine, like he meant what he was saying. Like he was going to stick to his promises. It made her smile.

“Thank you...” she spoke softly, setting aside her Time Piece to give the Conductor a weak half hug, “but I think I'm gonna take a break from show business for a while now.” She was getting her tears and blood on his train operator suit. The movie director placed his hand around her shoulder. He could get his suit cleaned up anytime.

“I don't blame ye, lassie,” the old owl(?) chuckled, wiping the tears from his feathery face, “But if ye ever change yer mind, just let me know. Alright?” The Hat Kid nodded. Turning her attention away from the Conductor, the young girl picked up the broken pair of shades of DJ Grooves'.

“I can't believe DJ Grooves would turn on me like that,” Hat Kid wondered, frowning.

“I'm not too surprised,” the Conductor commented, “Being on the losing streak for years now, it can wear on yer mind. After he got his big win, as well as the Time Piece, it all went to his head. I'd be shocked if he hadn't tried to to rewrite history with that glory he was getting.” The Conductor paused. “If it were me, I'd probably do the same thing. I'd probably use the power to rewind time to fix up mistakes in my own past. I'd probably be just as bad as DJ Peck Neck was... if not worse. Glad it's not me, though. I don't want ye kicking me tail feather.” Hat Kid chuckled, but quickly clutched her knife wound with a wince.

The young girl had to get medical attention from her injuries. She had to get it fast, as she felt herself starting to fade again. Her Spaceship had everything she needed to patch her up, but she wanted to stay. She wanted to ask the Conductor so many questions. She wanted to ask a question about a topic DJ Grooves brought up during her heart-to-heart with him. She almost did, but as she opened her mouth to ask, she stopped herself from speaking.

No. She didn't need to know about the Conductor's past. Not now. Whatever happened during his career, that was his business, not hers. Whatever may have happened was irrelevant, now. Instead, she decided on another burning question ever since she got the call from him:

“How did DJ Grooves get a hold on my Time Piece?” Hat Kid asked.

“About that...” the Conductor answered, shifting uncomfortably in his spot, “I might have exaggerated a tiny bit about Grooves rigging the awards. The time thingamajig was given to him by a red-hooded girl... with a mustache on her fa-”

“Mustache Girl!” Hat Kid growled, fire in her eyes.

“Ye know her?”

“She's trying to take my Time Pieces from me!” Hat Kid was livid at this point.

“Well,” the Conductor suggested, “ye better hurry up, then. I don't think she could have gotten that far.”

“Where is she?!”

“I don't know.” The surprised owl(?) shrugged. “There is an old, haunted forest not too far from here. Could be the perfect hiding spot for a peck neck on the run.”

“I'll go there next, then.” The Hat Kid picked up her Time Piece and started to leave, but was stopped when the Conductor placed his hand on her shoulder.

“I should let ye know, lassie,” he warned, “people who go in that forest... they don't come back out.”

“I have to try,” Hat Kid insisted. The girl paused a moment, deep in reflection, before looking back up at the old bird, a sad smile on her face. “Thank you, Conductor... for everything. I'll... see you later.” Before the owl(?) director could say anything else, the Hat Kid walked off out of the room, before disappearing in a beam of light with her Time Piece.

Once again, the Conductor was left alone, standing among the wreckage of DJ Grooves' arena. But he wasn't miserable or angry. Instead, he was... happy. Happy for Hat Kid and her victory. He hoped the very best for her to reclaim all of her Time Pieces.

It did leave the old owl(?) deep in thought, though. It had been quite the evening for everyone: two feuding directors; an award ceremony; a stranger from the sky; magical relics; a mentor figure turned evil; a rival turned ally; a victory against all odds. It all sounded like the plot of a very good movie...

... and he would be the one to direct it!

His head blazing with inspiration, the Conductor would be the first one to capitalize on these turn of events. That would be his win for next year's Annual Bird Movie Award! But he had to work quick, or else he might lose the inspiration.

Rushing towards the elevator to the upper levels of the Dead Bird Studio, the Conductor thought up of many questions on what could be done for the movie, like how could he get his crew to work with him on such short notice. But as he stepped into the elevator, as it started to close on him, one burning question was left remaining:

How could he work his train into the movie?

Chapter Text

Hat Kid stared at the front of the Dead Bird Studio, birds of all types walking past her. It was only recently did she find out what the 'Dead' in Dead Bird Studio meant. She never did have the time to stop and look at the logo of the studio: a cartoony depiction of a bird's skull.

It made her smile at the connection.

It had been a few weeks—almost a month—since Hat Kid's last adventure at the bird studio. She had busied herself with reclaiming her lost Time Pieces in other parts of the little planet. Her search for the magical hourglasses had led her to befriending a soul-stealing, contract-obsessed specter, traversing the tops of mountains via ziplines, and running for her life from a metro full of cats led by a crime lord. Returning here would be a pleasant change of pace, she thought.

Hat Kid had reclaimed most of her missing Time Pieces by now, but she knew there were still a few stragglers hidden in places she hadn't looked yet. They'll either be as they were, or they'd be broken and forming Time Rifts for the hatted child to close. She was hoping for the former.

Clutching her side where her knife wound was (now a mere remnant and grim reminder of a friend double-crossing and hurting her), Hat Kid took in a deep breath. She couldn't put this off, forever. She couldn't keep standing infront of the studio, admiring the clever wordplay and imagery the logo evoked. Whatever memories—both good and bad—this place elicited, she had to put them off to the side for the sake of the Time Pieces, if any were to be found.

Mentally preparing herself, the young explorer stepped forward to the front door, sliding open to welcome her in.

It felt strange, Hat Kid thought, heading towards the main lobby. It seemed like only yesterday when she first walked into the studio, stepping into a feud between an angry train operator owl(?) and a disco penguin. It seemed like only yesterday when she starred in both of the bird directors' movies, reclaiming her Time Pieces as she did so. It seemed like only yesterday when she help secure victory for the winner, and she was happy for the bird.

And it seemed like only yesterday when everything went wrong afterwards.

The hatted child shook her head. She couldn't let her mind wander and fill her head with doubt. She was here, now, and was here on quick business.

Stepping into the main lobby, Hat Kid prepared herself for a barrage of loud noises. She expected to walk into another fight between an old owl(?) and a moon penguin. But it never came. Instead, she walked into what she could only describe as the most calm and peaceful this place has ever been. The express owls lounging about didn't seem as nervous as they usually were, happily chatting among themselves.

Most shocking was their boss, the Conductor, casually holding a conversation between an express owl and the owl receptionist. It was a rare sight to see the old owl(?) being anything but a raging or obsessive control-freak. But here, he was calm and relaxed, casually sipping coffee from the mug in his hand. Even the express owl talking to his director seemed quite excited to not getting yelled at, for once.

But something was amiss, Hat Kid thought. Something was missing:

There were only express owls in the lobby.

There were no moon penguins present.

No DJ Grooves present.

It could explain why the Conductor was in such a good mood.

“Good morning, lass!” the Conductor greeted the hatted child warmly, causing the express owls to wave in her direction, too.

“Good morning, everyone!” Hat Kid greeted the birds, smiling.

“Have ye changed yer mind about starring in one of me movies?”

“No.” The girl shook her head. “I'm just here to find any loose Time Pieces lying around.”

“Well”—the Conductor took a sip of his coffee—“yer always free ta check around my side of the studio, but ye should do so, quickly. We'll be recording another movie, soon. We can hold off for a little bit for ye, lassie.” Hat Kid smiled. It was very heartwarming to seeing the Conductor being nice to her for a change.

The lobby doors slid open, and in stepped DJ Grooves and his moon penguin troupe.

The moment the penguin director stepped into the lobby, any comforting atmosphere the room may have had was instantly drained away. In its place was a tense, foreboding calm. All conversations between birds ceased, as both express owls and moon penguins alike locked eyes with each other.

Normally, whenever both directors came face-to-face with each other, the Conductor would launch into a furious tirade of screeching noises, while DJ Grooves simply danced off his rival's insults. But at that moment, the Conductor held his tongue, and DJ Grooves wasn't dancing. The two directors just stood their ground, eyeing each other.

It seemed like any moment, another fight between the two feuding directors would once again erupt. But it never came, as both birds just stood in their places.

Scanning the room behind his new star-shaped shades, DJ Grooves took note of the Conductor and his express owls...

... and his darling, the Hat Kid.

Part of him didn't want to be here. Part of him just wanted to remain on the Moon and prolong his hiatus from the Dead Bird Studio. He wanted to cut and run, but a reassuring grab of his flipper by a moon penguin at his side assured him that he was doing the right thing. He had to be here, anyway, for the sake of his newest movie... for his crew.

Still, why did she have to be here, too?

"Conductor," DJ Grooves greeted his rival.

"Grooves," the Conductor greeted his rival back.

"Darling," DJ Grooves greeted the Hat Kid.

"Grooves," the girl greeted him in return, the expression on her face unreadable.

Awkward.

The express owls were again shifting nervously in their spots, and even the moon penguin entourage held off on snapping their flippers. Both sides seemed like they were preparing for a bomb to go off. But the explosion never came.

“Well,” the Conductor concluded, sipping the last of his coffee, “we should get going with that movie of ours. Again, we'll hold off for ye ta look around the place, lassie.” The Hat Kid nodded in acknowledgement. The express owls were already scurrying out of the room, hoping to avoid a confrontation. The Conductor stopped just short of the door to his side of the studio, turning back towards DJ Grooves. “Oh... and it's good to have ye back, DJ Peck Neck... I guess.” The old owl(?) shrugged, then disappeared behind the door.

With the express owls and their director out of the lobby, it seemed like the tension that was built-up between the parties started to dissipate... or did it grow even more tense? Neither hatted girl or moon penguins could quite tell, anymore.

“Y-you darlings go on ahead to the studio,” DJ Grooves urged his entourage. “I'll catch up with you in a moment.” The moon penguins gave their director a quick look of concern, unsure if he was making the right call. But in the end, they nodded in agreement, and waddled their way towards their side of the studio. As the penguins filed out of the lobby, the last of the crew members just just shy of the door, giving his boss one last look, before exiting the room.

“Whew! Would you look at that!” the receptionist owl blurted out, picking up the Conductor's empty coffee mug. “I... uh... I should be doing something right now.” The large bird hopped over his receptionist desk, quick to get out of the room, and away from a potentially awkward moment.

Finally, only the Hat Kid and DJ Grooves remained, looking at each other.

Both figures stood still in their places, both trying to decide what to do. The hatted child averted her gaze, nervously kicking the ground with her booted feet, while DJ Grooves tried his best to keep his cool while adjusting his jacket, but it came out as stilted and awkward. The two were barely a foot away, but the silence between them stretched out for miles.

DJ Grooves was the first to break the silence:

“So...” the moon penguin started, awkwardly scratching the back of his head, “how are you, darling? What have you been up to?”

“Oh...! I-I'm fine,” the Hat Kid answered, shifting her gaze back and forth between the director and anywhere else in the room. “I'm just looking for the last Time Pieces I'm missing.”

“Cool, cool,” DJ Grooves nodded, “There shouldn't be much left, huh?”

“Nope.” The young explorer shook her head. “Just a few loose ones. Shouldn't be too hard to find.”

“Nice.” Silence once again fell between the two. The alien child played with the zipper on her purple tunic, while the penguin director rubbed his flippers together. “How... uh... how's your injury going?”

“Oh...! That...” Hat Kid frowned as she clutched her side where the knife wound was, but gave a weak smile. “It's all healed now... mostly . When I got back on my ship, my friend, Cooking Cat, did her best to patch me up.” The girl gave a quick, empty laugh. “She had a few choice words for me during the process. I suggested using Heart Pons to heal me, but she insisted on stitches; she thought Heart Pons wouldn't... cut it.”

“She really cares about you, doesn't she?” DJ Grooves offered sympathetically.

“Yeah...” Hat Kid nodded in agreement, reflecting back to her time in the cat chef's care.

Once more, a wall of silence fell between the two. It was obvious to both that the little girl didn't want to stay in the room, as she eyed the door to the Conductor's side of the studio. It made DJ Grooves' smile on his beak slip into a frown for a moment, a crack to his emotions.

“I should start looking for those Time Pieces,” Hat Kid concluded, starting to walk past DJ Grooves. “See you later.” She didn't get far as the penguin director grabbed her hand.

“Darling, wait!” DJ Grooves pleaded, his voice starting to crack. “I... I-I'm so sorry.” The moon penguin removed his rhinestone shades, letting the girl see the bags that had formed underneath his beady eyes from many sleepless nights. Tears threatened to fall again from them.

“Grooves...” Hat Kid could only muster as her sapphire-blue eyes gazed into DJ Groove's own beady eyes, surprised at the director's vulnerability.

“It's been very hard for me for the past few... years!” the penguin explained, choking back tears. “All of my movies always came second place to the Conductor. No matter how great my movies turned out, his always came out greater! I lost all drive to make my movies, if they were always going to lose or be ridiculed. It got so bad, I was thinking about... retiring.” A look of shock took hold of the Hat Kid's face at DJ Grooves' confession.

“But then... you came along,” he continued, “and suddenly, I was given the drive to make my movies, again. Because of you, you helped me win the movie award, and I felt like my movies mattered again! Like I mattered again!” A smile crossed the moon penguin director's beak, before it was quickly replaced by a deep frown.

“Then I learned what the Time Pieces could do... to rewind time. I let my victory and my passions get to me, and I was ready to do the unthinkable to claim what I was denied: I was ready to cheat... the same way I thought the Conductor cheated for his trophies.” Tears began falling from DJ Grooves' face. “I was willing to hurt anyone who got in my way. I was willing to hurt you. I did hurt you! I even tried to blow you up!” DJ Grooves covered his tear-filled beady eyes with his flippers, sobbing loudly. “No reason I could give could ever excuse what I did to you! I'm sorry, darling! I'm so sorry!”

The penguin director wailed within the lobby for what seemed like an eternity, pouring his heart out to the little girl he betrayed. The world around him seemed like it was crashing down. He may have won the latest bird movie award, but in his mind and heart, the cost was too great. His reputation as a movie director was forever damaged, he lost respect in himself, and, worst of all, he lost a friend. His darling . She'd never forgive him, he knew. Never.

He barely noticed in his sobbing that something was tightening around his neck. He could hardly see through the tears in his eyes. Calming himself down a moment, he found the Hat Kid had wrapped her arms around his neck. She was hugging him. Hugging him!

“I... I don't understand!” DJ Grooves stammered, trying to process the reason for this display. “I thought you'd hate me for what I did! Why are...?” The penguin felt the little girl's body shaking next to his, and a soft sniffling sound could be heard coming from her. He kept his voice low. “Are you crying?”

The young child pulled herself away from the bird director, her beet-red face wet with tears of her own.

“I was sad and scared that I lost a friend for being selfish!” the Hat Kid cried out, doing her best (and failing) to wipe away the tears from her eyes. DJ Grooves' own beady eyes widened with shock at her confession.

“No no no!” he tried to calm her down, gripping her trembling hands in his flippers. “Why would you think that?”

“Because,” she explained between hard sniffles, “everyone I befriended needed my help in some way. They wanted the Time Pieces to fix things in their lives, and they asked me for them. I needed my Time Pieces to get back home, but I was called greedy for not giving them up. My friends double-crossed me, willing to hurt me for the Time Pieces!” The Hat Kid paused, taking in a deep breath to calm herself.

“And maybe...” she continued, removing her top hat from her head, “they were right. Maybe if I hadn't been hoarding my Time Pieces, then their dreams would come true. Maybe I wouldn't lose any friends for being selfish! Maybe I wouldn't be in this mess if I did what others asked of me! Maybe-!” Before she could mire herself in more self-doubt, DJ Grooves pulled the Hat Kid into himself, giving her a deep hug. The Hat Kid dropped her hat to the ground.

“Don't say that!” he spoke firmly. “Don't ever say that! You've never been selfish! They're your Time Pieces, not theirs. You got a good heart for wanting to help others, but a true friend would never demand everything out of you, and then get angry when they don't get their way. If your friends can't accept that, that's their loss, not yours. You and the Conductor helped me realize that.” The penguin paused, giving the girl time to let the emotions die out in his red jacket.

“You're a good girl, darling,” DJ Grooves concluded. “You're the best thing to ever happen to this world.”

“And you're still a peck neck,” the Hat Kid joked, fighting back more tears, “and I forgive you.” The young girl hugged the moon penguin back.

“Heh... I'll accept that,” DJ Grooves chuckled.

The two figures held onto each other for the longest few minutes of their lives. Neither wanted to let the other go. They would let any remaining tears run their course, until none more would be shed. Any tension that once filled the room was now replaced with a comforting and almost dream-like tranquility. There were moments the two nearly fell asleep in each other's arms.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the two pulled themselves away from each other.

“You alright now, darling?” DJ Grooves asked gently.

“I think so,” the Hat Kid answered, breathing steadily now, “Thank you, DJ Grooves.”

“I should be thanking you... for everything, darling,” DJ Grooves picked up the girl's fallen top hat in his flippers, placing it back on her head. “Now then. You're still looking for those Time Pieces, huh?” The young explorer nodded with excitement. “Well, how about we search together on my side of the studio?”

“Yeah!” the Hat Kid cheered, grabbing his flipper in her hand. A huge smile crossed her face.

“Here we... go!” “Here we... go!” the two cheered in unison.

Holding onto each other, both Hat Kid and DJ Grooves danced their way to his side of the studio, the air of the Dead Bird Studio dancing with electricity and joy wherever the two went. If there were any Time Pieces to be found, the two would find them, and the two would find them together... as friends.

Hop ~ Skip ~ Twirl

Hop ~ Skip ~ Twirl