-and also a bit of Snatcher too-

Author note: Take place just after the first part so if you don’t remember or you haven’t read it I place the url here just for you

https://riverteatime.tumblr.com/post/190609617336/a-school-in-time-chapter-3-first-part

Ok now let’s the fun begin

----------

Hatika don’t know how many minutes she has been running at full speed. Maybe more than five minutes-maybe ten-. Her small thief don’t seem to slow down, sometimes hiding in the bushes and reappearing some meters after. Plus, with his green fluff it’s seem that he make one with the nature. 

The girl seem aware that she ran so far away and maybe she will not be able to find her tent before the night. But her hat is more important. If she lose it.... She don’t want to think about it. She MUST catch this little guy even if her body screams at her brain to slow down because of her injured knee and the multiples scratches she won while she researched in the thorny bushes. “Don’t slow down Hattie, you can do it” she tell to herself. 

Suddenly, the cat stop running. Hatika doesn’t slow and throws herself, like an player of american football do for catching the ball (well, here the cat is the ball). But it was at this moment she realizes something. It was a BAD IDEA.

The cat stopped running because it is the drop of the small driff (yes Hatika has been running on a cliff and she was not aware). Her feet trip on a tree's root and she fell in some sort of small lake of dirty water. She moves her legs and her arms to reach the surface and floats. But she barely knows how to swim. Wait, she feels something holding her right leg, something not heavy but trying to drag her to the bottom of the lake. At she realizes this she start to panic and screaming for help.

Rough Patch, the small cat who is holding again the hat, seems to have miss his calculation. It didn't come at his head that the small female human will land on one of the dangerous lakes of the spooky swamp. She needs help. Then he hears some yellings a little far from him. His master is calling? Oh! He have an idea! Maybe his master can help this small human. With the hat, the small beast runs to the direction of his master's voice.

--------

"Rough Patch !?!! Where are you?!" Calls Snatcher "Damn, this cat can rivalize with some students with problems. Are you really sure you want to search for this girl? You know, it's not because she was running at the direction of the swamp that she will enter. Maybe she is smart enough to realize that this place is not for her..."

"Snatch, shut up! I have a bad feeling and you know what that means." Tells Moonjumper with an harsh tone.

"Yeah, I know. It's not like the last time someone tresspass this zone, he pass away literally... And the last time you have this 'bad feeling', like you said, it was at this moment. Man! What I would give to not be drag like-" Continues Snatch but he is cut by a violent "Shhhhhhh-" of Moonjumper.

Some leaves of the bushes starts to move and a muffled 'meow' can be hearing. Then the small beast comes out from his hiding spot.

"Mraw!? Meow-breow!" Says the cat after dropping the hat.

"Rough Patch ! What did I tell you? To not cause any problem. And yet you did. What you have to say for your defense?" Asks the black-haired man

The meows of the cat start to be more long, like he is trying to tell something, and he grabs the hat and drops it several times. Then he rubs his head against the leg of his master.

"Your cat is acting strange!" Tells Moonjumper

"Yep. But I don't speak like him, neither understand him at some moments." Says Snatcher to his friend while he tries to catch the cat. But the animal avoid the hands of his master and go rubs his small face to the other man.

Snatcher and Moonjumper can't believe it. RoughPatch, normally, don't like the white-haired man. He makes it clear by hissing or ignore it when Moon tried to pet him. And now he is acting like a teddy bear. Something is REALLY not right. Then, the beast starts to run at the direction he came from. He turns around to see if the humans are following.

"I think he wants us to following him..." Says Moon, doubtful.

"Meow~~" Answers happily the living furball. It was a yes from him.

"Ok buddy, go ahead, we are following" says Snatcher before the cat runs in the bushes.

----------

"Ah-Peck !" Curses Hatika while she is trying to remove for the third time the thing holding her feet. She tried to reach some sort of scraps of a wooden that are some meters next to her. But the thing drag her to the starting point everytime she is near to it. She dives another time and with her hands she succeed to touch the thing. It's like she is touching a plant. A plant that can hold a feet and drag a human, it's strange. "Ok Hattie, don't panic. It's not like this plant is going to eat you" she mumble to herself. But after she had reach the surface to take her breath, another plant grab one of her arm. She yells and tries to break free. And the thing-plant start to drown the little girl...

"Hey! You! What are you doing here?" Asks a voice. Hattie look at her left and see two men at the edge of the lake. Wait... One of him is not one of her teachers at the school.

"H-help me!" She yells "Som-something is holding me..." She have not the time to finish her sentence that the plant, the one holding her arm, drag her underwater.

Snatcher was already removing is black jacket before throw it at the head of a panicking Moonjumper.

"TOI, reste ici avec le chat!" (YOU, stay here with the cat) Yell Snatcher to Moonjumper.

Then the black haired man jumps in the water and swims rapidly to the spot he saw the girl before the plant take her away. He takes a breath, taking as much air that his lungs can take and goes underwater. But he doesn't see well, thanks to the dirty water. So he goes as deep as he can.

He was missing air and was ready to go to the surface when a small hand grabs his T-shirt. It's the kid. He holds her to his chest and grabs the Swiss army knife he always had with him. Then he cuts the arms of the plant and doesn't wait to reach the surface with the small girl safe in his arms.

After some seconds of break for taking his breath, Snatcher swims to an happy and relieved Moonjumper. The white-haired teacher helps his friend and Hattie to go out of the water. The girl was coughing horribly due to the amount of non-clean water she as been drinking.

"Here, sit down little one. Take all your time and breath. You're safe now." Says Moon to a shaking and wheezing Hattie while he gives her his coat.

"Well... I think the trip to the 'resto' is canceled... I will be not able to walk this much after what happens." Tells Snatcher who was lying on the ground, catching his breath.

"But you have to walk to reach the house." Tells Moon at his friend

"Yeah... Laisse moi juste deux secondes pour respirer" (Give me two seconds for catching my breath) Says Snatch.

"Oh god, where does all theses injuries come from?" Asks Moon to the child

"I-I..." She tries to tell

"Are you able to walk?"

"I- I don't k-know... My legs... are hurting..." Says the child with a small voice.

"Maybe we can move her to the house and while we are ordering something to eat we can call a doctor" Asks Snatcher who was now on his feet.

"Yeah... I think it's the best option" Answers Moon. "Little one? Are you ok if we brought you to our house? It's not far. There, you will rest." At this question, Hatika nods. She don't know where she is and she is too tired for searching the the way to her tent.

------

"Home, sweet home!" Says Snatcher after kicking the door to open it. "I was neither be so happy to return home"

"Oh really ?" Asks Moonjumper with a malicious smile.

The white-haired man was carrying Hatika. The little girl tried to walk on her own, but her legs was so heavy and bleeding that the english teacher felt guilty. She insisted to let her but she didn't win the argument and with no time she found herself scoped by the man. And it was at this moment she realized how tired she was. When they reach the two men's house, she was at the limit to fall asleep. The two men was aware of that and didn't talk to her on the walking section. She just survived from drowning and they know that talking to her directly after that was not a good idea.

Moonjumper was the first to break the silence. He helps her to sit on the sofa in the living room and is now tending to her injuries with the first aid kit the two men friends was keeping.

"Are you alright?" He asks. He know that she is NOT alright, she is just a child and ten minutes ago she was drowning. How can she be alright after that?

"Hmm...yeah but I'm really tired" She answers.

"It's normal after what's happened. Can I ask you why you were in the forest?"

"A little beast stole my hat" Tells Hatika after yawning

"A beast?!" Asks confusely the man.

"Yea! It's was like a cat but with a strange green fur! And...". But before she can continue a small and lovely meow can be heard and Snatcher's head pops from the door frame.

"It's him?" He asks while entering the room with a certain small beast in his arms holding a certain hat.

Hatika gasps. "Yeah! It's him who stole my hat!"

The small thief jumps from his master's arms and climbs on the sofa. He drops the hat and meow sadly while lowering his head.

"He said sorry" Translate Snatcher to the child.

Hatika take a minute to think before saying "It's alright. But the next time don't take it like that. It's not a simple hat, it's important to me."

"Mreow~~" Answer happily the cat while giving a small and soft headbutt to one of the arm of the child. Hatika lets out a small laugh and start to pet the cat. The beast, who absolutly love when someone pet him, starts to purrs loudly.

"If RoughPatch let's him be petting by you it's because he sense that you are special" Says Moonjumper, smiling to them.

"Special?" Ask the confuse child

"Yep!" Say Snatcher. "Not just anybody can pet him. Moon cannot touch him for example"

"Why?" Ask the child more confuse than before

"...It's a long story...." Answer sadly the white-haired man

Then silence, just the purring of the cat can be hearing.

"Anyways, I have a call to make!" Snatcher exits the room while repeating the word "livraison" multiples times.

"What is 'ly-vray-zon'?'' Ask the child to the english teacher

"Hmm? Oh! It's mean 'delivery' in French." Tell Moonjumper "We were going to a restaurant when Rough Patch found us for rescuing you. We have a sort of 'habit', we go to a restaurant one time each weeks. With that, we don't have to cook or wash the dishes."

"Oh! I know also a bit of French. I know how to introduce myself." Say the child happily. "But I have a hard time with texts and translation."

"It's wonderful and do not worry." Reassures the english teacher. "French, like other language can be hard at the first sight. Even for french people. But if you practice, it can be easier. And if you want I can help you with this language."

Hatika nods. Then again, silence in the room. Rough Patch is now sleeping on the child lap.

"Do you live far from here?" Ask the white-haired teacher a bit worried. "If you want, you can stay for the night. Rough Patch will be happy to have someone to snuggle with."

"No I have five minutes to walk between here and my 'home', if I can find the way back..." Start the child.

"Wait?!" Shout the teacher "How it can be? The closest habitations are at thirty minutes by driving. Even if you runs, it can't be possible."

"I live in the forest..." She tries to continue. 

"Here it's the only house in this forest. The rest is uninhabitable. And it's a private property, which belongs to our family since decades. Every construction project is say 'illegal' here!" Say the teacher more louder.

"I...I..." Try to protest the child. But she is too scared now. She didn't think about the possibility that the forest was a private property when she settled her tent. Do the broken spaceship is also include in this 'private property'. She have to think fast or her illegal camp will be discover in no time and bye-bye her beloved dream.

"I-I... I am..." She tries to say while she shivers from stress and fear.

"HOW CAN IT BE?!" Ask authoritavely the teacher.

And it is the 'last straw that broke the camel's back'. Hatika burst in cries. Her first day in her new school which it was more horrible that she had planned thanks to her stupid leg, the chase, the moment she partially drowned herself and now THAT... She can’t contains herself. Why it was been her?! Why she always have this sort of problem?! She just want to make her dream become true, to be a normal child.

The child's cries make Moonjumper gets out of his trance. Surprised, he starts to panic. "Oh no, child! Nononono! Don't cry! Don't cry little one!"

"I-I just want t-to be normal...I d-didn't think be-before set-setting my camp...I'm s-sorry... I'm soo sor-ry" She says between sobs and hiccups.

"Hush little one! Don't need to apologize. It's alright! Just breath, ok?

The child try to protest and continues to apologize but the teacher hush her. In his head, Moonjumper can't stop to insult himself for making crying a child. At the end, Hatika success to calm down.

She then explain everything. She is an orphan who lives in the forest in a tent. She escaped her orphanage a while ago for finding on her own her parents that are gone few years ago. She doesn't remember their faces but she know that her hat is important for us and they gave it to her the last time she saw them. So  maybe they will recognize her if she found them. But for that she have to travel. It's at this moment she decided to go on a theater school, for making a name on the spectacle's realm. With that, it will be more easier to travel and to find her parents. And also it's her dream to be an actress. She was so determined that she make the inscription on her own and she studied hard for entering this school. She have to do it for her parents.

"...And now I'm here. I hurt myself in the morning. I tripped on a stair. The rest of the day went normally but my leg was hurting. At the end of the day, I returned in my 'home' and it's here that Rough Patch, like you call this cat, steals my hat. And you know the end of the story..."

Moonjumper is lost in his thoughs. How can a little girl at this age have this amount of pain. And yet, here she is. A child cannot live on his own in a tent on a illegal place.

"I'm so sorry..." She say while hiding her face in her hands.

"Well...It's a heartbreaking story. But we can't let you live on your own on our property." Hatika knows that and she fears the worst, she have to find another place for the camp, out of anyone sight. It will cost a precious time for finding it and the studies take all of her free time.

"Well I think that leaves no other choice. You can stand!". He says.

What?!

"Right, Snatcher ?" Ask the white-haired teacher

Snatcher opens the door. He was eavesdropping all the conversation. He nods to answer. He can be reluctant at the first sight, but like said his friend, a child cannot live on his own, plus on a dangerous place that is this forest. And kicking her out will be against the laws.

"B-but I..." Start Hatika

"...You want to walk like this, with your injured leg in the dark of the night?" Ask Snatcher with his arms crossed.

And yes it’s now the night outside. It's true that if she goes outside, she will not be able to find her tent. Plus, she is kind scared of the dark.

"You...you really don't mind if I stay?" Ask the child shyly

The two men smile and says at the same time "you can stand!". Hatika, so happy and relieved, burst in cries for the second time of the day.

"But at one condition !" Interrupt Snatcher. At this moment both Moonjumper and Hatika have eyes on him. "You don't have to talk to anybody of this. We have a reputation. And we don't want any problem. So stay quiet or you will have to face the consequences".

Hatika, with again her tears in her eyes, nods firmly. She knows that. She knows how to keep a secret. Her life is already a secret.

--------

"So now what do you two want for diner?" Ask Snatcher. "We have to make our 'livraison'"

"Let the choice to the little one. What is your name already my child?" Ask Moon

"It's Hatika but you can call me Hat or Hattie. And I don't know. It's the first time I order something from a restaurant"

"It's your first time?!" Ask the english teacher, impressed by the revelation. "It's another reason for why you have to choose." Then he show her some restaurants cards he saved up.

"All the dishes looks tasty. I can't choose."

Snatcher is waiting impatiently with the phone in his hands. He is ready to open the Uber Eat’s application and to pick his favorite restaurant (aka Burger King). He smiles at the tought of having one of this burger with 10 slices of bacon. He didn't even noticed that the kid is calling him.

"Mister Snatcher! Miiiiisteeer Snaaaaatch-er?!"

"What do you want kid? And stop with the whole ‘mister’ thing." Asks the french teacher midly annoyed about the fact she ended his daydreaming. (huh...well it's the night but they are again up so it's more a nightdreaming...).

"What is your favorite restaurant ?"Asks the child

"Burger King, why?" Says the teacher

"So I choose Burger King too!" Answer the smiling child.

"Are you sure little Hattie?" Asks Moonjumper. "They have plenty of other restaurants"

"It's alright Mister Moonjumper ! I just want to know why it's his favorite restaurant"

“Kid! I said to stop saying ‘mister’. We are not in school now. Keep it when your are outside.”

Even if he doesn't want to admit it, Snatcher is more then happy that the child choose this restaurant. He will have for the second time in one month his bacon, while with Moonboy he can just have it one time a month or even less.

And with that Hatika spent the first night in a house. The two men even allow her to spend the night on a empty friend bedroom (with a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp.) They said her that the next day she have to return to her tent for gathering all her stuff for finishing her settlement. They also agreed that she needs other things like storage furnitures, clothings, school stuffs, etc.

In far far deep in the space in a little planet called Earth, a ship is travelling on the blue waters of the sea. A little girl is standing on the main deck, watching birds flying and waves crashing against the hull. This girl is Hatika, or “Hat Kid” due to her hat she always wear. Even if she just have 16 years old, she travels through the world, seeking treasure. 

She hear someone’s approching.

“Hey, Hattie. Are you taking a break too?” Say a girly voice before going next to Hatika. “Nice breeze, huh?”

It is Mustache Girl, or “Mu” like Hat love to called. Due to her golden mustache (even if she is a girl), Mu is easily recognizable. But don’t fool with her, she is thruthless and the scars in all her body is not a simple decoration. But behind her steel body, Mu can be a big softie. “Staying inside is kind of suffocating with all this passengers. But hey! I was hired to carry the luggages. And you was hired as a sailor until our destination. The Cap’tain was nice to let us coming in his ship in exchange of work. And they’re feeding and paying us for this !!” 

“We have to thank him later but try not to spends all the money this time” Say Hat Kid to her friend

“Like I’m the only one to spend the money... Should I remember you the last time we had this amount? You spend all of our savings to just a old treasure map... But you’re right.... A travelling can be expensive....”

Hat Kid look again at the waves. Like always, Mu don’t want to talk about her “bad hobby” to challenge people on card games... and lose most of the time.

“Soooo... What’s our next destination? Once we reach the continent we will be free to explore. It will be better if we traveled off the coast.” Tell Mu, crossing her arms.

“I don’t know... Let the wind bring us to something interesting...” Answer Hatika daydreaming about things she and her friend will possibly discover. 

“Are you a poet now? Anyways the seals told me that your break is almost done. Oh! Also you have to see the Cap’tain. He told me that he want to talk with you. He is in his cabin right now.”

Hatika let a “Gotcha!” before walking in direction of the captain cabin. Some sailors, who are seals, are mopping the floor of the boat. Few passengers came on the deck for watching the sea. For some of them, it’s their first travel, others are familiars to this kind of transport. 

In no time, Hatika arrive at the door of the cabin. She looks at her violet dress, dust her with one movement of her hand and knock at the door before she heard a “you can come, the door is open” by a masculin voice. She open the door and is welcomed by a giant walrus with a sailor’s hat. It is the captain of this ship.

“Oh, Hatika, it’s you. Thanks for coming. Please take a seat.” Hatika sit down on the wooden stool who was next to her. “Sorry for making you come here but if I remember you are an adventurer, right?” Hatika nods “Then you are aware of the island of Timopolis?”

“....hmm....Time-opolis...? Never heard of that” Answer Hatika with a bit of difficulty

“Hmm... They have a great number of islands in this sea. But it’s Timopolis that is the most strange. The others captains call it with this name because it seem “out of time”. For most we know, the island seem to be a great jurassic jungle, or at least they seem to have no buildings in it.”

“Why this island is “strange” besides she seem to be inhabitate like you said?” Ask the young girl

“I come to it. You see, I said “seem” most of the time when I talk about it because we are not certain. Every ship that approach this mysterious island sinks.”

Hat Kid is a bit surprised by this revelation. She never heard of that before...but the words of the captain raise her interest.

“The raisons of the sinkings remain unknown. And no one have landed on it and return to “our world” alive to tell about it. I can’t go near it but I’ll let you know when we can see it from distance.” Say the Walrus Captain “It seem that I raised your curiosity, huh? I like to share this fact with the news sailors that come to my ship. I remember when I told this to my second, he was so scared that he locked himself in his room for three days !!!”

Hatika let out a small laugh before thanking the captain to shared this fact to her. 

“Sorry for talking for so long. But can you make me a favor? This evening we orgagnize a welcome party for our guest. Can you assure the security with the other seals? Talk to Eliot my second to know about your task.”

--------

In the diner room of the ship, Hatika observe the scene from the corner of the room. For what she see, it’s seem that the guest are more impressed by the luxurious room and the tastes of the dishes. They have people for different horizons like some sort of a moon penguin with an afro, a tall black cat, another yellow bird (that Hat cannot determine his specie, maybe a mix of a owl and another thing), and more humanoïd persons like big and strong men, a noble blue-haired woman and other peoples.

“Good evening everyone, I’m the Captain Walrus. I would like to take this opportunity for thanking you for choosing our ship for your travels ...”Start the Captain in front of the assembly.

“Alright! Hatika it’s your turn!” Say Eliot. “Just let me remember you a last time what you have to do. You must patrol the guest floor and the main deck. Just make sure that no one do something threatening or suspicious. If you see something, go talk to the person. But be respectful! They are guest after all.” Then he turn around to see the Captain “The Cap’s greeting is about to end. I’ll start looking around the hold. See you later, tiny fish!”. Then he walk away.

When Hatika is alone, she ask herself why he calls her “tiny fish”. But then she have to focus on what she have to do. So the headed to the guest floor. This floor, that is just besides the diner room, is just a long corridor with rooms for the guest. In one of the first room, she see that the half-owl-half-other-thing is here and seem to talk with himself. She approach him, not to close from him, but not to far for hearing what he say.

“Roooo..... wHy hE iS HerE tHis dj-PecK-NEck...”say the owl-thing man. He seem to be a kind of mad, but not as mad as being suspicious.

 So Hatika walk away to another room. Here, they are a black-haired girl, maybe at the same age as Hat. Just at the moment Hatika enter the room, the black-haired girl turn her head to her direction.

“What do you want?” Say the other girl

“You look suspicious” Answer Hatika

“Umf...Yes, I may look suspicious. I always look suspicious. But a person who enter a girl’s room without knocking at the door is more suspicious than me... even if she is also a girl.”

Hatika let out a small gasp and say a small sorry under her breath. 

“Well... I forget you this once... but don’t forget your manners the next time. And, please, don’t slam the door when you’re leaving.” Say unhappy the other girl.

With that Hatika let alone this suspicious girl. And she notice she saw all the guestfloor. Time to check the main deck. When she go outside, the little girl see that there are more people then inside. She walk a bit, close her eyes and smell the fresh air of the ocean. 

“Isn’t it relaxing?” Ask a voice.

Surprised, Hatika jump from her feet and open her eyes. She find herself beside this blue-haired woman she saw at the diner room. 

“Sorry... I didn’t want to scare you.” Hatika let a small ‘it’s nothin’ for answer. “The sea, the stars, the air... everything is sooo relaxing”. Then the woman inhale deeply... but she is cut by cough. “....maybe too much...”.

“You’re alright ma’am?” Ask Hatika a bit shy

“... Yeah... I just remember that *cough* boats and me are great enemies ... Cursed seasickness...” She then calm down. “You’re one of the sailors? Oh god, you’re probably working. Sorry if I took so much of your time. It’s not often I travel alone, and much less on boats. Everytime I start to chat with someone I cannot stop myself.”

“It’s nothing” Say Hatika embarrased by the situation. And she tell a small ‘I have to go’ and the woman nods. But...

“... It’s too calm. Something... is not right” Say the blue-haired woman. Hat don’t pay attention to the last sentence and returns patrolling.

But then she realize she saw all the main deck. Well, time to report to Eliot. 

“So, have you finish?” Ask the sailor boy

“Yep but I think everyone is a bit suspicious like this black-haired girl of this .... owl... I guess?” Answer Hatika

“An owl? Oh! You talk about Conductor?” Ask Eliot “Yeah, this men is always suspicious but he travel often in our ship. Just an advice : don’t approach him when he want to yell or your ears will remember all your life. And you say a black-haired girl? ... Dana, right? Don’t pay attention to her. She always wear black clothes. I mean, even if I am her brother, I don’t see often my sister with colored clothes. So no other problem, eh? The sea is calm and the ship sailing smoothly so relax ! ... By the way, the Cap’tain want to see you. I think he said something about “going near” or something like that.” 

“I’ll be right back” Say Hatika before going to the captain’s quarters.

------

“Hatika ! Have you finished your patrol? Sorry for bothering you in your work but we are almost in the area.” Say the Walrus Captain

“You are talking about...” Start Hatika

“Hm? Yes, we are in the area of Timeopolis, where other ships strangely disappeared. The weather is calm so you will be able to see the silhouette...” But the speech of the Captain is cut by a loud crashing noise. “Huh?!” 

He walk immadiatly to his sailor’s speaker “What’s going on?!”

“Cap’tain ?! Something... Something crashed the ship!” It’s the voice of Eliot

“It’s impossible, nothing run in this area! Go check with the others!” Command the Captain

“Aye, aye Cap’“ Say the voice of the worried sailor.

Then someone yell. It’s came from the main deck. Hatika don’t wait the Captain and go rapidly outside. The weather turn in no time to a storm and the girl can see with a flash of a lightning that a giant blue tentacle is holding the main deck of the ship. 

“What is that thing?!” Ask someone

“I don’t know darling !!!” Say another

Then another giant tentacle emerge and try to smash Hatika who manages dodge. 

“HAAAAAAT !!! Take this !” Yell Mu while she is running to her friend. Hatika catch the thing. It’s an umbrella.

“An umbrella ! Are you serious?!” Yell the girl. But then another tentacle hit the floor besides her. “Well... I take that for a yes. Come fight me !”

With her umbrella, Hat hit several times one of the giant tentacle. Even if it’s not a ‘weapon’ she often use, the knocking are truly effective. And even if she looks like a little girl, Hatika’s strengh is truly something. The tentacle knocks the hat-waired child on the floor but she gets up. Then Hatika have to jump for hitting the tentacle, trying to not let avoid any of her knocking. And in no time the tentacle returns to the sea.

“Whoa, Darling, what a fight !” Say someone when everything calms down.

“Little child is strong, not strong as Mafia of course.” Say another.

“Haaaat ! Holy s*** ! What WAS this thing? Are you alright?” Ask Mu worried by her friend.

 But she look at the sky... and yell “THE PECK ?!!!!” 

Two giant tentacle emerge again. It was just a break. Then the boatship rocks dangerously. 

“What is it?” Say the Mafia man

“I don’t like this... AHHH! DARLIN’ !!!! HeELp” Say the other, rolling to the sea

“GOD, PLEASE !!!” Yell the blue-haired women holding the main deck for her life.

“PEEEEEEEEEECK STOP HOLDIN’ ME, YOU PECK-NECK !!!” Yell the owl while sliding with someone.

A wooden chest is sliding to one of the sailors. Mu see it and wake up.

“UUUULTRA PUNCH” she yell and the chest fly in small pieces but Mu slide. “ARE U SERIOUS ! DAMMIT !” and diseappear in the sea.

Hatika was walking in the forest. Her knee is less hurting her thanks to the cold water bag that the supervisor gave her at the break of the morning. But it’s still hurting her and walking in the forest don’t help her. Walking and avoiding roots, rocks and other obstacles is not easier. And also, for a person who don’t know the forest, it’s difficult to find the way. Trees looks like others. But Hatika is not this kind of person. Even she don’t know the whole forest, she can find her way to her home thanks to her intuition.

But this time, she is more tired than the normal. So tired that she almost miss to turn at the right at the third pine tree. Walking for ten good minutes, she let a big yawn when she arrive at her home, her camping tent. Yeah Hatika is a girl who live in the forest with a yellow tent for home, near what she call ‘her spaceship’. The first time she came here, Hatika discovered a sort of broken ship in this forest. Even she made research about this, she don’t know why and how this came here, in a middle of a forest. So she sent her tent in front of this old spaceship.

But she doesn’t actually care about this now, she doesn’t eventually care about diner. She just want to sleep. She sit down on the ground to take off her shoes. After that she walk to her makeshift bed, a combination of boards, leaves and others salvages materials like this old mattress. Then she lay down, trying to not think about something.

Trying is the key word. Suddenly she feels something on her hurting knee and then on her chest, something heavy. She open her eyes and she saw a small beast. Well… Wait? Suddenly she yell and the beast jump in surprise on the ground. Hatika curled up, hidding her head but not too much for sawing what is it. It is like a cat, but strange. The beast is black with yellow eyes and mounth. The strange thing is that he has like green fluff in all of this body. The strange cat meows.

“A-a kitty?” Ask Hatika to herself when she starts to relax. 

Then the cat climb again on the bed. Hatika yell a second time but the cat answer by giving a small stroke with his head on Hat Kid body. He doesn’t seem feral. So Hatika try to touch him.

Bad idea. In one movement the cat snatch Hatika’s hat and jump on the ground. The cat was already out when Hat Kid realize that the small beast have steal her favorite accessory. The little girl stand up, almost falling on the ground. She start to go out but she remember that she forget her shoes in her tent. 

With her shoes she go out. Where did he go? She look around her. And she saw ‘HIM’. The small shadowy cat is waiting her, holding her hat with his mounth, at the left of her tent. Suddenly, he ran in the bushes. The little girl let a small ‘Hey! Wait for me!’ and ran for following her thief.

———————-

Meanwhile, not very far in the forest…

“So what’s the plan?” Say a man with black hair

“Maybe we can go at a restaurant?” Ask his white haired friend

“Burger King!” Answer suddenly the black haired man.

Two man are walking throught the forest. It is Mister Moon with Mister Snatcher. The two teacher are walking, talking about the restaurant they would go for diner. 

“And why Burger King?” Ask Moonjumper with an annoyed voice. In fact he knows already what would answer his friend.

“Because bacon!” Answer Snatcher with a large smile on his face

Moonjumper facepalm himself and let a annoyed breath. His friend would made everything for bacon, even the worse. Snatcher laugh at his friend. 

“Burger King is not healthy!” Say Moonjumper, still his hand on his face.

“So where would you go-” Start Snatcher. But he is cut when Moonjumper hand land on his mounth, trying to pause him on his ask. Then Moon let a small ‘Shut up’ with his finger on in front of his mounth. 

At the right of the two man, something is moving in the bushes. So the two teacher  put themselves in a defensive position. A small black head go out of the bushes, then the body. 

“Roughpatch ?!” Say the two man. The cat go met them. But he seems to handle something with his mounth, something purple and almost as big as the small beast. Snatcher start to walk in direction of his cat. But the cat flee. 

“What was this ‘thing’ your cat was holding with his mounth?” Ask Moonjumper to his friend.

“Don’t kn- Whatch’out!” Yell Snatcher. Something is moving again in the bushes, something more big then the small creature. Hat Kid appear from the bushes and fall on the ground.

“Ouch” She says “Oh man! This thief is more fast than me-” She say while she try to stand up but she is cut when she see the two men just in front of her. She scream by surprise and fall again on the ground. And the two men answer by also screaming. But they stop when they realize it is just a girl. The cat, who was watching, seems to laugh but continue to flee when he see that Hatika is on her feets. 

“Gimme my hat back!” She scream, running for catching the little beast. 

Some minutes after she was gone, Moonjumper and Snatcher, when they see they have no more danger, dare to move. 

“What was THAT?” Ask Snatcher

“I don’t know but … it’s strange I think that I have see this girl before-” Answer Moonjumper. But he realize why, it is one of his student. 

“Wait… It’s the swamp at this direction?” Tell suddenly Snatcher

It caugh Moonjumper off of his guard, like a lightning stroke him. Does she know where she is running?! 

“Snatch! We have to stop this child!” Say Moonjumper while he grab the arm of his friend.

“It’s not our problem, Moon…” Start to say Snatcher. “Come on, I’m hungry…” Moonjumper cannot believe that. His friend prefer to let die a child? “Snatch, do you remember the last time someone attemps to pass in the Swamp ? Besides, it’s a child. Do you want to see a child drowning? Do you have a heart or none?” The white haired man is not wrong. The last time someone travels in the forest, the poor man lost his life. Then, the black haired man is not heartless, even if he doesn’t looks like, he likes children. At some point that he wanted to adopt some years ago. Snatcher lets an annoyed breathing. He will not win this time. “Come on, let’s go find her”

————–

Ok I was not here for one month but I have a good raison: PROCRASTINATION (and also because I have so many things to know this year for exams). But I will come back, but later. I am again on a very busy period and I will not be able to publish fics faster as you know.

BUT I have a surprise for you : an au that can last for just some chapters. I will talk about it on another day.

Author note: This chapter was a little smaller than the first because I don’t know what I can say for this one. But don’t worry the third chapter would be better ( ;

And also when I talk of Hat’s house, I write some things enter ‘’ ( for exemple for her ‘bed’ ). It’s normal. I will explain in the third chapter. 

Reminder: Hatika = Hat Kid                      Bao = Bow Kid

-------------------------

Hat wakes up on her ‘bed’. Geez, yesterday night has been really strange. Hatika live in a forest so she can hear every noises. And this night was not a very good night. Owls was owling and wolfs barking. Even she lived here and she is used to this kind of night, she was scared by this. She only sleep four hours this night. Fourtunaly they were no storms or lightnings. 

 Hatika yawns. But she realize something.

“Wait... What time is it?” She grabs her watch. It’s a beautiful watch with a symbol of timepiece on. It show that it is 7:50 am. “7:50... *yawn* maybe I can sleep more...”. Then she lies on her ‘bed’. But suddenly she open her eyes. “7:50... a.m... S*** I WOULD BE LATE FOR MY FIRST DAY IN SCHOOL !!!” She stands up on her feets, running and also almost falling on her books and other things that lies on the ground. “WHERE IS MY UNIFORM ?!!”. 

After grabing all her school stuff and after finding her uniform, she starts to go outside, running in direction of her school. While running she attempt to see her watch, now on her wrist. It’s 7:55. And the first class starts at 8:05. She have just the time to make the path. Running in the forest, she almost fall some times because of the roots of trees, but she succeed to stay up. Came out from the forest, she keeps running on the road. Cars are force to slow down when she passed on a cross path, and some drivers are forcing to yell after they see a wild Hatika running in front of their vehicule. “Late! Late! Be late on the first day is a bad thing!” Think Hatika while she run.

-----------------------------

For the first time of her life, Bao is ahead of her time. When she was on another school, she was late all the days because of the bus she took. But this year, she come with the car of her parents. It is also an occasion to talk more with her father and her mother, even she is not very talktative person. After they have carry on their child in the school, Bao’s parents go to their job at some kilometers.

After saying “Have a good day” to her dad and mom, she attempt to go into the school. But she is stop by a sudden yelling voice. 

“BOW” yell Hat, running the last meters.

“Hat ? Why you ru-” Then she looks at the floor “BE CAREFUL” Bow yell. But Hat, not seeing what it this, fall on the ground. In fact they were a step. Bow close her eyes do not see this. Then when she open up... Hat is laying, face to the floor. 

“HAT !!!” Screams Bow to her friend and running at her direction to help her to wake. “Are you ok?” 

“Uuuh... I think... I am ok?” Say Hat, waking up. “But I... I think my knee hurt me”. 

“Are you ok?” Say a sudden voice behind the girls. Hat and Bow take a look behind them and see that a girl came to their rescue. The girl have black eyes, and black hair making a plait on her left. Most tall than the other little girls, she look gorgeous and kind. She wears a uniform with a black bow. Bao and Hatika can see also a badge on the girl’s uniform. This badge is purple with two big eyes and a big yellow month. 

“Y-y-yes... I think” Say shyly Hatika to the other girl. “But I think my knee hurt me”

“Can I take a look?” Ask the kind girl. But Hat and Bao looks at each other with a confused look. 

“HAT! We will be late for the first class!” Say Bow to her hatted friend

“What class have you?” Asks the girl

“English class with Mister Moon” Say Hatika

“Don’t worry! I am one of his favorite students. I would go with you to his class to prevent him. Can I take a look to your knee now? If you are infected it will be very painful after.” Say the girl. Then Hatika show her knee. “Well... It doesn’t bleed but you have a bump. I advise you to go in the supervisor’s room to see them if they can make something. But when you have the time, of course.”

Then they go into the school. Bao is holding her bag plus Hat’s bag. While they walk, the three girls say nothing. It is Hatika who breaks the silence.

“I didn’t ask your name” She say to the older girl.

“I’m Dana. Dana Marétchart” Say the black haired girl.

“Dana! It’s a beautiful name! It’s much better than Bao.” Say Bow.

“Don’t say that Bow. It was your parents that had names you!” Say Hatika to Bow. “Anyways, You are a student of here?” Ask Hatika to Dana. 

“Yeah! I’m in my second year. My class is 2.1. You are in your first year?” Asks at her turn Dana.

“Yup! We are in the class 1.3!” Say Hat

But before they can continue their talk, the three girls arrive at the english classroom. Dana knock at the door then open it. In this room they have Hat’s and Bao’s classmate and a man. Hat can recognize him. It was this man at the first day who was besides the black-haired man. It was this man who have white hair and wear a mask on his face. 

“Mister Moon. I’m sorry to interrupt your class...” Start Dana.

“Dana? Oh-It’s nothing! We haven’t started yet. Come my dear! And these two little girls...?” Say the teacher-man

“They are in this class. One of them hurts her on the road to come here” Say Dana

Then the man gasp. “Oh my dear! You are alright ? Have you hurt?” Say the man panicking to the sudden news.

“It’s nothing!” Say Hatika while rubbing her neck because she is embarrased. “I have to see at the supervisor’s room at the break.”

“Then you are welcome in class” Say the teacher to the girls. “Thank you Dana!”

The older girl wave and close the door.

“Alright! Now we can start” Say happily the teacher. “I’m Mister Moonjumper but you can call me Mister Moon. It’s more easy to remind. I’m your English and Music teacher and for some of them I will be also the Theater teacher. In fact, me and another teacher own a theather and music club. Like it’s name, we teach comidy, tragedy and more music for you. But just if you want. It’s a option.”

Someone raise his hand “But music is not an option?”

“I come to that point. Thank you to ask.” Say M. Moon “Music is not an option, right. You have to make a minimum of music. But our club is specialize in that. And for the ones who are interest to become a musicien, a singer or a musicologue, it’s more than recommend to apply at a music club.”

Then Hatika raise her hand “How we apply at this club or to another?”

“Good question.” Say the teacher “Unfortunaly, you cannot apply now at our club. But if you are interest I can mark your name on the paper. You can think, of course, and apply later. But I recommend to apply at the start, when it’s ready, because you can skip some classes. For music it’s not a big problem because my friend M. Snatcher change the learning every two weeks but for comedy or tragedy, it’s good to go on every class because we repeat the same scene. If you skip, you will be on another extract of the scene and you will be lost. But for return at your ask, for the other club I know it’s the same for sport and cooking club. You have to talk to the other teachers. And unfortunaly I cannot present to you now what we make at the club, because M. Snatcher is not in this class. Have you other question?”

No one raise his hand “Good! We can start the class.” Say M.Moon. “For the first time in my class you have to answer the asks I write on the board”

------------------------

“What we have now? Science?” Asks Hatika to Bow while she puts her stuff in her bag.

“You don’t know? The science teacher is not here. So we have one hour to do nothing” Say Bow.

“Oh that’s great-” Say Hatika while she try to stand up. But her knee is hurting her badly and she have to take the support of the table. Bow sees that something wrong.

“Are you alright? I can call the teacher if you want-”

“No, no it’s nothing...” Answer Hat trying walk. Whoever, M.Moon, remembering that this girl is hurt, walk to the direction of Hatika.

“Excuse me, but are you alright?” Ask the worry teacher

“Yeah, it’s nothing! I can walk!” Tell Hat while she start to walk to the teacher’s desk not without difficulties. Meanwhile Bow glares at her friend

“If you say this so I don’t bother you much” Say nicely the teacher

“Mister... Can I ask you something? Can I be part of the theater club?” Ask Hat to Moonjumper. The teacher nod and write Hat’s name on the paper.

“We have to make assembly before letting the club be open. We don’t agree between us for this week but we have to make this quickly. I should letting you know for this.” Say Moonjumper

Hat thanks the teacher and with he friend go outside the classroom. Bow steals the bag of Hatika and use it as a bait. “Hey” Yell Hatika trying to grab her bagpack. The two little girls make their way to the supervisor’s room. 

In the so call ‘supervisor’s room’, many students waits for their turn. But in a board that hang on one of the wall it’s write “If it is for an emergency, you pass before the others. It’s not a emergency, wait”. Bow say to her friend to stay apart from the crowd and let her to go see one of the supervisors. While she wait, Hatika feels that someone pokes her behind her. She turns around to be face to a boy. The boy have brown hair with purple eyes. He have some stranges blue marks and he also wear a boy uniform with a light blue bow. It’s strange, Hatika cannot remember where she have seen him. And also who it is.

“Hi, Haty” Say happily the boy. Suddenly, Hatika can remember everything.

“Wait! Timmy?” Ask with a sudden shocking voice the girl. The boy call Timmy nod his head.

“Are you surprised to see me?”

“If I’m surprised, YOU surprise me to be here! Wait you are also a student of this school?” Then Timmy nod to Hatika. “Woa, that’s cool!” Then Hatika see that he is not alone. 

“It’s one of your friends?” Ask the other boy who follow Timmy. 

“Timmy and me are friend since we are babies” Answer Hat to the older boy. “But who are you” The older boy is also strange because Hatika have seen this dark eyes before. He have brown hair and a dark blue bow on his uniform.  And even if the boy have one year or two of more than Hatika and Timmy, he is much taller than the two. 

“I present to you Eliot! He helps me to find my way on this school! He is part of the 2.1 class if it’s not wrong.” Eliot nod at Timmy to say him that’s true. Wait, 2.1 is not the class of Dana...“Anyways I have to go, see you soon Haty!”

While Hat answer with a ‘see you soon’, Bow comes to her friend with a really big and tall man. Bao say to Hatika that she had to wait because the supervisors have so much works to do. Hat try to see the face of the supervisor but he is so tall that she cannot see. Suddenly, the tall man grab Hat and hold her in his arms to sits her on a armchair. The big supervisor growl a ‘stay here’ or something like that and go to another room. Hatika, hugging her like a fragil creature, don’t want to move. Bao runs at her.

“He have to go to the nursery to grab something” Say Bow to her friend. “Who was he?” Hatika, confused say ‘who’. “The boy who talk to you before I comes to you with the big supervisor!” Continues Bow

“Oh-Timmy? He is one of my BFFs. He was my neighbour before, when I was younger. But I move out to this village and he didn’t see each other until today. He is kind and very smart but he is timid and lost himself very often even in his house.” Say Hatika, smiling to Bow. Meanwhile the supervisor comes back with a very cold water bag. He puts it on the hurting knee of Hatika. Instantly, she screams ‘COLD! COLD! COLD!” but she relax her body some minutes after. 

After a hour of resting on the armchair, Hatika and Bao takes back to the classroom. The time pass very quickly and now it’s the evening. Bao and Hatika say goodbye to the other and they go to their house. Hatika, one the way to her home, think of her day. She had met Dana and Eliot, two other students much older than her. Maybe she can be friend with them, like she was with Timmy before she strangely disappear of his view. But even if they had been separate for years, Timmy still a friend for Hatika. But if Timmy don’t share the same point vue? No, she was and she still her friend. 

Meanwhile Hatika is lost in her thoughts, a strange tiny shadow follows her in the dark...

Do you want to date him?

-Nopenopenope...

-If he don't kill me sure!

-YAS