The minecart shifted and squeaked in the darkness of the cave. If it weren't for hearing Jerten's whimpers and feeling Vanessa's grip on his arm, Garrett wouldn't have been sure that the two of them were still there. The minecart jerked violently as it turned left and right, following the tracks. Garrett could feel his stomach starting to do flips but he forced himself to hold steady. The cart continued to accelerate down its unknown path, barrelling through some wood at some point.

"What was that?" Vanessa cried out as splinters showered the inside of the cart.

"No idea!" Garrett shouted back as he tried to keep himself steady. He peeked his head out over the cart to try and see anything about where they were going. At the end of the tunnel, he could see a bright light. "Everyone get ready! We're exiting the darkness."

The light shone brightly compared to the pitch blackness they were previously engulfed in. As their eyes began to adjust, the minecart came to a screeching and sudden halt. The passengers were all launched out as the minecart rolled off the tracks and tipped over. Garrett rolled along the ground, and he heard Jerten hit a wall, and Vanessa tumbled nearby.

"Everyone alive?" Garrett said through pained grunts. His eyes slowly fluttered open as he stared at a rocky ceiling.

"Bruised and battered, but still kicking, Sir Bates" Vanessa said, groaning as she slowly got to her knees. She dusted off her apron and began looking around.

There were a few grunts and whimpers from Jerten. "He says he's alive and not too badly hurt, though he may have sprained a wrist," Vanessa translated.

"Wow, now that was quite a show! Haven't seen that bad of a wreck in ten years!"

The three of them turned towards the sound of the voice, Garrett having his sword ready, Jerten cowering behind Garrett, and Vanessa brandishing a scalpel. As they looked around, there wasn't anyone around; just a few skeletons, some armor, a top hat, and a couple of rusted weapons.

"Any idea what we're facing?" Garrett asked, looking around for the source of the voice. "Ghosts? Invisibility? Something else?"

"No clue," Vanessa said, keeping a watch out.

"No no, ain't nothing like that?"

"Alright, who said that?" Garrett asked, gripping his sword tightly.

"Down here, buddy."

Garrett and Vanessa both looked down at the ground, surveying for the source of the voice. "Are one of the skeleton skulls talking to us?"

"How dense are you? I'm sitting right here in front of yah."

Garrett and Vanessa both turned their eyes towards the hat that was on the ground, where it seemed like the voice was coming from. Slowly, the approached it, weapons ready. "Is it under the hat?" Vanessa asked, pointing with her thin tail that Garrett just now realized that she had.

"Nice try toots, but I ain't under the hat." From around the bond of the hat came a large toothy grin, similar to Vanessa's. A large singular eye emerged from the front of the hat and looked around at Vanessa and Garrett.

Vanessa screamed out and kicked the hat away. "Mimic! Kill it!"

"Whoa whoa, easy there, easy. I ain't a stinking mimic," the hat said, trying unsuccessfully to flip itself over. "Ain't you ever seen a living hat before?"

"No!" Vanessa said, cowering behind Garrett. "That's definitely a mimic, Garrett. Use that sword of yours and slice and dice it to pieces!"

"Look, if I were a mimic, why would I reveal myself to you suckers?" the hat said. "Flip me over and let's talk, alright?"

Garrett looked at the two companions who were both cowering behind him, then turned back to the hat. "Alright, but you try any kind of funny business, and you're dead." With that, he kicked the hat over right-side up.

"Wouldn't dream of it," the hat said, looking at Garrett. "Name's Zerat. I'd shake your hand, but I don't know where you've had 'em."

"My name's Garrett Bates," Garrett said, crouching down to the hat's level. "So, what's a living hat like you doing down here?"

"Ah, just trying to live the peaceful life," Zerat said, closing its eye. "Ever since I was created, I've had one goal in mind. To see the world in all its glory, but when you're stuck as a hat, you got limited options." It opened its eye and looked over at some of the skeletons on the ground. "Them constructs worked pretty good until some gobbos came around and broke it apart. I've been stuck here for a good three years until you all came and found me."

"You've been stuck here for three years? That's terrible," Garrett said, looking at the skeletons, then back to Zerat.

"That's what a dirty mimic like you deserves!" Vanessa said, still holding out her scalpel.

"I told you I ain't a mimic," Zerat said. It sighed and looked up at Garrett. "Don't tell me y'all'll leave me here."

Garrett turned back towards Vanessa and Jerten, then back to Zerat. "We're going to be trying to get the treasure of Amer-Turul. Think a hat like you can keep up?"

"No kidding? The treasure of Amer-Turul?" Zerat said with a smile. "I know where that thing's hidden! Come on, take me along!"

Garrett turned around and looked back at Vanessa and Jerten. "Let me talk with my companions first." He stood up and walked over to them. "Well? He says he knows where the treasure is."

"Of course he would say that," Vanessa said in a hushed tone. "Mimics will say whatever to lull you into a false sense of security before they get you. We can't trust him, Sir Bates."

"He's not a mimic," Garrett corrected before glancing over to Zerat, then back to Vanessa and Jerten. "Jerten, what do you think? As a treasure hunter, I'm sure that a talking hat would at least be a huge discovery."

Vanessa sighed and translated Garrett's message. Jerten slowly rose from cowering and spoke. "A talking hat is quite the discovery," Vanessa translated, "But if you're sure we can trust it, then I'll follow along with you, Garrett." Vanessa sighed. "Well, if the big guy here is trusting it, then I guess I'll trust you, Sir Bates." Vanessa pulled out her sketchbook and quickly sketched a crude drawing of Garrett and Zerat.

Garrett walked over and picked up Zerat off the ground. "You're taking me? Heck yeah. You won't regret it." Garrett calmly dusted off Zerat, then handed him to Vanessa.

"Wait, what? Why are you giving it to me? I don't want it," Vanessa complained, but she still took the hat.

"You're the most suspicious of Zerat, so you'll be the one watching it," Garrett said as he made his way to the exit of the room. "It does anything you deem suspicious, then you can kill it."

"Picturesque!" Vanessa said, gripping her scalpel with her tail. "I'm watching you closely, hat." She followed behind Garrett with Jerten behind her.