"Clockwork!"
A voice ripped through the tower, echoing off the walls as if to intensify its authority.
"Nocturn, I've been expecting you." The Timemaster didn't bother turning away from his screen to greet the unwelcome guest.
The dream master shrugged his shoulders wildly, "Oh, i'Ve bEeN ExPCtiNg yOu! Don't mock me!" He yanked Clockwork away from the screen, "How DARE you interfere with my rite!"
Clockwork removed the hand from his shoulder, "I did no such thing."
Nocturn snarled, "That BOY was supposed to be my apprentice! We ALL agreed to it!" He shoved a parchment covered in blood into the time ghost unimpressed face. "You signed binding dictations"
Clockwork sighed, "The dictaion clearly stated that he becomes yours if he succumbs to death in full. The accident did not completely kill him, and therefore he is unable to take up the mantle. I fail to see how that's my fault."
Nocturn scoffed, "And I suppose YOU just happening to be the default guardian in the event of an irregularity has nothing to do with it."
Clockwork turned back to his monitor as three teens stumbled up from the lab, one unconcious, all the still very much alive.
Nocturn growled at his question being left unanswered, "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for today? It was written in blood that he was to be MINE!" His starry tendrils evicerated multiple clocks around the room. "He was my reward for my assisting with Pariah's defeat! To replenish what I gave up! It was my only request! To select one creature to be my apprentice! Now I'm stuck back in the empty dream realm, all alone again!"
Clockwork gave the sleep ghost a side eye, "You're not alone. You have your sleepwalkers."
Red eyes rolled behind the white mask, "Ah yes, brainless drones make for GREAT company."
Ignoring the sarcasm, Clockwork shifted form to that of a child. "I don't have time nor desire to explain everything to you . He survived. His destiny changed, he can no longer join the realm of dreams. He is now in my charge. End of discussion."
Nocturn punched a hole in the time mirror, and the visual fizzled out, "I have been sending the boy stars every night since he was BORN Clockwork! I've spent millenia waiting for him and you just swoop in and take him!" He yanked his hand out of the glass, and the mirror began to fix the cracks left behind. "Its nigh impossible to find someone who can effortlessly traverse the dream realm, let alone be effortlessly perfect for the work required!"
Clockwork shrugged, "Maybe it wasn't the best option for him." He looked up, a mocking glint in his eyes, "Maybe you're projecting?"
Nocturn shoved the time wizard into another mirror, "Since when did you care!"
Clockwork lifted a gloved to the grip as he transformed into a young man, "I've always cared, Nocturn." He pried the talons off, " If I didn't, Pariah would still be free."
Scoffing and sputtering, Nocturn brought his hands to his horns, pulling on them in frustration, "I know you CHEATED. I... I just..." He brought his hands down, looking into them despairingly, "can't prove it."
Red eyes started down at him emotionless, "Accusations are dangerous Dream Master."
Purple lips pulled into a sneer as Nocturn brought his hands to his face as he seethed, "I will make you pay for this someday."
Clockwork pointed his staff at Nocturn, his eyes narrowing to a battle ready glower, "Well, if you want him so bad, you can always fight me to take the rite back."
Nocturne eyes narrowed as well, considering the option. However, he knew he could never win, for even time holds domain over sleep.
The night weaver slammed his hands into the ground, sending splinters of concrete into the air. Tears threatening to spill past his mask, the stars of his body flashing across his body as they fell and a sob worked is way out. He hadn't cried since his own master had passed on, all dominion matters must be unbiased... but this felt justified. Just this once.
As he sobbed into the ground, hugging himself in agony, he never saw Clockwork's face twist with guilt as he changed into an old man and sighed, looking back to the original screen. Fixed and showing the teens going seperate ways, "You did a great job Nocturn."
Nocturn froze, eyes widening in enraged shock. Was Clockwork seriously doing this? "What do you mean by that?"
Clockwork smiled, adjusting the screen forward through his favorite timeline, landing on a fight for dominance with the dreaded Pariah Dark, the boy coming out on top, "He's going to be king."
Nocturn just stated in disbelief. Clockwork STOLE his future son on a GAMBLE!? He grabbed at the time ghosts shoulders desperately, shaking him lightly. "Are you insane! He is not built for that!" His eyes drifted up to watch the timeline split, forming two plausible futures. One more agonizing than even he could spin up, "He is innocent and kind and gentle! The burden will crush him!"
Clockwork flipped away that destestible future without a care. "A possibility, yes. We will need to keep an eye on that. However, I believe there is a way around that. He forwarded the mirror again, landing on the scene of a small figure on a throne, Nocturn fussing over the child who looked annoyed at the mothering.
"The funny thing about being Dreamweavers, is that everyone knows you instinctively. As if they are seeing an old friend. He will be met with far less resistance because of it... eventually."
Nocturn felt a swell of pride for a moment before snapping out of it. This gamble was ridiculous and cruel! "This is insane! You're insane!"
Chuckling at the repeating statement that the Observants had screamed in desperation not even an hour before, Clockwork looked at the sleep ghost. "Yes, I've been told that quite a bit lately."
Snarling again, Noctune built up every ounce of malice his core could muster, "I'm not going to let this stand. I'll be taking this up with the tribunal!"
Clockwork rolled his eyes once more, "As you will, but even so..." His face flashed with guilt again, and this time the sleep ghost saw it. "Take one last night to say goodby..." he smiled sadly. "The child may not know it, but he loves you and will miss you terribly."
"You... you...!!!"
Nocturn screamed. A millenia of waiting, of longing, of endless nights just enduring to this day. A day he had dreamed of. He had passed up other opportunities for this chance. Rage, Anger, sadness, agony, dispair. It echoed through the Realms. Undergrowth grew a field of lilies along the fallen graves in solidarity. Vortex produced gentle rains to wash over everything, wiping the Zone clean. Pandora placed a hand on Pariah Darks coffin, her heart torn. They had all given up a peice of themselves and a reward was promised in their sacrifice, but for Nocturn, his promised reward would not yet come.
The ghost of sleep raised his head, snarling at the time wielder, "I'll never forgive you for this." With a huff, he swept out of the clock tower, his rage spilling over into the abyss in a plum of dark smoke.
Clockwork watched him go, finally letting his mask slip. He understood the crushing lonliness. In nearly all timelines, Danny Fenton entered his parents portal, and in those he didn't, he typically died soon after anyway. It has been a no brainer to allow Nocturn to lay claim to a dreaming boy who would never grow up.
But Clockwork sees all futures. Some he likes more than others. And Danny made him smile. He wanted to have a future where he felt the child's hugs. Even if he had to take them from a friend.
Nocturn was right. He had cheated. Used a loophole to wedge himself into the equation. And he was going to do it again. No regrets... because he too, wanted something he couldn't have. Freedom, suprise, hope. But now that he had Danny, he himself would never be alone. No matter how the timelines spun. And if Nocturn played his cards right, they could both have a future with Danny in it.
Later that night in a small sleepy town located in the boosum of the midwest, Nocturn sat beside the bed of a small boy with black hair. As he'd done for 14 years.
The child was still buzzing with electricity and cold as ice, yet his dreams were full of stars as he floated through the cosmos.
Nocturn watch the boy sadly, the perfect dream he had crafted centuries ago to test potential apprentices played behind the boys eyes. Everyone prior had rejected the dream or tried to abuse it. It had been designed to train his future ward and was only comprehensable to those destined to join him. Danny had taken to it instantly, and Nocturn claimed him just as fast. That should have been it! He had looked forward to this day, imagining what form the boy would take. Would he have stars in his hair? Would his eyes match the pale moon or maybe his own? Would he have tendrils, or maybe an abyss of galaxies following him? What mask would he design? Hed spent years dreaming about it. How would he introduce himself to the boy? They would have had eternity to get to know each other... but now...
Nocturn continued to watch the boy. He was now to be king. A wretched, unforgiving job. Being a Dreamweaver was a much more logical path for him, however, Nocturn could not change what was set in stone. If the ghost Zone wanted the boy as king, he would be king. If not... then he would officially challenge Clockwork for guardianship, consequences be damned.
Running his fingers through the boys hair, he leaned down and gently kissed his forehead.
"Im sorry my little dreamweaver." He sighed, running his fingers down the boys face gently. "I must let you go for now."
Nocturn stood up and floated towards the exit, looking back one last time. "I will return for you someday, Danny."
And Nocturne returned to his realm to weave tomorrow's dreams. The realm was as it had been yesterday and the day before, lonely.
Danny's face scrunched up in displeasure as he began to toss and turn. He had this dream every night. Floating through the endless universe, stars and spacedust surrounding him. He just danced along, flying through the night.
Every once in a while, a star would float over to him and he would take it gently in his hands and escort it to where it was meant to go. He didn't know how he knew the directions, he just did. They called to him, and upon delivery, he could hear a happy humming frequency. It brought him immense joy and purpose.
But tonight was different.
The stars did call, but he didn't know where to go. He was confused, but he tried! And he tried and he tried and he tried. No longer in sync with the cosmos. He reached for them. The songs of sadness wrapped around his heart and then... he was falling.
He had never fallen before.
The stars watched him go, waving goodbye as he slipped from the ocean above. He fell and he fell and he fell. He could still see them, they still called out. He yearned for them... and yet he could no longer reach them. Then, just like that, they were gone.
He woke up to a cold gasp of air and never had that dream again.
A year later, he felt his heart jump in terror as his attempt to wake Nocturn failed. It had been a trap and he'd pulled Sam right into it! But something inside him wanted to just accept the sky calling out to him, warm and welcoming. lt was asking him to dance.
For a moment he thought of allowing himself to willingly join the abyss... but then the Sleepwalkers vanished.
Danny made his choice and shattered the dream. And Nocturn reached out one last time to try and take him by force.
As he was pulled into the thermos, he felt a twinge of pride reemerge in his core.
Danny might not know it yet, but he was going to make a wonderful king.
A/N: Oops, my hand slipped.
