Sleep- The periodic state of physiological rest during which consciousness is suspended to take the rest needed for one to recover and or gain lost energy.
Dream- A succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.
Ever have those days when you're doing great at work and then suddenly feel like someone's messing it up?
Well that's exactly how Nocturne the Master of Dreams felt. Mumbling curses under his breath he flew to his intended destination, an old time friend's lair.
Red eyes slowly closed…. Then snapped open again…. Closed…. Only to snap open even faster.
Clockwork raised a gloved hand and rubbed his tired eyes, but continued to stare forward into the time screens, sighing as he had to rewind them back for the few seconds that he had missed when is eyes were closed.
He been at it for days, constantly searching, fixing and arranging the time stream. Now anyone else would think it was normal. Well… normal considering his job but even so, he would at least take a break once or twice to avoid getting a headache. There were no breaks this time, and the reason was quite clear to him or unclear depending on how you look at it.
He was searching for something, a disturbance, what that disturbance was he didn't know and that unnerved him. He wasn't worrying over it, No not at all. Why would he? He was The all Powerful Master of Time and that was the exact reason why he was still searching and refraining from his breaks and occasional sleep that came with it.
He knew very well that he was getting nowhere and that he should stop and rest but he couldn't, the disturbance lingered in the back of his mind, like an annoying mosquito. It was pointless, but "the sooner the disturbance was found the sooner he could rest". He sighed again as he rewound the screens once more.
Nocturne entered the Citadel, it was dimly lit and quite… well as quite as it could be with those Godforsakenclocks. He moved forward, eyes already adjusted to the light, searching for the Time Master, he had quite a few choice words for his old friend.
When he found him, the Time keeper was busy, staring intently at the multiple screens in front of him.
"Ehem"
Now Clockwork would never admit that he didn't see Nocturne coming, so for the sake of his pri- reputation The Master of Time was Not Prideful at all, He simply turned and replied in monotone
"Yes?"
Nocturne rolled his eyes at the reply.
"You know exactly why I'm here Clockwork"
"Hmm, true"- he lied through his teeth, "but humour me"
"You haven't been sleeping for well over a month"
"A month and three days", corrected Clockwork.
"Tch, either way you need your rest, I'm only here for two reasons"
"Let me guess, to put me to sleep so you can feed off my dreams, correct?" inquired the time Master with a raised brow.
"That and to make sure we don't have a repeat of last time, as funny it was to watch The all Powerful Master of Time collapse from exhaustion, it was less amusing when those random portals started to appear".
Clockwork's cheeks coloured. "That was one time, and it was three centuries ago".
"Maybe, but unlike you, I don't keep track of time and neither do I let my work run me ragged".
Clockwork rolled his eyes. "Well I'm currently trying to do my work, once it's finished then I can rest and it won't get done any sooner if you're distracting me, so I suggest you leave".
Nocturne Laughed, "if your weren't so tired, you wouldn't be so distracted and if you weren't so distracted you would've seen this coming"
Clockwork was about to ask, when his staff was suddenly yanked from out of his hand, He turned to see that one of Nocturne's Sleep-walkers had it.
More sleep-walkers appeared and quickly grabbed Clockwork's hands from the back, he struggled but some sleep dust was sprinkled in his face, his movements became sluggish, his ghostly tail reformed into legs and his vision swam.
"Nocturne"-
"Sorry My friend But this is for your own good", he said as he placed a hand on the Time Master's temple, Clockwork's eyes rolled back…
Nocturne had his sleep-walkers put Clockwork on a conveniently placed purple couch. The couch was large enough so that Clockwork could lay completely straight and still have room for Nocturne to sit.
The Master of Dreams sighed as he gently raked his hand through his friend's white locks. Apparently at some point during the struggle, Clockworks hood came down leaving his shoulder length hair in plain view.
"You're really stubborn you know that?" said the Dream Master as he sighed again.
The Citadel was quite once more
Until…
"Clockwork?"
"Clock-Work?"
"Clock"-
"NOCTURNE?!"
"Phantom what are you doing here?!"
"I could ask you the same", said Danny in a fighting stance, then Noticing the Unmoving body at Nocturne's side, he charged up his hands.
"Wh-what did you do to Clockwork?" his voice was slightly shaking now, from anger or fear he didn't know.
"Relax hafling, said Nocturne now standing with his arms moving in a 'calm down motion' "he's just asleep".
"Why should I believe you after what you did"? "I beat you and I can do it again".
"Pfft, oh please, you couldn't beat me if you tried and for your information Clockwork was the one who told me to".
"You expect me to believe that?" asked Phantom incredulously, "and why would you willingly do what he told you?"
"I owed the bastard a favour" said Nocturne with a nonchalant shrug.
"Why?"
Nocturne understanding the question, simply stated "for a test, it was a test for you to prove to the Observants that you were capable of handling yourself without going rogue despite your situation".
"Oh"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it was just a test, so you guys don't, like, hate me do you?" said Danny, who had the decency to look sheepish.
Nocturne laughed at this "No hafling, i was simply doing a favor, I'm willing to let bygones, be bygone's if you are".
"Alright, bygones it is then" said the Phantom with an outstretched hand for a shake.
"Soo, uh, how long is he gonna be asleep?" said the phantom pointing at the sleeping Clockwork.
"Hmm, about an hour or so depending on the amount of dust we got him with", Replied Nocturne.
"Um, what exactly happened?"
Nocturne couldn't help but laugh at the completely baffled look that Danny gave him when he had asked.
"
Well", Nocturne started off, "Our friend over here decided to overwork himself to the point of exhaustion".
"Did he collapse?"
"No, not this time, he would have if I didn't knock him out though", supplied Nocturne with a chuckle.
"Oh, goo- wait, what do you mean not this time, it happened before?!"
"Yes as a matter of fact it did, about three centuries ago when-", Nocturne paused, realising his friend may not want that information to be told, "it's a long story"
"Oh, ok"
At the dejected face Danny was giving Nocturne couldn't help but sigh. Then an idea struck.
"Hey"
"Yeah?"
"Wanna paint his face?" asked Nocturne holding up a Sharpie, Where did he get that anyway?
Danny beamed.
