Artemis came to in a glowing room. The wall blazed in white and in the middle of this room was a series of sundials, all set up in an immense circle. Currently, his rescuer stood in the middle of the circle, her arms extended at strange angles, moving rather jerkily. Every so often wind would rush from her fingertips and he would hear a ticking sound. In between there were shots of lightening that made a sort of metallic ping sound as they zoomed towards each dial. Artemis rubbed his head and got shakily to his feet. Instantly the woman spun around with a crash and clapped her hands together.
"Who, who"
"You know me, dear child." The woman approached him, a sort of mesmerizing smile creeping across her face.
"No, I don't. Where are we? What happened to Timina—"he was cut off by the lady's laughter.
"That was me" She replied.
Artemis clenched his fists and gazed up at the intimidating woman. "Who are you?"
"I am the Operator and Keeper of the clocks, the reason why Time in the House runs true. Young mortal, I am Mistress Time"
"Come again?"
Time looked down at her nose at him and smirked. Now when he looked at her, it was very possible to believe that Timina was Mistress Time. "This will take some explaining. But we have all the time in the world." She moved off to stand in the ring of clocks again as a racket of bells tolling shook the ground. "Tea time" a cloud rose up from the ground and glided over to Artemis. "One lump of sugar or two?"
Artemis began to stutter "I-I-I—"
Time laughed merrily. "I'll leave you some time to think on that." Her eyes narrowed. "Quiet" she advised. "I have a matter to put on hold"
Wipe out"You will owe me a favor for doing this" came a haughty announcement.
Arthur ceased his flailing to spin his head around, looking for the speaker. "Wednesday's Dawn?"
"Yes," she sniffed, evidently disgruntled and strained. She was holding Chauncey in her arms. "I do not often touch vermin," she pointed out.
"Thank you" Arthur nodded his head and then thought on Scamandross, he was still unconscious. "What's happened?"
"Other than almost flooding the House, this moment has been procured"
He hated the way the superior Denizens thought it necessary to make explanations lengthy. "Translation of that please" he commanded.
"Time here has been paused. I would assume to stem flow of this self-rot ocean that impinges upon Nothing. That is a matter that will need to be taken care of, now," she informed him, glancing disgustedly down at the rat she was still cradling in her arms.
"How long will it last?"
"Approximately—" Dawn looked down with distaste and leaned back as Chauncey spluttered awake, coughing up in her face. She cringed and then set Chauncey down in the now still waters. "Approximately an hour, as House time goes. Now if you'll excuse me," She folded her wings and prepared to plunge deep into the waters when Arthur called out.
"What about Suzy?"
"The Piper's child?" Dawn frowned. "She's probably been washed back into the Secondary Realms, if it was regular water, she could be found in the Border Sea, but I am sure that storm connected with the realms, and she has been swept up. Good day, Lord Arthur" she quipped and dived down into the water, taking on her sickening shark shape as she sped away. Arthur gaped as she disappeared out of view, his mind racing. The sea got outside the House, to Artemis and Leaf! And Suzy got washed away! No matter whether Arthur lived an eternity or not, that wouldn't be enough time for him to forgive himself for loosing Suzy.
"What now Arthur?" Chauncey chirped.
What now? What now? We quit that's what; I can't do this without Suzy! Arthur fumbled for words.
"We were on course to the Border Sea before it was brought to us" Doctor Scamandross groaned as he started to wake up. "We should continue our search for the piece so that you may converse with Mistress Time"
Arthur nodded, his head buzzing. "I have to deal with this ocean first, before it washes outside" He thought aloud. He patted himself, wondering exactly which key he should be using for something like this.
"Use the trident" Scamandross offered. "That which created it is what will vanquish" he explained, still exhausted.
Arthur complied and used the trident in a reverse motion, striking ground first and then sweeping up. As though attached the water pulled away and drew up into the air after the points of the key until all was dry. "We've got to keep looking for information, so we should go to the Sea and try to find any lost info fro the register."
"Sounds good to me" Chauncey agreed. "But, why don't we use the bottle? Could get to Cap'n twice as fast,"
"Is there a sending tube down here?" Arthur inquired.
"I sure could fins us one" he grinned.
Washed Up
Somewhere in a distant land the last wave lapped on the shore. Actually, pavement, and she struggled to her feet as she came to. She wrung out her clothes and then her hair. She didn't know where she was, but she was sure she wasn't in the House anymore. Where's Arthur? Her eyes skittered around, desperately trying to recognize this foreign land to put her mind at ease. Ain't been outside the House in ages. And now she had no idea where she was.
"Hello, are you alright?" A man was coming at her, his hand extended.
Suzy looked up at him, her fear and discomfort shining in her eyes.
A strange look ran across the man's face and his eyes widened. "how'd you get here, did you come from," He gazed down at her water soaked clothes. "The ocean?"
Suzy began to speak was shocked when she learned she had no voice.
"You're a," excitement was clear in his voice. "A mermaid,"
She began to shake her head furiously no, but the man continued to ramble. "They didn't believe me back in town, said I was crazy to even dare dream about them, but here you are, a mermaid" before Suzy could even begin to put up a fight she was swept up into the man's arms. "Well you have legs and that's fortunate, but still you might be wobbly on them so I'll help you inside"
Suzy was furious and nauseas as the man marched her away. Voice must've gotten washed out. Arthur better find me.