ghostharasser | Open Post

[There’s a very unsubtle pause as Dipper sees that last text. His shoulders drop a bit with some of the tension flooding out of him. He takes his other hand off the silverware drawer, and this time folds both his hands in the counter with interest.]

[With the immediate threat of danger currently set aside, Dipper is now a thousand times more invested in this conversation.]

Is that so? I hate to say I haven’t gotten much closer to tracking the guy down.

[He gives him a calculated look.]

You’re a ghost, aren’t you?

[The smile Clockwork gives is knowing and satisfied.]

And you as observant as ever, I see. Your willingness to accept the strange and unknown head on serves you well, Dipper.

[Now he stands again, retrieving that pocketwatch from his breast pocket and flipping its cover open.]

With that point being reached, I have a message to deliver about your quarry. Time Out.

[The pocketwatch glows blue as he says this, and from Dipper's perspective, it happens in an instant. Clockwork vanishes, something heavy settles about Dipper's neck, and the whole world goes terrifyingly still and quiet. There's no ambient noise from outside, no movement from the shadows of tree branches on the wall, not even the dust motes in the air are moving.

If Dipper looks down, he'll find a pendant has been placed around his neck - a large metal cogwheel with Clockwork's insignia in the center, much like the pin he'd been wearing. The ghost himself floats away from behind Dipper, setting the end of his staff on the floor as he hovers in front of the armchair again.]

A precaution - so that none will hear this but you.

Well, I mean, you have red eyes and you know Danny, so it was a pretty educated guess, I thought-

[WHOA, and then a whole lot happens almost instantly. He knows the feeling of time distorting because he's both time traveled and dealt with various anomalies that affect the fabric of time and space. It's not unlike that pause when using the time tape, that feels like reaching the crest of a roller coaster, seconds before a drop. Only the drop is suspended.]

[He looks down to inspect the medallion. He's not just here to wait for Danny at all, huh. Dipper's spent all this time worrying about how much he's roped Danny into his business when it seems like maybe the opposite had been more true all along, and he really underestimated just what Danny was embroiled in.]

[Incredible. He owes Mabel ten bucks.]

We're not waiting for Danny.

[Stated as a fact. Whatever this is, it's just for him, which feels wild.]

Suddenly I'm feeling pretty worried about whatever it is you've got to tell me, dude.

We are not. As it stands, this matter is more yours than his. Still, it has come to involve Danny's wellbeing too. I cannot directly interfere, but since he is as much my charge as the timeline itself, I am here to steer you to the proper course.

[Clockwork's expression is dead serious, an effect that might be somewhat disrupted as his form abruptly shifts to that of an old man.]

You have not yet learned much about your assailant, but the danger is more personal than you know to you and yours. What I am here to tell you is this: no matter how much you prepare, you will not succeed against them without help beyond your family alone.

[Clockwork's form shifts again as he points his staff towards Dipper, this time to the shape of a child. His voice never changes.]

Nor will Danny, with only his friends.

[Someone being as much someones responsibility as the timeline itself is a hell of a thing to say about someone and it super changes the context of what Danny's deal might be to Dipper and his theories. While he's still reeling from that, Clockwork's form shifts and he's dropping even more concerning shit.]

Whoa, whoa, hold on. You're saying that this guy who attacked me is a big enough concern that some ghostly avatar of time is worried about it?

[The danger is more personal? What's that mean? ...]

[Dipper suddenly goes very pale, and he looks...kind of pained? Something has occurred to him.]

Don't tell me-

That is all I can tell you, and no more.

[He cannot confirm or deny Dipper's suspicions, in other words.]

But... I have faith that it will be enough.

[His expression softens to a smile again, and Clockwork shifts his staff to his other hand in order to give a short bow.]

It was a pleasure to meet you, Dipper. Give Danny my regards, and I'm certain I will see you again someday.

[And then, Clockwork is gone, and the world starts breathing again as time once more begins to move. The medallion remains about Dipper's neck, a reminder that that did in fact really just happen.]

Yeah. Cool. Sure thing.

[DEEP INHALE. Okay. A lot just happened and none of it was good. If Danny did decide to cut class to come check on things, he will find Dipper standing in the kitchen, dissociating over that medallion.]

Edited 2024-11-18 04:29 (UTC)

[Sure enough, it's only a minute or two later that Danny slams the door open, glancing desperately about the dorm before his shoulders slump in defeat.]

I missed him, didn't I.

[Got back from his class across campus awful quick, too.]

Yep. It's cool, though, apparently he just wanted to talk to me.

[BOY HOWDY. He pulls off the medallion and sets it on the counter. No he was not about to lick it, shut up.]

You got here pretty quick.

...About what?

[Danny comes inside and shuts the door, looking anxious. He's got no idea how much Clockwork revealed, and the fact that he seems to have left Dipper with a medallion sure Says Some Things.]

Yeah, well, I panicked. Clockwork's great, but he uh, almost never has good news.

Yeah, I definitely got that vibe.

[He takes a deep breath, already feeling a migraine coming on.]

The Curse Asshole is way more of a problem then I could have possibly guessed, and your Time Uncle was worried enough to step in and give me a heads up.

"Time Uncle?" ...You know what, close enough.

[That's not the thing to worry about here. The thing to worry about is that Clockwork usually only steps in like this when the entire timeline is at stake. Should he tell Dipper that? Uhhhh...

Danny's eyes dart about somewhat nervously, though of course nothing is out of place. He inhales deeply as he looks back towards Dipper again, clearly steeling himself.]

So uh, exactly what kind of "way more of a problem" are we talking about here?

Well.

[Dipper holds his arms, sighs, and looks up.]

Considering the guy stopped time, and then said that you are just as much his charge as the entire timeline, I can only guess that whatever's going on, it's about to get downright catastrophic.

[He rubs his face for a moment.]

And I'm ...pretty sure he just implied it had something to do with Bill.

He did? Wait... you get what he's trying to say when he gets all cryptic? Huh.

[That's better than Danny usually did.]

I mean, that kinda tracks, doesn't it? You said this jerk might have personal beef, so maybe he's some old buddy of Bill's or something. But Clockwork would only show up like this if either me or the timeline was in danger...

[Because, well, Dipper's already said it. Danny and all of time itself are exactly the two things Clockwork is guardian to - and generally speaking, when one of those things is in danger, so is the other.]

[Dipper opens his mouth, and then snaps it shut because. Well. If he said what he almost said it would totally give away how much he's figured out so far and Danny seems to still be playing dumb. It's become less about figuring it out and more seeing how long Danny keeps this up thinking Dipper knows nothing.]

[SIGH.]

[Anyway.]

Or he could be someone Bill's tricked into helping him. It wouldn't be the first time he's tried to do it after we got rid of him. He talks a big game of promising anything someone could possibly want in order to make a deal, and as soon as you shake his hand, that's it. You've given him access to your mind and body.

Yikes. So it could straight up be Bill overshadowing someone. Great!

[Danny drags a hand through his hair, then shakes his head.]

Did Clockwork say anything about like, how not to get maimed and/or killed by this guy?

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