The Dream Time

                                                 The Dream Time

"Da girl dat I lov'd she was han'some, I tried all I knew 'er ta please, but I coul' not please 'er one quarta' as well, as da man on da trapeze!"

The world shook and swayed, a rhythm and a rhyme all to its own and dancing to a music whose steps were constantly shifting. To dance that dangerous dance against the world was a challenge and a thrill, beautiful and horrifying, a string between life and death, literally.

Up upon the high rope, agile toes stepped rhythmically; a one two three, one two, spin, one two three. This is one of D'aak's acts, walking the tight rope to show his own death defying dances. While not as impressive of the true acrobats of the Nether City Carnival, his foot work was enough to entertain the crowds for a while. There was something about acts that laughed in the face of death itself that attracted the masses. The more often one stumbles, the closer one gets to falling, all the more entranced the crowd is. The crowd was sadistic, they wanted to see a botched act, they wanted to see a fall to the death, but also the crowd celebrated in life, with survival being such an arduous task on its own. The Tight Rope walker represented the fine line that all of Nether City walked upon.

"Annie, watch me go, I be danc'n like dere be no tomorrow 'ere," the voodoo show man laughed and grinned as he twirled his cane and stepped back and forth so high off the ground.

"Yew go D'aak! But save a bit o' dat dancing fer me, won't yew?!" From far below a pretty young dame yelled back up to D'aak with a laugh. Her hair a long brilliant white, her dress ruby red, and green eyes that could out sparkle emeralds, Antoinette Bludworth, the beautiful rising star of the Carnival and D'aak's love. Her laughter was boisterous, seemingly unfit for such a beauty but those who knew her welcomed that laugh whenever it came.

D'aak gave a small curtsy from the tight rope and flashed his yellowed smile. "Dere always be plenty o' step in dese 'ere feet fer ye, Annie." There was warmth in his voice and a sparkle in his eyes that showed exactly how true that statement was. With one last spin on heels, D'aak gave a deep bow to Ann as though she were the whole audiance. "It be jus' 'bout time dat I got off dis rope anyhow, race ye ta da laddar, Annie!"

Off like a dart, D'aak ran from high above and Ann from far below, each one determined to reach the ladder first. Every little thing like this was a game for the two, every moment spent together was endless entertainment, it didn't matter who ever won or lost because they would always have each other as the prize. Bumps, however, happen.

In a rush, not looking ahead and not thinking about below, D'aak's feet became entangled. He no longer danced with the rhythm of the rope, his feet lost their rhyme and he stumbled. In his fear, his screams were caught in his throat. From below, Ann reached the ladder first and whooped triumphantly before looking up to see D'aak barely hanging to the rope by a hand.

Helpless and afraid, Ann screamed for help. "Sal! Wolfman! Jade! Someone?! D'AAAAK!"

Her scream echoed through the empty Big Top just as D'aak's hand gave way. The ground sped toward him, five stories blazing past his eyes. For a moment there was pain...then nothing at all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dem chillun binnuh nyam all we rice, meemah..."

"D'aak, oi! D'aak! Wake up yew buffoon!"

"Bu' meemah, dey tell'um dat dey blan ketch 'nif cootah..."

Out from nothing, D'aak awoke with a sputter and a yell as cold water splashed against his face. As he jolted up, sharp shooting pain burned through his leg, contrasting the needle-sting of the ice water in his face. His first reaction was to yelp then wince so hard it looked like he just swallowed a lemon whole. Eyes the murky green color of the marshlands met with eyes of emerald, and two smiles appeared.

"Is really kind 'n all send'n an angel few to bring me ta da otha' side n all, but ye coulda sent one dat was a bit more tactful 'bout wak'n me up," said the grinning Bokor.

Ann dumped the rest of the bucket of water on D'aak's head and stuck out her tongue. "Yew ain't dead, D'aak, jus' dead stupid. Go'n on an' scaring me like that, I thought you were a gonner. Broke your freak'n leg though, serves yew right fer nearly giving me a heart attack!"

Wet and still in pain, D'aak had every right to be mad, but instead he merely gave a smile. "I knew ye cared for me, Annie, and don't ye worry yer pretty little head off, I gotta see ye die three times o' day, I promise dat ye won't be see'n ole' D'aak die any time soon," he gave her a wink but winced slightly as his leg shifted, "Perhaps it mebbe a betta' idea dat I keep from da tight rope eh?"

Ann gave him a frown and a slap upside the head. "Yeah an' perhaps'n yew grow a brain in da bonebox yew call en skull."

"Ow! Hey, day be a rude t'ing ta do ta a guy who jus' nearly died eh? I mean, shouldn't ye be us'n your lov'n caress an' womanly charms ta be comfort'n and heal'n a poor ole' soul such as me?" D'aak placed the back of his hand on his head and sighed dramatically, "Oh woe is D'aak, mebbe he should'a jus' died from da fall, 'stead he jus' dies from da heartbreak!" He gave her his best puppy dog eyes, putting on as much charm and butter as he could.

Ann couldn't help but be pulled in by those sorrowful eyes, however when she saw the edges of a smile breaking out from D'aak's face, she gave him another slap. However, this time she smiled. "Oh yew big baby, pout'ink will get yew no where wit' me. Was yer fault anyways! Danc'ink across that wire like that, I tol' you time en time again that you shoulda left the big top acrobatics fer Lady Jade. Yew are lucky I don't jus' up ayn sell yew ta Mistah Fogg fer spare parts."

"So, what ye be say'n, is dat ye love me and ye wanna be giv'n me a kiss ta make me all better right?"

Ann gave him a sour look for a moment before smirking. It was hard to say no to his charms, even if those charms were more scruffy sad alley dog than gentleman. When he got like this he would be persistent until he got some form of affection and at least a small kiss would quiet him down for a while. "Why're yew so hard ta say no to, yew snake-charmer?"

She bent to give him a peck on the check, only to have him tilt his head and give her a smooch right on the lips. Surprise took Ann at first, and then amusement as she kissed back. He was a cheeky, sly, incorrigible bastard. There was nothing he couldn't do and nothing he couldn't get away with. But, he was her bastard and she planned on keeping him.

Arms like snakes and fourteen fingers wrapped around Ann's back and down upon the injured showman. "Well hello der, Annie, did ye put a little weight on yer backside or is it jus' me?

"Its yew so called soul food cook'n that es kill'n my girlish figure, I outta put us both on a diet."

D'aak grinned. "Maybe we can start wi't a bit o' exercise."

"Oh jus' shuddup and kiss me before I gotta slap yew again, yew idjit."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

"I dun trust him, yew can't make me go on stage with him!"

Annie and D'aak sat in their caravan wagon, something between home and transport when the Carnival decided to take a tour from their semi-permanent fair grounds. The fall had broken D'aak's leg bad enough that his own healing magic couldn't work effectively and the only two people in Nether who could do so wanted the carnival pair dead and buried. He had to resort to the good old cast and wait method of healing. Trouble was, Blud couldn't really do her show effectively without her acting partner.

"List'n dis here be da act o' yer life! It be dis act dat will be really making ye from a side show act ta da main attraction! Dis be yer big break Annie!"

"But D'aak," she whined, "Yew came up wit tha whole thing, es only right that yew be there ta help me pull et off! Plus, Francois gives me tha willies." She shivered slightly to make firm that point.

"So he's a bit slimy an' a bit o' a creepster, but he be a fellow carnie an' he knows tha act. An' whats ye got ta worry 'bout? Ye've got yer shadduh magics if'n he tries someth'n funny, he be jus' a two bit illusionist dat can't even conjure up da courage ta conjure, if'n ye be gettin' da jus' o' what I be say'n eh?"

"Yes, yes, I got yew, despite tha way yew tie knots wit that tongue o' yours...but still, I'd feel a damn lot betta if yew were wit' me..."

"I'll be in da crowd, Annie, keep'n a right good eye on tha show. I promise, nuth'n can go wrong 'ere. Ta'night be yer night ta shine n' light up dis drab ole' town, ye got me?"

"Yew lucky I trust yew so much," Annie said with a slight pout, "Otherwise I'd be thinkin'k that yew be in leagues wit' that slimy Frenchmen." She shivered once more, "S'hard ta trust a man who 'as a pencil thin mustache an' a taste fer snails...."

D'aak laughed heartily, Ann was, if anything, to the point when it came to her feelings. It was getting close to when the show had to start, D'aak looked to the clock mounted on the wall to make sure they had time to get ready....only he didn't remember them having a clock....

He suddenly felt something heavy and metallic in his hand, a cog with spike-like spokes. "An escapement? What's go'n on 'ere?!" A dizziness suddenly came over him and....

He woke up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BRRRRRRRRRRRINGBRRRRRRING!!!!!!

"FUCK SHIT!"

D'aak's eyes shot open and shot forward, only to ram his face into a very large alarm clock. Face-to-face with a clock face, and perhaps more than a little hung over, the modern day shaman didn't quite know what to do or say. So the clock face answered for him.

"Right on Time!"

"Right on wut?"

"You're right on Time, my silly little friend! Oh I do love it when things are right on schedule!"

"....A talk'n clock....a talk'n clock be tell'n me dat I be on schedule.....uh...T'anks?"

The clock suddenly rose about two meters into the air suddenly and was replaced with a mess of red brown hair and a gap toothed smile that seemed infinite. It shot out a spindly arm and grabbed D'aak's hand with an overly friend shake. "You're welcome, you're most welcome! I know few pleasures as great as being on time, and you sir are right on it."

"Aye, aye, I get it already!" D'aak held his head between his head and took a few breaths. Damned crazy people were all over Nether City, but this one was one helluva loon. Crazy can be harmless, but from previous experiance D'aak knew that crazy could be exceptionally dangerous as well. He might want to take it easy. "So...Mistah...Mistah..."

"Erstwhile! Gammel Erstwhile," said the strange man with an overly jolly smile.

"Okay, Mistah Erstwhile....well, I be da Bokor D'aak an' well, does it be a bit too much ta be ask'n what exactly am I on time fer?"

The tall creature's smile seemed to stretch nearly off his head and he started to waltz about joyously as he spoke. "To save all of Time and Space of course! Especially time, since space really isn't much without time, I mean things would be pretty static and I tell you, my little sir, that that would be horribly horribly boring! How, might I ask you, can one keep time for dancing or singing without time? You can't that's how!"

"D...Dats all well 'n good, yes, but uh...well, Mistah Erstwhile, why me?"

"Oh, well that's an easy one, Mr. Silly Hands, you're holding onto the reason." The time obsessed entity giggled with mild glee.

Looking down, D'aak's eyes fell upon the escapement that he saw in his dream. His brow furrowed slightly in thought, how could something in a dream be pulled into reality like that? Not really that it's all that bizarre given the daily goings on in Nether but it was all still very very strange. He held it up and spun in around on one finger, careful to keep its saw-like edges  away from his face. "What, Mistah Erstwhile, is it? An' don't ye say 'Is an escapement silly!' 'cause I freak'n know me horology well 'nuff, what I mean is why do da t'ing matter so much dat I be chosen ta save da cosmos an' such?"

Gammel frowned slightly and crossed his arms. "You're being no fun, I won't tell you."

The voodoo sorcerer rose an eyebrow in confusion, "Now see 'ere, I don' wanna be toy'd wit 'ere, go- You ain't even pay'ns me attention any more!"

No, instead Gammel was sifting through his jacket of random junk, leisurely sorting and fooling around with them. "Tick tock goes the clock, ding dong goes the bell."

"Hey, list'n ta me ye ole' tower o' junk! Ye got some nerve ta...." D'aak sighed deeply and stuffed a hand into his pocket. A smile creeped across his face as his seven fingers glided across an idea. Slowly, he pulled out a little something he had stolen from Sal, the carnival's sword swallower and pierced-man. "Oh what an interest'n doodad dis be, I be think'n thats I shall keep it."

Gammel pushed up his fluffy locks with one wire thin finger, revealing an ever so curious golden eye. "Oh my, a doodad? An interesting doodad? Please, please can I have a look?"

"Nah, dis be my doodad, get yer own."

"But, but, I don't have a doodad, I just have thingamajigs, knicks, knacks, gizmos, gadgets, doohickeys, widgets, and thingamabobs, but no doodads! Please, I'll do anything!" He squeeled with a distraught eagerness.

"Well...perhaps'n we trade, ye tell me what da 'ell is go'n on, an' I let ye have dis 'ere doodad, sound fair to ye?"

"Yes yes yes," giggled Gammel with pleasure," I was going to have to tell you anyway I guess, so here we go! You see, Mr. Silly Hands, I am Gammel Erstwhile and I am the keeper of the Past! Well, not the Past, Past in general, all Past! Big Ben, Time his very own big old self, is breaking down to teeny tiny pieces and he sent me and my fellow keepers all across time to help fix him. What you have in your hands, is a piece of Time, a physical part of the metaphysical! You and others like you that have the pieces will fight to fix Time!" He ended with his arms high in the air and with a theatrical bow.

After D'aak picked his jaw of the ground, he gave Gammel a rather stern look. "Now 'old on 'ere, yer say'n dat me an a bunch o' otha' folks who got dese t'ings are suppose ta fight ta put Time back togetha'? Fight? What kinda sick entertainment da ye t'ink yer trying ta see? If dese t'ing be so important, why don't ye just gather dem yerselves and put him back right, eh?"

"Awww, that's no fun to say, it just really doesn't work that way, oooh ooh! I rhymed, hooray!"

"Dere's no way I be do'n dis, no way en hell, I be tell'n you."

"Oh, well you know there is a prize," Gammel said with a sly slick, "Its a good one too!"

"I'm sure," said D'aak, rolling his eyes slightly, "An' what, pray tell, be da prize? Gett'n ta save da cosmos?"

"Doodad first, then I tell you!" The Incarnation of Past stuck his tongue out childishly.

"Fine, a deal be a deal," D'aak sighed before tossing Gammel the little doodad from his pocket. It was a long helical spring that bounced slightly as it left his hand, in layman's terms a Slinky.

Gammel caught it and grinned with glee as he stuffed it into a pocket. "Okay okay, I'll tell you now, my friend, the prize for winning is the chance to change any single event in your timeline!" The Keeper giggled slightly before adding, "Today is the anniversary of that event, isn't it, Mr. Silly Hands?"

D'aak's eyes went wide immediately at the thought and possibility, to change time, to change his very history and fate. Images of memories flashed before his eyes....

Annie! Annie! Please oh Loa, say sumthin'!

Papa Ghede 'ere da voice o' yer chil', he stands at da crossroads of life en death.

Annie?

D'aak shook his head. That accident that stole Annie from him, that left him only with the soulless shell of her body, Bludworth...The chance to fix it all...And, in the back of D'aak's head, he could hear the little prophecy that La Croix had given him mere hours ago. There was an escape in the escapement, what else could it mean? D'aak had no choice...

"Ye be a god, right? Mistah Erstwhile?"

"Well, technically yes, yes technically," nodded Gammel with a smile.

"Well I don't trus' gods dat go interfer'n wit' peoples' lives, but you've get yerself a deal."

"Wonderful! Simply Wonderful! I'm sure you'll enjoy your adventure!"

They shook hands....

....and were gone from Nether.