Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Glitches in Time ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter 18

"That clock... why is it running backwards?" Paulina's accented voice questioned unexpectedly in bemusement, disrupting the other conversations as everyone's attention was shifted to the Grandfather Clock the Latino girl was pointing at.

A massive thing of rich mahogany, the clock hands were indeed running counter clockwise. Notice was taken suddenly of the other clocks that were adorning the walls and floating about in the air above them.

Some of the clock faces were blank, while other had scenes playing within. There were clocks that had more then three hands representing the hour, minute, and second while yet others had none. There were even half clocks and clocks that slowly inverted themselves back and forth.

"Just as time flows backwards and forwards, it also does not flow at all. Particularly here." Clockwork stated enigmatically.

The eight teenagers and one adult from the past looked at the Master of Time strangely.

"Time is not linear as is the European view, where we work from life to death. Nor is it like the Egyptian way, flowing from death to life." Samuel stated, almost as enigmatically as Clockwork.

"Huh?" Multiple voices questioned, not understanding the reference to Egyptian time.

"Oh, I don't suppose you're familiar with how the ancient Egyptian's viewed the time of the living." Samuel grumbled.

"Is it circular then?" Star questioned, familiar with Native American and Oriental views of time flowing in an unending circle.

"No, time is neither linear nor circular here." Danielle said, figuring to sidestep the Egyptian thing, it was a little complicated anyway.

"But that's not possible," Valerie shook her head in confusion. "What way does it flow then?"

"As Master Clockwork said," Samuel shrugged, "time does not ‘flow' within this realm. All the rules that you apply to how time operates crease to exist. Things that are in your past can be in our future, and incidents that are in our future are in your past."

"Why do you think we were the reapers sent after Hitler?" Danielle asked rhetorically. "We are not the only reapers in existence—there are others such as the Old Ones Hermes(1) and Thanatos(2). The reason that we were the ones was because World War II had not occurred yet in this domain, though for you it was something that had happened long in the past."

Danny shook his head. "This is just all too confusing."

Dan smirked at his younger self, "It gets worse."

A groan from his past self was the future colonel's response.

"Ah..." Clockwork breathed suddenly, turning his back upon the group as he turned towards the greenly swirling portal that the twins had tossed glowing orbs into not long after his appearance before those from the past.

The colour of the energy changed before their eyes, from an eerie green to an equally eerie blue and a misty shape began to seep from it. A cloud of fog drifted though and the moment the last tendril of mist had condensed on this side the portal changed green once again.

"Mnemosyne, welcome to my domain," Clockwork greeted courteously as he inclined his head at the shapeless mass, the Phantom twins followed their overlord, only they bowed from the waist.

"Clockwork," a misty voice greeted softly, the fog slowly condensing into the form of a frail elderly woman wearing a garment of the ancient Greeks, leaning heavily upon a staff as she remained transparent, like a White Lady. "It is as lovely as always to see you. I understand you have wish of my services. Tell me, how may I serve Time?"

"I desire for you to remove the memories of these individuals," Clockwork indicated the time travelling group.

"Ah..." Mnemosyne said her voice a mere whisper, as she looked upon them, "so they have arrived."

The Spirit of Memory drifted forward drawing to a halt to hover slightly above the ground before the group.

"Is... is this going to hurt?" Star asked hesitantly.

"No little one," Mnemosyne replied with a grandmotherly smile towards the blonde. "You will merely remember nothing and what you cannot remember does not hurt."
Star blinked, almost philosophical, but true none the less.

"Young ones, please do not be afraid," Mnemosyne soothed, "now would you form a circle around me?"

They all hesitated until taking a fortifying breath both Danny and Sam stepped forward. The two exchanged looks before walking forward, soon followed by the other teens as they formed a lose circle around the Mistress of Memory.

Fifteen pairs of eyes swung about to look at the other halfling and only adult from the past.

"You are not erasing my memories," Vlad stared imperiously as he looked down his nose at the wispy figure of the Old One of Memory.

"Oh?" One colourless brow rose at the billionaire, suddenly her misty form swirled before solidifying. A young woman now stood in the old woman's place, her skin a luminous bronze, flaming white hair, and blue eyes that glowed with power.

They started in reaction, totally taken off guard by the vibrant and powerful ghost that now stood before them.

"Really," Mnemosyne practically purred as she looked at the man with narrowed eyes. "Children... would you please... ah, thank you."

Two Grim Reapers now loomed over the resistant man. The green light cast by their scythes absorbed by the utter blackness of their cowls, yellow eyes glowing harshly from the depths of their hoods.

"That was not a request," the one on Vlad's right whispered in a voice that chilled the bone.

"It was an order," the second one stated, its voice sending fearful shivered down the spine.

Gulping, Vlad steeped forward, flinching not only from the occasionally icy brush of the Reapers' robes, but the blunt end of their scythe's shafts as he was prodded to join the circle.

A small smile tilted Mnemosyne's lips as she gazed upon the two Reapers as they backed away after forcing the older halfling into place. Her eyes where dismissing though when she looked at him, he would present no trouble to her abilities.

Her smile widening into one of true satisfaction her arms flew upwards, her power flaring out and sizing them all within its grasp, freezing them in place. Bronze arms lowered as a glowing emblem spread out on the floor beneath the ghost and the ones captive to her power.

"Sleep." It was a voice of command.

Danny instinctively struggled against it, feeling the sudden weariness grab him and begin to drag him into the blackness of unconsciousness.

"Sleep young Daniel," Mnemosyne murmured appearing before him and pressing her index finger against his brow. "Sleep."

Blue eyes finally closed as sigh escaping from his lips as he succumbed to the spell and slipped into the realm of sleep.

"You are strong young one," Mnemosyne murmured in approval as she lifted her finger away, leaving an emblem that glowed with a blue-white light upon his skin.

She looked at the sleeping others, identical emblems glowing upon their foreheads. Only the young hafling had required her personal touch. She smiled softly again, it was as she had known. His mind was strong and he would be great.

She turned back to Time and his two Reapers. "It is done. They can be returned to their own place in time now."

Footnotes:
(1) Hermes: in ancient Greek mythology he was Zeus's messenger, the guide of shades (souls of the departed) to Hades' House i.e. the Underworld, protector of travellers, bringer of luck, and patron deity of thieves and merchants.
(2) Thanatos: the personification of Death in ancient Greek mythology.