Once upon a time...

[timefather]

[ For the residents of Märchenstraße, and all the land surrounding it, the eighth of December was a day to look forward to. Looking at it from an outside perspective, strangers and travelers could easily assume it to be a holiday. At the very least, a day for a festival, if a modest one. A day that shopkeeps spent all morning preparing for, that all manner of creatures spent days traveling to the city to witness. They'd heard the talk that passed around, the rumors from those still left. But would it work? No one knew for sure, no matter how confident the stories seemed to be. But hope was very quickly becoming all they had left.

They had decorated the whole town. Streamers, banners, wreathes and garland made of autumn flowers, plus whatever the Fairy Godmother had cooked up. Oh, she was just giddy. No skepticism could be spoken around her, not if you wanted to escape the wrath of her wand! Rumor had it that she had caught wind of a few piglets squealing about the likelihood that their magic would fail, and that they were subsequently transformed into the band of musicians who could be found performing in the park.

Well, at least the music was festive.

Of course, the decorations weren't for the newcomers alone. Autumn was coming to a close in just a few weeks, and Old Man Winter would take the reigns like he did every year, and their weather would turn cold and harsh. The chill was already there, cool and biting when the wind picked up speed. Lady Autumn was much preferred to the citizens of the city with her gentle nature, even if she failed to show up, finishing her work in the orchards instead. That was what they liked about her.

It was mid-morning when Father Time was found outside of his tower, checking one of the numerous pocket watches he kept on his person. "Unnecessary, but comfortable," he called them, and closed the watch again. It was twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and where empty space had been just seconds before, now they were. Sitting on benches, lying in flower patches, scattered about the city and outside of the gates in peaceful slumber. They would awaken to the bells of the clock tower. Some, to many friendly and relieved faces all around them, some to grateful ones carrying gifts of food and clothing and magic, and some to fearful, cautious faces. Regardless of how the town treated them, they would awaken to a celebration of their arrival, and choices to be made, and the books. Each and every one. ]

Comments

[timefather]

[ There's a shrug from him, but he takes the bag back. After all, the ducks are harmless. Mostly. ]

What do you know so far?

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat settles in on the bench, trying to ignore the ducks.]

Other than apparently I'm now some kind of wiggler tale creature and that I was supposed to look for some idiot named Father Time, a big heaping pile of nothing.

[timefather]

[ He laughs again at that, harder than before. ]

I daresay you're on the right track.

[cancercarcino]

Oh really? Cause all I've seemed to find other than a town full of mindless idiots and a pair of wings on my back is enough questions to keep me occupied for the next fucking sweep!

[He glares at the old man for laughing.]

And what's so funny, you ancient sack of shit??

[timefather]

[ His glares have no effect! Well, he does slowly stop laughing, but only to turn it into a kind and somewhat knowing smile. That part can't be helped. ]

I imagine it would help if we had introduced ourselves to begin with. I am the idiot you seek.

[cancercarcino]

[Karkat's face suddenly falls, his frustration replaced with surprise and disbelief.]

Wait, so you're that Father Time everyone's been talking about??

[He was expecting someone... more intimidating. Maybe having some kind of cape or something. Not some wrinkled old human feeding quackbirds.]

[timefather]

I'm almost afraid to say yes. How quickly has word gotten around, hm?

[ He tried the cape business once, but it was so inconvenient. Always getting caught in doors. ]

[cancercarcino]

How the fuck should I know? I only heard about it from one or two people... Actual people, not these townsfolk drones. Apparently you can sort out this mess and tell us what the hell's going on.

[timefather]

I can only offer answers to whatever questions you may have. This mess we're in, that's up to you.

[ Just what he wanted to hear! ]

[cancercarcino]

Okay, then tell me why the fuck everyone keeps thinking that I'm some... some thing from a wiggler tale! And why the hell did I wake up with these??

[He jabs a thumb at his wings.]

[timefather]

A raven isn't much of one without a pair of wings.

[ He says that like it's completely obvious. ]

[cancercarcino]

[Father Time gets a blank stare.]

Is that supposed to mean something to me? What's a raven got to do with anything? And what the hell even is a raven?? It sounds like some stupid Earth human thing.

[timefather]

[ It might irritate him further, but Father Time seems pretty amused by him. ]

It's a bird. A winged creature, usually small, but often not. Like the ducks here. I imagine you'll see a few ordinary ravens around.

[cancercarcino]

[He's heard of birds before, so he can kind of guess as to what they look like. Plus, he's going to assume they're black, like his wings. But that doesn't really answer his question.]

Okay, fine, whatever. So what does a raven have to do with me? I take it that I'm supposed to be some kind of raven from a wiggler tale?

[The only problem is he's not familiar with a lot of fairy tales, outside of Pupa Pan.]

[timefather]

You're not a raven, you're the Raven. I could tell you most of the story, but I think it would be best for you to read it yourself.

[cancercarcino]

...Seriously? You're supposed to be this all-knowing source of information and you're not even going to tell me??

[He growls, smacking his face into his hand.]

[timefather]

Where would be the fun in that?

[ Father Time is almost surprised he's not the one being smacked. ]

[cancercarcino]

[He almost is tempted, but he doesn't want to mess with the old guy. It would just be his luck that he'd strike out and the old human would turn out to be a Horrorterror in disguise or something.]

Ugh. You know what? Fine, be an ass and don't tell me. I'll find out about it on my own.