The Horologist Chapter2: The Not So Merry-Go-Round

        Twill hid behind Maurice, gathering up a snowball. 

"Hehe, Hi Merry-Go-Round." Twill said, hiding the snowball behind her back.

"I vould prefer to be called Count Merry." the vampire replied in a gruff tone.

"You don't look so merry to me." twill says, hitting the man dead in the face with the snowball.

The vampire immediately wiped the snow off of his face, his expression was not pleasing, furious anger in his eyes.

"YOU PETULANT LITTLE PINCUSHION FREAK!" he hissed.

"YOU TACTLESS IMBECILE, HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR ZE GRIEVEINGAAAHH!!!" The vampire slips on a patch if ice and falls backwards. Needless to say, his mood wasn't getting any better.

Twill starts laughing hysterically. By now, Count Merry was seething with anger.

"I am so sorry Monsieur." Maurice says, as he tries to help the man up.

"NO!" the count replies.

"I shall help myself up!"

"Please sir, let me help you." Maurice insisted, meaning no harm.

"NO!" The vampire shouts.

"I.SAID.NO!!!!"

Count Merry lands a punch straight into Maurice's face. Maurice immediately stands straight up, his eyes pop out of their sockets, his long accordion-like tongue handing out of his mouth. He Just stands there, wobbling back and forth while making the actual sound of cuckoo clocks going off. Then, he falls straight backwards, landing in the snow with a loud thud; Blood dripping from his nose.

Twill just stands there, holding her hands over her mouth.

Count Merry stands up, trying to gather what little is left of his dignity. He then begins to walk up the path, leading to his mansion.

"He was only trying to help y'know!!!!" Twill yelled.

At this, Count merry, whipped around and in a flash he was upon her, hands around her throat.

"No one can help me!." he said calmly, yet with an extremely dark undertone.

"Least of all some little girl from an apparel shop vith nothing but a snowball and a valking clock!" 

He releases her throat, then turns away.

"Now, if you please. Leave my estate...and take your...friend...vith you." 

The Count walks away. He storms int the music room, where on the far side sits the enormous organ, pipes twisting this way and that. the massive three deck keyboard, taking up half the walls length.

"GAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Merry shouts, slamming his arms down onto all of the keys at once, resulting in a tremendous roar that makes the windows rattle in their panes.

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*BACK OUTSIDE*

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        Twill begins shaking Maurice.

"Maurice, you okay!?!?"

"Mommy, the mouse took my...toaster...strudel..." Maurice mumbles.

"OI, wake up silly!"

"Hnnngh." *gear grinding sounds*

"Hey, he didn't knock anything loose did he?" Twill asked, getting a little concerned.

"He had a fancy little top hat...he..h-he told me his name was...Jerry...Jerry lee lewis...he's gonna play a little boogie on...this here piano." Maurice starts laughing like a drunk person.

"Yeah, we gotta get you some help."

After dragging him on and off of three trolleys, twill finally reaches the building she was looking for. An old clock repair shop, the place was on the brink of bankruptcy, but she had a friend inside who wouldn't mind taking a rain check, after all in decembersville there was more than enough rain to go around. Ha-Ha!.

Twill entered the small vintage shop, propping Maurice up against the wall.

"Scarfy?!? Are you here?" Twill shouted.

A little girl, only about 14 years of age comes out. and ghasps

"Hey, where have you been? I haven't seen you around for a while." Scarfy said quietly

"Well, we kinda ran into some trouble." Twill says, motioning to Maurice's unconscious body.

"Oh my gosh, what did you do to him?" Scarfy asked. holding a hand over her mouth

"Wha?! I didn't do that."

"We ran into Merry-Go-Round and he...got...mad..." Twill replies meekly.

"Hm..." The little girl walks over to Maurice, then puts an ear to his chest. she heard a heartbeat, and something else...the sound of a pendulum, like in a grandfather clock.

"Did you try winding him up?" Scarfy asks.

Twill opens her mouth as if she is about to say something, then stops.

"...I never thought of that, hehe."

"Let's wind him up then." Twill says excitedly

Scarfy looks Maurice over, trying to find a wind-up key. nothing.

"Look on his back." Twill suggests.

"Hm..." Scarfy feels around Maurice's back, finally, her hand hits somehing.

"oh, her it is." she says.

Scarfy carefully removes Maurice's Midnight Purple coat, hanging it neatly on a coat-rack. Twill puts his eyes back into their respective holes.

On his back is a keyhole. scarfy rummages around to find a key the right size, finally she finds one and slides it neatly into the key-slot. She carefully turns the key five times. Maurice opens his eyes and jumps up.

"AAAHHHH!!! I feel SOOOOOO FIINE!!!" Maurice says.

"...I think five turns was too many..." Twill says.

"OH!...do forgive me miss." Maurice says to scarfy.

"Allow me to introduce myself."

Maurice takes off his hat and bows.

"I am Maurice Centric'."

"Yeah, can you play?" Scarfy replies.

Maurice simply smiles.