traaash a/n: this is a longass chapter (3000+ words)

DISCLAIMER: Images, dialogue and plot all belong to the author of haikyuu at 3am which you can find here: http://03xlimit.tumblr.com/

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Chapter 6: Good Afternoon

How to regret everything.

"Wait, are you 11p-" Daichi started say as the stranger's glowing blue vines gently let go of 3am.

"Well, it looks like you're ticking, so before they wake up I need to get you out of here because you're in danger." They said as they gently placed 3am on the floor.

"Wait! Please, he needs my help, I've seen-" Daichi said, running over and trying to crouch beside 3am, however the same blue vines wrapped around himself as 11pm supported him.

"LImit, you need to get out of here. They'll be fine, they just need to rest." 11pm reassured Daichi, opening a portal the same colour as the vines before helping Daichi through it. "Anytime a Limit comes into contact with a nightmare, nothing good ever happens because of it."

Daichi glanced back at 3am's limp form with a forlorn expression as 11pm led him away from the portal, ignoring the Dream Catcher as they chatted about how they were going to get Daichi all nice and cleaned up. They didn't notice someone walk over to 3am, Knowhere going into silence once more.

[]

"I've...I've come to Knowhere before...many times." Daichi told 11pm as they helped him through the halls.

"How is that possible? You were just having your soul taken by a nightmare...and judging from your countdown, you've only been here for a small amount of time." 11pm said, tapping their chin in thought, the only sound being their footsteps on tiles.

[]

They made their way to a room off the side of the main hallway, 11pm laying Daichi down on a pile of cushions surrounding a pool full of stars.

"Ow...ow...ow..." Daichi muttered, wincing as 11pm's vines retracted from around his body and new, paler ones took their place.

"There's a book around here that can heal you, but my vines should do for now." 11pm said, looking through the books on a large bookshelf that took up a whole wall. Daichi slowly sat up, looking around with a curious gaze. "This is the Dusk Palace by the way."

"I...I have to get back to 3am...He's really sick..." Daichi said, holding a hand to his forehead as a jolt of pain ran through his head. He didn't notice 11pm freeze for a split second before going back to looking through the books.

"I know you're very eager but 3am was trying to suck out your energy and not your darkness. It's going to take you some time to recover, so please stay a while." 11pm said, pulling a book with an aqua cover off the shelf.

"I need to help 3am and I'm not going to stop until I've done so." Daichi said, wincing as he tried to sit up properly. "If you're another Dream Catcher here to give me a lecture on why  I should wake up, I won't listen."

"I know attachment is hard and it's futile for me to intervene between you and your Dream Catcher, but the pain of seeing your friend become a nightmare is really hard, isn't it? Trust me, I know." 11pm said, turning around with a pile of books in his hands.

"But I've seen something that could help the nightmares. I told you - I've been here." Daichi said, rubbing his temple as he tried to erase the pain in his head and try to remember. "In the Midnight Palace library, I found a cure. But...I can't remember anything! Still...there is something wrong..."

"Oh? What did you see?" 11pm asked, a hint of curiosity creeping into his voice.

"I can only remember 9am screaming for help...3am pleading for something...and there was this book...so many books..." Daichi said, trying his best to remember.

"What else, Limit?" 11pm asked, leaning closer to try and hear Daichi better.

"I...I don't remember anything else..." Daichi said.

11pm's grip on the book tightened, their arm shaking in rage as they spun around, their calm facade disappearing. 

"OH COME ON, DAICHI, THERE HAS TO BE MORE THAN THAT!" He roared, furious.

[]

Silence descended on Knowhere as 11pm realised what he had done.

"Have we...met before?" Daichi asked, confused at 11pm's outburst.

11pm spun around with a quiet 'dammnit', hugging the book close to his chest as he gritted his teeth.

"Hey, I asked you a question! Have we met before? 3am is the only one who has ever called me-" Daichi was cut off by 11pm dropping the books with a crash.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! 3AM THIS, 3AM THAT! WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?! EVERYONE ALWAYS LIKES 3AM! I'M SICK OF HEARING ITS NAME!" 11pm, shouted, knocking books off the shelves in their rage.

Daichi was left in silence as 11pm waved a hand infront of their face to cool themselves down.

"I'm sorry...I'm just frustrated and I really need a cure to help my friend, but I can't do that if everyone is focusing on 3am." Daichi's confusion escalated as 11pm continued speaking. "So much has happened since the nightmares appeared, I don't know where to begin."

[]

"...But this was all because 3am was the brightest. Everyone praised them constantly. They were always the first to make sure their Limits were okay - the most adept at curing their pain. They were the best at everything.

"I didn't understand what was happening, but my chest felt heavy...and I began to sink away. I wanted to be as good as 3am. But no matter how I tried, I could never reach their leve. And soon enough, I was completely forgotten by everyone...

"...By everyone except 11am."

[But it wasn't enough...So I cheated.]

"So I learned how to put 4am's eyes to sleep and made my way into the Midnight Palace's library and I stole secrets you couldn't even imagine. I read books that gave me knowledge that would outsmart everyone.

"Eventually, I found a treasure of the Watch's powers and mine was pure gold."

(Time Master A/N: huh...so it turns out i'm not actually the real time master)

'Those who hold the position of 11pm are Infinity. They are called 'The Time Master'. 11pm holds the ability to restart the day and begin anew, whenever and wherever, before it is over.'

"I embraced my new identity as a Time Master, and grew more powerful.

"I became the first to make sure Limits were okay. I became the first to be praised.

"I became the best."

[With the secrets of Knowhere on my side, I became unstoppable...And I was having fun.]

"But I knew 11am was becoming suspicious, and I couldn't bear keeping my exciting secret from him any longer." 

11pm was walking through the halls of the Dawn Palace, looking for their friend.

"Ok, 11am, you caught me! I'll tell you my secret - but you gotta promise not to tell anyone else, I'm still in the lead-"  

They froze, shock and worry overtaking their emotions as they saw the trembling body of 11pm on the floor infront of them. They knelt beside their friend, gently supporting their weak body. "11am, what's wrong?!"

"11pm, there's something wrong..I feel like I'm swallowing the same sadness over and over..."  11am wheezed, breathing heavily as their body shook uncontrollably. "What's happening...I don't understand...?"

"Don't worry 11am, I will fix this."  11pm muttered, the sound of crunching bones and the splatter of blood echoing around the room.

[]

"I would do anything to change time and fix everything...but no matter what I did, 11am only got worse..."

11am was shaking on the floors of Knowhere, arms wrapped around their stomach as black cracks started to appear on their face, gold liquid trickling onto the checkered floors. 11pm was struck with confusion as their friend started to turn into a Nightmare before their very eyes.

"...And worse."

The wide grin of a Nightmare appeared on 11am's face, their body twitching as a black void of ink filled the space where their right eye had once been, the dark liquid falling down their face as more cracks appeared on their once-smiling face.

"I'm so sorry, 11am." 11pm sobbed, tears streaming down their face as they hugged 11am's convulsing body close to them. "What have I done? Please just give him back! I'm sorry!"

[]

"But the problem didn't stop at 11am. One by one, those things began to appear and there was nothing I could do no matter what powers I used. Then it dawned on me...that I was the one who had brought Nightmares into existence.

"I asked 4am for help. But they were furious that I had stolen knowledge - and told me to fix everything I had damaged myself."

[]

11pm had gone to 4am, kneeling infront of the owl-like Dream Catcher as they turned their back on the pleading 11pm. They turned back around with a frown on their face, gesturing wildly.

"So you're the one behind all of this!"

"4am, hear me out-" 11pm grabbed onto 4am's arm as the other Dream Catcher struggled against their grip.

"Get off!"

"Please, you can't leave - I need the books! The cure might- I need help! Please stay, please!" A boiling rage started in 11pm's mind, slowly taking over them.

"I told you to fix this yourself! You've already caused enough trouble in here-"  4am shoved 11pm's arm off them, pissed off. 11pm landed face-first on the floor with a wince, the boiling rage overflowing.

That was the last straw for 11pm.

They saw red as they summoned a sword out of nowhere, slicing off 4pm's left arm with a sweep of their hand.

That red was 4am's blood.

Their decapitated arm lay on the floor as 4am yelled in pain, a horrific sound accompanied by the drops of crimson blood landing on the floor. 11pm dropped the sword with a clatter, gasping as tears fell from their eyes, 4am's blood staining their clothes and face.

[I was alone... I had lost hope... That is, until I found you, Daichi.]

"A limit that could repeatedly visit Knowhere without a countdown or attachment. You were somehow defying the rules of our world without even knowing it.

"You were close to your Dream Catcher, but they started to change. Yet you worked hard to make sure they didn't turn into a nightmare, and we had a common goal.

"But I couldn't meet you - no one would let me near you. Unless I could make them forget. So I waited patiently, and struck when the time was right."

[...But you kept growing closer to one another...]

"You're extraordinary Daichi-"  3pm was saying as 11pm's eyes widened. If a Dream Catcher knew a Limit's name, then they could keep them and make the attachment between them stronger.

"You...You know my name?" Daichi asked.

"Huh... So it's name is Daichi..." 11pm muttered, leaning out from behind the bush they were hiding behind, some of the branches rustling at their movement. 3am spun around as 11pm hid back behind the bush, covering their mouth. They had almost been caught.

"I don't thing we're alone anymore, Limit. You have to leave." 3am said.

[Your attachment was growing and I needed to act fast. Since I was banned from the Library, I specifically needed you to find the cure. Dream Catchers were not allowed in the Library, but there was no rule against a Limit not being allowed.]

11pm slammed his hand against the wall right beside 9am's head as the smaller one squeaked in fright, his orange hair shifting as he trembled beneath 11pm's intense stare.

"The answer that Limit seeks is in the Midnight Palace Library; encourage them to go there. Then give them this cloak. Its scent will make 4am's trees sleep."  11pm leaned closer to the quivering 9am, who shrinked back as 11pm smirked. "That Limit doesn't know me well, 9am, so you should do this or else more Dream Catchers could be in danger...Do you understand what I'm telling you, 9am?"

9am nodded frantically, taking the cloak from 11pm and running off, terrified.

[]

"You technically weren't a Limit yet. You were a nobody. Someone in Knowhere without a countdown. You could only be a Limit if you have a countdown. And the Library couldn't detect you because of this.

"There had to be secrets in that Library only available to 4am. And for security reasons, it was said that whenever one read a book, they became that book's master - and no one could take that information from you.

"So when you found the cure in a book 4am hadn't read yet and became that book's master, I was elated. You were the only one who knew that book's content, but I had no way of stealing it from you, so I had to wait for you to use the cure. And if I could, I would copy from you."

"But every time you tried to use it, you failed."

[]

"No! 3am! Stop! You're killing it!" 9am shouted, trying to pull 3am away from Daichi's twitching form. The Dream Catcher was almost hysterical, their orange hair exploding in every direction as they glanced around in panic."12am! 4am! Somebody please help!"

"Hang in there, Limit. Let's try this again." 11pm said, pulling the cloak over their head and raising their sword above 3am.

"It was you?! No! What are you doing-" 3am yelled in panic before 11pm brought the sword down, the sound of bones cracking and blood splattering on the floor echoing in the empty space.

[]

"Whoever I pierce with this sword will not forget that time and events have changed. I will not forget either, but everyone else will, no matter how much time has changed.

"It's like the person I use is standing at the unchanging centre of a clock, while everyone else is standing on the changing hands of time as we observe."

11pm imagined them and 3am standing at the centre of a clock, with Daichi and 9am standing near the 01 on a clock, 4am standing at the 17, the freckled Nightmare standing on the 19 and 12pm standing near the 00.

"Because I couldn't reset the time on myself, the wielder, I reset the time on your Dream Catcher, and only we could remember it." 

3am was shaking, their hands pulling at their hair as they dissolved into panic.

"I didn't need you to remember anything or else you'd be too afraid to try again. Even though 3am warned you plenty of times to stay away, I needed you to try and administer the cure until you broke through."

Daichi hovered beside 3am, fretting over his friend as the Dream Catcher tried to warn him to get away.

"Even if it meant starting over...And over...And over..."

11pm raised the sword over 3am's head, bringing it down on the silver-haired Dream Catcher, the sound of bones cracking and blood splattering on the ground being the only sound in Knowhere.

[]

The books were piling up around Daichi and 3am as they continued to desperately find a cure.

"3am, I think I have a cure-" Daichi started to say before 3am wrapped their hands around Daichi's neck, choking him.

"STOP COMING BACK - They're going to get you next!" 3am shouted, their voice raspy as they squeezed Daichi's neck even tighter. "LIMIT, STOP COMING BACK!"

"I...I killed him again...What have I...I killed him again!" 3am gasped, their hands trembling as Daichi's blood coated their fingers and splattered the front of their shirt. "I can't control myself - What's happening?"

11pm stepped out from behind 9am, faint tear tracks evident on his cheeks as he moved to stand infront of 3am.

"Please, I give up! What do you want, 11pm?! He's just a Limit! Leave him out of this - I can no longer control my mind...Please!" 3am yelled, holding out their bloody hand to attempt to stop 11pm's advance.

"I'm sorry, 3am, but this is the only way..." 11pm apologised, holding up the sword, prepared to swing it. He ignored 3am's quiet plead of 'please' and a sadistic smile grew on their face. "...We'll get it right this time..."

The now-familiar sound of bones cracking and blood hitting the floor echoed in Knowhere, before the quiet ticking of the clock grew louder.

[Tik...tik...tok]

"It was going to work, but you just had to get so attached and get a countdown." Daichi sat there, shocked at all the information he had just received.  11pm smirked, the taunting smile stretching across his face. "You must feel so loved. 3am would always try to protect you. To try and keep you from coming back to Knowhere. But even when everyone tried to keep me away from you, here we are, finally able to meet." 3am turned around to face Daichi, spreading their arms out wide in what was meant to be a welcoming gesture.

Daichi flinched under 11pm's gaze as it turned from welcoming to a piercing glare.

"So again...Tell me everything you saw, Daichi."

"I told you, I don't remember anything." Daichi said, wincing as his injuries made waves of pain pass through his body as he leant back in an attempt to get away from 11pm. His hand slipped and Daichi glanced back, confused. His hand was dangerously close to the endless pool of stars. He gasped, turning back towards 11pm.

"Daichi, the Watch needs you. You're the only one in all of existence that knows the book's master - so please try to remember. Do it for my friend, do it for 3am." 11pm said with a smile, placing their hand on Daichi's chest.

"What are you doing...?" He asked, confused.

Right infront of his eyes, 11pm's clothing started to change. Their vines retracted, their cloak changing into a plain one with the galaxy on the interior. Their gloves changed from a midnight black to a pristine white, the infinity sign taking over the number 23 on their dark shirt. They cupped Daichi's cheek with their hand, leaning close to the Limit's ear.

"I actually didn't want to do this...The owner of the book doesn't have to be you. We can still save everyone. But Daichi, I just need you..." 11pm murmured with a faint smile, closing their eyes. 

Daichi flinched when 11pm touched his cheek, trying to move away. Get away from me!

"...To die." And with their final words, they pushed Daichi into the swirling pool of stars.

The world seemed to glitch around Daichi, bubbles rising around him as 11pm dove in with him, tears melding with the watery stars as their arrows made sure that Daichi drowned in the sea of stars.

"Sweet dreams, my love!"

(Time Master A/N: a time master will always find a way to get what they want.)