"A talking clock?! I must be insane..." Star sighed helplessly.
"A talking clock?" Firefly said, somewhat unsure, "Clockie?"
"Are you saying... you saw an animated character that doesn't exist in reality?" Firefly's voice held a hint of surprise.
Star touched his head: "You can't see him?"
"Uh... Where is he? I really can't see him..." Firefly began to look around.
"Star: Is it something only I can see again? Am I special... or is Firefly special?"
"March 7th: We can all see him."
"Himeko: Little March, if we are currently viewing from Star's perspective, then of course we can see these things."
"Black Swan: A creature only Star can see, it's almost like a specific meme, very interesting. As expected, your Memory is always so captivating."
"Tick-tock! I guess only straightforward, innocent, and childlike kids can see me~ Just like this grey friend!" Clockie spoke.
"He said you're not straightforward, innocent, or childlike enough."
Star relayed Clockie's words. Firefly felt quite upset upon hearing this, and she pouted, retorting, "...Where am I not straightforward, innocent, or childlike enough...?"
Just then, a crisp sound came: "Tick-tock, tick-tock! Grey friend! Since you can see me, you must be able to help me!"
He looked at Firefly and Star anxiously, pleading, "My good friend Misha, he's in trouble! Please, save him! Otherwise, someone's going to get hurt!"
Star relayed Clockie's words to Firefly. Firefly frowned and thought for a moment, then turned to Star, asking with some difficulty, "So, are you going to help this... uh, Clockie, whom only you can see, first?" She gestured frantically as she spoke, afraid Star would misunderstand her meaning.
"I'm not doubting you, after all, anything can happen in a dream... The place I mentioned, we can go there later, it's fine..." Firefly hastily explained.
Before Firefly could finish speaking, Clockie had already impatiently started running, continuously shouting, "Tick-tock, tick-tock! Keep up, keep up, grey friend!" He ran while looking back and waving at Star, as if he was in a great hurry.
"Misha's in danger! He's right there, I'll lead you!" Clockie ran forward, pointing the way. Firefly and Star exchanged glances; although their hearts were full of doubts, they still decided to follow to see what was happening.
Misha? Why does that name sound a bit familiar...? Anyway, it's better to go see what's happening over there first. "Faster! You need to be as quick as a Hamster Ball Knight!" Star closely followed the one called Clockie, jogging all the way to the front of a shop.
At this moment, about five or six people were surrounding a woman, and beside her, an overwhelmed child stood. Star focused his gaze and immediately recognized the surrounded person as Acheron, and the one standing next to her was the bellhop Misha.
"Oh, there are so many people there, it seems something really is happening..." Firefly muttered softly.
"Everyone, please calm down, okay?" Misha stood to the side, somewhat at a loss, speaking in a weak voice.
"Hmph, an ignorant fellow, watch how I teach you a lesson today!" The gang leader roared angrily.
"Alright! Boss, teach her a good lesson!" The subordinate cheered.
Acheron shook her head helplessly.
"Why are they all familiar faces?" Star sighed.
Firefly heard this and found it a bit strange. She blinked her large eyes, looking at Star curiously, and asked, "Huh? All... what does that mean?"
Star was just about to explain to Firefly that the two people he saw were both familiar, when Clockie's words suddenly interrupted him: "Oh, look, look! I wasn't lying! Misha's in danger!"
"Tick-tock! Please, grey friend! Help Misha!"
"My baseball bat can't wait any longer."
"But the bat is too inefficient... No! I mean, we can't solve problems in such a crude way...."
"Tick-tock, tick-tock! This chaotic situation is all Stone Boss's fault!" Clockie explained:
"Stone Boss is the worst villain in Beautique Town—he's a greedy guy who wants to drive all the residents of Beautique Town away and monopolize the precious stone materials...."
"So, he instructed his subordinates to mess up the dream, extracting all the good emotions from everyone! Beautique Town has been full of anxiety and strife ever since, and everyone is no longer a family!"
"But as the guardian of Beautique Town, Clockie cannot stand by idly—as long as you use 'Clockwork,' and let the good emotions flowing in the dream return to people's hearts, everyone will surely reconcile!"
"Come on, grey friend! I have a feeling you'll definitely be able to learn Clockwork, after all, you're special enough to see me!"
"And you're a guest of Beautique Town, Stone Boss didn't anticipate your existence! If you step in, that big bad guy will surely be caught off guard!"
"March 7th: Clockwork sounds just like a superpower, is this also something made by The Academy?"
"Sunday: A power I've never heard of, your experiences are indeed very surprising to me."
"Bronya: This power seems quite similar to what Sunday used before; it can synchronize people's emotions. Could this also be the power of Aeon Xipe?"
"Welt: Not very similar. In any case, let's keep watching for now."
"Why don't you go yourself?" Star asked, somewhat puzzled.
Facing Star's question, Clockie spread his hands helplessly and explained, "I can't use Clockwork by myself, because they can't see me! So I'm begging you, close your eyes—"
Hearing this, although Star still had some doubts, he chose to trust the other party. He slowly closed his eyes, sensing everything around him.
"Tick-tock!" With a crisp sound, Star suddenly felt a strange change. It was as if an invisible force was connecting him and Clockie, and this feeling was very peculiar.
"This way we are one—heart and mind. Do you feel power flowing within you!"
"I feel it," Star whispered, "A power... surging within me."
"Tick-tock! That's right! Come on, now go find that angry gang leader—use Clockwork, pour all the good emotions into him, bang, mission accomplished!"
After speaking, he sternly warned, "You must remember: absolutely do not use Clockwork for bad things—we are the guardians of Beautique Town, tick-tock!"