A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 2: The Inessential Princess

As more snow began to build on the overgrown roads of the village, the powder-covered homes were further dwarfed by a lone house sitting at the highest point in the village near the top of the mountain it sat on. It also had the same architecture as the other buildings, with its mortar cracking, old red tiles falling off the roof, and a tall, uneven chimney near the back. While similar, this house, in particular, stood out from the rest with its large tower that sat connected to the back of the house. Strangely, the bottom half of the tower had a circular diameter, while the top half had a rectangular shape, with many crude additions to the old construction. A large wooden ramp spiraled around the tower's diameter before ending right at the doorway where the angular part of the tower began near the top. It was as if a miniature house were sitting at the top, alongside the remains of a spider-like mechanical beast atop the roof.

While the tower itself was eye-catching, even more oddities were added. In between the spaces in the roof sat the beginnings of a telescope, one that was so abnormally long and large it protruded from the house and looked as if it could topple off at any moment. The original house's front wall had been knocked down in order for a wooden extension to be added, where a new door had been put in place with a painted eyeball at its center. Suppose all that wasn't enough, sitting next to the door was a large bulbous furnace. In its mouth sat a fierce blue flame, which powered the furnace and gave its rounded body a beautiful blue glow. In short, the building was simply an organized mess of refurbishments and technological advancements. This, however, was nothing compared to the categorized monstrosity that sat within its walls.

Inside, the floors and walls were covered with loose papers, detailed with quickly scribbled paragraphs of notes and comments. Desks filled each corner of the room, while the walls were lined with multiple bookshelves, each filled with a variety of old books. Even more books were stacked in multiple piles down at the shelves' base and even on other desks in the room. Also sitting against the walls were crates full of mechanical parts. Gears, screws, and other sorts of machinery filled each of the stacked boxes to the brim. Similar to what filled these crates, larger parts—even full ancient machines—hung from the wooden beams that made up the roof. Of these machines, however, the only one that was functional was the large glowing blue pillar that hung down from the roof, sitting just above what looked to be a small little terminal. While it was true, today, there happened to be another relic in the building that—theoretically—was also functional, one that wasn't part of the house's added parts.

Near the center of the floor was a large wooden table, and while it had far less than the desks, it also had papers and books stacked near its corners. Sitting in the center, however, was a large, ancient machine. This one was different from the others. It was clean and well-maintained by the ones who created it. The body seemed to have been loosely inspired by a horse, though its dark brown color scheme and swirl-like design pattern matched any other relic. Instead of tentacle-like legs or special wings, this one sat perfectly balanced on a unique set of wheels. It was a magnificent piece of machinery, yet its lights were dull, and its gears were still, something the director of the establishment didn't understand.

"Every piece is perfectly fitted, and the pieces themselves are in tippity top shape," a high-pitched voice said. "I've hit every button and adjusted every spring, yet it's shown absolutely no sign of life! Seven days of research and tinkering, only for this little doohickey here to not work!"

The clacking of shoes echoed around the walls as a small individual walked along the tabletop. She circled the bike, tapping a pencil to her lips as she inspected every nook and cranny of the horse. The girl decorated herself with a poofy tan dress accented with navy frills and a red collar. She wore dark stockings that covered her legs, and a pair of large red glasses helped her amber eyes to see. Though she had her glasses on, a large technological pair of yellow goggles sat on her head and leaned against the large white bun of hair.