Sheltered Chemicals

It begins ...

Karl woke up tasting the leftover coffee from last night , he stretched up his wings back and forth scratching his molted black feathers all over his uncle's bed . This is common for winged gods who don't close their wings before they sleep, something Beethoven always told him or else molting happens . "Hmph ? " Karl noticed a strange watch on his arm. It looked no different from your average smartwatch that you would buy online . It was probably one of the smart watches Beethoven bought for Karl that the youngster wore on and off and probably forgot about.  Karl shrugged, deciding instead to clean his feathers off and change the sheets.  After that he took the watch off to shower then dress himself.  While brushing his teeth he randomly remembered that mad scientist rambling about nonsense he couldn't  completely remember.   Whatever Tesla was talking about Karl wanted to be gone before he came back . Karl opened a draw back pouch shoving peanut butter cheddar crackers inside of it along with a charger for his bluetooth headphones . He slid the bluetooth headphones over his head while the oversized shades laid comfortably on his horns.

"This should keep me away from him, " Karl smiled at himself.  Before he could take another step he still saw the old picture of Ludwig 2nd . Karl took a picture staring at it . It was during a time where people just loved wearing suits and dresses instead of casual clothes . Till this day Karl would often beg his uncle to wear something that isn't a suit especially when he has the hygiene of a "pig in clothing " .  Granted Beethoven didn't like being called that but to Karl it was simply the truth . His uncle  needed to learn how to wear clean clothes and learn basic table manners . Karl wondered what Beethoven was like thousands of years ago . A part of him was just curious, the otherside told him to fly away .  "How long are you going to keep staring at your uncle kiddo ? " a hologram spoke to him . *click *" What the hell do you want ? "  Karl turned around pulling out his pocket knife   . "Relax kiddo it's just me .." Tesla slid his hologram back to the smart watch . "Grrrr" Karl grabbed the watch, "Woah woah woah ! Would you really break the watch Uncle Ludwig gifted to you ? Tesla teased " I would understand if you did tho you probably pon it for new headphones anyway ..."..

Karl wordlessly threw his watch on the bed . He rubbed his hair harshly trying his best not to grab his horns and just scream. "What ..do you want ..' he growled furiously.  "Hmm I thought I explained enough yesterday we needed to do an experiment and well you just happened to have the smartwatch to work it out" Tesla mentioned. Angered boiled over Karl's temple , the viennese  quickly grabbed a few boxes of cigars, throwing it on his sack .  He heard footsteps passing by the door , Tesla creaked the door open revealing his black and blue eyes . "We need ..to talk .." He grinned.  "I'm not asking of your intentions again, just get out " Karl spat out . I won't be here for long give me 5 minutes and if I'm not out just call the cops " Tesla shrugged.  "I don't think this is about my uncle but go ahead I'm listening " Karl furrowed a brow  . "Remember how I told you yesterday that I was looking for Beethoven  ? Well that was a lie I was looking for the entire  time, in fact I even went as far as borrowing a smartwatch about a week ago to testc Tesla mentioned.  "Why ? Do you even know my full name ? Why so I a regular 3,000 year old man Have  anything to do with you" Karl crossed his arms.  " I want to learn more about Ludwig and dissect his brain and I figured the best way to learn is through his Nephew Karl van Beethoven and what better way to learn than through time travel  ! "Tesla jumped up and down

. "Time travel  ? " Karl moved his head , "Yes my dear good fellow Time travel  ! Something that was only thought up in movies was now possible ! " Tesla clipped the watch back on . "And why should I trust someone I barely know with such a complex and dangerous subject " Karl pointed out the obvious.  "Because don't you want to learn more about Ludwig?  Where does he come from?  His past " Tesla shook his shoulder "Well how it's possible!  " . "No .." Karl shook his head " I don't give a damn about my crazy uncle or his stupid plans " . "Lying isn't exactly nice Mini luddy I mean I just saw you stare at his pictures and hug the stuff Tazzy do you clearly miss him just a little " . "That is none of your concern " Karl replied,  " Alright but I just saying that its a once in a lifetime event. Why not live a little and have fun ? " Tesla patted his shoulder "Summer is ending this month so ..you know ".

"It must be very lonely in such a stubborn apartment with no friends battling with your schizophrenia and personality disorder every once in a while but I bet you a friend could easily change that " Tesla whispered,  "Do it ...do it ...do it ...." Karl heard a great force tell him to just go along with it . At least for now that is to keep his mind out of boredom . " Let's get this over with " Karl sighed , " Great ! I shall make this fun for us ! " . Later Karl and Tesla sat on a park bench,  and the gifted scientist showed him how to work the simple device . "Just for a few minutes  ?" Karl made it clear that he didn't plan on going on a wild goose chase . "Yes I  already set up the time date so everything will go into plan just press the button " Tesla recalled.  "Okay .." Karl pressed the button.  He immediately felt a red aura around him glowing, "Good luck Karl ! '' Tesla stood back.  Karl mentally panicked as a ball engulfed him . Everything around him is changing.  He felt a strain pin down on his chest until a sudden force jerked him causing a massive fall onto the middle of the street.  Karl laid there for a few minutes his body processing  air  sickness.  He would have vomited if  he didn't skip breakfast that very morning . He laid there for the next 15 minutes as if he was going into a deep sleep only to be woken up by someone ruffling through his sack .  "How much money do you think he has ?" A teen asked.

" I didn't see any, just a bunch of snacks' ' said another one . "Maybe we could steal it and get guilders from it ..hmmm I wonder how much these ear warmers are worth  " the young teen touched Karl headphones.  Finally Karl woke up grabbing the teens arm with his clawed hands ''Don't touch my stuff ! " . "Ah ! A god ! " The group ran out of sight, dropping Karl's bag . Then horse clops started ma,making, Karl hear again coming his way . "Sir it's probably not a good idea to lay on the road like that, '' the horse driver warned him . Karl stumbled around trying to find his footing , "What ...city am I in ? " he grabbed the book bag.  "City ? How do you not know that ? You are in Vienna '' the driver told him ."Right ,..right ,,right ahem can I get a ride?  I've seen feeling wonky for the last 45 minutes " Karl explained.  "Are you drunk?  " The driver asked , "Nope, I can't handle alcohol, which is ironic coming from a guy whose family drinks nothing but wine. In fact if I recall my grandfather or great-grandfather owned a wine company but I can't remember which one though " Karl mentioned.  "Okay ...you're clearly on drugs " the man thought but didn't say out loud,  he let Karl in the cart for a few guilders.  "Hmm this place has a lot more horses then i remember..." Karl started recording certain events . "So where do you come from, you seem kinda lost  ? " the driver  asked . "I'm visiting for my uncle Ludwig van Beethoven  " Karl answered " do you know where he is  ? " . "Beethoven? " the man rubbed his chin "I think i've heard of that name..." . "Yeah he is a world famous Composer and musician !" Karl mentioned.  "That's a funny way of saying trouble maker! all he does is get drunk and start fights at heuriger " the driver huffed .  "Do you know which one he might be in ? " Karl questioned putting a cloak over his body .

A while later Karl stood in front of a wine tavern , "Wine ....of course it's wine ..,"  he opened the door.  The strong smell of booze  , cigarettes and old cheap perfume made his nose burn.  "Geez, what is this place ? It looks like the rotting end of a shit stained train station..." he commented between steps "the tavern i go to looks much better than this ..." . Karl's appearance got him unwanted attention so he sat down . He tapped on the table " Hey bartender...bartender " . "What do you want !?  " a middle aged man rudely commented . " Do you ..uh ..have any water ? " Karl questioned, "Water ? Does this look like a damn pre k center  to you?  " the bartender gritted his teeth . "Okay maybe grape juice ? Apple juice ? Root beer ? Lemonade?  I can't drink alcohol because of my -"  Karl tried to explain but was cut off with the bartender slamming a bottle of  orange juice  "now get out of my sight " the bartender growled.  Karl sat on a table far from the area where he was scolded . He then poured orange  juice onto the cup sipping on it . "I hope I see my uncle soon " he sighed in defeat .